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Parshat Netzavim
2003
In Our Hearts and Mouths
At the beginning of this week's parsha, Nitzavim-Vayelech, we find Moses giving his final preparations to the children of Israel to enter the land that God has given them. He reminds them once again that they are God's chosen people and instructs them to be holy through observing God's commandments. In last week's parsha, Ki Tavo, Moses warns of a multitude of horrific curses lest the Israelites forsake God's commandments and again in Nitzavim, he reminds them of this admonition. Undoubtedly, this extraordinarily long list of commandments and the severe consequences they carry seems daunting, intimidating, and remote. The children of Israel were likely thinking similar thoughts that we as modern Jews do when we read this final section of Devarim: how are we supposed to not only make sense of these hundreds of Mitzvot, but use them as a means to sanctify our lives? Moses answers this question with one of the most essential concepts of Torah, learning, and Judaism:
Deuteronomy 30:11-14
Surely this Instruction which I enjoin upon you this day is not too baffling for you, nor is it beyond reach. It is not in the heavens, that you should say, "Who among us can go up to the heavens and get it for us and impart it to us that we may observe it?" Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, "Who among us can cross to the other side of the sea and get it for us and impart it to us, that we may observe it?" No, the thing is very close to you, in your mouth and in your heart, to observe it.
Your Torah Navigator
Three times in these four verses, Moses uses two examples to prove one underlying point. We know that there are no wasted or extra words in the Torah, thus what can we learn from the presence of these three pairs of imagery?
1. Why does Moses say that Torah is not too baffling in addition to beyond reach? What are the differences in these two justifications for not learning Torah? How do we shy away from something that is too baffling versus something that is beyond our reach?
2. Moses uses two metaphors to describe where Torah is not: the heavens and the sea. How are these metaphors different and what does this teach us about our relationship to Torah?
3. Once again, Moses uses this motif of couples when he imparts that Torah is in our hearts and our mouths. How do you act upon something that is in your heart and something that is on your lips?
A Word
It is appropriate that we read these words as we approach Rosh Hashanah and we re-evaluate our commitments and relationships to our families, our work, and to making our lives holy through learning and engaging with our Judaism. Parshat Nitzavim reminds us that these important aspects of our lives are not in the heavens, the sea, too baffling or not beyond our reach, but instead are in our hearts, mouths, and thus fully in our realm of capability and action. We make room in our hearts and our minds for the study Jewish texts, let its teachings inform our thinking as we make choices about how to live our lives as modern Jews, and translate this wisdom into action that makes us a holy people. We use our mouths as ways to impart Jewish values and teachings, to speak ethically about and to one another, to speak up for those who cannot speak up for themselves. May we always remember that our Torah and Judaism are too never too baffling or beyond the reach of any one of us, but instead here on Earth, in our hands, and if we make room, in our hearts and mouths.
Prepared by Dena Wigder, Iyyun Fellow, Schusterman International Center.
Learn More
Additional commentaries and text studies on Netzavim at MyJewishLearning.com.
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