The Jewish people were commanded that, upon arrival in Eretz Yisrael after forty years in the wilderness, they must assemble at Mount Gerizim and Mount Eival to hear the blessings and curses spelled out in the Torah (Devarim 27:15-26) for those who fulfill the laws of God and those who do not. In explaining why this was necessary so soon upon their entry, the Torah tells us: “For you are crossing the Jordan to come and inherit the land which God, your God, is giving you, and you shall inherit it and dwell in it. And you will observe all of the statutes and laws which I place before you today” (Devarim 11:31-32). Here is clearly spelled out the formula for successful conquest and possession of Eretz Yisrael. In order that we should succeed in inheriting and dwelling in the Land, the Torah tells us we must observe all of God’s laws. It was therefore necessary to dramatically communicate a public declaration of blessings and curses upon entry into the Land, to drive home the message that possession of the Land was conditional on observance of the commandments.

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