ACHAREI MOT - Kedoshim
by Rabbi Avi Billet
As we read the first Aliyah of Acharei Mos in the three opportunities before Shabbos rolls around, we get a taste of the Yom Kippur service as depicted in the Torah. Those who pay careful attention to Torah readings hear the Yom Kippur Torah reading (albeit in a different ‘trop’) quite clearly, bringing Yom Kippur to the forefront, and a similar sentiment into the background of our day. Do we think of Teshuvah when we hear these things?
The instruction was given to Aharon (and sons) around the time of the deaths of Nadav and Avihu, so we are still in the month of Nissan (as is the duration of the entire book of Vayikra). This is an indicator that Teshuvah is not limited to the time surrounding Yom Kippur. It is appropriate all year round.
Rabbi Baruch HaLevi Epstein has an interesting insight on a verse we are all familiar with, because it is repeated so many times in the Yom Kippur service:
30For on this day He shall effect atonement for you to cleanse you. Before the Lord, you shall be cleansed from all your sins. לכִּֽי־בַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּ֛ה יְכַפֵּ֥ר עֲלֵיכֶ֖ם לְטַהֵ֣ר אֶתְכֶ֑ם מִכֹּל֙ חַטֹּ֣אתֵיכֶ֔ם לִפְנֵ֥י יְקוָֹ֖ק תִּטְהָֽרוּ:
Owing to the word לפני having several possible meanings, he suggests that while the translation noted above “Before the Lord” is certainly a possibility, which some might translate to mean “in front of God,” since the word לפני can be understood to mean “immediately before” in a timeline way, it can have a different connotation. The verse can be taken to mean “On this day He shall effect atonement for you to cleanse you of all your sins. But before Hashem [does that… be sure to] purify yourselves.”
And how does one do that? Through seeking to do good for others, to make amends with others, to clear the air, when necessary, and through pursuing goodness.
This is essentially the last Mishnah in Yoma, which talks about making Yom Kippur work through appeasing one’s fellow man.
Kli Yakar on Metzora (14:4) emphasized the story of Rabi Alecsandri who asked people “Who wants life? Who wants life?” and in telling them to guard their tongues from evil (נצר לשונך מרע) he reminded them that the next verse says to סור מרע – turn from evil – ועשה טוב – and pursue goodness.
The message is a simple reminder that Teshuvah takes place on two fronts. There is the Bein Adam LaMakom – mending our relationship with God. That is the easy one. If we come before Him in penitence, He grants forgiveness and atonement. But there is also the Bein Adam LaChaveiro challenge – mending our relationship with our fellow man. This is much harder. It is easy to talk to God and to confess our sins and to beg for forgiveness. God is merciful, God is loving, God is accepting, and God simply wants us to believe He is listening, that He cares, and that our word is good enough for Him.
It is hard to say the same about human beings. And this is not a criticism of anyone specific, it is just noting the reality of the human condition. Humans are not always “quick to forgive.” Humans are not always accepting. We don’t necessarily care, and we certainly don’t provide atonement and the forgiveness that is supposed to accompany that atonement.
And sometimes there are things that people do for which it is impossible to find the right person from whom to ask forgiveness. There are stories about great rabbis who were accosted on trains in Europe, by Jews who did not know who they were. Only when they arrived at the destination, and upon discovery, did they seek to apologize and ask forgiveness from the great rabbi they had insulted or mistreated. And the answer they received was, “It’s not for me to forgive. Had you known who I was you wouldn’t have done that. But you did it to an old man on a train. You have to find that old man, apologize, beg for his forgiveness, and commit to treat all people, even strangers, even seeming “nobodies” on the train, with respect and dignity.”
This is an important message that Rabbi Haskel Lookstein maKtzosde famous with what he often refers to as the most important speech he ever gave, on the need to have Mentschliness before Godliness. It’s not about how much Gemara you know, how often you quote the , and how long your davening is. This life is most defined by how we treat others, and how that informs the goodness we have in our heart. [Here is an important sermon in which I addressed this topic. It's a good read!]
The last Mishnah in Yoma (mentioned above) quotes Rabbi Akiva as noting מקווה ישראל ה'. The hope is that God will take notice – and the ingredients of God taking notice are, as we note in our service on Yom Kippur – Teshuva, Tefillah, Tzedakah.
Rabbi Epstein notes the obvious. “Mikveh of Yisrael” certainly brings taharah. However, it doesn’t bring taharah just simply because it is there. A mikveh that is unused is a useless mikveh.
And so too it is with all purity, and hopes for such attainment. We don’t look for or seek false behaviors, nor are we to seek atonement for our misdeeds if we haven’t squared away our relationships with our fellow man. If we haven’t purified ourselves BEFORE we come before the Almighty, then we are missing the point.
May we merit to return בתשובה שלמה לפניך.
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