A thought on Parshios Nitzavim - Vayelech

"...ha'chayim v'ha'maves...ha'brocha v'haklalla u'bocharta b'chayim..."

"...I offer you life and death, blessing and curse; Choose life!..." (30:19)

This clause, "and you should choose life", is one of the more celebrated ideas in a lot of Jewish thought. The Torah lays out the choices and the challenges yet prompts us to make the right choice, which is that of choosing life.

There is no doubt that given the options of life and death that we would opt for the former. There is no doubt that given the options of blessing and curse that we would also opt for the former. The question, though, is if given the choice of all four, why we would select "life" over bracha? One could argue that between quantity (life) and quality (blessing) that there might be some room for personal preference. Can't we also "choose blessing" - u'bocharta b'bracha?

The Ralbag addresses this puzzle and reminds us that the "life" we are prompted to choose is actually the life path, the way of wisdom that is Torah which is the road to eternity, the enduring existence of the spirit within the Heavenly realm. Besides, he adds, it is not proper for a Jew to serve HaShem by "choosing bracha", namely, for the purpose of being blessed with bounty and sustenance of a material quality. The Torah prompts us to look beyond bracha, even though bracha is also a product of serving HaShem properly. It is not the product of Torah life which we seek, but it is being on the path of Torah life which is the best choice.

A week ago my wife and I were in the Alps. We looked at some high mountain ridges and had the option of taking a train, a cable car, a ski lift or a horse cart up to the top so that we could enjoy the view. We chose the hiking path. The goal was not to enjoy the ride and enjoy the view. The goal was hiking the long way to the top. We enjoyed the process and we enjoyed the view immensely yet it was being on the path and staying there which made the trip meaningful with enduring memories. It is the path you choose that really matters.

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Now this is not to say that meaning is unitary and that there is only a single value which one can find. The Ralbag notes that the Torah commands us to keep the Shabbos. In Shmos 20:10, the Torah tells us that this is in order that we recall that HaShem created the world. In Devarim 5:14, we are commanded to keep the Shabbos in order that we recall the exodus from Egypt. Now, is it one or is it the other? Is the reason for keeping Shabbos the former or the latter? The Ralbag explains that the Torah is teaching us that one may find within a mitzva some perspective, some value, yet may also discover a different perspective within the same mitzva. None of us has a complete grasp of the reason, the rationale or the true meaning of HaShem's commandments. There may be many aspects which occur to us and if they past the test of Torah tradition, they may be worthwhile, each in its own way.

But as for the priority, the priority is not the meaning we ascribe to serving HaShem but rather it is the serving of HaShem itself which fosters meaning within. We have many decisions and choices in this world and our vision aims for a place far beyond the blessings and the bounty. We head for the trail and we stay on it. The goal is traveling along the Derech HaChayim

Wishing you a good Shabbos and hoping to resume these Parsha Thoughts after Rosh HaShanna, with parshas Ha'azinu b'e'H. D. Fox