Rosh HaShana and Parashas Ha'azinu
By Nisso Stein
The
Zohar in Parashas Metzora says, "The prayer of one
who speaks loshon hora will not come before the Holy One, Blessed is
He, for a ruach tamei hovers over it."
Imagine this: When someone learns Torah and prays to Hashem with
concentration, his words are like a feather floating up into the air.
With every word of Torah or tefillah, a gust of wind carries the
light feather higher and higher floating it's way up, in a smooth
motion. However, when someone speaks loshon hora, that pure, lite
feather gets dipped into a bucket of black paint before attempting to
float. That feather isn't going to get too far. Those words of Torah
and tefilla are now tainted.
On Rosh Hashana, most of the things we do are done with our words.
It's about doing teshuva for the sins one have done throughout the
year, hoping we will be written and signed in the Books of Life,
Health, Parnassa, etc. Another thing we do during Rosh HaShana is
Tashlich and Simanim. There's a minhag to eat certain foods and to
say a Yehi Ratzon to help get a good decree for the year, etc.
The
Rambam asks, "How does one repent? The petitioner
says: Hashem, I have sinned before You... I have done this and this
sin... I am embarrassed and I will never do it again!" And this
is the prominent. [1] We see in the Rambam that one needs to
verbalize his regrets of sins as part of his teshuva process.
During the Rosh HaShana davening we cry out, "
Teshuva,
Tefillah, Tzidaka, ma'avirin es ro'ah gzira!"
Tzidaka is easy to do; just find a poor person and give
them money.
Tefillah; anyone can read out of a siddur.
However, regarding (proper tefillah and teshuva,) how can someone
do proper
Teshuva if the words he pleads are tainted?
Perhaps we can now understand why the Torah says a metzora
(someone who's afflicted with tzaraas for having spoken loshon hora)
calls out to those who pass by, "[I am] contaminated,
contaminated!" He's asking others to pray for him since his own
prayers will not be accepted Above, therefore the Torah advises him
to request that others pray on his behalf. [2]
I think it's very appropriate when Rosh HaShana and Parashas
Ha'azinu falls out on the same week because, the parasha starts with,
"Listen, O heaven and I will speak; and may the earth hear my
mouth's saying. Let my instruction drop like rainfall, may the
utterance flow like dew, like storm winds upon vegetation... When I
pronounce the Name of Hashem, give greatness to our God."
If you notice the way Moshe Rabbeinu expressed himself, it was
similar to the example I gave above with the feather. He pleads
saying, "Hear my words. They aren't tainted in any way. Let them
flow like rainfall or drip like dew," in a pure and smooth
fashion. Moshe davened for Klal Yisroel many times because he was
able to! His words weren't 'weighted down' because he knew how
important the gift of speech is.
This year, maybe we can take upon ourselves to guard our speech.
The new cycle for Chofetz Chaim starts
on Rosh HaShana!
If you're interested [current Bais guys], I am willing to give you
the sefer for free on condition you do it everyday for one year. You
can choose to do it either in Hebrew or English. Please see me as
soon as possible so that we can get you started. And please forgive
me for anything I might have done or said which might have hurt you
in any way.
Ksiva VChassima Tova!
[1] Hilchos Teshuva 1:1
[2] Vayikra 13:45
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