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Re’eh  “See”

15 Aug 2009

Deuteronomy 11:26-16:17

Isaiah 54:11-55:5

1 John 4:1-6

In this week’s Torah portion, Re’eh, Moses instructs the people on many mitzvot and obligations before entering the land of Israel. This Parasha gives us many well known mitzvot such as the prohibition against boiling the kid in its mother’s milk, or the observance of the major Jewish holidays. But lost within is the warning to the people of Israel regarding the danger of following other gods.  G-d says, “You shall not worship gods other than HaShem, your G-d, for everything that is an abomination of HaShem that G-d hates, they do to their gods. For even their sons and their daughters have they burned in the fire for their gods?” (Deut 12:31)

In a few short weeks, we will celebrate Rosh Hashanah and read the story of the binding of Isaac. We remember that our patriarch Abraham was willing to sacrifice his one and only son Isaac in order to demonstrate his faith and obedience to G-d. Though it seems hard to understand, how can the same G-d who forbids us from sacrificing our children in this week’s portion, ask Abraham for his only son? We can believe and trust, just as Abraham did, and know that G-d was only testing him. We have read how G-d provided a Lamb/Ram as a substitute.

Isaac was raised from dead as his father Abraham already saw him being sacrificed. We also have been raised from spiritual death and are now seated with Him in the heavenly realm (Eph.2:5-6). Also Rav Shaul (Paul) tells us in 1 Cor. 6:14 that just as Messiah was raised from the dead, so we too not only spiritually, but also physically have been and will be raised as well to sit in the heavenly with Messiah.

Shavua Tov

Rabbi Z.

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