The Ohr HaChaim certainly understands רְאֵה according to its plain meaning, “See.” However, one cannot help but notice that his explanation of the pasuk repeatedly revolves around what Moshe has already seen, רָאָה. So, the directive, רְאֵה Re’eh, See, rests upon רָאָה ra’ah, he saw. Listen and believe Moshe when he says, “See” because he already “saw.

Rav Shamshon Raphael Hirsch

This idea finds significant support in the commentary of Rav Shamshon Raphael Hirsch. He explains that Moshe is not asking Bnei Yisrael to accept his words merely on faith or because they were taught by others.

“ראה, see, it is not on faith and belief in the teachings which you have to accept from others, but out of everything which you yourselves have experienced up to now and what has been recalled to your minds by the retrospective view that you have just been given…”

According to Rav Hirsch, Re’eh itself is an appeal to memory. Throughout Sefer Devarim, Moshe reviews forty years of Jewish history. Before asking the nation to choose its future, he first reminds them of everything they themselves have already witnessed. They are to interpret what lies ahead through the lessons of what they have already experienced.

This beautifully reinforces our derash. The command Re’eh is grounded upon what the people have already seen, ra’ah.

The same idea is expressed succinctly in the familiar saying rooted in Chazal: אינו דומה שמיעה לראיה “Hearing is not comparable to seeing.” What one has personally witnessed leaves a far deeper impression than what one merely hears from others. Moshe therefore appeals not only to faith, but to the nation’s own lived experience.

Perhaps this also sheds light on why the Torah addresses the nation in the singular. Beyond the Ohr HaChaim’s explanation that the singular refers to Moshe, one might suggest that every Jew is being addressed individually. Every person possesses a unique set of experiences of Divine providence. Moshe therefore says Re’eh to each individual: See and look back at what you have seen. Let your own experiences guide the choices that now stand before you.

The Sforno’s and the Sfas Emes’ approach

The Sforno explains that Re’eh teaches us “to look carefully and recognize that your way of life should not follow an ordinary, middle course as is the custom of most people.” Now the Sforno answers the next question. Having seen all this, what conclusion should the Bnei Yisrael reach? Moshe poses two paths, with no middle road: one either lives under the yoke of Heaven or one does not. One either moves toward blessing or moves toward curse. The Torah rejects a life of spiritual mediocrity. The consequences of our good and bad choices that we have already seen in our past should guide us as we strive for spiritual growth.

The Sfas Emes (5631) develops the Sforno’s insight even further. He asks: How does one ensure that he chooses blessing? He draws upon the teachings of Rav Simcha Bunim of Peshischa, the revered Rebbe of his grandfather, the Chiddushei HaRim, to explain the word lifnechem “before you.” “Rav Bunim interprets the verse וְאֵלֶּה הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים אֲשֶׁר תָּשִׂים לִפְנֵיהֶם, ‘And these are the ordinances that you shall place before them,’ to mean that the Torah’s values and judgments must stand before a person, taking precedence over his own desires and interests.” Similarly, here, lifneichem teaches that before every action we must first place these two paths before ourselves and carefully consider which one accords with the will of Hashem. Every decision begins with ראה, seeing and reflecting clearly before acting.

The personal vision

In conclusion, perhaps this is the Torah’s deeper message in beginning the parashah with the singular command, “Re’eh.” Every Jew is personally challenged to develop this introspective vision based on his own experiences. Before every decision, we are to place the two paths lifneichem, before ourselves, and reflect on the acceptance of Hashem’s sovereignty. When we do so sincerely and seek only to fulfill His will, Hakadosh Baruch Hu grants us the blessing of clearer vision in making the choice. In this way, the command to “see” becomes not merely an instruction to observe, but a promise that those who strive to walk in Hashem’s ways will ultimately walk in the path of berachah.

II

From “There Shall Be No Poor” to “You Shall Surely Open Your Hand”

Parashas Re’eh contains one of the Torah’s most extensive discussions of the mitzvah of tzedakah. The Torah commands:

כִּי יִהְיֶה בְךָ אֶבְיוֹן מֵאַחַד אַחֶיךָ… לֹא תְאַמֵּץ אֶת לְבָבְךָ וְלֹא תִקְפֹּץ אֶת יָדְךָ מֵאָחִיךָ הָאֶבְיוֹן. כִּי פָתֹחַ תִּפְתַּח אֶת יָדְךָ לוֹ וְהַעֲבֵט תַּעֲבִיטֶנּוּ דֵּי מַחְסֹרוֹ אֲשֶׁר יֶחְסַר לוֹ.

“If there shall be a needy person among you, one of your brethren… you shall not harden your heart nor close your hand against your needy brother. Rather, you shall surely open your hand to him, and surely lend him sufficient for his need, whatever he lacks” (Devarim 15:7-8).

The Torah emphasizes this mitzvah by repeating the expression פָּתֹחַ תִּפְתַּח, “you shall surely open your hand.” Many commentators discuss the significance of this repetition. Before examining that phrase, however, let us review a few pesukim earlier, where the Torah presents what appears to be a different possibility for Klal Yisrael regarding poverty.

Only a few verses earlier the Torah promises:

אֶפֶס כִּי לֹא יִהְיֶה בְּךָ אֶבְיוֹן, כִּי בָרֵךְ יְבָרֶכְךָ ה’…

“Nevertheless, there shall be no needy person among you, for Hashem will surely bless you…” (Devarim 15:4)

This blessing, however, is conditional:

רַק אִם שָׁמוֹעַ תִּשְׁמַע בְּקוֹל ה’ אֱלֹקֶיךָ לִשְׁמֹר לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת כָּל הַמִּצְוָה הַזֹּאת… (15:5)

If Klal Yisrael faithfully listens to the voice of Hashem and observes His mitzvos, the nation will merit a society free of poverty.

Only two verses later the Torah begins discussing what to do כִּי יִהְיֶה בְךָ אֶבְיוֹן, “if there will be a needy person among you.”

  Will there be poor people, or will there not?

The Kli Yakar’s resolution

The Kli Yakar explains that there is no contradiction. The blessing of לֹא יִהְיֶה בְּךָ אֶבְיוֹן does not necessarily mean that there will never be a needy individual. Rather, it means that poverty will not be a widespread condition within the nation. If Klal Yisrael merits Hashem’s blessing through faithful observance of His mitzvos, poverty will become the rare exception rather than the norm.

Accordingly, the Torah’s later description, כִּי יִהְיֶה בְךָ אֶבְיוֹן מֵאַחַד אַחֶיךָ בְּאַחַד שְׁעָרֶיךָ refers to those isolated cases. An occasional evyon (poor person) may still exist, but only as an exception within an otherwise blessed society.

Our collective responsibility

Perhaps, we may also understand these pesukim on another level. The ideal envisioned by the Torah is לֹא יִהְיֶה בְּךָ אֶבְיוֹן. If, however, we fail to attain that ideal because we have not fully lived up to the standard of שָׁמוֹעַ תִּשְׁמַע בְּקוֹל ה’, then poverty inevitably appears among us.

At that point, the evyon is not simply someone upon whom we can perform a mitzvah. His presence also reminds us that, as a community, we have not yet realized the Torah’s ideal. Hashem therefore commands: פָּתֹחַ תִּפְתַּח אֶת יָדְךָ לוֹ…. We must provide for him, support him, and restore his dignity. In a sense, we are responsible for creating a society in which no Jew is left without means.

This idea also underscores the importance of another mitzvah: אִם כֶּסֶף תַּלְוֶה אֶת עַמִּי (Shemos 22:24). By lending money before someone falls into poverty, we prevent him from becoming an evyon in the first place. The highest form of tzedakah is often preventing need before it develops.

Following Hashem’s Example

The Torah’s expression פָּתֹחַ תִּפְתַּח אֶת יָדְךָ recalls familiar words that we recite every day in Ashrei: פּוֹתֵחַ אֶת יָדֶךָ וּמַשְׂבִּיעַ לְכָל חַי ,רָצוֹן ”You open Your hand, and satisfy the desire of every living thing” (Tehillim 145). When reciting this pasuk in Pesukei DeZimrah, we are required to concentrate on its meaning. Every day we ask Hashem to open His hand and provide us with sustenance. We acknowledge that all sustenance and parnassah (livelihood) come from Him. The wordsלְכָל חַי רָצוֹן  teach an important lesson. A person must recognize his dependence upon Hashem and turn to Him in prayer, asking Him to provide his needs. He needs to  want and be desirous of assistance (חַי רָצוֹן) through tefillah.

When Hashem places an evyon before us, He is, in effect, asking us to imitate His own conduct. Just as we ask Hashem to  פּוֹתֵחַ אֶת יָדֶךָ we are commanded to פָּתֹחַ תִּפְתַּח אֶת יָדְךָ. The needy person standing before us is not there by coincidence. As Chazal teach, כל ישראל ערבים זה בזה. Whether directly or indirectly, his welfare has become our responsibility.

In conclusion, perhaps this is the deeper meaning of the Torah’s double expression, כִּי פָתֹחַ תִּפְתַּח אֶת יָדְךָ לוֹ. Poso’ach is the command directed to us. We must take the initiative and open our hand to another Jew. But tiftach hints to what follows. Once we have opened our hand, our own hands become opened by Hashem to receive His blessing. Our act of generosity transforms our hands into worthy receptacles for the fulfillment of David HaMelech’s words, פּוֹתֵחַ אֶת יָדֶךָ וּמַשְׂבִּיעַ לְכָל חַי רָצוֹן. When we open our hands to others, Hakadosh Baruch Hu opens His hand to us. This reciprocal movement echoes the Ohr HaChaim’s teaching that one who opens his hand below merits that the hidden storehouses of Heavenly abundance are opened above.

Perhaps this also sheds light on the beautiful custom practiced in many Sephardic and Edot HaMizrach communities. When reciting the verse פּוֹתֵחַ אֶת יָדֶךָ, they open their hands toward Heaven, expressing complete dependence upon Hashem as the Source of all sustenance. According to the Ben Ish Chai, this posture symbolizes one’s readiness to receive the Divine shefa that flows from Above. Seen in this light, the custom beautifully complements the Torah’s command. First, we fulfill פָּתֹחַ תִּפְתַּח אֶת יָדְךָ לוֹ by opening our hands to those in need. Then, with those very same hands, we stand before Hashem and recite פּוֹתֵחַ אֶת יָדֶךָ, our hands now open to receive His blessing. The hands that have become instruments of giving become worthy vessels for receiving. In this way, the physical gesture itself vividly illustrates the reciprocal relationship between human generosity and Divine abundance.