Parashat Nitzavim
Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, Rabbi of the Western Wall and Holy Sites
Parashat Nitzavim is the last Torah portion we will read this year. The next parasha, Vayelech, will be read between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur.
Nitzavim is the continuation of the previous parasha in which we heard Moses describe the expected future of the Jewish nation for the following generations, with the main theme being that the existence of the Jewish state they are about to establish is not guaranteed. If the nation veers from the divine plan to establish “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” in the Land of Israel, its economic and security status will deteriorate until it is ultimately banished from the land and scattered “among all the nations, from one end of the earth to the other,” a prophecy that fulfilled itself centuries later.
In contrast to the pessimistic tone with which we concluded the previous parasha, this one is more optimistic. It describes how the Land of Israel will be barren and deserted during the entire time the Jewish nation is exiled from it – another prophecy that came true. But after that, the return of the Jewish nation to G-d and to the Land of Israel is described; a return that is both spiritual and physical, two returns between which the Torah is not prepared to distinguish.
and you will return to the Lord, your God, with all your heart and with all your soul, and you will listen to His voice… then, the Lord, your God, will bring back your exiles, and He will have mercy upon you. He will once again gather you from all the nations… And the Lord, your God, will bring you to the land which your forefathers possessed… And the Lord, your God, will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, [so that you may] love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul…
(Deuteronomy 30, 2-6)
This is just a small section of the prophecy describing the spiritual and physical return to Zion. Let’s focus on the phrase “And the Lord, your God, will circumcise your heart.” This phrase is obviously using the commandment of brit mila metaphorically, a commandment that expresses the entering of a newborn boy into the Jewish nation with its commitment to Jewish purpose. But the expression is fascinating in relation to human nature and the correct attitude to a person who sins.
The image of teshuva, repentance, as the removal of the foreskin that covers the heart, teaches us that the sin never damages the Jewish inner soul. Behind the “heart’s foreskin” there is a healthy beating heart. It is hard to see because it is hidden behind a screen of mistaken decisions and actions, but all the mistakes are only a façade over the inner soul. A repentant person does not have to create a new personality for himself, but rather just peel off the outer layers and discover the positive core deep inside of himself.
This image also teaches us about the significance of the sin that conceals us. Looking at it simply, it seems to us that sin hides us from society and makes us look bad in a way we think is far from accurate. A deeper look reveals that sin hides us from ourselves. A person who sins gets used to viewing himself negatively, and then he eventually loses hope. But the Torah disagrees. It sees sin as a façade that when removed, we will discover we are not who we imagine but are actually much better.
Furthermore, sin creates a separation between us and G-d, as expressed by the prophet Isaiah, “your iniquities were separating between you and between your God” (Isaiah 59, 2). The greatest happiness a person can attain is a sense of closeness with G-d. This is the peak of religious experience, the greatest in human experience. But sin spoils and distances, separates and conceals. We feel distant, and as a result, feel lonely and miserable.
This week’s parasha teaches us that associating our sins with our personalities is a mistake. A good Jewish soul is hidden behind the shroud of sin. We are called upon to remove the masks and discover our true inner soul, our beating heart, and return to be close to G-d.
