NEW START
Many people carry baggage with misdeeds that can be countered with teshuvah, penitence or with zechusim, merits. Are there other ways to get a fresh start?
There was a man in Israel who woke one night to a beeping sound that was coming from the apartment next door. The man ran to his neighbor. He knocked on the door, but no one answered. All of the members of the family were fast asleep. He kept banging and made his way into the house. Although at first, they were unresponsive, the neighbor was able to finally awaken the father of the household who in turn helped his family flee to safety.
It was the carbon monoxide detector that woke the neighbor. The family had been overcome by the gas. Had they remained sleeping any longer, it would have been too late for all of them to be saved.
They were all relieved and appreciative. Nevertheless, the neighbor noticed that the father seemed to be agitated. He approached the father and asked him what distressed him and caused him anguish. He would have figured that the father would have been elated that he and his family were all safe and unharmed.
The father explained, “All of my zechusim…this took all of my zechusim…I have to start all over.” He reckoned that he was saved from peril, not because he was deserving. Rather, he had merits that were applied to his credit. He was concerned that all of his merits were used to save him and his family, and that he had to start a new account of merits. Fortunately, there is a meritorious act one can do each day that is so powerful that it can even eliminate one’s sins!
The Torah states after the Shirah at the sea, “Vayasa Moshe es Yisrael.”[1] The Midrash notes that the Torah does not simply state that they travelled from the sea. Rather it states that Moshe carried them. “Whover had a miracle occur to them, and the person said Shirah, it is certain all of his sins are forgiven and he is born anew.” This is the meaning of the words, “Vayasa Moshe.” After the Shirah was said, Moshe carried them away from their sins.
Similarly, we find that Devorah and Barak experienced a miracle when they led Bnei Yisrael into battle and the mighty army of Sisera fled. They said Shirah and Bnei Yisrael’s sins were forgiven.[2] So too, we see that King David said Shirah when his enemies were vanquished. At that point, all of his sins were forgiven.[3] [4]
Saying Shirah removes sin. At the sea, led by Miriam, the women took Shirah to another level by playing music and dancing with great joy.[5] Seven weeks later, the men stumbled with the sin of the Golden Calf. The women, however, did not falter. The exuberance they had demonstrated at the sea remained with them and kept them steadfast in their faith.[6]
A person dealing with physical challenges, may wish to find means for healing without having to endure discomfort or high cost. However, he may nonetheless have to undergo painful and costly procedures. When facing spiritual healing, a person may find methods or means that are quite demanding. However, there is an easy approach that yields great results.
If someone says Shirah of the sea with simchah, as if he left Egypt now, all of his sins are forgiven.[7] This advice is not brought as some esoteric commentary. Rather, it is brought by the Mishnah Brurah,[8] a straightforward sefer in Jewish law that applies to everyone. We don’t live in the past, but apparently, it is possible to revisit salvation with expression of Shirah and simchah. In this way we can reap the benefits still today with removal of sin and renewed spiritualty.
Do we see renewal as possible only when focused on our future or can we even find it through experiences of our nation’s past?
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Hershel D. Becker
[1] Beshalach 15:22
[2] Shoftim 6:1
[3] Shmuel 2 23:1
[4] Yalkut Shimoni Beshalach 254
[5] Beshalach 15:20
[6] Rav Yissachar Dov of Belz in Be’er Haparshah
[7] Sefer Charedim Chapter 73
[8] Orach Chaim 51:17
[1] Boh 10:6
[2] Ramban Boh 10:6; Akeidas Yitzchak
[3] Boh 10:7
[4] Rav Yitzchak Zilberstein, Upiryo Masok Boh pp.126-130