by Rav Eliezer Melamed, Rosh Yeshivat Har Brakha, yeshiva.org.il
[Translated by Hillel Fendel]
Teshuvah Breaks the Shackles
During these Ten Days of Repentance leading up to Yom Kippur, it is important to internalize Rav Kook's classic teaching: T'shuva frees us! It releases us from the bonds of the yetzer har'a [evil inclination] that so restrict us. Our soul in thus revealed in its true freedom – for t'shuva is the essence of our striving for Divine liberty and freedom that bear no servitude. (See Orot HaTeshuvah 5,5 and 7,4.)
What does this mean in a practical sense?
People are generally drawn after their evil inclinations of anger, lust, pride, jealousy, laziness, etc., because they offer quick gratification. Thus begins a process of enslavement. Even when we still internally long for truth and good, it is very difficult to put these good intentions and desires into practice, because we have already become addicted to the fulfillment of our urges. Our soul is thus shackled and tormented.
Via t'shuva, we free ourselves from this subjugation and emerge into a reality of freedom, in which we can discover our true will. Man's soul begins to illuminate his path, and his life intensifies. As our Sages said: "The only truly free person is one who engages in Torah" (Pirkei Avot 6,2) - because the Torah guides man along the path of goodness and truth, by which he can fulfill all his good aspirations.
This is why Yom Kippur is also a Day of Liberation. To achieve liberation, one must fight – and this is why we are commanded to afflict ourselves on this day, such as by not eating, drinking, or washing. Bodily afflictions help the soul free itself somewhat from our material shackles; all its true and good aspirations are revealed, the sins are thrown off, and we can then freely choose good. (See Derekh HaShem of the Ramchal, IV, 8,5.)
Yom Kippur and the Jubilee
The commandment of the Jubilee Year teaches us a similar lesson. The Torah recognizes that one may be forced, because of laziness, lust, or a trouble of some sort, to sell his property; sometimes, in ancient times, he might even deteriorate to selling himself into slavery. G-d, having compassion on him and on his family, determined that every 50 years, all slaves are freed and all fields return to their original owners. As is written (Vayikra 25): "In the seventh month, on the tenth day, the Day of Atonement, sound the shofar throughout your land. Sanctify the 50th year, and proclaim freedom throughout the land… It shall be a Jubilee for you, and you shall return, each man to his property and each man to his family."
It is interesting to note that the day chosen for the actual return of the slaves is Yom Kippur. As the Rambam writes, on Rosh HaShanah the slaves remain in their former masters' homes to celebrate their freedom, and only on Yom Kippur, after the shofar is sounded in the Rabbinical Court, do they return to their homes.
Rav Hai Gaon wrote that in memory of the Jubilee shofar, the entire Jewish Nation adopted the custom of blowing the shofar every year at the conclusion of Yom Kippur. And though this is only a custom, in truth it expresses the climax of the Day of Atonement – the day all of Israel merits to emerge from slavery to freedom. The slaves are freed in the Jubilee, and on Yom Kippur, via t'shuva, our souls are freed from their subjugation to our evil inclinations.
The return of the fields to their owners at the Jubilee is paralleled on Yom Kippur by the return of our body to our soul. For when a person is dragged along by his physical urges, his body becomes detached from his soul, and his physical strengths are subjugated to foreign passions.
But via the t'shuva we do on Yom Kippur, the body returns to the soul, rejoicing with it in doing mitzvot [commandments] and revealing G-d's word in the world. Man thus merits a life of blessing and goodness.
Yom Kippur and the Beit HaMikdash
It is important to remember that because the essence of t'shuva is rooted in the highest levels of sanctity, the primary Yom Kippur service takes place in the Holy of Holies in the Beit Miqdash. The Holy Temple is where all the Divine values are revealed, and from where they are "distributed" to the entire world. The Menorah represents all wisdom, the Table is an expression of sustenance, the Altar of Incense stands for prayer and longing for the closeness of G-d, etc. The highest level is the Holy of Holies, where the essence of Israel's Torah (in the Ark of the Covenant), and the Cherubim atop the Ark - standing for the covenant of faith and love between Israel and G-d - is revealed.
No one was permitted to enter the Holy of Holies - from where life is supplied to the entire world - except for the High Priest on Yom Kippur. He would thus link the world with its source and bring atonement, forgiveness, and life to the world.
After the Exile and the Temple's destruction, the sanctity of the Holy of Holies is manifest by Israel's longing for its rebuilding, along with that of Jerusalem and Zion altogether. This is the focus of our Yom Kippur prayers today: that G-d should return to Zion, rebuild there the dynasty of the House of David, and reign alone over the entire world.
Yom Kippur and Torah Study
It is advisable for every man, woman, and child to resolve on Yom Kippur to increase Torah study, both in quantity and quality. The best day for this is Shabbat [the Sabbath] – a day with more time, from which one's workweek can be infused with sanctity and Torah knowledge.
Building Holy Families
Another aspect of the Holy of Holies is the concept of marriage and the building of Torah families. Yom Kippur, the Mishna teaches, was a day for the arrangement of marriages. The Sages teach that when a man and wife live a worthy married life, the "Divine Presence is in their midst," just as it is found above the male and female Cherubim. The Arizal taught that the cardinal mitzvah of loving one's fellow is fulfilled in its most complete form between man and wife. Shir HaShirim, the song of love between Hashem and Israel, written as if between a man and woman, is considered the "Holy of Holies" among the Biblical writings.
We thus see that sanctity does not restrict life, but rather empowers it. Accordingly, since the holiness of Yom Kippur and that of family are linked together, every unmarried man and woman should have special intentions during the Yom Kippur prayers to merit finding his or her life partner. It sometimes happens that one's negative traits impede this process; the purity of Yom Kippur provides a perfect opportunity to consider carefully one's true ambitions and desires, and what type of mate will help to fulfill a Torah lifestyle of happiness and growth.
Married couples, as well, should do t'shuva on Yom Kippur for the times that they did not love and gladden each other as much as they could have. They should pray to be able to join together with love and joy, and to merit to have children who engage in Torah and mitzvot.
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| Rust-covered chain and padlock (Credit: Benjamin Lambert on Unsplash) |
During these Ten Days of Repentance leading up to Yom Kippur, it is important to internalize Rav Kook's classic teaching: T'shuva frees us! It releases us from the bonds of the yetzer har'a [evil inclination] that so restrict us. Our soul in thus revealed in its true freedom – for t'shuva is the essence of our striving for Divine liberty and freedom that bear no servitude. (See Orot HaTeshuvah 5,5 and 7,4.)
What does this mean in a practical sense?
People are generally drawn after their evil inclinations of anger, lust, pride, jealousy, laziness, etc., because they offer quick gratification. Thus begins a process of enslavement. Even when we still internally long for truth and good, it is very difficult to put these good intentions and desires into practice, because we have already become addicted to the fulfillment of our urges. Our soul is thus shackled and tormented.
Via t'shuva, we free ourselves from this subjugation and emerge into a reality of freedom, in which we can discover our true will. Man's soul begins to illuminate his path, and his life intensifies. As our Sages said: "The only truly free person is one who engages in Torah" (Pirkei Avot 6,2) - because the Torah guides man along the path of goodness and truth, by which he can fulfill all his good aspirations.
This is why Yom Kippur is also a Day of Liberation. To achieve liberation, one must fight – and this is why we are commanded to afflict ourselves on this day, such as by not eating, drinking, or washing. Bodily afflictions help the soul free itself somewhat from our material shackles; all its true and good aspirations are revealed, the sins are thrown off, and we can then freely choose good. (See Derekh HaShem of the Ramchal, IV, 8,5.)
Yom Kippur and the Jubilee
The commandment of the Jubilee Year teaches us a similar lesson. The Torah recognizes that one may be forced, because of laziness, lust, or a trouble of some sort, to sell his property; sometimes, in ancient times, he might even deteriorate to selling himself into slavery. G-d, having compassion on him and on his family, determined that every 50 years, all slaves are freed and all fields return to their original owners. As is written (Vayikra 25): "In the seventh month, on the tenth day, the Day of Atonement, sound the shofar throughout your land. Sanctify the 50th year, and proclaim freedom throughout the land… It shall be a Jubilee for you, and you shall return, each man to his property and each man to his family."
It is interesting to note that the day chosen for the actual return of the slaves is Yom Kippur. As the Rambam writes, on Rosh HaShanah the slaves remain in their former masters' homes to celebrate their freedom, and only on Yom Kippur, after the shofar is sounded in the Rabbinical Court, do they return to their homes.
Rav Hai Gaon wrote that in memory of the Jubilee shofar, the entire Jewish Nation adopted the custom of blowing the shofar every year at the conclusion of Yom Kippur. And though this is only a custom, in truth it expresses the climax of the Day of Atonement – the day all of Israel merits to emerge from slavery to freedom. The slaves are freed in the Jubilee, and on Yom Kippur, via t'shuva, our souls are freed from their subjugation to our evil inclinations.
The return of the fields to their owners at the Jubilee is paralleled on Yom Kippur by the return of our body to our soul. For when a person is dragged along by his physical urges, his body becomes detached from his soul, and his physical strengths are subjugated to foreign passions.
But via the t'shuva we do on Yom Kippur, the body returns to the soul, rejoicing with it in doing mitzvot [commandments] and revealing G-d's word in the world. Man thus merits a life of blessing and goodness.
Yom Kippur and the Beit HaMikdash
It is important to remember that because the essence of t'shuva is rooted in the highest levels of sanctity, the primary Yom Kippur service takes place in the Holy of Holies in the Beit Miqdash. The Holy Temple is where all the Divine values are revealed, and from where they are "distributed" to the entire world. The Menorah represents all wisdom, the Table is an expression of sustenance, the Altar of Incense stands for prayer and longing for the closeness of G-d, etc. The highest level is the Holy of Holies, where the essence of Israel's Torah (in the Ark of the Covenant), and the Cherubim atop the Ark - standing for the covenant of faith and love between Israel and G-d - is revealed.
No one was permitted to enter the Holy of Holies - from where life is supplied to the entire world - except for the High Priest on Yom Kippur. He would thus link the world with its source and bring atonement, forgiveness, and life to the world.
After the Exile and the Temple's destruction, the sanctity of the Holy of Holies is manifest by Israel's longing for its rebuilding, along with that of Jerusalem and Zion altogether. This is the focus of our Yom Kippur prayers today: that G-d should return to Zion, rebuild there the dynasty of the House of David, and reign alone over the entire world.
Yom Kippur and Torah Study
It is advisable for every man, woman, and child to resolve on Yom Kippur to increase Torah study, both in quantity and quality. The best day for this is Shabbat [the Sabbath] – a day with more time, from which one's workweek can be infused with sanctity and Torah knowledge.
Building Holy Families
Another aspect of the Holy of Holies is the concept of marriage and the building of Torah families. Yom Kippur, the Mishna teaches, was a day for the arrangement of marriages. The Sages teach that when a man and wife live a worthy married life, the "Divine Presence is in their midst," just as it is found above the male and female Cherubim. The Arizal taught that the cardinal mitzvah of loving one's fellow is fulfilled in its most complete form between man and wife. Shir HaShirim, the song of love between Hashem and Israel, written as if between a man and woman, is considered the "Holy of Holies" among the Biblical writings.
We thus see that sanctity does not restrict life, but rather empowers it. Accordingly, since the holiness of Yom Kippur and that of family are linked together, every unmarried man and woman should have special intentions during the Yom Kippur prayers to merit finding his or her life partner. It sometimes happens that one's negative traits impede this process; the purity of Yom Kippur provides a perfect opportunity to consider carefully one's true ambitions and desires, and what type of mate will help to fulfill a Torah lifestyle of happiness and growth.
Married couples, as well, should do t'shuva on Yom Kippur for the times that they did not love and gladden each other as much as they could have. They should pray to be able to join together with love and joy, and to merit to have children who engage in Torah and mitzvot.
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