The Book of Deuteronomy actually contains far more than 200 Mitzvot, and Parashat Re’eh contains more than 55; but most are restatements of Mitzvot which have already been recorded in earlier Books, so they are not counted in Deuteronomy. So it is more accurate to say that of the 200 Mitzvot in the Book of Deuteronomy which had not previously been recorded, 55 appear in Parashat Re’eh.
Among these Mitzvot is the obligation to bring offerings solely “in the place which Hashem your G-d will choose to make His Name dwell therein” (Deuteronomy 12:11).
A time there was when anyone could build a private altar anywhere and bring sacrifices to G-d upon it: Noah built an altar for sacrifices (Genesis 8:20), as did Abraham (12:7, 12:8, 13:18), Isaac (26:25), and Jacob (33:20, 35:1, 35:7) in several places in Israel.
However, as soon as Moshe had constructed the Mishkan (the Tabernacle) in the Sinai Desert, burnt offerings were permitted solely on the communal Altar in the Mishkan.
Nevertheless, there was no restriction on where the Mishkan could be erected: as a portable structure, it could be erected anywhere in the world. READ MORE
