But the portion as a whole also has this bracketed structure. It is clear what the outer portions are: we begin by reading that Israel is commanded to bring a sacrifice of first fruits to remember our flight from Israel (this section is repeated in the haggada at Passover). This is followed by a command to provide for the stranger, the Levite, the fatherless and the widow. The portion ends with Moses reminding the people that they have seen, themselves, all the great things which God has done for them.
The middle of the portion is not so clear as to structure, however; depending on how the sections are divided up we could consider the blessings to be the center - or we might equally decide that the center of the bracket is the curses. Keeping this in mind, let us examine further.
In 27:11 we are told that the Levites will speak both blessings and curses, to which the people will respond Amen, yet only the curses are listed. R. Sforno tells us that the blessings were said first, using baruch, and were simply the mirror of the curses. The Torah, he continues, lists only the curses, using arur, because the point to this exercise is to curse the transgressors, because they themselves should bear the burden of their sins - the people should not have to bear it for them. The transgressors, we find out in Ezekiel, turn out to be the leaders of the people - those to whom, presumably, the people could not bring justice themselves. In these passages, those leaders, by saying amen, agree to the punishments listed. By Ezekiels time they turn out to be those who have committed the sins leading to the downfall of Jerusalem.
One might think that if it were the leaders of the people who commit these sins, then they should be the ones to pay for them alone. So why, because of them, does all of Israel pay with the loss of Jerusalem? Is the private behavior of our leaders really enough to bring downfall to us all? Is that just?
Ive often heard that Americans the world over are thought of as insanely prudish about the private behavior of our politicians. Certainly during any given election, plenty of mud is slung about regarding anything from sexual improprieties to questionable economic favors. Yet again and again, we elect people who are known to have behaved badly with their intimates and with other peoples money.
Well, so what, many say, so long as they do a good job in office, why care what they do at home?
Not only our politicians, but sports figures, movie stars, and anyone in the public eye, are routinely the subject of articles which describe their personal behavior.
But what does it say about us that we continue to digest these personal problems as just so much news? In our public figures, we select models for our own future bad behavior. We say to ourselves -after all, everyone does it, even the...., or, If he can get away with it, I can too...
During the OJ Simpson trial, I was doing volunteer work at a local womens shelter. After the announcement of the verdict, the number of calls, not only to our shelter, but to shelters around the country, declined. At the same time, men in the batterers education groups began dropping out at even higher rates than usual. The logic was simple - women who were asked said that they knew when their partners were found not guilty, they would be in for even greater levels of violence. The men said, If OJ got away with it, I can too.
Leaders do not spring from nowhere. Even in lands whereleadership is hereditary, the people control with their approval and disapproval who takes power, and what they are permitted to do once they get it. No matter how charismatic a person is, they can stand in the valley and issue threats to one side, and promises to the other, but unless the people choose to support them they cant lead.
From the structure of the portion, we can see what the people are really being told: Private sins are not really private - they may not be brought to justice - but only because the people choose not to pursue justice. Yet that private behavior has consequences - sometimes it doesnt affect that person immediately - batterers, for example, often get what they want in the short run - control of a situation -or so they think. In the structure of the curses, sexual sins are in the center - perhaps the most personal of all sins, but even the most personal of sins comes to light eventually. When we allow our leaders to indulge themselves in sins that seem private and harmless, were merely hoping for those same eyes to look away from us, and so we choose the curses, and not the blessings.
Why do we choose the curses? God stands on the brackets. Gods actions arent apparent every day - but we all stood at Sinai, we all were redeemed from Egypt, and if we think about this, we know that even our private sins, those against the people who look powerless and cant complain, will return to our doorsteps. We can choose the blessings instead.
Power to the people! (ahem, just kidding)