The Only Real Choice We Have

29 Menachem Av 5779
Erev Shabbat - Rosh Chodesh
Parashat Re'eh

"See, I place before you today a blessing and a curse."

Ultimately, every choice we make comes down to this one.  Although there are plenty of people who will claim otherwise.  

Former US President George W.Bush famously said after the 9/11 attacks that "You are either with us or with the terrorists."  Really?  That's the choice?  What if I'm not "with" either one?  Who determines that the choice is limited to just those two?  

Also, today in the political realm, what do we hear?

"If you are against Trump, then you are with the 'Demoncrats' (sic)."

"It's either Bibi or Tibi."

"Either there will be a two-state solution - Jews with Israeli Arabs and Palestinian Arabs - or a one-state solution - Jews with Israeli Arabs with Palestinian Arabs."

Who says?  Who is it that is trying to limit our choices to the 'evil or the 'lesser evil'?

When all the noise of the outside world disappears as the sun sets on yom shishi, ponder the words of our Holy Torah from this week's parashah:

"See, I place before you today a blessing and a curse.  The blessing: that you hearken to the commandments of Hashem, your God, that I command you today.  And the curses: if you do not hearken to the commandments of Hashem, your God, and you stray from the path that I command you today, to follow gods of others, that you did not know.  (Devarim 11.26-28)

Commentary: "...the choice of whether or not to accept the Torah in its totality is nothing less than the choice between blessing and curse."

We see this played out in the lives of the very first man and woman.  Obey Hashem's instruction to abstain from eating of the Eitz Da'at Tov v'Ra or be cursed with sickness and death.  And that is the only real choice any of us have in this world.  It's definitely the only one that matters, and it's the one by which we judge the merits of all others.

I do not identify as a conservative or a liberal, a Republican or a Democrat, a leftist or right-winger, dati or hareidi. I am simply a Torah Jewess doing my utmost best to be loyal and obedient to Hashem and His Will as expressed in His Holy Torah.

I am neither with Eisav, nor with Yishmael.  That's not my choice. I am on only ONE side - HKB"H's side - and I am against ALL others who stand in opposition to Him and to His Divine Will.  To paraphrase "W":  You're either with Hashem or you are with those who oppose Him.

In a few weeks, in Parashat Nitzavim, we will read this once again only phrased a but differently.  

This day, I call upon the heaven and the earth as witnesses that I have warned you: I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. You shall choose life, so that you and your offspring will live; 

To love the Lord your God, to listen to His voice, and to cleave to Him. For that is your life and the length of your days, to dwell on the land which the Lord swore to your forefathers to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob to give to them.  (Devarim 30.19-20)

Every moment of every day, we are constantly making one choice - blessing or curse, life or death.  Don't let any of the noise from the outside world deafen you to that simple, yet deeply profound, message.