This week's 10-Minute Torah (August 7, 2021): "Parashat Re'eh" 5781

https://youtu.be/rl3NTuHU5fQ

Parashat Re'eh / פרשת רְאֵה

Read on 7 August 2021 / 29 Av 5781.

Parashat Re'eh is the 47th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading.

Torah Portion: Deuteronomy 11:26-16:17 https://tikkun.io/#/r/5-11-26

In Parashat Re'eh, Moses set before the Israelites the choice between blessing and curse. Moses instructed the Israelites in the laws that they were to observe, including the law of a single centralized place of worship. Moses warned against following other gods and their prophets and set forth the laws of kashrut, tithes, the Sabbatical year, the Hebrew slave, firstborn animals, and the three pilgrim festivals.

Triennial Year 2 7 Aug 2021

1: 12:29-13:1 · 4 p’sukim

2: 13:2-6 · 5 p’sukim

3: 13:7-12 · 6 p’sukim

4: 13:13-19 · 7 p’sukim

5: 14:1-8 · 8 p’sukim

6: 14:9-21 · 13 p’sukim

7: 14:22-29 · 8 p’sukim

maf: 16:13-17 · 5 p’sukim

Haftarah: Isaiah 54:11 - 55:5 · 12 p’sukim

Moses lays out the blessings and curses that Torah offers. If the Children of Israel follow Torah once they settle in the Promised Land, they will be blessed with abundance. If they do not follow Torah and revert to idol worship, it’s as if they denigrated all of Torah and they will be cursed.

Moses tells them not to erect private altars but only bring offerings to the place that hashem will show them once settled in the land. However, they can indulge in meat whenever they want, but they must drain all the blood of the animal first after shechita.

They are not to indulge a false prophet. They are not to follow anyone who detracts them from Torah. Torah is perfect as it is, do not add or subtract to any of its commandments. The Israelites are to destroy any instruments of idol worship including figures and trees. They are also to destroy any fellow Israelites or villages in the Holy Land that succumbs or tries to entice to stray from Torah and worship idols.

Israel is warned not to mutilate their bodies in mourning the death of a loved one. The laws of Kashrut are reviewed, eating only animals with cloven hoofs and who chew their cud, and restricted species are enumerated. Moses reviews which fish (scales and fins) and which birds can be consumed. Moses then reviews the second tithe which goes to the Levite and the widow and orphan.

The Sabbatical Year is remission from loans. This is an act of charity. Lend freely and Hashem will repay your generosity and charity with prosperity. A Jewish slave goes free in the seventh year with resources to start a new life. Every first born of the flock is consecrated to Hashem.

Finally, Moses reviews the three pilgrimage festivals and Pesach, Shavuot and Succot.