Answers to this Weeks Riddles

(For the riddles, please see back page)

1. i) Rabbeinu Yonah (Sha’arei Teshuvah, Sha’ar 4, s.k. 16) says that if one performs the mitzvah of making a kiddush Hashem combined with learning Torah, the teshuvah will help even for chillul Hashem, as Torah is a cure for everything. Similarly, the Chida writes that Torah atones for everything. Based on this, we can understand that teshuvah is not “distant and far away, but is very close”, as even on chillul Hashem, if one learns Torah he is forgiven.
   The Chasam Sofer (Drosha Vol. 2, pg. 353) writes that teshuvah via Torah has an advantage, as when davening and doing teshuvah via tefillah it must be done with a broken heart, however, when learning Torah the learning itself atones, and learning Torah can be done with joy. With this he explains the pasuk פקודי ה 'ישרים משמחי לב . If one does teshuvah via learning, he can do it with joy.
2. ii) The Chida (Pnei Dovid, Parshas Chukas) writes that the four categories of atonement are for those who do teshuvah out of fear, however, for those who do teshuvah out of love there is no need.
   The Bnei Yissaschar (Ma’amer Chodesh Tishrei, Ma’amer 4, Gedolah Teshuvah, Derush 14) brings this and writes: Since the leading rov in his generation ruled like this down below, in Beis Din Shel Maylah [Heavenly Court] they rule accordingly.
   The Minchas Chinuch (Mitzvah 364) also writes that teshuvah out of fear doesn’t work for severe sins, but teshuvah out of love does, as it turns the sins into mitzvos therefore, it works for anything. Based on this, even chillul Hashem has teshuvah if it’s done out of love.
3. iii) The Zohar (Bamidbar Vol. 3, 121a) says that if one is moser nefesh [gives over his soul, i.e. he imagines doing so] when reciting Krias Shema than we consider it as if he actually gave up his life, and it helps atone for sins that require death. According to this, even chillul Hashem has an easy means of atonement.

1. The pasuk says in this week’s parsha: ושבת עד ה 'אלהיך, the Chida (Nachal Kedumim) says we see from here a remez [hint] to the fact that Hashem must be an eid, i.e. testify that one won’t return to his old ways.
2. The Mishnah in Yoma (85b) teaches:האומר אחטא ואשוב אחטא ואשוב אין מספיקין בידו לעשות תשובה - “If one says, I will sin and repent, and sin again and repent, Hashem won’t put in his hands the ability to do teshuvah.”
   The meforshim ask: Why does the Gemara say twice, אחטא ואשוב אחטא ואשוב, which implies that there is only a problem to say this twice, surely if one says even once,אחטא ואשוב - “I will sin and return”, Hashem should take away the ability to do teshuvah?
   The Chanukas HaTorah (Likutim on Tehillim) says an unbelievable chiddush, he says that teshuvah is one of the 613 mitzvos and everyone needs to fulfill all 613 mitzvos therefore, one must do an aveirah in order to be able to fulfill the mitzvah of teshuvah, therefore, it says אחטא ואשוב אחטא ואשוב twice, as the first time it is ok as one needs to sin in order to be able to fulfill the mitzvah of teshuvah.
   With this we can explain the pasuk: אין צדיק בארץ אשר יעשה טוב ולא יחטא – “There is no tzadik in the land who does good and doesn’t sin”. A tzadik needs to fulfill all 613 mitzvos, and the only way to fulfill the mitzvah of teshuvah is by sinning, therefore, a tzadik has permission to do an aveirah lishmah in order to be able to do teshuva. Therefore, the pasuk is saying, in order to be a tzadik one must do at least one sin.
   The Iyun Yaakov (Yoma 85b) writes: “I heard in the name of a certain gadol that the first time one says אחטא ואשוב it’s ok, as one is sinning in order to be able to do teshuva, however, to say it twice is already a problem.”
   Interestingly, the Rambam (Hilchos Teshuva 4:1) when he brings this halachah says: דהאומר אחטא ואשוב אין יום הכפורים מכפר – “If one says I will sin and then repent, Yom Kippur doesn’t atone” which implies that even one time is a problem.
   According to the Rambam who learns that there is no mitzvah of teshuvah (like we spoke out above) this fits very nicely. Since there is no mitzvah of teshuvah even sinning just once with intention do teshuvah is a problem.
3. R’ Yisrael Alter zt”l (the Gerrer Rebbe) explains: This pasuk is teaching that even if a person has no chaishek [a word that combines the meanings “energy,” “feeling” and “motivation”] to daven or learn Torah, he should daven and learn nevertheless. If necessary, let it first be “in your mouth,” and then “in your heart” will follow later.
4. The Gemara (Berachos 6b) says that the power of Mincha is unmatched, as Eliyahu was only answered when he davened Mincha (Melachim 1 18:36). The Tur explains (Orach Chaim 232) that afternoon is the hardest time to daven. We daven Shacharis before beginning our day, and Ma’ariv is said at night after we have completed our responsibilities. In contrast, Mincha comes in the middle of our busy days, when our minds are preoccupied and it is difficult to interrupt the multiple projects we are in the middle of. The mesiras nefesh [sacrifice] involved in doing so makes this tefillah particularly potent.
   With this insight, Rav Reisman notes that the Shulchan Aruch specifies that Selichos are ideally said at the break of dawn. Although many people do not wake up this early, they still rise earlier than usual to recite Selichos before the beginning of their regular minyan. Just as the difficulty involved in davening Mincha in the middle of a hectic day imbues it with extra effectiveness, getting up early in the morning when we are still tired also demonstrates added commitment. For this reason, the structure of Selichos is patterned after Mincha, as both tefillos have special power due to the mesiras nefesh that they entail.