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Parashat Nitzavim is always read on the Shabbat before Rosh Hashanah. R’ Moshe Avigdor Amiel z”l (1883-1945; Chief Rabbi of Antwerp and Tel Aviv) writes: Nitzavim comes after Parashot Ki Tetze / “When you will go out” and Ki Tavo / “When you will come in.” The Torah is teaching us that one can change his own place, but he can never change G-d, who is referred to as “Mekomo Shel Olam” / “The Place of the World,” because He is omnipresent. One’s body can go out of its present place and into a different place, but one’s soul is always standing before Hashem. One cannot go away from before Hashem because (Yeshayah 6:3), “The whole world is filled with His glory.”
R’ Amiel continues: We stand at the end of the year and we make an accounting. Some people focus on Ki Tetze / what has gone out--i.e., their expenses that exceeded their incomes. Others focus on Ki Tavo / what has come in--i.e., their profits. Both are missing the main thing, which is what remains constant: “Atem Nitzavim” / “You are standing today, all of you, before Hashem, your Elokim."
R’ Moshe Chaim Luzzato z”l (Ramchal; Italy and Eretz Yisrael; 1707-1747) writes (Mesilat Yesharim, ch.1), “The foundation of piety and the root of perfect service [of G-d] is in man’s seeing clearly and recognizing as the truth the nature of his duty in this world.” It is obvious that man is here to accomplish a mission, R’ Amiel observes, for otherwise he is no different from an animal. Unfortunately, not only do we forget that this recognition is the foundation of our service, we often are oblivious to it altogether such that it plays no role in our lives. The reason is that we are too busy with our “comings” and “goings.” Now, before Rosh Hashanah, we read this Parashah to remind us to slow down and feel that we are standing, all of us, before Hashem. (Derashot El Ami)
“It is not in heaven, [for you] to say, ‘Who can ascend to the heaven for us and take it for us, so that we can listen to it and perform it?’ Nor is it across the sea, [for you] to say, ‘Who can cross to the other side of the sea for us and take it for us, so that we can listen to it and perform it?’ Rather, the matter is very near to you--in your mouth and in your heart--to perform it.” (30:12-14)
Rashi z”l understands these verses to be referring to the entire Torah. In contrast, R’ Moshe ben Nachman z”l (Ramban; 1194-1270; Spain and Eretz Yisrael) interprets these verses as speaking specifically about the Mitzvah of Teshuvah.
R’ Simcha Bunim Alter z”l (1898-1992; Gerrer Rebbe) notes that this is just one of many references to Teshuvah in our Parashah. He observes that the Gematria of the Parashah’s opening words, “Atem nitzavim ha’yom” / “You are standing today” (adding 12 for the number of letters in the Hebrew phrase) equals the Gematria of “Shabbat” (adding four for the number of letters in the word plus the word itself). The next words of the Parashah are “Kulchem lifnei Hashem Elokeichem” / “all of you, before Hashem, your Elokim.” The Torah is alluding to the following, the Gerrer Rebbe writes:
Our Sages say that a person who observes Shabbat is forgiven for his sins. However, our Sages also teach that even Yom Kippur does not atone for sins between man and his fellow man unless one appeases his friend. Thus, even after Shabbat, one is completely forgiven only if “Kulchem”--if we stand as one because we have appeased each other. Only then are we “Lifnei Hashem.” It may be that the custom to begin Selichot on Motzai Shabbat is to remind us that observing Shabbat has not completed our atonement process, the Gerrer Rebbe writes. (In most years, Ashkenazim begin Selichot on Motzai Shabbat Parashat Nitzavim, but we begin them a week earlier when, as this year, the first day of Rosh Hashanah falls on Monday or Tuesday.) (Lev Simcha)
Many find Teshuvah to be an uncomfortable subject, notes R’ Reuven Sasson shlita (Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Hesder Ramat Ha’sharon)--as if talking about repentance brands us as bad people. However, R’ Sasson writes, this reflects a superficial understanding of Teshuvah.
R’ Avraham Yitzchak Hakohen Kook z”l (1865-1935; first Ashkenazic Chief Rabbi of Eretz Yisrael) writes: “Teshuvah does not come to embitter a person’s life, but to make it more pleasant.” R’ Sasson explains: Of course, Teshuvah includes facing up to one’s sins. The word “Chet” / “sin” means “to stray” off the proper path. And the literal meaning of “Teshuvah” is not “repentance,” but rather “return.” Doing Teshuvah means returning to mankind’s normal, healthy state, from which Adam strayed when he sinned, and from which we strayed further. Teshuvah is not creating a new reality; it is returning to what should be our normal condition. That, in turn, should bring a person happiness, not bitterness. (Be’or Panecha: Hashiveni V’ashuvah p.15)
“See--I have placed before you today the life and the good, and the death and the evil . . . I have placed life and death before you, blessing and curse; and you shall choose life, so that you will live, you and your offspring.” (30:15, 19)
Our Sages explain that G-d is telling us, “This thing--life--is the good portion. Choose it!”
If G-d has made the choice so clear, asks R’ Yehuda Ashlag z”l (1886-1954), do we really have a choice? He explains:
Often, we are too harried to make good choices. When, as in our verse, Hashem directs us toward the correct choice, it is teaching that, from time-to-time, Hashem will give us a break from the “rat race” and allow us the peace of mind to see clearly what is right. However, it still remains up to us to use those opportunities to make good choices. (Hakdamah L’Talmud Eser Sefirot)
There are two holidays mentioned in the Torah whose primary significance is not described there. Nowhere in the Torah is Rosh Hashanah described as the Day of Judgment. Likewise, Shavuot is not referred to in the Torah as the Day of the Giving of the Torah. Why?
R’ Shlomo Ephraim z”l of Lunschitz (17th century; author of the Torah commentary Kli Yakar) answers by noting that there are two other dates that are hidden as well: the date of one’s eventual death and the date of the arrival of Mashiach. The reason for all of these is the same, says R’ Shlomo Ephraim. Being in doubt forces us to think differently. Not knowing the date of the Giving of the Torah allows us to feel every day as if the Torah is new. Not knowing when Mashiach will come can drive us to repent constantly in order to merit his arrival. Not knowing when we will die also can lead us to repent constantly in preparation for the Great Judgment. Finally, not knowing when the Day of Judgment (Rosh Hashanah) is prevents us from sinning all year long, when it is seemingly safe to do so, and planning to repent at the last moment. (Olelot Ephraim II 33)
Of course, we do know when the Day of Judgment (Rosh Hashanah) and the Day of the Giving of the Torah (Shavuot) are because the Oral Tradition teaches us these facts. Perhaps, suggests R’ Menachem Simcha Katz shlita (Brooklyn, NY), the Torah is teaching us a second lesson: that without complete loyalty to the Oral Tradition and meticulous adherence to the laws found in it (i.e., in the Talmud), teshuvah is impossible or meaningless. This is alluded to in the blessing of the daily Shemoneh Esrei which speaks of teshuvah: “Return us, our Father, to Your Torah; draw us close, our King, to Your service, and [then] return us in complete repentance before You.” (Simcha L’ish p. 406)
The Ten Days of Teshuvah
“Seek Hashem when He can be found; call Him when He is near.” (Yeshayah 55:6)
Our Sages apply this verse to the Aseret Yemei Teshuvah, the ten days from Rosh Hashanah through Yom Kippur. But are there really days when Hashem is nearer than on other days? asks R’ Moshe Yitzchak Ashkenazi z”l (1821-1898; Trieste, Italy). Hashem is perfect in every possible way and is not subject to moods--sometimes angry and sometimes approachable, R’ Ashkenazi notes. Any good person practices Chessed / kindness all of the time--on his bad days as on his good days; even on days when people repay his kindness with evil. At the same time, such a person does not overdo his Chessed, for all extremes are undesirable, as our Sages have taught. Certainly, then, Hashem is not subject to changing moods or extremes!
R’ Ashkenazi explains: Specific days were established as days of Teshuvah, and Hashem promised that He will be available to us on those days, so that when those days come, a person will take note, will examine his deeds, will seek forgiveness, and will vow not to repeat his mistakes. (If there was not a special time for doing this, we would remain focused on our daily lives, would procrastinate, or would forget, and we would never take the time to repent.)
It is true, R’ Ashkenazi continues, that we often repeat the same mistakes despite having repented. Nevertheless, repenting year after year does have a positive effect, so long as the repentance is sincere. Little by little, our souls are purified. To what can this be compared? R’ Ashkenazi asks. To an ink spot on a garment. The first laundering may not whiten the garment, but every time that the garment is washed, the spot becomes fainter and fainter. (Simchat Ha’regel #7)
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