This Shabbat is the last Shabbat of the year, and we read two parashiot from the Torah; Netzavim and Vayelech. Despite being the shortest parasha, Parashat Vayelech has a powerful message to teach us. We learn there about Moshe’s last day and the last words he had spoken. On one hand, these words were frightening predictions of what to come, but they were also words of hope and an optimistic future. Moshe can see all the bad things that will occur to Am Yisrael through his prophecy, but he tells us to be strong and courageous despite the difficulties. Moshe’s hope conquers all of their sadness, and Am Yisrael starts to develop a hopeful nature as a nation.
It turns out that the combination of sadness and hope is an integral part of our lives. Moshe says in the parasha that he is 120 years old, and therefore, he cannot leave and return. Additionally, it adds that HaShem told him not to cross the Jordan river. Rashi brings three explanations to this pasuk, and one of them is that the first and last part of this pasuk are related. The reason that Moshe Rabbeinu couldn’t leave and return is because HaShem had told him not to cross the Jordan river. But, if we look at the words of the pasuk, it doesn’t seem to fit. Why would the pasuk say that he was unable to leave and return? It wasn’t that he was unable, but rather he was simply commanded not to by HaShem.
Based on this question, Rabi Tzadok HaKohen of Lublin explains that the essence of a human being is based on his ups and downs, or in the words of Moshe Rabbeinu, to leave and to return. He says that this is the difference between the angels and human beings. Angels always stand stationary with one mission and goal in mind. This is all they know. They don’t progress, but they also don’t fall to lower levels. Human beings, on the other hand, have the ability to move forward and grow spiritually, but also to go backwards. This is why it says Vayelech Moshe (Moshe walked) as Moshe had reached such a high level that he had no ability to go backwards. But this means that he also could not go further forwards, because only when one can go backwards can he always propel forward. So, to clarify Rabi Tzadok’s point, he isn’t saying that people naturally have failures from time to time, but rather that failures are part of the natural process of growing and moving forward spiritually, and this is why once Moshe hit the point that he could no longer go down, he naturally could not go higher. By this incredible observation of Rabi Tzadok, we can get a different understanding of the process of preparing for Rosh HaShanah. If until now we have focused on our failures and our achievements, we should now view our failures as the fuel for our future success and growth.