Positively Motivated Teshuvah
Shabbos Shuva
Traditionally, Rabbis would only deliver Droshos twice a year; on Shabbos Hagadol before Pesach and on Shabbos Shuva between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
In the Shabbos Hagadol Drosho the Rov would discuss the practical laws of Pesach and on Shabbos Shuva, they would discuss the laws of Sukkos.
The Alter Rebbe records this custom in the Shulchan Aruch and discusses exactly what the content of the Drosho should be; “the main thing is to expound and instruct them in the ways of Hashem and to teach them that which they will need to do.”
“That which they will need to do” refers to the Halachos of Pesach and Sukkos. However, to “instruct them in the ways of Hashem” refers to speaking words that will inspire the listener to go in the ways of Hashem, to serve Him with love and Yiras Shamayim. For the Shabbos Shuva Drosho, this includes words that will inspire the listener to do Teshuvah before Yom Kippur.
The source of the Minhag of the Shabbos Hagadol and Shabbos Shuva Drosho is the Mahari”l, Rabbi Yaakov Halevi Moelin, the 14th Century German sage known as the founding-father of Ashkenazi Minhagim.
In addition to his Halachic rulings, we also have a number of preserved transcriptions of the Maharil’s own Shabbos Shuva Droshos.
Rabbi Eliezer taught “do Teshuvah one day before you die”. His Talmidim asked him “does a person know when they will pass away? Rabbi Eliezer responded that this was his intention. “One should do Teshuvah today, for perhaps they will pass away tomorrow. This way, a person’s entire life will be spent in Teshuvah”.
In one of his Shabbos Shuva Droshos, the Mahari”l gave a different explanation as to why one should spend all of their days in Teshuvah.
In the times of Moshiach we will no longer accept converts. This is because one who converts then, will not be doing so because of their love for Hashem. Rather they would only be converting so that they could have a share in the rejoicing of the Jewish people. Since the conversion would not be genuine, we cannot accept them.
For the same reason says the Mahari”l, they will no longer accept Teshuvah in the times of Moshiach.
Since we await the coming of Moshiach and the Geulah every single day, if one does not do Teshuvah and Moshiach comes, they will no longer have the opportunity. They will remain with their sins upon them. Therefore, every person should grab the opportunity to do Teshuvah whilst it is still available.
The opinion of Rabbi Eliezer teaches a more negative motivation for doing Teshuvah today - because one may die tomorrow.
The Mahari”l gives us a far more positive motivation to do Teshuvah now. According to this teaching of the Mahari”l, the motivation for doing Teshuvah now is to seize the opportunity because of our great hope and assurance that Moshiach will come tomorrow!
Let the words of the Mahari”l show us “the way of Hashem” not only to do Teshuvah, but to strengthen our Emunah in the imminence of Moshiach’s arrival.
In the Shabbos Hagadol Drosho the Rov would discuss the practical laws of Pesach and on Shabbos Shuva, they would discuss the laws of Sukkos.
The Alter Rebbe records this custom in the Shulchan Aruch and discusses exactly what the content of the Drosho should be; “the main thing is to expound and instruct them in the ways of Hashem and to teach them that which they will need to do.”
“That which they will need to do” refers to the Halachos of Pesach and Sukkos. However, to “instruct them in the ways of Hashem” refers to speaking words that will inspire the listener to go in the ways of Hashem, to serve Him with love and Yiras Shamayim. For the Shabbos Shuva Drosho, this includes words that will inspire the listener to do Teshuvah before Yom Kippur.
The source of the Minhag of the Shabbos Hagadol and Shabbos Shuva Drosho is the Mahari”l, Rabbi Yaakov Halevi Moelin, the 14th Century German sage known as the founding-father of Ashkenazi Minhagim.
In addition to his Halachic rulings, we also have a number of preserved transcriptions of the Maharil’s own Shabbos Shuva Droshos.
Rabbi Eliezer taught “do Teshuvah one day before you die”. His Talmidim asked him “does a person know when they will pass away? Rabbi Eliezer responded that this was his intention. “One should do Teshuvah today, for perhaps they will pass away tomorrow. This way, a person’s entire life will be spent in Teshuvah”.
In one of his Shabbos Shuva Droshos, the Mahari”l gave a different explanation as to why one should spend all of their days in Teshuvah.
In the times of Moshiach we will no longer accept converts. This is because one who converts then, will not be doing so because of their love for Hashem. Rather they would only be converting so that they could have a share in the rejoicing of the Jewish people. Since the conversion would not be genuine, we cannot accept them.
For the same reason says the Mahari”l, they will no longer accept Teshuvah in the times of Moshiach.
Since we await the coming of Moshiach and the Geulah every single day, if one does not do Teshuvah and Moshiach comes, they will no longer have the opportunity. They will remain with their sins upon them. Therefore, every person should grab the opportunity to do Teshuvah whilst it is still available.
The opinion of Rabbi Eliezer teaches a more negative motivation for doing Teshuvah today - because one may die tomorrow.
The Mahari”l gives us a far more positive motivation to do Teshuvah now. According to this teaching of the Mahari”l, the motivation for doing Teshuvah now is to seize the opportunity because of our great hope and assurance that Moshiach will come tomorrow!
Let the words of the Mahari”l show us “the way of Hashem” not only to do Teshuvah, but to strengthen our Emunah in the imminence of Moshiach’s arrival.