On Rosh Hashana there was a gzar din for us, and Hashem is sitting waiting for us to do Teshuva to wipe away any evil decree. We don't understand that whether or not Iran will be able to cause major tragedy is being decided on Yom Kippur and not by governments. Hashem is waiting for our teshuvah today.
We learn that Teshuva, Tefilla and Tzedaka avert the evil decree. Let us look at what this means.
Recently I saw a homeless man rolling in dirt and excrement. This person was repulsive, if he would walk in the room you would go take a shower. This is what a neshama looks like. Hashem takes off the soiled garment. He can become beloved and close to Hashem. The Yetzer Hara wants us not to be matzliach in our Teshuva, to think that we can go live our lives as we want. The Chasam Sofer says that the Yetzer Hara masquerades as the Yetzer Tov thinking that everything is fine and we can continue the way we were. To have a wonderful Yom Kippur then to think that right after Yom Kippur we can go right back to the way we were. We have to come back to our root, with small steps, but each small step has to be like iron, rock solid. If we are looking and trying, the hole in the needle is tiny but it is made of iron. As small as it is, an iron Kabalah will show that we can change.
Hashem is going to look for those who are Kodosh, who raise themselves a level. The purpose of the Yetzer Hara is that we should overcome it and become greater. There is such a Yetser Hara for immorality that we has such an opportunity for Kedusha by overcoming it. We can get used to the most abnormal things as long as we keep doing it. We walk around with machines that are portals to incredible sources of Tumah. We can make Kabolos and get by without it. For Kedusha. We do not realize how many lives are being destroyed by these machines.
If we don't make a decision to change we won't change.
We have to stop and think, I can be better then this, I can be great.
If a person lives 80 years he will spend 30 of them in Shabbos, Yom Tov, and erev Shabbos and Erev Yom Tov. We have to make a decision, what are we going to do with this time. If we want to keep something from Yom Kippur, take something, decide on something that is real and get closer to Hashem. Only the kli of Shalom lets us take something real away with us.
Hashem is waiting for our Tefillos. At least on Yom Kippur think about the words of the Tefillo before we say them. As long as we are in this world we can still talk directly to Hashem, at least on the Yomim Norayim.
Every single Tefillah will produce results, even if a person is not that righteous, so imagine the tears of a yiddisha mama. We have to talk to the Ribono Shel Olam.
Tzedaka= it is very difficult times. Mosdos are staggering under these difficult times. We have to give Tzedaka. Nothing in the world saves us like giving Tzedakah. If someone is able to give and he doesn't, Hashem hates him and his Torah. You can't hide money from Hashem, he knows if a person is living up to his responsibilities. There is a tremendous joy in giving Tzedaka.
The Chida says that there is a special light on Yom Kippur that is so intense that just being in that light cleanses us of our Aveiros.
Its Erev Yom Kippur, pick up a telephone and call someone that you are mad it, do it as a zechus for all of the cholim in Klal Yisrael.
How can we make a commitment to change in the future if we know that realistically we will never be able to keep our commitment. Even if we try and fail, Hashem sees that we really want to change and credits us for that sincere desire to change. But we have to make a start.
When we want to prepare for Yom Kippur, we have to accept responsibility for our actions and stop blaming other people for our faults. Even though it rattles our ego, we have to have the courage to take a different direction.
When we think about Mitzvot and Aveirot would should never think that this one is more important then that one because it will lead us to discount "minor" ones, and this will lead us to sin. We should view all mitzvot as equally important.
