The Importance of Really Seeing

Parashat Re’eh begins with a statement from God given through the prophet Moses.  We are told that God has placed before us blessing and curse—and it is plain to see, in Hebrew, “Re’eh.”

There are instructions later in the Parasha that the Israelites, once they enter the Land of Israel, are to place a list of blessings on Mt. Gerizim and list of curses on Mt. Ebal.  These two mountains overlook the town of Shechem (Nablus today).  Gerizim is to this day covered in greenery, while Ebal is barren and rocky.  It is easy to imagine that the Israelites looking at these two mountains would clearly see the difference between blessing and curse, between following the commandments and going after false gods.  It is an amazing visual aid.

We are familiar with the phrase, “seeing is believing,” but that is only partially true.  Sometimes we cannot accept something until we see it with our own eyes.  Other times, our eyes can deceive us; we make judgments about what we see on the surface and miss what is going on behind it.

We know that life is never that simple.  Unlike Gerizim and Ebal, life is not black and white (although sometimes it is!).  Most of the time there are shades of gray…and other colors too.  That is why it is so important to see—really see—in order to do our best to determine what courses of action will lead to blessings and which (God-forbid) will lead to curses.

Shabbat Shalom!