Parashat Nitzavim
may be subtitled “The Hebrew People - A Testimony of the Covenant and of the
Promises.” Although Nitzavim is translated "You stand…"
- it actually means "standing in position, standing firmly, or taking
a stand," the root being y.tz.v (yod, tzadi, bet/vet) and the
definition is “set, establish or take a stand.”[1] According to Rabbi Samson
Raphael Hirsh, however, the root is tz.v.v (tzadi, vet, vet), and means “cover
while moving.” [2] Embodied in these two Parashot is the definition of the
nation as well as the ultimate promise of grace.
The familiar verb
"avor" which means “to pass, go through, go over, enter,” and
the noun and verb forms of "witness or testimony” ("ed"),
show up more than once. The Hebrew people, YHVH’s witnesses, are characterized,
as we know, by ‘crossing’ or ‘passing over,’ hence different aspects of this
action are presented in the text.
But why are the
“passers over” standing “in position” or “formation”? “That you may enter
("avor") the covenant with YHVH your Elohim, and enter
[“avor”] into His oath [alah – an oath that if broken incurs a curse; in
30:7 is used as “curse”] which YHVH your Elohim is making with you today, in
order that He may establish you today as His people and that He may be your
Elohim, just as He spoke to you and as He swore to your fathers, to Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob. Now not with you alone am I making this covenant and this
oath, but both with those who stand here with us today in the presence of YHVH
our Elohim and with those who are not with us here today" (29:12-15). With
all the crossing over of the Hebrews, the passing/crossing over into the
covenant is of prime importance. Notice also the far reaching aspect of the
covenant, to those “not with us today,” thus pointing to the continuity of the
people of Yisrael and to generational unity within the boundaries of the
covenant. Moreover, in 29:10-11 the text stresses the all-inclusiveness of the
covenant by addressing “all of you,” as well as by enumerating the entire
social structure of the nation. “Covenant” – “brit” – is of the
root b.r.t (bet, resh, tav), meaning to “cut." “Making a
covenant” – “karot”- is another verb for “cut” (a tree, for
example). Consequently, in making the covenant there is a double cutting as it
were, which points emphatically to separation, both naturally and spiritually
(and is signified by the cutting entailed in the physical circumcision). By the
same token, by transgression one may experience a “cutting (again, k.r.t, e.g.
Lev. 7:20)… away” from the boundaries prescribed by the covenant.
This covenant,
being two-sided, is therefore like a two-edged sword. Abba laid down the
conditions, but knowing the infidelity which is characteristic of His
children’s heart, He also built into the covenant the promise of grace. In
other words, ultimately it will be Him only who will make possible its
fulfillment, as is seen so vividly in 30:3-10. In between this promise
of grace and the warnings of transgressing His commandments (29:16-28), we read
in 29:29: “The things hidden
are to YHVH our Elohim, and the things revealed are to us and to our sons -- that we may
do all the words of this Torah” (literal translation, italics added). Disobedience
cannot be excused by claiming that the Torah is mystical and concealed, and as
if this is not enough it says in 30:11-14: "For this commandment which I command
you today is not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say,
'Who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us that, we may hear it and
do it?' Nor is it beyond the sea, that
you should say, 'Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us that we may
hear it and do it?' But the word is very
near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.” The word for
“mysterious” here is different from the one employed in 29:29 for “hidden.” The
present term (v. 14) is “niflet,” rooted in p.l.a (pey, lamed, alef. See
Shoftim - Judges 13:18 and Tehilim - Psalm 139:6, both translated as
“wonderful” in English). However, having said all of the above, in the next
Parasha (chapter 31) there is warning that could result in situations where YHVH
will hide His face from His people (v. 17).
Repentance and
turning to YHVH will bring a restoration which is expressed in the 30:3-10
passage where all the verbs in the ‘active causative form,’ denoting that He is
both the initiator and the ‘enactor.’ Not only does He take it upon Himself to
enable the fulfillment of the covenant, and at a latter date sends Yeshua to
carry all of our afflictions and sufferings, in 31:13 it also says that,
"YHVH your Elohim [is He] who will cross (“avor”) ahead of
you" (italics added). YHVH is truly the Elohim of the Hebrews! He goes
ahead of them by "crossing over" Himself! At the same time, together
with the “crossing” or “passing over” we have here one of those Hebraic
dichotomies indicated by “standing firmly.” The blend of both is the desired
condition and status designated for the People of Yisrael. And indeed, we see
Yeshua crossing - “over”*
– ahead of us, entering within the veil giving us a hope which is sure and steadfast
– “yatziv” (ref. Heb. 6:19, 20, Hebrew translation of the Greek, being
also of the root y.tz.v). Thus, with a “yatziv” (sure) hope, we are enabled to
be steadfast and stand firmly in our crossing over journey.
In the meantime,
this drama of the covenant nation, its unfaithfulness and the grace granted it,
is to unfold in front of the entire universe and creation. The testimony –
witness -“ed” – is being established by calling upon heaven and earth (ref.
30:19). The Song of Moses (referred to in Parashat Va’yelech 31:21 and
presented in chapter 32) is the written record that serves as a witness, as
does the Torah too, which is to be kept in the ark in the Holy of Holies
(31:26).
The desolate land
(29:23-28) will also bear witness to the unfaithfulness of the people, both
before their own sons' eyes, and in front of the foreigners (v. 22), as will
their banishment from it (i.e. the land). All this is with view toward the end
that, the Hebrew people themselves will become a witness and a testimony
nation. "You are my witness, declares YHVH" (Is. 43:10), to the fact
that He is the Elohim of Yisrael, the Elohim of creation, and the Elohim of the
universe.
As we have
already seen, the covenant pertains to this preset day generation (see 29:14-15),
just as much as it was to those who lived back then. Therefore we too are to
"stand firm in position" today to be a covenant people and a witness
to the Elohim of the covenant, the Elohim of Yisrael, the Elohim of the Hebrews
- the Elohim of grace.
While Parashat
Nitzavim focuses on the “crossing over” of the Hebrew people, Parashat
“Va’yelech” starts with the “going” of Moshe: “va’yelech Moshe,” that
is “and Moses went,”
and continues with: “and spoke these words to all Israel” (31:1). This
introduction, “Moses went,” to the statements that the elderly leader was about
to make to his compatriots is quite curious. Was it a hint of his impending
departure, and that he was ready to proclaim this fact to all Yisrael? Indeed
Moshe continues: “I am a hundred twenty years old today. I can no more go
out and come in. Also YHVH has said to me, ‘You shall not go over
this Jordan
But whereas Moshe
will not be accompanying the people, he consoles them saying that “YHVH your
Elohim will cross before you” – which is
once more the familiar “over” (a.v.r – the root of “Hebrew”).* “He will destroy these nations before you,”
and in addition Yehoshua will also “go – pass, cross - “over” - before
you” (v. 3). Verses 6, 7 and 8, spoken to Yisrael and to Yehoshua summarize all
of the above: "’Be strong and of good courage, do not
fear nor be afraid of them [the people of the land]; for YHVH your Elohim is the One who goes with you. He will not
leave you nor forsake you.’ Then Moses
called Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel
The third
expression which is repeated in the above passage: “He will not fail you nor forsake you” is, “lo yar’pecha,
ve-lo ya’azovcha.” “Yar’peh” – translated “fail” - is
rooted in r. p/f. h (resh, pey/fey, hey), meaning to “become weak, let
go, be negligent, or remove.” In Tehilim (Psalms) 46:10 it
says, “Be still and know that I am YHVH.” However, in Hebrew it is “harpu,”
literally “let go,” or “become weak.” Because YHVH will not “let
go” of His people, they are the ones who must do the “letting go” and become
“weak” before Him, and in so doing they will know that He is the Elohim who
alone can give them strength. Shaul (Paul) echoes this when he says: “And He
said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.
Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weakness, that the power
of Messiah may overshadow me” (2nd Corinthians 12:9 italics added).
The next verb (of the above-mentioned expression, “lo yar’pecha ve-lo ya’az’vecha”)
is azav (ayin, zayin, bet/vet), and means, “leave, abandon
or forsake.” It is also used elsewhere in our Parasha, although in a
different connotation, as we shall see at once.
Thus verses 16
and 17 of Dvarim 31 record: “And YHVH said to Moses, ‘Behold, you shall sleep
with your fathers. And this people shall rise up and go lusting after the gods
of the strangers of the land into which they are going, into their midst. And
they will forsake Me – ve’azavani - and break My covenant which I
made with them. Then My anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I
will forsake them - ve’azavtim…’” (Italics added). Verse 5
reveals to us that there is a condition for being preserved by YHVH: “…do to
them [the nations in Cna’an - Canaan )
according to all the commandments which I have commanded you,” to not “go
lusting after [their] gods,” thereby forsaking the true One. Nevertheless, in
verse 16 we read that, “This people shall rise up…” which is “ve’kam.”
In Parashat Nitzavim (Det. 29:13), above, it says: “…that He may establish you
today for a people to Himself…” which is literally “that He may raise
you up… - hakim.” Hence, it is the very people, whom YHVH was raising
up – establishing - who “shall rise up and go lusting after the gods
of the strangers…” (italics added). In both the above examples (and in many
similar ones throughout the Tanach, some of which we examined very recently),
we see the usage of identical words, or derivatives of the same root, for the
purpose of conveying contrasting messages. This method highlights or enhances
an idea, and at times adds a touch of irony and a moral to the story or the
description at hand.
YHVH is
commanding Moshe to call on Yehoshua in order for both to “present”
themselves in the Tent of Meeting (31:14); a command which is designated by the
imperative “(ve-hit)yatzvu,” of the root y.tz.v that we just encountered
above in Parashat “Nitzavim.” In presenting
himself, therefore, Yehoshua is to make a “firm stand” and a commitment.
Further connection to Parashat Nitzavim is evident in the concept of “witness”
– testimony “ – “ed,” masculine, and “eda,” feminine. In the above Parasha
heaven and earth and life were mentioned as witnesses (30:19). Now the “Song”
(which constitutes the following Parasha), the book of the Torah, and heaven
and earth (again) are singled out as witnesses. The “Song,” in particular, is
to “testify as a witness” against the people, “when many evils and troubles
have found them” (31:21). “Testifying” in this particular case is “an’ta”
(of the root a.n.h – ayin, noon, hey), meaning to “respond or answer,”
as according to verse 19 the “Song” will be “in the mouths of the Children of
Israel.” Therefore when they recite this Song, their own words shall “respond”
to their evil actions and become a testimony against them. This brings to mind
Parashat Nitzavim’s: “the word is very near you, in your mouth and in
your heart, so that you may do it” (30:14 italics added), which is the
other side of the same proverbial coin. Another usage of “ta’aneh,” “respond,”
in relationship to “witness” is found in Sh’mot (Exodus) 20:16 and Dvarim
(Deuteronomy) 5:20: “You shall not bear – “ta’aneh”- respond - a false witness
against your neighbor.” In view of this, we may ask: are the things that we say
and do but responses, or answers, to a ‘Primary Moving Cause’ (be it YHVH or
the adversary)?
In 31:10-11 we
read: “And Moses commanded them, saying, ‘at the end of seven years, at the set
time of the year of release, in the Feast of Tabernacles, when all Israel has
come to appear before YHVH your Elohim in the place which He shall choose, you
shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing.’” The word for “read”
is “kara” (k.r.a, kof, resh, alef), meaning to "read, recite,
call.” At the end of the Parasha, in verse 29, it says: “For I know that
after my death you will become utterly corrupt, and turn aside from the way
which I have commanded you. And evil will happen to you in the latter end of
the days…” Moshe predicts that “evil”
will “happen to you,” which is rendered here ve’karat, and shares
the same root as the aforementioned “kara” (“read”). However, as a rule the
spelling for “happen” (albeit of the same sound as “read” or “recite”), is
different and therefore has another root. Thus, the special rendering and
spelling of “happen” in this particular case incorporates, as it were,
the verb for “reading.” Hearing the Torah read, while turning away from
it and from its Giver will result in evil befalling or happening
to those who know better yet choose to rebel against its Giver (and against
their own better judgment).
[1] The New Brown, Driver,
Briggs, Gesenius Lexicon, Francis Brown Hendrickson.
Publishers, Peabody , Mass.
[2] Etymological Dictionary
of Biblical Hebrew, Rabbi Matityahu Clark, Feldheim
Publishers, Jerusalem , New
York
* “Over” is pronounced like “overt,” minus the “t”
sound.
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