Re’eh stands for a simple proposition. Man can easily discern the good sense of following the mitzvot and the poor judgment in engaging in sin. Both this world and the next are at stake with improper choices. Is there more, though, a hidden message that we must bring to light that’s just as relevant? In discussing the Arizal, the hidden becomes clear.
Rabbi Chaim Vital
When one thinks of Rabbi Chaim Vital, an image of unmatched spirituality comes to mind, almost perfection. However, nothing is so simple when you interact with the Arizal. Upon meeting Rabbi Chaim Vital, the Arizal explained to him why he was chosen to transmit the Ari’s teaching. Rabbi Chaim Vital was given insight into his own life: that he was a gilgul of another, and there were many forces at work for why he was where he was.
None of this was known to Rabbi Chaim Vital. He was entering a job that might have seemed natural, but it was far from it. Never could he have surmised that he was there based on past lives and for a mission that had to be given only to him.
Sparks Within
When we look around, we think we can easily evaluate who is a tzaddik (righteous man) and who is a rashah (evildoer). However, once Adam sinned, all of his sparks were mixed into all of us, so that we have some sparks of good and some sparks of evil, ignited by sin. This means no man is either a full tzaddik or full rashah. He is merely a combination of sparks that need tailored fixings.
According to this, every man comes into this world anew, but all of mankind has some similar sparks to one another, and therefore I am in some way linked to another. This is why we naturally like or dislike people. Maybe they have sparks we relate to that make us like them. Or maybe those sparks we see are part of our evil sparks, and we dislike them. This is nothing personal, just a chain of mixed sparks.
But this is significant in not judging others and realizing that we don’t even know why we feel what we feel. We’re an amalgamation of the past and have inherent tendencies built-in from original man and onward.
Acknowledging the Past
We must make peace with our past to live a life of clarity. Sparks, gilgulim, and tikkun define us. Many biblical figures cleaned up the lives of their predecessors. As an example, Moshe exhibited powerful leadership which rectified Noach’s passive stance toward his generation. Did Moshe know this when he was merely applying his natural talents? No. But he had sparks of Noach which forced him to counter that direction. Of course, he had other sparks as well, with free choice to perfect other things. But who we are is complicated.
Because we don’t know what or who we’re fixing, the clarity of this concept must be thought about constantly. We shouldn’t be so harsh on ourselves because we are on certain missions that we don’t understand, and given certain personal traits based on different sparks we contain.
The famous question is asked: Didn’t G-d know Adam would sin? If so, Adam had no free choice. The answer is that G-d had a Plan B: Adam sinning and subsequent rectification. That became the new reality after Adam sinned.
An Easier Life
Of course, after Adam sinned, man was forced to toil, and troubles entered the world order. However, as individuals living day by day, we can now rest from judging ourselves harshly and fighting to see the good in others. It’s all natural, and we’re carrying it inside of us, through no fault of our own. True, the fight must take place, but at least we can admit that nature imposes restraints. We must love ourselves and understand what lies within us, so that we can live a life of trying our best and not beating ourselves up.
Conclusion
Imagine you were now standing before the Arizal, who could identify every person’s past gilgul and why this person was in the world. Would you take full responsibility in judging yourself as someone who knows the facts? That would be preposterous, as you are a resurrection with built-in tendencies. You’re a combination of sparks from Adam and forward.
We must certainly use our common sense to see the obvious, and why we should follow G-d’s commandments, but also see that within us lies the history of the world, and we must adjust accordingly.
For additional writings by the author, see Steven Genack, Articles, Anecdotes & Insights: Genack-Genechovsky Torah (Gefen Publishing House, 2023), available here.