Parshat Nitzavim-Vayeilech
The Book of Deuteronomy
August 30th-31st, 2002
23 Elul, 5762

President George Bush has been criticized in some quarters (not surprisingly) for being too black-and-white, and morally "simplistic," in characterizing our struggle against Saddam Hussein (or against Islamic terrorists) as one of good versus evil. Some people--I did not say, "liberals"--argue that such rhetoric is not useful or relevant in helping us decide whether or not to wage war against him. Perhaps they’re right. Or maybe some are just plain uncomfortable with religiously charged terms entering strategic discussions of foreign policy.

I’m not sure how I stand on this matter. However, I will say that if there is any place in the Torah where moral choices are painted in the very simplest (and starkest) black-and-white terms, it is this parsha (Nitzavim). As he addresses the Jewish people on the very day of his death, Moshe is not a bit concerned with being politically correct.

"See—I have placed before you today the life (ha’chayim) and the good, and the death (ha’maves) and the evil…[the good being] that which I command you today, to love Hashem, your G-d, to walk in His ways, to observe His commandments, His decrees and His ordinances; then you will live and you will multiply, and Hashem, your G-d, will bless you in the Land to which you come, to possess it. But if your heart will stray and you will not listen, and you are led astray, and you prostrate yourself to strange gods and serve them, I tell you today that you will surely be lost…" (30, 15-18; Artscroll translation)

That’s the choice that is before you, he tells them. To choose a life of Torah observance, striving to love G-d and emulate His ways (and utilizing all the mitzvos as precious opportunities of spiritual growth): this is the path of good that leads to life--joy and blessing in this world, and closeness to G-d in the world to come. To choose to neglect G-d’s Torah and commandments, and instead to stray after one’s heart: this is ultimately the path of evil that leads to death--a state of being cut off from one’s spiritual Source in this world and, in the absence of repentance, the pain and regret of being distant from G-d (and of not having utilized one’s potential) in the world to come.

So important is this simple and straightforward message to the Jewish people that Moshe repeats it again:

I call heaven and earth today to bear witness against you: I have placed life and death before you, blessing and curse… (30, 19)

Our Sages tell us that every mitzvah we do (or word of Torah we study) nourishes and brings life to our souls. Conversely, each transgression deprives our soul of a spiritual sustenance--indeed, destroys some aspect of our divine image, our neshama. The great kabbalist, Rabbi Moshe Chayim Luzzatto, memorably articulates this in his classic work, Derech Hashem (The Way of G-d):

"The Highest Wisdom decreed that every act of observing G-d’s commandments should bring a person closer to G-d to a particular determined degree. The individual then attains a degree of G-d’s Light corresponding to this degree of closeness, and this in turn causes a degree of perfection (sh’leimus) resulting from that enlightenment to become an integral part of him.

The opposite is true of sin. Every sinful act removes an individual from G-d by a corresponding degree. This results in bringing him to a certain degree of concealment away from G-d’s Light, causing His Presence to be correspondingly hidden. As a result of that concealment, a degree of deficiency (chisaron) becomes an integral part of that individual." (I, 4, 10; Feldheim edition)

Without any exaggeration then, the choice of spiritual life or spiritual death confronts us continually, at every moment of our lives. Will we utilize this instant of time (and the next and the next), with the help of all the tools we’ve been given (speech, vision, intellect, talent, etc.), to serve G-d or to turn away from Him? Will we open ourselves (and the whole Creation) to G-d’s Light, or will we block ourselves (and the Creation) from its rays?

To shift the metaphor, will we choose to attach ourselves to the Tree of Life (the Torah, leading back to its Author)…or just spend our days grasping at straws?

After laying it on the line as he does, Moshe doesn’t stand back detached as we confront this (ongoing) existential challenge. He’s not indifferent to the outcome of our decision. He most definitely takes a position, and offers us a bit of heartfelt advice as

G-d’s emissary to the Jewish people:

"…and you shall choose life, so that you will live, your and your offspring— o love Hashem, your G-d, to listen to His voice and to cleave to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days…." (30, 19-20; my emphasis)

Rashi elucidates Moshe’s words beautifully: " ‘I instruct you [Moshe tells us] that you shall select the portion of life.’ Just as one says to his son: ‘Select for yourself the best portion of my possessions," standing him directly in front of the nicest portion and telling him, ‘Choose this one for yourself.’"

G-d has shown us the two paths, and informed us of the destination of each. But He’s more than a neutral tour guide--who may give the adventurous traveler the option of courting danger, or chasing after thrills, once he’s pocketed the fee. He’s our loving Father, Who wants the best for us…Who wants us to choose the good. "Take this path, My beloved child," He tells us. "The other one may look attractive, but trust Me on this one. Choose this path, the nicest one, for yourself."

Is it a coincidence that this is the Torah portion that precedes Rosh Hashana? I think you can intuit the correct answer. It is the season of simple (but crucially important) moral choices and black-and-white, life-or-death scenarios. The Rosh Hashana liturgy does not mince words any more than Moshe Rabbeinu:

"Let us now relate the power of the day’s holiness, for it is awesome and frightening…It is true that You alone are the One Who judges, proves, knows, and bears witness; Who writes and seals…Who remembers all that was forgotten…All mankind will pass before You like members of the flock…

on Rosh Hashanah will be inscribed and on Yom Kippur will be sealed how   many will pass from the earth, and how many will be created, who will live and who will die…." (Artscroll Machzor)

Our job on Rosh Hashana (and throughout the 10 Days of Repentance) is to face ourselves…and to face the King of Kings. To renew (or initiate) our wholehearted acceptance of His authority and kingship, and our acceptance of the great and holy mission He wants each one of us to embrace for the coming year. That mission is: whatever our station in life, to be a servant of G-d, or as Moshe put it (in words from the parsha quoted above): "to love Hashem, your G-d, to walk in His ways, to observe the commandments, the decrees and the ordinances…"

It’s basically a simple choice. To choose the path of spiritual growth (each of us at his or her own pace, according to one’s own abilities and circumstances)…or to choose the opposite. ("Not choosing at all" is really the latter.) And our Rabbis tell us that the most important factor in G-d’s judgment of us on Rosh Hashanah is not the report card of the previous year (though our actions in that year, of course, do have significance in having brought us to our present spiritual state). Rather, the main thing is our will and desire NOW, on Rosh Hashanah, to accept G-d’s Kingship from this day on. How sincere are we in our desire for life, both in the simple physical sense and, much much more importantly, in the sense of forging a true (and stronger) connection to G-d and Torah?

How sincerely will we mean it when we cry out: "Remember us for life, O King Who desires life, and inscribe us in the Book of Life—for Your sake, O Living G-d." That is what G-d is looking at. He’s not impartial (as Moshe told us): He desires life—i.e., that we live, and that we direct our lives to Him and live ultimately for His sake. The more deeply we want to develop that connection with G-d in the coming year, the more successful our Rosh Hashanah will have been.

And it’s really not so hard. Don’t get overwhelmed, or discouraged. Our parsha, after all, also reassures us that repentance (teshuva), and indeed, the totality of the Torah itself, is not so very far remote from us.

"For this commandment that I command you today—it is not hidden from you and it is not distant…Rather, the matter is very near to you—in your mouth and your heart—to perform it."

May we be worthy to make use of this final week of the year to increase our study of Torah, and to take stock of ourselves and our relationship to G-d. (One piece of advice: get down the Rosh Hashanah prayer book and start to re-familiarize yourself with it.) If we can try to inspire ourselves just a bit, then G-d will richly reward our efforts…and we’ll be sure to have a meaningful Rosh Hashanah. And a year of life.

GOOD SHABBOS!

My e-mail address is yosefe@comcast.net

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Rabbi Yosef Edelstein, Savannah Kollel. Phone: 912-351-0469; fax: 354-9923