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Vol 19.35 - Nitzavim 1          Spanish French Audio  Video

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Chumash

Summary:

(5746) Rashi (Beg. of Parsha Deut 29:9): "You are all standing"

 

Translation:

1. On the verse (Deut. 29:9): “You are all standing (this day)” (אַתֶּ֨ם נִצָּבִ֤ים הַיּוֹם֙ כֻּלְּכֶ֔ם)

Rashi comments on, “You are all standing” and states:

“This (“this day”) teaches us that on the day of his death, Moshe assembled Yisroel in the presence of the Holy One, Blessed is He, to bring them into (His) covenant.

It is not understood:

What is Rashi innovating by stating “This teaches us . . Moshe assembled Yisroel . . to bring them into His covenant”. It clearly states in the verse: (v.11):

“You are all standing (this day) . . to pass you into the covenant of the L-rd, your G-d etc.” (לְעָבְרְךָ֗ בִּבְרִ֛ית)

The commentators learn that Rashi’s innovation, “This teaches us etc.” is not regarding “bringing them into the covenant” which is clearly stated in the verse, but rather to that which “Moshe assembled them”.

For the verse just states, “You are all standing”. It could therefore be that Moshe did not assemble them, but that they remained standing in their place (they way they were encamped around the Ark).

Therefore, Rashi states “This teaches us that . . Moshe assembled Yisroel before G-d, to bring them into His covenant”. And Rashi’s proof that Moshe “assembled them” is from the words “to pass you into the covenant of the L-rd, your G-d” – meaning that the assembly was “to bring them into the covenant”. Bringing them into the covenant” was through “passing” (העברה), which must first have assembly (כינוס).

However, it is problematic to learn Rashi so, since according to this:

  1. Rashi should have cited in the heading of the comment also (the following words) “to pass you into the covenant”, on which he bases his proof.
  2. He should not have said “to bring them” (להכניסם) but rather (like the wording of the verse) “to pass you into the covenant” (להעבירם)
  3. Rashi’s wording, “This teaches us that on the day of his death, Moshe assembled Yisroel . . to bring them into His covenant” implies that Rashi’s innovation is in “to bring them into the covenant”.

(Not in the essential aspect that he “assembled them”. Therefore “bringing them into the covenant” should just be the proof for this.)

2. After Rashi explains these verses until (verse 12),

“In order to establish you this day as His people, and that He will be your G-d”,

where he explains, in our verse, two other comments:

“The homiletic explanation (Midrash Aggadah) is as follows: Why is Parshat Nitzavim juxtaposed to the curses (in Parshat Tavo)? Because when Yisroel heard nearly one hundred curses. . Moshe began appeasing them by stating ‘you are standing this day etc. - Indeed, you still exist before Him’”.

And afterward he explains the word “this day” (according to this explanation):

“Like the day which endures etc.”

And he continues:

“Another explanation: You are standing: Because the Israelites were passing from one leader to the next- from Moshe to Yehoshua- therefore, he arranged, for them, a standing assembly, in order to exhort them” (לזרזם).

One must understand:

  1. What is so difficult about the first comment that Rashi must rely on a second comment, and especially one that is homiletic, from “Midrash Aggadah”?

(Especially since Rashi himself emphasizes regarding the first comment, “Until here, I have explained this passage according to its simple sense”, (and then adds) and according to the homiletic).

Furthermore, even the second comment is not sufficient and he must add a third comment, “Another explanation- You are standing etc.”

On the other hand – as has been mentioned many times –the first comment (of Rashi, in all places) is the main explanation. In addition, the second comment is closer to the simple meaning of the verse than the third comment.

Therefore, one must understand:

How is the third comment further from the simple meaning of the verse than the second comment?

  1. Since Rashi cites the explanation of “Midrash Aggadah”, and also the third comment “Another explanation” only at verse (v. 12),

“in order to establish you this day as His people”,

and not immediately in the beginning of the Parsha at the first verse (v. 9)

“You are all standing this day”,

this proves that Rashi’s other two explanations are related not just to the words “You are all standing this day” but rather also to all the verses until the verse “in order to establish you etc.”.

This is like the wording of Rashi in this verse:

Until this point, my interpretation has followed the plain meaning of the section (פרשה). And according to Midrash Aggadah etc.”

This means that the “Midrash Aggadah” is a different explanation even with regard to the other verses that preceded this one. Nevertheless, Rashi does not offer this explanation, in detail, in all the verses according to the “Midrash Aggadah” and “Another explanation”.

It is not understood:

Since the explanation of all the verses differ (בייט זיך) why does Rashi explain (according to “Midrash Aggadah”) only the word “This day. Like the day which endures etc.”?

3. The explanation of this is:

Since Rashi cites,

“This teaches us that . .Moshe assembled Yisroel . . to bring them into His covenant”

and does not state like the wording of the verse,

“to pass you into the covenant”,

it is understood that he is not coming to explain Moshe’s words “You are all standing this day . . to pass you into the covenant” (for this is explicit in the verse). Rather, Rashi is innovating a separate aspect which is derived from the words “You are standing this day”.

Plainly, the Parsha of “You are all standing this day” comes in continuation of the previous Parsha (Deut. 29:1),

“And Moshe called all of Yisroel and said to them, "You have seen all that the L-rd did …”

(For if it would have been a second calling and a separate assembly, then in the beginning of our Parsha it should have again stated, “And Moshe called all of Yisroel”, and so forth)

Therefore, one must plainly learn, that “And Moshe called all of Yisroel”, namely the assembly of all the Yidden that occurred in the end of Parshat Tavo, was with the purpose (צוועק) of saying to them, that which is stated immediately after in the Parsha,

“And Moshe called all of Yisroel and said to them, ‘You have seen . . the great trials . . And you shall observe the words of this covenant and fulfill them”.

This was the purpose of the assembly. And only as a continuation, it states, “You are standing this day”.

On this Rashi innovates by writing “This teaches us”. In other words, from the words “You are standing this day”, one learns that Moshe assembled Yisroel before the Holy One, Blessed is He. . to bring them into His covenant”. The purpose of the assembly was not to convey his speech (in the conclusion of Parshat Tavo) but rather “Moshe assembled Yisroel in the presence of the Holy One, Blessed is He, - to bring them into His covenant”.

The necessity for this explanation is:

  1. The words “You are standing this day”. These words are seemingly not in their proper place. Since it already stated, “And Moshe called all of Yisroel”, all Yisroel were in that assembly. Therefore, Moshe should have begun (talking).

And if, for whatever reason he wanted to say this specifically, (in order to emphasize that it is “before G-d”, and so forth) it should have stated “AND you are all standing this day” – with an additional “and/Vav”.

For example, "You have seen. . And then you arrived at this place. . And you are all standing this day”

Therefore, one must say that the wording is somehow “teaching us” something.

  1. The continuation, “You are all standing this day before the L-rd, your G-d” is strange. Seemingly, they were standing before Moshe, in order to hear what he is conveying.
  2. “This day”. This means “on the day of his death”.

(For in the end of Parshat Tavo, he states “Yet until this day, the L-rd has not given you a heart to know, eyes to see and ears to hear”.. Rashi explains there that this was when Moshe gave the Torah scroll to the sons of Levi” as it is told in Parshat Vayelech. This was on the day of his death. And Parshat Vayelech comes in continuation in the same timeline to Parshat Nitzavim).

If one would learn that the assembly was in order to say to them “You have seen . . the great trials . . And you shall observe the words of this covenant and fulfill them” – a fortification to keeping Torah and Mitzvot – why did he wait until the day of his death and did not tell them earlier?

(Moshe started saying Mishneh Torah (Devarim) on the “in the eleventh month, on the first of the month”)

This all proves that the purpose of the assembly (at the end of Parshat Tavo) “And Moshe called all of Yisroel” was in order to “to enter them into the covenant” (that is stated in our Parsha). This covenant (mainly) concerns the time after the crossing of the Jordan (as Rashi states later in our Parsha). Therefore, he left off saying this until the “day of his death” – as close as possible to the time that Yisroel would cross the Jordan.

4. According to the aforementioned, that “You are standing this day” comes in continuation to the previous calling of Moshe “to all Yisroel” and, on the other hand, the purpose of the assembly was that it be, “before G-d . . to enter you into the covenant”. In addition, that the speech in the end of Parshat Tavo is similar to a parenthetical statement (מאמר המוסגר), namely just a preface and preparation for this. Another two details in the simple meaning of the verse are understood that Rashi does not comment on:

  1. The Torah mentions here “children”. Seemingly, we do not find in the Torah that Moshe Rabbeinu assembled “children” when he assembled all the Yidden (for whatever purpose). Moreover, further on in Parshat Vayelech where it states “Assemble the people: the men, the women, and the children”, Rashi comments on this and forewarns “Why did they come? So that a reward would be given to those who bring them along”.

(It is understood that (according to Rashi) this is not the reason in our Parsha. For then Rashi would have explained it at the first occurrence – here. He would not have delayed commenting on it until a later Sidra).

Although in the aspect of our Parsha, the children had to be present, in order to bring them into the forming of the covenant, which was for everyone. Nevertheless, since “You are standing this day” refers to the assembly in the end of Parshat Tavo, it comes out that the children were present at the beginning of the assembly, when Moshe said “You have seen . . the great trials . . And you shall observe the words of this covenant and fulfill them”. However, that assembly was not applicable to the children, for they are not obligated in Mitzvot?

However, according to the aforementioned explanation in Rashi. Namely, that “And Moshe called all of Yisroel” was “before G-d . . to enter you into the covenant”, it is understood why immediately in the beginning of the calling, the children needed to be brought. For the purpose of the assembly was to enter them into the covenant and the words “You have seen etc.” were just a preface to this.

  1. Before one places upon someone a certain obligation, and especially – an oath and so forth, there must come a reason and preface for it. One does not immediately come to someone with an obligation and oath etc.

In our case, the words “You are standing” were to “to pass you into the covenant of the L-rd, your G-d”, a covenant and oath upon each Yid – of all the various categories of Klal Yisroel. Therefore, how could it be that Moshe would not have said some type of preface to such a great and severe matter?

(This question is in force even if “And Moshe called all of Yisroel” was for the purpose of saying to them, “You have seen etc.”, and accordingly “to pass you into the covenant of the L-rd, your G-d, and His oath”. It is plain to understand if one were to learn that “You are standing this day” in our Parsha was a separate assembly).

According to Rashi, however, that “Moshe assembled Yisroel in the presence of the Holy One, Blessed is He, to bring them into His covenant“, was the purpose. Therefore, the aspect is understood. For “You have seen . . the great trials . . etc.” was indeed the reason and the introduction () to (the purpose) of “to pass you into the covenant of the L-rd, your G-d and His oath”.

5. According to this explanation, however, the somewhat unusual wording, “Standing/Nitzavim” is not clarified. For according to the aforementioned, namely that the wording comes to tell us that, “Moshe assembled them before the Holy One, Blessed is He, to bring them into His covenant“, why does it state “Standing/Nitzavim” - an uncommon wording? Why wasn’t the word “Standing/Omdim” () used, which is common in Torah and which is also stated in our aspect (further in the Parsha) “those standing () here with us today”?

Moreover, not only is it not a common expression, but it seemingly does not fit the context of the verse. “Standing/Nitzavim” signifies, as Rashi states, “With a haughty bearing” (בקומה זקופה). This is not so with the word standing (עומדים). Therefore, since Moshe “assembled Yisroel in the presence of the Holy One, Blessed is He, to bring them into His covenant“, it is understood that they were standing with humility and bitul (הכנעה וביטול). Therefore, how does it state, ““Standing/Nitzavim” which depicts strength and greatness (שטארקייט און גרויסקייט)?

Therefore, Rashi brings second explanation – “Midrash Aggadah”. Namely, that this comes in continuation to the curses and “Moshe began to appease them (saying) ‘You are standing this day’”. (So much so that) “You have greatly angered the Omnipresent, yet He has not destroyed you, you have endured before Him”. The unique emphasizes is in the word “Standing/Nitzavim” which depicts a strong standing (עמידה חזקה) etc.

According to this, the translation (not just the intent and explanation of the word “Nitzavim”, but) of “this day” also changes:

Since they are words of appeasement for the curses, one must plainly say that this was near the time of the Rebuke (תוכחה). Therefore, it is not logical that this was on the day of Moshe’s death, for:

  1. The intent of the Rebuke was to exhort them (לזרזם) to fulfill the Torah and Mitzvot. Therefore, he certainly did not wait until the day of his death.
  2. It is not logical that on the day of Moshe’s death, that he would say curses (on the contrary, on the day of Moshe’s death, near his death, he blessed them).

Therefore, Rashi must also learn that the word “this day” has another explanation, which comes in continuation to this explanation of “You are all standing this day”. Since “You are all standing this day” means “you have endured before Him . . and the curses and the suffering sustain you, and stand you before Him ”. Therefore, also the explanation of the word “this day“ is “Like this day which endures etc.”

Moreover, since these words of appeasement must be in proximity to the Rebuke, Rashi adds, that the verses closest to it, namely the “the chapter above this, as well, is conciliatory, ‘You have seen etc.’".

6. However, even this explanation is problematic, for:

  1. According to his, “You are all standing this day” should have been stated earlier, and afterward the section, “You have seen etc.” which is the translation of the main appeasement “He has not destroyed you, you have endured before Him and the curses and the suffering sustain you, and stand you before Him etc.”
  2. If this section is Moshe’s words of appeasement – why were children present? They do not understand the rebuke and therefore, do not require words of appeasement

Therefore, Rashi brings a third comment,

“Because the Israelites were passing from one leader to the next- from Moshe to Yehoshua- therefore, he arranged, for them, a standing assembly, in order to exhort them”.

According to this, the word ““Standing/Nitzavim” (and not “Standing/Omdim”) is understood. For the wording depicts exhorting (זירוז).

According to this explanation:

  1. The explanation of the word “this day” – “on the day of his death” (like the first comment) – is understood plainly. For this is connected with the going from one leader to the next leader.
  2. It is understood why Moshe had to earlier state, "You have seen etc.”, and only afterward state, “You are all standing this day”. For this had to be as close as possible to his death when they went from one leader to the next.
  3. It is understood why the children were brought, for even they went from one leader to the next.

7. The difficulty in this explanation, however, is:

Since this is connected with the going from one leader to the next, Moshe should have said this at the very latest, after Parshat Vayelech, near to his actual death. Why, therefore, it is stated earlier?

(It is well and good according to the first comment that Moshe “assembled them . . on the day of his death to bring them into His covenant”. For since this is related to after they crossed the Jordan, it was not necessary to be close to his actual death (since this could, in any case, not close to his aspect ).

However, according to the third comment, that this is connected with the going from one leader to the next, it had to be near to his actual death).

Even though the second comment is “Midrash Aggadah”, it is closer to the simple meaning of the verse than the third comment. For according to the third comment, “You are all standing this day” is an independent aspect which has no relation to “And Moshe called all of Yisroel”, at the end of Parshat Tavo. Whereas, according to the second comment, not only does “You are all standing this day” come in continuation to Moshe’s words "You have seen etc.”, at the end of Parshat Tavo.

However, this also was the objective and purpose (מטרה און תכלית) of the assembly “to appease them”, where the primary appeasement is in the “You are standing”, as aforementioned. In this aspect, it is closer and similar to the first comment, namely that the purpose of “Moshe’s assembling Yisroel” is explained in our Parsha “to bring you into the covenant”.

8. From the homiletic style of Torah in Rashi's commentary here (Yayina shel Torah):

Parshat Nitzavim is always read before Rosh Hashanah. This is alluded to in the word “this day” which refers to the day of Rosh Hashanah.

On this Rashi explain that “this teaches us that Moshe assembled Yisroel in the presence of the Holy One, Blessed is He, on the day of his death, to bring them into His covenant”. Although, earlier at the end of Parshat Tavo it already states how Moshe said to the Yidden “You have seen . . the great trials . . And you shall observe the words of this covenant and fulfill them” - the keeping of Torah and Mitzvot. However, the purpose of the assembling them on the “day of his death” – a day of judgement (יום הדין) – “to enter them into the covenant”. The forming of a covenant is higher than reason and intellect. Rosh Hashanah effects the essential connection (התקשרות עצמית) between the Yidden and G-d. This connection is “entering them before the Holy One, Blessed is He”, a unification and inclusion (יחוד והתכללות) with G-d Himself, even higher than Torah and Mitzvot.

Nevertheless, as a preface to this, there was the speech that should bring to “observe the words of this covenant and fulfill them”. For this very essential connection (התקשרות עצמית) in which Yisroel and G-d are completely one (ישראל וקב׳ה כולא חד), it comes out (visibly) through the Torah. For Torah is the intermediary that joins Yidden with G-d.

This is like the wording of Zohar (which is cited many times)

“Three knots are connected one to another: Yisroel are connected to the Torah, and the Torah with the Holy One, blessed be He” (תלת קשרין מתקשרין דא בדא ישראל מתקשרין באורייתא ואורייתא בקוב"ה)

Seemingly, when three things are connected, there are only two knots. However, after Yidden become connected with G-d through the Torah, Yisroel become connected with G-d, also in their own right. It is a connection which is higher than the connection that is achieved through Torah. Therefore, there are three knots (- like the example of a circle) (העיגול).

Therefore, there must be the preface of “you shall observe”. However, the objective and purpose of the assembly on Rosh Hashanah is the essential connection of Yidden with G-d.

However, this is not sufficient:

The covenant, the essential bond (עצמיות׳דיקער פארבונד) must come into revelation, in spirituality (as well as) in physicality. There should be an effluence of physical good from G-d in a good and revealed sense (בטוב הנראה והנגלה).

(Just as G-d wants from Yidden, that there should be the fulfillment of the Torah (a goodly gift (לקח טוב)) and Mitzvot in actual deed, for the deed is primary.

So too, Yidden request and receive from G-d, all the effluences that come down into physicality in a good and revealed sense, in actual deed).

On this comes the second comment that “Moshe began to appease them”. Moshe, the intermediary between G-d and the Yidden effects that “you have endured before Him”. Moreover, in a manner of “Nitzavim“ - “standing upright”, in physicality. Moreover, “the curses and the suffering sustain you, and stand you before Him”. The unwanted (ניט געוואונשענע) things of the past are transformed to visible blessings in a good and revealed sense.

MSichas Shabbat Parshat Nitzavim 5725

 

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