Nitzavim 5775
Rabbi Jablinowitz
This week's parsha begins with the words Atem Nitzavim Hayom Kulchem Lifnei Hashem Elokeichem, You are all standing today before Hashem your Gd. Rashi explains (on pasuk 12) that the reason that Bnei Yisrael were standing before Hashem is because they were transitioning from the leadership of Moshe Rabbeinu to that of Yehoshua. Therefore, Moshe had them all stand in order to properly focus on his words of admonishment at this crucial juncture.
The Chidushei HaRim points out that this week's parsha, Nitzavim, is always read on the last Shabbos of the year. This is because our leaving the last year behind and entering into a new year parallels this process of moving from one leader to the next. And at the end of the year we need to take stock and see what last year was about in order to properly prepare for the events and the "leadership" of the coming year, maybe it be only for good.
This idea that every year is a new beginning is expressed by the Maharal in his sefer Gevuras Hashem (end of Chapter 51). He explains why during the Pesach seder when we say "Ha Lachma Anya" which is in Aramaic, we switch to Hebrew in the end and we say Leshanah Habah we should be in Eretz Yisrael. This is because the word Shanah in Lashon Hakodesh comes from the word shinui which means change. And since we are emphasizing the fact that next year we hope to experience the Geulah and be in Eretz Yisrael, we need to use the word Shanah to illustrate this point. Since we are hoping for a change and for a new reality, we must switch from the Aramaic Hashata to the word Shanah.
Rosh Hashanah is a new beginning; it's a hanhagah we never experienced before. The pasuk in Emor (Chapter 23, Pasuk 24) which teaches the mitzvah of Rosh Hashanah states that it takes places on "Echad LaChodesh" which means day one of the month, as opposed to Rishon LaChodesh, the first of the month. Rav Hutner explains that this is because this day is different and unique than all other days. The Torah doesn't use the words "the first of the month" because this implies something before or after. (see Rashi on Bereishis, Chapter 1, Pasuk 5). Rosh Hashanah begins a year that is totally unique, unlike any before and any that there will be after.
This idea has many implications for us. It suggests growth and blessing which we haven’t achieved or experienced before. We can reach new levels of understating of our place in the world, our relationship with Hashem and our relationship with others. And our parsha begins with the words Atem Nitzavim to indicate that such significant transitions require us to be standing on our feet in an organized fashion. We need to seriously consider our accomplishments and our shortcomings under the "hanhagah" of the previous year and how we can improve as we move on to the next one. Rashi uses the word Matzeivah to express the assembly and ordered standing together of Clal Yisrael. Perhaps we can suggest an implication of a legacy and epitaph of the previous year, and how we would like things to be written and recorded for the following year. These are what are thoughts need to be as we approach the last Shabbos of the year.
May the new leadership of the coming year be only for bracha and through our Teshuva and Ma'asim Tovim may we all be inscribed in the book of life, the book of Tzadikim Gemurim.
Good Shabbos and Kesiva V'Chasima Tova
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