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Drash for Shabbat Nitzavim/Vayelech By Nanci Freedberg - September 7, 2007 Many, many centuries ago, our Jewish ancestors made a covenant, or a contract with God to accept the Torah; to accept life as a Jewish people. How can a contract made so long ago obligate all future generations to honor its terms? The Midrash explains this concept of the "inherited covenant". When the Israelites came to the mountains of Sinai to receive the Torah, they discovered that God was not willing to give it without proof that they would cherish this precious gift. So God said to Israel : Give Me a guarantee that you will treasure my Torah." The people of Israel said, "Our ancestors will be our guarantors." (A guarantor is someone who ensures that a promise or covenant is kept). God answered, "They are not sufficient. I have found fault with your ancestors." The Israelites spoke again, "If You will not accept our ancestors, accept our Prophets, they will vouch for us." But God answered, "I have found fault with your prophets as well. So, the Israelites, looked up to the heavens and said to God, "If you give us Your Torah, we will offer You our children as guarantors." And God said, "Since you offer Me your children, I will give you My Torah, I will give you life". The emphasis of this Torah portion is that we and our future generations are bound by our covenant to God by accepting the Torah. As Moses concludes his farewell speech to the People of Israel, he remarks, "You are standing this day before God, to enter into the covenant with God." This covenant binds the Israelites to God and God to the Israelites and was made not only with those present that day, but with all Israel, past, present and future. Although it is absolute that the Jewish people will falter along the way as temptations await, God will forgive us once the proper path is found and we practice T'shuvah, the cornerstone of Judaism. It seems fitting that this Torah portion takes places the Sabbath before Rosh Hashanah. This portion lays the foundation for our Jewish religion for all generations to come. We learn that we are, who we are, because of our ancestors and their achievements and failures. Most importantly, individually, we can defect from our faith and beliefs; but the Jewish people as a whole we will not. Also, studying and following the Torah is the obligation and the responsibility of all our people, today and tomorrow. God declares, "Not with you alone do I establish this covenant...but rather with those who stand with us here today and those who do not stand with us here today." As a Jewish people, as a community, we will continue to honor our contract with God by accepting and following the Torah today and forever, tomorrow, because we chose life. Shabbat Shalom and a good year of peace for all people. |
