Using Physics to Explain the Process of Teshuva

At Shalosh Sheudos on Shabbos Shuva, Rav Moshe Weinberger quoted a Yerushalmi in Brachos 9:5 (68a) that gives an analogy to explain why, when we leave the Torah for one day, it goes away from us for two days.

אמר רבי שמעון בן לקיש במגילת חסידים מצאו כתיב יום תעזביני ימים אעזבך. לשנים שיצאו אחד מטבריא ואחד מציפורין ופגעו זה בזה בחדא משכנא לא הספיקו לפרוש זה מזה עד שהלך זה מיל וזה מיל נמצאו רחוקין זה מזה שני מילין.

Rav Shimon ben Lakish said in Megilas Chassidim, they found that it is written "If you abandon me for one day, I will abandon you for two." [He gives an analogy of] two [people] who left, one from Tiveria, and one from Tzipori, and met one another in an inn. When they said goodbye to one another, one walked a mil and the other one walked a mil. It comes out that [even though each one only walked one mil] they are two mil from one another.

He brought down an explanation from the sefer "L'horos Nosson" from Rav Noson Gestetner to explain how teshuva is possible if it's really true that our aveiros push us twice as far away from Hashem as we actually go due to the fact that Hashem is "moving" in the opposite direction as we are. He answers this question with the following Gemara:

The Gemara in Yuma 66a says "רבי לוי גדולה תשובה שמגעת עד כסא הכבוד שנא' (הושע יד) שובה ישראל עד ה' אלהיך." Teshuva is so great that it reaches all the way to the Throne of Glory. Rav Gestetner explained that even though when we abandon Hashem we are moving in the opposite direction Hashem is, teshuva has the power to draw Hashem, so to speak, back to us. He uses this pshat to explain the pasuk in Devarim 30:3, "וְשָׁב יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֶת-שְׁבוּתְךָ." The pasuk literally means that "Hashem your G-d will bring back those of you who are returning." But according to this alternate pshat, it would mean that Hashem will return "your returning." Meaning that Hashem will take the "returning" that we should have done, and He will do that "teshuva" for us by returning to us.

But this pshat still imagines the space that we create between ourselves and Hashem as one linear distance in one dimension. I was thinking of another pshat, based on a somewhat different reading of the Gemara in Yuma 66a about teshuva reaching the Kisei Hakavod.

Check out the video below, originally posted by Crawling Axe, to get an idea of where my thoughts are going with this:

Physics imagines the physical dimensions as lines from one dimension leading to another dimension. If one folds the points on one dimension together, he can pass from a point on one dimensional plane to a point on another dimensional plane instantaneously. For instance, if you imagine all places that exist at one time as a flat plane, you can also imagine folding that plane so that very "distant" points are touching, you can imagine how it could be possible to traverse such a large distance in just a moment by going over the folded point and skipping all of the space on the plane in between.

Reish Lakish in the Yerushalmi introduced the concept of looking at spiritual distance as if it were a physical distance. So extending that analogy, if there were a way to make a fold in the physical distance separating us from Hashem, we could get straight back to Hashem while skipping over the whole "distance" that separates us. That is what teshuva does. "teshuva reaches [over] to the Kisei Hakavod" could mean that teshuva creates a miraculous fold in the plane of space that separates us from Hashem and allows us to "skip" back to Hashem over the fold.

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Shabbos Shuva, Yom Kippur, Mikva & the Baal Teshuva- By Rav Zvi Leshem

BS"D

SHABBAT SHUVAH

Removing the Impurity of Our Transgressions

Rav Zvi Leshem

In Al Hateshuvah, Rav Soloveitchik writes that any transgression carries with it two negative repercussions - liability and impurity. Although the sinner is obviously liable to punishment, the more serious issue is the tumah, the impurity that has resulted from the sin. This is not in the technical halachic sense, but rather refers to the metaphysical aspect of the spiritual uncleanness that distances us from Hashem. Consequently, explains the Rav, Yom Kippur has two results, kapparah, atonement, and taharah, purity. Each of these is the antidote for one of the results of sin. Rabbi Yehudah Hanasi held that Yom Kippur provides atonement even if the individual does not repent. While this opinion is not accepted, it nonetheless needs to be understood.

For this reason, Rav Soloveitchik writes, "There is atonement without repentance, but there can be no purity without repentance." In other words, just as the sin has a technical ramification in the realm of punishment, so too can the special holiness of Yom Kippur together with its potent sacrifices technically remove the liability for punishment. But can this properly correct a damaged relationship? Does this relieve us of our personal need to appease Hashem? In this situation, does it give us the status of baal teshuvah, penitent, so beloved before God? Obviously not! That can only be achieved through sincere teshuvah with a broken heart!

In the Mishnah, Rabbi Akiva dramatically declares, "You are happy, O Israel! Before whom are you purified, and who purifies you? Your Father in heaven … just as the mikvah purifies the impure, so God purifies Israel!" The Rav points out that this statement was made not long after the destruction of the Second Temple. The Jews at that time were despondent. With no Temple, High Priest, incense offering, or scapegoat, how could they possibly achieve atonement? They felt doomed to lead eternal lives of spiritual tumah, with no chance of repairing their misdeeds and coming close to Hashem. Against this backdrop comes Rabbi Akiva, the eternal optimist, to remind Am Yisrael that ultimately there is only one source of forgiveness, atonement, and purity - Hashem Himself! Even a mikvah is only a mikvah because God has decreed it to be so. Since we no longer have a Temple, the answer is sincere repentance, which brings with it both atonement and purity. For this reason, Rav Soloveitchik concludes his discussion with an idea found in the Maharal and other sources, and takes the comparison between God and the mikvah quite literally. "We must enter into God, into the holiness of Yom Kippur like we enter a mikvah, with no foreign item interposing between our body and the water, with no part of our body remaining outside of the water." As long as we are holding back, as long as we aren't ready to jump in and completely immerse ourselves in Elokut, we cannot really be purified.

The Slonimer Rebbe writes in Netivot Shalom that the three forces that can purify the Jew are the mikvah, Am Yisrael and Hashem Himself. He then quotes the Beit Avraham that, "just as the mikvah only purifies if there is no interposition whatsoever, so too Am Yisrael can only purify if there is no interposition between one Jew and his fellow." This is, of course, another explanation for the halachically mandated need to appease anyone whom we may have offended before Yom Kippur, and to forgive wholeheartedly anyone who has offended us, even if they did not ask. The Netivot Shalom ultimately sees us going through a process in which the mikvah purifies the body (and one must immerse on the eve of Yom Kippur). The connection with Am Yisrael purifies the lower portions of the soul, and finally, Hashem purifies the higher levels of our souls. This is reminiscent of the Piaseczner Rebbe, who writes that to achieve spiritual unity we must first integrate our own personalities, and only then achieve Jewish unity. After that, all of Am Yisrael can finally unite with Hashem.

On Shabbat Shuvah we enter into high gear preparing for Yom Kippur, which is just a few days away. As we have learned from Rav Tzaddok Hakohen, the Shabbat before any holiday contains that holiday's essence, and in this case that is most certainly true. On Shabbat Shuvah, we can already feel the awe and joy of Yom Kippur, its holiness and beauty. Now is the time to plunge into all of the mikvaot: those of water, Am Yisrael, and ultimately that of Hashem Himself. Wash carefully; remove all particles that stand in the way. Nullify yourself to the purifying powers that surround you. Then you will be ready for a Yom Kippur that provides you not only with atonement, but with purity as well.

BS"D

YOM KIPPUR

Before Kol Nidrei

Rav Zvi Leshem

The Rambam has a famous position that only those Jews who live in Eretz Yisrael are referred to as the tzibbur, the public community. This fact invests the Jews living in Israel with a serious responsibility for our brethren who are still in the Diaspora. The Maharil, in his Laws of Yom Kippur, quotes Mahari Segel, who asks why we have longer piyutim, liturgical prayers, regarding the goat that was offered in the Temple than we do about the scapegoat, whose power of atonement was far greater? One of the answers given is particularly interesting. The goat offered in the Temple atones for violations of the Temple's purity and holiness. Since the Temple's holiness is still in effect even when the building is destroyed, and entering the Temple Mount in a state of ritual impurity is a grievous sin, the Jews of the Diaspora ask Hashem to forgive the Jews of Israel who may have been remiss in this area. This reflects the principle that all Jews are responsible for each other. As a proof, the Maharil cites the confessional liturgy in which every Jew asks forgiveness, in the plural, for a long list of sins he may never have committed, since in fact, each of us is asking for forgiveness for every Jew. Let us take a deeper look at the mutual responsibility that every Jew has for each other.

In Chovat HaTalmidim, the Piaseczner Rebbe describes the states of yichud ilaah v'yichud tata, upper and lower unification. Lower unification takes place within Malchut, the collective body of Am Yisrael. After all of the Jews have united (lower unification), then they can collectively unite with the upper sefirot, i.e. with Hashem Himself, reaching the state of upper unification and rectifying all of reality. The Rebbe uses this idea to explain the statement made before we perform many mitzvot, "for the sake of the unity of Kudsha Brich Hu (Hashem) and the Shechinah (represented by the collective Jewish People) … in the name of all of Israel".

The Rebbe explains that this process actually has three stages. Firstly, each one of us must work to make ourselves into an integrated personality, in which the body, brain, and soul all work together to serve Hashem. We all know that when we are feeling personally "not put together" we are not in a state in which we can maintain proper relationships with other people. Secondly, each one of us must work to unite ourselves with all of Am Yisrael. Unfortunately this is easier said than done, but we must never cease in our efforts to bring authentic unity to the Jewish People. Only after these two aspects have been perfected are we, Am Yisrael, as represented by the Shechinah, able to unite with Hashem. Thus the prayer formula which discusses uniting Hashem and the Shechinah ends "in the name of all of Israel," since the higher unity of God and the Shechinah is absolutely dependent upon the prior unification of all of Israel.

The Piaseczner Rebbe further writes in Zav v'Ziruz, that if we want to make spiritual progress, we should set ourselves an annual goal. Where do I want to be one year from now? What kind of person do I want to be by next Yom Kippur? Then, throughout the year, I should measure myself by the standards of the "new person" and check periodically if I am succeeding in closing the gap between the old and the new. If at the end of the year, I am no closer than I was a year ago, then in a sense I have wasted a year of my life, God forbid. Every year we should make it our goal to work on unity, including the personal, national, and cosmic levels. If we all sincerely make this our top priority, we can, with Hashem's help really change ourselves and the world.

Rosh HaShana through Yom Kippur: How Do You Talk To The Melech - Audio Shiur

Reb Yerachmiel has shared with us to a yesodosdik shiur on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur in which he traces through Gemaras, the Shulchan Aruch and the Mishna Berura to explain a fundamental question we should be asking ourselves every day, and especially during the Yomim Noraim: How Do You Talk To The Melech?

Click on PART ONE and PART TWO to get the shiur by either left clicking to listen to streaming audio or right clicking and pressing "Save Target As" to download.

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Bilvavi Mishkan Evneh on Yomim N'oraim Now Available!

You can get it at SeforimCenter.com!

HT A Simple Jew

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Why You Shouldn't Get Discouraged About the Teshuva/Sin/Teshuva Cycle

Lest one get discouraged after Yom Kippur because he's already sinned and done Teshuva and sinned again and done Teshuva again, etc, I want to share the following story and an idea from my rebbe's drasha before Ne'ilah.

In Sippurei Chassidim (p. 94), Rav Shlomo Yosef Zevin brings down a ma'aseh about Rav Yisroel Rizhiner. The holy Rizhiner was in Odessa on doctor's orders. When he was there, he heard that there was a grandson of Rav Yaakov Emden there, named Meir. Meir had gone "off the derech" and was no longer frum. The Rizhiner invited Meir to come back to Rizhin with him and promised to take care of all of his needs. Meir agreed and came back to Rizhin with the Rebbe. The Rebbe took care of Meir as he had promised and Meir was Chozer B'Teshuvah.

One day, Rav Yisroel noticed that Meir looked depressed. He asked him why he was sad and he said "If it's because of your sins, remember that Teshuva works!"

Meir answered that He's already sinned and done Teshuva and sinned again and done Teshuva again, etc. etc. etc. etc. He said that he didn't think that Hashem would forgive him any more so why wouldn't he be depressed!?

Rav Yisroel answered him by saying that since he heard he (Meir) used to be known as a big Ilui (genius) and a Lamdan so he wouldn answer him in the way of the Lamdanim. He asks on the phrase in the Shmoneh Esreh of Yom Kippur, "כי אתה סלחן לישראל ומחלן לשבטי ישורון." He asks why it calls Hashem סלחן and מחלן (meaning "forgiver") instead of more simply סולח and מוחל? He answers based on the Gemara's Drasha in Bava Metzia 33a on the Pasuk in Shmos 23:5, "רֹבֵץ תַּחַת מַשָּׂאוֹ." The pasuk gives the mitzvah to help an enemy's donkey crouching (רֹבֵץ) under its load. And the Gemara darshes that only if it's "רובץ ולא רבצן." Rashi there's explains that the difference between "רֹבֵץ" and "רבצן" is that the "רבצן" is consistently crouching under loads. Rav Yisroel said that we see from here that the difference between something with a nun at the end of the word and without it is that the nun at the end implies that this is a constant, repeating characteristic. Therefore, he says, we call Hashem סלחן and מחלן in davening because he forgives again and again. If we fall backward and sin again and again, Hashem is ready to forgive us every time we do Teshuva.

Right before Ne'ilah on Yom Kippur, my rebbe also asked why we say "Slach Lanu" in Ma'ariv right after Yom Kippur. What could we be asking forgiveness for immediately after Ne'ila?! And he answered (I can't remember in whose name) that we may already be guilty of the biggest aveira of all, which is not believing that Hashem truly has forgiven us for all of our aveiros.

May we merit to remember that Teshuva really does work and that Hashem really did forgive us on Yoim Kippur. Therefore, let us remember that today is a new beginning and that we can make this year different because our past is behind us!

-Dixie Yid

(Picture courtesy of daylife.com)

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Kol Nidrei - From the Piaczna - By Rav Zvi Leshem

YOM KIPPUR: Before Kol Nidrei
Rav Zvi Leshem

The Rambam has a famous position that only those Jews who live in Eretz Yisrael are referred to as the tzibbur, the public community. This fact invests the Jews living in Israel with a serious responsibility for our brethren who are still in the Diaspora. The Maharil, in his Laws of Yom Kippur, quotes Mahari Segel, who asks why we have longer piyutim, liturgical prayers, regarding the goat that was offered in the Temple than we do about the scapegoat, whose power of atonement was far greater? One of the answers given is particularly interesting. The goat offered in the Temple atones for violations of the Temple’s purity and holiness. Since the Temple’s holiness is still in effect even when the building is destroyed, and entering the Temple Mount in a state of ritual impurity is a grievous sin, the Jews of the Diaspora ask Hashem to forgive the Jews of Israel who may have been remiss in this area. This reflects the principle that all Jews are responsible for each other. As a proof, the Maharil cites the confessional liturgy in which every Jew asks forgiveness, in the plural, for a long list of sins he may never have committed, since in fact, each of us is asking for forgiveness for every Jew. Let us take a deeper look at the mutual responsibility that every Jew has for each other.

In Chovat HaTalmidim, the Piaseczner Rebbe describes the states of yichud ilaah v’yichud tata, upper and lower unification. Lower unification takes place within Malchut, the collective body of Am Yisrael. After all of the Jews have united (lower unification), then they can collectively unite with the upper sefirot, i.e. with Hashem Himself, reaching the state of upper unification and rectifying all of reality.

The Rebbe uses this idea to explain the statement made before we perform many mitzvot, “for the sake of the unity of Kudsha Brich Hu (Hashem) and the Shechinah (represented by the collective Jewish People) … in the name of all of Israel”.

The Rebbe explains that this process actually has three stages. Firstly, each one of us must work to make ourselves into an integrated personality, in which the body, brain, and soul all work together to serve Hashem. We all know that when we are feeling personally “not put together” we are not in a state in which we can maintain proper relationships with other people. Secondly, each one of us must work to unite ourselves with all of Am Yisrael. Unfortunately this is easier said than done, but we must never cease in our efforts to bring authentic unity to the Jewish People. Only after these two aspects have been perfected are we, Am Yisrael, as represented by the Shechinah, able to unite with Hashem. Thus the prayer formula which discusses uniting Hashem and the Shechinah ends “in the name of all of Israel,” since the higher unity of God and the Shechinah is absolutely dependent upon the prior unification of all of Israel.

The Piaseczner Rebbe further writes in Zav v’Ziruz, that if we want to make spiritual progress, we should set ourselves an annual goal. Where do I want to be one year from now? What kind of person do I want to be by next Yom Kippur?

Then, throughout the year, I should measure myself by the standards of the “new person” and check periodically if I am succeeding in closing the gap between the old and the new. If at the end of the year, I am no closer than I was a year ago, then in a sense I have wasted a year of my life, God forbid. Every year we should make it our goal to work on unity, including the personal, national, and cosmic levels. If we all sincerely make this our top priority, we can, with Hashem’s help really change ourselves and the world.

(Picture courtesy of JewishLayout.com)

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Rav Avraham Schorr Video Shiur: Open Your Eyes and See Hashem

An anonymous commenter has alerted me to this video of a shiur by Rav Avraham Schorr given three days ago. Click here to view Rav Schorr's shiur, Open Your Eyes and See Hashem.

-Dixie Yid

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Cool Follow Up on Burning Pre-Shabbos Shuva Question!

I received the two e-mails below this morning, following up from the question and answer that I posted between Rabbi Zvi Leshem and Ploni, a reader who works for Disney (now known as "DisneYid" :-)

B"H

Dear Rab DixieYid Amu"sh,

I have been doing so much running around-try to get everything done before Yom Kippur that while i haven't had the chance to write to thank you for your answer, and then Rav Zvi Leshem's answer. As it is, I'm just wrapping up for the night over here at Disney (catching up on deadlines in anticipation of all the days I take off this month) at 10:30 PM (good thing that there's a Glatt kosher Subway shop in Los angeles on my route home - they stay open 'til midnight).

Until I checked out your blog alittle while ago, I had only seen your answers via the emails you kept feeding me. As I looked at the whole entry posted on your blog, I was struck by a fresh appreciation for being a Jew, for being a member of this very extended family. Although I have yet to merit to start really studying and learning properly, my question was welcomed and picked up as a discussion by my more learned "brothers", taken just as seriously as if I were, "learned" myself. I LOVE being a Jew!

...Which, come to think of it, may be exactly the point you first responded with last Friday, and which Rav Leshem also responded with. If doing Teshuva out of love for Hashem is the highest level to which one could aspire, then at this moment of realization and appreciation, Baruch Hashem... I'm actually standing in that place, and look ma...No tears! Wow. Now I know how one can do Teshuva with joy. What a gift! Thank you, and thank Rav Leshem, thank you Avakesh and Anonymous, too!

Still, I'd better get home to Mrs. DisneYid and my three DisneYidettes, or I'm going to have to make a different kind of teshuva.

Best and Blessings,
"Ploni"/DisneyYid

After everything I wrote earlier, I forgot what a "talent" Hashem has for throwing little, surprise "icings on the cake".

Have you ever ordered CD's from Rav Brody? Well, Just before Rosh Hashanah, I placed an order with him for the "Garden of Peace," some CD's for my brother serving in Iraq, and a couple for myself. The package came today, and when I opened it, amongst the CDs I actually ordered were several extras that Rabbi Brody threw in, but the one that almost made me laugh out loud (which would have woken the entire house) was [the one from the picture above]!

I could say things like, "Hashgacha Pratis", "He puts the cure before the illness", etc... but I'm just ear to ear smile speechless with, "Wow."

and it arrived in time for Yom Kippur no less! Baruch Hashem!

Best and Blessings,
"Ploni"/DisneyYid

-Dixie Yid

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Yom Kippur- To Transform and To Improve, We Must Believe - Audio Shiur

Reb Yerachmiel has come through with his Chaburah from this past Sunday at the Baltimore Community Kollel Tefillah Chaburah.

On Sunday night, the Baltimore Community Kollel received a shiur from Reb Yerachmiel in which they learned a maamar from Rav Shimshon Pincus zt"l which provides a very deep yet very practical mehalech for approaching, and excelling, during Aseres Yemay Teshuva, Yom Kippur and every day: Emunah; Faith and Belief. Emunah that we have already transformed and improved; Emunah that we can continue to transform and improve; and Emunah that such transformations and improvements are guided by HASHEM.

CLICK HERE to either listen to the shiur right now by left clicking or to download the shiur by right clicking and selecting "Save Target As."

-Dixie Yid

(Picture courtesy of a Texan Abroad)

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Rav Meir Goldwicht at Brooklyn College on Aseres Yemei Teshuvah

Rabbi Reuven Boshnack, who is the campus rabbi at Brooklyn College, recorded a shiur given by Rav Meir Goldwicht at Brooklyn College (In English) for Aseres Yemei Teshuva.

You can listen or download the shiur HERE. Thanks Rabbi Boshnack!

-Dixie Yid

(Picture courtesy of Camp Mesorah)

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Moshe & Rebbe Nachman - Remembering the Purpose of Life

In the 2nd piece in in the Mei Hashiloach in Parshas Vayelech, the Izbitzer comments on the pasuk in Devarim 31:2, "לֹא-אוּכַל עוֹד, לָצֵאת וְלָבוֹא," [where Moshe said about himself that he] can no longer go and come. He points out that Moshe is saying about himself, on his last day of life, that he had reached the highest level of perfection that he was capable of reaching in life and could therefore no longer ascend to any higher level. That is why he had to die at that time, since the whole point of life is to grow to higher levels in Deveikus with Hashem. He was no longer able to ascend, and so there was no longer any point in him living any more.

Along the same lines, Rav Nasson brings down that Rebbe Nachman said said the same thing about himself, in Sichos HaRan, Siman 179, quoted in the Likutei Halachos Chumash, on the above-quoted pasuk. He quoted Rebbe Nachman as saying about himself, "I want to take off my coat (my physical body) already because I cannot stand staying on only one level." He also brought down that Rebbe Nachman said that he had to die because he was already holding at a level above which he could not attain as long as he was still enclothed within a physical body. Therefore, he was longed, in a very strong way, to shed his body and ascend.

What we can gain from such lofty levels by these Tzadikim is the awareness, going into Yom Kippur, that our purpose in life is not just to enjoy life or just be be frum. It is to continue growing in avodas and Deveikus BaShem. Our lives have no purpose and are not worth living if they are not directed toward this purpose.

Today is the first day of the rest of my life. And, as Chazal say, "Na'utz techilas b'sofan v'sofan b'techilasan," ends and beginnings are intertwined. This means that, just as it says in Lecha Dodi, "Sof Ma'aseh b'machshava techila," the end result is always first in thought. One must begin his life (which one does every day, as the expression goes, "Today is the first day of the rest of your life") with the goal of life in mind the whole way through.

May we merit to remember that the purpose of life is to keep growing and not stay static in my and your relationship with Hashem and through remembering this, live lives which lead to that result!

-Dixie Yid

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Burning Pre-Shabbos Shuva Question & Answer on R' Leshem's Drasha

I wanted to post this reader's question and R' Leshem's Answer in response to R' Leshem's Drasha that I posted on Thursday, before Shabbos Shuva. I received this question (copied below) Friday morning, but by then it was too late for Rav Leshem to receive the question before Shabbos in Eretz Yisroel. So here is the question and Rav Leshem's answer below!

Dear Dixie Yid,

[Regarding Rabbi Tzvi Leshem's Drasha before Shabbos Shuva that I posted on Thursday] He wrote, "...We must aspire to reach perfect Teshuvah out of love for Hashem on this holy Day. This will ensure that each of us, together with everyone in our community and all of Am Yisrael will be sealed in the Book of Life for the coming year." Is it possible to make make perfect Teshuva, which might(should) involve sincere regret/remorse, and tears... on Shabbos? I don't doubt R' Leshems post for a second, but if there's time left to find out, I would love to know what kind of deep Teshuva we can make, and what it would look like on Shabbos, a day when we aren't allowed to openly grieve even (G-d forbid) the loss of a loved one (assuming one can hold in that place).

I realize that it's 2:30 AM by you, and that this might have come too late, but if you have any insight, I'd love to hear it. I can't claim to have performed the most perfect of avodah this past Rosh Hashana, and I've been praying for help that I can use the 10 days like I've never used them before. Rav Lazer Brody posted a "coincidentally" themed piece on Lazer Beams yesterday, and now I've found your post. I'll take these as roadsigns from the Abishter, but He's leaving the investigation to me. any light or help you can shed would be huge.

Best and blessings to you and yours for a sweet , holy, and lichtigeh Shabbos Shuva!

Sincerely, Ploni

Rabbi Leshem's Response

Dear (Ploni),

Regarding the Teshuva of Shabbos Shuva,
Obviously my phrase "perfect Teshuva" is more of an aspiration and a prayer than (perhaps) a reality. But it is something to strive for. What does teshuva look like on Shabbos when we can't mourn? Why should teshuva be compared to mourning, chalila? It is true that the Alter Rebbe in Iggeret HaTeshuva talks about arousing compassion for your soul, but I don't think that is mourning. The Meor Einayim writes that Teshuva is a mitzvah and must therefore be done in joy. I would think that Teshuva on Shabbat would be Teshuva Ilaa of getting close to HaShem, not the Teshuva of fixing specific sins. If we identify this with Teshuva m'Ahava, Rav Kook writes in Orot HaTeshuva that the remembrance of sins by a person doing Teshuva m'Ahava, should fill him with great joy, as he realizes that all of these sins are transformed into merits. In Keter Shem Tov it quotes the Besht haKadosh that Rosh HaShana (Yom HaDin!) is a happy day, which is why we bentch Shehechiyanu. He continues that the Ari's instructions to cry on Rosh HaShana refer to tears of joy.... I suggest that you also see the Netivot Shalom on Shabbat Shuva Shoresh HaTeshuva in vol. 2 (Moadim).

I hope that these are helpful hints. B'bracha that HaShem should bring us all closer to joyous perfect higher Teshuva m'Ahava, gmar chatima tova,
Rav Zvi Leshem

-Dixie Yid

(Picture courtesy of Rabbi Lazer Brody)

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Acquiring Favorable Judgment - For Shabbos Shuva

Acquiring a Favorable Judgment on Yom HaDin
By Rabbi Chaim Morgenstern
(Reprinted from the booklet with permission by the author.)

The Chofetz Chaim writes (Chovas Hashmira, Ch. 6 in f.n.) that we say in Avinu Malkeinu, “Se’som piyos mas’tineinu u’mekatregeinu”– seal the mouths of our adversaries and accusers. This can be accomplished by working on the mida of exercising restraint (ma’avir al midosov) and sealing our own mouths from causing unnecessary quarrels. By doing this, Hashem will then reciprocate – mida keneged mida – and seal the mouths of the prosecuting malachim.

Chazal write “Hama’avir al midosov, ma’avirim lo al kol p’sha’av – one who does not react negatively to another who has distressed him will have his aveiros overlooked (by bais din shel ma’ala – Rosh Hashona 17a, Rashi ad loc). This doesn’t mean that his aveiros are pardoned, but that the bais din will temporarily disregard them during the judgment. This is comparable to our judiciary system, in which a judge can postpone the trial, temporarily suspend the judgment or dismiss the case until a future date at his discretion. Bais Din Shel Ma’ala’s discretion is based on how much a person restrained himself when being hurt or wronged by another. (“Malchusa d’ara ke’ain malchusa de’rakia”– the earthly kingdom, referring to the judiciary system, is similar to the heavenly one (Brachos 58a).

During our numerous daily interactions with our family, neighbors, friends, shopkeepers, clerks, etc., we are sometimes irritated by:

• another person sharply criticizing or embarrassing us
• a child soiling our clothing
• our spouse not being on time or not doing an errand or task that we requested
• a careless passer-by inadvertently bumping into us or stepping on our shoes
• a family member disturbing our sleep
• a neighbor being late to return a borrowed item or returning it slightly damaged.

Even though the other person may be at fault, nevertheless, if one exercises restraint from getting angry and excited, i.e., he is ma’avir al midosov, then the Bais Din Shel Ma’ala will likewise refrain from examining his aveiros.

Chazal relate (Ibid.) that when Rav Huna took ill, he was visited by Rav Papa, who found him in a near death state (goses) and ordered tachrichim (shrouds) to be made. Rav Huna surprisingly recovered and told Rav Papa that even though it was decreed in heaven that he should die, nevertheless, it was revoked because he was a person who was ma’avir al midosov. Rav Chaim Shmuelevitz comments that this mida has the power to change even a death sentence that was already passed on a person!( Sichos Mussar- Shaarei Chaim #100, p. 422 )

The following story, told by Rav Yitzchok Zilberstien, illustrates this.
For months, Yanki had been preparing to read his bar mitzvah parsha. However, when his family came to shul on the Shabbos morning of his bar mitzva, they were surprised to see that there was another bar mitzva boy with his family who also prepared to read the parsha. It seems that the gabbai mistakenly scheduled two bar mitzvahs for the same Shabbos. Realizing that it was an impossibility to relocate one of the bar mitzvahs to another shul, the gabbai tried to negotiate with the families to see if one would be willing to forego their son’s Torah reading. However, both families adamantly refused to concede. Finally, Yanki’s parents consented that the other boy should read the Torah, and the davening proceeded.

A few years later, Yanki’s mother was rushed to the hospital on erev Shabbos with unusual chest pains accompanied by her family to stay with her over Shabbos. In the emergency room she was diagnosed with a complex heart condition that required complicated surgery. After hearing the diagnosis, the shocked family sought some advice as to how to proceed. Suddenly, in the middle of their discussion, an old rabbi was admitted to the emergency room, accompanied by a group of people. A few minutes later, the family found out that the rabbi was none other than the world-renowned posek, Rav Yosef Shalom Eliyashav. The rav was rushed to the hospital because he was also experiencing chest pains and, although the pains were diagnosed as nothing serious, the doctors preferred that he remain over Shabbos for observation.

When Yanki learned that Rav Eliyashav was to remain in the hospital over Shabbos, he realized that he found the perfect person to advise him about his mother. The only obstacle that remained was how to approach the Rav, who was surrounded by his family to ensure that he get as much rest as possible.

A brainstorm suddenly entered his mind. He went over to one of the family members and told him that if they need a baal korei, he was ready to read the sidra for them. He explained that this was the Shabbos of his bar mitzva, and that he still remembers the sidra quite well. The family immediately agreed, and Yanki reasoned that once he would be in the Rav’s minyan, he could quickly ask the shaila about his mother.

Following the davening, Rav Eliyashav went over to personally thank Yanki for the excellent job that he did reading the sidra. Yanki then seized the golden opportunity to ask about his mother. The Rav listened intently and advised him to proceed with the surgery, and added his blessings for a complete recovery.

The following week, Yanki’s mother had the operation and eventually made a complete recovery from her ailment.

Rav Zilberstien comments that it was no coincidence that Yanki’s mother “happened” to be hospitalized on the same Shabbos as Rav Eliyashav, that it also happened to occur on Yanki’s bar mitzvah parsha, and as a result, Yanki was able to get Rav Eliyashav’s advice and blessings, which eventually saved his mother’s life. Hashem was sending them a clear message: Because Yanki’s family was mevater (conceded) at his bar mitzvah, exercising the mida of maavir al midosav, Hashem was also maavir al midosav and gave his mother a new lease on life.

A similar story is told of a dispute that took place on the night of Rosh Hashana. Avraham was sitting in shul waiting for maariv to start, when Shimon tapped him on his shoulder and said, “Excuse me, but I believe that you’re sitting in my place.” When Avraham reached in his pocket and pulled out a card showing that he purchased the place that he was sitting, Shimon also showed him a card with the identical place printed on it. They both went to the gabbai to verify whose place it really was. When he took out the seating plan, the gabbai realized that he made a mistake of selling the same place to both people.

At first, the gabbai tried to negotiate by requesting that either Avraham or Shimon should relocate to another place. However, each of them refused to change, claiming that they had chosen that particular place because it was centrally located. The gabbai managed to find an alternate place, which was vacated that evening by someone who was davening elsewhere for maariv, and then told the two men that he hoped to find a better solution by the morning. Shimon was happy with the temporary arrangement, changed his seat, and the davening proceeded.

That night, Avraham had a dream in which he found himself on a desolate road. Not knowing what to do, he started walking down the road, when he saw a big black truck with a driver dressed in black heading in his direction. He stopped the truck and asked the driver if he could hitch a ride with him. The driver replied, “This truck is carrying your aveiros. I’m sure that you don’t want to go on it.” Puzzled, Avraham agreed and continued walking. Shortly afterwards, he saw another black truck passing by and motioned for it to stop. When the driver, who was also dressed in black, asked him what he wanted, Avraham replied, “A ride to the nearest town.” The driver likewise told him that this was a truck of his aveiros and proceeded without Avraham. The same incident repeated itself a few times, and Avraham was beginning to get a bit nervous about what was going on. Then, another vehicle approached, and this time it was a person dressed in white driving a small white motorcycle with a small box on the back. When Avraham asked the driver who he was and where he was going, the driver replied, “I’m taking all your mitzvos to the Bais Din. Would you like a ride?” Avraham now became more nervous and agreed to hop on the back seat.

They arrived in front of a large building with a sign “Beis Din Shel Ma’ala” written on it. Avraham saw the truck drivers unloading the boxes of aveiros from the trucks. When he entered the building, he saw the court angels putting the boxes of aveiros on one side of a huge balance scale. One box was labeled with the aveiros of "lashon hara," other boxes were labeled with "not properly concentrating when davening or saying brachos, eating food without a proper hechsher," etc. When the angels finished loading the scale, the aveira side was heavily weighed down to the floor. Avraham stood stupefied as realized that he was now being judged by the Beis Din Shel Ma’ala for the forthcoming year.

When the heavenly judge called for the mitzvos to enter the courtroom, the driver of the scooter entered carrying the small box of mitzvos and placed it on the other side of the scale. However, it was like a feather trying to tip a scale of boulders, and it seemed apparent that Avraham had no chance to receive a zakai verdict for the forthcoming year. The judge then announced “Is there anyone who could find any more mitzvos or merits?” There was silence as no more mitzvos were to be found to outweigh the aveiros. However, before the judgment was about to be passed, a final announcement was made as a last resort to try and get a zakai verdict. “Was Avraham ever ma’avir al midosov? And if he was, we will be able to overlook his aveiros and let him live another year.” Suddenly, Avraham started screaming “give him my seat, give him my seat!” At that point he awoke and found himself lying on his bed in a cold sweat. He then realized that his life was dependant on his seat, and when he came to shul for Shacharis, he went immediately over to the gabbai and told him, “Give Shimon my seat!”

-Dixie Yid

(Picture courtesy of equaljusticeassociates.com)

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Shabbos Shuva - Guest Posting From Mei Hashiloach by R' Zvi Leshem

PARSHAT VAYELECH: The Meaning of Hakhel
Rav Zvi Leshem

In Parshat Vayelech, we read about the mitzvah of Hakhel, in which, on the Sukkot after Shemittah [the Sabbatical year], all of Am Yisrael, men, women, and children, gather in the Temple, where the king reads portions of the Torah to the public. All of the people reaccept the covenant in a ceremony that some commentators describe as a reenactment of the giving of the Torah. If this is the case, why is Hakhel held on Sukkot? Surely Shavuot would have been more appropriate.

The Mai Hashiloach gives a fascinating answer. At the end of the Shemittah year, during which everyone has dedicated themselves to spiritual pursuits, there may be a natural tendency to jump on the tractor, get to work in the field and … forget what one learned during Shemittah. The Torah gives us the mitzvah of Hakhel, precisely when the demands of making a living may cause us to forget the spiritual lessons that took a year to learn. Hakhel reminds us that the work we are setting out to do must also be dedicated to heaven.

Similarly, says the Mai Hashiloach, we are accustomed to continue seudah shlishit [the third Shabbat meal] into the night after Shabbat ends, in case we rush immediately into our weekday activities and forget the spiritual lessons we internalized during Shabbat. For the same reason, the Psalm of the day on Sunday includes the words, "The earth and all of its fullness belong to Hashem." When we recite this psalm we are reminded that while we do make Havdalah and separate between Shabbat and the week, our weekdays must also be days of holiness. Rav Soloveitchik wrote in Al Hateshuvah that while there are plenty of Jews who are shomer Shabbos, there are not enough Jews that are shomer erev Shabbos!

This important message, of bringing the holiness of Shabbat into the week through seudah shlishit, and bringing the holiness of the Yamim Noraim into Sukkot, the Time of our Rejoicing, and the entire year through the mitzvah of Hakhel needs to be internalized, giving meaning to our daily lives.

SHABBAT SHUVAH: The First Act of Teshuvah
Rav Zvi Leshem

While we tend to think of Shabbat Shuvah as the Shabbat that happens to fall out during the Ten Days of Teshuvah, in fact the opposite is true. Based upon the Midrash in Bereishit Rabbah the Pri Tzaddik explains that Adam and Chava were created on Friday (Rosh Hashanah). On that very day they also violated the divine commandment not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge and were judged, the sentence being banishment from the Garden of Eden. Nonetheless, they were allowed to spend Shabbat in the Garden of Eden, and were only banished after Shabbat. Why? The Midrash continues that the moment Shabbat began, Adam first grasped the concept of Teshuvah and repented. Hashem knew that Adam would not dare to eat from the Tree of Life on Shabbat, for there is a halachic concept (Aimat HaShabbat) that people are afraid to do the wrong thing on Shabbat.

Every Shabbat has the power to help us do Teshuvah, and we know that even the two words Shabbat and Teshuvah are made up of the same letters. This is a major theme in the Netivot Shalom of the late Slonimer Rebbe.

Shabbat Shuvah, the first Shabbat in the year (i.e. the first of creation), has the greatest power, since on it the first act of Teshuvah in history was performed. Its influence is so great that it lights up the days before and after it, transforming them into the Ten Days of Teshuvah!

We must aspire to reach perfect Teshuvah out of love for Hashem on this holy Day. This will ensure that each of us, together with everyone in our community and all of Am Yisrael will be sealed in the Book of Life for the coming year.

(Picture courtesy of agiftforlaughter.com)

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Purim, Yom K'Purim & "Slach Lanu" - Audio Shiur

Here is this past Sunday's edition of Reb Yerachmiel's Baltimore Community Kollel Chaburah with Reb Yerachmiel.

They discussed the famous Zohar which teaches that Purim is even greater than Yom Ha'KiPurim, since Purim is not just a time for Teshuva, but is more specifically a time for Teshuva inspired by our love of Hashem and our yearning to grow ever-closer to Him. In connection therewith, we teiched-up the entire Sixth bracha of Shemoneh Esrei, "Slach La'Nu" in an effort to show how virtually every single word of this bracha is designed to be a spring-board not only to Teshuva, but to Teshuva May'Ahava!

You may listen to the shiur online HERE or download it HERE (to download, right click and select "Save Target As."

-Dixie Yid

(Picture courtesy of apod.nasa.gov, originally seen at avakesh)

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Which Way is Up? - Great Ma'aseh From the Alter of Slabodka

I wanted to share a great ma'aseh and teaching from my rebbe...

Two bachurim went to learn by the Alter from Slabodka. One learned very much and learned on a very high level. His friend also came to learn in Slabodka, but he learned less, and on a lower level than his friend.

Over time, the "good learner" noticed that his friend was getting more attention from the Alter of Slabodka than he was. This started to bother him, so finally one day he asked the Alter why his friend, who didn't learn as well or as much, got much more time with the Alter than he, himself, did.

The Alter answered him with a kasha on a halacha. He asked, "Why is it that Alos Hashachar," "first light," is considered to be halachically "day time," even though it is virtually completely dark outside, while Bein Hashemashos, when it is almost totally light outside, is considered "night time"?

He answered himself by saying that the status of a time of day is determined by which direction it is heading. Alos Hashachar is headed towards day, even if it totally dark outside, and therefore has the halachic status of "day." Whereas Bein Hashemashos is heading on the way to being night, and therefore, has the din of "night."

Similarly, a person who is on a growth track is considered greater than one who might be objectively greater, but is headed in the opposite direction. Since you're only here so that you can say that you're learning at Slabodka, and since your friend is here to grow in learning, even though he is learning less and at a lower level, my relationship to the two of you reflects that reality. (Slabodka was, as I understand it, a mussar yeshiva, and people came there with the understanding and expectation that they would receive personal mussar so that they could recognize their own faults and grow.)

This story makes me think of a couple of things. One is that I am impressed at how people in those days were made of stronger stuff than we are today. People today need to be coddled and handled with kid gloves lest their ego be bruised (I am no exception to this). I might have been devastated by such blunt criticism from a Rosh Yeshiva that I respected. I would think that a bachur like this one would be able to use the criticism as an impetus for growth, and not something which would debilitate him.

Another thought is the actual message of the ma'aseh, which is that it is more important where you are headed than where you are currently. This is reminiscent of another teaching I have heard from my rebbe before. Why is it that we say "Baruch Shem Kavod Malchuso L'olam Va'ed," outloud at the Maariv at the very beginning of Yom Kippur? At that time, we haven't even davened one Y"K Shemoneh Esreh yet and we are still full from our seuda hamafsekes! How can we be like malachim then? !Concomitantly, at the Maariv after Yom Kippur we cannot say "BShKML"V" out loud, even though we have already been fasting for over 24 hours and have had 5 tefillos for Y"K already? Isn't that a holier time than the maariv at the beginning of Y"K?

My rebbe answers that the difference is where the person is heading. Even though your stomach is full going into Y"K, since you're headed into a Y"K experience and gearing up for all of that growth, so you're at the level of melachim. Whereas, by the maariv after Y"K, you're headed towards a meal and possibly "life as usual." So it's all about what direction you're heading.

All of this also reminds me of a recent post called "Out of Sync" by Akiva from Mystical Paths, where he talks about some people's inability to distinguish between two people of a similar observance level (in the shidduch context), when one person is going up and the other is going down.

May Hashem help us to constantly be on the growth road and appreciate others who are growing regardless of their current level.

-Dixie Yid

(Picture of the Alter of Slabodka from EilatGordonLevitan.com)

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Transition from Yom Kippur to the Rest of the Year - Audio

Reb Yerachmiel Goldman, a heiligeh commerical real estate attorney in Baltimore, leads about 20 other holy Jews in Baltimore, MD in a weekly chaburah, learning the seforim of Rav Shimshon Dovid Pincus. Click below to listen to the embeded audio of Sunday's (9/23/07) chaburah. It is the perfect segue between Yom Kippur and Sukkos, as well as helping us take our heights from Yom Kippur into the rest of the year. He starts off going over Rav Pincus' classic approach to these "Yomim Habaintayim" (days between Yom Kippur and Succos) and then transitions into some aitzos and chiddushim regarding how to maintain our momentum all year long. It's a must-listen.

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If you would like, you can download a 15 megabyte wav file to take with you in your mp3 player of the same chaburah. Just click here. Tizku l'mitzvos!

(Picture courtesy of Chabad at ASU)

Bilvavi Video Shiur for Yom Kippur

Click here to view a shiur given by Rav Itamar Shwartz, Shlita, author of the seforim Bilvavi Mishkan Evneh at the Shorashim Center in Tel Aviv. In this shiur, he teaches the difference between the the spiritual work of the Jewish people relative to the spiritual work of Eino-Yehudim.

Thanks to the folks at Bilvavi.net for letting me know about this shiur.

Gmar chasiama tova!

-Dixie Yid