Ideas which Maran tz”l said on Yom HaKippurim in the Bet HaKeneset in Rechavyah
(translated by our dear friend Rav Daniel Levy Shlit”a, Leeds UK)
As Yom Kippur Closes We Must Ensure that we Have Repented and be Like HaShem’s Children!
Rabbotai! We are standing at holy moments, Yom HaKippurim!
When a person is impure, for example, an impure person due to tumat zav or tumat niddah, they must ensure that they keep the seven clean days, and then afterwards they are fit to purify themselves by immersing in a mikveh.
Likewise, during these days which have passed us, the past days of the Aseret Y’mei Teshuvah (following Rosh HaShanah, correspond to the seven clean days, for each one of them atones for all the sins which were transgressed, corresponding to that particular day throughout the course of the whole year. Following them is then this day, Yom HaKippurim.
This is what the Tana said, “Just as a mikveh purifies the impure, so HaKadosh Baruch Hu purifies Am Yisrael”. This is based on the principle that an impure person isn’t discharged from their impurity unless they count the seven clean days. Yom Kippur is then in the category of a “mikveh of Am Yisrael is Hashem” [Yirmiyahu 17:13], just as a mikveh purifies the impure, so does Yom HaKippurim purify from the impurities of sins [see Mishnah Yoma, 8:9].
However, prior to that on erev Yom HaKippurim it is necessary to wash the hair and body very well before the purification, so as to ensure that nothing interposes during the immersion. We do this by eating and drinking on erev Yom HaKippurim so as to be considered as if we fasted on both the ninth and the tenth of Tishrei [see Berachot 8b).
Also, the places where the mikveh water doesn’t reach, such as the inside of the mouth, they must be “fit for the water to enter”. Therefore, it is forbidden that anything to interpose in the mouth. So, on this day there is a unique importance regarding this, to make teshuvah, not to speak forbidden things and lashon hara, for these interpose and prevent purification.
And so one must be careful concerning monetary matters, not to stumble in the sin of theft. For our chachamim said, “a box full of sins – theft rises to the top” [see Vayikra Rabbah 33:3]. Likewise, one must be careful with the sin of interest, through mortgages without a “heter iskah”, some err in this either intentionally or unintentionally. Every effort must be made in educating children in Talmudiei Torah and not in secular schools, that have no fragrance of Torah! And above all else is the sin of desecrating Shabbat, a person must study the laws of Shabbat extremely well and this requires tremendous persistence in the laws of Shabbat!
In the books a story is related about a princess who married a villager. All day he would plough and till the land, and he virtually never returned home. The princess turned to her father and argued that her husband doesn’t respect her, because he doesn’t spend quality time with her, to live with her like decent men do. Rather all day he is in the field with his friends, and she isn’t satisfied with this situation.
The king heard this and arranged a day to come and visit his daughter. When he arrived, his son-in-law did everything that he could to honour him, literally with great honour and splendor. Especially on the last day of the king’s visit, his son-in-law arranged a farewell party and invited a band and singers to make the king happy. The king saw his son-in-law’s efforts and his heart rejoiced.
When the king wanted to return to his palace, his daughter began to cry. She said to him, “Father! Tomorrow my husband will return to his work in the field, and will leave me like a forsaken widow! Help me!” The king turned to his son-in-law and asked him, “Is this correct? Are you all day in the field and you leave my daughter for complete days?” His son-in-law responded, “It is absolutely true! As I must work all day for our livelihood, for ‘He who works his soil will be sated with bread’ [Mishlei 12:11]. My lord my king I didn’t receive from you a dowry with which I could live off by investing it in a business, without hard physical work. If I had money I would find a way to earn a livelihood in a different way.”
Since the king knew that his son-in-law was correct, he understood what he had to do. He produced a cheque from his pocket and signed a large amount for the livelihood of his son-in-law and his family.
Likewise, when we come before the King of Kings, HaKadosh Baruch Hu, on Yom HaKippurim, from His throne he looks, to ascertain the welfare of His daughter, which is the holy Torah. Behold He sees the insult of His Torah. As the Tana says, “Woe to the people from the insult to the Torah” [Avot 6:2]. All of Am Yisrael gather in the various Batei Kenesiyot and Batei Midrashim, and on Yom HaKippurim they bring the best chazanim to serve Hashem out of joy. And as it were, at the time that Hashem departs from us, at the time of Neilah, we cry out “Hashem is our G-d” 7 times, to indicate that the Shechinah ascends the 7 heavens. We beseech that we be sealed in the book of long life in order to be free to be busy with Torah-study and mitzvot! Therefore, we implore, “and seal us for good life”, “and in the book of berachah and shalom and good livelihood”. When Yom Kippur concludes we will merit B’Ezrat HaShem to be sealed in the book of the righteous and for good livelihoods, and then we will be able to serve HaShem Yitbarach appropriately relaxed.
They said in the Zohar HaKadosh, that one who studies Torah is called a holy child of HaKadosh Baruch Hu and therefore teshuvah is effective, for a father who forgives an infraction against his honour, it is forgiven, and HaShem Yitbarach is able to forgive us. But if the King has the status of a “king” and we are simply servants, then it is much harder to repent, for a king who forgives an infraction against his honour it isn’t forgiven [see Kiddushin 32a].
Rabbotai! These moments are auspicious, as the chachamim disputed in the Gemara if Am Yisrael are destined to be redeemed in Nissan or Tishrei [see Rosh HaShanah 10b]. Rabbeinu the Gra z”l wrote that both opinions are true. One in the mind and one in reality. Just like in Egypt, in Tishrei the harsh labour of our ancestors ceased and in Nissan they were fully redeemed. So, may HaShem help us and listen to our prayers. May this year be a year of true salvation, Amen V’Amen Selah.
