Parasha: Nitzavim – ‘you are standing firm’
Devarim 29:10 – 30:20
After four hundred and seventy years Israel is described as “Nitzavim – Standing Firm”. Moshe has lived long enough to see Israel living in a special spiritual condition. The magician, B’laam, observed this when he was trying to curse Israel:
21 He has not observed iniquity in Jacob, Nor has He seen wickedness in Israel. Avinu his Elohim is with him, And the shout of a King is among them. 22 Avinu brings them out of Egypt; He has strength like a wild ox. 23 For there is no sorcery against Jacob, Nor any divination against Israel. It now must be said of Jacob And of Israel, ‘Oh, what Avinu has done!’ 24 Look, a people rises like a lioness, And lifts itself up like a lion; It shall not lie down until it devours the prey, And drinks the blood of the slain. (Nu 23:21-24)
This is what the Scriptures mean when it uses “Nitzavim”, standing firm in their observance of the Torah. Three million people standing invincible before their enemies confident that they were able to overcome any challenge to their military prowess. Their confidence didn’t lie in their military skills but in their faith in Kadosh Israel! But now, in this time and place they were standing for a different reason. Avinu Elohei avotekah was making an offer that they couldn’t refuse.
12 That you should enter into covenant with Avinu Elohekah, and into his oath, which Avinu Elohekah makes with you this day: 13 That he may establish you to day for a people to himself, and that he may be to you Elohim, as he has said to you, and as he has sworn to your fathers, to Avraham, to Yitzak, and to Ya’akov. (Devarim 29:12-13)
A covenant is usually a simple agreement between two or more parties. It usually lists what either party can expect to receive from a co-covenantee and what is expected from them. “If you will do this..I will do this” But today, something more is being offered. Avinu is telling them that not only will He enter to a covenant with them, He will also bring them into a “marriage relationship” with Him. Here is how it is described in last week’s parsha:
16 This day Avinu Elohekah has commanded you to do these chukkot and judgments: you shall therefore keep and do them with all your heart, and with all your soul. 17 You have affirmed Avinu this day to be Elohekah, and to walk in his ways, and to keep his chukkot, and his mitzvot, and his mishputim, and to listen to his voice: 18 And Avinu has affirmed you this day to be his peculiar people, as he has promised you, and that you should keep all his mitzvot; 19 And to make you high above all nations which he has made, in praise, and in name, and in honor; and that you may be an holy people to Avinu Elohekah, as he has spoken. (Devarim 26:16-19)
not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says Avinu. (Jer 31:32 )
And it shall be, in that day,” Says Avinu, “That you will call Me ‘My Husband,’ And no longer call Me ‘My Master, (Ho 2:16 )
For I am jealous for you with Avinu like jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Meshiach. (2Co 11:2 )
Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from Avinu, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (Re 21:2 )
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