The portions of Nitzavim and Vayeilech are usually read together on Shabbat. The late Lubavitcher Rebbe, Menachem Mendel Schneerson, points out an interesting dichotomy between the names of the two portions. Nitzavim means “entrenched,” “permanent,” or “standing,” while Vayeilech denotes “movement,” “progress,” or “going out.” He elaborates on this insight by noting that there is a similar dichotomy between the Written and Oral Torahs’ characteristics: the Written Torah is immutable and the Oral Torah is ever-changing.
Rabbi Shimshon Raphael Hirsch makes a similar observation about the Torah in general. He explains that the tablets of the law Moses received at Mount Sinai were housed in an ark in the Holy of Holies. The ark itself was actually made of three boxes – a box of acacia wood placed between two boxes of pure gold; thus, the two golden boxes surround an inner wooden box. Gold, he explains, represents the immutable, unchangeable, and eternal quality of the Torah, while the inner wooden box symbolizes growth and constant development. He explains that both aspects are intrinsically valid and our mission is to unite these seeming opposites.
From a mystical perspective these contrasting qualities are actually complementary, reflecting the “run and return” dynamic we have discussed throughout this book. It is interesting to note that learning to differentiate between what cannot be changed and what must be changed is one of the cardinal principles of various twelvestep programs. Although this may seem obvious, in many cases it is a complex and confusing task for even the most well-adjusted person.
In Masei, we discussed the Land of Israel’s ever-changing borders. Torah, like the Land of Israel, is not static; rather, it is in a constant state of revelation. Since the Written and Oral Torahs are absolutely inseparable, even those laws that appear to be unchanging still constantly reveal new aspects and allow for new insights, each in their own way. Learning to walk in the way of the Torah is learning how to walk the way of life.
