Torah Reading for Nitzavim-Vayeilech

You are all standing.

[The verse says “this day,” which] teaches us that on the day of his death, Moses assembled Israel in the presence of the Holy One, Blessed is He, to bring them into [His] covenant.

the leaders of your tribes.

Heb. רָאשֵׁיכֶם שִׁבְטֵיכֶם, [lit., “your leaders, your tribes,” referring to two separate entities, which does not make sense here because “your tribes” includes the leaders. Rather, this means here:] “The leaders of your tribes.”

your elders and your officers.

[We learn from the order in this verse that] the more distinguished ones were mentioned first, and after this: “every man of Israel.”

both your woodcutters [and your water drawers].

[The mention of these people separate to the main community of Israel] teaches us that in the days of Moses, Canaanites came to convert [to Judaism], just as the Gibeonites came [to convert] in the days of Joshua. This is the meaning of the verse regarding the Gibeonites, “And they also acted cunningly…” (Josh. 9:4), [i. e., pretending that they had come from a far away country. When they were discovered, Joshua made them woodcutters and water drawers for Israel (see Josh. 9:3-27). Likewise here, the Canaanites attempted to deceive Moses, but they did not succeed, and Moses did not accept them to be Jews. Rather,] Moses made them woodcutters and water drawers [i.e., slaves for Israel]. — [Tanchuma 2; Yev. 79a; see Rashi Gittin 23b]

that you may enter.

Heb. לְעָבְרְךָ‏. [Meaning,] “That you may pass through [i.e., enter] the covenant.” One should not understand this verb [to be in the causative conjugation,] to mean “to cause you to pass through,” [but rather, the verb is in the simple conjugation, and means that you yourselves will pass through]. This is similar to the expression, לַעֲשׂתְכֶם, “that you [yourselves] should do them” (Deut. 4:14).

that you may enter into the covenant.

[lit.] “that you may pass through the covenant.” This was the method of those who made covenants: They would set up a demarcation on one side and a demarcation on the other, and [the respective parties of the covenant] “passed through” between [these partitions], as the verse says, “[when] they cut the calf in two and passed between its parts” (Jer. 34:18).

in order to establish you this day as His people.

[Why does God here warn Israel against idolatry by making such grave oaths and severe curses, unlike other commandments where He would simply make a warning and attach a punishment if the commandment was transgressed?] He goes to so much trouble here, for the purpose of keeping you as His people. [Since He promised not to exchange you for another people (see the following Rashi), He must ensure your faithfulness to Him.

and that He will be your God.

Since God has given you His word and [also] sworn to your forefathers not to exchange their offspring for another nation, therefore, He [ensures your faithfulness to Him by] binding you through these oaths, so as not to provoke Him to anger, because He cannot separate Himself from you. Until here, I have explained this passage according to its simple sense. The homiletic explanation is as follows: Why is parashath Nitzavim juxtaposed to the curses [in parashath Ki Tavo]? Because when Israel heard these ninety-eight curses [delineated in Ki Tavo], besides the forty-nine [curses] stated in Leviticus (26:14-38), they turned pale, and said, “Who can possibly endure these?” [Thereupon,] Moses began to appease them [as follows]:

You are… standing this day.

You have provoked the Omnipresent to anger many times, yet He has not made an end to you. Indeed, you still exist before Him [“standing… before the Lord”]. — [Tanchuma 1]

and [also] with those who are not here.

also with future generations. — [Tanchuma 3]

For you know.

[Verses 15-17 are understood as follows:] Since you saw the idolatrous nations, perhaps one of you was enticed to follow their ways, and “perhaps there is among you…” (verse 17), therefore, I must place you under an oath [because you are in this position of extra susceptibility].

you saw their abominations.

Heb. שִׁקּוּצֵיהֶם. [Their idols are so termed] because they are disgusting, like creeping, crawling insects (שְׁקָצִים).

their repugnant idols.

Heb. גִּלֻּלֵיהֶם. - [Their idols, thus termed] because they are putrid and disgusting like dung (גָּלָל) .

wood and stone.

You saw those [idols] made of wood and stone out in the open, because the heathen [who owned them, did not mind leaving them outside, since he] did not fear that they would be stolen. [Thus, regarding these idols, the verse says, “And you saw their… idols… (of) wood and stone.”] However, [regarding the idols made] of “silver and gold,” they “were with them,” in the [confines of their private] treasure chambers, because [their heathen owners] were afraid that these [expensive idols] might be stolen. — [Tanchuma 3]

Perhaps there is among you.

פֶּן-יֵשׁ בָּכֶם [This phrase, meaning,] “Perhaps there is among you,” [is repeated twice in this verse. Rashi explains here that there might be two levels of disobeying God. A person might serve other deities, or he is one…]

whose heart strays this day.

from accepting upon himself the covenant.

a root that produces hemlock and wormwood.

[This refers to] a root that produces a bitter herb, like giddin, which are bitter [see Targum Jonathan on Lam. 3:19]. Here, then, the verse means: “[Someone who] produces and increases evil among you.”

that he will bless himself in his heart.

Heb. וְהִתְבָּרֵךְ בִּלְבָבוֹ [the word וְהִתְבָּרֵךְ stems from] the word for “blessing” (בָּרֵךְ). [The verse means:] “In his heart, [this man] will imagine a blessing of peace for himself, saying: These curses will not come upon me. I will have only peace!”

he will bless himself.

Heb. וְהִתְבָּרֵךְ, bendira soy in Old French [i.e., the verb is in the reflexive conjugation], like “וְהִתְגַּלָּח, And he shall shave himself” (Lev. 13:33), “וְהִתְפַּלֵּל, and he will pray” (I Kings 8:42), [which employs the reflexive form of the root פלל].

I follow my heart’s desires.

Heb. בִּשְׁרִירוּת לִבִּי אֵלֵךְ [Meaning, “If I follow] what my heart beholds,” as in [the verse], “I behold it (אֲשׁוּרֶנּוּ), but it is not near” (Num. 24:17). That is to say [the verse means]: “[Even if I go in the way] that my heart sees [fit] to do.”

in order to add the [punishment for the] unintentional sins [of this man].

לְמַעַן סְפוֹת הָרָוָה - Because I will add to him the punishment for what he heretofore committed unintentionally, which I would have overlooked, but now, he has caused that I combine them with the intentional sins and punish him for everything. Similarly, Onkelos renders [the verse here as]: בְּדִיל לְאוֹסָפָא לֵיהּ חֶטְאֵי שָׁלוּתָא עַל זְדָנוּתָא, [meaning,] That I shall add for him the [punishment incurred for the] unintentional sins to [that of] the intentional sins.

The Lord’s fury… will fume.

[The image is as follows:] Through anger, the body [of a person] becomes heated up, and fumes are emitted from the nose. Similarly, [referring to God,] the verse says, “Smoke rose up in His nose” (II Sam. 22:9). Now, although this is inappropriate for the Omnipresent [since He has no physical form; nevertheless], Scripture describes [this concept] to the human ear in the manner to which it is accustomed and able to understand, according to the [natural] ways of the world. [Thus, the verse here is figuratively denoting God’s fuming anger.]

and His zeal.

Heb. וְקִנְאָתוֹ [This is] a term denoting [burning] fury, enprenemant [in Old French, zealous anger], firmly keeping hold of the trait of vengeance, without giving in whatsoever.

that is written in this book.

Heb. בְּסֵפֶר הַתּוֹרָה הַזֶּה, “written in this Torah scroll.” [Here, the word for “this” (הַזֶּה) is in the masculine form. However,] earlier, the verse says, “And also every sickness and plague… in this Torah scroll בְּסֵפֶר הַתּוֹרָה הַזּאֹת” (Deut. 28:61), [where the word for“this” (הַזּאֹת), appearing in the identical phrase, is in the feminine form. How do we explain the difference of gender for the same word, appearing in an identical phrase in Scripture? The answer is that there in Deut. 28:61,] the הַזּאֹת, which is in the feminine form, qualifies the word הַתּוֹרָה, “Torah” [which is in the feminine form]. And [here in our verse,] the word הַזֶּה, which is in the masculine form, qualifies the word סֵפֶר, “scroll” [which is in the masculine form. How do we know that each respective mention of the word “this” is qualifying the particular word described, and not otherwise? Because in these two verses,] the cantillation symbols punctuate the words [of the phrase“this Torah scroll”] in two different ways, [as follows]: In the passage [describing] the curses [i.e., in Deut. 28:61], the [cantillation symbol called] tipcha is placed under the word בְּסֵפֶר, [thus separating it from the next words הַתּוֹרָה הַזּאֹת,] while [the words], הַתּוֹרָה הַזּאֹת are attached to each other [also by virtue of the cantillation symbols]. Hence, [the verse] employs the הַזּאֹת [for the word “this,” because it clearly is qualifying the word “Torah,” which is in the feminine form]. However, here [in our verse], the tipcha is placed under the word הַתּוֹרָה. [Thus, together with its previous conjunctive symbol, the meircha placed under the word בְּסֵפֶר, it] joins these two words, בְּסֵפֶר הַתּוֹרָה, into one attached [expression]. Accordingly, the word [“this”] qualifies the [first word in the expression, namely,] “scroll,” [the direct object in the expression “Torah scroll,” and since the word “scroll”] is in the masculine form [thus, the qualifying word הַזֶּה takes on the masculine form here].

which they had not known.

In which they had never recognized any divine power.

and which He had not apportioned to them.

Heb. וְלֹא חָלַק לָהֶם [Meaning, “God] had not allotted them” [these deities] to be their [Israel’s] portion. Onkelos, however, renders: “and which did not grant them any good.” [Here,] the expression וְלֹא חָלַק is [understood to mean]: “that deity which they would choose for themselves did not apportion to them any inheritance or any portion.”

And the Lord uprooted them.

Heb. וַיִּתְּשֵׁם ה׳, as rendered by the Targum: וְטַלְטְלִינוּן, “and He drove them out.” Similarly, “Behold, I uproot them (נוֹתְשָׁם) from upon their land” (Jer. 12:14).

The hidden things belong to the Lord, our God.

Now, you might object [to God, saying]: “But what can we do? You punish the entire community because of the sinful thoughts of an individual, as Scripture says, ‘Perhaps there is among you a man…’ (verse 17 above), and after this, Scripture continues, ‘Seeing the plagues of that land [and the diseases with which the Lord struck it]’ (verse 21) [which seems to indicate that for the sinful thought of even one individual, the whole land would be struck down with plagues and diseases]. But surely no man can know the secret thoughts of his fellow [that we could somehow prevent this collective punishment!” In answer to this, God says:] “I will not punish you for the hidden things!” [I.e.,] because “[The hidden things] belong to the Lord, our God,” and He will exact punishment upon that particular individual [who sins in secret]. However, “the revealed things apply to us and to our children” [that is, we are responsible for detecting the sins committed openly in our community, and] to eradicate any evil among us. And if we do not execute judgment upon these [open transgressions, over which we do have control,], then the whole community will be punished [because they would be remiss in their responsibility]. There is a dot placed over [each letter of] the words לָנוּ וּלְבָנֵינוּ here, to teach us homiletically that even for open sins [which were not brought to judgment, God] did not punish the whole community-until Israel crossed the Jordan. For then, they accepted upon themselves the oath at Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal, and thereby [formally] became responsible for one another (Sanh. 43b). [When dots are placed over letters of the Torah, this denotes an exclusion of some sort. In our context, our Rabbis teach us that the exclusion refers to the period prior to the crossing of the Jordan.]

The Lord, your God, will bring back your exiles.

Heb. וְשָׁב, lit., The Lord, your God, will (Himself) return (with) your exiles. [That is, the verb שָׁב is in the simple conjugation. Now, since we understand the verse to mean: “The Lord your God will bring back your exiles,”] Scripture should have written, וְהֵשִׁיב ה׳ אֶת שְׁבוּתְךָ [with the verb וְהֵשִׁיב being in the causative conjugation, meaning “to bring back”]. But [although the meaning of the verse is indeed, “The Lord, your God, will bring back your exiles,”] our Rabbis learned from [the simple conjugation of the verb] here [which alludes to God Himself returning], that the Shechinah resides among Israel, as it were, in all the misery of their exile, and when the Jews are redeemed [from their exile], God writes [in Scripture an expression of] redemption for Himself [to allude to the fact that He has also been redeemed, as it were,] so that He Himself returns along with Israel’s exiles (Meg. 29a). A further [lesson] may be learned [from the unusual form of the verb which expresses “to bring back the exiles”]: The day on which Israel’s exiles will be gathered is so monumental and [this ingathering] will be such a difficult [procedure, as it were], that it is as though God Himself must literally take each individual Jew with His very hands, [taking him] out of his place [in exile. We see] the same concept [brought up in Scripture,] when the verse says, “And you will be gathered up, one by one, O children of Israel” (Isa. 27:12). [That verse refers to the ingathering of Israel’s exiles from Babylon. However,] we find this [idea] also regarding the [ingathering of] exiles from the other nations, as the verse says, “And I shall bring back the exiles of Moab (וְשַׁבְתִּי שְׁבוּת מוֹאָב)” (Jer. 48:47).

is not concealed from you.

life and good.

Each one [life or death,] is dependent upon the other: If you do good, you will be granted life, while if you do evil, you will receive death. The verse now proceeds to explain how this is so [as follows]:

Inasmuch as I am commanding you this day to love [the Lord your God].

This is “good” [referred to in the verse 15]; and upon this, is dependent:

so that you will live and increase.

This is “life” [referred to in the verse 15. After this, the verse continues]:

for you shall come with this people.

Heb. כִּי אַתָּה תָּבוֹא אֶת-הָעָם הַזֶּה [as the Targum renders:] “For you shall come with this people,” [hence, the אֶת here means “with.” Accordingly, Moses’ statement of leadership role to Joshua can be understood as follows]: Moses said to Joshua, “The elders of the generation will be with you, [for] everything should be done according to their opinion and counsel.” In contrast, however, the Holy One, Blessed is He, said to Joshua, “For you shall bring (תָּבִיא) the children of Israel to the land which I have sworn to them” (verse 23). [God’s statement of leadership role to Joshua here means:] “You shall bring them [even if it is] against their will! Everything depends [only] upon you; [if necessary,] you must take a rod and beat them over their heads! There can be [only] one leader for a generation, not two leaders for a generation.”- [Sanh. . 8a]

and I will inspire him.

[Usually, “and I will command him.” Here, however, the meaning is:] “And I will urge him on.”

the nations of the land.

The peoples of the land.

provoking me.

Heb. וְנִאֲצוּנִי, and they will provoke me to anger. Similarly, any mention of the word נִאוּץ [in Scripture] denotes anger.

this song will bear witness against them.

that in it, I had warned them concerning all the things that are now befalling them. [Consequently, when they read this song, they will not be able to claim, “Had we known all the evils that would befall us, we would never have transgressed God’s word!”]

for it will not be forgotten from the mouth of their offspring.

This is a promise to Israel that the Torah will never be entirely forgotten by their offspring. — [Shab. 138b]

Assemble to me.

On this day they did not blow the trumpets to assemble the congregation [as they usually did (see Num. 10:2-3,7)], because the verse says, “Make for yourself [two trumpets of silver… and they will be for you to call the assembly]” (Num. 10:2). [Now, this was a commandment directed personally to Moses, because “for yourself” and “for you” are both written in the singular form. Hence, Moses made these trumpets and kept them in his possession,] and he did not give Joshua authority over them during Moses’ lifetime. Moreover, these trumpets were hidden away [by God] even during his [Moses’] lifetime, prior to the day of his passing, thus affirming the words of the verse, “and there is no ruling on the day of death” (Ecc. 8:8). - [Tanchuma Beha’alotecha 10]

and I will call upon the heaven and the earth as witnesses against them.

You might object, “But did God not already call them as witnesses earlier [saying,] ‘I call upon the heaven and the earth as witnesses’ (Deut. 30:19)?” [The answer is that] there God was addressing Israel [regarding this matter], but He was not [directly] addressing the heaven and the earth. Now [however] God comes to say, “Listen, O Heavens…” (Deut. 32:1), [addresses the heaven and the earth directly.