This week’s Torah reading is Parashat Re’eh (Deuteronomy 11:26–16:17). Read on Shabbat, August 23, 2025 / 29 Av 5785. The following is a special devotional drawn from this week’s reading.
“See, today I set before you blessing and curse: the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the LORD your God that I command you today; the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the LORD your God” (Deuteronomy 11:26-27).
Moses stands before the people and urges them to truly see the choice God places before them. Blessing or curse, life or death, depending on obedience. He calls Israel into intentional awareness. This is not a passive inheritance but a living covenant.
The portion elaborates on central practices such as gathering tithes, treating the poor with dignity, observing dietary laws, safeguarding festivals, and recognizing the sanctity of the appointed place of worship. In each commandment, Moses underscores that following God’s ways brings reward while deviating brings consequence.
When we pause to truly see our choices today, we realize they are not abstract. Our daily decisions such as how we treat others, how we celebrate God in our lives, and how we steward what we have reveal which path we are walking. To see is to choose with intention.
In life, we often drift into routines, taking for granted our privileges, neglecting celebration, and forgetting those in need. Re’eh calls us back. It invites us to see how our actions align with God’s justice and faithfulness.
If you find yourself drifting, take this Shabbat to see one area such as relationships, generosity, or your spiritual practice where blessing or curse hinges on your choice. It may be small, but intentional action shifts trajectory.
Reflect on how you can choose intentionally today through a word of kindness, an act of generosity, or a moment of worship so that your life embodies the blessing God offers.
In your own life, consider a recent moment when a simple choice reflected deeper values such as compassion, faith, or integrity.
Let that encourage you. Blessing begins in the everyday, when we choose to see and act with awareness.
PRAYER
Lord, open my eyes to see the choices before me. Help me choose Your blessing in the small things and the big. Amen.
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