Weekly Message 08.22.2025 Parashat Re'eh

Parashat Re'eh (see) Deuteronomy 11:26 - 16:17

HafTorah Isaiah 54:11 - 55:5; Sanuel I 20:18; Samuel I 20:42

Re'eh

Dear friends,

Thanks to those who participated in Thursday's monthly volunteer session at Metropolitan Ministries. We will now take a break for the High Holy Days in September and resume with our monthly session in October and at the special fall/winter holiday tent in November and December. Hope many will join us then!

This Shabbat, we continue our reading and study in the Book of Devarim (Deuteronomy) with chapters 15 and the first half of Chapter 16. We are implored to forgive debts and give charity especially to those in need of food in the proscribed manner of tithing. We learn a valuable lesson. Our worldly possessions are truly blessed and cause happiness and contentment when shared with others. Self-indulgence without thought of those who need our assistance can bring no lasting satisfaction and is a mode of living void of satisfaction bringing on only craving for more and more.

Our Torah portion concludes with a repetition of the instructions for observing the three pilgrimage festivals: Pesach, Sukkot, and Shavuot and thus is also read on the last day of all three holidays.

We continue our reading of the Prophet Isaiah in this the third Haftorah of Consolation in which he stresses that we will remain safe and prosperous as a people if only we heed what is presented in the first part of this week's Torah portion

רְאֵה֙ אָנֹכִ֣י נֹתֵ֣ן לִפְנֵיכֶ֔ם הַיּ֖וֹם בְּרָכָ֣ה וּקְלָלָ֑ה "See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse."

אֶת־הַבְּרָכָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר תִּשְׁמְע֖וּ אֶל־מִצְוֺ֥ת יְהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֑ם אֲשֶׁ֛ר אָנֹכִ֥י מְצַוֶּ֥ה אֶתְכֶ֛ם הַיּ֖וֹם "the blessing, if you listen to the commandments of the LORD your God, which I am commanding you today."

וְהַקְּלָלָ֗ה אִם־לֹ֤א תִשְׁמְעוּ֙ אֶל־מִצְוֺ֣ת יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֔ם וְסַרְתֶּ֣ם מִן־הַדֶּ֔רֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אָנֹכִ֛י מְצַוֶּ֥ה אֶתְכֶ֖ם הַיּ֑וֹם לָלֶ֗כֶת אַחֲרֵ֛י אֱלֹהִ֥ים אֲחֵרִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־יְדַעְתֶּֽם "and the curse, if you do not listen to the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside from the way which I am commanding you today, by following other gods which you have not known."

Please join me in our Shabbat prayers and study this evening at 7:30 pm and tomorrow (Saturday) morning at 9:30 am both in-person and virtually, on Zoom.

And please join us on Sunday, August 24th (Rosh Chodesh Elul) at 9 am at Grace Memorial Cemetery at 16931 US-19, Hudson, FL 34667 just north of the intersection of Route 19 and Little Road for a service in memory of Barbara D. Johnson's sister Linda Dillard of blessed memory. After the service, we will gather at the synagogue for a reception sponsored by Barbara and her family.

Ron Becker,

Spiritual Leader

________________________________________________________________

ZOOM LINK FOR FRI & SAT:

JCC is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting

Topic: Shabbat Services  08/22 @ 7:30 pm, 08/23 @ 9:30 am

Time: This is a recurring meeting Fri & Sat

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4979030958?pwd=YXJPT2FGVTdzVVV2bVQ3c1ZnS1lMZz09&omn=82666606437

Meeting ID: 497 903 0958

Passcode: 5QdVaA