Shabbat Blast

​​​​​​​Friday, August 26, 2022
From Cantor Joshua Diamond

“See this day I set before you blessing and curse: blessing if you obey the commandments of the Lord upon your G-d that I enjoin upon you this day and curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the lord your G-d, but turn away from the path that I enjoin upon you this day and follow other G-ds, whom you have not experienced. “  Deuteronomy Chapter 11 verses 26-28.
 
These are the words that our Torah portion of Re’eih begins with and they bring us into the action immediately by discussing blessings and curses. We have learned over the course of our lives that people absorb information in different ways. There are those who do so by seeing, we call them visual learners, there are others who do so by hearing and they are known as auditory learners. The last is by touching or experiencing known as a kinesthetic learner. The Israelites who were not persuaded by hearing G-d’s commandments at Sinai, or by hearing Moses’ words of advice, are asked to see with their eyes the difference that following G-d’s ways can make in one’s life.
 
What is the distinguishing characteristic of human beings that sets us apart from other animals? The characteristic is the ability we possess to choose the values by which we live; Animals are driven by instinct. Our Torah teaches us time and again that human beings have the potential to control their instincts. When we as people are acting as our best selves we are greater than the angels, who do not have to overcome temptation and apathy. When we are out our worst, we are inferior to beasts. When an animal is destructive it is part of their nature, when human beings are destructive or show cruelty it is the result of choice.  
 
This Shabbat take stock of the kind of person you were this week and really look at the choices you made. Were you acting on instinct alone like the beast or were you able to be in control of your actions? We have a choice each and every week whether or not we want to bring blessings or curses upon ourselves by means of our actions. Choose wisely my friends.
 
Shabbat Shalom,
Cantor Diamond