We are all born into a certain family and we all have our heritage. And from the beginning of time we are introduced to all types of characters from the Bible and the world itself. We hear about rich and famous people and about great leaders in the Jewish world and in the secular world. We come across heroes who survived the holocaust and the inquisition and other past horrors. We can only imagine what strength and courage those people had and we feel great respect for them. Who wouldn’t want to emulate those great souls. However the world is made up of all types of people and not everyone is as admirable as the ones mentioned. It’s nice to be born into a royal family or to a family of a famous Rabbi or leader in the world, though I’m sure that the rich and famous have their difficulties and challenges as well. Nevertheless we would sooner find ourselves fantasizing about being part of a royal kingdom than being part of some poverty project somewhere in the world.
Everyone wants to feel loved and accepted. Everyone wants to feel respected and honored. But what about the people who are never noticed? The plain people, with no fame, nor fortune, no special deeds, no great scholars in the family, nor anything that might stand out as above average. Then there are the people who have made bad mistakes that changed their lives, people who have transgressed the mitzvoth, whether by mistake or intentionally. How do these people feel? Do they deserve to be acknowledged? Are they less important if they do Teshuva, than all the great people mentioned above? How do we as society judge these people and above all how does the Almighty look upon them?
All of us have our challenges. Many of them were given to us by G-d, and we must manage with the tools we were given. When a person makes mistakes, many times he doesn’t know how to get up again. He feels as though everyone is better than he is. Thoughts such as these can make him sink into great despair, leaving him with no strength to overcome. “ I sinned, I made a terrible mistake, there is no second chance for me.” He looks around at the well – known people in his community, and he feels worthless.
What we see on earth is not what G-d sees. We see people with our eyes and ears. G-d sees into their souls. He sees their broken hearts, and the true regret that they have for their mistakes, and the Teshuva that they are trying so hard to do. It is very easy for us to want to emulate someone famous, but do we ever think about the average person, or the one who has done wrong? Maybe a good word will keep them going. Even if they have gone astray, do they have family and friends to keep them going forward? Or can we help them. A successful person isn’t necessarily the real winner. It might be the one who tries and tries again and again, even if he has failed on many occasions. It’s the effort of not giving up. It’s the kind words and the good thoughts that keep him going. “Even though I made lots of mistakes, G-d loves me as well.”
In the place that a Baal Teshuva stands, no one can come near.