THE POWER OF UNITY

“You are standing today, all of you, before Hashem, your God: the heads of your tribes, your elders, and your officers – all the men of Israel; your small children, your women, and your proselyte who is in the midst of your camp, from the hewer of your wood to the drawer of your water, for you to pass into the covenant of Hashem, your God, and into His imprecation that Hashem, your God, seals with you today.” (Devarim 29:9-11)

Although this mass gathering took place on the final day of Moshe’s life (the seventh of Adar- see Rashi verse 9), the mystical tradition is that the word “today” refers to Rosh Hashanah. Moreover, this parsha is always read on the Shabbat that precedes the New Year (Tosfot, Megillah 31b). Thus, each and every person, from the greatest to the most humble, stands before Hashem for judgement on Rosh Hashanah (Rosh Hashanah 16a).

But there is another reason why everyone gathers before Hashem on Rosh Hashanah, as related by the illustrious Rabbi Yosef Dov Soleveitchik (1903-1993) in a sermon in 1974. ‘The Rav’, as he was known, related that when he was a young child learning in cheder in the Russian village of Chaslavitch in the days preceding Rosh Hashanah, he could recognise in his teacher an extraordinary sense of trepidation. “Our teacher, who was a Chabad Chassid, said to us: ‘Do you know what Rosh Hashanah is? The Rebbe, the Tzemach Tzedek, would call the night of Rosh Hashanah ‘Karanatzia Nacht’ (‘Coronation Night’). “Do you know whom we will be coronating?” the teacher asked the children. The young Soleveitchik responded in jest: “Nicholas.” (This was a number of years before the 1917 Russian Revolution when Nicholas still served as the Russian czar.)  The poor teacher of Chaslavitch responded: “Nicholas? He was coronated years ago. Why do we need to coronate him again? Besides, him?! He is not a real king. Tonight, my dear children, we coronate God…” “And do you know who places the crown?” the teacher continued. “Yankel the tailor, Berel the shoemaker, Zalman the water-carrier, Yossel the painter, Dovid the butcher…” Rabbi Soloveitchik concluded: “Over the years I have given many sermons and written many discourses on the concept of Rosh Hashanah, but nothing ever made me feel the true depth and power of the day as the words of my childhood teacher. Every year, when I recite in the Rosh Hashanah prayers the words, ‘Rule over the whole world in Your glory,’ I remember my teacher in Chaslavitch.” (https://crownheights.info/something-jewish/3199/rosh-hashana-coronation-night/ )

This beautiful anecdote underscores the need for Moshe to include even menial workers in the covenant ceremony. But, we may ask, if every category of person is enumerated, why did Moshe have to add, “You are standing today, all of you, before Hashem”? The Midrash (Tanchuma, Nitzavim 1) explains: “You are standing today” – just as a day is sometimes bright and sometimes overcast, so too in the future when it is dark for you, God will illuminate the darkness, as it states (Isiah 60:19), “Hashem shall be an eternal light for you.” But when will this be? Only when you are united as a single bundle, as it states (Devarim 4:4), “But you who cling to Hashem, your God – you are all alive today.” Normally when one takes a bundle of reeds in his hand, he cannot break it. But if each reed is separated, then even a child can snap it. Similarly, Israel are not redeemed unless they are united like a single bundle, as it states (Jeremiah 50:4), “In those days and at that time – the word of Hashem – the Children of Israel will come, they together with the Children of Judah…” When they are one bundle, they receive God’s Presence.”

The Chofetz Chaim (whose yahrzeit was this Friday, 24^th Elul) commented that unity is not just beneficial to ward off harm but it can also achieve great advantages. He provided an analogy: there was an incredibly wealthy man who was blessed with a number of sons. He set up a trust fund for each son to serve as a base for their business operations. The sons began to trade and soon became extremely competitive with one another. They were constantly concocting schemes to outdo one another. This inevitably led to an atmosphere of jealousy and hatred. Their father looked on in shock and was pained by what had become of his children. An astute observer confronted each son and said, “Now look, all of your actions bring misery and heartache. There is no end to the lengths you will go to compete with one another. You cause harm to your brothers and to your father. Would it not be better if you were to pool your resources and enter the marketplace with greater buying power? You will conquer the market and bring in great profit. Moreover, the love between you will grow and you will give your father much naches.”

The truth of this parable can be seen in the townships of South Africa. The foreigners who settle there come together and with their pooled funds, they are able to buy stock at wholesale prices and then sell the merchandise cheaply in their ‘Spaza’ shops. The locals resent these immigrants but they should take a page out of their book and follow their simple business model. The same is true of the Jewish people. When they are united, they can achieve far more in every sphere of life. It is not enough that everyone is present – the elders, the men, the children and the labourers – they must be united and then the blessings will come. This year, 5784, has been one of the most challenging and difficult periods for the Jewish people since the Holocaust. It began with the pogrom of 7 October and was followed by the war in Gaza (and now in Lebanon); an upsurge in global anti-Semitism; mass pro-Hamas rallies on university campuses and the streets of major cities; the death and maiming of hundreds of soldiers and the ongoing plight of the hostages. It was by all metrics, a terrible year. But there was one positive – the Jewish people were united in a way that has not been seen for many years. Political views and religious differences seemed to evaporate as the Jewish people faced enemies on many fronts. Unfortunately, this unity has begun to crumble as factions once again fight amongst each other. We should do our utmost to preserve the togetherness of the Jewish people. It is our strongest hope for redemption.

Lee, Chani Merryl and Naomi join me in wishing you Shabbat Shalom & Ketiva v’Chatima Tova!

Rabbi Liebenberg Link to Rabbi’s YouTube message for Shabbat: https://youtu.be/-kik7SgjPX8?si=L42d3WyPBqtD_Jsu

For Rosh Hashanah: https://youtu.be/3P5_akiWku8