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The parasha for this week is entitled Nitzavim, a word meaning “those taking a stand”. The root is different from the common Hebrew verb for ‘standing’ (omayd). The Torah reading begins with our people standing formally before Adonai, with Moses as their intermediary, in order to confirm the Covenant.

D’varim, the Book of Deuteronomy is, in many respects, one large covenant document. In form it resembles the ancient Near Eastern suzerainty treaties – those made between kings. We know this, because some of those treaty documents have survived down to the present day. Their discovery, 120 years ago, sparked tremendous interest in the academic community. Biblical and linguistic scholars, and archaeologists alike, all noted the stunning resemblance between the structure of Deuteronomy and the structure of these Ancient treaties! This discovery made George Mendenhall and Meredith Kline famous in academic circles.

Those covenant treaties followed this pattern:

• Preamble (The ‘who’s who’ – sovereign and vassal)
• Historical Prologue (The events leading up to this treaty ceremony)
• Stipulations (The ‘meat and potatoes’ – expectations of each party)
• Reading and Deposit (The warning against violation and for posterity)
• Blessings and Curses (For treaty compliance/non-compliance)
• Witnesses (those summoned to ratify the treaty/covenant)

Last Shabbat we read how Moses prophesied that Israel would eventually violate our Covenant with God, and suffer the severe consequences. In these chapters, however, God makes a beautiful promise – a promise of restoration, renewal and a return to our land. A second chance! This is where the Torah (Deuteronomy in particular) parts ways with the conventions of the Ancient Near East. God offers grace and forgiveness – something no Hittite king would have offered!

God promised to both re-gather us to Eretz Yisrael, and to circumcise our hearts (30:6). It strikes us as a rather strange sort of imagery – performing a bris upon one’s heart? What we’re to understand is that sin has hardened the heart of all human beings, and that only through God’s intervention can we be brought to a place of tenderness, teachability and repentance.

I believe this passage anticipated the coming of the New Covenant – the very covenant that was announced through the prophet Jeremiah, and brought to fulfillment through Messiah Yeshua. What we should also learn from this parasha is that those who think they can please God by their own efforts are doomed to failure and disillusionment. God promised that He Himself would perform that spiritual surgery, as it were, the necessary transformation to make us righteous – if only we humbly receive it as a gift, rather than insist on it as wages due for services performed.

As for witnesses, Moses declares in chapter 30, “I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, by loving Adonai your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which Adonai swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give them.’

Let me conclude with this thought: at very pivotal moments in your life, you will be called upon to take a stand. Sadly, some take their stand on tradition instead of truth, some stand on their own pride, rather than admit having been wrong. One may take a stand for a noble cause. We here at Congregation Shema Yisrael take our stand on the fact of the Messiahship of Yeshua and the truth of God’s Word. So where do you stand? Joshua said Choose this day whom you will serve. To declare your allegiance is to natzav – take a stand. Israel’s history teaches us that there are consequences for our actions – and sometimes those consequences arise from inaction.

Lord our God, thank You for having circumcised our once hard hearts through the death and resurrection of Your Son, Messiah Yeshua. Please grant us the courage to take a stand, the wisdom to properly choose who and what to stand for, and discernment through the Holy Spirit to know when and where and how to do it, so that we bring You glory!