Re'eh

Re'eh, Reeh, R'eih, or Ree (ראה — Hebrew for “see,” the first word in the parshah) is the 47th weekly Torah portion ("parshah") in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the fourth in the book of Deuteronomy. It constitutes )

Centralized worship

Moses instructed the Israelites in the laws that they were to observe in the land: They were to destroy all the sites at which the residents worshiped their gods, tear down their altars, smash their pillars, put their sacred posts to the fire, and cut down the images of their gods. () There, together with their households, they were to feast before God, happy in all God’s blessings. () They were not, however, to consume in their settlements their tithes, firstlings, votive offerings, freewill offerings, or contributions; these they were to consume along with their children, slaves, and their local Levites before God in the place that God would choose. () If a prophet appeared before them and gave them a sign or a portent and urged them to worship another god, even if the sign or portent came true, they were not to heed the words of that prophet, but put the offender to death. () Moses prohibited the Israelites from gashing themselves or shaving the front of their heads because of the dead. () But the Israelites were not to eat or touch the carcasses of camel, hare, daman, or swine. () They could not eat any winged swarming things. ()

Tithes

They were to set aside every year a tenth part of all the yield of their harvest. () But they were not to neglect the Levite in their community, for the Levites had no hereditary portion of land. () There would be no needy among them if only they heeded God and kept all God’s laws, for God would bless them. ()

The Hebrew slave

If a fellow Hebrew was sold into servitude, the Hebrew slave would serve six years, and in the seventh year go free. ()

The firstling

The Israelites were to consecrate to God all male firstlings that were born in their herds and flocks eat it with their household before God in the place that God would choose. () Three times a year, on those three festivals, all Israelite men were to appear before God in the place that God would choose, each with his own gift, according to the blessing that God had bestowed upon him. ( addresses the centralization of sacrifices and the permissibility of eating meat. and 2 Chronicles to teach that just as there is only one God, there would be only one Temple; and the Temple was to be common to all people, just as God is the God for all people. ("Against Apion" )

In classical rabbinic interpretation

Deuteronomy chapter 11

The Rabbis taught that the words of to hurt them, but only to show them the good way that they should choose in order to receive reward. (Deuteronomy Rabbah 4:1.) Rabbi Levi compared the proposition of ) “choose life.” (Deuteronomy Rabbah 4:3.) And Rabbi Joshua ben Levi taught that when a person makes the choice that and deduced that Gerizim and Ebal were near Shechem. (Mishnah [http://www.moreshet.net/oldsite/mishna/5761/10-06-01/tuesday.htm Sotah 7:5;] Babylonian Talmud Sotah 32a.) But Rabbi Judah deduced from the words “beyond the Jordan” in that Gerizim and Ebal were close to Gilgal. Rabbi Eleazar ben Jose said, however, that the words “Are they not beyond the Jordan” in that the place of the idol must be renamed. And Rabbi Eliezer deduced from the same words in . (Mishnah [http://www.moreshet.net/oldsite/mishna/archiveshabbat10.htm Zevachim 14:4–8;] Babylonian Talmud Zevachim 112b.)

Tractate Chullin in the Mishnah, Tosefta, and Babylonian Talmud interpreted the laws of the slaughter of animals for purposes other than sacrifice in and to address the law of the apostate town. The Mishnah held that only a court of 71 judges could declare such a city, and the court could not declare cities on the frontier or three cities within one locale to be apostate cities. (Mishnah [http://www.moreshet.net/oldsite/mishna/5762/6-01-02/monday.htm Sanhedrin 1:5.] )

Deuteronomy chapter 14

Tractates Maasrot and Maaser Sheni in the Mishnah, Tosefta, and Jerusalem Talmud interpreted the laws of tithes in Leviticus [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0327.htm#30 27:30–33,] Numbers [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0418.htm#21 18:21-24,] and to address debts and the Sabbatical year. The Mishnah held that the Sabbatical year cancelled loans, whether they were secured by a bond or not, but did not cancel debts to a shopkeeper or unpaid wages of a laborer, unless these debts were made into loans. (Mishnah Sheviit 10:1.) When Hillel saw people refraining from lending, in transgression of “mighty in strength that fulfill His word,” speak of those who observe the Sabbatical year. Rabbi Isaac said that we often find that a person fulfills a precept for a day, a week, or a month, but it is remarkable to find one who does so for an entire year. Rabbi Isaac asked whether one could find a mightier person than one who sees his field untilled, see his vineyard untilled, and yet pays his taxes and does not complain. And Rabbi Isaac noted that (Mishnah [http://www.moreshet.net/oldsite/mishna/archiveshabbat2.htm Pesachim 1:1–10:9;] Tosefta Pisha 1:1–10:13; Jerusalem Talmud Pesachim 1a–; Babylonian Talmud Pesachim 2a–121b.)

Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah argued that Jews must mention the Exodus every night, but did not prevail in his argument until Ben Zoma argued that on Shavuot.

Tractate Sukkah in the Mishnah, Tosefta, Jerusalem Talmud, and Babylonian Talmud interpreted the laws of Sukkot in and )
*Not to destroy objects associated with God’s Name ()
*To offer all sacrifices in the Temple ()
*Not to eat the second tithe of wine products outside Jerusalem ()
*The Kohanim must not eat sacrificial meat outside the Temple courtyard ()
*The Kohanim must not eat first fruits before they are set down in the Sanctuary grounds ()
*Not to eat a limb or part taken from a living animal ()
*Not to diminish from the Torah any commandments, in whole or in part ()
*Not to cease hating the enticer to idolatry ()
*Not to refrain from incriminating the enticer to idolatry ()
*To burn a city that has turned to idol worship ()
*Not to tear the skin in mourning ().
*To examine the signs of fowl to distinguish between kosher and non-kosher ()
*To set aside the second tithe ("Ma'aser Sheni") ()
*To press the idolater for payment ()
*To give charity ()
*Give the Hebrew slave gifts when he goes free ()
*Not to eat chametz on the afternoon of the 14th day of Nisan ()
*To rejoice on these three Festivals () ("Sefer HaHinnuch: The Book of [Mitzvah] Education". Translated by Charles Wengrov, 4:357–511. Jerusalem: Feldheim Pub., 1988. ISBN 0-87306-457-7.)

Haftarah

The haftarah for the parshah is Isaiah [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt1054.htm#11 54:11–55:5.] The haftarah is the third in the cycle of seven haftarot of consolation after Tisha B'Av, leading up to Rosh Hashanah.

When Parshah Re'eh coincides with Shabbat Machar Chodesh (as it does in 2008), the haftarah is 1 Samuel [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt08a20.htm#18 20:18–42.]

In the liturgy

In the Passover Haggadah (which takes the story from Mishnah ), Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah discusses Ben Zoma’s exposition on [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0521.htm#10 21:10–14;] [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0523.htm#16 23:16–17;] [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0526.htm#13 26:13–14;] [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0530.htm#19 30:19] (I set before you blessing and curse); [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0531.htm#10 31:10–13] (Sukkot).
*Judges [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0721.htm#19 21:19] (Sukkot).
*1 Samuel [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt08a08.htm#15 8:15–17] (tithes).
*1 Kings [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt09a08.htm 8:1–66] (Sukkot); [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt09a12.htm#32 12:32] (northern feast like Sukkot); [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt09a18.htm#28 18:28] (ceremonial cutting).
*2 Kings [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt09b04.htm 4:1–7] (debt servitude);