“Blessed are those who uphold justice and act righteously at all times”

The theme of the firstborn and the first fruits appears again and again in Parashat Re’eh, a portion composed largely of laws and commandments that closely resemble the covenantal laws of Sinai in the Book of Exodus. The guiding principle behind dedicating to God every first fruit, every firstborn child, and every firstborn of both humans and animals is gratitude. It reflects the understanding that success is not ours alone, and that we ought to give thanks for what we have, for our achievements, and for the path that brought us here

Do you know the distinction between “Purim Jews” and “Passover Jews”? Purim Jews live in a zero-sum world, where the response to the persecutions we have suffered is “Venahapoch hu”(the other way around): now we hold power, and therefore we will persecute our enemies, behave as they do, conquer, humiliate, dispossess, expel, and kill, trapped in an endless cycle of revenge. Passover Jews, by contrast, understand that the journey from slavery to freedom is not the end of the story. Freedom finds its fulfillment in the acceptance of Torah, which warns us that if we behave like the nations, we will be perish as they have.

We are a nation accustomed to losing homes. Tisha B’Av reminds us of the two Temples, and in fact, the two national homes that were destroyed on this day. It is also a warning sign flying above every home we build—it is hard to build, and easier to destroy. What was built over decades can be destroyed in a few short years, or even less. But we have always, always known how to rise, rebuild and recover, to build and be built, and this time too we must stick to this faith in our strength. “Behold, days are coming…”