Learning is a vital part of our ethos and vision and we would like to respond to our members needs and requirements. Initially the Dayan has established a programme offering weekly sessions for both men and women but please do let us know if you would like any additional learning sessions and we will do our best to find you a suitable chavruta.
Shiurim & Adult Education
THOUGHTS ON NITZAVIM VAYELECH BY SAMUEL KOSLOVER
A key theme across sefer Devarim is the imperative to take personal responsibility, be it in national security or personal spiritual accountability. In Nitzavim the commandment using our free will is reiterated (Devarim 30:19) following its first appearance in Re’eh. Why is the Torah returning to this theme, is it merely repeated for emphasis and what is the relevance of our own choice in our so often busy lives?
Our sages tell us that not only is free will important but that it is central in bringing the world to its ultimate perfection. In the sefer Derech Hashem, the Ramchal sets out that the purpose of the created universe is for Hashem to give of His goodness to another and that ‘other’ is us. But how can a created being be the recipient of Hashem’s goodness which is totally intrinsic to Him? For us to accept the good which ultimately does not belong to us would create a deep shame and fails to accomplish the divine goal.
So how is Hashem’s plan to give of His goodness to be fulfilled? While there are several approaches a central one is through genuine free choice.
The ability to choose originates in humanity being created in the divine image. In Bereshis 1:26 Hashem says, “Let us create man”, one resolution of the apparent dualism is that we are the partner in our own creation, our choices form who we are. Another exquisite angle upon this problem emerges from the midrash (Rabbah 8:4,5) which says the ‘us’ refers to various faculties of character some of which advocated Hashem to create man and others against. The depth to this midrash is that free choice set up by warring intentions is our foundation, as Rabbi Tatz expresses it, “Man is a turbulent argument, an unresolved conflict between warring motivations and that conflict is the essence of the human condition.”
When a choice is made against the currents of habit and selfish desires we activate our G-dly ability to form our being. This answers our original problem since we are now fitting to receive Hashem’s goodness because we deserve it, it is intrinsically ours.
One of my Rabbeim would often repeat the saying “You have one job in life – Make good decisions!”. Free will is a recurring theme in sefer Devarim as Bnei Yisroel is on the verge of entering Eretz Yisrael, leaving supernatural Sinai experience and entering the test of the mundane. The message we must carry through into regular life runs to the heart of who we are, which is that our decisions matter.
Shabbat shalom
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