Chasidic Insights

CHASIDIC INSIGHTS PARSHAS R'EI 5765 BS"D

Ch. 11, v. 26: "R'ei onochi" - See the words that begin with "Onochi," the Ten Commandments. Just as at the time of the giving of the Torah you actually saw the audible, remain on this high level and SEE the Ten Commandments today as well. (Nirreh li)

Ch. 11, v. 26: "Ha'yom brochoh ukloloh" - Every day has its opportunities. Even if yesterday (or many yesterdays) was a day in which you felt no success in any of your pursuits, "ha'yom," TODAY is a new day, and it is up to you to make it a day of either blessing, or ch"v otherwise. (Nirreh li)

Ch. 11, v. 26: "Brochoh ukloloh" - Either a blessing or a curse - there is no middle ground. Either you climb upwards spiritually, or you must slide downwards. There is no such thing as staying in the same place. (Sforno)

Ch. 11, v. 27: "Es habrochoh" - We do not find the word "es" before the "kloloh" in the next verse. "Es" is a word that connotes inclusion and expansion. When you will receive your reward for your good deeds, it will be beyond your expectation, "ayin lo ro'asoh." (Nirreh li)

Ch. 11, v. 30: "Acha'rei derech m'vo hashemesh" - The reward or punishment of verse 26 will come after one's sun sets, in the world-to-come. (Kli Yokor)

Ch. 13, v. 5: "Acha'rei Hashem Elocheichem teileichu" - This is a repetition of the same idea in parshas Eikev (10:20), only that here it appears in the plural. This is because the adjacent verses discuss the "meisis umadiach," the one who persuades people to worship idols. It is no longer sufficient for each person on his own to stand strong. This requires a unified effort. (Imrei Emes)

Ch. 13, v. 7: "Asher lo yodato atoh vaavosecho" - How can a seducer attempt to sway you from your well-established beliefs? It is only through persuading you to "Try it, you'll like it," since you and your ancestors were not exposed to it. He claims that had they been taught its ideologies they surely would have joined its ranks. (Haksav V'hakaboloh)

No wonder the Chasam Sofer coined the expression, "Chodosh ossur min haTorah."

Ch. 14, v. 24: "V'chi yirbeh mimcho ha'derech ki lo suchal s'eiso ki yirchak mimcho hamokome" - No matter how daunting and fraught with difficulties a task or undertaking is, if a person has a great drive and interest in it, it is not difficult for him. On the other hand, if a person must do something in which he has little or no interest, even the slightest hindrance along the way is felt as a great pain.

If, when having to bring "maa'seir sheini" to Yerusolayim, one feels that the road is very lengthy and that the load is such a burden that he cannot carry it, it is a sure sign that it is because "ki yirchak mimcho haMokome," the Omnipresent One is distanced from you. (Holy Alshich)

We might add that the Torah gives a remedy for this spiritual malaise in the next verse. "V'nosatoh bako'sef v'tzarto ha'kesef b'yodcho v'holachto el haMokome," - You should put your effort into yearning (for Hashem) and you shall bind this yearning in your manual efforts and you will thus walk towards and become closer to the Omnipresent One. (Nirreh li)

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