RABBI BRADLEY SHAVIT ARTSON...According to our Sages, we learn from the singular Re’eh (“See”) that the mitzvot are given to the entire people–to all Jews as a group. The contours of our religion are not the personal preference of each individual Jew. Yet at the same time, the phrase ends with lifneichem (“before you [all]”), a plural construct, to remind us that each individual must decide whether or not to commit heart, mind, and soul to cultivating our b’rit (“covenant”) with God. ("Parashat Re’eh, August 13, 2001", in “Today’s Torah,” Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies)

RABBI LAWRENCE HOFFMAN...For the Israelites, as for us, that day changed our lives: We learned to choose blessing as our lot .… The verb in “I give you” ought to read in the past tense, “I gave.” The Torah already has been given, after all; Moses is just recapitulating its contents here. But tradition insists that we read it as “I give.” This week’s blessing is not about some historical fact that happened once and for all; it is about ongoing human existence. Apparently, we have an ever-present gift from God, an ever-present choice, perhaps, between blessing and curse. (“Mixed Blessings: What a Difference Today Makes” in “Sabbath Week,” The Jewish Week)

RABBI DAVID ELLENSON…During the High Holy Days, the God of our machzor demands that we have no pretensions in regard to who we are as human beings. We are presented with two sides of human existence, with our weaknesses as well as our strengths….We must always remember that the world was created for our sake. At the same time, we are told that we are but ‘dust and ashes.' On the High Holy Days our prayers recognize this dual truth by asserting on the one hand that our inexorable fate as human beings is to sin and fall short. However, despite our human frailty, our infinite worth and our ability for transformation is constantly affirmed. The High Holy Days instill in those of us who are accustomed to competition and success a much-needed humility. At the same time, our prayers also encourage us to believe that we are not mired in unchangeable patterns and that we can change and grow….The High Holy Day liturgy, with its call for teshuvah…teaches us that while we are not capable of perfection, we can aspire to amelioration-of ourselves, of our relations with our family and our friends, and of our community, nation and world. So understood, the Yamim Noraim and the challenging words of its prayers constitute a precious gift beyond religious certitude. They provide for the possibility of new vision with which to embrace life. (Mishkan HaNefesh- Rosh Hashanah, xxiiff)