Parshat Bechukotai contains the first intensive discussion in the Torah of what appears to be God’s scheme of reward and punishment for those who observe or reject the His commandments. But the first verse of the portion contains a superfluous phrase which Rashi struggles to explain, while the Talmud struggles with the whole notion of reward and punishment during one’s mortal lifetime, suggesting that the benefits of mitzvot only become relevant in the “world to come”. Rabbi Dunner highlights the most significant sources, and shares an enlightening piece from the Shem MiShmuel commentary, which is itself based on a confounding Midrash.
