In the next step I will expand on each of the sections and link them
Teshuva as transformation of the good הלכות תענייות פרק ה
The problems in the previous section arise from a basic misunderstanding of Ha-Olam hazeh and Yemos Ha-Mashiach. It seems that there is something in the very nature of these periods that explains the change in Tanach as well as Zichron Tzara (memorializing the ancient Crises). What then is the significance in these two ages of humanity? We will start with Ha-olam Hazeh, the period that for some reason has use for the full Tanach as well as Zichron Tzara. Rambam makes clear what the significance of our period is.
א יש שם ימים שכל ישראל מתענים בהם, מפני הצרות שאירעו בהן, כדי לעורר הלבבות, ולפתוח דרכי התשובה; ויהיה זה זיכרון למעשינו הרעים, ומעשה אבותינו שהיה כמעשינו עתה--עד שגרם להם ולנו אותן הצרות: שבזכרון דברים אלו, נשוב להיטיב, שנאמר "והתוודו את עוונם ואת עוון אבותם" (ויקרא כו,מ)ו
There are days that all Israel fast, because of the tzarot that occurred on them,in order to awaken the hearts of the people and stimulate the ways of teshuva. This will be a reminder of our corrupt deeds and the corrupt deeds of our fathers that were like our deeds today, that ultimately reached the point that they (the evil deeds) became the cause of our Tzarot. Through memorializing these issues we will return to do good as it says “they will confess their sins and the sins of their fathers.”
It seems that our period is a sort of "dark age", a time of fundamental chet, a chet that has endured for generations. This intergenerational chet is of a foundational variety, it seems to relate to the very "good" that underlies the mitzva system. The issue seems to be a need for core teshuva, a teshuva not from a particular behavior but rather regarding the very basis of behavior, the very objective underlying our national mission. This is the sense of "we will return to do good". This sense of foundational chet at the very level of what the "good" of mitzvot is permeates Rambam's intro to Chelek, the place where he presents the 13 Ikrim. The whole basis of that work is indeed the "good" underlying the mitzvot. The thesis of his work in Chelek is that the Jewish people has indeed lost its sense of the "good" underlying Mitzvot,which the Rambam strives to restore. This sense of loss of fundamental purpose is also the theme of the Neviim. poignant representation in Neviim is that of the dry bones. The Jews are represented as a pile of dead bones. A fossil of mitzva activity utterly devoid of true "good" an illuminating purpose -a life to give meaning to the ritual.
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2 comments:
Rabbi,
Lets take the Olam-Hazeh and the Days of the Messiah concepts for granted. What would the Days of the Messiah look like in a practical sense? And will the transition to this new age be a paradigm shift or a slow evolution? What will it look like to the average person on the street?
The days of Messiah would look like an educational social revolution of the intensity of the renaissance. It will be the ultimate paradigm shift -one shifting the very sense of man's view of himself. Obviously this will generate intense conflict with the power interests and excitement within the true intellectual community.
To the average person on the street it will look like a mass movement guided by a charismatic person, perhaps best exemplified today by Obama. The type of change he would be speaking about human wide dedication to education as the path to good. This would be both a theoretical and practical revolution.
The Obama character would amaze all communities with his revolutionizing of their area of expertise. The academic community will be overwhelmed by his paradigmatic change of their most core principles. The political community awed by his ability to solve age old conflicts and social problems. Ordinary people will be inspired by his ability to motivate them to education, showing them both the beauty of knowledge as well as the better life , the solution to lifestyle issues (eating,relationships, investment etc etc) that he offers.
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