Nitzavim-VaYelech

In Parashat Nitzavim Moses gathers the entire Israelite people together and gives them a stern warning to uphold God's covenant. Moses tells the people that upholding the Torah is not too difficult or too strange, but entirely within their capabilities. The people are encouraged to 'choose life' by following God's path.

Deuteronomy (Devarim) Parashat Nitzavim 30:1-4, 8-10

When all these things befall you - the blessing and the curse that I have set before you - and you take (hashevota) them to heart amidst the various nations to which the Lord your God has banished you, and you "return to" (ve-shavta ad) the Lord your God, and you and your children heed His command with all your heart and soul, just as I enjoin upon you this day, then the Lord your God will restore (ve-shav) your fortunes and take you back in love. He will bring you (ve-shav) together again from all the peoples where the Lord your God has scattered you. Even if your outcasts are at the ends of the world, from there the Lord your God will gather you, from there He will fetch you. ... You, however, will again (tashuv) heed the Lord and obey all His commandments that I enjoin upon you this day. And the Lord your God will grant you abounding prosperity in all your undertakings, in the issue of your womb, the offspring of your cattle, and the produce of your soil. For the Lord will again (ya-shuv) delight in your well-being, as He did in that of your fathers, since you will be heeding the Lord your God and keeping His commandments and laws that are recorded in this book of the Teaching - once you "return to" (tashuv el) the Lord your God with all your heart and soul.

When thinking about issues of repentance, return, and redemption our rabbis learn from the verses above in this week's Torah portion. In particular, they wonder which comes first: repentance or redemption? Rabbi Eliezer says that repentance precedes redemption. Quite the opposite according to Rabbi Yehoshua, who holds that redemption may occur first.  

The first ten verses of Deuteronomy 30 contain seven variations on the word shuv (turn, repent). Clearly the gist of this teaching is that repentance precedes redemption. Notice that the expression "return to" appears twice verbatim in the English, but that the Hebrew equivalents are dissimilar. While both Hebrew verbs "return" are from the same root shuv, each is followed by a different preposition. Verse 2 reads ve-shavta ad (turn toward, or unto) and verse 10 reads tashuv el (return to). The variation between ad and el has led many interpreters to understand teshuva, repentance, in different ways.

Sforno draws directly on the word ad found in verse 2. He says that the sole reason to do teshuvah is to do God's will; this is a complete turning to God with no selfish motivation. ElieMunk takes this one step further by declaring that the word ad emphasizes that repentance ideally lifts one spiritually towards God. Munk adds that the purest form of repentance is done out of complete love of God rather than fear.

Malbim explains ad and el as a two-step process. First one turns to God, then one returns to God. The Etz Chayim Commentary (p. 1139) summarizes his explanation: "The first stage is a realization that our behavior is wrong and requires a change of direction. This is 'turning toward.' The second stage is coming into the presence of God as the result of one's new way of life 'returning to' God." From this perspective ad (turning toward) is repentance which is followed by el (returning to) which is redemption.

These explanations reveal the important components of teshuvah: Wholehearted repentance requires a change in both thought and action. Here's our conundrum: Which comes first? A change in behavior affects one's outlook; yet a change in attitude leads to a behavioral adjustment.

Ultimately, the starting point is not important. What is crucial is that both aspects must be present. This leaves us with no excuse to procrastinate when it comes to teshuvah. Focusing on one element will lead us towards the other. So what are we waiting for?   

The following questions can be used as a basis for a discussion - feel free to find your own answers and explore each question in greater detail.

1. How do Sforno, Munk, and Malbim explain the difference in the prepositions used in our verse? 
2. What do you think that the Hebrew word connected with Teshuva is mentioned so many times on the Shabbat before Rosh HaShanah?
3. When you think about entering Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, do you find it more important to first change your mindset or first change your behavior?

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