teshuvah – holy scribbles

Spiritual Plague

parasha Pinchas 5784

“They were weeping at the door of the tent of meeting.”

– Numbers 25:6, JPS 1917 Tanach

Our allegiance belongs to the L-RD. If we displace our devotion to HaShem onto something other than Him, then we are inadvertently heading in a direction that will ultimately not be of benefit to us. Even if we appear to benefit for some time, in the material sense, our spiritual compass will be amiss as a result. Thus, in terms of the values, that we inevitably promote in our own lives whether consciously, or unconsciously, we should choose wisely.

When B’nei Yisrael fell prey to the influence of the Midianites, resulting in immediate acts of idolatry and immorality, their connection with HaShem was diminished. Their emunah (faith) and kedushah (holiness) plummeted. Only through the selfless act of mesiras nefesh on the part of Pinchas, who put his own life at risk to make an atonement for their sins (Numbers 25:13), were the people reconciled to HaShem. So, the brief national diversion that had swept through the encampment was staid; and, the plague was stopped.

Yet, today, a modern-day cultural plague permeates every facet society. The personal remedy for each and every individual is to stand up for the truth, or, at least to not live by the lies being propagated in the media and every institution that has fallen prey to this ideological plague.

As revealed through G-d’s Will, via the commandments and the traditional values inherited from our forefathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob we should stay the course of sanctification for ourselves and other. We are not called to the level of zealousness exhibited by Pinchas; yet, we may be called to some form of mesiras nefesh (self-sacrifice) in our lives.

parasha Tazria 5784

weekly Torah reading: parasha Tazria 5784

“This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing: he shall be brought unto the priest [kohein].” – Leviticus 14:2, JPS

In each case, whether a person’s home, clothing, or body is stricken with a nega (plague), he is brought to the kohein. The kohein determines not only the status of the suspected nega; he also is qualified on a spiritual level to gain insight on the state of the person’s soul. This concept is in line with the understanding of tzarras as a spiritual malaise that manifests as a skin disease.

Tzarras is one type of nega, the other two in question, here, are those that show up on a person’s clothes or the walls of a home. In all cases, as already mentioned above, the kohein is the sole individual, who uses his discernment to ascertain the specific sin that was the root cause of the blemish on a person’s soul, that manifested as a nega (literally, “plague”).

What can we learn from this connection? HaShem is merciful; He causes afflictions such as negaim (plagues), for the sake of our chastisement, to lead us to teshuvah (repentance). He will send “an early warning signal” as a “wake up call,” specifically designated for us, so that we may scrutinize our own selves, in search for our misdeeds, character defects, and deficiencies.

With the help of the light, shining from Above, we may gain insight into our inner plight.

Beneficial Design

Shabbat Shuvah 5784 – Beneficial Design

“And they shall say on that day, ‘Surely it is because our G-d is not in our midst that these evils have befallen us.’” – Deuteronomy 31:17, JPS 1985 Tanach

“They will be intelligent enough to conclude that all the troubles which suddenly overtook them must be due to G-d having deliberately left their midst.” – Ohr HaChayim, 31:17, sefaria.org

The key word here in this commentary is “deliberately,” as if it is implied that we will eventually realize that our own sins compelled G-d to abandon us. This is an important connection for us to make, whereas without recognizing our own complicity, could lead us to blame G-d for His abandonment of us, as if we had no part in the matter.

Let us consider our attitude, whether or not we blame G-d for harsh events in our lives, holding Him accountable for our suffering, without acknowledging the sins that created the distance between us and Him in the first place. The point being, that it is the wrong attitude to have, a spoiled mindset to think that we deserve better, despite our abandoning Him through our own misdeeds.

And, yet, He is compassionate and merciful, inasmuch that hiding His face from us, He desires us to cry out with a heartfelt repentant stance, taking it upon ourselves, to return to Him, in all of our ways, in order to elicit His forgiveness. Thus, it may be seen in regard to what is sometimes called today “tough love,” for example when parents stop enabling their children who exhibit poor behavior, and, rather, deny them assistance, or any kind of monetary support until they correct their errant ways.

And, so, we do not understand G-d to be capricious: rather everything is ultimately designed for our benefit, even the chastisement that is placed upon us, when we go astray of G-d’s commandments. For nothing happens by chance in an ordered world, that is a world whose order is often above our own understanding. Any randomness that appears to occur is only based upon a perspective that does not have the level of emunah (faith) in H’Shem that accepts His sovereignty over all events in the world, as well as those that occur to us on an individual level.

To understand that everything happens according to G-d’s will, or is permitted by Him, is to recognize His absolute sovereignty in all realms of life. Moreover, He is not to blame when bad things happen to good people, for man is responsible for his own sin against his fellow man; and, if G-d permits something bad to happen to us, it is for a reason, that we should attempt to understand.

Otherwise, we will fall prey to a lack of faith in Him as Sovereign King over our lives. Avinu Malkeinu (our Father, our King), shema koleinu (hear us), and grant us peace of mind. Grant us understanding, so that will not react with anger toward You, when bad things occur in our lives.

For to exhibit anger about our circumstances is to deny Your sovereignty. Cause us to return to You, especially as we feel compelled to do on Shabbat Shuvah (the Sabbath of Repentance), so that we do not hold any grudges against the very one whose wisdom soars above our own.

Examine Yourself

As Rosh HaShannah approaches, when we begin to weigh our lives in the balance, during the month of Elul, determining for ourselves by way of “examining our conscience,” whether we have been living according to H’Shem’s standard, we will benefit from the endeavor when we do not cheat ourselves. For example, it may be too easy to weigh our good deeds against our faults, tipping the scale to the positive by ignoring some of the negative aspects of ourselves. Yet, on the other hand, if we focus too much upon the negative in regard to ourselves, we may risk bringing our emotional levels down too low. Rather, we should seek an honest account and balance the scale, with the help of H’Shem.

Ideally, we should focus on acknowledging our sins without hiding any iniquity from ourselves. “I acknowledged my sin unto Thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid; I said: ‘I will make confession concerning my transgressions unto the L-RD, – and Thou, Thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin” (Psalm 32:5, JPS). For, H’Shem will search our souls, as is written, “The spirit of man is the lamp of the L-RD, searching all the inward parts” (Proverbs 20:27, JPS).

We need to do a thorough cleansing before the Day of Judgment, when we pass before H’Shem, like sheep being counted by a shepherd, so that we will only be judged favorably by H’Shem, because we have judged ourselves first in a thorough manner. Our value-response to the moral code that H’Shem has given us, within the framework of the Commandments is integral in this endeavor. Unless we respond in a positive way to the moral law, these laws remain detached from our daily conduct. H’Shem requires a commitment on our part to respond to His call.

May we take an honest look at ourselves, not tipping the scale in either direction, for if we ignore our positive qualities, we may end up depressing ourselves, as mentioned elsewhere. Even so, this is more than an assessment of “strengths and weaknesses.” Rather, this should be a consolation to the soul, to be cleansed of guilt and sin, before standing in the presence of the King. For, if we confess our sins, H’Shem will faithful to us, and forgive our aveiros (sins). May our prayers ascend to G-d at the sound of the shofar, carried upon the merit of the Redeemer (see uva l’tziyon, Isaiah 59:20):

“And a redeemer will come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LRD.” – Isaiah 59:20, JPS 1917 Tanach

Choose Life

parasha Nitzavim-Vayelech 5783

“See, I set before you this day life and prosperity, death and adversity.”

– Deuteronomy 30:15, JPS 1985 Tanach

To accept this statement, it can be said, requires an acknowledgment of an omniscient G-d, Who has the good in mind, for our well-being. To be reliant on His discernment, of what is life-affirming and prosperous for us, versus what is destructive to the soul and adverse to our moral growth, is to accept standards that are given by a Higher Wisdom than mankind can contrive on his own.

Thus, G-d not only gives us the consequences of choosing life or death (to follow what is good for us, and avoid what is bad) according to His commandments, He also encourages us to choose life, so that our soul may flourish, and ultimately be granted chayei olam (eternal life). Sforno comments that “life” refers to “eternal life, not just life on earth,” and death refers to “eternal oblivion” (see Sforno’s commentary on Deuteronomy 30:15, sefaria.org).

Yet, mankind cannot design a set of principles, consisting of rules and regulations, concerning what is permissible vs. what is impermissible, and in doing so, guarantee our personal well-being, let alone our entrance into Olam Haba (the World-to-Come). This can be clearly demonstrated by most of mankind’s inability to govern his own passions. That being the case, anyone unable to tame his own unruly nature, is certainly not fit to govern others.

The Torah takes this into consideration, by requiring a King of Israel to not only write his own Torah scroll, but to have the Torah with him at all times, in order to discern right and wrong from its instruction. That is to say, that a king, according to G-d’s requirement, is not above the law. The Torah “shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life; that he may learn to fear the L-RD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them; that his heart be not lifted up above his brethren” (Deuteronomy 17:19-20).

Examine Yourself

“And a redeemer will come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LRD.” – Isaiah 59:20, JPS 1917 Tanach

Spiritual Plague

parasha Pinchas 5782

“They were weeping at the door of the tent of meeting.”

– Numbers 25:6, JPS 1917 Tanach

Our allegiance belongs to the L-RD. If we displace our devotion to H’Shem onto something other than Him, then we are inadvertently heading in a direction that will ultimately not be of benefit to us. Even if we appear to benefit for some time, in the material sense, our spiritual compass will be amiss as a result. Thus, in terms of the values, that we inevitably promote in our own lives whether consciously, or unconsciously, we should choose wisely.

When B’nei Yisrael fell prey to the influence of the Midianites, resulting in immediate acts of idolatry and immorality, their connection with H’Shem was diminished. Their emunah (faith) and kedushah (holiness) plummeted. Only through the selfless act of mesiras nefesh on the part of Pinchas, who put his own life at risk to make an atonement for their sins (Numbers 25:13), were the people reconciled to H’Shem. So, the brief national diversion that had swept through the encampment was staid; and, the plague was stopped.

Yet, it is not so today, in regard to the rampant spread of a pseudo-morality known as Wokism. It’s permeation into every facet of American society is increasing substantially. Thus, like a modern-day plague, that differs from Covid, because it is namely a spiritual plague, Wokism manifests as a cultural movement. Essentially, it is a form of cultural Marxism; its ideological roots go back to Hegel, Marx and the Frankfort School.

The remedy might very well be to stand up for the truth, as revealed through G-d’s Will, via the commandments and the traditional values inherited from our forefathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. To “live not by lies” propagated by the pseudo-morality of Wokism, and implemented through a system of soft-totalitarianism, heading towards a technocracy. We are not called to the level of zealousness exhibited by Pinchas; yet, we may very well be called to some form of mesiras nefesh (self-sacrifice) in our individual lives.

Tikkun HaNefesh: Renewal of the Soul

Our entire lives may serve as an opportunity to seek tikkun hanefesh – a renewal of our souls, wherein every day may constitute an effort to rectify our personal past, within the framework of our individual lives. This is the essence of teshuvah, a returning to our unadulterated selves, not confounded by our attachments to the impermissible, nor confused by conflicting feelings, ideas, and behavior. Rather, a return, albeit, a continual progression, towards ourselves, as intended from the original blueprint of life. This path of an inner focus, differs much from the pervasive trend to point the finger at others and society. If we do not first make a concerted effort to change ourselves for the better, then we have no right to attempt to change others or society.

Additionally, because teshuvah (repentance) was created before the creation of the world, we are given continual second chances in life, despite our errors, faults, and foibles. Inasmuch that this gift is freely given to us, isn’t it right to also give others a second chance through a heartfelt expression of forgiveness? Yet, the relentless pursuit of “social justice” through the condemnation of others fails the test of human goodness, because of its incessant focus on human weakness, and redefined evils of mankind, without any offering of redemption to those who are being judged by others, who are also flawed, as we all are, myself included. A society does not become better in its overall national character through condemnation; rather, only through a natural bond of compassion towards all.