The Torah portion of Nitzavim (Deuteronomy 29:9–30:20) opens with a dramatic scene: Moses gathers all the people of Israel—men, women, and children—on the Plains of Moab. The nation stands poised to enter the Promised Land after 40 years of wandering in the desert. But before they can cross over, Moses calls upon them to renew their covenant with God.
This raises an intriguing question: why enter a covenant now if they had already established one at Mount Sinai? What makes this moment require a new commitment? Rabbi Isaac Abarbanel, a brilliant 15th-century commentator, grapples with this very question, and his answer reveals the significance of this moment for Israel’s future.
Abarbanel explains that the covenant at Sinai was fundamentally different from the one being made here. At Sinai, the covenant bound the people spiritually, obligating them to follow God’s commandments and recognize their dependence on Him. It established their identity as God’s chosen people, but it didn’t yet address the practical dimension of living as a nation in their own land. Now, as they are about to enter Israel, God wishes to add an additional layer to the covenant—granting them the land as their inheritance. Thus, a new covenant was needed, one that focused not only on their spiritual responsibilities but also on their national existence in the land.
As Abarbanel writes: “The first covenant was about the subjugation of their bodies and submission of their faith, but the second is about the inheritance of the land. The intent of this new covenant was that they would not inherit the land by the power of their own sword or by receiving it as an inheritance from their ancestors, but that the Lord, blessed be He, would give it to them—not as a gift, but as a loan.”
This idea, that the land of Israel is not merely a gift but a trust given by God, introduces a key element of responsibility. The Israelites were not simply being granted territory; they were being tasked with a divine mission. They were meant to settle the land and create a society that reflected God’s laws and values, a society that would serve as a model for the world. This elevated the covenant from a personal, spiritual agreement to one with national and global significance.
Rabbi Yonatan Grossman, a contemporary scholar, expands on this concept. He explains that true nationhood for the people of Israel could only be achieved within the borders of a defined land, where they could create a functioning society and fulfill their collective responsibilities. In the wilderness, while they journeyed through a transient state, they could not yet be considered a full-fledged nation. Although they had accepted the covenant sincerely at Sinai, the national dimension of that covenant could not be realized until they entered the land.
The realization of their calling, as a nation that would serve as a “light unto the nations,” could only be fulfilled once they established themselves in the land of Israel, creating their own governance and society.
Thus, the renewal of the covenant at the Plains of Moab was not just a formality. It marked a profound step forward in the Israelites’ journey. They were no longer just a wandering group bound by faith; they were about to become a nation in their own land, charged with living by God’s laws and bringing His light to the world.
Ultimately, the people of Israel can only fully realize their spiritual and national calling in the land of Israel. The land is not merely a gift, but a responsibility, given to them by God for a greater purpose. It is in Israel that they are tasked with building a just and holy society that reflects God’s will, and from there, they are meant to share His light with the entire world.
