פָּרָשַׁת כִּי תָבוֹא

Parshat Ki Tavo is about entering the land and entering the covenant, as Moshe Rabbeinu nears the end of his words to Bnei Yisrael (the children of Israel) in the land of Moav. It opens with bikkurim (first fruits): the farmer brings the first of his fruit to the place Hashem chooses and, before the altar, tells the story of his people, "Arami oved avi" (said at the Pesach Seder in the Haggadah), from the slavery in Mitzrayim (Egypt) to the gift of the land. In Viduy Maaser (the declaration over the tithes) he affirms that he has given the tithes as commanded. Bnei Yisrael declare that they belong to Hashem, and He declares them His am segulah (treasured people).

When they cross the Yarden (Jordan), they are to write all the words of this Torah on great plastered stones on Har Eival and build an altar there of whole stones. Six tribes stand on Har Gerizim for the blessing and six on Har Eival for the curse, and the Leviim (Levites) call out twelve curses, on sins such as making an idol in secret, dishonoring parents, twisting justice for the weak and taking a bribe to kill; all the people answer "Amen."

Then come the blessings for listening to Hashem, and the tochacha (the rebuke): disease, drought, defeat, siege and hunger, exile among the nations, and a return to Mitzrayim in ships to be sold as slaves with no buyer, "because you did not serve Hashem your G-d with joy and gladness of heart" when they had plenty. These are the words of the covenant made in Moav, besides the covenant at Chorev (Har Sinai). The parsha ends with Moshe reminding Bnei Yisrael of the forty years (wandering in the desert) in which their clothes and shoes did not wear out, and the victory over Sichon and Og: keep this covenant, so that you succeed in all you do.