Halakha: Is it permitted for a person of Israel to read the rebukes in several readings?1Is it permitted to divide the verses of rebuke in Leviticus chapter 26 and Deuteronomy chapter 28 between different individuals who are called to the Torah on Shabbat? This is what the Sages taught: One may not interrupt the curses; rather, one individual reads all of them. Our Rabbis taught us: Why may one not interrupt the curses?
Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Gamda said: Because it is written: “The admonition of the Lord do not despise, my son, and do not loathe [takotz] His rebuke” (Proverbs 3:11) – do not cause the rebukes to be cut into pieces [kotzin kotzin]. Instead, one individual should read them all. “See, I place before you today a blessing and a curse” (Deuteronomy 11:26). Another matter, why may one not interrupt the curses?
Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi: The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘I wrote regarding My glory: “I am with him in distress” (Psalms 91:15); it is inappropriate for My children to be cursed while I am blessed.’ How so? If they read the rebukes in several readings, there is not one of those called [to the Torah] who will not recite two blessings, [one] before [his reading] and [one] after.
Instead, one individual should read all of them. The Rabbis say: The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘It is not to their detriment that I gave them blessings and curses, but rather, to inform them which is the proper path that they should choose, so they will receive reward.’ From where is this derived? From what we read in this matter: “See, I place before you…”