אֽוֹ־הוֹדַ֤ע אֵלָיו֙ חַטָּאת֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר חָטָ֖א בָּ֑הּ וְהֵבִ֧יא אֶת־קָרְבָּנ֛וֹ שְׂעִ֥יר עִזִּ֖ים זָכָ֥ר תָּמִֽים׃
s’il vient à connaître le péché qu’il a commis, il apportera pour offrande un bouc mâle sans défaut.
Kol Dodi Dofek
3. The connection between adversity and repentance was expressed in the mitzvah of sounding a warning with trumpets when adversity is about to befall the community. Maimonides (Hilkhot Ta’anit 1:1-4), states: “A positive Scriptural commandment prescribes prayer and the sounding of an alarm with trumpets whenever trouble befalls the community. For when Scripture says, ‘Against the adversity that oppresses you, then you shall sound the alarm with trumpets’ (Numbers 10:9), the meaning is: Cry out in prayer and sound an alarm against whatsoever is oppressing you, be it famine, pestilence, locusts or the like. [And the Scribes teach us that we must fast until we are pitied from heaven on every misfortune that shall befall us.]” Translation from I. Twersky, A. Maimonides Reader (New York: Behrman House, 1972), pp. 113–114.
There are two unique mitzvot: (a) A positive mitzvah of confession and repentance for every sin that man commits. This mitzvah is explained in the biblical portion of Naso. “When a man or a woman shall [commit any sin that men commit], they shall confess the sins that they have done” (Numbers 5:6). Maimonides, in the Sefer HaMaddah, dedicated ten chapters to this mitzvah, entitled Laws of Repentance. (b) There is a specific mitzvah of repentance in an hour of misfortune, as recorded in the above-noted passage concerning the trumpets: “And when you go to war [in your land against the adversary that oppresses you, then you shall sound the alarm] ... and you shall be saved from your enemies” (Numbers 10:9). In practice, the biblical obligation to be aroused to repentance is accomplished by the sounding of the trumpets, to which the Rabbis added the vehicle of fasting.
Essentially, the obligation to repent is tied to the suffering of the community, as noted by the Mishnah: [that repentance is called for] “For every misfortune that shall befall the community” (TB Ta’anit 19a and Maimonides, loc. cit.). Indeed, the obligation of the individual who finds himself in extremis to return to God is also derived from this Torah portion. The fact that the halakhah recognized the individual’s fast as valuable, proves that the individual is obligated to repent in a time of trouble. According to Maimonides, there can be no fast devoid of repentance. In [Hilkhot T’shuva 1:9], Maimonides writes that “Just as the community fasts on the occasion of its adversity, so does the individual fast on the occurrence of his misfortune.” Similarly, the baraita cited in TB Ta’anit 22b states: “The Rabbis taught: In the case of a city that was surrounded by hostile gentiles, or by an overflowing river, or a ship being tossed by a stormy sea, or an individual pursued by non-Jews or by thieves or by a hurricane, etc. [in all these instances one may sound a voice alarm on Shabbat].” Maimonides ruled accordingly in Mishneh Torah, Hilkhot Ta’anit 1:6 (it being understood that there is no sounding of the trumpet on a weekday for an individual who is being pursued). The trumpets are sounded only for communal adversity and not for individual misfortune. There are specific halakhot in tractate Ta’anit and in Maimonides’ Hilkhot Ta’anit, chap.5, that delineate the character of communal adversity. The baraita only sought to teach that an individual who finds himself in extremism may cry out (according to Maimonides even on the Shabbat). It is therefore established that the obligation of crying out is equally applicable to the individual and the community, and of what benefit is crying, if it does not issue forth from a soul that regrets its sins?
The difference between the general mitzvah of repentance and the obligation to repent in a time of adversity may be distilled in one detail: Repentance for sin is tied to the knowledge that one has sinned. So long as a man is not aware of his sin he has no obligation [to repent]. One cannot be obligated to obtain forgiveness without knowledge of the sin for which he repents. As the verse states, “If his sin, wherein he has sinned, be known to him [he shall bring for his offering a goat, a male without blemish] (Leviticus 4:23, emphasis added). Knowledge of a sin obligates the bringing of a sin-offering. Similarly, with regard to repentance, man is not required to repent for those [misdeeds] that are hidden, but only those that are revealed to him. However, in a time of adversity, the sufferer must examine his deeds and inquire after his sins in order to repent for them. The essence of suffering confirms the existence of sin and commands man: find your sin and return to your Creator. Examining one’s deeds is characteristic of the obligation of repentance which is tied to suffering.
We know that on fast-days courts would sit and examine the deeds of the inhabitants of the city. The Talmud (TB Megillah 30b) states: “From the morning a group … examines the deeds of individuals.” Maimonides ([Hilkhot Ta’anit] 1:17) firmly establishes the halakhah: “On each fast day undertaken by a community beset by troubles, the court and the elders should remain in session at the synagogue from the end of the morning service until midday, to examine into the conduct of the citizens and to remove obstacles to righteous living provided by transgressions. They should carefully search and inquire after those guilty of extortion and similar crimes.” (Translation from I. Twersky, Maimonides Reader, p.114). 114). [Cf.TB Eruvin 13b, “And now that [man] is created let him examine his deeds, and we said he shall take hold of his sins.”] The obligation to examine one’s deeds relates to a time of misfortune. It appears that the special obligation to repent on Yom Kippur (as explained in Maimonides, Hilkhot T’shuvah 7:7 and in the Sha’arei T’shuvah of Rabbenu Yonah Gerondi) was established as a special obligation of repentance for undisclosed deeds and a requirement to examine one’s deeds in order to reveal the dishonorable aspects of a man’s life. In this regard the obligation of repentance on Yom Kippur coincides with the obligation of repentance in a time of suffering. Concerning these opportunities, the verse states: “Let us search and examine our ways and return to the Lord” (Lamentations 3:40).
Established as a special obligation of repentance for undisclosed deeds and a requirement to examine one’s deeds in order to reveal the dishonorable aspects of a man’s life. In this regard the obligation of repentance on Yom Kippur coincides with the obligation of repentance in a time of suffering. Concerning these opportunities, the verse states: “Let us search and examine our ways and return to the Lord” (Lamentations 3:40).
There are two unique mitzvot: (a) A positive mitzvah of confession and repentance for every sin that man commits. This mitzvah is explained in the biblical portion of Naso. “When a man or a woman shall [commit any sin that men commit], they shall confess the sins that they have done” (Numbers 5:6). Maimonides, in the Sefer HaMaddah, dedicated ten chapters to this mitzvah, entitled Laws of Repentance. (b) There is a specific mitzvah of repentance in an hour of misfortune, as recorded in the above-noted passage concerning the trumpets: “And when you go to war [in your land against the adversary that oppresses you, then you shall sound the alarm] ... and you shall be saved from your enemies” (Numbers 10:9). In practice, the biblical obligation to be aroused to repentance is accomplished by the sounding of the trumpets, to which the Rabbis added the vehicle of fasting.
Essentially, the obligation to repent is tied to the suffering of the community, as noted by the Mishnah: [that repentance is called for] “For every misfortune that shall befall the community” (TB Ta’anit 19a and Maimonides, loc. cit.). Indeed, the obligation of the individual who finds himself in extremis to return to God is also derived from this Torah portion. The fact that the halakhah recognized the individual’s fast as valuable, proves that the individual is obligated to repent in a time of trouble. According to Maimonides, there can be no fast devoid of repentance. In [Hilkhot T’shuva 1:9], Maimonides writes that “Just as the community fasts on the occasion of its adversity, so does the individual fast on the occurrence of his misfortune.” Similarly, the baraita cited in TB Ta’anit 22b states: “The Rabbis taught: In the case of a city that was surrounded by hostile gentiles, or by an overflowing river, or a ship being tossed by a stormy sea, or an individual pursued by non-Jews or by thieves or by a hurricane, etc. [in all these instances one may sound a voice alarm on Shabbat].” Maimonides ruled accordingly in Mishneh Torah, Hilkhot Ta’anit 1:6 (it being understood that there is no sounding of the trumpet on a weekday for an individual who is being pursued). The trumpets are sounded only for communal adversity and not for individual misfortune. There are specific halakhot in tractate Ta’anit and in Maimonides’ Hilkhot Ta’anit, chap.5, that delineate the character of communal adversity. The baraita only sought to teach that an individual who finds himself in extremism may cry out (according to Maimonides even on the Shabbat). It is therefore established that the obligation of crying out is equally applicable to the individual and the community, and of what benefit is crying, if it does not issue forth from a soul that regrets its sins?
The difference between the general mitzvah of repentance and the obligation to repent in a time of adversity may be distilled in one detail: Repentance for sin is tied to the knowledge that one has sinned. So long as a man is not aware of his sin he has no obligation [to repent]. One cannot be obligated to obtain forgiveness without knowledge of the sin for which he repents. As the verse states, “If his sin, wherein he has sinned, be known to him [he shall bring for his offering a goat, a male without blemish] (Leviticus 4:23, emphasis added). Knowledge of a sin obligates the bringing of a sin-offering. Similarly, with regard to repentance, man is not required to repent for those [misdeeds] that are hidden, but only those that are revealed to him. However, in a time of adversity, the sufferer must examine his deeds and inquire after his sins in order to repent for them. The essence of suffering confirms the existence of sin and commands man: find your sin and return to your Creator. Examining one’s deeds is characteristic of the obligation of repentance which is tied to suffering.
We know that on fast-days courts would sit and examine the deeds of the inhabitants of the city. The Talmud (TB Megillah 30b) states: “From the morning a group … examines the deeds of individuals.” Maimonides ([Hilkhot Ta’anit] 1:17) firmly establishes the halakhah: “On each fast day undertaken by a community beset by troubles, the court and the elders should remain in session at the synagogue from the end of the morning service until midday, to examine into the conduct of the citizens and to remove obstacles to righteous living provided by transgressions. They should carefully search and inquire after those guilty of extortion and similar crimes.” (Translation from I. Twersky, Maimonides Reader, p.114). 114). [Cf.TB Eruvin 13b, “And now that [man] is created let him examine his deeds, and we said he shall take hold of his sins.”] The obligation to examine one’s deeds relates to a time of misfortune. It appears that the special obligation to repent on Yom Kippur (as explained in Maimonides, Hilkhot T’shuvah 7:7 and in the Sha’arei T’shuvah of Rabbenu Yonah Gerondi) was established as a special obligation of repentance for undisclosed deeds and a requirement to examine one’s deeds in order to reveal the dishonorable aspects of a man’s life. In this regard the obligation of repentance on Yom Kippur coincides with the obligation of repentance in a time of suffering. Concerning these opportunities, the verse states: “Let us search and examine our ways and return to the Lord” (Lamentations 3:40).
Established as a special obligation of repentance for undisclosed deeds and a requirement to examine one’s deeds in order to reveal the dishonorable aspects of a man’s life. In this regard the obligation of repentance on Yom Kippur coincides with the obligation of repentance in a time of suffering. Concerning these opportunities, the verse states: “Let us search and examine our ways and return to the Lord” (Lamentations 3:40).