Re’eh 5780
528.427
The blessing that you listen to – את הברכה אשר תשמעו A young man was suffering from a difficult and frightful illness. The doctors did not give him much time to live. Then, the Rosh Yeshiva who he used to learn by came to visit. The Rosh Yeshiva began to speak and the young man listened. He spoke to him about emunah and bitachon [faith and trust], to the extent that even if the blade of a sword is resting on his neck, he should not hold himself back from asking for mercy and conversely, he spoke to him about the other possibility,,, how to accept the judgment from Heaven with love, and how to prepare for the soul to depart from the body. When the Rosh Yeshiva left, the young man said to those around him, “This is the first time I heard the Rosh Yeshiva speak.” Those around him were stunned, “But you learned for many years in his yeshiva, you must have heard him speak and give shiur many times?!” The young man replied, “True, he spoke much, but I did not listen. Today I listened to him!” Our parsha begins with '‘ – 'ראה אנכי נותן לפניכם ברכה וקללהSee, I present before you a blessing and a curse’ (11:26) and if you want to know what is the blessing and what is the curse, the posuk continues: והקללה אם...''את הברכה אשר תשמעו אל מצות ה '‘ – לא תשמעוThe blessing, that you listen to the commandments of Hashem… and the curse, if you do not listen’ (11:27-28). The plain meaning as Rashi says, ‘The blessing -on condition that you listen.’ By way of exposition perhaps we can say this is the difference between blessing and curse, ‘that you listen’ and ‘that you do not listen’. The greatest blessing that is possible to give to a person is ‘that he listen’, in order for a person to go on in life he has to listen, to listen to words of Torah, to hear mussar [rebuke], to hear stories of Tzaddikim. We daven in the bracha before Shema, ‘Our Father, merciful Father, have mercy on us, instill understanding in our hearts to understand and elucidate, to listen, learn, teach, safeguard, and perform’. The way to learn Torah and fulfill its mitzvos is by first listening. This is why we ask for mercy and beg for mercy on us. In contrast is the complete opposite, one who does not want to listen, this is the greatest curse. A person who is not prepared to listen to others, is not willing to accept mussar, or cannot another’s opinion, loses out and that is the curse. At the end of Parashas Nitzavim it says (30:19) 'החיים והמות נתתי לפניך הברכה '‘ – והקללה ובחרת בחיים למען תחיהI have place life and death before you, blessing and curse; and you shall choose life so that you will live’. The blessing is life and the curse is death, we just have to choose. - Tiv HaTorah – Re’eh
‘The Treasured Nation’ – ''עם סגולה He taught children in Talmud Torah for more than 22 years. He married off four children and he was now marrying off his fifth daughter. When I asked him how he was going to marry off his daughter, he replied as he always does: “By saying Bircas HaMazon with kavanah from a siddur. This is a tried and true segulah, why do I have to try harder than this?!” I replied, “Fine.” About a month later we met again in the office. This time he grabbed hold of me and said, “Do you have doubts about the Creator? Do you disparage segulos? If Chazal say that saying Bircas HaMazon inside with kavanah is a segulah for parnasah, then why disparage it? What do you think, there are limits to the Creator?!” I was caught off guard by his attack, and I apologized that I had no intent to disparage, I was simply curious… He wanted me to hear him out until the end: “A week ago I went to several addresses in Yerushalayim that I have gone to before marrying my children just to put in the effort. It was cold outside, and there was no answer at the first two addresses. I went out in the cold to another house, perhaps they would answer. Suddenly, a cab stopped and asked me to join him as he was going near that address. I was glad because that had always been a good address and it was difficult to walk. I felt that I would be successful since no one answered at the first two houses. I had not finished thanking the driver when he apologized that he had to hurry to the other side of the city for a fare. He asked if I wanted to get out or continue with him. I remember that there was someone in that neighborhood who gave me 50 shekel last time and I decided to stay in the warm car. I arrived and knocked lightly on the door. A boy opened the door who I did not recognize. I asked if I had the wrong address, his father came and invited me inside. He explained that he had recently rented the house and was pleased with the mitzvah. After talking Torah for a few minutes, he gave me $500 from his wallet. Instead of 50 shekel I had $500. Upon leaving I told him another dvar Torah about tzedakah and he gave me another $100. I thanked Hashem with all my heart and went on my way. Suddenly, something told me to go back and again I knocked lightly on the door and the man answered. I apologized, but I asked if he were returning overseas, could I give him my address so that if anyone sent money it would help. He invited me back inside. He asked me how much I needed for the wedding and I told him $10,000. He thought for a moment, took out his checkbook and wrote the sum. I asked him to write several checks as it is easier to cash and he agreed to this as well and he sent me off with the full amount. Now tell me if you should stamp your feet and go crazy. When I tell you there are segulos of Chazal and one of them is to say Bircas HaMazon with kavanah!!! This takes about two minutes, maybe less, isn’t it worth it!!!??? .י.ג