The Hebrew month of Tishrei is chock full of holidays, Yomim Tovim, each with their own unique and specifically mandated mitzvot. The goal of these special mitzvoth is to ingrain in us ideas that are necessary for human perfection. But the Torah has no unique mitzvah for us to perform on Shemini Atzeret,which we will celebrate on Monday. Why?
“Give ear, O’ heavens and I will speak; and may the earth hear the words of my mouth.” In this opening line of Parshat Ha’azinu, Moses calls the heavens and earth to serve as witnesses against Israel when we sin and to testify in favor of Israel when we follow the Torah.
Yom Kippur is truly a remarkable day. Classified as one of our special days, a Yom Tov, designed to cause us think about a specific concept in our relationship with God.
Jewish people from around the world greet each other at various times of the year with special customary greetings. On Rosh Hashanah everyone knows that we say some version of “Shanah Tovah” (“May you have a good year”). However, this Rosh Hashanah greeting is different from all the rest. It is more than just the appropriate holiday or seasonal greeting; it has a special and unique halakhic significance.
The official start to Autumn is Monday, September 23 but our “season of change” has already begun. This Saturday night Ashkenazic Jews begin the solemn practice of reciting Selichot and Sephardic Jews have been saying Selichot since the beginning of Chodesh Elul. Despite this difference in custom, all agree these Selichot are said until the conclusion of Yom Kippur. This is our time to look inward and resolve to make real change.
Sefer Devarim introduces us to many mitzvot not previously mentioned in any of the books of the Chumash. The command to appoint judges and create a broad legal system, to appoint a king, laws of marriage and, when necessary, how to properly terminate a marriage, are but a few examples. Some commands mentioned in this portion, however, are repeats but with a significant change in language. One such example is the command to return lost objects. Here the Torah switches from the word “your enemy” used earlier in Parshat Mishpatim, to “your brother.” The switch in language from “your enemy” to “your brother,” regarding the mitzvah to return lost objects is significant. Entering the land of Israel brought with it a new responsibility of ביו אדם לחבירו, “between a man and his fellow.” This added dimension to mitzvot created the nation. Judaism was not just to be millions of individuals all doing the same things. Rather, Judaism now embraced a national commitment to a new way of life. This new concept of “brotherhood” not only accounts for the many new social commands found in Sefer Devarim and our parasha, but we must also now provide for the wellbeing of each individual in the framework of nationhood.
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