Tzipiyah.com

As we continue the process started in Ellul, we know that we are engaging in a long process of separating ourselves from this world in order to perfect ourselves, spiritually, as Jews. Some people think this process ends on Yom Kippur when we are “as angels” - no food, no physical needs. However, while this process to Yom Kippur is necessary and essential to our growth as Jews, the process does not end there.

Rav Mordechai Elon Shli”ta once told a story of himself and his Dad when he was younger. I’ll try relating it as I can remember it. On the first Yom Kippur on which he fasted, Rav Elon got very excited towards the end of Neila. He really felt purified; all of his sins were cleansed. However, as soon as the shofar of Yom Kippur was blown, and as soon Yom Kippur ended, he heard the congregating, RIGHT AWAY, start Maariv with the words: “Vehou Racoum Yechaper Avon” - “And he is the merciful who will forgive our sins”. At this point, Rav Elon asked his Dad - Dad, we were just cleansed from our sins, we are pure and clean: Why do we need to ask for forgiveness now? Maybe by the time the Shmona Essrei comes around, we will have problems of Kavanah in our Tefillah or something - but right now? Why do we need this? Yom Kippur just ended!

Rav Elon’s Dad answered - You think Yom Kippur just ended, and ask why we should ask for forgiveness? Well, the reason why we need to ask for forgiveness is for thinking that Yom Kippur is over!

If we look at Yom Kippur as the goal of Judaism, the outcome of the process of the month of Ellul, we get a completely warped picture of Judaism. Right after Yom Kippur ends, on that very night, there is a chassidic minhag to start and build the Sukkah - take all the meaningful spiritual trip we got from Yom Kippur and build something practical in this world with it. Right after, we have Sukkot where we take four species of agriculture (what used to be people’s jobs back then, so it is just like if a lawyer takes the criminal code) and use it in our divine service to God. We use the physical for our divine service and through this, raise it to the highest possible levels.

Our goal is not to escape this world into a world of spirituality, as we do on Yom Kippur. No, Yom Kippur is important because it gives up strength to act in the whole year the way we are really supposed to act. Yom Kippur helps us go along in the year and confront the reality and bring it to its highest possible level - through Torah, Mitzvot, Tikkun Olam, and through the building of a Mamlechet Kohanim Vegoy Kadosh (a kingdom of priests and a holy nation) in the land of Israel. All those things need to be done in this very world, not in a spiritual sphere.

I have, in the past, told people that come to synagogue only once a year, on Yom Kippur, that while they did choose the “holiest” day of the year, they did not choose the most representative. To really get a taste of what Judaism is about, they should come to synagogue at the end of the process, on Simchat Torah, where we all dance with the Sifrei Torah in a connection which surpasses the ration - where we just hug the sifrei torah while dancing, as they are still closed, without the need to open them and learn them, because our connection, deeply grounded in rationality, is now raised to an even higher level.

As we continue this process started in Ellul, with Rosh Hashana having passed, and Yom Kippur coming, let us know that this process of spiritual perfection should always have very practical outcomes in order to bring this world to perfection. By knowing what the goal is, we will be more equipped to properly complete this spiritual process and get what we need out of it, and live an inspired life all year long.