Parasha Re'eh

Re'eh - See
D'varim 11:26-16:17

For this week's teaching, I will be focusing on the first aliyah of the the Torah portion. This parasha begins with a familiar refrain that we will hear repeated throughout the book of D'varim; blessings and curses. But first, let's take a look at what YHVH has Moshe saying to the people.

The parasha starts with the name of this portion, re'eh. Re'eh, like most Hebrew words can be translated multiple ways. The most common is as see or behold. However, it can also mean learn about or understand. I believe in this instance, the meaning is a combination of these. Like the word sh'ma means more than just hear, but hear and do, re'eh means more than just see. It means to see or perceive and understand. Learn the meaning of what is being said and take it to heart. It has both a physical and spiritual component that must be made a part of our very being.

Now let's look at the first line of the Torah portion, "See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse...". The first word is singular; it is speaking directly to each individual. Moshe is saying "I am speaking to you personally." The word used for before you, lifneikhem, is plural. In this case, Moshe is referring to the whole nation of Israel. Why the difference? This is Moshe's way of reminding us that each individual has a responsibility to protect the whole. In essence, we can translate this opening (using myself as an example) as "See and understand, Robbie, I am setting before the whole people of Israel a blessing and a curse; you, Robbie, will choose for yourself which to receive as well as being a part of ensuring one or the other for this nation." As you can see, it's much more concise in the Hebrew. Those listening to this in the desert beside the Jordan River knew exactly what Moshe was saying.

The blessing and the curse that Moshe pronounced are two sides of the same requirement. As he states, we receive the blessing if we obey the mitzvot (commandments) of YHVH, and the curse if we do not listen and obey. He continues on to define disobedience as to "turn aside from the way I am ordering you today and follow other gods that you have not known". This last can also be translated as "gods that have not proven themselves to you". This sets them apart from YHVH who has proven Himself repeatedly throughout the last 40 years.

Moshe next commands the people to put the blessing on Mount G'rizim and the curse on Mount 'Eival once we enter the land. Both of these mountains are on the West side of the Jordan, inside the Promised Land. This is a reminder to us that the blessings and curses are a choice for only those who choose to accept the covenant of the land offered to His people. Anyone choosing to remain outside the land, choosing not to accept His covenant, is free from making a choice of accepting the blessing or the curse. This also reminds us that there is a responsibility involved in making the choice. We must take the land before we can get the blessing.

Moshe now lists some of the things we must do upon entering the land. We must destroy all the places where other nations served their gods; on high mountains, on hills, or under a leafy tree. We must break down their altars and smash their standing-stones to pieces. We must burn up their sacred poles and cut down carved images of their gods. We must exterminate their name from that place. Whose names must we exterminate? The gods of the nations. Not only are we to avoid following their gods, we must not even try to learn their ways of worshiping. Many people today will try to use scholarship or understanding of other cultures to justify learning other ways of worship. Even in many seminaries, students are encouraged to learn the ways of others. This is supposed to make us more tolerant and accepting of other religions and beliefs. Unfortunately that also makes us more tolerant and accepting of other religions and beliefs. Accepting that others have a belief is not the same as accepting those beliefs. Too many times, however, our people have blended those two types of acceptance. This is the reason for this command to avoid learning their ways. YHVH knew and still knows our hearts and our weaknesses.

As we study this Torah portion, we must not only see the words. We must understand and accept into our hearts the commands we were given. We must then choose, with open hearts and minds, whether to obey or not; whether to receive the blessings or the curse. May we always choose Mount G'rizim and stay away from Mount 'Eival.

Parasha Re'eh - Devarim 11:26-16:17

Re'eh - see, behold, pay attention

The word re'eh is usually translated into English as "see". However, just like the word shema means more than just "hear", re'eh means more than just "see". Hebrew does not always translate well into English, not through the fault of the language, but through the diffence in mindset. Hebrew is understood with a Near-eastern cultural mindset that is different from our Western mindset. English often uses multiple words to convey a thought that Hebrew will convey with a single word. Shema is a good example. It is most often translated as "hear", but to a Hebrew mind, it means hear and obey. It is a stronger action verb than its common English counterpart. Re'eh is another good example. The Hebrew connotation is see (pay attention) and understand. In this week's Torah portion, it refers to spiritual vision. It is not enough to get the words that Moshe is speaking. He wants all of Israel to have a spiritual understanding of the meaning of the words.

This Torah portion begins like so many in Devarim, with Moshe talking about the blessings and the curses. Considering the blessings and curses are mentioned in almost every parasha in the book of Devarim, do you think they might be important? The common theme of the entire book is a simple promise: Obey and get the blessings of YHVH, disobey and get the curses of Egypt. It's your choice. That sums up the entire book. Since Devarim is a summary of Torah, that sums up one of the central messages of Torah as well. Notice that there is no mention of salvation in the summary. When one of my christian friends or relatives tell me that I can't be "saved by the Law", I tell them they are right! The Law (itself a terrible translation of the word Torah) is not about salvation. It is about obedience for the sake of the blessings of YHVH. You can receive salvation without getting the blessings and conversely, you can get the blessings without receiving salvation. Salvation is only through Yeshua Ha'mashiach (Jesus the Messiah for you Westerners). The blessings come from obedience to YHVH's written word, the Torah. Therefore, to receive salvation and the full blessing requires faith in Yeshua AND obedience to Torah. They are not interchangeable, nor are they contradictory. For too many years, Christianity has tried to say that "Jesus" did away with the law and we don't have to follow it anymore, as if Yeshua's presence can somehow replace Torah. That's the implication that they are interchangeable. Pull out the old part and insert the new improved one. On the other hand, Judaism has claimed that belief in Yeshua means abandoning Torah altogether. This implies they are contradictory. These arguments are two ends of the same lie. Torah obedience and faith in Yeshua are both necessary to receive the fullness of YHVH's blessing and salvation and to fully realize His plan for His redeemed people, Israel.

Moshe tells the people to put the blessing on Mt. G'rizim and the curse on Mt. 'Eival. He reminds the people that the mountains are across the Yarden (Jordan River), so they will have to cross the river to make the choice. If they are unwilling to enter the land, the decision is no longer theirs to make! The mountains are a visible reminder of the choice we must constantly make. It is also necessary for the people to walk on the mountains because of the statement in the last Torah portion, "Wherever the sole of your foot steps will be yours". Devarim 11:24 As soon as the people walked on those mountains to proclaim the blessings and curses, they became property of Israel.

YHVH commands the people to destroy eveything the dispossessed nations used to worship their gods. He tells them to destroy them on the high mountains, on hills and under some leafy tree. He is reminding them that the people in the land had many gods that they worshipped in many places. Unlike the people of Israel, the dispossessed nations had no understanding of the One True Elohim, YHVH. The people were told to tear down the altars, smash the pillars, burn poles, destroy carved images and idols, and exterminate their name from that place. YHVH's name is to be in one place; the place He will choose. The people are not to even try to learn how they worshipped their gods. As I said before, there is a spiritual aspect to all they are being told. We must destroy all the idols and false worship in our own lives. If we make something so important in our life that it is preventing us from worshipping YHVH, it is an idol that must be destroyed. If we have been worshipping falsely and we learn better, we must remove the false worship. As we learn more, we must remove those things we know were learned in error. For example, Christmas, Easter, "tattoos for Jesus". Even if these things were done in the past with a heart for Him, as soon as we know it is wrong, we MUST remove it from our lives.

I could go on with more teaching from this Torah portion, but I'm already late posting it so I'll stop here. I think I covered the most important aspects of the teaching. If you have any questions about what Moshe is teaching in this portion, just remind yourself of the main point. You have a choice, obey and receive YHVH's blessings or disobey and receive the curses. There is no middle ground.

May YHVH bless you and keep you! Shalom.