ABOUT RELIGION: Bennett can liberate Israel from haredi chains on religion - opinion. After 73 years of statehood, Israel still does not provide full rights to all of its citizens. Over 300,000 citizens live here but can't get married.
As MK Arye Deri (Shas) said: ”Winning a medal, doesn’t make him Jewish.”
FROM OUR PARSHA: "A blessing and a curse!"
(Deuteronomy 11:26)
Av 28, 5781/August 6, 2021
"Behold, I set before you today a blessing and a curse. The blessing, that you will heed the commandments of HaShem your G-d, which I command you today; and the curse, if you will not heed the commandments of HaShem your G-d, but turn away from the way I command you this day, to follow other gods, which you did not know." Deuteronomy 11:26)
Parashat Re'eh's - "See! Behold! Open you eyes!" opening statement is as clear as it is eloquent: Keep G-d's commandments and you will be blessed. Stray from G-d's commandments and you will be cursed. Concise and to the point. But then parashat Re'eh abruptly focuses in on an old-new concept: "the place which HaShem your G-d shall choose." (ibid 12:5) Old because the place which HaShem your G-d will choose refers to the future Holy Temple which will replace the current Tabernacle. New because the traveling Tabernacle will, in the future, be transformed into a Sanctuary of stone set in a fixed place, a place that G-d will choose and that will be forever. This place, whose location is not disclosed, is mentioned no less than eighteen times throughout our Torah reading of Re'eh. Eighteen is the numerical equivalent of the Hebrew word Chai - life - which provides us a hint as to how important and how central this place is to G-d's plans for Israel and the world.
This place is the place to which Israel will bring its offerings. It is the place to which Israel will bring its tithes and its prayers. It is the place in which all Israel will gather, three times a year to celebrate and to rejoice in G-d's presence. Moshe sets before Israel a blessing and a curse, and then seemingly preempts his own train of thought with an x-ray focus on this future meeting place with G-d. Why is this place so important to Moshe? Why is it so important to G-d?
Way back in the beginning G-d created our world and in that world G-d created a place and into that place G-d placed man. The place was the Garden of Eden and within it was all that man would ever require. And G-d joined man in that place, and it was G-d's intention that He and man would dwell together forever in that place. This was G-d's plan for creation: to partner with man and share His creation with man. Both man and G-d would share in the upkeep and the beauty of creation, together, in harmony and forever. But man partook of the forbidden fruit and hid from G-d and separated himself from G-d. "I'll take it from here," man seemed to say to G-d, so G-d made garments for man and man left G-d and the Garden of Eden behind.
Fast forward ten generations and G-d and man (Avraham) meet once again on equal terms and a new relationship is established. The ultimate test of this new found friendship was the binding of Yitzchak on Mount Moriah, referred to as "the place" no less than six times. (Genesis 22:3,4,6,9,14)
Fast forward sixteen generations and we have returned to parashat Re'eh, where we witness G-d switching roles with Israel. Now, instead of creating a place as He had done for Adam, and inviting Himself in to share that place with Adam, G-d is calling on Israel to create that place for G-d to dwell in and, from now on, G-d will invite Israel to join Him in His place, where Israel and all mankind will talk to G-d and walk with G-d and celebrate and rejoice with G-d.
When Adam ate from the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge his eyes were opened and he was able to see: Re'eh - behold, a blessing and a curse! Adam was now blessed with free will - the ability to choose - and what did Adam choose? He chose the curse and not the blessing. Adam hid from G-d in the Garden of Eden, ashamed, hoping that G-d could not see him and the he could not see G-d. And now, in parashat Re'eh, G-d is telling man once again to open his eyes and to see, and not to hide, but to stand before G-d and to reestablish the place of creation once called the Garden of Eden and now to be called the Holy Temple, the place of creation where man and G-d dwell, see and are seen by one another, and love and celebrate life together.
"And you shall rejoice before HaShem, your G-d, - you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite who is within your cities, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are among you, in the place which HaShem, your G-d, will choose to establish His Name therein." (Deuteronomy 16:11) Man and G-d - back on track!
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1 comment:
His dime size kipa gave him away for what he really is a long time ago. He is at war with the Ribbono Shel Olam; what a fool! Birur is here. We will know who all the Erev Rav Amaleikim are for sure!
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