(Devarim 11:26-27) "blessing and curse": "blessing" — that you hearken; "curse" — that you do not hearken." Similarly (Bereshith 4:7) "If you (Cain) do right, you will bear (a blessing)," and if you do not do right, you will bear (a curse)." R. Eliezer the son of R. Yossi Haglili says: Who "whispers" to you that in "blessing and curse" the Torah meant that the blessing is your hearkening, and the curse, your not hearkening? Compare (Proverbs 18:29) "Death and life are in the power of the tongue; and those who love it will eat its fruit" — The lover of good will eat its fruit and the lover of evil will eat its fruit! R. Eliezer, the son of R. Yossi Haglili says: Who "whispered" it to you? Scripture states (Psalms 24:13-14) "Who is the man who wants life, who loves days to see good? Guard your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit." Similarly, (Proverbs 11:31) "If there is retribution for the righteous one in the land, how much more so for the evildoer and the sinner!" R. Eliezer, the son of R. Yossi Haglili says: Who "whispered" it to you? Scripture states (Ibid. 16:4) "The L-rd created all for His own sake — even the evildoer for the day of retribution."
"that I command you this day, to go after other gods": From here it was derived: If one acknowledges idolatry, it is as if he denies the entire Torah; and if one denies idolatry, it is as if he acknowledges the entire Torah.
(דברים יא כו-כח) בְּרָכָה וּקְלָלָה, הַבְּרָכָה אִם תִּשְׁמְעוּ, וְהַקְּלָלָה אִם לֹא תִשְׁמְעוּ. כַּיּוֹצֵא בוֹ אַתָּה אוֹמֵר (בראשית ד ז): ״הֲלֹא אִם תֵּיטִיב שְׂאֵת״, אִם תֵּיטִיב שְׂאֵת – בְּרָכָה, וְאִם לֹא תֵיטִיב שְׂאֵת – קְלָלָה. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בְּנוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַגְּלִילִי אוֹמֵר: מִי לְחָשְׁךָ? אָמְרָה תּוֹרָה הַבְּרָכָה וְהַקְּלָלָה: הַבְּרָכָה אִם תִּשְׁמְעוּ... וְהַקְּלָלָה אִם לֹא תִשְׁמְעוּ. כַּיּוֹצֵא בוֹ אַתָּה אוֹמֵר (משלי יח כא): ״מָוֶת וְחַיִּים בְּיַד לָשׁוֹן וְאֹהֲבֶיהָ יֹאכַל פִּרְיָהּ״, הָאוֹהֵב אֶת הַטּוֹבָה אוֹכֵל פֵּרוֹתֶיהָ וְהָאוֹהֵב אֶת הָרָעָה אוֹכֵל פֵּרוֹתֶיהָ. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בְּנוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַגְּלִילִי אוֹמֵר: מִי לְחָשְׁךָ? אָמְרָה תּוֹרָה (תהלים לד יד): ״נְצֹר לְשׁוֹנְךָ מֵרָע״. כַּיּוֹצֵא בוֹ אַתָּה אוֹמֵר (משלי יא לא): ״הֵן צַדִּיק בָּאָרֶץ יְשֻׁלָּם אַף כִּי רָשָׁע וְחוֹטֵא״. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בְּנוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַגְּלִילִי אוֹמֵר: מִי לְחָשְׁךָ? אָמְרָה תּוֹרָה (משלי טז ד): ״כָּל פָּעַל ה׳ לַמַּעֲנֵהוּ וְגַם רָשָׁע לְיוֹם רָעָה״.
(Devarim 11:26-27) "blessing and curse": "blessing" — that you hearken; "curse" — that you do not hearken." Similarly (Bereshith 4:7) "If you (Cain) do right, you will bear (a blessing)," and if you do not do right, you will bear (a curse)." R. Eliezer the son of R. Yossi Haglili says: Who "whispers" to you that in "blessing and curse" the Torah meant that the blessing is your hearkening, and the curse, your not hearkening? Compare (Proverbs 18:29) "Death and life are in the power of the tongue; and those who love it will eat its fruit" — The lover of good will eat its fruit and the lover of evil will eat its fruit! R. Eliezer, the son of R. Yossi Haglili says: Who "whispered" it to you? Scripture states (Psalms 24:13-14) "Who is the man who wants life, who loves days to see good? Guard your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit." Similarly, (Proverbs 11:31) "If there is retribution for the righteous one in the land, how much more so for the evildoer and the sinner!" R. Eliezer, the son of R. Yossi Haglili says: Who "whispered" it to you? Scripture states (Ibid. 16:4) "The L-rd created all for His own sake — even the evildoer for the day of retribution."
(דברים יא כח) וְהַקְּלָלָה אִם לֹא תִשְׁמְעוּ, נִמְצֵינוּ לְמֵדִים שֶׁלֹּא צִוָּה יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ אֶת בָּנָיו אֶלָּא מִשֶּׁכָּלוּ יָמָיו, מִשֶּׁנָּטָה לָמוּת, מִשֶּׁרָאָה כָּל הַנִּסִּים שֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּ לוֹ. אַף מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ לֹא הוֹכִיחַ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶלָּא מִשֶּׁכָּלוּ יָמָיו, מִשֶּׁנָּטָה לָמוּת, מִשֶּׁרָאָה כָּל הַנִּסִּים שֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּ לוֹ. לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר (דברים א ד): ״אַחֲרֵי הַכֹּתוֹ אֶת סִיחֹן״.
וְסַרְתֶּם מִן הַדֶּרֶךְ, מִדֶּרֶךְ חַיִּים לְדֶרֶךְ מָוֶת.
(Devarim, Ibid. 28) "And the curse, if you do not hearken … and you turn away from the way": from the way of life to the way of death.
מִן הַדֶּרֶךְ אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוֶּה אֶתְכֶם הַיּוֹם לָלֶכֶת אַחֲרֵי אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים, מִכָּן אָמְרוּ: כָּל הַמּוֹדֶה בַּעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה כּוֹפֵר בְּכָל הַתּוֹרָה כֻּלָּהּ, וְכָל הַכּוֹפֵר בַּעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה מוֹדֶה בְּכָל הַתּוֹרָה כֻּלָּהּ.
"that I command you this day, to go after other gods": From here it was derived: If one acknowledges idolatry, it is as if he denies the entire Torah; and if one denies idolatry, it is as if he acknowledges the entire Torah.