All in the Same Boat

The final Shabbos of the Jewish Calendar boasts one feature that remains unchanged every year. We always read the Parsha of Nitzavim. What about this Parsha of a mere forty verses that makes it a required reading for the final Shabbos of every year? There are various fundamental themes in Judaism, including free will and Teshuva, that are recorded in Nitzavim. I will highlight one central theme of the Parsha, which must be internalized before the New Year begins. ​ These words feature an unusual characteristic marking above the written words in the Torah. It has several dots above these words. Indeed, if you look into a Sefer Torah, you will see these dots above the words וְהַנִּגְלֹת לָנוּ וּלְבָנֵינוּ עַד־עוֹלָם. This is translated as the revealed are to our children and us forever.” This is a continuation of the beginning of the verse, “The hidden belongs to Hashem our G-d.” The deeper meaning here is that the private action of Man is under the purview of the Almighty, for better or worse. However, what Man does in public is the responsibility of the Jewish Nation. The Rabbis have interpreted this to mean we are responsible for one another. In Hebrew, this dictum is famous as כל ישראל ערבים זה לזה. The literal translation is that we are the guarantors of one another. The role of a guarantor carries great responsibility. It reflects a legal commitment for the borrower who has incurred a liability. The Chofetz Chaim writes that if a guarantor sees the borrower acting in a financially irresponsible manner, he will be worried, as he ultimately assumes responsibility. As it’s been nearly two years since October 7 and hostages remain imprisoned in Gaza under the most horrific conditions, it's important to view that as some “other” problem. The notion of being a guarantor means that we must feel this crisis as our own. I know a person who has not slept on more than one pillow since October and another person who has not listened to any music during that time. Similarly, the Chofetz Chaim wrote that if we see the majority of Jews estranged from Torah Judaism, then we bear the responsibility for that. It is unfortunate for us to shrug our shoulders when hearing about the deteriorating numbers of Jews engaged in Judaism. It’s incumbent on every one of us to be the best ambassadors we can be for G-d and Torah Judaism. The notion of being responsible and a guarantor for one another has brought out the best in Jews over the years. ​ As we prepare for Rosh Hashanah to stand in judgment before the Giver of Life and once again need to earn the privilege of life itself, there may be no greater merit than viewing oneself as a guarantor for our fellow Jew and Jewish Continuity. ​ Have a Peaceful Shabbos, ​ Rabbi Yaakov Fisch