Re’eh
Are we on the "heels" of better times?
Reflection by Rabbah Dr. Mira Neshama Weil
" 'רְאֵ֗ה אָנֹכִ֛י נֹתֵ֥ן לִפְנֵיכֶ֖ם הַיּ֑וֹם בְּרָכָ֖ה וּקְלָלָֽה'
;See, this day I set before you blessing and curse' (Deut 11:26)
Why is Moshe opening parashat Re'eh by asking B’nei israel to `see?` Why not `look,` or even, `listen` to his words?
In his commentary on the parasha, the early Chasidic Master the Meor Einayim suggests that `We can understand the language of `see` [by imagining] that one is pointing with a finger, as if the object was resting before the eyes.`
'להבין הענין מהו לשון ראה שמראה באצבע כאלו הדבר מוכן לפני עין.'
The object here sounds at first sound like divine blackmailing: If B’nei israel keep the terms of their covenant with God, they shall be `blessed`. If not they shall be `cursed.`
A pshat, basic and literal, reading of the text would keep us stuck to a carrot and stick, reward and punishment logic.
Yet there is another possible reading, and maybe this is what the language of `seeing` is pointing to.
If Moshe’s discourse is read not as prescriptive, as carrot and stick, but as descriptive, then it becomes a teaching about the law of causality, an essential aspect of spiritual practice.
When we take some time to look deeply at the way we behave, and when we agree to see how it impacts ourselves, others and the world, without judgment, but with a sustained attention into the law of causes and consequences, a great door opens.
It is a door that leads us towards more compassion, and also more mindful behaviors.
We learn to choose our actions not from anticipation of reward or punishment, but from a place of responsibility and commitment. We see which of our actions bring us towards blessing, and we follow those.
Practices such as Contemplation (hitbonenut), self inquiry (cheshbon nefesh), and intentionality (kavanna), are very concrete ways by which we get to check in with ourselves on a daily basis, so that we can choose more mindfully the way we act.
By inviting us to `see` directly, Moshe, like a good spiritual teacher, is pointing to these mechanics, and inviting us to choose mindfully.
We are just rising up from Tisha B’av and slowly moving towards the beautiful time of introspection of Elul. In a world that feels shaken by political unrest, climate change and other difficult consequences of unskillful human actions, now more than ever is a time to open our eyes and `see,` so that we can, together, through each little action, build the world we want to see."