Shabbat Greetings

This week’s Torah portion, Re’eh (Deuteronomy 11:26–16:17) opens with: “See, I set before you today a blessing and a curse . . . .” This portion is all about choice – how to live a life of meaning, following mitzvot (commandments), and shaping society through values of holiness, justice, and compassion. But the deeper message is about perspective—“Re’eh” (see). Not just with our eyes, but with our minds and our hearts. We are being asked to see clearly, even when the world is unclear.

I thank all of you again for the time off this summer as I used my sabbatical to continue my studies as a funeral director.  All funerals are not just about death; it’s a moment of truth and transition, honoring the life of the deceased and confronting our own vulnerability. It’s raw, real, and communal. As Jews, we say “Baruch Dayan HaEmet” – “Blessed is the True Judge” – acknowledging pain without sugarcoating it.

In Re’eh, the Torah speaks about where and how we worship, the centrality of holiness, and the importance of community. Particularly in Jewish mourning, those values shine through in how we support each other—with shiva minyans, joining together to recite the Kaddish and, of course, our presence. But it’s also about remembering that even in death, we are part of a covenant, a chain of memory and identity.

Re’eh was spoken to a people on the edge of entering the Land of Israel. They faced uncertainty, enemies, spiritual danger, and internal doubt. So do we. Being a Jew today—especially with the ongoing war/conflict between Israel and Gaza—means holding pain, complexity, fear, and moral responsibility at the same time. You might feel: Grief over loss of life—Israeli and Palestinian; Fear for loved ones in Israel or from rising antisemitism here at home; anger, confusion, or numbness due to the appearance that all Jewish values that we each hold are being challenged by actions of Israeli soldiers and politicians.

Re’eh reminds us: we always have a choice—between clarity and confusion, justice and revenge, hope and despair. It’s not always easy to see the path, but we are urged to see—to look deeper. In a time of grief, pain, and confusion—whether at a funeral or amid war—we return to the words of Re’eh:

“See, I set before you today a blessing and a curse.”
It is not always easy to see blessing. But we are asked to try.
To choose life. To choose justice. To choose hope, even when it hurts.

SHABBAT SHALOM