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Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur
Rabbi Yochanan Ben Zakkai said concerning a king, "Should he fine me, his penalty is not eternal" for I would be able to earn more money. "Should he imprison me, his imprisonment is not eternal" for he might die and his successor will release me. "Should he kill me, my death is not eternal for he can only affect my body, but my soul returns to G-d." Yet despite this, how great is the fear a person has of law and authority in this world. How much more so should one fear the judgment of the King of Kings, whose verdict is eternal.
Yom Kippur is a day designed to bring Jews closer to G-d and encourages return to him through the process of Teshuvah. Though the Yom Kippur service was, during the times of the Temple, focused around the Kohen Gadol, today each individual focuses on himself and his personal Avodah, service to G-d.
Known as a day of prayer, Yom Kippur does have numerous prayers associated with it. Most revolve around the central theme of repentance and return. Apparently, Jews everywhere find a connection to Judaism through Yom Kippur. Indeed, Yom Kippur brings more Jews to shul than any other holiday.
The laws for Yom Kippur include all of the work restrictions found on Shabbos. In addition, there are 5 ennuim, afflictions, which a person is also not allowed to do on Yom Kippur. These are eating or drinking, washing one’s body, anointing one’s body, wearing leather shoes and marital relations.
The most famous restriction of Yom Kippur is, of course, fasting. The intention of fasting is not to torture ourselves or to punish ourselves for the sins we have done. Rather, fasting help us to transcend our physical natures. Praying without concern for food allows us to completely focus on the prayers.
All have the purpose of focusing a person on the task at hand for Yom Kippur. The Kuzari, Rabbi Yehuda HaLevi, points out that, "the fast of the pious man is such that eye, ear and tongue share in it, that he regards nothing except that which brings him near to G-d.
"For through this day, He will atone for you, to cleanse you; from all your sins before Hashem you will be cleansed." (Vayikra 16:30) May we all emerge from Yom Kippur with a Teshuvah Gamura, complete repentance and merit a year filled with happiness, health and Yirat Shamayim, fear of Heaven.
CUSTOMS OF EREV YOM KIPPUR
The day before Yom Kippur is considered to be a quasi-festival day.
Traditionally, "all who eat on the ninth are considered to have fasted on the ninth AND the tenth." It is thus a mitzvah to eat and drink Erev Yom Kippur. This both gives us strength for the fast and substitutes for the usual Yom Tov meals, which cannot be eaten on Yom Kippur because of the fast.
It is customary to give increased charity on Erev Yom Kippur as charity helps to repeal any evil decrees. (See the Kaparot section below).
Sins committed against another person cannot be atoned for until one has first sought forgiveness from the person he/she has wronged. Even the great day of Yom Kippur or death cannot atone for sins against fellow man.
Thus - it is customary to go visit (or at least call) friends, family, associates and any person whom one may have somehow wronged or spoken ill of in the past year and ask forgiveness.
For example, any stolen objects must be returned to their rightful owners. Any person you have spoken Loshen Hara, evil gossip, about, should be asked for their forgiveness.
It is a mitzvah to immerse oneself in a mikvah (ritual bath) on Erev Yom Kippur. This symbolizes a person’s rebirth associated with the doing of Teshuvah, return. Men have this custom universally, and women have different customs concerning mikvah Erev Yom Kippur.
Kaparot - An ancient and mystical custom designed to imbue people with a feeling that their very lives are at stake as the holy Yom Kippur approaches.
The kaparot ceremony symbolizes our sins crying out for atonement, and as a reminder that our good deeds, charity and repentance can save us from the penalty our many sins deserve.
In its original form, a chicken (a white rooster for a male, hen for a female) was taken and waved over one’s head while reciting prescribed verses which can be found in the Yom Kippur machzor (special prayer book). It was customary to then redeem the kaparot for money, which was given to charity.
Today though, most communities prefer to place the chosen sum of money in a white cloth napkin and give it to charity following the ceremony.
Viduy, confession, is recited at mincha, the afternoon service, during the silent Amidah. In case a person should choke and die during his pre-Yom Kippur meal, he will have least said one viduy.
It is customary to wear white on Yom Kippur. This is symbolic of the angels and of spiritual purity. Many married men wear a kitel, which is also worn upon burial (and by many men at their wedding) as a reminder of the day of death and repentance.
Though not usually worn at night - the talit (prayer shawl) is worn for Kol Nidre, is kept on for the entire evening service, and is left unfolded at the synagogue to be adorned again the next morning.
The Prayers of Yom Kippur
Kol Nidre
On the eve of Yom Kippur while there is still daylight, Jews congregate all across the globe wearing white. They don their tallitot (prayer shawls) and Kol Nidre is chanted with a sense of emotional anticipation and a centuries-old feverishly moving melody.
Dating back until at least the ninth century, Kol Nidre, at first glance, seems to have nothing at all to do with Yom Kippur. Indeed, it appears to attempt to release one from keeping his oaths and vows. Many commentators address this issue and their main approach seems to be that Kol Nidre, in actuality, emphasizes the importance of keeping one’s word and reaffirms our belief of honoring our commitments. How appropiate, as we enter a day when we will be saying over and over how we plan to change and do teshuvah.
Over the years various versions of Kol Nidre have been adopted in various places. Indeed, the version found in most siddurim actually contain parts of each version. This stems from a machlokes (halachic dispute) over whether Kol Nidre is to annul vows from the past year (Babylonian traditional) or to declare annulled all vows of the coming year (European tradition, tosofot).
The Shema
During the Shema on Yom Kippur, the second line, Baruch Shem Kavod Malchuto LeOlam V’aed, "Blessed is the Name of His Glorious Kingdom for all eternity" is read aloud. Moshe originally heard this line from the angels when he was on Mount Sinai receiving the Torah from G-d. Though normally said quietly, on Yom Kippur it is said out loud. Normally, we dare not utter angelic phrases loudly, but on Yom Kippur, it is as if we are spiritually raised to the level of angels and we say the verse out loud.
Avinu Malkinu
The Gemorrah in Taanis tells the story of when there was a very bad drought in Eretz Yisrael , the land of Israel. Public fasts were proclaimed and special prayers were said. The great Torah Scholar Rabbi Eliezer was called upon to lead the prayers with the saying of the 24 blessing Amidah, which is said at times of severe drought. Yet, no rain fell. His disciple, Rabbi Akiva came to the front and said a special prayer in which each verse began with the words, Avinu Malkenu, Our Father, Our King. Rain fell. The prayer became a regular part of the prayer services during a time of fasting or tragedy. Today, it is said fast days and during the ten days of repentance. On Yom Kippur, during Neilah, the word ketiva, inscribed is replaced by chatima, sealed, because in the Neilah prayer G-d seals our fate for the coming year.
Viduy
Confession, is an essential part of repentance. Repentance cannot be just a fleeting thought like other thoughts that come and go in a person’s mind. By confessing one’s sins out loud, it becomes something much more real. A person must come to the complete understanding that the sins he committed are wrong and cannot be rationalized away.
The two forms of confession, Al cheit and Ashamnu, alphabetically list all types of sins. The Al cheit, prayer lists many sins or categories of sins that are commonly committed. Sins are expressed in the plural not only to save individuals from embarrassment but so that the congregation as a whole might attain true atonement. One cannot confess only for oneself, rather one has to beg forgiveness for all Jews who sin. As the Rav Issac Luria, 16th Century Kabbalist, wrote that confession is written in the plural, "We have sinned‘ because all Israel is considered like one body and every person is a limb of that body. So we confess to all the sins of all the parts of our body.
If you read the Al cheit carefully, you will see that the list of sins is not a list of the Mitzvot. Rather, it is a list of categories of sins that are the most common. Many relate to our misuse of speech and having the wrong type of thoughts or attitude. Some have to do with more concrete mitzvot like shabbat or Kashrut. All relate to us in way or another. Of course, one should not feel limited to confess only the list of sins printed in the siddur, one should mention viduy any specific sins which he or she may have committed. It is customary to gently beat one’s chest during the viduy, as if to say that your heart may have led you astray in the past but hopefully, this will not happen in the future.
Neilah
A Jew prays three times a day on weekdays. On Shabbat and Holidays, including Rosh HaShanah a fourth service is added (Mussaf) in memory of the additional sacrifices given on these days in the Temple in Jerusalem.
On Yom Kippur, yet a fifth service (the only day of the year with 5) is added. The extra service unique to Yom Kippur is called Neilah.
Neilah is said after Mincha as the sun is going down and literally means closing (or locking) and refers to either the closing of the gates of the Holy Temple at the end of the day or it refers to the closing of the gates of prayer as Yom Kippur is ending .
The Neilah service contains stirring pleas that our prayers be accepted by G-d before Yom Kippur ends. The heavenly judgment inscribed on Rosh Hashanah is now sealed during Neilah. The chazan chants the service in a special melody designed to stir the emotions and bring the congregation to greater devotion.
There are a number of customs that have become well accepted in connection with Neilah. Usually the Rabbi or Rosh Yeshiva (head of Jewish studies school) or the Village Elder will speak before the Neilah service to inspire the congregants to pray more fervently. In many congregations he will himself lead the service instead of the cantor - again - expressing the hightened sence of urgency.
The Aron HaKodesh (Holy Ark that contains the congregation's Torah scrolls) is kept open for the entire service. Those able to stand up for the entire time, do so.
Selichot (prayers of repentance) are recited and Avinu Malkenu (Our Father Our King) is said even when Yom Kippur falls out on Shabbat.
Following Neilah, the shofar is sounded with one great and mighty long blast and the services conclude with the exclamations of Shema Yisrael - Hear Oh Israel and Next Year In Jerusalem - LeShana Haba BiYerushalayim...
The High Priest’s Temple Service
"And the Kohanim and the people standing in the Courtyard – when they would hear the glorious, awesome Name, the Ineffable one, emanating from the Kohen Gadol’s mouth, in holiness and purity, they would kneel and prostrate themselves, give thanks and say, ‘Blessed is the Name of His glorious kingdom for all eternity.’"
In the middle of the Mussaf service, we recite the Kohen Gadol’s Seder Avodah, order of service. This recalls in a somewhat detailed fashion, the service as performed by the Kohen Gadol in the Holy Temple during the day of Yom Kippur. The Kohen Gadol’s service was both physically and mentally exhausting as it required both physical dexterity (while fasting and having no sleep) and total mental concentration.
The eyes of all Israel were raised towards the Kohen Gadol’s order of service, which began toward the break of dawn. On his success, the atonement of all Israel was dependent. When the Kohen Gadol’s service was performed properly, Israel’s total forgiveness was made manifest for all eyes to see. The Kohen Gadol tied a cord of red painted wool between the horns of the scapegoat. Another such cord had been tied by him around the neck of the goat reserved for the sin-offering, so that it might not be commingled with the other goats held for the remaining offering of the day. The cord used for the scapegoat was later divided in two. One remaining between the scapegoat’s horns, and the other half hung upon the opening of the hallway leading to the Sanctuary, so that all might see it.
In years when the avodah was accepted by G-d and atonement was granted Israel, both parts of the cord turned white like snow, in accord with the verse, "If your sins should be like red thread, they will turn like snow. (Isaiah Chapter 1) Thereupon all eyes saw G-d’s forgiveness and the hearts of the people rejoiced.
Today, 3 times during the Seder Avodah we prostrate ourselves on the ground as they did in the days of the temple. (By the way, the paper towels given out are not to keep your knees from getting dirty, but rather involve a halachic issue of keeping a separation between you and the ground.) We try to relive and experience, as much as possible, the feelings of inspiration and closeness to G-d that existed in Temple.
On the holiest day of the year, in the holiest place on earth, the holiest man on the planet, uttered the holiest word in the Universe….. Such was the task of the Kohen Gadol on Yom Kippur.
May we all see the rebuilding of Jerusalem today, here in our times.
Torah Readings On Yom Kippur
On the morning of Yom Kippur, two Torah Scrolls are removed from the Aron HaKodesh (Holy Ark).
The Torah Reading is from Vayikrah (Leviticus) Chapter 16, verse 1-34. This portion discusses the instructions to Moshe and Aharon concerning the procedure for the priestly service on Yom Kippur, which would enable them to achieve atonement for Israel. The portion then details the laws of Yom Kippur. There are six aliyahs (a number used only on Yom Kippur) and a Maftir. When Yom Kippur falls out on Shabbos, there are 7.
The Maftir is read from a second Torah Scroll and is from BaMidbar (Numbers) Chapter 29, verse 7-11. The maftir relates the Sacrificial Service for Yom Kippur.
Following the Maftir, the Haftorah is read. The Haftorah is from Yeshayahu (Isaiah) Chapter 57: verse 14 until Chapter 58, verse 14. Isaiah urges the Jewish People to return to Hashem through good deeds, kindness and sincere Teshuvah.
In the afternoon, during Mincha, one Torah Scroll is removed from the Aron HaKodesh.
The Torah reading is from Vayikrah (Leviticus) Chapter 18, verse 1-30. The portion deals with forbidden sexual relationships. Though the exact reason for reading this section now is not entirely clear, here are some possible reasons. 1) They are read now because everyone is in shul. 2) It is as if to say, "Though right now you are on a lofty spiritual level on Yom Kippur, don’t think you cannot drop down in a second to the worst abominations. 3) The cornerstone of morality is self-control over animal sensuality (Hirsch)
Following the three aliyahs, the Haftorah is read. The Haftorah is the book of Yona (Jonah). Though everyone knows that a large fish swallowed Yona, the message of Yona is actually a timeless lesson in the power of Teshuva and G-d’s desire to help man rather than punish him.
The Shofar of Elul and the Days of Awe
We did not blow the Shofar on the last day of Elul, the morning before Rosh HaShanah, in order to "confuse the Satan." Perhaps this means that the Satan would think that "they’re finished blowing, and have nothing left for the Day of Judgment." But we say "Ashrei HaAm Yod’ei Teruah!" "Fortunate is the People who understand the power of the Shofar!"
We can differentiate between the Shofar of Elul, which is primarily a wake-up call, "Wake up, you sleepers, from your sleeping, and those of you who are in deep slumber, arouse yourselves from your slumber. And Return to Hashem!" By the end of Elul, we are, hopefully, fully awake and ready, or at least aware, of the "Fear and Trembling" required by Rosh HaShanah.
The basic combination of sounds produced by the Shofar both during Elul and on Rosh HaShanah is "Tekiah-Teruah-Tekiah." The "Tekiah" is a straight sound, a sound of attention, a call to gather. It's possible that the most important sound in Elul is the "Tekiah," the call to attention. Whereas, the central sound bearing the Rosh HaShanah-specific content is the "Kesseh," the Hidden One, the sound concealed within two "Tekiot;" namely, the "Teruah."
Unfortunately, the meaning of the "Teruah" is unclear. The Talmud considers three possibilities for its meaning: the 1) "Shevarim," 2) the sound which we call the "Teruah," and 3) the sound which we call the "Shevarim-Teruah."
The Broken Sound
The "Shevarim" is, as its root, "shin-bet-resh," "to break," implies, a sound of brokenness. It is a sigh, a sound of despair. The despair is over the distance felt from Hashem, caused by our sins. A possible reason that the sigh has to be within the two "Tekiot" is that a sigh is considered destructive; it can break the body. It emanates from the heart and crushes the heart. Without the uplift of the "Tekiot," the effect would be to leave us in a state of depression.
The Wailing Sound and the Sighing-and-Wailing
An alternative for the meaning of the "Teruah" is the sound [which we, confusingly, call the "Teruah"] of wailing. It is the undulating sound produced by mourners, especially women, at funerals in the Middle East. This too is a sound of despair, perhaps beyond despair, when all hope is lost. This too cannot be our final statement. Again, a lift out of that mournful attitude is required, and that lift is provided by the "Tekiot." The third possibility is a sigh-and-a-wail, which we call the "Shevarim-Teruah," again enclosed within two "Tekiot," with their unique restorative powers.
Three "Additional" Rosh Hashanah Prayers
The Mussaf of Rosh HaShanah contains three remarkable "Tefilot," or Prayers: "Malchiyot," "Kingliness," "Zichronot," "Remembrances," and "Shofarot," "Calls of the Shofar."
In "Zichronot," we asked Hashem to remember, in our behalf, that ultimate act of self-sacrifice, performed by Avraham when he brought Yitzchak to the "Akeidah." We asked Hashem to suppress his legitimate anger against us as Avraham, ready to sacrifice his son, suppressed his natural fatherly mercy. How he raised the knife until Hashem intervened at the last moment, and accepted the mysterious ram which, according to Pirkei Avot, was created on the first Shabbat Eve. And then we blew the ram’s horn.
In "Shofarot," we were brought again to Mt. Sinai, to that awesome event when Hashem gave us the Torah, amid thunder and lightning, and the rising sound of the Shofar. When "You were revealed in Your cloud of glory to Your holy People to speak with them."
And it is described there how the Manifestation of the Divine Presence, the Arrival of the Holy King, is heralded with eight Temple instruments, beginning with the "Tekiah"-call of the Shofar: "Praise Him with the blast of the Shofar; praise Him with lyre and harp. Praise Him with drum and dance; praise Him with organ and flute. Praise Him with clanging cymbals; praise Him with resonant trumpets. Let all souls praise G-d, Halleluyah!" ("Tehilim"/Psalms 150)
The motto of Rosh HaShanah, the Day of Judgment, was declared: "Blow the Shofar at the time of the New Moon; when the moon is hidden, to announce a joyful day for us, for it is a decree made known to Israel; a Day of Judgment for the G-d of Jacob." There is a Law and there is a Judge! There is an infinitely moral basis for life: G-d’s Law for Man, the Torah. We fear, and we tremble, but we rejoice!
We prayed, "Our G-d and the G-d of our fathers, sound the great Shofar for our freedom,..Bring us to Zion, Your City, in glad song, and to Yerushalayim, home of Your Temple, in eternal joy."
The End of Neilah
And, at the end of Neilah, with the closing of the Gates of Prayer as Yom Kippur draws to a close, the Service rises to a crescendo:
We declare in unison, "Hear O Israel, the L-rd is our G-d; the L-rd is One!"
Then three times, "Blessed is the Name of His Glorious Kingdom for all Eternity!"
And finally, seven times, "The L-rd is G-d!"
We acknowledge the departure of the "Shekhina," the Divine Presence, with a "Tekiah Gedolah!" a Great "Tekiah," a long straight blast of the Shofar. At this time, there is no room for sighing or wailing. We have hopefully been forgiven, and our sins have been atoned for. We look forward to our Redemption; May it come in the blink of an eye!
Yom Kippur Stories
An Interesting Halachic Ruling
One Yom Kippur, the gabbai (synagogue beadle) told Rabbi Chaim Sandzer that a certain congregant, wealthy and miserly, had fainted from the fast and needed some water.
Rabbi Sandzer said that he could have only spoonful of water.
A few minutes later, the gabbai returned, saying the water had helped but that the congregant had fainted again. The congregant said he needed a little more water.
The Rabbi responded that he could have as much water as he liked but that he would have to give 100 dollars to charity for each spoonful of water. Though the gabbai was surprised at this ruling, the Rabbi insisted. When the revived congregant heard the Rabbi’s new ruling, he suddenly was no longer thirsty and continued davening without the need of more water.
Who’s Hitting Who?
The Chofetz Chaim, Rabbi Israel Meir HaCohen, was expounding the customs of Yom Kippur. Referring to the practice of beating one’s heart when reciting the confession of sins, he explained: G-d does not forgive those who smite their heart but he pardons those whose heart smites them for the sins they committed.
Last Minute Redemption
On the eve of Yom Kippur, Rabbi Chaim Soloveitchik of Brisk was told that a wealthy congregant had gone bankrupt and was being held in the debtors’ prison until he would pay five thousand rubles.
That evening when the Kol Nidre was to be said, Rabbi Soloveitchik addressed the congregation. "Jews, compassionate children of compassionate parents, I have decided that Kol Nidre will not be said until our more affluent congregants will pledge to provide five thousand rubles so we can liberate our bankrupt fellow congregant from prison right after Yom Kippur. Only after the five thousand rubles were collected did Rabbi Soloveitchik permit the saying of Kol Nidre.
Kol Nidrei Night
Recently I heard a remarkable story. During the Second World War, a German soldier was mortally wounded in battle, and as he fell, a priest rushed up to administer the last rites. With his remaining strength, the soldier pushed the priest's cross away, and said: "Ich bin ein Jude!" ["I am a Jew!"] The priest replied: "Sorgen sich nicht, ich bin auch ein Jude!" ["Don't worry, I'm also a Jew!"]
It is remarkable how every Yom Kippur all over the world, thousands upon thousands of people who otherwise never come near a synagogue, come to the Kol Nidre service.
It is known that the Kol Nidre prayer gained in significance during the persecution of Jews in Spain at the time of the Inquisition. People who had been forced to convert, the Marranos, behaved outwardly like their neighbors, but inwardly they remained Jews. Once a year they used this prayer to renounce the oaths they had been forced to make forswearing their own religion in favor of Christianity. Deep down, in their innermost souls, they remained Jewish. The Kol Nidre was a proclamation that their vows, all their external behavior,was not really them. This prayer helped them cleanse themselves of their outer garments and reach their inner souls.
Today in America, although there are no such persecutions, there are still Marranos. We are not under pressure by the church, but simply by the environment in which we live. Our inner souls are cloaked with external garments which are just not ours. We walk, act, and talk in ways incongruous to our Judaism. Then there are the inverted Marranos whose outer appearance is that of a Tzaddik, but who are lacking inside; missing the spirit and ethics of being Jewish. All of us together need Kol Nidre; we need to get it together.
Rabbi Dessler in "Michtav Me-Eliyohu" writes that there is one part of our soul that burns like a tiny flame. That flame has the capacity to survive. No matter how hard its carrier might try to extinguish the flame, it will continue to burn.
This is what Yom Kippur and repentance are about, removing the outer garments and letting the light shine out.
Breaking Heavenly Barriers
An interesting person in Jewish history was King Menashe -- interesting, that is, in a negative sense. He was the son of King Chizkiahu, and one of his early acts was to kill his grandfather, the prophet Isaiah [see the drosha on Shabbos Shuva for some background]. This set the tone for his future actions, which included desecrating the Temple by extinguishing a flame which had been lit there by King Solomon. He also became involved in various pagan cults, and built a monstrous idol which he brought into the Temple.
In his old age, according to a midrash, he started feeling aches and pains, and in an effort to cure these, sought about for a form of worship which might help him. He went through all the pagan cults he knew, and then suddenly remembered a passage from the parsha Nitzavim which his father Chizkiahu had read to him as a child: "When all these things befall you -- the blessing and the curse that I have set before you -- and you take them to heart amidst the various nations to which the L-rd your G-d has banished you, and you return to the L-rd your G-d . . . then the L-rd your G-d will . . . take you back in love" (Deut. 30:1-3, trans. JPS).
"Well," he thought, "the Jewish faith is worth a shot. I'll see if it helps my pains, and, if not, I'll know it's no better than all these pagan cults I've been dabbling in."
So thinking, he engaged in prayer to G-d. The angels in Heaven were furious at this attempt at teshuva by such a wicked man, and closed all the windows to Heaven, so that Menashe's prayer could not enter.
G-d pleaded with the angels, but they refused to open the windows, and so G-d (allowing the angels to have their way) took a saw, and sawed out a hole beneath the Heavenly Throne, so that Menashe's prayer could enter Heaven (Talmud Yerushalmi).
We might have thought, with the angels, that such teshuva was not worth much. Leaving aside Menashe's wickedness up to then, there is the provisional nature of this teshuva: if it cured his headache, fine, he'd stay with it, otherwise he'd go beck to his idol worship. Hardly what we would call whole-hearted penitence! And yet it was enough for G-d to saw out a hole to receive Menashe's prayer!
The best kind of teshuva is, of course, the whole-hearted kind. But it seems, from this midrash, that that is not the only kind.
There is a Gemara in Kiddushin about provisional marriage declarations. If a man declares to a woman under the chupa: "Behold, you are married to me provided I give you $1000", and he does not give her $1000, then the marriage is void. But if he says: "Behold, you are married to me provided I am a complete tzaddik at this moment", then the marriage is valid, even if the man is completely wicked! How is this possible? The man might have done something really bad one minute before making this declaration, and do something else really bad one minute afterwards, but the possibility exists that at the moment of making the declaration he has just done teshuva, and is, at least at that moment, a complete tzaddik!
Now this cannot be a complete teshuva, since, for example, according to the laws of teshuva, a baal teshuva must ask forgiveness from every person he has ever wronged, and make financial and other amends to such a person. He must also recite an oral confession, which this man obviously has not done. Nevertheless such a provisional teshuva, which was the kind that Menashe made, may be enough to convert someone into a complete tzaddik, at least temporarily.
There is a lesson here for us all. Many of us are afraid to make a commitment to a permanent change in lifestyle. Permanent is a very big word. Perhaps we would do better to make a less permanent commitment, yet a very real one.
R' Yisroel Salanter, founder of the modern Mussar movement, was once told by a yeshiva student that he planned to learn the whole Shas (all the tractates of the Gemara) in three years. That is an ambitious project: 4000 pages! There are only a handful of people in the world who know the whole Shas. One can spend one's whole life learning just one of these 4000 pages, and still not understand it! R' Yisroel said to this student: "Plan to learn just one page, and then, when you've completed that, plan on another page, and so on. You'll go much further that way."
The point is that the further one goes in Torah observance, the greater becomes one's yetzer hora (evil inclination) -- so as to maintain a balance. So a year's worth of commitment brings with it a year's worth of yetzer hora. Just one day's worth of commitment at a time will bring with it just one day's worth of yetzer hora. So we should decide: "Today I'll do (or won't do) such-and-such. Tomorrow is tomorrow."
There is a lesson for us in Menashe's teshuva. Don't worry about the weeks and months to come, and whether you'll be able to stick to your high ideals in the year ahead. The Siddur knows we cannot! Three minutes after the end of the Yom Kippur service, we are once again davening the Shmone Esre of Maariv, which includes the prayer for repentence, before we have even had a chance to do a really big sin since the end of Yom Kippur!
Today, on Yom Kippur, let us all stand tall as people and as Jews, and decide at least to make the attempt at teshuva, one step at a time, one day at a time.
Rav Avi Weiss on Yom Kippur ‘58
Yom Kippur is a serious day. It can be argued that a spirit of joy should also prevail. An understanding of teshuvah (repentance) explains why.
On a behavioral level, Maimonides writes that teshuvah involves "returning" to a situation in which one had previously failed, and not making the same mistake again. (Laws of Repentance, 2:1) No wonder we feel joy on Yom Kippur. The joy of being given a second chance.
A chassid once asked his rebbe, "why pray on Yom Kippur, after all we'll inevitably sin again?" "Look out the window," the rebbe said--"what do you see?" "A child standing and falling as he tries to learn how to walk," answered the chassid. Day after day the chassid returned to witness the same scene. At the week's end the child stood without falling. "So with us," said the rebbe, "we may fall again and again, but in the end, God gives us the opportunity we need to succeed."
The mystics understand teshuvah differently. For them, teshuvah means "returning" to being righteous. But suppose one has never been righteous, what does one return to then? Says the Sfat Emet, the soul of every person is fundamentally pure. Teshuvah means to return to the inner kernel of goodness we all posses. And so, we celebrate on Yom Kippur the opportunity to discover our true selves.
A Midrash: After Elisha ben Avuya left his faith he became known as Acher, which means stranger--as if his soul had been overtaken by an intruder. Rav Meir begged him to repent. Elisha replied, "I heard a heavenly voice proclaim, 'return, return, all can return except Acher.' There is no hope." Rav Ahron Soloveichik the contemporary Torah scholar commented, the voice was right, Acher, the intruding stranger cannot repent, but Elisha ben Avuya can return.
A third approach. Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel understands teshuvah to mean "answer." Teshuvah is a dialogue. On Yom Kippur we stand before a loving God who asks the questions, we offer the answers. A God of love seeks us out. As much as we are in search of Him, He is in search of us. Another reason for joy on Yom Kippur.
A chassidic legend. A young girl came crying to the Baal Shem Tov."Why do you cry? " asked the rebbe. "I was playing hide and seek," she said, "but no one came looking for me." "So too is it with God," reflected the Baal Shem Tov. "He too is crying. For as much as He is looking for us, we rarely look for Him."
It was left for Rav Kook to relate teshuvah to Israel. Teshuvah, he suggested, ought be understood eschatologically. It quite literally means, "go home," to our homeland--to establish a land that is different from others. A land that is a light to the nations; a land that marks the dawn of redemption; a land at peace. On this Yom Kippur let it be, let it be.
Rav Shlomo Riskin on Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is the great white fast of the Jewish Year. And since there are also additional prohibitions on that day - no sexual relations, no anointing the body with oils, no bathing and no wearing of leather shoes-- one might assume that Yom Kippur is basically a day of awe and anxiety, of despair and dread - certainly not a day of joy and celebration.
However, the last Mishna of the Tractate Ta'anit declares that "there were no more joyous days for Israel than Yom Kippur and the Fifteenth Day of Av." Furthermore, Yom Kippur, like all the other festivals of the Jewish calendar, has the power to cut short and even entirely cancel the mourning period of a mourner. In the words of the Talmud: " The rejoicing of the nation [since the Bible enjoins all of Israel "to rejoice on the Festival"] pushes aside the mourning of the individual [B.T. Moed Katan, third chapter]. And the fact that Yom Kippur is included together with all the usual festivals which cancel mourning is further affirmation that the deprivations of Yom Kippur are only skin-deep - and that somehow Yom Kippur must be seen as a day of joy.
Moreover, the Sabbath can never "play host" to a day of national sadness. Hence, if Tisha B'Av (the Ninth Day of Av, memorial of the destruction of both Temples and a day marked by the exact same prohibitions as Yom Kippur) calendrically falls out on the Sabbath, the observance of the fast and other restrictions are delayed to the following day. However, as this year testifies, Yom Kippur can and does fall out on Shabbat - and the Day of Atonement is not seen by our Sages as being antithetical in any way to the usual Sabbath joy and celebration !
What we've been saying up to now certainly sounds plausible, except for the simple fact that the Torah's references to Yom Kippur usually appear in a much darker light: "It [Yom Kippur] shall be unto you a sabbath of solemn rest, and you shall afflict [v'initem] your souls..." [Lev. 23:32] We find the same word, 'v'initem' used in Bamidbar: "And on the tenth day of this seventh month you shall have a holy convocation, and you shall afflict [v'initem] your souls..." [Num. 29:7]
How are we to reconcile these two dimensions of Yom Kippur? On the one hand, it's clear that Yom Kippur is a day of celebration and joy - after all, the Torah teaches that "this day shall atonement be made for you to cleanse you from all your sins (Lev. 16:30)" - but the notion of "afflicting the soul" is hardly compatible with a festival.
To explore this issue, we should first take a closer look at the word 'v'initem'--usually translated as "you shall afflict". In fact, the three letter root is anah (ayin, nun, heh) has two distinct meanings, virtually the opposite of each other. Early in Exodus, we read how the Egyptian taskmasters afflicted (same root) the Israelites [Ex. 1:11-12], and indeed the Hebrew word 'oni' means poverty.
However, several Biblical verses earlier in Parashat Ki Tavo, the same root word has nothing at all to do with affliction. We read about the commandment to bring the first fruits: "And you shall sing out [v'anitah] and say before the Lord your G d..." [Deut. 26:5] which our Sages interpret means to chant with a tune of cantillation. And it is apparently on this basis that our Sages differ as to the translation - and therefore the major characteristic - of the Passover matzah, Biblically referred to as lehem oni: there are those who take the words "bread of affliction", and there are others who insist that it is the "bread over which many words are sung".
A striking Biblical passage remarkably points out these two contradictory meaning for the Hebrew root ani. When Moses is returning to the Israeli encampment after having received the Torah from G-d, he is walking together with his faithful disciple Joshua - who has waited for him beneath the stars during the entire forty -day period. And although G-d had apparently informed Moses of the Israelite transgression with the golden calf - "Go get down, because your nation is corrupted (Ex 32:7) " - Joshua seems to be unaware of the egregious transgression which transpired.
The Torah records how "... Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted." [ibid. 17]" with b'reioh the word the Torah uses to describe the noise that Joshua hears, being a kind of broken staccato (truah) sound, perhaps reminiscent of the ululating sound of Sephardi women, used both at weddings as well as at funerals. Then comes a rather cryptic verse, based upon the contradictory verb we have been discussing, ani. "It is not the sound of them that respond (anot) in victory, neither is it the sound of them that respond (anot) in defeat, but it is the noise of them that respond (anot) which I hear." [ibid. 18]. Now, a secondary meaning of the root very ani is a response - which may be positive or negative depending on the stimulus, a cry-sob as a result of affliction (defeat) or a laugh -song as a result of celebration (victory).
Now the line between exultant joy and fearful panic can be very thin, so that the sounds of hysterical laughter and hysterical weeping are virtually inter-changeable. This contradictory emotion may be what the Israelites experienced around the golden calf. Moses is their link to G d. But Moses is no longer there. Is he still alive? The Israelites find themselves leaderless - bereft of their link to G-d - when they need their leader shepherd most, when they are alone in a strange and hostile desert. Without their philosopher - King - shepherd to provide the compass cloud by day and fire by night, they become anxious and disoriented. They can only think back to Egypt and the way the Egyptians would dance around their idolatrous calve as gods and directors. But they realize that the calf is not powerful, that it was G d who took them out of Egypt, that it was G d who proved the impotence of all other deities. Nevertheless, without Moses they have nowhere else to turn. And so they dance around the calf, and they push themselves into a frenzy of song and dance and laughter -but deep down they're crying and weeping. It is precisely that hysterical frenzy which Joshua hears, the contradictory anot, a song-cry a laugh -sob.
Therefore in the context of Yom Kippur, the 'v'initem et nafshotaichem' doesn't have to mean, 'You shall afflict your souls.' As we've been demonstrating, one possible understanding is that it's a combination word. On the one hand it's the Tenth Day of Repentance, and I can't mask over the fact that I've looked deeply into my soul over these last few days, I've exposed my weaknesses and shortcomings, and that causes me to weep with anxiety and dread lest I be found wanting on the Day of Judgment. But Yom Kippur is also the Day of Atonement, when all sincere penitents are guaranteed absolution, the possibility of starting a new slate, "standing pure before the Divine". It's this most comforting element of Yom Kippur that allows me to rejoice during the Festival of Forgiveness.
I would even like to suggest an alternative meaning, which is entirely positive. V'initem need not mean you shall 'afflict' your souls; it can also be translated :' You shall enable your souls to sing, to rejoice.' You shall free your souls, allow your souls to be rid of all of the usual bodily needs, constraints and desires and dedicate a 25 hour period to the spirit and the Divine. Indeed, Maimonides codifies the laws of Yom Kippur as enabling our bodies to rest (lishbot) from food, drink and sex - not in the sense of prohibition but rather in the sense of re-creation and repair (Laws of Shvitat HaAsor 1,12). Within the comforting embrace of a G-d of love and forgiveness on Yom Kippur, my bodily needs becomes of almost no account as my soul takes over my personality and my person - my soul which soars, my soul which sings. On this Sabbath of Sabbaths I feel the eternity of the world of the spirit and this joy is greater than any other.
The ABCs of Yom Kippur
ANGEL FOR A DAY
What are "angels?" Angels are completely spiritual beings, whose sole focus is to serve their Creator.
On Yom Kippur, every Jew becomes like an angel. As the Maharal of Prague explains:
"All of the mitzvot that God commanded us on [Yom Kippur] are designed to remove, as much as possible, a person's relationship to physicality, until he is completely like an angel."
Just as angels (so to speak) stand upright, so too we spend most of Yom Kippur standing in the synagogue. And just as angels (so to speak) wear white, so too we are accustomed to wear white on Yom Kippur. Just as angels do not eat or drink, so too, we do not eat or drink.
FIVE ASPECTS
There are five areas of physical involvement which we remove ourselves from on Yom Kippur. They are:
Eating and Drinking
Washing
Applying oils or lotions to the skin
Marital Relations
Wearing Leather Shoes
Throughout the year, many people spend their days focusing on almost nothing else besides food, sex, work, superficial material possessions (symbolized by shoes) and superficial pleasures (symbolized by anointing). On Yom Kippur, we restore our priorities to what really counts in life.
As Rabbi Eliyahu Dessler writes:
"On Yom Kippur, the power of the evil inclination is muted. Therefore, one's yearning for spiritual elevation reasserts itself, after having lain dormant as a result of sin's deadening effect on the soul. This rejuvenation of purpose entitles a person to special consideration and forgiveness."
TESHUVA AND FORGIVENESS
Following the Golden Calf, Moses pleaded with God to forgive the people. Finally on Yom Kippur, atonement was achieved and Moses brought the second set of Tablets down from Mount Sinai.
From that day forward, every Yom Kippur has carried with it a special power to cleanse the mistakes of Jews (both individually and collectively) and to wipe the slate clean.
Though while Yom Kippur atones for transgressions against God, this does not include wrongs committed against other human beings. It is therefore the universal Jewish custom – some time before Yom Kippur -- to apologize and seek forgiveness from any friends, relative, or acquaintances whom we may have harmed or insulted over the past year.
THE FAST ITSELF
The Yom Kippur fast begins at sundown, and extends 25 hours until the following nightfall.
The afternoon before Yom Kippur, it is a special mitzvah to eat a festive meal.
As far as making your fast easier in general, try to pace your intake throughout the previous day by eating something every two hours. At the festive meal itself, eat a moderate portion of food so as not to speed up the digestion process. Also, don't drink any coffee or coke, because caffeine is a diuretic. Heavy coffee drinkers can also avoid the dreaded headache by slowly reducing the amount of coffee consumption over the week leading up to Yom Kippur.
After a meal we generally get thirstier, so when you complete the festive meal, leave some extra time before sundown to drink. Also, drinking lukewarm water with some sugar in it can help make you less thirsty during the fast.
IN CASE OF ILLNESS
If someone is ill, and a doctor is of the opinion that fasting might pose a life-danger, then the patient should eat or drink small amounts.
The patient should try to eat only about 60 cc., and wait nine minutes before eating again. Once nine minutes have passed, he can eat this small amount again, and so on throughout the day.
With drinking, he should try to drink less than what the Talmud calls "melo lugmav" -- the amount that would fill a person's puffed-out cheek. While this amount will vary from person to person, it is approximately 80 cc., and he should wait nine minutes before drinking again.
How does consuming small amounts make a difference? In Jewish law, an act of "eating" is defined as "consuming a certain quantity within a certain period of time." Otherwise, it's not eating, it's "nibbling" -- which although it's also prohibited on Yom Kippur, there is room to be lenient when one's health is at stake.
The reason for all these technicalities is because eating on Yom Kippur is regarded as one of the most serious prohibitions in the Torah. So while there are leniencies in certain situations, we still try to minimize it.
Note that eating and drinking are treated as independent acts, meaning that the patient can eat and drink together during those nine minutes, and the amounts are not combined.
Having said all this, if these small amounts prove insufficient, the patient may even eat and drink regularly. In such a case, a person does not say Kiddush before eating, but does recite "Grace After Meals," inserting the "ya'aleh veyavo" paragraph.
Now what about a case where the patient's opinion conflicts with that of the doctor? If the patient is certain he needs to eat to prevent a danger to health, then we rely on his word, even if the doctor disagrees. And in the opposite scenario -- if the patient refuses to eat despite doctors' warnings -- then we persuade the patient to eat, since it is possible that his judgment is impaired due to illness.
Wishing you an easy fast and a meaningful Yom Kippur!
Exploring the Al-Chet Prayer
When one begins to look at the task of teshuva (repentance), it can be overwhelming. We've made so many mistakes this past year that it's hard to know where to begin! Clearly, if we don't have an excellent system for tackling this project, it will be very time consuming and draining.
In Judaism we say that if you can get to the root of the problem, you can eliminate it entirely. That is the goal of the "Al Chet" prayer that we say so many times during Yom Kippur services. The 44 statements comprising "Al Chet" are not a list of mistakes, but rather identify the roots of mistakes.
We'll examine the "Al Chet" prayer, one statement at a time. But remember: "Change" is a process that doesn't happen immediately. Don't try to conquer too many things at once; it may be too overwhelming. Instead, choose the areas that cut closest to the root of your problems. This will maximize your success in the Teshuva process.
1. For the mistakes we committed before You under duress and willingly.
How can we be held accountable for mistakes committed under duress?! The answer is that sometimes, we get into compromising situations because we are not careful. Many of these "accidents" can be avoided by setting limitations to avoid temptation.
Ask yourself:
Duress:
Did I put myself into compromising situations, and then when I got into trouble rationalize by saying it was "unavoidable" or "accidental?"
Have I tried making "fences" so that I won't transgress?
Have I considered setting up a penalty system as a deterrent against certain mistakes?
When I legitimately got into an unavoidable situation, did I stop to consider why God might want me to experience this particular challenge?
Willingly:
Did I make mistakes because I was lazy, or because my lower, animalistic urges were getting the better of me?
2. For the mistakes we committed before You through having a hard heart.
Hardening of the heart means that I closed myself off to deep, human emotions like compassion and caring. The newspapers and streets seem so filled with one tragic story after another, that I can become desensitized to the whole idea of human suffering.
Ask yourself:
Did I ignore the poor and the weak?
When I did give charity, was it done enthusiastically or begrudgingly?
Was I kind, compassionate and loving when my family and friends needed me to be?
Do I feel the pain of Jews who are assimilating, and of how that impacts the Jewish nation as a whole?
3. For the mistakes we committed before You without thinking (or without knowledge).
Every day, a Jew prays to God for the ability to think and reason. A clear mind is integral to our growth and development. If we're riding in a car and staring aimlessly out the window, then for those precious moments we are nothing more than zombies.
Ask yourself:
Do I carefully examine my society and surroundings, weighing out what is right and what is wrong?
Do I constantly review my major goals in life?
Do I strive for a constant awareness of the presence of God?
Is one of my goals in life to be a "thinking" individual?
4. For the mistakes we committed before You through things we blurted out with our lips.
A wise man once said, "You don't have to say everything you think." The Talmud says that when we speak, our lips and teeth should act as "gates," controlling whatever flows out.
Ask yourself:
Do I think before I speak?
Am I prone to thoughtless outbursts?
Do I make hasty promises that I am unlikely to fulfill?
5. For the mistake we committed before You in public and in private.
Ask yourself:
Public:
Did I do foolish or degrading things to attract attention or approval?
On the other hand, did I do good deeds in public, that I otherwise wouldn't have done -- simply so that others would see me?
Private:
Did I act privately in a way that I would be ashamed if anyone found out?
Did I consider how God is watching even in my most private moments?
Did I convince myself that because nobody sees me, the mistakes somehow don't count?
6. For the mistakes we committed before You through immorality.
When the Torah speaks of immorality, it usually refers to sexual immorality. Since sex is the strongest human drive (next to survival itself), it can therefore be used to achieve the greatest degree of holiness, or -- as we so often witness -- the greatest degree of debasement.
Ask yourself:
Did I speak or act in a way that lowered sexuality as a vehicle for spiritual connection?
Do I realize how sexual immorality reduces the spiritual potential of future, more holy unions?
7. For the mistakes we committed before You through harsh speech.
Speech is the unique human faculty, and is the way we build bridges between each other -- and through prayer, with God. That's why abuse of speech is considered one of the gravest mistakes possible.
Ask yourself:
Did I speak to anyone in a harsh and forceful manner?
Did I gossip?
Did I engage in idle chatter that wasted my time and that of others?
Did I seek opportunities to elevate others with an encouraging word?
8. For the mistakes we committed before You with knowledge and deceit.
As we know, knowledge is a powerful tool -- and a dangerous weapon when misused.
Ask yourself:
Did I use knowledge of a certain situation to deceive others?
Did I use knowledge to deceive myself -- i.e. did I rationalize away my bad actions?
Did I use knowledge to circumvent the spirit of the law?
Did I use knowledge to show off and impress others?
9. For the mistakes we committed before You through inner thoughts.
The Talmud says that "Bad thoughts are (in one way) even worse than bad deeds." This is because from a spiritual perspective, "thoughts" represent a higher dimension of human activity. ("Thoughts" are rooted in the spiritual world; "deeds" are rooted in the physical world.)
Ask yourself:
Did I think in a negative way about people, or wish bad upon them?
Did I fantasize about doing bad deeds?
10. For the mistakes we committed before You through wronging a friend.
"Friendship" is one of the highest forms of human activity. When we reach out and connect with others, we experience the unity of God's universe, and bring the world closer to perfection.
Ask yourself:
Did I strive to go out of my way to help friends, based on my commitment to be their friend?
Was I insensitive toward my friends' needs, or did I hurt their feelings?
Did I take advantage of someone who trusted me as a friend?
Have I made a conscious effort to learn how to be a better friend?
11. For the mistakes we committed before You through insincere confession.
On Yom Kippur when we say each line of the "Al Chet" prayer, we gently strike our heart -- as if to say that it was "passion and desire" that led to these mistakes. Do we really mean it?
Ask yourself:
Did I ever apologize without being sincere?
Have I committed myself to "change" without seriously following up?
12. For the mistakes we committed before You while gathering to do negative things.
Engaging in evil as a lone individual is bad enough. But just as the secular courts treat "conspiracy" more seriously, so too God despises the institutionalizing of bad habits.
Ask yourself:
Am I part of a regular group that discusses negative things?
Did I participate in a gathering that led to negative activities?
Am I careful to associate only with moral and ethical people?
13. For the mistakes we committed before You willfully and unintentionally.
Willfully:
Did I ever "act out" in a desire to demonstrate my independence from God?
Unintentionally:
Did I make mistakes out of carelessness? Could they have been avoided?
14. For the mistakes we committed before You by degrading parents and teachers.
Parents and teachers are our first authority figures in life, and by way of association they teach us how to be respectful toward God and His mitzvot. The breakdown of respect for parents and teachers corrodes the moral core of society.
Ask yourself:
Parents:
Do I sometimes think poorly of my parents?
Do I ever actually communicate a dislike toward them?
Do I make the effort to appreciate how much my parents have done for me?
If I were a parent, what would I want from my children? Am I giving that now to my parents?
Do I give special attention to the needs of the elderly?
Teachers:
Have I maximized opportunities to learn from rabbis and teachers?
Have I actively sought the guidance and counsel of wise people?
15. For the mistakes we committed before You by exercising power.
God apportions to everyone exactly what they need: whether wealth, intelligence, good fortune, etc. Only when we feel our position is independent of God do we seek to dominate others for our own advantage.
Ask yourself:
Did I take advantage of those who are weak -- either physically, economically or politically?
Did I manipulate or intimidate someone into doing something he'd really rather not have?
16. For the mistakes we committed before You through desecrating God's name.
As a "Light Unto the Nations," every Jew is a messenger of God in this world, responsible to project a positive image.
Ask yourself:
Did I ever act in a way that brought less honor and respect to God?
Did I ever act in way that gave a bad impression about what it means to be a Jew?
Did I take every opportunity to enlighten others about the beauty of Torah?
17. For the mistakes we committed before You with foolish speech.
People have a habit of talking for talking's sake. When we're bored, we may get on the phone, and "talk and talk and talk." Don't talk without a purpose. In any conversation ask yourself: "Is there any point to this conversation? Am I learning anything? Am I growing?" If you can't identify the point, there probably is none.
Ask yourself:
Did I waste time by talking about trivial things?
Do I seek to share words of Torah at every opportunity?
18. For the mistakes we committed before You with vulgar speech.
Did you ever find yourself in the middle of a distasteful joke? It can be insidious, but all of a sudden you find yourself dragged into a discussion that has taken a turn for the worse. Learn to switch tracks. Monitor your conversations, and when you notice them slipping off track, pull them back, gently and subtly.
Ask yourself:
Did I contaminate my mouth with vulgar speech?
Did I listen to vulgar speech or jokes?
Did I protest when I heard vulgar speech?
Do I always express myself in the most pleasant way possible?
19. For the mistakes we committed before You with the Yetzer Hara (evil inclination).
The Yetzer Hara is that little voice inside each of us that tries to convince us to pursue physical comfort, at the expense of greater spiritual pleasures.
Ask yourself:
Have I pursued my physical drives for their own sake -- without involving any spiritual dimension?
Do I resort to the excuse that "I couldn't help myself"?
Have I studied Torah techniques for channeling physical drives into holiness?
20. For the mistakes we committed before You against those who know, and those that do not know.
Ask yourself:
Have I wronged people behind their backs?
Have I wronged people to their faces?
21. For the mistakes we committed before You through bribery.
Bribery is most subversive because we are often not aware of how it affects our decisions. In the words of the Torah, bribery is "blinding."
Ask yourself:
Have I compromised my honesty and integrity because of money?
Have I compromised myself for the sake of honor and flattery?
Have I failed to do the right thing because I wanted approval?
22. For the mistakes we committed before You through denial and false promises.
The mark of a great person is a meticulous commitment to truth -- despite whatever hardships, embarrassment, or financial loss might be involved.
Ask yourself:
Have I lied to myself?
Have I lied to others?
Does my job ever involve having to lie?
Have I rationalized the acceptability of a "white lie?"
23. For the mistakes we committed before You through negative speech (Loshon Hara).
It is said that big people talk about ideas, medium people talk about places and things, and little people talk about people. Gossip causes quarrel and division amongst people -- and tears apart relationships, families, and even entire communities. As King Solomon said: "Life and death are in the hands of the tongue" (Proverbs 18:21).
Ask yourself:
Do I enjoy gossip?
When I hear gossip, do I accept it as true, or do I reserve judgment?
Have I set aside time to study Jewish law on how to avoid Loshon Hara?
24. For the mistakes we committed before You through being scornful (or scoffing).
Ask yourself:
Did I mock and ridicule serious things?
Did I make fun of someone who I considered less intelligent or attractive?
Did I shrug off constructive criticism as meaningless?
25. For the mistakes we committed before You in business.
Integrity is the mark of every great person. The Talmud says that the first question a person is asked upon arriving in heaven is: "Did you deal honestly in business?"
Ask yourself:
Have I been scrupulously honest in all my financial transactions?
Was I harsh in trying to beat the competition, or did I seek ways for us both to thrive?
Have I chosen a career that gives me freedom to pursue my personal and spiritual goals as well?
When I was successful in business, did I show my appreciation to God for that success?
26. For the mistakes we committed before You with food and drink.
Eating is such an essential human activity, that the rabbis say all of a person's character traits are revealed at the dinner table.
Ask yourself:
Did I eat in order to gain energy to do mitzvot, or did I eat for the sake of the animalistic act alone?
What secondary activity did I do while eating? Did I read the paper and watch TV? Or did I engage in meaningful conversation?
Have I made every effort to eat kosher food?
Did I express gratitude to God for providing me with the food?
Did I overeat?
Did I eat unhealthy foods?
Did I waste food?
27. For the mistakes we committed before You through interest and extortion.
Gaining financial advantage because someone else is destitute shows poor character. That is why the Torah forbids loaning money to another Jew on interest.
Ask yourself:
Have I made a profit as a result of someone else's misfortune or downfall?
Am I greedy?
Am I stingy?
Do I feel responsible for helping to satisfy the needs of others?
Do I appreciate the Torah prohibition against charging interest -- and have I studied these laws?
28. For the mistakes we committed before You by being arrogant.
The trait the Torah uses to describe Moses is "the most humble man." Humility is a key to spiritual growth, because it allows us to make room in our life for other people - and for God.
Ask yourself:
Have I made others feel lowly in order to raise myself higher?
Do I dress and speak in a way that draws extra attention to myself?
When walking through a door, do I usually go first, or let others go first?
29. For the mistakes we committed before You with eye movements.
Sometimes we can harm others without even saying a word. For instance, the Talmud discusses the illegality of staring into someone else's home or yard.
Ask yourself:
Did I look at someone else's private things that were not my business?
Did I gawk at an accident scene on the freeway?
Did I look at the opposite gender in an inappropriate and disrespectful way?
Did I signal my disdain for another person by rolling my eyes?
30. For the mistakes we committed before You with endless babbling.
Often we feel uncomfortable with silence, so we fill the time with meaningless chatter. The Torah tells us, however, that more than anywhere, God is found in the sound of silence.
Ask yourself:
Do I participate in conversations with no meaningful content?
Do I think before speaking and measure my words carefully?
Am I careful to concentrate when reciting prayers and blessings?
31. For the mistakes we committed before You with haughty eyes.
The Talmud says that a person's eyes are the "window to the soul." An arrogant person is therefore referred to as having "haughty eyes."
Ask yourself:
Do I communicate warmth and care to people with my eyes?
Have I avoided interacting with certain people because I felt they were too unimportant for me?
Have my career and relationships suffered because my ego is over-inflated?
32. For the mistakes we committed before You with a strong forehead (brazenness).
The Talmud says there are three traits which characterize Jews: kindness, compassion, and shame. "Shameful" means feeling embarrassed and remorseful when doing something wrong.
Ask yourself:
Do I examine the moral consequences before making difficult decisions?
Do I appreciate how my moral behavior defines me as a human being?
Have I studied what Judaism says about conscience and morality?
33. For the mistakes we committed before You in throwing off the yoke (i.e. refusing to accept responsibility).
Judaism defines greatness as having a greater degree of responsibility. Deep down this is what every human being wants -- hence the excitement over a promotion or raising a family.
Ask yourself:
Have I accepted family responsibilities, and gladly assisted whenever needed?
Do I keep my commitments to friends?
Do I show up on time?
Would my colleagues describe me as "reliable and dependable?"
Have I taken responsibility for the problems in my community?
Have I accepted my unique responsibilities in this world as a Jew?
34. For the mistakes we committed before You in judgment.
The Torah tells us it is a mitzvah to be dan li-kaf zechus -- to judge people favorably. This means, for example, that when someone shows up an hour late, rather than assume they were irresponsible, I should rather try to get all the facts, and in the meantime, imagine that perhaps they were delayed by uncontrollable circumstances.
Ask yourself:
Am I in the habit of judging people favorably?
Do I wait to make any determination until I have all the information?
Do I sometimes judge God unfairly?
35. For the mistakes we committed before You in entrapping a friend.
Ask yourself:
Have I violated the trust of people who have confidence in me?
Have I divulged confidential information?
Have I taken advantage of family and friends by manipulating them into doing me favors?
36. For the mistakes we committed before You through jealousy [lit: "a begrudging eye"].
Someone who has a "good eye" will sincerely celebrate the success of others, while someone with an "evil eye" will begrudge the success of others.
Ask yourself:
Do I experience resentment at the success of others? Or do I experience genuine joy?
Do I feel that others are undeserving of their success?
Do I secretly wish to have my neighbor's things for myself?
37. For the mistakes we committed before You through light-headedness.
Sometimes we can forget that life is serious. We're born, and we die. What have we made of our lives? Have we been focused on meaningful goals, or are we steeped in trivial pursuits?
Ask yourself:
Do I spend time reading unimportant sections of the newspaper, or listening to frivolity on the radio?
Do I spend time with friends and colleagues discussing inconsequential details of sports and entertainment?
Do I act with proper reverence when I'm in a synagogue or learning Torah?
Do I speak about Biblical personalities and our Jewish Sages with the proper respect?
38. For the mistakes we committed before You by being stiff-necked.
In the Torah, God refers to the Jewish people as "stiff-necked." This is a positive attribute in the sense that we are not easily swayed by fad and fashion. Yet on the negative side, we can also be unreasonably stubborn.
Ask yourself:
When I'm involved in a disagreement, am I frequently anxious and upset, rather than calm and rational?
Do I think that I'm always right? Do I usually let the other person speak first, or do I always want to speak first?
Do I listen attentively to the other side?
Have I been single-minded and lost my objectivity just because I really wanted something?
39. For the mistakes we committed before You by running to do evil.
Ask yourself:
When I transgressed the Torah, did I do so eagerly?
Did I run to do mitzvot with the same enthusiasm?
Did I slow down when reciting blessings and prayers?
After completing a certain obligation, do I run out as fast as possible?
40. For the mistakes we committed before You by telling people what others said about them.
Ask yourself:
Have I encouraged contention, and turned people against each other?
Did I reveal secrets?
Have I studied the Jewish laws prohibiting such speech?
41. For the mistakes we committed before You through vain oath taking.
One of the Ten Commandments is "not to take God's Name in vain." Integral to our relationship with God is the degree to which we show Him proper respect.
Ask yourself:
Have I been careful not to utter God's Name casually? [Or worse yet: "I swear to G--!”]
When I use God's Name in a blessing or prayer, do I concentrate on the deeper meaning of His Name?
Have I sworn or promised falsely while invoking God's Name?
42. For the mistakes we committed before You through baseless hatred.
The Talmud tells us that more than any other factor, hatred among Jews has been the cause of our long and bitter exile. Conversely, Jewish unity and true love between us is what will hasten our redemption.
Ask yourself:
Was I disrespectful toward Jews who are not exactly like me in practice or philosophy?
When I disagree with someone on an issue, have I let it degrade into a dislike for the person himself?
When I saw a fellow Jew do evil, did I hate only the deed, or did it extend into a hatred for the person himself?
When someone wronged me, was I eager to take revenge?
When someone wronged me, did I bear a grudge?
43. For the mistakes we committed before You in extending the hand.
Ask yourself:
Have I withheld from touching things that don't belong to me?
Have I stretched forth my hand to the poor and the needy?
Have I joined hands with wicked people?
Have I extended my hand to help in community projects?
44. For the mistakes we committed before You through confusion of the heart.
The Sages tell us that ultimately all mistakes stem from a confusion of the heart. This is why on Yom Kippur we tap our chest as we go through this list of "Al Chet's."
Ask yourself:
Have I not worked out issues because of laziness?
Have I made mistakes because I emotionally did not want to accept what I logically knew to be correct?
Have I properly developed my priorities and life goals?
Am I continually focused on them?
Yom Kippur Q&A
Questions
Passover commemorates the going out of Egypt. Shavuos commemorates the giving of the Torah. What historical event can Yom Kippur be said to commemorate?
For what kinds of sins does Yom Kippur not atone?
What should someone do if the person he wronged does not forgive him the first time?
Why is the vidui confession included during the mincha prayer the afternoon before Yom Kippur?
On Yom Kippur we refrain from: Working, eating, drinking, washing, anointing, family relations and wearing leather shoes. Which three of these prohibitions are more severe than the others?
In what two ways does the prohibition against eating food on Yom Kippur differ from the prohibition against eating pork the entire year?
Who wrote the prayer "Unesaneh Tokef" said during the chazan's repetition of musaf?
Why do we read the book of Yona on Yom Kippur?
In what two ways does havdalah after Yom Kippur differ from havdalah after Shabbos?
Ideally, what mitzvah should one begin immediately after Yom Kippur?
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Answers
Passover commemorates the going out of Egypt. Shavuos commemorates the giving of the Torah. What historical event can Yom Kippur be said to commemorate?
Moshe came down from Mount Sinai on the tenth of Tishrei with the second set of Tablets, signifying forgiveness for the sin of the golden calf. Yom Kippur can be said to commemorate this event, the first national day of forgiveness for the Jewish People.
For what kinds of sins does Yom Kippur not atone?
Sins committed against other people, including hurting someone's feelings. Yom Kippur does not atone for these sins until the perpetrator gains forgiveness from the victim himself. (Orach Chaim 606:1)
What should someone do if the person he wronged does not forgive him the first time?
He should try at least two more times to gain forgiveness.(Orach Chaim 606:1)
Why is the vidui confession included during the mincha prayer the afternoon before Yom Kippur?
Lest one choke while eating the pre-Yom Kippur meal and die without atonement, or lest one become intoxicated and unable to concentrate on the prayers at night.(Mishna Berura 607:1)
On Yom Kippur we refrain from: Working, eating, drinking, washing, anointing, family relations and wearing leather shoes. Which three of these prohibitions are more severe than the others?
Eating, drinking, working. (Mishna Krisus 1:1)
In what two ways does the prohibition against eating food on Yom Kippur differ from the prohibition against eating pork the entire year?
Although any amount is forbidden, eating on Yom Kippur is not punishable by a Sanhedrin until one has eaten food equal in volume to the size of a date. Eating pork, on the other hand, is punishable for eating even an olive-sized piece, which is smaller than a date. (Mishna Berura 612:1)
Eating on Yom Kippur incurs the punishment of kares - spiritual excision, whereas eating pork does not.
Who wrote the prayer "Unesaneh Tokef" said during the chazan's repetition of musaf?
"Unesaneh Tokef" was written by Rabbi Amnon of Mainz, Germany about 1000 years ago.
Why do we read the book of Yona on Yom Kippur?
The repentance of the people of Ninveh serves as an inspiration to us to repent, and shows us that repentance can overturn a Divine decree. (Shelah Hakadosh)
In what two ways does havdalah after Yom Kippur differ from havdalah after Shabbos?
After Yom Kippur, the blessing over spices is omitted from havdalah. Also, the source of the flame used for havdalah after Yom Kippur must be a fire kindled before Yom Kippur. (Orach Chaim 624:3,4)
Ideally, what mitzvah should one begin immediately after Yom Kippur?
Building the succa. (Rema, Orach Chaim 624:5)
Yonah Q&A
Questions
Why do we read the Book of Yona on Yom Kippur?
How long was Yona inside the fish?
What did the sailors do when they saw their ship floundering in the storm?
In which well-known sea was Yona when he was inside the fish?
What did Yona do inside the fish?
How big was the city of Ninveh?
What length of time were the people of Ninveh given in which to repent?
How did the people of Ninveh react when they heard Yona's prophecy?
Why did Yona originally try to escape from delivering G-d's prophecy to the people of Ninveh?
Give another answer to question number nine.
Answers
Why do we read the Book of Yona on Yom Kippur?
The repentance of the people of Ninveh serves as an inspiration to us to repent, and shows us that repentance can overturn a Divine decree. (Shelah Hakadosh) Also, it teaches that even Yona could not flee from G-d. (Sefer Hatoda'ah)
How long was Yona inside the fish?
Three nights and three days. (2:1)
What did the sailors do when they saw their ship floundering in the storm?
They prayed to their gods, cast their vessels into the sea, and then drew lots to find out on whose account the storm came about. (1:5-7)
In which well-known sea was Yona when he was inside the fish?
Yam Suf - The Sea of Reeds. (1:6)
What did Yona do inside the fish?
He prayed. (2:2)
How big was the city of Ninveh?
A three-day walk from end to end.
What length of time were the people of Ninveh given in which to repent?
Forty days. (3:4)
How did the people of Ninveh react when they heard Yona's prophecy?
They fasted, covered themselves in sackcloth, repented and returned all stolen property. (3:5-8)
Why did Yona originally try to escape from delivering G-d's prophecy to the people of Ninveh?
He was afraid that if the non-Jews in Ninveh repented but the Jewish People did not repent it would look bad for the Jewish People. (1:3)
Give another answer to question number nine.
He was afraid that the people of Ninveh would think he was a false prophet, since he said that the city would be destroyed and it wasn't. (4:2)
The Role of the Kohen Gadol (High Priest) in the Yom Kippur Avodah
The Kohen Gadol is forbidden to enter the Kodesh HaKodoshim (Holy of Holies) in his regular, golden-thread priestly vestments ["Bigdei Zahav"]. Rather, special white garments ["Bigdei Lavan"] are required for Yom Kippur Avodah in the Kodesh HaKodoshim. Chazal explain that this rule is predicated upon the negative inferences of the golden-thread vestments, for they invoke the memory of the Chet Ha-Egel [Sin of the Golden Calf], which is surely not appropriate to bring up as the Kohen Gadol seeks forgiveness.
It may be asked why Bidgei Zahav were banned only from the Kodesh HaKodoshim. Certainly, the entirety of the Yom Kippur Service is geared toward forgiveness. Should not Bigdei Lavan be the exclusive, required dress at all times on that most holy day?
The answer may be based on the unique quality of the Kohen Gadol's activity in the Kodesh HaKodoshim. The Kodesh HaKodoshim housed the Aron (Ark) which contained the Luchos (Tablets). Only the Kohen Gadol was licensed to enter the Kodesh HaKodoshim, and his entry was limited to Yom Kippur. If we think about it, we can deduce that the Kohen Gadol's entry to the Kodesh HaKodoshim was a manifestation of Moshe's encounter with Hashem following the Chet Ha-Egel. Moshe Rabbeinu ascended the mount by himself, unaccompanied by anyone else. As part of the rapprochement, Hashem allowed Moshe to experience the Shechinah (Divine Presence) in a manner unparalleled by any other human. Moshe's ascent culminated with the creation of new Luchos and the granting of divine forgiveness; this happened on Yom Kippur. Similarly, on Yom Kippur, the Kohen Gadol communes with God in a setting of ultimate holiness and privacy, the meeting is at the site of the Luchos, and it serves to grant expiation for sin. The Kohen Gadol thereby replicates Moshe's encounter with God at Sinai on Yom Kippur. The entirety of Moshe Rabbeinu's ascent was precipitated by the Chet Ha-Egel and served to negate its effects; thus, the replication of this ascent, as enacted by the Kohen Gadol on Yom Kippur, dare not invoke the memory of the Chet Ha-Egel. This is why Bigdei Lavan are a unique requirement for service in the Kodesh HaKodoshim on Yom Kippur.
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The role of the Kohen Gadol (High Priest) in the Yom Kippur Avodah (Temple Service) is quite intriguing. Halachah mandates that the Kohen Gadol sacrifice a bull as a Korban Chatas (Sin Offering) and confess (1) the sins of himself and his household, and (2) the sins of the Kohanim, prior to slaughter. This bull must also be the personal properly of the Kohen Gadol; it is not purchased with public funds. The Kohen Gadol then offers a goat as a Chatas on behalf of the entire nation. After sacrifice, both animals are intertwined and burned together.
Why is the bull reserved for Vidui for the Kohen Gadol, his family and his fellow Kohanim, and is not utilized for confession on behalf of the entire Jewish People? Why must the bull be the Kohen Gadol's personal property?
The answer is that teshuvah (repentance) and kapparah (forgiveness) function on two levels: that of the individual and that of the general community, in which Jews as one public body supplicate to Hashem and are communally forgiven. The Kohen Gadol's personal sacrifice and confession ["Vidui"] represent the teshuvah and kapparah process of the individual; sacrifice of the goat symbolizes the teshuvah of the tzibbur (community). We are bound to engage in both levels of teshuvah on Yom Kippur. Furthermore, God bides us to repent and take responsibility for our own misdeeds, and He also mandates that we link up with the tzibbur and repent through public Avodah, which is given unique attention. The intertwining of the bull and goat reflect the interrelationship of teshuvah of the individual and the public, such that we must entreat God as both private citizens and members of the Jewish community as a whole. This two-tiered teshuvah system is the basis for Avodah and forgiveness on Yom Kippur.
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The first mishnah in Yoma stipulates that the Kohen Gadol must be sequestered for one compete week prior to Yom Kippur to purify himself and prepare for the holiday. The Gemara compares this sequestering to the full week of sequestering and purification of the Kohen who burned the Parah Adumah ["Red Heifer"] before performing that mitzvah. The basis for comparison is that instruments of public purification must themselves be pristine and untainted in order to represent the tzibbur and effect taharah (purification) for it. The Parah Adumah and Kohen Gadol on Yom Kippur are Klal Yisroel's (the Jewish People's) emissaries for attaining spiritual purification. If these emissaries are unfit or even slightly lacking in their own spiritual readiness, they do not merit to function as conduits for God's endowment of taharah upon His nation. So, too, must we be ever aware that in order to perform any roles as public functionaries [whether we perform as rabbis, chazzanim, teachers, leaders or otherwise], it is first necessary to purify ourselves so that we can most effectively be conduits of kedushah (holiness) between Hashem and His nation.
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The Yom Kippur Avodah features two goats. The first was a Korban Chatas, as noted above, and the second was sent off a cliff in the barren desert. This second goat had a scarlet ribbon attached to its horns, and a separate fragment of that ribbon was likewise tied to the top of the cliff where the goat was led. When the goat reached its final destination, the ribbon on the cliff turned white, indicating the Hashem forgave His people. What do this second goat and the ribbon symbolize?
Chazal (our sages) have noted that forgiveness is a divine gift. The ability for sins to vanish is illogical and impossible in human terms; only God can effect such a miracle. This is the message of the goat. The goat is discarded, never to be seen again, in a location which assures its irrevocable removal and destruction. The ribbon spontaneously turns white; neither the person who leads the goat nor anyone else is involved with the color change; it is clearly a divine effect. So, too, sins once ominous vanish, and God purifies us in defiance of human logic and capability. This is the miracle of Yom Kippur.
The Ten Days of Repentance
Although the mitzva of teshuva (repentance) is of a universal nature, and therefore not limited to any specific time period, the ten days from Rosh Ha-shana until Yom Kippur are singled out as "days of repentance." In what way are these days unique w ith respect to teshuva?
The Rambam in Hilkhot Teshuva focuses his discussion on the general mitzva of repentance. Nevertheless, he relates to Asseret Yemei Teshuva in two separate contexts. In chapter 2 (halakha 6), the Rambam writes:
"Although teshuva and pleading are always effective,
during the ten days from Rosh Ha-shana till Yom Kippur
they are especially potent and are immediately accepted,
as it says, 'Search for Hashem when He is present.'"
In chapter 3 (halakha 4) the Rambam states:
"Although blowing the shofar on Rosh Ha-shana is a divine
decree, it contains a hidden message, namely: 'Slumberers,
awake from your sleep ... inspect your actions and repent'...
For this reason it is the custom of the House of Israel to
increase the amount and level of charity and good deeds and
involvement in mitzvot from Rosh Ha-shana until Yom Kippur, beyond
that of the rest of the year. And it is customary to arise at
night during these ten days to pray in synagogues ... until
daybreak."
These halakhot in the Rambam are perplexing insofar as he separated these two halakhot. Why did the Rambam not simply proceed after stating that teshuva is especially effective during Asseret Yemei Teshuva (ch. 2), and continue that the shofar con tains a hidden message which relates specifically to this time frame (ch. 3)? After noting the unique quality of these ten days, in which Hashem is present and our teshuva is immediately accepted (ch. 2), there is a almost natural progression to the cust om to increase the amount of good deeds and to recite selichot (ch. 3). From the order of these halakhot, one gets the clear impression that the Rambam intentionally separated these two accounts of "Asseret Yemei Teshuva." According to him, the two are unrelated, and refer to independent aspects of the connection between the ten days and repentance.
The answer, I believe, is related to the two independent obligations of teshuva delineated by Rav Soloveitchik zt"l. The first is the requirement to repent from a specific sin. In this case, it is the awareness of sin which generates the obligation of teshuva. This mitzva is described by the Rambam in the heading of Hilkhot Teshuva:
"The laws of teshuva [contain] one positive commandment,
that a sinner should return from his iniquity to the
presence of Hashem and confess."
This mitzva is derived from the verse in Bemidbar (5:6-7), "A man or woman who shall commit any sin ... they shall then confess the sin which they have committed ..."
There is, however, an additional mitzva of teshuva, which applies even in situations where one is unaware of having committed a sin. Despite the absence of awareness, an obligation of teshuva can be generated by suffering. This mitzva is derived fro m an independent source: "And if you go to war in your land against an enemy who oppresses you, then you shall blow an alarm with your trumpets" (Bemidbar 10:9). This verse is discussed by the Rambam in the heading of Hilkhot Ta'aniyot, where he describe s the mitzva as one of petitioning to Hashem in times of distress and not merely sounding the trumpets: "The laws of fasts [contain] one positive biblical commandment, [namely,] to cry before Hashem in times of great communal distress ... and this is a me thod of teshuva ..." Fasting is merely a rabbinic expression of this biblical obligation (see 1:4). Furthermore, the Rambam notes that this relates not only to the community as a whole, but to individuals in times of adversity as well (1:9).
While with regard to the first type of teshuva, the specific sin is acknowledged, with regard to the second it is unknown. Therefore, the teshuva generated by calamity demands not confession but soul-searching. First the offense must be discovered, and only then is repentance possible. (See Rav Soloveitchik's essay "Kol Dodi Dofek," footnote 3.)
Let us now take a closer look at the context of the two halakhot we started with. The halakha which relates to the unique quality ensuring immediate acceptance of teshuva during Asseret Yemei Teshuva is found in the second chapter. This chapter begi ns with a description of complete teshuva, as opposed to teshuva which is wanting. The distinction revolves around the ability of the "ba'al teshuva" to control his desire and overcome his inclination to sin. The entire discussion clearly relates to a p erson acutely aware of a specific transgression. This individual finds himself in a state of conflict, struggling to conquer his unholy passion which led him to sin. Hence, the second chapter continues the theme of the first, and discusses teshuva which is generated by a specific sin. Within this context, the Rambam introduces Asseret Yemei Teshuva as containing a unique quality which helps to ensure victory in this monumental contest. "Dirshu Hashem be-himatz'o" - seek out Hashem when He is present. During these ten days Hashem is present, as it were, assisting man in his struggle.
In the third chapter, the Rambam abandons the discussion of man confronting a specific transgression, and begins a discourse on the assessment of man's overall standing. Who is a "tzaddik," a "rasha," a "beinoni" (righteous, evil, and middling person )? He then proceeds to apply similar criteria with respect to states, and indeed to the entire world. In the third halakha, the Rambam writes: "Just as man's deeds and sins are assessed when he dies, so too on every year they are weighed on Rosh Ha-shan a. Whoever is found to be a 'tzaddik' is sealed for life. Whoever is discovered to be a 'rasha' is sealed for death. The 'beinoni' waits until Yom Kippur. If he repents, he is sealed for life, and if not, he is sealed for death."
Within this context, the Rambam notes the hidden message of the shofar: "Slumberers, awake from your sleep ... inspect your actions and repent ..." And at this point, he introduces once again the Asseret Yemei Teshuva: "For this reason it is the cust om of the House of Israel to increase the amount and level of charity and good deeds and involvement in mitzvot from Rosh Ha-shana until Yom Kippur, beyond that of the rest of the year. And it is customary to arise at night during these ten days to pray in synagogues ... until daybreak."
By now it should be clear that the message of the shofar is inapplicable to the second chapter. The shofar is not sounded to aid the sinner in his epic struggle against a specific transgression. Rather, it sounds the alarm to awaken the slumberers w ho are not even aware of the negative turn that they have taken in life. It comes to warn everyone that the day of judgment has arrived, in which man must account for his actions; his deeds are being weighed and his life assessed. The shofar here plays a similar role to the trumpets sounded in times of crisis, urging man to search his soul and inspect his life. The focus here is not on the first type of teshuva, where man is acutely aware of his sin. Rather, the reference is to the second type of tesh uva, in which man is called upon to probe his innermost self. The obligation of teshuva is generated not by an awareness of a specific sin, but by Rosh Ha-shana as the "Day of Judgment."
From this perspective, the Asseret Yemei Teshuva are days on which we are called upon to awake and mend the entire direction of our lives. Accordingly, the custom developed to increase the amount and level and good deeds during this period. We wake up at night and recite selichot and petition to Hashem, similar to fast days. And the ten day period is spent in soul-searching, "cheshbon ha-nefesh."
Thus, we enter Yom Kippur, which is the culmination of Asseret Yemei Teshuva. Optimally, we have fulfilled both obligations connected with teshuva - the one generated by the judgment, as well as that generated by sin. We have been awakened in order to improve the direction of our lives, and we have been afforded the opportunity of overcoming our passions and lusts, which hold us prisoner during the course of the year. May we all be blessed with a "gemar chatima tova."
The 13 Attributes of Mercy
'And God passed before him and proclaimed...' Rabbi
Yochanan said: Were it not written in the text, it would
be impossible for us to say such a thing; this verse
teaches us that God enwrapped Himself like the sheliach
tzibbur (prayer leader) of a congregation and showed
Moshe the order of prayer. He said to him: Whenever
Israel sin, let them carry out this service before Me,
and I will forgive them. (Rosh Hashana 17b)
The Torah writes "And He passed over" (VaYaavor) - which
implies that God did not make do with words alone. In order
to teach Moshe this essential concept of forgiveness through
enwrapping oneself like a sheliach tzibbur (atifa), God
physically demonstrated the act. What is the meaning of this
atifah? Atifah hides the personality of the sheliach tzibbur;
it conceals him. Any individual can pray without a tallit
over his head; but the sheliach tzibbur must cover his head.
Only then can he serve as an emissary of the community.
Sometimes, atifah can silence any attempt to pray. This
is the kind of atifah which causes one to "enter into the rock
and hide in the dust for fear of God and for the glory of His
majesty" (Isaiah 2:10). A person who conceals himself in the
underground tunnels amongst the rocks for fear of facing God,
stands totally helpless before Him. However, there is another
kind of atifah, that of the sheliach tzibbur, who conceals his
entire personality, lowers his stature, and at the same time
lives continually with a sense of mission and responsibility
towards the community. Only then may he recite the Thirteen
Attributes of Mercy.
To become a sheliach tzibbur in this sense, one must
understand how God leads and guides His world and thus
discover how a Jew should be seen by others. Every Jew must
be a leader, each one of us must be responsible for the entire
community. This is achieved through identification with God's
attributes, which constitute his relationship with the
community of Am Yisrael. In order to empathize with God's
attributes, it is enough to identify with the first one, which
the Kabbalists linked to the verse "Who is a God like You"
(Micha 7:18). Rabbi Moshe Cordovero (in his Tomer Devora)
expounds:
'Who is a God like You' - This attribute refers to the
Holy One as a tolerant King Who bears insult in a manner
beyond human understanding. Without doubt, nothing is
hidden from His view. In addition, there is not a moment
that man is not nourished and sustained by virtue of the
Divine power bestowed upon him.
Thus, no man ever sins against God, without - at that
very moment - God bestowing abundant vitality upon him,
giving him the power to move his limbs. Yet even though
a person uses this very vitality to transgress, God does
not withhold it from him. Rather, He suffers this insult
and continues to enable his limbs to move. Even at the
very moment that a person uses that power for
transgression, sin, and infuriating deeds, the Holy One
bears them patiently...
...This, then, is a virtue man should emulate - namely,
tolerance. Even when he is insulted to the degree
mentioned above he should not withdraw his benevolence
from those upon whom he bestows it.
Only when man has enwrapped himself like a sheliach
tzibbur, when his personality, his ego, does not exist, when
his whole being is like that of a sheliach tzibbur - only then
can he emulate God's tolerance. And if we succeed in
emulating God's relationship with His people, we are assured
forgiveness for our sins.
The Mishna in Rosh Hashana (1:2) states that on the Day
of Judgment "All creatures pass before Him like Bnei Maron."
The Talmud (Rosh Hashana 18a) explains:
Like Bnei Maron - IN BAVEL it was translated, 'like a
flock of sheep' [Rashi - like lambs counted for the
animal tithe, which are counted one by one as they pass
through a small opening]. RESH LAKISH said: As in the
ascent of Beit Maron [a textual variant reads 'Beit
Choron': Rashi - a narrow pass where wayfarers had to
proceed in single file, since the valley was deep on both
sides]. RAV YEHUDA SAID IN THE NAME OF SHEMUEL: Like
the troops of the House of David [Rashi - (which pass in
review one by one) as they go out to battle].
All three of these explanations express the experience of
a man standing alone before the Throne of Glory. Generally, a
person is able to console himself by virtue of his membership
in the community. When he contemplates the tzibbur as a
whole, he sees that he is not so bad. He integrates himself
into the community, and does not stand out as being so much
worse than everyone else. The Mishna states: "On Rosh
Hashana all creatures pass before Him like Bnei Maron", one by
one; God assesses each person and looks in all those corners
that he himself has no wish to bring to light, at all those
points which he is trying to hide; but "if a person will hide
himself away - will I not see him?"
One opinion states that each individual comes for
judgment alone, by himself, just as lambs are counted for
tithing. The other Amoraim add the fear of judgment that
accompanies this phenomenon - as in the ascent of Beit Choron
- where the chasm yawns beneath him. Man must climb alone, up
a steep ascent, while at every moment the danger of falling
into the abyss seems imminent.
Rav Yehuda is not satisfied with this. He likens the
experience to that of soldiers of the House of David who go
forth with the awareness that there can be no battle without
casualties!
And yet, the above Gemara continues, "Rav Yochanan said:
[All the same,] they are all viewed together...[as it says,]
'He fashions their hearts TOGETHER, He who considers ALL their
deeds.'" We may also be judged as a community, and thus draw
God's mercy down upon us. How can we accomplish this task?
If a person is able to enwrap himself as a sheliach tzibbur,
to conceal his personality, to feel with every fiber of his
being a sense of communal responsibility, and thus to proclaim
the Thirteen Attributes - then "a covenant has been made that
they will not be turned away empty-handed".
This feeling of responsibility and mission must pervade
our self-assessment. In the words of the Gemara (Kiddushin
40b): "A person should always see himself [and the whole
world] as half guilty and half innocent ... If he does one
mitzva - happy is he for having tilted himself and the entire
world to the side of merit. If he transgresses one aveira -
woe is he for having tilted himself and the entire world to
the side of guilt..." A person must live with the sensation
that an isolated act of his can cause revolutions and decide
the fate of the entire world. With the sense that one's
actions will affect the fate of the community, we may recite
the Thirteen Attributes and merit God's mercy.
The first two attributes of God are "Hashem, Hashem" - "I
am He before man sins, and I am He after he has sinned and
done Teshuva". Why is there a need for mercy BEFORE the sin?
A person may feel that he is unworthy of acting as a sheliach
tzibbur. He might ask himself: "Am I able to carry the
responsibility for an entire world upon my puny shoulders?
Surely I am as grave a sinner as any." Therefore we must
respond: God was also there before the sin, and saw to it
that no Jew would be able to distance himself to such an
extent that he would be incapable of returning to God! This
is the meaning of "I am Hashem before he sins."
We now stand before the Day of Judgment, knocking on
God's doors, "as beggars and paupers". We have come to beg
God to "hear our jubilation (rina) and prayer." There are two
types of prayer: the prayer of jubilation, and the prayer
which is akin to "the prayer of a pauper when he faints
(ya'atof)" (Tehillim 102:1). ["Ya'atof" can also be
translated "enwraps."] Rina abounds when a person thanks God
for everything that has passed, and requests: "Keep this
forever". But there is another aspect of prayer, "A prayer of
the afflicted when he faints (or enwraps)", when a person -
as the Zohar describes King David - removes his crown,
divests himself of his royal robes, covers himself with
sackcloth, sits on the ground, and utters: "Master of the
Universe, I am poor and lowly!"
"I am poor and lowly." There are times when prayer is
that of "the pauper when he faints". Man is likened to a
fleeting breath. He is like broken shard and like a passing
dream.
But a prayer of the pauper before he faints is so, first
and foremost, because of his frustration. How optimistically
he viewed things at the start of the year, and yet the year
has passed, and a person searches in vain for his
accomplishments. Has he achieved even half of what he had
hoped for? It is this same frustration which forms the basis
of the month of Ellul. The Tur explains this idea (beginning
of Siman 585) in the name of Pirkei DeRebbi Eliezer. After
the sin of the Golden Calf, that same immense frustration was
felt by Am Yisrael. Just a few weeks earlier, the angels
themselves had harbored jealousy towards Am Yisrael! When
Moshe ascended Har Sinai for the second time, on Rosh Chodesh
Ellul, God commanded him to cause the shofar to be blown in
the camp. This was to warn them not to stray after idolatry.
Therefore, Chazal enacted that the shofar be blown annually on
Rosh Chodesh Ellul and throughout the entire month, to warn us
to repent.
The Jewish people at that time experienced that same
feeling of frustration, of broken-heartedness. They had
reached the heights of spirituality when Moshe first ascended
the mount - and yet they fell from the highest levels to the
lowest depths. And so Moshe Rabbeinu ascended that same
height once again, vividly recalling the exalted joy of his
first climb. Yet, alas, he had to ascend once more and begin
again, only forty days later. This is the experience of
Ellul.
We could have lived and experienced the spectacle of the
Giving of the Torah all year long. The Gemara relates how
certain Tannaim studied Torah while a fire raged around them.
They said: Why be amazed? Was not the Torah itself given in
fire! At that time, the Words were as joyous as when they
were given on Sinai.
And yet we cannot always maintain the link between our
prayers for spiritual heights, and our everyday lives. We
pray every day: "Enlighten our eyes in Your Torah, and cause
our hearts to cleave to Your mitzvot". However, if - God
forbid - the prayer stands by itself, and when we understand
words of Torah, we fail to connect between our prayer and our
achievements in learning - then we risk losing the ability to
experience the raging fire of Torah from Sinai.
We can sit in the Beit HaMidrash and learn, and
experience the sweetness of Torah - and yet lose the link
between prayer and learning. For when a person removes the
tallit from his head, he sees his "self" reflected everywhere
he turns, and it becomes difficult for him to refrain from
revealing his own individuality. It becomes almost impossible
to remain a "sheliach tzibbur" throughout the day.
And so, our prayer is the "prayer of the pauper who
enwraps himself." Needy and destitute, we knock on God's
doors, full of frustration over the distance between our
prayer and our reality. However, this very prayer of poverty
and frustration can also redeem us. If we empathize totally
with this aspect of being paupers, we sense how wholly poor
and empty we really are, this can push us to completely enwrap
ourselves and live with the perception of being a sheliach
tzibbur. In no other period of our history was Am Yisrael so
desperately in need of a leader. No one may divest himself of
the obligation to enwrap himself, and to live as a sheliach
tzibbur.
We live with this sensation of "the prayer of a pauper".
In this manner we will knock on God's doors, contemplate the
Thirteen Attributes, and thus we will attain emulation of God.
With God's help, we will not be turned away empty-handed. In
this spirit we draw near to pray and to recite the Thirteen
Attributes. We will request mercy for ourselves and for the
entire Jewish People. We must search our hearts and ask
ourselves honestly if we have risen to the tasks that we took
upon ourselves. Have others really seen us as Bnei Torah in
every step we have made, at home, in the army, in the Beit
HaMidrash, on the street?
If our prayer is coupled with sincere self-examination
and renewed desire to act as leaders of our people, then a
covenant has been made that we will not be turned away empty-
handed. God will fulfill our requests, and we will merit
forgiveness and mercy, and a year of life and peace - for us
and for all the Jewish People.
The 13 Attributes of HaShem
Each year, as the days of Selichos pass, we become more and more familiar with the recitation of the thirteen attributes of G-d. Rav Moshe Kordevaro teaches however, that by reciting G-d's attributes we are not yet there. We must emulate them. This is the essence of being created in the image of G-d. We have the potential to act in a G-dly fashion.
The Ramak uses the thirteen attributes as described by the prophet Micah. In these shiurim, based on the writings of Kordevaro, we will learn about G-d but even more important about ourselves and just how G-dly we can become.
Yom Kippur - A Day of Atonement?
Is the 'Day of ATONEMENT' a precise translation for YOM KIPPUR? The word 'atonement' implies amends for a certain wrongdoing. In this sense, the 'Day of Atonement' implies expiation for transgressions which may have been committed over the course of the previous year. However, in Chumash we find numerous instances in which the word "kippurim" is used in a different context. In the following shiur, we examine the use of the shoresh k.p.r. in order to arrive at a deeper understanding of the nature and significance of YOM KIPPUR.
THE SHORESH K.P.R. [chaf peyh reish] We begin our discussion by bringing several examples of the use of the shoresh - "k.p.r." - in Chumash.
* A PROTECTIVE COATING In Parshat Noach, we find the first use of this shoresh: "And God said to Noach: Make an ARK out of gopher wood... - V'CHAFARTA alav - and you shall COAT IT from within in and from without with - KOFER - pitch (a PROTECTIVE COATING)." (Breishit 6:14)
The ark must be coated with a protective covering in order for it to withstand the mighty waters of the flood. This first usage of "k.p.r." indicates that this shoresh relates to a 'protective covering'.
* A PROTECTION GIFT In Parshat Va'yishlach, the shoresh "k.p.r." is used once again to describe a form of protection. Yaakov Avinu sends a gift to appease his brother Esav. Note how Yaakov explains the reason for sending this gift: "Maybe, - A'CHA'PRA pa'nav - I can APPEASE him - with this gift that I am sending..." (Br. 32:20) Yaakov is not asking Esav for forgiveness, rather he hopes that this gift will deter Esav from attacking him. The gift is intended to PROTECT Yaakov from Esav's anger.
* A COVERING OF THE GROUND In Sefer Shmot, the shoresh "k.p.r." in used to describe the manner in which the 'manna' covered the ground: "And behold it was on the face of the wilderness thin and flaky - k'KFOR - like 'frost' on the land." (Shmot 16:14) [Note: The biblical meaning of KFOR is not quite clear, but it undoubtedly relates to a type of covering, such as frost which covers the ground. See Thilim 147:16 - "kfor k'efer y'fazer" (from daily davening).]
* PROTECTION MONEY In Parshat Mishpatim (Shmot 21:30), the word "kofer" is used to describe a payment which can be made in lieu of punishment. This can be understood as PROTECTION from the punishment. Similarly, in Bamidbar 35:31 we find the prohibition of accepting "kofer nefesh" - payment in lieu of capital punishment.
SHORESH K.P.R. AND THE MISHKAN With this background, we now examine the use of the shoresh "k.p.r." in relation to the MISHKAN in Parshiot Trumah/Tzaveh.
* THE KA'PORET Recall that the "aron" (the holy ark) was an open, gold- plated wooden box that contained the LUCHOT (Shmot 25:10-11,21). To PROTECT the "aron", Moshe is commanded to make a KAPORET (25:17-22). This KAPORET (again shoresh k.p.r.), a golden lid with two KRUVIM upon it, served as the COVER for that "aron", thus, PROTECTING the luchot. To emphasize the PROTECTIVE nature of this covering, this lid for the "aron" is NOT called a "michseh" (the hebrew word for a box cover/ see Breishit 8:13 & Shmot 26:14), rather it is called a KAPORET (shoresh k.p.r.). The placement of KRUVIM on the kaporet supports this interpretation. Just as the kruvim PROTECT the path to Gan EDEN (see Breishit 3:24), so too, the KRUVIM of the kaporet PROTECT the LUCHOT. [See shiur on Parshat Nitzavim.] [Note also that the PA'ROCHET (a related shoresh p.r.k) - the curtain which protects the "kodesh ha'kadoshim"- is also embroidered with "kruvim" (see Shmot 26:30).]
KIPPURIM & THE SEVEN DAY MILUIM CEREMONY The first use of the word KIPPURIM is found in the commandment to perform a seven day dedication ceremony for the Mishkan, better known as the MILUIM. During those seven days a special korban CHATAT was offered, whose blood was sprinkled on the MIZBAYACH (see Shmot 29:1,12). At the end of the parsha, the Torah refers to this procedure as KIPPURIM: "And each day [of the MILUIM] you shall bring a PAR CHATAT for the KIPPURIM... (Shmot 29:36)
In a similar fashion, the KOHANIM also required KAPARA. During this seven day ceremony, the blood of the AYIL, an additional korban brought for this purpose (see Shmot 29:1,19- 21), was sprinkled on the earlobes, thumbs, and toes of the kohanim. This procedure is also referred to as KAPARA: "This [meat of the korban] shall be eaten only by [the kohanim] - asher KUPAR bahen - who had KAPRA from them [from the blood of this animal]... " (Shmot 29:33) [See also parallel account in Vayikra 8:1-36, see 8:34]
Thus we find that the primary purpose of the seven day MILUIM ceremony was to perform KAPARA on the MIZBAYACH and on the KOHANIM. What was the purpose of this "kapara"? Was it necessary for the atonement of any specific sin? Even if one would suggest that the KOHANIM need atonement for "chet ha'egel" (the sin of the Golden Calf/ even though the Torah does not record this event until the next Parsha), surely the MIZBAYACH did nothing wrong. Why does it need a KIPPURIM procedure? Based on our understanding of the shoresh k.p.r. above, it would seem this KAPARA procedure was necessary to PROTECT the MIZBAYACH and the KOHANIM. Why would they need protection?
PROTECTION FROM THE SHCHINA Recall from our shiurim on Sefer Shmot that the primary purpose of the Mishkan was to create a site where the God's SHCHINA (His Divine Presence) could dwell: "And they shall make for Me a sanctuary - v'SHACHANTI b'tocham"- that I may dwell among them." (Shmot 25:8) [See also Shmot 29:45-46]
The presence of SHCHINA in the MISHKAN creates an environment similar to MA'AMAD HAR SINAI (see Ramban Shmot 25:1). As was the case at Har Sinai, the presence of SHCHINA results in immediate punishment for any transgression. [See previous shiur on the 13 MIDOT.] Because the KOHANIM are to work in the MISHKAN, and the MIZBAYACH is designated to become the site where the SHCHINA will descend and consume the KORBANOT which Bnei Yisrael will offer (see Vayikra 9:24), PROTECTION is necessary. [For example, on the very next day, Nadav and Avihu made one small mistake and they received immediate punishment!]
Thus, this entire KIPPURIM ceremony could be understood as symbolic, for it reflects the nature of the Divine encounter which takes place in the Mishkan. Performing this procedure teaches Bnei Yisrael that encountering the SHCHINA requires not only preparation and readiness, but also protection from its consequences.
THE MIZBACH KTORET The word KIPPURIM is mentioned once again at the end of Parshat Tzaveh, when the MIZBACH KTORET [the incense alter] is first introduced (Shmot 30:1-10). Here, to our surprise, we find the first reference in Chumash to YOM KIPPUR itself!: "v'CHI'PER Aharon al kar'no'tav - Aharon must KAPARA [sprinkle blood] on its corners ONCE A YEAR from the blood of the CHATAT HA'KIPURIM. Once a year y'CHA'PER a'lav - he must do KAPARA on it..." (Shmot 30:10)
Here, the Torah only tells us that this special procedure must be performed once a year, however it does not tell us on what day. In Parshat Acharei Mot (Vayikra 16:1-34) we find the complete details of this CHATAT HA'KIPPURIM, including the precise date - the tenth day of the SEVENTH month. [See also Bamidbar 29:11.]
In Parshiot Trumah/Tzaveh, two aspects are unique to the MIZBACH KTORET: 1) It is the only vessel which requires this special CHATAT KIPPURIM. [Note: In Acharei Mot we see that also the PAROCHET and KAPORET need to be sprinkled with the blood of the CHATAT HA'KIPPURIM, however it is nmentioned in Sefer Shmot.] 2) It is LEFT OUT of the primary presentation of the Mishkan and its vessels. [Scan Shmot chapters 25->29/ note that 25:8 and 29:44 form 'bookends' which include almost all the vessels of the Mishkan, except for the mizbach ktoret which is left out until the very end (30:1-10/ note that this ends the "dibur" which began in 25:1). See previous shiur on Parshat Tzaveh.]
Once again, the meaning of the shoresh k.p.r. can help us understand why. The ANAN KTORET (cloud of smoke created when burning the ktoret) in the Ohel Moed acts as a BUFFER between the SHCHINA in the Kodesh Kdoshim and the MIZBAYACH in the AZARA (courtyard), thus protecting Bnei Yisrael. [Note parallel to the ANAN on Har Sinai.] Because the MIZBACH KTORET protects Bnei Yisrael each day when the ktoret is offered, it requires a yearly CHATAT HA'KIPPURIM!
YOM HA'SHMINI - THE EIGHT DAY DEDICATION CEREMONY An additional link between Yom Kippur and our interpretation of "kapara" can be found by examining the korbanot of the YOM HA'SHMINI ceremony (the eighth day/ read Vayikra 9:1-24), the first day in which the MISHKAN began to function. Once again, special korbanot are offered for the purpose of "kapara". From the psukim describing these korbanot, one could suggest that this KAPARA is necessary to protect Bnei Yisrael from the SHCHINA which is to appear on this day: "This is the procedure which you must do, and God's glory (KVOD HASHEM) will appear unto you... Go near the mizbayach and offer your chatat and olah - v'CHA'PER - on your behalf and on the behalf of the people..."( 9:6-7) It should come as no surprise that the korbanot offered at that inauguration ceremony are almost identical to the korbanot offered yearly on YOM KIPPUR. In each ceremony, there is a special CHATAT & OLAH offered both by AHARON and by the PEOPLE. The following table summarizes this parallel between Vayikra 9:1-3 and 16:1-5:
YOM HA'SHMINI YOM KIPPUR NOTE -------------- ----------- ----- AHARON Chatat Egel* Par An EGEL is a baby PAR Olah Ayil Ayil
AM YISRAEL Chatat Seir Seir Olah Egel + Keves Ayil A Keves is baby Ayil In each case Aharon offers a PAR CHATAT and AYIL OLAH (an EGEL is simply a baby PAR/ this change most probably relates to chet ha'egel). Likewise, Am Yisrael offers a SEIR CHATAT and AYIL OLAH (a keves is a baby ayil). Despite these minor differences, they are basically the same type of korban. [See article by Rav Yoel Bin Nun in Megadim Vol. #8]
YOM KIPPUR - A YEARLY "YOM HA'SHMINI" The above parallel indicates that Yom Kippur can be considered as a 'yearly repetition of the korbanot of the Mishkan's inauguration ceremony on YOM HA'SHMINI. This parallel underscores the very nature of YOM KIPPUR. It suggests that the primary purpose of the "avodat Kohen Gadol" is to PREPARE the Mikdash for the FORTHCOMING year, just as the korbanot of YOM HA'SHMINI prepared the Mishkan for its original use. Likewise, the "kapara" can be understood in a similar fashion. Once a year, it is necessary to perform a procedure which will PROTECT Am Yisrael from the consequences of HITGALUT SHCHINA. This KAPARA process, which enables Bnei Yisrael's encounter with the SHCHINA in the MISHKAN, must be 'renewed' once a year. Parshat Acharei Mot alludes to this concept in the pasuk which completes the commandment to sprinkle the blood on the KAPORET: "v'CHI'PER - And he [the kohen] shall do KAPRA [sprinkling the blood] on the KODESH, from the uncleanliness of Bnei Yisrael... and thus he must do to the Ohel Moed - ha'SHOCHEN iy'tam - He who dwells among them, EVEN WHILE THEY ARE 'TAMEY' [spiritually unclean]..." (Vayikra 16:16)
EVEN THOUGH Am Yisrael may become TAMEY (due to their sins), the SHCHINAH can remain in their midst! However, Bnei Yisrael require KAPARA to PROTECT them from the SHCHINA. [Note: Vayikra 18:24-27 shows the relationship between TUMAH & sin.]
ATONEMENT or PROTECTION In Sefer Shmot we find an additional use of the shoresh k.p.r. when Moshe ascends Har Sinai to ask God to forgive Bnei Yisrael for their sin at chet ha'egel: "And Moshe told the people, you have committed a terrible sin, and now I will go up to God, possibly - A'CHAPRA [I can achieve KAPARA] - for your sins." (Shmot 32:30)
When reading this pasuk, we usually understand A'CHAPRA as asking for forgiveness. However, one could understand that Moshe is asking God to PROTECT Bnei Yisrael from the punishment which they deserve. Undoubtedly, this protection from punishment leads to ultimate forgiveness. This explains why later in Chumash, the word "chapara" may actually imply forgiveness. The classic example is found in Parshat Vayikra in relation to the korban CHATAT & ASHAM (4:1-5:26). Note that each type of korban concludes with the phrase: "v'CHI'PER alav ha'Kohen, v'NIS'LACH lo..." (see Vayikra 4:21,26,31,35; 5:10,13,18,26)
Based on our understanding of k.p.r. one could suggest that the sprinkling of the blood [the technical "kapara"] by the kohen PROTECTS the owner of the korban from his due punishment for his transgression [the conceptual "kapara"]. Then - v'NISLACH lo - God forgives him for that sin. Thus, the KAPARA 'process' enables the SLICHA 'effect'.
WHY ON THE 10th of TISHREI Although we have explained the necessity of offering a yearly CHATAT KIPPURIM in the Mishkan, we have not explained why it must be performed on the tenth of Tishrei. In fact, based on the parallel to YOM HA'SHMINI, the first of Nisan would seem to be a more logical date! Most probably this date was chosen for a historical reason. On the tenth of Tishrei, Bnei Yisrael received the SECOND LUCHOT and were thus forgiven for chet ha'egel. Due to His MIDOT HA'RACHAMIM, the essence of these LUCHOT, God agreed to allow His SHCHINA to remain with Am Yisrael, EVEN THOUGH they may not be worthy. [See Shmot 34:9, and last week's shiur on the 13 MIDOT.] On the anniversary of this event, the day on which Bnei Yisrael received the Torah at the level which they can maintain, we re-enact Ma'amad Har Sinai for it is a day of HITGALUT SHCHINA. Just like Moshe Rabeinu, we can neither eat nor drink (Dvarim 9:9), nor wear shoes (see Shmot 3:5). We must also prepare ourselves for this awesome day (See Yoma 2a). However, specifically BECAUSE this is a day of HITGALUT, Bnei Yisrael require PROTECTION from the SHCHINA. Therefore, the CHATAT HA'KIPPURIM must be offered, for we are privy to a relationship which we may not deserve. It is this HITGALUT which enables the forgiveness of our sins on this day, just as it enabled the forgiveness of chet ha'egel several thousand years ago.
YOM KIPPUR True atonement is accomplished only by teshuva. However, YOM KIPPUR allows for the special relationship between God and Am Yisrael to continue. By understanding the protective nature of the AVODAT YOM KIPPUR by the Kohen Gadol, we can better appreciate God's CHESED (kindness) in allowing us this special relationship, even though we may not deserve it. That understanding should encourage us not only to take advantage of the opportunity for atonement on this special day, but also to grasp any opportunity for spiritual growth during the course of the year to come. "Yhi ratzon" that God should enact His MIDOT HA'RACHAMIM on this Yom Kippur, and enable us to meet the many challenges that face our Nation this coming year.
Gmar Chatima Tova, lanu u'lchol beit Yisrael menachem
---------------- FOR FURTHER IYUN A. Note that the parsha describing YOM KIPPUR in Chumash is presented in relation to the death of Nadav and Avihu which took place during that inauguration ceremony on YOM HA'SHMINI/ See 10:1-4, and relate to 16:1. 1. Based on the above sh, why do you think Nadav and Avihu thought it necessary to offer specifically ktoret, and specifically when they saw HITGALUT? 2. Were they wrong? If not, why were they punished? 3. Is there any other case in Chumash where ktoret is offered to protect Bnei Yisrael from punishment?
B. Note that on Yom HaShmini, also a Korban Shlamim was offered (see Vayikra 9:3-4) 1. Why is this korban not offered on Yom Kippur? 2. Can you relate this question to why the tzibur brings a korban shlamim davka, and only, on Shavuot (see shtei ha'lechem in Parshat Emor /see also previous shiur on Shavuot!)
C. Based on our shiur on Rosh Hashana, one could suggest an additional reason why this procedure in necessary in the SEVENTH month. After we request that God show His Providence over us on Rosh Hashana. If we ask for His special HASHGACHA on the land and the rainfall, we must be ready for its consequences. 1. Relate this to last week's shiur on Rosh Hashana and the nature of all CHAGEI TISHREI.
D. Sefer Shmot never states the specific day in which the SECOND LUCHOT were given. Read Dvarim 9:8-10:11 to understand how Chazal reach the conclusion that it took place of 10 Tishrei.
Yona’s Flight from Destiny
Towards the climax of Yom Kippur, we are instructed by
Chazal to focus our attention on the reading of the entire
Book of Yona. Why did our Sages see fit to choose this
particular reading as the gates of mercy are about to close?
There are those who suggest that the answer lies in the theme
of the teshuva (repentance) of the city of Ninveh. However,
if this were the case, it would have been sufficient to
stipulate the reading of only chapter 3; this reason alone
does not justify the reading of the entire book.
It would seem that the intention of our Sages was to
place at the center of our attention Yona and his actions,
rather than the teshuva of Ninveh, and for this reason the
reading is not limited to the latter subject. There seems to
be something in the conflict between Yona and God which is
worthy of the attention of the Jewish People immediately prior
to the Ne'ila prayer. Likewise, the intention seems to be an
emphasis not on ideas which pertain to prophets and other
lofty souls, but rather on basic issues which apply to all of
us and are particularly significant on Yom Kippur.
What, then, is this basic issue? A cursory glance at the
four chapters comprising Sefer Yona, with a view to finding
the basic framework of the story, reveals the following
sequence: Yona's escape from his destiny, his escape from God,
and his escape from himself. We may follow this sequence with
the aid of the key words, "kum" (get up) and "red" [go down"],
which are expressions of approaching the Divine mission and
distancing oneself from it, respectively. (It should be borne
in mind that for a prophet, this approach or withdrawal is
unequivocal, owing to the clarity of the mission as revealed
in the prophecy. The same is not the case for a regular
individual, for whom the unequivocal mission appears complex
and hidden.)
Get Up and Call / He Descended and Fell Asleep
As the Sefer opens, the mission transmitted to the
prophet is presented to us, in God's words: "Get up, go to
Ninveh, the great city, and call out against it, for their
evil has risen before Me" (1:2).
"Get up" and "call" are the two verbs expressing
awakening and movement towards the mission. Indeed the
narrative continues, "And Yona got up..." (1:3). Here begins
Yona's flight from God, from his destiny and from himself.
God sends him eastward (to Ninveh), and he flees westward (via
Yaffo, to Tarshish): "And he WENT DOWN to Yaffo and found a
ship... and he DESCENDED INTO IT to go with it to Tarshish
from before God" (1:3).
The great wind and furious storm, the terror of the
sailors and their shouts and desperate actions all leave Yona
unaffected, and do not halt his descent: "And Yona DESCENDED
into THE RECESSES of the ship, and he lay down and fell
asleep" (1:5). Descent after descent within descent. The
flight from God also involves physio-topographical descent, as
well as isolation from the surrounding events, and the sleep
of escape from reality.
God sends many messengers, and when the powers of nature
- the wind, the sea and all their activity - fail to intrude
on Yona's isolation, God sends an additional messenger, the
captain of the ship, who wakes Yona from his slumber and
attempts to return him to his destined path: "Why are you
sleeping? GET UP AND CALL to your God" (1:6). [The words of
the captain of the ship are in marked contrast to Yona's
actions in descending and falling asleep following God's
command, "Get up, go to Ninveh ... and call to it."] But even
this dialogue fails to check Yona's slide, and it becomes
apparent even to the sailors around him that "he was escaping
from before God, for he had told them" (1:10).
The flight continues: "And he said to them, 'Lift me up
and lower me into the sea...'" (1:12). And after serious
deliberation, "They lifted up Yona and lowered him into the
sea..." (1:15). ["R. Natan said: It was Yona's intention to
die in the sea. Similarly, we find in the case of other
forefathers and prophets, that they gave up their lives for
Israel..." (Yalkut Shimoni, 550).]
"And God appointed a great fish to swallow Yona, and Yona
was in the bowels of the fish for three days and three
nights. And Yona prayed to the Lord his God from the
bowels of the fish, and he said, 'I have CALLED... TO
GOD...'" (2:1-3)
Here, from the depths of the sea, from the stomach of the
fish, at the very climax of the escape, comes the turning
point: Yona calls out to God. "You have brought up my life
from the abyss, O Lord my God" (2:7).
"And God spoke to the fish and it spat Yona onto dry
land" (2:11). Once again Yona stands with his two feet on the
ground, at the same point where he started: "And God's word
came to Yona a second time saying, 'Get up, go to Ninveh, the
great city, and call to it...'" (3:1-2). And indeed, this
time, "And Yona got up and went to Ninveh as God had
commanded, and Ninveh was a great city ... of three day's
journeying. And Yona began to enter the city one day's
journey, and he called..." (3:3-4).
Yona's call works wonders. "And God saw their actions
... and God reconsidered the evil which He had spoken to
perform against them, and He did not perform it" (3:10).
Yona the prophet is not party to the joy over his
success: "And the matter was very bad to Yona, and he was
displeased. And he prayed to God and said, '... For this
reason I tried before to flee to Tarshish ... And now, take my
soul from me, for I prefer to die than to live' ... And Yona
went out of the city..." (4:1-5).
Yona fulfills his mission and hurries away from the city.
It is difficult for him to remain there; he is still haunted
by profound doubts, as well as the experience of his recent
flight from God. And so he leaves. "And he made himself a
sukka and sat beneath it in the shade, waiting to see what
would become of the city" (4:5).
The crux of the turbulent conflict still lies ahead of
him, and this is where it takes place - to the east of Ninveh.
Man's flight from his destiny and mission as defined by
the needs of the generation and the nation is a common human
phenomenon. It involves descent after descent, and leads to
escaping from reality.
A graphic summary of this, describing Yona's geographic-
topographic descent, corresponding in this case also to his
spiritual fluctuations, reveals the symmetry of the Sefer and
represents a significant symbol which helps us to understand
the process. (The graph that arises is in the form of a bird
- a dove [Yona] - in flight. Yona first receives his call and
rises; then he descends to the boat and keeps descending
further and further; he proceeds to return to land and rise to
his call; finally, he is dejected and sits outside the city.)
God's Messengers
One of the most important and ubiquitous themes of the
Yamim Nora'im, which also threads its way through the story of
Yona, is that of Divine Providence. We have already mentioned
above that God sends many messengers, some revealed and others
concealed. Each speaks to man in its own language. We need
to ensure that our ears are open and ready to hear and absorb
their message.
In four places in Sefer Yona there is an emphasis on
Divine intervention, with the use of the word "va-yema'en"
(and He appointed). A short review of these circumstances
gives rise to some thoughts on the subject of Divine
Providence.
"And the Lord appointed a fish..." (2:1)
"And the Lord God appointed a plant..." (4:6)
"And God appointed a worm..." (4:7)
"And God appointed a strong east wind..." (4:8)
The words "He appointed" indicate Divine intervention in
a concealed fashion. Each of these phenomena appear
incidentally, as it were, in Yona's vicinity.
There is a hierarchy of size and power amidst this
collection of messengers: a great fish, a tree, a worm, a
strong wind. There is also a variety of types of creation,
from the point of view of the relationship with man. Their
selection is not coincidental; their interrelationship points
to a clear trend. God recruits various different creatures
and creations as His messengers to man with a view to
returning him to his mission, to informing him of God's word:
inanimate objects, vegetation and animals; from the sea, from
the land and from the air. All are fulfilling the will of
their Creator. Encountering this multi-faceted reality
crammed with events, we need to ask ourselves - what is this
showing us? What is the significance of this?
We have highlighted above some general themes of Divine
Providence which would seem to arise from the text. It would,
moreover, appear that even the very choice of some or other
specific creature to serve as a messenger of the Divine also
has significance in the framework of the mission. Let us
attempt to explore this possibility with regard to one of the
four messengers listed above - the fish.
Our attention is drawn to the particular language used in
describing Ninveh, where the text does not stop at mentioning
the name of the offending city but takes the trouble to
present it together with a description: "Ninveh - the great
city." Elsewhere, the text elaborates even further: "And
Ninveh was a great city to the Lord, (measuring) three days'
journey" (3:3).
A similar description is to be found in the case of the
fish: "And God appointed a GREAT FISH to swallow Yona, and
Yona was in the bowels of the fish THREE DAYS AND THREE
NIGHTS" (2:1-2).
These two emphases, seemingly redundant, create a
peculiar parallel: the great Ninveh, three days' journey =
great fish, three days.
An interesting solution to this parallel came to me via
Eliakim ben-Menachem's commentary on Sefer Yona (cited in the
Da'at Mikra commentary, 1:2 and footnote 7): Ninveh, which was
situated on the banks of the Euphrates river, was signified in
ancient Ashuric script by the symbol of a fish within a house.
It may be that the historical source for this symbol was
connected to the fact that Ninveh was a source and 'home' of
fancy fish, and this was a well recognized symbol of its
renown. The name Ninveh may well have been chosen because of
this symbol: "Neveh (home) shel Nun (fish, in Aramaic)".
In light of the above, the appointment of the fish is
especially significant in the attempt to return Yona to his
mission. God is saying, as it were, to Yona: You are fleeing
from the 'home of the fish' (Ninveh), the great city of three
days' journeying, but you will return there via a fish which
will serve you as a house for three days. And, indeed, from
the midst of the great fish, after three days, Yona turns
towards the great city of Ninveh, measuring three days'
journey.
What is Evil?
The theme of evil appears several times throughout the
Sefer, in different contexts and with varying significance.
At times the reference is to bad events - catastrophes; at
other times the reference is to evil deeds. Sometimes 'evil'
appears as a punishment, other times it is a painful warning.
God, Yona, the sailors and the text all use 'evil,' and an
analysis of this aspect of the story will shed further light
on its meaning.
In explaining the reason for Yona's mission, the text
teaches, "Go up to it for their evil has come up before Me"
(1:2). From this point onwards, the text turns on the actions
of the people of Ninveh, and the chain of events which
subsequently take place. God, Yona and the people of Ninveh
all play a part.
The people of Ninveh, who hear Yona's call to teshuva,
take a number of steps, all of which are aimed at the ultimate
goal of repentance - "And let them return, each person from
his evil path and from the violence which is in his hands."
The text summarizes this process in the following words:
"And the Lord saw their actions, that they had returned from
their evil path, and the Lord reconsidered the evil which He
had spoken to perform against them, and He did not perform it"
(3:10). The people of Ninveh apparently understand that their
actions are evil and that they need to change their behavior.
God accepts their teshuva and puts aside the evil which He had
intended to unleash on them. But how does Yona see these
events?
"And the matter was very bad to Yona, and he was
displeased ... 'For this reason I previously fled to
Tarshish, for I knew that You are a kind and merciful
God, long suffering and full of compassion, and
reconsidering the evil.'" (4:1-2)
Yona has a different view of what has taken place, and
does not join God and the inhabitants of Ninveh in their
evaluation of the process as having reached a successful
conclusion. He sees the teshuva of Ninveh and its acceptance
by God as the opposite - a great evil; to the point where the
actual events make him leave the city and ask to die. There,
outside the city, Yona sits under the shade of the plant which
God appoints for him: "To be a shade over his head, to
alleviate his suffering ['ra'ato' - literally, 'his evil']"
(4:6).
Earlier on, while in the ship, Yona participates in a
similar exchange with the ship's personnel. Among other
measures adopted by the sailors in the face of the rising
storm, the text records: "And they said each one to his
neighbor, 'Let us go and draw lots, so that we may know
because of whom this evil has come upon us'" (1:7). When the
lots indicate Yona, "They said to him, 'Tell us because of
whom this evil has come upon us.'" When the sailors use the
word 'evil,' they mean the great storm which is threatening
their lives. Yona, in response to their questions, advises
them: "Lift me up and lower me into the sea ... For I know
that it is because of me that this great storm has come upon
you" (1:12). For him this is not an 'evil;' it is a natural
phenomenon which is merely serving its purpose.
This distinction may not be all that significant in its
own right, but it takes on a more profound importance in the
context of the central theme. At the end of the Sefer, God's
appointing the plant to alleviate Yona's suffering is
juxtaposed to His reconsidering the evil which He had said
that He would perform to the people of Ninveh. This is
dramatically expressed in the rhetorical question: "You had
mercy on the plant ... Should I not have mercy on Ninveh, the
great city, in which there are more than one hundred and
twenty thousand people ... and many cattle?" (4:11). This is
reminiscent of the midrash's account of God's question to the
angels while the Egyptians drowned in the Red Sea: "My
creatures are drowning, and you are reciting praise?!"
In this way God wants to show Yona that his system of
concepts - good and evil, reward and punishment - requires
rethinking. When man flees from his destiny, his basic moral
conceptual system is corrupted, and he assumes a limited
perception of reality, building himself a system of good and
evil which is different from that of God and that which
affects those around him.
But it is not coincidental that the text leaves this
central question open. Throughout the Sefer we seek the
answer: Why does Yona flee in the first place? Why does he
not want the people of Ninveh to repent? The answer is not
given. A person is, by nature, full of doubts, internal
battles, competing considerations and partial failures. But
correct decisions along the way, and his chances of ultimate
success, always depend on a correct perception of the goal,
the mission. Someone who flees from his mission and destiny
will find himself at a dead-end at every step of the way, and
will discover himself having mercy on a plant while ignoring
the good of fellow humans and animals.