“RABBI’S
MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)”
Erev Shabbos Kodesh
Parshas Vayelech
5 Tishrei 5776/ September
18, 2015
Shabbos Shuva Yisroel
If we do it before Pesach with our
chometz, could we do it before Yom Kippur with our sins?
AUTHORIZATION
FOR SALE
1.
If the contract includes sins that belong to someone else, be sure that
you have received at least verbal authorization from the owner to include in
this contract.
2.
Please be meticulous in doing a thorough introspective examination.
Checking all items indiscriminately does not do the transaction justice.
3.
All items included in the sale should be sealed off and made
inaccessible through regret, confession, and commitment.
4.
Personal belongings that can be used for sin are not sold, but must be
secluded and made inaccessible nonetheless.
5.
Sins committed in seclusion are included in the sale.
6.
Be aware, that from the time of the sale to the non-Jew, the purchaser
has right of access to any sins sold to him, and he may utilize them as he
wishes even on Yom Kippur. He will owe the seller the remainder of the purchase
price as will be determined by three experts after Yom Kippur.
I (print name)
__________________________________hereby appoint Rabbi Dani Staum from this day
forward to be my agent and attorney-in-fact to sell or dispose of, or make any
arrangements for the sale or disposal in any manner and with any transaction
that he deems fit, of all of my sins, iniquities, or malicious sins which I have
committed or for which I am otherwise responsible, and including good deeds
which have not been performed adequately and with appropriate emotional
investment until the time of sale on the 9th of Tishrei of this
year.
These include, without
limitation, the following sins:
(Check all items that
apply)
q Wrongful speech and Loshon Hora
q Sins involved with davening
q Not studying Torah sufficiently
q Negative character traits
q Deceitfulness with money
q Marital disharmony
q Not fulfilling promises and pledges
q Sins involving sight and other senses
q Sins involving business or money
q Lack of adherence to laws of Shabbos
q Not reciting berachos properly
q Not caring enough about others
q Hurting other people’s feelings
q Lack of meticulousness with kashrus
q Not enough time with family
q Attending Kiddush club
q Falling asleep during rabbi’s speech
In exchange for my sins I
will receive a year of blessing, spiritual growth, nachas, prosperity,
serenity, and fulfillment.
In evidence thereof, I have
signed this authorization and Power of Attorney, this ___ day of Tishrei 5776/ September
__, 2015.
Signature
___________________________
So
why is there no such form before Yom Kippur? Part of the answer lies in what
our objective is in doing teshuva. We aren’t merely looking to absolve ourselves
from culpability and punishment. We have higher aspirations to spread of the
honor of G-d and “to rectify the world in the Kingdom of Hashem
On a greater level, the
gemara says that when we perform teshuva out of love, our sins become merits.
We surely don’t want to leave all of those merits in the hands of
non-Jews.
Shabbat Shalom & Good Shabbos
G’mar Chasima Tova,
R’ Dani and Chani Staum