Netzavim

 

There is a profound sense of completion in the fact that our weekly Torah readings parallel so beautifully the Festivals as they occur during the year.  Weekly cycle and annual cycle interact, weaving in and out of the narrative of our people, the narrative of our experience.

 

This is no more evident than this Shabbat.  We read from the portion Netzavim – the same portion as is read in our tradition on both Rosh Hashanah and on Yom Kippur.  It starts with the declaration by Moses to the people.

 

‘You are all standing here today.’

 

Today – traditionally the last day of Moses’ life, - and this is the last speech that he gives. Its urgency is palpable. Everyone is there.  They are listed – no one is left out – even the absentees are noted – and who is not there?  It is we who are not there, but who are part of it all.  Moses is speaking to all generations – drawing us into the necessity of his words and we are wise to take note. For this is the ratification of the covenant drawn up at mount Sinai. It is on this day that God promises that we shall be God’s people and God will be our God.

 

But the warning that follows, immediately compromises the reassurance of the promise. There may be some that even now are thinking of straying into the worship of other gods. Know now, that such people are cursed – and if the people stray from worship of God, then the land that God promised should also be cursed and they shall be thrown out of it.   This places an awesome responsibility on the individual.  It is not only you who are affected and wiped out, but generations to come will see the marks of your apostasy on the degeneration of the land. They will suffer because of your deliberate acts.

 

Thus it is at this time, that our efforts at teshuvah go far beyond the individual efforts of making good the things we left undone with our neighbour.  Our actions are of national significance.

 

Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar said: an individual is judged by the majority of his actions, and the world is judged by the majority of its deeds. A single sin that a person commits is all that is needed to deprive the person and the world of great good. (Ecclesiastes Rabba 10:1)

 

Deborah Lipstadt comments:

 

Teshuvah can be a transformational experience, which makes us realise the impact of our most banal actions. Maimonedes, the Rambam, describes the mental state we should adopt in approaching this process.  We should think of ourselves and the world as perfectly balanced: exactly half guilty and half innocent.  If we commit one sin we press down the scale of guilt against ourselves and the entire world and cause its destruction.  And if we perform one good deed we press down the scale of merit and bring salvation to the entire world.  Our simplest acts become infused with profound meaning. (From the Jewish Spectator, fall 1993)

 

May your deeds incline our world to the good and may you be inscribed for a Good New Year.