Yom Kippur 5784
- Torah Tavlin
- Oct 11, 2024
- 2 min read
Updated: Apr 7
על דעת המקום ועל דעת הקהל... אנו מתירים להתפלל עם העברינים ... (סדר קול נדרי)
As we usher in Yom Kippur, with that sublime and surreal tefillah moment known as “Kol Nidrei”, we welcome with open arms, all segments of Jews; from the best to the worst - even the sinners. Why is it so vital that this invitation be proffered precisely at this propitious moment?
It would seem that in order to actuate Hashem’s benevolent forgiveness of our transgressions there must be present a unity of sorts - an achdus among us. This is true for at least two reasons. Firstly, when Hashem sees His flock caring for each other, He will wish to do the same. Secondly, the Jewish nation as a whole is, in essence, singularly pure and holy. In שיר השירים ד-ז)) we read, "כולך יפה רעיתי ומום אין בך". This unblemished beauty is only possible if, and only if, we are one people. One nation. As one עם קדוש we can be deserving of כפרה.
The Zohar speaks very harshly regarding the tefillos of some during the ימים נוראים. He says we should be davening for קידוש שם שמים, but instead we call out for our own needs, "ככלבא, תן לי בני חיי מזוני". [The Baal Shem Tov zt”l says though, nowadays, since we aren’t on such a high madreiga - it’s acceptable not to live up to the standards of the Zohar.] But how can we address and maybe correct the issue raised by the Zohar? Perhaps we can say as follows. The כלב, as the Gemara says, thinks only of its own needs, and is not מהנה others. So if we selfishly daven for ourselves - that is the Zohar’s concern. We are being selfish and not thinking of other people’s needs. But if we have in mind that with the blessings received, we will give, help and care for another, that’s not the nature of כלב and is deserving of being answered לטוב.
Similarly, if we don’t just beg Hashem for ourselves, but have in mind that our friends, neighbors, and maybe even a competitor, also have their bakoshos answered, that will trigger a showering of beracha for all. יהי רצון שתחל שנה וברכותיה