The parsha begins with אתם נצבים היום כלכם. The Mefarshim (see Or Hachayim and Kli Yakar) learn that the secret of success hinted in this Passuk is ,כלכם all together. When it says היום the Zohar explains that this is referring to Rosh Hashana, and for one to feel secure that he will win the court case of Rosh Hashana, he needs to join everyone else. However, the message of the Passuk is not only that being part of a Tzibur – joint group – brings success, but that part of being a tzibur is the responsibility we have for each other.
In Parshas Ki Teitzei we shared in shul on Shabbos the powerful words of the Shlah Hakadosh regarding the mitzva of hashavas avaida. The Shlah Hakadosh learns that the reason for the mitzva of returning a lost object is to teach us that if one is obligated to return a monetary loss of another, then how much more so their spiritual loss. And the Shlah adds that רצה מזה גובה, רצה מזה גובה, which means that not only did we become ערבים – guarantors for each other, each of us becomes an ערב קבלן that means that Hashem can collect from us, so to speak, (meaning punish us chas veshalom) because of someone else’s sins, because we could have influenced them to not sin. This is a great responsibility, and also a great opportunity.
There is another message that I think is hinted at in this passuk that is a helpful hand in the battle against the Yetzer Hara: היום – today. Rav Nachman in Likutai Maharan speaks about this concept of today versus tomorrow. In addition, the Chafetz Chaim adds a beautiful idea that also relates to the negative influence Amalek represents. In Parshas Beshalach, in the battle against Amalek, the word מחר, tomorrow, pops up quite frequently. Moreover, in the story of Haman, who is a descendant of Amalek, the word tomorrow plays a big role in the parties that queen Esther made when inviting the King and Haman. The Chafetz Chaim explains that when the Passuk in Parshas Eikev says ועתה ישראל מה which Chazal say is referring to doing Teshuva, one needs to concentrate on this word עתה – now. If you have an opportunity to do a mitzva, especially the mitzva of Teshuva, do it now. Don’t say “I’ll do it later or tomorrow;” this is the Yetzer Hara tricking you to push things off. And in the opposite direction, whenever you feel that the Yetzer Hara is trying to convince you to sin, use his own tricks and tell him “no problem, I’ll do the avaira, but only tomorrow.”
So let’s remember אתם נצבים היום כלכם. If we’re in it together, we are responsible for one another. If you have the opportunity to repent and make amends, especially in regard to some else, don’t push it off; make it happen right away.
Ksiva vechasima tova.
