Let's Keep Moving

 

Ki Teitzei – Ki Tavo – Nitzavim

These are the names of the three Torah portions we always read to close out the Jewish year.

Rabbi Moshe Avigdor Amiel, the chief rabbi of Antwerp and later of Tel Aviv, notes that these names provide a powerful message at the end of the year.

Ki Teitzei and Ki Tavo – we can come and go, but, in truth, “atem Nitzavim hayom kulchem lifnei Hashem Elokeichem,” we are always standing before God. Wherever we may be and no matter how far away we may go, we always return. Year after year, we come back to the shul, to the same place, to continue our relationship with God and with our millennia old tradition.

These names also correspond quite well with the time on the calendar on which they are read.

As the summer draws to a close, we read Ki Teitzei, as people head out on one last vacation, one last breath of fresh air. Afterwards comes Ki Tavo, as people come back home. Next comes Nitzavim, as people firmly take their places in school and shul and resume their routines.

This year, we also read Vayelech before Rosh Hashanah. It fits in nicely with Rav Amiel’s theme as it symbolizes our need to stride forward and walk purposefully into the New Year.

Nitzavim – Vayelech: We must stand before we can walk.

Rabbi Shlomo Yosef Zevin, a prominent and unique Eastern European-born Jewish scholar who spent the second half of his life in Israel, explains the word nitzav as remaining resolute and strong b’komah zekufah, with a straight posture. Actions should never just occur. They must be infused with a specific sense of purpose. The key to Rosh Hashanah is to stand up and resolve to make specific decisions.

At the same time, we’ll only have a successful New Year if we keep moving. We cannot remain nitzavim, standing in place, tethered to what happened this past year for good or for not so good. It is not enough to be resolute in our desire to better or strongly declare our good intentions. We need vayelech - to get busy moving forward.

Judaism is an ever-changing, evolving, dynamic experience.

Water is a powerful symbol in Judaism because it represents life and movement. We reference mayim chaim, living waters, and ma’ayan mitgabeir, an overpowering spring. King Solomon writes (Mishlei 18:4), “The words a man speaks are deep waters, a flowing stream, a fountain of wisdom.” The Greek philosopher Heraclitus said, “No man ever steps in the same river twice. For it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.” Jewish living ebbs and flows, slows down and speeds up, and can be choppy or tranquil.

Jewish law is called “halakhah,” which literally means to walk or travel along a path. “Mutar” means permissible and also released or untied. Something “asur” is forbidden, while the world also means bound or tied. We navigate the path of Jewish life. Sometimes, the way is open, and sometimes the path is blocked. Sometimes, Judaism feel like a small, narrow path, and sometimes it’s a multilane highways with plenty of room to maneuver.

In recent years, the term “off the derech” has been used to describe individuals who stray from observance, the right derech or way of life. I think the term is wrong. Everyone is on a derech, on their own path. We just need to keep moving.

An alumnus of a prominent university returned to campus years after graduation for the chance to meet the university president who was in office when he was a student.

This particular individual had done well for himself. As he was introduced to the now elderly president, he took him aside and said, “Sir, I will be forever grateful to you for the words you whispered to me on my graduation day as you handed me my diploma. Over the course of my life there have been ups and there have been downs and thank God things have turned out all right for me. But in the dark moments, it was the wisdom you shared with me that day that has sustained me throughout.”

The university president was at a loss. He turned to the man saying, “Son, I am humbled by your kindness, but I have presided over decades of college graduations, every graduation with thousands of graduates. I have handed more diplomas to more people than I can count. Embarrassed as I may be, I must admit, I don’t remember. Please tell me – I need to know – what was it that I said to you?”

The man looked at him and replied, “You said to me, ‘Keep moving.’”

There has been a lot that took place in 5784 that is difficult to overcome. We are still mired in the aftermath of October 7. There is tremendous pain and sorrow along with a lot of uncertainty. We cannot ignore what happened, but we cannot remain standing in place defined by the difficulties of the past year. We will resolve to move forward.

May we be up for the challenge to resolve how to live our best, true lives for ourselves and for others and keep moving forward.