Parshas Re’eh: Not Everything in Life is 50 Shades of Grey

My mother is fond of telling me that not everything is black and white. Some things are grey areas. I, however, am a black and white kind of person.  Black and white cookies? Check. Old black and white movies? Check. Do I like dalmations and cows? Check. I even have a soft spot in my heart for skunks.

I guess when it comes to understanding people, tact is necessary, and compassion, and empathy.  And all of these can require you to enter the grey zone.  But when it comes down to it, there is a right and a wrong.  Just sometimes we have trouble identifying it.

Parshas Re’eh teaches us that things often are black and white.  We have set before us a blessing and a curse.  There’s no sort-of blessing and sort-of curse.  There’s no in-between.  We have the opportunity to do a mitzvah or an aveira.  The choice is up to us.

Unfortunately, there is still a temptation to believe there is a grey area.  We humans are notoriously good at finding 50 shades of grey in our lives and our actions.  It’s a trick that the yetzer hara (evil inclination) loves to play on us.  ”This isn’t really the wrong thing to do… it’s in a grey area… it’s ok. Go for it!”

In our lives, we need to strive now to avoid those actions of uncertainty.  It is up to us to choose to do the right thing.  Hashem has set before us a blessing and a curse – which will you choose?

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