Mattos 5768Volume 4 · Issue 40

Decline of Humanity

this is a single form of existence. Additionally, the Creator gave to us another form of existence, one that we can reach after we traverse our current existence, which He gave to us first (cf. Rambam Hilchos Teshuvah 8:8).

In The Three Weeks · Chapter 12View Sefer

Devarim 5768Volume 4 · Issue 41

Whisper of Hope

The Ninth of Av is distinct in its customs and particularly in its order of prayer. All fasts were established to awaken the hearts and to open the paths of repentance (Rambam Hilchos Ta’aniyos 5:1) and consequently, they include penitential prayers and supplications. On the Ninth of Av, however, we recite very few prayers and no supplications and penitential prayers; we only recite elegies and laments

In The Three Weeks · Chapter 32View Sefer

Toldos 5768Volume 4 · Issue 9

Reflection of Joy

The Talmud states (Pesachim 50b; Rambam Hilchos Teshuvah 10:5) that whenever a person begins to do something, he does it not for its sake, but by doing it not for its sake he will eventually do it for its sake.

In On the Torah II · Chapter 41View Sefer

Shoftim 5768Volume 5 · Issue 1

Existential Transition

Of this, it says (Devarim 6:2), “Love God your Lord with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your possessions.” In the words of the Rambam (Hilchos Teshuvah 10:3): “What is the proper love? A person should love God with a great and excessive love so fierce that his soul is bound in the love of God. Consequently, he is constantly preoccupied with it as though

In Days of Repentance · Chapter 22View Sefer

Behaaloscha 5769Volume 5 · Issue 27

The Torah of Israel

For example, only during the Ten Days of Repentance do we end the third blessing of the Shemoneh Esrei Prayer with the praise, “The Holy King,” instead of the ordinary ending, “The Holy Lord,” for only then is He revealed as King. One who ends the blessing in this manner

In On the Torah IV · Chapter 137View Sefer

Mattos-Masei 5769Volume 5 · Issue 32

Imminence of Renewal

…pies returned—and those tears themselves resulted from the Sin of the Golden Calf, the first sin. Because of it, we lost the higher level of Torah Acceptance, the First Tablets, and we required the Second Tablets, days of repentance, of atonement, of forgiveness, days of rectification. Nonetheless, we yet returned in some manner to our previous state—we received the Second Tablets instead of the First Tablets, which means that the Giving of the Torah remained—albeit obviously

In The Three Weeks · Chapter 25View Sefer

Vayishlach 5769Volume 5 · Issue 9

Powers of Triumph

…the fate of the prisoner described in the words of Rabbeinu Yonah (Sha’arei Teshuvah 1:2). While all the other prisoners burrowed their way out of prison and escaped, one prisoner remained and he imagined that his faithfulness…

Ki Seitzei 5769Volume 6 · Issue 1

Confident of a Miracle

…rld to Come means the world that comes after This World (Rambam Hilchos Teshuvah 8:8). Obviously, then, there can be no example of it in This World. This World is the current existence—it is this world. The World to…

In Days of Repentance · Chapter 10View Sefer

Vayechi 5770Volume 6 · Issue 14

Concealment of the End

This deed is most heinous. A person who informs removes himself from the Jewish Nation and forfeits his portion in the World to Come (Rambam Hilchos Teshuvah 3:12)—and very often, he forfeits even his portion in This World, since Torah law prohibits lifting him out of a pit into which he had fallen, and in many instances commands us to cast him there. In all circumstances, though

In On the Torah II · Chapter 73View Sefer

Vaeira 5770Volume 6 · Issue 16

Man and His World

Rabbeinu Yonah of Gerona who authored Gates of Repentance also authored Gates of Divine Service, in which he writes as follows (chapter 16). “The Holy Blessed One, Who is called righteous and straight, did not create man in His image except so that man would be righteous and straight

In Exile & Exodus · Chapter 25View Sefer

Emor 5770Volume 6 · Issue 25

From the King's Table

blazing furnace than shame his friend in public.” Tosafos (Sotah 10b, s.v. noach) finds this difficult; a person is only required to forfeit his life for the three cardinal sins of idolatry, immorality, and killing. Rabbeinu Yonah (Gates of Repentance 3:139) explains that shaming another person in public is tantamount to killing him.

In Omer & Shavuos · Chapter 13View Sefer

Bamidbar 5770Volume 6 · Issue 27

Seven Complete Sabbaths

…comprehending this concept; their very nature opposes it (cf. Rambam Hilchos Teshuvah 3:8). But the sages teach that since the commandment, “Count for yourselves,” requires each of us to count on his own (Vayikra 23:15; Menachos 65b),…

In Sabbath & Prayer · Chapter 8View Sefer

Naso 5770Volume 6 · Issue 28

Message of Sinai

The Talmud states (Berachos 17a), “In the World to Come, the righteous are seated with their crowns upon their heads, and they delight from the radiance of the Divine Presence.” The Rambam (Hilchos Teshuvah 8:2) explains that the crown refers to the wisdom they perceived during their lifetimes, which in the World to Come will be perceived as pleasurable and enjoyable. In other words, it will be a complete entity.

In Omer & Shavuos · Chapter 33View Sefer

Shelach 5770Volume 6 · Issue 30

Tears of Return

evil would be spoken, if evil would not be a subject of discussion altogether, the world would become entirely good, and an entirely good world means a world in which there is no room for evil (cf. Rambam Hilchos Teshuvah 8:1).

In The Three Weeks · Chapter 31View Sefer

Toldos 5770Volume 6 · Issue 8

Wealth of Opportunity

…tunities of time are for the acquisition of wisdom (cf. Rambam Hilchos Teshuvah 8:2). Our task is to endeavor with all our might to realize all our potential, to do something with it. Otherwise, it becomes a futile…

In On the Torah I · Chapter 35View Sefer

Vayeitzei 5770Volume 6 · Issue 9

Oneness of Israel

commit a sin at night, do not think badly of him the next day for he certainly repented.” The Talmud thus depicts the true Torah scholar as one who knows what night is; therefore, we are witness to his repentance; it is certain, beyond doubt.

Ki Sisa 5771Volume 7 · Issue 22

Reaching Higher

Talmud explains that the individual is answered only when God is near, but the Community is answered at all times, whenever the Jewish People as a Community call out to God wholeheartedly, as the Rambam states (Hilchos Teshuvah 2:6).

In On the Torah III · Chapter 112View Sefer

VaYikra 5771Volume 7 · Issue 25

World of Life

Would only that we could discuss happier matters—but for one who understands, these matters are extreme cause for happiness, for it is entirely in our hands. The Rambam writes (Hilchos Teshuvah 7:5), “The Torah already guaranteed that Israel will ultimately repent at the end of their exile and they will be redeemed immediately.” He does not say how this will come about, but his source in the aforementioned passage describes

Chukas 5771Volume 7 · Issue 34

Indestructible Connection

The Talmud states (Tamid 32a; Sha’arei Teshuvah 2:17), “If your will is to live, die before you die.” To anyone who wants the words of Torah to exist within him, it says (Bamidbar 19:14; Berachos 63b), “This is the Torah, a man who dies

In On the Torah V · Chapter 160View Sefer

Behar 5772Volume 8 · Issue 27

Return to Self

says (Vayikra 16:30), “For on this day, He will atone for you to purify you of all your sins; before God you shall be purified.” It is the day of forgiveness, pardon, and atonement—on condition of repentance. In the Talmud, we find this in dispute (Shevuos 13a), but the ruling is that Yom Kippur atones only for those who repent (Rambam Hilchos Teshuvah 1:3).

In Omer & Shavuos · Chapter 9View Sefer