VAYELECH — SHUVA
Hoshea 14:2–10; Michah 7:18–20; Yoel 2:11–27
Merely One Act of Repentance

This week’s Haftarah is devoted to the mitzvah of repentance. In the end of the preceding chapter, Hoshea Hanavi heavily rebuked the Samarian Kingdom for straying after idolatrous practices. and predicted catastrophe for their entire kingdom because of those atrocities. He concluded his sharp message with the following piercing words, “Samaria will be shamed because it rebelled against Hashem; it will fall by the sword, its suckling infants and pregnant women split open.” (14:1)

Hashem’s Mercy

In this week’s Haftarah, directly following, Hoshea suddenly changed course and entreated the entire kingdom to repent. He announced, “Repent! Jewish people… because you have stumbled through your sin.” (14:1) He then quoted Hashem saying that if they do return, “I will heal them from their rebelliousness and will generously love them because My anger will turn away from them.” (14:5) Metzudos (ad loc) sees in this passage the fullest expression of Hashem’s merciful attributes. Although the Jewish nation had been heavily involved in sin, mere repentance would restore their relationship with Hashem. Hoshea proceeded and singled out the confession process and said, “Take words with you and return to Hashem. Say to Him, ‘Remove all sin and grab hold of goodness and we will replace bullocks with our lips [of confession].’” (14:3) Hoshea told the Jewish people here that Hashem required from them, only the act of confession. All Hashem expected was one sincere statement to Him recognizing their sins, accompanied by a firm resolve to abandon them. (see Metzudos ad loc) Hashem added that if they fulfill their basic requirement, “I will love them out of generosity.” Metzudos understands this to mean that Hashem committed to eradicateany trace of their previous behavior. After sincere confession, their past will become non- existent. Hashem, therefore, pledged to intensify His love for His children and to restore His perfect relationship with them. Although they will not yet have proven their new
mannerisms, Hashem would accept their sincere pledge to rectify all their wrongdoings and respond with total faith in them and shower them with His love.

The Merit of Sincere Confession

These words mirror Rambam’s classic view on repentance. Rambam states, “How great is the virtue of repentance! Yesterday the sinner was detached from Hashem… He cried out but received no response… He performed mitzvos, but sensed rejection… Today, [after repenting,] he merits to cleave to the Divine Presence… He calls out to Hashem and is answered immediately… He performs mitzvos and Hashem is pleased and glad to accept them… and even craves for them!” (Hilchos Teshuvah 7:7) Rambam characterizes with these words every Jewish person’s post repentance relationship with Hashem. In essence, one merits a total shift, going from absolute rejection to total acceptance.
Yet, Rambam mentions in an earlier segment a significant requirement in the repentance process. He states that in addition to regretting one’s sins and resolving never to repeat them, one must call Hashem to testify to the sincerity of his resolve. (Hilchos Teshuvah 2:2) Although, repentance can be done on numerous levels, its unequivocal requirement is sincerity. One’s resolve must stem from the bottom of his heart and must include his willingness to look Hashem “straight in the face” and declare to the Master of All his sincere resolve to rectify his previous ways. In fact, Rambam derives his ruling from this week’s Haftarah, wherein it states, “Take with you words of repentance… ‘say to Hashem’…[that] we will never again declare a status of deity to our hands’ craftwork.” (14:3-4) Hoshea taught here that in addition to one’s words of confession and remorse, one must make an affirmative statement directly to Hashem that he intends never to return to his sinful ways. (comments of Kesef Mishnah and Lechem Mishnah, ibid.)

We, the Foolish Gardeners

M’eiri in his masterwork on repentance sensitizes us to Rambam’s realistic demand. He compares our general repentance process to a beautiful garden covered by weeds. Upon discovering its devastating condition, the untrained gardener responded immediately and efficiently mowed down every weed in sight. On the surface it seemed that he rectified his troublesome situation, but shortly thereafter his garden was once again invaded by weeds. Upon consultation he discovered that weed removal required uprooting the weeds from their source, not merely cutting away their exposed segment. M’eiri warns us not to repent in the manner of the foolish gardener. If we truly seek to uproot our sinful practices, we must search deeply into our hearts and determine the source of our wrongdoings. Then, and only then, can we pledge with sincerity to do our utmost never to repeat them. In essence, when we merely focus on our actions without attacking our faulty character traits and attitudes that produce our sinful behavior, we will inevitably fall into similar behavior patterns the next year. (taken from his Chibur
Hateshuvah)

Projected Inevitable Course

Ramban alludes to this idea in his commentary to this week’s Parsha. In the upcoming Parshas Ha’azinu, the Torah predicts that the Jewish people will engage themselves in atrocious sinful practices. We read that Hashem will respond in very severe measures, but He will eventually redeem His people and bring His world to its perfect state. Ramban questions the nature of this prophecy. In general, the Torah
leaves the Jewish people’s future undefined, and makes conditional predictions- enormous blessing if we follow Hashem’s ways and heavy misfortune if we do not follow. Ramban therefore asks, why does the Torah deviate here and state that the Jewish people will definitely plunge into a very sinful course? Ramban answers with a deep insight from this week’s Parsha. Hashem concluded His introductory predictions and stated, “For I know what your evil inclination does today before I bring you into the Promised Land.” (Devarim 31:21) Ramban sees in this passage the answer to his puzzling question. He explains that the Jewish people’s conduct at the time served as a clear indication of their future actions. The nation’s long history of defiance since its inception reflected its inner character. The exposure of those severe imperfections clearly predicted their probable, future conduct. Hashem told them that if they do not uproot their defiant nature, sinfulness will inevitably result in the future. Hashem, therefore, forewarned them that (if and) when their sinful seeds begin sprouting, they should anticipate Hashem’s wrath for their not uprooting their defiant nature that caused their sins. (Ramban ad loc)

Hashem Reads Our Palm

Shlah interprets the Ramban’s words in the following manner. Hashem was not predicting their future, but merely ‘reading the Jewish people’s palm.’ Their tendencies were so evident that the results were close to a foregone conclusion. Only one course remained for them, namely, to attack their problem from its source. If they truly sought to establish Eretz Yisroel as their everlasting home, it would require serious soul-searching to uproot all traces of foreign interests and values. Once they detached themselves from those values, the abhorrent practices of their Canaanite neighbors would not interest or attract them, and they could consider establishing a permanent relationship with
Hashem in His land. Indeed, Hashem shared with the Jewish people the projected outcome of their state at the time, but He never meant to make it a reality. He forewarned them that if they did not exert serious effort to uproot their inappropriate attitudes and mannerisms, they can
expect His predictions to materialize and they should prepare themselves for His stated reaction. Shlah learns from this that Hashem has a system of projection and at times, even predicts its results. However, He always leaves the future in our hands to determine our fate or to make the effort to change our course and thereby change its projection.
(Shlah, Bais Habechirah 5)

Charting Next Year’s Course

In this same manner, the Jewish people’s “ten days of repentance” should serve as their incubating period for the upcoming year. One’s strong determination during those solemn, awesome days could chart his entire course for his next year. As we have seen, once one views his character flaws and slanted attitudes as the root of all his actions, he can effectively attack his inappropriate behavior from its roots and slowly, but steadily rid himself from his non-productive mannerisms. (based on the Vilna Gaon to Shir Hashirim 1:5, Megilas Esther 10:3) With this realistic approach to repentance one can truly entertain the idea of calling Hashem to attest to his sincere resolve. Hashem, at that
point will gaze into the person’s heart and see his pure intent to follow Hashem’s perfect path and He will accept in good faith one’s sincere resolve. (Vilna Gaon to Megilas
Esther 2:12)
Although the future remains to be determined, the person’s sincerity will at least redirect his actions and set them on a true path of return. Such repentance is readily accepted by Hashem who pledged in this week’s Haftarah to respond by erasing the past and pleasantly accepting one’s fresh outlook on his attitudes and actions, and to generously love him for making the effort to sincerely return to Hashem.
May we merit attaining such levels of sincerity that produce Hashem’s desire and interest in all our service to Him.