Taking The First Step

As we approach the Yomim Nora’im, our hearts and our minds are preoccupied with thoughts of teshuvah. Indeed, one can become overwhelmed when he considers how he will be able to gather the necessary strength to sufficiently repent for that which requires atonement. It may be daunting to the point of despair.

However, in truth, it would be a fundamental error in his reasoning. Man is only obligated to take the first step toward doing teshuvah, and he will then merit Divine assistance to achieve his objective. This is as it says (Shir HaShirim Rabbah 5:2),“R’ Yasa said: Hashem said to Israel: ‘My children, open for Me one opening of repentance like the eye of a needle, and I will open for you openings that wagons and carriages enter through.’”

This initial effort by man, and its being rewarded with Divine assistance, is clearly illustrated in the narrative in which Bisya, the daughter of Pharaoh, rescues Moshe Rabbeinu. The Torah tells us (Shemos 2:5), “Pharaoh’s daughter went down to bathe in the Nile … and she saw the basket … and she stretched out her hand and she took it.”

On the superficial level, it appears that Bisya simply went to bathe in the river. However, our Sages teach us (Sotah 12b)that it was but the first step she took to become closer to Hashem. The Talmud cites R’ Yochanan, who says in the name of R’ Shimon bar Yochai, that Bisya came to cleanse herself from the impurities of her father’s idols. She understood that her father, Pharaoh, did not conduct himself in the proper way. She recognized that the Jewish nation was the chosen nation, and she desired to associate with Hashem.

With that conscious choice, Bisya had initiated the concept of (Yoma 38b),“One who comes to purify himself is helped by Hashem.”

When Bisya went to bathe in the Nile, she was quite a distance from the basket in the water. However, she stretched out her hand to reach it, even though it was much further than her arm could reach. Our Sages tell us it was more than 200 amos (approximately 1300 feet). Nevertheless, she had the feeling that she should make the effort to reach the basket, and indeed she was granted Divine assistance. Her arm extended miraculously and she reached the basket. She had taken the first step by leaving her father’s house and immersing herself in the river to cleanse herself and she merited to save Moshe Rabbeinu, the father of all the prophets.

But this was not the end. The Talmud comments that when Bisya opened the basket and “saw” the child, she also saw the Divine presence with him. Bisya then wanted an Egyptian woman to nurse him, but Moshe Rabbeinu refused to nurse from any of them. Bisya immediately perceived “miyaldei ha’ivrim zeh – he is one of the Hebrews’ children,” and she understood his refusal to nurse from the Egyptian women. The Talmud concludes (Sotah 12b): Shall a mouth that will speak with the Divine presence in the future nurse something impure?

How did Bisya, daughter of Pharaoh, reach such a high spiritual level? How did she fathom that a child who doesn’t know the difference between his right and left hand is particular about the source of his nourishment? The answer is, “One who comes to purify himself is helped from Heaven.”

Once Bisya took the first step, she opened the door to teshuvah. She was blessed with knowledge and aspirations that are unusual. She merited to attain a spiritual level that allowed her to perceive that this was a Jewish child.

R’ Shabsi Yudelevitz (1924-1996) comments that we learn from here the elevated levels that a person can reach by just making a small opening to do teshuvah –by taking the first step and seeking purification from Hashem. Truthfully, that is all one has to do. No matter how serious his aveiros may be, Hashem opens the gates of repentance.

Therefore, no one should ever give up – even if he thinks that redemption is an unattainable goal. The only thing a person has to do is to stretch out his hand – to show Hashem that he is reaching for Him.

When the Slonimer Rebbe, the Baal Nesivos Shalom, was young, he had a disturbing dream.

He was startled when he dreamt that it was Motzei Simchas Torah, and he asked himself: Where have I been? Such momentous and significant days have passed, each one filled with outstanding potential. They offered the perfect opportunity to easily rectify all my wrongdoings and to achieve high levels in my service of Hashem. How is it that I did not properly utilize the time to get close to Hashem? He was very upset with himself in the dream, and was deeply pained.

Suddenly he awoke and realized it had been a dream, and it was only Rosh Chodesh Elul. How great was his happiness! How he rejoiced!

As we stand before the exalted days of Rosh Hashanah, the Aseres Yemei Teshuva, Yom Kippur, Sukkos, Hoshana Rabbah and Simchas Torah, we perceive the import of the hour. May we all utilize every moment appropriately and merit to be inscribed for a shanah tova umesukah, a sweet and good year. A K’sivah v’chasimah tova to all!

At this time of year, I personally reach out to all of our loyal readers and friends of The Jewish Press to help me help others in the community who are in dire financial straits. There are families, individuals, and children who need our encouragement, our support, and our monetary assistance so that they can rejoice during the Yomim Tovim along with the rest of Klal Yisrael. Please join in this great mitzvah.

I personally administer and distribute the monies from the special Yom Tov Fund I have established directly into the hands of those who are most in need.

In the zechus of your contribution, may you merit blessing and success, good health, nachas, happiness and prosperity. You may also include the names of anyone in particular who is in need of shalom bayis, shidduchim, refuah, parnassah, etc. and I will say special prayers on their behalf. May we be worthy, with all of our tefillos, to celebrate a good, healthy and joyous New Year.

Please send your contribution to Khal Bnei Yitzchok Yom Tov Fund, c/o Rabbi Dovid Goldwasser, 1336 E. 21 Street, Brooklyn, NY 11210. Donations can also be Zelled to 718-954-4343.