Nitzavim (1): Standing Tall

אתם ניצבים היום

You are standing here today...

ניצבים doesn't just imply standing; the word עומדים connotes that just fine. Elsewhere in Chumash Rashi translates נצבים by saying that implies בקומה זקופה - with an upright posture. While עומדים means standing, נצבים means to stand with purpose and pride.

The Seforim HaKedoshim are filled with the idea that הקריאה מעוררת את הזמן- The scripture inspires the Season. This means that what we are reading in the Torah on a given week is based on a profound correlation to the goings-on of the Jewish calendar. Thus, the idea of נצבים must be connected to the upcoming holiday. This idea is even further pronounced by the fact that Chazal say that when the Torah uses the word היום "today" without specifying a date, it is a reference to Rosh HaShana.

During the three weeks we go deeper and deeper into a space of mourning. We sink lower as the process continues until we are actually sitting on the floor on Tisha B'Av. This physical proximity to the floor is a symbol of how there is nowhere farther to fall. נפלה לא תוסיף קום בתולת ישראל - You have fallen.

But following Tisha B'Av are the Shiva D'Nechemta: seven weeks where the content of the Haftarah revolves around Geulah and reacceptance. It is meant to lift us out of the despair and return to us a sense of well being and security. The mourning is over, now it's time to rise up.

The seven weeks conclude on the Shabbos of Parshas Nitzavim. It logically follows that if the three weeks lower us down, then the Shiva D'Nechemta culminates with אתם נצבים - You are standing בקומה זקופה totally upright, the apex of posture. And with this we arrive at היום, we come standing tall to Rosh HaShana.

כי קדוש היום לאדנינו ואל תעצבו כי חדות יהוה היא מעזכם - Rosh HaShana is a serious day as it is counted as one of the Aseres Yimei Teshuva. But it is also a day where we are proud to be in the nation of the King of Kngs. We are a part of His Royal and Majestic Grandeur. Let this inspire us for a bigger and better Rosh HaShana.

Based in part on a Shiur by Rav Sitorsky