Reflections from Rabbi Ellis

This week’s Parsha, Reeh, is different from the three Parshiot that preceded it in the book of Devarim. In the last three Parshiot Moshe told us the story of the Children of Israel, our successes and occasional setbacks were all recalled in order that we learn from the past and find inspiration to keep achieving. This week our vision changes focus and Moshe starts talking about the future. We now shift our focus to the Mitzvot (commandments) reviewing those that have already been stated in the Torah and recording new ones that were not written previously in the Torah.

The title of this week’s Parsha is Reeh, see. At the beginning of the Parsha Moshe asks us to see that we have placed in front of us a blessing and a curse. A blessing when we choose to follow the will of G!d and a curse if we choose, G!d forbid, the opposite. He then proceeds to inform us of his vision of what life in the land of Israel will be like and why it is necessary to choose the path of blessing. 

Throughout our Parsha Moshe makes reference to Yerushalaim, but never mentions it by name, rather he always refers to it as the place that I will show you. He leaves it up to us to see it in this week’s Parsha. One of the many translations of Yerushalayim is that it is a combination of two words, Yeru and Shalem. Meaning you will see peace/wholeness. Yerushalayim our eternal capital and the location of our past and future temple, is a city that has always existed as much in our imagination as it does here on earth. Over the last three thousand five hundred years Yerushalayim has not always physically existed, but it has never for a moment strayed from the center of our prayer and national consciousness. 

This week’s Parsha is about the power and potential of Jerusalem. Moshe makes clear that it is not a fantasy land, there will always be poor people there, but it will be a city where we can bring them comfort. Long before a Jew ever set foot in Jerusalem we were dreaming about it, envisioning what our lives and our people will look like in our future capital.

The most essential quality of Yerushalayim is vision, it forever remains a place for G!d to show us, whether that means guiding us there or it means providing a vision of how a city of stone and mud can be a house for G!d and a gate to heaven. Because it is the city that we are always projecting our visions onto, it means that it will always be a place of challenge. The challenge of having to live in a world where our visions aren’t fully realized but more than that the challenge of creating a vision large enough to allow for the dreams of others.

Yerushalayim has once again found itself at the point of contact between radically different visions of the future and the nation of Israel. We know there is a way forward for all of us together, but it will only come when we have enough love to envision a future of all of us together.

Shabbat Shalom!
Rabbi Yehoshua Ellis