English translation — נצבים ג

A.

At the conclusion of the series¹

It says “I have placed before you life and death etc., and you shall choose life, so that you and your seed may live.”

Rashi focuses on the words “and you shall choose life” and says about them three matters:

(a)

The explanation of “and you shall choose life” — “I instruct you that you should choose the portion of life.”

(b)

A parable for this — “Like a person who says to his son: Choose for yourself a beautiful portion in my inheritance, and he stands him upon the beautiful portion and says to him: This one choose for yourself.”

(c)

A proof for this from a verse²

— “And about this it is said: ‘The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You uphold my lot.’ I placed my hand on the good lot to say: This one take for yourself.”³

One must understand: What is difficult in the words “and you shall choose life” that Rashi needs to explain it at all, and moreover with a lengthy and detailed explanation?

At first glance, the meaning of “and you shall choose life” is quite simple

(as other simple interpreters of Scripture learn⁴)

: The Almighty says outright

(as good advice⁵)

to choose the portion of life,

through “to love⁶

the Lord your God, to listen to His voice etc.”

B.

Learning simply, it turns out⁷,

that Rashi comes here to protect that "and you shall choose life" is not a <b>command</b>

(a command,

or good advice)

to choose <b>life</b>

- it has no place to <b>command</b> "and you shall choose life" - because in any case: if one does not know at all that it is life,

one must <b>only convince</b> him of this and he will already <b>automatically</b> choose it,

the command is superfluous; and if,

again,

he has not become convinced that this is life - what will help him the command

(or advice)

"and you shall choose life",

when by him it is not settled that this is life?

But with "and you shall choose life" is meant "I &lt;b&gt;teach &lt;/b&gt;you" - the Almighty says that with His saying immediately afterwards "to love the L-rd your G-d etc." He shows Jews "that you shall choose the portion of life",

because this is life&lt;sup&gt;8&lt;/sup&gt;

: since not always does one see with fleshly eyes that "life" depends on "good"&lt;sup&gt;9&lt;/sup&gt;

(and "death" on "evil"&lt;sup&gt;9&lt;/sup&gt;),

one must &lt;b&gt;point out &lt;/b&gt;what is the correct and true thing of life

(in order that you live, you and your seed)

to love the L-rd your G-d for &lt;b&gt;He &lt;/b&gt;is your life and the length of your days etc.].

And on this Rashi brings:

(a)

a parable - "like a person who says to his son etc.",

that the father is not satisfied with saying "choose for yourself a beautiful portion in my inheritance",

but "&lt;b&gt;stands him &lt;/b&gt;on the beautiful portion";

(b)

a proof from a verse that the Almighty "stands" Jews "on the beautiful portion" - "and on this it is said etc. I placed My hand on the good lot to say this take for yourself".

3.

But it is still not smooth the length in Rashi:

a)

Why does he need to bring at all <b>a parable</b> "like a man who says to his son etc." - he could have said the content directly in the moral

(that the Higher One "establishes" Jews "on the beautiful portion")?

<b>And on the contrary</b> - in the moral is the matter,

at first glance,

more understandable than in the parable:

Regarding the fulfillment of the Torah and commandments

(the allegory)

It is necessary that the Supreme One should indicate that <b>this</b> is "life" and the "beautiful portion": because in the conduct of the world it often appears,

that "the way of the wicked prospers"¹⁰

and "the righteous ...

suffer in this world"¹¹,

one must

ensure that the wicked "their end is to be thrust out at the last"¹¹

and the righteous "their end is to rejoice at the last"¹¹

When it speaks however about choosing a beautiful portion in a <b>physical</b> inheritance,

it is much easier to see what is beautiful and what not,

and it is not

(so)

necessary the "place him upon the beautiful portion".

After “ומעמידו על חלק היפה” Rashi says “ואומר לו את זה ברור לך”,

which implies from this,

that after he is “אומר לבנו בחר לך חלק יפה בנחלתי ומעמידו על חלק היפה”,

there must be <b>still</b> an action, a saying “את זה ברור לך” - it is not understood:

What is the necessity in this?

Where does one find <b>this</b> saying in the verse

(in the allegory)?

c)

The conclusion of Rashi “ועל זה נאמר ..

הנחת ידי על גורל הטוב כו’” -

(a)

„וע”ז נאמר”

(a commentary on the verse <b>in Tehillim</b>)

- not „וכמו שנאמר” and the like

(which means a proof in the commentary on the verse here)

b)

(b)

The „מעמידו על חלק היפה” is in a manner that „הנחת ידי על גורל הטוב כו’”:

(a)

a)

Rashi indeed explains the plain meaning of the verse <b>on the spot</b> - why does he bring "And about this it is said

(in Tehillim)

etc."?

(b)

b)

What is the function of "the placing of my hands"?

d.

The explanation of this:

The question that Rashi comes to answer with his commentary is:

The matter that is stated here in the verse - "I have set before you life and death etc., and you shall choose life, so that you and your seed may live"

- is already and <b>explicitly </b>in the preceding verses: "See, I have set before you today the life and the good, and the death and the evil"¹²,

the simple meaning of which is,

that "this depends on that: if you do good, then

To you life and if you do evil behold to you death”&lt;sup&gt;13&lt;/sup&gt;,

and as the verse is afterwards&lt;sup&gt;14&lt;/sup&gt;

explains “which I command you today to love etc. and you will live and multiply etc. and if your heart turns etc. I have declared to you etc.” -

So why does the verse repeat it here again&lt;sup&gt;15&lt;/sup&gt;?

Rashi therefore explains that the novelty in the content of the verse here is emphasized in the words "and you shall choose life"

(which are <b>not</b> earlier).

What does the novelty consist of?

Rashi brings a parable for this - "like a person who says to his son etc. and stands him on the good portion and says to him 'choose this for yourself',"

which gives to understand,

that there is a case where even after "standing him on the good portion" there is first required a statement "choose this for yourself"

(as follows)

And likewise in our matter: the "I instruct you to choose the portion of life" from our verse is like the "says to him" that comes <b>after</b> the "<b>places him</b> upon the beautiful portion" — after the Torah explains in the <b>preceding</b> verses that "if you do good, behold life is yours,"

there must first be a declaration "and you shall choose life."

5.

From this that one finds

(in the parable),

that after one gives a "beautiful portion"

(in his inheritance)

one must first "place" him "upon the beautiful portion,"

it is understood that here it speaks about such an inheritance regarding which it is difficult to know

(from

external appearance)

which is the "beautiful part" in it - and therefore the giver must "place it on the beautiful part".

(not - "to his friend"¹⁶)

The certainty of the recipient that the giver is placing him on the beautiful portion,

is connected with

(that which he knows)

two things -

By the giver it is clear what the beautiful portion is¹⁷

The giver is doing

(the recipient’s)

favor with a full heart and is therefore ready to give him the beautiful portion of his inheritance - and

(the certainty in)

the two details are emphasized in the analogy:

The portion is "My inheritance" - of the giver,

and consequently he has a clear knowledge of it;

He gives it "to our son",

that a father is

(more than anyone else)

ready to give his son the beautiful portion of his inheritance.

And likewise it is in the analogue,

regarding the Above One with Jews: so that among Jews it should be established that "life" and "good" are "dependent on each other" - although in the eyes of flesh one does not always see it - one tells him that he should think into two things:

(a)

(a)

(a)

The world is "My inheritance" - of the Above One,

Creator of the world and its Leader,

and therefore He knows what the correct way of "life" is.

(b)

(b)

(b)

Jews are "children ..

to the Lord your God"¹⁸

- they can be certain that the Supreme One seeks only their good].

Since however that one does not see with fleshly eyes the "beautiful portion",

and one relies on the word of the giver - it is understood,

that the giver is not satisfied with "placing him on the beautiful portion",

but he again urges the recipient and tells him once more that he should take the beautiful portion; and this is what he adds - "and says to him 'this is clear to you'".

And likewise in our matter,

that even after explaining to the Jews that “life” and “good” are “dependent on each other”,

one places them on the beautiful part,

there is still required a special arousal¹⁹

from Above: “and you shall choose life, so that you and your seed may live”,

that Jews should completely rely on the Almighty and select “the part of life”.

6.

One can still ask, however — prima facie the parable is not similar to the moral:

In the parable one understands how the urging "this is clear to you" affects the son,

because

(In addition to that which it speaks about an urging from a father <b>in physicality</b> regarding an inheritance <b>physical</b>,

and therefore,

although the son does not see with physical eyes that this is the "beautiful portion" of the inheritance,

it gives him nevertheless a feeling in the truth of the words of his father*¹⁹)

The son has no independent knowledge absolutely of the nature of the inheritance from his father - to know what is the choice portion of the inheritance,

Therefore, for him it is sufficient and he accepts the assurance and encouragement from the father the giver.

But in the allegory,

It is not only that one does not see

(always)

the "placing him on the choice portion"

("If you do good, behold life is yours")

<b>In physicality </b>

(until - that this can sometimes mean also "life" in <b>the World to Come</b>²⁰),

Rather more: with fleshly eyes he sees

(sometimes)

<b>The opposite</b>,

that "the way of the wicked prospers"¹⁰

and "honey drips from the lips of a strange woman"²¹

- the taste of the pleasures of the world he feels with his physical senses,

and that "its end is bitter as wormwood"²²

is only a matter that he <b>believes </b>or

(at most)

understands with his intellect -

Today, how can the alacrity,

which the Above says

(through Moses)

in His Torah "and you shall choose life" certainly affect the person to <b>abandon</b> the matters of <b>physical</b> life and instead of that choose the good and life of Torah and mitzvos?

On this Rashi continues - "and about this it is said 'The Lord is the portion of my lot and my cup; You uphold my lot.' I placed my hand on the good lot to say 'this take for yourself'":

"And you shall choose life" is not just a statement,

but with it becomes

(also)

revealed "Your Tumim Your Urim ..

placing my hand on the good lot etc.”: The Almighty shows Jews

("I instruct you")

in the physical the "good lot",

until one sees with fleshly eyes

(at least - from time to time)

how through doing good one receives "life" literally,

so that it is possible placing of hand on the "good lot"

(one can tap it with the hand)

- which confirms for a Jew that doing good is his "good lot" and "portion of life".

7.

With this one can also explain the <b>change</b> in Rashi's language — in the parable he says "and says to him this <b>clear</b> to you,"

and in the moral

(in the explanation of the verse "The Lord is my allotted portion and my cup, You support my lot")

he says²⁴

"to say this <b>take</b> for yourself":

Since the father's urging

(after "placing him on the beautiful portion")

is only in speech — it turns out,

that the <b>choice itself</b> belongs <b>entirely</b> to the son,

therefore the father says "this <b>clear</b> to you,"

the <b>son</b> should

(by himself)

<b>choose</b> the "beautiful portion" which the father points out to him.

But not so the statement of the Most High "and you shall choose life" is in a manner of "&lt;b&gt;placing My hand &lt;/b&gt;upon the good lot"&lt;sup&gt;25&lt;/sup&gt;

- the "good lot" has already become chosen and connected with the Jew and for him there remained no more than the

&lt;b&gt;taking &lt;/b&gt;the

(chosen)

good lot - this &lt;b&gt;take &lt;/b&gt;for yourself.

„I placed my hand etc. &lt;b&gt;to say &lt;/b&gt;this take for yourself”

(Not as in the parable „&lt;b&gt;and he says &lt;/b&gt;to him etc.”)

- Because the main thing is „I placed my hand etc.” and the saying „this take for yourself” is only the intention of it

(„to say”),

a result of the „I placed my hand”].

8.

In this change mentioned above in the wording of Rashi is also hinted a matter in &lt;b&gt;halacha&lt;/b&gt;,

And with a preface another precision - that the beautiful portion is called in the analogue

(in the verse)

„&lt;b&gt;my lot&lt;/b&gt;”,

„the good lot”&lt;sup&gt;27&lt;/sup&gt;

- That the intention in this is to hint,

that the manner of the choice of Jews in the „portion of life” is like a division by lot.

And with this is understood the change of language mentioned above between the mashal and the nimshal

("it is clear to you" and "take for yourself"),

which hints at the difference between the action by "a person who says to his son etc." and a lottery in the manner that "the placing

(the &lt;b&gt;Supernal One&lt;/b&gt;)

my hand on a lottery etc.":

Regarding the division of partners through a lottery, several Rishonim hold&lt;sup&gt;28&lt;/sup&gt;,

that the lottery is only &lt;b&gt;clarifying &lt;/b&gt;which portion each of them is to receive,

but in order that the portion should indeed become his, he must &lt;b&gt;afterwards &lt;/b&gt;make a kinyan;

But not so by the division of the Land of Israel by lot,

which was through "the lot

Urim and Thummim"²⁹

("<b>By the Holy Spirit</b>"³⁰),

all hold³¹

that through this lot <b>was acquired</b> for each Jew his portion in the Land of Israel.

And similar to this in our matter: by "&lt;b&gt;A person &lt;/b&gt;who says to his son etc.’" his statement is only &lt;b&gt;clarifying &lt;/b&gt;for the son which is the "choice portion" - "he says to him this &lt;b&gt;is clear &lt;/b&gt;to you"; however in the analogue,

the statement of the Most High "and you shall choose life"

(not only &lt;b&gt;clarifying &lt;/b&gt;the "portion of life",

but it)

opens&lt;sup&gt;32&lt;/sup&gt;

that the "good lot" is already "acquired" for the Jew

(he only needs to take it in actual reality)

- it becomes the "&lt;b&gt;placing of My hand &lt;/b&gt;upon the good lot to say this &lt;b&gt;take &lt;/b&gt;for yourself".

ט.

From the wine of Torah in the commentary of Rashi:

The two matters mentioned above - "the beautiful portion ..

"Clear to you" and "the good lot ..

"Take for yourself" - are two ways in which a Jew can effect in himself the "and you shall choose life":

One way is - a choice through a calculation based on reason and intellect,

where good and life are then called "the beautiful portion"

(as known³³

that "portion" means the "service that is based on reason and intellect"]

; and the choice is in a manner of "clear to you" - there are two ways and portions,

each of which has an advantage over the other

(Otherwise the matter of &lt;b&gt;clarifying&lt;/b&gt; - &lt;b&gt;selecting&lt;/b&gt; is not relevant)

- and one selects one part not the other.

The second manner is,

that one chooses good and life

(not from a calculation,

but)

with a choice above reason and knowledge&lt;sup&gt;34&lt;/sup&gt;,

then the matter of “life” is called “&lt;b&gt;the good lot&lt;/b&gt;”

- and so it is simply - that a lot is not in the category of knowledge - but “above the category of knowledge”]

; and &lt;b&gt;the &lt;/b&gt;choice consists only in “take for yourself” - the second part and way has from the outset no place,

and the service consists of no more than &lt;b&gt;taking &lt;/b&gt;the “good lot”.

Yud.

One will understand this according to that which Chassidus³⁶

explains,

that the way of the wicked prospers,

and in general - the flow of vitality to the husk is from the aspect of the encompassing [light],

and therefore it is <b>in abundance</b>,

without a reckoning; in contrast, the flow to holiness is from the inner light,

light in a vessel specifically,

and consequently it is with a reckoning;

And this is the greatness of the advantage of Jews in that they choose the Holy One, blessed be He,

in holiness - they forgo the abundance of flow that exists in the side of the husk and choose the flow <b>limited</b> from the side of holiness³⁷.

Why are Jews indeed choosers in this?

There are,

in general,

two explanations:

a)

Since the abundance of influence to the wicked is only temporary and afterwards it will be discontinued³⁸,

and on the other hand — the influence to the righteous will ultimately be in great abundance³⁹,

as it is said⁴⁰

: If to those who transgress His will [it is] so, to those who do His will [it is] all the more so;

This is the choice according to reason and understanding

(He makes a calculation that it <b>is worthwhile</b> for him to choose holiness),

which is hinted at in the first matter in Rashi: <b>the portion</b> that is beautiful ..

<b>Clear</b> to you.

b)

Since the constricted influence is from the side of holiness,

this is the innermost aspect of the supernal will - not like the influence to the husk which is "like one who casts behind his shoulders"⁴¹

- he chooses holiness⁴².

d.

e.

That the influence of holiness in a manner of "the light of the king's face, life",

although it is constricted,

is more beloved to him⁴³

than the abundance that is in the husk -

This is not a choice according to calculation,

but above reason and intellect,

that which a

A Jew wants <b>in essence</b> G‑dliness from the aspect of “lot” in the soul⁴⁴

; and therefore in this the manner of “it is clear to you” does not apply

(because from the aspect of the level in the soul, everything besides G‑dliness from the outset does not occupy a place),

but the “good lot ..

<b>Take</b> for yourself”,

that he should bring down this aspect of lot into an inwardness,

until into thought, speech and deed.

11.

Nevertheless, the verse states "I have placed before you life and death, etc., and you shall choose life, etc.,"

that it speaks about the manner of "&lt;b&gt;clarify for &lt;/b&gt;yourself"

(between "life" and "death")

- as is also understood from the precise wording of Rashi "&lt;b&gt;and about this it is said &lt;/b&gt;etc.,"

that the matter of "placing my hand on the good lot to say ..

take for yourself" is not the &lt;b&gt;explanation &lt;/b&gt;of "and you shall choose life,"

it is only that "and you shall choose life" includes &lt;b&gt;also &lt;/b&gt;that matter,

which &lt;b&gt;explicitly &lt;/b&gt;stands elsewhere.

The explanation of this: In the matter of "I have placed before you life and death, etc., and you shall choose life" - that what a Jew chooses the portion of life is in a manner of free choice - there are two matters:

The <b>root</b> of the matter of a Jew choosing Divinity is from the aspect that the essential soul of a Jew is one thing,

as it were,

with Essence⁴⁵

; and the

<b>The freedom</b> of choice in the level — although it is not applicable to say that the essential soul will choose something other than Divinity, heaven forbid⁴⁶

— means,

that the choice and connection of a Jew to Divinity is not from a compulsion

(a reason and virtue)

- What then is

a)

(a)

the connection with a limitation

(according to the reason and advantage)

(b)

It is not a true free choice<b>47</b>,

because from the perspective of the reason and advantage,

he is as if "compelled" in it -

But because such is the will and choice of the essence of the soul <b>from its own perspective</b>; and since this is not due to a reason and advantage,

the choice is in a manner that every matter outside of G-dliness is negated <b>completely</b><b>48</b>.

b)

The revelation of the choice in

G‑dliness is in the human intellect⁴⁹.

Because when is it evident that the will of a Jew for G‑dliness is in his free choice — at the time that he actually has two paths of “life” and “death” and he chooses life; and this applies specifically in the human intellect,

which can find an advantage in both paths and nevertheless — “and you shall choose life”.

And therefore it is said in the verse "I have set before you life and death, etc., and you shall choose life" - because in actual service is the choice

(according to reason and knowledge)

in a manner of "&lt;b&gt;clarify &lt;/b&gt;for yourself";

But Rashi,

the wine of Torah,

reveals the &lt;b&gt;inner &lt;/b&gt;content of "and you shall choose life" - "and about this it is said etc. 'I have placed my hand on the good lot to say this take for yourself'": the inwardness and truth of the choice in divinity in the level of reason and knowledge

(the actual choice)

- is &lt;b&gt;that &lt;/b&gt;

(also)

the choice of the aspect of "lot" in the soul

(&lt;b&gt;essence &lt;/b&gt;of the soul)

in divinity,

which is absolutely negated of "death" and "evil",

so that it only needs to be the "take for yourself"

(as above at length).

12.

According to the above, one will also understand the connection of the aforementioned matter to Parshat Nitzavim — a portion that "is always read before Rosh Hashanah"⁵⁰,

and since "everything follows the conclusion"⁵¹,

it is understood,

that the

connection of Parshat Nitzavim to Rosh Hashanah is not only at the beginning of the portion

("You are standing today, etc.")⁵²

but

(also)

at the conclusion of the portion:

Rosh Hashanah is the time when one arouses the Above to choose the Jews⁵³,

as we say and we ask

(before the shofar blasts)

„<b>He will choose</b>⁵⁴

for us our inheritance, the pride of Jacob whom He loved forever” - that in this choice there are two matters

(in the manner of the above section 11)

The <b>root</b> of the choice is that which His Essence chooses the souls of Israel not because of a reason,

but by His free choice,

so that because of this "to exchange them for another nation I cannot"⁵⁵

- it is "Israel and the King alone"⁵⁶

and there is no place, heaven forbid, for others⁵⁷.

And the <b>revelation</b> of free will below is in a manner of "And you shall be to Me a treasure <b>from all</b>

<b>the nations</b> etc.'"⁵⁸

- There are "others with you",

and nevertheless "they are in My eyes and before Me <b>as nothing</b>",

and consequently it is - "<b>your love is cut off</b>".

Since on Rosh Hashanah everything is "returns to its original state"⁵⁹

- one must put on and continue the "He will choose for us" from its root and source,

from His Essence; and this comes through the service of Jews who effect in themselves the "&lt;b&gt;and you shall choose &lt;/b&gt;life"⁶⁰

- not only from the side of reason and intellect,

but from the aspect of "lot" in the soul,

&lt;b&gt;essence &lt;/b&gt;of the soul,

And through that which Jews reveal in themselves that which "they chose the Holy One, blessed be He, to be for them a God"⁶¹,

this arouses and reveals that which "and the Holy One, blessed be He, chose them to be for Him a treasured people"⁶¹,

below in actual deed and in the good that is seen and revealed.

second day of Rosh Hashanah 5726)