“Place the opening for the Ark on its side” (6:16)
The Noam Elimelech teaches us the meaning of this pasuk: when a person wishes to start out on the path of return, to seek out sanctity, he must strengthen himself and push himself [despite any initial hardship]. At first, when he begins this journey back to Hashem, it will seem very difficult. The opening will appear too small and he will have to push as hard as he can, even when he feels he cannot push anymore – at which point they will aid him from Heaven and help him succeed [to push himself through].
Chazal tell us (Bova Kama 50a) that whoever says that Hashem forgives, should forgive and give up his own innards first. The Rebbe Reb Melech explains this Maamar Chazal another way: whoever wants Hashem to forgive him his past misdeeds should indeed give up his innards – he should forgo the desires of the stomach and intestines, the desire and lust after food, drink and other worldly extravagances. He should eat and drink in order to satiate himself and give himself vitality and follow a healthy diet. Through this self-sacrifice of giving up the pleasures of eating and drinking – giving up his own innards – Hashem will mirror his action and forgive him his sins.
The Noam Elimelech continues to describe the path of teshuva by citing the Gemora in Menochos that asks why the bottom rung of the Hebrew letter heh hangs open? The Gemora answers that those who seek to return to Hashem should enter through that small space left open between the roof and foot of the heh.
This, explains Rebbe Reb Melech, is the small opening which a ba’al teshuva, a returnee, must push himself into, struggling and forcing his way in until they aid him from Heaven. This is the opening of the teiva (Ark) described in the pasuk in Parshas Noach. This is the opening of the path of self-seclusion, of hisbodedus and speaking with Hashem in private, secluded conversations. The pasuk says: “on its side” – the opening on the side is small and appears too small for us to fit through. Nonetheless, it is an illusion. We must struggle, push and force ourselves inside. If we constantly strengthen ourselves, pushing further, eventually we will succeed in rectifying ourselves.
