THE TESHUVA PROCESS DURING THE YAMIM NORA'IM (DAYS OF AWE) In his many lectures on teshuva, the Rav has often discussed varying types of repentance. The Gemara as well as the Rambam have likewise engaged in such classification, discussing, for example, the contrast between teshuva motivated by love and teshuva motivated by awe (1), superior teshuva and non-superior teshuva (2). Based on nuances in the wording and the juxtaposition of topics in the Rambam's Mishneh Torah, the Rav himself has added to this list through the development of categories such as the teshuva of emotion versus the teshuva of intellect (3), and teshuva motivated by conscience versus teshuva motivated by free will (4). In his 1975 Teshuva drasha, the Rav turned to a somewhat different theme. Instead of introducing new teshuva classifications, the Rav defined various stages in the teshuva process, each stage reflected as a separate theme defining the respective roles of Rosh Hashana, the Aseret Yemei Teshuva, and Yom Kippur. Between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur "Even though teshuva and supplication are always desirable, *in the ten days that are between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur* they are particularly desirable and it is accepted immediately, as it is written: 'Search for the L-rd when He can be found..." (Hilchot Teshuva 2:6) "Even though the blowing of the shofar on Rosh Hashanah is a decree of the Torah, there is a hint in it as it is written: "Awake sleepers from your sleep and slumberers from your slumber. Because of this, the entire house of Israel maintains the custom of increasing charity, good deeds, and involvement in mitzvot *from Rosh Hashanah until Yom Kippur*.more than the rest of the year" (Hilchot Teshuva 3:4) In delineating a span of time, use of the words "from" followed by "until" has a different meaning than "between" followed by "and". Biblically, "From...until" generally refers to a geographic or chronological span. For example: "Every place that the sole of your foot will walk will be for you, from the desert and Lebanon, from the river Euphrates until the Mediterranean will be your boundaries" (Deuteronomy 11:26) Through use of the words "from...until" in this citation, the Torah emphasizes territorial distance. The endpoints serve only as points of reference: in this context "the desert" "Lebanon", "Euphrates" and "Mediterranean" themselves have no individual significance. Through the use of phrases framed by "from...until", the Torah means to delineate a homogeneous spatial distance or span of time. In contrast, use of a phrase using "between" connotes a different meaning: "...and you shall place it between the Tent of Meeting and the Altar" (Exodus 30:18) "...and he came between the camp of of Egypt and the camp of Israel" (Exodus 14:20) In these two verses, the emphasis is on the contrast between the boundaries which delineate a location. The Menora must be placed in between two specific points in the tabernacle; the angel of the L-rd was likewise situated between two camps. The areal/ geographical boundaries here are not inclusive and furthermore have specific textual significance. Using these definitions, the two previously cited passages from the Rambam are more readily understood. In the second halacha, the Rambam teaches us that during the ten days inclusive of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur there is a need to "maximize charity, good deeds and engage in mitzvah performance". Because these ten days constitute the time of year wherein he is judged, man finds himself in a position of crisis. He must maximize his performance of mitzvos in order to receive a favorable verdict. Use of the phrase "from...until" suggests that the significance of Mitzvah performance is identical during all ten days. Furthermore, this importance is invariant through the remainder of the year as well. However, in the first halacha quoted above, use of the phrase "between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur" suggests that the nature of "supplication and teshuva" actually differs on Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and the intervening days. In other words, at these specific times of the year different stages of the teshuva process become operative. The nature of teshuva on Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and the days in between are distinct, and by implication, the teshuva incumbent all year round differs as well. The nature of teshuva during these days forms the essence of the Rav's drasha. The Distance Between G-d and Man There are four times of year associated with teshuva: the entire year (5), Rosh Hashanah, the days of repentance and Yom Kippur. These four times correspond consecutively to the decreasing distance between man and G-d. The closer that G-d comes towards man, the greater the teshuva obligation. Sin causes removal of the Divine Presence (6), as stated explicitly in Isaiah: "Your sins have separated between you and Your G-d" (Isaiah 59:2) Had man not sinned, G-d's presence would be evident in every natural encounter. The Master of the Universe would speak to man in every crystal spring, in every ray of light, in every sunrise and sunset. If we were not led astray by sin, we would sense G-d in every breath (7), in the very rhythm of life. An entire tractate of the Talmud is dedicated to acknowledging the existence of G-d in the natural world - the tractate of Brachot. The Jew recites blessings so as to direct him to recognize G-d's providence in everyday life. The illusion that the world operates autonomously without G-d's intervention is a direct result of sin. Correspondingly, because of sin the Divine Presence resides in transcendence, removed from His creation: "Kel Mistater Beshafrir Chevyon" ("G-d is concealed in a hidden abode (8)") During the course of the year, G-d does not approach us: we must rather seek and find Him. It is through the act of teshuva that man discerns the presence of Hashem in the obscuring clouds of the natural world. His distance from us does not free us from this imperative, as stated in Deuteronomy: "And from there you will seek Hashem your G-d, and you will find him...(Deuteronomy 4:29) The paradigmatic figure representing the search for G-d despite His transcendence is the prophet Ezekiel. Ezekiel's prophetic revelation did not take place in the in the Temple or in even the land of Israel, but rather in the midst of the bitter Babylonian exile: "among the captives on the river K'var". Yet despite the fact that this was a time of acute hester panim (Deus absconditus) "...the heavens opened and [Ezekiel] saw visions of G-d" (Ezekiel 1:1) In contrast to the prophet Isaiah, Ezekiel is depicted as a as a villager (9) because of his remoteness from the spiritual center of Jerusalem when G-d's word was revealed to him. Ezekiel refers to G-d's distance from his people when he declared: Blessed is the glory of Hashem from His place (Ezekiel 3:12) In contrast, Isaiah's declaration: Holy, Holy, Holy, is the L-rd of Hosts, the entire world is filled with His glory (Isaiah 6:3) was made by a prophet who was in close proximity to the spiritual center, and was therefore described as a city dweller. Because Isaiah lived in the land of Israel during the pre-exilic period, he could speak of G-d's immanence in this world (10). Yet, as Ezekiel demonstated, G-d can still be found despite His distance. The search for the concealed, transcendent G-d is reflected in the teshuva obligation incumbent throughout the year. In the Shmoneh Esrei prayer we generally refer to G-d as "hakel hakadosh", while during the ten days of repentance "hamelech hakadosh" is substituted (11). This change is considered so crucial by the Rishonim, that they virtually all agree that if one neglected to use the proper phrase, the entire Shemoneh Esrei must be repeated. The appelation kel refers to G-d in transcendence. G-d as kel can be removed from His creation. In contrast, melech refers to G-d as One who has a direct relationship to the world, since there is no king without a nation (12). On Rosh Hashanah, as this change in appelation takes place, the distance between G-d and man starts to close, awakening the need for "hirhur Teshuva". The Teshuva of Rosh Hashanah: "Hirhur Teshuva" In the Rosh Hashanah liturgy, there is an overt lack of reference to sin and forgiveness. In contrast to Yom Kippur, there is no recitation of slichot (penitential prayer) or vidui (confession). Many even have the custom of omitting the first verse of the petitionary prayer Avinu Malkenu: "Our Father, Our King, we have sinned before You". What type of teshuva can take place without explicit reference to sin? According to the Rambam, teshuva has a well defined and formulated structure. It is a process containing clear strata, involving recognition of sin, remorse, shame and resolve (13). There are guideposts in prayer that lead one to engage in this process, including vidui as well as much of the Yom Kippur liturgy. Teshuva is an all encompassing activity, engaging man's logic, will and emotion. In contrast to Yom Kippur, on Rosh Hashanah the Jew is involved in a preliminary stage, namely "hirhur teshuva" (the "awakening" of teshuva): a concept distinct from teshuva itself. In contrast to teshuva, the process of "hirhur teshuva" is amorphous and ill- defined, yet instinctive and sudden in nature. The concept of hirhur Teshuva occupies its own separate status in the Talmud. To illustrate this point, the Rav cited two examples: "If one says 'I betroth you on the condition that I am righteous', even one who is absolutely evil is considered betrothed, since perhaps he did 'hirhur teshuva' in his mind. (Kiddushin 49b) If teshuva is indeed a multistep process, how could an individual be considered "righteous" after a moment's thought? Only through the concept of hirhur teshuva. In contrast to teshuva itself, hirhur teshuva is sudden, spontaneous and instinctive. For one second, this individual lived the jarring experience of awakening from spiritual somnolence - "uru yeshainim mishinatchem" The second example of hirhur teshuva is taken from a Gemara in Avoda Zara, discussing the circumstances surrounding the martyrdom of Rabbi Hanina Ben Teradion. The Gemara there relates that when R. Hanina was burned at the stake by the Romans, tufts of wool soaked in water were placed over his heart in order to prolong his agony. The executioner, moved by his suffering, asked R. Hanina whether he could guarantee the executioner a place in the world to come if the executioner were to remove the tufts of wool and increase the intensity of the fire. When R. Hanina guaranteed that this would indeed be so, the executioner complied, subsequently hurling himself into the flames, expiring along with R. Hanina. The Gemara relates that a voice from heaven promptly responded that both R. Hanina as well as the executioner would enter the world-to-come. Upon witnessing this scene, the tanna Rebbi cried, exclaiming that some merit the world to come after years of effort, while others acquire such reward after only brief effort. Why did Rebbi cry? Because while prior to this incident he understood the redemptive nature of teshuva, he had not previously appreciated the power of hirhur teshuva to likewise transform an individual. Many mitzvos in the Torah involve an objective act coupled with a subjective component (14). The recitation of the Shema, for example, involves the objective act of recitation, but the mitzva is not realized unless one has the proper intention, namely accepting the yoke of Heaven. The Mitzvah of shofar has a similarly dual nature. One must hear the shofar blast, yet the fulfillment of the Mitzva is not realized unless one experiences the jarring awakening of the slumberer associated with hirhur teshuva. What precisely is involved in the emotional experience of hirhur teshuva? The Rav said that while abstract concepts can often be easily described, it is far more difficult to convey personal subjective experience. Yet, in order to adequately clarify the concept he felt that he was compelled to relate the following experience: "On the seventh day of Pesach, 5727 (1967) I awoke from a fitful sleep. A thunderstorm was raging outside, and the wind and rain blew angrily through the window of my room. Half awake, I quickly jumped to my feet and closed the window. I then thought to myself that my wife was sleeping downstairs in the sun room next to the parlor, and I remembered that the window was left open there as well. She could catch pneumonia, which in her weakened physical condition would be devastating (15). "I ran downstairs, went into her room and closed the window. I turned around to see if she was still sleeping, and I found the room empty, the couch where she slept half uncovered. In reality she had passed away on Ta'anis Esther the previous month. "The most tragic and frightening experience was the shock that I encountered in that half second that I turned from the window to find the room empty. I thought to myself that a few hours earlier I had been speaking with her, and that at about 10 o'clock she said good night and retired to her room. I could not understand how the room could be empty. I asked myself: 'When did I speak with her? When was I with her? When did she go out? Where is she?' " THE TESHUVA PROCESS DURING THE YAMIM NORA'IM (DAYS OF AWE) In his many lectures on teshuva, the Rav has often discussed varying types of repentance. The Gemara as well as the Rambam have likewise engaged in such classification, discussing, for example, the contrast between teshuva motivated by love and teshuva motivated by awe (1), superior teshuva and non-superior teshuva (2). Based on nuances in the wording and the juxtaposition of topics in the Rambam's Mishneh Torah, the Rav himself has added to this list through the development of categories such as the teshuva of emotion versus the teshuva of intellect (3), and teshuva motivated by conscience versus teshuva motivated by free will (4). In his 1975 Teshuva drasha, the Rav turned to a somewhat different theme. Instead of introducing new teshuva classifications, the Rav defined various stages in the teshuva process, each stage reflected as a separate theme defining the respective roles of Rosh Hashana, the Aseret Yemei Teshuva, and Yom Kippur. Between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur "Even though teshuva and supplication are always desirable, *in the ten days that are between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur* they are particularly desirable and it is accepted immediately, as it is written: 'Search for the L-rd when He can be found..." (Hilchot Teshuva 2:6) "Even though the blowing of the shofar on Rosh Hashanah is a decree of the Torah, there is a hint in it as it is written: "Awake sleepers from your sleep and slumberers from your slumber. Because of this, the entire house of Israel maintains the custom of increasing charity, good deeds, and involvement in mitzvot *from Rosh Hashanah until Yom Kippur*.more than the rest of the year" (Hilchot Teshuva 3:4) In delineating a span of time, use of the words "from" followed by "until" has a different meaning than "between" followed by "and". Biblically, "From...until" generally refers to a geographic or chronological span. For example: "Every place that the sole of your foot will walk will be for you, from the desert and Lebanon, from the river Euphrates until the Mediterranean will be your boundaries" (Deuteronomy 11:26) Through use of the words "from...until" in this citation, the Torah emphasizes territorial distance. The endpoints serve only as points of reference: in this context "the desert" "Lebanon", "Euphrates" and "Mediterranean" themselves have no individual significance. Through the use of phrases framed by "from...until", the Torah means to delineate a homogeneous spatial distance or span of time. In contrast, use of a phrase using "between" connotes a different meaning: "...and you shall place it between the Tent of Meeting and the Altar" (Exodus 30:18) "...and he came between the camp of of Egypt and the camp of Israel" (Exodus 14:20) In these two verses, the emphasis is on the contrast between the boundaries which delineate a location. The Menora must be placed in between two specific points in the tabernacle; the angel of the L-rd was likewise situated between two camps. The areal/ geographical boundaries here are not inclusive and furthermore have specific textual significance. Using these definitions, the two previously cited passages from the Rambam are more readily understood. In the second halacha, the Rambam teaches us that during the ten days inclusive of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur there is a need to "maximize charity, good deeds and engage in mitzvah performance". Because these ten days constitute the time of year wherein he is judged, man finds himself in a position of crisis. He must maximize his performance of mitzvos in order to receive a favorable verdict. Use of the phrase "from...until" suggests that the significance of Mitzvah performance is identical during all ten days. Furthermore, this importance is invariant through the remainder of the year as well. However, in the first halacha quoted above, use of the phrase "between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur" suggests that the nature of "supplication and teshuva" actually differs on Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and the intervening days. In other words, at these specific times of the year different stages of the teshuva process become operative. The nature of teshuva on Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and the days in between are distinct, and by implication, the teshuva incumbent all year round differs as well. The nature of teshuva during these days forms the essence of the Rav's drasha. The Distance Between G-d and Man There are four times of year associated with teshuva: the entire year (5), Rosh Hashanah, the days of repentance and Yom Kippur. These four times correspond consecutively to the decreasing distance between man and G-d. The closer that G-d comes towards man, the greater the teshuva obligation. Sin causes removal of the Divine Presence (6), as stated explicitly in Isaiah: "Your sins have separated between you and Your G-d" (Isaiah 59:2) Had man not sinned, G-d's presence would be evident in every natural encounter. The Master of the Universe would speak to man in every crystal spring, in every ray of light, in every sunrise and sunset. If we were not led astray by sin, we would sense G-d in every breath (7), in the very rhythm of life. An entire tractate of the Talmud is dedicated to acknowledging the existence of G-d in the natural world - the tractate of Brachot. The Jew recites blessings so as to direct him to recognize G-d's providence in everyday life. The illusion that the world operates autonomously without G-d's intervention is a direct result of sin. Correspondingly, because of sin the Divine Presence resides in transcendence, removed from His creation: "Kel Mistater Beshafrir Chevyon" ("G-d is concealed in a hidden abode (8)") During the course of the year, G-d does not approach us: we must rather seek and find Him. It is through the act of teshuva that man discerns the presence of Hashem in the obscuring clouds of the natural world. His distance from us does not free us from this imperative, as stated in Deuteronomy: "And from there you will seek Hashem your G-d, and you will find him...(Deuteronomy 4:29) The paradigmatic figure representing the search for G-d despite His transcendence is the prophet Ezekiel. Ezekiel's prophetic revelation did not take place in the in the Temple or in even the land of Israel, but rather in the midst of the bitter Babylonian exile: "among the captives on the river K'var". Yet despite the fact that this was a time of acute hester panim (Deus absconditus) "...the heavens opened and [Ezekiel] saw visions of G-d" (Ezekiel 1:1) In contrast to the prophet Isaiah, Ezekiel is depicted as a as a villager (9) because of his remoteness from the spiritual center of Jerusalem when G-d's word was revealed to him. Ezekiel refers to G-d's distance from his people when he declared: Blessed is the glory of Hashem from His place (Ezekiel 3:12) In contrast, Isaiah's declaration: Holy, Holy, Holy, is the L-rd of Hosts, the entire world is filled with His glory (Isaiah 6:3) was made by a prophet who was in close proximity to the spiritual center, and was therefore described as a city dweller. Because Isaiah lived in the land of Israel during the pre-exilic period, he could speak of G-d's immanence in this world (10). Yet, as Ezekiel demonstated, G-d can still be found despite His distance. The search for the concealed, transcendent G-d is reflected in the teshuva obligation incumbent throughout the year. In the Shmoneh Esrei prayer we generally refer to G-d as "hakel hakadosh", while during the ten days of repentance "hamelech hakadosh" is substituted (11). This change is considered so crucial by the Rishonim, that they virtually all agree that if one neglected to use the proper phrase, the entire Shemoneh Esrei must be repeated. The appelation kel refers to G-d in transcendence. G-d as kel can be removed from His creation. In contrast, melech refers to G-d as One who has a direct relationship to the world, since there is no king without a nation (12). On Rosh Hashanah, as this change in appelation takes place, the distance between G-d and man starts to close, awakening the need for "hirhur Teshuva". The Teshuva of Rosh Hashanah: "Hirhur Teshuva" In the Rosh Hashanah liturgy, there is an overt lack of reference to sin and forgiveness. In contrast to Yom Kippur, there is no recitation of slichot (penitential prayer) or vidui (confession). Many even have the custom of omitting the first verse of the petitionary prayer Avinu Malkenu: "Our Father, Our King, we have sinned before You". What type of teshuva can take place without explicit reference to sin? According to the Rambam, teshuva has a well defined and formulated structure. It is a process containing clear strata, involving recognition of sin, remorse, shame and resolve (13). There are guideposts in prayer that lead one to engage in this process, including vidui as well as much of the Yom Kippur liturgy. Teshuva is an all encompassing activity, engaging man's logic, will and emotion. In contrast to Yom Kippur, on Rosh Hashanah the Jew is involved in a preliminary stage, namely "hirhur teshuva" (the "awakening" of teshuva): a concept distinct from teshuva itself. In contrast to teshuva, the process of "hirhur teshuva" is amorphous and ill- defined, yet instinctive and sudden in nature. The concept of hirhur Teshuva occupies its own separate status in the Talmud. To illustrate this point, the Rav cited two examples: "If one says 'I betroth you on the condition that I am righteous', even one who is absolutely evil is considered betrothed, since perhaps he did 'hirhur teshuva' in his mind. (Kiddushin 49b) If teshuva is indeed a multistep process, how could an individual be considered "righteous" after a moment's thought? Only through the concept of hirhur teshuva. In contrast to teshuva itself, hirhur teshuva is sudden, spontaneous and instinctive. For one second, this individual lived the jarring experience of awakening from spiritual somnolence - "uru yeshainim mishinatchem" The second example of hirhur teshuva is taken from a Gemara in Avoda Zara, discussing the circumstances surrounding the martyrdom of Rabbi Hanina Ben Teradion. The Gemara there relates that when R. Hanina was burned at the stake by the Romans, tufts of wool soaked in water were placed over his heart in order to prolong his agony. The executioner, moved by his suffering, asked R. Hanina whether he could guarantee the executioner a place in the world to come if the executioner were to remove the tufts of wool and increase the intensity of the fire. When R. Hanina guaranteed that this would indeed be so, the executioner complied, subsequently hurling himself into the flames, expiring along with R. Hanina. The Gemara relates that a voice from heaven promptly responded that both R. Hanina as well as the executioner would enter the world-to-come. Upon witnessing this scene, the tanna Rebbi cried, exclaiming that some merit the world to come after years of effort, while others acquire such reward after only brief effort. Why did Rebbi cry? Because while prior to this incident he understood the redemptive nature of teshuva, he had not previously appreciated the power of hirhur teshuva to likewise transform an individual. Many mitzvos in the Torah involve an objective act coupled with a subjective component (14). The recitation of the Shema, for example, involves the objective act of recitation, but the mitzva is not realized unless one has the proper intention, namely accepting the yoke of Heaven. The Mitzvah of shofar has a similarly dual nature. One must hear the shofar blast, yet the fulfillment of the Mitzva is not realized unless one experiences the jarring awakening of the slumberer associated with hirhur teshuva. What precisely is involved in the emotional experience of hirhur teshuva? The Rav said that while abstract concepts can often be easily described, it is far more difficult to convey personal subjective experience. Yet, in order to adequately clarify the concept he felt that he was compelled to relate the following experience: "On the seventh day of Pesach, 5727 (1967) I awoke from a fitful sleep. A thunderstorm was raging outside, and the wind and rain blew angrily through the window of my room. Half awake, I quickly jumped to my feet and closed the window. I then thought to myself that my wife was sleeping downstairs in the sun room next to the parlor, and I remembered that the window was left open there as well. She could catch pneumonia, which in her weakened physical condition would be devastating (15). "I ran downstairs, went into her room and closed the window. I turned around to see if she was still sleeping, and I found the room empty, the couch where she slept half uncovered. In reality she had passed away on Ta'anis Esther the previous month. "The most tragic and frightening experience was the shock that I encountered in that half second that I turned from the window to find the room empty. I thought to myself that a few hours earlier I had been speaking with her, and that at about 10 o'clock she said good night and retired to her room. I could not understand how the room could be empty. I asked myself: 'When did I speak with her? When was I with her? When did she go out? Where is she?' " Every Jew is obligated to undergo a similar experience on Rosh Hashanah. The response to the shofar blast is instinctive. There is no remorse, resolve, confession or prayer on Rosh Hashanah: only the sudden, tragic realization that the false assumptions upon which we have built our lives have come crashing before our eyes. Man finds himself standing alone before a terrifyingly powerful and mysterious G-d. We sound 100 blasts of the shofar on Rosh Hashanah, to parallel the 100 cries of the mother of the pagan general Sisera, who awaited in vain at her window in the illusion that her son would return victorious from his battle against the Israelites (Judges 5:28, Rosh Hashanah 33b). Yet, in her heart, she tragically realized that her son was never coming home. Why base the halacha on the actions of this heathen? Because on Rosh Hashanah everyone, from Moses to the most simple Jew, must reexperience a similar tragedy. Every Yom Tov evokes distinct emotions. The primary emotion one must experience on Rosh Hashanah is "pachad". Pachad is a fear that overcomes and paralyzes the individual, an experience which is described in the Unetaneh Tokef prayer: "And the great shofar was blown and a thin, still voice was heard, and the angels shake, terror and trembling overcoming them" During Rosh Hashanah one must relate to Hashem as the unknowable, unimaginable, and indefinable: above human cognition. This lack of understanding in turn evokes terror. It is the sound of the shofar which prompts this awareness. The arousal of pachad on Rosh Hashanah is not meant to leave the Jew permanently paralyzed. This powerful and initially destructive emotion must be transformed into a mobilizing, constructive force during the remainder of the days of repentance and concluding with Yom Kippur. In other words, the emotion of pachad must be replaced with yir'ah, awe (16), allowing the Jew to progress from the hirhur teshuva of Rosh Hashanah to teshuva itself during the remainder of the days of repentance. The Paradox of Rosh Hashanah The mood of fear on Rosh Hashanah is reflected in the well known medrash: "The ministering angels asked before the Holy One Blessed Be He, "Why doesn't Israel sing praises before You on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur? He said to them: "The King sits on His throne of judgement, with the books of life and the books of death open before Him and Israel should sing praise?" (Rosh Hashanah 32b) and the resulting Rambam: "Hallel is not said on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur because they are days of fear and not of extra happiness" (Rambam Hilkhot Chanuka) Yet, Rosh Hashanah is also a day of rejoicing. The Rav recounted how his cheder rebbe would say that there was no greater joy than placing the crown of kingship on the head of Hashem, (kevayachol) a coronation which takes place on Rosh Hashanah. Both of these apparently conflicting themes themes appear in the final verses of the Psalm "Ledavid Mizmor". "Lift up your heads, O gates, and let the everlasting doors be lifted up, and the king of glory shall come in. Who is this King of Glory, the L-rd strong and mighty, the L-rd mighty in battle" (Psalms 24:7-8) Initially, G-d's dominion is foisted on man against his will. Hashem rules over the earth whether or not we accept Him as our ruler. The word "vehinas'u" is passive: the doors yield to an omnipotent G-d whose sheer power ("izuz vegibor") subjugates all. Such a king is distant from his subjects. The predominant emotion appropriate for the sudden encounter with this awesome force is trembling and fear. The initial shofar blasts heard on Rosh Hashanah, the tekiot demeyushav, reflect this sense of trepidation. However, in the two concluding versus of the Psalm there is a subtle change in tone: "Lift up your heads, O gates, lift them up, everlasting doors, and the King of Glory shall come in. Who is this King of Glory? The L-rd of Hosts, he is the King of Glory..." (Psalms 24: 9-10) Here the everlasting doors are not opened by Hashem, they are opened by man who welcomes His entry. Hashem rules with man's consent: "And He was king in Yeshurun when the heads of the people and the tribes of Israel were gathered together" (Deuteronomy 33:5) The people are together with the King. The joy inherent in this theme of Rosh Hashanah is discussed by the prophet Nehemiah: "Eat the fat and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared... for this day is holy unto our L-rd... for the joy of the L-rd is your strength" (Nehemiah 8:10) The "tekiot deme'umad" reflects this mood of happiness because they are heard during the musaf prayer, which includes the malchuyot section. This section of the service affirms that G-d's rule will willingly be accepted by mankind: "All inhabitants of the earth will know and recognize that to You will every knee bend" as the emotion of fear gives way to awe (17). "And therefore place your fear on to all your creations...and you will be awed by all the creatures" The joyful acceptance of G-d as our King reflects a process of spiritual maturation in the penitent. Yir'ah (awe) prompts introspection (cheshbon hanefesh), through the remainder of the intervening days culminating on Yom Kippur. Yom Kippur: G-d in Search of Man Yom Kippur has a significance distinct from the prior nine days. On Yom Kippur, G-d comes closest to man, and as noted above, the closer He is to man, the greater the teshuva obligation: "...call Him while He is close" (Isaiah 55:6) On Yom Kippur, Hashem calls to man by name, paralleling the very first Yom Kippur when Hashem Himself waited for Moshe on Mount Sinai - - "And G-d descended in a cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of Hashem" (Exodus 34:5). On Yom Kippur, Hashem knocks on every Jewish door (18). As a result, it becomes incumbent on every Jew to practice "hakhnasat orchim": welcoming Hashem as our guest. Hashem yearns to be close to His people on Yom Kippur (19). In light of this understanding we may discern a new reason for the choice of the Haftarah for Yom Kippur. The Haftarah of the four fasts contains the exhortation of Isaiah: "Dirshu Hashem Behimatz'o..." "Search for Hashem when He is to be found, call on him while he is close.." In contrast, the Haftarah of Yom Kippur is taken from another passage in Isaiah: "Solu Solu, panu derekh..." " Cast up, cast up, prepare the way, lift the stumbling block from the path of My people" (Isaiah 57:14) While both passages are clearly relevant to Yom Kippur, of the two it would initially appear as if the first selection is more appropriate. After all, the Rambam explicitly identifies the initial verse as the motivation behind teshuva during the ten days of repentance (20). Although the Gemara gives two reasons while "solu" is designated as the haftarah (Shabbat 21a) (21), the Rav suggests an entirely new explanation in light of the previous discussion. When the Jew must "search for G-d while he can be found", the initiative for the search originates with man. In contrast, on Yom Kippur, G-d comes forward to meet man. Hashem facilitates the way for Israel's return: Hashem Himself takes us by the hand and shows us how to do Teshuva. In this desolate world man can easily become disoriented, losing his sense of reality. We are remote from repentance both intellectually and emotionally. In this spiritual wilderness, Hashem Himself appears to show us the road home. We hear His whisper: "solu solu panu derekh" To further prove this point, the Rav turns to a Mishneh that he has repeatedly expounded: Rabbi Akiva said: "Happy are you Israel: before whom are you purified and who purifies you: your father in heaven" (Mishna Yoma 8:9) Generally speaking, G-d grants atonement while man attains purification through teshuva (22). However, on Yom Kippur Hashem effects the "tahara" as well. Why does G-d go to such lengths to encourage our return? Simply because the Creator has mercy on His creation. As the prophet further states: "For I will not contend eternally, and I will not be angry forever, because the spirit will be humble before me, and souls I have made" (Isaiah 57:16) "For the sin of his covetousness was I angry, and smote him: I hid myself and was angry, and he [continued] to go aimlessly in the ways of his heart. I have seen his ways and I will heal him, I will lead him and restore comfort to him and to his mourners" (Isaiah 58:17-18) Reflecting this theme, we recite the following phrase during slichot: The soul is yours, and the body is your work: have mercy on your handiwork The Rambam has indicated that this is one of the greatest of the prayers for mercy, for how can He continue to be angry with His own creation? As the Red Sea was split, the angels complained that since both the Israelites as well as the Egyptians were idolators, why did the Israelites merit redemption? To this the commerntaries answered that the Israelites were already steeped in the deepest level of impurity and had He tarried an extra moment there there would no longer be a Jewish people. Sometimes Hashem forgives sin not because we merit forgiveness, but because without such forgiveness we would be forever lost. The establishment of the state of Israel is a contemporary example of G-d's intervention to an undeserving generation. Although previous generations of Jewish leadership were spiritually exalted, Hashem bestowed the State of Israel to our generation, in an age of religious and moral midgets. The reason is that earlier generations did not need a State of Israel for their Judaism to survive. Ezekiel could experience G-d in exile, in a virtual concentration camp in Babylonia. In contrast, without a State of Israel today the Jewish people would be lost in a tidal wave of assimilation. Hashem approaches man on Yom Kippur because in a real sense, He has no choice. He is compelled to forgive His people. Peace, peace to he that is distant and that is close says Hashem; and I will heal him (Isaiah 57:19) FOOTNOTES 1. Yoma 86b 2. Rambam Hilchot Teshuva 2:1 3. See "On Repentance" "The Relationship Between Repentance and Free Choice" p. 141 4. See "On Repentance" "The Covenant of the L-rd" p. 205 5. Rambam, Hilchot Teshuva 1:1 6. In reference to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, the verese in Genesis states: "and they heard the voice of the L-rd walking through the garden", to which the Medrash comments that prior to the punishment for the sin of the tree of knowledge, the divine presence was revealed on earth. 7. Every soul will praise G-d (Psalms 150) - through every breath (Yalkut Shimoni 889) 8. R. Avraham Maimon, in the piyut sung during Shalosh Seudot. This theme of a hidden G-d is specifically applied to the shofar in Halakhic Man, p. 62: " The sounding of the shofar represents the yearning for the Deus Absconditus whom no thought can grasp, who is separate and removed, awesome and holy. The shofar weeps, wails and moans over the infinite distance that separates the cosmos from the Ein Sof, the infinite G-d." 9. Chagiga 13b 10. See the Rav's essay "Uvikashtem Misham", (in "Ish Hahalakha, Galui Venistar" , World Zionist Organization, p. 178) where the declarations of Ezekiel and Isaiah are linked 11. Brachot 12b 12. The prayer Adon Olam states: "be'et na'asah becheftzo kol azai melekh shemo nikrah" G-d as king can only exist once there is a creation. 13. Rambam, Hilchot Teshuva, and see On Repentance, chapter on "The Power of Confession", page 75. 14. The "kiyum mitzvah- maasaeh mitzvah" dichotomy is a theme which appears repeatedly in the Rav's writing and shiurim. See for example, On Repentance, chapter on "The Power of Confession" where he suggests that teshuva is the kiyum hamitzvah for the objective act of reciting vidui. For a more detailed analysis of this dichotomy in relation to the recitation of Shema see also, "Shiurim Lezecher Abba Mari". 15. Rebetzin Tonya Soloveitchik was suffering at the time from terminal cancer 16. The opposing concepts of "yir'ah" and "pachad" are described in "The Rav Speaks: Five addresses by Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik" (Tal Orot 1983, p. 62-4): "There is a basic difference between fear and awe.The sensation of fear is a neurotic experience. A person suffering fear is sick. Fear creates feelings of helplessness and failure, incompetence and worthlessness...Awe is an entirely different sensation...Obviously the injuction to hold one's parents in awe refers not to feer but to awesome respect. As opposed to fear, the feeling of awe, of awesome respect, is bound up with the feeling of love. Maimonides (Yesodei Hatorah 2:1) connects the Love of G-d with the exalted awe that one bears for Him. The essential result of awesome respect is compliance, since I am proud to have the opportunity to imitate Him whom I respect, to be His messenger and to do His will." A similar description appears in Uvikashtem Misham, p. 173. 17. The scholars of Kabbalah referred to the first day of Rosh Hashanah as "dina takifa", a harsh judgement, while the second day involved "dina rafia", a lighter judgement, reflecting these two themes of Rosh Hashanah 18. This is the theme of Shir Hashirim- "pitchi li yonati tamati" 19. This yearning is so evident that according to the Tanna Rebbi, teshuva is not required in order to attain atonement on Yom Kippur 20. Rambam Hilchot Teshuva 2:5 21. First, the specific mitzvah of honoring Yom Kippur appears in this selection: If you call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the lord as honored... (Isaiah 58:13) Although this verse forms the basis for the Mitzvah of "oneg shabbat", involving eating and drinking on the Sabbath, according to the Gemara the last three words, "velikdosh Hashem mechubad", refers to the special mitzvah of honoring Yom Kippur, accomplished through the donning of fresh clothing, for example. Another reason given in the Gemara for reading these verses on Yom Kippur is because the doctrine of "tzom", or fasting, appears here as well. In this hafatarah selection, the prophet exhorts the people that the fast of Yom Kippur must be accompanied by true repentance as opposed to the simple act of abstaining from food alone 22. See On Repentance, Chapter 1: Acquital and Purification Translated and organized by A. Lustiger. Please send any comments, corrections, questions, or clarifications to alustig@erenj.com Arnie Lustiger alustig@erenj.com