Parashat Re'eh - 'See, I set before you blessing and curse' - blessing if the people follow God's ways, and curse if they don't. These blessings and curses are actually to be articulated from the tops of two mountains when the Israelites enter into the Promised Land. The parasha continues with laws that are to be fulfilled by the Israelites in the land: the eradication of idolatry, and the centralization of sacrificial worship at specific sites which God will identify. Moses strongly warns the people about false prophets, idolaters, 'lawless' cities, and the incorporation of any pagan practices into Israelite ritual. The remainder of the parasha outlines those mitzvot that set Israel apart from other nations: kashrut, tithing, laws regarding loans, the Sabbatical year, Israelite slaves, consecration of the first born, and the major festivals.

 

Deuteronomy (Devarim) Parashat Re'eh 11:26-28

See, this day I set before you blessing and curse: blessing, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I enjoin upon you this day; and curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the Lord your God...

 

This portion begins with one of the most powerful statements in the Torah affirming free will. Rambam (1135-1209, Egypt) wrote, "If God decreed that a person should be either righteous or wicked, or if there was some force inherent in his nature which irresistibly drew him to a particular course... how could God have commanded us through the prophets, "Do this and do not do that, improve your ways, and do not follow your wicked impulses," when, from the beginning of his existence, a person's destiny had already been decreed?... What room would there be for the whole of the Torah? By what right or justice could God punish the wicked or reward the righteous?"

 

The Gaon of Vilna (1720-1797, Lithuania) points out that "the Hebrew word for "see," re'eh, is in the singular. This is to teach us an important lesson. Should a person say to himself, "As everyone else is wicked, why should I be any better?" he is told, "See!" Do what is proper and ignore what everyone else does. If he then says, "How am I to resist all the temptations placed before me by the Evil Inclination?" know that "I" - God - will help you... Furthermore, a person should not think to himself, "Since I once chose an evil path, there is no hope for me any longer." The Torah therefore stresses "I see" in the present, to teach us that man always has the choice of doing good or evil... "Before you" - If a person says: "How am I to know which path is good and which is not?" the answer is "before you" - if you study carefully the history of the Jewish people, it will become clear to you. Should a person say: "What hope is there for me, for I am a sinner, and what about all my sins until now?" the Torah states, "This day" - that each day should be to you as a new experience, and each day you have the opportunity of a fresh start."

*Prepared with materials found in Torah Sparks

Feel free to find your own answers and explore each question in greater detail.

1. What does the Rambam mean by God doesn't decreed that a person should be either righteous or wicked?
2. Do you believe that people are truly free to choose to do good or evil? What motivates a person to choose one or the other?
3. This year, as in most years, we read parashat Re'eh on the Shabbat on which announce the upcoming new month of Elul. We prepare for the Yamim Nora'im, the High Holy Days, during Elul. For many people, this means reserving synagogue seats, buying new clothes, and doing lots of cooking.  But there's more to it. The Gaon of Vilna used the opening words of our parasha to create a spiritual handbook for the month of Elul (and the rest of the year). How might you implement his teachings?