Nitzavim
Deut. 29:9
-30:20
Précis: Moses continues to address the
People: You stand (nitzavim) this day before Adonai. In his final words
to the People, Moses recounts the wonders Adonai had done for them, and calls
upon them to remain loyal to God by observing the Covenant. The extent of the
relationship is explained: it will survive exile and captivity with a return to
the Land. The Torah is an “open book” that is accessible to all. A blessing and
a curse have been set before the People, and Moses urges them to choose the
blessing, to choose life
Deut. 29:9
-11 “You stand this day, all of you, before Adonai your God -
your tribal heads, your elders, your officials, all the men of Israel; your
children, your wives, even the stranger in your camp, from woodchopper to water
drawer, to enter into the covenant of Adonai your God…”
Arnold Eisen, Chancellor of the Jewish Theological Seminary has written (JTS
Weekly Torah 9/19/14) that these opening verses of the parasha “are
distinguished by remarkable inclusivity….whether rich or poor, men or women,
old or young, high or low in the social order, even “the stranger within your
camp.” Everyone is part of the “you” with whom the “Lord your God” is entering
into covenant. What is more, the pact includes those present “this day,” as
well as members of generations to follow, and of generations past, who are not
present; those standing near and those far away.”
I read these words at a time when the United States is engaged in a political
debate of the kind I have never before experienced. One major party candidate
seeks to unify, the other major party candidate seeks to divide. I also read
these words when we have unprecedented news coverage of the scourge of young
black men being slain by police, while police and other public safety officers
are being themselves targeted. Professional athletes are scorned for not
honoring our national flag by some, and praised by others for their exercise of
free speech which that flag represents.
It has become a cliché that the American people are politically polarized as
never before in living history, to the point where making sure the “enemy”
fails becomes more important than seeking the compromises upon which the
governance and social contract our country have relied. The word “comprise” has
been turned into an epithet by some to signify weakness.
Finally, there are indeed deplorable people – people who engage in bigotry,
homophobia, sexism, anti-Semitism, and Islamaphobia to name a few – who feel it
is now “okay” to come out of their dark closets because they need no longer
need to be “politically correct.” My friends, what some call “politically
correct” is in fact tolerance and simple decency and respect for others.
Our parasha this week stands for what Chancellor Eisen calls “remarkable
inclusively.” That inclusivity is what was and should be the highest attribute
of the American ethic as well, from the Founding Fathers to Emma Lazarus’ poem
on the Stature of Liberty to Ronald Reagan’s references to the “city on the
hill.”
Since we read these words just a few days before Rosh Hashanah, I think they
call upon us to examine our own thoughts and actions, and to consider how we
can find the strength to create an American society where all - whether
rich or poor, men or women, old or young, high or low in the social order, even
the stranger- are treated with respect, dignity, and the recognition
that we are all create in the image of God.
