אַתֶּ֨ם נִצָּבִ֤ים הַיּוֹם֙ כֻּלְּכֶ֔ם לִפְנֵ֖י יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֑ם רָאשֵׁיכֶ֣ם שִׁבְטֵיכֶ֗ם זִקְנֵיכֶם֙ וְשֹׁ֣טְרֵיכֶ֔ם כֹּ֖ל אִ֥ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
You are standing (upright) this day, all of you, before your God יהוה —your tribal heads, your elders, and your officials, every householder in Israel,
On this verse, we must understand why the language of 'upright' (Nitzavim) is being used, the verse should have said 'standing' (Omdim). We must also infer from this verse, since the verse already has said your tribal heads, your elders, and your officials.. so then why does it then say all the people of Israel. (Seems redundant)
Behold, it is taught by the sages of Israel -
Behold, it is taught by the sages of Israel -
הַיּוֹם: דָּא (מ''ד א') רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה,
When it says 'today' (in the opening verse), its speaking about Rosh HaShana!
The source for this Zohar is from the below verse from the scriptures -
וַיְהִ֣י הַיּ֔וֹם וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים לְהִתְיַצֵּ֖ב עַל־יְהֹוָ֑ה וַיָּב֥וֹא גַֽם־הַשָּׂטָ֖ן בְּתוֹכָֽם׃
And behold today the divine beings presented themselves before the LORD, and the Adversary-a came along with them.
And behold, on this day, we are standing and praying to HaShem that we should be granted a good year ahead within the people of Israel, and it's on us to search out how to behave and act on this day of judgement, that we should flip the judgements placed on us into abundant mercy.
And behold, it is known that all the power and strength of Israel comes from our unity, and the love that rests between them. As we find referenced at the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai when Israel says the following -
And behold, it is known that all the power and strength of Israel comes from our unity, and the love that rests between them. As we find referenced at the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai when Israel says the following -
וַיִּקַּח֙ סֵ֣פֶר הַבְּרִ֔ית וַיִּקְרָ֖א בְּאׇזְנֵ֣י הָעָ֑ם וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ כֹּ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה נַעֲשֶׂ֥ה וְנִשְׁמָֽע׃
Then he took the record of the covenant and read it aloud to the people. And the people said, “All that יהוה has spoken we will faithfully do!”
The question we ask on this above verse, is how can the word Kol (all), be used over here in reference to us saying we will do 'all' of the commandments that HaShem commands us, aren't there many commandments that aren't applicable to every human, like the ones that involve the Cohanim (priests) and Levites, which have commandments that just pertain to them?
However, it is obvious that when someone gives charity, we don't say that only his hand was the giver of the charity and not himself, rather the commandment of charity is something attached to the whole essence of the person, since his whole body is considered one entity, and therefor the commandment he fulfilled is on his whole body. This is the same with the people of Israel, we must be like one with each other, each one with his friend, and then we will be considered as one body. And through acting this way, all the commandments that you fulfill will actually be considered as it your friends did it as well, and whoever loves Israel with a complete love, its fitting to say on him that he fulfills in one day thousands upon thousands of commandments and acts of kindness through his unity he has with his brethren that are doing those mitzvot.
And behold, when Israel says everything that HaShem says we will do, which happens prior to the Israelites receiving the Torah, they were accepting unity upon themselves unity and love between the individual and his/her fellow - as it says -
However, it is obvious that when someone gives charity, we don't say that only his hand was the giver of the charity and not himself, rather the commandment of charity is something attached to the whole essence of the person, since his whole body is considered one entity, and therefor the commandment he fulfilled is on his whole body. This is the same with the people of Israel, we must be like one with each other, each one with his friend, and then we will be considered as one body. And through acting this way, all the commandments that you fulfill will actually be considered as it your friends did it as well, and whoever loves Israel with a complete love, its fitting to say on him that he fulfills in one day thousands upon thousands of commandments and acts of kindness through his unity he has with his brethren that are doing those mitzvot.
And behold, when Israel says everything that HaShem says we will do, which happens prior to the Israelites receiving the Torah, they were accepting unity upon themselves unity and love between the individual and his/her fellow - as it says -
וַיִּסְע֣וּ מֵרְפִידִ֗ים וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ מִדְבַּ֣ר סִינַ֔י וַֽיַּחֲנ֖וּ בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר וַיִּֽחַן־שָׁ֥ם יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל נֶ֥גֶד הָהָֽר׃
Having journeyed from Rephidim, they entered the wilderness of Sinai and encamped in the wilderness. Israel encamped there in front of the mountain,
This verse is speaking in the singular, even though its referring to the whole of the house of Israel, and as we see from the below Rashi -
ויחן שם ישראל. כְּאִישׁ אֶחָד בְּלֵב אֶחָד,
ויחן שם ישראל AND THERE ISRAEL ENCAMPED as one man and with one mind
And similarly we see the whole nation responded as one together, as one human, since they took upon themselves the unity, therefor they were able to say 'all' (Kol) HaShem speaks we will do and listen to.
And through unity, we are worthy to be saved from the Satan and harmful happenings. As we can see with Haman the evil one who was not able to bring accusation upon Israel and to rule over them until he saw that there was dissension among them. This is what is taught by the sages based on what Haman says below -
And through unity, we are worthy to be saved from the Satan and harmful happenings. As we can see with Haman the evil one who was not able to bring accusation upon Israel and to rule over them until he saw that there was dissension among them. This is what is taught by the sages based on what Haman says below -
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר הָמָן֙ לַמֶּ֣לֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵר֔וֹשׁ יֶשְׁנ֣וֹ עַם־אֶחָ֗ד מְפֻזָּ֤ר וּמְפֹרָד֙ בֵּ֣ין הָֽעַמִּ֔ים בְּכֹ֖ל מְדִינ֣וֹת מַלְכוּתֶ֑ךָ וְדָתֵיהֶ֞ם שֹׁנ֣וֹת מִכׇּל־עָ֗ם וְאֶת־דָּתֵ֤י הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֵינָ֣ם עֹשִׂ֔ים וְלַמֶּ֥לֶךְ אֵין־שֹׁוֶ֖ה לְהַנִּיחָֽם׃
Haman then said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people, scattered and dispersed among the other peoples in all the provinces of your realm, whose laws are different from those of any other people and who do not obey the king’s laws; and it is not in Your Majesty’s interest to tolerate them.
The Hebrew word here used for scattered and dispersed is also used to refer to a split between them (Perudim) and that there is no unity amongst them. And Israel put themselves in a very dangerous situation (May HaShem protect us) due to this in-house division. Therefor Esther tells Mordechai the following -
לֵךְ֩ כְּנ֨וֹס אֶת־כׇּל־הַיְּהוּדִ֜ים הַֽנִּמְצְאִ֣ים בְּשׁוּשָׁ֗ן וְצ֣וּמוּ עָ֠לַ֠י וְאַל־תֹּאכְל֨וּ וְאַל־תִּשְׁתּ֜וּ שְׁלֹ֤שֶׁת יָמִים֙ לַ֣יְלָה וָי֔וֹם גַּם־אֲנִ֥י וְנַעֲרֹתַ֖י אָצ֣וּם כֵּ֑ן וּבְכֵ֞ן אָב֤וֹא אֶל־הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־כַדָּ֔ת וְכַאֲשֶׁ֥ר אָבַ֖דְתִּי אָבָֽדְתִּי׃
“Go, assemble all the Jews who live in Shushan, and fast in my behalf; do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maidens will observe the same fast. Then I shall go to the king, though it is contrary to the law; and if I am to perish, I shall perish!”
Her advice was to assemble and unify all the people of Israel so that there rests amongst them unity and complete love, and then no evil force in the world can have an effect on them. And this can explain the below song we sing on Purim -
שׁוֹשַׁנַּת יַעֲקֹב צָהֲלָה וְשָׂמֵחָה בִּרְאוֹתָם יַחַד תְּכֵלֶת מָרְדְּכָי:
The rose of Jacob cheered and rejoiced when they [all] saw Mordechai dressed in royal blue.
The explanation of this song - when it was seen that everyone was together through the unity that dwelled amongst them, therefor they were ecstatic and joyful, because through this they had victory and salvation. This is also the meaning behind what we say during the blessing of the new month on Shabbat prayers -
מִי שֶׁעָשָׂה נִסִּים לַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ וְגָאַל אוֹתָם מֵעַבְדוּת לְחֵרוּת. הוּא יִגְאַל אוֹתָנוּ בְּקָרוֹב וִיקַבֵּץ נִדָּחֵינוּ מֵאַרְבַּע כַּנְפוֹת הָאָרֶץ. חֲבֵרִים כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְנֹאמַר אָמֵן:
He Who performed miracles for our fathers, and redeemed them from slavery to freedom, may He redeem us soon and gather our dispersed from the four corners of the earth; united in friendship is all of Israel! And let us say, Amein.
We must understand over here why we need to mention being friends within all of Israel within the blessing of the new month? Based on our above teachings, this makes perfect sense, that in order to be worthy for HaShem to bless us with with a good and blessed month, its incumbent upon all of Israel to be like one person, with unity and love, as we mentioned above.
And to answer our first question, the word Netzavim (upright), is a language of standing with strength, as we see it used elsewhere in this manner -
And to answer our first question, the word Netzavim (upright), is a language of standing with strength, as we see it used elsewhere in this manner -
וְ֠הִנֵּ֠ה אֲנַ֜חְנוּ מְאַלְּמִ֤ים אֲלֻמִּים֙ בְּת֣וֹךְ הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה וְהִנֵּ֛ה קָ֥מָה אֲלֻמָּתִ֖י וְגַם־נִצָּ֑בָה וְהִנֵּ֤ה תְסֻבֶּ֙ינָה֙ אֲלֻמֹּ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם וַתִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֖יןָ לַאֲלֻמָּתִֽי׃
There we were binding sheaves in the field, when suddenly my sheaf stood up and remained upright; then your sheaves gathered around and bowed low to my sheaf.”
And based on this, our verse makes complete sense, "All of you are standing today together before HaShem your G-D", the word today refers to Rosh HaShana as we mentioned, and the verse is giving us advise how we can be worthy to stand strong throughout Rosh HaShana with strength and without slack before HaShem our G-D, so that the evil force cannot bring claims against us to harm us, and we will be blessed with a good and sweet new year. This verse is giving us the best possible advice, your heads, tribal leaders, elders, officers, all of Israel (basically all different types of Israelites), that we all have to have unity and love like one person, and that all of Israel should be precious in our eyes, and in this merit we will be worthy to be written on Rosh HaShana in the book of the righteous for good and for life and to be whole within all of Israel, amen!
וְעַתָּ֗ה כִּתְב֤וּ לָכֶם֙ אֶת־הַשִּׁירָ֣ה הַזֹּ֔את וְלַמְּדָ֥הּ אֶת־בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל שִׂימָ֣הּ בְּפִיהֶ֑ם לְמַ֨עַן תִּהְיֶה־לִּ֜י הַשִּׁירָ֥ה הַזֹּ֛את לְעֵ֖ד בִּבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
Therefore, write down this poem and teach it to the people of Israel; put it in their mouths, in order that this poem may be My witness against the people of Israel.
בַּצַּ֣ר לְךָ֔ וּמְצָא֕וּךָ כֹּ֖ל הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה בְּאַחֲרִית֙ הַיָּמִ֔ים וְשַׁבְתָּ֙ עַד־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ וְשָׁמַעְתָּ֖ בְּקֹלֽוֹ׃
when you are in distress because all these things have befallen you and, in the end, return to and obey your God יהוה.
כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶת־מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַֽיִּפְקְדֵ֖ם בְּמִדְבַּ֥ר סִינָֽי׃ {ס}
As יהוה had commanded Moses, so he recorded them in the wilderness of Sinai.
בספר וספר וספור. הן חכמה ובינה ודעת שבהן נברא העולם כידוע והם ג' אותיות אמ"ש שבהן נעשה חב"ד כמ"ש לקמן וכן הן בעש"נ. ספר וספר הן ח"ב שעדיין הוא בשכל לבד. וסיפור הוא הדעת שמוציא השכל מהכח אל הפועל כמו הסיפור והן בשתי ידים ולשון ב' ידים מלבישין חכמה בינה דאריך אנפין ולשון הוא הדעת שמזווג חיך וגרון שהוא חכמה בינה והוא יסוד דעתיק כידוע שכל [יסוד] שלמעלה הוא דעת שלמטה ובשתי הידים הן כל האותיות (ע' מאמר קדישין להאר"י ז"ל) כי כ"ז אותיות הם ועוד א' בסופן להשלים לאלף כמ"ש נעוץ סופן כו' הרי כ"ח ובהן נברא העולם לפיכך שיתא אלפי שנין הוי עלמא שהוא כמנין אותיות הנ"ל עם ה"א שבה נברא העולם שכל האותיות יוצאים ממנה והיא מלכות של עולם דלעילא. ואם תחשוב אותן למאות שהוא מספר הגדול יהיו ששים רבוא אותיות לתורה וישראל, והכ"ח אותיות הן בב' ידים בי"ד פרקין שלכן נקרא י"ד והן כמו שתי לוחות, וספור הוא לשון שבו נקבעו כל האותיות לפי שכל מכריע הוא כלול משניהם, ובידים הן בכתב כמ"ש וביד כל אדם כו' והן בכתב הלוחות ולכן נקרא ספר. ובלשון הוא בדבור והוא מאמר עשרת הדברות לישראל ולכן נקרא ספור. וכן העולם נברא בשתי ידים כמ"ש אף ידי יסדה ארץ וימיני כו' ובלשון כמ"ש בדבר ה' כו', והכ"ח אותיות הן כ"ח דמילוי המילוי י"ד של י"ה ביד ימין וי"ד של ו"ה ביד שמאל ולכך ה' אותיות בא"ב הן כפולות כי מלוי דמלוי של ה"א אחרונה הוא כפול בה"א ראשונה ואל"ף שבסופה הוא א' שבאמצע המלוי של וא"ו שהוא אל"ף של אדני שמשם מתחלת מלכות ולכך הוא נעוץ סופן בתחילתן, והג' ספרים הנ"ל הן יו"ד ה"א ו' כי י"ה הן בחו"ב הן ב' ידים הנ"ל וא"ו הוא בדעת תפארת ו' בדעת ו' בת"ת שהוא ו' קצוות א' שבתוך וא"ו הוא היכל הקודש באמצע לכך בג' ספרים הם ל"ב כמנין שם הנ"ל והן ג' אמות דלקמן וא' ו' הנשארים הן שבע כפולות בהצטרף ו' שבדעת שמתפשט בגופו והן י"ב פשוטות הב' ואוי"ן כי האל"ף הוא להיכל הקודש שהוא אל"ף של אדני המתחלת באמצע כנ"ל. ולכן אמרו מכוון באמצע והרי בג' אותיות יו"ד ה"א וא"ו נברא הכל והן הג' ספרים ויתבאר לקמן הכל, והל"ב הוא ג"כ כ"ח דמלוי המלוי בב' ידים כנ"ל ובמכריע הוא הוי"ה פשוטה כי הוא בדעת כידוע, והן באותיות של א"ב כ"ח כנ"ל ועוד ד' אותיות אהו"י שהן כוללים כל האותיות כי הן גי' כ"ב והן תחילת העשר וסופן ואמצען ולכן בא מהם שמות העצם ולכן הם נחים נסתרים. וכל השלשה ספרים נכללים במוחא סתימאה כי תלת חללי דגולגלתא המתפרשים בז"א שהם הג' ראשונות הן נכללים כאן בחללא חדא והכל נקרא חכמה שכולן נכללין בה שהם גולגלתא ומ"ס וקרומא דאוירא שבהן חג"ת דעתיק שהן הג' ראשונות כנ"ל וכן נכללים באוירא דגולגלתא כי הוא המכריע והוא ג"כ נקרא חכמה כידוע שהוא מוחא לגולגלתא ולכך מתחילין כ"ב אותיות לקמן (משנה י') ברוח מרוח, ובאוירא כלול כל הג' מוחין חב"ד כידוע רק בהעלם גדול ובה מתחילין הל"ב נתיבות רק בהעלם גדול כנ"ל והוא הנקרא רוח לקמן וע"ז נאמר וברוח פיו כל צבאם כי הוא ת"ת דעתיק ונכלל בפיו ששם גנוז דעת דעתיק ונברא בה העולם בהתלבשו במוחא סתימאה. והל"ב נתיבות הנ"ל הם מפורשים כל שם ושם בהראב"ד ז"ל וכן מקומות התחלקם בגוף הנ"ל כי הם ג"פ עשר ספירות שהן בג' תיקונים שהם גולגלתא טלא קרומא דאוירא שהם נכללים במוחא סתימאה ועוד ב' צינורות מתיקון א' לב' ומב' לג' שנכללים הכל בה. וכן באוירא סתימאה הכוללם:
וְזֹאת֩ לְפָנִ֨ים בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל עַל־הַגְּאֻלָּ֤ה וְעַל־הַתְּמוּרָה֙ לְקַיֵּ֣ם כׇּל־דָּבָ֔ר שָׁלַ֥ף אִ֛ישׁ נַעֲל֖וֹ וְנָתַ֣ן לְרֵעֵ֑הוּ וְזֹ֥את הַתְּעוּדָ֖ה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
Now this was formerly done in Israel in cases of redemption or exchange: to validate any transaction, one man would take off his sandal and hand it to the other. Such was the practice in Israel.