Parshas Shoftim discusses the laws of going to war. Before the battle begins, several categories of disqualified soldiers are removed from the army and sent back to their homes. One of these groups is described as those who are afraid and fainthearted.
To whom does this refer? Rashi quotes the opinion of Rav Yossi HaGlili, who maintains that it refers to someone scared of the sins he has committed, which could cause him to die in battle.
The Gemara (Sotah 44a) elucidates that this applies even to relatively slight transgressions, such as speaking while donning tefillin. The Kotzker Rebbe notes that this opinion seems difficult to understand. Human beings are imperfect. Was there even a single soldier who had not committed such a minor sin even once in his lifetime? According to Rav Yossi HaGlili, how was it ever possible to assemble a Jewish army to fight in battle?
The Kotzker Rebbe answers by pointing out that Rav Yossi HaGlili chose his words very carefully. He did not say that a person who has sinned is exempt from battle, but rather someone who fears his sins. All humans slip up from time to time and do things that they regret. When this occurs, the correct approach is to repent one’s errors and move on.
Being afraid of one’s sins is an unhealthy response and is a sign that the person is wallowing in guilt instead of acknowledging his mistakes and engaging in sincere introspection and self-improvement. The Torah reveals that such a scared person will lack the necessary self-confidence to fight successfully and will be a detrimental influence on his comrades, and he is therefore sent home from the battlefront.
As we examine our ways in the month of Elul in preparation for the impending Day of Judgment, it behooves us to keep this important message in mind. Rather than becoming depressed by our shortcomings and afraid of our misdeeds, we should recognize that they are what make us human, and we should instead work maturely and productively to correct them. (R’ Ozer Alport)
