You stand this day, all of you, before Adonai your God -- your tribal heads, your elders and your officials, all the men of Israel, your children, your wives, even the stranger within your camp, from woodchopper to waterdrawer -- to enter into the covenant of Adonai your God, which Adonai your God is concluding with you this day, with its sanctions; to the end that God may establish you this day as God’s people and be your God, as God promised you and as God swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I make this covenant, with its sanctions, not with you alone, but both with those who are standing here with us this day before Adonai our God and with those who are not with us here this day. (Deuteronomy 29:9-14).This week, Moses teaches us to understand ourselves both horizontally and vertically. Horizontally, because Israel includes everyone: men and women, powerful and powerless, children and strangers. And, vertically, because Israel spans generations: from those who came before to those who have yet to come.
As we continue our own process of Elul reflection in preparation for the High Holy Days, I believe we too have an opportunity to rethink our relationships with our community. How might we better connect or serve those around us? How might we better align ourselves with generations past and present?
Parashat Nitzavim provides one answer to this question. The Torah tells us:
Surely, this Instruction which I enjoin upon you this day is not too baffling for you, nor is it beyond reach. It is not in the heavens, that you should say, "Who among us can go up to the heavens and get it for us and impart it to us, that we may observe it?" Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, "Who among us can cross to the other side of the sea and get it for us and impart it to us, that we may observe it?" No, the thing is very close to you, in your mouth and in your heart, to observe it (Deuteronomy 30:11-13).This week we are reminded that Torah, in its totality, is not intended to be esoteric or removed from our lives. Rather, Torah is meant to be internalized. This week we are reminded that our tradition calls upon us to hold Torah close to us; to keep words of Torah on our lips and implanted in our hearts. When we keep Torah close to us, we bind ourselves to our community. We are reminded to live lives based on justice and compassion, and to seek a sense of purpose in all we do.
It is easy to stray away from this ideal. It is easy to live life separated from tradition, from community, and from our sacred texts. It is easy to do this because life is busy and filled with pleasant things to distract us. However, Torah teaches us that life is experienced more fully when we connect ourselves to things greater than ourselves. When we live life conscious of our place in our community (both horizontally and vertically) and when we live life with an inner mindfulness toward our spirit, Torah teaches that we live our lives to their whole potential.
On this Shabbat, I pray that we find moments to seek out the Torah in our lives. I pray that we take time to connect ourselves with those around us, those who came before us, and those of future generations. Elul is a time for drawing close to our best selves. I wish you blessings as you do so.
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