Shalom Friends;
This week, our Parshat HaShevua, Parshiyot Nitzavim is co-sponsored by Mordechai and Gila Bernstein and by Yehudah and Tamara Nyssen of Ramat Beit Shemesh dedicated for good health and continued development of Yiska bat Shoshana Batya Fishman and Lilui Nismas Tamara Nyssen’s Father Micha’el ben Avraham. To the Bernstein and Nyssen families, many thanks for your sponsorship and for your continued kindnesses.
You can celebrate a Simcha — a birth, a Bar/Bat Mitzvah, a Chassuna or other Simcha event in your life, or commemorate a Yahrtzeit of a loved one, or for whatever other reason by sponsoring a Parshat HaShevua.
Please forward to your relatives and friends and encourage them to sponsor a Parshat HaShevua. And please be in contact with me with any questions, or for further details.
Best Regards,
Moshe Burt
olehchadash@yahoo.com
skype: mark.burt3
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Our Parsha Nitzavim opens with Moshe Rabbeinu addressing the B’nai Yisrael on the final day of his life:
“Atem Nitzavim HaYom… You are standing today, all of you, before Hashem, Keilokm [your G’d]…. for you to pass into the Covenant of Hashem, …that Hashem… seals with you today in order to establish you as a people to Him and that He be a G’d to you as He spoke to you and as He swore to your forefathers, to Avraham, to Yitzchak and to Yaakov.” (Rendered to English in The Artscroll Stone Edition Chumash, Sefer Devarim Perek 29, posukim 9-13)
But weren’t the B’nai Yisrael initiated into the Covenant back at Matan Torah when they gave this response?:
“Everything that Hashem has spoken, we will do… (Artscroll Stone Edition Chumash, Sefer Sh’mos. Perek 19, posuk 8 )
The Artscroll Stone Edition Chumash introduction to Parshat Nitzavim (page 1086) states on this question:
What is new about this Covenant was the concept of responsibility for one and another, under which every Jew is obligated to help others observe the Torah and to restrain them from violating it. This is why Moshe [as the Stone Chumash cites from Or HaChaim]… said that Hashem would not hold them [presumably the collective — the Kehal] responsible for sins that had been done secretly, but that they would be liable for transgressions committed openly. This…. explains why one may not be apathetic to the shortcomings of others and why public desecrations of the Torah are the concern of every Jew of good conscience.
Sefer Shem Mishmuel (Written by R’ Shmuel Bornstein, the Sochaczever Rebbe, rendered to English by R’ Zvi Belovski) further explains this Covenant (page 421):
This bris [Covenant] was the establishment of unity between all sectors of Jewish society — male and female, great and ordinary. Through this Covenant, they would be able to conquer and inherit Eretz Yisrael.
This citing from Sefer Shem Mishmuel therefore jives with Rabbi Mordechai Katz, in his sefer “L’lmod U’lamed”, citing Mesechta Shabbos 67 (page 183):
All Jews are princes (that is, all Jews have equally noble ancestry — the poor like the rich).
In other words, this “entry into the Covenant of Hashem” referred to in our parsha represents a renewal of the original Covenant of Matan Torah with an expanded definition of unity and collective responsibility which would apply for all time.
Rabbi Katz explains this expanded definition of unity and collective responsibility in his summary of our parsha in sefer “L’lmod Ulamed (pages 183-185):
A warning was issued… If the public sinned, then the land would be destroyed. When later generations would wonder about the cause of this destruction, they would be told that it had come about because of the abandonment of Hashem and His ways.
After the Jews have experienced Hashem’s blessings and curse and they have returned to His fold, Hashem would gather them from dispersion and return them to the Promised Land. Then the curse would be transferred to the enemies who had persecuted and oppressed the Jews. The Jews, on the other hand, would experience the blessings of prosperity and happiness, provided that they would accept Hashem’s commandments fully.
Therefore, the people should realize that the choice between life and death — between good and evil — is placed before them.
The heaven and earth are eternal witnesses to this offer.
R’ Katz cites Sefer Devarim, Perek 30, posukim 11-14 (pages 183-184) with special emphasis on words like “we” and “us” and comments:
“For this commandment which I command you today is not hidden from you, nor is it far off. It is not in heaven that you could say, ‘Who will go up to heaven for us and make us hear it that we can do it?’ Nor is it beyond the sea that you could say, ‘Who will go over to the other side of the sea for us and bring it to us and make us hear it that we can do it?’ But the matter is very near to you: in your mouth and in your heart, that you can do it.”
With this passage, Torah reminds the Jewish nation that the secret of life lies not in a hidden, unreachable treasure, but directly in the Torah, accessible to all.
Rav Shimshon Rafael Hirsch z’l notes in the Hirsch Chumash, Sefer Devarim, Parsha Nitzavim page 692:
…Scripture stresses the common Responsibility of all Israel for upholding the Torah and fulfilling its commandments. According to this principle, the individual does not fulfill his role if he is faithful to his duty in his personal life alone, but does not do his utmost to promote observance of the Law throughout his community.
In the same way as R’ Hirsch explains about the common responsibility of all of Am Yisrael upholding and fulfilling Torah and its laws, Sefer Shem Mishmuel offers the following and echos R’ Hirsch (page 419-420):
Eretz Yisrael is the land given by Hashem to Klal Yisrael. It is firmly the domain and right of the nation, not the individual Jew.
Indeed, Chazal tell us:
‘The conquest [of any part of Eretz Yisrael] by an individual does not have the status of a conquest.’ (Gittin 47a)
We may suggest that the reason for this is that the unity of Eretz Yisrael is the unifying force for the nation itself. The laws of mutual responsibility [the original Covenant of Matan Torah with an expanded definition] which demand a single nation, only came into operation after they crossed the Jordan into the land, in order to relate to its special nature, must be performed by the klal, who are… unified by that act of conquest.
…Whether or not klal Yisrael are victorious in their wars is dependent on them functioning as a unified nation.
This author finds in interesting that the opening posukim of our Parshat Nitzavim seems not the last place in Tanach where mention is made of entry into a “Covenant” with Hashem is indicted. Why, after the Covenant of Matan Torah and the recording of “entry into the Covenant of Hashem” in our Parshat, does a third recording — an “Eternal Covenant” appear in Navi Yishaiya?
Near the close of Navi Yishaiya, Tanach reads:
“Incline your ears and come to Me! Listen and you will live! I will make an Eternal Covenant with you, as enduring as [My] loyalty to David.” (Tanach, Navi Yishaiya, Perek 55, posuk 3 as rendered to English in “The Living Nach” — Later Prophets)
The Artscroll Milstein Edition “Nevi’im and Acharonim — The Later Prophets with Commentary” (pages 416-417) renders the ending phrase of posuk 3 and provides commentaries on the posuk:
“… the enduring kindnesses of David.” (Navi Yishaiya, Perek 55, posuk 3 )
“Incline your ears and come to Me.” If you seek to grow spiritually, you will be rewarded in the World to Come [Olam HaBah] and Moshiach will hasten to redeem you in this world. (citing Abarbanel)
“I will make an Eternal Covenant with you, the enduring kindnesses of David.” My Eternal Covenant with you will compensate David [Dovid HaMelech] for his enduring kindnesses. (citing Rashi)
Alternatively, “enduring kindnesses” are those that Hashem promised David for eternity. The promise (cited from II Shmuel Perek 7, posukim 11-16) is that Moshiach will be David’s descendant (citing Ibn Ezra).
…In affect the verse says:Just as the “Kindnesses of David” are enduring, so My Covenant with you is eternal. (citing Radak)
The Artscroll Stone Edition Chumash provides a commentary on Perek 30, posukim 1-10 of our Parshat Nitzavim (pages 1090-1091):
After the fearsome warning of what will befall the nation when it is disloyal to Hashem, the Torah turns to the eventual benevolence that Hashem will shower upon His people when they repent. Ramban notes that these promises have not been fulfilled as yet; they will come about in the era of Moshiach. This passage is, in effect, a commandment to repent, but it is phrased not the imperative form but in the ordinary future tense, because Hashem wanted it to be an assurance to beleaguered Jews that sooner or later they will repent and be redeemed.
Once Israel repents, there will be no barrier to Hashem’s mercy. Wherever they are and no matter how entrenched they are among their host nations, Hashem will bring the Jews back to the Land.
Once you repent, Hashem will help you by “circumcising your heart,” meaning that He will help you overcome what the Evil Inclination places in the way. Unlike the physical foreskin, which must be removed by people, Hashem will remove the spiritual impediment to total repentance. (cited citing from Ibn Ezra)
“Hashem will make you abundant…” Hashem will give you greater blessings than He gave your forefathers. (citing Sforno)
So, it seems that the “Eternal Covenant” of Yishaiya HaNavi’s prophecy could be a reiteration, a renewal, a reminder of the “Covenant of Hashem” of Moshe’s speech on the last day of his life, just as that “Covenant” was a renewal of the “Covenant” at Har Sinai.
As a side note, the term “Covenant” is not found later in Megillat Esther. However, the Jews, by virtue of the phrase “Ki’mu V’Kiblu”, reaccepted the “Covenant” upon themselves and their descendants. (Megillat Esther, Perek 9, posuk 27)
Returning to Rabbi Katz’s explanation defining unity and collective responsibility in his sefer “L’lmod Ulamed (pages 183-185):
A warning was issued… If the public sinned, then the land would be destroyed. When later generations would wonder about the cause of this destruction, they would be told that it had come about because of the abandonment of Hashem and His Ways.
It seems to this author that this discussion of the “Covenant of Hashem” of our Parshat Nitzavim, and its subsequent reiterations, renewals, reminders are crucial and should bear remembrance by the Kehal — the Am, as well as today’s political governmental leaders, and for Rabbanim to internalize and ponder long and hard during Rosh Hashana and Asseret Yomei Teshuva (Ten Days of Repentence before Yom Kippur).
Asserting and taking Mutual and unified responsibility, as The Artscroll Stone Edition Chumash introduction to Parshat Nitzavim indicates — it may just be key to The Ge’ula!
May we, the B’nei Yisrael be zocha that our brethren — the refugee families from Gush Katif be permanently settled and be made totally whole — be totally restituted for all that was stolen from them and that the twice expelled families of Amona be restored to their rebuilt homes, at government expense; both due to alt-leftist-agendized, supreme court legalized Yassamnik gunpoint. May our dear brother Jonathan Pollard be
liberated and truly free — only upon his return home to Israel, and that the MIAs be liberated alive and returned to us in ways befitting Al Kiddush Hashem, as should the remains of the two chayalim from the Gaza War of four years ago. May we have the courage and strength to stand up and physically prevent the possibility of Chas V’Challila any future eviction of Jews from their homes and prevent Chas V’Challila the
handing of Jewish land over to anyone, let alone to enemies sworn to Israel’s and Judaism’s destruction and eradication. May we fulfill Hashem’s blueprint of B’nai Yisrael as a Unique people — an Am Segula, not to be reckoned with as with “the nations” and may we be zocha to see the Moshiach, the Ge’ula Shlaima, as Dov Shurin sings; “Ki Karov Yom Hashem Al’Kol HaGoyim”, the Ultimate Redemption, bimhayrah b’yamainu — speedily, in our time”, — Achshav, Chik Chuk, Miyad, Etmol!!!
Good Shabbos! May You, All of My Brothers and Sisters, be Inscribed and Sealed for another Year of Life… Now and always!
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Moshe Burt, an Oleh, is a commentator on news and events in Israel and Founder and Director of The Sefer Torah Recycling Network. He lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
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