There were no joyous days greater for Israel than … Yom Kippur (Talmud, Taanit 26b).”
Joyous? The same day that the Torah states ‘Veinism es nafshoseichem‘ it should be a day of affliction. The nearly 26 hour fast, no shower, no mouthwash – and you call that joyous!
Let’s take a step back and understand Yom Kippur in its essence not just its adherence.
Where does forgiveness stem from? Why should I forgive someone who has wronged me just because he apologized, he still did wrong shouldn’t his credit report record that for eternity?
Chassidic thought emphasizes that genuine forgiveness is borne from the reorientation of the relationship. When anger results from a companion wronging me, the wrong defines the relationship. He’s the guy that mistreated me. When he asks for forgiveness and makes genuine atonement he is rearranging our interaction, he once again becomes, my friend (who did something wrong), his identity is our camaraderie, not our behavior, and then forgiveness can settle in.
On Yom Kippur, we reintroduce ourselves to Hashem as a soul, a part of Him, a child seeking their parent. When we fast, we ignore our body and highlight our spiritual nature. We are spiritual beings who may do wrong, yet we seek to reconnect with our true spiritual selves and present that to Hashem. And when we do, we are released from the pains of human pettiness and strife – a cause for genuine joy!
As the story is told of a Russian Battalion that got the frightening news that the Czar himself was coming for a personal inspection.
As fear gripped and overwhelmed the people began their preparations. Polishing their boots, straightening their uniforms, and practicing their formations.
The day arrived, and one poor soldier was stationed two miles outside of the camp in his full dress uniform in the burning sun to stand at full attention all alone out in the forest. Off in the distance, he could hear the clamoring and trumpets that announced that the Czar himself was visiting his base way out far from his view, and there he stood clutching his sword standing perfectly erect. And just to mock him the sun was beating down on him and he was sweating. Right next to him was a cool pool of water. And finally, figuring after so many hours of standing there in perfect attention, the Czar would probably never even come close to visiting this one poor soldier. Out of sheer desperation from heat exhaustion, he pulled off his uniform, jumped in and began swimming around in the pool waters.
Sure enough, he lost track of time and when he popped out there was the Czar burning crimson red staring at him as he stood there, and the Czar bellowed “You have one chance to explain yourself and then it’s off with your head!”
Nervously the man said to him “Your Majesty, who serves you? Does my uniform serve you? Does my sword serve you? I serve you! And indeed here I am before you, your humble servant.”
On Yom Kippur, we say to G-d, “What do I have? Who serves You? My intellect is gone – I have a headache, my emotions – my heart is empty, my physical being – I can barely stand up. Yet here I am G-d. Perhaps bare but here I am. I serve you and I stand before you. It’s me and You – a true cause for genuine joy!
May we be written and sealed in the Book of Life for a healthy, happy and meaningful 5779.
Rabbi Meir S. Moscowitz is the Regional Director of Lubavitch Chabad of Illinois and Senior Rabbi of Lubavitch Chabad of Northbrook.
