In this week’s torah portion we are getting closer and closer to the end of the reading of the entire scroll. And then, on Simchat Torah we read the last words of Deuteronomy and immediately begin with the words of Genesis. Moses’ speeches and pleas to the people are becoming ever more anguished and emotional. In this week’s portion, Moses addresses the Israelites with these sacred words:
“You are standing before God in order to enter into the Covenant of God and take the oath that God makes with you, so that God may fulfill God’s promise to your fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It is not with you alone, but with those who are here and those who are not here that God makes this Covenant and oath.”
In this one speech, we learn a lot from just the opening word. In the opening phrase: “You are standing…” The Hebrew word used here for standing is “nitzavim” (also the title of the torah portion). The more common word for “standing” in Hebrew is “omdim.” So, what is the difference? “Omdim” implies a passive standing, whereas “nitzavim” suggests a different sort of standing, one that is poised and ready for action. And in the case of the Israelites, they are literally poised on the border of Israel ready to enter the Promised Land. Their standing together as a nation is an act of solidarity and courage. This sort of standing is the standing with purpose, with direction, with intention. They are poised for action.
As the holidays Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur draw near, I suggest we stand at this time and employ the verb “Nitzvaim.” This is the time of year when we are so aware of our lives, the good we can do for others and society, and the changes we can make personally and communally, that we need to stand with purpose and with a sense of action. At this time of year, when we ask for forgiveness (teshuvah) from others and from the Almighty, we must do it with meaning and direction. Simply standing will not do.
On Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur this year, we stand to face God, face ourselves, face our families, and face our communities. May our standing be filled with action and intention. May our prayers be more than words. This year may our prayers literally stand for something.
Shabbat Shalom.
Cantor Evan Kent