BS"D
ENTITY, ENMESHMENT, & EQUALITY: PARSHAT NITZAVIM-VEYELECH
Shira Smiles shiur 2023/5783
Adapted by Channie Koplowitz Stein
The Torah records multiple
covenants Hashem has entered into with our people, from the covenants with each
of our Patriarchs to the covenant at Sinai. Here, in Parshat Nitzavim,
before entering and settling the Promised Land, Hashem establishes the final
covenant with all of Bnei Yisroel, with all who are present as well as with all
who are not yet present. The Torah begins by emphasizing that "kulchem,
all of you" are standing before Hashem, and then goes on to list
the various subgroups that comprise the nation, heads of tribes, small
children, women, proselytes, even the categories of hewer of wood and drawer of
water to include the different kinds of workers. If the Torah makes it clear
that all of Bnei Yisroel is included in the covenant, why does the Torah feel
it necessary to then provide these examples and subgroups?
Rabbi Mordechai Ezrachi offers
a beautiful explanation that will inform much of our continuing discussion.
Using the image from the Mussaf of Rosh Hashanah, the members of Bnei
Yisroel "will pass before You like members of a flock -- Like a shepherd
inspecting his flock, making sheep pass under his staff." Just as in that
image, the shepherd, while examining each sheep individually is still eyeing
the entire flock and the interaction of each sheep within the flock, so does
Hashem here, at this juncture, establish a covenant both with the individual
and with the collective, teaching that each of us has a mission for himself as
an individual as well as an additional mission toward the community and the
nation, the "flock". Hashem is here tasking Bnei Yisroel with both
their individual and communal responsibilities. Kulchem/All
of you is not superfluous at all, but an integral part of the covenant.
The Be'er Moshe, the
Oshover Rebbe, expands on this idea. We each have our own unique way of serving
Hashem. It is a responsibility I have that no one else in the community can
fulfill. If I do not fulfill it, it will not get done. This makes me an
important member of the collective, for what I do or do not do will affect not
only my world, but the global world. As the Tosher Rebbe adds, we must always
remember that the Mishneh in Sanhedrin validates us and urges us to remember, בשבילי
נברא" העולם/The world
was created for my benefit." [Without forgetting the words of Avraham
Avinu, "And I am but dust and ashes."] But a שביל is also a path [שביל הזהב/the golden
path/mean. CKS] So we can interpret this Mishneh to mean, "This path was
created for me." Where should this path lead? The Tosher Rebbe explains
that this path should lead us back to Hashem. And each person has a path that
is his personally and is also part of the collective. The Shabbat Shuvah
Haftorah reinforces this interpretation. It begins with the singular שובה/you (s.) return, but ends the verse with שובו/you(pl.) return. The message, explains the Tosher Rebbe, is
that while I am working on my own path back to Hashem, I must also seek out
ways to help the collective, perhaps through praying for sick individuals, acts
of chesed, or community service. But in the process of serving the kllal,
we must not lose sight of our own path, of working on our own leaving our evil
ways before we can embark on doing good, writes Rabbi Tuvyah Weiss. The way we
live our life impacts others in everything we do. One act can change and impact
the entire collective.
Before enumerating individual
segments of the society, the Torah begins with kulchem, notes Rabbi
Weinberger in Shemen Hatov. Rabbi Weinberger suggests that the Torah
begins with that which is greater, the national entity rather than with the
individual. [After all, the sum is always greater than the total of its parts.
Any project begins with the completed vision before listing all the necessary
components. CKS] Kulchem, insists the Maharal, denotes Knesset
Yisroel, a term that denotes the collective and eternal soul of Bnei
Yisroel. That is why Hashem can establish this covenant with future
generations, as yet unborn, for Knesset Yisroel, the collective soul of
Yisroel, never changes even if the individuals change, explains the Maharal.
[Are we not the same "soul" even as our cells have changed millions
of times over the course of our lives? CKS]
It is because of this
collective that one can recite the Kiddush, for example, to fulfill the
obligation of another Jew, even if he himself has already recited Kiddush. Each
individual Jew is part of the other's collective. We are all standing up for
one another, responsible for each other. [We are co-signers for each other on
this national contract. CKS] This sense of community unity and responsibility
was Moshe's intention by beginning with kulchem, continues the Maharal.
Therefore, we cannot be blind to the situation of others, whether spiritually
or physically. We each have circles of human interaction, with our families,
with our colleagues at work, within our community. Just as Moshe listed many
subgroups, we must realize we also have influence on many social circles, and
we carry some responsibility for each of them.
It is true that not everyone
has the ability, strengths or skills to influence others, writes the Mishneh
Yosef. Citing the Chozeh of Lublin, the Mishneh Yosef suggests an
alternate path, extrapolated from the verse in Tehillim: " Praiseworthy is
the man whose (s.) strength is in You, whose hearts (pl) focus on
the paths leading upward." This individual can still impact the collective
by putting his energy into devout prayer and Torah study. That holy energy will
not remain contained within the shul or Beit Medrash, but will escape and
ignite a spark in others, especially if you are praying on their behalf.
Rabbi Reiss points out that
our actions impact others in ways we may not realize. We are always under
observation. How we act is observed by family, friends, even strangers, and
often changes their perspectives and influences their own actions.
Perhaps we can't influence
them, observes Rabbi Pincus in the name of Rav Hutner. Are we then to ask,
"Am I my brother's keeper?" Because the answer is a resounding,
"Yes!" We can feel for the other as our brother. We can at least cry
for them and pray for them. That is our responsibility.
In Ohel Moshe, Rav
Scheinerman asks when will you be able to stand, to be nitzavim? When
you are kulchem, all united together. Then we can stand before Hakodosh
Boruch Hu. as we do when we bless Rosh Chodesh, and ask Hashem to redeem us soon.
because all Yisroel is chaverim. comrades.
It is with this mindset that
we pray for our necessities and blessings in the plural, for Hashem's mercy
comes down to the group more than to the individual. And it is only united
together, as one nation, that we can coronate Hashem as King over us; the
Tribes of Israel must be yachad, all together, for the King to rule.
This is especially so on Rosh Hashanah, the day regularly referred to as Hayom,
the [special] day. Therefore, on the Day of Judgment we must especially focus
on ואהבת
לרעך כמוך, loving your comrade as
yourself, for that is how we form the nation that has the King.
But this can't be just words
about loving each other. We must rid ourselves of inner grudges and animosity
toward one another. We must believe, as Rabbi Yosef Salant writes, that we are
all part of one soul, hewn from the same stone. Therefore, we must live a
community oriented life, connected to others.
Rav Dovid Feinstein zt"l
gives a beautiful interpretation to this verse. "You are all standing...
before Hashem," you are all of equal stature before Hakodosh Boruch Hu.
Each of you has the obligation to serve Hashem according to the capacity He has
given you. You, who may not be a great scholar, but who uses your skills to
keep the shul functioning well, or your talents to keep children safe and happy
are just as valuable in Hashem's eyes as the learned scholar. You, too, stand
erect before Him. Although the groups seem to be listed according to their
importance, the elders before the lowly laborers, before Hashem, you are all
equal, adds Vayovenu Bamikra.
This equality before Hashem
explains why the Torah sometimes lists Aharon before Moshe while at other times
lists Moshe before Aharon, Although clearly Moshe was the greatest of all Jews,
past, present and future, Aharon performed his service with as deep devotion
and perfection as did Moshe. In that respect, they were indeed equal, writes
Rav Moshe Feinstein. [Indeed, the motto says, "From Moshe [Rabbenu] to
Moshe [ben Maimon/Rambam] to Moshe [Feinstein], no one arose like Moshe. CKS]
In this world, we tend to judge people by the professional, social or financial
status they have reached; in the world of truth, each is judged according to
how far he actualized his spiritual potential. In that scenario, the prominent
person on earth may indeed be on a lowly station in Olam Haba.
The day Bnei Yisroel were
standing before Hashem was indeed that special day, Rosh Hashanah, the day
Hashem created the world. As Be'er Hachayim explains, it was on that
first Rosh Hashanah that Hashem contracted Himself to make space for the world
He was creating, a world with which He wanted a relationship. Hashem gave the
world life force for one year at that time, and every year Hashem must renew
the world. [If He doesn't plug the world into the recharger, it will die. CKS]
Each year, Hashem comes down to decide whether to constrict Himself or expand
fully. Every Rosh Hashanah, we choose to make Hashem King again. By our
decision, the year has received a worthy status all its own, and Hashem gives
the world another year of life.
When two people need to work
together but can't agree, or have a dispute, they seek out a greater presence
to resolve the issue. Before that presence, they stand humble but equal,
submitting to his authority. This is the case with a bride and groom under the
wedding canopy. Certainly two distinct individuals, growing up with different
families, will find it hard to agree on everything. But under the bridal
canopy, representing Hashem's presence, their own egos shrink and they can live
together peacefully, continues Be'er Hachayim.
Today, too, you are standing
before Hashem. Under this tremendous light and energy of Rosh Hashanah, we are
all humbled by His presence. Nevertheless, we are all equal, irrespective of
our individual jobs or specific missions. The ego gets pushed aside, as it does
under the chuppah. This diminishment of ego creates the unity that
allows me to submit my will to His will. I am indeed unique and special, but I
am also a unique and special part of the collective community, of Knesset
Yisroel. This day Hashem judges us on both criteria. We pray that all of us, as
individuals, as a community, and as Kllal Yisroel successfully meet the mark.