Parsha Halacha – Ki Tavo
Teshuvah with Love
How to Do It?
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The Torah portion of Ki Tavo includes the tochacha (harsh rebuke) that Moshe gave the Jewish people in the event that they act rebelliously and not follow the path of the Torah. The verse says,[1] “Since you did not serve the L-rd, your G-d, with joy and gladness of heart, in total affluence… You will serve your enemies.” The commentaries struggle to explain why we would be punished simply for not serving God with joy. Several explanations are offered:
· According to the Ohr HaChaim the punishments are for not fulfilling the mitzvot and the fact that we should have done them with joy is a parenthetical statement.
· Similarly, the Bechor Shor says that the punishment is for not serving G-d, which, under normal circumstances, should be done “with joy and gladness of heart,” especially if one is blessed with affluence.
· Rabbeinu Bachye says that it’s an obligation to serve G-d joyfully as the verse says,[2] “Serve G-d with joy” and one who doesn’t do so deserves punishment. The joy when doing a mitzvah is an additional mitzvah to the act itself for which one earns a separate reward. As such, one should perform every mitzvah with joy and total concentration.
“In Total Affluence”
What does the verse mean by “you did not serve G-d with joy… in total affluence”?
· The Joy Should Be Commensurate with the Blessing
Rashi says that it refers to the fact that when the Jewish people were affluent, they failed to serve G-d with the joy that is appropriate due to that affluence.
The Gur Aryeh explains that an affluent person should serve G-d joyfully in a manner commensurate with the Divine blessing he is experiencing.
· Have More Joy from Mitzvot than from Anything Physical
According to the Arizal (quoted in the 26th chapter of Tanya[3]) the verse indicates that, when serving G-d, one’s joy should be greater than any joy brought about by physical abundance.
The rest of this article will focus on doing the mitzvah of Teshuvah (repentance) with joy. In Hebrew this is called תשובה מתוך שמחה.
Teshuvah with Joy
Since teshuvah is a mitzvah and all mitzvot should be done with joy, it’s important to be joyful when doing teshuvah. In fact, teshuvah is the loftiest mitzvah, which is why it has the power to correct every other mitzvah. As such, if one must be joyful when doing other mitzvot, the is certainly the case and even more so when doing teshuvah.[4]
Although the feeling of remorse for one’s sins seems to be the opposite of joy, in fact, immediately after feeling that remorse and resolving to change one’s ways (which is the core of teshuvah) one should be happy, knowing that G-d has certainly accepted their teshuvah.[5]
Simultaneous Feelings of Remorse and Joy
Practically one can have both emotions at once, “shame prompted by the awareness of the lowliness of one’s body and animal soul” and “joy on account of his Divine soul and the animating spark of G‑dliness within it.” As the Zohar says, “Weeping is lodged in one side of my heart, and joy is lodged in the other.”[6]
Restoring the Soul to its Source
The Alter Rebbe (author of the Tanya) explains[7] that when one does teshuvah and replaces one’s negative behavior with serving G-d (by investing one’s faculties in serving G-d through prayer, Torah study and performing mitzvot) one is taking their G-dly soul out of a despicable and contemptible exile and restoring it to its G-dly source. Surely, there is no joy as great as that of being released from exile and captivity. It is comparable to the joy of a prince who was taken captive where he was subjected to the hard labor of turning the millstone in prison while covered with filth, and who then goes free to the house of his father, the king.”
A Mitzvah without Simcha Is Worthless
The Tzemach Tzedek (third Lubavitcher Rebbe) was once speaking about teshuvah and he lifted his holy head and looked at the assembled crowd. The people were so moved that they burst into tears. The Tzemach Tzedek commented “Teshuvah is, after all, a mitzvah. And a mitzvah without joy is worthless.”[8]
Now, Don’t Get Depressed
When Yosef reveled his identity to his brothers he said to them,[9] וְעַתָּה אַל תֵּעָצְבוּ – “And now do not be upset.” The Tiferet Shlomo of Radomsk explained[10] that the word וְעַתָּה refers to teshuvah.[11] As such, Yosef was saying to them, “even though you must now do teshuvah for your action (of selling me as a slave), nevertheless, do not become depressed as depression isn’t the proper way to do teshuvah. Teshuvah is a positive mitsvah in the Torah and must be done with joy like all of the mitzvot about which it says “serve G-d with joy.” This is why the word וְעַתָּה (and now) refers to teshuvah since a Ba’al Teshuvah must know that “from now, I’m doing teshuvah, I will no longer return to my foolish ways. Rather, from now I will be blessed by the Almighty forever.”
After Teshuvah, Don’t Focus on the Sin
After the Jewish people sinned with the golden calf, G-d told Moshe,[12] לֵךְ עֲלֵה מִזֶה (“go, ascend from here”) the Targum Yonatan translates this as אִיזֵיל אִיסְתַּלֵּק מִכָּא – “Go depart from here.” G-d was saying that, since they had already repented from their sin, they should stop thinking about it, as doing so could lead to depression. In this merit they will ascend to the Holy Land. As many tzadikim have said, “What the yetzer hara (evil inclination) really wants is to make a person depressed after he sins.”
This is why the Torah continues and says,[13] אַתֶּם עַם קְשֵׁה עֹרֶף רֶגַע אֶחָד – “You are a stiff-necked nation for one hour.” This can be understood to mean that even when a person sins, they should consider that to be a temporary shortfall and not allow that action to define who they are.
Unfortunately, the Jewish people at that time didn’t follow that advice. As the verse says,[14] “When the people heard this bad news (that G-d would send an angel to lead them instead of doing so Himself), they mourned.” This excessive mourning caused them to lose the spiritual levels they had attained at Mount Sinai, which eventually caused them to not ascend to the land of Israel.[15]
The Ten Days of Repentance – Beautiful Teshuvah
The Rambam writes,[16] “Even though teshuvah (repentance) and calling out to G-d are desirable at all times (יָפָה לָעוֹלָם), during the ten days between Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, they are even more desirable (יָפָה בְּיוֹתֵר) and will be accepted immediately.”
The words יָפָה בְּיוֹתֵר can also be translated as “very beautiful.” Teshuvah done during the Ten Days of Repentance should be particularly joyful and beautiful because one is doing teshuvah at a time when G-d is “found”[17] and is accessible to all.[18]
Teshuvah of Rosh HaShanah – No Tears
The eighth chapter of the Book of Nechemiah describes how Ezra and Nechemiah and the Men of the Great Assembly inspired the people of Jerusalem to do Teshuvah by reading from the Torah on Rosh Hashana. Since the people were crying, Ezra, Nechemiah and the Levites told them,[19] “This day is holy to the Eternal your G-d: you must not mourn or weep…[20] Go, eat choice foods and drink sweet drinks and send portions to whoever has nothing prepared, for the day is holy to our Master. Do not be sad, for rejoicing in G-d is the source of your strength.”[21]
May We All Merit To Do True Teshuvah With Joy!
[1] Deut. 28:47 and 48.
[2] Psalms 100:2.
[3] See also Torah Ohr (by the author of the Tanya), Parshat Tetzaveh.
[4] Sha’arei HaMoadim (by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Yom HaKippurim, page 165, footnote 8.
[5] See chapter 11 of Iggert HaTeshuvah (by the author of the Tanya).
[6] Tanya, chapter 34.
[7] Ibid, chapter 31.
[8] LeSheimah Ozen, page 68.
[9] Gen. 45:5.
[10] Parshat Vayigash, on the above verse.
[11] See Bereishit Rabbah 21:6 that “ וְעַתָּה – ‘and now’ is nothing other than repentance, as it is stated: ‘And now, Israel, what does the L-rd your G-d ask of you? Only to fear… (Deut. 10:12).
[12] Exodus 33:1.
[13] Ibid verse 5.
[14] Ibid, verse 4.
[15] Besha’arei Yissachar by Rabbi Yissachar Englander, Rosh Kollel Belz in London (Jerusalem 2021), Parshat Ki Tissa, page 568.
[16] Hilchot Teshuvah 2:6.
[17] Rosh Hasahanah 18a.
[18] Sha’arei HaMoadim, ibid. page 165.
[19] Nechemiah 8:9 – 10.
[20] See Shulchan Aruch HaRav 584:2 that one may not say viduy (confessionary prayers) on Rosh HaShanah as this may allow the Satan (accusing angel) an opportunity to prosecute.
[21] See https://myemail.constantcontact.com/Teshuvah-and-Rosh-Hashanah—What-s-the-Connection-.html?soid=1108128940768&aid=f9iitoaTRzA for more on the connection between Rosh HaShanah and teshuvah.
Wishing you a Shabbat Shalom Umevorach!