Re'eh

Hi,

This week's portion is Re'eh.

The portion opens with Moshe's offer of two paths: Follow the Mitzvot and receive a blessing, or follow a different path and receive a curse. These passages are often cited to show that Gd gives humanity Free Will - people are empowered to choose their paths.

The Jews are instructed to reiterate these declarations of blessings and curses on their entry into Israel, at the mountains of Grizim (curse) and Eival (blessing). Six tribes would stand on one mountain and six on the other, and the Levites in the middle would turn toward each mountain for its respective verses.

The Jews are then informed that Gd will choose a site for a Beit haMikdash (Temple), and that the building of the central Beit haMikdash will render all other altars superfluous. They are to bring all offerings to that Beit haMikdash. At the same time, it is recognized that Jews won’t be able to go the Beit haMikdash daily, and so they are instructed to perform the rite of Shechitah when they prepared meat for their own use. They are instructed to cover the blood with dirt, and not eat the blood.

The Jews are then given another iteration of the constant biblical refrain: Don’t get drawn into idolatry, as may happen if they would follow the Canaanite ways or if they would latch on to a false prophet or just a persuasive person who tried to draw them in that direction.

The Torah presents the laws of Ir haNidachat, an Israeli city which is entirely idolatrous. The Talmud's majority view is that this never actually happened; even having a single Mezuzah in the city would save the city from the "Ir haNidachat" title.

The portion then discusses a key method for preserving our sanctity: The Kosher Diet. We are instructed to think before we eat; there is sanctity even in the base and animal act of ingestion. The Torah follows up with other laws related to preserving our sanctity: Tithing produce so that agriculture gains a level of sanctity, leaving Israel fallow in the Sh'mitah (Sabbatical) Year, giving charity, being kind to slaves, dedicating our first-born animals in the Beit haMikdash.

Finally, the portion concludes with one last, major element of sanctity: How we celebrate our holidays. Rather than have bacchanalian festivals or other types of indulgence, we are instructed to come to the Temple in Jerusalem and celebrate the holidays with our families and with the poor.

Have a great day,
Mordechai