Halacha for Monday 13 Elul 5784 September 16 2024

Losing Hope of Repenting

The verse in Kohelet (11:9) states: “Rejoice young man in your youth and let your heart cheer you up in your adolescence and walk in the path of your heart and in the sight of your eyes; but know that for all of these, G-d shall bring you into justice.” The Gemara (Shabbat 63b) states, “Rav Huna said, ‘These are the words of the Evil Inclination.’” This means that Rav Huna explains that the entire aforementioned verse in Kohelet is told to an individual by his Evil Inclination.

Nevertheless, this is somewhat difficult to understand, since the beginning of the verse “Rejoice young man in your youth and let your heart cheer you up in your adolescence and walk in the path of your heart and in the sight of your eyes”, seems like something the Evil Inclination would tell a person. However, the end of the verse, “But know that for all of these, G-d shall bring you into justice”, seems like something the Good Inclination would say, not the Evil Inclination!

Hagaon Harav Yaakov Krantz, the great Dubno Maggid, explains in his Kol Yaakov, a commentary on Megillat Kohelet, that the Evil Inclination seduces an individual in the beginning of his life to follow the hedonistic pursuits this world has to offer and to leave the Torah and Mitzvot. When the individual begins to mature and analyze the meaning of his life, especially when he realizes that his senior years are edging closer, he begins experiencing feelings of remorse for his actions and then begins wishing to repent and gather merits he can take along with him to the World to Come.

At this point, the Evil Inclination appears on the scene once again but takes the guise of the Good Inclination and he begins frightening the individual and showing him how great his punishment will be in the World to Come, as the verse states, “But know that for all of these, G-d shall bring you into justice”, meaning that he tells the individual, “See here how you have already wasted all your good days wantonly and the sins of your youth are innumerable; you will never have time to repent for and mend all of your wicked actions.”

Thus, the Evil Inclination then convinces the person that if he does not have any chance of achieving a share in the World to Come anyway, he may as well enjoy himself in this world.

Based on this, the Evil Inclination says the entire verse, as he starts off by saying “Rejoice young man in your youth” and then tells him, “Let your heart cheer you up in your adolescence” and finally, he convinces the individual to slack off in repenting since “For all of these, G-d shall bring you into justice” so it just makes sense to enjoy the rest of your days in this world at the very least.

This is what King Solomon warns us about in his Kohelet that even if the Evil Inclination tries to sway an individual in this way, do not believe him, for our Sages teach us (Talmud Yerushalmi, Chagiga, Chapter 2) that one may repent until the exit of his soul and the Gates of Repentance are always wide open for one to return to his Creator.

8 Halachot Most Popular

Shofar Blowing

There is a positive Torah commandment to hear the Shofar blasts on Rosh Hashanah, as the Torah states, “A day of blasts shall it be for you.” It is forbidden to speak between the various sets of Shofar blasts and this is certainly the case during the time the Shofar is actually being sou......

Read Halacha

 The “Shehecheyanu” Blessing

Our Sages teach us (Eruvin 40b) that one should recite the “Shehecheyanu” blessing upon seeing a new fruit that renews once a year. Even if one sees this fruit in the hands of another person or on the tree, one should recite the “Shehecheyanu” blessing. Nevertheless, the P......

Read Halacha

So that We May Refrain from the Injustice of Our Hands

During the Ne’ilah prayer, the prayer that culminates all the Days of Awe recited towards the conclusion of Yom Kippur, we state: “And You, Hashem our G-d, have given us this Yom Kippur etc. for pardon, forgiveness, and atonement so that we may refrain from the injustice of our hands and......

Read Halacha

Parashat Naso in the Diaspora

(From the teachings of Maran Rabbeinu Ovadia Yosef ztvk”l) (written by his grandson HaRav Yaakov Sasson Shlit”a) (translated by our dear friend Rav Daniel Levy Shlit”a, Leeds UK) Trading Places! The Parashah states, “The sacred offerings of each individual remain his ......

Read Halacha


Repenting for Speaking Lashon Hara and Rendering a Mistaken Halachic Ruling

Question: If I have spoken Lashon Hara (evil slander) about my friend, must I confront him and tell him what I have done in order to request his forgiveness? Also, what is the law regarding a rabbi who has ruled stringently on a matter when, in fact, there is actually room for leniency, must he ask ......

Read Halacha

Some Details Regarding the Prayers of the Days of Awe

“Hashem Wants Our Heart” One should try to focus as much as possible on one’s prayers throughout the year, especially during the Days of Awe, and not pray hastily, G-d-forbid. Rather, one should calmly, with utmost concentration, and in a supplicating manner. We must remember t......

Read Halacha

Rosh Hashanah Which Coincides With Shabbat

This coming year (5787), Rosh Hashanah will fall out this coming Shabbat and Sunday, G-d-willing. Let us discuss several unique laws relevant to this year. “Bameh Madlikin” When Rosh Hashanah coincides with Shabbat, Kabbalat Shabbat is recited before Arvit; however, the “Bameh ......

Read Halacha

Transferring Another’s Judgment Into the Hands of Heaven

Question: Is it correct that one may not transfer another’s judgment into the hands of Heaven, i.e. requesting that Hashem punish an individual who caused me harm if I am correct? Answer: When our matriarch Sarah saw that she was barren, she gave her maidservant, Hagar, to her husband Avrah......

Read Halacha