Parsha Nitzavim: G-d Is Not a Fan of Self-Delusion or Hypocrisy

"Above all else, do not lie to yourself. The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to a point where he cannot distinguish the truth within him or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and others. And having no respect, he ceases to love." Fyodor Dostoyevsky uttered these wise words in the Brothers Karamazov. Not only that, they are directly related to this week's Torah portion. What we see in this week's Torah portion is a renewal of the covenant between G-d and the people Israel (Deuteronomy 29). The passage shows that those who commit idolatry while taking this covenant are punished (Deuteronomy 29:15-18). However, when looking at the passage, we see a specific type of idolatry come to surface:

והיה בשמעו את דברי האלה הזאת, והתברך בלבבו לאמר שלום יהיה לי כי בשררות לבי, אלך: למען ספות הרוה, את הצמאה

"And it comes to pass, when you hear the words of this curse, that he blesses himself in his heart, saying "I shall have peace, though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart--that the watered be swept away with the dry." -Deuteronomy 29:18

At first glance, this verse is enigmatic. Some context helps. This passage refers to those who lived in particularly idolatrous lands (e.g., Egypt, Canaan) and are still tempted to commit idolatry, even after seeing G-d's wonders. In the verse beforehand (29:17), this particular individual is described with the metaphor of a poisonous root (ראש) or wormwood (לענה). Looking at other biblical passages, this metaphor refers to an individual who does one thing and says another.

With this bitterness and confusion [from these plants], the next verse (29:18) has the blessing in which the individual blesses themselves. The Chofetz Chaim was one to say that this type of idolator was particularly problematic because the rules don't apply to him, and because he made a whole set of rules that directly oppose what the Torah has to say. Since it has become a way of life, this unadulterated selfishness will not be acted upon merely one time. Ramban elucidates by saying that each time this individual sins, he feels the need to up the ante in order to chase a greater thrill. The passage of "the watered be swept away with the dry" could also mean that either the individual will be swept away entirely, or that his actions will be so all-encompassing that they will wipe out the Jewish people (JPS).

As R. Neil Loevinger points out, these interpretations have a commonality: the one committing the sin is oblivious the consequences of their actions. The fact that the dissident/idolater here is blessing themselves (והתברך), i.e., in the reflexive, captures the mindset. R. Aryeh Kaplan goes as far as interpreting the word והתברך as "rationalizing." Not only will no harm come to them, but duplicitously and insincerely taking on the Covenant will actually benefit them since they can hide behind the veil of self-righteousness. How often do you come across someone who thinks they can get away with something because they won't get caught? Whether it is the deceit, disregard for societal norms, mistaken ideas, naïveté, and self-delusion that the rules do not apply because "I am special" that makes this individual dangerous. The good news here is that such behavior is not an inevitability. 

Reading this passage before Rosh Hashanah helps us put perspective on our own behavior. "Did we do all we could?" "Are my goals and priorities properly aligned?" "Did I convince myself was something was right, even though deep down I knew that it was wrong?" "Did we commit improper acts while finding all sorts of rationalization for our behavior?" This is some of the questions we can ask ourselves in preparation for the High Holy Days. Fortunately, we can recognize our mistakes, make our apologies, correct what we can, and lead a more G-dly life. As this week's Torah portion ends, we can choose life over death, and the ability to make that choice is well within our grasp (Deuteronomy 30:11).