Parashat Re’eh
Deuteronomy 11:26 – 16:17

Topics (click on any link)
Synopsis of the Torah portion
Spiritual insights into Parashat Re'eh
Key verses
Creative Midrash for Parashat Re'eh

Chapter 12
Moses now explains to the Israelites that they must not worship the Lord their God in any other way or in any other place other than God ‘s instruction; they are told that God will chose a place in the land they are about to enter to worship Him. They’re told they may not act as they act now in the new land. They are further told not to sacrifice in anyplace other than where God chooses. The tithes of the new grain, wine or oil may not be partaken in your territories; these can only be consumed in the special place that God decides on. Instructions are also given on slaughtering and eating meat in the new territories, particularly if the distance to God’s selected place of worship is too far; but sacred offerings shall be taken to the place designated by God.

Chapter 13
Moses continues his oration by telling the Israelites that if a prophet or dream-diviner gives you a forecast and tells you to worship another God, even if the forecast comes true, you must not heed his words. The Lord is merely testing your faith in Him and whether your really love Him with all your heart and soul. The prophet shall be put to death for urging disloyalty to God.
If some member of your family tries to entice you follow other gods, do not follow them. They must be stoned to death.] in order to erase evil from the community. If someone of another town in the land God has suggested that you to follow other gods, investigate the validity and if it is true, the town is to be burned and the inhabitants and the cattle are to be destroyed.

Chapter 14
The Israelites are now told that they are a people consecrated to the Lord your God; He chose them from all people on the earth to be His treasured people. What follows is a repetition of the animals, the fish and the birds that are considered clean to eat. All winged swarming things are unclean; only clean winged creatures may be eaten. The notable statement, ”You shall not boil a kid in its mothers milk” is presented.

Instructions are given for setting aside a tenth of the yield of sowing; the tithe and the firstlings of the herds and flocks shall be consumed in the presence of the Lord in the place that He establishes. If anyone finds that the established place is too far to transport the produce and animals, they may be converted into money which can be brought to the chosen place to be spent on any desirous products; then they can feast in the presence of the Lord.

Chapter 15
Among those included in this chapter are remissions of debt every seventh year: every creditor shall remit the amount that he claims, kinsmen may not be dunned. There may be no needy among the community of Israel. Needy brethren must be helped in every possible way. This chapter also deals with the freeing of slaves at the seventh year. If, however, a slave says to his master, “ I am happy here; I do not wish to be freed”, the slave may be kept in throughout his or her life. The chapter concludes with command that all male firstlings are consecrated to the Lord; the people may not work the firstling ox nor shear the firstling sheep. They are sanctified and to be eaten annually before the Lord in the place the Lord has chosen.

Chapter 16
Here we find the laws of Passover repeated, for when the Israelites cross the Jordan, including the requirement to count off seven weeks to the Feast of Weeks (Shavuot). The people are instructed to rejoice after the ingathering of the harvest at the Feast of Booths (Succot). The festival is to be celebrated for seven days in the place that the Lord shall choose, and He will bless your crops and all your undertakings and you will have nothing but joy.

Spiritual insights into Parashat Re'eh                      return to top of page
Re’eh begins with the notable lines, “See this day I set before you blessing and curse: blessing if you obey the commandments… and curse if you do not obey…” What is the Torah trying to tell us?  Are these commandments the time worn list of do’s and don’t that some of us follow blindly, or do these represent choices that we make in our daily lives?  It’s clear that God wants us to follow His commandments, not out of sheer obedience, but to make life good, or better yet, wonderful.  We were already taught the awful results that would occur if we do not follow the laws, but how do we implement these commandments so that we enjoy the life or Promised Land that we were assured.
There appears to be an ideal style of behavior that points to the joyful life. Some people have been fortunate enough to understand that; others have not. There seems to be a flow through the universe that directs the upward evolution towards spiritual unfolding.  I think the Torah is telling us that those behaviors that work for us are comparable to performing the commandments so that we can receive His blessings of goodness. It’s kind of following that little ditty that reminds us to row, row, row your boat gently down the stream, life is but a dream. How can we decide which styles of behavior is comparable to what we’re commanded?  See what’s not working in your life, become aware of it and then try to do something else.
Obviously what’s not working is not obeying the commandments.
Re’eh continues with a list of the commandments related to not practicing idolatrous ways, the need for the central worship of the Temple, and the laws relating to Kashrut and the Jewish festivals.

Key verses                       return to top of page
This page is not a commentary on the text, but a chance for you to express your own comments and feelings in order to gain deeper insight into your own life.

Deuteronomy 11:26
See, this day I set before you blessing and curse: blessing if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God which I enjoin upon you this day; and curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn away from the path which I enjoin upon you this day and follow other gods, whom you have not proven themselves to you.
Food for thought:
1. An assumption is made that other gods have not proven themselves. In what ways has the Lord our God proven Himself to the Israelites?
2. The choice presented is a blessing or a curse. Can you think of any reason why someone would not choose the blessing, instead of the curse?
3. Precisely what do you think this path is that God enjoined upon the Israelites?

Deuteronomy 12:8-9
You shall not act at all as we now act here, every man as he pleases, because you have not yet come to the allotted haven that the Lord your God is giving you.
Food for thought:
1. What do you think is the difference between the way people acted before entering the Promised Land than after they crossed over?
2. The commandments presented so far in Deuteronomy are to go into effect when the people enter the Promised Land. Do you think the people actually entered the land, when just before they are about to do so the readings revert to Genesis? ,
3. What do you think the land represents? Is it a physical land or a spiritual land? Have we today entered the land? Are the commandments presented in these chapters binding, if we have not entered the land?

Deuteronomy 13:1
Be careful to observe only that which I enjoin upon you: neither add to it nor take away from it.
Food for thought:
1. Are we adding or subtracting today from the laws that were given by Moses? In what ways are we doing it?
2. Why do you think God would insist that we do only those mitzvot that he commanded, not more or less?
3. What do you think God has actually enjoined upon us--the written law (the laws outlined in the Torah) or the oral law (the laws legislated by the sages)?

Deuteronomy 14:2
For you are a people consecrated to the Lord your God: the Lord your God chose you from among all other people on earth to be His treasured people.
Food for thought:
1. Do you believe that God treasures only us among all people of the earth?
2. Why would He chose only us? Are we so deserving of his blessings?
3. What do you think other religions believe about being the favored ones? Do you think God shows special favor to them too? If so, in what ways?

Deuteronomy 15:7-8
If, however, there is a needy person among you, one of your kinsmen in any of your settlements in the land that the Lord your God is giving you, do not harden your heart and shut your hand against your needy kinsman. Rather, you must open your hand and lend him sufficient for whatever he needs.
Food for thought:
1. How does this rule apply to our brethren in Israel today?
2. How does it make you feel to know that the Torah prescribes that there should be no one needy among us?
3. Does being charitable only apply to only our kinsmen? What about anyone else in need?

Deuteronomy 16:15
You shall hold festival for the Lord your God seven days, in the place that the Lord will choose; for the Lord your God will bless all your crops and all your undertakings, and you shall have nothing but joy.
Food for thought:
1. What do you think “the place that the Lord will chose” actually means?
2. How would that place differ from any other place in the Promised Land?
3. This verse follows the commandments given for the three festivals? If we follow all the commandments as dictated by Moses, do you really think “that God will bless all our crops and all our undertakings, and we shall have nothing but joy”?  Has it ever worked out like that?

Additional questions to ponder:
1. What is it about the story, a verse, a word that seems to resonate with some aspect of your life?
2. Is there something about the story that rings a bell?
3. Can you recall experiences in your life when you have experienced something similar to this story?
4. How would you describe the characters in the story? Who do you know who's like them?
5. Can you personally identify with any one of the characters in the story? Which one?
6. Can you find a similarity between yourself and all the characters in the story?

Reflections:
The Rabbis of old would meditate on such questions, sometimes for weeks at a time, to help find deeper meaning in the
verses. You may wish to contemplate just one or a few of these questions at a time, rather than tackling them
all. In what ways we any of your responses to the questions personally meaningful?

Suggestion:
Some of the questions here are of a personal nature which in some cases could be emotionally upsetting. If so, try
relaxing your body as much as possible and takes long slow breaths of air. That usually helps to relieve anxiety.

We would like to know if you find this method of Torah study particularly helpful to you. Click here to let us know

Creative Midrash on Parashat Re'eh                         return to top of page
Deuteronomy 12:8-9
You shall not act at all as we now act here, every man as he pleases, because you have not yet come to the allotted haven that the Lord your God is giving you.
 

The Rabbis of old would create parables, stories and narrative connections around such selected verses. What do you see between the lines, the sentences and the letters. The following questions can provide a launch pad upon which to create your own meanings of the Torah.

The commandments presented so far in Deuteronomy suggest that they go into effect when the people enter the Promised Land. Do you think the people actually entered the land, when just before they are about to do so the readings revert to Genesis? What evidence exists that they actually entered the land? What do you think the land represents? Is it a geographical area or a spiritual landscape? If you see it as spiritual, have we today entered the land? Are the commandments presented in these chapters binding, if we have not entered the land? Do you think the land Jewish people are fighting to settle for on the West Bank, was actually given by God, or are they reading into the text too literally? Are we fulfilling this behavioral mitzvah these days? How are you doing your part?