Yichus: A BLESSING or a CURSE?

Rabbi Yehoshua Grunstein Director of Development, North America, Tzohar

Our Parsha, delineating the blessings versus the curses we will receive for our observance [for lack therof] of Mitzvot, seems to divide between them neatly, with the first parts describing the blessings [21/313] and the next the curses [14-43]. However, in the midst of what seems to be the curses [verse 42] comes the following, seemingly misplaced “blessing” oriented message, known to use from the Slichot: “And I will remember the covenant of Yaakov, and that of Yitzchak and that of Avraham I will remember and the land I will recall”

What is this beautiful blessing, connoting how G-d will recall that we are the greatgrandchildren of the patriarchs, doing in the midst of the curses that precede and proceed it?

Explains the Shla”h [R’ Yishayahu Horowitz, Bechukotai 4] that indeed this is not a blessing but rather a curse: someone wicked, doing the wrong and even tragic things is terrible, but even worse is a קידצ ןב עשר, a wicked man who came from a righteous home as “he saw his father doing the right things, and he doesn't continue the traditions of his forbears!”

Thus, G-d is telling the Jewish people that not only will they be punished for their actions, but their actions are all the more severe as they come from “good stock” and still did what's wrong!

Great people in our family tree can be either a source of blessing or, G-d forbid, the opposite. It’s in our hands to insure that it be the former and not the latter.