אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהַתְּשׁוּבָה וְהַצְּעָקָה יָפָה לָעוֹלָם. בַּעֲשָׂרָה הַיָּמִים שֶׁבֵּין רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה וְיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים הִיא יָפָה בְּיוֹתֵר וּמִתְקַבֶּלֶת הִיא מִיָּד שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה נה ו) "דִּרְשׁוּ ה' בְּהִמָּצְאוֹ". בַּמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים בְּיָחִיד אֲבָל צִבּוּר כָּל זְמַן שֶׁעוֹשִׂים תְּשׁוּבָה וְצוֹעֲקִין בְּלֵב שָׁלֵם הֵם נַעֲנִין שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ד ז) "כַּה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ בְּכָל קָרְאֵנוּ אֵלָיו":
Even though teshuva and crying out are desirable all year, on the ten days between Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur, they are more desirable, and are immediately received, as it says: "Seek out G-d and you will find him. Call to him, and he will be close." This is talking about someone who is doing teshuva alone. But if someone if doing teshuva as part of a quorum, anytime that they do teshuva with a full heart, they are answered, as it says, [For what great nation is there, that has God so near to them,] as the Lord our God whenever we call to Him (Deuteronomy 4:7).
- Why do we think Teshuva is more valuable during this specific time of year?
- Teshuva is a word that can not be properly translated into English. How do you understand it?
- How do you understand the relationship between Hashem and an individual through Teshuva?
"So on the first night of Rosh Hashanah, there we are, ba'agudat achat, pressed together in a large room, a single spiritual unit, helping each other acknowledge our actual condition, and reciting this ancient service given to us by the divine condition as a medicine for that condition and that condition is this:
This is real. This is very real.
This is absolutely inescapable.
And we are utterly unprepared.
And we have nothing to offer but each other and our broken hearts.
And that will be enough"
- This is Real and You Are Completely Unprepared: The Days of Awe as a Journey of Transformation Rabbi Alan Lew
This is real. This is very real.
This is absolutely inescapable.
And we are utterly unprepared.
And we have nothing to offer but each other and our broken hearts.
And that will be enough"
- This is Real and You Are Completely Unprepared: The Days of Awe as a Journey of Transformation Rabbi Alan Lew
- How do we prepare to do Teshuva and let go of the pain of the year before?
- How do we hold a community during a time that feels so interpersonal?
ופליגא דר' אבהו דא"ר אבהו מקום שבעלי תשובה עומדין צדיקים גמורים אינם עומדין שנאמר (ישעיהו נז, יט) שלום שלום לרחוק ולקרוב לרחוק ברישא והדר לקרוב
As Rabbi Abbahu said:
In the place where those who do teshuva stand, even the completely righteous are not able to stand,
as it is stated: “Peace, peace to all those who are far and the near.”
Peace and greeting is extended first to one who is far, the one needing teshuva, and only thereafter is peace extended to the one who is near, the completely righteous.
- What does this text teach us about the Jewish people's relationship to Teshuva?
- How does Teshuva bring us inner peace?
- Write down 5 things you are proud of this year and 5 things you are not pleased with yourself this year. Carry this piece of paper with you in your Machzor for Yom Kippur and as you haven let it refocus you.