B"H
Friday, Tishrei 7, 5784 / September 22, 2023
This Shabbat we read from the Torah Parshat Ha’azinu. Ha’azinu is one Parsha before the last in the Torah. The last Parsha, V’Zot Habracha, is always read on Simchat Torah.
This Shabbat, which is between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, is called Shabbat Teshuva – Shabbat of repentance, because it falls during the ten days of Tesuvah-repentance.
Yom Kippur is the only fast mentioned in the Torah. All other fasts during the year are Rabbinical requirements. Also, all other fasts are to commemorate a negative event which happened throughout Jewish history, Yom Kippur, when our sins are forgiven, makes it a happy and joyous day.
Q.What happened on this day that G-d designated as a day of forgiveness for all generations?
A. Forty days after the Giving of The Torah at Mount Sinai, the Jewish people sinned by making and worshipping the Golden Calf. When Moshe came down the mountain and saw this, he broke The Tablets. Moshe went back up the mountain and prayed for the next 40 days for forgiveness for his people. G-d then told him to bring up another set of Tablets and He will again engrave the Ten Commandments in them. It was on Yom Kippur that G-d gave Moshe the Second Tablets and with this G-d forgave the people for their grave sin. As a result, G-d proclaimed the day of Yom Kippur – Day of Forgiveness for all future generations.
Q. If Yom Kippur is a happy holiday, why do we fast on Yom Kippur?
A. There are a number of reasons: 1) Being the Day of forgiveness, it is fitting for us to spend the time in spiritual matters. We should derive pleasure from prayers and not from physical appetites.
2) The Torah tells us that at the time of the Giving of the Torah, the people of Israel, "Beheld G-d while they were eating and drinking" (Exodus 24:11 - See Rashi). This excessive feasting, according to our rabbis, showed a lack of respect and eventually led to worshipping the Golden Calf and resulted in the breaking of the Tablets. Yom Kippur was the day in which G-d forgave Israel for the sin of the Golden Calf and also the day when Moshe returned with the Second Tablets. Since their excessive eating and drinking was a factor in the breaking of the First Tablets, we correct this sin by avoiding food and drink on Yom Kippur, the day when Moshe descended with the Second Tablets.
3) Fasting humbles a person. Thus, on Yom Kippur, when we must perform teshuva-repentance with all our heart, we refrain from eating or drinking.
4) On Yom Kippur, when we are forgiven for our sins, we are considered pure like angels. We express this by acting like angels who don't eat or drink.
SHABBAT SHALOM. GMAR CHATIMA TOVA – A VERY GOOD, SWEET, HAPPY, HEALTHY & SUCCESSFUL NEW YEAR TO YOU & YOUR LOVED ONES.
HAVE AN EASY FAST.
Montreal candle lighting time: 6:34 / Shabbat ends: 7:34 -