Who caused the commotion?
Every year on the night of Hoshana Rabba, my teacher and Rebbe, R' Aharon from Belz, zt"l, used to repeat the following story of the Baal Shem Tov, zt"l:
It was Yom Kippur and the Baal Shem Tov had delayed entering the shul for Ne'ilah. Everyone waited patiently as the night grew later and later. Finally, he entered the Beis Medresh and he began to enthusiastically daven with tremendous energy. After Yom Kippur, knowing that there had to be more to the story, his students sought an explanation. And, the Baal Shem Tov answered as follows:
"In a city far away, there is a yid who has committed every transgression possible. He hasn't davened for over thirty years. However, yesterday, on Erev Yom Kippur, when he saw the yidden running to shul with their taleisim in hand to attend Kol Nidre, he was inspired. He began to examine his life. However, he felt that since he was so immersed in the impurities caused by his countless sins, he could not do teshuva properly. In the morning, when he saw the yidden going to Shachris, he once again felt the longing to do teshuva. However, as with the night before, he was prevented by his Yetzer Harah. And the same thing occurred when it was time for Mussaf.
"Towards the evening, when he saw people going to Ne'ilah, he felt such a powerful yearning for Hashem that he quickly grabbed his talis – which he hadn't used in years – and ran to shul. When he arrived, he was overwhelmed with emotion and he could not hold back the tears as he said, 'Master of the World! I know that I have sinned more than anyone else in the world! My sins are greater than the worst wicked person imaginable!'
"He sat there crying for a long time and he was unable to daven with the rest of the congregation. When he finally composed himself and began to daven, everyone else had already returned home."
Then the Baal Shem Tov added, "You all need to know that there is a tremendous commotion in the heavens at the moment a wicked person such as this returns to Hashem with all of his heart. This was such an exalted moment for mercy that many prayers that were stuck for several hundred years were now raised to the heavens by his merit. I was waiting to daven together with this person. Therefore, I delayed my prayers."
This story demonstrates without exception that every Jew's prayers are precious. There are many times when Jews try to pray and their Yetzer Harah challenges them and, in his cunning ways, attempts to discourage them from davening. He fuels their guilt and their unhealthy feelings of low self-worth, by convincing them that their sins have created a distance between them and Hashem, that those sins have severed their connection with Hashem. Now, Hashem will not listen to their prayers. However, the inescapable truth is that even if a Jew has transgressed countless times, his prayers are precious. Even if a Jew has sinned, he is a Jew nonetheless.
Every Jew Counts
When the Torah describes the attack of the Amalek, the pasuk says (Devarim 25:18), "he happened upon you on the way and cut off" (ויזנב בך )... R' Yisroel from Koshnitz, zt"l, explained that the Amalek convinced the "weak" Jews that they are like a tail (זנב) that is useless and worthless. The Yetzer Harah uses all of his cunningness to try and convince the Jews that they are unimportant, unworthy and that they don't matter.
Similarly, R' Shlomo of Karlin, zt"l, taught that the greatest Yetzer Harah, the greatest threat to a Jew's spiritual well-being, is to forget that he is the son of the King of Kings. The Jews are each considered princes, children of our Father in Heaven who is the King of Kings. We must remember that Hashem always desires a relationship with us, a connection, like a king always wants a relationship with his son, even if he was rebellious.
Always Princes
The pasuk says (Devarim 14:1), "You are the children of Hashem your God". R' Meir taught (Kiddushin 36) that even when the Jews are not acting like children, they are nonetheless considered Hashem's children. This is the law as determined by the poskim (Shalos V'Teshuvos of the Rashba, Volume 1, Chapter 194). The Yesod HaAvodah from Slonim, zt"l, said that it is a mitzvah to always mention and publicize that the law is like this opinion of R' Meir.
The Bas Eyin zt"l said: "If a Jew does not believe that Hashem is close to him and desires his service even after the most severe sins - as it says (Vayikra 16:16), 'dwells with them amidst their defilements' - he is a heretic".
R' Moshe from Kobrin, zt"l, said: "Whoever is unable to stand in prayer before his Heavenly Father after committing the gravest transgression, and pour his heart out like a son before his father, has not yet stepped foot on Judaism's doorstep."
My grandfather, R' Tzvi Hirsh from Ziditchov, zt"l, said in a jovial fashion, that we say in Shmoneh Esrei, כי אתה שומע תפילת כל פה-for You hear the prayers of every mouth. The word mouth- פה sounds like פע-feh. People typically say "feh" when they hear something displeasing. This alludes to the idea that Hashem listens to the prayers of all the Jews, even those we would describe as "feh" because they have been covered in the filth of their sins.
Hashem listens to you
The week before Rosh Hashana we read Parshas Nitzavim. The pasuk says (Devarim 29:10), You are all standing this day before the Lord, your God... As the Zohar explains (Volume III, p. 231a) this is referring to when the Jews are standing in shul on Rosh Hashana. You need to remember that on this day, You are "all" standing before Hashem. Every Jew, regardless of their circumstances and lifestyle. Everyone can become closer to Hashem and He is waiting to hear your prayers.
On Rosh Hashanah night we say, "Let us become like the head and not the tail." We are asking that each of us should be able to feel our importance, to realize that Hashem's values our Avodah. We are the head, and not the tail. Armed with this perspective, a Jew can overcome his Yetzer Harah and daven and perform the mitzvos properly, on these Days of Awe and throughout the year.
We will then merit a good and sweet year, amen, may it be His Will.
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