Parshat Nitzavim 5778-The power of Teshuva

(in memory of Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan zal, the Chafetz Chaim, whose yahrzeit falls out on the 26th Elul in the week of parshat Nitzavim.May his memory be for a blessing).

 (aרְאֵ֗ה אָנֹכִ֛י נֹתֵ֥ן לִפְנֵיכֶ֖ם הַיּ֑וֹם בְּרָכָ֖ה וּקְלָלָֽה׃

See, this day I set before you blessing and curse:

אֶֽת־הַבְּרָכָ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּשְׁמְע֗וּ אֶל־מִצְוֺת֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֧ר אָנֹכִ֛י מְצַוֶּ֥ה אֶתְכֶ֖ם הַיּֽוֹם׃

blessing, if you obey the commandments of the LORD your God that I enjoin upon you this day

;וְהַקְּלָלָ֗ה אִם־לֹ֤א תִשְׁמְעוּ֙ אֶל־מִצְוֺת֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם וְסַרְתֶּ֣ם מִן־הַדֶּ֔רֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֧ר אָנֹכִ֛י מְצַוֶּ֥ה אֶתְכֶ֖ם הַיּ֑וֹם לָלֶ֗כֶת אַחֲרֵ֛י אֱלֹהִ֥ים אֲחֵרִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־יְדַעְתֶּֽם׃ (ס)

and curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn away from the path that I enjoin upon you this day and follow other gods, whom you have not experienced.

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(b רְאֵ֨ה נָתַ֤תִּי לְפָנֶ֙יךָ֙ הַיּ֔וֹם אֶת־הַֽחַיִּ֖ים וְאֶת־הַטּ֑וֹב וְאֶת־הַמָּ֖וֶת וְאֶת־הָרָֽע׃

See, I set before you this day life and prosperity, death and adversity.

 Both passages are introduced by the word 're'eh' and yet the choices they refer to have changed from 'blessing/curse' to life/death'.Why?

The answer is given by the Meshech Chachma (R’Meir Simcha of Dvinsk, Poland.d.1926) in his magnum opus on the Torah.

Meshech Chachma Devarim ch.30

דין וחשבון, פירש הגר"א דין על העבירה שעשה וחשבון על המצות שהיה יכול לעשות בעת שעשה העבירה. ולפ"ז תסמר שערת אנוש ביום הכפורים דקיי"ל דעם תשובה מכפר גם על חמורות ובלא תשובה גם על קלות אינו מכפר, א"כ כמה גדול החשבון שביום שנענה גם היחיד ואין השטן שולט עליו כמאמרם השטן בגי"מ שס"ד, ונקל לעשות תשובה, ובדבר קל יוכל לזכות לחיים הנצחים ולהיות אהוב למקום, ואם חלילה לא עשה תשובה יוכל להיות העונש על החשבון היינו העדר עשייתו התשובה כמו שיענש על כל חטאיו ואפשר יותר מהם והאחרון הכביד, וכאשר ברך ברכת שהחיינו שזה באמת שמחה אמתית שהקב"ה נתן יום סליחה לכל פשעי בני אדם להסיר מעליהם השטן, ויאות לברכו ולהודות לשמו על גודל רחמיו מצדו יתברך, אולם אם לא שב אדם מדרכו הרעה מוטב לו שלא היה יום הקדוש הזה ומוטב לו שנהפכה שליתו על פניו בערב יום הקדוש הזה, כי היום הזה הכפיל עוד ענשו לבלי קץ בעונש חשבון העדר התשובה, ע"ז ידוו כל הדוים. השיבנו ד' ונשובה אליך באמת ובתמים.

He explains that, according to the Vilna Gaon, the definition of the term דין וחשבון, is that ‘din’ refers to the judgement on the sin the person has done(an act of commission) ,whereas ‘cheshbon’ refers to the mitzvah that he could have been doing at the time when he was doing the sin(an act of omission). He explains further that Yom Kippur is absolutely ‘geared’for teshuva to be done. In the situation when one does not do teshuva in such an appropriate time, this becomes an even greater act of omission than committing the sin in the first place. This can even become the reason for a bad outcome from Yom Kippur, as death can result from not doing teshuva at a time when it is most applicable. He even states that Yom Kippur without teshuva,’it may even have been better for it not to have happened ‘, as the lack of teshuva becomes a negative influence in any final outcome for the decision of future life being fixed on Yom Kippur. It is an opportunity absolutely not to be missed.

We can now understand the change in the above pesukim , from the choice of blessing and curse to the latter choice between life and death. The difference between the two parshiot is that the mitzvah of teshuva has appeared in between, as we find in this week’s parsha (as explained by Rashi and others).Once teshuva is established, then life and death becomes relevant, as life and death become the consequence for the person if he/she does or does not do teshuva as required on Yom Kippur.

Although this is a difficult concept, it shows us the incredible power of an act of teshuva. As I explained in my selichot talk a few years ago, no act of teshuva goes to waste. In fact Rav Kook zal sees teshuva as redemptive for both the individual and the nation, and he saw the return to Israel in the early 20th century as a manifestation of ‘teshuva’ in the widest possible sense.

These are great thoughts to take with us into the upcoming High Holidays. One act/thought of teshuva is already transformative. The offer is there and hopefully we can all take advantage of the offer and be granted a long life of health and happiness and a sweet New Year.

Ketiva Vechatima Tova                       Rabbi Ian Shaffer                    Stern College 5779