Parshat Nitzavim

Not In Heaven

This week's parsha follows on from the Tochecha, the blessing and the curse that Moshe threatened to Israel.

The penalty that Moshe warns the people is very severe. And yet, there does not seem to be any escape as it would be impossible to ensure that the entire nation would be free of sin since there is no way that so many individuals could be controlled. Therefore, it would be impossible for Israel to remain punishment free.

Therefore, Moshe makes a few statements in order to ease those fears.

Firstly he says: "Perhaps there is among you a man, woman, family, or tribe, whose heart strays this day from the Lord … saying, "I will have peace, even if I follow my heart's desires," … The Lord will not be willing to forgive him… (Devarim 29:17-19).

Israel need not worry about any individual who sins for "The Lord will separate him for evil, out of all the tribes of Israel, according to all the curses of the covenant, written in this Torah scroll" (ibid 20). Therefore, no single individual sinner could possibly cause the curse to be brought down upon Israel. Only a betrayal by the entire nation could bring about the punishment.

Therefore, Moshe then immediately discusses the punishments of the nation. He describes how foreign nations will look at the cruel desolation of the Land of Israel and ask: "Why did the Lord do so to this land?" (ibid 23) Their answer will be "because they abandoned the covenant of the Lord, God of their fathers, [the covenant] which He made with them" (ibid 24).

This emphasizes that the curse would only befall Israel where the nation as a whole to betray God, not when individuals dif. This is further emphasized when he adds: "The hidden things belong to the Lord, our God" (ibid 28). The people need not concern themselves with those who sin behind closed doors, it is not their concern and God Himself will call them to account. "But the revealed things apply to us" (ibid) meaning that the people only need concern themselves with the public betrayal of the covenant. This implies once again, that Israel still has its destiny in its own hands.

Nevertheless, one might think that it is impossible to prevent sin. The Torah is so vast and complex making it unlikely that the people could avoid betraying its principles.

Moshe therefore, adds one further point: "This commandment … is not concealed from you, nor is it far away. It is not in heaven, that you should say, "Who will go up to heaven for us and fetch it for us…" Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, "Who will cross to the other side of the sea for us and fetch it for us… "Rather, [this] thing is very close to you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can fulfill it" (ibid 30:11-14).

The Torah, God's eternal covenant with Israel, is well within our grasp, if we wish it to be. Therefore, the choice that: "I have set before you today life and good, and death and evil" (ibid 15) is a real choice we have.

Shana Tova to all Israel

Last year's Sedra Short on Parshat Nitsavim, entitled: "Alone in a Crowd" appears at http://parshablog.blogspot.com/2007/09/parshat-nitsavim-vayelech-alone-in.html.

Another Sedra Short on Parshat Nitsavim-VaYelech entiled: "The Hidden" appears at http://parshablog.blogspot.com/2006/09/parshat-nitzavim-vayelech-this-weeks.html.

Parshat Shmini

Aharon's Shame

It's the eighth day of the consecration of the Mishkan. There have been seven days of practice runs, with Moshe setting it up and performing the service (See VaYikra Ch. 8). However, this eighth day is to be its official opening, with Aharon running the proceedings. Moshe tells the expectant people who have all gathered: "The glory of the Lord will appear to you" (VaYikra 9:6).

However, Aharon seems a little hesitant. "Moses said to Aaron, "Approach the altar…So Aaron approached the altar" (ibid 7-8).

Rashi explains that "Aharon was ashamed and was scared to go forward" (Rashi on ibid) so Moshe needed to reassure and encourage him. The Ramban says that when Aharon saw the altar he actually saw the image of a bull (Ramban on ibid).

What is Aharon so unsure about?

In order to answer this question, we must first appreciate the day's tension. Israel has been building the Mishkan for six months. The whole purpose of the Miskan was so that God will "dwell amongst them" (Shemot 25:8). This is the day on which they will discover whether their hard work and sacrifice will come to fruition. Will God's presence actually rest on the Mishkan, or will it be an empty shell, signifying that God is not with them.

The man they all look towards is the high priest, Aharon. Yet Aharon has good reason to doubt himself. The previous time he acted as the people's mediator to God ended in disaster as he built the Golden Calf (ibid 32:5).

And now everywhere he goes, he is having flashbacks. Moshe tells Aharon that as his first act as high priest on that eight day is to "take for yourself a bull calf as a sin offering" (VaYikra 9:2).

While sin offerings are normally female sheep or goats, in this instance, Aharon must take a young calf. Rashi explains that is to show that he has been forgiven for the golden calf. However, for Aharon it is a reminder of his sin and rather than seeing that the positive, he sees the altar as an image of a calf. He asks himself whether he really is forgiven. Perhaps the gold on his clothing is another reminder.

However, Moshe reassures him: "Approach the altar and perform your sin offering and your burnt offering, atoning for yourself and for the people, and perform the people's sacrifice, atoning for them, as the Lord has commanded" (ibid 7).

Note how Moshe says: "atoning for yourself and for the people" and then just "perform the people's sacrifice, atoning for them". Moshe tells Aharon to bring the sin offering for you and the people, for the sin of the Golden Calf, but in reality, it is only the people that need atoning, his actions needed no atoning.

Indeed Aharon was vindicated: "fire went forth from before the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fats upon the altar, and all the people saw, sang praises, and fell upon their faces" (ibid 24).

Last year's Sedra Short on Parshat Shemini, entitled: "Aharon's Four Sons" appears at http://parshablog.blogspot.com/2007_04_01_archive.html

Another Sedra Short on Parshat Shemini, entitled: "How They Died" appears at http://parshablog.blogspot.com/2006_04_01_archive.html