Immediately after portraying the state of national destruction and desolation that result from individuals abandoning the Torah, the third aliyah of this week's parshah concludes, "The hidden matters are unto Hashem our God, and the revealed matters are unto us and our children forever, to perform all of the words of this Torah." (Devarim 29:28) The proximity of this seemingly unrelated verse to the above depiction of national punishment is explained by Rashi, quoting Chazal (Sanhedrin 43b): "And should you say, 'What could we have done (to prevent punishment to the nation for the sins of individuals)? You are punishing the masses on account of the bad intentions of an individual... How can one know the thoughts of one's fellow?', (Hashem will reply) 'I do not punish you for hidden matters, for they are 'unto Hashem our God', and He will punish such as individual; but as for the revealed matters, it is the responsibility 'for us and our children' to eradicate evil from our midst, and if we do not perform justice, the masses will be punished...'" In other words, it is the responsibility of B'nei Yisroel to make sure that the Torah is upheld, and Hashem will punish the nation for negligence in this regard when it involves unconcealed, public sins, even of an individual.  

Although Bris Arvos Moav, the Covenant at the Plains of Moav, which B'nei Yisroel were now entering, introduces the above concept of Arvus, communal responsibility, why was this concept reserved for Parshas Nitzavim and not featured earlier in the Torah? Arvus is a general and very important axiom, and one would expect it to appear as part of a general lesson about violating the Torah and the ramifications thereof, much earlier on, even though it was not to take effect until much later. (V. Rashi on Devarim 29:28.) Why is it so essential at this very juncture to note that "the hidden matters" - private sins - are in Hashem's domain, and "revealed matters" - individual sins known to the public - are the responsibility of the nation to judge, or bear repercussions? Is there a deeper message that we are being told?

Upon a broader examination of the parshah, we see the emergence of a very clear theme: making choices. The choice to cleave to Hashem, to abandon His Torah, or to return to Him comprise the entirety of the parshah. The parshah commences with B'nei Yisroel ready to enter Bris Arvos Moav, the Covenant at the Plains of Moav, and they are warned of the ramifications of choosing to ignore Hashem's commands. (Devarim 29:17) We read further, "And you shall return unto Hashem... And you will return and listen to the voice of Hashem... When you return... And if your heart turns aside and you do not listen... And you shall choose life." (ibid. 30:2,8,10,17,19) Please look at the text yourself; you will see that the entire parshah is devoted to choosing to hearken to, ignore or return to Hashem amidst the circumstances in which B'nei Yisroel and the individual Jew find themselves.

However, three major concepts related to the making of these choices seem extremely unusual. First, we are taught that, "And it shall be, WHEN these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse..." (ibid. 30:1) If there is free choice, how can Hashem say that blessings and curses WILL occur? Second, the Torah says, "...and you SHALL choose life." (ibid. v. 19) Again, where's the freedom to choose? This seems like a requirement or a prophecy, rather than a choice. Third, we are told that if we sin, the Land will be desolate and we will suffer - period. But we are then told that, "And you shall return unto Hashem... And Hashem will reverse your exile... for Hashem will again rejoice upon you... When you return to Hashem." (ibid. v. 2,3,9,10) Once we have sinned and been exiled and punished, how can another return be possible? How can the sins be reversed and their effects obliterated? This seems to contradict logic.

The answer and the underlying message here are that we do not and cannot comprehend how Hashem runs the world and addresses human affairs. All of history is before Hashem, such that He knows the past, present and future; there is no secret or unknown to Him. And He has the power to do everything, including that which is way beyond our perception, sense of logic, understanding and abilities. Thus: We have free choice, yet how can we reconcile this with Hashem's omniscience? Hashem commands us to observe the Torah by making the correct choices, yet He gives us freedom to choose. We are instructed about the voluntary nature of sin and sin's resultant punishments, yet we are notified that we will definitely repent and be rewarded for our actions, the former sin somehow being erased from history. These are all paradoxes that are beyond human reasoning, and only Hashem Himself - Whose knowledge and power are infinite - can reconcile it all and see unity in seemingly contradictory systems and ideas. Free Will versus Divine Providence; historical sins being obliterated; these are Hashem's ways that are utterly inscrutable and remain a mystery for humanity. Only Hashem can relate to and fathom them, for He is limitless and boundless; we are limited and bounded, thus unable to understand His ways.

This is the answer to the question posed above about why the Torah presents the axiom of communal responsibility for the sins of the individual at this juncture. For although communal responsibility sounds very appealing, it is a mystery. How can the public be punished for the acts of an individual, even though his acts are known? Why is the public held accountable for acts that it did not commit? This mystery is part of the larger mystery of Hashem's governance of the universe, the latter being the underlying motif of our parshah. This is precisly why the axiom of communal responsibility is featured here.

The "hidden matters" are not for us to understand; it is impossible. The individual who sins privately will be dealt with by Hashem, like all that is hidden and in His domain, unreachable by humans. Rather, only the "revealed matters" - keeping the Torah and repenting when we sin - are clear to us and are within our grasp. We are entrusted to hold fast to them, for they are our permanent responsibility and bond with the Eternal and Infinite, whose ways must accept will always be beyond our apprehension.