Date: September 14th 2017

Beginning on the first day of the month of Ellul and ending 40 days later with Yom Kippur, Jews focus particularly upon teshuva (repentance).” In an effort to further arouse stirrings of teshuva, we translated an excerpt on teshuva taken from the classic Torah work, “Menorat Hamaor” written by Rabbi Yitzchak Abohav in the 14th Century. (Some believe that it was written by a different Rabbi from that same family with the same name who lived in the 15th century.) To preserve the flavor of the original, the translation is mostly literal, and the syntax may therefore seem peculiar at times. We hope our readers will find it inspiring.


In Section 5-1-1-3 of Menorat Hamaor the author writes that the character of those who either choose to repent or refuse to do so can be illustrated by parable. Its translation follows:

To what can this be compared - to people who were traveling on the ocean. Their ship was waylaid for a long time, and they did not arrive at their destination. On one day, a strong wind blew and carried the ship and the people until they reached an island in the midst of the ocean. It was surrounded by ocean on all sides. On that island there were very tall trees that bore fruit and types of delights; and every one was beautiful to behold and good to eat. And on that island there were springs of water that were sweeter than honey. They gushed forth and watered the entire island so that its vegetation grew and there was abundant grass and flowers, and the tree branches were bedecked and clothed by their offspring (the fruits). And upon them (the trees), all manner of birds alighted and chirped. The place was a ‘wonderful wine’ for human habitation – among the springs of water under the overhang of the trees.

On the ship there were five categories of people. The first group did not wish to disembark from the boat to go to the island. They said, “If we leave, a very strong wind might suddenly blow and carry away the ship, and we will be left on the island. For the enjoyment of the one hour that we will be upon the island with the pleasures of its fruit, we will be lost if the boat departs and we are left on the island to die.”

The second group left the boat and entered the island, but they did not tarry. Rather, they ate sparingly of the fruits and briefly toured the island and then returned immediately to the ship. There they found their places that they had abandoned which they then reclaimed. As a result, they were able to continue traveling comfortably. Ultimately, they did not lose out because they entered the island.

The third group left the boat for the island and ate from the trees and toured the island where they stayed until the winds began to blow. The sailors wanted to depart, and they blew their horns, as was their custom when beginning a journey. When the people heard the sound of the horns, they suddenly became fearful for their lives, and they entered the ship. There they only found places for themselves that were already partially occupied. But they were able to find berthing with difficulty, although it was not as roomy as what they had previously.

The fourth group ate from the fruits of the trees and swam off the island and traveled over all of its area. When they heard the sound of horns they said: “Even though they blew on the horns, they will not leave until they raise the mast.” When they raised the mast they said: “They will not depart until they raised the flag (atop the ship).” When they raised the flag they said: “They will not leave until the sailors have eaten a meal.” And throughout all of this, they stayed on the island, eating from its fruit, becoming intoxicated by the wine of their pleasure. This continued until the sailors finished their meal and began steering the ship, which then began to move. Once it was already moving they said: “If we tarry now for one moment, the ship will leave and we will be lost and destroyed.” Immediately they ran to the shore of the islands and waded into the ocean, thereby endangering themselves. They reached the boat, which they were able to enter, and they found very tigh
t spaces for themselves, which they occupied with difficulty. They did not have as much space as those who did not tarry so long on the island.

The fifth group stayed on the islands eating, drinking, and rejoicing. They did not pay any attention to returning to the boat until it had already departed and they were left wandering on the island. The days of summer passed. The cold weather arrived, at which time the fruits fell from the trees and their leaves dried up, and they were left with desolation by day and bitter cold by night. Various dangerous animals then appeared from the island, and they destroyed some of the people, tearing them apart and eating their bodies. The survivors were left weeping and mourning the fact that they did not enter the ship. It did not help them at all. They stayed on the island until they were completely lost and destroyed. They were thus cut off from both the ship and the island.


So it is (continues Rabbi Abohav) with a person in this world. One's good deeds are comparable to the ship. If one will go with a perfect heart and stay his course to serve his Creator without being drawn by his evil inclination to follow the lusts and foolishness of the world, that person will enter (this world) in peace and leave (this world) in peace. Similar to the first group of people who did not want to enter the island are the completely righteous people who never tasted sin in their lifetimes, and conquered their evil inclinations, and did not pursue the lusts of this world. Rather, they stayed at their spot and guarded their places and did not enter the island - which is compared to sin that seduces a person with its pleasure. One who follows after it will be lost, while one who avoids it will be saved.

The second group that entered the island and left immediately are similar to people who tasted sin and repented immediately - in the days of their youth. This is the most desirable form of repentance, as we have already said.

The third group that did not leave the islands until they heard the sound of the horns on the ship are compared to people who did not repent until the time of their old age. Once they saw that their remaining time on this world was brief, they repented before dying as evil people. Even though they are baalei teshuva (people who have repented), their place is not as comfortable as those before them.

The fourth group who did not leave the island until the ship began to move and waited until they had had no more than a moment to enter the ship are compared to people who do not repent until the moment of their death. They fear because they see their lives ebbing and they have no more time upon this world. They repent because of their fear of death. And even though this repentance helps them, their place is not as comfortable as those before them.

The fifth group who stayed on the islands until the ship left and they were left wandering and weeping and mourning which did not help them - they are compared to people who are immersed in this world in the depths of their desires who follow the dictates of the evil inclination and never repent until they finally die in their sinful state."

R. Abohav concludes by describing the eternal suffering of one who departs this world without repentance, comparing it to the suffering of those left on the island to die.



May we all merit to realize the most perfect form of repentance attainable.

Ktiva V’Chatima Tova!



This Dvar was previously emailed on September 23rd 2012.




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