Parshat Nitzavim-Vayelech Schedule

Weekly Words of Torah

Seize the Choice

Insights into Parshat Nitzavim-Vayelech of Mr. David Kornbluth, predicated on the teachings of his rebbe, Rav Elyakim Koenigsberg, by Rav Re’uven Ungar of Sha’alvim.

“See – I have placed before you today life and good, and death and evil.” (Sefer Devarim 30:15).

This pasuk presents Klal Yisrael with a choice. They must decide whether to follow Hashem, thereby living, or to stray from Hashem, thereby dying. There is another similar choice presented to Klal Yisrael just a few Parshiot ago in Parshat Re’eh. The pasuk states “See, I present before you today a blessing and a curse.” B’nei Yisrael seem to be presented with the same decision but with much different repercussions. The choice between life and death is much more intense than that of blessings and curses. When life and death are the choices there is a whole lot more at stake. Why the sudden change from deciding between blessings and curses to that of life and death?

There is a very famous Meshech Chochma which answers this question. Rabbi Meir Simcha HaCohen M’Dvinsk says that the key is to look at the pesukim in between the Parshiot. In between Parshat Re’eh and Parshat Nitzavim the mitzvah of teshuva is introduced. Once there is teshuva everything changes, all the stakes are raised. We are no longer talking about “blessing and curse” rather we are now dealing with “life and death”. This is because teshuva is both a tremendous opportunity and a great responsibility. When one receives the opportunity to return to Hashem, if he takes advantage of the opportunity then all is good, but if he wastes this opportunity then the punishment is that more significant.

Rabbenu Yonah, in the beginning of his Sefer Sha’arei Teshuva, portrays this idea with a parable. There were a bunch of thieves imprisoned in a jail. One night they decided to escape, so they dug a hole until there was an opening to the outside. They all escaped except for one thief. When the warden came in the next morning he saw the hole leading to freedom accompanied by a thief sitting right next to it. The warden began to beat the thief. He yelled at him, “Fool! You had the chance to escape! Don’t you see the hole to freedom?!”

Nowadays, Baruch Hashem, if someone has strep the doctor prescribes a medicine that will heal him. If he was to refuse and not take the medicine everyone would think he was insane. How could he not take the medicine!? He has an opportunity to heal himself! Sometimes it tastes bad and is hard to swallow but he should take it any way to save himself! If he doesn’t take the medicine it could be detrimental to his health.

If you had an opportunity to save yourself from all the bad that can potentially befall you, would you take advantage of the opportunity or would you just ignore it? Well we are now faced with that choice and may we all make the right decision and retroactively bring about the rebuilding of the Beit HaMikdash bimherah biyamenu.