Shalom Friends;
This week, our Parshat HaShavua, Nitzavim is being sponsored by Sender and Shoshana Schwartz (senderpc@gmail.com of Now My PC Works) of Ramat Beit Shemesh dedicated for the safety of the Chayalim as well as for the good health and security of kol Am Yisrael and Davening for All of Am Yisrael to be inscribed for A Shana Tova. To the Schwartz family, 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 HaShavua.
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
Subscribe to the Israel and the Sin of Expulsion blog, to ask questions or to sponsor a Parsha Vort at: olehchadash@yahoo.com
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Torah opens Parshat Nitzavim:
“You are standing [Nitzavim] today, all of you, before Hashem, Keilokim…, for you to pass into the Covenant of Hashem, Keilokim, and into His imprecation [noun: a curse; malediction] that Hashem seals with you today, in order to establish you today as a people to Him and that He be a G’d to you.” (Perek 29, posukim 9, 11 – 12 as rendered to English in the Artscroll Stone Edition Chumash)
The Artscroll Stone Edition Chumash provides commentary on the above three posukim:
“You are standing [Nitzavim].” Moshe emphasized that the people were standing before Hashem, because the purpose of the covenant was to bound them to Hashem’s Torah, or he meant to say that he was standing by the Aron of Hashem [Artscroll Chumash citing Ramban]. Sfono comments that Moshe stressed that they were standing before Hashem, Who cannot be deceived.
“And into His imprecation:” This refers to the curse that will come upon those who defy the Covenant.
“A people to Him… A G’d to you.” The purpose of all this effort in establishing the Covenant was because Hashem and Israel are inextricably bound to one another, since Hashem had sworn to the Patriachs and the nation that they would always remain His people; neither would have the luxury of seeking a new G’d or a new nation. Consequently, Hashem wanted Israel to accept these oaths, and not to provoke His anger against them. [Artscroll Chumash citing Rashi]
There are three posukim, two in Parshat Nitzavim and one in Parshat Vayeilech which connect our two Parshiyot and speak to this author regarding both governing and military high command leadership during the ongoing Multi-front Wars that emerged, beginning on Simchat Torah — 7 October.
This author views these posukim as speaking to certain disparate (adjective: distinct in kind; essentially different; dissimilar) factions of Am Yisrael, Israel’s governance as well as in the IDF military high command — each with their false ideological conceptcia.
The first two posukim referred to are from Parshat Nitzavim, with the first being a lead-in posuk for context:
“Perhaps there is among you a man or a woman, or a family or tribe, whose heart turns away today from being with Hashem, Keilokim, to go and serve the gods of those nations; perhaps there is among you a root flourishing with gall and wormwood. And it will be that when he hears the words of this imprecation, he will bless himself in his heart, saying, ‘Peace will be with me, though I walk as my heart sees fit’ — thereby adding the watered upon the thirsty.'” [Sefer Devarim, Perek 29, posukim 17 – 18 as rendered to English in the Artscroll Stone Edition Chumash]
The Artscroll Stone Edition Chumash provides commentary on these posukim (pages 1088 – 1089) :
Posuk 17: “A root flourishing…” Curiosity is like a root that grows and grows. It begins with desire to learn about the abominations of Canaan, but the root will flourish and produce heresies that are as bitter and harmful as gall and wormwood.
Posuk 18: “Peace will be with me.” This is the source of disaster: the delusion that “peace will be with me, so I can do as I wish without fear. calamities can only befall other people.” The Chofetz Chaim used to say that many seem to base their lives on the foolish notion that certain kinds of people are prone to die, but not them — they are immune from physical or spiritual death.
Rabbi Hershel Reichman, in his Sefer, “Living the Chassidic Legacy: Lessons Based on Shem Mishmuel Volume 2” comments on Sefer Devarim, Perek 29, posukim 17 – 18 (page 748) :
Parshat Nitzavim presents B’nei Yisrael with a new covenant, a brit, which obligates us to keep our commitment to the Torah. Chazal explain that all of the Jews, even those who would eventually be born were included in that commitment,
Rashi asks, Why would this brit come right after Parshat Ki Tavo, with its terrible curses for those who don’t keep the Torah? He explains that, after the B’nei Yisrael heard the ninety-eight horrendous curses [klalot], their faces blanched [Adjective: made white; whitened or bleached]. In order to give them encouragement Moshe told them, “Look, you have sinned in the past and you are still standing. Even with all of the curses, don’t think it is hopeless. ‘Atem Nitzavim HaYom,’ Just as you are standing today, you will be able to stand in the future.
In his sefer,”Growth Through Torah, “Rabbi Zelig Pliskin highlights posuk 18 as follows and provides commentary (pages 451 – 452) :
Do not justify wrong behavior by claiming it is your philosophy or policy.
Rabbi Elchonon Wasserman used to quote his Rebbe, the Chofetz Chaim, that this refers to someone who doesn’t just do an improper act because of an impulse. Rather, he makes an entire ideology out of cruelty and the right to harm others. As we read in posuk 19, this is a most serious offense. [“Hashem will not… forgive him, for Hashem’s anger… will smoke against that man, and the entire curse written in this book will come down upon him, and Hashem will erase his name from under Heaven.” (Sefer Devarim, Perek 29, posuk 19 excerpted from The Artscroll Stone Edition Chumash)] It is not that the person just happened to do something wrong. Rather, he makes a whole new set of rules for himself that are diametrically opposed to Torah principles. (Rabbi Pliskin citing Kovetz Maamorim, page 85)
The third of the three posukim, this from Parshat Vayeilech:
“Moshe summoned Yehoshua and said to him before the eyes of all Israel, ‘Be strong and courageous, for you shall come with this people to the Land that Hashem swore to give them, and you shall cause them to inherit it.'” (Perek 31, posuk 7 as rendered to English in the Artscroll Stone Edition Chumash)
The Artscroll Stone Edition Chumash provides commentary on this posuk (page 1095) :
Moshe charges Yehoshua. To add to Yehoshua’s prestige, Moshe charged him in the presence of the nation, telling him that he would lead them. Moshe urged him to be courageous… “For you shall come with this people.” By saying that Yehoshua would come with the people, Moshe implied that Yehoshua should be first among equals. meaning that Yehoshua would share the leadership with the elders, and defer to them. In verse 23, however, Hashem said otherwise. He instructed Yehoshua to bring the nation into the Land, meaning that he [Yehoshua] must be a strong and decisive commander, for a generation cannot have more than one leader. (The Artscroll Stone Edition Chumash citing Rashi) … Or HaChaim clarifies… [Moshe’s] statement could have been interpreted to diminish Yehoshua’s authority over the elders. Hashem clarified that he [Yehoshua] would be the supreme temporal authority.
On Perek 31, posuk 7 in Parshat Vayeilech, Rabbi Pliskin writes in his sefer,”Growth Through Torah (page 458) :
Rabbi Meir Simcha HaKohen wrote that this verse, “Before the eyes of all Israel,” can be interpreted that Moshe told Yehoshua to be strong and powerful whenever he was in the presence of the people. Yehoshua was going to take over the leadership of the Jews and a king is commanded in the Torah not to be arrogant. But a leader must be humble in private. As regards dealing with the people, a king has no right to forego his honor. Moshe, the paragon of humility, told his disciple and successor, Yehoshua, that he could not be submissive in his position of authority. Rather, he must be tough as iron for the benefit of the nation. (Rabbi Pliskin citing Meshech Chochmah)
Humility is an awareness of one’s small stature in relation to the entire universe and the infinite greatness of the Almighty. But every trait has its time and place. When in a position of authority, one must insure that one’s commands will be followed. The ideal is for a person [in a leadership position] to have humility in his personal relationships with others, but to be strong and powerful in his position of authority. This strength will be for the greater good of those who are dependent upon him and this renders the trait a virtue.
Rabbi Hershel Reichman, in his Sefer, “Living the Chassidic Legacy: Lessons Based on Shem Mishmuel Volume 2” adds commentary which seems to reflect on Sefer Devarim, Perek 31, posuk 7 in Parshat Vayeilech as impacting on the caliber of leadership (page 767) :
Often, in religious circles, people say that Bein Adam LaMakom concerns such as Shabbos, Kashrut, and Lulav outweigh Bein Adam L’Chaveiro issues such as stealing, cheating, insulting… Many people think — and this is an evil thought — that if a person is superb in his man-to-Hashem Mitzvot, it justifies his being terrible in man-to-man Mitzvot.
Chazal don’t agree with this attitude. We have to make sure that we don’t confuse our priorities and fall into this trap. They taught us that Bein Adam L’Chaveiro is very important. Achav was the worst king. [What follows are Rabbi Reichman’s exact words from his Sefer.] He worshiped idols, ate treif food, and desecrated Shabbos. But he was amazing with people. He was kind and gentle, and he encouraged brotherly love. In the Yalkut Shimoni on Melachim, Chazal say that Hashem really liked him and gave a blessing to his kingdom, making him very powerful, rich and successful.
Our leadership must NOT be, as Achav was, diabolically opposed to Halacha and serving Hashem, but rather that leadership must have a consistency of attentiveness regarding both Bein Adam LaMakom and Bein Adam L’Chaveiro Mitzvot.
Back to Rabbi Hershel Reichman (ibid, page 770 – 771):
Shem Mishmuel explains on [Vayeilech’s opening posuk: Perek 31, posuk 1 rendered to English in The Artscroll Stone Chumash] “Moshe went and spoke these words to all of Israel”:
Why does Torah tell us about the walk Moshe took? The Midrash says that the walk refers to a rebuke. The Jews needed an arousal. Both the false ideologies and improper attitudes that lead to sin were prevalent among the people. There were Jews at the time who were sleeping. They did not realize the harm of what they were doing.
Shem Mishmuel explains… Moshe was the model of virtue. Jews should have copied him. Some Jews, such as Yehoshua bin Nun, did. At the end of the Torah, Hashem uses strong language in speaking to the people. Because they did not follow the model of Moshe Rabbeinu, they fell into traps of the yeitzer hara. They had an insensitive heart and a distorted mind.
“Vayeilech Moshe” — Moshe went and said, “Look at this intellect that I am modeling and demonstrating to you, the intellect of Torah… The posuk continues continues, “Vayidabeir Moshe” — he also spoke to their hearts, and aroused in them feelings of guilt and inadequacy, This woke them up to their situation.
What speaks to this author regarding Perek 29, posuk 18 [“And it will be that when he hears the words of this imprecation, he will bless himself in his heart,…”] and how it relates to our ongoing multiple front catastrophic war is, as Rabbi Pliskin who cited Rabbi Elchonon Wasserman who often quoted the Chofetz Chaim as saying; that one doesn’t act improperly on impulse, but rather his actions are based on an entire ideology of cruelty and the right to harm others. Consider how certain factions of Am Yisrael have acted, often violently, against legislation which aimed at judicial reforms, and such as certain reservists who threatened to ignore call-up orders and certain air force pilots who threatened not to fly in the months leading up to the War of Simchat Torah. Had the judicial reforms been voted into law. for example, they would have resulted in the judiciary being accountable to the people through bringing about governmental appointment of judges at all levels, rather than the current reality where committees of attorneys appoint the judiciary. This divisive ideology of factions exposed national disunity for all of our enemies, and the whole world, to see thus jeopardizing our security and military credibility.
Also, consider the arrogance of the military high command in first ignoring, and then threatening and intimidating border observers, who saw Hamas’ preparations for imminent attacks into Israel, with court martial and other legal proceedings.
Perek 31, posuk 7 speaks to this author regarding strength and power, as well high command echelons giving proper respect to their subordinates, Bein Adam L’Chaveiro, who displayed a paradigm of service of Am Yisrael First, rather than submission to the equivocation of successive Israeli governance in terms of it’s apparent acquiescence to an ideology of “conceptcia” and resulting incompetence of some in military high command echelons regarding strategy, tactics, and possible pre-emptive strike preparations, thus effectively keeping our chayalim from fighting a war to WIN.
May it be that our leadership — governing, judicial and IDF high command echelons, as well as kol Am Yisrael come to achieve a faithfulness and consistency in our avodah — both V’Ahavtah L’Arecha Kamocha, as One, and in our Service of Hashem, B’Ezrat Hashem
May our government and military bring about the total and complete, Final and Decisive victory over Hamas, their 7 October so-called “civilians(sic)” collaborators, Iran and the entire terror cabal, B’Yad Hashem, and become Totally self-sufficient as to manufacture of military equipment and aircraft, weaponry, munitions — heavy munitions, as well as showing independence of actions responding to any threat, regardless of so-called “super powers.”
May we see, from here on, that border guard personnel at all points of possible danger are listened to and treated with respect and dignity. May we see, with Operation Roaring Lions — the joint action by our Chayalim and the United States against the Mullahs of what has been the Islamic Caliphate dictatorship controlling Iran, that Islam and its barbarous terrorist tentacles of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, as well as Qatar, Turkey, the Houthies of Yemen, Pakistan, Iraq, Afganistan, possibly Egypt, and all who seek war against the Jews be totally eradicated, both in Israel’s neighborhood, as well as internationally, B’Ezrat Hashem. May we see a government of Israel secure in it’s foremost service of, and emunah in HaKadosh Borchu, B’Ezrat Hashem! And may we see the restoration of true unity within Am Yisrael. May these words come to fruition B’Ezrat Hashem.
May we, the B’nei Yisrael be zocha that our brethren — the refugee families from Gush Katif be permanently re-settled in Gush Katif, once the IDF, by the Yad Hashem, destructs and eradicates the wild beasts of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, all other terror entities, and if necessary Iran, and that our brethren be made totally whole — be totally restituted for all that was stolen from them, that the thrice expelled families of Amona be restored to their rebuilt homes and the oft-destroyed Yeshiva buildings in Homesh be rebuilt, as well as the buildings of Yishuv Elchanan, all at total government expense. May our Chayalim return from battle unharmed — physically, mentally and spiritually and may all of the remaining hostages brutally taken by the wild beasts of Hamas be liberated and brought home to their families. Baruch Hashem that our dear brother Jonathan Pollard is now in his sixth year at home in Eretz Yisrael and continues in a new chapter in his life. May Esther Yocheved bat Yechiel Avraham have an aliyah in Shemayim and may her spirit and memory continue to lift Jonathan to at least 120 years. Baruch Hashem that another of the MIAs have been liberated and returned to us in ways befitting Al Kiddush Hashem — as with the return in April, 2019, via Russia, of the remains of Zachariah Baumel, the recent recovery of the remains of Tzvi Feldman as well as the recoveries of the remains of Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin from the Gaza War of ten years ago, and now, Yehuda Katz. There is still one MIA to be recovered, Ron Arad. 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’nei 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!
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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.
Moshe is available for editing of English language documents, articles, manuscripts and more. Please be in contact with him at olehchadash@yahoo.com for your English language needs.
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