By Rabbi Alberto Sermoneta
The three parashot that are read before Rosh Hashanah are:
Ki Teitzei, Ki Tavo, Nitzavim.
In the three parashot, the mizvot that the Jewish people have a duty to observe once they have taken possession of the Promised Land are listed:
- The wars to be fought – those for the liberation of the territory, which are compulsory; those for expansion – which are optional – and whose purpose is instead to enlarge the territory itself;
- The conduct to be maintained towards prisoners of war and the obligations towards them;
- Those who are fit for war and those who instead, not being so, must remain at home so as not to influence others.
Above all, however, in the three parashot, emphasis is placed on the moral discipline that the people must maintain in order to live in the Land of Israel in peace and security.
Analysing instead the literal meaning of the three terms that give their names to the three parashot, the Masters of the exegetical tradition draw our attention to something that characterises the behaviour of a human being, and which must thus influence our conduct during such an important period of the year for our people.
Ki teitzei – when you go out: here there is an allusion to adolescent behaviour, in which, self-confident but above all full of arrogance, a young person leaves their father's house forgetting the teachings of their parents, certain of being able to cope with every situation that presents itself to them.
It is a moment in life when one feels strong, masters of oneself and of the world, with arrogance blinding us to such an extent that we have no respect for anything or anyone.
Yet immediately afterwards, however, despite so many "good" intentions, one realises that one does not have the moral strength to be able to continue along that path, and one fails to cope even with the smallest obstacle.
And so...
Ki tavo – when you enter: immediately the call of the blood, of conscience, his roots lead him to reconsider his position full of arrogance; there is the need for someone, always belonging to those roots who until that moment had been close to him, to return to being so. A plantation cannot be totally uprooted without leaving the slightest trace.
However much at the moment of our birth the umbilical cord may be severed from us, it is impossible to erase every trace of it.
There still remains a scar which, at the moment when we find ourselves alone with ourselves, to dress or undress, is before us and undeniably reminds us of our origin.
So...
Nizzavim – you shall stand: the term Nizzavim means standing straight on your feet, submissive to listening to something, even a harsh or raw teaching from someone who nonetheless loves us and wants our good.
A good father, worthy of the name, also has the duty at times to know how to say no and to be firm with his children, for their own good so that they may understand the right path to follow.
All this can be compared to the days of teshuvah, the days of return, which we are about to face as soon as the new year begins, proposing a serious preventative review of our behaviour.
After straying from our father's house and realising our mistakes, we prepare to return to it, promising the "Master of the house" to ensure that certain attitudes are never repeated.
The "Master of the house" is not only the Lord God; the "Master of the house" is also our parents who gave their lives to teach us the millenary traditions of our People and who, in leaving us forever, urged us with their last breath never to abandon the Torah and Judaism, principles for which their loved ones in turn gave their lives during the Shoah, which attempted to exterminate our entire people.
Let us try for once to take stock of our actions, taking full responsibility for them without blaming others, unaware of what faults they were accused of, to find an alibi that justifies their behaviour.
Let us ensure that the incoming new year is marked, if not by love between brothers, at least by clarity and respect for oneself and others, so that by respecting one another even those who do not belong to our People may respect our people.
SHANA' TOVA'
Rav Alberto Sermoneta