Thou Shalt Return

weekly Torah reading: parashas Nitzavim 5781

The promise of return to the Land of Israel includes a reassurance of teshuvah (repentance); in other words, that the Jewish people will be moved by H’Shem to do teshuvah.  The commandment to repent is phrased in the future tense, rather than the imperative command form, because G-d wanted it to be an assurance to the Jewish people that in due time we would repent.