24 Sep NITZAVIM-VAYELECH: THE POWER OF TESHUVAH

The Rambam
(Hilchos Teshuvah
7:6-7) describes the
closeness to Hashem
one can attain through
teshuvah. He also
describes the difference
between before and after
teshuvah. “Teshuvah is
amazing because it
brings a person close to
the Shechinah, as it
states (Hoshea 14:2)
‘Return Yisrael [until
you reach] Hashem your
G-d,’ and it states (Amos 4:6) ‘You have not
returned to Me,’ and it says (Yirmiyahu 4:1)
“If you repent…you return to Me.’ [These
sources tell us that if you do teshuvah, you
get close to Hashem]. Teshuvah draws near
those who are far away. Yesterday, he was
hated by Hashem, disgusting, distanced, an
abomination. Today, he is loved, precious, a
close friend… How great is teshuvah.
Yesterday, he was separated from Hashem,
the G-d of Yisrael, as it states (Yeshayah
59:2) ‘Your sins have separated yourselves
between you and your G-d.’ He shouted [to
Hashem], and his tefillos weren’t answered,
as it states (Yeshayah 1:15) ‘Even if you pray

a lot, I will not listen.’ He performed mitzvos,
and they were ripped up in his face, as it
states (Yeshayah 1:12) ‘Who sought this
from your hand, to trample My courtyards?’
[And it states] (Malachi 1:10) ‘If only there
were someone among you who would shut
the doors [of the Beis HaMikdash], so that
you could not sacrifice on My mizbeach in
vain.’
“But now [that he did teshuvah] he is
attached to the Shechinah, as it states
(Devarim 4:4) ‘But who you are attached to
Hashem your G-d.’ He shouts and is answered
immediately, as it states (Yeshayah 65:24) ‘It
will be that before they call, I will answer.’
He performs mitzvos, and they are accepted
with pleasure and with joy, as it states
(Koheles 9:7) ‘for Hashem has already
desired your deeds.’ And not only that, but
Hashem yearns for your mitzvos, as it states
(Malachi 3:4) “The korbanos of Yehudah and
Yerushalayim will be pleasing to Hashem as
in the days of old and previous years.’”
Two yungerleit were studying this Rambam,
and it was hard for them to comprehend how
teshuvah could accomplish so much.
Yesterday, he was hated and an abomination
to Hashem, and in one day, after doing
teshuvah, he is loved by Hashem. How could
that be?
Reb Nachum Yasser zt’l
overheard their conversation
and told them, “I have a son
who left religion r”l. If he
would come here now and tell
me he wants to do teshuvah, I
would love him more than
ever. The change in my feelings
towards him will transform in a
second.” This is what occurs
when a person does teshuvah.
The past is forgotten, and he
becomes beloved by Hashem.
In Romania, during the Holocaust, there
was an apostate Yid who wrote a column in
the goyishe newspapers, which significantly
increased the goyim’s hatred towards Yidden.
The columnist was once a talmid chacham,
so he knew all the Chazals and sources that
express “something negative that we say
against the goyim,” and he built his articles
based on these ideas. Who can measure how
much blood was shed as a result of these
poisonous columns?
After the war, he wanted to do teshuvah, but
no beis medresh in Bucharest would accept
him. Everyone despised him for what he did.

There was one exception, that was the beis
medresh of the Skulener Rebbe zt’l. The
Skulener Rebbe said, “Hashem accepts
baalei teshuvah, and we should as well.” The
Rebbe didn’t permit anyone to say anything
degrading to this man.
This story demonstrates the wonder of
teshuvah. No matter what a person does,
Hashem accepts our teshuvah.
Chazel (Yoma 86) states, “Teshuvah is
great; it reaches up to Hashem’s throne.”
Rabbeinu Chananel explains that even if his
aveiros were so severe that they brought
tumah and contamination all the way up to
Hashem’s throne, he can do teshuvah and be
forgiven.