In Porto, the Jewish community is preparing to complete eleven consecutive years with a minyan and two synagogues operating simultaneously. In between, one day the central synagogue had to endure an illegal and corrupt invasion led by a police chief named Luis Neves and his henchmen, one of the greatest shames Europe has witnessed since the Second World War.

The reading of August 8th is doubly important, not only for the Jewish congregation of Porto, but also to Portugal. It serves as a moral compass to the great scandal now unfolding in the country: the "friendly price" works that have benefited Neves for years.

The scandal broke when it was revealed that Neves hired a builder for private renovation works on his property in Odemira whose company, Construbarcelos, had previously secured public contracts worth around 2.2 million euros with the Judiciary Police, mostly awarded without public tender. Critics have questioned whether the €5,000 he paid for the renovations in Odemira constituted an improper "friend discount".

For much less, Luis Neves once arrested people on "indications of crime," to great fanfare in the newspapers. For instance, the high-profile judicial operation known as the "Operação Zarco" (commonly referred to as the 2024 Madeira corruption case) led to the detention of three primary suspects who were arrested, transported to Lisbon as cows, where they remained held in a detention facility for 21 days before the investigating judge determined their release measures.

Re'eh means "See" or "Behold." It demands that individuals look at their actions with absolute clarity, without hiding behind excuses. The Torah demands total transparency in how resources are held and declared. The portion stresses that even when entering a prosperous new land, the Israelites must follow universal laws rather than adopting corrupt local practices or creating double standards.

Few expect the Neves's case to have criminal consequences in Portugal. The relationship and shared appearances between Luís Neves (Minister of Internal Administration) and Amadeu Guerra (Attorney General) have sparked fierce public debate regarding institutional transparency and the separation of powers in Portugal.

Two decades ago, during the Casa Pia pedophilia scandal, the socialist António Costa and the lawyer José Miguel Júdice, tried to press the Attorney-General, José Souto Moura. Today, the Minister of Justice is Júdice 's daughter, Neves remains close to António Costa, and both keep loving Amadeu Guerra.

The difference compared to the old aristocracies is that, in theory, the current Portuguese leaders reject hereditary succession, and they are distanced from refinement and the capacity to build a sustainable society.

Parashat Re'eh teaches that security or elite status does not grant a leader the right to operate above the law. Accountability cannot be bargained away for personal protection. Incorruptible justice is a core foundation of society in Judaism, built on the pillars of law (mishpat), truth (emet), and righteousness (tzedek). It keeps the world stable, protects the weak, and honors God's will for all people.