This week's section is called Re'eh – Observe. Moshe explains to the Jewish people one of the fundamental principles of the Torah: reward and punishment. A good deed is met with a berachah – blessing, and a bad deed with a klalah – curse.
The verse itself says (Deuteronomy 11:26): «See, I am bringing blessing and curse upon you today.» If we consider the syntax of the verse, we will see that it begins by speaking in the singular («See») and continues in the plural («before you»).
When this type of change appears in the language of the Torah, one could explain that he said to each one separately, "Observe," or, as one commentator explains, he said to Joshua, the next leader of the Jewish people.
Every explanation we find in the books of our sages is true in itself and simultaneously with the others, since, as the Talmud tells us, "Both these and these are the words of the living God." Even so, some explanations are almost anecdotal and perhaps revealing of the past, helping us understand the text, while others are more practical, teaching and indicating paths to follow in life.
The Kli Yachar (written by Shlomo Efraim Luntschitz (1550-1619)) presents the idea that this shift between singular and plural refers to what our sages said in the Talmud: that one should always imagine the world as balanced, half merit and half sin. If one performs a good deed, one brings merit to oneself and the entire world. Therefore, Moshe spoke to each individual of the Jewish people and said, «Observe,» with the eyes of your intellect, that all your actions will apply «to you.».
The full reading of the verse, according to the Kli Iacar commentary, would be: Observe, [that which] I give [to you] (i.e., the free will mentioned later) [will return] before you today, blessing and curse.
In simpler terms, each of us is responsible for the overall state of the world, and each of us has the power to steer the world toward what is good and positive, or, God forbid, the opposite. It is here that an awakened mind might question: Are you telling me I can make the universe better with a single good deed? The answer is yes, to which the same awakened mind would then question, "I do many good deeds and I don't see any change in the world...".
The effect of each action is spiritual, just as the blessing mentioned in the verse refers to the World to Come, and not to the material reward of the precepts; that is why the effect is not seen in the terms of one who only believes in what he sees.
That is why the parashah begins with the word "Observe," which can be understood not only as an introduction to something else, but better as a command in itself, indicating that the matter requires a certain preparation and mental predisposition to accept that there are things higher than the human intellect, an opening of the heart towards subtle and spiritual matters that is achieved with the very practice of the precepts of the Torah, plus the appropriate meditation on the role of each human being within a master plan of God, and then you will see.