Parshas Nitzavim-Vayeilech 5783
A number of years ago, my family and I were winding our way through Ben Gurion Ariport, about to make the return flight home from Israel. Posted on the wall between security and the terminal was a poster I won’t soon forget. In bold text were the words, “בחו׳׳ל, המדינה זה אתה! ייצג אותנו בכבוד!—In the diaspora, you are the State of Israel! Represent us honorably!”
There is much truth in that sign. On many occasions, I’ve been stopped by a complete stranger who took my yarmulke as license to share their thoughts about Israeli politics and policies—whether enthusiastically for or virulently against—as though it was a badge connoting my position of ambassador on behalf of the Jewish State.
It is, perhaps, for similar reasons, that the Jewish People rose to their feet as Moshe Rabbeinu wound down his final instruction to his beloved nation, poised to send them off into Eretz Yisrael without him at their head.
In the first pasuk of this week’s double-parsha, Moshe comments, “אתם נצבים היום כלכם—You are all standing here today.” Why is it of any consequence that the Jews were standing, rather than sitting? Why make specific mention of their physical posture in addressing them?
It is interesting—telling, really—that Moshe uses the word נצבים rather than עומדים. While the latter would be the term used to describe that one is neither sitting nor lying down, נצבים, bears the connotation not only of standing, but standing for. Related to the word נצבים is the word מצבה, a monument—a stone or other item that marks a location as being significant. That the monument itself stands erect is irrelevant; its purpose is to call attention to what lays behind or beneath it.
This, then, is the charge that Moshe is giving his people. They must remember that they stand for something greater than themselves. Living a life of mitzvos is about more than just fulfilling an abstract collection of items on a checklist; it is about serving as a representative of Hashem by leading a life reflective of His ideals and values.
The State of Israel wants every Israeli—indeed, every Jew—to be conscious of the role they serve in representing the State. Moshe Rabbeinu wanted every Jew passing into Israel to be conscious of doing more than just appeasing G-d by observing His mitzvos, and then getting down to the business of building a comfortable life and realizing their own personal goals. A Jew is a representative of G-d, and there can be no greater responsibility, nor more sublime privilege, than that.
It is worth noting that a מצבה—a single-stone monument erected in service of Hashem—is actually forbidden by the Torah. Though the Torah records such stones being placed by the Avos, they were deemed forbidden in the formulation of the Torah given to the nation at Sinai. Rav Moshe Feinstein explains that a מצבה cannot be used as an expression of our serving Hashem because, being comprised of but one stone, it is static. A Jew’s avodah, on the other hand, must be dynamic, ever growing and developing as he or she advances in age.
I’ve long believed that this is the reason behind the custom of placing small stones on the headstone when visiting a grave. Being that a grave marker is comprised of but one single stone, we may give the impression that the legacy of the individual whose remains are buried under that stone are fixed. But memory doesn’t work that way. As we remember those who impacted our lives, their example continues to shape our actions long after they’ve passed. We add stones upon paying a visit to their grave to indicate that their legacy continues to expand and grow, even without their physical presence.
אתם נצבים—you are all standing, or rather, you are all monuments. Every Jew serves as a representative of Hashem’s Torah, values, and ideals. And as such, every Jew must be mindful of the Torah’s prohibition against a מצבה, and its inherent pitfalls. We must demand of ourselves not only that we grow in mitzvos, exercising greater care and caution in observance of halacha as we grow older, but also that we serve as better representatives of Hashem with each passing year.
The Baal HaTanya comments that the day Moshe gathered the People at the beginning of the parsha was none other than Rosh Hashana. “אתם נצבים היום כלכם—You are all standing here today” suggests an especially important day, namely, the first day of the year.
As Rosh Hashana approaches, it is of particular importance that we consider how we’re advancing as representatives of Hashem’s values. Was this past year better than the previous one? Will this coming year be better still? Have we become more refined, more polite, more friendly? Are we more responsible, honest, and caring? Are we quicker to offer a smile and a compliment than we’ve been in the past? Do people who cross our paths feel uplifted, energized by being in the presence of someone living with G-d?
If you wear a yarmulke, or any other Jewish trapping, strangers may well assume that you represent the State of Israel. They’re also likely to assume that you represent the Jewish People and its understanding of Hashem’s principles and values. Be sure to act the part. The totality of mitzvos we fulfill, halachos we perform, and middos we perfect should combine to create a state of being ever conscious of Hashem’s presence. See the privilege in serving as a monument on G-d’s behalf, and continue to add to its size and grandeur.