Shabbat Parashat Re'eh - 5784

Shabbat Parashat Re'eh - 5784

Rabbi Hal Miller

  Safeguard and listen to all these matters that I command you in order that it be

  well with you and your children after you forever, when you do what is good and

  what is right in the eyes of Hashem your God. [Devarim 12:28]

It would seem that the first two words of this verse are reversed, that one must listen

first in order to guard the matters stated. What is the verse trying to tell us?

Sifrei says, "Take heed and hearken. If you take heed just a little, you will ultimately

hearken much" meaning that if one decides to guard "these matters" then their full

understanding will follow from that decision. Or HaChayim notes the apparent reversal

and says, "Moshe is saying, observe the written Torah and hearken to the rabbis of

later generations" meaning "these matters" is in fact two sets of "matters", Torah law

and rabbinic law. According to Onkelos, the wording is "observe and accept all these

words that I command you", that there is one set of words involved, with two actions.

Perhaps defining "et kol hadevarim ha'eileh" will help. Above we translate it as "to all

these matters", but it can also be "these things" or "these words", depending on context.

Onkelos, Rav Hirsch and Ramban understand it as 'words', Torah Temimah as 'matters'

and Rashi and Kol Dodi as 'things' or 'laws'. For Rav Hirsch, the reversed words should

be read together as "listen carefully to all these words" where guarding is a description

of how to listen. To Rashi, "a light commandment should be as dear to you as a serious

one." Most of the commentators explain it in terms of the end of the verse, "what is good

and right in the eyes of Hashem your God."

Kol Dodi, following Sifrei, sums up our verse that the given order of the words is

intentional, that "Moshe was saying, if you keep the letter of the law then you will merit to

hear what God really wants of you, which is to do more than the requirement of the law,

'do what is good and just' even when the law does not strictly require it." This could be a

definition also of the phrase kiddush Hashem, sanctifying God's Name, and is our

purpose in this world as Jews.