Nitzavim Vayelech
Rabbi Jablinowitz
The Gemara in Megillah 31B teaches that we read the tochacha in parshat Ki Savo before Rosh Hashanah in order to accomplish Tichleh Shanah U’kelaloseha, Tachel Shanah U’birchoseha. We want the previous year’s curses to be completed in order that we should begin the New Year with all its blessing. The Sefarim explain that since we read Ki Savo last week, this Shabbos begins the New Year and its blessing.
The Ohr Gedalyahu teaches that we can see within the parsha references to Rosh Hashanah and its judgment. The Zohar Hakadosh explains that every time it says Vayehi Hayom it is a reference to Rosh Hashanah. And the parsha begins with the words Atem Nitzavim Hayom Kulchem. You all stand before me today. The word Hayom can also be a reference to Rosh Hashanah. The pasuk continues, Rasheichem Shivteichem, etc. The pasuk continues listing the different members of Clal Yisrael, Zikneichem, Shotreichem, etc. What is the point of listing all the different members and groups of Bnei Yisrael that were standing there?
The Ramban teaches that the way to understand these pasukim is as a Clal U’Prat, the general and then the specific. First Moshe Rabbeinu mentions Rasheichem and Shitvteichem. This refers to the people who have a leadership position, and the word Shivteivchem refers to the general groupings of the tribes. And afterwards the Torah lists the individuals. Zikneichem and Shotreichem refer to the leaders, and then Tapchem, Nesheichem, etc. is a listing of the individuals who comprise the tribes, the regular members of Clal Yisrael. Every member of the Jewish people receives mention as those standing before Moshe Rabbeinu in order to establish the covenant with Hashem.
If we apply this to our understanding above that the word Hayom is a reference to Rosh Hashanah, we can learning something about the nature of the judgment of the day. On Rosh Hashanah we stand before Gd in two distinct roles. Firstly, we stand before Hashem as members of the Clal. During the Aseres Yemei Teshuva we refer to Gd as HaMelech Hakadosh. We emphasize the fact that we are the subjects and the people of Gd. There is no king unless he has a nation. We can’t stand alone on Rosh Hashanah; we can only stand in judgment as part of the nation of Israel with its history and its connection to its past and its forefathers. This is the meaning of the words Kulchem, Rasheichem, and Shivteichem.
But then all the individuals of Clal Yisrael are mentioned. This is to indicate that there is a judgment of the individuals as well. We need to have our own personal merit and be judged according to our individual acts as well. The Ohr Gedalyahu teaches an important lesson from this. Often times we tend to rely too much on the Clal. We are satisfied if we live in a Torah community. We want to make sure we are in a good, serious environment. But whether we live up to such standards is secondary. We tend to rely too much on the virtue of the Clal. The parsha teaches that we must stand before Hashem as individuals as well. As the Ramban teaches, there is the Clal and the Prat. We must make sure we are worthy on both counts. Yehi Ratzon that on this Rosh Hashanah we should all be worthy individual members of Cal Yisrael and be written in the Book of Life, the Book of Tzadikim Gemurim.
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