In this week’s parshah, Bnei Yisrael are about to cross the Jordan River and enter Eretz Yisrael, and Hashem commands them to drive out the Seven Nations along with their idolatry.
Pointing out that Bnei Yisrael have already been commanded to destroy the Seven Nations, Rashi asks why they have to be told again, right now. He explains that having the correct intention in mind as they enter Eretz Yisrael is actually a precondition for succeeding in all their future battles and the rest of their lives there. Without the right intentions, “waters will come and wash you away,” Rashi adds, quoting the Gemara.
The Chiddushei Harim draws on these pesukim to stress the importance of starting any new project the right way. Taking the first step will often set the tone for everything that follows, and if that first step is a misstep, things will continue to go wrong afterward.
However, that’s not a reason to despair. All it means is that once a person realizes that he’s heading in the wrong direction, he has to stop, change course, and resolve to do things right from then on. Just as Hashem creates everything afresh each day, so too we can make a fresh start any time it’s needed.
When challenges are minor, a person can sometimes get away with never really getting to the root of things and fixing them, but when the problems are deep-seated and have been going on for months or years, a fresh start is absolutely needed in order to make real change.
Tinkering around with little changes will at times not even be noticed. When needed, it’s important to make a cheshbon hanefesh, admit to what’s been wrong, and “reboot the system.” Only such a fresh start merits the special siyatta diShmaya of new beginnings.
