Return O Israel (and correction)

[Rabbi Aryeh Citron]

Parsha Halacha

Parshat Ha’azinu - Shabbat Teshuva

This e-mail is sponsored by Mr. and Mrs. Philip Eytan Namiech in honor David Sutton (Mordechai ben Moshe) May his memory be blessed and may his Neshama have an aliyah

Correction: Please note that the correct Bracha for tonight’s candle lighting is: “Baruch…L’hadlik Ner Shel Yom Hazikaron”

not “Baruch…L’hadlik Ner Shel Shabbat VeShel Yom Hazikaron” as was mistakenly written in my Rosh HaShana e-mail.

Return O Israel

The Shabbat between Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur is referred to as Shabbat Shuva (return) or Shabbat Teshuvah (repentance).[1] Several reasons have been given for this title:

·         The Haftorah read on this Shabbat begins with the words Shuva Yisrael (Return O Israel).[2]

·         According to the Arizal,[3] one is supposed to do teshuvah (repentance) during the seven days between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur for the sins of the corresponding days of the previous year. I.e., on Sunday one should do teshuvah for all of the (sins of) Sundays of the previous years, on Monday for all the Mondays and so on.[4] Thus on Shabbat, one should be doing Teshuvah for all of the Shabbatot (pl. of Shabbat) of the previous year. Thus the name Shabbat Shuva means: “the day we do teshuvah for Shabbat.” The teshuvah for Shabbat is done by resolving to meticulously observe all of the laws of Shabbat.[5] This is one of the reasons that it is proper to be scrupulous regarding he Kashrut laws during these days.[6]

The Haftorah

The Haftorah is from the book of Hoshe’ah,[7] and Yoel.[8]

Below are several excerpts:

“Return, O Israel, to (lit. until) the L-rd your G-d, for you have stumbled in your iniquity. Take words with yourselves and return to the Lord. Say, ‘You shall forgive all iniquity and teach us [the] good [way], and let us render [for] bulls [the offering of] our lips.’

“And even now, says the Lord, return to Me with all your heart, and with fasting and with weeping and with lamentation.  And rend your hearts and not your garments, and return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and He repents of the evil.”

Below are several explanations of the Benei Yissachar^[9] on the first verse of the Haftorah.

 Return, O Israel, to the L-rd your G-d

What is the meaning of the double expression; that one should return to the L-rd your G-d?

[In Hebrew the two names of G-d in the verse are Havayah (the Tetragrammaton which is associated with the supernatural power of G-d) and Elokecha (the name of G-d usually associated with nature and strictness).]

·         This means that a person must to teshuvah to the extent that the G-dly aspect of judgment (Elokim) [which the person may have deserved as a result of his sins] is transformed to mercy (Havayeh).

·         One should return to G-d (Havayeh) as much as their nature (alluded to by the word Elokecha) allows them. When one does this, Hashem will aid them to reach the higher levels of Teshuvah that are beyond their natural capacity.[10]

·         One should do Teshuvah to the extent that G-d Himself can testify that one will not regress and sin again (this is the meaning of “return until G-d”). As the Rambam writes: “What constitutes Teshuvah? That a sinner should abandon his sins and remove them from his thoughts, resolving in his heart, never to commit them again …[He must reach the level where] He who knows the hidden (i.e. G-d Himself) will testify concerning him that he will never return to this sin again.”[11]

·         One should do Teshuvah out of love and fear of G-d (alluded to by the two names Havayah and Elokim) and not for any extraneous reasons.

·         One should do Teshuvah to the extent that any blemish in the spiritual realms he may have caused, is corrected. (Kabbalisticly speaking, the names of Havayah and Elokim represent different spiritual energies, both of which are negatively affected by one’s sins.[12] When one does a proper Teshuvah, these energies are renewed and any blemishes are rectified. This is the meaning of “until Havayah Elokecha” i.e., until these levels are corrected.)

·         One should do Teshuvah to the extent that one becomes aware of G-d’s supernatural power (alluded to by the name Havayah) even in one’s daily (i.e. natural) life (alluded to by “elokecha”).

The Teshuvah Speech

It is customary in many communities for the rabbi to speak on this Shabbat and inspire his community to do Teshuvah. In some communities this speech takes place during the morning prayers while in others, it takes place in the afternoon, before Mincha.

In many communities the rabbi begins the speech with a deep analysis of a particular Halacha (this is known as a “pilpul”) and only speaks about teshuvah after this .

The reason for this custom, (in addition to the obvious reason – to inspire people to do teshuvah,) is that the Midrash says that “when a scholar sits and expounds (the Torah), the Holy One Blessed be He atones for the sins of the Jewish people.” [13] Thus, simply in the merit of listening to this speech, G-d forgives us for our sins.

It is important that everyone participate in listening to this speech. The Torah scholars should be amongst the first there so that others understand how important this speech is.[14]

Explaining the Midrash

Rav Tzvi Elimelech of Dinov offers the following explanation as to why we merit forgiveness for simply listening to a Derasha (speech):[15]

·         If one gives words of rebuke and the listeners do not heed those words, they become more responsible for their sins.[16] Some say[17] that they in fact transgress the sin of “do not harden your stiff necks.”[18] This may deter one from trying to inspire others to do teshuvah because if they fail to inspire they are causing the listeners to sin.[19] For this reason, G-d promises that He will forgive the sins of the listeners as soon as they begin listening. This is similar to the famous Midrash[20] that G-d forgives those that attend a Brit in order that Elijah the Prophet, who attends every Brit, should not become incensed at their sins.

May we all merit to do a genuine teshuvah and be blessed with a good sweet year, a year of safety and security in the land of Israel, a year of good health, much happiness, plentiful nachat, appropriate shidduchim for those who need, healthy children born in a good time and an easy way, and the coming of Moshiach speedily Amen

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[1] See Ta’amei HaMinhagim, page 322

[2] Levush 603, 1

[3] Sefer HaKavanot, quoted in Ketzeh Hamateh, 602, 32

[4] See ibid

[5] Ibid

[6] See Shulachan Aruch HaRav 603 In addition, the Kohen Gadol (High Priest) would stay in the Bait HaMikdash (Holy Temple) for the seven days prior to Yom Kippur. In addition to the fact that this was to separate him from impurity, perhaps it was also in order that he have extra time to do the proper teshuvah required of these days.

[7] 14, 2 - 10

[8] 2, 11 - 27

[9] Benei Yissachar Mamarie Chodesh Tishrei, Mamar Dalet

[10] See Sha’arei Teshuva of Rabbeinu Yonah Sha’ar alef, ot alef

[11] Laws of Teshuvah, 2, 2

[12] See Igeret HaTeshuvah, end of Chapter 7 http://www.chabad.org/library/tanya/tanya_cdo/aid/7940/jewish/Chapter-7.htm

[13] Midrash Mishlei, Chapter 10

[14] Ketzeh HaMateh, ibid, 35 See there that if one does not attend it is considered as if he disgraced a Torah Scholar (i.e. the rabbi).

[15] Benei Yissachar, ibid, Derush 2

[16] See Shulchan Aruch HaRav, 608, 4

[17] Semak, mitzvah 9

[18] Deut. 10, 16

[19] See Sanhedrin 95a that King David was punished for being the cause of King Saul’s killing the city of Nov

[20] This Midrash is quoted in various places but its actual source is unknown. See Pirkei DeRebbi Eliezer 46, Zohar vol. 1, 209a.