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Parshas Nitzavim 5779: Reflecting on the Past Year

By Shaya Gross, z

Posted on 09/27/19

Parshas HaShavua Divrei Torah sponsored by
Dr. Shapsy Tajerstein, DPM - Podiatry Care.
(410) 788-6633

[Editor’s note: As a memory of my beloved brother Shaya, I would like to continue sending out his pearls of wisdom that he has shared with all of you in the past. For some of you this may ring a bell and for others it may appear to be totally new. May the learning of Shaya’s Divrei Torah inspire us to change our ways and thereby give an Aliya to the neshama of our dear beloved Shaya whom we miss so much. A special thank you to Aaron Friedman for always looking over the divrei torah.]


This week’s Parsha discusses a terrifying curse that will occur in the last generation before Moshiach comes if we aren’t fulfilling Hashem's will. It foretells a devastating destruction where even the land will be sterilized and no longer grow grass. This is a phenomenon that is quite understandable in nuclear terms. The Torah may very well be alluding to Iran’s pursuit of a nuclear bomb to wreak havoc in the world.


The Torah compares this threat of destruction to Sedom. What connection does this threat have to Sedom??  


The Satmar Rebbe Zatzal explains that the comparison is that when Avraham davened for Sedom, he was davening for the last generation as well to be saved from this threat. And thus, when Hashem agreed that if there are ten Tzadikim, He wouldn’t destroy Sedom, He was likewise agreeing for our generation that if there are ten special Tzadikim, He would spare us from this threat as well!


It is very frightening then to note that many of our great Tzadikim have been niftar in the last couple years, and that the world seems to be like a tinderbox ready to explode into a world war at any moment…


As we approach Rosh Hashana and we reflect on all the losses we have suffered this year, may we be inspired to pour out our hearts in tefilla for our remaining tzadikim, do all that we can to repent and improve our Midos, and have unity with all our brethren, so that hopefully we will be spared from this horrific threat and merit soon the final redemption.  

[Editor's note: As we enter into the last couple days of the year, let us try to make them special ones, filled with meaning and purpose, and try to do as many positive actions as we can so that we can merit to be inscribed into The Book of Life for the coming year.
Kesivah Vachasimah Tovah!]