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European-Style Shower
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EPIC

WellBridge of Novi

YOUR BRIDGE TO RECOVERY AND WELLNESS

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78

September 6 • 2018

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We Are All In
This Together

P

arshat Nitzavim is one of my
favorite Torah readings of
the entire year: 1) because it
contains so much meaningful infor-
mation that demands reflection in
a compact space and 2) because
its emphasis on “return,” with its
repeated use of the root “shuv,” is
the perfect introduction to the High
Holiday theme of teshuvah.
As Moses faces his last
moments on this Earth, in
the few, to be interpreted
his final speech before the
and then distilled to the
people, he begins this sec-
masses; each of us has a
tion by informing us who are
share.
signatories of the covenant,
Moses then anticipates
who are the ones with whom
not the reaction of the
God has a direct relation-
people massed before him,
ship. As might be expected,
but the reactions of the
he first enumerates the offi- Rabbi Mitch
generations to follow. In his
cials, the heads of the tribes, Parker
mind, he perhaps foretells
the elders and the record
their reaction: “We did not
keepers. This makes sense
leave Egypt; we did not
because these people are the
stand at Mount Sinai; we did
acknowledged leaders and
not experience the miracles
implementers of God’s word.
in the wilderness.” So Moses asserts
However, Moses immediately adds in the text, “Not only with you who
names to the list: children, wives
are standing here with us today do
and even the gerim, the resident
I mark this covenant and its sanc-
foreigners in their midst, in other
tions, but also with those who are
words, people who were often dis-
not here today.”
enfranchised or marginalized in the
Future generations are automati-
biblical world. They, too, are to take
cally included in this moment in
part in the covenant with God.
time. The covenant is eternal; our
But maybe those with the most
relationship with God is forever.
menial jobs, the overlooked ones
HaShem will never forget or forsake
could understandably be omitted.
us, nor should we ever forsake or
Moses goes on to say that even the
forget HaShem.
wood choppers and the water carri-
As we gather in our places of wor-
ers, people who were often non-Isra- ship in the next few days, we should
elite transients, need to be included
take some time to visually and
in this event.
viscerally recreate this moment dur-
Every single member of the people ing which each and every one of us
regardless of his/her status has the
stood shoulder to shoulder affirm-
right, the privilege and the obliga-
ing the covenant. Bayamim hahem,
tion to be part of a timeless cov-
bazman hazeh, in days long past and
enant with God that was first estab-
in our time as well. •
lished with the patriarchs.
Moses tells us that our relation-
Rabbi Mitch Parker is the rabbi at B’nai Israel
Synagogue in West Bloomfield.
ship with God is not in the hands of

Parshat Nitzavim:
Deuteronomy
29:9-30:20; Isaiah
61:10-68:9.