Connecting the Dots

You’re not seeing spots. It’s not an error.

If you look inside a Torah scroll, there are ten places in which dots appear above the letters. This is a Masoretic tool, based on the word mesorah, tradition. We maintain a specific tradition of how the Torah is written as well as a variety of idiosyncrasies meant to draw attention to a deeper message being conveyed by the specific text.

One famous example are dots above the word “va-yishakeihu” when Esav kissed Yaakov. Was it a real kiss of brotherly love? Maybe it was forced. Maybe Esav tried to bite Yaakov. The dots are a point of departure for deeper discussion or analysis.

In Parshat Nitzavim, we see dots. 

הַנִּ֨סְתָּרֹ֔ת לַה' אֱ-לֹהֵ֑ינוּ וְהַנִּגְלֹ֞ת לָ֤ׄנׄוּׄ וּׄלְׄבָׄנֵ֙ׄיׄנׄוּ֙ׄ עַׄד־עוֹלָ֔ם לַעֲשׂ֕וֹת אֶת־כׇּל־דִּבְרֵ֖י הַתּוֹרָ֥ה הַזֹּֽאת׃

“Concealed acts concern Hashem or God; but with overt acts, it is for us and our children forever to apply all the provisions of this Torah.” (Devarim 29:28)

There are dots written in the Torah on top of the words “lanu u’l’vaneinu ad.” Why?

On this Shabbat in particular – the last Shabbat of this year, let’s try to connect the dots. They contain crucial lessons of continuity, complexity, and visibility.

1)  Continuity
Rashi explains that the dots draw attention to Jewish interconnectedness. As the children of Israel enter the Promised Land, they need to keep in mind that there is collective responsibility. Lanu u’levaneinu ad olam - Us and our children forever. The dots are a way to highlight and draw our attention to this fact.

As Moshe steps off the scene - and as the Jewish people face the responsibility of living a full Jewish life in the land without the divine protections of 40 years in the desert, they are reminded that it is up to them. Lanu u’l’vaneinu ad olam. It will be sad when Moshe dies. It will be difficult to live up to the high expectations God set for us. But lanu u’l’vaneinu ad olam. We will take what we have been taught and carry it forward.

Ad olam – We are a forever people.

2)  Complexity
There are things we understand and things we don’t understand. Both are part of our Judaism.

Rabbi Chaim of Tchernowitz, the Be’er Mayim Chaim, explains that we must reveal that which is hidden. Part of the Jewish mission is to find the holiness inherent in all things and in all places all over the world and actualize that holiness. Elevate the sparks.

This Kabbalistic idea is a very empowering concept. It means there is goodness and light even in the darkest places. Rabbi Nachman of Breslav highlighted this principle many times:

“Afilu b’hastarah - Even within the most hidden-most recesses can be found aspects of God…When a person, God forbid, commits a transgression going against the will of God, there’s still an aspect of goodness hidden within that action.” (Likkutei Maharan #56)

As believing Jews, there is no reason for despair. There is always light at the end of the tunnel. It’s no coincidence that one of Rebbe Nachman’s most famous expressions is “v’ha’ikar lo lefacheid k’lal - have no fear at all.”

The dots highlight that, forever, we will exist in a world where there is a revealed reality along with a hidden realm. No matter what, there is hope.

3)  Visibilty
Rabbi Aharon Rokeach, the fourth Belzer Rebbe, suggested that the verse can be interpreted as follows: Hanistarot l'Hashem Elokeinu - If we hide our mitzvot by doing them privately, then only Hashem will know about our righteous ways. On the other hand, v'haniglot lanu ul'vaneinu - If we make sure to reveal our good deeds to our children, then our religious priorities and values will remain ad olam - for all eternity.

One afternoon in Jerusalem, Rabbi Yakov Vann was on his way to the synagogue for the afternoon prayers when somebody called out from a doorway asking him to complete a minyan in a house of mourning. He gladly agreed. Upon entering the apartment, he was surprised to observe that although it was full of Jewish books, the mourners themselves did not appear to be religiously observant.

After the prayer service had concluded, Rabbi Vann took out a volume of Mishnah Berurah to examine it, and he was even more taken aback to see that its margins were full of astute insights and comments. He inquired about the owner of the sefarim, and one of the mourners replied that they all belonged to the deceased, his father.

Rabbi Vann probed further, asking whether any of the other family members used the books. Sadly, the son responded that although his father had been a very pious and learned Torah scholar, none of his children had followed in his ways. He explained that when his father came home each night, he would lock himself in his study and spend hours poring over his beloved books. Since his Torah study only occurred behind closed doors, his children never observed him learning and therefore did not absorb his passion for Torah and mitzvot.

V'haniglot lanu u’levaneinu as olam. Jewish visibility matters. Publicly being Jewish is the key to Judaism moving forward forever.

We’ve connected the dots to understanding that the core of Jewish continuity is the fact we are a forever people. We recognize there is a link between the hidden and the revealed, and we must not be discouraged when things don’t go our way. And maintaining our visible Jewish pride ensures our children follow in our footsteps and that our enemies will never prevail.

If we connect the dots, we will go a long way in ensuring that the year ahead will be even better than this one.