Parshat Nitzavim
PARSHA OVERVIEW
On the last day of his life, Moshe gathers all the people, young and old, lowly and exalted, men and women, in a final initiation. The covenant includes not only those who are present, but even those generations yet unborn. Moshe admonishes the people again to be extremely vigilant against idol worship, because despite having witnessed the abominations of Egypt, there will always be the temptation to experiment with foreign philosophies as a pretext for immorality.
Moshe describes the desolation of the Land of Israel that will result from failure to heed Hashem’s mitzvahs. Both their descendants and foreigners alike will remark on the singular desolation of the Land and its apparent inability to be sown or to produce crops. The conclusion will be apparent to all — that the Jewish People have forsaken the One Who protects them, in favor of powerless idols. Moshe promises, however, that the people will eventually repent after both the blessings and the curses have been fulfilled. And, however assimilated they will have become among the nations, Hashem will eventually bring them back to the Land of Israel. Moshe tells the people to remember that the Torah is not a remote impossibility, but rather that its fulfillment is within the grasp of every Jew. This Torah portion concludes with a dramatic choice between life and death, with Moshe exhorting the people to choose life.
PARSHA INSIGHTS
Resisting Resentment and Revenge
"You are standing…" (29:9).
One of the great things about having been part of Ohr Somayach for more than three decades is that I have met some people who are clearly living on a different level. One of these great souls distilled the essence of one’s relationship with one’s fellow into three principles: His first principle is, “I was created to serve others, and no one was created to serve me.”
The second is, “I wouldn’t do it to you. But if you do it to me – it’s okay.” This doesn’t mean that a person should be a doormat and invite the world to trample on him, but post facto – if you did something to me that I could really take you to court for and get back at you — and I give up on that — I get forgiven for all my sins.
The source for this is the Gemara that says, “Anyone who ‘passes over on his character traits,’ meaning one who resists the knee-jerk reaction that many people have, to resent and want revenge — and just lets it go - so, concomitantly, Hashem lets go on all our sins.
It’s true that this level of saintliness is beyond the letter of the law, but it sure sounds like a good deal to me. All of my sins? Another source for this idea is the Tomer Devorah, which says that even though we constantly flout the Will of Hashem and use our
During this week, before Hashem opens the Books of Judgment, I can think of no better exercise than to think of someone who has wronged us — and remove all resentment from our hearts. And with that, we may approach the Heavenly Throne.
