Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse (Deut. 11:26)
There are two different kinds of "today" - the "today" of blessing and the "today" of curse. Consideration of the present moment as an impetus for action can be either positive or negative: "If not now, when?" spurs a Jew on to do good, whereas "Eat and drink for tomorrow we die" leads him down the path of evil. (Rabbi Chanoch Henich of Alexander)
You are children of G-d, your G-d" (Deut. 14:1)
The Baal Shem Tov deeply loved simple folk. He would frequently remark that love of the Children of Israel is love of G-d; when one loves the father one loves the children.
You shall not shut your hand from your needy brother (Deut. 15:7)
In Hebrew, the first letters of this verse spell out the word "Tehillim" - Psalms. Reciting Psalms on behalf of a poor person is not enough; one must open his hand and give him material sustenance as well. (Rabbi Yisrael of Ruzhin)
From when the sickle begins to cut the upright corn (Deut. 16:9)
Once a group of Chasidim complained to their Rebbe, Rabbi Shmuel of Lubavitch, that their spiritual advisor was being unduly harsh. The Rebbe told the spiritual advisor privately later, "It is sure that one must eradicate ego and pride without mercy, as it says, 'From the time the sickle is first put to the standing corn'-one must put the 'sickle' to the 'standing corn' of egotism. However, this is only in regard to oneself. Concerning others, the Torah clearly states, 'do not swing the sickle on your neighbor's grain.'"
Reprinted from the Parshat Re’ei 5762/2002 edition of L’Chaim
