REPENTANCE
Orel Kipgen
It is written in the fourth aliyah of this week's Parsha, “It will be, when all these things will come upon you, the blessing and the curse that I present before you, and you will consider in your heart among all the nations to where G-d has banished you” (Deut. 30:1). This chapter refers to the looming future exile, and though hasn't occurred yet, still it is bound to take place. The exile of the Jewish nation is divided into two parts: 1) First the smaller part, those that hold on the religion and follow the Torah, they remain Israel, 2) And secondly the larger part consists of those who, due to sufferings and calamity of the exile, have distanced themselves away from the Torah as it is stated in Deut. 4:28, “And you shall worship other gods there...” (Ramban on Deut. 30:1)
Moshe exhorted to those larger part of the future generations that will sunk very low and are in exile, who asked themselves, “And will G-d accept our repentance?” Moshe addressed them, “then your G-d will restore your fortunes and take you back in love. G-d will bring you together again from all the peoples where your G-d has scattered you” (Deut. 30 : 3). If a man repent, G-d does not leave him at all. Even Kayin (he committed the first murder in history by killing his brother Hevel) and tyrants like King Akhav, King Menashe, though they didn't repent wholeheartedly, G-d accept their prayers. REPENTANCE
All the more so, if a person repent wholeheartedly, he can bring our exile to an end. As we see in this week Parsha, Rashi (29:28) quotes Gemara Sanhedrin 43b, and explain that the entire community is responsible for the conduct of each and every individual. From Rashi interpretation of this verse, we can learn, if G-d punish the community due to the individual sins, he would certainly blessed the community due to the repentance of the individual. And this is the reason of verse, “G-d will bring you together again from all the peoples where your G-d has scattered you” (ibid.). On account of repentance the jewish nation will once again come back home and we will “B'H” build The Beith Hamikdash.
The Talmud in Sanhendrin 98a, in the name of Rabbi Eliezer, Rashi brings "If the Jewish people repent they will be redeemed, but otherwise not”. Rabbi Yehoshua told him, “If they do not repent by themselves and the time has already come to receive the Messiah, G-d will bring a harsh ruler, harsher than Haman HaRasha, his cruel decrees will compel the Jews toward repentance”. So my dear readers and all the Jewish people of the world, don't you think it's time to end all of our sufferings, tormentations, curses from and under the nations of the world? Let us prepare to meet the coming New Year with lots of blessings, health, happiness, redemption etc... As the prophet Amos 4:12 says, “Prepare to meet your G-d” with pure heart full of repentance. May G-d Almighty write and seal your name and all of us, in the Book Of Life. Amen & Shabbath Shalom ve Shana Tova Umevorechet!
With Faith & Love,
Orel Kipgen
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