How is the blessing different from the curse?
(11,26) Behold, I set before you today a blessing and a curse. The blessing, that you will heed the commandments of Hashem, your G-d, which I command you today. And the curse, if you will not heed the commandments of Hashem, your G-d, and turn aside from the way which I command you today, to follow other gods which you did not know.
The question of the commentaries here is well known - why concerning the blessing it writes “that you will heed the commandments of Hashem”, but concerning the curse it writes “if you will not heed the commandments of Hashem”. But it seems to me that we can explain as follows.
Chazal have taught that one who comes to purify himself is helped, but one who comes to sully himself is given an opening, but is not helped. If so, the blessing is different from the curse, because with the blessing, not only does Hashem give a blessing to one who observes the Torah, but he is even helped to observe the Torah in order to give him a blessing. This is because Hashem wishes to bestow goodness on Klal Yisrael, and desires only their good and not bad. But Hashem does not desire that Yisrael be given a curse, and so He does not help them.
According to this, the blessing is a blessing in two ways. Firstly, the blessing itself, and secondly, that which Hashem helps one who is coming to purify himself, in order that he should receive the blessing. But the curse is just on thing, if he does not heed the Torah and by himself transgresses the Torah without any assistance, to bring upon himself the curse, G-d forbid.
This is what the posuk is saying - “Behold, I set before you today a curse and a blessing”. But they are not similar one to the other, but rather they are very far apart. Because “the blessing” includes “that you will heed the commandments of Hashem”, because Hashem will assist you. But “the curse” is only “if you will not heed”, of your own accord, “and turn aside from the way which I command you today”, but you will not be assisted in the matter.
(11,26) What is another difference between the blessing and the curse?
(11,26) Behold, I set before you today a blessing and a curse. The blessing, that you will heed the commandments of Hashem, your G-d, which I command you today. And the curse, if you will not heed the commandments of Hashem, your G-d, and turn aside from the way which I command you today, to follow other gods which you did not know.
Another way of explaining these posukim is that Chazal said no reward is given for mitzvos in this world, and the Rambam explained that all the promises mentioned in the Torah are not intended as a reward, but rather they are intended to enable us to keep the Torah, and the real reward will be in the world to come.
But the curse is the opposite - Chazal said that Hashem gave to Avrohom a choice, to choose for his children either Gehinnom or subjugation to the nations in place of Gehinnom. If so, this shows that the punishment in this world is preferable to punishment in the world to come. And some say there that Hashem Himself showed him that he should choose subjugation of the nations rather than Gehinnom.
This is what the posuk is saying, “Behold, I set before you today a blessing and a curse”. And perhaps you think that they are equal, and that if the curse is paid in this world, then similarly with the blessing its payment will be in this world, and there will no further reward for us in the world to come. And if the blessing is not meant as a reward but rather to enable us to keep the Torah, and our reward will be in the world to come, then perhaps the curse will be similar, and will be only to prevent us from keeping the Torah, and the main punishment will be given in the world to come.
Therefore the Torah informs us that this is not so, and not only are they are not equal, but very far apart - “Behold, I set before you today a blessing and a curse”, but they do not have the same rules, but rather “the blessing” is not a reward but rather “that you will heed the Torah”, to enable to keep the Torah, because without the blessing you will not be able to keep the Torah, and so this blessing is only to facilitate, and the real reward is given later. But “the curse” is not to facilitate, G-d forbid, to prevent you from keeping the Torah, but rather “if you will not heed..and turn aside from the way which I command you today”, then the curse will be a punishment for your sin, and there will be no further punishment in the world to come. So you see that there is a great difference between the blessing and the curse.
