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בס״ד
תשפ"ג/תשפ"ב
NITZAVIM - ROSH HASHANAH
ראש השנה-נצבים
THE MITZVAH OF TESHUVAH
Submitted by Rabbi Yerachmiel Fried
ֹלא ַב ָשׁ ַמ ִים ִה וא ֵלאֹמר ִמ י:"ִכּ י ַה ִמ ְצ ָוה ַה ֹזאת ֲא ֶשׁ ר ָא ֹנִכ י ְמ ַצ ְו ָך ַה יוֹם ֹלא ִנ ְפ ֵלאת ִה וא ִמ ְמ ָך ְוֹלא ְר ֹחָק ה ִה וא
ְוֹלא ֵמ ֵע ֶב ר ַל ָים ִה וא ֵלאֹמר ִמ י ַיֲעָב ר ָל נוּ ֶא ל ֵע ֶב ר ַה ָים:ַיֲעֶל ה ָל נוּ ַה ָשׁ ַמ ְיָמ ה ְוִיָק ֶח ָה ָל נוּ ְוַיְשׁ ִמ ֵע נוּ ֹאָת הּ ְוַנֲעֶשׂ ָנה
י''ד-י''א:' ִכּ י ָק רוֹב ֵא ֶל יָך ַה ָד ָב ר ְמ ֹאד ְבּ ִפ יָך וִּב ְל ָב ְב ָך ַל ֲעשׂתוֹ" ְד ָב ִר ים ל:ְוִיָל ֶח ָה ָל נוּ ְוַיְשׁ ִמ ֵע נוּ ֹאָת הּ ְוַנֲעֶשׂ ָנה
“For this mitzvah which I command you today – it is not hidden from you, and it is
not distant. It is not in heaven for you to say, 'who can ascend to the heavens for us
and take it for us, so that we can listen to it and perform it?' Nor is it across the sea,
for you to say, 'who can cross to the other side of the sea for us and take it for us, so
that we can listen to it and perform it?' Rather the matter is very near to you – in
your mouth and in your heart – to perform it.” Devarim 30:11-14.
Rashi explains this parashah to be referring to the entirety of Torah, which was
written and given ְבּ ַע ל ֶפּ ה, orally, which brings it close to us. Ramban, however,
interprets it to be referring to the beginning of the perek (30:1-2): “It will be that
when all these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse that I have
presented before you, then you will take it to your heart among all the nations
where God, your Lord, has dispersed you, and you will return unto God, your Lord,
and listen to His voice.”
“You will return”, " "ְוַשׁ ְב ָתּ, is not just a promise. “For this mitzvah” is informing us
that the teshuvah of Acharis HaYamim, which will come at the end of days, is, in
fact, a mitzvah incumbent upon us now. That is why, says Ramban, the Torah
says it is “within your mouth and your heart to perform it”. This is referring to the
foundational requirements of teshuvah – remorse over the past and acceptance
for the future in the heart; vidui, confession, from the mouth.
This raises a question. Why is teshuvah different than all other mitzvos, which
were given to us in command form, whereas teshuvah is told as a promise for the
future, and only later are we reminded that this promise is, in fact, a mitzvah?
Perhaps it is due to the very nature of teshuvah. Teshuvah is something truly
miraculous, which derives its power from the future world of Techias HaMeisim,
the revival of the dead, the final principle in Rambam’s 13 ikarim. This is because
Chazal tell us that the wicked, even while alive, are considered dead. Our
definition of life is a connection to the Source of life, Hashem. To sever that
connection is spiritual death. Teshuvah, which reconnects one to the Source of
life, is an act of Techias HaMeisim. For that reason, the Ya’aros Devash says that
during this period, when one recites the brachah of “Mechayeh HaMeisim” in the
Amidah, he should have in mind the God-given power of teshuvah to reconnect
to Him!
Volume 36 * Issue 49 * September 24 * כ"ח אלול