Page 32 - HaMizrachi # 22 Rosh HahHana - Yom Kippur 2020 USA

YAMIM NORA’IM READING

Rabbi Zev Leff

Confession and Redemption

Beset by many evils and troubles, that at the moment of confession, 16:30), as “confess.” The confession is
they will say, “It is because G-d is no the sinner does not contemplate ever itself the act of purification.
longer with me that these evil things committing that sin again. Just as a
have befallen me.” On that day I vow to do (or not to do) something in It is this last aspect of full Vidui which
will utterly hide My face because of the future requires verbal expression, is lacking in the confession, “Because
all the evil that they have done... so, too, does the commitment not to G-d is not with me, all these misfor-
(Devarim 31:17-18) repeat past sins. tunes have befallen me.” Although this
statement expresses regret, recogni-
ambam says that this admission tion of the devastation resulting from
of guilt and regret is still not a Layers of Impurity sin, and even hints to a commitment
Rfull confession, and therefore There is yet another aspect of confes- to avoid this state in the future, it is
G-d continues to hide His face. But sion that relates to the nature of sin still lacking. There is no recognition
the hiding is different: no longer is it a itself. Sin, says the Maharal, is only that it is not G-d Who has deserted
hiding of G-d’s mercy, allowing evil to incidental to the soul of the Jew. It us, but we who have become detached
befall them, but rather a hiding of the cannot blemish the soul itself. Rather from ourselves and therefore from
ultimate Redemption. That change in it superimposes layers of impurity G-d.
G-d’s relationship contains a hint to that separate one from his essence. When a Jew feels G-d has abandoned
their ultimate redemption when their Since the Jew’s connection to G-d is him, says Sforno, he gives up hope,
repentance is complete. through that untainted essence, when since he thinks that it is G-d Who
he becomes distant from his essence,
To better understand this, we must he also becomes estranged from G-d. must first return. But in truth it is
first understand the function of verbal man who has strayed from his essence,
confession in the teshuva process. Teshuva, then, is the return of the Jew and he can find G-d where he origi-
Sefer HaChinuch (Mitzvah 364) offers to his essence and the breakdown of nally left Him. Teshuva is thus literally
two explanations of the benefit of the barriers that separate him from redemption: “Return to Me, for I have
verbal confession. First, verbalizing G-d. G-d does not leave the Jew when redeemed you” (Isaiah 44:22). One
one’s repentance creates the feeling of he sins; rather the Jew loses contact redeems his untainted essence from
conversing with a second party, which, with G-d, Who still resides within the the layers of sin and impurity that
in turn, sensitizes a person to the essence of his soul. As the Sages say on encrust it.
reality of G-d’s presence, G-d’s aware- the verse, “I am asleep, but my heart is As long as we fail to comprehend this
ness of his every deed, and the need awake” (Song of Songs 5:2), “my heart” aspect of redemption, G-d continues
to render an account before G-d. The refers to G-d. Though the Jew sleeps to hide the face of redemption from
greater a person’s awareness that his and loses consciousness of G-d, G-d us. When we appreciate all the aspects
sin was one in G-d’s presence, with His still occupies his heart. of Vidui, including that recognition
full knowledge, the greater his shame that G-d remains where He always
and regret. Secondly, verbal expres- By articulating his sin in the Vidui was, waiting for us to strip away the
sion intensifies the process and leaves confession, the Jew makes it some- barriers, we can look forward to both
a more lasting effect. thing external to himself. Then he is personal and national redemption.
able to detach those layers of sin that
In addition to regret over the past, have accreted on his soul. Vidui itself
teshuva also requires a commitment becomes an act of purification. Thus,
not to repeat the sin again. That com- Targum Yonatan translates the word
mitment must be so decisive, resolute, “purify” in the verse “Before G-d Rabbi Zev Leff serves as the Rav of
and firm that G-d Himself can testify should you purify yourself” (Leviticus Moshav Matityahu.

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