Yom Kippur - The Power of Now

By Rabbi Avrohom Blesofsky

Yom Kippur -- the day that evokes introspection, repentance, accountability, rebirth and renewal -- all which are implied in the Hebrew word Teshuva, often narrowly translated as “repentance”.

How do we accomplish Teshuva - this ability to reflect and grow? Inversely -- what is it that is holding us back from reflection, growth and change?

Our past. We are often stuck in the past. Our life becomes merely a manifestation and continuum of what happened a moment ago, which is a continuum of what happened an hour ago, a day ago, a week ago, a month ago, a year ago, a decade ago and so on. Our life is then like a predictable movie, replaying the same stories and patterns over and over again. The same schemas are still in play except they manifest with different people and different situations. The past holds us captive and prevents us from moving forward.

Blame. We often blame others for our current situation. Or, we blame ourselves for bad decisions and choices we made. This leaves us stuck in that endless loop of reruns, with an inability to see past it. Where we are in life now is merely a result of circumstance and previous decisions.

Let’s take a look at how Teshuva is the antidote to all this that holds us back. And what really is Teshuva?

There is something very interesting about how the Torah introduces and teaches the concept of Teshuvah. It introduces it by using the word “Now”. What is the connection between Teshuvah and “Now?”

After Adam and Eve ate from the Tree of Knowledge the Torah relates; “God said; 'Man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. ‘Now’ he must be prevented from putting forth his hand and also taking from the Tree of Life.” (Genesis 3:22)

Midrash Rabbah, the oral commentary on the Torah, interprets this verse; “‘Now' is referring to Teshuvah.” God is telling Adam, “There is a Now!” This is how God makes Adam and Eve aware of the gift of introspection, repentance, accountability, rebirth and renewal. "Adam and Eve, you have 'Now'.”

Now is the one thing we own. There is nothing that can rob us of that. That does not mean there is no past. On the contrary the "Now” tells us to take ownership of the moment and use our challenges, our stories, our past, as a catalyst for opportunity, growth and rebirth. Let's not see them as a trap that will define us for eternity. Seize the NOW.

We don't have to turn the movie into our story. We are not slaves defined by that rerun. We have the ability to say "NOW" we are going to make the decision to do something positive with all of this. We can use the now as an opportunity for new awareness, change, transformation and growth. That is Teshuva - seizing the moment; the “Now”.

We love to talk about how many choices we have in the 21st century. But let's face it, some of the biggest decisions are not ones we’ve made. We didn’t choose to be born. Nor were we given a choice of who our parents will be. Nor did we choose our DNA.

But the one thing we can choose is ‘Now’!

Rabbi Blesofsky and his wife Malky are Co-directors of the Chabad at Scotch Plains
If you have any questions or comments please feel free to contact rabbi@chabaduc.com