Pre-Selichos 5776

We'll begin with three brief excerpts from the opening pages of Rabbenu Yonah's Shaarei Teshuvah. In enumerating in identifying and enumerating the 20 Ikkarei HaTeshuvah, the 20 fundamental aspects components of Teshuvah, the first Rabbenu Yonah teaches us is Charatah sense of regret. יבין לבו כי רע ומר עזבו את השם, his heart should discern his mind his heart should discern that it is evil it is something bitter to abandon Hashem skipping a couple of lines ויתחרט על מעשיו הרעים and he should regret his evil actions ויאמר בלבבו מה עשיתי he should question himself what in the world did I do איך לא היה פחד אלהים לנגד עיני. How is it possible that I had no sense no elementary sense of Yirat Shamayim? איך לא היה פחד אלהים לנגד עיני. Ha'ikkar HaShlishi the third fundamental aspect or component of Teshuvah Hayagon a profound sense of sorrow of distress above and beyond any loss or setback that a person can experience in this material transient world

יותר מהם ראוי שיצטער ויאנח מי שהמרה את השם יתברך ולא זכר יוצרו אשר בראו יש מאין.

A person should have a sense of distress of rebelling against Hashem against HaKadosh Baruch Hu that he didn't remember his creator who created him ex nihilo yesh me'ayin. And finally in presenting the sixth fundamental aspect Bushah a sense of shame כענין שנאמר בשתי וגם נכלמתי כי נשאתי חרפת נעורי Yirmiyahu HaNavi says I'm ashamed a sense of total humiliation because I carry with me the shame of my youth. הנה החוטא יבוש מאד לעבור עבירות לפני בני אדם any sinner will be inhibited will be too embarrassed to violate aveiros in the presence of people veyikalem and everyone would be humiliated אם ירגישו ויכירו בעבירותיו if others would know and discern his aveiros ואיך לא יבוש מן הבורא יתברך how is it that the person wasn't inhibited by a sense of shame before HaKadosh Baruch Hu

ואין זה כי אם לפי היות השם יתברך רחוק מכליותיו.

There's only one possible explanation and that is that he was totally oblivious to the presence of HaKadosh Baruch Hu. Chet occurs in a void. When a person is devoid of Yirat Hashem when a person doesn't remember HaKadosh Baruch Hu so then and only then does Chet ensue. No one regardless of how strong the temptation or how weak the moral fiber cheats on an examination when the proctor is squarely looking at him. But תורה היא וללמוד אנו צריכים. Let's pose a simple perhaps simplistic question. How are we to maintain that awareness? How is it a דבר השווה לכל נפש, how is it something which we all have a capacity for to always think of Hakadosh Baruch Hu and have the concomitant yirat Hashem? Some people are blessed with remarkable powers of concentration, but even for them, 24/7 awareness would seem to be a very, very formidable daunting challenge. And how much more so for the rest of us who don't seem to possess such a natural endowment, such remarkable powers of concentration. So how are we to sustain that פחד אלקים לנגד עינינו? How are we supposed to see to it that we don't rachmana litzlan forget יוצרנו אשר בראנו יש מאין? Etzem hayira, writes the Maharal, the essence, the substance of what a person knows, what he feels, what he understands, what he experiences when he has yirat shamayim,

עצם היראה משהו הוא עלול אל השם יתברך שהוא העילה והעלול יש לו קיום בעילה.

A person understands that he is simply an alul of which Hakadosh Baruch Hu is the cause. A person recognizes his absolute, his contingent, dependent existence, nothing other than an alul. He's an effect, Hakadosh Baruch Hu is the cause. With this, the Maharal explains very beautifully, what does it mean when the Torah teaches and Chazal reinforce, ועתה ישראל מה השם אלקיך שואל מעמך? Torah seems to speak of yirat Hashem as a milsa zutrasa. So the Maharal explains, to give a mashal for the Maharal's explanation, let's say you have a person, he applies himself, studies, gets a PhD in physics. So that person has mastered a body of knowledge. There's an accomplishment, an impressive accomplishment. Lehavdil, he applies himself to learning Torah, masters parts of Torah, tremendous accomplishment. Let's say you have a person rachmana litzlan wasn't of sound mind, he was delusional, out of touch with reality, and then the delusion is lifted and he regains his sense of reality. We wouldn't say that this person has mastered a whole body of knowledge, he's just in touch with himself, he just realizes what is. A person applies, he studies a branch of science, so that's something. A person realizes that he can't flap his arms and fly, a person realizes that he's not omnipotent, it's not a body of knowledge, it's just the most basic, basic self-awareness. Yiras Hashem, a person realizes that he's an olul. אין בעל היראה יש לו דבר תוספת יותר כלל. Ein hayirah tosefes.

אינה כמו חכמה שקנה תוספת חכמה. ומצד זה אמר הכתוב מה השם שואל מעמך כי אם ליראה.

The essence, the substance of yiras shamayim is the recognition that one is ontologically completely dependent upon Hakadosh Baruch Hu. We're an effect. Hakadosh Baruch Hu is the source. Hakadosh Baruch Hu is the cause. Maharal's words have profound implications. The feeling, the experience of being an olul, the feeling, the experience of creatureliness is the source of yiras Hashem. Whenever we feel our own physicality with all its limitations, neediness, dependence, and vulnerabilities, we experience that creatureliness. We experience that we're nothing but an olul. Every twinge of pain, every pang of hunger, every parched throat expresses the neediness of creatureliness, of being a tiny, puny olul. Every moment of fatigue, every pain of advanced age reflects the neediness and dependence of creatureliness, of being nothing but an olul. The weakness of being subjected to physical urges and drives reflects and expresses creatureliness. And most profoundly, every reminder of mortality reminds us that we're nothing but an olul, contingent, dependent creatures, handiwork of Hakadosh Baruch Hu. The crucial defining question is how we react to the constant signs and expressions of creatureliness, of being an olul of Hakadosh Baruch Hu who is the Illa. We can react purely instinctively. When we feel hunger or thirst, move expeditiously to satisfy those needs. When we feel fatigue or pain, try to catch some sleep and seek means to relieve the pain. And as for thoughts or glimpses of mortality that are depressing and unwelcome, we direct our thoughts elsewhere as quickly as we can. But there is another option. We can react not only instinctively, but also humanly, that is, religiously. When we feel hunger or thirst, we can be reminded of our dependent, vulnerable creatureliness and thus be reminded of Hakadosh Baruch Hu and filled with yiras shamayim. When we feel fatigue or pain, alongside our efforts to seek relief, we can be reminded of our dependent, vulnerable creatureliness. We can be reminded of Hakadosh Baruch Hu and filled with yiras shamayim. And when we think of or glimpse mortality, instead of banishing the thought and obstructing the view, we can ponder and reflect. We can be reminded of Hakadosh Baruch Hu and filled with yiras shamayim. We asked how is it possible to focus 24/7 on Hakadosh Baruch Hu and yiras shamayim. One answer, and by no means is this intended to preclude other answers, is that a person is always aware of himself or herself. That comes naturally and easily. We're always aware of our physical selves. In Sifrei Chassidus, one finds Lech Lecha Meartzecha, one finds the teitch, Lech Lecha Meartziyusecha, that Hakadosh Baruch Hu tells Avraham Avinu, take your artziyus, take your physicality, and use that as a launching pad אל הארץ אשר אראך. From the very first moment a baby enters the world, the baby is aware of his or her physical self and feels, experiences neediness. Obviously, an infant can only react instinctively to its creatureliness. But we're created in such a way as to constantly, constantly feel our creatureliness. And that awareness, that constant feeling, provides the foundation for a constant, uninterrupted yiras shamayim. We simply need to train ourselves to respond to the constant cues of creatureliness humanly and religiously, not only instinctively. Mibesari Achezeh Elokah. Let's perhaps try to elaborate upon and expand this approach and this answer. Rambam writes at the beginning of perek zayin of Hilchos Teshuva, הואיל ורשות כל אדם נתונה לו כמו שביארנו. Since every person has the capacity, the wherewithal for religious, moral, spiritual self-determination by virtue of bechirah chofshis, as discussed in the previous two perakim, Yishtadel Haadam, a person should exert himself Laasos Teshuva, to repent, Ulenayach Kapav Mechatao, to shake his hands free of sin Kedei Sheyamus, so that when he dies Vehu Baal Teshuva, so that he'll die as a baal teshuva כדי שיזכה לחיי העולם הבא. Why is the Rambam introducing this perspective or this incentive for teshuva now in perek zayin? It's one that he could have shared with us earlier, not to procrastinate, not to take for granted the gift of time. Why is the Rambam introducing it now? The question is compounded by the Rav's insight and depiction that perek zayin here in Hilchos Teshuva is where the Rambam presents teshuva me'ahava. A teshuva which is not motivated by self-interest, a teshuva which emanates, which is driven by ahavas Hashem. So why is it in this perek that the Rambam begins with this vantage point, this sense of urgency to do teshuva, לעולם יראה אדם את עצמו כאילו הוא נוטה למות? Though he may be on the threshold of passing from this world. Veshema yamut besha'ah. His time may be up, he may, he may, rachmana litzlan, die presently, venimtza omed becheto. And unless he takes action, so he'll leave this world, rachmana litzlan, mired in chet. לפיכך ישוב מחטאו מיד. A person should repent immediately. ולא יאמר כשאזקין אשוב. A person shouldn't reason, 'When I get older, there's plenty of time, I'll do teshuvah then.' שמא ימות קודם שיזקין. Lest he die before he attain advanced age.

הוא ששלמה אומר בחכמתו בכל עת יהיו בגדיך לבנים ושמן על ראשך אל יחסר.

This is what Shlomo Hamelech expressed metaphorically, that one's garments should always be white. As the Rambam himself reminds us in the previous two perakim, he spoke about bechirah chofshis. Specifically in perek chamishi, the Rambam introduced and formulated the capacity of bechirah chofshis as follows:

רשות כל אדם נתונה לו. אם רצה להטות עצמו לדרך טובה ולהיות צדיק הרשות בידו.

Every person has the capacity; if he, she wants, he can incline himself, herself onto the derech tovah ulihyos tzaddik to be righteous. Hareshus beyado. A person has that ability, has that capacity.

אם רצה להטות עצמו לדרך רעה ולהיות רשע הרשות בידו.

Conversely, rachmana litzlan, if a person chooses, a person can put himself on a track of evil and become wicked. Hu shekatuv batorah. This is what the pasuk expresses in Chumash:

הן האדם היה כאחד ממנו לדעת טוב ורע. כלומר הן מין זה של אדם היה אחד בעולם ואין לו מין שני דומה לו בזה הענין.

Hakadosh Baruch Hu says, Adam, man, is a unique creation, a unique creature. אין לו מין שני דומה לו בזה הענין. There is nothing else in the beriah that can even approximate Adam in the following respect:

שיהיה הוא מעצמו בדעתו ובמחשבתו יודע הטוב והרע ועושה כל מה שהוא חפץ.

Of his own accord, a person through his own understanding, through his own thought, can discern right and wrong, can differentiate right from wrong and then choose which to do. The Rambam's presentation, the Rambam presents the principle of bechirah chofshis in a most remarkable way, that it not only includes freedom of action, but that it also means that we have a capacity to identify right and wrong, to discern what's right, what's wrong, to differentiate right from wrong and then to act upon that knowledge. So bechirah chofshis for the Rambam is not only freedom of choice, not only that I choose what to do, but more fundamentally an ability to understand and identify and differentiate right from wrong and then to decide, to make an informed decision and to decide accordingly. Let's try to understand a little bit more. Let's try to pinpoint exactly where that faculty inheres in a person. Where does that faculty come from? Earlier in Hilchos Yesodei HaTorah the Rambam tells us נפש כל בשר היא צורתו שנתן לו האל. The nefesh of a person is the defining essential quality which Hakadosh Baruch Hu bestowed upon him.

והדעת היתירה המצויה בנפשו של אדם היא צורת האדם השלם בדעתו.

That knowledge in the nefesh of a person, that is his defining essential quality. ועל צורה זו נאמר בתורה and this is what the Torah is referring to when the Torah says נעשה אדם בצלמנו כדמותנו. What's the tzelem Elokim of a person?

כלומר שתהיה לו צורה היודעת ומשגת הדעות שאין להם גולם.

A person has a capacity for abstract truth, not just practical intelligence, not just intelligence relating to the physical, but the tzelem Elokim refers to that capacity that a person has for abstract truth, for right, for wrong, and of course ultimately for recognizing Hakadosh Baruch Hu. This nefesh the Rambam proceeds to tell us מאת ה' מן השמים היא, עומדת לעולם ולעולמי עולמים. And it's this which is the potentially immortal part of a person. That tzelem Elokim, the tzelem Elokim, the nefesh, the tzelem Elokim which every one of us possesses, which has the capacity to grasp abstract truth, to know tov and ra, to differentiate tov from ra, to know Hakadosh Baruch Hu, all of that inheres in the nefesh, all of that constitutes the tzelem Elokim and it's that which is potentially eternal about a person. רשות כל אדם נתונה לו. Bechira chofshis is rooted in that nefesh, in that tzelem Elokim.

רשות כל אדם שיהיה הוא מעצמו בדעתו ומחשבתו יודע הטוב והרע.

All of that is rooted in the tzelem Elokim, the nefesh Hakadosh Baruch Hu gives us and that we need to actualize. Says the Rambam: הואיל ורשות כל אדם נתונה לו. A person has within him a tzelem Elokim, a nefesh, which animates his bechira chofshis. That nefesh, that tzelem Elokim is something which is intended to live eternally. Adam who's created betzelem Elokim, his destiny is nitzchiyus, immortality. When the Rambam says that we should take to heart the possibility... shema yamus b'shaitah, the Rambam is not simply, not simply providing incentive. What the Rambam is saying is to be true to oneself, to be true to the briyah that Hakadosh Baruch Hu created. Hakadosh Baruch Hu created us b'tzelem Elokim. The tzelem Elokim is that reshus provide, that reshus provide, that capacity to discern, to differentiate right from wrong, to choose to identify and then to choose what to do. To be true to the Hakadosh Baruch Hu's briyah, a person has to do teshuva

כדי שימות והוא בעל תשובה כדי שיזכה לחיי עולם הבא.

A person's destiny is nitzchiyus. That's the tzurah, that's the defining essential quality. That's the nefesh, Hakadosh Baruch Hu provided him, that's the tzelem Elokim, that's a person's destiny, nothing less. When a person senses and exercises his ability to grasp truth, he experiences his tzelem Elokim. When a person discerns right from wrong, he lives the pasuk in Iyov אכן רוח היא באנוש ונשמת שדי תבינם. The source of understanding, of discernment, is the Nishmas Shakai. When a person sits over a blatt Gemara, a Rambam, a pasuk in Tanakh and understands, he experiences that Nishmas Shakai tevinem. When a person encounters or hears of evil rachmana litzlan and is appropriately repulsed, his tzelem Elokim expresses itself. When a person understands the din is one of the actional attributes, is a middah of Hakadosh Baruch Hu and trembles at the approach, the imminent approach of the Yom HaDin, his tzelem Elokim expresses itself. At the outset we posed the question: how is it possible for a person to constantly remember יוצרו אשר בראו יש מאין? How does one maintain the pachad Elokim neged einav at all times? Let's try to expand upon and elaborate to the answer we suggested. At times a person is always aware of his physical existence and that physical existence, that awareness of his physical existence is an experience of creatureliness, of being an alul and it's something that reminds him of the illah of Hakadosh Baruch Hu. It's something which potentially fills him with yiras Shamayim. But there are times when as it were we transcend the physical. A person is so immersed in learning, so caught up in tefillah, has a sense of being omed lifnei haMelech, not really aware of one's physicality. But then one is experiencing the Nishmas Shakai tivineim. Wherever a person turns, whether it's to the physical side or whether it's to the spiritual side. If only, if only we don't just react instinctively. If we react humanely, religiously. If only we just don't take for granted and just unthinkingly, unreflectively go about things, a person is constantly, constantly, 24/7 reminded of Hakadosh Baruch Hu. Whether it's the creatureliness, the experience of physicality or whether it's the transcendent encounter with abstract truth, with tov ve'ra, with Torah. A person feels, experiences being an alul, creatureliness, a person feels, experiences the Nishmas Shakai tivineim. Rabbeinu Yonah poses the question איך לא היה פחד אלוהים לנגד עיני? How could it be that in every instance of cheit I was so totally devoid of any semblance of yirat shamayim? The question is a very fair one. The question is a very realistic one because on any and every level that a person is attuned to himself, to herself, we can and should be reminded of Hakadosh Baruch Hu and inspired to that פחד אלוהים לנגד עינינו. When the Rambam famously interprets the remez encoded in the kol shofar, עורו ישנים משנתכם והקיצו נרדמים מתרדמתכם, awaken from your sleep, arouse from your slumber, vechipsu bema'aseichem, scrutinize your actions, וחזרו בתשובה וזכרו בוראכם. The Rambam intentionally employs the imagery of sleep, of living as though we're sleepwalking, because the reality of life constantly reminds us of Hakadosh Baruch Hu. The reality of life constantly tells us how to prioritize, how to focus, how to live, and it's only if we sleepwalk through life that we fail to discern that. Every, we experience our limitations, our neediness, our vulnerabilities all the time. It's a perennial awareness. It's not something a person has to work to attain. It's not something a person has to labor to sustain. It's just natural, it's a given. Every, every moment of fatigue, hunger. Only if a person is asleep can a person not be reminded.

עורו ישנים משנתכם ונרדמים הקיצו מתרדמתכם וחפשו במעשיכם וחזרו בתשובה וזכרו בוראכם אלו השוכחים את האמת בהבלי הזמן ושוגים כל שנותם בהבל וריק

People who forget truth, the shofar addresses us. They forget truth because of all the ephemeral futilities. Veshogim kol shenotam and their whole lives, they're immersed behevel varic with inane things, futility. אשר לא יועיל ולא יציל Says the Rambam, the kol shofar tells us Habitu lenafshoteichem. Habitu lenafshoteichem, be reminded, look at that nefesh, the other reminder that a person has, that nishmat Shakai tivineim. Every time a person again engages in pursuit of knowledge, is able to grasp, is able to understand, that's a nishmat Shakai tivineim. Habitu lenafshoteichem. Look at that nefesh, look at that capacity, look at that potential. Heitivu darcheichem uma'aleleichem. ויעזוב כל אחד מכם דרכו הרעה The kol teshuvah is individualized. Everyone has his or her own personal struggles. It's not just a collective; the shofar doesn't just address us collectively. Habitu lenafshoteichem, heitivu darcheichem, but the kol shofar is personalized. There's an individualized plea, an individualized exhortation. Every one of us has his or her own shortcomings, struggles, but the shofar addresses each and every one of us. Be inspired by those reminders which surround us at every turn, which are embedded within our consciousness. ויעזוב כל אחד מכם דרכו הרעה and may every one of you, the shofar again speaking to each of us individually, leave his or her evil path ומחשבתו אשר לא טובה and may each and every one of us recalibrate our thoughts, regain the correct focus. A gut yuhr, ksivah v'chasimah tovah.