Shabbat Shalom – Parashat Re’eh 2026

Shalom WJC Family,

In this week’s Torah portion, Re’eh, we learn the basic rules of tzedakah. These passages include one of my favorite Rabbinic teachings, because it is as nuanced and clever as it is true and important. Many of us are familiar with the idea that it is as important to give a person dignity as it is to give a person sustenance. That concept, which we may take for granted, comes from the following verse:

כִּ֛י לֹא־יֶחְדַּ֥ל אֶבְי֖וֹן מִקֶּ֣רֶב הָאָ֑רֶץ עַל־כֵּ֞ן אָנֹכִ֤י מְצַוְּךָ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר פָּ֠תֹ֠חַ תִּפְתַּ֨ח אֶת־יָדְךָ֜ לְאָחִ֧יךָ לַעֲנִיֶּ֛ךָ וּלְאֶבְיֹנְךָ֖ בְּאַרְצֶֽךָ׃

For there will never cease to be needy ones in your land, which is why I command you saying: open your hand to your kinsmen, to the poor, and to the needy in your land.

-Deuteronomy 15:11

The word “לֵאמֹ֔ר,” or “saying” in the verse, is extraneous. And so the rabbis read the verse as “I command you to say…, and to open your hand…” What are we supposed to say as we give? Words that maintain the dignity of the person in a position to receive. One of the rabbis’ suggestions for words that maintain dignity is, “Today I am giving to you, Tomorrow I’ll be the one who needs to ask, and you can help me.” 

I was thinking about this powerful teaching as I thought about our neighbors in the local Hispanic community over the last few weeks. This community is facing challenges and stressors from many directions. When it comes to our neighbors’ dignity, it is not a political issue; it’s a neighborly one. Being a good neighbor is a core mitzvah of our faith. It is the embodiment of “Today I am giving to you, Tomorrow I’ll be the one who needs to ask, and you can help me.”

Our friends at the Community Resource Center (CRC) of Larchmont Mamaroneck (formerly the Hispanic Resource Center) could use extra help as they serve the community.  We are looking for folks interested in helping out by volunteering with our neighbors in need. If you’d be interested in helping out or would like to discuss the situation further with me, please shoot me an email, and I can connect you with the correct people.

I hope you will be in synagogue this Saturday morning to hear the Dvar Torah delivered by one of the Magnificent Seven I referred to last week, Mr. Minyan Maven himself, Jerry Fortinsky. And don’t forget to sign up for the minyan contact list! Unfortunately, I will not be there to hear the Dvar Torah in person, as I will be visiting the rest of my family at Camp Ramah in New England this Shabbat. The cantor will be present to manage all of our wonderful summer volunteers who have signed up to participate in and lead services. Thanks to everyone making the summer so special with your voices, ideas, and leadership, and thanks again to Cindy Heller and Victor Badner for coordinating the effort!

See you in shul,

RJA