Dear Friends,
This week’s Torah portion, Re-eh, begins with Moses stating,
See, this day I set before you blessing and curse: blessing, if you obey the commandments of your God that I enjoin upon you this day; and curse if you do not obey the commandments of your God, but turn away from the path that I enjoin upon you this day and follow other gods, whom you have not experienced. (Deuteronomy 11:26-28)
As Moses reviews the journey he and the Israelites had taken together, he reiterates the laws and statutes that are part of the People of Israel’s covenant with God. He explicitly reminds the people that, now freed from slavery, they are not just free, but empowered to make their own choices. The guidelines for holy living are clearly delineated in the brit- the covenant, but the choice of whether to follow such guidance is up to them. Moses makes clear that while they are now free to choose the path they will follow, the choices they make have consequences. Kind, just, holy actions will result in God’s blessings, while cruel, selfish actions will bring harsh results, i.e., curses.
There is nothing shocking or insightful in this lesson. We all know that actions have consequences.
As I studied the portion earlier this week I was struck by the fact that the portion begins with the seemingly superfluous word “see.” The sentence would make perfect sense if it simply said, “This day I set before you blessing and curse…” but instead it states, “See, this day I set before you blessing and curse…” Perhaps the addition of this word was Moses’ attempt to double down on the message that while the choice between blessing and curse is clear, the freedom to choose one or the other is now entirely in the hands of each individual, but only if they take the time to truly understand the consequences of the choices they make.
It is fitting that this is the last Torah portion before the start of the Hebrew month of Elul. As you know, Elul, the month of preparation for the High Holy Days, is a time for introspection. It challenges us to take time each day, step back from the daily rush, and reflect on our choices this year. Have we chosen to act with kindness and worked to make amends when we failed to do so? Have we lived in a manner consistent with the values we purport to hold? What have we done to strengthen our community? Have we taken time to deepen our knowledge of and connection to our tradition? The answer to such questions maps out the path we have been walking. And if upon reflection, we are unhappy with or embarrassed by our path, we are challenged to begin making the changes to correct it. Ultimately, however, as Moses reminded the Israelites, the choice is ours. Elul merely offers us the chance for honest self-reflection.
May this be a month when to paraphrase my colleague and friend Rabbi Naomi Levy,
[We each] may break out of our narrow vision, our narrow arguments, and resentments. May we enter the place where our soul dwells and respond with spaciousness to all that comes our way. May we forgive, repair, soften, see. May we open up the gift of a great expanse is ours to have. It already resides within us. May God be with us. And may God work through us, now and always. Amen.
(Rabbi Naomi Levy, Einstein and the Rabbi: Searching for the Soul, (New York: Flatiron Books, 2017), p. 97)
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Daniel Cohen