Re'eh
Rabbi Jablinowitz
We read at the end of this week's parsha the three festivals, Pesach, Shavuos, and Succos. The Ramban teaches that the focus of the Torah in this week's parsha is reiterating the mitzvah of rejoicing in Yerushalayim on the festivals. This explains why some festivals mentioned in parshat Emor are omitted here, specifically Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, and even Shmini Atzeres, since there is no mitzvah to go up to Yerushalayim again at the end of Succos.
When the Torah mentions the mitzvah of Simcha, of rejoicing, the Torah uses the term (Chapter 16, Pasuk 11) V'Semachta Lifnei Hashem Elokecha, and you shall rejoice before the Lord your Gd. The reason the mitzvah is mentioned as being before Hashem is because, as we mentioned, the mitzvah of joy is fulfilled by going up to Yerushalayim and bringing sacrifices and eating from them. Going to the Beis Hamikdash is referred to as Lifnei Hashem Elokecha.
However, the Sfas Emes explains the mitzvah of joy being before Hashem on a deeper level. He explains that true joy comes from Hashem. When we rejoice at the great simcha of Sheva Berachos, we recite in bentching, She'Hasimcha Bimono. Simcha is something which comes from the dwelling place of Hashem. On Shabbos, for example, there is also an element of simcha. This simcha comes from the neshama yeseirah, the additional neshama we receive on Shabbos. The neshama yeseirah comes from Gan Eden, the "maon", the dwelling place of Hashem, since on Shabbos we have a taste of Olam Haba.
During the festivals, there is a specific mitzvah of simcha. And in order to fulfill this mitzvah we literally go before Hashem and enter into the Beis Hamikdash. We go Lifnei Hashem Elokecha. This going before Hashem, the mitzvah of Re'iyah, is connected to the mitzvah of simcha since we also receive a neshama yeseirah by going before Hashem in Yerushalayim on the festivals.
The flip side of strengthening our neshama is a weakening of the guf, of our physical side. We read in last weeks' parsha that when one is physically satiated there is a concern of him being haughty and arrogant and forgetting Hashem. The converse of this is that when one receives a neshama yeseirah and feels spiritually closer to Hashem this increases one's yirah, one's level of fear of Hashem. Therefore, the mitzvah of Re'iyah brings not only a closer connection to Hashem but a sense of fear, of yirah, at the same time.
The two words of re'iyah and yirah are very similar to each other. Our parsha begins with the Torah teaching us Re'eh Anochi Nosein Lifneichem Hayom Bracha U'Kelalah. Behold I am placing before you a blessing and a curse. One has to choose between two paths. And the right perspective enables one to choose bracha. This perspective can only be achieved through fear of Hashem. When we strengthen our spiritual connection and bring ourselves to fear Hashem we can make the right choice of bracha.
The parsha ends with the mitzvah of Re'iyah, which is also about seeing. It's essentially about being seen by appearing in the Beis Hamikdash and rejoicing. But Rashi on the Gemara in Chagigah 2A teaches that when Bnei Yisrael go up to Yerushalayim in order to be seen, they are able to "see the Shechinah" as well. The spiritual connection established in Yerushalayim gives Bnei Yisrael a special vision. And this special vision is expressed as having proper fear of Hashem and being able to make the proper choice of bracha, as commanded in the beginning of the parsha.
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