Moshe reminds the people that both a blessing and a curse lay before them: a blessing if they chose to obey ADONAI’s commands; a curse if they choose to reject them. Israel was physically positioned between Mount G’rizim (blessing) and Mount Eival (curses) when this statement was made. They could tangibly envision the choice they had. The theme of making a choice appears consistently throughout the Bible: Choose! God offers Israel a choice and then says, “Choose Life” (Deut 30:19).
Yeshua states that those who truly love him will choose to keep his commands (John 14:15). Placed before Israel and the world are options; blessings and curses, blessings if they choose to keep the Lord’s mitzvot (blessings) and curses if not.
Pirqe Avot (a compilation of the ethical teachings, and maxims of the rabbis is of the Mishnaic period) states, “Rabbi Shimon, the son of Gamliel did say, ‘By three things is the world sustained:
- through Torah [God’s Law or Instruction],
- through Emet [Truth] and is established
- in Shalom [ADONAI’s peace]'” (1:8). In the Torah, God has given instruction for holy life and for healing blessing (Deut 11:26-31).
For more on “Torah,” see reading at Psalm 1:1-3 (CJB)
Psalm 1:1
1 How blessed are those
who reject the advice of the wicked,
don’t stand on the way of sinners
or sit where scoffers sit!
Psalm 1:2
2 Their delight
is in ADONAI’s Torah;
on his Torah they meditate
day and night.
Psalm 1:3
3 They are like trees planted by streams—
they bear their fruit in season,
their leaves never wither,
everything they do succeeds.
David H. Stern, Complete Jewish Bible: An English Version of the Tanakh (Old Testament) and B’rit Hadashah (New Testament), 1st ed. (Clarksville, MD: Jewish New Testament Publications, 1998), Ps 1:1–3.