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Tshuva: National Goal or Private Matter?by Rabbi Moshe Kaplan Page 1 Our time is one of great upheaval.1 Dramatic historic events are occurring at a frantic pace. A new world order is emerging out of the collapsing Russian Empire. The severed limb of Russian Jewry is being reconnected to the Jewish Nation as the Land of Israel welcomes its people home to Zion. The exile is literally drawing to a close with every passing hour as tens of thousands of Jews arrive at Ben Gurion airport to take up new residence in the land of their fathers. The process of transforming the Jewish people from a group of individuals scattered among the nations to a nation reborn on its own soil advances dramatically with each successive wave of aliya. This transformation demands that we broaden our Torah concepts to encompass the reality of our restored existence as a sovereign nation.2 Since our generation is experiencing a resurgence of tshuva in this era of national revival it is essential to elaborate on the concept of tshuva and its relationship to the return of the Jewish people to Eretz Yisrael. A tshuva that relates only to t’fillin, kashrut and Shabbat is incomplete because the tshuva of each individual Jew is actually only a part of a much greater historical process of tshuva. Judaism was meant to be not only a religion for individuals, but as the great Rabbi, the ‘Ohr Samayach,’ reminds us in his commentary to the Torah,3 “G-d does not rest His Name on the individual.” He states that “the Torah was given to the nation as a whole” and “can only be kept in its entirety by the whole nation.”4 By his connection to the klal (the national entity), the individual takes on an infinitely greater importance and significance. He is then linked to the blessing and Divine connection of the klal, and even his individual life and actions are imbued with the infinite significance of the klal of which he is part.5 The converse is also true, that when a person separates himself from the nation he severs his link to eternity—“He who separates himself from the tzibur (community), even though he has no sins... has no part in the world to come” (Rambam6). The Divine Ideal transcends the individual and is expressed through him. Therefore, keeping the Torah is not a private affair between the individual and G-d, but rather stems from his being a part of the national whole. This is why before the performance of mitzvot we say that we do so “in the name of all of Israel.” Our prayers are in the plural form, praying for the good of the nation,7 as the Vilna Gaon clearly writes that “it is forbidden to pray for one’s private needs, rather for the perfection of Am Yisrael.”8 At the beginning of many Siddurim the words of the Ari HaKadosh are cited, that before every prayer one should accept upon himself the Commandment of “Love thy neighbor as thyself,” to love all of Israel, and thus connect oneself to the klal.9 The oneness of Israel is the foundation upon which all Torah, mitzvot, and ‘yirat shamayim’ (fear of heaven) are built.10 Only when this unity was attained were we able to receive the Torah.11 This is so because the Torah is the Divine content and ideal12 of an entire nation13 that ultimately revitalizes all human culture,14 restores harmony to the world,15 and brings to fulfillment all of creation.16 >>page 2 _______________________ 1. At the time of the writing of these notes the war in Iraq is in progress, and every so often we take cover in our sealed rooms from the missiles. However, we are certain that out of this will be revealed another, more advanced stage of the Redemption process (see Rav Hillel of Shklov, Kol HaTor (the teachings of the Vilna Gaon on the Redemption process as transmitted by his disciple), chap. 1 sec. 13[1]).
2. Rav Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Kook, Ma’amray HaRiyah, p.413, par. 4. 3. Rabbi Meir Simcha of Dvinsk, Meshech Chochma, Vayikra 18:4 (and also 23:21). Also Mizrachi and Maharal of Prague, Gur Aryeh, on Breishit 12:2. “G-d’s Kingdom is not received by each individual but rather by Klal Yisrael alone, for G-d does not rest His Name on the individual saying ‘I am your G-d,’ rather He rests His Name only on the nation as a whole.” Maharal, Tiferet Yisrael, chap. 21 p. 65. For an explanation of why Torah was given to the nation and not to the fathers (Avraham, Yitzchak and Ya’acov) see Tiferet Yisrael, chap. 17 p. 56. See also Maharal, Netzach Yisrael, chap. 11, on the distinction between “Kedushat HaKlal” (holiness of the nation) and “Kedushat HaPrat” (holiness of the individual). 6. Mishneh Torah, Laws of Teshuva, 3:11. See also Ta’anit 11a; Tanna D’Bay Eliyahu Zuta 15; Pirkei Avot 2:5; Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Vitovsk (student of the Maggid of Mezrich and teacher of the author of the Tanya, the founder of Chabad), Pri Ha’aretz, end of letter no. 1 (cited in Rav Filber, Ayellet HaShachar p.72). 7. See Brachot 29b-30a and Rashi; Kuzari 3:17end-19; Rabbi E. Munk, Olam HaT'fillot (Jerusalem: Mossad HaRav Kook, 1974), I:41-42. 8. Shnot Eliyahu, Brachot 5:1, explaining the Mishna: “directing their hearts to G-d” as the praying for the good of Israel! See Rav Chaim of Volozhin, Nefesh HaChaim, 2:11. 9. See Bava Kamma 50b; Rav Moshe Tzvi Neryah, Likutei HaRiyah, 286; Rav Kook, Orot, “Orot Yisrael,” chaps. 2-3, Olat Riyah, II:157; Sfat Emmet, Parshat Korach, beginning of year 5631, 5647, 5656; Kol HaTor, chap. 5, Tikun 3,5. 11. Rashi and Ohr HaChaim on Shmot 19:2. The united nation of Israel is the receptacle that receives the Divine Presence (Shechina) and enables His Kedusha to ‘flow’ to us (Sfat Emmet, Parshat Kedoshim 5652, Parshat B’Har 5653), thereby bringing us blessing and success, in spite of the flaws and sins of the individuals (Talmud Yerushalmi, Peah 1:1; Yalkut Shimoni, Hoshea 520; Rashi, Bamidbar 23:21; Kritut 6b; Meshech Chochma, Haftara of Dvarim; Rav Dov Ber of Lubavitch, Sha’aray Orah, cited by Rav Tzvi Yehuda Kook, notes to Olat Riyah, Vol. II p. 429, par. 133). The loss of this national unity leads to destruction (Yuma 9b; Maharal of Prague, Netzach Yisrael, chap. 4) even though the individuals may be meticulous in their performance of the Mitzvot (Yuma 9b; Rav Naphtali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin, the Netziv of Volozhin, preface to his Commentary to Breishit, Ha’Emek Davar; Tosefta, end of Menachot; Yerushalmi, Yuma 1:1). 12. “G-d looked into the Torah and created the world,” Breishit Rabbah 1. The Torah is the plan, the ideal, from which all of reality stems and towards which it progresses. Torah is also its constant source of existence (P’sachim 68b; Nefesh HaChaim, 1:2, 4:10end, 4:11,25), and this is dependent on the Jewish people as its receptacle (Shabbat 88a; Nefesh HaChaim 4:11, 1:16note.) “Without Israel there would be no Torah in the world” Kuzari 2:56. Also Ohr HaChaim, Vayikra 26:46. Rav Sa’adyah Gaon, (Emunot V’Dayot 3:7) proves the eternity of Torah from the eternity of the nation of Israel. 13. Torah as “Neshama,” soul, of Am Yisrael—Zohar 3:73a; Nefesh HaChaim 4:11; Sichot Rav Tzvi Yehuda [Kook], ed. Rav Shlomo Aviner, #12 “Talmud Torah,” pars. 6-8. Rav T.Y. Kook, Lintivot Yisrael Vol. I pp. 33, 187-8. The spiritual source of the historical Am Yisrael, Knesset Yisrael (Nefesh HaChaim 1:17), is one with the Torah. (Shechina as Knesset Yisrael—Orot, p. 140, par. 8, and sources of the above on p. 182; Rav Tzaddok HaKohen of Lublin, Resisei Lilah p. 145.) Tur Shulchan Aruch 139; Dvarim 32:47. “They are our lives and the length of our days” (Ma’ariv prayer ‘Ahavat Olam’), because Torah is literally the source of our life. Rav A. Y. Kook, Orot HaTorah, 1:2, 2:1, 3:9; Olat Riyah I:54. |
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