Our Parasha opens with three words “Atem Nitzavim Hayom” (“אתם נצבים היום”), “you all are firmly standing here today”. This statement has a profound meaning and secret as we read it during the forty days of Teshuvah, repentance. These words have the same numerical value as “לעמוד לסליחות”, which is 694. This comes to teach us that we must stand in front of HaShem and be strong in our belief and strength with our true Teshuvah. The word “Nitzavim” (“נצבים”) comes from the word “נצב” firmly stands, alluding to the fact that HaShem always stands firmly with us, and we must do the same with Him. Parashat Nitzavim is always read before Rosh Hashanah; the word “Hayom” (“הַיּוֹם” – today), means the day of Rosh Hashanah. As it says,”הַיּוֹם הֲרַת עוֹלָם” “Hayom Harat Olam”, speaking of Rosh HaShanah as the creation of the world was completed with creating Adam on this day. As we read the verse of Rosh Hashanah prayers:
We learn from the words “your wives and children” “טַפְּכֶם נְשֵׁיכֶם” “Tapechem and Neshechiem” (your children and wives) the obligation of a parent to teach their children and wives the Torah and Mitzvot.
The word “Atem” (“אתם” – all of you) also spells the word “Emet” (“אמת” – truth). Moshe is reaffirming to the people of Israel that the Torah is and always be the one and only true way of life and given by HaShem. He urged them to always stand firm with HaShem, the Torah, the truth everyday of their lives. The first three words of the Torah are “Beresheet Bara Elokim” (“בְּרֵאשִׁית, בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים”); the last letter of each of these words it spells the word “Emet” (“אמת” – truth). The three letters of the word “Emet” are placed at the beginning, middle and end of the Hebrew Alphabet.
All three letters of the word Emet have “two legs” meaning a strong base, alluding to the truth of our Torah. On the other hand, the letters of the word “Sheker” (“שקר” – lie) stand on “one leg”; they always fall and will always fail to remain standing. The author Samuel Langhorne Clemens, better known by his pen name Mark Twain, once wrote; “If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything”, meaning that the truth has a “built-in” mechanism that does not requires memory. The word “Atem” “אתם” is also an acronym to the words Elohim Torah & Mishnah.
Our two Parashot Nitzavim and Vayeilech (sometimes are read together) consist of seventy verses alluding to the seventy souls who went down to Egypt with Yaakov. Now they are in the millions standing there, all from the seventy souls. Moshe is now standing (“נצב” – firmly stands) in front of Bnei-Yisrael few days before his passing on Adar seventh, 2488. Moshe emphasized the power of unity they all hold at this moment in time, as they about to enter to Eretz HaKodesh, the Promised Land.
The Midrash says about the opening words “you are all standing here today” (“אַתֶּם נִצָּבִים הַיּוֹם כֻּלְּכֶם”) that all the souls that left Egypt were present at this moment. This accession is compared to the same event of Matan Torah on Mount Sinai as all the souls were present and Bnei-Yisrael were in complete unity and unshakable belief in HaShem. Regardless of their fathers’ sins, they all stood together and firmly united.
Also good to now that the words “ראש השנה” Rosh HaShanah are equal to the words “Mishpatecha O’mdim Hayom Ki HaKol A’vadeiech” “משפטך עומדים היום כי הכל עבדך”
The members of the new generation of Bnei-Yisrael are all under sixty years of age, and they all learned the entire Torah from Moshe. By saying “אַתֶּם נִצָּבִים הַיּוֹם כֻּלְּכֶם” “you are all standing here today”, Moshe came to reiterate that they all received the Torah. We also see that the acronym of the words “כֻּלְּכֶם, לִפְנֵי יְהוָה” “Kulchem Lifneie Y.H.V.H” spells the word “כלי” “Kli” (vassal) which also stand for the three parts of Bnei-Yisrael: “כהן – לוי – ישראל” Cohen – Levi – Israel. When we all are united, our prayers are well received by HaShem.
The Zoahr says that “אַתֶּם נִצָּבִים הַיּוֹם כֻּלְּכֶם” “you are all standing here today” allude to creation, as all souls are judged since they were created from 25th of Elul untill Rosh HaShanah.
The word Beresheet has a hidden message; when rearranging the letters we get the words “Alef BeTishrei” (“א בתשרי“), alluding to the first day of the month of Tishrei, which is the day of the completion of creation. We also learn from that the first word is an acronym to the participants and witnesses of this event as they too are “Nitzavim” (firmly stand) with Beni-Yisrael. The word “Atem” means you all stands for:
- Alef – א – stands for ארץ the Earth
- Taf – ת – stands for תורה the Torah
- Mem – ם – stands for מלאכים the Angels (representing heaven)
This comes to teach us that just as Bnei-Yisrael witnessed Moshe going up to receive the Torah, they are now standing here “Nitzavim” to bear witness to this profound moment of Holiness.
Our Sages instituted a daily prayer that includes a special verse that praises HaShem, “HaShem renew the act of Creation every day, continuously” (“הַמְחַדֵּשׁ בְּכָל יוֹם תָּמִיד מַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית”). This tells us that the world was created in one day, the first day, (“יום־אחד”), as the words “you are all standing here today” speak of all parts of creations. The Ten Sefirot, (spiritual dimensions) are basically a narrow expression of the unlimited power of HaShem, that we human can learn from.
We learn from our Sages about the seven levels of heaven, noted in our Torah, which are: Vilon, Rakia, Shechakim, Zevul, Maon, Machon, and Aravot.
Although Moshe knew the future prophecy of the exile of Bnei-Yisrael, he said that if they do true Teshuvah, they will merit a return to the Holy Land and the Beit-HaMikdash. Moshe explained to Bnei-Yisrael that as long as they are united as they were at Mount Sinai, they will be strong regardless of their small numbers. When they have a full “Emunah” in HaShem and true belief they will be protected by HaShem, as we witnessed many times in the past. The Midrash says that HaShem is always willing to forgive and forget when a true Teshuvah is preformed, as we saw in the following cases:
- Kaine – who murdered his brother Hevel and made Teshuvah.
- King Achav – who ruled over ten tribes and erased HaShem’s name from the Torah.
- King Menashe – the son of Chizkiyahu who placed idols in the temple and was the son of Chizkiyahu.
Moshe taught Bnei-Yisrael that they must pray for repentance (“לעמוד לסליחות”), beginning on the end of Shabbat Nitzavim, usually a week before Rosh Hashanah. The Sephardic Jews start on the beginning of the second night of Elul.