Parshat Nitzavim-Vayelech
After a very long journey Moshe Rabeinu has fulfilled his mission of taking the Jews to the border of Israel. The children of Israel will partake on an adventure into the land of Israel without their leader to guide them. As one of the many final words of strength given over by Moshe he leaves us with a frighteningly appropriate verse for the time of year we are in…
" Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid and do not be broken before them, for HaShem, you G-d—it is He Who goes with you, He will not loosen His hold on you not will he forsake you.(31:6)"
As we make our way into the world every single day we must constantly say to ourselves "be strong, be courageous". When we feel like misplaced Jews in a foreign land we must say "be strong, be courageous", when we run errands for our mothers and we want to freak out we must remember "be strong, be courageous". We must pick our head up high and realize that HaShem, HaShem our G-d is with us through everything.
The month of Elul and the days approaching Rosh HaShanah, is a time where we are being held in HaShems Hand. He is looking at us and saying my child you are so close, you are so close to doing the right thing, come back to Me! Please! Come back! Don't make Me do this! My friends it is a time where we can completely nullify and change any part of our life if we have the will to. When we feel that it is hard, when we feel that we cannot connect we must remember HaShem is with us always! He has promised us that He will be there for us, so He will be!
Let us stand together today and re-write our decree. We may feel comfortable with our lives now, but life is a very fragile thing. Things happen to people simply getting from their car to their bedroom. G-d forbid should any of these calamities happen to us.
On Rosh HaShanah everyone stands before HaShem. The religious Jew, the Reform Jew, the Conservative, the secular, the Charedi (ultra-orthodox), all of us EQUALLY, it makes no difference of your prestige or what background you have, all Jews are standing before G-d the same way on this day of Judgment. Sometimes we are so quick to assume we know how another Jew is leading there life. In many places the orthodox Jew is looked at funny and in other places the secular Jew is, the main thing is not what color Keepah you wear but what is in your heart. The Torah is telling us “You are standing today, all of you, before HaShem, you G-D…for you to pass into the covenant of HaShem, your G-d, and into his oath that HaShem, your G-d forges with you today.29:11)” we all stand together to be judged before HaShem. If we decided to separate from other Jews, then HaShem will separate us from other Jews. Just because one may be more religious than you are it does not mean that person is more “Jewish” than you are.
2 weeks…
I spoke to Eric Wittenberg who is more commonly known as Rav witty. I told him I feel torn in a world where I need to balance my spiritual and physical life. I want to learn Torah and pray with fear and intensity always, but sometimes time does not allow me to connect. I have school and friends and just things get in the way. He replied to me by saying the following: Balance means that you are taking two things and making them equal. It is impossible to make anything equal to Torah or HaShem, we simply need to find ways to bring HaShem and Torah into our everyday lives. The balance is bringing HaShem into the lecture hall, bringing HaShem into the negotiating room, into our home, into our lives in a complete way. That is the ONLY balance.
There is a story about an elderly carpenter who planned on retiring but was burden by a last job to build a house. When the carpenters' friend asked him, the carpenter reluctantly accepted only because he felt as if he owed his friend a favor. When his friend gave him all the money necessary for the Job the carpenter grew eager to just get the job done. He didn't use the best materials for the house nor did he properly assemble the frame for the house. He was too quick to think about the end date of finishing the job. Finally 2 weeks (Rosh HaShanah) later he tells his friend he is ready and finished with the house. His friend hands the carpenter a pair of keys and says "here are these keys, this is my present to you my dear friend, your very own house!" the dread that fell over the carpenter filled his eyes with tears. If he only knew it was his house he would have used the best materials and used every nail, every coat of paint with special care.
Holy friends we must all come to realize it is our life, our home. With the time we have we must put every nail in with the proper intention of one day living in it.
This week I will: Be strong and courageous, I will strive beyond any point that I ever thought I can physically or emotionally handle. I will seek Inspiration through the knowledge of knowing that is my home that I am building. I will begin this New Year with strength and with knowledge of G-d in my life.
Shabbat Shalom!
Edited by: Rachael B. Goldberg
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