This article was previously published in 2017.
Have you ever been in a situation where you and another person witness the same event, and yet you see it totally differently? Or maybe you've watched two people interacting in a foreign language and you think they look upset, but really, they are just very excited?
“We don't see things as they are, we see things as we are.”
Whenever I experience those scenarios, it reminds me of the fact that as human beings, we don't always see things so clearly. Each one of us has preconceived notions and ideas, held in our conscious or subconscious mind, that form the lens through which we "view" this world. As the saying goes, “We don't see things as they are, we see things as we are.”
It is a fitting discussion because this week's portion is Re'eh which means "to see." Through it, we receive the energy to build and maintain our spiritual vision. This is also the week in which Rav Berg was born so it holds extra power and significance for all of us in this Global Spiritual family.
When Moshe says to the Israelites, "Re'eh," he is essentially saying, "See me, who I am, how I live, how I am sustained." But he wasn't referring to external things. Yes, Moshe was tall, distinctive and youthful – as if he had not aged a day since leaving Egypt. He was also wealthy and intelligent. But what he wanted the Israelites "to see" was how he clung closely to the Creator. He knew that without the Light, he was nothing. And he never lost "sight" of that consciousness, no matter what.
In our lives, when things start going our way, or we have no immediate needs, it is easy to lose sight of Who allows for our blessings. It is also easy to see someone else, maybe a rich, beautiful, or famous person, and think, "Wow, haven't they got it made," and build up this subtle jealousy or sadness about our current station in life. Or, to start to idolize them in a way that negates the precious Light of our own being! But the Creator does just want us to live with Him in our moments of desperation. And He didn't put us here so we could just wish we were someone else. He created us to receive the ultimate fulfillment that comes through being who we are, climbing our own spiritual ladder, and sharing what it is that we came here to share.
This week we receive a powerful gift, which is the spiritual vision to "see" that our circumstance is no accident. It is our test. Up or down, high or low. Let's make our connection to our Source our first priority. When that is our consciousness, then no matter what happens, we cannot fail.
