Teshuva

A series of mini-shiurim on Neviim and Ketuvim, consisting of original insights into selected portoins of the Prophets and Biblical Writings. We will begin with insights into Sefer Yehoshua, exploring fascinating and surprising aspects of this unusual prophetic personality (how many Gedolei HaDor are also top generals, and visa versa?), and continue from there through the Tanach.

The analysis will focus on omek ha-peshat - a careful literary reading of the text in light of the entire book and parallels throughout Tanach. Additionally, many of the insights into the deeper meaning of the plain sense of the Biblical text will lead us to an understanding of seemingly strange and difficult statements of Chazal.

These shiurim will be available 2 times a week, each shiur will be approximately 20 minutes long and will be available via audio podcast.

The Rambam writes (Hilchot Teshuva 1:1-2):

1. All the mitzvot of the Torah, whether positive precepts or negative precepts, if a person (”Adam”) transgresses one of them, whether intentionally or unintentionally, when that person repents and returns from his sin, he is obligated to confess before G-d, etc….

2. Since the scapegoat (”seir hamishtaleach”) is a kappara for all of Israel, the High Priest confesses upon it (i.e., recites a confession) for “All of Israel”, and confesses upon it all the sins of all of Israel…

(Rambam-Rabbi Moses ben (son of) Maimon, or Maimonides (1135–1204)-was born in Cordoba, Spain and eventually settled in Fustat (old Cairo), Egypt. Maimonides is one of the best known figures in Jewish history. While practicing medicine in the court of the Caliph, he achieved renown as a major authority in Jewish law and in philosophy as well. His major works include the Mishneh Torah, the first systematic code of Jewish law, and The Guide of the Perplexed, a philosophical work directed at Jews who sought guidance in combining their secular education with their traditional Jewish belief system.)

These two laws in the Rambam use very different terminology. In the first law, the Rambam speaks of Adam - humanity: “… if a person (”Adam”) transgresses one of them…,” that person must confess before G-d. On the other hand, the second law describes an institutional confession by a representative of the people of Israel, on behalf of the people. The purpose of this confession is to effect kappara for the people of Israel, via the ritual of the scapegoat. (Note that throughout this article, terms such as “Israel”, “the people of Israel”, etc. are used to refer to Jews. This follows the Rambam’s way of referring to Jews. The modern political entity of the State of Israel is not referred to.)

The Rambam is defining two different processes for repentance. One is a universal process, in which an “Adam”, a human, confesses his sin before G-d. In contrast, the other is a particular process, linked with the rituals of the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), by which the people of Israel attain kappara. This understanding of the Rambam’s use of “Adam”, as distinguished from the Rambam’s use of “Israel” is highlighted in the third chapter of the laws of repentance. In Chapter 3, the Rambam wants to define a righteous person, a tzadik: “Each and every person (”Adam”) has merits and sins. One who has more merits than sins is righteous, and one whose sins exceed his merits is evil. If his sins and his merits are equal, he is in-between (”benoni”). And the same principle applies to a country: if the merits of all its inhabitants exceed their sins, the country is righteous, and if the sins of the inhabitants exceed their merits, that country is evil. This same principle applies to the whole world.” By referring to “Each and every person,” and “a [generic] country,” and “the whole world,” the Rambam makes it clear that he is referring to humans, Adam, and not just the people of Israel.

In fact, if one looks at the many instances in the Laws of Repentance where Rambam refers to “Adam” (90 occurrences), as opposed to “Israel” (40 occurrences), discounting those cases where Rambam is quoting (and thus the usage of language can be attributed to the quoted text rather than Rambam himself), one sees that the Rambam generally uses the term “Adam” in a generic fashion - namely, humanity.

All of this proves, at least according to Rambam, that just as Jews have 613 commandments to observe and must repent if he transgresses them, non-Jews also have seven biblical precepts to observe (1. Not to kill; 2. Not to steal; 3. Laws of incest and adultery; 4. Not to blaspheme; 5. Not to commit idolatry; 6. To establish a legal system; and 7. Not to eat the flesh of a live animal [Rambam, Laws of Kings, 9:1]) and must repent if they transgress them.

In other words, the existence of a commandment, any commandment, implicitly carries with it a second commandment to repent if the commandment is violated, regardless of whether the commanded person is “Adam” or “Israel”. If a person transgresses, that person must repent from his transgression. The astute reader will no doubt point out that, in the second of the laws of repentance cited above, it says that a Jew must not only repent but must also obtain kappara. But the need for kappara is related to the Jewish dimension of the person’s being. Nevertheless, Jews have another primary dimension to their being, namely, that they are “Adam”, human. In other words, the first law cited above applies to all persons, including Jews.

This is stressed by the practice of the people of Israel on that great and awesome day, the day that, by its very nature, is dedicated to kappara - namely, Yom Kippur. As the day draws to its climax, the people of Israel stop and read the Book of the Prophet Jona. The story of Jona is well known - the prophet flees his mission, is swallowed by a huge fish, is later expelled from the fish’s belly, and goes on to call on the people of Nineve to repent (Nineve is modern day Mosul. During the summer of 2003, there were reports in the media about an American Army Rabbi who visited what is, by tradition, the tomb of the prophet Jonah [see, for instance, http://www.afsi.org/oregon/RecentComments/Rabbi_in_Iraq.htm]). The crucial point of the whole story is that the prophet is sent, not to deliver his message to the city of Dan or Beer Sheva, but to to Nineve, a city of non-Jews. At the end of the book, Jona has a fascinating argument with G-d. After delivering his message, Jona departs Nineve, and sits outside the city to see what will become of it. A vine grows over Jona providing him with shade. G-d makes the vine wither and die. As Jona is about to pass out from the heat, he proclaims (Jona 4:8), “Better that I should die than live!”

G-d says to Jona, “Why should you be angry about the vine?” (Jona 4:9)

Jona responds (Jona 4:9), “I am angry enough to die.”

Then G-d responds, “You took pity on this vine, which you did not tend or grow. It sprang up overnight and withered. Shall I not take pity on Nineve, the great city, which has more than 120,000 people who do not know their right from their left, and many cattle.” (Jona 4:10-11) G-d cares about all the inhabitants of the world - their moral well-being is of His concern.

This is the lesson we read.

This article is an excerpt from “Tishrei, The Mitzvah of Teshuvah, and Universalism” and was originally published in Chidushei Torah Volume 6, 2005 http://www.nds.com/z/chidusheitorah/pdf/2005/atlow.pdf

Aleinu is one of the most common prayers found in the prayer service. Originally it was the opening prayer of Mussaf on Rosh Hashana and was later inserted at the end of the three daily prayers services. What makes this prayer so unique?

Aleinu is composed of two parts – Aleinu and Al Kain Nekave. Aleinu was composed by Yehoshua Bin Nun after the miraculous capture of Jericho when the blowing of the shofar caused the walls to fall down. Al Kain Nekave was composed by Achan before being put to death for taking the loot of Jericho. G-d forbade taking the loot, but Achan did not listen. As a result the Jewish army lost many soldiers in their next battle with the Aye. The first letters of the first three words of this prayer spell out Achan’s name (Al Ken Nekave).

This adds to the mystery of Aleinu. Why was a prayer that is half composed by our great leader Yehoshua Bin Nun and half written by a supposed villain, Achan, used as the opening prayer of Mussaf on Rosh Hashana?

To understand this dilemma, we will explore the concept of Teshuva (repentance). How does an apology like “I am sorry” erase all sins?

Rav Eliyahu Dessler in his renowned work Michtav Mi’Eliyahu explains that G-d wishes us to recognize him as the True G-d. There are two ways of achieving this goal. A person can either be a Tzaddik, a righteous person following G-d’s path all his life or alternatively, one can achieve this through trial and error. If a man sins, it means he thought he could have something to gain by going down a different path. If he looks at his deeds and realizes he sinned, he has gained little from taking this path and therefore now recognizes that G-d’s way is the correct way. Both ways reach the same goal, but obviously the first path is more recommendable.

Yehoshua Bin Nun proclaimed G-d’s Name with a major spiritual showdown in Jericho. Achan took the second approach. By acknowledging his mistake, he brought about a Kiddush Hashem, a sanctification of G-d’s Name by announcing that the way of G-d is the correct way and admitting that he tried the other way and it was not worth it.

If we look at the Aleinu prayer closely we can see the difference between the themes in the two sections. In the first section Aleinu, the Tzaddik writes about the greatness of G-d and how lucky we are to be his people. In the second section, Achan expresses his desire that all alternative paths luring us away from G-d be destroyed, that we recognize them as false and that we should recognize G-d as being the True King. This is the true repentant speaking, praying that the falseness of this world which causes sin be eradicated, so that truth be recognized. We can now understand why the Mussaf service of Rosh Hashana opens with this prayer.

One of the greatest challenges the Jews experienced was the devastation of our nation during and following the destruction of the Second Temple. The Jews were physically destroyed and their spirits were broken. The great luminary savior of the Jewish people and the Torah at that time was R. Yochanan ben Zakai who escaped the siege and reconvened the Sanhedrin in Yavne. He instituted the saying of the Aleinu prayer three times a day to raise peoples’ spirit at that time, since Aleinu reminds us that when we follow in His ways, He is truly Glorious and we are fortunate to be His people. In addition, Aleinu reminds us that repentance works and that when we repent, G-d’s Glory will return.

Yochanan ben Zakai in his great wisdom foresaw that the Jewish people would be challenged time and time again during their long exile. The recitation of the Aleinu prayer, now an integral part of our prayers, helps strengthen our spirit, day in day out ensuring that we continue to be proud Jews and hold our heads high.