Cary Hillebrand takes a look at the double portion, Nitzavim/Vayelech

Parashat Nitzavlm

פרשת נצבים

דברים Deuteronomy 29:9 to 30:20

Although Nitzavim is one of the shortest of ail the parashot, it has a very powerful message as we will see. Nitzavim is read with the following parashah, Vayelech when either Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur occur on Shabbat. When neither occur on Shabbat, they are read on separate shabatot. Nitzavim is always read on the shabbat preceding Rosh Hashanah.

Moses continues to address the people on the last day of his life.

Chapter 29, Verses 9 through 14 – All the people are summoned

The theme of inclusiveness in this pact. All are standing (or perhaps a more correct translation of נצבים is summoned to be present, that is, nobody is exempt) before G-d, from the highest (tribal heads and elders) to those occupying the most menial rungs of society (woodcutters and water drawers – מחטב עציך עד שאב מימיך). Children and wives (in that order), and even “the stranger living among us”) גרך אשר בקרב מחניך) are also included. In most references in the Torah, women are not addressed, or at most their possible inclusion may be implied or is left ambiguous.

A post-Talmudic interpretation is that this covenant is inclusive of not only those present this day, but also those not with them, those yet unborn. Is this a reference to future generations of Jews and future converts (most prevalent interpretation), or merely those not in attendance for whatever reason? The covenant is entered into with the understanding of the severe sanctions if, or rather when, the people stray.

Under this interpretation, future generations, although they were not present and did not willingly accept the covenant, are nonetheless bound to it. Is that just or fair? Is the Torah even about “fair”?

Verses 15 through 27 – Dire warning of consequences

Dire warning: whoever adapts the forbidden customs of the surrounding lands and worships their gods, all the terrible sanctions noted in this book (Deuteronomy) will befall on the people.

Rabbis of the Talmud attributed this prophecy to the conquest of the Northern Kingdom by the Assyrians and the subsequent exile of the ten tribes.

Verse 28 – Concealed verses overt acts

The Rabbis interpreted “concealed acts” (הנסתרת) as sins that are made by individuals in private and are not known to the public or are made in ignorance, or even by the descendants of assimilated Jews that were not aware that these commandments were binding upon them. Moses here assures the people that as a group they will not be held accountable, as concealed acts or hidden sins are the province of G-d alone to judge.

Note eleven dots over the words “for us and for our children” (לנו ולבנינו). Meaning, if any, is not clear.

Chapter 30, Verses 1 through 10 – Redemption after exile

Moses assures the people that even in the depths of (the inevitable) exile and despair, if they repent and correct the errors of their ways, the exiles will be ingathered and returned to the promised land, and life will be good again. This section may support the conjecture that these chapters may have been written during (or is a prophesy of) the Babylonian exile to explain to the people what brought on their present miseries, and that if they do not lose hope, and remain true to the teachings of the Torah, then redemption is just around the corner. And indeed, the Babylonian exile lasted “only” seventy years.

Verses 11 through 14 – Commandments are accessible to everyone

This is an incredibly beautiful paragraph. These commandments are not in the heavens and are not beyond the sea (לא בשמים הוא … ולא מעבר לים). They are right here, accessible, and close at hand. Note that this section is quoted in the well-known Rabbinic debate in the Babylonian Talmud: “The Oven of Achnai”.

The Torah is neither exclusive nor secretive, accessible only to a chosen educated elite (the Priesthood) but belongs to all the people. In the ancient world, this concept of universal accessibility to the law was a situation almost unique to Judaism. The Cohanim Priests, while occupying a position of both privileges and responsibilities, did not have exclusive access to the Torah or to its teachings.

Scribes writing a new Torah or repairing an existing one are charged with neither omitting nor adding to it. While the Torah is fixed and inviolate in word and in form, its interpretation is adaptable to changing circumstances, assuring that it remains relevant in a changing world.

Verses 15 through 20 – The choice is now ours; destiny is in our hands

Moses sets before Israel the choice: either keep the commandments and prosper, or stray from the correct path and pursue false gods which would lead inevitably to destruction and exile. The choice is now ours; our destiny is in our hands.

Parashat Vayelech

פרשת וילך

דברים Deuteronomy 31:1 to 31:30

Vayelech is the shortest parashah in the Torah. Vayelech is read with the previous parashah, Nitzavim when either Rosh HaShanah or Yom Kippur occur on Shabbat. When neither occur on Shabbat, they are read on separate shabatot.

Chapter 31, Verses 1 through 8 – Moses passes the mantle to Joshua

Moses, now 120 years old, addresses Israel on the last day of his life. “I can no longer go out or come in” (לא אוכל עוד לצאת ולבוא). The Hebrew is somewhat cryptic. Does this mean that Moses is physically incapacitated, or (more probably) that he lost the ability to lead? At G-d’s command, he will not be joining them as they cross the Jordan to enter the promised land. He assures the people that G-d will be in their lead and they will have a successful conquest. He passes the mantle of leadership to Joshua, commanding him to be strong and resolute (חזק ואמץ).

Verses 9 through 13 – Moses writes down the torah and presents to the people

Moses wrote down the Torah and presented it to the priests, the Levites, and the elders, that is, to both the religious and the civil leaders. Rabbinic commentators are divided as to whether the intention is all five books of the Torah or only the book of Deuteronomy. They were instructed that every seventh year (שנת השמיטה), at the feast of Succoth, this teaching should be read aloud to all the people of Israel, as well as their descendants. Even the stranger or resident alien is included. Why the year of the shmitah? Perhaps because in a largely agrarian society, with the land uncultivated, people would have had the free time to engage in study. This may represent a first step towards universal education, at a time when it was usually only accessible to a privileged few.

Verses 14 through 21 – Moses summons Joshua, receives a sobering message from G-d

Moses is called by G-d to bring Joshua to the Tent of Meeting so that he can be instructed by G-d. While the Torah proceeds to record G-d’s parting words to Moses, it does not record G-d’s instructions to Joshua.

Gd delivers to Moses a sobering pronouncement that after Moses passes from the scene, the people will certainly go astray and break the covenant and turn to other gods. They shall be abandoned from G-d (I will hide my countenance from them – והסתרתי פני מהם). As this is presented as a foregone conclusion, this may be a clue that this section was written during the Babylonian exile after these things came to pass or, alternatively, that it prophesies it. This raises a troubling theological question. If Israel’s misadventures are pre-ordained, then what is the place of free will or human responsibility for their actions?

Moses is instructed to write his words down as a poem, as a mnemonic device for them to remember. That way, when they face the consequences of their shortcomings, the poem will be witness to the fact that they were duly warned: “I told you so!”. Is this the ultimate guilt trip?

Verses 22 through 30 – Moses writes his parting words as a poem, presents to the people

Moses recorded the poem and taught it to the people. He charged Joshua to be a strong and resolute leader. The Levites were commanded to place the teaching in the ark of the covenant to remain as a witness. An aged and bitter (or perhaps realistic/fatalistic) Moses tells them that once he is gone, things will go downhill from there. Moses will then recite the poem to all the people (tune in next week).  m ,