By Rabbi Dovid Sapirman, Dean, Ani Maamin Foundation
In his classic work Shaarei Teshuva, Rabbeinu Yonah lists six events that can arouse a person to do teshuvah. First, when a person undergoes yissurim, he should realize that his suffering has been brought upon him by Hashem as an atonement for his sins, or as a wakeup call to do teshuvah. When a person reaches old age, too, he should focus on teshuvah so as to leave the world with a clean slate. When he hears the rebuke of the chachamim who exhort him to do teshuvah, he should hearken and act according to their mussar. The fourth way is to learn Torah. When one sees the Torah’s instructions for proper living, he will become inspired to improve his ways and abide by its commands. Fifth, the Aseres Yemei Teshuvah inspire a person with the realization that he is undergoing a serious mishpat, and he does teshuvah in order to merit victory in the outcome of his case.
Finally, when a person feels that his life is about to end, and he will soon face the heavenly judgment, he is inspired to do teshuvah.
In his introduction to the above list, Rabeinu Yonah advises us not to wait for one of these events to awaken us. The very remembrance and awareness of Hashem should fill us with such a sense of pride as to pull away from the pursuit of the material and endeavor to rise higher and higher in His service.
In Pirkei Avos, Rabbi Eliezer exhorts us to do teshuvah one day before death. His talmidim asked, “How can a person know when he is going to die?” Rabbi Eliezer responded, “All the more reason for him to do teshuvah today, for maybe he will die tomorrow. Shlomo Hamelech said in his wisdom, ‘At all times let your clothes be white, and let there your head not lack oil.’”
Rabeinu Yonah explains that the whiteness of one’s clothing refers to keeping the nefesh clean from aveiros through teshuvah. Oil on one’s head hints to being well-groomed with good deeds and a good reputation, a shem tov.
The end of life is a deadline. So are the Yamim Noraim. May we all be zoche to do teshuvah sheleima and merit a kesiva vachasima tova.
