Can someone please explain the Reti opening in the simplest terms??

Okay. So I've read about the Reti opening for White and how it's somewhat of a Benoni-like opening with colors reversed (a.k.a. making the Benoni structure, not as Black but as White). Fine. All's well and dandy, there's some Na3-Nc2 maneuvers but that also appears in the Benoni so nothing too strange. Then I saw a variation with Ne3 --- pawns are on c3, d2 and e2, and White decides to block his own pawns with Ne3... I'm like "what"? Why would you do that? Are you allowed to do that?? You generally don't want to block your own center pawns with pieces, right?

"Ok fine," I told myself... If a pro is playing it, it's probably a safe move. And I was fine with it, until I saw another game that had --- Be3!! Again, pawn on e2, Bishop on e3 blocking it. I'm like, "What in the---"... How is that a thing?? Minor piece intentionally blocking your center pawn??? Something weird's going on with the e-pawn in the Reti that I'm too dumb to understand, can someone please clarify:

---What do you want to do with the White e-pawn in the Reti?

---What do you want to do with the Black e-pawn in the Benoni?

---What do you want to do with the b-Knight, both in the Reti and Benoni?

---Is the Reti opening sort of an intentional taunt/provoke, like the Alekhine's defense?

What variation is it? If there was a name to it I could explain it, but I don’t have enough information. Usually the Reti is either the Reti Gambit (actually a Reversed Old Benoni up a tempo), an English/QG/Indian Game, a KIA, a transposition into another opening, or a hypermodern opening as White.

ops talking about Nf3 d5 c4

"reti opening" implies Nf3 to me 

Simplest Terms?

It's Complicated!

Solved

I guess having minor pieces there is better than a rook. Amirite y'all?

There are different variations with different thematic moves. It's hard to say general advice without looking at specific lines.

For example, here are two possible approaches:

White keeps tension on the dark squares and plays on the light squares. He gives up a pawn in exchange for making Black's development awkward. A lot of potential tactics lurk for both sides.

But there's also:

More conventional play by both sides. White's playing in typical "Reversed Benoni" fashion.

They both diverge along completely different paths ... And those are just two possible lines among many ...

The only way to really understand things is to look specifically at individual variations.

op was talking about Ne3 blocking e2 pawn and Be3 also blocking e2 pawn (different line)

that could help