Jewish Recovery Thought - Nitzavim-Vayelech

Based on our Thursday night talk, and Paula S.'s comments.

Behold, I have set before you today life and good, and death and evil . . I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. You shall choose life. - Deuteronomy 30: 15, 19.

This statement from G-d is truly puzzling. Once G_d tells us that good equals life, and evil brings death, why do I still need to hear that I shall choose life. Obviously that is the natural thing to do, and the obvious choice to make.

The answer that comes to mind is that we don't really experience death as a consequence of a wrong choice, and we may not even be able to pinpoint how life came as a result of a good choice. So although that the statement makes sense intellectually, but emotionally and practically it is hard for us to make the right choices, because the results of life and death are not obvious to us. Which is why G_d counsels us and encourages us to choose the path of life.

Here is the catch: for addicts it is indeed a life and death choice. For an alcoholic standing in front of the bottle of scotch, making the choice to drink spells death. Literally. Just the other day a friend lost his alcoholic uncle who died from cirrhosis of the liver. When a opiate addict is thinking about filling that fourth prescription for Vicodin, he is contemplating death. Literally. When a anorexic is on day 15 without food and refuses hospitalization, the ultimate consequence is death. Literally.

But an addict still has a hard time choosing life. An addict struggles with his choices knowing how many of his friends have already fallen to the disease. G_d says to the addict: I know how hard it is for you. I know that you understand it in your mind, but you still love it in your heart. I want you to know that if you choose life, I will be behind you 100 percent. I want you to know that all I want for you is to have the willingness to do the right thing, and then I will help you make the right choice.

Which brings us to the upcoming holiday of Rosh Hashana and the famous image of G_d pondering his choice of which book to inscribe me in. The book of life or ... Why wait for G-d? This week G_d is telling me that instead of waiting out for his judgment, I can inscribe myself in the book of life. This Rosh Hashana I should choose life.

(for more on G_d's "judgment" please listen to the audio of the Rosh Hashana class)