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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)

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.