The Inner Cry Of Truth

How does the shofar cause the transfer from kissay hadin to rachamim as it says in Vakiyra Rabbah (39:3)? The Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Ch. 30 says that Balak said if you can't curse the Jews now, maybe curse them when Yehoshua takes over.  Bilim said that will also be unsuccessful as Yehoshu will blow shofrot and the walls of Yericho will fall, that is what is means ותרועת מלך בו.  Why do the shofar blasts cause the walls of Yericho to fall?  

We have mentioned in the past that the shofar is a form of prayer that comes from the depths of a person.  We have spent the month of Elul and will spend a long time on Rosh Hashana praying but when we use use words it means it is a prayer affected by our processing of information.  There is our ego put into it.  Sometimes we must stop and just cry out without any words.  It is the pure sound of the person, the רוח של נשמת חיים that can erupt and accept the kingship of Hashem.  The Ritva in Rosh Hashana (16a) says the shofar is part of the malchiot.  The sound of the shofar is the sound of putting aside one's agendas and desires and trying to to accept the malchut of Hashem.  When one does that all the blockages, all the walls in life, the walls of Yericho come tumbling down.  That is what causes the transference to the kissay of rachamim.  When one is willing to put aside their own desires and can just focus on the pure cry of accepting the kingship of Hashem (based upon a shmuz by Rabbi Elefant.) 

Portfolio Day

 In the Mizmor L'dovid we say on the high holy days, the tefillah l'parnasah, we say מי יעלה בהר ה ומי יקום במקום קדשו נקי כפים ובר לבב אשר לא נשא לשוא נפשי ולא נשבע למרמה.  Why the repetition, if he is נקי כפים, it follows that אשר לא נשא לשוא נפשי?  Rav Simcha Zisal Brody brings from the Chofetz Chayim:

G-d invests in you.  G-d doesn't buy into your stock to merely not cause Him losses, he expects a gain for His return. It is not enough to avoid sin, G-d wants לא נשא לשוא נפשי, that the person raises his soul to additional heights.  Every year G-d goes over his portfolio and checks how His stocks are doing.  He wants to know if a person is raising themselves up, if they are accessing their full potential.  As discussed here Rosh Hashana is a time for a person to reflect on their capabilities and bring them to the forth front.

Degree In Teshuva

The Rambam says in the beginning of the second chapter of Teshuva אֵי זוֹ הִיא תְּשׁוּבָה גְּמוּרָה. זֶה שֶׁבָּא לְיָדוֹ דָּבָר שֶׁעָבַר בּוֹ וְאֶפְשָׁר בְּיָדוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹתוֹ וּפֵרַשׁ וְלֹא עָשָׂה מִפְּנֵי הַתְּשׁוּבָה. לֹא מִיִּרְאָה וְלֹא מִכִּשְׁלוֹן כֹּחַ. כֵּיצַד. הֲרֵי שֶׁבָּא עַל אִשָּׁה בַּעֲבֵרָה וּלְאַחַר זְמַן נִתְיַחֵד עִמָּהּ וְהוּא עוֹמֵד בְּאַהֲבָתוֹ בָּהּ וּבְכֹחַ גּוּפוֹ וּבַמְּדִינָה שֶׁעָבַר בָּהּ וּפָרַשׁ וְלֹא עָבַר זֶהוּ בַּעַל תְּשׁוּבָה גְּמוּרָה. הוּא שֶׁשְּׁלֹמֹה אָמַר (קהלת יב א) "וּזְכֹר אֶת בּוֹרְאֶיךָ בִּימֵי בְּחוּרֹתֶיךָ". וְאִם לֹא שָׁב אֶלָּא בִּימֵי זִקְנוּתוֹ וּבְעֵת שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת מַה שֶּׁהָיָה עוֹשֶׂה אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינָהּ תְּשׁוּבָה מְעֻלָּה מוֹעֶלֶת הִיא לוֹ וּבַעַל תְּשׁוּבָה הוּא. אֲפִלּוּ עָבַר כָּל יָמָיו וְעָשָׂה תְּשׁוּבָה בְּיוֹם מִיתָתוֹ וּמֵת בִּתְשׁוּבָתוֹ כָּל עֲוֹנוֹתָיו נִמְחָלִין שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (קהלת יב ב) "עַד אֲשֶׁר לֹא תֶחְשַׁךְ הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וְהָאוֹר וְהַיָּרֵחַ וְהַכּוֹכָבִים וְשָׁבוּ הֶעָבִים אַחַר הַגֶּשֶׁם" שֶׁהוּא יוֹם הַמִּיתָה. מִכְּלָל שֶׁאִם זָכַר בּוֹרְאוֹ וְשָׁב קֹדֶם שֶׁיָּמוּת נִסְלַח לוֹ.  The Rambam delineates three levels of teshuva.  There is one who recoils from sin in the same manner as one sinned beforehand, that is the complete baal teshuva.  One who is not faced with the same level of urge and desire to sin and therefore abstains from the sin is a בעל תשובה as well but such an individual can not claim to have reached the level of complete abstanation from sin as the בעל תשובה גמור.  Then the Rambma ends with a third level, one who does teshuva at the end of one's life, such a person does not merit the title of a baal teshuva but one's sins are forgiven. What is this middle ground where one is cleansed from sin but has not obtained a title of בעל תשובה?  

The Rambam opens Ch. 7 of the Laws of Teshuva הוֹאִיל וּרְשׁוּת כָּל אָדָם נְתוּנָה לוֹ כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ יִשְׁתַּדֵּל אָדָם לַעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה וּלְהִתְוַדּוֹת בְּפִיו מֵחֲטָאָיו וְלִנְעֹר כַּפָּיו מֵחֲטָאָיו כְּדֵי שֶׁיָּמוּת וְהוּא בַּעַל תְּשׁוּבָה וְיִזְכֶּה לְחַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא.  The Rambam already told us in the opening chapter that one must do teshuva for one's sins, what is he adding here?  And why does he say one should try, ישתדל to do teshuva, one must do teshuva for one's sins?

My father wrote here, "There are two types of teshuvah.  There is teshuvah that happens when a person can no longer tolerate the weight of sin on his/her shoulders and is therefore moved to turn to G-d (or his/her fellow man) to ask for forgiveness.  That's the first section of our parsha.  This teshuvah is an attempt to find refuge and catharsis from the pain at hand.  But then there is yet another level of teshuvah.  Once the sin has been rectified and that burden removed, instead of just moving on with life as "normal," a person can instead hold on to those feelings of humility, contriteness, and the longing to draw closer to G-d that teshuvah brought.  Rav Kook in Orot Teshuvah sees teshuvah as a lifelong process, a process that even tzadikim can engage in, because teshuvah of this type is not just a band-aid, a way to remove that burden of guilt and sin, but is an attitude that brings one ever closer to G-d." 

In light of this we can gain an understanding of the Rambam.  One who regrets their sinful ways at the end of their life indeed has remorse for their sins and can obtain forgiveness.  However, that person is in no position to live a more spiritual, enlightened life for they are about to pass away.  Hence they do not merit a B.A. in teshuva.  That is why the Rambam does not label such a person as a baal teshuva. 

That is what the Rambam may mean in Ch. 7.  Of course one must do teshuva for their sins to obtain atonement but that does not require one to be a baal teshuva.  For that one should be משתדל to reach such a level.  With this in mind we may understand why the Rambam introduces teshuva of middot raot only in this chapter (in law 3.)  Why does he not mention it in the earlier chapters?  Because this perek is dedicated to the masters degree in teshuva.  The ultimate baal teshuva, one who lives a different lifestyle due to teshuva, must fix his/her middot.  Such a level is not necessary to merely obtain forgiveness for one's ways.  

The Midrash (Vayeshev 84:19) אמר לו הקדוש ברוך הוא מעולם לא חטא אדם לפני ועשה תשובה ואתה פתחת בתשובה תחלה חייך שבן בנך עומד ופותח בתשובה תחלה ואיזה זה הושע שנאמר (הושע יד, ב): "שובה ישראל עד ה' אלקיך.  The Achronim ask but the Midrash already said earlier that Adam did teshuva as did Kayin so what does it mean Reuvan introduced teshuva? The Gemorah Shabbas (55b) says כל האומר ראובן חטא - אינו אלא טועה.  His "sin" was not an egregious sin as it sounds like from the simple read off the Torah but instead was a slight error committed for the honor of his mother.  To do teshuva for such a slight misstep is not necessary for one who merely wishes to be cleansed of sin for it is not deemed a חטא.  However, one who wishes to be a baal teshuva will do teshuva for such a misstep.  It is not fitting for one who wishes to live in closeness to Hashem.  This is the idea of the end of the midrash as well that pronounces Hoshea as the innovator of teshuva.  The Torah is replete with mentions, commands, pleas to do teshuva, what is the great invention of Hoshea?  Hoshea tells us do teshuva עד ה' אלקיך כי כשלת בעונך.  Even that which itself is not a sin but led to sin, what brought one to be ensnared in sin, one should repent for to be close to Hashem.  Even the lack in middot, the lack of a proper outlook, that leads one to the path of sin must be reverted for one to be a baal teshuva, to be close to Hashem.  That is the chiddush of Reuvan and his enekel Hoshea (based upon Yerech L'moadim siman 54 and 59, Beis Halevi Vayeshev, haarot at end of Harray Kedem volume 1.)

Access Your Potential

The Gemorah in Rosh Hashana (11a) says בר"ה נפקדה שרה רחל וחנה בר"ה יצא יוסף מבית האסורין בר"ה בטלה עבודה מאבותינו במצרים.  Why did all these events happen on Rosh Hashana?   תקעו בחדש שופר בכסה ליום חגנו.  Why is Rosh Hashana called the day the moon is covered, what is its significance?  And why does Rosh Hashana occur on Rosh Chodesh, is there a shared theme? 

היום הרת עולם. But the world was created on 25 Elul?  Because man was created on Rosh Hashana it is considered the birth of the world.  Why is man's creation celebrated as the beginning of the world?  Because it is mankind that was granted the ability and capability to bring out the full potential of all the ingredients imbedded in the world.  All of the events that Chazal enumerate happened on Rosh Hashana are various forms of people being freed from shackles that have held them back from being able to bring out their potential.  Yosef was locked in jail and subsequently the entire nation was enslaved holding them back from being able to accomplish great tasks such as saving Egypt from famine and Mattan Torah.  This potential for greatness was unlocked on Rosh Hashana.  The same is true of Sarah, Rachel and Chanah, all who could not bear children.  Their wombs, their place of bringing forth offspring into the world were closed up.  The ability to bring out that locked up potential was accessed on Rosh Hashana.  The word רחם, womb is also the root of the word רחמים.  We ask for mercy, meaning we ask Hashem to open our wombs, to open our capabilities to succeed.

The possuk (Devarim 11:12) says אֶ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־י״י֥ אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ דֹּרֵ֣שׁ אֹתָ֑הּ תָּמִ֗יד עֵינֵ֨י י״י֤ אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ בָּ֔הּ מֵֽרֵשִׁית֙ הַשָּׁנָ֔ה וְעַ֖ד אַחֲרִ֥ית שָׁנָֽה.  It says השנה and ends שנה, what happened to the ה?  There is a vort that at the beginning of the year people say it is the year!  They have a book full of new years resolutions all and are sure that this year they will accomplish all that they have been wishing to do.  However, as the year moves in it turns into שנה.  The book of resolutions, the dreams and hopes are all gone and it is just another year.  Rosh Hashana is the time to say השנה!  It is my year this year.  It is the time when one can take a hard look at themselves and look at all the potential that they have.  This is what is represented by the the כסא ליום חגנו.  The moon is currently hidden from sight but we know that its full self is still there just looking to realign itself in order to shine its brightest.  So too we just need to turn a little in order to be able to shine.  There is a מעין, a זעיר אנפין of this every Rosh Chodesh when the moon fades away but we celebrate that we know it will come back in full force.  This reminds us of our abilities which may be blocked out but are still there and can be brought out.  Rosh Hashana is the super Rosh Chodesh.  It is the time to daven to be able to accomplish one's dreams not just for the month but for the entire year. 

Set The Goal

The possuk in Balak (23:21) says י״י֤ אֱלֹהָיו֙ עִמּ֔וֹ וּתְרוּעַ֥ת מֶ֖לֶךְ בּֽוֹ.  The Seforno relates the word תרועת to the blowing of the shofrot when the camp moved ותרועת מלך בו – בנסוע המחנות הם תוקעים תרועה בנסוע המשכן, לשמחה שיגילו במלכם.  (The Even Ezra learns similarly, not like Rashi that understands it to mean friendship.)  What is so great about the fact that we blow shofrot?  Rov Dovid Solovetchik explains based upon the yesod of his father that the shofar is also a form of prayer that such a concept is only applicable by Jews.  All individuals of the world can pray, ביתי בית תפלה יקרא לכל העמים but the prayer of the shofar is unique to Klal Yisroel.  Why is this form of prayer unique to Klal Yisroel?

Chazal say (midrash Tehillim Ch. 27) אורי זה ראש השנה.  Why is Rosh Hashana called the light?  Just as one who is lost needs to know where the light at the end of the tunnel is in order to go in the right direction, so too Rosh Hashana is our light to show us the way.  Rosh Hashana is the time to focus on the goal of the journey of teshuva.  We first set our sights on the goal and then can travel through the path of teshuva.   The Baal Shem Tov gives a mashal to explain tekias shofar of a prince who is lost from his father ,the king.  Years later, he comes back but no one recognizes him and he has long forgotten the language of the land.  So all he can do is cry out and hope his father recognizes his voice.  So too if Klal Yisroel has become unrecognizable, at least the voice, the קול קול יעקב can still be recognized.  The Midrash Eichah (3:8) says that the nations of the world look to the various ministers, the governing powers of nature to give them success, but Klal Yisroel turns directly to Hashem.  The recognition that the goal is 'ושבת עד ה is only something that Klal Yisroel has.  The other nations may pray for their own success but they lack in the innate desire to be recognized by Hashem is unique to Klal Yisroel.   

Two Types Of Teshuva

וְשַׁבְתָּ עַד ה' אֱלוֹקֶיךָ וְשָׁמַעְתָּ בְקֹלוֹ כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם אַתָּה וּבָנֶיךָ בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל נַפְשֶׁךָ ...  כִּי תִשְׁמַע בְּקוֹל ה' אֱלוֹקֶיךָ לִשְׁמֹר מִצְוֹתָיו וְחֻקֹּתָיו הַכְּתוּבָה בְּסֵפֶר הַתּוֹרָה הַזֶּה כִּי תָשׁוּב אֶל ה' אֱלוֹקֶיךָ בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל נַפְשֶׁךָ.  In Ch. 30 possuk 2 and 10 the Torah repeats the teshuva of Klal Yisroel.  Why is it repeated, what are the multiple stages?  Why in the first possuk does it first say וְשַׁבְתָּ and subsequently וְשָׁמַעְתָּ but in the second possuk תִשְׁמַע precedes תָשׁוּב?  And why does the first possuk say 'וְשַׁבְתָּ עַד ה but the seond time it says 'אֶל ה?  The Chasam Sofer has an approach regarding the repetition, see here.  Others say that these are two levels of teshuva.  The first possuk follows after the one has experienced the berachot and klalot (as it says in the previous possuk.)  Then one turns to Hashem from yirah. That is teshuva miyirah, teshuva from fear, where the sin is mitigated.  The second level is coming after it says ומל ה אלקיך לאהבה את יי, one does teshuva from love of Hashem where the sin is turned into a merit.  That is why the first time it says 'עד ה, the person reaches to Hashem but there is still something separating between them.  The second time it is 'אל ה, one comes totally to Hashem as in בא אל הבית, one enters inside (see Ktav V'kabbalah.)  That also may explain if the שמעת  or the תשוב comes first.  In the first possuk, one is doing teshuva from fear, one turns toward Hashem as a consequence of the events in the world around them and then one focuses on the שמעת, on the philosophy.  In the second possuk it is the 'דבר ה, the greatness of the 'דבר ה that inspires one to come to do teshuva from אהבה.  

The Tzlach (Berachot 4b) says a similar idea in the haftorah for Shabbas teshuva,    שׁ֚וּבָה יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל עַ֖ד י״י֣ אלקיך כי כשלת בעונך קְח֤וּ עִמָּכֶם֙ דְּבָרִ֔ים וְשׁ֖וּבוּ אֶל־י״י֑ כׇּל־תִּשָּׂ֤א עָוֺן֙ וְקַח־ט֔וֹב.  Again we can ask why the repetition of teshuva and the switch from עד to אל?  He says the first time it is teshuva from fear, the sin still remains, it is still called an עון.  The second time is teshuva from love, then the sin is turned into טוב.  

The Maharsha on Yoma (86b) asks how is it that זְּדוֹנוֹת נַעֲשׂוֹת לוֹ כִּזְכִיּוֹת if one does teshuva from love הוא לכאורה דבר תמוה דנמצא חוטא נשכר?  The Tanya explains the idea is that everything has holy sparks in it.  Things that are forbidden the sparks are אסורת tied up and can not be accessed.  However, through teshuva one is able to release these sparks from their bondage and the merits are the holy sparks that were in the averah itself.  Its not that the averah turns into a mitzvah but by releasing the bondages of issur the averah turns naturally into a mitzvah.  

Standing Before Hashem

אתם נצבים היום.  What difference does it make that one is standing before Hashem?  The Sfas Emes (5635) says that this knowledge is what allows one to do teshuva.  Since it says in the Torah, which is eternal that you are before Hashem that means when one turns away and sins it doesn't define the person.  ומצד זה יכולין כל הרשעים לחזור בתשובה כי החטא רק במקרה שנפרש מכללות ישראל ולכן יכול לחזור לשורשו כמאמר לירושת אבותי אני חוזר.  Because one has knows where to go back to, one can do teshuva. 

תְּ֭פִלָּה לְעָנִ֣י כִֽי־יַעֲטֹ֑ף וְלִפְנֵ֥י י֝״י֗ יִשְׁפֹּ֥ךְ שִׂיחֽוֹ (Tehillim 102:1.)  Why is the prayer called עיטוף?  The Gemorah Rosh Hashana (17a) says מלמד שנתעטף הקדוש ברוך הוא כשליח צבור והראה לו למשה סדר תפלה to teach Moshe the 13 middot harachamim.  What is the message of Hashem being enclothed in the tallit?  The Maharal in Bear Hagolah (4:12) explains that when is covered by a tallis one does not look left and right; one is totally focused.  When one follows in the way of the 13 middot of Hashem and is focused totally of Hashem, their is a reciprocation from Hashem to focus on the person.  That is the prayer of an עני, one that is focused totally on Hashem.  That is the message of the selichot; to regain one's straight stance before Hashem.