Parshiyos Nitzavim-Vayelech 5780

The first of this week's parshiyos, Parshas Nitzavim, is fascinating in that every single passuk can be read as being about Rosh HaShana. The parsha reads like a plea for us to change our ways, to do better and to return to HaShem, when we are seven days away from the Yom HaDin. I'm going to prove it. We will go through the parsha and create various sections. These sections each have a theme that relates to Rosh HaShana, and at the end, climaxes in a passionate plea from HaShem to us, asking us to return to Him.

דברים כ״ט:ט׳-ל׳:כ׳

(ט) אַתֶּ֨ם נִצָּבִ֤ים הַיּוֹם֙ כֻּלְּכֶ֔ם לִפְנֵ֖י ה' אֱלֹקיכֶ֑ם רָאשֵׁיכֶ֣ם שִׁבְטֵיכֶ֗ם זִקְנֵיכֶם֙ וְשֹׁ֣טְרֵיכֶ֔ם כֹּ֖ל אִ֥ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (י) טַפְּכֶ֣ם נְשֵׁיכֶ֔ם וְגֵ֣רְךָ֔ אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּקֶ֣רֶב מַחֲנֶ֑יךָ מֵחֹטֵ֣ב עֵצֶ֔יךָ עַ֖ד שֹׁאֵ֥ב מֵימֶֽיךָ...(יד) כִּי֩ אֶת־אֲשֶׁ֨ר יֶשְׁנ֜וֹ פֹּ֗ה עִמָּ֙נוּ֙ עֹמֵ֣ד הַיּ֔וֹם לִפְנֵ֖י 'ה אֱלֹקינוּ וְאֵ֨ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֵינֶ֛נּוּ פֹּ֖ה עִמָּ֥נוּ הַיּֽוֹם׃ (פ)

Deuteronomy 29:9-30:20

(9) You stand this day, all of you, before the LORD your God—your tribal heads, your elders and your officials, all the men of Israel, (10) your children, your wives, even the stranger within your camp, from woodchopper to water drawer...(14) but both with those who are standing here with us this day before the LORD our God and with those who are not with us here this day.

This first section creates the concept of Malchus, the idea that HaShem is the sole King and God over all of mankind. Rashi quotes the medrash on Passuk 14, which says that the bris being made in these psukim was not being made only with those of Bnai Yisrael who were physically standing there, but also with every generation that would come after them- hence the lack of the word, "standing".

דברים כ״ט:ט״ו-כ״ח

(טו) כִּֽי־אַתֶּ֣ם יְדַעְתֶּ֔ם אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־יָשַׁ֖בְנוּ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם וְאֵ֧ת אֲשֶׁר־עָבַ֛רְנוּ בְּקֶ֥רֶב הַגּוֹיִ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר עֲבַרְתֶּֽם... (יז) פֶּן־יֵ֣שׁ בָּ֠כֶם אִ֣ישׁ אוֹ־אִשָּׁ֞ה א֧וֹ מִשְׁפָּחָ֣ה אוֹ־שֵׁ֗בֶט אֲשֶׁר֩ לְבָב֨וֹ פֹנֶ֤ה הַיּוֹם֙ מֵעִם֙ ה' אֱלֹקינוּ... וְהִתְבָּרֵ֨ךְ בִּלְבָב֤וֹ לֵאמֹר֙ שָׁל֣וֹם יִֽהְיֶה־לִּ֔י כִּ֛י בִּשְׁרִר֥וּת לִבִּ֖י אֵלֵ֑ךְ לְמַ֛עַן סְפ֥וֹת הָרָוָ֖ה אֶת־הַצְּמֵאָֽה׃ (יט) לֹא־יֹאבֶ֣ה ה' סְלֹ֣חַֽ לוֹ֒

Deuteronomy 29:15-28

(15) Well you know that we dwelt in the land of Egypt and that we passed through the midst of various other nations through which you passed...(17) Perchance there is among you some man or woman, or some clan or tribe, whose heart is even now turning away from the LORD our God...he may fancy himself immune, thinking, “I shall be safe, though I follow my own willful heart”—to the utter ruin of moist and dry alike. (19) The LORD will never forgive him;

In these psukim, Bnai Yisrael are receiving a warning. Even though they had traveled through the most morally depraved places on this Earth, they needed to stay strong and not be swayed. However, there will be those people amongst Bnai Yisrael who cannot beat their Yetzer Hara, and their desires, and will say "I'll be okay- I can sin and I won't be punished." Not only are those people punished, but the Medrash Lekach Tov says those people who do it on purpose are those who will never be forgiven. Any person who strays from HaShem, and follows after the other nations and their desires, will be punished. This is the concept of Bechira Chofshis, free will, where every action has a consequence. HaShem needs to mete out justice, so those who desert Him are punished, and those who follow Him get rewarded. However, even if someone needs to be punished for sinning, HaShem has mercy.

דברים ל׳:א׳-ו׳

(א) וְהָיָה֩ כִֽי־יָבֹ֨אוּ עָלֶ֜יךָ כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֗לֶּה הַבְּרָכָה֙ וְהַקְּלָלָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָתַ֖תִּי לְפָנֶ֑יךָ וַהֲשֵׁבֹתָ֙ אֶל־לְבָבֶ֔ךָ בְּכָל־הַגּוֹיִ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֧ר הִדִּיחֲךָ֛ ה' אֱלֹקיךָ שָֽׁמָּה׃ (ב) וְשַׁבְתָּ֞ עַד־ה' אֱלֹקיךָ֙ וְשָׁמַעְתָּ֣ בְקֹל֔וֹ כְּכֹ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־אָנֹכִ֥י מְצַוְּךָ֖ הַיּ֑וֹם אַתָּ֣ה וּבָנֶ֔יךָ בְּכָל־לְבָבְךָ֖ וּבְכָל־נַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃ (ג) וְשָׁ֨ב ה' אֱלֹקיךָ אֶת־שְׁבוּתְךָ֖ וְרִחֲמֶ֑ךָ וְשָׁ֗ב וְקִבֶּצְךָ֙ מִכָּל־הָ֣עַמִּ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֧ר הֱפִֽיצְךָ֛ ה' אֱלֹקיךָ שָֽׁמָּה׃ (ד) אִם־יִהְיֶ֥ה נִֽדַּחֲךָ֖ בִּקְצֵ֣ה הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם מִשָּׁ֗ם יְקַבֶּצְךָ֙ ה' אֱלֹקיךָ וּמִשָּׁ֖ם יִקָּחֶֽךָ׃ (ה) וֶהֱבִֽיאֲךָ֞ ה' אֱלֹקיךָ אֶל־הָאָ֛רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־יָרְשׁ֥וּ אֲבֹתֶ֖יךָ וִֽירִשְׁתָּ֑הּ וְהֵיטִֽבְךָ֥ וְהִרְבְּךָ֖ מֵאֲבֹתֶֽיךָ׃ (ו) וּמָ֨ל ה' אֱלֹקיךָ אֶת־לְבָבְךָ֖ וְאֶת־לְבַ֣ב זַרְעֶ֑ךָ לְאַהֲבָ֞ה אֶת ה' אֱלֹקיךָ בְּכָל־לְבָבְךָ֥ וּבְכָל־נַפְשְׁךָ֖ לְמַ֥עַן חַיֶּֽיךָ׃

Deuteronomy 30:1-6

(1) When all these things befall you—the blessing and the curse that I have set before you—and you take them to heart amidst the various nations to which the LORD your God has banished you, (2) and you return to the LORD your God, and you and your children heed His command with all your heart and soul, just as I enjoin upon you this day, (3) then the LORD your God will restore your fortunes and take you back in love. He will bring you together again from all the peoples where the LORD your God has scattered you. (4) Even if your outcasts are at the ends of the world, from there the LORD your God will gather you, from there He will fetch you. (5) And the LORD your God will bring you to the land that your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it; and He will make you more prosperous and more numerous than your fathers. (6) Then the LORD your God will open up your heart and the hearts of your offspring to love the LORD your God with all your heart and soul, in order that you may live.

Even when HaShem needs to act with middas hadin, when He is Malkeinu, He is first and foremost Avinu. When we try to return to Him, He will sweep us up into His arms and gather us from the corners of the Earth- no matter how far. And once we show Him we are willing to change- וּמָ֨ל יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ אֶת־לְבָבְךָ֖, HaShem will help us do Teshuva. However, change can still seem really hard. It's very possible for us, as humans, to get discouraged. How can we keep every mitzvah, every halacha? They can seem so complicated and, CV"S, sometimes outdated. For this reason, the psukim continue:

דברים ל׳:י״ב-י״ד

(יב) לֹ֥א בַשָּׁמַ֖יִם הִ֑וא לֵאמֹ֗ר מִ֣י יַעֲלֶה־לָּ֤נוּ הַשָּׁמַ֙יְמָה֙ וְיִקָּחֶ֣הָ לָּ֔נוּ וְיַשְׁמִעֵ֥נוּ אֹתָ֖הּ וְנַעֲשֶֽׂנָּה׃ (יג) וְלֹֽא־מֵעֵ֥בֶר לַיָּ֖ם הִ֑וא לֵאמֹ֗ר מִ֣י יַעֲבָר־לָ֜נוּ אֶל־עֵ֤בֶר הַיָּם֙ וְיִקָּחֶ֣הָ לָּ֔נוּ וְיַשְׁמִעֵ֥נוּ אֹתָ֖הּ וְנַעֲשֶֽׂנָּה׃ (יד) כִּֽי־קָר֥וֹב אֵלֶ֛יךָ הַדָּבָ֖ר מְאֹ֑ד בְּפִ֥יךָ וּבִֽלְבָבְךָ֖ לַעֲשֹׂתֽוֹ׃ (ס)

Deuteronomy 30:12-14

(12) It is not in the heavens, that you should say, “Who among us can go up to the heavens and get it for us and impart it to us, that we may observe it?” (13) Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, “Who among us can cross to the other side of the sea and get it for us and impart it to us, that we may observe it?” (14) No, the thing is very close to you, in your mouth and in your heart, to observe it.

The Torah, though it can seem distant and harsh, is actually a huge part of us. It is closer to us than we can even imagine, and we should take courage from that, and know that we can achieve more than we think. Once we know this, then we can read the final psukim, and hear their impassioned plea-

דברים ל׳:ט״ו-ל״א

(טו) רְאֵ֨ה נָתַ֤תִּי לְפָנֶ֙יךָ֙ הַיּ֔וֹם אֶת־הַֽחַיִּ֖ים וְאֶת־הַטּ֑וֹב וְאֶת־הַמָּ֖וֶת וְאֶת־הָרָֽע... (יט) הַעִידֹ֨תִי בָכֶ֣ם הַיּוֹם֮ אֶת־הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם וְאֶת־הָאָרֶץ֒ הַחַיִּ֤ים וְהַמָּ֙וֶת֙ נָתַ֣תִּי לְפָנֶ֔יךָ הַבְּרָכָ֖ה וְהַקְּלָלָ֑ה וּבָֽחַרְתָּ֙ בַּֽחַיִּ֔ים לְמַ֥עַן תִּחְיֶ֖ה אַתָּ֥ה וְזַרְעֶֽךָ׃ (כ) לְאַֽהֲבָה֙ אֶת־ה' אֱלֹקיךָ לִשְׁמֹ֥עַ בְּקֹל֖וֹ וּלְדָבְקָה־ב֑וֹ כִּ֣י ה֤וּא חַיֶּ֙יךָ֙ וְאֹ֣רֶךְ יָמֶ֔יךָ לָשֶׁ֣בֶת עַל־הָאֲדָמָ֗ה אֲשֶׁר֩ נִשְׁבַּ֨ע ה' לַאֲבֹתֶ֛יךָ לְאַבְרָהָ֛ם לְיִצְחָ֥ק וּֽלְיַעֲקֹ֖ב לָתֵ֥ת לָהֶֽם׃ (פ)

Deuteronomy 30:15-31

(15) See, I set before you this day life and prosperity, death and adversity...(19) I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day: I have put before you life and death, blessing and curse. Choose life—if you and your offspring would live— (20) by loving the LORD your God, heeding His commands, and holding fast to Him. For thereby you shall have life and shall long endure upon the soil that the LORD swore to your ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give to them.

These final psukim, the climax of the parsha, cry out to us, telling us to choose HaShem. To choose the path of life. To do teshuva, וְשַׁבְתָּ֞ עַד־יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙. At long last, we understand the importance of doing teshuva, and we see how important it is to HaShem that we return to Him so He can shower us with sheffa and bracha- He devotes an entire parsha to this message! The question we now need to ask ourselves, is how?
As humans, we mess up constantly. We sin, and we do things that we know we shouldn't. It's very easy for someone to look at Rosh HaShana, fast approaching, and freak out. How can I do teshuva in this one week, and then again in the ten days from Rosh HaShana until Yom Kippur, for everything I've done wrong? The task seems insurmountable, and it's very possible that we can shut down.
I heard the most incredible shiur from R' Meyer Bodner that solves this issue. He discussed the tremendous importance and impact of having an anchor. One mitzvah that no matter what, we push ourselves to do consistently and well. It could be anything! One halacha of tznius, one tefillah, one area of speech, the list goes on and on and on.
The one mitzvah is an anchor for you- but it's also a sign to HaShem. HaShem tells us, as the medrash on Shir HaShirim quotes, פִּתְחוּ לִי פֶּתַח אֶחָד שֶׁל תְּשׁוּבָה כְּחֻדָּהּ שֶׁל מַחַט,Create an opening for me, an area of teshuva as big as the eye of a needle, וַאֲנִי פּוֹתֵחַ לָכֶם פְּתָחִים שֶׁיִּהְיוּ עֲגָלוֹת וּקְרוֹנִיּוֹת נִכְנָסוֹת בּוֹ, and I will stretch that opening to be so big that wagons can fit through it.
When we show HaShem that we want to do teshuva, and we open the door, HaShem comes through and does the rest. Chazal teach us that בַּדֶּרֶךְ שֶׁאָדָם רוֹצֶה לֵילֵךְ בָּהּ, מוֹלִיכִין אוֹתוֹ, HaShem helps us go down the paths we wish to take. R' Avigdor Miller would add on- "in direct proportion to how much one wants it!"
Once we understand the importance of doing teshuva, and we see how strongly HaShem wants us to return to Him, BEZ"H that will make us want to do teshuva. Once we want to do teshuva, we can find our anchor, and start the path of redemption, with help from HaShem.