Closer to You

In Devarim 30:11, the Torah says:

“This mitzvah which I command you this day is not concealed from you, and it is not far off.”

Which mitzvah does this refer to?

Netinah LaGer, Rabbi Nathan Adler’s commentary on Onkelos, notes that the Targum translates the passage literally, leaving it unclear whether it refers to learning Torah, as Rashi explains, or to teshuvah, as the Ramban explains.

Devarim 30:14 adds: “This mitzvah is very near to you, in your mouth and in your heart to do it.”

Rashi interprets “nearness” as the accessibility of Torah, both orally and in writing.

The Ramban cites Devarim 8:1 and 30:1–2 to show that “this mitzvah” refers to returning to one’s pure self through teshuvah. The future tense signals that Israel will indeed repent.

The Torah continues: “It is not in the heavens, nor across the seas.” Eruvin 55a learns from these statements that Torah is not in the arrogant, nor in merchants who constantly travel and lack time to study. Ben Yehoyada adds that “merchants” are scholars who leave their city to study elsewhere, while “traders” remain in their city.

Toldot Yaakov Yosef, a disciple of the Baal Shem Tov, gives a plain reading: * “It is not too difficult” means repentance does not require extraordinary feats. * “It is not far” refers to those who delay repentance. * “It is not in heaven” applies to those who think their sins are too great. * “It is not across the sea” applies to merchants and travelers.

Rabbi Isaac Rice illustrates nearness with a famous story from Krakow:

The poor and pious Izaak Jakubowicz had recurring dreams of treasure under Prague’s Charles Bridge. When he traveled there, soldiers blocked him, and one soldier laughed at him. The soldier had himself dreamed repeatedly of treasure hidden under the oven in Isaac’s Krakow home but would not travel there. Izaak hurried home, dismantled his oven, and found the treasure. With it, he became wealthy and founded the magnificent Izaak Synagogue. People said: “Sometimes you search the world for riches only to discover them at home, though it often takes a long journey to see it.”

The parable resonated for people living in poverty and isolation, linking material and spiritual wealth—Avot 3:17 reminds us that there is no Torah without flour. Reb Izaak used his wealth to build a synagogue amid hostility, earning the nickname “Izaak the Rich.” He furnished his shul with tapestries and silver.

According to another story recorded in Polish by M. Zajda, when criminals plotted to rob the synagogue, Rabbi Heller ordered the gates shut and 26 strong men armed in burial shrouds. The robbers climbed through the cemetery, saw the “dead” rising, and fled. Reb Izaak thereafter lived and prayed in peace.

These stories highlight the synthesis between Torah learning and teshuvah. A person cannot truly repent without learning Torah, and cannot learn Torah without humility and teshuvah. Pirkei Avot 2:5 notes that an am ha’aretz, a person without essential Torah knowledge, cannot be fully pious.

Recent research indicates an empirical link between humility and learning:

In the study “Intellectual humility predicts mastery behaviors when learning” (Learning and Individual Differences), the authors found evidence that intellectual humility predicts mastery behaviors independent of a growth mindset. Participants higher in intellectual humility invested more effort to learn topics they initially failed to learn. High school students with more intellectual humility showed higher mastery responses and performance. Participants encouraged to be intellectually humble also invested more effort. The authors concluded that intellectual humility boosts the pursuit of mastery.

The Chasam Sofer provides a textual synthesis, indicating an inherent connection between learning and repentance:

“It is not in the heavens… and not across the sea… rather, in your mouth and in your heart to do it.”

Earlier (v. 2) it says: “And you shall return to Hashem… with all your heart and with all your soul.”

Explanation: * In exile, we yearn to fulfill mitzvot, giving “the offerings of our lips instead of cattle,” (Hoshea 14:3) through learning and prayer. * Later, after returning to the Holy Land, we can perform mitzvot in practice.

Thus: * “It is not in the heavens” means: do not say you cannot give offerings without the Temple. * “It is not across the sea” means do not say the Diaspora prevents you from mitzvot connected to Israel. * “In your mouth” means learning and prayer. * “In your heart” means desire and intent. * “To do it” means actual observance.

Reishis Chochma connects this to Jacob’s Ladder (Genesis 28:12): thought, speech, and action form steps toward heaven.

May our minds, words, and deeds help us do teshuvah, learn Torah deeply, and perform mitzvot as we conclude this year and welcome Moshiach Tzidkenu.