Ki Tavo: The Power of Gratitude and Responsibility
By Jen Smith, Guest Torah Blogger

This week’s Torah portion, Ki Tavo, opens with a profound mitzvah – the bikkurim – the first fruits. After the Israelites enter the Promised Land, they are commanded to bring the first fruits of their harvest to the Temple, presenting them as an offering of gratitude. The ritual is more than a mere agricultural practice; it’s an opportunity to express gratitude not just for the harvest, but for the entire journey, from slavery in Egypt to the Promised Land.

Gratitude and Spiritual Ownership

One of the most striking elements of Ki Tavo is the emphasis on gratitude. When we read the declaration that the Israelites make when offering their bikkurim, it recounts their history – how their ancestors went down to Egypt, suffered oppression, and were miraculously redeemed by God. This declaration reminds them that the blessings they now enjoy are not simply theirs by right; they are gifts from God.

Gratitude in Judaism is never passive. It’s not enough to feel thankful; we must act on that gratitude. In modern terms, Ki Tavo reminds us that we are spiritually responsible for our blessings. The world around us, our relationships, opportunities, even our hardships – each comes with the potential to bring us closer to the Divine spark inside ourselves when we recognize that not only are we supposed to accept gifts from the universe, but we are responsible for finding the blessing in every circumstance.

This is a powerful lesson for today’s world, where we are often encouraged to focus on what we lack rather than what we have. Ki Tavo invites us to flip that script, to cultivate a sense of deep appreciation for all that we are given.

The Other Side of the Coin: Responsibility

But there’s another side to this gratitude. Later in the parashah, we encounter a difficult and often unsettling section: the tochachah, a list of blessings and curses. If the Israelites follow the commandments, they will be blessed; if not, they will suffer. The imagery is vivid and harsh, prompting many to struggle with these passages.

What is the deeper message here? It’s about responsibility. Just as gratitude for blessings requires recognition, so does responsibility for our actions. The Torah reminds us that we are not isolated beings floating through life. Our actions—both personal and communal—have consequences, and the world reflects to us the moral choices we make.

In the 21st century, this concept of accountability feels both urgent and relevant. We live in a time when it’s easy to feel powerless in the face of global challenges like climate change, political unrest, and social injustice. But Ki Tavo insists that our individual and collective choices matter. We are the architects of our spiritual and moral destiny.

Finally, the parashah touches on the unique relationship between the Jewish people and God. There’s a beautiful reciprocity in this covenantal relationship: God promises to cherish the Israelites, and the Israelites are expected to live in a way that reflects God’s holiness in the world.

This idea of being in a covenant speaks not just to individuals but to the collective identity of the Jewish people. In a world that often prioritizes individualism, Ki Tavo reminds us that we are part of something greater than ourselves. It’s not just about “me” and “my” spiritual growth—it’s about the community, the nation, and the broader human family.

This vision of collective responsibility is deeply needed today. When we focus too much on ourselves, we lose sight of our interconnectedness. But Ki Tavo teaches that our individual well-being is bound up with the well-being of others.

Ki Tavo speaks to our time with remarkable clarity. In a world often defined by anxiety, materialism, and division, it calls us back to the basics of spiritual living: gratitude, responsibility, and the power of community.

As we prepare for the High Holidays, we are invited to reflect on our own lives. Where do we need to cultivate more gratitude? How can we take greater responsibility for our choices? And how can we build a life that reflects the holiness of the Divine, both for ourselves and for the collective good?

May we take these lessons to heart, walking forward with a deeper awareness of the blessings in our lives and the responsibility we carry to shape a better world.

Shabbat Shalom.

Ki Tetze 
Deut. 21:10–25:19 

By Jen Smith, Guest Torah Blogger 

In this week’s Parshat Ki Tetze, Moses continues his marathon farewell speech. Imagine Moses, the ultimate motivational speaker, standing before the Israelites as he delivers one last dose of wisdom before they cross into the Promised Land. I imagine Moses may have been much like a biblical basketball coach: he’s calling a huddle at half time, giving his team the playbook for the second half of the game. He’s not inspiring them to merely survive; he’s hyping them up to thrive! 

Ki Tetzi means “when you go out,” and comes from a key phrase in the portion, Ki tetze la’milchama, meaning, when you go out to war. This is about more than just swords and literal battles. Our rabbis teach us that this phrase not only refers to the battles the people face with the other tribes they’ll encounter, it’s also about the daily struggles they’ll encounter as a community and as individuals. Whether it’s the challenge of living a moral life in a complicated world, the battles we wage on behalf of those who cannot fight for themselves, or the tireless fight against our own worst instincts (yetzer hora) or self-sabotage, the people are reminded that while they made it to the Promised Land geographically, the real Promised Land is finding peace within ourselves, our community, and with God. That Promised Land is a lifelong journey; more of a practice – not a destination. 

The Torah doesn’t just focus on our grand gestures of spirituality. Instead, it reminds us of the mitzvah and the importance of inviting holiness into our lives on earth, infusing our existence with the divine, and leveraging our unique divine sparks to help us cope during even the most difficult of times. Most of all, we are reminded that our law is a living Torah; from the treatment of prisoners of war and the proper steps for addressing theft of property and animals, to employee compensation and guidelines for managing divorce, this portion offers a roadmap to Peoplehood. Ki Tetze reminds us once more than God is not only found in the Temple or the modern synagogue, but also on the street, in the faces of strangers, in our workplace, and in our relationships with our friends and family. 

The beauty of Ki Tetze is that it gives us, God’s people, a mandate to “go out” and find the connection we want with God. That connection is not waiting for us in a distant land, nor can it be found through a connection with another person. The connection we long for is inside of us; it is waiting for us in our daily lives and in our choices and actions as we struggle to overcome the realities of a finite world. Every time we act from a place of love – love of ourselves, our neighbors, or our communities – we effectively elevate even the most difficult of circumstances into an opportunity to deepen our relationship with God. From this, we learn that caring for each other – either physically, spiritually, or with our time – is an important form of Divine Service.  

So, what’s Moses’ underlying message in Ki Tetze?  For me, it comes down to this: Life is a series of small, yet important, battles. It is not solely about preparing for the Promised Land; it’s about how well we live as we traverse the wilderness of life. As we “go out” into the week ahead, may we be inspired to unlock the power within to transform every moment, every word, every interaction, into an act of holiness. Instead of pushing through our daily grind, let’s fight the mundane with sacred weapons: infusing daily life with meaning, kindness, gratitude, and a little humor. After all, as Moses knew, the Promised Land is already here if we choose to see it. 

Shabbat Shalom!