Parshat Ri’ay – Behold!
CARLSBAD, California — This week’s Torah portion begins by Moshe telling the Jewish people to (open your eyes) and to ‘See’ that G-d has placed before us blessings and curses. We are given the choice which path we will take; the path of blessings or the opposite.
It is interesting that last week in Parshat Eikev the Torah emphasized the need to ‘Hearken’ and this week we are exhorted to ‘Behold’. This demonstrates that experiencing the Almighty is a sensory endeavor.
The Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson of Righteous Memory, compares and contrasts these two methods of experiencing the Creator.
We all know the saying, “Seeing is believing!” This means that there is nothing like witnessing something with one’s own eyes to make a dramatic impression. If I see something happen, I know it happened, and no one and nothing can convince me otherwise. I know what I saw. This would seem to be a greater level of internalizing outside stimuli than any other method.
The Rebbe shares a remarkable explanation regarding hearing. When we hear something, meaning when a sound penetrates our minds to be analyzed and ultimately understood / grasped by our intellect, it can be a more profound experience than merely seeing something. At the end of the day seeing can fairly be described as a superficial experience whereas hearing is more internalized.
In our portion we are presented with the idea that we have the ability to see the blessings of G-d as well as understanding their presence through hearing about it. This creates a one-two process, the best of the best.
Is it possible to grasp G-dliness in such a holistic manner spanning our senses of sight and sound? Actually, not only can we grasp the divine using our powers of sight and sound, we can add to that experiencing the Almighty through touch, taste and even smell! Those with a familiarity with the Torah and her metaphors find numerous descriptions of interactions with the Creator using each of the senses.
That may be well and good for a truly righteous individual, but how are those of us, who have not yet perfected ourselves to that degree, supposed to appreciate this level of connection? The answer is that we should imagine ourselves entering into the Holy Temple. The service of each person who participated included all of the senses, as they experienced the sight of revealed G-dliness, the sounds of the Levites singing, the smell and taste of the sacrifices, and the touch, as in being touched by the awesomeness of the encounter – not to mention that use of their hands in the process.
It is with this in mind that we yearn, each and every one of us, for the time when the Temple will be rebuilt with the coming of Moshiach. May it be speedily in our days!
Wishing everyone an uplifting, joyous, and HEALTHY Shabbos!
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Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort is Director of Coastal Chabads and Chabad at La Costa. Rabbi Eilfort welcomes readers’ comments and questions and may be reached at RabbiE@ChabadatLaCosta.com.