T’shuvah: Time for a Tune-Up
The buzz word during these days of preparation for the High Holy Days is the Hebrew word t’shuvah. Most translations render the word “repentance,” but that is, at best, a pallid attempt to convey the richness of the Hebrew original. The English “repentance” means “feeling sorry for past conduct.” That can be one component of t’shuvah.
T’shuvah, however, literally means “return.” As the key task of the High Holy Day season, it implies the return to one’s right direction in life.
Think of a car. Once in a while, it needs a wheel alignment to keep it going in the right direction. The steering mechanism will, at times, go out of line through constant use, and the car begins to wobble–just as a human being begins to wobble.
- Sometimes we wobble morally and ethically.
- Sometimes we wobble in our passion to live life to the fullest.
- Sometimes we wobble in our concern for others.
- Sometimes we wobble in our relationship to G!d.
- Sometimes we wobble in living out our Jewishness.
At such times, we need a tune-up, to redirect ourselves, and regain a clear reading of the signs on the road of life.
How is it that we need our guidance system corrected?
Some of us are too far-sighted, and we neglect to see those near and dear to us.
Some of us are too near-sighted, concentrating on ourselves alone and ignoring those who are distant from us. Judaism, however, asks us to keep within our vision the wider community and, indeed, the whole human race.
Some of us need bifocals so that we can read the signs of the time. But if we want to have corrected vision, Judaism offers a way to turn to the right path: t’shuvah.
A Chassidic rebbe once asked, “If you are going East and suddenly want to travel West, how far do you have to go?” His disciples asked deep follow-up questions and offered many complex answers, until the rebbe himself answered his own question: “If you are going East and suddenly you want to go West, all you have to do is turn around. It is as simple as that.”
To return to Judaism requires only one turn. To return to reasonable living takes but one turn. To align with our priorities and to shore up our character needs but one turn. To return to community and to a sane and sensible society takes but the right turn.
We are told that the gates of prayer are sometimes open, sometimes closed; but the gates to t’shuvah are open forever.[1]
It’s time to step through the gates.
L’shanah tovah u-m’tukah tikateivu atem umish-pach-tem b’Sefer Chayyim Tovim.
May you and yours be inscribed in the Book of Life for a good, sweet year.
Rabbi J.B. Sacks
[1] Deuteronomy Rabbah 2:7.