More From This User
Related Docuements
Tazria_Metzorah_5769
Rabbi Ari D. Kahn's Dvar Torah on Parshiot Tazria-Metzorah in 2009.
From silvergleam
Yom Kippur -Rabbi Eleazar ben Dordaya: A Story of Teshuva
Rabbi Eleazar ben Dordaya: A Story of TeshuvaRabbi Ari KahnOne of the cornerstones of Judaism is the possibility of Teshuva – return. Man is endowed with adivine spark which is manifest in his free choice: He can utilize his free choice to emulate God, toseek God. Alternatively man can chose to follow his baser side, and sin. At times, a consciouschoice is made, while at times man is pulled as if by a magnet. His animal instincts control him,and he does not utilize his capacity to choose; rather, he chooses not to choose. The result isdebasement, impurity and sin. When this happens man can wallow in sin and impurity, sinking tolower and lower levels, or man can choose to break the shackles of ignominy and seek God. Atsuch times, man may identify a different magnet pulling him toward God and away from his owninconsistencies and spiritual pain. This process is known as Teshuva.But is Teshuva always obtainable? Is it an inalienable right? Can we always return – or can theabyss become so deep that there is no return? This question is discussed in the Talmud:א דומע זי ףד הרז הדובע תכסמ ילבב דומלת"ןָכיֵהֵמ ,בָש אֶֹש רַחֵמ ."םיִַח תחְרא גיִָי אֹלְו ,ןבשְי אֹל ָהיֶאָ לָלָכְ אָרְמיֵמְל .]םיִַח תחְר[ גיִָי אֹל - בשָי םִאְו ,רַמָק יֵכַה ?גיִָיתיֵיַמ תניִִמ שיִרָפְ,Scripture says, “None that go unto her return neither do they attain the paths of life.” (Mishlei2:19) But if they do not return, how can they attain ]the paths of life[? — What it means is thateven if they do turn away from it they will not attain the paths of life.’ Does it mean then thatthose who repent from idolatry die? ]Avoda Zara 17a[The Talmud teaches that not all sins can be erased. The spiritual scar can be too deep to beremoved by mere regret; the penitent will perish, his penance notwithstanding. Why repent,then, if death will follow? Rashi grapples with this unavoidable question, and offers a newvantage point: In such a case, death is not necessarily a punishment, but a result of the strugglebetween good and evil waged within the penitent. The struggle to destroy the powerful evilinclination, which had enjoyed so many victories with this individual, will prove overwhelming forthe spiritual resources this person has accrued, and the person will perish.While death may be seen as the result of the return, death itself can bring about atonement]1[ and the penitent can be assured a place in the world to come. In fact, a number of sourcesregard death as a necessary aspect of atonement in some cases.א דומע ופ ףד אמוי תכסמ ילבב דומלתיבר היה הרפכ יקולח העברא תעמ :ימורב הירזע ןב רזעלא יבר תא רח ןב איתמ יבר לאדע םמ זז וניא - בו הע לע רבע .דחאו דחא לכ םע הבותו ,ןה הל :רמא ?רוד לאעמיהבות - הבות העו העת אל לע רבע .םיבבו םינב ובו +ג והימרי+ רמאנ ,ול ןילחומלע רבע .םכיתאטח לכמ םכילע רפכי הזה םויב יכ +זט ארקיו+ רמאנ רפכמ םירופכה םויו ,הלותרמאנ ,ןיקרממ ןירוסיו ,ןילות םירופכה םויו הבות - הבות העו ןיד תיב תותימו תותירכחכ ול ןיא - ודיב םה לוליח י ימ לבא ,םנוע םיעגנבו םעפ טבב יתדקפו +טפ םילהת+,תקרממ התימו ,ןילות ןלוכ אלא .קרמל ןירוסיב אלו ,רפכל םירופכה םויב אלו ,תולתל הבותבןותמת דע םכל הזה ןועה רפכי םא תואבצ 'ה ינזאב הלגנו +בכ והיעי+ רמאנ.R. Matthia b. Heresh asked R. Eleazar b. Azariah in Rome: Have you heard about the four kindsof sins, concerning which R. Ishmael has lectured? He answered: They are three, and with eachis repentance connected — If one transgressed a positive commandment and repented, then heis forgiven, before he has moved from his place; as it is said: ‘Return, O backsliding children.’ (Yirmiyahu 3, 14). If he has transgressed a prohibition and repented, then repentance suspends
]the punishment[ and the Day of Atonement procures atonement, as it is said: For on this dayshall atonement be made for you ... from all your sins. (Vayikra 16, 30) If he has committed ]asin to be punished with[ extirpation or death through the Bet Din, and repented, then repentanceand the Day of Atonement suspend ]the punishment thereon[, and suffering finishes theatonement, as it is said: Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity withstrokes (Tehilim 89:43). But if he has been guilty of the profanation of the Name, then penitencehas no power to suspend punishment, nor the Day of Atonement to procure atonement, norsuffering to finish it, but all of them together suspend the punishment and only death finishes it,as it is said : And the Lord of hosts revealed Himself in my ears; surely this iniquity shall not beexpiated by you till ye die. (Yoma 86a)Sin and the accompanying pleasure, cause damage to the soul. Some type of atonement isneeded to recreate the delicate balance between body and soul. Different types of sin requiredifferent types of atonement. The worst type of sin – the desecration of God’s name -requiresdeath as atonement.The Talmud continues and recounts the story of a woman who apparently was guilty of idolatryamong the host of sins she had committed:א דומע זי ףד הרז הדובע תכסמ ילבב דומלתהַָק ,יֵל הָרְמְו .אְָסִח בַרְ יֵַקְל תָתְד אָתְִא איִהַה אָהְוָל חְרָט ,אְָסִח בַר ָל רַמְו ,לדָ ָנְִמ ןָטָק ָנְב הָתְָע תֶַָשלָלְִמ ,יִתיִָע תֶַַש הַָק ,יֵל הָרְמְ ןָויֵ .הָתֵמ אֹלְו ,הְָדוַוְזַ.ריִָש ָב אָרְַה אָלְ םִמ הָתֵמ אֹלָלְ יאַה ,ָב אָיְוַה יִַנ תניִמְהָתֵמ אֹל יֵכַה םִמ[[.Was there not that woman who came before R. Hisda confessing to him that the lightest sin thatshe committed was that her younger son was fathered of her older son? Whereupon R. Hisdasaid: Get busy in preparing her shrouds — but she did not die. Now, since she refers to her]immoral[ act as the lightest sin, it may be assumed that she had also adopted idolatry ]and yetshe did not die[! — That one did not properly repent, that is why she did not die. ]Avoda Zara17a[The thesis of the Talmud remains intact; returning from idolatry causes death (as atonement). Inthis case the Talmud insists that while she was guilty of idolatry, her return was not complete, norsincere. Hence no death needed to immediately follow in order to guarantee atonement, for noatonement was forthcoming due to the lack of regret. The Talmud retells another version of thesame story:א דומע זי ףד הרז הדובע תכסמ ילבב דומלתאָתְִא איִהַה ,אַהְו ?אָל הָריֵבֲעֵמ ,ןיִא - תניִִמ ,יֵכָה יִנְתַמְ אָיִאהָנְב הָתְָע תלֶַָש הַָק ,יֵל הָרְמ ,אְָסִח בַרְ יֵַקְל תֲָאְד.הָתֵמ ,אְָדוָוְז ָל יִדיִוְז ,אְָסִח בַר יֵל רַמְו ,לדָ הָנְִמ ןָטָקָב אָיְוַה יִמַנ תניִמְ לָלְִמ ,הָתְָע תֶַָש הַָק ,יֵל הָרְמָקְדִמ:Some have this version: ]Is it only[ from idolatry that one dies if one repents, but not from othersins. Was there not that woman who came before R. Hisda who said, ‘Prepare her shrouds’ andshe died? — Since she said ]of her guilt[ that it is one of the lightest, it may be assumed that shewas guilty of idolatry also.This woman did die; the Talmud’s thesis is upheld once again – return from idolatry causesdeath. The Talmud then explores whether idolatry is the only offense with this result and tells usan incredible tale:א דומע זי ףד הרז הדובע תכסמ ילבב דומלת
אֶֹש ,אָיִדְרַ ןֶ רָזָעְלֶא ]יִַר[ לַע ויָלָע רְמ ,אָיְנַַהְו ?אֹל הָריֵבֲעֵמהָנז שֵֶש עַמָש תַח םַעַ .ָהיֶלָע אָב אֶֹש ]םָלעָ תַח[ הָנז ַחיִֵהְךַלָהְו ןיִרָניִ סיִ לַטָנ ,ָרָכְִ ןיִרָניִ סיִ תֶלֶטנְו ,םַָה יֵכַרְִבםֵשְ ,הָרְמ .הָחיִפֵה ,רָבָ לֵגְרֶה תַעְשִ .תרָהְנ הָעְבִש ָהיֶלָע רַבָעְוןיֵא אָיִדְרֻ ןֶ רָזָעְלֶא ְךָ ,]ָמקְמִל[ תֶרֶזח הָניֵא ז הָחיִפַהֶשתעָבְג םיִרָה ,רַמ .תעָבְג םיִרָה ןיֵ בַשָיְו ְךַלָה .הָבשְתִב תא ןיִלְַקְמלַע שֵקַבְנ ,םיִמֲחַר ָךיֶלָע םיִשְקַבְמ נֶש דַע ,ל רְמ ,םיִמֲחַר יַלָע שְַ,רַמ ."הָניֶטמְ תעָבְַהְו ,שמָי םיִרָהֶה יִ" (דנ היעי) ,רַמֱאֶֶש ,נֵמְצַעָךיֶלָע םיִשְקַבְמ נֶש דַע ,ל רְמ ,םיִמֲחַר יַלָע שְקַ ץֶרָו םִיַמָשחָלְמִנ ןָשָעְ םִיַמָש יִ" (אנ ם) ,רַמֱאֶֶש ,נֵמְצַע לַע שֵקַבְנ ,םיִמֲחַר,ל רְמ ,םיִמֲחַר יַלָע שְקַ ,הָנָבְל הַָח ,רַמ ."הֶלְבִ דֶגֶַ ץֶרָהְו,רַמֱאֶֶש ,נֵמְצַע לַע םיִמֲחַר שֵַבְנ ,םיִמֲחַר ָךיֶלָע םיִשְקַבְמ נֶש דַעיַלָע שְקָ תלַָמ םיִבָכ ,רַמ ."הַָחַה הָשב הָנָבְַה הָרְפָחְו" (דנ ם),נֵמְצַע לַע שֵַבְנ ,םיִמֲחַר ָךיֶלָע שֵַבְֶש דַע ,]ל[ רְמ ,םיִמֲחַראֶָא ילָ רָבַָה ןיֵא ,רַמ ."םִיַמַָה אָבְצ לָ ַמָנְו" (דל ם) ,רַמֱאֶֶשהְָצָי .תָמְשִנ הְָצָיֶש דַע הָיִכְבִב הָעָגְו ויְָרִ ןיֵב שאֹר ַחיִִה ,יִבאָהְו .אַָה םָלעָה יֵיַחְל ןָמזְמ אָיִדְרֻ ןֶ רָזָעְלֶא יִַר ,הָרְמְו לק תַבהֵוֲה תניִמְ ,אָבט יֵ קיִבֲאַ ןָויֵ ]יִמַנ[ םָתָה ?תיֵמ ,הֵוֲה הָריֵבֲעַב אָכָההָעָשְב הֶנק שֵיְו ,םיִנָש הַָכְב מָלע הֶנק שֵי ,רַמְו יִַר הָכָ .אָיְמָןיִרֶש אֶָא ,םָתא םיִלְַקְֶש הָבשְ יֵלֲעְַל ןיָיַ אֹל ,יִַר רַמ ,תַחיִַר" םָתא": And does not one die on renouncing sins other ]than idolatry[? Surely it has been taught: It wassaid of R. Eleazar b. Dordaya that he did not leave out any harlot in the world without coming toher. Once, he heard that there was a certain prostitute in one of the towns by the sea whoaccepted a purse of coins for her hire. He took a purse of coins and crossed seven rivers for hersake. As he was with her, she blew forth breath and said: ‘As this blown breath will not return toits place, so will Eleazar b. Dordaya never be received in repentance.’ He thereupon went, satbetween two hills and mountains and exclaimed: ‘O, ye hills and mountains, plead for mercy forme!’ They replied: ‘How shall we pray for thee? We stand in need of it ourselves, for it is said, “For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed!” So he exclaimed: ‘Heaven and earth,plead for mercy for me!’ They, too, replied: How shall we pray for thee? We stand in need of itourselves, for it is said, “For the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall waxold like a garment.” He then exclaimed: ‘Sun and moon, plead for mercy for me!’ But they alsoreplied: ‘How shall we pray for thee? We stand in need of it ourselves, for it is said, “Then themoon shall be confounded and the sun ashamed.” He exclaimed: Ye stars and constellationsplead ye for mercy for me!’ Said they: ‘How shall we pray for thee? We stand in need of itourselves, for it is said, “And all the hosts of heaven shall moulder away.” Said he: The matterthen depends upon me alone! He placed his head between his knees, he wept aloud until his souldeparted. Then a bat-kol was heard proclaiming: ‘Rabbi Eleazar b. Dordaya is destined for the lifeof the world to come]2[!’ Now, here was a case of a sin ]other than idolatry[ and yet he did die!
— In that case, too, since he was so much addicted to immorality it is as ]if he had been guiltyof[ idolatry. Rabbi ]on hearing of it[ wept and said: One may acquire eternal life after manyyears, another in one hour! Rabbi also said: not only are penitents accepted, they are even called ‘Rabbi’! ]Avoda Zara 17a[We are told of a habitual sinner who, remarkably, is introduced as “Rabbi”, although his behavioris not consistent with this appellation. Careful reading of the passage indicates that he is referredto as “Rabbi” posthumously, and only in retrospect. In life this man was indeed a sinner: he didnot teach, nor even study]3[. His only concern was fulfilling his own sordid desires. Only in deathdoes he become a Rabbi.]4[Even with the issue of ordination cleared, the story remains difficult. What is the meaning of thebizarre behavior of the prostitute, and why does she say what she says? Why does he take her
of 00
yom Kippur
279 Reads
Info and Rating
| Category: | Uncategorized. |
| Rating: | |
| Upload Date: | 09/27/2009 |
| Copyright: | Attribution Non-commercial |
| Tags: |
Leave a Comment