1. This week's Torah portion is Parashat "Re'eh" , the fourth portion in the book of Deuteronomy. This week as well, we continue to hear Moshe Rabbenu's farewell speech to us. What is most important for him to tell the people of Israel in the desert and also to us, today? What do we need to remember, forever, even after he departs from the world?
2. The parsha opens with a verse that describes our free choice between good and evil: "See, I place before you today blessing and curse." At every moment we can choose which path to take, and even if we made a mistake, we can choose again, and this time choose correctly. The choice is given "today," meaning anew each day.
3. This week's Torah portion contains 55 commandments (out of 613 commandments in total), and they deal with various topics: charity, the Temple, kashrut and more.
4. Joy appears in the parsha six times: joy around Jerusalem, around the family and community. Joy is usually described as coming together with giving to the poor, to those who have nothing. "And you shall rejoice before the Lord your God, you and your son and your daughter... and the stranger and the orphan and the widow who are among you." Joy in the Torah doesn't come only from fulfilling our needs, but rather stems from giving to others.
5. On Shabbat we read the third Haftarah of comfort, from among the seven Haftarot that are said after Tisha B'Av. And also: This Shabbat is also called "Shabbat Mevarchim" (Shabbat of Blessing). We will bless the month of Elul which will begin on Saturday night and continue until Monday. Elul is a special month of repair and improvement, that prepares us for the coming year.
Shabbat Shalom and besorot tovot.
