A team of volunteers excavating an archaeological site in Normandy, France, found a “time capsule” this week from a 19th century colleague who surveyed the region nearly 200 years ago. “P. J. Féret, a native of Dieppe, member of various intellectual societies, carried out excavations here in January 1825,” the message rolled up inside a glass flask said. “He continues his investigations in this vast area known as the Cité de Limes or Caesar’s Camp.” The message was found while the volunteers were conducting an emergency dig at the ancient Gaulish clifftop village near the town of Eu, France, because of erosion on the hillside. The message and its flask were found inside an earthenware pot at the Cité de Limes. “It was an absolutely magic moment,” team leader Guillaume Blondel told BBC News. “We knew there had been excavations here in the past, but to find this message from 200 years ago… it was a total surprise.”
He added: “Sometimes you see these time capsules left behind by carpenters when they build houses, but it’s very rare in archaeology. Most archaeologists prefer to think that there won’t be anyone coming after them because they’ve done all the work!”
These finds are exciting because they allow people to connect with a specific person and a specific message from centuries ago. As Jews we are lucky that we have a rich tradition of messages and texts from great people who lived hundreds, and even thousands, of years ago. Sefer Devarim is Moshe’s final speech to the Jewish people, and Parshat Nitzvaim is the last portion of that speech. It was delivered by Moshe the day before he died at age 120. In Nitzavim Moshe both warns and encourages Bnei Yisrael.
He warns the people that turning away from Hashem’s commands will lead to disaster. But Moshe also strikes an encouraging note by telling Bnei Yisrael that we have the choice to do what’s right, and when we choose correctly we will be rewarded. Even when we choose incorrectly we have the opportunity to do teshuva and to recover from our setbacks.
Moshe’s message in Parshat Nitzavim is a timely one as we have reached the last Shabbat of the year.
Ashkenazim will begin reciting Selichot on Saturday night. There will be two Selichot services in the Sanctuary on Saturday night: one at 12 midnight and the other at 1:15 am (chatzot). Between the two Selichot services there will be a kumsitz with the YIH Rabbis. Selichot marks the beginning of the Yomim Noraim season; a time to reflect on the messages that we have received from our Torah, our teachers, and our tradition.
On the last Shabbat of last year, 5783, none of us could have imagined what the upcoming year would bring for The Jewish People and for the State of Israel. May it be Hashem’s will that the upcoming year of 5785 brings unimaginable blessings and salvation for Am Yisrael and for Medinat Yisrael.
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