It turns out that there are those who experience the days of Elul, Rosh Hashanah, the Ten Days of Repentance, and Yom Kippur as difficult and burdensome times. The terror of judgment consumes them. The words Elul, repentance, self-examination, correction - arouse in them anxiety and depression.
Indeed, until the emergence of Hasidism, there was a widespread tendency to focus on these days on preaching morality, exposing sins and transgressions, and warning against heavenly punishments, God forbid.
The Baal Shem Tov and his disciples offered a different style. They stirred the masses of the House of Israel to repentance and correction of their actions not through warnings and threats, but by emphasizing the love of God, the Holy One, for each and every one of the children of Israel.
Two wings
The truth is that both paths exist in our Torah. On Shabbat, we read in the Torah the parsha of "Tocheva," in which harsh warnings appear for the people of Israel if they deviate from the path of the Torah. Even in education in general, there is a place for "your father's teachings." The teachings of Hasidism itself explain in detail that the worship of God should be based on two foundations, love and fear. These two emotions are likened to the two wings of a bird, which cannot fly on one wing and needs both.
But what should be the central motive in a Jew's life? Hasidism emphasizes love. The work of the Creator should be done out of joy, inner identification and love for God. Of course, there must be an element of fear of God, so that the person is careful not to deviate from the right path, but the dominant emotions should be love and joy.
In the month of Elul, the shofar is blown, the purpose of which is to arouse fear in hearts, and at the same time, Hasidism emphasizes the closeness of God to us, the fact that these days are days of will and mercy, in which it is possible to reach a deeper connection with the Creator of the world.
This is the path of Hasidism in the service of God in general. Instead of wallowing in evil traits, human weaknesses, human sins and dark passions, it elevates man to a higher spiritual world, until negative things are automatically rejected. Instead of beating the darkness with a stick, it teaches to light a light, and then the darkness disappears of its own accord.
The effective way
When a person makes fear of punishment a central factor in his life, he becomes dull, devoid of joy and happiness, since the driving force behind him is fear and worry. In contrast, when the emphasis is on the positive side and the virtue of drawing close to God, the person dwells in a spiritual world of holiness and love for God.
When he studies and reflects on the greatness of God, the wonder of the Torah, the beauty of the commandments - he automatically rises above the inferior affairs of the world. He does not need to fight against negative things, for he is disgusted with and despises them. Such a Jew is filled with vigor and joy, for he is imbued with positive energy.
Of course, such a style is also effective in addressing others. When you speak to another Jew with love and affection and draw his heart to the beauty of the Torah and its commandments, he will also respond with joy and love. Thus, Maimonides teaches us that the way to return Jews to the path of the Torah is to "speak words of peace, until they return to the firmness of the Torah.".
It is therefore possible to return even from love.
