The Individual and the Covenantal

Today is the most important day of your life. Today is the day we receive the Torah as it was given the first day. There is an individual “today” and a communal “today.”

Today!

There are two places in this week’s parsha where the Torah stresses the importance of seeing the Torah’s timelessness; how it relevant today as it was the first day we received it.

In the first instance, the Torah states:

“Today G-d, your G-d, is commanding you to fulfill these commands and judgments. Be careful to observe them, with all your heart and with all your soul. Today, you have selected G-d to be your G-d, to go in His ways, and to observe His statutes, His commandments and His judgments, and to listen to His voice. And today G-d has selected you to be His treasured people—as He told you—and to observe all His commandments…”

The introductory word “Today” appears superfluous. The Torah could have simply stated: “Your G-d has commanded you etc.” Rashi in anticipation of this question states:

“Each and every day they shall be new in your eyes as if you were commanded to observe them this very day.”

In other words, the Torah is not content that we observe G-d’s commandments. We must also observe them as we would if this would have been the very first day we were commanded to do them.

In just a few verses later, the Torah states essentially the same message:

“Moses and the priests (from the tribe of) Levi spoke to all of Israel, saying, ‘Pay attention and listen, O Israel! Today, you have become a people to G-d, your G-d. Listen to the voice of G-d, your G-d. Perform His commandments and His statutes, which I am commanding you today.’”

Here too, Rashi comments on the words: “Today you have become” and explains: “Each and every day they shall be in your eyes as if you have this very day entered into the covenant with Him.”

The question arises why the Torah repeats the same lesson about the eternal relevance of the Torah.

A second question can be raised. Why is it that in the first selection it speaks of the importance of observing the Mitzvos first, followed by a statement of how we are G-d’s nation, whereas in the second selection the order is reversed? First it speaks of how we became G-d’s nation, and after that it refers to our obligation to follow His commandments.

Two Messages

In truth, these two selections represent two different messages to the Jewish people and the way they should view the timelessness of Torah. And these two messages reflect two distinct approaches we must take towards our Judaism.

The first approach is to view Judaism as a way of life that G-d has given us to give us direction in life. Every Mitzvah we do enlightens, inspires and sanctifies us. Each individual Mitzvah cements our personal relationship with G-d. As a result of our individual observance of these G-dly acts we then come together to form and mold a G-dly society; a G- dly nation.

But which comes first?

It is the individual commitment to following the individual commandments that creates a bond between each individual and His G-d, which comes first. What follows individual commitment is a nation borne out of and fashioned by holy individuals that share a common way of living.

This is what the first selection focuses on. We are to remember that even as individuals we have a responsibility to follow the dictates of the Torah and by doing so we create a vibrant and cohesive nation.

When the Torah was given on Mount Sinai, G-d addressed every Jew individually. Thus the Ten Commandments are written in the singular form to underscore the individual connection G-d makes with each and every one of us.

Chassidic philosophy explains that when G-d stated the fateful words at Sinai: “I am G-d your [in the singular form] G-d…”’ G-d “implanted” Himself and became the dynamic force of every individual Jew.

This experience was so powerful that it would be very difficult for the individual to not be inspired to fulfill all of the commandments. The difficulty to abandon it is further buttressed by virtue of the fact that G-d’s nature became our essential nature. To sin is to go against your own nature.

G-d, however, also gave us free choice, which allows us to go against our nature. He also gave us an evil inclination that seeks to cloud the innate connection we have with G- d.

As long as we were under the influence of Sinai, we were safe. However, as we moved away from that epiphany, and especially after the Golden Calf debacle (instigated by the outside influence of the Eirev Rav-the multitude of nations that joined the Jewish people for the wrong reason and who were not receptive to the Divine revelation at Sinai), the intensity of the revelation wears off.

Particularly, as time progressed, the effect of the initial revelation would wear off. To this end, the Torah exhorts us here to imagine as if we have received the Torah today. G-d, who is timeless, connects to us on a daily basis. When we reflect on the fact that we never really lost that inner connection established at Sinai, we can refresh that experience.

National Identity

The second selection, however, addresses a totally different approach to Judaism. Here the focus is on the national identity we acquired when we entered into the covenant. This relationship is not based on our individual lives and the commitments we make as individuals; this relationship is created by a covenant that “bound” G-d to us and we to Him regardless of His or our behavior.

History has painfully demonstrated that the Jewish nation as a people never abandoned G-d even when it appeared that He abandoned us. Conversely, even when it seemed that we had forsaken G-d by neglecting to keep His commandments, G-d still preserved us and blessed us.

Indeed, our very existence today is nothing short of a miracle of Biblical proportions, rivaling and perhaps even surpassing the miracle of the splitting of the Sea of Reeds!

But, our covenant with G-d, though it initiated a reciprocal and unconditional relationship with Him, does indeed obligate us to follow His commandments. How can we say no to a G-d Who has so inextricably bound Himself to us? How can we not follow His commandments when we made our destiny intertwined with His? If we are His people, how could we not behave as such?

Thus in the second selection the emphasis is placed on the covenant between G-d and nation Israel, from which flows the need to follow His commandments, the reverse of the first selection where the commandments create a national identity.

But, as in the first instance of our individual role, the passage of time can erode some of the ardor that existed when we entered the covenant for the first time.

The Torah therefore exhorts us that we should reflect daily on the fact that the covenant is renewed every day.

Thus far we have seen that our observance for the commandments comes from two different directions: Form our individual role and from our role as part of the “Covenantal Community.”

Two Dimensional Request for Redemption

When we ask G-d in our daily prayers to bring Moshiach and the final Redemption, it is also based on the two aforementioned considerations.

We come before the A-mighty and ask Him to bring Moshiach because as individuals we have earned it. We have kept the commandments. As individuals committed to Judaism, we forged a national identity as a people committed to basic morality, holiness and goodness. And even when it appeared that our connection to the past would wane, we saw the resurgence of Judaism; and in many instances with the same fervor and devotion as if it were given that very day.

Moreover, our positive behavior rubbed off on other nations who have adopted many of our ethical Biblical traditions. As Maimonides writes, the entire world is now filled with discussion about the commandments, which will prepare the world for the coming of Moshiach when the entire world will conform to G-d’s will. (Jews will fully observe the 613 commandments and non- Jews will follow the Seven Noahide Commandments.)

But, in addition to the above, we can and must also approach G-d in our request for the Redemption on the basis of our national identity that was created by the covenant we entered that transcends even the fidelity to our individual obligations.

On Yom Kippur we recite:

“We are your people and You are our G-d, we are your children and You are our Father,”

And as His people we are entitled to be redeemed!

From the book Light from the Future: Parshas Ki Savo by Rabbi Heschel Greenberg, published by the Jewish Discovery Center.