By Rabbi Joshua (responsibly known as The Hoffer) Hoffman z"l
Parshas Re'eh begins with a general statement by Moshe to the people that they are confronted with the choice between blessing and curse, depending on whether or not they observe God's commandments. He then tells them that when they enter the land, they will perform a ceremony in which the blessing will be declared from Mt. Gerzim, and the curse will be declared from Mt. Eival. Why was there a need to mention this to the people now, since the ceremony would not be performed until after they entered the land? Rabbi Yosef Bechor Shor, a 12th century Talmudic authority, writes, in his commentary to this parsha, that this declaration served as an introduction to the second part of Moshe's farewell address to the nation. Until now, Moshe had been reviewing the nation's past, pointing out the mistakes that the previous generation had made, and advising the new generation not to repeat those mistakes. Now, Moshe was preparing to mention specific commandments that they had to observe. First, however, he had to tell them that they had the ability to keep these commands, and, so, he explained the principle of free choice to them.
It is interesting to note that parshas Re'eh is read every year either on the Shabbos preceding the beginning of the month of Ellul or the Shabbos following it. This month is one of introspection leading up to the days of repentance beginning with Rosh Hashanah and ending with Yom Kippur. Rabbi Nachman Cohen, in his work A Time for All Things, points out that the mitzvos in this week's parsha have special relevance to the month of Ellul and the theme of repentance. We may add that, in light of Rabbi Yosef Bechor Shor's comments, Moshe's opening declaration to the people also has relevance to this time of year. The Rambam, in his Laws of Repentance, chapter five, delivers a lengthy discourse on the principle of free choice. Rav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik, z"l, in his classical work, On Repentance, delineates two types of repentance. One type of repentance, he says, is rooted in external forces, or even in an emotional crisis within man, but does not emerge from the person's core belief system. The other type of repentance, however, emerges from an intellectual, existential crisis within the person, and prompts a reassessment of his life, in general. This second type of repentance, says Rav Soloveitchik, is rooted in man's freedom of choice, and this is why the Rambam explicates this principle in his Laws of Repentance. Thus, Moshe's declaration to the people that they have freedom of choice and therefore have the ability to keep all of God's commandments has special relevance to the month of Ellul, just as the rest of the parsha does, as demonstrated by Rabbi Cohen.
Ramban, in his introduction to the book of Devorim, writes that the mitzvos that are mentioned in this book are specifically related to the life of the nation in Eretz Yisroel. Although the format of Netvort does not permit us to discuss how each of the mitzvos in parshas Re'eh fits into this pattern, I believe it can be demonstrated that most of them readily do. However, there is one mitzvoh in particular that would, at first blush, seem to be unrelated to the land. That mitzvoh is the mitzvah of tzedokoh, of providing poor people with their needs. This is, obviously, a mitzvoh that is incumbent upon the body of a person, and would seem to apply wherever a person happens to be, as long as there is someone else around who needs to be helped. However, the Torah specifically connects this mitzvoh to the presence of the nation in Eretz Yisroel, as we read: "If there will be a destitute person among you, of one of your brothers in any of your cities which the Lord, your God, gives you, you shall not harden your heart nor shall you close your hand against your destitute brother. Rather, opening, you shall open your hand to him, you shall grant him enough for his lack which is lacking for him" (Devorim 15:7-8). Why is this mitzvoh stated in connection with the land? Doesn't it have application everywhere in the world?
Rabbeinu Bachya, in his commentary to this verse, writes that tzedokoh does have special relevance to Eretz Yisroel, just as all mitzvos do .To prove this, he cites the Sifrei, which teaches us that all the mitzvos were meant to be kept in Eretz Yisroel, and we are commanded to observe them outside the land, as well, so that, when we return, they will not seem new to us. Regardless of how we understand the deeper meaning of this Sifrei, however, we still need to explain why it is specifically in regard to the mitzvah of tzedokoh that the connection of mitzvos to Eretz Yisroel is highlighted in the Torah. Moreover, from this week's haftarah reading, it seems that it is through the mitzvoh of tzedokoh that the nation will return to the land after being exiled from it, as we read, " Establish yourself through tzedokoh" (Yeshayah 54:14). More explicitly, the haftarah to the Shabbos before Tisha B'Av, known as Shabbos Chazon, ends with the statement, " Tzion shall be redeemed with justice, and her returnees through tzedokoh" (Yeshaya 1:27)." Apparently, the exile occurred because people did not perform the mitzvoh of tzedokoh. What, then, is the connection between tzedokoh and the existence of the nation in Eretz Yisroel?
The Talmud, at the end of tractate Sotah, tells us that after the destruction of the Temple, there were no longer any people of faith to be found. Rashi there explains that the Talmud is referring to people who have trust in God and rely on him to do good, without worrying that they will lack anything. Rav Avrohom Pam, in his Atarah LeMelech (pages 152-154) cites this explanation of Rashi, and demonstrates that a person who truly trusts in God and believes that all he has comes through God for a purpose, will not refrain from providing poor people with their needs. Rabbi Matisyohu Solomon, in his Matnas Yad (pages 239 ff.), also develops this theme, based on different sources. Moshe, in the first part of his farewell address to the nation, as presented in the first three parshas of the book of Devorim, continually tells the people that their success in the land will depend on their fealty to God and His mitzvos, and warns them not to become arrogant and believe that the bounty they enjoy in the land is a result of their own efforts, and not a result of God's special providence in the land. The mitzvah of tzedokoh, as explained by Rav Pam, is a primary test of this kind of faith, and perhaps it is for this reason that the Torah connects it specifically to the Holy Land. Following our earlier remarks, we can add that this mitzvah has special relevance for the month of Ellul, as well. In order to realize the level of teshuvoh that touches the core of our existence, as explained by Rabbi Soloveitchik, we need to strengthen our faith and trust in God. Perhaps this is why tzedokoh is recommended as a primary way of doing teshuvoh at this time of year. Rav Soloveitchik actually refers to the type of teshuvoh rooted in one's free will as redemptive repentance, and perhaps this is why, on a wider scale, it is through tzedokoh that Tzion will be redeemed and the exile will end. May we all, individually and collectively, return to God in a complete way, be inscribed for a wonderful new year, and experience the final redemption of the Jewish nation.
