B"H

Monday, Menachem Av 20, 5780 / August 10, 2020

This week's Parsha, Re'ay, begins, "See, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse. The blessing, if you will listen to the commandments of the L-rd your G-d, which I command you this day; and the curse, if you shall not listen to the commandments of the L-rd your G-d."  

Our sages note that the first word of the Parsha, "Re'ay” – “See," is written in the singular, as if speaking to each individual Jew, while the rest of the verse is in the plural.

The Torah commentator, Iben Ezra, explains that Moshe wants to emphasize the effect which each individual has not only upon oneself, but upon the entire nation.  Moshe begins by addressing the individual, Observe G-d's commandments even though you are only one person. Do not think of yourself as insignificant, for each and every individual can influence and bring blessings to the entire nation and indeed the entire world!"

One may ask, "How can my actions have such a great impact? Our sages give us the following guideline, "A person must at all times feel that he or she, as well as the entire universe, is precisely balanced on a scale. One side of the scale holds the good deeds (mitzvot) while the other side contains the negative actions.  Since the scale is precisely balanced, each action that a person does tips the scale in one direction or the other!  Every act of every individual affects everyone else.  

Unfortunately, today with the pandemic we see how one person can affect so many. The same is true in the positive.

The name of the Parsha is "Re'ay," which means “see.”  The Torah implies that our conviction that mitzvot and good deeds bring blessings should be so strong as if we actually see it. Our sages explain this with the following parable:  A poor man bought a lottery ticket and won a huge sum of money.  When he realized that he won, he ran home and told his family.  Their excitement and rejoicing was heard in the street. When people came and inquired about the celebration, the poor man told them of his good fortune.  "Now I am the wealthiest person in town!" he exclaimed.

"But you haven't collected the money yet!  You have to travel to the big city to get it. You are still poor and do not have a penny more now than you had yesterday, so why are you so happy now?"

"You speak like fools," responded the poor man.  "True, I do not have the money yet, but the very fact that I won the lottery and that the money is waiting for me makes me feel as if I already have it in my pocket!"

The same is true with the reward for mitzvot.  Our belief that G-d will reward us for mitzvot must be so strong that the blessings which G-d has promised us in the Torah should be fixed in our minds as if we "see" them.  We must know that G-d will ultimately grant us our reward for the mitzvot we perform.

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY & SUCCESSFUL DAY