In Parshas Nitzavim (30,15-20) the Torah presents the idea of Bechirah Chafshis.  The Torah writes “See- I have placed before you life and good, and death and evil…” and the Torah continues in Posuk 19 “u’vacharta b’chaim”- and choose life.  This is the idea of Bechira Chafshis. 

It is interesting that this is not the first place where the Torah records and presents Bechirah Chafshis.  At the beginning of Parshas Re’eh (11,26-32) we have an earlier presentation of Bechirah Chafshis. “See, I present before you a blessing and a curse….”  It is striking that the Torah repeats the Parshah of Bechirah Chafshis.  Why?  What’s the lesson behind this repetition[i]?

The Rav and Rav Ahron, zt”l, presented the following answer.  In Parshas Nitzavim the Torah has just discussed the mitzvah of Teshuvah. The Torah writes (30,8) “V’atah sashuv v’shamata b’kol Hashem”- and you shall return and listen to the voice of Hashem.  Later (Posuk 10) the Torah writes “ki sashuv el Hashem Elokecha”- when you shall return to Hashem your G-d.  Apparently, there is a connection between the repetition of Bechira Chafshis and Teshuva.

The explanation is as follows.  There are two types of Bechirah Chafshis.  There is Bechirah Chafshis before Cheit and Bechirah Chafshis after Cheit.  Before Cheit a person has Bechirah Chafshis, a person has a choice to do the right thing or the wrong thing, and we are commanded to choose to do the right thing.  It requires a certain level of self control, of discipline.  That’s ordinary Bechirah Chafshis.  However, sometimes, lo aleinu, a person become involved in Cheit, and once a person has sinned, then to choose to do the right thing and stop sinning is much more difficult.  The heroic effort required to do Teshuva is very great; therefore, the Torah is Mechadesh a second Parshsah of Bechirah Chafshis to teach us and to emphasize to us that we have the ability to employ even this more challenging Bechirah Chafshis.  We have the ability to do Teshuva and to choose to do the right thing even after becoming accustomed to doing a Cheit.  This is why the Torah repeats the Parshah of Bechirah Chafshis here, in Parshas Nitzavim, immediately after the Parsha of Teshuva, to teach us this lesson. 

We are now approaching the Rosh Hashana, Aseres Yemei Teshuva, and Yom Kippur.  One is always obligated to do Teshuva, but there is a special emphasis on doing Teshuva at this point of the year.  A Jew should never sell himself short; a Jew should never say “I can’t do Teshuva, I can’t change, it’s too difficult”.  The Torah is teaching us that a Jew can change, and even the most difficult choice is within our ability. 

Sometimes over the course of the year a person develops a bad habit and a person can become convinced, unfortunately, that this is who I am, I can’t change.  That is a mistake. And we have to learn the Parshah of Bechirah Chafshis in Nitzavim after learning the Parshah of Teshuvah, and teach ourselves and remind ourselves that we always have the ability to do Teshuvah and to choose to do the right thing.  This is an important lesson to keep in mind as we are entering the Aseres Yemei Teshuva.

[i] This question of the repetition of Bechirah Chafshis in Nitzavim really depends on a Machlokes between Rashi and the Ramban regarding the beginning of Parshas Re’eh.  According to Rashi there, the Torah is not describing Bechirah Chafshis. The Ramban there, however, quotes Rashi and argues. The Ramban explains that the first section of Re’eh is discussing Bechirah Chafshis. And therefore according to the Ramban we have our question of why is Bechirah Chafshis repeated here, in Parshas Nitzavim.  The Ramban himself back in the beginning of Re’eh addresses this question.