The Inspiration For Teshuva

 וְהָיָה֩ כִֽי⁠־יָבֹ֨אוּ עָלֶ֜יךָ כׇּל⁠־הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֗לֶּה הַבְּרָכָה֙ וְהַקְּלָלָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָתַ֖תִּי לְפָנֶ֑יךָ וַהֲשֵׁבֹתָ֙ אֶל⁠־לְבָבֶ֔ךָ בְּכׇ֨ל⁠־הַגּוֹיִ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֧ר הִדִּיחֲךָ֛ י״י֥ אלקיך שמה.  The Kozhnitzer Maggid reads the possuk as וַהֲשֵׁבֹתָ֙ אֶל⁠־לְבָבֶ֔ךָ בְּכׇ֨ל⁠־הַגּוֹיִ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֧ר הִדִּיחֲךָ֛, why do you want to do teshuva even as you are dispersed amongst the gentiles? י״י֥ אלקיך שמה, since Hashem inserts Himself in the deep depths of impurity surrounding a person and gives one the spark to do teshuva.  That is what Dovid says (86:13) והצלת נפשי משאול תחתיה, You came to pull me out of the depths of darkness.  The next possuk continues ושבת עד ה אלקיך, when you take that inspiration and due true teshuva, then the pessukim continue Hashem will gather you from the ends of the earth, meaning Hashem will elevate and gather together all the holy sparks that you left behind.  

The Pirkay D'Rebbe Eliezer (Ch. 43) says שלח הב"ה ביד עבדיו הנביאים אל ישראל ואמר, שובה ישראל עד ה' אלהיך, עד ההוא ששמעכם בהר סיני אומ' אנכי ה' אלהיך, meaning the ability to do teshuva stems from that connection to Sinai.  That voice of Hashem experienced at Sinai is heard by the Jewish soul down through the generations.  The Be'ar Moshe cites the Baal Shem Tov that the the בת קול  that says אוי לבריות מעלבונה של תורה is the thoughts of teshuva that pop into a person's mind.  This is the spirit of inspiration that allows one to do teshuva.  He says that is the intent of the next words, וְשָׁמַעְתָּ֣ בְקֹל֔וֹ כְּכֹ֛ל אֲשֶׁר⁠־אָנֹכִ֥י מְצַוְּךָ֖ הַיּ֑וֹם, if one hears the internal voice of the commandments at Sinai today, if one hears the בת קול, then one will be able to do teshuva. 

A New Path

The Minchas Chinuch (364:1) points out that it would seem that the mitzvah of teshuva and mitzvah of viduy are two distinct ideas.  One can do teshuva mentally without viduy and viduy is another mitzvah to confess one's sins.  He cites proof from open pessukim in this week's parsha which mention doing teshuva but no viduy.  In addition he cites the Gemarah Kiddushin (49b) that one is called a צדיק for הרהר תשובה and the Gemarah Yoma with Rashi (85b) that a korban atones without viduy.  He is troubled then as to why the Rambam in the beginning of the Laws of Teshuva indicates that one needs viduy to complete teshuva?  A similar issue is apparent is the Beis Shmuel (38:55) who rules that a thief who repents, even if one has not returned the stolen goods is a tzaddik (at least vis-a-vis the law marrying on condition that one is a tzaddik,) how can the thief be a tzaddik if his teshuva is not complete?   This issue is also apparent in our avodah on Rosh Hashana for it is one of the days of the repentance but we do not say and viduy on Rosh Hashana?   

The Midrash Tehillim (81) says תקעו בחדש שופר. רבנן אמרי חדשו מעשיכם ושפרו מעשיכם ואני מכסה על עונותיכם שנאמר (תהלים פה ג) נשאת עון עמך כסית כל חטאתם.  What does it mean תחדשו מעשיכם and then the sins will be covered?  

The Gemarah Rosh Hashana (16b) says אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק: אֵין דָּנִין אֶת הָאָדָם אֶלָּא לְפִי מַעֲשָׂיו שֶׁל אוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה.  Rabbenu Channanel adds (it only appears in some editions) ירושלמי ריב"ל אמר מהאי קרא אם זך וישר היית אין כתיב אלא אם זך וישר אתה עכשיו.  The past is ignored, only the current state of the person is judged.  How is the past just ignored, what happened to the need for teshuva? 

To reconcile these ideas Rav Solevetchik (and others) suggest that there are two levels to doing teshuva.  Full-blown bonified teshuva has all of the technical aspects of teshuva of abstaining from the sin, regret, accepting to not be a  repeat sinner and viduy.  That process is the full process that one must go through to become a complete ball teshuva.  However ,at its most basic level, the beginning of teshuva is about finding a new direction in life.  As the possuk says יעזב רשע דרכו, the wicked must change direction, forge a new path.  It is that שעה אחת, single turn ,when one commits to finding a new direction in life, that one can already be called a tzaddik.  The pessukim in the parsha, the man who is מהרהר תשובה, the thief who mentally decides to repent, have completed the first level of teshuva, they turned their life around and committed to lead a better life.  

This is the avodah of Rosh Hashana.  We do not mention a formal declaration of the teshuva process in the prayer service for what we are striving to do is to change our direction, to turn from the path of sin to the path of goodness.  This is what the Gemarah is teaching that דָּנִין אֶת הָאָדָם אֶלָּא לְפִי מַעֲשָׂיו שֶׁל אוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה.  According to the direction one is pointing toward, where one wishes to go on Rosh Hashana, will determine his judgement.  Although the past mat be riddled with sin and that will have to be examined and repaired correctly in due time, what matters on Rosh Hashana is where one wants to go.  That is what the Midrash is telling us; תחדשו מעשיכם, by choosing a new path, the sins will not be looked at, one will be judged according to the path that they are committing themselves to currently. 

Blow The Shofar Early

I saw the following suggestion on a otzar hachachma forum,  נשמע מצחיק, אך ראיתי מי שמפלפל שאפשר שבתאריך א' בתשרי יש לתקוע בשופר ורק שהלילה התמעט, ומי שקיבל תספת יו"ט יוכל לתקוע שהרי אצלו זהו תאריך של א' בתשרי ואין זה לילה.    

The Gemarah Rosh Hashana (34a) says we have a derash ביום ולא בלילה to tell us that the mitzvah of shofar does not apply by night.  The suggestion here is that if one accepts Rosh Hashana early and it is hence day, one can blow the shofar at that time.  

The basis for this chidush would seem to be based upon a number of (debatable) assumptions.

There are three ways to view tosefes Yom Tov.  One is that one has the ability to accept the isur melacha upon one's self at an earlier time but the keusha of the day only comes in when the actual Yom Tov commences.  Another way to understand is that one is able to even advance the kedushat hachag earlier and yet a third way is that the old day finishes and it is as if one starts the next day earlier with their acceptance of the Yom Tov.   This chidush assumes like the third way.  However, it says even though the next day is made earlier, it is not viewed as nighttime still it is still day ouside.   

The Rambam in Sefer Hamitzvot #170 says היא שצונו לשמוע קול שופר ביום ראשון מתשרי והוא אמרו יתעלה יום תרועה יהיה לכם.  In the heading of the Laws of Shofar in his description of the mitzvah he says as well לשמוע קול שופר באחד בתשרי.  In the first halacha he says מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה שֶׁל תּוֹרָה לִשְׁמֹעַ תְּרוּעַת הַשּׁוֹפָר בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה so why does he mention twice באחד בתשרי and not just say Rosh Hashana?  Rabbi Brown (Moadanay Moshe siman 36) explains that we see from the Rambam that the mitzvah is to blow on the first day of  Tishray even if it would be lacking in the kedusha of Rosh Hashana.  We see this concept illustrated in Rashi Rosh Hashana (24a) the Gemarah says in a case when everyone saw the new moon סָלְקָא דַּעְתָּךְ אָמֵינָא: הוֹאִיל וְרָאוּהוּ בֵּית דִּין וְכׇל יִשְׂרָאֵל, אִיפַּרְסְמָא וְלָא לִיעְבְּרוּהּ, קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן. and Rashi says סד"א לא ליעברוה ואי תנא הרי זה מתקדש למחר הוה אמינא לעולם מיומא קמא מתקנינן מועדותיה, I would think although since the kiddush of the day didn't occur until the next day it is Rosh Hashana tomorrow but today is day 1 of Tishray to count toward Yom Kippur and Sukkot.  Similarly this may explain the opinion of Rashi Menachot (100b) that even though there was a Rabbinic decree not to accept witnesses for the new moon of Rosh Hashana after the mincha time ,we still count that day as 1 Tishray for counting toward the holidays even though the kedusha of Rosh Hashana is only the next day, ואכ"מ.  The Rambam would be telling us then that the mitzvah is dependent on the date of the calendar not the kedusha of the day.  This chiddush also assumes that the mitzvah is dependent on the ate of 1 Tishray, not the kedusha of Rosh Hashana.  

I don't understand why they would suggest this combination of factors when it would be simpler to suggest that the kedusha of the Yom Tov is advanced earlier but it is still technically day and therefore, one can blow the shofar. 

The Taz (600:2) discusses a case where the khal accepted Shabbas early on second day Rosh Hashana on a cloudy day but they did not blow a shofar earlier that day, can they now blow shofar after they declared it to be Shabbas?  The Taz does not assume it is the next day and therefore they can't blow shofar.

The Maharil (#33) says  ומהר"א מווינא כתב בנימוקו. ויש שאין אוכלין ביום כדי שלא יוסיפו מחול על הקדש בהאי י"ט משום דיומא דדינא הוא וכמדומה שכן הורה מהר"מ ז"ל במעגניצ"א: ועל טעם זה תמהתי דהא כבר קדשוהו בתפלה: ושמא על הכוס עיקר דהוא דאורייתא.  It may be that those that did not eat early on Rosh Hashana but may have davened early is since they hold that the acceptance of the Yom Tov early in davening is accepting the prohibitions of the day early but to eat the seudah of Yom Tov requires accepting the kedusha of the day early and that they did not want to do so as to not extend the day of judgement (It is צ"ע for Yom Kippur is the source of adding to a holiday and that is adding to a day of judgement.  See also גליוני הש"ם יומא פא that asks many questions on the Maharil.)     

Fences

Rabbi Akiva Eiger in Teshuva siman 9 has a back and forth if one who buys a house and it has a mezuzah set up, does one say a beracha on the mezuzah since it is a new mitzvah for the new occupant.  Rav Scheinberg in Mishmeres Chayim asks why no one raises such a possibility regarding the mitzvah of having a fence around a roof, no one suggests that when moving into the house one should say a new beracha on the maakeh?  He answers that when it comes to mezuzah R.A.E. entertains the possability that a new house for this owner is a new mitzvah, there is a new מחייב,  and requires its own beracha.  However, the point of the maakeh, the fence, is merely to avoid danger and since there is no new danger, there is no new מחייב.

Tosfos Chullin (105a) says there is no beracha on removing danger.  So why is there a beracha on putting up a fence at all?  The Chazon Eish says that the bar of danger is not met by the place where one has to put op a maakeh and the mitzvah is to put up a fence despite not meeting the bar to be considered dangerous (discussed in greater detail in the post Put Up A Fence.)  (See also Likutay Sichos volume 2)  .In light of this, the answer of Rav Scheinberg becomes difficult for the מחייב of the fence is an independent mitzvah not due to sakanah?  

Rashi says כִּי תִבְנֶה בַּיִת חָדָשׁ: אִם קִיַּמְתָּ מִצְוַת שִׁלּוּחַ הַקֵּן, סוֹפְךָ לִבְנוֹת בַּיִת חָדָשׁ, וּתְקַיֵּם מִצְוַת מַעֲקֶה, שֶׁמִּצְוָה גּוֹרֶרֶת מִצְוָה, וְתַגִּיעַ לְכֶרֶם וְשָׂדֶה וְלִבְגָדִים נָאִים, לְכָךְ נִסְמְכוּ פָּרָשִׁיּוֹת הַלָּלוּ.  Normally מִּצְוָה גּוֹרֶרֶת מִצְוָה means that one mitzva leads to another but here it is leading to a new house which happens to have a mitzvah etc., how is that מִּצְוָה גּוֹרֶרֶת מִצְוָה?  We see that it doesn't merely mean one mitzvah leads to another but that when one does a mitzvah one's outlook in life becomes different.  When one does a mitzvah he starts viewing additional things as mitzvah opportunities.  When the person gets a new house he sees the mitzva of maakah, the fields, the mitzvot associated with the fields etc.  The mitzvah allows him to see additional mitzvot in other areas (see also Divrei Chaim l'maancha Elokim chaim.)

The Rebbe (Likutay Sichos volume 2) says the message of saying a beracha on making the roof is that when one builds a new house, meaning when one reaches a new form of avodah, in order to avoid stumbling one must build a roof which is raised above the house.  One must bring down a greater level to watch and protect over the person.  How is that possible?  By making a beracha, by connecting and bringing into the world the Divine assistance which will allow for one to tap into a level above their own in order to be successful in their new endeavor.

The Good Fight

כִּֽי⁠־תֵצֵ֨א לַמִּלְחָמָ֜ה עַל⁠־אֹיְבֶ֗ךָ וְֽרָאִ֜יתָ ס֤וּס וָרֶ֙כֶב֙ עַ֚ם רַ֣ב מִמְּךָ֔ לֹ֥א תִירָ֖א מֵהֶ֑ם כִּֽי⁠־י״י֤ אלקיך עִמָּ֔ךְ הַמַּֽעַלְךָ֖ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם 

The Or Hachayim says that the war is also allegorically referring to one's fight with the yetzer harah.  When one goes to fight the yetzer harah and finds it prepared for battle and that is  ממך, it is due to the person's own bad actions which allow his yetzer harah greater power, still Hashem will help a person be victorious in the battle, for Hashem took you out of Egypt means that Hashem can redeem everything from  they they are stuck in.  In other words, Hashem redeemed on a national level and also redeems a private person from their battles.     

The Sfas Emes adds that one who is afraid that their averot will make them fall in battle is exempt from going to war.  That means that one who is in battle with the yetzer harah, one who is not exempt from the battle, has the ability to be victorious.  The fact that there is a battle is reassuring that there is the capability for victory.  He explains that is the meaning of the possuk we say during this time of year, אם תחנה עלי מחנה לא יירא לבי אם תקום עלי מלחמה בזאת אני בוטח, if there is a battle, בזאת, in this, in the very fact that there is a battle, that gives me bitachon that I will be victorious for one is never put in a battle that they can't overcome  He cites from the Chidushay HaRim that בזאת also alludes to the recognition that everything has no existence without Hashem, (the word זאת is made of the ז for the seven middot and את which is the aleph beis from beginning to end, everything is infused life only from the letters of the Torah.)  With that understand that the battle is also from Hashem, it is there to allow one to become stronger by beating one's yetzer harah ,then one will have the strength to fight an win.

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