Parshas Re'eh 5786
- Torah Tavlin
- Aug 7
- 2 min read
ראה אנכי נתן לפניכם היום ברכה וקללה ... (יא-כו)
Our parsha opens with the word “Re’eh.” Hashem tells Klal Yisroel to see the blessing that comes from following the words of the Torah. But if these berachos had not yet materialized, how could they possibly “see” them?
Parshas Eikev concludes "כאשר דבר לכם". Seforim Hakedoshim explain that "לכם" is an acronym for לב, כליות, מוח, the heart, kidneys, and mind. These represent the forces that drive a person. The heart is the seat of our emotion; kidneys represent our desire; and מוח is our intellect. The pasuk says "כי לקח טוב נתתי לכם". The Torah was given for our "לכם", to penetrate our heart, desires and mind. It cannot be something we merely learn; it must influence our desire, and guide how we feel and act.
The Klausenberger Rebbe zt”l asked: a Yid has to live with Mesiras Nefesh. Why isn’t it called Mesiras Haguf? He explained, pushing away our physical comforts is pashut, and is less of a sacrifice. But closing a Gemara to help a Yid, surrendering your Olam Haba when the Torah says so, that is a true challenge! Ultimately, our actions must reflect the Torah’s guidance.
A Talmid of Rav Shach once traveled to America for a “Probah” (tryout or audition for a rabbinic position), and was shunned for being a “Shach-nik.” This was distressing and before leaving, he addressed the crowd. During the Lebanon war, he said, Rav Shach was walking out of shiur in Ponovezh Yeshivah when he heard that two soldiers had been killed. Distraught, he began crying bitter tears. Overcome with pain, he was unable to answer questions of the Talmidim around him. On another occasion, he required surgery. Concerned that the anesthesia would interfere with his Torah study, he did the procedure without it. Talmidim held his hands while he thought in learning during the procedure. The Talmid concluded, “I was there, and he did not flinch a muscle!” The same man who was so pained at the death of two people he did not know!
The juxtaposition of the word "לכם" and "ראה" tell us how we should see. Do not look at the Torah as an external rulebook. See it as a true internal conductor, shaping our emotions, desires and thought-process, and then you will see true blessing.