Parshat Nitzavim: Teshuvah - It is so close

יא  כִּי הַמִּצְוָה הַזֹּאת, אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם--לֹא-נִפְלֵאת הִוא מִמְּךָ, וְלֹא רְחֹקָה הִוא.

יב  לֹא בַשָּׁמַיִם, הִוא:  לֵאמֹר, מִי יַעֲלֶה-לָּנוּ הַשָּׁמַיְמָה וְיִקָּחֶהָ לָּנוּ, וְיַשְׁמִעֵנוּ אֹתָהּ, וְנַעֲשֶׂנָּה.

יג  וְלֹא-מֵעֵבֶר לַיָּם, הִוא:  לֵאמֹר, מִי יַעֲבָר-לָנוּ אֶל-עֵבֶר הַיָּם וְיִקָּחֶהָ לָּנוּ, וְיַשְׁמִעֵנוּ אֹתָהּ, וְנַעֲשֶׂנָּה.

יד  כִּי-קָרוֹב אֵלֶיךָ הַדָּבָר, מְאֹד:  בְּפִיךָ וּבִלְבָבְךָ, לַעֲשֹׂתוֹ.

11 For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not too hard for thee, neither is it far off.

12 It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say: 'Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it?'

13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say: 'Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it?'

14 But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.

What mitzvah is verse 11-14 talking about? It is not far from us and not in the heavens?

Rashi explains it as calling attention to the mitzvah of learning Torah. Much has been written to help us understand the message according to this very understanding, given by Rashi. But Ramban says the verse refers to the mitzvah of Teshuvah; it is easy to do and close to us, in our mouths and hearts.

Is this true? Teshuvah is easy? Don’t we know it to be the opposite? It is really hard to change our ways?

The great Rav Yeruchem Levovitz explains the difficulty is because it is so close to us; it is “in our mouths and hearts,” so there is nothing closer to the essence of a person than that. There is nothing or no one standing in the way but ourselves. No one else can hold us back. But this is also the difficult part - it is all up to us! No one else can do it for us. As we sin, we dig ourselves into a  deeper and deeper hole, and knowing we alone are the only ones who can get ourselves out of it makes it a very daunting task.

Rav Chaim Shmulewitz sums it up by asking, if teshuvah is so easy, why don’t we find more people doing real teshuvah? Many people out there who sin understand they are not doing the right thing; why don’t more people change their ways? After all, it is close to us, in our mouths and hearts?

Rav Chaim explains that a Man’s challenge when he becomes too accustomed to his situation in life, becoming complacent. Many people do not stop to think about how they got where they are, what will the end look like, what will the consequences of my choices be? We do not realize it is our complacency that leads us down the path of staleness; one where we do not grow as individuals.

The answer of Rav Chaim can be supported by a novel interpretation to the pasuk at the end of Parshat Ki Teitzei;  when Amalek attacked the Jewish people, the Torah describes that Amelek was so bad because אשר קרחה בדרך, which is usually interpreted to mean he “cooled us” off. To mean since the exodus from Egypt, the Jews were “hot,” no one wanted to touch them because the hand of Hashem was evident. However, perhaps the interpretation is  “we cooled down,” in that we became indifferent or complacent. This characteristic prevents us from doing teshuvah, for we think we are doing well and not focused on our growth.

One final explanation as to why teshuvah is “close to us,” is offered by the Sefer Kadosh V’norah. He explains it is close to us because we can accomplish it by taking small, measurable steps forward. He elaborates by explaining with a mashal of a person who breaks his arm, has surgery and after months in a cast, he can barley can barely lift anything upon the cast being removed. Over time and strengthening the muscles, he can slowly build his strength back up. How did he do this? Slow and steady work, allowed the muscles to grow in a healthy way.  So, too, for us, we have many challenges in life. The path to a life of Torah and Yirat Shamayim is like a ladder with many rungs of areas we need to grow in. Don’t look at how tall the ladder is. Rather, look how close the next rung is; you can do it, one rung at a time.

Parshat Ki Tavo: The Jewish View of The Confessional

With Rosh Hashana and the Aseret Yomai Teshuva approaching, the topic of teshuva, repentance should be weighing on our minds. Although the classic commentaries differ on exactly how to define the process of teshuva, in essence, it comes down to five steps:

1. הכרת החטה - Recognizing our sin
2. חרטה - Regretting our sin
3. עזיבת החטה - Stopping the sin
4. קבלה לעתיד - Accepting upon ourselves not to commit that sin in the future
5. וידוי - Confessing or admitting the sin

Much has been written about each stage of the teshuva process, but here I focus on the last step, The Confessional. What exactly does Hashem expect from us? What exactly are we confessing to?

Interestingly, the concept of וידוי, confessing, comes from a mitzvah in this week’s parsha which does not seem to connect to sin or repentance. The mitzvah of Ma’aser, requires us to give 10% of our produce to the Levi. As part of giving these tithes, there is a process called Viduy Ma’aser. What kind of viduy is that? Why is it called confession? In fact, even the wording is strange, for a person says to Hashem,

וְאָמַרְתָּ לִפְנֵי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ בִּעַרְתִּי הַקֹּדֶשׁ מִן-הַבַּיִת, וְגַם נְתַתִּיו לַלֵּוִי וְלַגֵּר לַיָּתוֹם וְלָאַלְמָנָה, כְּכָל-מִצְוָתְךָ, אֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתָנִי:  לֹא-עָבַרְתִּי מִמִּצְו‍ֹתֶיךָ, וְלֹא שָׁכָחְתִּי.

Loosely translated, this means the person says to Hashem that we have removed the holy things from the house and have given the correct things to the Levi, according to the commandment I have been commanded. Not only that, I have not missed this obligation and have not forsaken it.

It seems someone who can say this has much to be proud of. What then is the viduy? Where is the confession? Where is the sin?

Rav Soloveitchik has a novel insight shedding light on this obligation and the important message it imparts. The secret lies with one letter - a simple letter כ. When the pasuk says that “I did ככל, like all that you commanded me, the כ is making a powerful statement. I am saying I did “like,” everything you commanded me. In other words, I didn’t do what you commanded me perfectly, but rather I am confessing the commandment was done imperfectly; here in lies the confession.

Rabbi Yissocher Frand expounds on this idea by suggesting  if we each were to examine our deeds, we will find that we perform many beautiful mitzvot, but there is often something lacking in content and depth. We might be very careful with our observance of Shabbat, but do we treat the Shabbat with the respect it deserves? We might have a beautiful Shabbat meal, but do we keep our conversations Shabbat related, devoid of weekday planning or lashon hara? Similarly, many of us are careful to daven every day, but do we ensure we daven with a minyan? Do we spend the time we are in shul effectively, devoid of side conversations with our friends?

In essence, the obvious part of confessing is the distinct and blatant sins, the imperfections we should spend our lives seeking to improve upon. However, the message of viduy ma’aser is that we need to be more rigorous when exploring our spiritual growth; we need to investigate every aspect of our Avodat Hashem to insure we are doing our best. Let’s not convince ourselves we are ok the way we are. Remember that Hashem does not expect us to be perfect, but he does expect us to strive to our highest potential!

A Thought on Parshat Ki Teitzei - Keeping the Entire Torah: You Can Do It!

This week’s parsha contains an episode that it is difficult for us 21st century beings to fully understand. The story of Yefat Toar, when a Jewish male soldier goes to war and sees an attractive non-Jewish woman, unable to withstand the temptation, the Torah permits the man to take her for a wife. The pasuk says ״וראית בשביה אשת יפת תאר וחשקת בה ולקחת לך לאשה״ and Rashi comments ״לא דיברה תורה אלא כנגד יצר הרע, שאם אין הקב׳׳ה מתירה – ישאנה באיסור.״

This is hard for us to comprehend. For hundreds and hundreds of years, Jewish society has lived with the decree of Rabbeinu Gershom, who forbids a man to have more than one wife; something that was clearly permitted and accepted in biblical times. But perhaps more troubling is the notion that because the man cannot withstand a prohibition, the Torah permits it? Interesting… how are we to understand that?

The commentators offer various explanations to help us understand this story, but I will focus on a different angle -  a powerful message we can glean from this episode.  The sefer שללי רב quotes an amazing story that occurred with Rav Yechezkel Abromsky. Rav Abromsky, a great Torah giant and former Av Beit Din in London would regularly give a shiur in parshat hashavua on Friday evenings for young Jews who were not yet observant. Every week they would come to his house to hear his Torah. When the week of Parshat Ki Teizei arrived Rav Abromsky was very anxious for he did not know how to explain this parsha in a way non-observant Jews could connect to it. As Friday night arrived, the Rav still did not know what he would say to these young minds - he davened to Hashem for the right words. And just like that, in the middle of the meal, an approach popped into his head, which would prove to be a most powerful lesson. When the students arrived Rav Abromski said to them, “before you open the books, you should know today we are going to learn a lesson that will obligate you to keep the entire Torah.” He went on to explain that in this week’s parsha, the Torah permits us to do something that would otherwise be considered a sin. Hashem permits this act to us because the evil inclination would be raging so roughly, making it too difficult for us to withstand. The logic to this is Hashem would never command us to do something not within our capacity to fulfill. From this we can glean, that EVERYTHING else in the Torah - every positive and negative commandment - are commandments we are capable of fulfilling. There is not a prohibition in the Torah we are not able to gather the strength to withstand. If there were, this week’s parsha teaches us Hashem would have created some permission to violate it.

Wow! What a powerful message. We live in a time where society presents us with many conflicting ideas, attitudes and opinions. We often find ourselves in places where keeping Kosher is not as easy as it is when we are in Toronto. We often find ourselves in places where keeping Shabbat, both in private and in public is not so easy. We often find a conflict between the Torah viewpoint of modesty and the “cool” or “fashionable” approach of society. Let us never say “We Can’t.” It might be hard, and some of us may have come from a less observant upbringing, but do not use the excuse you can’t. Maybe you can’t do it yet, but we all can do it. If we focus on the hidden message of the Yefat Toar we will understand we can do it, Hashem wants us to do it. Let’s spend our lives working towards doing it!

Parshat Shoftim: Hashem Wants You to Be You

The parsha begins with the words שופטים ושוטרים תתן לך “You shall set up judges and law enforcement individuals for yourself.” From this we learn the Torah is telling us to set up judges לך, for ourselves in the singular. Are each of us supposed to have our own judges? Do each of us have to be part of setting up the communal court system? What is the Torah trying to teach us here?

Some commentators say this pasuk is a hint; each one of us has to set up judges and enforcers to watch over our actions -  to investigate our every move and action and to determine if they are congruent with the ways of Torah.

The sefer Otzrot HaTorah suggests there is an even deeper, hidden message: Each individual has to search within him or herself, consider the path that he/she is on --but  to look only at one's own self and not draw comparisons! Do not look at others, for each individual has different strengths and weaknesses, backgrounds, and challenges. The Torah is teaching us that yes, Hashem will investigate every one of our actions, but not in comparison to another. It is possible an action would be considered a sin for one person, but not for another and vice versa. We are all individuals and our paths to true Torah Judaism will not all look alike.

A few anecdotes to support this idea can be found in the stories from the Talmud and great Torah giants of previous generations.

1. Rav Yerucham Levovitz told the story how Rav Yizchak Belzer would completely abstain from speaking starting at the beginning of Elul straight through until after Yom Kippur. Yet, when Rav Levovitz attempted to do the same, he wasn’t capable; he wasn’t on the same spiritual plain. This week’s parsha is teaching us that if a person takes stringencies upon him or herself  that are above his/her capabilities, it could lead down the path to sin and counter productivity.
2. The Talmud in Chulin (105a) tells the story of Mar Ukva who related  he is inferior to his father, for his father would wait 24 hours after eating meat before eating milk. Mar Ukva could not wait as long as his father, which pained him greatly. One could ask, why couldn't he just wait 24 hours? The answer is this: The Mar Ukva knew his limits and was not on the level of his father.
3. There is a famous story of a Torah giant, Rav Naftoli Tzvi Yehuda Berlin, known as “the Netziv,” who as a young boy was not the strongest student and did not take his studies very seriously. One night he overheard his parents talking about how it was time for him to leave the yeshiva and go to work. “He clearly does not have the capacity to learn Torah on a high level to continue his studies in a serious way; better he go to work and earn an honest living”. After hearing this, the Netziv ran into the room crying and promised his parents he would do better; that he could do it and will do it. After much debate and consideration, The Netziv’s parents allowed him to remain in yeshiva. He went on to became the Gadol Hador, who wrote volumes upon volumes of sefarim, which even today are studied by thousands of Jews around the world.

The Netziv would tell this story to his students, with a powerful message. He would tell over that had he left the yeshiva and gone on to work, he would have been a good observant Jew, but when faced before Hashem at 120, he would have been asked, where is your sefer “Netziv?” Where is your volumes of work known as the “Hoemek Shayla?” I would have answered, what do you mean? I am a simple Jew, not a scholar. How could you expect me to write sefarim? The angels in heaven would have said, but you didn’t become you! You didn’t become what you had the potential to become. You were supposed to write sefarim and become the gadol hador!

The message is strong. We have to be ourselves, not compare ourselves to others. Yet, we cannot sell ourselves short. We need to investigate and explore our strengths so to ensure they are maximized throughout our lifetime. As we move through the month of Elul and prepare for the Yomim Noraim, let us take this message to heart and begin to search our souls. Let us be sure that we are becoming who were destined to become. Furthermore, this week’s parsha is telling us  we have to do it at our own pace, on the derech that is meant for us individually.