Ki Tavo (כִּי-תָבוֹא – “When You Enter”)
Readings: Deuteronomy 26:1–29:8 • Isaiah 60:1–22
The parashah opens with the law of the first fruits (bikkurim), which every farmer is to bring to the place chosen by God, accompanied by a declaration of gratitude. It then presents the law of the tithe (ma‘asser), designated for the Levites, orphans, widows, and foreigners.
The Torah is inscribed on stones at Mount Ebal, marking the covenant with God, and sacrifices are offered there. The Levites proclaim a series of warnings, to which the people respond “Amen.” Blessings for obedience are pronounced on Mount Gerizim, while curses for transgression are declared on Mount Ebal.
In the haftarah, the prophet Isaiah envisions a restored Jerusalem, radiant with divine light, drawing the nations toward her in a spirit of peace, gratitude, and spiritual awakening.
Isaiah 60:1
קוּמִי אוֹרִי כִּי בָא אוֹרֵךְ
Arise, shine, for your light has come.
In 1947, in the Judean Desert near Qumran, a young shepherd accidentally discovers a cave hidden among the cliffs. Inside, ancient jars contain manuscripts over two thousand years old. These texts shed new light on our understanding of that era.
Among the treasures unearthed is a complete scroll of the Book of Isaiah (1QIsaᵃ), meticulously written on sewn sheets of leather. Measuring 7.34 meters in length, it contains all 66 chapters of the book, in a remarkably well-preserved state.
Dated to the 2nd century BCE, the manuscript has been restored with exceptional care, preserving both its structure and legibility. Today, it is housed in the Israel Museum, in the wing known as the Shrine of the Book, where it continues to enlighten scholars and visitors with its unique testimony.