Nitzavim – Gainesville
I am not sure why, but this week’s portion is my all-time favorite. I have tried to understand why I like it so much. The only thing I can think of is its striking imagery. Atem nitzavim hayom – You are standing here together today, all of you…” With these words, Moses begins his final charge to the Jewish people. Atem nitzavim hayom, “You are standing this day….”
But why does Moses insist that the people stand? Why not just address the people like he has done dozens of times before without specifying whether they are supposed to sit, stand, or lie down! It is an interesting question. The Torah gives no reason why the people should be standing. So, we need to look for insights from others who see standing together, literal standing together as something more than just a physical state. It is also an emotional state.
A colleague of mine points out a wonderful example from the early civil rights era in the 1950’s. She notes, “Harry Golden, the editor of The Carolina Israelite, noted an interesting fact about integration. In his editorial with the then politically correct title of “The Standing Negro Plan,” Golden observed that Southerners were already integrated when they were on their feet: People stood in line together to board the bus, to receive polio shots, and to check out at the supermarket. The problem was not how to integrate standing people but seated ones. So Golden proposed that schools be integrated by removing the seats. Hence, if every child stood, then who could object to integration?”
This was a profound insight. We’re willing to stand with people we dislike and disagree with, but we won’t sit with them. Somehow sitting together implies friendship and acceptance. Standing implies mutual discomfort and empathy. It’s quite remarkable to see people who don’t really like each other working together and even laughing if they are both suffering and uncomfortable. So why did Moses have the people stand up? Because he knew that it was impossible to believe that after forty years of wandering together in the desert, all the Israelites were friends. Standing asserts our shared humanity. Sitting anchors us in one place both physically and emotionally. Moses wanted us to share together and to create a future together. Having all of Israel stand was his way of reminding us of our shared burden and potential and possibilities.
Next week begins the High Holidays, the Days of Awe, the Ten Days of Repentance. We are no different from the Jews who stood with Moses and listened. We aren’t friends with everyone nor are we particularly close with everyone. We may even have what some might consider to be enemies. And yet, in the shadow of Moses’ looming presence and truth, we shall stand before our God united as a people, and spiritually — just because we are standing — we’ll disregard our differences and draw closer to the promise of shalom.
At the beginning of the Yom Kippur service, before hardly a word is spoken, we will open the Ark and we will rise in respect. Naturally we will look around when we stand and notice how many people are worshipping with us. And when we stand and look around, something in us will rise with joy. Our congregation will sense a greater spirit, see new faces in our community, and perhaps sense a greater feeling of optimism that will propel Shir Shalom to new heights and possibilities. To stand up is to look around and to look around is to see things that may never have seen before. These High Holidays are not just about repentance; they are also about a shared future.
In many synagogues the words, Da lifnei mi atah omed, “Know before whom you stand,” appear above many arks. I guess if it was worded, “Know before whom you sit”, something would be lacking! There would be no sense of greatness, no drama, no majesty, no inspiration. ‘Know before whom you sit” just doesn’t cut it, does it?
On this, the Shabbat before Rosh HaShanah, we prepare to stand as one congregation. We will stand beside those whom we love as well as those whom we do not. We will stand with those we know and those we have never seen before. And, by standing as one congregation we are inspiring each other to create our Shir Shalom together with a renewed sense of purpose, of love and respect for each other, and a shared vision for the future. We are ready to stand and affirm the power of the moment that will bind us together in what will be one of the most important years of our temple’s life and, in standing together, we affirm our dedication to this community that we all love.
Shabbat Shalom
