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Save "Teshuvah ~ getting ready for YK
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Teshuvah ~ getting ready for YK

ואור במוצאי שבת איברי והא תניא עשרה דברים נבראו בערב שבת בין השמשות אלו הן באר והמן וקשת כתב ומכתב והלוחות וקברו של משה ומערה שעמד בו משה ואליהו פתיחת פי האתון ופתיחת פי הארץ לבלוע את הרשעים רבי נחמיה אומר משום אביו אף האור והפרד רבי יאשיה אומר משום אביו אף האיל והשמיר רבי יהודה אומר אף הצבת הוא היה אומר צבתא בצבתא מתעבדא וצבתא קמייתא מאן עבד הא לאי בריה בידי שמים היא אמר ליה אפשר יעשנה בדפוס ויקבענה כיון הא לאי בריה בידי אדם היא לא קשיא הא באור דידן הא באור דגיהנם אור דידן במוצאי שבת אור דגיהנם בערב שבת ואור דגיהנם בערב שבת איברי והא תניא שבעה דברים נבראו קודם שנברא העולם ואלו הן תורה ותשובה וגן עדן וגיהנם וכסא הכבוד ובית המקדש ושמו של משיח תורה דכתיב ה׳ קנני ראשית דרכו תשובה דכתיב בטרם הרים ילדו וכתיב תשב אנוש עד דכא ותאמר שובו בני אדם גן עדן דכתיב ויטע ה׳ אלהים גן בעדן מקדם גיהנם דכתיב כי ערוך מאתמול תפתה כסא הכבוד ובית המקדש דכתיב כסא כבוד מרום מראשון מקום מקדשנו שמו של משיח דכתיב יהי שמו לעולם לפני שמש ינון שמו

The Gemara asks: Was fire created at the conclusion of Shabbat? Wasn’t it taught in a baraita: Ten things were created on Shabbat eve during twilight: Miriam’s well, and the manna that fell in the desert, and the rainbow, writing [ketav], and the writing instrument [mikhtav], and the tablets of the Ten Commandments, and the grave of Moses, and the cave in which Moses and Elijah stood, the opening of the mouth of Balaam’s donkey, and the opening of the earth’s mouth to swallow the wicked in the incident involving Korah. Rabbi Neḥemya said in the name of his father: Even the fire and the mule. Rabbi Yoshiya said in the name of his father: Even the ram slaughtered by Abraham in place of Isaac, and the shamir worm used to shape the stones for the altar. Rabbi Yehuda says: Even the tongs were created at this time. He would say: Tongs can be fashioned only with other tongs, but who fashioned the first tongs? Indeed, the first pair of tongs was fashioned at the hand of Heaven. Anonymous said to him: It is possible to fashion tongs with a mold and align it without the need for other tongs. Indeed, the first tongs were a human creation. (Fire was originally created before Shabbat, not at the conclusion of Shabbat.) The Gemara answers: This is not difficult. This baraita is referring to our fire, and that baraita is referring to the fire of Gehenna. The Gemara explains: Our fire was created at the conclusion of Shabbat, but the fire of Gehenna was created on Shabbat eve. The Gemara proceeds to ask: Was the fire of Gehenna created on Shabbat eve? Wasn’t it taught in a baraita: Seven things were created before the world was created, and they are: Torah, and teshuvah, and the Garden of Eden, and Gehenna, and the Throne of Glory, and the Temple, and the name of Messiah. The Gemara provides sources for each. Torah, as it is written: “The Lord made me as the beginning of His way, the first of His works of old” (Proverbs 8:22), which, based on the subsequent verses, is referring to the Torah. Teshuvah, as it is written: “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God,” and it is written immediately afterward: “You return man to contrition; and You say: Repent, children of man” (Psalms 90:2–3). The Garden of Eden, as it is written: “And God planted the Garden of Eden in the east [mikedem]” (Genesis 2:8). (In the east mikedem is interpreted as Before mikodem). Gehenna , as it is written: “For its hearth is ordained of old” (Isaiah 30:33). The Throne of Glory and the Temple, as it is written: “Your Throne of Glory on high from the beginning, in the place of our Sanctuary” (Jeremiah 17:12). The name of Messiah as it is written “May his name endure forever; his name existed before the sun” (Psalms 72:17). The name of Messiah already existed before the creation of the sun and the rest of the world.

~ As a warm-up - why are these things created in the twilight? What do you think motivated the rabbis to join those phenomena together?

~ Do you think there is a significance in the number (10 or 14)?

~ Do you see any connections between the things that were created before the world, according to the rabbis?

~ Do you think there is a significance in the number (7)?

~ Why do those things precede the creation of the world, in your opinion?

~ What does it mean that teshuvah is created before the world?

אֵי זוֹ הִיא תְּשׁוּבָה גְּמוּרָה. זֶה שֶׁבָּא לְיָדוֹ דָּבָר שֶׁעָבַר בּוֹ וְאֶפְשָׁר בְּיָדוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹתוֹ וּפֵרַשׁ וְלֹא עָשָׂה מִפְּנֵי הַתְּשׁוּבָה. לֹא מִיִּרְאָה וְלֹא מִכִּשְׁלוֹן כֹּחַ.

What is complete repentance? A person who once more had in it in her power to repeat a violation, but refrained herself from doing it, and did not do it because of her own returning [to the good ways], and not because of fear or lack of strength.

Maimonides then proceeds to give examples.

~ Can you find examples of complete teshuvah, something that would fit Maimonides description?

וּמַה הִיא הַתְּשׁוּבָה. הוּא שֶׁיַּעֲזֹב הַחוֹטֵא חֶטְאוֹ וִיסִירוֹ מִמַּחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ וְיִגְמֹר בְּלִבּוֹ שֶׁלֹּא יַעֲשֵׂהוּ עוֹד שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה נה ז) "יַעֲזֹב רָשָׁע דַּרְכּוֹ" וְגוֹ'. וְכֵן יִתְנַחֵם עַל שֶׁעָבַר שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ירמיה לא יט) "כִּי אַחֲרֵי שׁוּבִי נִחַמְתִּי". וְיָעִיד עָלָיו יוֹדֵעַ תַּעֲלוּמוֹת שֶׁלֹּא יָשׁוּב לְזֶה הַחֵטְא לְעוֹלָם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (הושע יד ד) "וְלֹא נֹאמַר עוֹד אֱלֹהֵינוּ לְמַעֲשֵׂה יָדֵינוּ" וְגוֹ'. וְצָרִיךְ לְהִתְוַדּוֹת בִּשְׂפָתָיו וְלוֹמַר עִנְיָנוֹת אֵלּוּ שֶׁגָּמַר בְּלִבּוֹ:

What is repentance? The sinner shall cease sinning, and remove sin from his/her thoughts, and wholeheartedly conclude not to revert back to it, even as it is said: "Let the wicked forsake his way" (Is. 55:7); so, too, shall the sinner be remorseful on what was past, even as it is said: "Surely after that I was turned, I repented" (Jer. 31:19). In addition to that, the person should take as witness The One Who Knows All Secrets, that forever the person will not turn to repeat that sin again, according to what it is said: "Say to God.… neither will we call any more the work of our hands our gods" (Hos. 14:3–4). It is, moreover, essential that the person's confession be spoken with words, verbally, and all that which the person thought must be formed in speech.

~ Why would Maimonides begin describing "complete teshuvah" before describing teshuvah in general?

~ What are the basic steps of teshuvah according to Maimonides?

כָּל הַמִּתְוַדֶּה בִּדְבָרִים וְלֹא גָּמַר בְּלִבּוֹ לַעֲזֹב הֲרֵי זֶה דּוֹמֶה לְטוֹבֵל וְשֶׁרֶץ בְּיָדוֹ שֶׁאֵין הַטְּבִילָה מוֹעֶלֶת לוֹ עַד שֶׁיַּשְׁלִיךְ הַשֶּׁרֶץ. וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר וּמוֹדֶה וְעֹזֵב יְרֻחָם. וְצָרִיךְ לִפְרֹט אֶת הַחֵטְא שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות לב לא) "אָנָּא חָטָא הָעָם הַזֶּה חֲטָאָה גְדלָה וַיַּעֲשׂוּ לָהֶם אֱלֹהֵי זָהָב":

A person who confesses by speech but in their hearts have not decided to abandon the bad conduct, behold! That person is like someone taking an immersion of purification while grasping an impure creeping thing: the immersion is of no value until the person casts away the impure creeping thing. Even so it is advised to do, saying: "But who confesses and forsakes them shall shall obtain mercy" (Pro. 28. 13). In confessing to God, it is obligatory to name the sin, even as it is said: "Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them a god of gold" (Ex. 32.31).

~ What is the basic point here? Why is this important?

מִדַּרְכֵי הַתְּשׁוּבָה לִהְיוֹת הַשָּׁב צוֹעֵק תָּמִיד לִפְנֵי הַשֵּׁם בִּבְכִי וּבְתַחֲנוּנִים וְעוֹשֶׂה צְדָקָה כְּפִי כֹּחוֹ וּמִתְרַחֵק הַרְבֵּה מִן הַדָּבָר שֶׁחָטָא בּוֹ וּמְשַׁנֶּה שְׁמוֹ כְּלוֹמַר אֲנִי אַחֵר וְאֵינִי אוֹתוֹ הָאִישׁ שֶׁעָשָׂה אוֹתָן הַמַּעֲשִׂים וּמְשַׁנֶּה מַעֲשָׂיו כֻּלָּן לְטוֹבָה וּלְדֶרֶךְ יְשָׁרָה וְגוֹלֶה מִמְּקוֹמוֹ. שֶׁגָּלוּת מְכַפֶּרֶת עָוֹן מִפְּנֵי שֶׁגּוֹרֶמֶת לוֹ לְהִכָּנַע וְלִהְיוֹת עָנָו וּשְׁפַל רוּחַ:

The ways of repentance are these: the person doing repentance needs to cry out in tearful supplication before the Name; they should to give tzedakah according to their means; distance themselves exceedingly from the thing or person that brought about the sin; to have their name changed, as if saying: "I am now another person, and not that person who perpetrated those misdeeds", so as to completely change their conduct for the good and straight path, and to exile themselves from their place of residence, because being in exile atones for sins, since it forces a person to be submissive, meek and humble.

~ What is the difference between steps of teshuvah and ways of teshuvah?

~ What are the consequences of walking in the ways of teshuvah?

~ Why is humility important for teshuvah?

וְשֶׁבַח גָּדוֹל לַשָּׁב שֶׁיִּתְוַדֶּה בָּרַבִּים וְיוֹדִיעַ פְּשָׁעָיו לָהֶם וּמְגַלֶּה עֲבֵרוֹת שֶׁבֵּינוֹ לְבֵין חֲבֵרוֹ לַאֲחֵרִים וְאוֹמֵר לָהֶם אָמְנָם חָטָאתִי לִפְלוֹנִי וְעָשִׂיתִי לוֹ כָּךְ וְכָךְ וַהֲרֵינִי הַיּוֹם שָׁב וּמִתְנַחֵם. וְכָל הַמִּתְגָּאֶה וְאֵינוֹ מוֹדִיעַ אֶלָּא מְכַסֶּה פְּשָׁעָיו אֵין תְּשׁוּבָתוֹ גְּמוּרָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי כח יג) "מְכַסֶּה פְשָׁעָיו לֹא יַצְלִיחַ". בַּמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים בַּעֲבֵרוֹת שֶׁבֵּין אָדָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ אֲבָל בַּעֲבֵרוֹת שֶׁבֵּין אָדָם לַמָּקוֹם אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ לְפַרְסֵם עַצְמוֹ וְעַזּוּת פָּנִים הִיא לוֹ אִם גִּלָּם. אֶלָּא שָׁב לִפְנֵי הָאֵל בָּרוּךְ הוּא וּפוֹרֵט חֲטָאָיו לְפָנָיו וּמִתְוַדֶּה עֲלֵיהֶם לִפְנֵי רַבִּים סְתָם. וְטוֹבָה הִיא לוֹ שֶׁלֹּא נִתְגַּלָּה עֲוֹנוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהילים לב א) "אַשְׁרֵי נְשׂוּי פֶּשַׁע כְּסוּי חֲטָאָה":

The person doing teshuvah who confesses in public is praiseworthy, and it is commendable for that person to let everyone know what the person did wrong. The person should reveal the sins they committed between themselves and their neighbors to other people, saying to them: "Truly, I have sinned against that man/woman, and I have wronged her/him thus and such, but, look at me today, I repented and I am remorseful". But a person who is arrogant and instead of revealing covers up his/her sins, is not doing a wholehearted teshuvah. Of such a person it is said: "He that covers his sins shall not prosper" (Proverbs 28:13). This only applies to sins between a person and another, but sins between a person and God, you do not need make them public, on the contrary it would be impudent of you should reveal them. You, however, should repent before God, blessed be! and before God you should detail all your sins; and then make public confession upon them by simply saying: "I have sinned". Such procedure is, indeed, for your own good, even as it is said: "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered (Psalms 32:1).

~ Why is it important to make sins against people public, but not sins against God?

יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים הוּא זְמַן תְּשׁוּבָה לַכּל לַיָּחִיד וְלָרַבִּים וְהוּא קֵץ מְחִילָה וּסְלִיחָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל. לְפִיכָךְ חַיָּבִים הַכּל לַעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה וּלְהִתְוַדּוֹת בְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים. וּמִצְוַת וִדּוּי יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים שֶׁיַּתְחִיל מֵעֶרֶב הַיּוֹם קֹדֶם שֶׁיֹּאכַל שֶׁמָּא יֵחָנֵק בַּסְּעֻדָּה קֹדֶם שֶׁיִּתְוַדֶּה. וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהִתְוַדָּה קֹדֶם שֶׁיֹּאכַל חוֹזֵר וּמִתְוַדֶּה בְּלֵילֵי יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים עַרְבִית וְחוֹזֵר וּמִתְוַדֶּה בְּשַׁחֲרִית וּבְמוּסָף וּבְמִנְחָה וּבִנְעִילָה. וְהֵיכָן מִתְוַדֶּה. יָחִיד אַחַר תְּפִלָּתוֹ וּשְׁלִיחַ צִבּוּר בְּאֶמְצַע תְּפִלָּתוֹ בִּבְרָכָה רְבִיעִית:

Yom ha-Kippurim is the time set aside for repentance for all, the individual as well as the public; for it is the goal of exoneration and acquittal in Israel. Because all are obligated to make reparation and confession on the Day of Atonement. Every person is obligated to do the mitzvah of confession of Yom Kippur on the afternoon on the ninth day of Tishrei, before the evening meal, lest a person die due to choking while eating the meal an does not confess. And, even though one did confess before the meal, one is obligated to confess again during the night prayer of Yom Kipur, and to repeat the confession during the Morning, Musaf, Afternoon, and Ne'ilah (closing prayers). At what part of the prayers is the confession made? Every individual delivers it after the silent Amidah blessings, but the Reader does that in the middle of repeating the prayers, after the Fourth Blessing.

~ Why is Yom Kippur more important, according to Maimonides?

~ Why do we have to repeat the confession much?

אֵין הַתְּשׁוּבָה וְלֹא יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים מְכַפְּרִין אֶלָּא עַל עֲבֵרוֹת שֶׁבֵּין אָדָם לַמָּקוֹם כְּגוֹן מִי שֶׁאָכַל דָּבָר אָסוּר אוֹ בָּעַל בְּעִילָה אֲסוּרָה וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶן. אֲבָל עֲבֵרוֹת שֶׁבֵּין אָדָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ כְּגוֹן הַחוֹבֵל אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ אוֹ הַמְקַלֵּל חֲבֵרוֹ אוֹ גּוֹזְלוֹ וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶן אֵינוֹ נִמְחַל לוֹ לְעוֹלָם עַד שֶׁיִּתֵּן לַחֲבֵרוֹ מַה שֶּׁהוּא חַיָּב לוֹ וִירַצֵּהוּ. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהֶחֱזִיר לוֹ מָמוֹן שֶׁהוּא חַיָּב לוֹ צָרִיךְ לְרַצּוֹתוֹ וְלִשְׁאל מִמֶּנּוּ שֶׁיִּמְחל לוֹ. אֲפִלּוּ לֹא הִקְנִיט אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ אֶלָּא בִּדְבָרִים צָרִיךְ לְפַיְּסוֹ וְלִפְגֹּעַ בּוֹ עַד שֶׁיִּמְחל לוֹ. לֹא רָצָה חֲבֵרוֹ לִמְחל לוֹ מֵבִיא לוֹ שׁוּרָה שֶׁל שְׁלֹשָׁה בְּנֵי אָדָם מֵרֵעָיו וּפוֹגְעִין בּוֹ וּמְבַקְּשִׁין מִמֶּנּוּ. לֹא נִתְרַצָּה לָהֶן מֵבִיא לוֹ שְׁנִיָּה וּשְׁלִישִׁית. לֹא רָצָה מְנִיחוֹ וְהוֹלֵךְ לוֹ וְזֶה שֶׁלֹּא מָחַל הוּא הַחוֹטֵא. וְאִם הָיָה רַבּוֹ הוֹלֵךְ וּבָא אֲפִלּוּ אֶלֶף פְּעָמִים עַד שֶׁיִּמְחל לוֹ:

Teshuvah and Yom Kipur do atone only for sins committed between man and God, for instance, one who ate forbidden food, or had forbidden relationship and the like; but sins between a person and another, for instance, one injures their neighbor, or curses their neighbor or plunders, or offends the neighbor in any matter, there is no way to be absolved unless the person makes restitution of what they owe and begs the forgiveness of the neighbor. And, although one did make restitution of the monetary debt, one is obligated to pacify the neighbor and beg for forgiveness. Even if the offense was nothing but words, one is obligated to appease the neighbor and implore until the neighbor forgives. If the neighbor refuses, the person should send a committee of three friends to implore and beg for forgiveness; if the neighbor still refuses the person should bring a second, even a third committee, and if the neighbor remains obstinate, the person then may leave and give up, for the sin then rests upon the neighbor who refuses forgiveness. But if it happened to be one's teacher, the person should ask the teacher for forgiveness even a thousand times, until the teacher does forgive.

~ Why can't Yom Kippur atone for sins between people, but it works for sins between people and God?

~ What would happen if the system was reversed, in your opinion?

אָסוּר לָאָדָם לִהְיוֹת אַכְזָרִי וְלֹא יִתְפַּיֵּס אֶלָּא יְהֵא נוֹחַ לִרְצוֹת וְקָשֶׁה לִכְעֹס וּבְשָׁעָה שֶׁמְּבַקֵּשׁ מִמֶּנּוּ הַחוֹטֵא לִמְחל מוֹחֵל בְּלֵב שָׁלֵם וּבְנֶפֶשׁ חֲפֵצָה. וַאֲפִלּוּ הֵצֵר לוֹ וְחָטָא לוֹ הַרְבֵּה לֹא יִקֹּם וְלֹא יִטֹּר. וְזֶהוּ דַּרְכָּם שֶׁל זֶרַע יִשְׂרָאֵל וְלִבָּם הַנָּכוֹן. אֲבָל הָעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים עַרְלֵי לֵב אֵינָן כֵּן אֶלָּא (וְעֶבְרָתָן) [וְעֶבְרָתוֹ] שְׁמָרָה נֶצַח. וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר עַל הַגִּבְעוֹנִים לְפִי שֶׁלֹּא מָחֲלוּ וְלֹא נִתְפַּיְּסוּ וְהַגִּבְעֹנִים לֹא מִבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הֵמָּה:

It is forbidden for a person to be ill-natured and unforgiving, for one must be easily appeased but not give in easily to wrath; and when a sinner implores you for pardon, you should grant the sinner pardon wholeheartedly and soulfully. Even if one persecuted you and sinned against you exceedingly, you should not be vengeful and grudge-bearing, for such is the path of the seed of Israel and of their excellent heart. Only idolaters are not so, they are of uncircumcised heart, and their wrath is forever; and, because the Gibonites were unforgiving and would not accept any appeasement, it is said of them: "Now the Gibonites were not of the children of Israel" (II Samuel, 21:2).

~ Why is Maimonides's message here?

הַחוֹטֵא לַחֲבֵרוֹ וּמֵת חֲבֵרוֹ קֹדֶם שֶׁיְּבַקֵּשׁ מְחִילָה מֵבִיא עֲשָׂרָה בְּנֵי אָדָם וּמַעֲמִידָן עַל קִבְרוֹ וְיֹאמַר בִּפְנֵיהֶם חָטָאתִי לַה' אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְלִפְלוֹנִי זֶה שֶׁכָּךְ וְכָךְ עָשִׂיתִי לוֹ. וְאִם הָיָה חַיָּב לוֹ מָמוֹן יַחֲזִירוֹ לַיּוֹרְשִׁים. לֹא הָיָה יוֹדֵעַ לוֹ יוֹרְשִׁין יַנִּיחֶנּוּ בְּבֵית דִּין וְיִתְוַדֶּה:

One who committed a sin against a friend, and the friend died before he asked his forgiveness, should bring ten adults at the grave and say: "I have sinned against the Ad-nai God of Israel and against this person (naming the person clearly), and I have done against her/him thus and such (naming the sins clearly). If one was indebted to the deceased the money should be returned to the heirs; if one did not know where or who the heirs are, one should leave the amount with a rabbinic tribunal, and after this say the confession.

~ What kind of situation we are talking about? Why is this fundamental?

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֶֽהְיֶ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֶֽהְיֶ֑ה וַיֹּ֗אמֶר כֹּ֤ה תֹאמַר֙ לִבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֶֽהְיֶ֖ה שְׁלָחַ֥נִי אֲלֵיכֶֽם׃
And God said to Moses, “Ehyeh-Asher-Ehyeh.” He continued, “Thus shall you say to the Israelites, ‘Ehyeh sent me to you.’”

(א) לְשׁוֹן רַבֵּנוּ זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה וַיֹּאמֶר יְיָ אֶל משֶׁה קְרָא אֶת יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וְכוּ': (דברים לא)

(ב) א כִּי צָרִיךְ כָּל אָדָם לְמַעֵט בִּכְבוֹד עַצְמוֹ וּלְהַרְבּוֹת בִּכְבוֹד הַמָּקוֹם, כִּי מִי שֶׁרוֹדֵף אַחַר הַכָּבוֹד אֵינוֹ זוֹכֶה לִכְבוֹד אֱלֹקִים, אֶלָּא לְכָבוֹד שֶׁל מְלָכִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ (משלי כ״ה:ב׳): כְּבֹד מְלָכִים חֲקֹר דָּבָר; וְהַכֹּל חוֹקְרִים אַחֲרָיו וְשׁוֹאֲלִים: מִי הוּא זֶה וְאֵיזֶהוּ, שֶׁחוֹלְקִים לוֹ כָּבוֹד הַזֶּה, וְחוֹלְקִים עָלָיו, שֶׁאוֹמְרִים שֶׁאֵינוֹ רָאוּי לַכָּבוֹד הַזֶּה.

(ג) אֲבָל מִי שֶׁבּוֹרֵחַ מִן הַכָּבוֹד, שֶׁמְּמַעֵט בִּכְבוֹד עַצְמוֹ וּמַרְבֶּה בִּכְבוֹד הַמָּקוֹם – אֲזַי הוּא זוֹכֶה לְכָבוֹד אֱלֹהִי, וְאָז אֵין בְּנֵי־אָדָם חוֹקְרִים עַל כְּבוֹדוֹ, אִם הוּא רָאוּי אִם לָאו, וְעָלָיו נֶאֱמַר (שם): כְּבֹד אֱלֹהִים הַסְתֵּר דָּבָר; כִּי אָסוּר לַחֲקֹר עַל הַכָּבוֹד הַזֶּה:

(1) “Then God said to Moshe, ‘The time is coming for you to die. Call Yehoshua and present yourselves in the Tent of Meeting, where I will appoint him.’” (Deuteronomy 31:14)

(2) Each person is required to minimize his own kavod (honor) and maximize the honor of The Place. For anyone who pursues honor does not attain kevod E-lohim (God’s honor/glory), but just kevod melakhim (glory of kings), of which it is said (Proverbs 25:2), “but the glory of kings is an investigated matter.” Everyone inquires about him “Who is he and what is he?” (Esther 7:5) that he is afforded such honor. And they oppose him, saying that he is not deserving of such kavod .

(3) But a person who flees from glory—minimizing their own glory while maximizing the glory The Place — that person merits Divine honor/glory. Then, people do not investigate whether one is deserving of glory or not. Of him it is said (Proverbs, ibid.), “The glory of E-lohim is a concealed matter.” For it is forbidden to inquire into this glory.

ב וְאִי אֶפְשָׁר לִזְכּוֹת לַכָּבוֹד הַזֶּה אֶלָּא עַל־יְדֵי תְּשׁוּבָה. וְעִקַּר הַתְּשׁוּבָה – כְּשֶׁיִּשְׁמַע בִּזְיוֹנוֹ יִדֹּם וְיִשְׁתֹּק, כִּי לֵית כָּבוֹד בְּלֹא כָּ"ף. וְהַכָּ"ף הוּא כֶּתֶר, בְּחִינַת אֶהֱיֶה, בְּחִינַת תְּשׁוּבָה, כִּי אֶהֱיֶה דָּא אָנָא זָמִין לְמֵהֱוֵי, הַיְנוּ קֹדֶם הַתְּשׁוּבָה, עֲדַיִן אֵין לוֹ הֲוָיָה, כְּאִילוּ עַדֲיִן לֹא נִתְהַוָּה בָּעוֹלָם, כִּי טוֹב לוֹ שֶׁלֹּא נִבְרָא מִשֶּׁנִּבְרָא, וּכְשֶׁבָּא לְטַהֵר אֶת עַצְמוֹ וְלַעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה, אָז הוּא בִּבְחִינַת אֶהֱיֶה, הַיְנוּ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לוֹ הֲוָיָה בָּעוֹלָם, הַיְנוּ אֲנָא זָמִין לְמֶהְוֵי. וְזֶה בְּחִינַת כֶּתֶר, כִּי כֶּתֶר לְשׁוֹן הַמְתָּנָה, בְּחִינַת תְּשׁוּבָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (יומא לח: לט.): הַבָּא לִטָּהֵר מְסַיְּעִין לוֹ. מָשָׁל לְאֶחָד, שֶׁבָּא לִקְנוֹת אֲפַרְסְמוֹן, אוֹמְרִים לוֹ: הַמְתֵּן וְכוּ'. וְזֶה בְּחִינַת כֶּתֶר, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (איוב ל״ו:ב׳): כַּתַּר לִי זְעֵיר וַאֲחַוֶּךָּ; אֲבָל קֹדֶם הַתְּשׁוּבָה אֲזַי בְּחִינַת אֶהֱיֶה בְּהַסְתָּרַת פָּנִים מִמֶּנּוּ, כִּי עֲדַיִן לֹא הֵכִין אֶת עַצְמוֹ לְמֶהְוֵי בָּעוֹלָם...

2. Now, it is impossible to attain this kavod except by means of teshuvah (repentance). And the essence of teshuvah is that when a person hears himself being insulted, he remains quiet and silent. There is no Kavod without Kaf, and Kaf is Keter, which corresponds to Ehyeh, which corresponds to repentance. For ehyeh means “I am prepared to be.” That is, before doing teshuvah a person does not yet have being. It is as if the person does not yet exist in the world, since the person would be better off without being created (Eruvin 13b). But when one prepares to purify oneself and repent, one is then in the aspect of ehyeh. In other words, the person will then exist in the world—i.e., “I am prepared to be.” This is an aspect of Keter, because the word keter suggests waiting, an aspect of teshuvah. As our Sages taught: Anyone who undertakes to purify oneself is assisted [from Above]. It is like the allegory of the person who comes to buy sweet smelling oil. They tell him, "Wait [for me to measure it with you, so that both will be perfumed]" (Yoma 38b). This corresponds to KeTeR, as is written (Job 36:2), “KaTaR (wait) for me awhile and I will tell you.” Before teshuvah, however, the aspect of ehyeh is hidden from a person. For the person has not yet prepared herself/himself to exist in the world. ....

~ What does it take to fully exist in the world, according to reb Nachman? What do you think?

~ What about the process of the High Holidays prepares us for this process of "existing"?

הָאוֹמֵר, אֶחֱטָא וְאָשׁוּב, אֶחֱטָא וְאָשׁוּב, אֵין מַסְפִּיקִין בְּיָדוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה. אֶחֱטָא וְיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים מְכַפֵּר, אֵין יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים מְכַפֵּר. עֲבֵרוֹת שֶׁבֵּין אָדָם לַמָּקוֹם, יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים מְכַפֵּר. עֲבֵרוֹת שֶׁבֵּין אָדָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ, אֵין יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים מְכַפֵּר, עַד שֶׁיְּרַצֶּה אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ. אֶת זוֹ דָּרַשׁ רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲזַרְיָה, מִכֹּל חַטֹּאתֵיכֶם לִפְנֵי יְיָ תִּטְהָרוּ (ויקרא טז), עֲבֵרוֹת שֶׁבֵּין אָדָם לַמָּקוֹם, יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים מְכַפֵּר. עֲבֵרוֹת שֶׁבֵּין אָדָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ, אֵין יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים מְכַפֵּר, עַד שֶׁיְּרַצֶּה אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ. אָמַר רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא, אַשְׁרֵיכֶם יִשְׂרָאֵל, לִפְנֵי מִי אַתֶּם מִטַּהֲרִין, וּמִי מְטַהֵר אֶתְכֶם, אֲבִיכֶם שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יחזקאל לו), וְזָרַקְתִּי עֲלֵיכֶם מַיִם טְהוֹרִים וּטְהַרְתֶּם. וְאוֹמֵר (ירמיה יז), מִקְוֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל יְיָ, מַה מִּקְוֶה מְטַהֵר אֶת הַטְּמֵאִים, אַף הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְטַהֵר אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל:
One who says: I shall sin and repent, sin and repent, they do not afford him the opportunity to repent. [If one says]: I shall sin and Yom HaKippurim will atone for me, Yom HaKippurim does not effect atonement. For transgressions between man and God Yom HaKippurim effects atonement, but for transgressions between man and his fellow Yom HaKippurim does not effect atonement, until he has pacified his fellow. This was expounded by Rabbi Elazar b. Azariah: “From all your sins before the Lord you shall be clean” (Leviticus 16:30) for transgressions between man and God Yom HaKippurim effects atonement, but for transgressions between man and his fellow Yom HaKippurim does not effect atonement, until he has pacified his fellow.. Rabbi Akiva said: Happy are you, Israel! Who is it before whom you become pure? And who is it that purifies you? Your Father who is in heaven, as it is said: “And I will sprinkle clean water upon you and you shall be clean” (Ezekiel 36:25). And it further says: “O hope (mikveh) of Israel, O Lord” (Jeremiah 17:1--just as a mikveh purifies the unclean, so too does he Holy One, blessed be He, purify Israel.

Broadly defined, teshuvah is more than just repentance from sin; it is a spiritual reawakening, a desire to strengthen the connection between oneself and the sacred. The effectiveness of teshuvah is thus frequently a function of one's sense of distance from the sacred. The greater the distance, the greater the potential movement towards renewed connectedness. As one Jewish sage put it, A rope that is cut and retied is doubly strong at the point where it was severed.... All forms of teshuvah, however diverse and complex, have a common core: the belief that human beings have it in their power to effect inward change. Adin Steinsaltz, Teshuvah: A Guide for the Newly Observant Jew, trans. by Michael Swirsky, pp 3-4.

Rav Kook, “Orot Hateshuva

‘When we forget the essence of our own soul… everything becomes confused and in doubt. The primary teshuva, that which immediately lights the darkness, is when a person returns to himself, to the root of his soul – then he will immediately return to God, to the soul of all souls’.

אורות התשובה ז:א

טבעה של התשובה היא, שהיא נותנת לאדם מנוחה וכבד-ראש כאחד. היא מנחמת אותו גם בהרהור תשובה, בנקודה אחת קטנה מאורה הגדול כבר מונח אושר רם ונשא של עולם מלא, ועם זה היא מצגת לעיני רוחו תמיד חובות של השלמה, המצילות אותו מזחיחות הדעת ונותנות עליו אור מתוק, הנותן ערך גדול וקבוע לחייו.
הציור של התשובה מהפך את כל העונות ובהלותיהם, יסוריהם הרוחנים וכעוריהם, למושגים של עדן וקורת רוח, מפני שעל ידם זורח לאדם עומק הדעת של שנאת הרע, ואהבת הטוב מתגברת בו בגבורה אדירה, ולמעלה מכל חשבון ודעת הרי הוא מתענג על אושר הנוחם, שמרגיש כי אותו הנועם האלהי המיוחד לבעלי תשובה, הנעים ביותר עם הטעם המעדן של שבירת הלב ודכאות הנפש, המחוברת עם אמונה עמוקה של הצלה וישועת עולמים.

7:1

The nature of teshuvah is that it gives a person tranquility and centeredness as if that person is one. It gives him/her tranquility even through the thought of teshuvah, in that one little point of a great light, already brings great and high happiness from a complete world, and with that it already projects to his/her spiritual eyes the need for completeness, that rescues her/him from euphoria and gives upon her/him a sweet light, that gives a great meaning and constancy to her/his life.

The design of teshuvah is such that it transforms all sins and their terrors, their spiritual sufferings and their uglinesses, into reflections/concepts of Eden and personal fulfillment, because through them a person is shined with depth of thought regarding the hate of evil, and the love of good gets strengthened with a mighty strength, behold s/he enjoys the happiness of regret, that he feels that the specific delightof the Divine regarding the ba'alei teshuvah, the most pleasant of all, with the taste of the delicate/delicacy of a broken heart and the sadness of soul, which connects itself with deep faith of the rescuing and salvation of the worlds.

אמר ריש לקיש גדולה תשובה שזדונות נעשות לו כשגגות שנאמר (הושע יד, ב) שובה ישראל עד ה' אלהיך כי כשלת בעונך הא עון מזיד הוא וקא קרי ליה מכשול איני והאמר ריש לקיש גדולה תשובה שזדונות נעשות לו כזכיות שנאמר (יחזקאל לג, יט) ובשוב רשע מרשעתו ועשה משפט וצדקה עליהם (חיה) יחיה לא קשיא כאן מאהבה כאן מיראה
Reish Lakish said: Great is repentance, as the penitent’s intentional sins are counted for him as unwitting transgressions, as it is stated: “Return, Israel, to the Lord your God, for you have stumbled in your iniquity” (Hosea 14:2). The Gemara analyzes this: Doesn’t “iniquity” mean an intentional sin? Yet the prophet calls it stumbling, implying that one who repents is considered as though he only stumbled accidentally in his transgression. The Gemara asks: Is that so? Didn’t Reish Lakish himself say: Great is repentance, as one’s intentional sins are counted for him as merits, as it is stated: “And when the wicked turns from his wickedness, and does that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby” (Ezekiel 33:19), and all his deeds, even his transgressions, will become praiseworthy? The Gemara reconciles: This is not difficult: Here, when one repents out of love, his sins become like merits; there, when one repents out of fear, his sins are counted as unwitting transgressions.

First move of Resh Lakish: to stumble is unintentional, sin is intentional - so through teshuvah the essence of sin is transformed. Michshol is well known from the verse on stumbling block in front of the blind.

Second move: it is not a stumbling block, rather, it becomes a zechut, a virtue, a mitzvah! And the midrashic move is to extend the word עליהם, them, to all three objects in the sentence רשעתו משפט צדקה, and not just the last two, which a pshat reading would seem to imply. What is the idea behind? Without rish'ato there is no teshuvah. It seems crazy, no? Indeed, the very next verse of Ezekiel....

תְּנַן הָתָם, רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר: שׁוּב יוֹם אֶחָד לִפְנֵי מִיתָתֶךָ. שָׁאֲלוּ תַּלְמִידָיו אֶת רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר: וְכִי אָדָם יוֹדֵעַ אֵיזֶהוּ יוֹם יָמוּת? אָמַר לָהֶן: וְכׇל שֶׁכֵּן, יָשׁוּב הַיּוֹם, שֶׁמָּא יָמוּת לְמָחָר, וְנִמְצָא כׇּל יָמָיו בִּתְשׁוּבָה. וְאַף שְׁלֹמֹה אָמַר בְּחׇכְמָתוֹ: ״בְּכׇל עֵת יִהְיוּ בְגָדֶיךָ לְבָנִים וְשֶׁמֶן עַל רֹאשְׁךָ אַל יֶחְסָר״.
We learned there in a mishna that Rabbi Eliezer says: Repent one day before your death. Rabbi Eliezer’s students asked him: But does a person know the day on which he will die? He said to them: All the more so this is a good piece of advice, and one should repent today lest he die tomorrow; and by following this advice one will spend his entire life in a state of repentance. And King Solomon also said in his wisdom: “At all times your clothes should be white, and oil shall not be absent from upon your head” (Ecclesiastes 9:8), meaning that a person always needs to be prepared.
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