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Torah Journeys "Nitzavim" by Rabbi Shefa Gold by Rabbi Shefa Gold This excerpt is about the weekly portion "Nitzavim" which is the parsha that begins when Shabbat ends on Sept. 20 when Rabbi Shefa Gold's Selichot work begins with us at Nishmat Hayyim, Saturday and Sunday September 20 & 21, 2008 "As we stand before God we are challenged to reclaim all the shards of self that have been broken off in trauma, the lost pieces of self that we project on the 'other,' the parts of self that lie hidden behind walls of shame or pride. As we stand up in our integrity, the blessings of covenantal love begin to shine through our lives. These blessings of covenantal love come as we stand before God and rise to the challenge that has been put before us. We grow into spiritual adults by standing up to face this challenge and not shying away from it. 'I've put Life and Death in front of you, Blessing and Curse.' (Deut. 30:19) The challenge that God gives us is to choose Life and Blessing, to turn away from Death (the force of destruction) and Curse (the negativity that limits us). Yet what sounds so very simple becomes so very confusing in the moment-to-moment choices that we face. The Mind becomes an expert in rationalizing whatever choice might bolster the ego's ambitions or defenses. What looks like a blessing in one moment may turn out to be a curse in the next. What seems like a choice for Life entangles us in the forces of Death. The simple challenge of "choosing Life" becomes infinitely more subtle. This spiritual challenge of Nitzavim can only be taken up when we learn how to "stand before God." In standing fully before God, we can finally embrace our whole selves completely. We can stake responsibility for our choices. In standing before God we become true partners in the work of Creation...[as we] live each moment in the awareness of God's Presence." Excerpt from Rabbi Shefa Gold's Torah Journeys [pp.207-8]
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