Parashas Nitzavim just before Rosh HaShanah

Our Parsha this week is Parashas Nitzavim and this Shabbos comes just before Rosh HaShanah . The Haftorah for this Parsha is the last of the Haftorahs of consolation since Tisha B'Av that is from Yeshayahu Isaiah 61:10-63:9.
In this Parsha , Moshe's almost 40 days discourse ends and this Parsha takes place on the last day Moshe was with us then . Moshe starts this Parsha by saying , " Atem Nitzavim Hayom Kulchem Lifnei HaShem Elokeichem , " - " You are standing today all of you before HaShem , your G-D ," to renew the covenant made with our Fore-Fathers, just before we are to enter the land and just before Moshe is about to ascend to HaShem and leave us . Moshe refers to us all standing before HaShem , Heads of the Tribes , Our Elders , Our Officers , Our Small Children , Our Women and the Proselyte , from the Hewer of Wood to the Drawer of Water ( these were the K'na'anim who had requested from Moshe to convert , but Moshe suspected their motives as they claimed to be from a far off people and because Moshe was aware that they were not sincere in coming to Judaism , he allowed them to remain as hewers of stone and water drawers for the Tabernacle ) , were all brought into the renewed covenant with HaShem . Included in this were all Jews past , present and Jews to still be born in future generations - all were standing there that day .
Moshe referred next, to those who may be standing there and not have their heart genuinely with HaShem , but may be considering idol worship . HaShem Here Refers , through Moshe , to a time when we would be exiled and , when that time comes , we must know that HaShem Warned us not to follow idols . Moshe refers to the Blessings and Curses , and when we are being punished , to take it to heart , and if we repent sincerely , HaShem Will Forgive us and bring us back from exile , wherever we have been scattered , and HaShem Will Punish our enemies who mistreated us through those times of Galus , and we will return to HaShem and follow all His Commandments and His Decrees in the Book of the Torah , and HaShem Will Bless us , when we return to Him with all our heart and soul .
HaShem Through Moshe Tells us , that The Torah is always available and reachable . HaShem Foresees that there will be times when some of us will lessen on the Laws and make out they are not to be kept anymore and they will try to change them and lessen on them , so HaShem Prophetically Reminds us , that the Torah is not Distant , but very near us , within our heart and soul , so we must follow it , at all times , through all generations , and never change in any way , never lessen in any way , or reform in any way , all the Laws HaShem Gives . They are to remain the same through all time and must never be lessened or changed in any way . There will be those who might say that the Torah is too hard to keep , so HaShem Says , " It is not in Heaven so we would need to say who will have to ascend to Heaven to take it for us , so we can listen to it and perform it , " for The Torah is very near us and easily accessible , and comes down to us from Shamaim from HaShem , as HaShem Already Brought it down to us on Har Sinai , so we can keep it , though even if it were still only in Heaven , we would be obligated to climb high to reach it and acquire it , just as Moshe had to do , when he went up the Mountain to win against the Angels attempts to prevent him bringing it down to us. HaShem Put The Torah directly in front of us, so we can follow and keep It All .
HaShem Through Moshe Tells us , that it is not across the Sea , that we should say who will go to the other side of the sea to take it for us so that we may listen to it and perform it ," although if it was , it would be our obligation to travel anywhere to attain it and keep it . The Torah is not across the sea , which refers also to that HaShem's Laws are not found in the beliefs of the other nations . HaShem's Laws are only within HaShem's Torah Gift that HaShem Gave to us . And so we must listen to it and perform it . For HaShem Says " Rather , the matter is very near to you - in your mouth and your heart - to perform it . " HaShem's Torah is within us to keep It always . It is interesting that the letters in the words in Hebrew for " in your mouth and your heart ," - " B'ficha U'vilvavcha ," number ten letters , like the Ten Commandments and the Ten Pronouncements that HaShem Uttered to Create Creation . Thus , in keeping HaShem's Word and Commandments in our mouth and heart and fulfilling the Commandments to do them , we are fulfilling the Ten Commandments and most importantly , fulfilling HaShem's Wish for Creation .
The word " La'asoto , " - " To perform it , " ( the Torah and Commandments of HaShem ) that comes after " in your mouth and in your heart , " Teaches us that HaShem Doesn't Just Want us to keep it in our mouth and heart , but It must fulfill It's Purpose , by us " La'asoto , " - " Performing it , " and thus become the Torah , in doing all the Laws .
HaShem Again Reminds us that we have a choice to follow Him and be Blessed , or to stray , Chas Ve Shalom , and be punished. . HaShem Calls Heaven and Earth , as the two witnesses needed for seeing that we keep the Laws , for as we know the witnesses must be the first to punish the perpetrator , and this means that if we disobey , then the Earth will be called upon to punish us , through withholding the goodness that HaShem Has Blessed the Earth to give us , and so we will be brought to account by HaShem , through the Earth , in the form of the physical things on the Earth , that HaShem Gave To the Earth , being withheld , and the Heaven and its host of Malachim and other entities , From HaShem , will be called upon to bring us punishment from HaShem , but if we hearken to The Voice Of HaShem Our G-D , the Earth will be Blessed By HaShem Who Will Bless us abundantly through the Earth from HaShem and the Heaven From HaShem , will open itself to us for a sweet and peaceful holy stay in Shamaim , if we only love HaShem and listen to HaShem's Voice and cleave to HaShem , Who " Is your ( our ) life and the length of your ( our ) days , to dwell upon the land that HaShem Swore To your ( our ) ForeFathers , to Avraham , to Yitzchak and to Yaakov , To Give To them . " So ends the Parsha .
We note how in this Parsha , Moshe refers to us all standing together even as single units together , and so , our Rabbis tell us that this verse is phrased this way , so as to institute a common responsibility from now on , that the actions of one Jew , will now affect the rest of our nation , that if one Jew sins , it will affect the punishment of other Jews , for we are now all standing together as one . Thus , if one Jew lessens on Torah Mitzvos , it will affect other Jews , even far away . All Jews from this point on , now have a common ' Aravus ' - ' Responsibilty , ' for their fellow Jew . Thus a Jew can't say , that he or she will lessen on the Laws and that it won't affect other Jews , because it will . It is like the example of five men on a boat and if one man says that he will drill a hole under his own seat and that it won't affect the other four , how wrong he is , for he will cause his other peers to drown .
The same works the other way , that if Jews Daven together in Minyonim , we thus stand as a collective and so HaShem Judges us all as a whole and the merits of our fellow Jews can also lift us up and help us .This is one of the reasons why we should Daven in a Minyan , for HaShem Scrutinizes more closely , the sins of the individual , unlike would be , if the individual , would stand together with his or her peers . The same is with the four Species in the Lulav and Etrog on Succos , where each represents a different level of Jews , but when brought together , become one and they uplift each other . This is a good thing to remember at this time of year , as we are about to celebrate Rosh HaShanah , the day , in Creation, that HaShem Created Adam Ve Chavah , and so , it is at this particular time , that HaShem Feels Especialy Close to us and Comes Down Closer To us, at this period of time . This is a very specific time , where we all " Nitzavim " - " Stand ," as a collective and individual , before HaShem For Judgement . So it is so important , to go to Shul on this day and every day , for if we stand with our peers , HaShem Looks at us as a collective and Sees our love and Wish collectively , to be close to Him . I am not saying that this period of time should be the only time that Jews should go to Shul , as that is not right . Jews should go to Shul every Shabbos and Jewish males every day three times a day in Shul ( where Jewish Males are Halachically obligated to time bound Mitzvos Kiddushin 29a ' Mitzvos Aseh Shehazeman Gerama ' - ' All Positive Time Bound Mitzvos , ' where women are not obligated to Time Bound Positive Mitzvos ) . A Jew " Nitzavim " " Stands " at all times before HaShem , in the light and in the dark , at Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur and also at every moment and day during the rest of the year . But this is a special time where HaShem Scrutinizes His Creation more fervently . But we , must make an effort at all times to attend Holy full Torah Following Shuls and at all times , must we " Niztavim " - " Stand " up and follow HaShem's Torah Laws . We must Stand up as a nation of Torah and take hold of HaShem's Link ( Torah ) to lead us to Him .
We note that in this Parsha the word " Nitzavim , " for " Standing " is used . Standing is usually ' Omeid ' in Hebrew , though the word ' Natzeiv ' also means ' Standing ,' but the word " Natzeiv " suggests a more upright kind of Erect " Standing . " So why the need for this more erect kind of " Standing " in this context . Taking the word " Niztavim , " and looking within it , one comes to two separate words ,' Natziv ,' and Tzava , which according to the Shimon Silberman Milon Dictionary , ' Natziv ' means ' to Stand erect and one commissoned and ' Tzava ' means ' Assemble , ' thus how must we stand before HaShem . Straight and Erect with respect , ready to be commissioned by HaShem as His Representative , to do His Holy Laws and Bidding and Bring HaShem's Essence into every moment .But how can we possibly Stand before HaShem in an Erect way , and still respect and Honor Him . This erect way to stand before HaShem , is not in reference to a physical arrogant way of standing , Chas Ve Shalom . It is to be a Spiritually Holy and Righteous Erect way of presenting ourselves , before our Creator , as commissioned and representing HaShem within Creation , always standing before HaShem with humility . We are at every moment , " Nitzavim " - " Standing " before HaShem and so , must at all times Follow His Mitzvos and His Holy Ways Thus must we emulate HaShem's Ways and so , by doing that within Creation , we will make Creation a place where HaShem Will Dwell Among us .So how can we " Nitzavim , " - " Stand " before HaShem ? By scrutinizing our every action and making all we do , holy , so we can make ourselves Worthy to Stand before HaShem in love . And how do we bring this World to its intended result in Creation . By " Niztavim , " - " Standing " as the Parsha says " Kulchem " - " All of us , " together , all serving HaShem Together as one in Peace and Harmony . And when must we stand before HaShem . The Parsha says , " Hayom " - " Today " And when is " Hayom " - " Today . " Every day , every minute of every hour , for every moment is within the day and every day is , at that present moment " Hayom " - " Today . "
At all times , we are " Nitzavim " - " Standing , " before HaShem .
And so must we make ourselves always ready to Stand Before HaShem , by being Holy and Faithful to HaShem and His Torah Mitzvos . And if we do and are totally Faithful to HaShem , and follow All His Commandments , HaShem Will Come and Stand Before us For Closeness and Love and Creation will then be filled with the Light and Love of HaShem .
I wish HaShem With Sweet Love Always , A Beautiful Sweet Shabbos Kodesh and Shanah Tovah With Deepest Love Always , and to all my fellow Jews and Creation , a Beautiful Sweet Shabbos Kodesh with love and a Kesiva Ve Chasima Tova , Shanah Tovah and a Sweet New Year with love .