Click Here to Sponsor Daily Halacha
"Delivered to Over 6000 Registered Recipients Each Day"

Download print

Parashat Nisavim: What “Life” Really Means

The Rambam (Rav Moshe Maimonides, Spain-Egypt, 1135-1204) famously writes that the function of the sounding of the Shofar on Rosh Hashanah is to "awaken" us from our spiritual "slumber." Over the course of life, we tend to become preoccupied with, and focus our attention on, what the Rambam calls "Hableh Ha’zeman" – the "nonsense" of the world. The sounding of the Shofar is meant to "awaken" us and alert us to the need to devote ourselves to religious observance.

We need to ask, however, how exactly does the Shofar do this? Why must we blow a Shofar to "awaken" us, instead of making some other kind of noise?

In the story of creation in Parashat Bereshit, the Torah tells that G-d created Adam from the dust of the earth, and then, "Va’yipah Be’apav Nishmat Hayim" – "He blew a living soul into his nostrils." Adam was created as a physical creature – but he was still not complete until G-d "blew" a sacred soul into him.

The Maharal of Prague (Rav Yehuda Loew, 1520-1609) explains that on Rosh Hashanah, the day Adam was created, we blow the Shofar to commemorate the blowing of Adam’s soul into him. This particular act is commemorated to remind us that this is the essence of the human being – his soul. We are shown that although we are both body and soul, the primary component of the human being is the soul.

This is how the Shofar sound "awakens" us. It reminds us of the primacy of the soul. It "awakens" us from the preoccupation with our body, with our physical enjoyment, and reminds us to focus on and sustain the soul.

The Torah tells us in the Book of Debarim (4:4), "And you, who cling to Hashem your G-d – you are all alive this day." True "life" is achieved when we cling to Hashem, which we do through the performance of Misvot. The Misvot are what nourishes our soul, giving us spiritual life. Even if a person is physically alive, he could be "dead" if his soul, the primary component of his being, is not sustained. And thus the Gemara teaches, "The wicked are considered ‘dead’ even in their lifetime," and, "The righteous are considered ‘alive’ even after their death." As far as the body is concerned, of course, "life" is determined by the physical characteristics of life. But in terms of the soul, "life" is determined by the extent of a person’s connection to Hashem, and this connection is built through the performance of Misvot. Hence, a person can be "dead" even during his lifetime, and he can continue to "live" even after death is his soul was properly nourished through Misvot.

The Gemara in Masechet Berachot cites Rabb Akiba’s famous analogy between Torah and water. Just as fish cannot live out of the water, Rabbi Akiba taught, similarly, we cannot live without Torah. Rav Mordechai Gifter (1915-2001) explained that Rabbi Akiba used the specific analogy of fish, because when a fish is removed from the water, it frantically thrashes, until it perishes. During those moments when the fish is thrashing, it appears that it is alive – even more "alive" then it was as it swam peacefully in the water. Of course, this is not the case at all; the thrashing is a sign of the fish’s imminent death. Likewise, Rav Gifter said, many people who live without Torah seem very "alive." They are involved in many different things, and even seem to enjoy themselves. In truth, however, they are like a fish out of the water. Although their bodies are alive, their souls aren’t – and the primary element of a person’s existence is the soul.

This might be one reason for the custom of Tashlich on Rosh Hashanah. We go to a body of water to observe the fish – to remind ourselves that true life means a life of Torah and Misvot, which is the way we sustain our souls and thereby remain "alive."

Let us "wake up" and remember to give proper focus and attention to our souls, to Misvot, so that we will be truly "alive" in every sense of the word.


Related Parasha
Rosh Hashana- A Time to Stop Making Excuses - 2022 Year
Parashat Vayelech: Transforming the Curse Into a Blessing - 2022 Year
Shabbat Shuva- Teshuba & Torah Learning - 2021 Year
Rosh Hashana: Reaching the Heavenly Throne, One Step at a Time - 2021 Year
Rosh Hashana- Our Annual Resurrection - 2020 Year
Shabbat Shuba- The Most Urgent Teshuba That We Need Today - 2019 Year
Understanding the Shofar’s Call - 2019 Year
Kal Nidrei - 2018 Year
Partial Teshuva - 2018 Year
Parashat Nisavim: It Depends Only on Us - 2017 Year
Praying For Teshuba - 2016 Year
Praying For Teshuba - 2016 Year
Aseret Yemeh Teshuba- The Three Questions Posed to Hillel - 2015 Year
Rosh Hashana: The Yom Tob of Emuna - 2015 Year
Rosh Hashana: The Three Keys to a Favorable Judgment - 2014 Year
Ellul: Teshuba Can’t Wait - 2013 Year
Shabbat Shuba: The Easiest Misva - 2012 Year
Parashat Nisavim- Outreach by Default - 2012 Year
Rosh Hashana- Our False Sense of Security - 2011 Year
Parashat Nisavim- The “Cardiac Jew” - 2011 Year
Sefer/Parasha:
Parashat Behaalotecha- Rectification is Always Possible
Parashat Naso- Emuna First
Shavuot- Celebrating the Eternal Torah
Shavuot- The Challenge – and Rewards – of Torah Commitment
Parashat Behar- Experiencing the Sweetness and Delight of Torah
Parashat Emor- Keter Shem Tob 'The Crown of Good Reputation'
Parashat Ahare Mot- Planting Our Spiritual Trees
Parashat Shemini- Respect and Reverence in the Synagogue
Pesah: Redemption Then and Now
Pesah- Its A Mirage
Parashat Vayikra- The Triple Sin of Dishonesty
Parashat Pekudeh- Counting the Things That Matter
Parashat Ki Tisa- The Sanctity of Every Jew
Purim and the Sale of Yosef
Parashat Terumah- The Torah’s “Footsteps”
Page of 67
1002 Parashot found