The Global Yeshiva
Get More Enthusiasm for Your Judaism!
Nitzavim/Vayeilech
Nitzavim/Vayeilech
Tosfos (Megillah) states that parshat Nitzavim is always read before Rosh Hashana so that we have a break from the 98 curses from parshat Ki Tavo. However, in parshat Nitzavim we have a lot of curses as well (see: 29; 17-28)!?! Why do we head in to the New Year with so many curses?
Additionally, the torah (30;11-14) states that the torah isn't in the heavens or across the sea--rather, it's in our mouth's and hearts. However, if the torah had to tell us that it's not in the heavens or across the sea that that means that there must have been a good reason for Hashem to have put it there! What would Hashem gain by putting the torah in the heavens or across the sea? Why would we think He would put it there?
Furthermore, Rashi (29;12) relates that Moshe told the nation of Israel: "Although you have caused much anger to the Omnipresent, nevertheless He has not made total destruction of you, and behold, you exist before Him." What message is Moshe trying to relate over here? That Hashem just scares us and doesn't carry out his threats?
Rabbi Yochanan Zweig explains that there are 2 parts to a torah scroll: the parchment (symbolizing the oral torah) and the words (symbolizing the written torah). The Medresh Tanchuma (Noach) relates that at Mount Sinai the jews accepted the written torah but not the oral torah. The question arises: What's the difference between the written torah and the oral torah? Rabbi Zweig explains that the written torah (the text) lists all the regulations of the torah (613 mitzvot, etc.). As a result, the written torah has no boundaries and could be analyzed forever. Without the written torah, Rabbi Zweig explains, man has no purpose in this world. In contrast, the oral torah represents the fact that Hashem made us responsible to figure out and develop the truth that were able to extrapolate from the torah. The oral torah obligates us to search out the truth.
Rabbi Zweig explains that Hashem had to tell us that the torah isn't in the heavens or across the sea for we might have thought it was there since were responsible to search for the truth. For this reason, Hashem told us that the torah is in our mouths and hearts--meaning, although were obligated to search for answers, He nevertheless made the torah very accessible for us to reach.
Similarly, Rabbi Zweig explains that Moshe was telling the nation of Israel (Rashi, 29;12) that Hashem is totally committed to us. Moshe was telling the nation that Hashem was threatening them for their own good as they are only harming themselves by sinning. Hashem wants us to be as great as we could be--therefore, He gave us the torah and He put it in our mouth's and in our hearts instead of in the heavens or across the sea.
Lastly, Rabbi Zweig explains that parshat Nitzavim is always read before Rosh Hashana instead of parshat Ki Tavo, although it contains many curses, because after reading parshat Nitzavim we learn that Hashem does everything for our own good. Were we to head in to Rosh Hashana right after reading the curses from parshat Ki Tavo then we would think that Hashem gave us the torah for His own sake in addition to our sake.
Comment
© 2013 Created by Rav Mitterhoff.
You need to be a member of The Global Yeshiva to add comments!
Join The Global Yeshiva