Re'eh: Real Vision

The Torah portion commences with the word, re’eh meaning see. It then goes into detail the potential blessings and curses of the nation. Why does the text say "see" when it ought to say shma, "listen"? Equally perplexing is that re’eh is singular while the next verb tishmu is in the plural?

In the first instance, some scholars tell that the portion begins with "see" is because God was about to visually demonstrate the power and meaning of blessing and curses from the tops of two mountains. People were arrayed on either mountaintop facing one another and would see, as well as hear, the moral drama acted out.

D’var aher: The entire Israelite nation would "see" the mitzvot of God. As a single unit this people saw and heard the majesty of the Word of God. However, the nation does not observe mitzvot; only individuals can bind themselves to the commandments. That is why the second verb is in the plural. Each Jew alone must confront their willingness to follow after the Lord.

D’var aher: Perhaps the Torah is attempting a different modality of learning. Could it be that the power of "see" is about having unbleached vision. God is telling the Israelites- and us - to open our vision to the blindness of pre-judging the world. If we would only see the real blessings and cures of life, our understanding of what God wants would be complete.
Once our eyes are open our vison is clear, unimpaired. We see.

An old acquaintance of mine used to comment on the early morning blessings of the daily service. He said that the first few blessings were not congruent with a healthy mental outlook. Thanking God for what you are not (a heathen, a gentile, a woman, etc.) is not conducive to centering oneself on the self. Far better, he insisted was to thank the Lord for what we are, not what we are not.

Much of our lives is defined by who or what we are not. We are American and so much better than the Europeans. Or we are black and therefore superior to whites. Or Christians are saved. Jews are elevated. Even on the playground it was the girls vs. boys. Then, with age, we wonder why people become so polarized as not to see life our way, the proper way.

Perhaps Torah is telling us to focus on our side on the fence. Learn about who you are. Once confident about our identity, we can then reach out to others as equals not as potential converts or conquests. When we witness or see God’s role in the universe we then are able to join with others without borders or boundaries.

This may be the meaning of re’eh, "see" in the singular and then why it is followed by tishmu, "hear" in plural form. Only when we have seen truth we can relate well to one another.

D’var aher: Talmud tells us that we ought to envision our lives as if we were precariously perched between the mountains of blessing and curse, good and evil. So delicately straddled are we between the two mountains that one move in either direction will tip the scales. God therefore says "see" what is before you. The reason why the next verb is in plural is to show us how one small mitvza can change a life. Our life.

D’var aher: God gives blessings and curses to the people. Why would the Torah present this language to make it sound like God was giving them a gift? Who would want a curse? Yet one scholar, Pri Tzaddik, notes that not only is it a gift but has a strong connection to the first gift of God in the Garden of Eden.

Pri Tzaddik tells us that in the Garden we were gifted the privilege of choice. Adam and Havvah could choose the fruit of knowledge or remain within the boundaries of externality. They chose knowledge. In much the same way God again presents humanity with a choice. We can opt for goodness and blessing or deviance and curse.

The real gift of God is that we always have a choice. That is why two mountains. That is also why the Text shows us visually and auditorially.

Haftara Insight:
A series of rhetorical questions are asked. If you have money can you buy what your desire? If you have water can you slake your thirst? If God is with you, what is not possible?We are so blessed through the words of the prophet Isaiah. He declares that all we need to do is listen and follow. The answer to the most trying issues of life is as terse and as simple as that.With that knowledge all things are possible

A Matter of Law:
Idolatry, we are explicitly told in the Torah text, we are supposed to uproot, eradicate. Why os this so powerfully and emphatically stated? It is clear from the pages of history that where competing gods contend for domination, people imitate their actions. The most damaging times of human history is when laws fall away at the whim of competing celestial and then earthly forces. Where there is no singular law binding all people evil becomes confused with good. The idea of idolatry is antithetical to monotheism.