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Tag Archive for: Nitzavim – Vayeilech

Nitzavim – Vayeilech – נִצָּבִים – וַיֵּלֶךְ (Deuteronomy 29:9–30:20, 31:1–30)

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This Week’s Torah Portion: Nitzavim – Vayeilech- נִצָּבִים – וַיֵּלֶךְ (Deuteronomy 29:9–30:20, 31:1–30)

“Those who are standing here with us this day before the ETERNAL our God and withthose who are not with us here this day”. (Deuteronomy 29:14)

We all stood together in Sinai before God (even if it did not happen), together, we are all part of the covenant of our people. The covenant includes those who chose to stand with us, and those who chose not to. It is our job to include everyone.

Parsha Nitzavim – Vayeilech – נִצָּבִים – וַיֵּלֶךְ Summary:

Moses tells the assembled people that God’s covenant speaks to them and to all of the generations who will follow. (29:9–14) God warns the Israelites that they will be punished if they act idolatrously, the way the inhabitants of the other nations do. (29:15–28) Moses reassures the people that God will not forsake them and that they can attain blessings by following God’s commandments. (30:1–20) Moses prepares the people for his death and announces that Joshua will succeed him. (31:1–8) Moses instructs the priests and the elders regarding the importance of reading the Torah. (31:9–13) God informs Moses that upon his death, the people will commit idolatry and “many evils and troubles shall befall them.” God tells Moses to teach the people a poem that will “be My witness.” (31:14–30) “Those who are standing here with us this day before the ETERNAL our God and withthose who are not with us here this day”. (Deuteronomy 29:14) We all stood together in Sinai before God (even if it did not happen), together, we are all part of the covenant of our people. The covenant includes those who chose to stand with us, and those who chose not to. It is our job to include everyone.

Nitzavim – Vayeilech – נִצָּבִים – וַיֵּלֶךְ (Deuteronomy 29:9–30:20, 31:1–30)

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This Week’s Torah Portion: Nitzavim – Vayeilech- נִצָּבִים – וַיֵּלֶךְ (Deuteronomy 29:9–30:20, 31:1–30)

“This teaching, which I am entrusting to you today, is not too baffling for you or beyond your reach…it is close to you, this very thing, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.” 

This week’s Torah Portion, the beginning of which is also read on Yom Kippur, begins with Moses convening the entire People of Israel, reminding them of their brit, their Covenant with God. Facing the monumental task of carrying on the tradition after Moses’ death, Moses reminds the people that Torah isn’t off in some far-away place — it is in their mouths and in their hearts as the Jewish People. As we prepare for the High Holy Days, may we all remember that our special Torah, our light in the world, is in our mouths and in our hearts and that we have the power to make our world a better place, just by being and living it. Shabbat Shalom and Shanah Tovah! 

Parsha Nitzavim – Vayeilech – נִצָּבִים – וַיֵּלֶךְ Summary:

Moses tells the assembled people that God’s covenant speaks to them and to all of the generations who will follow. (29:9–14) God warns the Israelites that they will be punished if they act idolatrously, the way the inhabitants of the other nations do. (29:15–28) Moses reassures the people that God will not forsake them and that they can attain blessings by following God’s commandments. (30:1–20) Moses prepares the people for his death and announces that Joshua will succeed him. (31:1–8) Moses instructs the priests and the elders regarding the importance of reading the Torah. (31:9–13) God informs Moses that upon his death, the people will commit idolatry and “many evils and troubles shall befall them.” God tells Moses to teach the people a poem that will “be My witness.” (31:14–30)

Nitzavim – Vayeilech – נִצָּבִים – וַיֵּלֶךְ (Deuteronomy 29:9–30:20, 31:1–30)

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This Week’s Torah Portion: Nitzavim – Vayeilech- נִצָּבִים – וַיֵּלֶךְ (Deuteronomy 29:9–30:20, 31:1–30)

Parsha Nitzavim always arrives on a Shabbat in the season of Teshuva, the weeks leading up to the High Holy Days. Nitzavim begins on Moses’ final day on earth. In the first six verses of Moses’ speech, the word Hayom (today or this day) appears five times This repetition, coupled with its unique timing, gives Moses’ words a sense of urgency and newness. Unlike the rest of humanity, Moses is uniquely positioned to hold advanced knowledge about when he will die. Knowing this is Moses’ final address to the People of Israel, they will listen more deeply and intently to his words.

How would you act if you knew beforehand when your last day on earth would be? What would you do with your remaining time? None of us knows when that time will come, making the placement of Nitzavim amidst our season of Teshuva especially poignant. Nitzavim challenges us to live each day as Hayom: to engage with each day as if it were our last, living each moment to the fullest, speaking words of sincerity and focusing on what is truly important.

Parsha Nitzavim – Vayeilech – נִצָּבִים – וַיֵּלֶךְ Summary:

Moses tells the assembled people that God’s covenant speaks to them and to all of the generations who will follow. (29:9–14) God warns the Israelites that they will be punished if they act idolatrously, the way the inhabitants of the other nations do. (29:15–28) Moses reassures the people that God will not forsake them and that they can attain blessings by following God’s commandments. (30:1–20) Moses prepares the people for his death and announces that Joshua will succeed him. (31:1–8) Moses instructs the priests and the elders regarding the importance of reading the Torah. (31:9–13) God informs Moses that upon his death, the people will commit idolatry and “many evils and troubles shall befall them.” God tells Moses to teach the people a poem that will “be My witness.” (31:14–30)

Nitzavim – Vayeilech (Deuteronomy 29:9–30:20, 31:1–30)

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This Week’s Torah Portion: Nitzavim – Vayeilech- נִצָּבִים – וַיֵּלֶךְ (Deuteronomy 29:9–30:20, 31:1–30)

“Then Adonai your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you” (Deuteronomy 30:3).

Adonai our God evolves through history and our relationship with God continues to develop.

As we approach the end of the Torah and the end of the book of Deuteronomy, we find a new concept in the Torah, repentance. We can return to God, we can mend our ways, we can repent and God is now a compassionate God.

Parsha Nitzavim – Vayeilech Summary:

Moses tells the assembled people that God’s covenant speaks to them and to all of the generations who will follow. (29:9–14) God warns the Israelites that they will be punished if they act idolatrously, the way the inhabitants of the other nations do. (29:15–28) Moses reassures the people that God will not forsake them and that they can attain blessings by following God’s commandments. (30:1–20) Moses prepares the people for his death and announces that Joshua will succeed him. (31:1–8) Moses instructs the priests and the elders regarding the importance of reading the Torah. (31:9–13) God informs Moses that upon his death, the people will commit idolatry and “many evils and troubles shall befall them.” God tells Moses to teach the people a poem that will “be My witness.” (31:14–30)

“Then Adonai your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you” (Deuteronomy 30:3).

Adonai our God evolves through history and our relationship with God continues to develop.

As we approach the end of the Torah and the end of the book of Deuteronomy, we find a new concept in the Torah, repentance. We can return to God, we can mend our ways, we can repent and God is now a compassionate God.