Parsha in 60 Seconds Presents Nitzavim

Parsha 51

Shalom and welcome to the Parsha in 60 seconds Today’s portion is from Deuteronomy 29:9-30:20 it is called Nitzavim which means “one’s standing” Moses tells the Israelites that today they were entering into the covenant with God, those who were present and those who were absent were now in covenant. Moses reminded the Israelites that other nations worshiped wood and stone idols and that some Israelites would join them thinking they are immune, but God would never forgive them; rather God’s anger would rage against them until every curse recorded in the Torah would come down upon them and God had blotted out their names and sent them to exile. However, if they remembered God during exile they would be brought back in love by God and all who oppose Israel will receive all the curses. Moses insisted that law was not hart to keep, too baffling, beyond reach; rather it was very close to them, in their mouths and hearts. Moses said that he set before them the choice between life and prosperity on the one hand and death and adversity on the other. Moses repeats himself several times and calls heaven and earth to witness that he had put before the Israelites life and death, blessing and curse. He highly advises life as the best option so that they might have life and long endure on the land that God swore to their ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And that is Nitzavim in 60 seconds.