Parshat Nitzavim Mincha Shiur 9/13/25

(15) See, I set before you this day life and prosperity, death and adversity. (16) For I command you this day, to love your God יהוה, to walk in God’s ways, and to keep God’s commandments, God’s laws, and God’s rules, that you may thrive and increase, and that your God יהוה may bless you in the land that you are about to enter and possess. (17) But if your heart turns away and you give no heed, and are lured into the worship and service of other gods, (18) I declare to you this day that you shall certainly perish; you shall not long endure on the soil that you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess.

(1)THE TWO WAYS RABBI ELIEZER said: I heard with my ear the Lord of hosts speaking. What did He speak? He said: "See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil" (Deut. 30:15). The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Behold, these two ways have I given to Israel, one is good, the other is evil. The one which is good, is of life; and the one which is evil, is of death. The good way has two byways, one of righteousness and the other of love, and Elijah, be he remembered for good, is placed exactly between these two ways. When a man comes to enter (one of these ways), Elijah, be he remembered for good, cries aloud concerning him, saying, "Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth truth may enter in" (Isa. 26:2).
And there cometh Samuel the prophet, and he places himself between these two byways. He says: On which of these (two byways) shall I go? If I go on the way of righteousness, then (the path) of || love is better than the former; if I go on the way of love, (the way) of righteousness is better: but I call heaven and earth to be my witnesses that I will not give up either of them.


(2) The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Samuel ! Thou hast placed thyself between these two good byways. By thy life! I will give to thee three good gifts. This teaches thee that everyone who doeth righteousness and sheweth the service of love, shall inherit three good gifts, and they are: life, righteousness, and glory, as it is said, "He that followeth after righteousness and love, findeth life, righteousness, and glory" (Prov. 21:21). It is only written here (in the text): "He findeth life, righteousness, and glory."


(3) (Leading) to the way of evil, there are four doors, and at each door seven angels are standing—four without, and three within. The (angels) without are merciful, and those within are cruel. When a man comes to enter, the merciful angels go to meet him and say to him: What hast thou to do with the fire yonder? What hast thou to do with those glowing coals? Listen to us and repent. If he hearken to them and repent, behold it is well, and if not, he says to them: Amongst them (yonder) let my life (be). || They say to him: Thou hast entered the first door; do not enter the second door. When he comes to enter the second door, the merciful angels go to meet him and say to him: What benefit is it to thee to be erased from the Torah of thy God? Would it not be better to be inscribed in the Torah of thy God? Hearken unto us and repent. If he listen to them and repent, it is well; and if not, he says to them: With them yonder let my life (be). They say to him: Behold thou hast entered the second door, do not enter the third door. When he is about to enter the third door the merciful angels go to meet him and say to him: What benefit is to thee that they (i.e. the good angels) should flee from thee and call thee "Unclean"? Would it not be better that they should call thee "Pure One" and not "Unclean"? Hearken to us and repent. If he hearken unto them, behold, it is well; and if not, he says unto them: With them (yonder) let my life (be). They say to him: Behold thou hast entered the third door; do not enter the fourth door! When he is about to enter the fourth door the merciful angels go to meet him and say to him: Behold, thou hast entered these doors, and thou hast not hearkened nor returned. Thus far the Holy One, blessed be He, receives || the penitent; thus far the Holy One, blessed be He, pardons and forgives, and every day He says: Return, ye children of man, as it is said: "Thou turnest man to contrition" (Ps. 90:8).

“It is not in the heavens, to say: Who will ascend for us to the heavens, and take it for us, and communicate it to us, that we will perform it” (Deuteronomy 30:12).“And it is not across the sea, to say: Who will cross for us to the other side of the sea and take it for us, and communicate it to us that we will perform it” (Deuteronomy 30:13).
“Rather the matter is very near to you, in your mouth and in your heart to perform it” (Deuteronomy 30:14).
Another matter, “it is not in the heavens” – they said: ‘Our master, Moses, you are saying: “It is not in the heavens” and “it is not across the sea.” Where is it?’ He said to them: ‘It is is a place that is near: “in your mouth and in your heart to perform it.” It is not distant from you, it is near to you.’
Another matter, “in your mouth and in your heart to perform it” – the Rabbis said: Solomon said seven matters regarding the idler, but what Moses said was greater than all of them. How so? They said to the idler: ‘Your teacher is in the city, go and learn Torah from him.’ He answers them and says to them: ‘I am afraid of the lion on the way.’ From where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “The idler says: There is a lion on the way” (Proverbs 26:13). They said to him: ‘Your teacher is in the neighborhood, get up and go to him.’ He says to them: ‘I am afraid that there might be a lion outside,’ as it is stated: “A lion in the streets” (Proverbs 26:13). They said to him: ‘He is residing next to your house.’ He said to them: ‘But the lion is outside,’ as it is stated: “The idler says: There is a lion in the street” (Proverbs 22:13). They said to him: ‘Inside the house.’ He said to them: ‘But if I go and find the door [of his room] locked, I will need to come back.’ They said to him: ‘It is open.’ From where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “The door turns on its hinges, and the idler is on his bed” (Proverbs 26:14). Ultimately, he did not know what to answer. He said to them: ‘Whether the door is open or locked, I wish to sleep a bit longer.’ From where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “How long will you lie down, idler? [When will you arise from your sleep?]” (Proverbs 6:9). He awakened from his sleep in the morning, they placed before him to eat. He was too lazy to put it in his mouth. From where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “The idler inserts his hand into the dish; he is too weary to return it to his mouth” (Proverbs 26:15). Which is the seventh? “From the winter, the idler will not plow; he will ask at harvest, and there is nothing” (Proverbs 20:4). What is, “from the winter, the idler will not plow”? Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said: This is one who does not study Torah in his youth and seeks to study in his old age, but is unable to do so. That is, “he will ask at harvest, and there is nothing.” But what Moses said was greater than all of them. From where is it derived? “Rather, the matter is very near to you, in your mouth and in your heart to perform it” – take the matter out of your mouth.

We find, however, in the book of the Torah a contrary view, namely, that a human being's visible acts are in his own power. He can choose then as he pleases. They are effected by his choice and free will and he is accordingly liable to reward or punishment for service and transgression respectively, as it is said, "See, I have set before you this day life and good, and death and evil" (Deut. 30:15). ". . . therefore choose life" (Deut. 30:19). "Through your hands this has come" (Malachi 1:9). "For according to a man's act, He requites him" (Job 34:11). "A man's folly perverts his way" (Prov. 19:3). Everything in our religious literature, whether it be instruction, precept or moral exhortation, demonstrates this view. And whatever is there set forth concerning reward for service, and punishment for transgression, indicates that a human being's acts are left to himself and that the Divine glory does not interfere in his prosperity or in his ill-fortune, in his righteous deeds or in his perversities.

This is hard for me to grasp, and to reconcile the contradiction of these two views is exceedingly difficult. If there is a remedy for this difficulty which troubles me sorely, may G-d relieve me through your aid.

The Understanding: The difficulty you state of reconciling these two contending conceptions, found in the books, is no greater than that of solving the contradiction found in observing life's actual experiences. For we see that a human being's activities are sometimes in accordance with his thoughts and desires and sometimes they are against his wish and intent.

These differences show you that the exalted Creator has control over a human being and that the latter is bound by the Almighty who permits him to do only what He wishes and prevents him from doing what He does not wish. This is also apparent in the function of speech, hearing and sight. And, on the other hand, I see that reward and punishment come to a human being; that he is rewarded and punished according to his deeds and movements either in serving G-d or rebelling against Him.