Rung 1 of 8
The story
What happens, plainly.
Moshe tells the people what to do once they come into the land. Each farmer puts the first fruit of his field in a basket, brings it to the kohen, and tells the story of his people out loud: my father was a wandering Aramean, we went down to Mitzrayim, we were made slaves, and Hashem brought us out with a strong hand. Every third year he declares that he has given his tithe to the Levite, the stranger, the orphan and the widow. On the day they cross the Jordan they are to set up great stones coated with plaster, write the whole Torah on them very plainly, and build an altar of uncut stones on Mount Eival. Six tribes stand on Mount Gerizim and six on Mount Eival, and the Levites call out curses, each one answered by the whole people with Amen. Then come the blessings for listening, and a long list of curses for turning away, ending with the threat of being shipped back to Mitzrayim and sold, with no one willing to buy. Moshe closes by reminding them that for forty years their clothes did not wear out, and yet Hashem did not give them a heart to know until this day.