The first verse of this week's Torah portion presents us with a revolution. Let's look for a moment at the twelve words in the sentence God says to us, and learn them together a little: ”See, I am placing before you today a blessing and a curse.”
- See – God addresses each person in the singular, personally, and asks: look, stop, gaze at the great principle we are about to learn.
- I am giving – God gives each one of us something personally. We wait to hear what it is.
- before you (plural) – We moved from singular ("See") to plural ("before you"). Because every small action of yours affects the collective. Every mitzvah — or, God forbid, the opposite — affects the entire public.
- today – Not thousands of years ago in the desert, but now, on Monday, this very moment. At every moment you choose how to act. This isn't history, it's current events — it's what's happening right now.
- a blessing and a curse – And here comes the main point. God gave us a special power - the ability to choose how to act in this world. The Almighty grants us, human beings, free choice between blessing and curse, between good and evil. It's ours.
And if, God forbid, you fail and choose incorrectly? Go back one word and remember that today, and every day, you can start anew.
You're invited to read this verse again now. Good luck.
