Excerpts from the popular shiur by Harav Beirish Shneebalg shlit”a from Lakewood
During Aseres Yemei Teshuvah, Am Yisrael are accustomed to examining their deeds, strengthening themselves and improving – doing teshuvah. The Shulchan Aruch brings a halachah in connection with these days (Orach Chaim siman 523): Even someone who is not careful throughout the year to refrain from eating bread baked by a non-Jew should be careful to refrain from doing so during Aseres Yemei Teshuvah.
Many people wonder about this halachah. Of course, eating pas akum is not recommended, so why are the Ten Days of Teshuvah different from the rest of the days of the year? What is the point of refraining from eating it specifically during these ten days?
To answer this question, we need to understand the essence of these days:
Every Jew has a desire to be pure and holy and to do all the mitzvos in the best possible way. But there are all sorts of excuses; there are nisyonos; and a person doesn’t always live up to his own aspirations.
During these days, the days of mercy and forgiveness, we search through our deeds. We make a cheshbon hanefesh and come to conclusions. We then commit fully to accept upon ourselves something new, to serve Hashem with all our power and without making light of anything at all.
Aseres Yemei Teshuvah are the first days after all these good kabbalos. This is the stage of practical application, the stage at which a person proves that he is keeping to the kabbalah he took upon himself. You took things on, now move into the stage of practical application.
During ordinary days, when a person sees how impoverished his deeds are, then, even if he resolves that he will never act this way again, it’s hard to actually put this into practice. But things are different during the days of teshuvah, when we receive special assistance from Above to successfully embark on a new path.
This is the reason for all the hiddurim during these ten days. You made a good resolution. Even if in the past you haven’t succeeded in keeping to your kabbalos, don’t think that you won’t succeed again. Now, during the days of teshuvah, try to prove that you are able to keep to all the good kabbalos you made.
But there is a condition to all this. You must truly decide that you want to change and improve. Once that decision is made, carrying it out will be very easy.
May Hashem help us, and may the words of Yechezkel hanavi come true for us: “And I will throw pure waters upon you, and you shall be purified, and I shall give a new heart and a new spirit within you”; amen.
