Opportunity Is Knocking

Hashem commanded Klal Yisrael to write the Torah on stones when they enter Eretz Yisrael, in seventy languages so that it should be legible and understandable by all the nations. The Gemara teaches (Sotah 35) that after Moshe Rabbeinu gave this directive and Yehoshua fulfilled it, the nations were able to read the entire Torah clearly, yet they didn’t take that opportunity — and for that, they were punished harshly by being barred from ever becoming, as a nation, the am Hashem.

Tosfos there notes that Hashem already offered the Torah to the nations before Mattan Torah and they refused it then, but we don’t find that they were punished as a result. Tosfos explains that initially, that offer wasn’t so tempting, because the Torah was not yet written, and comprehending it would require effort. But now the Torah was written, and as such it was offered to them on a silver platter, clear and easy to understand — yet they still didn’t take the opportunity. Therefore, they forfeited forever the possibility of becoming the am Hashem.

We see from here that if we utilize the opportunities that Hashem gives us, then we’ll get closer to Him, and all will be well. Conversely, if we squander an opportunity, there is a taanah against us in Shomayim (From the Mir parsha sheet by Harav Meir Tzvi Shpitzer Shlita.)

After bikkurim, Ki Savo moves on to tell us about the mitzvah of viduy maser.  The person announces in the fourth and seventh year of the shmittah cycle that he has properly taken care of his obligations of teruma and maaser.  The declaration after fulfilling the obligation of removing one's obligation is called viduy maaser.  The meforshim are troubled why it is called viduy when one does not confess, on the contrary one anounces how they have followed the mitzvot properly?  (See Sforno also cited in Tosfot Yom Tov Maaser Sheni 5:10.) 

Rav Solevetchik explains (Chamesh Derashot derush Brit Avot) that there are two aspects to viduy.  Besides the traditionally understood aspect of confessing one's wrongdoings and errors, one also has to focus on one's potential to do right.  The two go hand in hand.  There is no point of confessing one's sins unless one sees in themself the potential for change.  Viduy maaser is a time when one focuses on theur ability to do ככל אשר צויתני.  When one sees in themself the גדלות האדם, the potential to do things right, then one can see the שפלות האדם, the sins, misgivings and bad traits and focus on changing them.

Viduy is about recognizing one's potential and utilizing it.  What one is culpable for is for not using the talents and strengths with which G-d granted one to follow the ratzon Hashem.  The sin one must confess is for not using the opportunity G-d gave for one to be able to announce עשיתי ככל אשר צויתני.