B"H
Between Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur (beginning next Sunday night), Jews have the opportunity to improve themselves and make a good impression before G - d. On Rosh HaShana G - d is judging the whole world. Gentiles, Jews and our entire universe alike.
The ten days between Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur are called "Aseret Yame'i Teshuva - Ten Days of Repentance". Then Jews can show G - d their good will and may change His final decision.
On Rosh HaShana, G - d, literally speaking, has three open books laying in front of Him. Absolute righteous people are being written into the Book of Life. The evil won't have such a pleasant year but most of us are somewhere in the middle of the two books. We are the intermediates and the scales basically show the same amount of Mitzvot and good deeds as well as our bad actions.
How does G - d then decide ?
During the present ten days, we are showing some good behaviour. Our effort makes up G - d's final judgement on Yom Kippur. This is why Jews busy themselves with positive actions these days. Giving charity (Zedakah), pray and apologize to those we feel we have wronged.
Teshuva (repentance) doesn't always mean turning into the "perfect religious Jew". I have been thinking a lot about the future lately. How can I improve and overcome my laziness.
I may sound like an AISH HATORAH commercial, as they teach this concept all over:
Doing Teshuva shouldn't cause anyone pressure let alone transforming into an over ambitious person. Whatever we do, we need to find a balance suiting us. Neither overdo nor miss our potential. G - d provided all of us with a certain amount of individual potential and our job is to use it. Not to look at my neighbour and busy myself with the question "Why he is more religious or pious than me ?"
For me, Teshuva doesn't mean "running around like a madman and showing my entire environment how great I am". My personal Teshuva is quiet and extremely personal. I do it the Breslov way with nature and meditation. Of course, one should act and not only sit in a field, think and meditate. However, if you are looking for a connection to G - d and not only for action, meditation is the best way to start with. Teshuva is an internal process as well as an external. It can be that I am thinking too much but my goal is not ending up with doing plenty of Mitzvot but without any Kavanah (concentration).
Yes, I know: This is the perfect popular excuse of the lazy. Thinking, thinking, thinking and in the end, all opportunities of acting (Mitzvot) are missed out. Nevertheless, I may be thinking too much but I love analyzing everything and do, whatever I do, with Simcha (Joy) and not only because it says so in the Shulchan Aruch.
Another excuse ?
Maybe, but, at least, I am, more or less, happy with myself.
Hilchos Yom Kippur -
ReplyDeleteIf one harmed another person, even by merely hurting someone's feelings with words; Yom Kippur will not atone for the sin unless one first appeases the other party and asks for forgiveness. If the other person does not forgive, one must return a second and a third time, each time bringing three other people along while asking for forgiveness. Although one is obligated to do this all year, one must be particularly vigilant to do this before Yom Kippur in order to be sure to go into Yom Kippur free of sin. Shulchan Aruch w/Mishnah Brurah 606:1
B"H
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't say it only in the Mishna Berurah !
However, there is also a Halacha that after three times asking for forgiveness and being rejected, one has not to come back a fourth times, as there already is foregiveness.
Furthermore, there is an idea that no one should go and ask for foregiveness if there exists the possibility that the two parties involved would get into a fight and thus cause bigger trouble than there was before.
One also shouldn't ask an abusive part for foregiveness.
So, nothing is only onesided !