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Jewish World Review Sept. 21, 2001 / 4 Tishrei, 5762
http://www.jewishworldreview.com --
ONE of the problems Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur confront us
with, is human vulnerability and the difficulties we find in
overcoming our weaknesses. Every year we take it on ourselves
to defeat our selfish inclinations, to start a new chapter and to
accomplish, once and for all, complete teshuva (repentance). But
every year again we realize, especially during the
High Holidays, that once more we did not really accomplish this
task last year and that our mitzvah, religious duty, of repentance did not bear too
much fruit.
We may have started the great mitzvah of repentance, but we
never finished it. This feeling causes many of us a great amount of
pain and even often strong guilt feelings. It is for that reason that
many of us wonder why we should try once more to accomplish
the great dream of complete teshuva when we are very well aware
of the fact that it is nearly sure that we will again fall short in the
coming year. What is the point in starting a mitzvah when there is
little chance that one will complete it?
At the end of the long journey through the desert Moshe -- Moses -- repeatedly
warns his people of the enormous implications involved if they do
not follow the ways of the Torah. After lengthy and heavy
discourses in which he reprimands his beloved people of their
mistakes, the Israelites enter the Transjordanian territory:
Immediately the Torah informs us of Moshe's next deed:
These are the cities
of refuge where the unintentional murderer could flee to, after he
had accidentally murdered a fellow man. (See: Numbers chapter
35)
The commentators struggle with this verse, since it is difficult to
see the textual context in which the verse is placed. Why should
Moshe, in the middle of his ethical discourses, suddenly introduce
the mitzvah to separate these cities of refuge, especially since he
immediately continued his discourse afterwards? Could he not
have waited with the appointment of these cities until after he
finished his ethical discourses? This question is even more
pertinent when one realizes that these three cities would not even
function as cities of refuge until another three cities in the land of
Israel proper would be dedicated for the same purpose as well!
Only after the land was completely captured, these six cities would
be activated as cities of refuge (Talmud, Makkoth 9b).
As is well known, Moshe Rabeinu -- our teacher -- was not allowed to enter the land
of Israel. After leading the Jewish people for nearly forty years
through the desert and anticipating the moment he would be able
to enter the Promised Land, one incident makes an end to this
dream. Instead of speaking to the rock to give water to the people
of Israel, as G-d has commanded him, he hits it with his staff. As
a result, G-d tells him that the mitzvah to live in the land will be
withheld from him. Even after pleading with G-d on several
occasions, there is no favorable divine response and Moshe is
asked to no longer ask for dispensation (See Numbers Chapter
20). This confronts Moshe with some major issues in his religious
commitment. Now that he is not able to fulfill the great mitzvah of
living in the land, what is the point in starting a mitzvah which
relates to the actual dwelling in the land but which cannot be
completed since he will never have the opportunity to do so?
As
mentioned before, the three cities in Transjordanian territory will
not yet have the status of cities of refuge until all six including the
three cities in Israel itself are inhabited by the Israelites. What,
then, indeed, is the purpose of Moshe already separating three
cities for this purpose of becoming cities of refuge while they will
not serve as such until after the children have entered and actually
dwelled in the land?
Nevertheless, Moshe separates these three cities at his earliest
opportunity, i.e. when he and the Israelites find themselves at the
very site of these cities in Transjordan. His point is clear and of
great meaning: One does not postpone or completely ignore a
mitzvah because one is not sure that one will ever be able to work
for or see its completion. On the contrary, one starts to fulfill a
mitzvah whatever the outcome or the extent of its fulfillment may
be. The reason is clear: Even when one does not complete a
mitzvah, there is still great value in starting it. Every step in the
direction to complete it is a major achievement. And even when, in
the end, all that was achieved seems to have been lost, the value
of trying to accomplish the mitzvah has a major impact on the
human soul.
It is true that the Yamim Noraim, the High Holidays, often make us
wonder why we should try to do teshuva once more,
knowing quite well that there is a considerable chance that we will
not make it this year, either. Moshe's example, however, stands
out: One starts a mitzvah even when it not sure that one will
complete it. This is even more true when we realize that Moshe
knew without any doubt that he would never be permitted to
complete the mitzvah of the cities of refuge, since he would
definitely not enter the land.
We, on the other hand, do not have
this problem. Despite last year's experience, we clearly do have
the possibility to complete the mitzvah of teshuva this year.
And for those who will not succeed, they should not forget that real
religious life is not where one finds oneself spiritually, but how
hard one tries to get
there!
And if the High Holidays expectations are not met?
By Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo
"Then Moshe separated three cities on the other side of the
Jordan towards the sunrise" (Deut. 4:41).
Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo is a world-renowned lecturer and
ambassador for Judaism, the Jewish people, the State of Israel
and Sephardic Heritage. Comment by clicking here.
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