(א) וְהָיָה֩ כִֽי־יָבֹ֨אוּ עָלֶ֜יךָ כׇּל־הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֗לֶּה הַבְּרָכָה֙ וְהַקְּלָלָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָתַ֖תִּי לְפָנֶ֑יךָ וַהֲשֵׁבֹתָ֙ אֶל־לְבָבֶ֔ךָ בְּכׇ֨ל־הַגּוֹיִ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֧ר הִדִּיחֲךָ֛ ה׳ אֱלֹקֶ֖יךָ שָֽׁמָּה׃ (ב) וְשַׁבְתָּ֞ עַד־ה׳ אֱלֹקֶ֙יךָ֙ וְשָׁמַעְתָּ֣ בְקֹל֔וֹ כְּכֹ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־אָנֹכִ֥י מְצַוְּךָ֖ הַיּ֑וֹם אַתָּ֣ה וּבָנֶ֔יךָ בְּכׇל־לְבָבְךָ֖ וּבְכׇל־נַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃ (ג) וְשָׁ֨ב ה׳ אֱלֹקֶ֛יךָ אֶת־שְׁבוּתְךָ֖ וְרִחֲמֶ֑ךָ וְשָׁ֗ב וְקִבֶּצְךָ֙ מִכׇּל־הָ֣עַמִּ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֧ר הֱפִֽיצְךָ֛ ה׳ אֱלֹקֶ֖יךָ שָֽׁמָּה׃ (ד) אִם־יִהְיֶ֥ה נִֽדַּחֲךָ֖ בִּקְצֵ֣ה הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם מִשָּׁ֗ם יְקַבֶּצְךָ֙ ה׳ אֱלֹקֶ֔יךָ וּמִשָּׁ֖ם יִקָּחֶֽךָ׃ (ה) וֶהֱבִיאֲךָ֞ ה׳ אֱלֹקֶ֗יךָ אֶל־הָאָ֛רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־יָרְשׁ֥וּ אֲבֹתֶ֖יךָ וִֽירִשְׁתָּ֑הּ וְהֵיטִֽבְךָ֥ וְהִרְבְּךָ֖ מֵאֲבֹתֶֽיךָ׃ (ו) וּמָ֨ל ה׳ אֱלֹקֶ֛יךָ אֶת־לְבָבְךָ֖ וְאֶת־לְבַ֣ב זַרְעֶ֑ךָ לְאַהֲבָ֞ה אֶת־ה׳ אֱלֹקֶ֛יךָ בְּכׇל־לְבָבְךָ֥ וּבְכׇל־נַפְשְׁךָ֖ לְמַ֥עַן חַיֶּֽיךָ׃ (ז) וְנָתַן֙ ה׳ אֱלֹקֶ֔יךָ אֵ֥ת כׇּל־הָאָל֖וֹת הָאֵ֑לֶּה עַל־אֹיְבֶ֥יךָ וְעַל־שֹׂנְאֶ֖יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר רְדָפֽוּךָ׃ (ח) וְאַתָּ֣ה תָשׁ֔וּב וְשָׁמַעְתָּ֖ בְּק֣וֹל ה׳ וְעָשִׂ֙יתָ֙ אֶת־כׇּל־מִצְוֺתָ֔יו אֲשֶׁ֛ר אָנֹכִ֥י מְצַוְּךָ֖ הַיּֽוֹם׃ (ט) וְהוֹתִֽירְךָ֩ ה׳ אֱלֹקֶ֜יךָ בְּכֹ֣ל ׀ מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה יָדֶ֗ךָ בִּפְרִ֨י בִטְנְךָ֜ וּבִפְרִ֧י בְהֶמְתְּךָ֛ וּבִפְרִ֥י אַדְמָתְךָ֖ לְטֹבָ֑ה כִּ֣י ׀ יָשׁ֣וּב ה׳ לָשׂ֤וּשׂ עָלֶ֙יךָ֙ לְט֔וֹב כַּאֲשֶׁר־שָׂ֖שׂ עַל־אֲבֹתֶֽיךָ׃ (י) כִּ֣י תִשְׁמַ֗ע בְּקוֹל֙ ה׳ אֱלֹקֶ֔יךָ לִשְׁמֹ֤ר מִצְוֺתָיו֙ וְחֻקֹּתָ֔יו הַכְּתוּבָ֕ה בְּסֵ֥פֶר הַתּוֹרָ֖ה הַזֶּ֑ה כִּ֤י תָשׁוּב֙ אֶל־ה׳ אֱלֹקֶ֔יךָ בְּכׇל־לְבָבְךָ֖ וּבְכׇל־נַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃ {ס} (יא) כִּ֚י הַמִּצְוָ֣ה הַזֹּ֔את אֲשֶׁ֛ר אָנֹכִ֥י מְצַוְּךָ֖ הַיּ֑וֹם לֹא־נִפְלֵ֥את הִוא֙ מִמְּךָ֔ וְלֹ֥א רְחֹקָ֖ה הִֽוא׃ (יב) לֹ֥א בַשָּׁמַ֖יִם הִ֑וא לֵאמֹ֗ר מִ֣י יַעֲלֶה־לָּ֤נוּ הַשָּׁמַ֙יְמָה֙ וְיִקָּחֶ֣הָ לָּ֔נוּ וְיַשְׁמִעֵ֥נוּ אֹתָ֖הּ וְנַעֲשֶֽׂנָּה׃ (יג) וְלֹא־מֵעֵ֥בֶר לַיָּ֖ם הִ֑וא לֵאמֹ֗ר מִ֣י יַעֲבׇר־לָ֜נוּ אֶל־עֵ֤בֶר הַיָּם֙ וְיִקָּחֶ֣הָ לָּ֔נוּ וְיַשְׁמִעֵ֥נוּ אֹתָ֖הּ וְנַעֲשֶֽׂנָּה׃ (יד) כִּֽי־קָר֥וֹב אֵלֶ֛יךָ הַדָּבָ֖ר מְאֹ֑ד בְּפִ֥יךָ וּבִֽלְבָבְךָ֖ לַעֲשֹׂתֽוֹ׃ {ס} (טו) רְאֵ֨ה נָתַ֤תִּי לְפָנֶ֙יךָ֙ הַיּ֔וֹם אֶת־הַֽחַיִּ֖ים וְאֶת־הַטּ֑וֹב וְאֶת־הַמָּ֖וֶת וְאֶת־הָרָֽע׃ (טז) אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָנֹכִ֣י מְצַוְּךָ֮ הַיּוֹם֒ לְאַהֲבָ֞ה אֶת־ה׳ אֱלֹקֶ֙יךָ֙ לָלֶ֣כֶת בִּדְרָכָ֔יו וְלִשְׁמֹ֛ר מִצְוֺתָ֥יו וְחֻקֹּתָ֖יו וּמִשְׁפָּטָ֑יו וְחָיִ֣יתָ וְרָבִ֔יתָ וּבֵֽרַכְךָ֙ ה׳ אֱלֹקֶ֔יךָ בָּאָ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּ֥ה בָא־שָׁ֖מָּה לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ׃ (יז) וְאִם־יִפְנֶ֥ה לְבָבְךָ֖ וְלֹ֣א תִשְׁמָ֑ע וְנִדַּחְתָּ֗ וְהִֽשְׁתַּחֲוִ֛יתָ לֵאלֹקִ֥ים אֲחֵרִ֖ים וַעֲבַדְתָּֽם׃ (יח) הִגַּ֤דְתִּי לָכֶם֙ הַיּ֔וֹם כִּ֥י אָבֹ֖ד תֹּאבֵד֑וּן לֹא־תַאֲרִיכֻ֤ן יָמִים֙ עַל־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אַתָּ֤ה עֹבֵר֙ אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן לָב֥וֹא שָׁ֖מָּה לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ׃ (יט) הַעִדֹ֨תִי בָכֶ֣ם הַיּוֹם֮ אֶת־הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם וְאֶת־הָאָ֒רֶץ֒ הַחַיִּ֤ים וְהַמָּ֙וֶת֙ נָתַ֣תִּי לְפָנֶ֔יךָ הַבְּרָכָ֖ה וְהַקְּלָלָ֑ה וּבָֽחַרְתָּ֙ בַּחַיִּ֔ים לְמַ֥עַן תִּֽחְיֶ֖ה אַתָּ֥ה וְזַרְעֶֽךָ׃ (כ) לְאַֽהֲבָה֙ אֶת־ה׳ אֱלֹקֶ֔יךָ לִשְׁמֹ֥עַ בְּקֹל֖וֹ וּלְדׇבְקָה־ב֑וֹ כִּ֣י ה֤וּא חַיֶּ֙יךָ֙ וְאֹ֣רֶךְ יָמֶ֔יךָ לָשֶׁ֣בֶת עַל־הָאֲדָמָ֗ה אֲשֶׁר֩ נִשְׁבַּ֨ע ה׳ לַאֲבֹתֶ֛יךָ לְאַבְרָהָ֛ם לְיִצְחָ֥ק וּֽלְיַעֲקֹ֖ב לָתֵ֥ת לָהֶֽם׃ {פ}
(1) When all these things befall you—the blessing and the curse that I have set before you—and you take them to heart amidst the various nations to which your God ה׳ has banished you, (2) and you return to your God ה׳, and you and your children heed God’s command with all your heart and soul, just as I enjoin upon you this day, (3) then your God ה׳ will restore your fortunes*fortunes Others “captivity.” and take you back in love.*and take you back in love More precisely, “take you in; restore your standing.” The image is of a (typically male) householder, who has the authority to determine the standing of his household’s members, especially as heirs. Cf. Hos. 1.6; 2.6; 2.25; 14.4; Isa. 54.8; Ps. 103.13. See the Dictionary under “householder.” [God] will bring you together again from all the peoples where your God ה׳ has scattered you. (4) Even if your outcasts are at the ends of the world,*world Lit. “sky.” from there your God ה׳ will gather you, from there [God] will fetch you. (5) And your God ה׳ will bring you to the land that your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it; and [God] will make you more prosperous and more numerous than your ancestors. (6) Then your God ה׳ will open up*open up Others “circumcise.” your heart and the hearts of your offspring—to love your God ה׳ with all your heart and soul, in order that you may live. (7) Your God ה׳ will inflict all those curses upon the enemies and foes who persecuted you. (8) You, however, will again heed ה׳ and obey all the divine commandments that I enjoin upon you this day. (9) And your God ה׳ will grant you abounding prosperity in all your undertakings, in your issue from the womb, the offspring of your cattle, and your produce from the soil. For ה׳ will again delight in your well-being as in that of your ancestors, (10) since you will be heeding your God ה׳ and keeping the divine commandments and laws that are recorded in this book of the Teaching—once you return to your God ה׳ with all your heart and soul. (11) Surely, this Instruction which I enjoin upon you this day is not too baffling for you, nor is it beyond reach. (12) It is not in the heavens, that you should say, “Who among us can go up to the heavens and get it for us and impart it to us, that we may observe it?” (13) Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, “Who among us can cross to the other side of the sea and get it for us and impart it to us, that we may observe it?” (14) No, the thing is very close to you, in your mouth and in your heart, to observe it. (15) See, I set before you this day life and prosperity, death and adversity. (16) For*For Septuagint reads “If you obey the commandments of your God ה׳, which.” I command you this day, to love your God ה׳, to walk in God’s ways, and to keep God’s commandments, God’s laws, and God’s rules, that you may thrive and increase, and that your God ה׳ may bless you in the land that you are about to enter and possess. (17) But if your heart turns away and you give no heed, and are lured into the worship and service of other gods, (18) I declare to you this day that you shall certainly perish; you shall not long endure on the soil that you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. (19) I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day: I have put before you life and death, blessing and curse. Choose life—if you and your offspring would live— (20) by loving your God ה׳, heeding God’s commands, and holding fast to [God]. For thereby you shall have life and shall long endure upon the soil that ה׳ swore to your fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give to them.
(יא) כִּ֚י הַמִּצְוָ֣ה הַזֹּ֔את אֲשֶׁ֛ר אָנֹכִ֥י מְצַוְּךָ֖ הַיּ֑וֹם לֹא־נִפְלֵ֥את הִוא֙ מִמְּךָ֔ וְלֹ֥א רְחֹקָ֖ה הִֽוא׃
(11) Surely, this Instruction which I enjoin upon you this day is not too baffling for you, nor is it beyond reach.
Rav Cook
When people sincerely desire to come back to God, they are held back by numerous hindrances, such as confused thinking, weakness or inability to remedy those matters pertaining to relations between man and his neighbor. Admittedly, these hindrances constitute a very serious barrier requiring the complete mastery and conquest of man's feelings in the face of the supreme duty devolving on him to mend his ways. Nevertheless, since the desire to repent is so strong, such first glimmerings of teshuva must be accepted as constituting a purifying and refining factor... This holds good for the individual and the public as a whole. The glimmerings of teshuva do exist in Israel. The arousing of the will of the nation as a while to return to its homeland, to its own essence, spirit and personality contains something of the genuine light of repentance. The situation is clearly pictured for us int he way the Torah expresses itself on the subject: And thou shalt return toward the Lord thy God"; "If thou returnest unto the Lord". The teshuva referred to is, at the outset, of an inner nature (not immediately perceptible), covered up by many intervening layers- but no power on earth can prevent the Light from On High from illuminating us... and ultimately we achieve the teshuva which brings healing and redemption to the world. (we graduate from teshuva ad Hashem to the teshuva el Hashem)
When people sincerely desire to come back to God, they are held back by numerous hindrances, such as confused thinking, weakness or inability to remedy those matters pertaining to relations between man and his neighbor. Admittedly, these hindrances constitute a very serious barrier requiring the complete mastery and conquest of man's feelings in the face of the supreme duty devolving on him to mend his ways. Nevertheless, since the desire to repent is so strong, such first glimmerings of teshuva must be accepted as constituting a purifying and refining factor... This holds good for the individual and the public as a whole. The glimmerings of teshuva do exist in Israel. The arousing of the will of the nation as a while to return to its homeland, to its own essence, spirit and personality contains something of the genuine light of repentance. The situation is clearly pictured for us int he way the Torah expresses itself on the subject: And thou shalt return toward the Lord thy God"; "If thou returnest unto the Lord". The teshuva referred to is, at the outset, of an inner nature (not immediately perceptible), covered up by many intervening layers- but no power on earth can prevent the Light from On High from illuminating us... and ultimately we achieve the teshuva which brings healing and redemption to the world. (we graduate from teshuva ad Hashem to the teshuva el Hashem)
(א) וְטַעַם כִּי הַמִּצְוָה הַזֹּאת, עַל כָּל הַתּוֹרָה כֻּלָּהּ. וְהַנָּכוֹן כִּי עַל כָּל הַתּוֹרָה יֹאמַר (דברים ח':א'), כָּל הַמִּצְוָה אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם, אֲבָל הַמִּצְוָה הַזֹּאת, עַל הַתְּשׁוּבָה הַנִּזְכֶּרֶת, כִּי וַהֲשֵׁבֹתָ אֶל לְבָבֶךָ (דברים ל':א') וְשַׁבְתָּ עַד ה׳ אֱלֹקֶיךָ (דברים ל':ב'), מִצְוָה שֶׁיְּצַוֶּה אוֹתָנוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת כֵּן. וְנֶאֶמְרָה בַּלָּשׁוֹן הַבֵּינוֹנִי, לִרְמֹז בַּהַבְטָחָה כִּי עָתִיד הַדָּבָר לִהְיוֹת כֵּן. וְהַטַּעַם לֵאמֹר כִּי אִם יִהְיֶה נִדַּחֲךָ בִּקְצֵה הַשָּׁמָיִם וְאַתָּה בְּיַד הָעַמִּים, תּוּכַל לָשׁוּב אֶל ה׳ וְלַעֲשׂוֹת כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם, כִּי אֵין הַדָּבָר נִפְלָא וְרָחוֹק מִמְּךָ אֲבָל קָרוֹב אֵלֶיךָ מְאֹד לַעֲשׂוֹתוֹ בְּכָל עֵת וּבְכָל מָקוֹם. וְזֶה טַעַם בְּפִיךָ וּבִלְבָבְךָ לַעֲשׂוֹתוֹ, שֶׁיִּתְוַדּוּ אֶת עֲוֹנָם וְאֶת עֲוֹן אֲבֹתָם בְּפִיהֶם, וְיָשׁוּבוּ בְּלִבָּם אֶל ה׳, וִיקַבְּלוּ עֲלֵיהֶם הַיּוֹם הַתּוֹרָה לַעֲשׂוֹתָהּ לְדוֹרוֹת, כַּאֲשֶׁר הִזְכִּיר (דברים ל':ב'), אַתָּה וּבָנֶיךָ בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי (שם):
(1) FOR THIS COMMANDMENT. The meaning thereof is that it refers to the entire Torah. But the correct interpretation is that when he refers to the entire Torah, he says [as above] Every commandment which I command thee this day.67Above 8:1. Rather [the expression used here] this commandment refers to [the commandment of] repentance aforementioned, for the verses, and thou shalt bethink thyself;68Above, Verse 1. and thou shalt return unto the Eternal thy G-d69Ibid., Verse 2. constitute a commandment, wherein he commands us to do so. It is stated in a future tense [rather than in the imperative] to suggest, in the form of a pledge, that it is destined [that Israel will repent]. And the sense thereof is to state that if thy outcasts be in the uttermost parts of heaven70Above, Verse 4. and you are under the power of the nations, you can yet return to G-d and do according to all that I command thee this day,69Ibid., Verse 2. for the thing is not hard, nor far off from you, but rather very nigh unto thee71Further, Verse 14. to do it at all times and in all places. This is the sense of the expression, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it71Further, Verse 14. meaning that they confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers72Leviticus 26:40. by word of their mouth, and return in their heart to G-d and accept the Torah upon themselves this day to perform it throughout the generations, as he mentioned, thou and thy children with all thy heart,73Above, Verse 2. as I have explained.74Ibid., and in Verse 6.
Dovid Bashevkin (quoting from Dr. Elman)
The common denominator between Torah and teshuvah is the act of personal transformation, the ultimate creative act. To be engaged in Torah study is not just to read what rabbis are telling you, but to kind of transform and interpret and find yourself and your own story and your own narrative and your own ideas within the text of Torah, to be able to append your own experience and ideas into the larger canon of Torah.
And that obviously doesn’t just include the written Torah, but it includes the entire canon through all the generations, and find a way, and almost like append your letter through your own experience into the world of Torah. And it is that creative act that the ultimate creative act, the ultimate act of transformation, the ultimate act of creativity in Judaism is actually the act of teshuvah. It is the creative interpretation of self. If Torah is a creative reading, where you take yourself and you read it into the Torah, you find ways through your own logic, interpretation, and you find through the act of Talmud Torah, a place where you and your experiences can reside and be interpreted. The act of teshuvah is an act of interpretation and reinterpretation of self. It is a creative reading of your own life and your own experiences.
The common denominator between Torah and teshuvah is the act of personal transformation, the ultimate creative act. To be engaged in Torah study is not just to read what rabbis are telling you, but to kind of transform and interpret and find yourself and your own story and your own narrative and your own ideas within the text of Torah, to be able to append your own experience and ideas into the larger canon of Torah.
And that obviously doesn’t just include the written Torah, but it includes the entire canon through all the generations, and find a way, and almost like append your letter through your own experience into the world of Torah. And it is that creative act that the ultimate creative act, the ultimate act of transformation, the ultimate act of creativity in Judaism is actually the act of teshuvah. It is the creative interpretation of self. If Torah is a creative reading, where you take yourself and you read it into the Torah, you find ways through your own logic, interpretation, and you find through the act of Talmud Torah, a place where you and your experiences can reside and be interpreted. The act of teshuvah is an act of interpretation and reinterpretation of self. It is a creative reading of your own life and your own experiences.
(א) לא בשמים היא וגו׳. תחלה ביאר הכתוב היטב מקום הטעות. באשר שגם הטעות הוא עיקר גדול שלא יטעה האדם להיפך שאין בדקדוקי התורה שום עמקות וענינים נסתרים וזה הטעות גרוע מן הראשון. ועי׳ מש״כ בספר במדבר ז׳ ט׳ בבאור המקרא התעיף עיניך בו ואיננו מש״ה פי׳ הכתוב הטעו׳ באשר ודאי ראוי לטעות ולחשוב כך אלא שמ״מ אינו כן בישראל. וענין המשל לא בשמים היא. היינו גבוה מטבע שכל האדם. כמו שהוא בשמים וההכרח לעשות סולמות להוריד והרי א״א בכך. כך א״א ליגע השכל ע״י תחבולות לעמוד על סוף דעתה ואמרו חז״ל בעירובין שם דאפי׳ היא כשמש צריך אתה לעלות אחריה. ואינו אלא משל ומליצה שאם הענין גבוה משכלו החיוב להתייגע הרבה ואז הכלל יגעת ולא מצאת אל תאמין. והטעם הוא כפרש״י בסנהדרין שם שהתורה מבקשת מאת קונה למסור לו טעמי תורה וסדריה כו׳:
(יז) דְּרָכֶ֥יהָ דַרְכֵי־נֹ֑עַם וְֽכׇל־נְתִ֖יבוֹתֶ֣יהָ שָׁלֽוֹם׃
(17) Her ways are pleasant ways,
And all her paths, peaceful.
And all her paths, peaceful.
שׁוּב מַעֲשֶׂה בְּרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר שֶׁיָּרַד לִפְנֵי הַתֵּיבָה, וְאָמַר עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבַּע בְּרָכוֹת וְלֹא נַעֲנָה. יָרַד רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אַחֲרָיו וְאָמַר: ״אָבִינוּ מַלְכֵּנוּ אֵין לָנוּ מֶלֶךְ אֶלָּא אָתָּה. אָבִינוּ מַלְכֵּנוּ, לְמַעַנְךָ רַחֵם עָלֵינוּ״, וְיָרְדוּ גְּשָׁמִים. הֲווֹ מְרַנְּנִי רַבָּנַן, יָצְתָה בַּת קוֹל וְאָמְרָה: לֹא מִפְּנֵי שֶׁזֶּה גָּדוֹל מִזֶּה, אֶלָּא שֶׁזֶּה מַעֲבִיר עַל מִידּוֹתָיו, וְזֶה אֵינוֹ מַעֲבִיר עַל מִדּוֹתָיו.
There was another incident involving Rabbi Eliezer, who descended to serve as prayer leader before the ark on a fast day. And he recited twenty-four blessings, but he was not answered. Rabbi Akiva descended before the ark after him and said: Our Father, our King, we have no king other than You. Our Father, our King, for Your sake, have mercy on us. And rain immediately fell. The Sages were whispering among themselves that Rabbi Akiva was answered while his teacher, Rabbi Eliezer, was not. A Divine Voice emerged and said: It is not because this Sage, Rabbi Akiva, is greater than that one, Rabbi Eliezer, but that this one is forgiving, and that one is not forgiving. God responded to Rabbi Akiva’s forgiving nature in kind by sending rain.
רָבָא אָמַר: כׇּל הַמַּעֲבִיר עַל מִדּוֹתָיו — מַעֲבִירִין לוֹ עַל כׇּל פְּשָׁעָיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״נוֹשֵׂא עָוֹן וְעוֹבֵר עַל פֶּשַׁע״. לְמִי נוֹשֵׂא עָוֹן — לְמִי שֶׁעוֹבֵר עַל פֶּשַׁע.
Rava understood this verse differently and said: With regard to whoever forgoes his reckonings with others for injustices done to him, the heavenly court in turn forgoes punishment for all his sins, as it is stated: “He bears sin and forgives transgression” (Micah 7:18). Whose sins does He bear? The sins of one who forgoes his reckonings with others for injustices committed against him.
(ב) זֹאת חֻקַּת הַתּוֹרָה. (תהלים יב, ז): אִמְרוֹת ה׳ אֲמָרוֹת טְהֹרוֹת, אָמַר רַבִּי . רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ דְּסִכְנִין בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי לֵוִי אָמַר תִּינוֹקוֹת שֶׁהָיוּ בִּימֵי דָוִד עַד שֶׁלֹא טָעֲמוּ טַעַם חֵטְא הָיוּ יוֹדְעִין לִדְרשׁ אֶת הַתּוֹרָה מ"ט פָּנִים טָמֵא וּמ"ט פָּנִים טָהוֹר, וְהָיָה דָוִד מִתְפַּלֵּל עֲלֵיהֶם וְאוֹמֵר (תהלים יב, ח): אַתָּה ה׳ תִּשְׁמְרֵם, נְטַר אוֹרָיְיתְהוֹן בְּלִבְּהוֹן, (תהלים יב, ח): [תנצרם] תִּצְּרֶנּוּ מִן הַדּוֹר זוּ לְעוֹלָם. וְאַחַר כָּל הַשֶּׁבַח הַזֶּה יוֹצְאִין לַמִּלְחָמָה וְנוֹפְלִין, עַל יְדֵי שֶׁהָיָה בָּהֶם דֵּילָטוֹרִין, הוּא שֶׁדָּוִד אָמַר (תהלים נז, ה): נַפְשִׁי בְּתוֹךְ לְבָאִם אֶשְׁכְּבָה לֹהֲטִים, נַפְשִׁי בְּתוֹךְ לְבָאִם, זֶה אַבְנֵר וַעֲמָשָׂא שֶׁהָיוּ לְבָאִים בַּת
(2)...Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi: Children who were in the era of David, before they experienced the taste of sin they were able to expound the Torah forty-nine aspects impure and forty-nine aspects pure.6This expression means that they could analyze a question and give forty-nine reasons to explain why something should be considered pure and forty-nine reasons to explain why it should be considered impure. David would pray for them and say: “You, Lord, preserve them” (Psalms 12:8) – keep their Torah in their heart. “Keep them secure, from this generation, forever” (Psalms 12:8).
After all this praise, they would go out to war and fall, because there were slanderers in their midst. That is what David said: “Amid lions, I lie among the eager, [men whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are a honed sword]” (Psalms 57:5). “Amid lions” – this is Avner and Amasa, who were lions in Torah. “I lie among the eager” – these are Do’eg and Aḥitofel, who were eager for slander. “Whose tongues are a honed sword” – these are the Zifites, as it is stated: “When the Zifites came and said to Saul [is not David hiding in our midst?]” (Psalms 54:2). At that moment David said: “Rise above the heavens, God” (Psalms 57:6) – remove Your Divine Presence from their midst.
But the generation of Ahab were all idolaters, but because there were no slanderers in their midst they would go out to war and prevail. This is what Ovadya said to Elijah: “Was it not told to my lord what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of the Lord? I concealed [the Lord’s prophets…and I provided them with bread and water” (I Kings 18:13) – if bread, why water? Rather, it teaches that it was more difficult to bring the water than the bread.7This is a parenthetical clause. – But Elijah proclaims on Mount Carmel: “I alone remain a prophet of the Lord” (I Kings 18:22), and the entire people knows but do not reveal it to the king.
Similar to our own distinction between “constructive guilt” and “destructive guilt,” psychologists have come to a similar conclusion in explaining the fundamental difference between “shame” and “guilt.” According to Helen Block Lewis: The experience of shame is directly about the self, which is the focus of evaluation. In guilt, the self is not the central object of negative evaluation, but rather the thing done or undone is the focus. In guilt, the self is negatively evaluated in connection with something but is not itself the focus of the experience.6 Put more simply in recent years by Brené Brown, “Shame is, ‘I am bad.’ Guilt is, ‘I did something bad.’”7 The difference between these two concepts is more than semantics; studies confirm that a person’s subsequent behavior is affected by whether we experienced shame or guilt. In the case of the former, we are more likely to retreat or withdraw, often leading to addiction and depression, among other potential mental health problems. Contrast this reaction to those who experience guilt, who may possess a more balanced and reasonable awareness of themselves and are therefore less likely to develop those same issues.
Dr. Muschel and Dr. Galla
Dr. Muschel and Dr. Galla
Bene Brown
Based on my research and the research of other shame researchers, I believe that there is a profound difference between shame and guilt. I believe that guilt is adaptive and helpful—it’s holding something we’ve done or failed to do up against our values and feeling psychological discomfort.
I define shame as the intensely painful feeling or experience of believing that we are flawed and therefore unworthy of love and belonging—something we’ve experienced, done, or failed to do makes us unworthy of connection.
I don’t believe shame is helpful or productive. In fact, I think shame is much more likely to be the source of destructive, hurtful behavior than the solution or cure. I think the fear of disconnection can make us dangerous.
I believe the differences between shame and guilt are critical in informing everything from the way we parent and engage in relationships, to the way we give feedback at work and school.
Based on my research and the research of other shame researchers, I believe that there is a profound difference between shame and guilt. I believe that guilt is adaptive and helpful—it’s holding something we’ve done or failed to do up against our values and feeling psychological discomfort.
I define shame as the intensely painful feeling or experience of believing that we are flawed and therefore unworthy of love and belonging—something we’ve experienced, done, or failed to do makes us unworthy of connection.
I don’t believe shame is helpful or productive. In fact, I think shame is much more likely to be the source of destructive, hurtful behavior than the solution or cure. I think the fear of disconnection can make us dangerous.
I believe the differences between shame and guilt are critical in informing everything from the way we parent and engage in relationships, to the way we give feedback at work and school.
Dr. Tangney
... one of the big differences between shame and guilt, it has to do with what people are then motivated to do. And it turns out that we all fail and transgress at certain times. Times when people feel shame about their failures or transgressions, they’re inclined to become defensive, to deny, to blame other people, to not really take responsibility and sometimes to get angry at other people for making them feel that way. But what they don’t necessarily do is change their behavior. They don’t own it, because it’s so painful to think “I’m a horrible person” and own that. When people feel guilt about something they’ve really done and just focus on, I feel bad that I did that, then they’re more inclined to—well, first of all, a behavior’s easier to change than a self. People are pressed not to hide and escape and deny. When people feel guilt about specific behavior, they’re inclined to want to confess, apologize, make things right.
... one of the big differences between shame and guilt, it has to do with what people are then motivated to do. And it turns out that we all fail and transgress at certain times. Times when people feel shame about their failures or transgressions, they’re inclined to become defensive, to deny, to blame other people, to not really take responsibility and sometimes to get angry at other people for making them feel that way. But what they don’t necessarily do is change their behavior. They don’t own it, because it’s so painful to think “I’m a horrible person” and own that. When people feel guilt about something they’ve really done and just focus on, I feel bad that I did that, then they’re more inclined to—well, first of all, a behavior’s easier to change than a self. People are pressed not to hide and escape and deny. When people feel guilt about specific behavior, they’re inclined to want to confess, apologize, make things right.