Voices of WRJ: Parashat R'eih

by Linda Ferguson Parashat R'eih begins with "see" and not with "sh'ma"—"listen"—as one would expect when they are about to hear a powerful challenge from God to the Israelite people: "See this day I set before you blessing and curse: blessing if you obey the commandments...and curse if you do not obey the commandments... (Deuteronomy 11:26-28)." From that point, the parashah begins the longest section of Deuteronomy and one of the longest in the Torah, with the laws and general principles for the people to live by in the new land. God has presented this challenge to the Israelite people as a community, but does so in the singular. The rabbis tell us that means each one of us must "see" these choices for ourselves and decide whether or not to obey them, thereby creating a sacred relationship with God. According to the Vilna Gaon, an 18th century Talmudist, the individual is being asked to be responsible for his or her actions. God's challenge is presented to us constructed in the present tense ("set before you") thus making these choices something that is as important to us today as it was to our ancestors. Each following chapter presents a new set of choices, laws, and principles. The Torah provides detailed instructions on daily activities, food, celebrations and commemorations, where and how to worship, as well as the peoples' relationship with God and his with them. Additionally, there are the beginnings of a moral code and an understanding of the roles and responsibilities of leaders in the community. God also makes it clear that there is responsibility for one another; you are expected to "give readily... open your hand to the poor and needy kin in your land (Deuteronomy 15:11)" to share with strangers, orphans, widows, so any in need can take their fill. These directives translate in today's world to the choices we make everyday as Reform Jewish women. They influence our decisions with our families, our synagogues and sisterhoods, and our support of our activities of worship and social justice. They  influence us as individuals and collectively as Women of Reform Judaism. Our foremothers made a choice more than 100 years ago to become a movement of strong and supportive women. We made choices as individuals and as a movement: marching as suffragettes, building a dormitory at Hebrew Union College, supporting the Religious Action Center and civil rights, standing together for the equal rights of women, and supporting Israel. We understand the blessing of God's commandments in today's world. We recognize with pride the role of our leaders as they attend the National Leadership Assembly for Israel, the White House Summit on Working Families, or the presentation of the Congressional Gold Medal to Shimon Peres, just to name a recent few. As we turn our thought to Rosh Hashanah and prepare for the High Holidays, we take this time to reflect on our choices as individuals and as a movement. We realize that as human beings we have the opportunity and the ability to correct bad choices and to make different choices in the future. Linda Ferguson is a member of the WRJ Executive Committee and of the WRJ Mid-Atlantic District Board, and a Past President of the Sisterhood of Congregation Beth Ahabah of Richmond, VA.