By Alex Bolotovsky, CEO of J Leaders
Parsha in a Nutshell
Moses tells the people: “See, I set before you today a blessing and a curse” (Deut. 11:26). From there, Re’eh dives into everything from centralizing worship to caring for the poor, laws about kashrut, tithes, festivals, and even warnings against false prophets. The big idea? Leadership is about clarity, intentional choice, and living your values.
Digging Deeper
1. Clear Choices, Clear Leadership
Moses starts with the obvious: blessing if you follow the covenant, curse if you don’t (11:26–28). Sounds simple, but the leadership move is clarity. People can’t follow if they don’t know the options. Ambiguity causes confusion. Clarity drives alignment.
2. Systems That Reflect Values
Re’eh isn’t just high-level ideals, it’s practical systems:
- Support the poor (15:7–11)
- Cancel debts in the Sabbatical year (15:1–6)
- Celebrate festivals as communities (16:1–17)
Moses is saying: if you care about justice, generosity, or belonging, don’t just talk about it. Build structures that make it real.
Leadership Takeaway
Leadership is about making values visible.
Set clear choices, then create systems that embed what you believe into everyday life.
Weekly Leadership Challenge
- System > intention: Pick a value (gratitude, learning, generosity) and design one simple routine that locks it in: a weekly calendar reminder, a standing habit, or a something else.
- Make it visible: Share your choice or system with a friend or colleague. When values are public, they stick.