“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)”
Erev Shabbos Kodesh parshas Shoftim
6 Elul 5779/September 6, 2019 - Avos perek 6
Every night, I empty the contents of my pockets onto the
dresser in my bedroom. That often includes loose change, receipts - many of which
contain shorthand notes or reminders- clean and dirty tissues, and whatever
other miscellaneous things ended up there during the day.
Last week
my wife surprised me with a little gift - a “stuff collector” (that’s the
sophisticated name I gave it). In the center it has a beautiful picture taken
by the camp photographer this past summer, of me holding our twins. It has
walls on the side to contain whatever is placed in it.
Before I received this gift, my little scraps of notes, receipts, and papers would often pile up and remain there for a long time before I finally sifted through it all (or the cleaning lady decided to dispose of them). The picture on the “stuff collector” is always there, but if my papers, change, and collar stays cover it, I won’t be able to see it. So now I have an incentive to clear it out periodically, because that’s the only way the picture will be visible.
Before I received this gift, my little scraps of notes, receipts, and papers would often pile up and remain there for a long time before I finally sifted through it all (or the cleaning lady decided to dispose of them). The picture on the “stuff collector” is always there, but if my papers, change, and collar stays cover it, I won’t be able to see it. So now I have an incentive to clear it out periodically, because that’s the only way the picture will be visible.
The great
month of Elul has begun. The spirit of preparation for the Days of Mercy and
Judgement have begun to envelop us, and with it the knowledge that it’s time to
focus on teshuva.
Teshuva literally means to return. The question becomes to who/what/where are we returning to?
Michelangelo was once asked how he creates such incredible and brilliant sculptures. He replied, “I see the sculpture already complete within the marble block, before I start my work. What’s left is only for me to chisel away the superfluous material.”
Teshuva literally means to return. The question becomes to who/what/where are we returning to?
Michelangelo was once asked how he creates such incredible and brilliant sculptures. He replied, “I see the sculpture already complete within the marble block, before I start my work. What’s left is only for me to chisel away the superfluous material.”
Every
morning we state, “My G-d the soul that You have placed within me is pure.” Not
only was our soul pure when it was breathed into us at the time of our birth,
but it remains pure throughout our lives.
Maharal
(Nesiv Ha’avodah - Teshuva, chapter 1) writes that every person is analogous to
a vibrant, living Bais Hamikdash. Just as the Bais Hamikdash was a physical
structure in the physical world that possessed an ulterior spiritual and lofty
mission, so too man. When one sins, he is unwittingly bringing impurity into
that vibrant Bais Hamikdash. But when one repents, it is as if he refurbished
and re-purified the Bais Hamikdash that he personifies.
Our
challenge is that we often cannot sense or feel in touch with the holiness
within us because of our misdeeds and sins. That in turn causes us to feel
distant and forlorn. The result is that, not only do we feel distant from G-d,
but we also feel distant from ourselves. That causes us to feel shameful and
internally disconnected.
When we do
teshuva, we are not seeking external greatness. Rather we are digging and chiseling
away at the imperfections we have allowed to amass. Teshuva is turning inward
to rediscover the spark within us.
Beneath
all the debris we pile on top of it, lies the pristine picture of ourselves
waiting to be revealed.
Shabbat Shalom & Good Shabbos,
R’ Dani and Chani Staum