This Shabbat’s Torah portion begins in the same sweeping, majestic style of the author of Devarim. “Re-eh” means “see,” look forward towards the new world that the Israelites will enter. The text tells us,”God has set before you this day a blessing and a curse…the good way and the evil way.” We are reminded of the dangers of idolatry, of false shrines erected by foreign tribes, and the possibilities of false prophets who will divine the future. There is a brief description of the human endowment of ‘free will,’ which will be further amplified at the end of Deuteronomy. 

 Many practical and ethical maxims are embedded in these chapters. The Torah teaches “derech eretz,” which means “a good way, a proper way of behavior.” In other words, a teacher should instruct in the most concise and precise manner. So in chapter 14, during the discussion of clean and unclean animals and birds, which may be used for food, the Torah teaches in a very concise way.  Through a careful reading of the text, with the naming of certain species, we see that the Torah teaches in a manner of “derech eretz.”

Just us for a great Torah study this Shabbat morning.