R'eh Source Sheet Source Sheet by Daniel Mutlu

דברים י״א:כ״ו-כ״ח Deuteronomy 11:26-28 (כו) Aאֵ֗ה אָנֹכִ֛י נֹתֵ֥ן לִפְנֵיכֶ֖ם ה0ַ֑.ם ,ְ*כָ֖ה '&לָלָֽה׃ See, this day I set before you blessing (26) and curse: (27) blessing, if you obey the (כז) אֶֽת־הַ,ְ*כָ֑ה אKֲֶ֣ר KִLְמְע֗' אֶל־מִצְוֺת֙ יְהוָ֣ה commandments of the LORD your God that אUֱֽהֵיכֶ֔ם אKֲֶ֧ר אָנֹכִ֛י מְצַ'ֶ֥ה אֶתְכֶ֖ם ה0ַֽ.ם׃ (כח) I enjoin upon you this day; (28) and curse, if וְהYְַלָלָ֗ה אִם־U֤א תKְִמְע'֙ אֶל־מִצְוֺת֙ יְהוָ֣ה you do not obey the commandments of the אUֱֽהֵיכֶ֔ם וְסLAֶַ֣ם מִן־הַ\ֶ֔]ְ אKֲֶ֧ר אָנֹכִ֛י מְצַ'ֶ֥ה LORD your God, but turn away from the path that I enjoin upon you this day and אֶתְכֶ֖ם ה0ַ֑.ם לָלֶ֗כֶת אַחֲ_֛י אUֱהִ֥ים אֲחֵ^֖ים אKֲֶ֥ר follow other gods, whom you have not Uֽא־יְ`עLְֶֽם׃ (ס) .experienced

Rabbeinu Bahya, Devarim 11:26 See, I place before you this day“ ,ראה אנכי נותן לפניכם היום ברכה וקללה (3) blessing and curse.” The reason commences with the singular "Re'eh," followed by the plural form "lifneichem" is that he addresses everybody, both the individual and the community (Ibn Ezra), and because blessings and curses respectively are influenced and channeled from two different attributes Justice and Mercy, both of which were active in creating the universe and both of which are capable of being appreciated only by a select few individuals. When addressing these select few, Moses says "re'eh," a reference to ולבי ראה הרבה seeing” with one’s mental eye. The word corresponds to Kohelet 1,16“ ”.I have seen (acquired) great wisdom and knowledge“ ,חכמה ודעת

Seeing that the promise of a blessing and the threat of a curse are an important factor in encouraging observance of the commandments of the by the people at large, Moses used the plural form when addressing the nation, i.e. "lifneichem." We find that the Torah ראה למדתי אתכם חקים :used this combination of singular and plural also in Deut. 4:5 was ראה See I have taught you statutes and social laws.” The singular form“ ,ומשפטים addressed to the individuals who have some appreciation of the statutes, whereas the plural form was used when speaking of the social laws whose merit can be appreciated by in the plural emphasizes that the entire Torah, all of its אתכם the whole nation. The word commandments were given to the masses, not to select individuals.

Kli Yakar on Deuteronomy 11:26 (1) Look, I place before you today. “See” is singular. “Before you” is plural. This is what our Sages teach us: A person must always view things as if the entire world is half righteous and half wicked. If s/he performs a single s/he tips himself and the entire world to the side of merit. Therefore Moshe spoke to every individual, “See” that he should see in his thought that every single action affects all of them.

מנחת שי על תורה, דברים Minchat Shai on Torah, Deuteronomy 11:26 י״א:כ״ו !See. Be quiet (א) ראה. סתומה:

Rabbi Joseph Hertz Both as individuals and as a nation they were endowed with free will, and the choice between the Two Ways rested with themselves. All that Moses could do was clearly to define the alternatives, and point out whither each of them led.

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks The text seems to be about seeing. In fact, though, it is about listening to something heard, namely a blessing and a curse. The non sequitur is so marked that some English translations render the verb re’eh not as “see” but as “understand.”… G-d is to be found not by looking but by listening. He lives in words – the words He spoke to the patriarchs and matriarchs, prophets and priests; ultimately in the words of the Torah itself – the words though which we are to interpret all other words. Why is G-d revealed in words? Because words are what makes us persons. Language makes homo sapiens unique. Because we have language, we can think. We can stand back, reflectively, from the data provided by our senses. We can ask questions. Human beings are the only species known to us in the universe capable of asking the question, Why?... If you seek G-d, turn your attention to language – not to people, places or objects…What the were asked to see was words.

Monika Rai Many times in life, the sense of sight is used to give evidence that will abjudicate what is believed. Here comes the catch. Logically believing what you see makes sense. But what about those things which we have never seen? There are many things which we have never seen and may not ever see. As humans we have feelings​. I can't see wind but I know it is there. I can't see God but I feel his love and presence everywhere. We believe the existence of atoms and electrons, though we can't see them with naked eyes. Thus, there are umpteen things that we just have to believe. We can't deny their presence. Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 11:28 And the curse in case you will fail to hearken, etc." Moses" ,והקללה אם לא תשמעו (1) means that anyone who prevents himself from hearkening to the voice of G'd has already cursed himself. This is why the word "v'hak'lalah" (and the curse) appears before the words "if you will not hearken." Moses adds that in addition you will have demonstrated that you depart from the normal path of life by preparing for yourselves alternate but leaking cisterns. In effect this is what the words: "you will depart from the way and follow alien deities" are all about.

Rashi on Deuteronomy 11:28 IF YE DEPART] FROM THE WAY] מן הדרך אשר אנכי מצוה אתכם היום ללכת וגו׳ (1) WHICH I COMMAND YOU THIS DAY, TO GO [AFTER OTHER GODS] etc. — You thus learn that he who serves idols departs from the entire path of life that Israel has been commanded. From this passage they (the ) taught the well-known dictum that he who acknowledges the divinity of an idol is as though he denied the Torah in its entirety (Sifrei Devarim 54:4).

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