In this week’s double Torah portion, Behar-Bechukotai, we are presented with a stark contrast: the blessings that await us if we walk with God, and the curses that will befall us should we turn away. The blessings paint a picture of a utopian life in the Land of Israel—abundant rain and harvests, peace and security, fertility and prosperity, and, most profoundly, the indwelling of God’s presence among us.

But the curses tell a very different story: “I will wreak misery upon you—consumption and fever, which cause the eyes to pine and the body to languish; you shall sow your seed to no purpose, for your enemies shall eat it. I will set My face against you: you shall be routed by your enemies, and your foes shall dominate you. You shall flee though none pursues” (Leviticus 26:16-17), and much more. The Torah’s description of these punishments is so graphic that we traditionally read them in the synagogue quickly and in a subdued tone, as though to soften their harshness.

Yet, hidden within this long and painful list of curses lies a verse that may carry a surprising note of consolation: “I will make the land desolate, so that your enemies who dwell in it shall be appalled by it” (

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