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There is an interesting minhag when it comes to doubling up the parshios in order to finish the Torah before Simchat Torah. When there are two Shabbasos between Rosh Hashanah and Succos, we separate these small parshios of Nitzavim and Vayelech, and instead double the larger parshios of Matos and Masai. Obviously, it would be much more convenient and time-efficient to double the smaller ones and split the larger ones!
Tosafos in Bava Basra 88b explains: we specifically want to read Parshas Nitzavim before Rosh Hashanah in order to create a ‘buffer’ between Parshas Ki Savo and Rosh Hashanah, in order to separate the scary warnings of Ki Savo from the new year. Had we read Matos-Masei separately, that would bump Nitzavim to after Rosh Hashanah.
What is the underlying significance of this, and what lessons can we derive from this symbolic configuration?
אתם נצבים היום כלכם לפני ד' אלהיכם ראשיכם שבטיכם זקניכם ושטריכם כל איש ישראל
“Behold, you are all standing before Hashem your G-d, your leaders, your elders, and every Jewish person”.
Rashi, citing a Tanchuma, gives us some background to this Pasuk: After the Jewish People heard all the ‘curses’ of the previous parsha, they cried, ‘Who can possibly survive this?’ To which Moshe responds, ‘What do you mean? Even after every infraction that we committed until now, we are all still standing before Hashem!’
Rav Elya Lopian z”l asked: why is Moshe Rabbeinu playing down the effects of the curses and consoling the people not to worry? Isn’t the purpose to scare them into submission? Are we to think that they weren’t meant to be taken seriously?
Rav Elya explains that Moshe Rabbeinu is explaining that Hashem loves us as a father; just as a father warns his child to behave, otherwise suffer the consequences, so too Hashem wants only the best for us and warns us to stay on track for our benefit alone.
The Ba’alei Mussar famously say that the greatest distance in the world is the distance between our minds and our hearts. We may know something, but it takes great effort to internalize it to the point that it motivates us to act and serves to transform us. Punishment is merely a way to open our hearts, to allow that which we already know to sink in. And if the warning itself can serve that purpose and help us open our hearts, there really is no need for the actual punishment. This is what Moshe was telling the people - ‘the truth is, the very fact that the warnings caused you to take Hashem’s word seriously already accomplished the objective!’ Now, don’t worry because you see that you are able to stand before Hashem!
The truth is that simcha and love for Hashem can also open our hearts to Him! Our job is to learn and hear, and let it sit in our minds, and even a moment of happiness can be that opening to let what we know fall in!
May we all be written in the book of life for a year filled with joy, nachas, and personal growth!