Rabbi Eli Mansour
The Or Ha’chaim Ha’kadosh (Rav Haim Ben-Attar, 1696-1743) raises a number of questions regarding this verse. First, he asks why Moshe begins his address with the word “Re’eh” – “See,” instead of telling the people to “listen” to what he was telling them. Secondly, Moshe here uses the word “Anochi” for “I,” instead of the more common word, “Ani.” Normally, the word “Anochi” is used to emphasize exclusion, as though saying, “Specifically I,” or, “I and nobody else.” Why would Moshe use the word “Anochi” in this context?
The Or Ha’chaim answers that when a person seeks to urge his audience to choose spiritual engagement over indulgence in physical and material pleasures, they will not likely pay attention to him unless he is familiar with both the delights of spiritual achievement, as well as physical enjoyments. It is not enough for him to have acquired spiritual excellence; he must also have experienced worldly delights, so that he can confidently tell his audience that the joy of spiritual engagement exceeds that of worldly pleasures. Otherwise, they will dismiss his words of admonition, claiming that he urges them to forego worldly delights for the sake of spirituality only because he has not had opportunities to indulge in worldly pleasures.
Moshe therefore begins his address to the people by telling them to “see” that it is he, Moshe, who is urging them to choose the blessing of spirituality over the curse of exclusive focus on worldly delights. Moshe enjoyed honor, prestige and wealth – but also unparalleled spiritual greatness, even spending forty days and nights atop Mount Sinai without food or water, receiving the Torah. He was well acquainted with both realms – the physical and the spiritual – and so he, more than anybody else, could be trusted to tell us which of the two realms we should choose.
The Or Ha’chaim adds that this explanation of the verse also answers a third question – why Moshe here uses the singular form, “Re’eh,” even though he was addressing the entire nation. Normally, the Or Ha’chaim writes, when somebody speaks to a large audience, each person understands the presenter’s words in a different way, or comes away with a different perspective on the words that were spoken. Sometimes, however, the speaker presents an idea so clearly, compellingly and effectively, that there is only one way to understand his words, and everybody walks away with the same message. Moshe’s point in this verse was perfectly clear – that he, more than anybody else who ever lived, was in a position to urge us to choose spirituality over excessive indulgence in worldly delights. This message was so compelling that all the people heard and understood it the precise same way. And so Moshe says to them, “Re’eh” – as though they were seeing this message as a single individual.
We might find it difficult to sacrifice convenience and comfort for the sake of Torah study, prayer, and Misva observance. The benefits of the physical and material world are clear and obvious, whereas the benefits of Torah and Misvot are not readily discernible. But we must remember that we can take Moshe Rabbenu’s word for it. We can trust him that there is no greater or more precious privilege than devoting ourselves to the service of our Creator. The sacrifice of our time, money and convenience for learning and Misvot is well worth it, because the blessings we stand to gain by committing ourselves to Hashem far exceed any benefits that the physical world can possibly offer us.
