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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Nitzavim, 5751

“To love Hashem your G-d.” (30:20)

The Torah commands us to serve Hashem out of a sense of love and adoration. The Talmud in Nedarim (62a) comments on the above posuk – One should not say, “I will study scripture so that I will be called a wise man, I will study Mishnah so that I will be called a Rabbi, I will study Mishnah so that I will become an elder and sit in the yeshiva.” Rather, learn out of love for Hashem and eventually honor will come. One should not study Torah for personal reasons and ulterior motives, but rather Torah should be studied…

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Home -> 5751 -> Nitzavim

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Nitzavim, 5751

“See, I have set before you this day, (the) life, and (the) good, and (the) death, and (the) bad.” (30:15) – “I have set before you the blessing and the curse, therefore choose life so that you shall live, you and your children.” (30:19)

The Torah clearly equates good and blessing with life, and evil and curses with death. It therefore seems peculiar that the Torah enjoins us to “choose life” with its various fringe benefits as opposed to selecting evil and curses which are compared to death. If this mandate is stated to a G-d fearing and morally upright Jew then the enjoinment to “choose life” is hardly necessary. It is unnecessary to convey this message to a non-believer, for he evidently does not embrace this positive definition of life. We also wonder at the posuk’s sequel, “so that you shall live, you…

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Home -> 5751 -> Nitzavim

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Nitzavim, 5751

“For this commandment… is not concealed from you… neither is it far off… it is not in heaven… nor is it beyond the sea… But the word is very near unto you, in your mouth and in your heart that you may do it.” (30:11-14)

It is puzzling to find these distances expressed as such extremes. Why are we told that it is not in heaven nor beyond the sea, but actually it is to be found within us? It should be sufficient to state simply that this mitzvah is not beyond our reach. This statement is, however, far from extreme, and conveys a basic truth. Man is composed of two contrasting entities, the physical and spiritual. He has the ability to soar to the most sublime spiritual heights, or to sink to the nadir of decadence and depravity. Indeed the range of man’s perception…

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