Moshe Kempinski
Generally on the Shabbat before Rosh Hashana, the days of judgment of the world, this dramatic verse from the Torah portion of Nitzavim is read in the synagogues.
"You stand this day, all of you, before HaShem your G-d: your heads, your tribes, your elders, your officers, and every Israelite man; your young ones, your wives, the stranger in your gate; from your wood hewer to your water drawer." (Deuteronomy 29:9)
Rabbi Moshe Sofer known as the Chatam Sofer asked what is meant by the words "You stand this day,... ". Were they not standing before G-d earlier at Mount Sinai? Were they not standing before Him at the shores of the Reed Sea?
In reality the Israelites could not muster the spiritual courage to " stand before G-d". They implored Moshe to stand for them in their stead " Go thou near, and hear all that HaShem our G-d may say; and thou shalt speak unto us all that HaShem our G-d may speak unto thee; and we will hear it and do it.' ( ibid 5:23)
G-d responds favorably to their request and tells Moshe " But as for thee, stand thou here by Me, and I will speak unto thee all the commandment, and the statutes, and the ordinances, which thou shalt teach them, that they may do them in the land which I give them to possess it.' ( ibid 5:27) .
The words we hear in the Torah portion of Nitzavim were the words spoken in the last 24 hours of Moshe's life. Moshe is telling his people that he has suffered as the sieve or protective covering for them for forty years. Now that they are about to enter the land, they must be prepared to enter the next phase of their Divine mission. Until "this day" they had been the tools that G-d had been using to reveal His involvement in this world. After "this day" they were becoming active participants in that very revelation. They were about to enter the land of Israel without Moshe standing between them and G-d any longer. Henceforth they were going to stand themselves before HaShem their G-d . They were to do that in the land where Divine involvement with the world is more visible than in any other place in this world.
That thought should have been a daunting almost frightening thought., Could they live up to the task and the expectation?
The Baal Shem Tov related that whenever the word " HaYom - this day" is mentioned it refers to Rosh Hashanah. We too stand before HaShem our G-d on this very day .That thought too should be daunting and frightening. A true understanding of the implications of such a "stand" should be enough to overwhelm our spirit and silence our tongues. What could we say at such a moment. Could we develop the courage to look upward and forward without being daunted by feelings of inadequacy.
The words HaYom-This Day " are used elsewhere as well.
" And it fell on this day( Vayhi HaYom ), that he ( Elisha the prophet )came thither, and he turned into the upper chamber and lay there. And he said to Gehazi his servant: 'Call this Shunammite.' And when he had called her, she stood before him. And he said unto him: 'Say now unto her: Behold, thou hast been careful for us with all this care; what is to be done for thee? wouldest thou be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the host?' And she answered: 'I dwell among mine own people.' (Kings II 11-13)
The writings of the Zohar ( parshat Beshalach) offer another level of understanding to theencounter between the prophet and this simple woman. It explains that the prophet Elisha asks this woman if he can intercede on her behalf on "this day" that was Rosh Hashana before the "King" who is none other than the ultimate King.
Her answer gives insight and inspiration to all of us who are cognizant of our own stand before the King on this Day of Judgment. She answered " I dwell amongst my own people". Though I may feel inadequate to stand before HaShem on this or on any day, I wish only to be judged together with the entire people of Israel. Only when I become part of the corporate soul that is the people of Israel can I receive the empowerment to "stand before HaShem". Only in the unity of the people is our judgment tempered with ultimate Divine mercy.
That is the deeper meaning of the verse "You stand this day, all of you, before HaShem, your G-d":
That is the secret of Rosh Hashanah. Before we enter into the days of Atonement and repentance we enter into the Palace of Rosh Hashanah and together, as a people, declare G-d to be Ruler and Majesty of the Universe. Within that corporate purpose lays the empowerment for individual growth. The eternal concept of Klal Yisrael gives each member of that Klal the ability and courage to become the individual he needs to be.
That is the purpose of the Jewish people as it is the purpose of every community of faith as we enter the days of judgment of the whole world.
During the months preceding these Holy Days , NefeshB'Nefesh planeloads of young and old Jewish families arrived in this land in order to begin the new adventure of Aliyah. The hidden strength of these people, and of those that already live here and also of those that yearn to live here is their connection to Klal Yisrael . That connection has more overcome their preoccupation with their more individual lives. It is these types of souls that will stand before the King with unified purpose also on behalf of those who have not attained that awareness. Yet that unified stand will also serve to hasten that awareness to cover the whole world " as the waters cover the sea." (Isaiah11:9)
