A Call to One, A Call to All

A Call to One, A Call to All                                         By  Shira Schechter

Deuteronomy 11:26 - See, this day I set before you blessing and  curse:

When we read the opening words of the Torah portion of Re’eih (Deuteronomy 11:26–16:17), we are immediately left wondering: Who exactly is God speaking to? The Hebrew word re’eih, “see,” is in the singular, as if directed to an individual. Yet, lifneichem, “before you,” is in the plural, as if addressing the entire nation. So, who is the intended audience?

Is God speaking to me as an individual, or is He speaking to all of us as a collective? The answer, Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis, Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth, insightfully explains, is both. The use of both singular and plural is not merely a linguistic quirk but a profound lesson about our dual responsibility. This theme of dual responsibility runs throughout the Book of Deuteronomy and is crucial to understanding our role both as individuals and as part of the larger community.

Consider the beginning of next week’s Torah portion, Shoftim (Deuteronomy 16:18–21:9):

You shall appoint magistrates and officials for your tribes, in all the settlements that Hashem your God is giving you, and they shall govern the people with due justice. (Deuteronomy 16:18)

Again, we see this pattern—lecha, for you, in the singular, followed by she’arecha, your gates, in the plural. The message is clear: each one of us is personally responsible for behaving in a way that is just, and our actions must also contribute to the broader justice system that governs the entire nation.

This duality is also beautifully reflected in the Shema prayer, one of the most central prayers in Jewish life. The Shema has two paragraphs that contain nearly identical commandments—to love God, to study the Bible, to put on phylacteries, and to affix a scroll to the doorpost. Yet, there is a crucial difference between them. The first paragraph is in the singular, addressed to the individual. The second paragraph, however, is in the plural, addressing the entire nation.

What does this teach us? That our commitment to God and His commandments is both personal and communal. As individuals, we must study the Bible and follow God’s word. But we also have a responsibility to ensure that others can study and fulfill His word as well.

Rabbi Mirvis illustrates this dual responsibility with the metaphor of the sand of the sea, drawn from the words of the Prophet Hosea:

The number of the people of Yisrael shall be like that of the sands of the sea, which cannot be measured or counted; and instead of being told, “You are Not-My-People,” they shall be called Children-of-the-Living-Hashem. (Hosea 2:1)

Sand, when wet, clings together, forming a solid mass, yet it is made up of countless individual grains. Similarly, each of us is a distinct individual with personal responsibilities, but we are also bound together, forming a strong, unified nation.

Our personal actions have communal consequences. The way we live our lives impacts not just ourselves but the entire nation. This dual responsibility—to ourselves and to our community—is at the heart of what it means to be a Jew. We are not just individuals living in isolation; we are an integral part of the nation of Israel, responsible for one another and for the collective future of our people.

The same is true on a global level. We are all individuals, each with our own unique purpose and journey, but we must also recognize our place within the broader context of humanity. Just as we have responsibilities to ourselves, we also have a duty to see ourselves as part of the human family. Our actions, no matter how personal, contribute to the well-being of the world. Whether through acts of kindness, efforts toward morality and justice, or caring for our environment, we are called to consider the impact of our lives on the entire world. We are, after all, part of a global community, and the fate of humanity is intertwined with our own.

So, when God speaks to us, He is indeed speaking to each of us individually, but He is also speaking to all of us together. The blessings and curses, the directives and commandments—they are meant for you, personally, and for all of us, collectively. As we go about our lives, may we always remember this dual responsibility and strive to fulfill our role both as individuals and as part of the greater whole.