09/11: Parshas Nitzavim
It is explainedin Meseches Megillah (32b), "Rebbi Shimon ben Elazar says that Ezra enacted that Bnei Yiroel read the curses of Sefer Va'Yikra before Shavuos and the curses in Devarim (Parshas Ki Savo) before Rosh HaShanah. What is the reason, the Gemarah asks. Answers Abaye, and some say Reish Lakish, in order that the year be finished with its curses and not have them continue to the next one."
Tosofos on this Gemarah asks why it was necessary to split Nitzavim and VaYelech into two separate Parshiyos when there are two Shabbosim between Rosh Hashannah and Succos. Another option would have been to split the bigger double Parsha of Mattos Maasei into two weeks of laining and leave Nitzavim-VaYelech to be read on Shabbos Shuva. He answers that since Nitzavim has some curses in it, we prefer to read that Parsha before Rosh Hashanah to finish the curses for the year. Therefore, in a situation where there are two Shabbosim between R"H and Succos we split up Nitzavim and VaYelech.
However, Tosfos asks further, if it is indeed true that Nitzavim really contains curses?! He cites a Gemarah in Bava Basra (88b) which explicitly states that the curses of Moshe ended in Ki Savo (Pasuk 68) with the words "ואין קונה." So how could we answer that the reason we split Nitzavim and VaYelech is because Nitzavim has curses in it, the curses ended in Ki Savo, the the Parsha before? Rather Tosfos answers that we read Nitzavim to create a 'buffer' week between the curses of Ki Savo and Rosh HaShanah in order that we don't speak of any curses AT ALL - שלא תהא מדברה בקללוה כלל in the Parsha of Nitzavim.
Rov Yaakov Reinitz asks on this Tosfos, why is it that the curses of Nitzavim are not considered curses at all? Surely everyone can open the Parsha and see that there are indeed curses! Rov Reinitz answers that there are curses, however, this Parsha is different. This is because Nitzavim's curses are premised on the fact that the curses will ultimately lead to doing Teshuva. As the Pasuk writes, (Devarim, 30) "וְהָיָה כִי-יָבֹאוּ עָלֶיךָ כָּל-הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה, הַבְּרָכָה וְהַקְּלָלָה, אֲשֶׁר נָתַתִּי, לְפָנֶיךָ; וַהֲשֵׁבֹתָ, אֶל-לְבָבֶךָ, בְּכָל-הַגּוֹיִם, אֲשֶׁר הִדִּיחֲךָ יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ שָׁמָּה. ב וְשַׁבְתָּ עַד-יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, וְשָׁמַעְתָּ בְקֹלוֹ, כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר-אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ, הַיּוֹם"
"When all the blessing and curses come upon you, then you will take it to heart among all the nations where Hashem, your G-d, has dispersed you. And You will return and listen to the voice of Hashem, according to everything Hashem commanded with all your heart and soul." Therefore, all that was listed as 'curses' were not such big curses because they were the deciding forces that brought us back to Hashem.
May we merit to realize the many ways Hashem has and continues to bring us back to him.
On a related note, a great man once told me that there is a reason the Parshiyos of Ki Seitzei until Vzos HaBrocha were written in that particular order and that they always fall out around the time of Rosh HaShanah. The reason being is that Ki Seitzei represents us going 'off the derech' and then the Torah describe us coming back to do Teshuva - Ki Savo. Well once we're back we might think it's OK to just remain the same in our Yiddishkeit- Nitzavim. Not so says the Torah we must get up and go - VaYeilech, and we must listen to what Hashem really wants - Haazinu, then, once we do all that - Vzos HaBracha.
Brocha and Hatzlocha to all and a Good Shabbos!
Tosofos on this Gemarah asks why it was necessary to split Nitzavim and VaYelech into two separate Parshiyos when there are two Shabbosim between Rosh Hashannah and Succos. Another option would have been to split the bigger double Parsha of Mattos Maasei into two weeks of laining and leave Nitzavim-VaYelech to be read on Shabbos Shuva. He answers that since Nitzavim has some curses in it, we prefer to read that Parsha before Rosh Hashanah to finish the curses for the year. Therefore, in a situation where there are two Shabbosim between R"H and Succos we split up Nitzavim and VaYelech.
However, Tosfos asks further, if it is indeed true that Nitzavim really contains curses?! He cites a Gemarah in Bava Basra (88b) which explicitly states that the curses of Moshe ended in Ki Savo (Pasuk 68) with the words "ואין קונה." So how could we answer that the reason we split Nitzavim and VaYelech is because Nitzavim has curses in it, the curses ended in Ki Savo, the the Parsha before? Rather Tosfos answers that we read Nitzavim to create a 'buffer' week between the curses of Ki Savo and Rosh HaShanah in order that we don't speak of any curses AT ALL - שלא תהא מדברה בקללוה כלל in the Parsha of Nitzavim.
Rov Yaakov Reinitz asks on this Tosfos, why is it that the curses of Nitzavim are not considered curses at all? Surely everyone can open the Parsha and see that there are indeed curses! Rov Reinitz answers that there are curses, however, this Parsha is different. This is because Nitzavim's curses are premised on the fact that the curses will ultimately lead to doing Teshuva. As the Pasuk writes, (Devarim, 30) "וְהָיָה כִי-יָבֹאוּ עָלֶיךָ כָּל-הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה, הַבְּרָכָה וְהַקְּלָלָה, אֲשֶׁר נָתַתִּי, לְפָנֶיךָ; וַהֲשֵׁבֹתָ, אֶל-לְבָבֶךָ, בְּכָל-הַגּוֹיִם, אֲשֶׁר הִדִּיחֲךָ יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ שָׁמָּה. ב וְשַׁבְתָּ עַד-יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, וְשָׁמַעְתָּ בְקֹלוֹ, כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר-אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ, הַיּוֹם"
"When all the blessing and curses come upon you, then you will take it to heart among all the nations where Hashem, your G-d, has dispersed you. And You will return and listen to the voice of Hashem, according to everything Hashem commanded with all your heart and soul." Therefore, all that was listed as 'curses' were not such big curses because they were the deciding forces that brought us back to Hashem.
May we merit to realize the many ways Hashem has and continues to bring us back to him.
On a related note, a great man once told me that there is a reason the Parshiyos of Ki Seitzei until Vzos HaBrocha were written in that particular order and that they always fall out around the time of Rosh HaShanah. The reason being is that Ki Seitzei represents us going 'off the derech' and then the Torah describe us coming back to do Teshuva - Ki Savo. Well once we're back we might think it's OK to just remain the same in our Yiddishkeit- Nitzavim. Not so says the Torah we must get up and go - VaYeilech, and we must listen to what Hashem really wants - Haazinu, then, once we do all that - Vzos HaBracha.
Brocha and Hatzlocha to all and a Good Shabbos!
08/28: Welcome to the Parsha Page
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