There is a mashal of someone who asked a group of people, "What was the happiest moment of your life, the moment that is worth a million dollars to you?"
One person stood up and said, "I unfortunately went through a difficult divorce, and the judge ruled that for four years, I couldn’t meet with my oldest son, whom I love so much. It was so hard for me not to see my son. I used to go to the cheder where my son learned and climb onto the roof or a large tree so I could watch my son from a distance. If I couldn’t speak with my son, I wanted to see him at least. I always sought opportunities to see him.
"Once, I was walking down the road, and my son was walking in the opposite direction, and we met! My son shouted, "Ah, Tatty!" I have no words to describe my emotions when I heard my son's sweet voice and our eyes met. I cherish this moment every day."
So, too, Hakadosh Baruch Hu yearns for his son, His only son... And every Yid is Hashem's only son. Hashem desires to meet us; He has much tzaar when we are distant. But the moment a son raises his eyes to heaven and calls out, "Tatte! Tatte!" the Father turns to him and comes close to him. There is no greater joy in all the worlds than that moment.
Another mashal is told about a factory worker. He was an expert in his field, but once he wasn't careful and broke an expensive piece of equipment worth a million dollars. The worker was very embarrassed and didn't have the courage to return to work. He stayed at home, at first, because he couldn’t face his boss after the significant loss he caused him. However, after a while, he realized that he had to work to earn a living. He didn't have the heart to return to his old boss, so he worked for the competitor, who owned a similar factory.
His first boss invited his former worker to speak with him. The boss told him, "You caused me a million-dollar loss, but that loss doesn't bother me so much since you broke it by accident. But why did you add insult to injury by joining my competitor? This is a bigger problem! Why do you continue to cause me losses?
The nimshal is that when a person does an aveirah, it causes a great loss and pgam in all worlds. But HaKadosh Baruch Hu forgives and finds merits, that he did it by accident, etc. But for losing hope, there is no forgiveness. Hakadosh Baruch Hu says, "It isn't enough that you sinned; you went to work for My competitor because you began working for the yetzer hara!"
There is no reason to lose hope because when one does teshuvah, he becomes like a newborn child. The Bas Ayin (Re'eh) explains the Mishnah, הנולד את הרואה חכם איזהו, that teshuvah is so high that it reaches the kisei hakavod, Hashem's throne. Teshuvah reaches the place from where the Jewish souls are out, and HaKadosh Baruch Hu gives him a new, pure soul. The wise person recognizes this opportunity, does teshuvah, and he becomes נולד like he was just born. This is a חכם; he succeeds in changing his ways and becomes like a newborn.
18. Although humility is a great attribute, and the entire sefer Bas Ayin is filled with the praise of those who are humble, nevertheless, one should be cautious that the humility shouldn’t cause him to forget his elevated status, that he is a son of the King, his father in heaven who waits for him and wants to be close to him.
It states (Vayikra 21:1) בעמיו יטמא לא לנפש, "Let none [of you] defile himself for a dead person among his people." The Bas Ayin (Emor) teaches that עמיו is gematria ענו, and the pasuk is saying that you must be cautious not to make your soul tamei due to your excessive humility, which can cause you to feel down and can prevent you from serving Hashem, chalilah. You hewn should comfort yourself with what Hashem says (Devarim 14:1) אלקיכם 'לה אתם בנים, "You are children of Hashem, your G-d." And just like a father has compassion on his children like they are, so will Hashem have compassion on us and He will accept our service as it is.
This is hinted at in the following pesukim (Vayikra 21:1-2) הקרב לשארו אם כי בעמיו יטמא לא לנפש ולאחיו ולבתו ולבנו ולאביו לאמו אליו, "Let none [of you] defile himself for a dead person among his people, except for his relative who is close to him, his mother, his father, his son, his daughter, his brother..." As we wrote above, עמיו is gematria ענו, humility, and the pasuk is a warning that we shouldn't let humility knock us down and cause us to lose hope. The pasuk continues and lists the family relatives. The Bas Ayin explains that this means we should remember that we are a child of Hashem, like a relative to Hashem, and Hashem loves us immensely. With this awareness, we won't lose hope. We will know that whatever we do for Hashem is precious in His eyes.
One shouldn't become tamei due to anavah. Rather, he should remember and rely on his closeness to Hashem, Baruch Hu, with all kinds of closeness, for He is our Father and calls us His children. There are other expressions of קירבה, such as wife (see Yirmiyahu 2:2) and daughter (see Shemos Rabba 52:5), because of Hashem's immense love for Yisrael.
The Bas Ayin (Vayeira המכסה ה"ד) explains the pasuk (Bereishis 18:21) נא ארדה, "I will descend now [to Sedom]..." The Bas Ayin explains that the pasuk means that Hashem will go down to the resha'im of Sedom to arouse them to do teshuvah. Hashem told this to Avraham, so he should know Hashem's immense chesed and compassion that He doesn't want the punishment of resha'im. As it states (Yechezkel 33:11) אלקים 'ה נאם אני חי אליהם אמר וחיה מדרכו רשע בשוב אם כי הרשע במות אחפץ אם, "Say to them: As I live, says Hashem, I do not wish for the death of the wicked, but for the wicked to repent of his way so that he may live."
Hashem said (Bereishis 18:21) ואראה נא ארדה אדעה לא ואם כלה עשו אלי הבאה הכצעקתה. The Bas Ayin says that this means that if they do teshuvah, כלה, Hashem will remove the aveirah entirely. And if they do teshuvah, but not completely, אדעה, Hashem will remove the sin slowly with yesurim.
With this conversation, Avraham learned a great chiddush regarding the extent of Hashem's compassion for His creations who sin before Him. Not only is Hashem's hand open to receive those who return to Him, but Hashem Himself also arouses their hearts and calls them to do teshuvah before Him. However, Avraham still thought that when Hashem arouses people to teshuvah, it is solely when the community does teshuvah. He didn't know that Hashem would accept the teshuvah of an individual.
This is the reason Avraham davened that even if there were only ten tzaddikim in each city, and there were only a few people who were doing teshuvah, it should be enough and Hashem should accept their tefillos and teshuvah, and Hashem agreed to his requests.
This portion of the Torah is written to teach us the potential of teshuvah. Hakadosh Baruch Hu waits for every individual to do teshuvah. And even if his sins are very significant, like the sins of Sedom and Amorah, chas v'shalom, his teshuvah is still accepted. Furthermore, Hashem will arouse him from heaven to do teshuvah.
The Gemara (Sotah 44:) says, "When someone speaks between the tefillin worn on the arm to the tefillin worn on the head, he returns [and doesn't go out to] war." The Bas Ayin (beginning of Tzav) explains that the tefillin worn on the arm, near the heart, represents a humble, broken heart. And the tefillin worn on the head represents the uplifting feelings of hope, and trust in Hashem's compassion and love. One can't interrupt between the two tefillins. This means that after one has a humble heart, he must immediately strengthen himself with the awareness that he is still precious to Hashem and Hashem desires his service. If one interrupts between these two matters, he returns from the war. He isn't able to stand in the war against the yetzer hara. The only way to win the war against the yetzer hara is with a mixture of a broken heart combined with courage and trust in Hashem's compassion.
