{Originally posted to Rabbi Weinberg’s website, The Foundation Stone}
Not long into the Peloponnesian war, the Spartans suffered a calamitous defeat in the Gulf of Corinth. They realized that despite their supremely disciplined army they would be dominated by Athens’ great sea power. The Spartans understood that they would have to improve their naval tactics. Brasidas, the charismatic general, rallied the troops before the next battle: “We cannot find a single reason why we should fail: and as many mistakes as we made before, now these same events will teach us a lesson.” (Thucycides, The Peloponnesian War 2.87.7)
Sounds good, and wise, yet, most of us seem to prefer the Pinocchio approach. The puppet-boy knows that his nose will grow each time he lies. He experienced the shame of an elongated nose numerous times, but he could not help himself. He wanted to have fun. He didn’t want to go to school. Pinocchio couldn’t admit what he was really doing, so he lied, and lied and lied. Perhaps his fairy was too forgiving and he believed that he could continue to be healed every time he did Teshuva. Sound familiar?
The Spartans used their mistakes as lessons for the future. Pinocchio chose to ignore the lessons and continue to do as he pleased.
Who are we on Yom Kippur? Do we believe that, as Brasidas said, “We cannot find a single reason why we should fail”? Do we approach the Vidui – Yom Kippur Confession with a sense that the mistakes of the past serve as lessons for the future? Or, have we fallen into the trap in which the generous atonement of Yom Kippur convinces us that even if our noses grow, we can always have them magically repaired?
The Foundation Stone™ and The Foundation Stone ™ Blog, certainly no Spartans, have chosen the Brasidas approach. Three different commentaries to the Vidui are posted on the sites. We are honored to offer numerous practical ways to use Yom Kippur for the future: Harav Yochanan Zweig’s The Profundities of Torah, Rabbi Chaim Goldberger’s The Voice of Torah, Rabbi Yaakov Shlomo Weinberg’s The Torah Connection, El Ad’s Na’aseh V’Nishmah, and Bentzion Meltzer’s Keter Shem Tov and Stories of the Baal Shem Tov.
We invite you to join us and celebrate the possibilities of Yom Kippur and the future.
My favorite selection for Shabbat Shuva is Falling Short, and for Yom Kippur is Clarity & Confusion.
Shabbat Shalom and I hope you have the most enriching and exciting Yom Kippur in history,
