In this Torah portion, Bechukotai, God rebukes His people Israel with harsh words. The words are so threatening that some Rabbinical authorities suggest reading them quickly and in a low voice in order not to get emotionally hurt by them.

However, I found that the Chafetz Chaim speaks strongly against those who read this passage (the admonition) quickly and in a low voice. He considers this to be an ostrich-like attitude by people who refuse to hear anything of the punishments that God threatens to inflict on an unfaithful nation" (Elie Munk: The Call of the Torah).

The Chafetz Chaim sees in the refusal to listen to the harsh words of the Torah an ostrich-like attitude. However, why should a person like to listen to such threatening words?

In the book of Ecclesiastes we read:

What appears to be a logical statement to the author of Eclesiastes, is not what happens to us every day of our daily lives. Everybody likes to hear words of praise because, praise, even if it comes from a fool sounds like song and music to our ears. "Rabbi, your sermon was great", "Manes, the cholent you prepared for Shabbat was great", "Rabbi, Your class was so entertaining". I love words of praise. But when someone tells me: "You should have cut a little of your message", or "do you have salt and pepper to add to the chicken?", or "Rabbi, why don't you give people in your class an opportunity to participate? I stop feeling great.

Common sense tells us that criticism can be a wonderful learning opportunity, but we still don't always appreciate it.

On the other hand, most people don't like to judge others at least not in their presence. When you point out a fault in another person, or in their children, you risk gaining an enemy.

Therefore, you need two brave parts to get a Tochecha, an admonition. One part needs to be willing to leave the comfort of a peaceful relationship in order to tell the other part what it is expected from it. On the other hand, you need someone ready to receive the admonition, to listen to it, to absorb the not-always pleasant words.

We read in the book of Proverbs:

Even the first reaction to criticism is to defend ourselves, the advise is to incorporate it, to digest it, to absorb it:

Finally, we need to understand that criticism, correction and admonition in order to reach a goal should involve love. "For whom the Lord loves he corrects" - says again the wise King Solomon.

Our God is a God with very high expectations toward the Jewish people and because he loves us he wants us to better ourselves. He chose us among the nations, gave us His precious Torah and established a special relationship with us. Therefore He asks for unconditional loyalty: If we obey His commandments, blessings will pursue us, if not, we'll be punished. The closer the relationship, the higher the expectations.

A story has been told about Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, the founder of the Cabbad Hassidism who used to be the Torah reader in his synagogue. One weekend he was spending Shabbat in another town and someone else among his hassidim read the Torah. It was on Shabbat Bechukotai. When Rabbi Shneur Zalman's son, Mitler Rebbe, who was in the Synagogue at that time, heard the harsh words of the Tochecha -the admonition- he fainted. When the people revived him he said to them: "When my father reads the Tochecha -the admonition- I don't hear harsh words or curses and threats, I hear only words of love and blessings".

In order to be ready to share and to receive words of criticism we need to be brave and to be ready to take risks. People may not understand our love, our words, our involvement. However, if we are able to join in this journey, to take risks, the rewards could be a more meaningful life, for us and for our loved ones.

May we be able to find love and kindness in all the words of the Torah and may God abide within us and fulfill in us His promise to our ancestors: "And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and you shall be my people"
(Leviticus 26:12)

Shabbat Shalom!