Making Sense of the Sedra: Nitzavim
Pause and think before the new year
A former Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv and Mizrachi leader, Rabbi Moshe Avigdor Amiel (d. 1946), noted in his sermons that the names of the parshiot towards the end of the book of Devarim send us a powerful message at the end of the year.
Ki Tetzei and Ki Tavo translate as ‘when you go out’ and ‘when you come in’ – we can come and go. However, in truth, the next sedra, Nitzavim, that we read this week, says “Atem Nitzavim hayom kulchem lifnei Hashem Elokeichem”, meaning that we are always standing before God, wherever we may be and no matter how far our feet and our minds may roam.
Wherever we may have gone throughout this year, whatever we have done, many of us will find ourselves in the same place right now, preparing ourselves and our homes for Rosh Hashanah. We return to familiar foods and traditions, tunes and Synagogue services as an anchor in an ever-changing world as a means to set the background and tone for a truly holy day.
But before we celebrate Rosh Hashanah we have the gift of Shabbat, the last Shabbat of the year, one whose very name means ‘to stand still’. Although every Shabbat is the day of rest, this Shabbat provides us with a unique opportunity to stop and reflect on what we have achieved over the past year and what we would like to pray for over Rosh Hashanah. It is a chance to pause and think about all that has happened and discuss those events and their significance with those closest to us before entering into the new year.
Rosh Hashanah is the time of year when we focus on the biggest picture possible, the redemption of all of humanity. It is the one time when we focus on what the world can be rather than what it is right now. To quote the late Rabbi Sacks: “No people has believed as lucidly and long as have Jews that life has a purpose; that this world is an arena of justice and human dignity; that we are, each of us, free and responsible, capable of shaping our lives in accordance with our highest ideals. We are here for a reason. We were created in love and forgiveness by the God of love and forgiveness who asks us to love and forgive. However many times we may have failed to live up to our aspirations, God always gives us the chance and the power to begin again. On Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, the holiest days of a holy people, God summons us to greatness.” (Ceremony & Celebration p3).
As we pause on this Shabbat of Nitzavim, before we march into next year (because Nitzavim is always followed by Vayelech which means ‘and he walked’), let us reflect on these powerful words and think about how they can impact our thoughts and prayers this Rosh Hashana. Let us think about what we can do to partner with God, so to speak, and bring about the realisation of those prayers.
Wishing you, your families and the whole community a Shana Tova.
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