Everything To Gain

BS"D
In his epic work, the Mishna Torah, the Rambam covers just about every topic. The section titled Hilchos Teshuva has ten chapters and it is therefore a custom for some to review them during the aseres yemei teshuva.

In chapter four of these halachos, the Rambam lists twenty four different impediments to teshuva. One of them is one who mocks the mitzvos.

Now, don't get me wrong, I am not in favor of mocking the mitzvos – but why would that preclude me from doing teshuva ? I thought teshuva was all about returning to Hashem and getting past the hurdles that I had placed in my own way by sinning. Where do mitzvos come in ?

The answer can be found in the Rambam's explanation.

רמב"ם יד החזקה - הלכות תשובה פרק ד
"והמלעיג על המצות שכיון שנתבזו בעיניו אינו רודף אחריהן ולא עושן ואם לא יעשה במה יזכה"
"… since the (mitzvos) are belittled in his eyes he does not chase them – and if he doesn't – by what merit will he (do teshuva)"

Let's say we are scrupulous and careful not to transgress a single prohibition – and we even succeed. What is the point ? Is that what we were put on this earth to do ? Then it would be a zero sum game – a game where the best case scenario has us accomplishing nothing. That is certainly not what Hashem has in mind. He put us here to accomplish tremendous things - to shake the earth and rattle the heavens with acts of kindness and profound commitments to the Torah. That is our primary mission.

If we become derailed by sins and forget our mandate – then we must repent and return – but if we lose sight of the big picture – then by what merit will the One Above accept us back ?!? Hashem will only help us return if we know what we are returning to. A life of Torah and mitzvos.

This Yom Kippur let us cry. Let us repent. Let us sincerely say to our Father in heaven – "take me back!" And lets focus on why He should accept us back -because we want to perform His mitzvos and learn His torah. And we want to do it without the negative baggage of our sins.

Gmar Chasima Tova to all of klal yisrael.

And Hatzlacha !