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To: yhe-parsha@vbm-torah.org
Subject: PARSHA61 -46: Parashat Nitzavim
YESHIVAT HAR ETZION
ISRAEL KOSCHITZKY VIRTUAL BEIT MIDRASH (VBM)
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PARASHAT NITZAVIM
The Concept of Teshuva in the Torah
By Rav Alex Israel
INTRODUCTION
In the run-up to the Days of Awe, we frequently talk
about the concept of teshuva. Teshuva - how do you
translate that word? We usually translate it simply as
"repentance" and we refer to a change in personal
behavior, refraining from or distancing ourselves from
our negative traits and unlawful conduct. But is that
the full meaning of the term "teshuva?" Is teshuva simply
changing one particular action or mode of behavior?
Our study will demonstrate that the concept is far
wider than we generally think. We shall suggest the
teshuva can be understood not only in the narrower
dimension of the individual but that teshuva can be
perceived as a national process of renaissance,
restoration and redemption. Teshuva is not merely
repentance, it is much more. The word teshuva also
translates as "return." We will examine to what exactly,
or to whom, we are returning and how that "return" may be
enacted.
THE PARASHA OF RETURN
In last week's parasha, we witnessed the threat and
prediction of national destruction as a result of not
following the Torah. This week in Parashat Nitzavim we
see the light at the other end of the tunnel. We are
promised an end to exile and a restoration to our land
and our God.
We will take this ten-verse passage and study it
together. But let me stress at the outset, that the
beauty and linguistic power of the parasha is simply
diminished in translation. If your Hebrew is up to it,
then don't hesitate to pick up a Chumash and to read the
parasha in the Hebrew original.
"(1) When all these things befall you - the
blessing and the curse that I have set before you -
(2) then you will take these things to heart amidst
the various nations to which the Lord your God has
banished you, and you and your children will return
to the Lord your God with all your heart and your
soul, and will listen to His voice - all the
commands that I command you today. (3)Then the
Lord your God will restore your captives (JPS
translation: fortunes) and have mercy upon you
gathering you from the nations where the Lord your
God scattered you. (4)Even if your dispersed
people are at the ends of the world , from there
the Lord will gather you and from there he will
fetch you. (5)And the Lord your God will bring you
to the land that your forefathers possessed, and
you shall possess it; and he will make you more
prosperous and numerous than your fathers. (6) The
Lord will circumcise your heart and the hearts of
your offspring to love the Lord your God with all
your heart and all your soul that you may live.
(7) And the Lord your God will inflict all those
curses upon the enemies and foes who persecuted
you. (8)You, however, will return and obey the
voice of God, performing all His commands which I
command you this day. (9)And the Lord your God
will grant you abounding prosperity in all your
undertakings, in the fruit of the womb, the
offspring of your cattle, and the produce of your
soil. For the Lord your God will again (lit.
return to) delight in your well-being, as he did to
that of your fathers. (10)Since you will be
heeding the Lord your God and keeping His
commandments and laws that are recorded in this
book of teaching - once you return to the Lord your
God with all your heart and soul" (30:1-10).
This passage describes a journey. It is a journey of
national and religious revival. It is a movement of
return, from a broken fragmented existence to national
perfection, from exile to redemption.
The process begins in the depths of exile. It starts
with an awakening of awareness. The first stage is a
"taking to heart," an understanding of the historical
processes that have befallen the Jews and the resultant
religious implications. The stage which follows is a
return to Torah observance. It wold seem that this is a
national movement, a shift on a large scale, whereby the
religious observance of the nation visibly alters.
God responds to Israel's awakening by bringing the
dispersed Jews back to the land of Israel. This is
followed by the flourishing of the nation itself, both
numerically and qualitatively. But then a further stage
ensues, whereby God activates a higher religious reality
("the circumcision of the heart," or "the opening" of the
heart in the JPS edition). Israel responds with greater
adherence to God's word, and God reciprocates by granting
a true abundance of goodness. The process ends with a
mutual joy enjoyed by both parties to the process.
OSCILLATIONS
When we examine this optimistic passage, we are
confronted by a number of difficulties. First, we find
repeated mention of Israel's return to God. First in
verse 1 and 2 and then again in verse 8, Israel is
described as "returning" to God. How many times do the
Children of Israel need to return to God?
The second problem is the style of the passage. It
shifts from Israel to God to Israel to God. First Israel
initiate their awakening, God responds, and then Israel
reciprocate and then God reacts. Why this oscillating
reality? Why is the process described in so complex a
way?
In search of an answer, let us suggest that this
oscillation between God and nation is a deliberate
emphasis of the text. Sometimes the way a text is
written is just as important as its content. Our
narrative style oscillating as it does between Am Yisrael
and God raises a basic question, which is focal to the
parasha: who is returning to whom?
At first it is Israel who appear to return to God
but then God Himself turns to His people and moves in
their direction bringing them back from Galut. God
appears to continue this process of reconciliation and
return by "circumcising" the hearts of his people, an
apparent act of refinement and catharsis. The people
then respond, following God and His Torah in a more
intense manner. God reciprocates showering us with
material wealth. And the end of the story is described
with phrases of joy and delight.
How shall we understand this description? There is a
certain energy created by this action and reaction. To
what may this be compared? To a human relationship where
each partner enriches the other, each side responding to
one another and building up a mutual energy. [Indeed,
the phrase "yashuv Hashem lasus alekha" (v.9), which
Yishayahu uses to describe the love of bride and groom,
is the source for the words "yasis alayikh elokayikh"
that we sing at a wedding.] In this parasha too,
Israel's actions create a response or maybe a certain
mood in God that in turn affects Israel in a positive
way. There is this feedback effect, back and forth,
between Israel and God.
REPENTANCE AND RETURN
So the parasha describes a process of national
return to the land of Israel, of the rebuilding of the
national homeland, and the repair of tensions between
Israel and God. What is rather interesting, however,
when we look at the text in depth, is that we realize
that this process is described by the repeated mention of
the word "shuv" - return or repent. This verb is used in
one context or another seven times in this short passage.
The word, "shuv" is the Leitwort of the parasha and its
primary theme. The process it traces is "teshuva."
Usually the word "shuv" will have a connotation of
turning or returning. In our context it seems to have an
increased range of meanings. We begin with an
understandof the meaning of our historical situation,
"taking it to heart" (v.1). That self-realization leads
to a "return" to God (v.2). God in turn "regathers" his
lost children, bringing back the exiles (v.3-4). We
"respond" (v.8) to God by listening to Him. The word
"shuv, " "teshuva," describes each stage, and therefore,
the totality of this process.
If this parasha wants to illustrate the ultimate
image of teshuva, we must rework our definition of this
concept. teshuva, it would seem, relates to the process
of re-unification of God and his people. Teshuva does
not necessarily relate to a particular action, it is far
wider. It can be an act of self-realization and
understanding and also an act of change. It can be a
response to God's actions or a return to Him. But this
is the very core of the issue. Teshuva is much more than
deleting a few sins from the records. It is not just
repentance. Teshuva is a movement towards God, a turning
towards Him, coming closer to Him, unifying our desires
and our lifestyle with His vision. It is the Hebrew word
"shuv" that is deliberately selected to describe every
stage in that process because every stage is part of the
national reconciliation of Israel and God and their
reunification. This is "teshuva" - turning towards God -
in the ultimate sense. This is teshuva in its widest -
national, historic - scope.
GOD'S "TESHUVA"!
Let us return to the theme that we mentioned earlier
- the oscillation in this teshuva process. We compared
this reconciliation to a human relationship where two
people find meaning and ultimate fulfillment in their
relationship, each partner adding to the relationship and
generating a response from the other.
We have described Israel's return to God, and also
Israel's return to itself - in its renewed homeland, its
national success. But can we find a parallel process
with God, the other partner to the covenant? We have also
noted how God "returns" to Israel, but Rashi in a rather
unusual comment takes the imagery a stage further.
Rashi, (quoting the Gemara in Megilla 29a) applies this
action of teshuva - or return - to God Himself!
Rashi builds his comments upon a textual difficulty.
In verse 3, the verse reads "and the Lord your God will
return the exiles." Now, if the verse wanted to be read
"God...will cause the exiles to return home" the verse
should read "VEHEISHIV" (He will cause to return), but it
actually states VESHAV (He will return). Rashi offers an
explanation:
"Our Rabbis learnt from this that God Himself is -
as if - in pain together with the nation over their
state of exile, and when they are redeemed, God
himself experiences redemption and returns along
with the newly freed nation."
God Himself is returning WITH the exiles. If Israel
is displaced, God too is displaced. The Shekhina - God's
presence - is in Galut together with Am Yisrael. In a
relationship, the absence of one partner does not leave
the other partner unaffected. The process of return is
for God as much as for Israel. It is as if we are BOTH
returning to a state of togetherness and perfection. Not
only is Israel returning to itself, but God too - who was
in some way in a state of dislocation during the exile -
is coming back to His true and natural state of being.
THE CIRCUMCISION OF OUR HEART
This cryptic phrase begs definition. What is it
that God means by this phrase? The Ramban - Nachmanides -
says that it indicates a real change in our human
existence. The metaphor of circumcision indicates the
removal of the Yetzer Hara - the inclination towards sin.
Nachmanides sees this as a messianic vision - of the
days of the final redemption - when, in his kabbalistic
view, humans will have no drive or inclination for
rebellion or vice and we will live in harmony with
ourselves and with God. No inner struggle will divert
our energies from the true goal of the spiritual life.
If we read our parasha in the same way as the Ramban, we
realize that the reward for our desire to return to God
is the removal of the factors which might take us away
from Him.
The Ramban however goes further. He sees this
change as a return to an era long gone. He views this
change as a return to the pristine world of Gan Eden. In
Gan Eden man lives in harmony with God. Eden reflects
the perfect togetherness of man and his maker. It is a
world which does not know of sin. This is to happen, as
well, at the climax of the process of teshuva. At that
point, there will be no sin. Sin will cease to exist.
But is this not the very point? Where does teshuva take
us? Teshuva takes us back to the exact point of
departure, to a pre-sin world, to the Garden of Eden. It
is 'return' in the literal sense of the word, a return to
perfect origins.
It is interesting that this verse from Nitzavim
("umal Hashem Elokekha Et Levavkha Ve-et Levav zarekha")
is seen by traditional sources as the acronym of the word
ELUL (see Mishna Berura OC 581). Elul is seen as the
time of removal of the yetzer ha-ra. We simply have to
make the change in ourselves. God cannot do it for us.
Elul offers us a ticket back to the Garden of Eden. It
is a time of return. Return to God, but also a return to
ourselves, to the purity of soul represented by man on
his first day of creation when his soul was in its
original purity. In Elul we aim to take ourselves back
to a pre-sin world.
IS REDEMPTION DEPENDENT ON TESHUVA?
We have spoken of the interactive nature of teshuva.
God and man together. But does man always have to make
the first move? Can God not draw us towards Him, helping
us to realize His will without inner struggle? It would
certainly make our teshuva less painful. Why can't God
do 'teshuva?' Why can't God come to us?
This is the topic of a famous discussion between
Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua in the Talmud [Gemara
Sanhedrin (97b)]. Rabbi Eliezer brings verse after verse
to prove that "there is no redemption without teshuva"
whereas Rabbi Yehoshua insists that "even if Am Yisrael
does not do teshuva they will be redeemed." For Rabbi
Eliezer, there cannot be redemption without Am Yisrael
making some change for the better. What is redemption if
not the result of a cathartic process of betterment?
Rabbi Yehoshua strongly disagrees. The king can decide
to invite us back to Him at any time He so pleases.
After all, if redemption depends on us, then who is to
say that it will ever happen?
In truth, this discussion between the scholars of the
mishna is an argument between the books of Vayikra and
Devarim. As we have seen, here in Devarim, teshuva is
the key to redemption. It depends on us making the first
move. But in Vayikra, there is a different mechanism to
the national return.
" And I will remember my covenant with Jacob,
Isaac...and Abraham and I will remember the land...
and even in the lands of their enemies, I have not
despised them nor have I found them repulsive
intending to destroy them, to break my covenant
with them...for I will remember the covenant."
(Vayikra 26:42-45)
Here, the central criteria is the 'Brit,' the covenant
made with the forefathers of the nation. The redemption
is not dependant on our behavior, on our teshuva.
Rather, God is committed despite our conduct. God is
'forced' to redeem us, to return us to Him. Indeed in
our Selichot we 'remind' God of this, as if to say "You
owe it to us however bad we are."
A HIGHER LEVEL OF REDEMPTION
So maybe God makes the first move. He is committed
to a covenant, a deal. And maybe we will make the first
move and we will return to God in teshuva.
But on closer examination, the two models are
incomparable. This can be clearly demonstrated when we
examine the nature and quality of the subsequent
redemption.
A redemption through 'contract' does not lead to a
relationship of closeness and togetherness that we have
described above. It is redemption but it is not full
return. That was the redemption of the Second
Commonwealth. Israel returned to Jerusalem, not because
they were better but rather because the 70 years of exile
were over. Technically Israel had a Temple but in
reality, the closeness, the love, betwGod and His people
was lacking (see the book of Ezra, Chagai). There was no
process of return and thus the second Temple never
reached the heights of the first. A redemption because
of a covenant means that God is bringing us back. But if
we have not changed, has the relationship been truly
repaired?
Redemption through teshuva is complete return. A
return of restoration and repair. Where we walk a path
which takes effort, the result of the journey is that we
reach our destination different from the way we began.
We have undergone a metamorphosis and the result is that
the redemption creates a more perfected reality. The
redemption of teshuva means a redemption of healing, a
redemption where we can return to the relationship of the
past and face it openly. We can say that we have
reformed and renewed our relationship with God. The
relationship is cleansed of its scars and it now bears
signs of potential growth. If the nation repairs the
damage that existed between God and themselves, then the
relationship with God has the ability to flourish and
grow.
Our hope and prayer, as individuals and as a nation
is "Avinu malkeinu, Hachazireinu bi-TESHUVA SHELEMA
lefanekha" - "Our father and King! Bring us back to you
in a complete return." We pray that we use this Elul to
return. To return to God, to the path that we truly
desire for ourselves as individuals, to the path of our
national destiny and to a relationship of love and
togetherness with God. And then we will experience a
return to a world of restored values, a world of life and
peace.
YESHIVAT HAR ETZION
ISRAEL KOSCHITZKY VIRTUAL BEIT MIDRASH
ALON SHEVUT, GUSH ETZION 90433
Copyright (c) 2001 Yeshivat Har Etzion.
All rights reserved.
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