Dear Friends,
This Shabbat is a special one; the Shabbat between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur – Shabbat Shuva. The Shabbat of Return. The week’s haftarah, fittingly, opens with the words, “Return, Israel, to Adonai your God, for you have stumbled in your transgressions” (Hosea 14:2).
The Sefat Emet – Rabbi Yehudah Aryeh Leib Alter of Ger, a Hasidic teacher in 19th-century Poland – reads this verse as a reminder that the fact that we stumble should not change the way we see ourselves. Inside, we’re the same person that we were when we were born pure and perfect. Stumbling does not change that. The Sefat Emet writes that a person only transgresses when “a spirit of foolishness” enters them. In other words, transgressions matter, and they have an impact, but they’re not intrinsic to who we are. If we make teshuvah, they’re not permanent. Through it all, the essence of the soul remains transcendent and whole.
Like many of us, I’ve been carrying a lot lately, and it has honestly felt hard to show up in the ways I’d like. I haven’t been able to give everything the attention I’ve wanted. I haven’t been as patient, as thoughtful, or as kind as I’d like to be. As I try to work through all this, I really appreciate our tradition’s framing of what some might call “sin.” The Hebrew word is chet – easily translated as “transgression,” but it really means missing the mark. The implication is that we want to do well. The Sefat Emet’s words reflect that sense, and remind us that even when we stumble, the core of our soul stays intact. That mindset feels comforting and energizing at the same time. I have what I need within me to start the growth process, which, our tradition teaches us, is less an upward trajectory and more of a return. Shuvah.
The Sefat Emet teaches us that the very existence of Shabbat itself helps make this return possible. He writes that during the week, creation runs through many layers – in other words, it’s a little chaotic. We’re sort of all over the place. Too many stimuli. Too much to do. But on Shabbat, “everything reconnects directly to its source.” We have the opportunity to revisit that which is most important. We have the spaciousness and the inspiration to look within and consider our source.
As we enter Shabbat Shuva, my blessing for us is that we really feel the truth and the impact of this theology of teshuvah. May we take advantage of the gift of Shabbat to try and look within ourselves just a little bit deeper and return to the very best parts of ourselves.
Shabbat Shalom!
Rabbi Hannah
P.S. If you’re looking for some concrete inspiration, consider using this tool that we made for our Bullet Journaling for Cheshbon HaNefesh & Teshuvah. <3