The Akeidah. This event, Chazal tell us, took place on Rosh Hashanah and we read it on the second day. The image of Avraham Avinu sacrificing his son Yitzchak has particular significance to me this year. It illustrates the ultimate Nisayon that Avrohom Avinu had to overcome. It is perhaps the most difficult test of faith imaginable, the sacrifice of your beloved child as a demonstration of your faith in… and devotion to God.
At times like this, when my grandson Reuven’s life is on the line, it takes enormous strength to sustain that faith. Our Patriarch, Avrohom, is synonymous with attribute of Chesed, the kindness and care that one has for his fellow man, to the extent that he was willing to withstand tremendous pain in the heat of the day in order to do the Chesed of Hachnasas Orchim. This innately kind and caring man was asked to do the exact opposite of his nature in the most impossible to image of ways.
I take sustenance from the fact that my progenitor, Avrohom, succeeded in maintaining his faith. God spared Yitzchok. God’s decree to Avroham to sacrifice his son was removed.
Teshuva is exceedingly great. Chazal tell us: “Great is Teshuva that pushes off a Lo Saseh in the Torah. (Yuma 86b)
The Gemara illustrates this concept with a metaphor it often uses to describe the relationship between God and Israel, that of the love between a man and a woman, in this case husband and wife. Quoting a Pasuk from Yirmiyahu (3:1) God tells Israel that even if his wife has strayed and commited adultery with many men (a reference to idol worship) Shov Aylai, N’um HaShem, Return to Me… the word of HaShem. This means Teshuva (the Hebrew word Shov, return, is the root of the word Teshuva) will be accepted and in essence destroy (push off) the evil of the decree.
An interesting question is asked by the Mefrorshim: Why is that a Chidush? What is Chazal telling us that we don’t already know? Teshuva is an Aseh, a positive commandement, and we know that an Aseh is Doche a Lo Saseh, a positive commandment always pushes off a negative commandment.
The “Pardes Yosef” answers this question based on a Tosphos in Kiddushin(38a). The Yerushalmi tells us that the reason we do not eat Matzah made from Chadash (new grain) on Pesach is not because of the principle of Aseh Doche Lo Saseh because that principle only applies to an Aseh that was given after Matan Torah. And the Aseh of eating Matzah on Pesach is in that category of being given prior to God giving us the Torah.
The same is also true for the Mitzvah of Teshuva. Chazal tell us Teshuva was created before the world was created, and cannot, therefore, push off a Lo Saseh. One might conclude that Teshuva doesn’t apply to negative commandments. Chazal tell us that even though The Mitzvah of Teshuva was created before the Torah was given… Great is the Mitzvah of Teshuva because in spite of that, it still pushes off a Lo Saseh of the Torah.
It’s been a rough year for me, and my family. May it be in the merit of our patrarch Avrohom together with Teshuva, Teffilah, and Tzedaka that the evil decree be removed. And may all the sick of Klal Yisroel be completely healed from the Heavens in both body and soul.
Ksiva V’Chasima Tova
*portions adapted from Torah L’Daas.
