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Ten Days in Tanach

Stubbornness, Suspense and Salvation

Rabbanit Shani Taragin

hough there is no explicit Hashem provided Naval with ten days shall show you mercy and bring you
mention of the significance to complete a process of regret and back to your own land.”
of Aseret Yemei Teshuva in repair, and understood these days as
TTanach, Rabba bar Avuha paralleling the ten days of repentance. The last remnant of the Judean set-
expounds: “‘Seek the L-rd while He may Naval failed to internalize the lesson tlement was assured that they would
be found; call upon Him when He is and opportunity to change his ways; not have to seek refuge in Egypt; they
would be safe and secure in the Land
near’ (Yeshayahu 55:6). During the ten when the initial shock wore off, Naval of Israel. They were given a chance to
days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom returned to his stubborn and habitual start over and rebuild a social and reli-
Kippur, Hashem is particularly close conduct. For this reason, after ten days, gious infrastructure in preparation for
and should be sought out by every indi- G-d smote him and he died (Tanna national return.
vidual” (Rosh Hashanah 18a). Devei Eliyahu Rabba 18:10).
Unfortunately,
The Gemara further teaches that one Another hint to these cathartic ten like Naval, the
may learn about the essence of these days in Tanach may be found in the people did not
ten days from the novel and delayed prophetic narrative following the assas- take advantage The ten days between the first
death of Naval the Carmelite (Samuel sination of Gedalya ben Achikam on of the opportu-
I 25), who refused to adequately com- Rosh Hashanah after the destruction nity to return and the tenth of Tishrei are not
pensate David and his servants for of the First Temple. and rebuild, and only days suffused with sanctity
assisting Naval’s shepherds. Yochanan ben Kereach led the remain- instead accused and a time of prayer, fasting and
atonement; they are gifts from
Avigayil, his sensible wife, came to der of the farmers of Judea to Egypt, the prophet G-d as our individual and national
the rescue with lavish provisions and seeking asylum from Babylonian of falsehood.
prevented David from slaughtering vengeance. As they rested near Beit They continued futures are held in abeyance.
the house of Naval. After that, the navi Lechem on their way down to Egypt, their descent to
described Naval as selfishly feasting they asked Yirmiyahu haNavi to appeal Egypt, running towards their doom
and leaving the Land bereft of Jewish
without constraint “like the feast of to Hashem on their behalf, convinced settlement.
a king; and Naval’s heart was merry that G-d wished them to settle in exile
within him, for he was very drunken.” until a future time to return (as he The ten days between the first and
prophesied through Rachel’s cries in the tenth of Tishrei are not only days
Avigayil wisely waited until morning chapter 31). “And after ten days, the suffused with sanctity and a time of
to speak of the gifts she offered David word of Hashem came to Yirmiyahu” prayer, fasting and atonement; they are
to save the household. Unexpectedly, (Yirmiyahu 42:7). The Abarbanel gifts from G-d as our individual and
upon hearing her words, Naval was explains that Yirmiyahu appealed to national futures are held in abeyance.
deeply shaken, finally understanding Hashem throughout the ten days from
the repercussions of his deplorable con- Rosh Hashanah – when Gedalya was These days offer us an auspicious
duct. “And his heart died within him, murdered – to Yom Kippur. opportunity for repentance, an oppor-
and he became as a stone.” tunity to swing the pendulum of our
Amidst his prayers and fasting during behavior from stubbornness and arro-
“And it came to pass about ten days Aseret Yemei Teshuva, Hashem answered gance to humility and change, from
after, that Hashem smote Naval, Yirmiyahu’s supplications on behalf of suspense of annihilation to survival
and he died” (Samuel I 25:38). Why the people with words of consolation: and salvation.
was there a delay of ten days before “If you remain in this land, I will build
Naval died? “Rav Nachman said in the you and not overthrow, I will plant you
name of Rabba bar Avuha: These are and not uproot; for I regret the punish-
the ten days between Rosh Hashanah ment I have brought upon you. Do not
and Yom Kippur,” (Rosh Hashanah 18a) be afraid of the king of Babylon, whom
during which everyone is given one last you fear; do not be afraid of him… for A member of
opportunity to repent for the sins they I [Hashem] am with you to save you Rabbanit Shani Taragin is Educational the Mizrachi
Speakers Bureau
committed over the course of the pre- and to rescue you from his hands. I will Director of Mizrachi and the Director of the
vious year. dispose him to be merciful to you: he Mizrachi Matan Lapidot Educators’ Program. mizrachi.org/
speakers

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