Nachal novea; makor chochma -
A flowing river; the source of wisdom (Mish. 18:4)
To enhance the spiritual healing on Yom Kippur the Torah commands us to temporarily separate and detach our bodies from the influences of this world for twenty-five hours. This brief dissociation from the world helps a person to focus on the needs of the soul. The weakened state of the body on Yom Kippur allows the soul to reclaim its lost dominance over the body. There are five things which we deny ourselves on Yom Kippur to aid in the spiritual healing: eating/drinking, bathing, use of perfumes (anointing), wearing leather shoes, and marital relations. (The holy Ari explains the kabbalistic reasons behind these five practices and the spiritual effects they produce, but this is beyond the scope of our discussion).
Beside the practice of abstaining from these five things, the essential element and Torah command of Yom Kippur is that we must confess all of our sins before G-d. Our prayerbooks contain the formula for this confession -- a general list of sins that covers most of what a person could have done wrong. Each sin of the confession formula is listed in the plural, because we not only confess to atone for our own mistakes, but we seek atonement for the entire Jewish People as a whole. Therefore, if we come across a sin that is listed, but we are sure we have not committed, we are still required to confess this sin since another Jew might have transgressed it and, because every Jew is held responsible for the acts of all the other Jews (we are all like one body), we would be liable for that transgression. This responsibility and spiritual connection to each Jew gives us the power to effect atonement for others to some degree. If anyone is aware of a particular sin that they might have committed, that is not listed in the general confession, one is required to confess that sin as well. By reciting the general confession listed in our prayerbooks one has fulfilled his obligation.
It isn't easy to look at oneself and admit to having been wrong, to have made mistakes - to admit to imperfection. On the surface it appears that the fact that we must humble ourselves through our admissions, degrade ourselves by our self-denial of five basic human comforts means that Yom Kippur is a day of sadness. On the contrary, the Talmud tells us that Yom Kippur should be a day for rejoicing, because we are brought closer to our roots, to G-d, and we are forgiven all of our sins in happiness and unburdens the heaviness of the soul.
The Talmud says: "There was a red string attached to a rock at the opening of the Temple as well as to the horns of the scapegoat so that one could see the string turn white as the Torah commands when the pushing of the goat over the jagged cliffs was fulfilled. This indicated that the sins of the Jewish nation had been atoned for, and so the people rejoiced (for the barrier of sin, separating the people from G-d was removed] (Talmud: Yoma 67a). Today we have reason to rejoice as well. The Talmud in Yoma says that the cleansing power of Yom Kippur is so great that any person who makes even the slightest effort to repent will be forgiven. And one must believe that G-d has accepted his attempt to repent and has forgiven him. If one does not believe that G-d has forgiven him, his repentance will not be effective. Rabbi Nachman teaches that part of the repentance process requires joy and happiness, which will be explained in the following paragraphs.
One of the main goals and purposes of creation is so that every person who is born into the world has the opportunity to earn his portion in the hereafter. The hereafter is a place where there is infinite joy and happiness. The Talmud tells us that one can taste some of the pleasure of the hereafter by observing the Sabbath. The hereafter is referred to as "The day that is entirely Sabbath." That the hereafter is referred to as one long Sabbath, filled with infinite joy, indicates that the Sabbath derives its sanctity from the happiness of the hereafter. The Sabbath is like a small porthole, which when opened allows some of light of the hereafter to come into our world. To feel and taste the joy of the hereafter on the Sabbath the Sages say that we must celebrate the Sabbath very, very joyfully. Each Jewish soul is rooted in and originates from the realm of holiness. Happiness is the source of all holiness. Repentance [Hebrew: teshuva] literally means to return to one's source, which is happiness and G-d, as the verse says: "I (King David] will rejoice in G-d (because in G-d there is happiness]" (Psalms 104:34). Thus true repentance can be defined as returning to true happiness. (Note: Unhappiness might indicate that one has spiritual flaws which need to be worked on].
Rabbi Nachman says that the underlying motivation for committing sins is unhappiness and deep-rooted depression, as the verse says: "I [King David] am anxious [and depressed] because of my sin" (Psalms 38:19). The bigger the sinner, the more depressed he is. He may look happy on the surface, but in his heart there is depression. If a person was truly happy and content he would have no desire to sin. It is only when a person is unhappy with what he has, because he was unable to connect his heart to G-d (even those who practice the rituals, but they do them with an unfeeling heart) , that he looks outside the bounds of holiness. The sinner has been tricked by the Satan and has confused pleasure with true happiness. The forbidden pleasures last only a short time, before they become stale. This staleness is linked spiritually to oldness and death, which leads to inner unhappiness and depression. Each sin committed creates a barrier between the sinner and G-d, the source of all happiness, whereas fulfilling G-d's will produces the opposite effect. When a person commits a sin, he spiritually absorbs negative energy from the forces of evil, which physically and spiritually pollute the blood (the consciousness], resulting in depression and possibly physical illness. The only solution for the sinner is to activate the remaining good found within himself. Every person is connected to G-d through the good points or sparks of holiness that is found within him, sparks which can never be destroyed. The first step to returning to G-d is to connect oneself to Him through finding and focusing on one's good points, for wherever good is found, G-d is found - they are one and the same. once a person has activated his connection to G-d and to happiness, he is then able to repent. A depressed person remains trapped in the forces of evil and is thus unable to repent.
The problem arises when one's sins have become so chronic and excessive that his good points become extremely covered-up making them very difficult to find. Therefore, he must go to a great spiritual expert, a great Tzaddik, who will be able to find and activate the good points within this chronic sinner so that they can be connected to G-d and to happiness, which will then motivate him to return to G-d, to his best ability. (Note: The Tzaddikim are able to do this, because they themselves are connected to G-d through joy by doing His will, as the verse says: "Rejoice in G-d (through doing His will], and [this causes them to] exult, [you] righteous ones, and sing for joy (thus enabling them to gladden others]" (Psalms 32:11).) The Sabbath, as we mentioned above, is a day of extreme joy, rooted in the hereafter. The power of the Sabbath subdues all the evil forces, which during the week form a barrier between G-d and this world. Thus on the Holy Sabbath, G-d focuses only on the good found in each Jew enabling us to receive much more Divine light then during the rest of the week. Anyone who activates the power of the Sabbath within himself by trying to observe and k@'e'p it is also able to activate the power of the great Tzaddikim within himself. As we mentioned 'above, the Tzaddikim are able to activate the good and restore lost joy within each person, motivating them to return to G-d. The Zohar says therefore, that the Tzaddik is synonymous with the Sabbath. This is why'Rabbi Nachman urged that one of the reasons why one should make every effort to be with a great Tzaddik for Rosh Hashana, for the joy that he emits will motivate everyone who is with him to repent (As we explained last week, Rosh Hashana is actually more important than Yom Kippur because of the verdicts issued on that awesome day).
There are two essential tools one must employ in confessing one's sins. The first, as described above, is that one must restore his lost confidence that G-d still wants him by building upon his good points. This arouses the person, encouraging him to repent, confess his errors, and return to G-d. The second tool is to repent with a broken heart, to cry and beg G-d to bring him back. Rabbi Nachman says that a broken heart is derived from a state of subdued happiness and not from depression as one might think. However, having a broken heart for extended periods of time can easily lead to depression. Therefore, Rabbi Nachman suggests that everyone should utilize the happy mode the major part of the time, utilizing the broken-hearted mode only for brief intervals. Since the layman is not knowledgeable about when to employ each tool for repentance, it is therefore necessary to consult with a Sage.
The blowing of the Shofar (ram's horn) on Rosh Hashana helps break the harshness of the judgement (how this works is beyond the scope of this discussion), which draws forth tremendous joy from heaven. Through this joy we become motivated to return to G-d, our source. Therefore, on the Sabbath we do not sound the Shofar, because the Sabbath itself automatically activates joy within us, motivating us to repent, as we mentioned above.
In Temple times, the Shofar would be blown even on the Sabbath though only within the Temple precincts itself. After the Temple's destruction, the Shofar would be blown on the Sabbath, only within the Rabbinical courts. The reason why in all other places it is forbidden to sound the Shofar on the Sabbath is that the Sages were afraid that a laymen might come to carry the Shofar four cubits in the public domain, which violates a negative commandment (the public domain is the place where the forces of evil can be found in abundance). This law teaches us that the Sabbath in and of itself activates the power of repentance out of total joy. When the Sabbath is compounded with the joy elicited from the sounding of the shofar the second tool for repentance is activated - the broken heart. However, as previously stated, a broken heart could easily lead to depression, trapping a person in the forces of evil and preventing him from repenting. This is comparable to going into the public domain, outside the realm of the holy, where evil forces are very strong. Only the spiritual experts, who were Temple or Rabbinical Courts administrators possessed the expertise to experience such a broken heart, without it leading to depression. Therefore, blowing the shofar on the Sabbath in the Temple or in the Rabbinical Courts were permitted, where in all other places it was prohibited, because the layman did not have this expertise. (Lekutai Halachoth: Orach Chiam: Hilchoth Shabboss 7:45-47)
The Baal Shem Tov said that when a person sins for the first time, he is then confronted with a second opportunity to sin in order that he may fully repent and rectify the sin. complete atonement, is achieved by remorse, confession, and when confronted with the same opportunity to sin, overcoming and conquering the urge to repeat the sin. The Evil Urge sees this and tries to cause the person to repeat his sin again, but G-d still helps him. It is written: "For three sins of Israel ... (I will not reverse it]" (Amos 2:6). When a person sins three times then the [three parts of his soul, which are the] Nefesh, Ruach, and Neshama, are all enveloped and clothed by the forces of evil. Because of this, one sin brings another, and the ways of repentance are closed to him. The prophet therefore says: "Let us examine our ways, probe, and return [to G-d]" (Lamentations 3:40). Every sin that is repeated so often becomes as if it were permitted, and "the people's hearts became fat" (Isaiah 6:10). Therefore, to do repentance for habitual sins one must probe and examine things closely even to realize that he has sinned. Then one can return to G-d. (Ben Porath Yoseph 127b).
Rabbi Nachman taught that the Medrash says there are "bundles and bundles of sins" (VaYikra Rabbah 21:4) . Our sages teach that "one sin brings another" (Talmud: Avoth 4:2) . When a person commits one sin, it causes him to commit other related offenses, which engenders still more wrongs. Each sinful act makes it easier to transgress those sins related to it. The first sin and the ones that follow which are similar in nature constitute one " bundle of sin." Groups of different types of sins form different "bundles". In this manner, "bundles and bundles of sins" are created.
Each of these bundles of sins results in the creation of a troop of angels who destroy [destroyers in Hebrew is Mechavllim, which has the same root as Chavilah, meaning bundle] and accuse. These angels cry out, "Give us life! Give us food!" to the one who committed the sin which brought them into existence. He is literally their owner and is responsible for them. Therefore, he must provide them with food and sustenance [which requires him to sin again and they won't leave him alone until he does].
The remedy for this is to study and observe the Thirteen Attributes of Divine Mercy. One must reveal these Thirteen Attributes within himself by displaying mercy and doing good deeds. The revelation of the Thirteen Attributes of the level of physical existence activates the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy on High which in turn humble and eliminate the Destroyers bred by the person's sins. This is why we say, based on the Talmud Rosh Hashana 17a, in selichoth (repentance prayers) and on Yom Kippur: "O G-d, King sitting on a throne of mercy ... forgiving the sins of His people, removing the first one (sin of a particular bundle] first ... 11 This short prayer introduces the section of prayers where we recite the Thirteen Attributes. Through the Thirteen Attributes, G-d removes the first sin in each bundle. The other sins in the group and the angels (Michavlim] associated with them are subsequently released, are then free to return to G-d, Who grants them sustenance (Sichoth HaRan 89).
The Baal Shem Tov says that sometimes the Evil Urge fools a person and convinces him that he has committed a very great sin. Actually, this person may have only transgressed on a matter of stringency, and not sinned at all. But the intent of the E%ril Urge is that the person should become depressed. This depression will keep him from serving G-d. One should be aware of this trick and say to the Evil One: "My entire intent in performing this good deed was to serve G-d and give Him pleasure. Therefore, even if I fail to perform this stringency, G-d will not be angry with me. Bringing this stringency to my attention is a falsehood, serving only to try to make me depressed so I won't be able to worship G-d. How can I take myself away from His worship, even for a moment? G-d actually has more pleasure when I ignore this stringency (for happiness is on a higher level and is more important] . I will do the exact opposite of what you desire and I will serve G-d in joy and be joyful." This is the main rule in serving G-d. You must keep far from depression to the best of your ability. (Tzava'ath HaRivash: Page 221).