nothingtoseshere
(206) 527-9399

Waking Up From Our Collective Amnesia: Re’eh

Re’eh: Deuteronomy 11:26 – 16:17

See! I place before you today a blessing and a curse. The blessing, that you listen to the mitzvot of the Eternal your God, that I enjoin upon you today; and the curse if you do not listen to the mitzvot of the Eternal your God, and turn aside from the way that I enjoin upon you today… [Deut. 11:26-28]

In light of the unabating wars, a runaway climate crisis and global pandemic, the crushingly lopsided economic system, the marked dangerous decline in democratic ideals, and the rise of antisemitism, racism and hatred that seem to be defining the first decades of the 21st century, these opening verses from our weekly Torah portion appear to us as a dire prophetic warning. We look out at our world and wonder how far we have already “turned aside” from the way of Spirit, and if there is a path to trace back, to reorient ourselves.

In truth, what we are seeing out there in the world isn’t new—though it is taking on different forms and wearing different masks—but it is happening because we, as a human race, are still unable to wake up from our collective amnesia. And what we have forgotten—and keep forgetting—is that not only are we not separate from one another, but that every being (and every thing) is but an expression of the One. “You are children of the Holy One” [Deut. 14:1] the Torah reminds us this week.

Why do we forget? Because the Unity of Being is hidden from the eyes of the ego. The ego looks out and all it sees is separation, differences and polarities. It looks at the infinite spectrum of colors in the rainbow of Creation and forgets that each one of them is but an expression, a refraction of the one Divine White Light. But how can we awaken to the White Light when all our senses register the variegated colors of the rainbow?

Rabbi Yehudah Leib Alter of Ger, a Chasidic master of 19th Century Poland, offers an answer through one of the most powerful commentaries on these first two verses of this week’s Torah portion.

In everything there is a living point from the Life of Life. But that inwardness lies hidden in this world. [One] has to arouse and reveal this inwardness that lies within all things by means of the mitzvot… Through the mitzvot we bring all our deeds near to [the One]…

The rebbe’s answer is that only through our spiritual practices do we stand a chance to remember, to wake up from our amnesia. We bring ourselves to remember time and time again by keeping conscious company (Torah,) through a disciplined daily spiritual practice (Avodah,) and by acting mindfully and compassionately in our world (Gemilut Chasadim.) This way, we increase our capacity to see the One within every one and every thing more and more often and for longer periods of time.

But the rebbe goes one step further:

Each person has to give light to the inner point, which is as though in prison until we have the strength to light up its darkness. This point is itself ‘the blessing, that you listen…..’ When you attach yourself to the point within each thing, you will come to see that it is the blessing. Then, indeed, “see”—by negating yourself before the point.

Realizing the Oneness of Being alight in every one and every thing leads one—if one has “the strength” and fierce determination to do so—to “give light” to one’s own “inner point,” and “see” oneself, as well, as an expression of that Divine Light. In the process, however, the existence of the separate sense of self—root of our forgetfulness—is negated and dissolves in the blessing of awakening to the One “inner point” of Light that is our Source.

See! I place before you today a blessing and a curse. These words, written thousands of years ago, are confronting us directly right now. We, has a human race, have now reached the proverbial crossroad. What we will do in the coming months will forever alter humanity’s destiny and decide our very survival as a species. May we all follow the Rebbe’s invitation to wake up from our collective amnesia and choose a path of blessing before it is too late.