These new weekly insights on the parsha by Rabbi Shalom (Saul) Orbach are based on the teachings of the great Chassidic Rav, Yisroel Hopstein, otherwise known as the Maggid of Kozhnitz.
Avodat Yisrael on Parshat Ki Tavo centers on how we listen and follow through. He reads the parsha as a practical guide on Avodat HaShem L’Shem Shamayim: show up fully, shape your daily habits with purpose, and commit consistently, then blessing endures.
והיה אם שמוע תשמע, “If you will surely listen”. Start with real listening. Even learning פשט, the simple meaning, matters when it leads to action. We don’t need to know or learn the esoteric to be able to influence heaven or ourselves. What we hear and learn today shapes who we become tomorrow.
אשרי אדם שומע לי… לשקוד על דלתותי, “Happy is the one who listens… to watch at My doors”. In prayer, go past the דלתות, the inner and outer doors: bring full attention, guard what you let in through your ears, eyes, and mouth, and be present enough to mean what you say so that HaShem lifts you up.
ברוך אתה בעיר וברוך אתה בשדה, “Blessed in the city and in the field”. Make everyday life serve the higher goal of Avodat HaShem. At home and at work, set up your routines, meals, money, schedule, so they are L’Shem Shamayim, such that even ordinary acts can become part of your Avodah.
בדרך אחד יצאו אליך ובשבעה דרכים ינוסו לפניך… ושמרתם את כל דברי הברית הזאת, “By one way they come out against you and by seven they flee… You shall keep all the words of this covenant”. Choose steady effort over quick fixes. ושמרתם, Keep: stay ready and expectant; ועשיתם, Do: follow through consistently. That combination is what turns hope into the lasting change of a new reality.
To expand on this summary of the Avodat Yisrael, view the source sheet Avodat Yisrael D7 Ki Tavo 5785, perfect for those who want to self-learn at their own pace.