Re’eh Anochi Look At Me

I want to tell you a story.

15 years ago I underwent open-heart surgery. If I remember correctly on the 3rd day after surgery we were in good enough shape to return to the department. The fourth day was Shabbat, Parshat Re’eh. I think that I was able to go the hospital synagogue for part of the service, probably for the Torah Reading.

The next morning, Sunday, two young women came into our room. They seemed to be religious by their dress. They came to me with a request. Please, they said, they are taking our father now for open-heart surgery. He is scared to death. Crying. Please come and say something to him to strengthen him.

I asked them can I have a couple of minutes to think of something to say? They said, “No, the doctors are already there ready to take him down. They are just waiting for you to come and say something to calm him down.”

So I started walking with them across the hall, overwhelmed that I had like 20 seconds to think of something to say. What could I say?!?

And like a flash from Heaven, I recalled the words of the Holy Ohr Hachaim on that week’s Parsha. The Ohr Hachaim learns in the Re’eh Anochi, See, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse… He asks, How in the world is Moshe’s words going to have an affect on anyone. They will say, “You are trying to talk us in to the fact that the Heavenly future world is much much better than this world, and that it is worthwhile refraining from forbidden worldly pursuits in order to heed G-d’s Will. Moshe, have you ever tasted the freedom of making 6-figures a month and being able to buy anything that you want? Or have you ever been to Heaven that you can testify what is going on there?”

On that Moshe Rabainu said, Re’eh Anochi! Look at me! Moshe Rabainu. I spent 120 days in Heaven without eating and without drinking just learning Torah and praying to G-d on your behalf. And I am also fabulously rich, I know what it means to enjoy the dainties of this world. And still I tell you, that the very best of this world is nothing in comparison to the Heavenly next world and it’s absolutely worthwhile for you to listen to G-d’s Will.

I entered the room across the hall, and I saw an older Sefardic religious man lying there, visibly upset, with a staff of doctors or nurses around the bed ready to take him to the operating room. I guessed that he might be familiar with this first piece from the Ohr Hachaim.

I said to the man: Yesterday was Shabbat, we read Parshat Re’eh. Re’eh Anochi. The Ohr Hachaim learns that Moshe Rabainu said, Re’eh Anochi, look at me. And so I say to you also, Re’eh Anochi, Look At Me! I am just 5 days after the operation, and look, I’m talking, I’m walking, I have my full senses. This is how you are going to look in another 5 days. Then I wished him well, and we parted.

I am thankful for the unbelievable Siyata D’Shemaya (Heavenly assistance) to be able to come up with such fitting words to help another person.