Parashat KiTavo 5785

by Rabbi Margie Cella

This parashah contains both curses and blessings. Curses will be suffered by those who choose not to obey the commandments. Conversely, observance of the commandments will bring abundant blessings.

Moses instructs the nation that once they enter Canaan, they are to erect an altar upon which they will offer their sacrifices of well-being. These offerings of gratitude were meant to bring the person who brought them closer to God. Therefore, God instructs that the stones used to construct the altar be unhewn, and that no iron tool is to be used on them [27:5-6] Mishnah Middot explains: “Since iron was created to shorten men’s days and the altar was created to prolong man’s days, … it is not right therefore that that which shortens should be lifted against that which prolongs.” [3:4] Iron is used to make weapons of war. Thus, it has no place in the construction of God’s altar.

In Midrash Tanhuma, Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai says that if these inanimate stones, which neither see nor hear, can affect peace between a person and God, then how much more so should someone who promotes peace between a person and their spouse, or between any two people, merit having their own days and years prolonged.

We are commanded to be peacemakers. There are so many triggers for disagreement and strife in  our word today. In the face of such divisiveness, we must strive to bring people together, to get them to really listen to each other, to recognize the humanity in the person who holds a different or opposing opinion. But before we can assist others in making peace with a perceived enemy, we must first be able to make our own peace with those with whom we disagree.

Oseh Shalom, Maker of Peace, give us the wisdom to become the peacemakers that You want us to be.