Illustration credit: Noa Kelner
Prayer in the Parashah תְּפִלָּה
Our parashah contains 10 pesukim all about תְּשׁוּבָה (teshuvah, repentance), returning to God (Devarim 30:1-10).
Right now we’re in teshuvah season. Sepharadim have been reciting prayers about teshuvah, called סְלִיחוֹת (Selihot), for a few weeks now. Ashkenazim will start Selihot this Saturday night. We’re all getting ready to focus on teshuvah on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
But teshuvah is actually a year-round activity, which you can see from our daily Amidah:
הֲשִׁיבֵֽנוּ אָבִֽינוּ לְתוֹרָתֶֽךָ
וְקָרְבֵֽנוּ מַלְכֵּֽנוּ לַעֲבוֹדָתֶֽךָ
וְהַחֲזִירֵֽנוּ בִּתְשׁוּבָה שְׁלֵמָה לְפָנֶֽיךָ:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' הָרוֹצֶה בִּתְשׁוּבָה:
Cause us to return, our Father, to Your Torah.
Bring us near, our King, to Your service.
Bring us back in complete teshuvah before You.
Blessed are You, God, who wants teshuvah.
Here’s a midrash about doing teshuvah any day, any time that we are ready.
נִמְשְׁלָה תְּשׁוּבָה בַּיָּם. מָה הַיָּם הַזֶּה לְעוֹלָם פָּתוּחַ, כָּךְ שַׁעֲרֵי תְּשׁוּבָה לְעוֹלָם פְּתוּחִים.
Teshuvah is compared to the sea. Just as the sea is always open, so the gates of teshuvah are always open.
- Why do you think we pray for God to help us do teshuvah every day?
- When do you feel most able to do teshuvah? What helps you feel ready?
- How else is teshuvah like water or the ocean? Can you compare teshuvah to anything else?
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