Re-eh

THE BIG IDEA

If you can, take this shabbat and try your best to appreciate what Moses is trying to show you by putting two mountains in front of you; one is the path of blessing, and the other is the way of the curse. This week, as the new moon of Elul approaches, I highly urge you to make a conscious choice to live blessed. 

In the blessed life you respect yourself, those born into a relationship with Torah and Miztvot, and everyone that has done the hard work to change the spiritual imprint of their soul, as a literal child of the divine. You are a holy being that has a special holy diet, and special holy land, with special holy rhythms (land rests on the 7th year etc.) and special holy times of the year. You constantly and openly acknowledge that everything you have comes from your divine Source. You see those in need as divine messengers that give you the opportunity to share the blessing that is given to you- and in doing so you, (along with a society of blessed people), will eliminate poverty - simply by following the perimeters of the blessing. 

And if you don’t do that. If you think there is some other way to connect to the divine that is better or more interesting or more indigenous or more exciting than following Torah and mitzvot. If you think you are the source of your own wealth and forget about the poor and let others suffer - you, and the society intended to know itself as holy will fail - and life itself will feel like a curse. 

But the blessing only comes to those that choose it, that practice it. And the choice is yours to make.