Rabbi’s Message

Rabbi Natan Halevy

Parashat Nitzavim-Vayeilech 5786, BSD

Standing Together as One: The Timeless Message of Parashat Nitzavim

Every year, just as we stand on the threshold of Rosh Hashanah, we read Parashat Nitzavim. Positioned on the final day of Moshe’s earthly life, this portion serves as his lasting testimony to the Jewish people. It carries a profound, empowering message designed specifically to prepare us for the day when the entire world stands in judgment: our ultimate strength, protection, and connection to Hashem rest in our absolute unity as a nation.

The Ten Levels of One Complete Body

The Parashah opens with a comprehensive declaration:

“You are all standing (Nitzavim) this day before Hashem, 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—that you may enter the covenant of Hashem…”

Moshe explicitly enumerates ten distinct types of people, encompassing every soul from the highest stature to the lowest, and extends this covenant to every generation yet to come: “and also with those who are not here with us, this day.”

In the spiritual sense, our nation is structured like a human body. Just as a head cannot function without the feet, every soul is essential to the beauty and completeness of the whole. The Talmud teaches that all of Israel are guarantors (arvim) for one another. We can only enter Hashem’s covenant—and reveal the deepest, inner essence of our connection to Him—when every single part of our collective body is present and represented.

Why Unity Unleashes Heavenly Blessing

The word Nitzavim does not merely mean “standing”; it means standing strongly. This strength directly determines how we fare in the heavenly court on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

The Parent’s Joy: Much like human parents who feel overwhelming joy when they see their children living in harmony, Hashem deeply cherishes unity among His children. When He sees us striving for peace (Shalom), He looks upon us with extra mercy, forgiving our misdeeds and welcoming our collective prayers.

The Ultimate Vessel: As the Sages state in the Talmud, “Hashem found no vessel better to hold blessings than peace.” Unity expands our capacity to receive divine light and lifts our prayers on high.

Standing in the Seventh Month

This Shabbat is also Shabbat Mevarchim, when we announce the upcoming month of Tishrei. Uniquely, we do not recite the standard public prayer for the new month because Hashem Himself directly blesses Tishrei.

In the Torah, Tishrei is called Shevii—the seventh month. This root is closely tied to the Hebrew word Sovah, meaning full, satiated, and rich with blessing. Through the mitzvot of Tishrei—teshuva (return), the sounding of the Shofar, and renewing Hashem’s kingdom—we activate these divine revelations for the coming year.

“It Is Not in Heaven”: Power in the Daily Deeds

Later in the portion, the Torah provides an incredible reassurance regarding our ability to fulfill our divine mission and refine our character:

“For this commandment which I command you this day, is not concealed from you, nor is it far away. It is not in heaven… Nor is it beyond the sea… Rather, this thing is very close to you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can fulfill it.”

Life is not always easy, nor is it always fair. Yet the Torah instructs us not to waste our spiritual energy agonizing over the hidden things outside our control. Our focus must remain on what is revealed and accessible: our immediate choices, our daily conduct, and our inner character.

Real, lasting change begins with small, consistent, daily good deeds. When we take responsibility for what is in our hands, we empower ourselves to navigate life’s challenges with wisdom and light.

Entering the New Year

As the Midrash teaches, when a person focuses their heart in prayer, it is a sure sign that their prayer is accepted: “Hashem, You hear the desire of the humble.”

By coming together without division, recognizing our shared responsibility, and focusing on the good deeds within our reach, we secure our standing in judgment. May our shared learning elevate our actions, and may we all be inscribed and sealed for a happy, healthy, peaceful, and sweet new year.

Shabbat Shalom Umevorach!