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One Second, I am getting an invitation!

 שׁ֚וּבָה יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל עַ֖ד יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ כִּ֥י כָשַׁ֖לְתָּ בַּעֲוֺנֶֽךָ  (Hoseah,14:2- Haftara of Shabbos Shuva)

Return, O Israel, to the [Hashem] your God, For you have fallen, stumbled because of your sin.


Why are you doing Teshuvah?

Do I need a Navie to tell me to do Teshuvah because I sinned?


What does the word עַ֖ד mean in the verse?

עַ֖ד means to come toward. 


Therefore, שׁ֚וּבָה יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל Return, O Israel, is an invitation to reach toward Hashem, and not because you sinned but because you are down, so therefore the Navie says ,"just start the process".  If you are only doing Teshuvah because we are down it is still okay and that is this Nevuah, prophecy. 


That is why many people use this intention of coming toward Hashem, שׁ֚וּבָה יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל עַ֖ד יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ when taking the three steps up in Shmone Esray, the Amidah prayer.


First step: I am getting an invitation..שׁ֚וּבָה יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל, Return O Israel.  Hashem is reaching His hand   anthropomorphically out to us

Second Step: You come toward Me - עַ֖ד , Just start the process , one little step..

Third step: Hashem Elokecha, You have not lost Me.


It is not just an invitation to come back, but an invitation to fix the whole world!.


Why are you down? You know, just make a little bit better, and you will fix the whole world!  That is what is possible in Shabbos Shuva.


It's in that moment when you're in a world of Teshuvah,

A world in which you're approaching forgiveness, and atonement .

You don't have to give up hope completely because of an Aveira because we have this gift of Shabbos, which is your invitation to come back, and you can change the world.


Concepts Shared by: Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, n’’y 

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