Sept. 24, 2024

Lessons Learned From Sharei Teshuvah: Rabbeinu Yonah's Guide to Life's Trials and Personal Growth

Apple Podcasts podcast player badge
Spotify podcast player badge
Amazon Music podcast player badge
Apple Podcasts podcast player icon Spotify podcast player icon Amazon Music podcast player icon
Season 7

What if the key to personal transformation lies in recognizing life's trials as divine messages? Join us for an enlightening discussion as we unpack the timeless wisdom of Rabbeinu Yonah's Sharei Teshuva, focusing on the second chapter's six powerful methods to inspire repentance. This classic text, praised by scholars like Rabbi Kiva Eger, offers profound guidance on how to turn life's challenges into opportunities for spiritual growth.

Reflecting on Hillel's famous maxim, "If I am not for myself, who will be for me?" we emphasize the essential role of personal responsibility in the process of repentance. While Rabbeinu Yonah provides invaluable insights, true change must come from within. Tune in to discover how these teachings can help you take charge of your spiritual journey, making meaningful and lasting changes in your life.

Support the show


Join The Motivation Congregation WhatsApp community for daily motivational Torah content!

Elevate your impact by becoming a TMC Emerald Donor! Your much-needed backing is crucial for our mission of disseminating the wisdom of the Torah. Join today for just $18.00 per month. (Use your maaser money!) https://buy.stripe.com/00g8xl5IT8dFcKc5ky
----------------

----------------
Questions or Comments? Please email me @ michaelbrooke97@gmail.com



WEBVTT

00:00:02.063 --> 00:00:11.916
not even a thousand years ago did Rabbeinu Yonah compile, organize and produce the greatest safer on repentance known to date.

00:00:11.916 --> 00:00:15.710
It is titled Sharei Tshuva, the Gates of Tshuva.

00:00:15.710 --> 00:00:20.931
You can get it in Hebrew, english, probably French, russian and Spanish Yiddish.

00:00:20.931 --> 00:00:44.768
It is so classic because the Great Rishon compiles all the Halachos of Tshuva Inspiration to make one repent, and Rabbi Kiva Eger actually lauded this Mussar Sefer above the others because the third chapter deals extensively with Halachos and practical guidelines in the realms of Tshuva and categories of sin and mitzvos.

00:00:44.768 --> 00:00:51.773
It's an incredible work and every single word is a treasure trove of wisdom.

00:00:51.773 --> 00:01:05.004
But I'd like to direct your attention specifically to the second shah, the second chapter, because, as a quick overview, the first chapter deals with the 10 steps of repentance according to Halacha.

00:01:05.004 --> 00:01:10.490
The second shahar we'll focus on quickly today, deals with the six ways to inspire yourself to repent.

00:01:10.490 --> 00:01:15.796
The third shahar is about categories of sin and the respective punishments for those actions.

00:01:15.796 --> 00:01:28.069
And the fourth category is about atonement and to look quickly into Hashar Hasheni of Rabbeinu Yonah and Shahar Eitchuva.

00:01:28.069 --> 00:01:32.992
These are, these are to show you the paths that will inspire you to repent to God.

00:01:32.992 --> 00:01:38.456
The first one is you should find yourself God forbid in times of tsaris.

00:01:38.456 --> 00:01:43.959
If your life has trials and tribulations, you get constant headaches, you have so much anxiety, message from God.

00:01:43.959 --> 00:01:46.667
Don't attribute that to just haphazardness.

00:01:46.667 --> 00:01:57.569
The second way is when you should find yourself of more experienced age where you realize that life ain't all about just fun and games.

00:01:57.569 --> 00:02:00.228
You should see time to repent, time to do something with life.

00:02:00.228 --> 00:02:07.444
It's the third way Listening to shmuzim, listening to talks of rabbis.

00:02:07.444 --> 00:02:08.406
That can inspire you.

00:02:08.406 --> 00:02:10.350
Take it to heart, terecha Raviyas.

00:02:10.350 --> 00:02:14.447
The fourth way, when a person will be yegev, atayres Hashem, studying Torah.

00:02:14.447 --> 00:02:15.550
The truth.

00:02:15.550 --> 00:02:18.323
It hits hard and should inspire repentance.

00:02:18.323 --> 00:02:20.367
Haderecha Hamish is the fifth way.

00:02:20.367 --> 00:02:33.453
It's baseris yamei tshuva, when you realize that everything is written down and you will either get another slice of life or God forbid the opposite, and it's all based on your actions.

00:02:33.453 --> 00:02:33.954
And haderecha she's just.

00:02:33.954 --> 00:02:34.877
The last way is kol eis yichoy likras eleikav.

00:02:34.877 --> 00:02:36.743
We all need to ready ourselves to meet God.

00:02:36.743 --> 00:02:40.275
It's what we call in English, aka the day of death.

00:02:40.275 --> 00:02:42.000
It should inspire repentance.

00:02:42.000 --> 00:02:45.134
Death should inspire repentance.

00:02:45.960 --> 00:02:48.806
Six different classic and famous ways, but I like it the most.

00:02:48.806 --> 00:02:49.828
It's intriguing.

00:02:49.828 --> 00:02:52.072
It's the way Rabbeinu Yonah finishes the second chapter.

00:02:52.072 --> 00:03:06.776
He says I'm going to complete this entire second chapter and all these different categories of inspiration, to tell you of what Hillel said, that famous axiom, of what Hillel said Im eina nili mili u'kheshanila atmi mo'ani v'im lo'achshav e'im lasai.

00:03:07.759 --> 00:03:15.310
That famous axiom, that famous maxim and quote of Hillel, that, yes, these are ways to inspire yourself to repent.

00:03:15.310 --> 00:03:24.205
But im eina nili mili, explains Rabbeinu Yonah, you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.

00:03:24.205 --> 00:03:32.073
Meaning, I'm telling you how to repent and why you should and you should be inspired to do it, but each person needs to find it within himself.

00:03:32.073 --> 00:03:33.103
It may not nearly merely.

00:03:33.122 --> 00:03:42.483
If you don't think about life and come up with your own impetus and your own reason to get off the couch and repent, well then all of the most just farm in the world cannot move you even the slightest inch.

00:03:42.864 --> 00:03:46.411
Because if you're not for yourself, well then who will be for you?

00:03:46.411 --> 00:03:49.197
And the imlo achshav imosayin.

00:03:49.197 --> 00:04:04.614
If you do not take to heart that, if not now, when, well then it doesn't matter what rabbeinu yonah says or the rambam says or the choves alavavis says, because all that matters is what you choose to do with your free will and if you should find the inspiration to repent.

00:04:04.614 --> 00:04:06.108
So I challenge you to to do with your free will and if you should find the inspiration to repent.

00:04:06.108 --> 00:04:16.247
So I challenge you to come up with your own reason and maybe be honest and think of one of the six ways, like Rabbeinu Yonah, and take it to heart.

00:04:16.247 --> 00:04:47.218
But in Ein Anili, mili, if you don't decide to repent by your own merits and by your own wants and wills, well then, mili, who is for you, repent because you have chosen to be inspired and you would like to repent you.