You’re Forgiven. Now Dance.
A great Rabbi (I believe Reb Simcha Bunim of Pshischa) once said that the sin we leave Yom Kippur with is not believing that G-d has forgiven us.
I don't think he meant that we don't believe G-d is capable of forgiving us. Rather, we believe that we are not really worthy of forgiveness, or that we weren't sincere in our desire to change. Maybe we tell ourselves that we are still holding on to old patterns and are not really ready to let go.
Our Sages say that even a passing thought of Teshuva renders one completely righteous. I find it hard to believe that any of us went through these High Holidays without an honest, even passing thought that we want to show up differently in the world, in our Judaism, and in our relationship with G-d.
How do we escape this?
Thank G-d for the Torah and the holiday cycle. The four days between Yom Kippur and Sukkos correspond to the four letters of Hashem's name. During these four days, all of the energies and transformations that began on Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and the days in between begin to form the new life of the new year, like the early stages of conception.
Then we enter the holiday of Sukkos. We are hugged by the walls of the Sukkah. We internalize the energy of the Divine embrace that G-d gave us on Yom Kippur as we take the Four Kinds and bring them to our chest.
On top of all that, and perhaps most important, is the specific instruction to rejoice during this holiday.
Joy lifts us out of our self-doubt and insecurities and raises us up to the true reality of Hashem's love and commitment to us.
It is liberating to let go and lift your feet off the floor in a dance. It reminds us that the entirety of our being belongs to Hashem and is loved and hugged by Him.
If you don't know what I'm talking about, then it's really time to dance.
I hope you'll join me on the first night of Sukkot, from 8–10 PM, at the beautiful Chabad Intown Sukkah on the BeltLine for a blessing, a bit to eat (sushi), a l'chaim, and some real, solid joy to carry us into Hashem's embrace!
Good Shabbos and Chag Sameach!
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