Looks Like Down to Me

By Rabbi Joshua (grammatically known as The Hoffer) Hoffman

In parshas Bechokosai, we are given the section of blessings and curses. We are told that the nation will receive reward for observing the Torah, and punishment for violating it. Toward the end of the account of the punishment that they will receive, God says that even when they are in exile, He will remember His covenant with Yakov, His covenant with Yitzchak, and his covenant with Avraham ( Vayikra, 26:42).Why are the forefathers mentioned in the reverse order? Many explanations have been given, but I would like to suggest one based on a general view of the section of blessings and curses as presented by Rabbi Shlomo Yosef Zevin in his LeTorah UleMoadim.

Rabbi Zevin notes that the order of the letters in hte words that begin the section of the cursesare in alphabetical order, while the letters which begin the words of the curses are in the reverse order. The alphabet, explains Rav Zevin, represents that which is clearly discernible. The blessings that are mentioned in this section, such as rain coming in its time, having food in abundance, and especially being in a state of peace, are clear to everyone. Therefore, they are presented in alphabetical order. The curses, however, are misunderstood. One who truly has faith in God and trusts in Him believes that everything He does is for the good. Therefore, what appear to be curses are, in actuality, blessings, in the sense that they lead us back to God and out of exile. This was, in fact, the message that Yosef gave to his brothers when he revealed his identity to them in Egypt. He told them that what they thought was bad was actually turned around by God for the good. The events surrounding Purim were of a similar nature, and that is why, according to Rav Dovid Feinstein, there are allusions to Purim in the Torah's account of the struggle between Yosef and his brothers.

Following Rav Zevin's comment, we can understand why the verse which IIS at the beginning of the Torah's description of our ultimate release from exile mentions the forefathers in reverse order. The difficulties we endure in exile are meant by God for our own good, to lead us to repent and renew our relationship with Him, and, thus, are ultimately for the good, but we do not usually recognize this. Therefore, this verse is arranged in reverse order, to indicate that, in the end, we will be redeemed, and everything that leads up to our redemption is, in an ultimate sense, for the good.