rosends
Well-Known Member
This is from R. Aharon Ziegler, Shlita who runs the kollel through which I studied
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Parashat Nitzavim—2022 5782
“DON’T BELIEVE IN MYOB”
We, the Jewish people have always been known as the “People of the Brit [Covenant]”. Our parasha opens
with the third covenant recorded in the Torah, “You are all standing before HaShem your G-d, the heads of
your tribes, your elders and your officers with all the men of Israel, your children, your wives and the
stranger in your camp, even the wood choppers and water carriers. [The purpose is that] you should enter
into a covenant with HaShem, and unto His oath, that He is making with you today-[29:9-11]. But why
was it necessary for HaShem to enter into three covenants with our people?
We could perhaps explain that the first Brit was focused on Avraham and his family while emphasizing to
him the boundaries of Eretz Yisrael. The second Brit was necessary because it addressed the entire nation of
Israel. But what need was there for the third Brit of our parsha?
The Midrash Tanchuma teaches us that this third Brit was necessary because of the chet ha’egel, the sin of
the golden calf. It might have been thought that once our people worshipped a golden calf, only 40 days after
they ratified the Brit at Sinai, their sin abrogated the previous covenant forever. HaShem therefore enters into
a third Brit as an affirmation that- whereas a contract can be broken, a covenant is irrevocable, despite
our sins.
What is most interesting about the third Brit, is that it included every member of Klal Yisrael, down to the
lowly water carrier. By the second Brit we were told that all our people must bow down at a distance. Only
Moshe may approach G-d. The others may not even come close to the mountain”. [Shemot 19:12. 13], also
[Devarim 5:5]. Comes the third Brit in Nitzavim, and it stresses G-d’s unique relationship with every single
Jew and stranger, man and woman, rich and poor, elders and children, woodchopper and water-carriers.
This third Brit attempts to correct the previous misimpression that HaShem was primarily concerned with the
religious elite; Moshe, Aharon, Zekeinim and the heads of tribes. Furthermore, unlike the Brit of Sinai, the
present covenant includes past, present AND FUTURE generations: “Not with you alone do I make this
covenant… but with those who stand here this day before HaShem…as well as those who are not here with
us this day [Devarim 29:13,14]”. This becomes the all-inclusive historical and eternal aspect of the
relationship between G-d and Israel.
Finally, this Brit contains the mandate that “KOL YISRAEL AREIVIM ZEH BAZEH”,
[Rosh HaShana 29a, Rashi] Every Jew is responsible for one another. Even though one has fulfilled his own
obligation to recite a beracha [e.g. Shofar or Lulav] he may recite it again for the benefit of others who have
not fulfilled the Mitzvah, because we are responsible for one another. Meaning, if one Jew has not yet put on
Tefillin, then I have not fulfilled MY TOTAL RESPONSIBILITY of Mitzvat Tefillin. If one Jew sins, we all
share the guilt. Judaism does not tolerate the saying: M-Y-O-B, [mind your own business]. That’s why we
are mitpallel not only for ourselves but for all Klal Yisrael.
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Parashat Nitzavim—2022 5782
“DON’T BELIEVE IN MYOB”
We, the Jewish people have always been known as the “People of the Brit [Covenant]”. Our parasha opens
with the third covenant recorded in the Torah, “You are all standing before HaShem your G-d, the heads of
your tribes, your elders and your officers with all the men of Israel, your children, your wives and the
stranger in your camp, even the wood choppers and water carriers. [The purpose is that] you should enter
into a covenant with HaShem, and unto His oath, that He is making with you today-[29:9-11]. But why
was it necessary for HaShem to enter into three covenants with our people?
We could perhaps explain that the first Brit was focused on Avraham and his family while emphasizing to
him the boundaries of Eretz Yisrael. The second Brit was necessary because it addressed the entire nation of
Israel. But what need was there for the third Brit of our parsha?
The Midrash Tanchuma teaches us that this third Brit was necessary because of the chet ha’egel, the sin of
the golden calf. It might have been thought that once our people worshipped a golden calf, only 40 days after
they ratified the Brit at Sinai, their sin abrogated the previous covenant forever. HaShem therefore enters into
a third Brit as an affirmation that- whereas a contract can be broken, a covenant is irrevocable, despite
our sins.
What is most interesting about the third Brit, is that it included every member of Klal Yisrael, down to the
lowly water carrier. By the second Brit we were told that all our people must bow down at a distance. Only
Moshe may approach G-d. The others may not even come close to the mountain”. [Shemot 19:12. 13], also
[Devarim 5:5]. Comes the third Brit in Nitzavim, and it stresses G-d’s unique relationship with every single
Jew and stranger, man and woman, rich and poor, elders and children, woodchopper and water-carriers.
This third Brit attempts to correct the previous misimpression that HaShem was primarily concerned with the
religious elite; Moshe, Aharon, Zekeinim and the heads of tribes. Furthermore, unlike the Brit of Sinai, the
present covenant includes past, present AND FUTURE generations: “Not with you alone do I make this
covenant… but with those who stand here this day before HaShem…as well as those who are not here with
us this day [Devarim 29:13,14]”. This becomes the all-inclusive historical and eternal aspect of the
relationship between G-d and Israel.
Finally, this Brit contains the mandate that “KOL YISRAEL AREIVIM ZEH BAZEH”,
[Rosh HaShana 29a, Rashi] Every Jew is responsible for one another. Even though one has fulfilled his own
obligation to recite a beracha [e.g. Shofar or Lulav] he may recite it again for the benefit of others who have
not fulfilled the Mitzvah, because we are responsible for one another. Meaning, if one Jew has not yet put on
Tefillin, then I have not fulfilled MY TOTAL RESPONSIBILITY of Mitzvat Tefillin. If one Jew sins, we all
share the guilt. Judaism does not tolerate the saying: M-Y-O-B, [mind your own business]. That’s why we
are mitpallel not only for ourselves but for all Klal Yisrael.