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Showing posts from August, 2012

Parshat Re'eh and Rosh Hodesh Elul: Living Between Blessing and Curse

This week's parashah /portion, Re'eh ( Devarim / Deuteronomy 11:26 - 16:17), is a continuation of Moses's speech to the people before ascending Mt. Nebo to die. In this portion he warns the people that they face the choice between a life of blessings and a life of curses. He also urges them to follow God's commandments once they settle in the land. One of the most fascinating passages of the parashah is when Moses describes the ritual that the people are to enact upon entering the Promised Land. The people are to stand between Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal , both of which are on the "other side" of the Jordan. A series of curses are then to be pronounced from Mount Ebal and a series of blessings from Mount Gerizim . The blessings represent what will happen if they follow God's mitzvot /commandments and the curses, what will follow if they turn away from "the path that I enjoin upon you and follow other gods." This powerful ritual is foll