Netzavim

The passuk states, “I am calling upon the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you; I have put before you (a choice of) life or death, the bracha or klalah, and you shall choose life…” Rashi writes that the heavens and earth were set up as witnesses to testify because they exist forever. When chas v’shalom bad happens to Bnei Yisrael they will testify that Hashem warned you. Rashi brings another explanation: Hashem said to Bnei Yisrael, “Look at the heavens and earth that I created to serve you. Is it possible that they changed their character? Did the sun ever not rise is the east and shine for the whole world? Look at the earth, did you ever plant seeds that didn’t grow, or was barley produced instead of wheat? Just as these don’t change although they don’t receive reward or punishment, you whom are rewarded and punished, certainly should not change your ways!

The question arises: How can we learn from the heavens and the earth about how we should behave? The heavens and earth are domemim, inanimate things they don’t have a yetzer hatov and yetzer hara to convince them to do good or bad. We however do have a yetzer hatov and yetzer hara. How then should we derive a message from them because they don’t change their ways?

I heard an answer that that every Yid has inside himself a neshama tehora which naturally causes a person do good. This is as we say in davening, “Elokai, neshama…tehorah hee.” Also, the passuk in Shir HaShirim states, “Do not look at me because I am dark (from sin) since the sun caused it.” Rashi explains that the darkness did not come from birth, but rather from the sun. This darkness is easy to become white again by going into the shade. This hints that it was just outside factors around me that caused me to do bad.” We see that every Yid is naturally born to be good and has the potential to be good. It is the yetzer hara and surroundings that affect him and cause him to do bad. Just as the heavens and earth, which are inanimate don’t change their traits, so too a Yid has the potential to be as the same and keep to the Torah and mitzvos.

May Hashem help us return to our purity and holiness and become better ovdei Hashem.