Aspect | Description |
---|---|
Parasha Number | The 51st Parasha in the Torah and the 8th in the Book of Deuteronomy (Devarim). |
Parasha Name | Nitzavim (נִצָּבִים), meaning “standing,” referring to Moses’ declaration that all Israelites are standing before God to reaffirm the covenant. |
Torah Book | Deuteronomy (Devarim). |
Number of Verses | Comprises 40 verses. |
Number of Words | Approximately 657 words in the Hebrew text. |
Primary Characters | Moses, as he delivers a powerful speech to the Israelites, and God, who reaffirms the covenant with His people. |
Key Themes | Unity of the Israelite community, renewal of the covenant, consequences of disobedience, repentance, accessibility of the Torah, and the choice between life and death. |
Significant Events | The reaffirmation of the covenant, Moses’ prophecy of exile and return, the command to “choose life,” and the promise of redemption after repentance. |
Notable Quotes | “I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore, choose life, that you and your offspring may live…” (Deuteronomy 30:19). |
Legacy | Parashat Nitzavim emphasizes the importance of free will, repentance, and the unity of the Jewish people, while urging them to choose the path of life and blessing. |
Relevance Today | The themes of moral choice, community unity, repentance, and returning to God are central to Jewish thought, especially as the parasha is read before Rosh Hashana. |
Well-Known Stories | The gathering of the people to reaffirm the covenant, the prophetic promise of return after exile, and Moses’ call to choose life and blessing. |
Special Observances | Read in synagogues on the Shabbat before Rosh Hashana, encouraging reflection and spiritual preparation for the Jewish New Year. |
Connections to Texts | Nitzavim builds on the earlier teachings in Deuteronomy, reinforcing the themes of covenant renewal and personal responsibility as the Israelites prepare to enter the Promised Land. |
Theological Significance | Highlights the themes of free will, the accessibility of God’s commandments, and the enduring covenant between God and the Jewish people across generations. |
Parashat Nitzavim is a deeply reflective and unifying portion of the Torah, often read on the Shabbat before Rosh Hashana, setting the tone for the Jewish New Year. The parasha, which means “standing,” opens with Moses gathering the entire Israelite community—men, women, children, and even strangers—reminding them that they all stand equally before God. This moment is not just about standing physically, but about standing together in covenant, reinforcing their collective and individual responsibility to uphold God’s commandments.
At the heart of the parasha is a renewal of the covenant, a powerful reminder that this bond is not limited to the generation standing before Moses but extends to all future generations of Jews. Moses speaks not only to those present but to all those “who are not with us here today,” underscoring the eternal nature of the covenant. It’s a reminder that the principles of the Torah transcend time and place, binding every Jew to their heritage.
Moses also delivers a solemn prophecy: he foresees that the people will eventually stray from the path of righteousness, leading to exile and suffering. But this is not a message of despair—it is one of hope. He reassures them that no matter how far they are scattered, if they return to God with sincerity and a full heart, God will bring them back from the ends of the earth. This promise of redemption is one of the most enduring messages of Parashat Nitzavim, offering hope even in the darkest moments of Jewish history.
In a climactic declaration, Moses sets before the people a profound choice: life and death, blessing and curse. He implores them to “choose life” by loving and obeying God, for this choice will lead to prosperity for them and their descendants. This declaration emphasizes the importance of free will in Jewish thought—each person has the ability to shape their destiny through their actions and decisions.
The parasha also includes a beautiful statement about the accessibility of the Torah. Moses tells the people that the commandments are not “in the heavens” or “across the sea” but are close to them, “in your mouth and in your heart to perform it.” This stresses that following God’s teachings is within every person’s reach, empowering each individual to live a righteous life.
Overall, Parashat Nitzavim is a call to unity, responsibility, and hope. It reminds us of the power of free will, the enduring nature of the covenant, and the possibility of renewal, making it an especially poignant reading as the Jewish people prepare for the spiritual renewal of Rosh Hashana.
נצבים
Nitzavim
Deuteronomy 29:9-31:30
ישעיהו
ס״א:י׳-ס״ג:ט׳
Isaiah
My whole being exults in my God—
Who has clothed me with garments of triumph,
Wrapped me in a robe of victory,
Like a bridegroom adorned with a turban,
Like a bride bedecked with her finery.
And a garden makes the seed shoot up,
So my Sovereign GOD will make
Victory and renown shoot up
In the presence of all the nations.
For the sake of Jerusalem I will not be still,
Till her victory emerge resplendent
And her triumph like a flaming torch.
And every king your majesty;
And you shall be called by a new name
That GOD shall bestow.
In the hand of GOD,
And a royal diadem
In the palm of your God.
Nor shall your land be called “Desolate”;
But you shall be called “I delight in her,”
And your land “Espoused.”
For GOD takes delight in you,
And your land shall be espoused.
Your sons shall espouse you;
And as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride,
So will your God rejoice over you.
I have set sentries,
Who shall never be silent
By day or by night.
O you, the ETERNAL One’s remembrancers,
Take no rest
Until Jerusalem is established
And she is made renowned on earth.
With a mighty arm:
Nevermore will I give your new grain
To your enemies for food,
Nor shall foreigners drink the new wine
For which you have labored.
And give praise to GOD;
And those who gather it shall drink it
In My sacred courts.
Clear the road for the people;
Build up, build up the highway,
Remove the rocks!
Raise an ensign over the peoples!
To the end of the earth:
Announce to Fair Zion,
Your Deliverer is coming!
See, [God] has brought along the reward,
The recompense is in view.
GOD’s Redeemed,”
And you shall be called, “Sought Out,
A City Not Forsaken.”
In crimsoned garments from Bozrah—
Who is this, majestic in attire,
Pressing forward with great might?
“It is I, who contend victoriously,
Powerful to give triumph.”
Your garments like those of someone who treads grapes?
Of the peoples nobody was with Me.
I trod them down in My anger,
Trampled them in My rage;
Their life-blood bespattered My garments,
And all My clothing was stained.
And My year of redemption arrived.
I stared, but there was none to aid—
So My own arm wrought the triumph,
And My own rage was My aid.
I made them drunk with My rage,
And I hurled their glory to the ground.”
GOD’s praises—
For all that GOD has wrought for us,
The vast bounty to the House of Israel
That was bestowed upon them
According to God’s mercy and great kindness.
Children who will not play false.
So [God] was their Deliverer.
And the angel of the divine Presence delivered them.
In love and pity
It was [God] who redeemed them,
Raised them, and exalted them
All the days of old.
Nitzavim
more on Parashat Parashat Nitzavim: Covenant Renewed
Quick Guide: The Five Books of Moses
Genesis | Exodus | Leviticus | Numbers | Deuteronomy |
---|---|---|---|---|
Bereshit (1:1-6:8) |
Shemot (1:1-6:1) |
Vayikra (1:1-5:26) |
Bemidbar (1:1-4:20) |
Devarim (1:1-3:22) |
Noach (6:9-11:32) |
Va'era (6:2-9:35) |
Tzav (6:1-8:36) |
Naso (4:21-7:89) |
Va'etchanan (3:23-7:11) |
Lech Lecha (12:1-17:27) |
Bo (10:1-13:16) |
Shemini (9:1-11:47) |
Behaalotecha (8:1-12:16) |
Ekev (7:12-11:25) |
Vayera (18:1-22:24) |
Beshalach (13:17-17:16) |
Tazria (12:1-13:59) |
Shelach (13:1-15:41) |
Re'eh (11:26-16:17) |
Chaye Sarah (23:1-25:18) |
Yitro (18:1-20:23) |
Metzora (14:1-15:33) |
Korach (16:1-18:32) |
Shoftim (16:18-21:9) |
Toledot (25:19-28:9) |
Mishpatim (21:1-24:18) |
Achare Mot (16:1-18:30) |
Chukat (19:1-22:1) |
Ki Tetze (21:10-25:19) |
Vayetze (28:10-32:3) |
Teruma (25:1-27:19) |
Kedoshim (19:1-20:27) |
Balak (22:2-25:9) |
Ki Tavo (26:1-29:8) |
Vayishlach (32:4-36:43) |
Tetzave (27:20-30:10) |
Emor (21:1-24:23) |
Pinchas (25:10-30:1) |
Nitzavim (29:9-30:20) |
Vayeshev (37:1-40:23) |
Ki Tisa (30:11-34:35) |
Behar (25:1-26:2) |
Matot (30:2-32:42) |
Vayelech (31:1-30) |
Miketz (41:1-44:17) | Vayakhel (35:1-38:20) |
Bechukotai (26:3-27:34) |
Masei (33:1-36:13) |
Haazinu (32:1-52) |
Vayigash (44:18-47:27) |
Pekude (38:21-40:38) |
V'Zot HaBeracha (33:1-34:12) |
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Vayechi (47:28-50:26) |