Shulchan Aruch (581:1) teaches, "For Selichos and the yomim nora'im, be cautious to select a shaliach tzibbur who is the most appropriate, the greatest scholar, and the most perfect in good deeds that you can find." This is because the chazan pleads for his community, and when the chazan is a tzaddik, there is a greater likelihood that the congregation will receive a good year. The tzibbur is dependent on the chazanim for a good year; therefore, it is crucial that they be righteous.
The poskim say that the chazanim should do teshuvah three days before Yom Kippur so they will be worthy to plead for their communities. Kitzur Shulchan Aruch writes, "The shaliach tzibbur who will daven on the yomim noraim, for three days before the holiday...must study the meaning of the tefillos, according to his abilities, and he should study sifrei mussar that arouse the heart of man, and he should be afraid of the glory of Hashem's greatness when He comes to judge the world."
The Chasam Sofer teaches that in our generations, we no longer rely on the baalei tefillah as much as people relied on them in the past. Therefore, the Chasam Sofer recommends that each person consider himself like a chazan. He should prepare himself well and daven properly. We can't rely on anyone, and every person must do the best he can to plead for a good year.
The Beis Yisrael of Gur zy'a taught these ideas with a mashal:
The lion, known as the king of the jungle, was angry with the animals of his kingdom for some reason, and the animals gathered for an emergency meeting to find a solution to appease the king.
The wise fox spoke up. "I know three hundred mashalim (parables). I will tell them to the king to explain our situation, our point of view, and our excuses. He will understand and forgive us. Come follow me."
The animals were relieved that the clever fox had a solution, and they hiked together to meet with the king.
After walking for some time, the fox told the animals, "I forgot one hundred of the parables. But don't worry, I still remember two hundred," and the animals walked on.
Sometime later, the fox said, "I forgot another hundred parables. But you need not worry as I still know one hundred parables. That is enough to appease the king."
As the animals stood before the great lion in awe, the fox told them, "I just forgot the last hundred parables. I can't help you anymore. Now it is up to you. Say whatever you can to appease the king."
They all pleaded before the king, who accepted their pleas and forgave them.
The Beis Yisrael explained that from the onset, the clever fox didn’t have anything to tell the king, but he understood their only hope was to go to the lion and plead before him. Staying away certainly won't help them. So, the clever fox devised a plan to get the animals to the king. And now that they stood before the king, it was up to them to plead for their lives.
The Beis Yisrael zt'l explained that this occurs when chassidim come to their Rebbe for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. They expect the Rebbe to daven for them and save them. The Rebbe tells them, "I also don't know what to say. I am unworthy and can't guarantee to help you. Therefore, you must plead before Hashem for a good year."
This lesson also applies to teshuvah. To do teshuvah, people often think they must have help from others. "How can I change my ways if the people around me stay the same?" they say. "Is it possible for me to do teshuvah all by myself?" And they say, "I need someone to direct me how to do teshuvah. I don't know where to begin."
It is certainly helpful when others do teshuvah together with you and when you have a tzaddik directing you on the path of teshuvah, but when that isn't an option at the time, realize that teshuvah is within your reach – it is all up to you.
Gemara: Elazar ben Durdiya
To bring out this point, we quote a Gemara:
The Gemara (Avodah Zarah 17.) tells the story of a grave sinner, Elazar ben Durdiya, who did teshuvah and died that same day. The Gemara says that on the day he was inspired to do teshuvah, he sat between mountains and asked the mountains to daven for him. The mountains replied, "Before we daven for you, we must daven for ourselves, as it states (Yeshayah 54:10) כי תמוטינה והגבעות ימושו ההרים, 'For the mountains shall tilt and the hills totter.'"
Elazar said, "Sun and moon, daven for me."
The sun and moon also declined, saying, "Before we daven for you, we have to daven for ourselves, as it states (Yeshayah 24:23) וחפרה החמה ובושה הלבנה, 'The moon shall be ashamed, and the sun shall be abashed.'"
Elazar said, "Stars daven for me. Ask Hashem to have compassion on me!"
The stars replied, "Before we daven for you, we need to daven for ourselves, as it states (Yeshayah 34:4) השמים צבא כל ונמקו, 'All the host of heaven shall melt."
Realizing he had no one to turn to, Elazar ben Durdiya said, בי אלא תלוי הדבר אין, "The matter is left for me alone." He placed his head between his knees and cried until his soul departed. A bas kol emerged and proclaimed, "Reb Elazar ben Durdiya has now been readied for the life of Olam HaBa."
Rebbe said, "It is not enough that baalei teshuvah are accepted, but they are even called by the title 'Rebbe.'" (The bas kol called him Reb Elazar ben Durdiya. He acquired the title Rebbe because he did teshuvah.)
Reb Elazar ben Durdiya sought assistance from the mountains, the sun, the moon, and the stars in his quest for teshuvah. Alas, he discovered that when it comes to teshuvah and tefillah, בי אלא תלוי הדבר אין, it is all up to me. I can daven for myself and do teshuvah by myself. I don't have to have a support group or a mentor. Of course, these elements help, but even in their absence, one can do teshuvah alone.
