English translation — נצבים א

A.

On "Atem Nitzavim

(today)

Rashi stands and explains: "It teaches that Moshe gathered them before the Holy One, blessed be He, on the day of his death to bring them into the covenant."

It is not understandable: What does Rashi innovate "It teaches that he gathered them etc. to bring them into the covenant,"

it is stated explicitly "You are standing today etc. to pass into the covenant of the Lord your God"?

Commentators<sup>2</sup>

learn,

that the novelty of Rashi "teaches etc." is not in the "to bring them into the covenant" which is explicit in the verse,

but in the "he gathered them Moses etc."<sup>3</sup>

: in the verse it only says "you are standing",

it could be that Moses did not gather them together,

rather they remained standing in their place

(as they were encamped around the Ark),

Rashi says "teaches that Moses gathered them before the Holy One blessed be He etc. to bring them into the covenant",

and his proof that "he gathered them" is from "to bring them into the covenant" — entry into the covenant is through passing over<sup>4</sup>,

for which there must first be a gathering.

It is however difficult to learn this way in Rashi,

because according to this: a)

Rashi should have copied in the beginning of the entry also the

(further)

words "to pass you into the covenant",

from which is his proof.

He should have said not "to bring them in" but

(approximately the language of the verse)

"to pass them into the covenant",

from which is the proof that "he gathered them".

c)

From Rashi's language "teaches that Moses gathered them etc. to bring them into the covenant" it implies that the novelty of Rashi consists in "to bring them into the covenant"

(not in the actual matter that "he gathered them",

and "to bring them into the covenant" should be only the proof for that).

b)

2.

After Rashi explains the verses until after "in order to establish you today as a people for Him, and He will be a God for you," he explains in our verse two more interpretations: "And another interpretation:

Why is the section of "You are standing" juxtaposed to the curses? Because Israel heard one hundred curses, etc., Moshe began to appease them: "You are standing today, etc., and behold you are enduring before Him"; and afterwards he explains the word "today"

(according to this interpretation)

"like this day which endures, etc.,"

and continues "another interpretation:

You are standing because Israel were going from leader to leader, from Moshe to Yehoshua, therefore he made them a gathering in order to encourage them, etc."

One must understand:

a)

What is difficult in the first explanation, that because of this Rashi needs

to arrive at a second explanation,

and furthermore — from "Midrash Aggadah"

(and especially since Rashi himself emphasizes regarding the first explanation "thus I explained according to the plain meaning of the passage" and regarding the second explanation the emphasis is "and our Sages said")

; and also the second explanation is not sufficient and he needs to arrive at a third explanation "another explanation: you etc.'".

On the other hand - as discussed many times - is the first interpretation

(Rashi everywhere)

the main one,

and the second interpretation is closer to the plain meaning of Scripture than the third interpretation - accordingly one must understand: in what way is the third interpretation further from the plain meaning of Scripture than the second interpretation?

b)

From the fact that Rashi brings the interpretation of "another interpretation" and also the third interpretation "another interpretation" only at the verse "in order to establish you etc.",

and not immediately at the beginning of the portion at the first verse "You are standing today",

it is proven,

that the two other interpretations in Rashi are relevant not only to the words "You are standing today",

but also to all the verses until the verse "in order to establish etc.",

and as Rashi's language in that verse "until here I explained according to the plain meaning of the portion and another interpretation etc.",

d.

h.

that the "another interpretation" is a different interpretation also in the other verses until here,

and nevertheless Rashi does not explain in detail the interpretation in all the verses according to that "another interpretation" and "another interpretation"⁷.

It is not understood: since the explanation of all these verses changes,

why does Rashi explain

(according to the "M"A")

only the word "today,

as this day which is enduring etc."⁸?

3.

The explanation in this: from the fact that Rashi says the expression "teaches that Moshe gathered them etc. to bring them into the covenant",

and does not say in the language of the verse "to pass them into the covenant",

it is understood that he does not come to explain the words of Moshe "you are standing today, all of you etc. to pass into the covenant"

(because that is explicit in the verse),

rather Rashi innovates a separate matter that is learned from the words "you are standing today".

Simply, the portion "You are standing today, all of you" comes as a continuation to the end of the previous portion "And Moses called to all Israel and said to them, 'You have seen etc.'"

etc.].

Simply, one must learn,

that the "And Moses called to all Israel",

the assembly of all Jews at the end of Parshat Ki Tavo,

was for the purpose of telling them that which is stated immediately afterward in the portion — "And he said to them, 'You have seen etc. the great trials etc. And you shall keep the words of this covenant and do them etc.'"

This was the purpose of the assembly,

and only as a continuation to this comes "You are standing today etc."

And in this Rashi innovates "melamed": from the words "atem nitzavim hayom" one learns "shekinnsam Moshe lifnei HaKadosh Baruch Hu etc. lehachnisam bivrit",

The purpose of the gathering was not in order to convey to them his words

(in the end of Parshas Ki Tavo),

rather "kinnsam Moshe lifnei HaKadosh Baruch Hu etc. - lehachnisam bivrit"¹⁰.

The proof on this is:

a)

The words "Atem Nitzavim" - which are seemingly out of place,

since it already says earlier "Vayikra Moshe el kol Yisrael",

all Jews were indeed at that event, Moshe should have begun with that¹¹.

If for some reason

(to emphasize "Lifnei Hashem" etc.)

he wants to say this specifically, but it should have said "Ve'atem Nitzavim" - with a vav ha'chibur adding to "Atem re'item go' u'vatem go'" - one must say that the language is something "melamed".

b)

The continuation "Atem nitzavim hayom kulchem lifnei Hashem" - seemingly they were "nitzavim lifnei Moshe" to hear what he conveys to them¹².

3)

"Today" - what does "on the day of his death" mean

he says "And Hashem did not give you a heart to know ..

until this day",

and Rashi there explains that this is when Moshe gave the Torah scroll to the Levites,

as told in Parsha Vayelech which is

was on the day of his death,

and Parsha Vayelech comes in sequence at the same time as Parsha Nitzavim¹⁴]

-if one were to learn that the gathering was in order to say to them "You have seen all that Hashem did ... the great trials ... and you shall guard ..." - strengthening in guarding the Torah and mitzvos - then why did he wait until the day of his death,

and he did not say it earlier

(Mishneh Torah, Moshe Rabbeinu began to say "on the eleventh month, on the first of the month"¹⁵)?

All this compels that the purpose of the gathering

(Sefer HaSichos, Parsha Tavo)

"And Moses called to all of Israel" was to bring them into the covenant

(in our parsha),

which the covenant pertained

(mainly)

after they crossed the Jordan

(as Rashi says later in our parsha¹⁶),

he therefore postponed it until "the day of his death,"

which is closer to the time when Israel crossed the Jordan.

D.

Based on the above,

that "You are standing today etc." comes in continuation of the earlier reading of Moses "to all of Israel,"

and on the other hand, the purpose of the gathering was "before Hashem etc. to bring them into the covenant,"

and the words in the end of Parsha Tavo are like a parenthetical statement,

merely an introduction and preparation for it - are understood two more details in the simple meaning of the verse on which Rashi does not comment:

a)

The Torah mentions here "your little ones."

And superficially,

In the Torah one does not find that Moses our teacher should call also "little ones"

At the gathering of all Jews

(for whatever purpose it may be).

Moreover: further in the portion of Vayelech¹⁷,

where it says "Assemble the people, the men, the women, and the little ones,"

Rashi stands on this and explains "Why did they come? To give reward to those who brought them"

(and it is understood that

(according to Rashi)

is in our portion not this the reason,

because then Rashi would have explained it the first time — here,

and not rely here on that which he will explain in a later parshah)¹⁸.

And although regarding the matter of our parshah the children had to be in order to be included in the covenant,

which was for everyone,

But since "Atem Nitzavim" is the assembly of the end of Parsha Ki Tavo,

it follows that the children were from the beginning of the assembly when Moshe said "You have seen... the great trials... and you shall keep the words of this covenant and do them" - to which they were not relevant,

they are not obligated in commandments?¹⁹

But according to the above in Rashi,

that "And Moshe called" was "before the Holy One, blessed be He...

to bring them into the covenant",

it is understood why immediately at the beginning of the calling they brought children,

because the purpose of the assembly was to bring them into the covenant and the words "You have seen..." are only an introduction to it.

b)

Before one imposes upon someone a certain obligation,

and especially — an oath and the like,

there must come explanations and introductions.

One does not come to someone immediately with the obligation,

oath etc.

And in the matter at hand, indeed “You are standing” was “to pass into the covenant of the Lord your God and into His oath etc.”,

a covenant and an oath upon every Jew — from the various types of the community of Israel — so how is it that Moshe did not tell them beforehand something of an introduction to such a great and severe matter?

and certainly — if one were to learn²⁰

that “You are standing” in our portion was a gathering in itself].

According to Rashi, however,

that "Moses gathered them before the Holy One, blessed be He, etc. to bring them into the covenant" that was the purpose,

then the matter is understood,

because "You have seen etc. the great trials etc." was indeed the

explanation and the introduction to

(the purpose)

"to pass you into the covenant of the Lord your God and into His oath."

5.

According to this explanation, however, the unusual expression "Nitzavim" is not explained.

According to the above, that the expression lets us hear that "he assembled them before the Holy One, blessed be He, etc. to bring them into the covenant,"

why does it say "Nitzavim" — an unusual expression — and not the expression "Omdim,"

which is common in the Torah,

and as he also says in our context

(further in the portion²¹)

"with us standing today"?

Moreover: not only is this not a common expression,

but it seemingly does not fit here in the verse from the standpoint of the content.

"Nitzavim" is in the manner that Rashi²²

interprets "in an upright stance,"

unlike the expression "Omdim"²³.

And since "he assembled them before the Holy One, blessed be He, etc.

to bring them into the covenant,”

it is indeed understandable that they stood with submission and self-nullification,

is as he says “Nitzavim” which indicates strength and greatness²⁴.

Therefore Rashi brings a second explanation “and an Aggadic midrash,”

that this comes in continuation of the curses and “Moshe began to appease them: ‘You are standing today

(so much so that although)

you have angered the Omnipresent many times and He did not make you cease to exist, and behold you stand before Him’” - the emphasis especially is on the word “Nitzavim,”

which indicates a strong standing etc.

And according to this explanation, it changes

(not only the intent and meaning of the word "Nitzavim",

but)

also the meaning of "Hayom":

Since these are words of appeasement regarding the curses,

one must say simply that this was in temporal proximity to the admonition,

and consequently it is not plausible that this was on the day of his death²⁵,

because: a)

the intent of the admonition is

Yet he was to urge them regarding the fulfillment of Torah and mitzvos,

he certainly did not wait with this until the day of his death,

b)

It is not plausible that on the day of his death Moshe would say to them curses²⁶

(on the contrary,

on the day of his death,

close to his death,

he blessed them²⁷).

Therefore Rashi must also learn that the word "today" has a different meaning,

which comes in continuation of the explanation of "You are standing."

Since "You are standing" means "Behold you are enduring before Him etc. and the curses and afflictions sustain you and establish you before Him," so too the meaning of "today" is "like this day which is enduring etc."

And since the words of appeasement must be adjacent to the rebuke,

Rashi adds,

that the verses more adjacent to this,

the "section above this is appeasement: 'You have seen etc.'"

6.

But also this interpretation is difficult,

because: a)

According to this, it should have stood earlier "You are standing" and afterwards the section "You have seen etc.",

which is the explanation of the main appeasement "He did not make you like etc. and behold you exist before Him etc. and the curses and sufferings sustain you and establish you etc."

b)

If the section is words of appeasement of Moses - how do "your little ones" come there,

who do not understand the admonition,

and consequently they do not need the words of appeasement.

Therefore Rashi brings a third explanation "because the Israelites were going from leader to leader from Moses to Joshua therefore he made them a monument in order to spur them etc.",

according to which the wording "Nitzavim" is understandable

(not - "Omdim"),

because the wording also indicates spurring.

And according to this explanation,

is: a)

the meaning of "Hayom" - "on the day of his death"

(as according to the first explanation)

- obviously in plain sense,

since this is after all connected with the going from leader to leader.

b)

it is understood why earlier Moses said "You have seen etc." and only afterwards "You are standing today",

because this needed to be as close as possible to his death when going from leader to leader.

c)

it is understood the bringing of the children,

because they too go over from leader to leader.

7.

The difficulty in this explanation however is: since this is connected with the departure from one leader to another leader,

Moshe should have said this entirely at the end,

after the portion of Vayelech,

close to his actual death - why does it appear earlier?

since this was relevant after they would cross the Jordan,

it is not necessary that it be close to his actual death

(since this cannot in any case be close to its subject),

but according to the third explanation,

that this is connected with the departure from one leader to another leader,

it should have been close to the actual departure].

And even though the second explanation is "Midrash Aggadah",

it is closer to the plain meaning of the verse than the third explanation,

because according to the third explanation, "Atem

Nitzavim" is a matter in itself that has no connection to "And Moses called to all Israel" from the end of Parsha Ki Tavo²⁸.

However, according to the second explanation,

not only is "Atem Nitzavim" a continuation of Moses' words "You have seen etc." from the end of Parsha Ki Tavo,

but this was also the purpose and ultimate goal of the gathering "to appease",

that the main appeasement is in "Atem Nitzavim" as above,

and in this it is closer and similar to the first explanation that the purpose of "their gathering by Moses" is explained in our parsha "to bring them into the covenant".

8.

From the wine of Torah in this Rashi: Parshat Nitzavim is always read before Rosh Hashanah²⁹,

and this is hinted in the word "today" which refers to Rosh Hashanah³⁰.

And in this Rashi explains "it teaches that Moshe assembled them before the Holy One, blessed be He, on the day of his death to bring them into the covenant": although earlier at the end of Parshat Ki Tavo it already states what Moshe said to the Jews "You have seen etc. the great trials etc. and you shall keep the words of this covenant and do them" - fulfillment of the Torah and commandments,

but the purpose of the assembly "on the day of his death" - a day of judgment - "to bring them into the covenant",

that a covenant is higher than understanding and comprehension³¹,

on Rosh Hashanah the essential connection of Jews with the Most High is opened,

which the connection is "He assembled them before the Holy One, blessed be He",

a unity

And the inclusion with the Supreme One Himself,

higher even than tzaddikim and the righteous³².

Nevertheless,

as an introduction to this was the speech that should bring to "And you shall keep the words of this covenant and do them",

because this essential connection that Israel and the Holy One, blessed be He, are entirely one,

comes

(in revelation)

through the Torah,

because the Torah is the intermediary that connects Jews with the Supreme One³³.

And as the language

(which appears several times)

the Zohar³⁴

"Three knots are tied one to another: Israel is tied to the Torah, and the Torah to the Holy One, blessed be He."

which at first glance, regarding three things that are interconnected with each other, there exist only two connections.

But — after Israel become connected with the Most High through the Torah,

Israel become connected with the Most High also by themselves,

a connection that is higher than the connection through the Torah³⁵,

and consequently it becomes three connections

(Israel, Torah, Holy One blessed be He, Israel — like the example of the circle).

And consequently the introduction of "And you shall guard etc." must be,

but the purpose and goal of the gathering on Rosh Hashanah is the essential connection of Israel with the Most High.

This is however not enough: the covenant,

the essential connection must be revealed,

and in spirituality and

(also)

in physicality,

have material good influence from the Above in a revealed and evident good.

that there should be fulfillment of the Torah

(good lesson)

and the commandments in actual deed,

the deed is the main thing; so do Jews ask and receive from the Above all the influences and they come down in physicality in a revealed and evident good - in actual deed],

On this comes the second explanation,

that "Moshe began to appease them",

Moshe,

The intermediate who connects the upper with Jews,

acts³⁶

that "they stand before Him" and in the manner of "Nitzavim" - "with an upright stance" physically³⁷.

Even more: "And the curses and afflictions establish you and make you stand before Him" - the undesirable things of the past become transformed into blessings revealed in good that is seen and revealed.

(From the talk of Shabbos Parshas Nitzavim 5725)