Drash – Nitzavim

Rabbi Sam Zwarenstein

Emanuel Synagogue

Towards the end of this week’s parasha, we read these powerful words; “Re’eh natati lefanecha hayom et hachayim v’et hatov v’et hamavet v’et hara” – See, I set before you this day life and prosperity, death and adversity (Deuteronomy 30:15).

The Torah presents us with a choice. This is not an abstract idea, but a real decision with real consequences. The options come in pairs, life with prosperity, death with adversity. They are presented as “connected couples,” where each path carries its natural partner. Life means blessing and flourishing, while death carries with it hardship and futility.

The 16th-century Italian commentator Rabbi Ovadia Sforno adds a fascinating dimension. He describes “et hachayim” (life) as eternal life, “v’et hatov” (prosperity) as the pleasant aspects of life on earth, “v’et hamavet” (death) as eternal oblivion and “v’et hara” (adversity) as the unpleasant aspects of life on earth. Sforno’s connection between mortal (worldly) aspects and views on eternity (afterlife) further strengthens the idea of connected couples, and the desire to earn a place in the world to come.

A few verses later, the message becomes even more direct: “u’vacharta ba’chayim” – choose life (Deuteronomy 30:19). Rashi explains this with a vivid image, a father tells his son to choose the best portion of his estate. To ensure he makes a wise choice, the father gently sets him in the best lot and says, “Pick this one!” Similarly, we are being pointed towards blessing, but ultimately, the choice is left in our hands.

This is the heart of free will. The Torah gives us a framework for good and evil, but it does not force our hand. The dignity and responsibility of being human is that we must decide for ourselves.

The Talmud explores this idea through some interesting lessons. In Sotah 2a, we read that “Heaven matches a man to a woman only according to his actions”. Who we become through our choices influences even the most intimate aspects of our lives. In Berachot 33b, the rabbis teach: “Hakol b’yedei shamayim chutz mi’yirat shamayim” – everything is in the hands of heaven except the fear of heaven. Our height, wealth, or other circumstances may be determined, but how we live and whether we act with reverence, compassion, and integrity remains in our control.

The teaching from this parasha feels especially pertinent as we approach Rosh HaShanah. The season of teshuva, tefillah, and tzedakah – repentance, prayer, and justice – asks us to reflect on the year that has passed and to consider the year to come. Once again, we are faced with the Torah’s challenge. Will we embrace life and blessing, or will we drift toward the opposite?

However, we need to acknowledge that “choosing life” is not a one-time declaration, it is an ongoing practice. To choose life is to accept that our work here is not yet finished. It’s a reminder that we still have more to learn, to repair, and to give. It means living with purpose and intention, not passively, but with the awareness that each decision matters.

Choosing life means pursuing justice, especially when it is easier to look away. It means offering kindness when we could retreat into indifference. It means nurturing our relationships, valuing our community, and making space for growth. To choose life is to transform our ordinary days into something extraordinary, to seek moments that shape both this world and the world to come.

As we prepare to enter the High Holidays, the Torah’s call echoes with urgency: “Choose life!” Not merely surviving, but flourishing. Not just existing, but living with purpose.

This is our personal invitation to step into the year ahead ready to live more fully, more compassionately, and more meaningfully.

Shabbat Shalom and Shana Tovah.

Rabbi Sam Zwarenstein