The Magic of Tshuva

Here's my latest article from VOICES Magazine:

The Magic of Tshuva

Judaism is the only religion that enables all members to perform magic. Yes, it's true. We all have the ability, and even the obligation, to reinvent ourselves.

We start our lives as blank slates, as pure and clean as snow that falls in the unpolluted countryside. Then we live our lives as humans do. Sometimes we make mistakes; we sin. And if we realize what he have done is wrong, and we apologize to man and G-d, in accordance and suited to the sort of sin, we can wipe our slate clean and that's tshuva. No matter how serious the sin, there is a path we can take to become new people.

I guess that's why one of my "rabbi neighbors" told me that I was incorrect when I had said that it seems to me that G-d is hardening Olmert's heart, like He did to Pharaoh. "No, you can't compare Olmert to a goy," he corrected me.

We had that conversation at the communal "Seudat Hodayah" in Shiloh for all of our soldiers who came back safely from the War Without a Name. Actually, I call it the "Spin War," since everyone "spins," interprets it differently according to his or her personal agenda.

When it comes to tshuva, Yom Hakippurim gets all the publicity, but in actuality everyday can be Yom Kippur. Reflection and repentance aren't restricted to one day a year. As individuals we're obligated to see every day as an opportunity to repent. We never know when our last chance will be. Right?

Imagine what life would be if everyone lived as if it was our last day on earth. For those who value the material over the spiritual, there would never be any saving or health worries. Why save money, or eat healthy food if there may not be a tomorrow? What's the point? Living every day as your last according to this philosophy is actually to be hoping for death as soon as possible. The future is ignored, and the birthrate drops. A recent edition of Newsweek Magazine featured the rising percentage of successful people who made a conscious decision not to have children. Their money is spent on themselves without worrying about others. If they suddenly find themselves without the good health to support themselves, how will they survive when nothing has been invested for the future?

John Lennon's song "Imagine" talks of a world where there's nothing to die for. Think about it. If there's nothing to die for, then what is there to live for?

Spiritual people would look at every second as an opportunity and responsibility to keep one's soul clean of sins. We can't count on repenting tomorrow, if there may not be one. We're not like the Catholics who believe that man is "born in sin," which is his "natural state." The Catholics save their sins to report to their priests periodically in "Confession," and that's how they wipe their slates clean. They don't have direct contact with G-d.

According to our sages, sin leads to sin and mitzvot to mitzvot. Once we realize that we need to repent, we must do it quickly, before the sins increase. Think of the sins as yeast dough, fermenting and growing, and on the other had the life of mitzvot is also like yeast dough. It can rise, expand and fill our being. We're capable of both, and the choice is ours.

Shannah Tovah and Gmar Chatimah Tovah!