Talya Tells Us That We Can Change Ourselves - And The World!

Hi guys!

This week we begin the month of Elul, a time of introspection. Hopefully insight into this week's parsha will help us to utilize this time not only to look back to what has been done, but to look forward to how much more we can do!

Parshat Re’eh, begins with the following words:

Re’eh anochi noten lifneichem hayom bracha u’klalaSee, I set before you today a blessing and a curse (Devarim 11: 26)

In Moshe’s final speech to the Jewish people, he calls upon the Jewish people to listen to the blessing they will receive if they heed to G-d’s command and the curse that they will have to endure if they do not.

In reading the opening line of this parsha, we are stricken by Moshe’s call to see the blessing and curse. Throughout the Torah, including several times in our parsha itself, Moshe calls upon them to listen to the words of Hashem. Why do we find Moshe introducing these words with the seemingly odd command to see? What exactly did Moshe want the Jewish people to see?
The Kli Yakar asks further why Moshe first addresses the people using the singular word reeh (see), but then refers to them in the very same sentence in the plural with the word, lifneichem (before you all)?

In answering this question, the Kli Yakar here suggests a beautiful insight into the true message of Moshe’s words. He suggests that the use of the singular word re’eh was intended to speak to each individual – to remind each individual that each one of them has the potential to make this choice between a blessed or a cursed life. The use of the plural word was to remind each individual that they are part of a greater whole – and they have the power to affect not only their own lives, but also the lives of all those that stand with them.

In essence, Moshe is asking the Jewish people to see, to notice, themselves, and to acknowledge their individuality, uniqueness, and potential. At the same time, they must recognize their ability to make choices and lead a lifestyle that will affect the greater community.

This responsibility each individual has in this world is an important concept in Judaism. Rabbi Yisroel Ciner points to the Gomorrah (Kiddushin 40B), which teaches that a person must always see themselves as hanging in a perfect balance between merits and sins. Rambam develops this idea further. The entire world, he writes, is judged on Rosh Hashana. At this most precarious time, the entire world stands in this balance between merits and sins. With every action we take, each individual does not only have the power to tip his own scale to mark him in the book of life, but to determine the fate of the entire world.

We know that every letter or word adds meaning and depth to our understanding of the Torah. With this in mind, we must ask why the Torah tells us specifically that this was told hayom (today), is it not obvious that he is speaking on this day?

I think this one word comes to strengthen the message of Moshe Rabbeinu to the Jewish people. The Sfat Emet writes that by using the word today, Moshe emphasizes to the Jewish people that today is a new day, a fresh start.

Based on this teaching, Rabbi Zev Leff suggests that each day, a Jew should feel that he could make a fresh start, not hindered by yesterday’s mistakes or poor choices. He suggests that this is why the blessing and curse were given just as they were entering the land of Israel, when the Jewish people are starting anew.

When we do not recognize our own potential to make a change in our own lives, we certainly do not see the power we have to make a difference in the world around us. Moshe understood this about human nature – and for this reason he first calls attention to the individual – see yourself, find yourself amongst the crowd and realize your own greatness and potential. Then you can and will me moved to make choices that will ultimately bring goodness into this world.

We must realize that even if we have sinned and erred along the way, every day is a new day, a day for change, and a day for growth. In fact, we understand this message most clearly from the shofar blasts that we hear throughout the month of Elul and culminating on Rosh Hashanah as we enter the new year.

The familiar pattern is as follows: tekiya, shevarim-teruah, tekiyah gedolah. There is an continuous straight tone, followed by broken blasts, and concluding once more with the long, continuous and unbroken sound. This pattern is meant to symbolize our own life patterns and paths – as we start out straight, but are bound to make mistakes along the way.

Ultimately, though, we can return to the straight path – and this time we are stronger than we were the first time around. We mustn’t judge ourselves too harshly. We mustn’t think that we are too far-gone. We mustn’t depend on the others who perhaps seem more righteous or holy than we are to bring blessing and merit to this world.

The Belzer Rebbe points out that it seems strange to ask Hashem during the Mincha prayer, just minutes before Rosh Hashana, the New Year, to bless the year (baruch aleynu et Hashanah hazot) – after all, there are only minutes left to the year – what could possibly change? The answer he poses is a powerful lesson to be learned. He writes, yeshuat Hashem k’heref ayin – the salvation of Hashem can come with the blink of an eye. Perhaps when we make the decision to change it cannot be accomplished with the blink of an eye. But, I think these powerful words remind us that change is always possible – and with the help of Hashem and our own efforts we can change ourselves and the world around us for the better.


Every day in our prayers we say: hamechadesh be’tuvo be’kol yom tamid maaseh breishit– He creates in His goodness the world anew each day. So too, each day we have the opportunity to start afresh and anew. So too Hashem gives us the opportunity to start anew each day – with the wisdom of our past and with the awareness of the things we want to work on and to develop. As we head into the month of Elul, a time of repentance and self-growth, let us be able to learn from our past – both the good we have accomplished and the wrongs we want to correct. May we all be able to recognize our value and potential for good – and be inspired to raise ourselves higher – knowing that the power to change not only ourselves but the world around us rests within each of us. May we all be zocheh to live up to that potential!

SHABBAT SHALOM!