Shabbos 104a
Bring us back, our Father, to Your Torah, and bring us near, our King, to Your service, and influence us to return in perfect repentance before You. Shemoneh Esrei hashivanu
Influence – You aren’t going to find this verse in the Bible. It’s from the Amidah, the Shemoneh Esrei, the morning prayer of the Jews. This section of the prayer is about repentance. In a commentary note on the word “influence,” the Talmud says, “Whoever strives for purity is divinely assisted.” The sages said when we make the first effort toward repentance, God helps us reach that goal. This prayer acknowledges that God never compels a man or woman to repent. Repentance is the voluntary submission of our will to the way of God. But as soon as we step in God’s direction, just like the father of the prodigal son, God rushes to meet us and offers assistance in our return to Him.
This prayer asks God to influence us toward repentance. Notice that simply saying this prayer becomes the first step toward repentance. When I ask God to engineer my path so that I will turn my heart toward Him, I am already turning my heart toward Him. This is certainly a prayer God will answer. If angels rejoice over the return of a single sinner, imagine God’s delight when His children make deliberate efforts to submit to His will. Seeking Him is a great delight to Him. This is very good news.
There are moments in life when we resist repentance in spite of our awareness of our need for it. During these moments, we battle the same forces that seduced and subdued Adam and Havvah. We wish to reorder life according to our own needs and desires. Often this is not deliberate rebellion (although sometimes it is), but rather an attempt to meet a perceived need with our own solution. If we take a long breath, as the Bible suggests, we may discover that the source of our struggle rests in our emotions, not in cognitive logic or external circumstances. We are afraid, lonely, discouraged, angry, disappointed or feeling rejected. Our passion for life is threatened. We look for ways of escape from these powerful feelings. Too often our choices involve building barricades God never intended. Instead of allowing our emotions to open life-as-it-is to God, we seek escape into a world we can control. The subtle suggestion of the serpent says, “Take charge.” Doing what’s good for me seems necessary. But as soon as my own evaluation of what’s good becomes the basis of my choice, I am asserting my independence from the only One who is good. What seemed so natural turns me away from my Creator.
Is it any wonder that repentance is a daily task? We are often afraid in spite of God’s constant assurance of care and compassion. Our fears push us toward attempts to control life instead of submission to His authority over life. Then we realize that we have stepped away from His guidance and goodness. “Influence us to return” acknowledges our need, and our resistance. Starting the day with this step asks God to help us overcome those fears and accept what He brings this day.
Topical Index: prayer, repentance, Amidah, Shemoneh Esrei
Written by Rabbi Abraham Twersky (26 Elul)
If the Shofar is sounded in the city, will the populace not tremble? (Amos 3:6)
The blow of a Shofar is a call to arouse us from the lethargy of routine in which we have been immersed and to stimulate us to teshuvah. But what if someone hears the Shofar and is not moved by it?
A village blacksmith’s assistant once visited a large city and sought out the local smithy. He observed that the workers there used a bellows to fan the flames in the forge. The bellows were much more efficient than the exhausting manual fanning which he did back in his master’s shop. He promptly bought a bellows, returned with great enthusiasm to his master, and informed him that there was no longer any need for them to exhaust themselves fanning the flames. He then set out to demonstrate the magic of the bellows, but alas, regardless of how vigorously he pumped, no flame appeared.
“I can’t understand it,” he said. “In the city, I saw with my own eyes the huge flame produced by the bellows.”
“Did you first light a small fire?” the master asked.
“No,” the assistant replied. “I just pumped the bellows.”
“You fool!” the blacksmith said. “The bellows can only increase the size of the flame when you begin it with a spark. When you have no spark or fire, all the pumping of the bellows is of no use.”
Like the bellows, the Shofar can only arouse us if we have in us a spark of teshuvah, just a rudiment of desire. If we feel ourselves unmoved by the Shofar, we had better try to light a spark of teshuvah within ourselves.
Very cool! I like it! 🙂
Thank you for sharing this parable!
Well said Skip. Great encouragement.
As a former ‘control freak,’ I can relate to this. It’s still a battle for me on occasion.
“Our willingness to be ‘made willing’ is His way of preparing us for what He has prepared for us.”
Oh brother Skip- a “long-distance hug” is being sent your way electronically.. – this is such a blessing today. yes!— “selah!” lol!-
“Repentance” is such a happy word! (We ever need to “repent” concerning our view of repentance!-lol!)
Solomon asked for wisdom. G-d gave it to him. (in no small amount either!). If we (as His people) asked our Father for the “gift” of repentance, would it be His good pleasure to give it to us? -(for even the “ability” to repent comes from Him!).
Leadership is influence. “As many as are led by the Ruach HaKodesh, they are the children of G-d.” (Romans 8.14). You have said (and rightly so)- “But as soon as we step in G-d’s direction, just like the father of the prodigal son, God rushes to meet us and offers assistance in our return to Him.”
We need to “remember” and to emphasize,- this, (as far as we know), is the only time in the scope of G-d’s book, G-d was ever “seen” to be in a hurry! (May we ask again,- “is repentance a good thing?)
Read this story (found in Luke 15). What happens to this young man as a result of his “repentance?”
Lavish (prodigal) love is poured on him by the Father.
I need to sign off now- I am being *ahem* “influenced” to pray. To go (once again) to the “place of blessing.” It is time. -(I’m coming Father..)
Shabbat Shalom,
Skip … right on brother! Prayer and repentance go hand in hand … yes?
Recently (well a little while back) a comparison of Our Lord’s prayer to the Amidah (standing daily prayers) was undertaken. One might be surprised at how many of the Amidah prayers are captured in Yeshua’s prayer … b/t/w … HE essentially commanded us to pray in this manner … yes?
Hmmm … lead us not into the hands of temptation but deliver us from the evil one … sounds a lot like praying for the right INFLUENCE in our lives … yes?
Additionally … if we bolt on Skip’s message regarding “nothing” … we know what something is and that something is Torah. By way of relationship then … when we pray Yeshua’s prayer we are asking to draw near and back to righteous service … since this is how we are kept out of the hands of the evil one …
The LORD’s prayer … it just does not get any better! 🙂 … And this is no knock on the Amidah collection … beautiful prayers that I recite and hold dear!
Hi Drew,
Couldn’t agree more!
Speaking of the Lord’s Prayer, there is a new book on it by Dominic Cossan.
Hi is a great writer IMO.
oops. That’s Crossan.
That would be John Dominic Crossan?
And the book: The Greatest Prayer: Rediscovering the Revolutionary Message of The Lord’s Prayer?
I am not familiar with his works and tend to stay away from Catholic influences … was there for years and years … Jesuit and Dominican training by education … quite hard to shake off the scales if you know what I mean! 🙂
So is his work Hebraic/Fundamental centric or is it shrouded in the broader Roman Catholic perspective (the later being m presumption)?
b/t/w … I hope I did not offend you with my comment about Catholicism … not my intent!
My apologies if any offense was imparted!
“That would be John Dominic Crossan?”
Hi Drew,
Yep, that would be “The Greatest Prayer: Rediscovering the Revolutionary Message of The Lord’s Prayer” by John Dominic Crossan.
I haven’t read it and don’t really know much about his current theological perspectives, so I looked him up in Wiki.
And with my eyes as bad as they are at times, I thought it said He married Miles Davis.
But I looked again and was relieved to find:
“He married Margaret Dagenais, a professor at Loyola University (Chicago) in the summer of 1969, and joined the faculty of DePaul University that fall, where he taught undergraduates Comparative Religion for twenty-five years until retiring in 1995.
Some of his ideas might be too far out for most folks, but in my view they would definitely not be acceptable to the average Catholic.
I read The Essential Jesus: Original Sayings and Earliest Images, 1994, after it was reprinted in 1998 and it was my very favorite book on Jesus until I read Skip’s Words to Lead By.
For me, Skip’s book and The Essential Jesus are not really comparable, because Skip’s book is much more conceptual.
For me, The Essential Jesus is more like reading poetry and looking at paintings.
BTW I don’t get offended by ideas that differ from my own or with others who disagree with my ideas 🙂
“we ever need to repent concerning our view of repentance”
What do I need to repent, since I haven’t been killing people lately or dishonnered my parents too much or commited adultery ect. Aren’t these obvious ” sins” most of the time the one’s I see that I need to repent?
What about not being in YHWH ‘s will? What about the less obvious little jackals like negative emotions: stress( unbelieve), fear and anxiety, rejection( also being rejected), unforgiveness(also of ourselves), resentment and self resentment, anger, bitterniss and self-bitterness. Also believing the lies of Satan, the adversary( “I ‘m not good enough, I’m a failure). Or what about the spirit of lovelessness(don’t know if there is such an English word). Since I did not get any love, I don’t have a clue what YHWH’S love means. And that has an influence on you heart, soul, mind?
And before Him, is a little stress not the same as a lot? A little jealousy,a little bit af anger?
DURING THIS TIME OF REPENTANCE, I WILL ASK YHWH TO SHOW ME THE IDOLS IN MY HEART ( Ezekiel 14: 1-5) so that one day I can at least try to stand before Him as his bride with a spot or wrinkle less, but its going to be tough! And I have a lot of work (repentance)to do.
Luzette … thanks for sharing!
We all have lot of work (repentance) to do … on this we can be certain!
What about not being in YHWH ’s will? … Excellent comment and the issue that gets most folks a bit stirred up … why? For starters the emotional issues you raise are problematic but even more so the idea of “being in the will of Abba” is really a function of obedient behavior! Sadly this necessary outcome is what creates the heartache for so many folks … at least in my experiences.
The LORD will heal us for sure … but it begins with our walk and as Skip comments today … the desire to be pulled along the path! One constitution for all people and citizens are frankly expected to abide by the rules!
Repentance comes by way of behavior change … which then leads to emotional reconciliation!
Nice comments! 🙂
“I WILL ASK YHWH TO SHOW ME THE IDOLS IN MY HEART (Ezekiel 14: 1-5)”
Hi Luzette,
Welcome to the community, I don’t recall seeing your name before.
And it is a very interesting name indeed; the French diminutive of the Spanish “light.”
Coming to shed a little light on the prophet Ezekiel, the “son of man” who was sent by Yahweh?
To address those in the House of Israel, who have enshrined idols in their own hearts.
To touch the heart of the House of Israel and tell those inside to renounce their filthy practices.
The Bible doesn’t get much better than that, does it 🙂
Your point is well taken that most of us “haven’t been killing people lately, or dishonored parents too much, or committed adultery, etc.”
And I agree that most of my negative emotions, those “less obvious little jackals,” like fear of not being a good parent, or not getting a good job, are not exactly things I need to “repent,” are they?
But I’m not sure exactly what you mean by having an “idol in your heart”?
I don’t mean to pry, just not sure what that might be.
BTW I know a great movie that takes place in a South American city.
And one of the main characters is none other than Ezekiel himself (in modern dress).
The movie is called The Dancer Upstairs and Ezekiel is a professor of philosophy turned terrorist.
The country is a corrupt dictatorship and the question the movie raises is an interesting one.
The hero is an “Ivy League” lawyer turned cop, because the lawyers and judges are corrupt.
His assignment is to catch Ezekiel.
As the movie progresses, the hero falls in love with The Dancer Upstairs, and he faces two big problems.
On the one hand, the hero is married, and on the other the woman he loves is a loyal follower of Ezekiel.
My favorite scene in this movie comes with the opportunity of “sin” between the good cop and the “bad” dancer.
At that point, a very strange version of All Along the Watcher (Bob Dylan) plays in the background.
I don’t want to give away the ending, but if you like Ezekiel, you’ll love this movie.
Shalom Skip … just a general question for you!
Often times I tend to see a connection between a Shabbat posting and a particular parashat reading for the week … coincidence or at times are you led to comment in such a manner that uses a particular parashat reading as an influence?
Just wondering …
Along the same lines … do you follow any parashat cycle and if so which one? Its no deal or anything I am simply curious as might be some other TW folks! 🙂
Coincidence. although, of course, there are none.
“The movie is called The Dancer Upstairs and Ezekiel is a professor of philosophy turned terrorist.”
Michael,
When I first started reading your posts, I wasn’t quite sure where you were coming from. Sometimes I still do not, but that is OK!! You are quite humorous, in addition to being very intelligent and you also do not appear to have a haughty spirit. The most obvious characteristic about you is your library of movies watched and your synopses are very telling. I like that you can see a spiritual correlation in them.
When I read your comment, I thought YHVH’s prophet was most likely considered back in the day to be like the one in the movie you described. Many times, the prophets of today are considered likewise. A relative few want to hear the truth of the Scriptures and this is known to the prophet, however, YHVH is with them and never leaves or forsakes them. It doesn’t sound much like Ezekiel is mild mannered Clark Kent here, does it? Of course, he is also not shooting the place up, but cutting them asunder with the Sword of the Spirit…
Blessings
So the spirit lifted me up, and took me away, and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; but the hand of the LORD was strong upon me. Ezekiel 3:14
“wasn’t quite sure where you were coming from”
Hi Mary,
Well I see myself as a student of Skip who is studying the Bible from a Hebrew perspective.
What I’m sharing is mostly what I’m learning from Skip and the related readings in the Bible.
What I’m learning is that many things that attract me are related to the Hebrew worldview.
I know the point of the prayer isn’t to impress with words, but there is such a beauty in the phrasing of this request. The parallels of the structure echo the parallels of the action, linking His Torah to His will to our submitted and repentant hearts. How much more effective to ask for a desire to return than to speak empty words with a heart that is turned away from Him.
Thanks Skip!