Parshas Nitzavim/Rosh Hashanah Messages 5779-5780

בּ"ה

Parshas Nitzavim

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‘You are standing today; all of you, before Hashem your G-d’ (Devarim 29:9)

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One of the suggestions of the Midrash is that ‘today’ can refer to every day. Thus we see a very important lesson from this verse: Every day we are standing before Hashem. We are always in the King’s Presence! And everything we do is right before Him and He sees it.

Imagine that you had a private audience with HaRav Chaim Kanievsky shlit”a; how would you behave? Wouldn’t you attempt to act in the most refined manner you could, and be extremely careful with all your deeds -- maybe even movements?

How much more so must we feel and be this way in the presence of HaKadosh Baruch Hu Himself, in all His Glory! And every single day -- at every single moment, we are in His presence, and He sees all of our actions. Should we not try to, as much as we can, be on our best behavior?1

(Tal U’Matar)

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1 See also the opening words of the Rama on Shulchan Aruch.

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‘For you know that we dwelled in the land of Egypt, and that we passed through in the midst of the nations through which you passed. And you saw their abominations and their disgusting idols of wood and stone, silver and gold that were with them. Perhaps there is in you a man or a woman or a family or a Tribe, whose heart turns away today from with Hashem our G-d, to go to serve the gods of those nations; perhaps there is in you a root growing gall and wormwood.’ (Devarim 29:15-17)

Moshe Rabbeinu, says HaRav Shalom Schwadron zt”l in the name of the Baalei Mussar, warned Klal Yisroel here against falling prey to the idols of the nations. But he had to explain to them how he even thought to warn them about such; how it would be at all possible for them -- such a special generation -- to fall to such a low level as to Chas v’Shalom, serve idols!

Moshe Rabbeinu explained with the above pessukim; they passed through nations, and they saw their idols. And even though at first, when they saw those nations serving idols, they would certainly see it for what it really was -- a very lowly and disgusting thing (see Rashi zt”l here) -- as time went on, they might progress slowly in the wrong direction. They might start to lose their feelings of disgust for the idol worship, and then it could become a little less “low down” in their eyes, until they could come to, Chas v’Shalom, fall into worshipping them!

We learn from here, says Rav Schwadron from the Mussar greats, the amazing power of sight. We get influenced an astonishing amount from what we see -- and so therefore, we must be extremely careful what we look at or see, and we must also take refuge in the sanctuaries of Torah: The Beis Midrash, shul, or Torah study session anywhere, are the “walls” which help us fight against any negative influence.

(Quoted in Eileh HaDevarim)

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A person might, Chas v’Shalom, think that if they do a certain “small” transgression, or maybe they have a small character flaw, etc. it isn’t such a big deal -- after all, they aren’t big things, and it doesn’t make them a terrible person. . .

But such lax thinking is detrimental: Because we must understand that bad things usually start out small, and then they sprout -- from “little” things into serious problems. Not often does someone become a bad person overnight. It takes time.

Now we can understand the warning the verse gives us: Watch out for “bitter roots” -- because they can, Chas v’Shalom, sprout into much bigger things. You must do what you can to eliminate bad things while they are still at their root, and before they can sprout. So are “little” sins or character flaws, etc. a big deal? Yes. A very big one. And important to try to get rid of.2

(Tal U’Matar)

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2 See the explanation of HaRav Nosson Sherman shlit”a -- The Stone Edition Chumash, pg. 1088.

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‘Perhaps there is in you a root growing gall and wormwood -- פן יש בכם שרש פרה ראש ולענה’ (Devarim 29:17)

The Seforim HaKedoshim point out that the rashei teivos, first letters, (if mixed up a bit), of the words שרש פרה ראש ולענה spell the word שופר. This teaches us, they say, that the Shofar blasts which awaken us to Teshuva have in their power -- if we take their message, I add -- to uproot all the evil roots that may, Chas v’Shalom, grow in us.

(Brought in Maayanah Shel Torah)

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‘It is not in the heavens, [for you] to say “Who will ascend for us, to the heavens, and take it for us. . .?”’ (Devarim 30:12)

Says Rashi zt”l from Gemara Eruvin 55a: Although the Torah has indeed been given to us, and we have it, and the ability to keep the Mitzvos, down here; if it were up in Heaven, we would have to go up there to get it and learn it.

This is indeed a wonderfully, wonderfully powerful message, and there are many insights on it. Among them are the following:

1) ----- The Chofetz Chaim zt”l: We see from here how far the great obligation to learn Torah reaches. Imagine; even if it was up in Heaven, we would have to find someone who could go up there -- which could only be accomplished through a miracle -- to ask Hashem to give it down to us. Acquiring, learning, and keeping Hashem’s holy Torah is the most important possible pursuit. (Chofetz Chaim al HaTorah).

2) ----- HaRav Chaim Kanievsky shlit”a: In all actuality, as things are, it is essentially impossible for us to ‘ascend into the heavens’ to get the Torah. But that is specifically because we don’t need to. If the Torah was up in Heaven, and we had to go up and get it, Hashem would give us the ability to do so. (Taama D’Krah).

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‘I cause to bear witness in you today the Heavens and the earth: Life and death I have put before you; blessing and curse; and you shall choose in life’ (Devarim 30:19)

I instruct you that you choose in the portion of life, like a person who says to his son, “Choose for yourself the nice portion in my estate,” and he stands him upon the nicest portion and says to him, “This one select for yourself.”

And about this it says, ‘Hashem is my appointed portion, You support my lot’ (Tehillim 16:5). You rested my hand upon the good lot, to say, “This one take for yourself.”

(Rashi zt”l from Sifri)

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‘And you shall choose in life, in order that you will live. . .’ (Devarim 30:19)

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There appears to be a redundancy in this verse: What does it mean that we should choose life -- i.e. as Rashi zt”l explains, doing good, which will lead to life -- so that we will live?

HaRav Avraham Bick zt”l elucidates this based on the words of a certain Sage: “We should eat so that we can live; we should not live so that we can eat.” So too, here, says Rav Bick, the verse means to tell us that we should choose life in order to truly live, i.e. to continue living with and according to the Torah -- and not for the pleasure of our body, which will eventually die. . .

(Bikkurei Aviv)

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Rosh Hashanah: The Gemara tells us that Adam HaRishon was created on Rosh Hashanah. Rosh Hashanah was the day that man was created. So too, every single year, we have the ability, and opportunity, to become “created anew”, as it were. To become a brand new person. Because through complete Teshuva, we are told, a person can become like a new human being.

(Tal U’Matar)

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It is taught in the Gemara (Rosh Hashanah 16a-b); why do we sound a Tekiah and a Teruah while we are sitting, and then also while we are standing? In order to confuse the Satan.

The blasts of the Shofar that are blown before Shemoneh Esreh, are termed, “Tekiyos DeMeyushav -- Blasts while Sitting,” and the blasts that are blown during the Shemoneh Esreh are called “Tekiyos DeMe’umad -- Blasts while Standing.” This Gemara is saying that, although, in order to fulfill the Biblical requirement of blowing the Shofar on Rosh Hashanah, it would have been sufficient to blow Tekiyos DeMe’umad alone (those that are blown while standing Shemoneh Esrei), the Rabbis, nevertheless, enacted an additional set of Shofar blasts, those that are blown while sitting,3 in order to confuse the Satan.

How do the additional blasts of the Shofar confuse and confound the Satan? Rashi zt”l explains that the Satan will not prosecute when he hears how Klal Yisroel observe the Mitzvah of Shofar so lovingly, blowing many times more than the Torah actually requires. HaRav Aharon Kotler zt”l, explains Rashi to mean that the Satan, whose mission is to prosecute against Klal Yisroel for their sins, will be too discouraged to prosecute, when he observes them fulfilling the Mitzvah of Shofar so lovingly and so enthusiastically, beyond what the Torah requires. He thinks that surely HaKadosh Baruch Hu will favor Klal Yisroel and not reckon with his (the Satan’s) allegations and charges.

The Gemara teaches further that Rav Yitzchok says that every year that the Shofar is not sounded at its beginning, evil shall occur at the end of it. What is the reason? Because the Satan has not been confused. The Bahag -- Baal Halachos Gedolos -- (brought in Tosafos) explains that this refers to a year when the Shofar will not be blown due to an אונס, ones, an accident. It is then that evil will occur. But if the Shofar will not be blown that year because Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbos, it shall, nevertheless, be a good year. [The Shofar is not blown on Shabbos by Rabbinic decree, so that one will not come to carry it where prohibited on Shabbos.]

This is mystifying. According to the Bahag, how could there possibly be a good year for Klal Yisroel if Rosh Hashanah were to fall on Shabbos? By Rabbinic decree, there is no sounding of the Shofar! What will confuse the Satan from prosecuting against Klal Yisroel?

HaRav Aharon Kotler zt”l answers that, according to Rashi, it is not the actual blast of the Shofar which confuses the Satan, but rather what it reflects -- namely, the love and affection which brings Klal Yisrael to blow beyond what the Torah requires. Perhaps we can extend this concept to the Mitzvah of Shabbos. Just as the love and enthusiasm for the Mitzvah of Shofar is so effectual that it discourages the Satan from prosecuting against Klal Yisroel, so too will the love and enthusiasm for the Mitzvah of Shabbos discourage the Satan. When the Satan will see an entire Klal Yisroel refraining from blowing the Shofar, as a safeguard, so as not to even inadvertently carry it on Shabbos, that display of love for Shabbos will dishearten and deter the Satan. This love and regard for Shabbos has even more consequence here, as Klal Yisroel is refraining from blowing the Shofar on Shabbos despite the fact that it is necessary to confuse the Satan. What a remarkable love for Shabbos is displayed here!

(From a Dvar Torah of my Rebbe, HaRav Elyakim Rosenblatt zt”l)

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3 Strictly speaking, it is permitted to sit, however the universal custom nowadays is to stand even during the blasts before Shemoneh Esrei (Mishnah Berurah 585:2).

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As on almost every other weekday, we say in the mincha Shemoneh Esrei on erev Rosh Hashanah ‘Bareich aleinu es hashana hazos. . .’ -- ‘Bless for us this year. . .’: Wait a minute, though; the year is basically over! How are we asking for Hashem to bless ‘this year’?!

I heard from my one of my Rebbeim shlit”a, an explanation in the name of the Ruzhiner Rebbe, HaRav Yisroel Friedman zt”l, or some say it in the name of one of his grandchildren: ‘Yeshuas Hashem k’heref ayin' -- ‘The Salvation of Hashem (comes) like the blink of an eye.’ Says the Ruzhiner Rebbe zt”l; even if, Chas v’Shalom, it hasn’t been the greatest of years, in the last minutes before Rosh Hashanah, Hashem can still help us to turn it into a great one -- even in the last seconds. . .

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|~Maasim Tovim~| The Kedushas Levi {Rebbe Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev zt”l} was once very sad for a period of time. The day was the Goyishe new year, and he had a shocking request for his Chassidim: He asked some of them to take him to the bars in town! The Chassidim of course protested, but Rebbe Levi Yitzchok was adamant, and they had to give in.

So they took him to the first bar, and the non-Jews were drinking, and acting wild, and all that. And, wonder of wonders, after seeing them, Rebbe Levi Yitzchok smiled!

The Chassidim asked him if he had seen enough, but he replied that he wanted them to go to another bar! Another bar?! But they could not disobey, and they brought him to more bars.

The next day, the Chassidim couldn’t wait to ask the Berditchever their questions about his strange behavior. And so, after Davening, they asked him. Answered the Berditchever zt”l: He always would try to find reasons for Hashem to forgive the Jews and look favorably at them, and he hadn’t been able to find something. But when he saw how the non-Jews acted, he could testify to Hashem to look at the Jews, who welcome in our New Year with Teshuva and improving our ways -- as opposed to the Goyim who act extremely wild and do sins on their new year. . .

(Heard from my father and Rebbe, HaRav T. S. Chesler shlit”a)

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A Gut Shabbos, and Kesiva v’Chasima Tovah to all!

May HaKadosh Baruch Hu inscribe you and your entire family in the

Book of Life, and bless all of you with a year full of all good things and blessings!

Torah, Mussar, Chassidus, Stories, and More! - בּ"ה

Friday, September 27, 2019