Friday, January 19, 2007

Daf Yomi - Taanis 11 - REPENTANCE ON THE LOCATION AND THE DAY

The Chachamim said that when it is time for a person to depart this world, all of his deeds leave him and they ask him if he committed a sin on such and such a day in such and such a place. He responds that he did and he signs affirming the record of his deeds. The person then declares that he was judged correctly.

Why is it necessary to declare the name of the place that he committed the transgression? What difference does it make?

The Ben Ish Chai writes that it is well known that when a person commits a sin, there is a spirit of tumah that remains in that location. This will be harmful to anyone that happens on this place in the future because the power of that tumah will cause them to stumble in sin.

This is why a person must mention the place where he committed the transgression when he is repenting since he will be punished not only for the sin but also for anyone that sins because of the tumah hovering in that location.

What is the importance of mentioning the day that the sin was committed? The Ben Ish Chai continues that there is a general Judgment every day where all the mitzvos that were performed are placed on one side of the scale and all the transgressions committed are placed on the opposite side. It is possible that because of his sin on that day, the scale tipped towards the transgressions and not towards the mitzvos. He must repent for this, as well.

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