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Sruly Schnair
In Re'eh, 5754

“You shall surely give him… (because) (that for) this thing that Hashem your G-d will bless you in all your work.” (15:10)

Man must realize that his wealth is bequeathed to him for a specific purpose, so that he will use it to to help others.  One should not think that giving tzeddakah, charity, decreases his financial assets. On the contrary, the greatest merit for attaining financial security is to give charity to others.  This is the pasuk’s message. The Dubna Maggid offers a parable to elucidate this idea.  A man went to the market with a hundred dollars in his pocket, which he later lost. The next day he returned to the market and found a wallet with two hundred dollars…

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Home -> 5754 -> Re'eh

Sruly Schnair
In Re'eh, 5754

“You are children of Hashem your G-d, you shall not cut yourselves, nor make a bald patch between your eyes for the dead.” (14:1)

The juxtaposition of topics in this portion of the parsha begs elucidation. The previous perek dealt with the false prophet who instigated people to worship idols.  This is followed by the laws concerning an ir ha’nidachas, a place in which an entire population of a city defected from Hashem and committed themselves to idol worship. The Torah goes on to emphasize our unique relationship with Hashem as analogous to the relationship between children and their parents.  This unparalleled relationship precludes our unusual out-pouring of grief at the death of a parent. What connection is there between these various laws? What…

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Sruly Schnair
In Re'eh, 5754

“That you shall set the blessing on Har Gerizim and the curse on Har Eival.” (11:29)

Why was it necessary to confer blessing and curse on two disparate mountains? Would it not have been just as effective to have used a single mountain for demonstrating both blessing and curse?  This same question arises in Parashas Ki Savo, when the Leviim were told to face Har Gerizim for blessing and to face Har Eival when they articulated curse.  Horav Tzvi Hirsch z.l.  M’Vilna suggests that Hashem teaches us a profound lesson with this distinction between blessing and curse. This separation is made in order to emphasize that the source of blessing must always be distinguished from the…

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Sruly Schnair
In Re'eh, 5754

“Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse.” (11:26)

The Sforno asserts that this pasuk clearly differentiates Klal Yisrael from the other nations.  The fate of other nations is not measured in dichotomies. They are not in a position to be either fully prosperous, on the one hand, or totally devastated on the other.  Klal Yisrael, in contrast, is different.  Being Hashem’s people means that there is no middle road; Bnei Yisrael will either be blessed or cursed! This, states the Sforno, was Moshe’s message to them. “Behold, see and reflect upon your distinctiveness.” These choices are “before you.” The unique fate of Klal Yisrael is inextricably intertwined with…

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