Rabbi David Etengoff
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, and Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, the refuah shlaimah of Yakir Ephraim ben Rachel Devorah, and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
Our parasha has always fascinated me. In my view, it contains some of the most thought- provoking and intellectually challenging pasukim (verses) in the Torah. One of the most notable examples is the description of man’s creation: “And the L-rd G-d formed man of dust from the ground, and He breathed into his nostrils the soul of life (nishmat chayim), and man became a living soul (l’nefesh chaya).” (Sefer Bereishit 2:7, this and the following Bible and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)  Like the very first verse of the Torah, “In the beginning of G-d’s creation of the heavens and the earth,” our pasuk conceals far more than it reveals. Little wonder, then, that it has captured the attention of our greatest meforshim (Tanach interpreters).
 
Rashi (1040-1105), building upon the translation of Onkelos (35-120 CE), focuses part of his interpretative efforts on the phrase, “l’nefesh chaya,” and suggests the following analysis: “Cattle and beasts were also called living souls, but this one of man is the most alive of them all, because he was additionally given intelligence and speech.” Somewhat surprisingly, Rabbi Shlomo Ephraim ben Aaron Luntschitz (1550 – 1619), in his monumental work of Torah exegesis entitled “Kli Yakar,” completely rejects Rashi’s gloss. Moreover, in his view, nishmat chayim, rather than l’nefesh chaya, is the crucial phrase to comprehend in order to understand man’s authentic nature:

Nishmat chayim must be understood as the eternal rational soul (hanefesh hamaskelet hanetzachi).  Come and learn – [after all,] who was the One who breathed [into Adam the soul of life]? We, therefore, find that this [i.e. the nishmat chayim] refers to a portion of
G-dliness (chalek Elokah) from above. (This and the following translations my own)
 
In sum, Rav Luntschitz shifts the emphasis of the pasuk from l’nefesh chaya to nishmat chayim, defines the latter term in an unprecedented manner, and declares it to be a heavenly portion of G-dliness. Beyond a doubt, this is simultaneously an intellectual and theological tour de force.
 
Rav Luntschitz continues his exposition of our verse and notes that Hashem’s overwhelming kindness in providing every person with a nishmat chayim is necessary but insufficient for the achievement of the highest level of humanity. Instead, we must respond in kind, and tirelessly expend our energies in order to reach the heights of that which makes us truly human:

This is to say, that although Hashem breathed the eternal rationale soul into Adam, nonetheless, man, at the outset of his being, is indistinguishable from any other living soul (nefesh chaya) and is just like the other animals. [As the text states:] “For man is born as a wild donkey.” (Sefer Iyov 11:12)  [Moreover,] the essence of man’s perfection (shlaimuto) is contingent upon the diligence of his labors and the degree of good inherent in his choices − as he opens his [potentially] intellectually maturing eyes (einei sichlo) while growing in age.
 
At this juncture, Rav Luntschitz clarifies the thrust of his presentation:

Regarding the beginning of a person’s life – although Hashem has already breathed into an individual the soul of the breath of life (nishmat ruach chayim) – this soul will nonetheless never be actualized and will remain solely in potential, unless he will try with depth-level efforts to go to the “head of the troops,” and fight the war of Hashem. If he fails to do so, he will remain in his original animalistic state (i.e. ruled by the yetzer harah) and will be the equivalent of an animal…The text reveals this matter to us [through the use of the phrase, “nishmat chayim,”] in order to teach us the [vital] lesson that man should never beguile himself into thinking (lit. “saying”) that he can achieve perfection (shlaimuto) without tremendous effort and persevering exertion…rather, everything depends upon his own actions…
 
In my estimation, Rav Luntschitz’s explication of nishmat chayim is reminiscent of Rabbi Akiva’s famous response to the evil Roman governor, Turnus Rufus, when asked: “If [your] G-d is desirous that man should have a brit milah (ritual circumcision), why does the newborn not exit his mother’s womb in this state?” Rabbi Akiva’s response informs our understanding of the mitzvot until our present moment: “Because the Holy One blessed be He did not give the mitzvot to the Jewish people except to [spiritually] purify them through their performance.” (Midrash Tanchuma, Parashat Tazria V, translation my own)  Rabbi Akiva is teaching us a fundamental lesson concerning our relationship with the Almighty: A newborn male baby is born in a state of physical imperfection; the mitzvah of brit milah removes this deficiency and sets him on a lifelong path toward spiritual perfection. Therefore, through the fulfillment of this commandment, we join our Creator and become His partner in Creation (shutaf im HaKadosh Baruch Hu b’ma’aseh Bereishit).
 
I believe that Rav Luntschitz is teaching us a parallel lesson on the moral–ethical plane of human existence: Just as we perfect the physical body that Hashem has bestowed upon us through the mitzvah of brit milah, and thereby serve as shutfim im HaKadosh Baruch Hu b’ma’aseh Bereishit, so, too, must we consistently actualize the nishmat chayim that He has given us, in order to be His partners in Creation and ultimately become all that we can be. As the Ibn Ezra (1089-1167) taught us so long ago in his celebrated liturgical poem (piyyut), “My soul thirsts for G-d, for the living G-d, my heart (mind) and my body run to the living G-d.” (Translation my own)
 
With Hashem’s help and our fervent desire, may we ever seek to become His shutfim b’ma’aseh Bereishit. V’chane yihi ratzon.
​
Shabbat Shalom
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
 
They may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org/ using the search criteria of Etengoff and the parasha’s name.
 
The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:[email protected].
 
*** My audio shiurim for Women on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd
 
*** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link.

 
Rabbi David Etengoff
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, and Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, the refuah shlaimah of Yakir Ephraim ben Rachel Devorah, Eliezer ben Sarah, and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
Shabbat Chol HaMoed Succot and Shabbat Chol HaMoed Pesach share the same main kriah (Torah reading): Sefer Shemot, Parashat Ki Tisa, 33:12-23 and 34:1-26. The source for these passages is a statement in Talmud Bavli, Megillah 31a: “Rav Huna said in the name of Rav: ‘On the Sabbath which falls on the intermediate days of the festival, whether Passover or Succot, the passage we read from the Torah is ‘Look − you say to me…’” (Translation, The Soncino Talmud, with my emendations)  The rationale for this particular reading initially seems clear, since we find a mention of both Shabbat and the Festivals contained therein:

Six days you may work, and on the seventh day you shall rest; in plowing and in harvest you shall rest…The Festival of Unleavened Cakes you shall keep; seven days you shall eat unleavened cakes which I have commanded you…And you shall make for yourself a Festival of Weeks, the first of the wheat harvest, and the festival of the ingathering, at the turn of the year. (Sefer Shemot 34:21, 18, 22, this and all Bible translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)
 
Rav Ephraim Piekarski notes that these pasukim (verses) contain nearly the exact same wording as earlier verses found in Sefer Shemot, Parashat Mishpatim15:16 and 23:16.
(http://www.haoros.com/Archive/index.asp?kovetz=886&cat=11&haoro=0) He asks, “Why did Chazal (our Sages of blessed memory) choose the verses in Parashat Ki Tisa as the kriah for Shabbat Chol HaMoed, rather than those of Parashat Mishpatim?” While Rav Piekarski provides a cogent halachically-based answer, I would like to offer my own response to his question.
 
Our Torah reading for Shabbat Chol HaMoed is comprised of 36 pasukim, of which the first 29 contain no mention of either Shabbat or the Festivals. Instead, they focus upon Moshe’s dialogical encounter with the Almighty following the egregious sin of the Chet HaEgel (Golden Calf), and the receiving of the second set of luchot (Tablets of the Law).
 
Initially, we may be stymied as to why Chazal (our Sages of blessed memory) chose these 29 pasukim to be read at this time. Yet, I believe the concept of machshava (thought) links these verses to Shabbat Chol HaMoed. This idea is given powerful voice in Rav Shlomo Alkabetz’s Lecha Dodi when he describes Shabbat as “sof ma’aseh, b’machshava techilah” (“last to be created, yet first in thought”).  As many sources intimate, the nexus between Shabbat and Hashem’s machshava in this Friday evening hymn is hardly accidental. Shabbat, and by extension the Festivals, underscore the unique import of machshava for these holy days, which provide the Jewish people with an unsurpassed opportunity for serious reflection. Moreover, in a very real sense, we emulating Hashem when we apply the thought component on Shabbat and the Festivals.
 
Based upon the singular connection that obtains between Shabbat, the Festivals and machshava, we can better understand why Chazal included the extended dialogue between Hashem and Moshe at the beginning of our Torah reading. Herein, we find a number of crucial spiritual concepts and theological principles that enhance our Shabbat and Yom Tov experience. Allow me to focus upon one of them: “For how then will it be known that I [Moshe] have found favor in Your eyes, I and Your people? Is it not in that You will go with us? Then I and Your people will be distinguished (niflinu) from every [other] nation on the face of the earth.” (Sefer Shemot 33:16) In what way will we be niflinu if Hashem’s Schechinah (Divine Presence) is amongst us? Not surprisingly, this is a question that has captured the hearts and minds of many of our greatest thinkers.
 
Rabbi Meir Leibush ben Yehiel Michel Wisser (known as the “Malbim,” 1809-1879) grapples with our question and provides us with an original answer:

The only way that the Jewish people will be distinguished (niflinu) from the rest of mankind will be if You [Hashem] “will go with us.” This is the case, since all of the other nations of the world are guided by the hand of heavenly beings and angels, whereas we are separate from them in the sense that we are not under the control of any heavenly being or angel. Instead, “the L-rd’s portion is His people Jacob, the lot of His inheritance.” (Sefer Devarim 32:9) – as such, we are guided solely by His providence (hashgachato). (Translation, my own)
 
The Malbim’s interpretation of niflinu is unique. In relatively few words, he reminds us of the exceptional relationship we share with the Almighty that is personified in a verse from a Yom Kippur tefilah we recently sang together: “ki anu amecha v’Atah Elokeinu” (“For we are Your people, and You are our G-d”). In other words, we are the Creator’s am hanivchar (chosen people) and, as such, we and we alone are directly tachat kanfei HaSchechinah (under His divine Providence).
 
What does the expression, “am hanivchar,” mean in a practical sense? In my estimation, the former Chief Rabbi of England, Sir Jonathan Sacks, offers one of the best modern presentations of this concept. He notes that many people are misled into believing that the idea of “choseness” is tantamount to G-d rejecting all the other nations and, consequently, connotes arrogance and elitism. Rabbi Sacks suggests, however, that nothing could be further from the truth: “Do not think that G-d choosing one people means He rejects every other people. Absolutely not! That was never our way. And that is why, again and again and again, G-d, the prophets say, is not our G-d only.” (Public lecture: “Jewish Identity - The Concept of a Chosen People,” May 8, 2001) Rabbi Sacks emphasizes a very different approach to understanding our one-of-a kind role in Hashem’s grand plan for mankind. He maintains that our election enables us to bring Hashem’s message to the world: “… the Jewish story, in its unique particularity, is the human story in its universality. If we would have been everyone in general, we would never have been somebody in particular. And if we hadn't been somebody in particular, we would never have a message for humanity in general.”
 
We now see that Chazal chose Shabbat Chol HaMoed’s Torah reading, with its seemingly extraneous 29 initial pasukim, precisely because these include multiple yesodei haTorah v’ikarei emunah (fundamental principles of Jewish belief) that this Shabbat uniquely allows us to contemplate. Prominent among these theological principles is the notion of niflinu – am hanivchar. Armed with Rabbi Sacks’ explanation of this concept, may we ever strive to live distinguished lives so that we will serve as role models for all mankind. Then, as Isaiah the prophet taught us so long ago, may we truly be a “light unto nations,” (49:6) and Hashem’s “witnesses” to the entire world. (43:10). With the Almighty’s guidance and our fervent desire, may this be so. V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach!
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
 
They may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org/ using the search criteria of Etengoff and the parasha’s name.
 
The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:[email protected].
 
*** My audio shiurim for Women on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd
 
*** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link.

 
Rabbi David Etengoff
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shayna Yehudit bat Avraham Manes and Rivka, and Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, the refuah shlaimah of Yakir Ephraim ben Rachel Devorah, Eliezer ben Sarah, Anshul Pinchas ben Chaya and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
 
The mitzvah of dwelling in the succah initially appears to be quite straightforward. By way of illustration, the Rambam (Maimonides, 1135-1204) formulates the obligation in this manner:

What is the mitzvah of dwelling in the succah? One should eat and drink and dwell in the succah for the entire seven-day period both at night and during the day in exactly the same manner that he dwells in his house during the other days of the year. Throughout the entire seven-day period, a person should treat his house as a temporary dwelling and his succah as his permanent dwelling. As it says in the verse: You shall dwell in succot for seven days (Vayikra 23:42). (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Succah 6:5, translation my own)
 
The Rambam’s emphasis is clearly upon the ma’aseh hamitzvah, the actual manner in which the commandment is to be performed. In contrast, the Tur (Rabbi Yaakov ben Asher, 1270-1340) spends a good deal of time in his introduction to Hilchot Succah presenting and analyzing the rationale behind this mitzvah:

“You shall dwell in succot for seven days…in order that you should know throughout the generations that I caused the Jewish people to dwell in succot when I led them out … [from Egypt]” (Vayikra 23:42). The Torah makes the mitzvah of succah dependent upon the Exodus from Egypt. So, too, in the case of many other mitzvot. This is so, since this is a matter that we saw with our eyes and heard with our ears and no one is able to deny it. It teaches us about the truth of the existence of the Creator, may He be exalted, and that He created everything according to His will. It also teaches us that He has the power, the dominion, and the ability, both in the upper and lower worlds, to do with them as He so desires… (Translation my own)
 
The Tur uses this introduction as a podium for presenting the true meaning and significance behind the oft-quoted phrase “zacher l’yitziat mitzraim” (“a reminder of the Exodus from Egypt”) that is found in every single Kiddush that we recite, and alongside many of the mitzvot in the Torah. In addition, he takes this opportunity to stress the conceptual connection that obtains between the mitzvah of succah and such essential theological principles as the existence of the Creator and His omnipotence in both the Heavens and the earth.
 
The Bach (Rabbi Yoel Sirkes, 1551-1640) builds upon the Tur’s analysis in order to reveal the hidden levels of meaning that constitute the mitzvah of dwelling in the succah. He notes that the Tur’s vital point is to be found in his emphasis upon the indispensable role that proper intention (kavanah) plays in performing the mitzvah of succah, namely, viewing the succah as the symbol of yetziat Mitzraim (the Departure from Egypt). The Bach echoes this fundamental notion in his closing comments:

The purpose of the mitzvah of succah is to remember the Departure from Egypt. This is accomplished through one’s dwelling in a succah wherein the shade is greater than the sun. This, in turn, is a reminder of the Clouds of Glory that protected them [the Jewish people] … through their wanderings in the desert. 

​Additionally, he teaches us that the highest form of fulfilling this obligation necessitates careful focus upon the Torah’s phrase, “… in order that you should know throughout the generations that I caused the Jewish people to dwell in succot.” The Bach maintains that this “will enable one to fulfill the mitzvah in its most proper fashion (k’tikunah).” Thus, for the Bach, if one desires to fulfill the mitzvah of dwelling in the succah in its ultimate sense, one must have kavanah (intentionality) regarding two aspects of the mitzvah, namely, its inextricable link to the Exodus and the great kindness of Hashem that enabled us to dwell in succot after He took us out of Egypt.
 
As we dwell in our succot this chag (holiday), may Hashem fulfill the beautiful words found in our Friday night tefilot (prayers): “And spread over us the succah of Your peace. Blessed are You Hashem, Who spreads the succah of peace upon us and upon all His people Israel and upon Jerusalem.” V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach!
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
 
They may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org/ using the search criteria of Etengoff and the parasha’s name.
 
The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:[email protected].
 
*** My audio shiurim for Women on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd
 
*** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link.

 
Rabbi David Etengoff
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chaim Mordechai Hakohen ben Natan Yitzchak, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Avraham Yechezkel ben Yaakov Halevy, Shayna Yehudit bat Avraham Manes and Rivka, and Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, the refuah shlaimah of Yakir Ephraim ben Rachel Devorah, Eliezer ben Sarah, Anshul Pinchas ben Chaya and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
This Sabbath is Shabbat Shuvah, a time when many of our spiritual efforts are focused upon teshuvah (returning to Hashem). One of the most celebrated works on teshuvah is the Rambam’s (Maimonides, 1135-1204) Hilchot Teshuvah. Therein, he notes that teshuvah is comprised of four essential elements:

What constitutes Teshuvah? A sinner should abandon his sins and remove them from his thoughts, resolving in his heart never to commit them again, as the text states, “May the wicked abandon his ways....” (Sefer Yeshayahu 55:7)  Similarly, he must regret the past, as the text states, “After I returned, I regretted.” (Sefer Yirmiyahu 31:18) … [And] he must verbally confess and state these matters which he resolved in his heart. (II:2, translation, Rabbi Eliyahu Touger).
 
In sum, teshuvah consists of four inextricably connected parts: Abandonment of the sin, regret for having performed the prohibition, confession before Hashem, and heartfelt acceptance and determination that he or she will never commit the transgression again.
 
While nearly all classic halachic authorities accept this definitional structure of teshuvah as formulated by the Rambam, they differ as to whether or not there is a mitzvah to engage in the teshuvah process. Quite famously, the Rambam does not consider teshuvah a mitzvah in and of itself; instead, he conceptualizes it as a complement to vidui (confession):

The 73rd mitzvah we are commanded is to verbally acknowledge the sins we have committed before G-d (exalted be He), when we come to do teshuvah (to repent). This is vidui (verbal confession), the idea of which is to say, “O G-d, I have sinned, I have committed iniquity, I have transgressed and done ...” (Sefer HaMitzvot, translation, Rabbi Berel Bell)
 
This approach was embraced by a number of illustrious Acharonim (later halachic authorities), including the Avodat HaMelech (1869-1929), the Minchat Chinuch (1800-1874) and Rav Avraham Yitzhak Hakohen Kook (1865-1935), the first Chief Rabbi of Palestine under the British Mandate.
 
In contrast, the Ramban (Nachmanides, 1194-1270), in his Commentary on the Torah, champions the view that teshuvah does constitute a mitzvah. This position is based upon his interpretation of the pasuk (verse): “For this commandment (ki hamitzvah hazot) which I command you this day is not concealed from you, nor is it far away.” (Sefer Devarim 30:11, this and all Bible translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)  The general consensus of Chazal (our Sages of blessed memory) is that the phrase, “ki hamitzvah hazot,” refers to the entire Torah because of its proximity to the expression, “lo bashamayim he” (“it, i.e. the Torah, is not in Heaven”), as found in the next verse. (See Talmud Bavli, Baba Metzia 59b) The Ramban, however, suggests that this approach is grammatically incorrect, for if “ki hamitzvah hazot” did refer to the totality of the Torah, it should have stated, “kol hamitzvah” (“every commandment”), as we find in the pasuk: “Every commandment (kol hamitzvah) that I command you this day you shall keep to do, that you may live and multiply, and come and possess the land that the L-rd swore to your forefathers.” (Sefer Devarim 8:1)  Consequently, asserts the Ramban, since the Torah writes, “ki hamitzvah hazot,” it must refer to a single mitzvah, namely, teshuvah:

…the expression, “ki hamitzvah hazot,” however, is mentioned in reference to teshuvah, as we find in the [earlier verses of our chapter], “you will consider in your heart (v’hashavota el levavecha) among all the nations where the L-rd your G-d has banished you,” (30:1) and you will return to the L-rd, your G-d, (v’shavta od Hashem Elokecha) with all your heart and with all your soul (30:2).  This [i.e. teshuvah] is the commandment that we are commanded to perform. (This, and the following translations, brackets and underlining my own)
 
The single greatest factor militating against the Ramban’s view that teshuvah constitutes a mitzvah, and one that was often cited by his critics, is the manner in which teshuvah is referenced in these verses. Normally, a commandment is stated in an imperative formulation. For example, in reference to Yom Kippur we find: “It is a Sabbath of rest for you, and you shall afflict yourselves. It is an eternal statute.” (Sefer Vayikra 16:31) In our verses, however, teshuvah is presented in a narrative and descriptive format that is devoid of any mandated action. This challenge, however, does not deter the Ramban from advocating the mitzvah-status of teshuvah. Rather, he maintains that the narrative presentation of this mitzvah gives powerful voice to Hashem’s promise that nothing ever stands in the way of teshuvah, and that in the future, the entire nation will return to Him:

And this [mitzvah of teshuvah was stated] in a narrative construction to hint at the fulfillment of the promise that in the future the matter will be so [i.e. the Jewish people will universally undertake the teshuvah process]. The underlying reason for this is to inform us that even if we are scattered about to the very ends of Heaven, and we are under the hegemony of the non-Jews, we will be able to return to Hashem and fulfill all of the mitzvot that “I command you this day.” For the matter of doing teshuvah is not beyond us or distant from us, rather it is very close to us indeed − and we may begin the teshuvah process at any time and in any place…
 
My rebbe and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zatzal (1903-1993), known as “the Rav” by his students and followers, was very fond of the Ramban’s theological positions. Little wonder, then, that he often stressed the idea found in the Tachanun prayer (Supplications), that Hashem is the pota’ach yad b’teshuvah (G-d continuously reaches out to us with the promise of teshuvah). Like the Ramban, the Rav never ceased to emphasize that “we may begin the teshuvah process at any time and in any place…”
​
May the time come soon and, in our days, when the entire Jewish people will join together to return to Hashem with our complete hearts and souls. As the prophet Jeremiah so famously said, “Return us to You, O L-rd, that we may return! Renew our days as of old.” (Sefer Eichah 5:21) V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom
 
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
 
They may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org/ using the search criteria of Etengoff and the parasha’s name.
 
The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:[email protected].
 
*** My audio shiurim for Women on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd
 
*** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link.

​
 
Rabbi David Etengoff
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chaim Mordechai Hakohen ben Natan Yitzchak, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Avraham Yechezkel ben Yaakov Halevy, Shayna Yehudit bat Avraham Manes and Rivka, and Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, the refuah shlaimah of Yakir Ephraim ben Rachel Devorah, Eliezer ben Sarah, Anshul Pinchas ben Chaya and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
Shabbat Parashat Nitzavim is the concluding parasha of the Jewish calendar year, and a time for introspection. On this final Shabbat before Rosh Hashanah, many of us reflect upon our past errors in order to work toward a more Torah-infused future. Quite apropos for this time of the year, the first two pasukim (verses) of our parasha declare that we are standing before the Almighty:

You are all standing this day before the L-rd (Atem nitzavim hayom), your G-d, the leaders of your tribes, your elders and your officers, every man of Israel, your young children, your women, and your convert who is within your camp both your woodcutters and your water drawers. (Sefer Devarim 29:9-10, this and all Bible translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)
 
Why were our forebears standing “before the L-rd?” The Torah continues its narrative:

that you may enter the covenant (brit) of the L-rd, your G-d, and His oath, which the L-rd, your G-d, is making with you this day, in order to establish you this day as His people, and that He will be your G-d, as He spoke to you, and as He swore to your forefathers to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. (29:11-12)
 
In sum, the new generation of the Jewish nation, who had not directly received the Torah at Mount Sinai, was assembled in order to “enter the brit of the L-rd” (i.e. accept the totality of the Torah) and become the next link in the chain of the Almighty’s chosen people.
 
As we have seen, the initial words of our passage read “atem nitzavim hayom,” which may be translated as “you, the entirety of the Jewish people, are standing here today.” A careful reading of this phrase leads us to believe that it conceals far more than it reveals. As such, we are very fortunate that Midrash Tanchuma, Parashat Nitzavim IV, helps sheds light upon its authentic meaning:

Atem nitzavim hayom: Just as a day can on occasion be dark and dreary and at other times bright and filled with light, so, too, are the Jewish people. Even though the Holy One blessed be He brings the darkness [of exile] upon you [today,] in the future, He will [one day] bring upon you bright and permanent light [i.e. the light of redemption]. As the text states: “…but the L-rd shall be to you for an everlasting light, and your G-d for your glory.” (Sefer Yeshayahu 60:19, Midrash translation and brackets my own)
 
The Midrash continues its presentation and asks, and answers, a crucial question, “When [will we merit the light of redemption?] When all of you will be united” (“k’she’tihyu kulchem aggudah achat”) …for the Jewish people will not be redeemed until they will become a single united entity.” In other words, redemption will continually remain elusive until we finally live together in achdut (unity and harmony).
 
Unfortunately, the sole time in Jewish history when we were truly united was the Revelation at Mount Sinai: “They journeyed from Rephidim, and they arrived in the desert of Sinai, and they encamped [va’ya’chanu – plural] in the desert, and Israel encamped [va’yichan – singular] there opposite the mountain.” (Sefer Shemot 19:2, brackets my own) The halachic Midrash to Sefer Shemot, known as the “Mechilta,” reveals a fascinating insight regarding this verse:

In every [other] instance wherein the Torah states: “va’yi’su va’ya’chanu” (“they journeyed and encamped”), they travelled amidst dissension and encamped in manifest disagreement. But here [where the unusual expression “va’yichan” is utilized regarding this particular encampment], all of the Jewish people joined as one entity with one heart, as it were. Therefore, the Torah states: “… and Israel encamped [va’yichan – singular] there opposite the mountain.” (Masechta d’b’Chodesh, Yitro, end of section I, translation and brackets my own)

Our ancestors stood poised as one to receive Hashem’s holy Torah at the base of Mount Sinai. It seems their impending meeting with the Master of the Universe encouraged them to rise above their usual conflictual behaviors, and embrace achdut. In his Commentary on the Torah, Rabbi Yehuda Aryeh Leib Alter (1847-1905, the “Sefat Emet”) notes that achdut was the necessary constitutive element for the Revelation to unfold, for without it, we would have lacked the proper level of holiness to encounter the Creator:
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… as a result of unity amongst the Jewish people, we come to merit holiness. This is the meaning of [the verse in Sefer Devarim 23:15] “For the L-rd, your G-d, goes along in the midst of your camp…” [When will this be the case?] If your camp is a singular entity, complete, and united, [then Hashem will go along “in the midst of your camp.] (Parashat Kedoshim 1:1, translation and brackets my own)
 
Like our ancestors of old, we are standing before the Master of the Universe. In a few days we will recite the Machzor’s well-known words, “Va’ya’asu kulam aggudah achat la’a’sot ratzonecha b’la’vav shalame” (“And you [the Jewish people] will fashion yourselves into a single unified entity in order to perform the Almighty’s will with a complete heart and mind”). With Hashem’s help and our fervent desire, may this Rosh Hashanah be the time when we become an aggudah achat and rise to the level of holiness wherein our Creator will once again be “in the midst of our camp.” Then, with His mercy and love, may He enable the light of the ultimate redemption to shine upon us, bring the righteous Mashiach, and rebuild the Beit Hamikdash, soon and in our days. V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom and Kativah v’Chatimah Tovah
 
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*** My audio shiurim for Women on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd
 
*** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link.