Re’eh
How do we choose to see things?
Reflection by Or HaLev teacher
Ori Levi
"During the week of Parashat Re’eh, we mark Rosh Chodesh Elul, powerful days in which we are closer than ever to G-d. The initials 'אלול', Ani L'dodi - exhalation, v'dodi Li - inhalation, meaning `I am my beloved and my beloved is mine` - can be read as a way in which we gain a little `knowing` of G-d through the movement of the breath.
'רְאֵ֗ה אָנֹכִ֛י נֹתֵ֥ן לִפְנֵיכֶ֖ם הַיּ֑וֹם בְּרָכָ֖ה וּקְלָלָֽה'
`See, this day I set before you blessing and curse, ` - the opening verse of Parashat Re’eh talks about the daily choice that in each and every moment is given to us, how we will choose to see things through our eyes, our mind and the tools that are available for us to read reality. G-d lets us choose whether to divert most of our attention and hear the Divine voice deep inside and in the process be blessed and united or, God forbid, to deny and be separated.
One of the special words in Hebrew is `lekales` - 'לקלס', which means both a blessing and a curse, the same word that contains a contrasting meaning can perhaps teach us how close the curse and the blessing are to each other, and how much power and meaning there is in the choice given to us, how we choose to see things, in our mind.
This Elul, may we experience unity and the choice of seeing the blessing and the light that exists deep within us beyond all the tangle of sounds and noises."