Perashat Nasso 5778

Perashat Nasso 5778

In Sefer HaMissvot the Rambam writes that the source for Vidui, confessing one's sins before God, is derived from this week's perasha: "And they shall confess the sin that they committed" (Bamidbar 5:7). A critical component of the process of Teshuba is to first verbally acknowledge one's sin in detail and then ask forgiveness for it. This is an important part in most of our daily prayers.

A confession without a redeeming action is not sufficient for Teshuba. Rabbenu Yona likens one who recites Vidui but continues to commit the same sin to one who "immerses with a bug in his hand." This phrase is drawn from Jewish Law which states that if someone purifies himself but is still holding an impure object then his purification is invalid (Ta'anit 16a).

Rabbenu Yona goes further with the following analogy for one who does not make Teshuba: "A group of bandits who rebelled against the king were locked up in prison. What did they do? They dug a tunnel and escaped. There was one who did not escape. In the morning, the warden found him, beat him and said to him, 'Fool! The tunnel was right there in front of you, and you did not escape?' So too does God say to the wicked: 'Redemption is at hand and you do not return?'"
How odd that this analogy compares one who escapes prison to someone who does Teshuba. Even more odd is why the prisoner who chooses not to escape deserves to be beaten.

The prisoner who did not escape has a simple answer for not fleeing: "What is so bad with being in jail? There is food, drink and time to sleep. It's not so bad." The jail warden realizes that this thief is content in prison and does not understand that they have taken away the most precious thing there is, his freedom. Therefore, the warden hits him so that the prisoner understands that prison is a punishment, not a reward.

The person who does not do Teshuba is compared to a prisoner who does not want to escape prison. He chooses not to make any changes in his life, saying "Why do I have to do Teshuba? My life is perfect as it is right now." He doesn't realize that he is already held captive, imprisoned by his desires. With the Yesser Hara urging him on, he cannot comprehend that outside of the confines of the evil urge there is a much better quality of life. 

May we merit to have the proper outlook on life and excel in our Avodat Hashem.

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Mimoun Miller