2020/5780

The Torah writes in this week’s Parashah that we are being entered into a Brit “LeMa’an Hakim Otecha Hayom Lo Le’Am, VeHu Yihyeh Lecha LeElokim,” “To lift us up into His nation and so that He will be your God” (Devarim 29:12) Rashi (ibid s.v. VeHu Yihyeh Lecha LeElokim) explains that because Hashem promised to our forefathers that he will take us as a nation, He made a Berit with us. However, Rashi then asks why Nitzavim is found right next to the Tochachah in last week’s Parasha. He explains that the people were so scared by the curses that they asked “who can withstand these curses?” The Tochacha was so tough for them to hear that Moshe Rabbeinu is forced to reply “Atem Nitzavim,” “You are here today” (Devarim 29:9). Moshe Rabbeinu tells the people that although they have sinned and their children will sin, they still are here today: Hashem is still with you, and there is a purpose for being here.

This is an incredible lesson as we approach Rosh HaShanah. It is easy, upon reflection of the year that is passing, to be discouraged by all of the bad things that we have done, all of the times that we did not live up to our potential. However, we must remember that we are still standing here today; Hashem still loves us and wants us to do Teshuvah, to work on ourselves in order that we become better and stronger family members, friends, and Jews so as to make this new year truly special.

Rabbi Yissocher Frand begins his essay “Fresh Beginnings” by discussing the mitzvah of Onein, someone who is not allowed to do Mitzvot following the death of a close relative. Rabbi Frand writes that when his mother passed away and he was an Onein, he found himself in “auto-pilot”, accidentally making Berachot for the first few times he ate as an Onein. Rabbi Sholom Schwadron, the Maggid of Yerushalayim, tells a story between two old Yerushalmi Jews. One asks the other what will be with all of our sins once we die. However, the other says back, “I’m not worried about our sins, I am worried about our Mitzvot,” because you can always do Teshuvah, but there is no recipe of Teshuvah for Mitzvot.

As we close this year and reflect upon our mistakes, we should all resolve to try and change ourselves, work to become even stronger Jews, and also remember to work on our Mitzvot as well, because for our Mitzvot, even more than our Aveirot, we should resolve to snap out of the auto-pilot, and give real meaning to every davening, every Beracha, and all of our actions that we do. Thus, hopefully, we can stand before Hashem as people ready to change and excel in our Avodat Hashem come the Yamim Nora’im.