The Winner Takes It All

 

The following is the English translation of a Face Book post published by Tal Gilad on September 2nd, 2020 and translated by Bat-Zion Susskind-Sacks

Columbus was not the first European who arrived in America. Today, we know that the Vikings already arrived there about 500 years before him. It bears no significance as they did nothing other than to settle and leave after a short while. Columbus’s discovery is the one that bore international significance, political and economically and opened for Europe a new horizon to the New World. Therefore, credit was given

To Columbus and justly. Erikson and the Vikings remained in the realm of an anecdote, nothing more.

Magellan was not the first to   orbit the earth. In fact, he himself did not complete the voyage as he was killed in the Philippines. His Malaysian interpreter, defected the expedition and probably returned to him homeland after the death of Magellan and this way, in fact, became the first person who encircled the earth – from Malacca to Spain, from Spain with his crew around America and then back to Malacca. His adventures interest no one since his “operation” had no strategic, international, political, or economic significance. The credit was not even given to Sebastian Elcano, the captain, who completed the entire round aboard the only ship that remained. Magellan was the initiator, leader of the expedition, the organizer, therefore the glory is his and rightfully so.

 

Alexander Graham Bell was not the only one and possibly not the first one to invent an apparatus which served as a basis for the telephone. The 19^th century was a century of amazing inventions which accompany us until this very day in modern variations, the light bulb’ the camera, the train and more. Quite a few people worked on all these discoveries at the same time. The Italian, Antonio Meucci, invented a similar device, twenty years before Bell. Six hundred people claimed to have come up with a similar invention and filed suits against the recognition of Bell as the inventor of the telephone. All of those are irrelevant (though the U.S. recognized Meucci’s “contribution”) since they never turned their invention – real or otherwise - into something useful for general use and meaningful to the entire human race. The credit was given to Bell and justly so, even though he was getting tired of all the lawsuits, the gossip and after his retirement, he refused to hear about the matter.

Benjamin Netanyahu is not the first Yisraeli who has visited the Emirates and not even the first leader who has met with leaders from that region. He is the first one who has made it meaningful when he brough Yisrael to a powerful economic, political, and strategic position through clear vision and an understanding that the agreements between the countries rest on mutual interests and not the sentiments of the Left which a political insight of a tofu. He is the firs one  who has brought about a formal visible agreement, diplomatic and commercial relationships on the table meaningful agreement to all of Yisraeli citizens , he is the first one who turned the negotiations from “covert” ones to normalization, to a clear and official given which all factors in the region have to take into consideration from now on. If Shimon Peres or Joe Blo did at one point flew over to the Emirates and sang Kumbaya, it bears no relevance and it had no “preparation” to anything.

Therefore all the wailing from Leftists claiming that it was actually Peres who started it all, and that who needs this peace and how it hurts that Netanyahu is successful- these are just background noises which will fade out to the complainers’ section in the basements of history. The credit will be given to Netanyahu and rightfully so. Thank you for listening. Hopefully, it has been understood.

ישראל, לא יזר(ע)אל

 

מטרת מאמר זה, אין בכוונתה לקרוא לשינו עמדות ופרוטוקולים מסוכמים ומוסכמים. אין בכוונתו להפוך יוצרות או לכפות דעות. 

הוא נכתב במטרה אחת ומטרה אחת בלבד, להביע את עמדתי בנושא אשר לי, אישית, הינו קרוב ללבי.זהו צו המחוייבות שלי לעברנו כעם, קיומנו בהווה והבטחת המשכיותו בעתיד.

כפי שחלק מכם יודעים, אני כותבת בעיקר באנגלית. רבים פונים אלי בשאלה מדוע כאשר אני כותבת  

  ISRAEL -   ולאכYISRAEL על ארצנו באנגלית, אני מאייתת את שמה כ-

.שאלה הגיונית, מסכימה

במספר כתבות שכתבתי בנושא באגלית, הבהרתי ונימקתי את הסיבות לאיות זה.

הגיע הזמן להגיב בעיברית לשואלים האדיבים השואלים מתוך צימאון אמיתי לדעת את הסיבה וגם לאלו שאינם כל כך אדיבים, קוראים לי בשמות גנאי ושולחים לי הודעות פרטיות לא כל כך נעימות, בסגנון של "מי שמך לשר ושופט?" 

אותם שמכירים אותי כבר יודעים שחוץ ממצפוני ומהקב"ה אינני יראה אף אחד. אינני כאן על מנת להשתתף בתחרות פופולריות או לזכות בתמיכה. אני כאן כדי להביע את השקפתי ממש כמו כל אחד מכם. אינני מצפה שכולם יהיו תמימי דעים עימי. אני כן מצפה לכיבוד השוני.

אז הרשו לי, בבקשה.

אבקש מכל הקורא כתבה זו לבטא לעצמו את שם מדינתנו כפי שהוא מתבטא באיות הבא :

.Israel

.תודה

 

עכשיו, הרשו לי,בבקשה, לשאלכם היכן נמצאת האות Z במילה הנ"ל ? הרי כאשר קראנו את המילה, החלפנו את האות S באות Z. אנחנו "ישראל," לא "יזר(ע)אל," נכון?
איך הייתם מרגישים אם שמכם, נאמר, היה "רואי" (ROEY) ןמישהו אשר מעולם לא נתקל בשם ואינו מבין את משמעותו היה פונה אליכם כאל "רוי" (ROY)? מה לגבי שם כמו "עידן" (IDAN)?

כן, כבר נתקלתי במישהו שביטא זאת כ"איידן."

אל תשקרו לעצמכם שלא הייתם מתקנים אותו או אותה בו ברגע לפני שהטעות תיטמע במוחם של הטועים

לצערי, זה מה שארע עם השם של ארצנו, עמנו ומולדתנו. ולצערי הגדול עוד יותר, לא קם צדיק אחד בסדום אשר העמיד אנשים על טעותם לפני שהאיות קובע בדפי ההסטוריה ובמוחם של אנשים.

.אתם עדיין איתי? מעולה

 .כדי להבין את מקור הבעיה ועומקה, הרשו לי לקחת אתכם במסע זמן לאחור

במאה השנייה לפני הספירה, שלח תלמי, מלך מצריים, אדם משכיל אשר רצה לקרוא ולהבין את כתבי הקודש של עמנו, אגרת ובה בקש את עזרתם של 72 חכמים בתרגום התורה, תחילה, ליוונית

למרות ההצלחה לכאורה של תרגום זה, הכריזו חז"ל כי יום צאתו לאור הינו  "יום חושך לעולם."

ישנן מספר סיבות ובהחלט מוצדקות לטענת חז"ל אשר אותן אשמח למנות בכתבה אחרת. 

בחיבור זה, אתמקד על הנושא אשר העליתי בכותרת. 

עקב תרגום זה, נוצרה, לדעתי,  אחת העוולות הגדולות כנגד שמו של עמנו, כנגד מהותו וייעודו. באנגלית שגור ביטוי האומר:

 "What's in a name?" 

זוהי בדיוק הנקודה, חברים.

.בבקשה התאזרו בסבלנות ומבטיחה לכם שתרדו לסוף דעתי גם אם תסכימו עימה וגם אם לא

אז בואו נתחיל עם השם יזר(ע)אל אשר הוא האופן שבו מבוטא שמה של מולדתנו במספר שפות זרות

אילו הייתי מאייתת אותו ללא האות ע' שהוספתי בסוגריים, הרי שהשם היה ריק מתוכן וחסר תכלית. ונניח שאכן היה השם מאויית בעיברית בתוספת האות ע, נו, אז הייתה לשם "יזרעאל" משמעות כלשהיא, "אלוקים יזרע." שם נחמד, ללא ספק בעל חשיבות רבה, ואפילו אחד שהפך להיות לכינויו של אחד העמקים היפים  בארצנו, "עמק יזרעאל."

אולם, לא זו לא הייתה הכוונה של אותו פסוק בבראשית אשר על שמו החליטו גדולי האומה, אנשים אוהבי תנ"ך ואשר בתכניו ובמסריו היו בקיאים.

השם ישראל מופיע לראשונה בספר בראשית פרק לב' פס' כט' :" לא יעקב יאמר עוד שמך כי אם ישראל כי שרית {נאבקת} עם אלוהים ועם אנשים ותוכל."

חברים, הפסוק הזה מתמצת את מהותו של עמנו בעבר, בהווה ובעתיד.

עד קום המדינה, היינו כמו יעקב אשר כשמו כן הוא, צועד בעקבות דרישותיהם של אחרים. במשך אלפיים שנים, עשו בנו עמי העולם כרצונם. בלית ברירה הסכמנו להכנס לגיטאות (הרבה לפני השואה), קבלנו עלינו גזירות, צייתנו להן ועוד ברכנו והודנו על כך שנתנו לנו להישאר בחיים.

הקמת המדינה הייתה צריכה להיות השלב אשר בו הפכנו מעם מובל לעם מוביל, מעם משועבד לעם חופשי. יעקב הפך להיות נחלת העבר ופינה את מקומו לישראל.

שרית" אשר משמעו "נאבקת" הוא מנת חלקנו היום יומית במלחמת הקיום שלנו. עם הקב"ה אנו, העם "קשה העורף," ממשיכים, כמו תמיד,  להאבק.השכם והערב, אנו מתמרדים נגדו, מנסים לפרוק את עול המצוות ולא למלא את חלקנו בברית שחתמנו עימו.

כמו כן, אנו עדיין ממשיכים להאבק יום יום כנגד אנשים, אותם הקמים עלינו לכלותנו, זוהי חובתנו.

אולם, חברים, החלק הטוב ביותר בברכה שניתנה ליעקב הוא זה הנוגע לעתידנו - "ותוכל." המסר הוא שיהא אשר יהא, תמיד נצא עם ידנו על העליונה, תמיד  נ  ו  כ  ל, כפי שמנבאת המילה האחרונה בפסוק הנ"ל וכפי שמוכיחה ההיסטוריה. למרות כל הנסיונות להכחידנו, להשליכנו אל תוך כבשני השנאה ולהפוך אותנו ל"מוצג" מן העבר, יצאנו לא רק כשורדים אלא כמנצחים ההולכים מחוסן אל חוסן.

 .היינו ונמשיך להיות עם הנצח

עכשיו אימרו לי אתם, חברים, איזו עוד מדינה, איזה עוד עם נושא בשמו, ביהלום כותרתו, את עברו,

 ?ההווה שלו ואת ההבטחה לעתידו המזהיר

אז, מי מכם שהספיקו להכיר אותי, נראה לכם שאני אתן לשפה, לתרבות של עובדי האלילים,תרבותה

של יוון העתיקה להגדיר אותי ואת ציביוני?

ישראל, לא יזר(ע)אל, הוא שמה של מולדתי. וכמו שמו של כל אדם, זהו הנכס החשוב ביותר שלנו מיום הולדתנו עד יומנו האחרון, עלינו לכבד זאת בכל שפה

ישראל הינה אתה, את, אנחנו, אתם, אתן ואני. ומי מאיתנו היה מאפשר לזרים אשר לא יבינו זאת לסרס אותו

 

לא אני!

A Son of Zion

He was born in a small town in Belarus in the latter part of the 19^th century. His father, Yitzchok, was a distinguished rabbi. His mother, Tscherna, was a hard-working woman who raised him and his eleven sisters and brothers in the finest way .

As the years went by, one by one, several of his siblings left the nest to roam in greener pastures, overseas. Unlike them, he elected to stay and get certified as a Jewish ritual slaughterer.

These were not easy times for Jews in the Russian Empire. Many were exposed to the Haskalah ( Jewish Enlightenment Movement) which promoted the use of Hebrew, in Literature, instead of Yiddish, exposed many to the noble ideas of the French Revolution which ignited their political and social involvement and pushed a great number of them  to follow the Marxist doctrine and even attempt to set up a Marxist party in Minsk in 1898. He was one of them.

As someone who is opposed to any form of such doctrines, I try to rationalize this young man’s political and social choices. These were times when the Marxist ideology seemed like the ultimate panacea for injustice, inequality, and illiteracy. No one, including our young hero, had expected that it would fail and fade into the realm of utopia and in such a short period.

His strong desire to make the world a better place also drove this inquisitive young man to travel to Warsaw in order to meet and befriend Dr. Zamenhof, the Jewish linguist who invented Esperanto. The idea of a world without wars, without religious or linguistic barriers which could be materialized by the use of an international, easy to learn language which would be accessible to all, pushed him to master it almost to perfection. He became one of its most avid advocates and supporters.

In the early part of the twentieth century, this ambitious young man decided to join his sister, Hilda, who had moved to London several years earlier and try his luck there. He started his way as an encyclopedia salesman, albeit not with much success. There were days, I was told, when he suffered hunger and cold. During those times, he would deliberately break a window merely to be arrested, spend the night in a warmer jail cell where he would also get to eat a free hot meal.

Sales, obviously, were not his strong suit. He left London and moved to Oxford. There, our brilliant hero earned a PhD in English Literature.

At the onset of world war I, he was deployed by the British army. During the war, he travelled with the navy all the way to southeast Asia. He did not like what he witnessed there. In his outspoken manner, he criticized the colonial endeavour and protested the way the British treated the locals.

For me, he was an early version of George Orwell.

His words, protests and harsh condemnation of British imperialism did not go unnoticed. He was dismissed from the army and forced out of the kingdom.

Left with no choices, our young man moved back to Russia where the early buds of the Bolshevik revolution were beginning to sprout. Being a firm believer in the Marxist ideology, he joined the effort.

A short while after the onset of the Revolution, disorder settled in. Our intelligent perceptive hero realized that it was a dream which would never come to fruition. He was a living witness to its collapse and the unavoidable conclusion that as attractive as the solution  that it offered to end world maladies, it was doomed to failure.

Shattered by what he observed, he decided to move to Poland.

One day, during a train ride to Vilna, he noticed Sarah, that was her name as he learned later, sitting  across the aisle from him and instantly fell in love with her. Her green, lovely eyes and her red wavy hair mesmerized him. Sarah was on her way to get betrothed to a young man that she had never met. When their glimpses met, they both knew that she would never reach her destination.

Sarah was the daughter of a very wealthy wholesale merchant. Our young man joined him, soon after he married Sarah, learned the art of trade, and eventually ran the whole business together with his fiery wife Sarah.

Yesterday’s Marxist became a capitalist and he loved it. He raised two brilliant talented children. They had everything money could buy, maids, nannies, trips and a summer home.  They even had a radio where they would listen to the finest operas while our man would describe to his children in, as vivid a manner as possible, the various scenes as he experienced them at Covent Garden or other concert halls. Poland, Polania (in Hebrew translates as “here G-d slept”) for him, was just that, the land of milk and honey.

Unfortunately, history had other plans in store for our protagonist. Twenty years later, the world was thrown into chaos when World War II started.

The infamous Riventrop-Molotov agreement of September 1, 1939, put him and his family at harm’s way. Luckily for some, not for our man and his family, though, they were situated in that part of Poland which fell into the hands of the Russians. As a business owner, a rich bourgeois, our man suddenly became the enemy of the state. “Criminals,” like him deserved only one fate. They should be sent to the Gulag where they would be placed in forced labour camps. On September 3^rd, the “culprit” was already on a howling train which made its way eastward to the unknown. He never came back.

This great man was my maternal grandfather, Ben – Zion (son of Zion, in Hebrew). I, Bat-Zion, am named after him and I pledge here and now that I will never desert his legacy and will continue to share his story with the world.

Shanah Tova, Am Yisrael <3

Three Mountains, Two Different Ceremonies

This week’s Parasha, “Ki Tavo,” opens with two Mitzvot which are practiced in Eretz Yisrael only. Both are connected to the Land.

The first is the directive to bring the First Fruits of the Land to the Temple in Yerushalayim as a sacrificial gift.

The second is the mandate to observe a ritual dedicated to blessings and curses that are associated with the Mitzvot. It is to be performed immediately upon entering the Promised Land.

Most of Moshe’s words, in this Parasha, are reminiscent of his ongoing reminder of the importance of keeping the Mitzvot and the rewards and punishments that are attached to them. This idea is already echoed in his words earlier in Deuteronomy 11:26 where he says, “I am setting before you today the blessing and the curse”.  

Towards that end, Moshe designates two mountains in Eretz Yisrael. One is Eyval, “The Mountain of Curse,” the other is Grizim, “The Mountain of Blessing.” Moshe then outlines before Am Yisrael the exact details of the “The Blessing and the Curse” ceremony, in which they are all requited to physically partake.

The first part in that rite, which Moshe decrees in the name of G-d, is to take place on Mount Eyval. There, Am Yisrael is required to write the words of the Torah on big whitewashed stones.

Following that, the tribes are divided into two groups. Shimon, Levi, Yehudah, Issaschar, Yosef and Binyamin will stand on Mount Eyval. Reuven, Gad, Asher, Zevulun, Dan and Naftali will position themselves on Mount Grizim.

The Levites and the Kohanim will remain in the valley between the two Mountains. When they sanctify the People through the blessings, they shall turn to Mount Grizim, the Mountain of Blessing. When the curses are recited, they will turn to Moun Eyval. At the end of each, the People shall respond by saying “Amen.”

For me and perhaps for some of the readers, these events are reminiscent of another, very impressive, memorable, and most important milestone in our People’s history, the receiving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. The only obvious difference though is that in this case, we are dealing with two mountains instead of just one, as was the case there.

Is this really the only difference between the two events?

Not at all.

When Am Yisrael received the Torah, they had just recently been released from slavery. They were still confused by their sudden liberty, mesmerized and scared by the spectacular scene of the “thunder and lightning… and the “sound of the trumpet.” (Exodus 20:14) Few, if any, did understand the importance, the meaning and the gravity of the contract they had entered with G-d when they said: “we shall do, and we shall hear.”  (Exodus 24:7).

Moreover, until the decree to write the Torah on the stones on top of Mount Eyval Eyval, the Torah had been passed orally. As slaves who had just come out of Egypt, the Yisraelites did not know how to read or write, let alone understand the Torah when it was given to them at Sinai. Forty years of wandering in the desert, however, were expected to have rectified it. The former slaves can no longer only see, hear, and speak, they can also write. This is the first time, Am Yisrael, the People itself, every member of it, will have partaken in the task of recording the Torah in a written form.

As studies show, writing down anything is not only the more effective way to acquire, understand and assimilate new information, it also makes us remember as well as master it better.

The second and not less important difference is that unlike the event on Mount Sinai, where Moshe was the only one on the Mountain while the People were camping in the valley below, this time, it is Am Yisrael that is on a mountain and their leaders are situated below. Here, they are active participants in an event which amounts to reaffirmation of the contract that they made with G-d at Sinai, an experience which will surely leave its footprints on their essence.  

A third and very important difference is that, unlike the occasion of Mount Sinai which occurred in a foreign land and which may have faded from the memory of many members of Am Yisrael, Mount Eyval and Mount Grizim are here in Eretz Yisrael, their new and Home. They will serve as a visual, moral agent and an eternal reminder of the Covenant we entered with G-d at Mount Sinai.

Lastly and most importantly is how Am Yisrael responds in both ceremonies. At Mount Sinai, unlike here, Am Yisrael automatically responded “We shall do and hear,” to the decree of Mitzvot even though they may not have fully understood them and the weight they carry.

Here, however, Am Yisrael is directed to say “Amen” which is recited following the reading of the list of curses and blessings by the Kohanim and the Levites.  The Hebrew word, “Amen,”  which many translate as “so be it,” shares the same root with the words, trust, belief and faith.

That points to a huge leap from what we witnessed at Sinai. Since then, when Am Yisrael was at its infancy, our People have matured. Forty years of wandering in the desert, it seems, have equipped them with the right tools and are expected to understand G-d’s message, learn to assume responsibility, have better judgement, trust G-d, believe and have faith in Him.

Wishing all of you, Shavua tov and a great year ahead of us, a year of understanding cushioned with faith and trust in G-d and our leadership.

Amen!  🇮🇱🇮🇱🥰🇮🇱🇮🇱

If Netanyahu runs for elections as head of Likud, I will, again, vote for him

Dear readers,

The following post was published on Facebook by Tal Gilad this morning. It was written in Hebrew and translated into English by me.

The truth is that I was planning to write  one on my reasons for voting for Netanyahu, following Netanyahu’s brilliant Press Conference last night. Watching his body language, listening to his wisdom evoked in me the exact same sentiments that no one other than Tal could describes in  words. Thank you for another great observation, Tal.

Here is the translation of his post:

Yes, of course I will vote again for Netanyahu if and in the hope that he heads Likud.

Not only because of his contributions to Yisrael’s economy, its security, power, and status in the world arena.

Neither will I vote “just in spite” against the Supreme Court or the Left and definitely not against the dear and beloved brothers on the Right who are upset with him and who are correct in every word, except that they lack patience  and prudence.

Not because of the Peace Agreement with the Emirates.

I will vote for him  since if in this inferno that he and his family are going through, in all the soul consuming experiences, the demonstrations, blood libels, ewers of hatred, defamation, lies,  sticks in the wheels from all corners of the political spectrum, if, among all this, he manages to maintain equanimity, function normally, carry out important international agreements,  head a rickety government of the most problematic, most neurotic Nation in the world, during the most horrific circumstances plaguing the world, if he still succeeds at doing all this, without moving a facial muscle, except for a light smile, and without even one hair moving on his head – then this man is not made of iron, but from some substance which cannot be found on Earth.

Yes, this is exactly the man that each State could only dream of as a leader.

Violence and Incompetence

A few days ago, I came across the following quote by one of my favourite writers, Isaac Asimov:

“Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent.”

The path of human history has been bespeckled with episodes of violence. Violence has been used against political adversaries, those who practice difference of religious and other creeds, "wrong" colour, fragile people of all ages and various other reasons.
Unfortunately, violence still plagues humanity. It is around us and seems to be fed by the tongues of fire of hatred, ignorance and, sadly, apathy as well.

Some have wondered as to what Asimov meant by the above quote.

There are those who depict it as, if violence is the last option, one is incompetent. Others, view it as violence is the first option of the incompetent.

As much as I am certain that Asimov meant  the latter, in my view, violence should not be part of any equation, if we can help it. 

Instead, I believe that we should be addressing the subject of Incompetence, its sources and how it can lead to violence.

Incompetence is the inability, ineptitude to do something successfully. It can manifest itself over a large spectrum of fields, intellectual, physical emotional and moral as well.

Part of humanity, so it seems, has lost its moral agent. It no longer seems to live up to a certain code of conduct created by humans like us all. For them, the seams that distinguish between good and evil, right and wrong, just and unjust, that which has limits and limitlessness, unity and division, have come unraveled and blurry.

In cases of violence, it is always easy to blame others. How convenient it is to hold someone else responsible for such a breakdown of values, be it the system, the government, apathy or lack of police enforcement. “Yes,” admit those who are pointing a blaming finger at the ‘system,' the culprits who commit violence are horrible and should be punished ….but….but….but…”

 Invoking or utilizing violence, I will venture to say, is to a certain extent, a form of deficiency, be it cognitive or moral. Furthermore, I do not believe it is an inherent deficiency. In my view it is an acquired one. It is this deficiency, I reckon, which is the root cause of Incompetence. Hopefully, it can be reversed or corrected.

I am not here to blame anyone, offer any earth-shaking suggestions or magic solutions. I am merely an observer who is trying to contain that which we have experienced around us, one who cares and wants to make a difference, be it the smallest.

There is not much that I can do to improve our world but I certainly do as much as I can, and mostly for the sake of posterity,  in my own little world. As a teacher, I wish to restore competency, good judgement, and clarity of thought. I try to rehearse the foundations of morality with my students as much as possible. I stress to them the importance of debating opposing views while maintaining the dignity of difference and agreeing to disagree. I do my best to equip them with the skills and the proper compass in the hope that these will guide them wisely and unharmed through the twists of their Life’s terrain.

Only time will tell whether I have succeeded.

Shavua tov to all.

Re'eh

"See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse,” (Deuteronomy 11:26) is the first verse of this week’s Parasha. It is also where the Parasha draws its name from (Re’eh – see). The great prophet, Moshe, is about to reminding his congregation that only leading a life where they observe G-d’s directives will gain them His blessing. Moving away from the mitzvot, on the other hand will bring a curse upon their heads and their way of life.

To most of us, “seeing” invokes the connotation of perceiving with the eyes or discerning visually. I doubt that this is what G-d had in mind when He put these words into Moshes’s mouth. The “seeing” that I believe He wanted  Am Yisrael, a nation in its early stages of development, to exercise is to rather focus on grasping and deducing mentally following their reflection on the message that this Parasha is about to deliver. It is the way they observe themselves, their conduct and how well they understand that which will determine their fate.

Am Yisrael is still in a disarray, at the stage of their infancy. They have undergone a few traumatic experiences during their wanderings in the desert.  They are about to enter Eretz Yisrael.. The fear of what awaits them when they enter the Land and take their life into their own hands is gnawing in their heads. They perceive themselves as victims and act as such. They are still stuck in their recent past.

Moshe knows it. He uses the occasion to hand them a moral compass. So, rather than spend time unwinding them, softening his approach towards them, or removing their concerns, he does the opposite. He wants them to look into the future, prepare themselves for their new reality and shed off the shackles of victimhood. He reminds them of and reviews, yet again, the many mitzvot they have heard more than once during their time in the desert, as he passes on the message that it is up to them, their deeds and the way they lead their life that will be the founding principle of their blessings.

In other words, G-d wants them to take responsibility. The message Moshe delivers, in G-d’s name, uses the singular form of “see,” not the plural one (Re’u). This lesson is not aimed only at Am Yisrael as a nation. It is meant for every individual member of it. A personal message from G-d. It is not about others, it is about us, it is about me, you, and our own personal moral orbit. It is all about choices. No one can make the selection for us. If we choose the curse, we will suffer. On the other hand, if we conduct our life properly, we will not only improve our own universe but that of others as well.

May we all understand and incorporate the difference between the two and live a fulfilling life endowed with the best of every blessing.

Shabbat Shalom