I would like to share with the chevra a vort I recently saw in sefer Darchei Musser on this week's parsha Nesavim that pertains to Rosh Hashanah as well.
The first pasuk in the upcoming parsha says אַתֶּם נִצָּבִים הַיּוֹם כֻּלְּכֶם - You are standing today, all of you. (Devarim 29:9)
Rashi (29:12) brings a midrash that asked - Why is this parsha next to the the previous parsha that discusses the ninety-eight curses? The Midrash answers - Because when Bnei Yisroel heard these ninety-eight curses they turned pale, and said, “Who can possibly endure these?” Thereupon, Moses began to appease them. אַתֶּם נִצָּבִים הַיּוֹם כֻּלְּכֶם "You have angered Hashem many times, yet Hashem has never destroyed you. Indeed, you are still standing before Him"
Darchei Musser suggests that's why the pasuk says כֻּלְּכֶם. Because Bnei Yisroel were all together as one, that's why they were still standing. Because Hashem promise to never destroy the Jewish nation.
Darchei Musser quotes the following from the Alter of Kelm (R' Simcha Zissel). As individuals, we should be afraid as we approach Yom HaDin. Since individuals do not have this promise, they cannot rely on miracles. Therefore, the Alter gives the following advice. One should attach himself to the רַבִּים (community). Whether it's being involved in community needs or being part of a chaburah of growing yidden. By doing this, a person has the status of רַבִּים. As רַבִּים, we can rely on miracles as we approach Yom HaDin.
That's why the pasuk emphasizes אַתֶּם נִצָּבִים הַיּוֹם כֻּלְּכֶם. Since each individual was part of the klal, that's how they merited to still be standing before Hashem.
I was thinking how this applies to us. As individuals we feel like dirt. We have rolled around in the "mud". We are embarrassed to look our wives and children in their eyes after the things we've seen or done. We feel like hypocrites as we stand before Hashem asking him to overlook our short fallings. Yet here we are part of the GYE community. We keep on falling and getting back up. We continue to post on the forum about our struggles and to be mechazik others in their challenges as well. We are ALL part of the רַבִּים. We are all working towards a unitary goal of achieving and maintaining an everlasting kedusha. This should be a zchus for us as we approach Yom HaDin.
May this be the year that we all are successful in defeating our lust behavior once and for all
K’siva V’chasima Tova
This is something I wrote a year ago for this upcoming parsha. After seeing several GYE members post recently about their guilt heading into Rosh Hashanah. I thought perhaps we can all gain chizuk from this vort I saw and summarized here.
Warning: Spoiler!
