by their tents' entrances, arguing the matter and teasing everyone who came and

stood against them.

(Abarbanel Devarim 29:9-14)

On Continuity, Innovation,

and Renewal

Deborah Weissman

In non-leap-years, these two short parshiyot are read together.

Comparison of the two offers opportunities for many drashot concerning both the

need for Nitzavim ["standing"], i.e., standing firm, perhaps

within some particular tradition, as well as the need for Vayelekh

combination of tradition and openness to change can characterize individuals,

movements, institutions, and even entire cultures. We are now at the threshold

of a new year, and we have heard more than once about how the word shana

lives will repeat themselves, and that other things will change for the better.

I.

We speak of the topic of tradition and change, which is of

central importance for the issue of leadership. Usually, human organizations

experience a kind of "crisis" when changes of leadership become

necessary. The transition from one generation of leaders to the next is

supposed to guarantee continuity while bringing invigoration and a new message.

Towards the end of his life, Moses said: For I know that after my death, you

will surely become corrupted (Devarim

31:29). Rashi comments: "But actually,

throughout all the days of Joshua, they [the Jews] did not become corrupt, for

the verse states, And the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua (Judges 2:7). [What,

then, did Moses mean when he said that they would become corrupted after his

death? We learn] from here that a person’s disciple is as dear to him as his

own self, for as long as Joshua was alive [even after Moses’ passing], for

Moses it was as though he himself was alive (Judaica Press translation)." A deep

identification developed between Moses and Joshua. Joshua became a kind of

"teaching assistant," so much so that according to certain midrashim

he even organized the seating arrangements in his master's house of study. It

is a great blessing and honor when a rabbi can appoint one of his students as

his successor. In the best of circumstances, the veteran leader not only

chooses his successor but also grooms and prepares him for his role. I believe

that one of the great tragedies to befall our people in the previous century

was that two great leaders – HaRav Soloveitchik, z"l, and the Lubavitcher

Rebbe, z"l – died without choosing their successors, leaving a leadership

vacuum in both the Modern Orthodox community and in the HaBaD movement. Recently

a friend commented that to his mind, the only genuine Jewish leader remaining

for our generation is Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz (Even-Yisrael), may he live a long life.

Moses enjoyed an additional advantage as a leader: he was

uncompromisingly committed to his goals. His commitment and the sense of

mission and vision it engendered could inspire others. It is interesting to

note that while Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are called "Our fathers"

and Joseph "the righteous," the only title attached to the name of

Moses, the greatest of prophets, is Rabbeinu – our rabbi. This reminds

me of the inscription on Nehama Leibowitz, z"l's tombstone. Nehama asked

that only one word appear upon it: mora – "teacher."

II.

Parashat Netzavim is always read before the Aseret Yemei

Teshuva – the Ten Days of Repentance – and, appropriately, repentance is

one of its central themes. Here are a few of its better known verses:

1.

And it will be, when all these things come

banished you, 2. and you will return to the Lord, your God, with all your

that I am commanding you this day you and your children, 3. then, the Lord, your God,

you. 4. Even

you from there, and He will take you from there. 5. And the Lord, your God,

numerous than your forefathers…

11.

For this commandment which I command you this

day, is not concealed from you, nor is it far away. 12. It is not in heaven, that

tell [it] to us, so that we can fulfill it?" 13. Nor is it beyond the

us and fetch it for us, to tell [it] to us, so that we can fulfill it?"

These verses – and with

them, the entire Jewish conception of the repentance-process – are based on the

fundamental assumption that people are capable of undergoing change. Lacking

such faith, not only do all psychologically therapeutic processes become

impossible, but all educational processes what-so-ever become impossible. As we

have read in the Book of Jonah, repentance belongs to all humanity and not to the

Jews alone. In fact, the repentance of Nineveh's

populace serves as a model for emulation.

I mention all of this

by way of introduction to a story I would like to tell you about the trips to Germany – and in particular, my visit to Berlin – which I made

this summer. I believe that many Germans have undergone a process which they

call metanoia – a Greek term whose meaning is very close to our Hebrew

concept of teshuvah, or "repentance." Their transformation can

serve as a model for other nations. Many of them take responsibility for their

past and are among the most active critics of Holocaust denial. Contemporary

German law considers Holocaust denial a criminal offense and not a few German

leaders are genuine friends of the Jewish People and of the State of Israel. Angela

Merkel, for instance, led world leaders this year in condemning the Vatican's

embrace of Bishop Williamson – a Holocaust denier. Germany

also sent a delegation of soldiers to Poland in order to participate in

the March of the Living. It was decided that they would not appear in uniform

but would take part as a gesture of solidarity with the thousands of Jewish

youths from around the world that came to march through the death camp of

Auschwitz-Birkenau.

During my two trips

this July – one to Berlin and the other to Stuttgart – I saw many official Holocaust memorial

projects and met dozens of clergy, government officials, educators, and

ordinary Germans who uttered sentences such as, "Germany has changed but it has not

forgotten." Angela Merkel has herself stated that Germany bears special responsibility to preserve

the existence and security of the State of Israel.¹

For the past fifty years, groups of German Christian students have been coming

to study in Israel.

This project was initiated by Friedrich-Wilhelm Marquardt (1928-2002), a

Protestant professor who, after the Holocaust, developed a Christian theology

emphasizing that Christians are obligated to preserve the existence of the

People Israel. Each year for the past twenty years a group of religious Israeli

Jews holds classes in the town of Denkendorf

(just outside of Stuttgart) for German Christian

communities interested in Judaism and Israel. The late Michael Shashar,

z"l, and other members of Oz VeShalom-Netivot Shalom were and are involved

in this important project. It may be said without exaggeration that tens of

thousands of Germans have been exposed to Israel and to Jewish studies in one

form or another.

I do not oppose the

slogan, "We shall neither forget nor forgive." However, as I see it

the slogan must be understood as saying that we will not forgive the Nazis and

their henchmen. Nazism and all other similar ideologies must be banished from

human society. This does not mean that we must ban Germany or the German people. Most Germans

living today were born after the war. If they have genuinely repented the sins

of the past we must extend them the hand of friendship and see in them

potential partners for many different fields of endeavor. As for ourselves, we

must take pains to avoid any phenomenon that involves even the slightest

"dust of racism" – to paraphrase the Hafetz Hayyim in his book, Shemirat

HaLashon. As the ultimate victims of racism, we must be very careful not to

become racists ourselves, God forbid.

III.

5769 has been an

especially difficult year for world Jewry. It saw the attack in Mumbai, the

increasing occurrence of anti-Semitic incidents across the world, Operation

Cast Lead and its consequences, the economic crisis and the Madoff scandal,

incidents of corruption, fraud, and organ trafficking involving rabbis,

increasing violence and… what didn't 5769 bring us? This time we will be able

to recite the prayer with great sincerity: "Let the year pass with its

curses…"

5770 – the Hebrew year TaSh'A

– is on our doorstep. "Let the year begin with its blessings." Let us

hope that the letter ayin of TaSh'A be an ayin tova

an ayin tova "makes due with what he possesses and neither asks for

superfluous things nor is jealous when he see that his fellow has more than

he." Eliezer HaLevi² adds this comment: "One who respects

and values his fellow… ayin tova is the virtue by which one displays

all his good-heartedness towards his fellow." If only…

1. Merkel spoke before attendees of the annual conference

of the International Council of Christians and Jews, which I head. At that

conference we published a document calling for processes to take place both

within the churches as well as within the Jewish communities. For details, see www.iccj.org.

2. In his commentary on Pirkei Avot 2:9 (Sinai Publishers:

Tel-Aviv, 1963).

Dr. DeborahWeissman is a member of Kehilat Yedidya in Jerusalem and heads the International Council

of Christians and Jews.

Perhaps there is among you a man, or woman, or family,

hemlock and wormwood.

(Devarim 29:17)

or family

– That is something more unusual than a[n individual] man or woman [embracing

idolatry], and then he says or tribe which is even more unusual, that an

entire tribe join together in committing this criminal transgression. However,

he does not speak of [the possibility that] all of them [would worship idols],

since it is impossible that all of them turn that day to idolatry, for in that

case they would not have entered the covenant of the Lord with its curses. After

all, no one forced them [all], but perhaps a family or tribe might have entered

the covenant out of fear of the majority.

(R. Yitzhak Shmuel Reggio 29:17)

It is not in the heavens… In your

mouth and in your heart, to observe it.

It is not in the heavens – For if it were in the heavens,

you would have to climb after it, and learn it.

(Rashi, ibid., 30:12, as per

Eruvin 55a)

The meaning of the metaphor, It is not in the heavens – it is

above man’s natural intelligence, as though it were in the heavens, necessitating

the building of ladders to bring it to earth. Just as this is obviously

impossible, so is it impossible to strain the intelligence with stratagems for

completely understanding its [the Torah’s] meaning, and the Sages said in

Eruvin (55a) that even if it is in the

heavens, you must climb after it – this is but metaphor and figure of speech;

if the matter is beyond your understanding, the obligation is to exert great

effort. Then comes into effect the rule “You strove but found not – do not

believe it!” The rationale is as per Rashi in Sanhedrin, that the Torah

– desirous of assisting the assiduous student – asks its

Creator to reveal to him Torah’s secrets.

(HaAmek Davar, ibid.,

ibid.)

And [the reason for] concluding the preceding chapter on Redemption

with the words, to observe it is to compare the subject of

Redemption to the story of Creation, which concludes with the words, that by

creating, God had made. [trans. note – the Hebrew "la-asot" can

be translated as "to observe," "to make," and

"to do"]. The association of the end of time with the beginning of

time teaches us that the two are similar respecting the natural processes and

the natural order; in the time of the Messiah, nature will be as it was at the

time of Creation. They [the Sages] explicitly said: "There will be no

difference between the current world and that of the Messiah's time, other than

that of subjugation to other nations."

(Rabbeinu Behayeiy, Devarim 30:15)

…in other words, that "creation" which man supposedly

"creates" and forms in his struggles and efforts to be redeemed from

evil, is the equivalent of the creation of heaven and earth…

It is worth noting that both the RaMBaM and Rabbeinu Behayeiy teach the

concept of Messianic redemption – Geula – as the great and momentous

mission of perfecting man within the framework of the world as it is. Man’s willingness to invest effort and to strive constantly to

rule over his inclinations, these are the intent of the Torah as it states

figuratively: In your mouth and in your heart, to observe it.

(Y. Leibowitz, Sheva

Shanim shel Sihot al Parashat HaShavua, pp. 913-914)

You were rebellious against God… until this day

He said this day in order to hint that he had

only that day left to be with them; the plain meaning of the text is until

this day. And it is written you were in the past tense,

for they may have contemplated repentance in their hearts at that moment. This

is similar to the law stating that if someone betroths a woman on condition

that he is completely righteous, even though it may be discovered that he is

totally wicked, we rule that she is betrothed, because he may have contemplated

repentance at that very moment. (Kiddushin 49b).

(Or HaHayyim, Devarim 31:27)

Even Moses, our Rabbi, was justified only in telling Israel,

You were rebellious – in past tense –

with the implication being until this day. In his great despair and

sadness, Moses foresaw that also after his death, the people would persist in

their insubordination to God; yet despite this, he did not permit himself to

tell them that they were rebellious at the time of his last words, because

there is only One who is capable of reading man's

innermost thoughts. From this we learn a great lesson in the subject of

repentance, which is dependent upon man himself – at all times, without

limitations of time or place.

(Y. Leibowitz:

Sheva Shanim shel Sihot al Parashat

ha'Shavu'a, p. 919)

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