By Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D.
EL CAJON, California — This week’s Torah reading gives us a powerful message, choose life, and tells us how to endure:
“I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day: I have put before you life and death, blessing and curse. Choose life—if you and your offspring would live— by loving Hashem, heeding Hashem’s commands, and holding fast to Hashem. For thereby you shall have life and shall long endure upon the soil that Hashem swore to your fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give to them.”
During the days that are very soon upon us, Rosh Hashana, the Fast of Gedalia, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Hoshana Rabah, Shmini Atzeret and Simchat Torah, we contemplate our needs and our deeds, our hopes and aspirations for the coming year. and in so doing, we choose life. This is a central message of the High Holidays…to choose life, to live a live filled with mitzvot, not just to pray to win a lottery or for the health of one’s body, but ideally, for the needs of our soul as well.
The Torah teaches us that we are given the choice to affirm, nurture and sustain life in its fullest form. Nachmanides, the great 13th-century Torah scholar, offers us an interpretation that expands our understanding of this mitzvah. He teaches that even if a person is completely righteous, faithfully fulfilling all the commandments and dedicating themselves to Torah study, they still fall short if they fail to positively influence others.
According to Nachmanides, if we can help others study Torah or strengthen their commitment to its teachings, and we do not act on that opportunity, we place ourselves in the category of the cursed. This is a powerful statement that demonstrates our collective responsibility. The Torah scholar is telling us that personal piety is not enough. It is our responsibility to truly attend to the spiritual needs of others and to build a genuinely welcoming community of Torah and mitzvot. Does your synagogue foster an environment where everyone can thrive spiritually? How can you create more opportunities for others to connect with Torah and mitzvot in your congregation?
Key themes that emerge in this week’s readings include unity and inclusivity. We read of Moses addressing all segments of the Israelite society, emphasizing that the covenant applies to all. We learn that the Torah is “not in heaven” but is close and accessible to all. This encourages us all to actively engage with Torah teachings in our daily life.
The parshiot we read emphasize that the commandments are “not too difficult” or “beyond reach.” This suggests that living an ethical, meaningful life according to Torah principles is attainable for all. This week we learn of the possibility of returning to Hashem even after straying, highlighting the power of repentance and the opportunity for spiritual renewal. The door is open to all, emphasizing the importance of communal responsibility and unity. Unity. We are one, aren’t we? Isn’t creating unity a central purpose of our lives? Isn’t that part of our inherent worth and unique mission in the world? Our sages teach us that we are all empowered to be a conduit of love, righteousness, courage and transformation.
The Baal Shem Tov, the founder of Hasidism, shared a beautiful teaching that illuminates this concept. He taught that divine sparks are hidden and trapped throughout creation, waiting to be liberated. These sparks represent our potential for holiness, for tikkun olam (repairing the world), and for bringing more of Hashem’s light into our reality. Each of us has our own unique set of Divine sparks waiting for us and only for us, to reveal and uplift. Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, a profoundly influential 20th century thinker, said, “The challenge I face is how to actualize the quiet eminence of my being.” By embracing our unique purpose and striving to reveal our Divine sparks, we not only elevate ourselves but properly follow this week’s Torah readings and contribute to the elevation of all creation.
This does not mean for us to pretend that we can erase our differences and simply agree on everything. No, we’d be wise to recognize that our shared identity and purpose are greater than any disagreement. It’s about our responsibility to help create a community where diverse voices are heard and respected, where we can disagree without acting disagreeably. We would be wise to engage in machloket l’shem shamayim (disagreement for the sake of heaven). This means disagreeing respectfully, with the intention of arriving at truth rather than being right or winning an argument.
In our increasingly polarized world, the concept of unity often seems elusive. Yet, our Torah teaches us that unity is not only achievable but essential for our individual and communal well-being. Our tradition maintains that unity is both a desirable trait and a prerequisite for Hashem’s blessings. I’m reminded of a Midrash and Rashi’s comments here about the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. When Hashem spoke, He divided He voice into 70 languages so that all nations could understand. Even at this auspicious moment of supreme unity, when the nation stood “as one person with one heart,” diversity was present and honored. When we achieve this kind of unity – one that respects and even celebrates our differences – we create a space for Hashem’s presence.
Rabbi Hanina taught: “Everything is in the hands of Heaven — except for the fear/awe of Heaven.” We can choose what we think, how we respond and how we act…everything else is in His hands. This week’s readings remind us that we have the mental and emotional tools with which to make good choices, choices that help us improve our lives, and perhaps the lives of others.
Nitzavim opens with the words, Atem nitzavim hayom — that may be understood as, “You stand firm this day.” In the midrash Tanchuma it asks, “When (do the Jewish people stand firm)? “When you will be unified.” The parasha tells us that we are all standing before Hashem. In Lidutey Halachot, Reb Noson teaches that this points to the importance of achdus, of unity, for all Jews. All Jews…those who attend services, those who do not, those who keep that “law” and those who keep another “law,” those who dress that way or the other way. We are being urged to join as one so that our prayers ascend to Heaven. From Reb Noson we are taught to always judge for the good, to look for the good points in each other. This year, aim to revere the divinity in every soul – every soul. This year, recognize that nobody is better than another. That is how we nurture true peace and love everywhere, and create real unity, not selective unity.
Wishing all a “Ketivah v’chatima tovah,” “A good inscription and sealing in the Book of Life, “Leshana tovah tikatev v’tichatem” “May you be written and sealed for a good year,” and “A gut gebentsht yohr,” “A good and blessed year.”
*
Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D., prepares a weekly D’var Torah for Young Israel of San Diego, where he and his family are members. They are also active members of Congregation Adat Yeshurun.