10 Days of Teshuvah Audio

Lead a life worth writing about

What is so special about 10 Jews gathering together, and the profound effect of the Ten Days of Teshuva.

Maybe we’ve got everything 100% wrong. Because if we’re thinking the holidays are backward, it’s likely we’ve got their meanings backward.

This class studies the popular psalm 130 of Shir L’Maalot Mimaamakim. The opening verses reveal powerful messages about prayers emanating from the depths of despair. The Psalmist raises our spirits with optimistic hope—showing us how to rise from sorrow on the wings of heartfelt supplication. On a more profound level, it addresses our deepest rhythms of organic spirituality, setting our inner child free in faith, feeling and sincerity. This all becomes most meaningful and relevant during the Days of Awe initiating the New Year.

Psalm 130 dramatically opens with powerful messages about prayers emanating from the depths. This class begins with further analysis of its euphemistic meaning. This segues into a plea: may our sins not be preserved, and may we receive pardon from Almighty G-d alone. A wide range of both exoteric and esoteric teachings are interwoven providing profound understanding of this timeless prayerful poetry. We conclude with special emphasis on why it's recited annually during the Days of Awe from Rosh Hashanah continuing through till climaxing on Yom Kippur.

In this final offering we focus on the uniquely Jewish trait of placing our hope in Hashem, and being faithfully confident in His deliverance. Our trust and continuous yearning for G-d has sustained our people for nearly two millennia of the disappointing darkness of Galut. The Royal Psalmist declares that he never loses hope, and is in a constant state of anticipation for the dawn of redemption and a new world order of true peace. Soothing our deepest fears, King David prophetically assures us that after our long suffering Exile, G-d will not judge us harshly to the rigid letter of the law, for He is the ultimate Dispenser of Mercy and yearns to redeem His children.

Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and the ten days in between are a time of "teshuvah" (returning to G-d.) Third in a 3-part series about the High Holidays.