(כו) רְאֵ֗ה אָנֹכִ֛י נֹתֵ֥ן לִפְנֵיכֶ֖ם הַיּ֑וֹם בְּרָכָ֖ה וּקְלָלָֽה׃ (כז) אֶֽת־הַבְּרָכָ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּשְׁמְע֗וּ אֶל־מִצְוֺת֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֧ר אָנֹכִ֛י מְצַוֶּ֥ה אֶתְכֶ֖ם הַיּֽוֹם׃ (כח) וְהַקְּלָלָ֗ה אִם־לֹ֤א תִשְׁמְעוּ֙ אֶל־מִצְוֺת֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם וְסַרְתֶּ֣ם מִן־הַדֶּ֔רֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֧ר אָנֹכִ֛י מְצַוֶּ֥ה אֶתְכֶ֖ם הַיּ֑וֹם לָלֶ֗כֶת אַחֲרֵ֛י אֱלֹהִ֥ים אֲחֵרִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־יְדַעְתֶּֽם׃ {ס}
(26) See, this day I set before you blessing and curse: (27) blessing, if you obey the commandments of your God יהוה that I enjoin upon you this day; (28) and curse, if you do not obey the commandments of your God יהוה, but turn away from the path that I enjoin upon you this day and follow other gods, whom you have not experienced.
Q: What is the import of the word "see" that begins this parsha? How do we compare it to the word "Hear" that begins the Shema?
Notice the cantillation on Re'eh - the Revii indicates that it is a stand-alone phrase.
Q: There is a lack of parallelism in the Hebrew between the second verse and the third, the blessing and the curse. Can you spot it? (Asher Tishmiu v. Im lo Tishmiu.) Why do you think there is a difference?
See the following explanation from Rav Hirsch:
Q: Compare the first word, "Re'eh", with the fourth word "Lifnechem." The first is in the singular and the fourth is in the plural. What do you make of the mismatch?
(11) Thereupon Moses charged the people, saying: (12) After you have crossed the Jordan, the following shall stand on Mount Gerizim when the blessing for the people is spoken: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin. (13) And for the curse, the following shall stand on Mount Ebal: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali. (14) The Levites shall then proclaim in a loud voice to all the people of Israel: (15) Cursed be any party who makes a sculptured or molten image, abhorred by יהוה, a craftsman’s handiwork, and sets it up in secret.—And all the people shall respond, Amen. (16) Cursed be the one who insults father or mother.—And all the people shall say, Amen. (17) Cursed be the one who moves a neighbor’s landmark.—And all the people shall say, Amen. (18) Cursed be the one who misdirects a blind person who is underway.—And all the people shall say, Amen. (19) Cursed be the one who subverts the rights of the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow.—And all the people shall say, Amen. (20) Cursed be the [man] who lies with his father’s wife, for he has removed his father’s garment. —And all the people shall say, Amen. (21) Cursed be the one who lies with any beast.—And all the people shall say, Amen. (22) Cursed be the [man] who lies with his sister, whether daughter of his father or of his mother.—And all the people shall say, Amen. (23) Cursed be the [man] who lies with his mother-in-law.—And all the people shall say, Amen. (24) Cursed be the one who strikes down a fellow [Israelite] in secret.—And all the people shall say, Amen. (25) Cursed be the one who accepts a bribe in the case of the murder of an innocent person.—And all the people shall say, Amen. (26) Cursed be whoever will not uphold the terms of this Teaching and observe them.—And all the people shall say, Amen.
Q: Many chapters later the ceremony briefly referenced in 11:29 to take place on the two mountains is described in detail. What is the purpose of this formal ceremony on the mountains?
See the explanation below by Rav Hirsch:
