{"id":51638,"date":"2021-08-03T20:31:27","date_gmt":"2021-08-03T20:31:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/holidays\/?p=51638"},"modified":"2021-08-03T20:31:27","modified_gmt":"2021-08-03T20:31:27","slug":"teshuvah-is-easy-change-is-difficult","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/holidays\/teshuvah-is-easy-change-is-difficult\/","title":{"rendered":"Teshuvah Is Easy; Change Is Difficult"},"content":{"rendered":"

Using Elul Productively<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u05e1\u05e4\u05e8 \u05e9\u05de\u05d5\u05ea \u05e4\u05e8\u05e7 \u05dc\u05d3
\n\u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05b4\u05d9 \u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05e8\u05b6\u05d3\u05b6\u05ea \u05de\u05e9\u05c1\u05b6\u05d4 \u05de\u05b5\u05d4\u05b7\u05e8 \u05e1\u05b4\u05d9\u05e0\u05b7\u05d9 \u05d5\u05bc\u05e9\u05c1\u05b0\u05e0\u05b5\u05d9 \u05dc\u05bb\u05d7\u05b9\u05ea \u05d4\u05b8\u05e2\u05b5\u05d3\u05bb\u05ea \u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05d9\u05b7\u05d3 \u05de\u05e9\u05c1\u05b6\u05d4 \u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05e8\u05b4\u05d3\u05b0\u05ea\u05bc\u05d5\u05b9 \u05de\u05b4\u05df \u05d4\u05b8\u05d4\u05b8\u05e8 \u05d5\u05bc\u05de\u05e9\u05c1\u05b6\u05d4 \u05dc\u05b9\u05d0 \u05d9\u05b8\u05d3\u05b7\u05e2 \u05db\u05bc\u05b4\u05d9 \u05e7\u05b8\u05e8\u05b7\u05df \u05e2\u05d5\u05b9\u05e8 \u05e4\u05bc\u05b8\u05e0\u05b8\u05d9\u05d5 \u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05d3\u05b7\u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05e8\u05d5\u05b9 \u05d0\u05b4\u05ea\u05bc\u05d5\u05b9:
\n\u05dc) \u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05bc\u05b7\u05e8\u05b0\u05d0 \u05d0\u05b7\u05d4\u05b2\u05e8\u05b9\u05df \u05d5\u05b0\u05db\u05b8\u05dc \u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05e0\u05b5\u05d9 \u05d9\u05b4\u05e9\u05c2\u05b0\u05e8\u05b8\u05d0\u05b5\u05dc \u05d0\u05b6\u05ea \u05de\u05e9\u05c1\u05b6\u05d4 \u05d5\u05b0\u05d4\u05b4\u05e0\u05bc\u05b5\u05d4 \u05e7\u05b8\u05e8\u05b7\u05df \u05e2\u05d5\u05b9\u05e8 \u05e4\u05bc\u05b8\u05e0\u05b8\u05d9\u05d5 \u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05bc\u05b4\u05d9\u05e8\u05b0\u05d0\u05d5\u05bc \u05de\u05b4\u05d2\u05bc\u05b6\u05e9\u05c1\u05b6\u05ea \u05d0\u05b5\u05dc\u05b8\u05d9\u05d5:<\/p>\n

And when Moshe descended from Har Sinai, and the two tablets of testimony were in his hand when he descended from the mountain, Moshe did not know that his skin had become radiant while He [HASHEM] had spoken with him. And Aharon and all of Bnei Yisrael saw Moshe, his face illuminated, and they feared approaching him.<\/p>\n

\u05e8\u05e9”\u05d9 \u05e2\u05dc \u05e9\u05de\u05d5\u05ea \u05e4\u05e8\u05e7 \u05dc\u05d3 \u05e4\u05e1\u05d5\u05e7 \u05dc
\n\u05dc) \u05d5\u05d9\u05d9\u05e8\u05d0\u05d5 \u05de\u05d2\u05e9\u05ea \u05d0\u05dc\u05d9\u05d5 – \u05d1\u05d0 \u05d5\u05e8\u05d0\u05d4 \u05db\u05de\u05d4 \u05d2\u05d3\u05d5\u05dc\u05d4 \u05db\u05d7\u05d4 \u05e9\u05dc \u05e2\u05d1\u05d9\u05e8\u05d4 \u05e9\u05e2\u05d3 \u05e9\u05dc\u05d0 \u05e4\u05e9\u05d8\u05d5 \u05d9\u05d3\u05d9\u05d4\u05dd \u05d1\u05e2\u05d1\u05d9\u05e8\u05d4 \u05de\u05d4\u05d5 \u05d0\u05d5\u05de\u05e8 (\u05e9\u05de\u05d5\u05ea \u05db\u05d3) \u05d5\u05de\u05e8\u05d0\u05d4 \u05db\u05d1\u05d5\u05d3 \u05d4’ \u05db\u05d0\u05e9 \u05d0\u05d5\u05db\u05dc\u05ea \u05d1\u05e8\u05d0\u05e9 \u05d4\u05d4\u05e8 \u05dc\u05e2\u05d9\u05e0\u05d9 \u05d1\u05e0\u05d9 \u05d9\u05e9\u05e8\u05d0\u05dc \u05d5\u05dc\u05d0 \u05d9\u05e8\u05d0\u05d9\u05dd \u05d5\u05dc\u05d0 \u05de\u05d6\u05d3\u05e2\u05d6\u05e2\u05d9\u05dd \u05d5\u05de\u05e9\u05e2\u05e9\u05d5 \u05d0\u05ea \u05d4\u05e2\u05d2\u05dc \u05d0\u05e3 \u05de\u05e7\u05e8\u05e0\u05d9 \u05d4\u05d5\u05d3\u05d5 \u05e9\u05dc \u05de\u05e9\u05d4 \u05d4\u05d9\u05d5 \u05de\u05e8\u05ea\u05d9\u05e2\u05d9\u05dd \u05d5\u05de\u05d6\u05d3\u05e2\u05d6\u05e2\u05d9\u05dd:<\/p>\n

Come and see how great the power of sin is! Because when they had not yet stretched out their hands to sin [with the Golden Calf], what does He say? \u201cAnd the appearance of the glory of HASHEM was like a consuming fire on top of the mountain before the eyes of the Bnei Yisrael.\u201d (Shemos 24:17) They were neither frightened nor quaking. But since they had made the Calf, even from Moshe\u2019s rays of splendor, they recoiled and quaked.<\/p>\n

\u201c<\/em>And Aharon and all of Bnei Yisrael<\/em> saw Moshe, his face illuminated, and they feared approaching him.\u201d<\/em> \u2014 Shemos<\/em> 34:30<\/p>\n

With the entire Nation gathered at the foot of Har Sinai, Moshe Rabbeinu went up to receive the Torah. When he came down forty days later, the Jewish People were in a very different state than when he had left them. Through the influence of the mixed multitude, they were engaged in a form of idol worship. While it\u2019s true that the vast majority of the people didn\u2019t actively engage in the act, for such a people so soon after hearing, \u201cI am HASHEM Your G-d,\u201d directly from our Creator, this was so egregious that it was considered as if they had each participated. The only hope was for Moshe to beseech HASHEM for mercy.<\/p>\n

After destroying the Golden Calf, Moshe went back up Har Sinai, spent another forty days with HASHEM, and then He forgave the Jewish People. Then HASHEM told Moshe to go back up a third time, now to reaccept the Torah and bring down a second set of luchos<\/em>.<\/p>\n

This time, when Moshe came down his face was illuminated \u2014 literally shining from holiness. When the people saw him, they were awed and didn\u2019t dare to look directly at him. From that point on, whenever Moshe went out in public, he wore a veil to hide his face.<\/p>\n

Rashi comments that earlier, when HASHEM Himself appeared to the entire nation, everyone \u2014 man, woman and child \u2014 was able to look at HASHEM. Now even just the reflection of the HASHEM\u2019s glory on the countenance of a man was more than they could handle. From here we see the damage of sin.<\/p>\n

This Rashi is difficult to understand. Moshe came down the final time on Yom Kippur. For generations, that day has been set aside as a day of forgiveness because HASHEM forgave the sin of the Golden Calf. And even more, Moshe immediately commanded the Jewish People in the mitzvah<\/em> of building the Mishkan<\/em> (tabernacle). This was to be a permanent sign that HASHEM forgave the Jewish nation. Clearly, the sin was forgiven, so why couldn\u2019t the Jews look at Moshe\u2019s face?<\/p>\n

The answer to this can best be understood with a moshol<\/em>.<\/p>\n

The Judge Can Forgive Him<\/strong><\/p>\n

Imagine a man who, after having a few too many drinks, gets into his car and begins driving. It takes a while before he is pulled over, but finally, the police arrest him, and he stands trial for driving while intoxicated. Understanding the gravity of the charges, he makes a heartfelt appeal to the judge. \u201cYour honor, what I have done is wrong, and there is no excuse. I endangered the lives of others as well as myself, and there is no defending my conduct. I cannot express my shame and regret for my actions. However, it is a first offence, and I am a family man, and community-minded. I beg the court to have mercy.\u201d<\/p>\n

If the man is convincing, and the circumstances support him, the judge may forgive him and waive the charges, in which case the offense is stricken from the record, and he is the same as he was before the fateful event happened.<\/p>\n

But what if when he got behind the wheel of his car, and instead of being pulled over by the police, plowed into a telephone pole? By the time the paramedics get to the scene, it looks bleak. As a last measure, a helicopter flies him to the nearest hospital, but there is nothing that could be done. His spinal cord is severed, and he is paralyzed from the waist down.<\/p>\n

In this case, if he were to stand trial for drunk driving, the judge may forgive him, and his record may be clean, but the damage is still there.<\/p>\n

This seems to be the answer to Rashi. The Jewish Nation did teshuvah<\/em> and were forgiven. But the world was still changed. At that pivotal moment in time, for the Exalted Nation to engage in something akin to idol worship changed the very spiritual dimensions of the world. Yes, they were forgiven for what they did, but they weren\u2019t the same as they were before, and neither was the rest of Creation.<\/p>\n

Teshuvah Isn\u2019t Enough<\/strong><\/p>\n

This concept is very applicable to us. On Yom Kippur, we are charged with the mitzvah<\/em> of teshuvah<\/em>. Teshuvah<\/em> involves four parts: separating from the sin, regret, confession, and a plan not to repeat the offence. But there is still more work to be done. I have to repair the damage done.<\/p>\n

If over the past year, I haven\u2019t learned properly, I can ask HASHEM to forgive me for my lack of diligence, but I still remain lacking. It\u2019s up to me to now fill in what I have lost. If I have had words with relatives of friends, it\u2019s not enough to ask forgiveness. That takes care of the actual sin. But the repair of the relationship still has to be done. And certainly in terms of the way that we treat our spouses, while we will ask forgiveness, and can expect it to be granted, the real work is looking forward and asking ourselves, \u201cWhat can I do to make my marriage better?\u201d<\/p>\n

Teshuvah<\/em> can eliminate the sin and make it as if it never happened, but it can\u2019t make up for the lost opportunity. That can only happen with a course correction, accomplished with careful analysis of how we spend our time and asking ourselves the critical question: am I happy with the direction of my life?<\/p>\n

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Courtesy of\u00a0<\/em>TheShmuz.com<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Using Elul Productively \u05e1\u05e4\u05e8 \u05e9\u05de\u05d5\u05ea \u05e4\u05e8\u05e7 \u05dc\u05d3 \u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05b4\u05d9 \u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05e8\u05b6\u05d3\u05b6\u05ea \u05de\u05e9\u05c1\u05b6\u05d4 \u05de\u05b5\u05d4\u05b7\u05e8 \u05e1\u05b4\u05d9\u05e0\u05b7\u05d9 \u05d5\u05bc\u05e9\u05c1\u05b0\u05e0\u05b5\u05d9 \u05dc\u05bb\u05d7\u05b9\u05ea \u05d4\u05b8\u05e2\u05b5\u05d3\u05bb\u05ea \u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05d9\u05b7\u05d3 \u05de\u05e9\u05c1\u05b6\u05d4 \u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05e8\u05b4\u05d3\u05b0\u05ea\u05bc\u05d5\u05b9 \u05de\u05b4\u05df \u05d4\u05b8\u05d4\u05b8\u05e8 \u05d5\u05bc\u05de\u05e9\u05c1\u05b6\u05d4 \u05dc\u05b9\u05d0 \u05d9\u05b8\u05d3\u05b7\u05e2 \u05db\u05bc\u05b4\u05d9 \u05e7\u05b8\u05e8\u05b7\u05df \u05e2\u05d5\u05b9\u05e8 \u05e4\u05bc\u05b8\u05e0\u05b8\u05d9\u05d5 \u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05d3\u05b7\u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05e8\u05d5\u05b9 \u05d0\u05b4\u05ea\u05bc\u05d5\u05b9: \u05dc) \u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05bc\u05b7\u05e8\u05b0\u05d0 \u05d0\u05b7\u05d4\u05b2\u05e8\u05b9\u05df \u05d5\u05b0\u05db\u05b8\u05dc \u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05e0\u05b5\u05d9 \u05d9\u05b4\u05e9\u05c2\u05b0\u05e8\u05b8\u05d0\u05b5\u05dc \u05d0\u05b6\u05ea \u05de\u05e9\u05c1\u05b6\u05d4 \u05d5\u05b0\u05d4\u05b4\u05e0\u05bc\u05b5\u05d4 \u05e7\u05b8\u05e8\u05b7\u05df \u05e2\u05d5\u05b9\u05e8 \u05e4\u05bc\u05b8\u05e0\u05b8\u05d9\u05d5 \u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05bc\u05b4\u05d9\u05e8\u05b0\u05d0\u05d5\u05bc \u05de\u05b4\u05d2\u05bc\u05b6\u05e9\u05c1\u05b6\u05ea \u05d0\u05b5\u05dc\u05b8\u05d9\u05d5: And when Moshe descended from Har Sinai, and the two tablets […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":133214,"featured_media":51639,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_cloudinary_featured_overwrite":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[375],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-51638","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-elul"],"yoast_head":"\nTeshuvah Is Easy; Change Is Difficult - Jewish Holidays<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/holidays\/teshuvah-is-easy-change-is-difficult\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Teshuvah Is Easy; Change Is Difficult - Jewish Holidays\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Using Elul Productively \u05e1\u05e4\u05e8 \u05e9\u05de\u05d5\u05ea \u05e4\u05e8\u05e7 \u05dc\u05d3 \u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05b4\u05d9 \u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05e8\u05b6\u05d3\u05b6\u05ea \u05de\u05e9\u05c1\u05b6\u05d4 \u05de\u05b5\u05d4\u05b7\u05e8 \u05e1\u05b4\u05d9\u05e0\u05b7\u05d9 \u05d5\u05bc\u05e9\u05c1\u05b0\u05e0\u05b5\u05d9 \u05dc\u05bb\u05d7\u05b9\u05ea \u05d4\u05b8\u05e2\u05b5\u05d3\u05bb\u05ea \u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05d9\u05b7\u05d3 \u05de\u05e9\u05c1\u05b6\u05d4 \u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05e8\u05b4\u05d3\u05b0\u05ea\u05bc\u05d5\u05b9 \u05de\u05b4\u05df \u05d4\u05b8\u05d4\u05b8\u05e8 \u05d5\u05bc\u05de\u05e9\u05c1\u05b6\u05d4 \u05dc\u05b9\u05d0 \u05d9\u05b8\u05d3\u05b7\u05e2 \u05db\u05bc\u05b4\u05d9 \u05e7\u05b8\u05e8\u05b7\u05df \u05e2\u05d5\u05b9\u05e8 \u05e4\u05bc\u05b8\u05e0\u05b8\u05d9\u05d5 \u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05d3\u05b7\u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05e8\u05d5\u05b9 \u05d0\u05b4\u05ea\u05bc\u05d5\u05b9: \u05dc) \u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05bc\u05b7\u05e8\u05b0\u05d0 \u05d0\u05b7\u05d4\u05b2\u05e8\u05b9\u05df \u05d5\u05b0\u05db\u05b8\u05dc \u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05e0\u05b5\u05d9 \u05d9\u05b4\u05e9\u05c2\u05b0\u05e8\u05b8\u05d0\u05b5\u05dc \u05d0\u05b6\u05ea \u05de\u05e9\u05c1\u05b6\u05d4 \u05d5\u05b0\u05d4\u05b4\u05e0\u05bc\u05b5\u05d4 \u05e7\u05b8\u05e8\u05b7\u05df \u05e2\u05d5\u05b9\u05e8 \u05e4\u05bc\u05b8\u05e0\u05b8\u05d9\u05d5 \u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05bc\u05b4\u05d9\u05e8\u05b0\u05d0\u05d5\u05bc \u05de\u05b4\u05d2\u05bc\u05b6\u05e9\u05c1\u05b6\u05ea \u05d0\u05b5\u05dc\u05b8\u05d9\u05d5: And when Moshe descended from Har Sinai, and the two tablets […]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/holidays\/teshuvah-is-easy-change-is-difficult\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Jewish Holidays\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/OrthodoxUnion\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2021-08-03T20:31:27+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/holidays\/files\/shutterstock_1219836994.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"500\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"334\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Rabbi Ben Tzion Shafier\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Rabbi Ben Tzion Shafier\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/holidays\/teshuvah-is-easy-change-is-difficult\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/holidays\/teshuvah-is-easy-change-is-difficult\/\",\"name\":\"Teshuvah Is Easy; 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