Torah This Week
Welcome to Torah This Week, where you will find thoughts and reflections by CLAL faculty and associates on the Torah portion of the week.
NITZAVIM
(Deuteronomy 29:9 - 30:20)
In the beginning of Parshat Nitzavim, Moses prepares the Israelites to enter the covenant with God. He declares that the whole community -- elders, women, children, strangers -- will be part of the covenant, "from your woodchoppers to your water-drawers" (Deut. 29:10)
This is a typical biblical phrase. "From x to y," where x and y represent opposite extremes of a continuum, means "including everyone."' Thus "from young to old" means "including everyone." Thus "from young to old" or "from the greatest to the smallest." Our problem is that woodchoppers and water-drawers are not opposite extremes. Both are menial laborers and neither was highly esteemed. What does the phrase mean?
Perhaps these jobs are meant symbolically rather than literally. Let's free associate. Woodchoppers are literally "choppers of your trees". The image of trees has echoes of the Tree of Life, the Torah. To "chop" such a Tree is to question, or reject Jewish tradition. On the other hand, the image of "waterdrawers" is reminiscent of the verse "u-sb'avtem mayim b'sasson...," the promise of Isaiah (12:3), "You shall draw water joyfully from salvation's wells." The image is of one who drinks deeply from the wellsprings of Torah. Understood this way, Moses is declaring the covenant to be inclusive of all, the pious and the rebellious, the faithful and the confused. The text warns us never to be so complacent about our commitment or devotion, or so sure of our faith, that we see the covenant of Israel as closed to those who are not convinced of its value or sure of its feasibility. Rather we must learn from the later verses of the parsha and approach such Jews with the assurance that the Torah, in its broadest sense,"... is very close to you, in your mouth and in your heart" (Deut. 30:14).
(David Nelson)
VAYELECH
(Deuteronomy 31:1 - 30)
In this parsha, Moses announces to the people his impending death and confirms that Joshua will lead the people across the Jordan to conquer the land that God is giving them. He then tells them that once every seven years, on the festival of Sukkot, they shall gather together and "read this teaching aloud in the presence of all Israel" (Deut. 3 1:11). Why is this instruction included here, rather than with other laws relating to the festivals or the conduct of life in the land?
The Israelites are about to lose the only leader they have ever known. Moses offers them Joshua, his God-approved successor. He reminds them that they will have leadership beyond that of Joshua. "The Lord God marches with you...the Lord...will not fail you or forsake you" (31:6ff.). Still, Moses senses that the Israelites are afraid; life without Moses is difficult to face. So he reminds them that, in addition to God and human leadership, they have two sources of strength, Torah and community. These sources of strength are, unlike any human leader, perpetual and, unlike God, are perceived as being highly accessible.
There are times when a community is uncertain that its human leadership can meet its needs. While God is described as the leader of the Jewish people, there may be moments when we feel distant from God. At these times, we may find our greatest strength lies in our ties to each other. A ceremony like the one mandated in this parsha reinforces the sense of unity the community needs. A large gathering of Jews often raises the spirits of the individuals involved and gives them a renewed sense of purpose. The public reading of the Torah reminds the Israelites of the goals that they are committed to as a community, reintroducing the blueprint for repairing the world to those who are mandated to carry it out.
(Devorah Weisberg)
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