CHOCHMAS NASHIM: RE’EH: PRISM GARB
By: Suri Davis
Generally one analyzes torah by the juxtapositions of ideas and torah portions as a whole. I will analyze the juxtaposition of the names of last week’s torah portion title, Eikev, which means, “if only,” which discusses demeaning mitzvoth we consider “minor” or “inconsequential,” with this week’s torah portion title, Re’eh, which means to see.
We evaluate and judge laws and rules throughout our day. We might not make a full stop at a stop sign when the roads are empty, but we would never intentionally hit someone with our car. We might light Shabbos candles a minute late, but not set fire to a home. They both break laws, but we decide which laws are inconsequential, and which are more serious.
How does the torah teach us that it is not up to us to decide which commandment we take seriously and which to disregard? By letting us know that sending a mother bird away before you take her children has the same reward as honoring one’s mother and father, which is one of the ten commandments, ostensibly a foundational commandment.
When my children were young, I wanted them to feel invested in the household, that they were consequential to our family community, so I would involve them in the kitchen as I made dinner or Shabbos. Believe me when I tell you that it was easier for me to peel and cut a potato than having my children make the mess with peels all over and their complaining at being taken away from whatever was interesting them at the moment. As they grew, The juxtaposition of the two torah portion titles hints at a prism through which one should view all mitzvoth.
When you are judging that a commandment is Eikev, is something you can walk on and dismiss, Re’eh, look into it and see why it is that G-d would have included it in our commandments, for what purpose was it included in our torah. It is meant to teach us something, if only that even small details mean something. #Blacklivesmatter? Everything on this earth is created by G-d because G-d thought it mattered, that its creation was as necessary to earth, as oxygen and the torah itself.
Re’eh look carefully as this week’s portion tells us: רְאֵ֗ה אָנֹכִ֛י נֹתֵ֥ן לִפְנֵיכֶ֖ם הַיּ֑וֹם בְּרָכָ֖ה וּקְלָלָֽה׃
See, this day I set before you blessing and curse:
There are translations of this verse which state: See! I am giving to you today a blessing and a curse. I feel this translation is erroneous, because the word then would be Noten/give, but the words used is Noten Lifnechem, I set before you.
It is impossible for G-d to give a curse. Our belief that everything He bestowns upon us is good. Our challenge is to us the correct prism to see what G-d has sent before us, or set before us, we will see it as good:
אֶֽת־הַבְּרָכָ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּשְׁמְע֗וּ אֶל־מִצְוֺת֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֧ר אָנֹכִ֛י מְצַוֶּ֥ה אֶתְכֶ֖ם הַיּֽוֹם׃
blessing, if you obey the commandments of the LORD your God that I enjoin upon you this day;
וְהַקְּלָלָ֗ה אִם־לֹ֤א תִשְׁמְעוּ֙ אֶל־מִצְוֺת֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם וְסַרְתֶּ֣ם מִן־הַדֶּ֔רֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֧ר אָנֹכִ֛י מְצַוֶּ֥ה אֶתְכֶ֖ם הַיּ֑וֹם לָלֶ֗כֶת אַחֲרֵ֛י אֱלֹהִ֥ים אֲחֵרִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־יְדַעְתֶּֽם׃ (ס)
and curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn away from the path that I enjoin upon you this day and follow other gods, whom you have not experienced.
If one understands that even the “small” commandments are good, and chooses not to ground that commandment under his foot like an ant, then he will benefit from the goodness that will emanate from the mitzvah/commandment. When the commandment comes down from heaven it is all good. But if our prism is off, and we don’t see the good for what it is, in the hands of man, it will become a curse, e.g., in the Book of Ruth, there is a famine in the land. That is an opportunity for Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, to use his wealth to provide for the poor. The poor is among us to give us the opportunity to do the commandment of helping the poor. Elimelech ran away so he would not have to provide for the poor. He turned this commandment and resulting blessing, into a curse which caused his death and that of his two sons.
Don’t Eikev..Re’eh look into all commandments and opportunities G-d puts in your way, and see the blessing within it, so you can benefit from it as a blessing, and not cursed by the missed opportunity.
Shabbat shalom.
Suri