Why does our Parsha start with "See, I present to you today a blessing and a curse"? Isn't a more powerful statement, "Hear Yisrael, I present to you today a blessing and a curse"? After all, we do not say, "See Yisrael, Hashem is our God Hashem is one"!
On the other hand, there’s a well known saying, “Seeing is believing.”
Are hearing and seeing interchangeable? Are we dependent on both equally? Is one sense more powerful than the other?
Although you may think that hearing and seeing are equally important, according to halacha this is not true. Hearing is more important than seeing, let me explain. True ‘one picture is worth a thousand words’, but without words a picture can have many interpretations. For example, without understanding, discipline might be confused with cruelty. Everything we see is determined by our understanding.
In fact, hearing is so important that there is debatable whether or not a person who is born deaf is exempt from mitzvot, even though he can see. There is no such debate if a person cannot see but can hear!
Hearing and seeing are two different levels of relating to Hashem. We said in Parshas Ve'eschanan "Shema Yisrael" (Hear Yisrael…"). We do not say "Reah Yisrael…" (See Yisrael…). Hearing gives us an understanding, seeing reinforces the understanding. If a person works hard on his understanding of Hashem's ways but does not see how this applies in the world, he will be weak in his emunah. And if a person only views this world without contemplating its depths, the world will be a confusing place.
We see from the opening of this week's parsha that a person is commanded to apply what he learns. Seeing Hashem’s blessings is directly on how a person’s hears and interprets the guidance given by the Torah. I want to add, that sometimes life can become overwhelming, and our emunah is shaken to the core. The advice given at the beginning of this week’s parsha is to apply, step by step, each and every bit of insight we gain from “hearing” (understanding) Hashem in order to strengthen our emunah. This is not just good advice; it is essential in acquiring blessings.
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Good Shabbos,R’ Channenjudaism613.org