SHAAALOOOOM SWWWEEEETEST FRIENDS!!!!!
A huuuuge mazel to my beloved friends Rabbi and Mrs. Ari Lichtman on the birth of their son Yehuda Yaakov Chaim [ben HaRav Ari Binyamin ben Sara Machla]. May he grow up to be a beacon of light unto the world!!! Much nachas and keyin yirbu!!!
In this weeks parsha, Ki Tavo, we read about vidui maasros. This was a declaration said in the fourth and seventh year of the Shmittah cycle, ideally in the Beis Hamikdash, where we announce that we properly distributed all of our tithes [maasros] to the right sources - Kohanim, Leviim, Orphans and widows.
The question is why it is called "וידוי" which is a term normally associated with admitting guilt. On Yom Kippur we says lots of vidui because we did lots of sins, so why do we call this vidui when we say just the opposite - we didn't sin but did everything right??
In the recent Chag Hasmicha at Yeshivas Rabbeinu Yitzchak Elchonon [where the future overworked, underpaid and underappreciated Rabbonim of Klal Yisrael were ordained], R' Julius Berman said the following idea in the name of his Rebbi, known in the Heights as "The Rov".
" ... In his inimitable fashion, the Rov started off by referring to the creation of the world, as reflected in the Torah in the beginning of Bereishis. The Rov pointed out that the Torah repeatedly states in the course of creation that וירא אלקים כי טוב, and G-d saw that it was good. And then finally, in noting the conclusion of creation, after six days, the Torah states וירא אלקים את כל אשר עשה והנה טוב מאוד, And G-d saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.
The Rov asked a simple question.
Is it really necessary for Hashem to look back to his creation and conclude that "it was good"? Could it really have been otherwise? Is there a suggestion here that G-d may have, of his own free will, created something and then turned around and said that he had, if one could be so bold as to use the phrase, 'goofed'?
The Rov went on to answer his own question [my note - Rabbis have a tendency to do that:-)].
Obviously, there is no real issue as to whether what G-d had created was good in his eyes. In his eyes it could not have been otherwise. But G-d was teaching us a lesson, as to how we, as simple human beings, should relate to our own past activities during life. Normally, when we look back at our actions during the year, there is a tendency to focus upon the defects or deficiencies, in our performance, with the hope that we can correct them, by resolving to do better in the future. However, pointed out the Rav, there are times in one's life when one should, upon reflection, focus upon the positive aspects of one's past activities. Not only Hashem, but every human being, has the right, and indeed the duty, והלכת בדרכיו (imitatio Dei), to reflect upon one's past activities, and acknowledge achievements and accomplishments. And that is what G-d taught us when he bothered to look back at his own creation and judge its merits."
We can use that beautiful idea here as well [there is a chance that I once heard it in Rav Soloveitchik's name - but I definitely heard it somewhere]: The word וידוי comes from the word הודאה - admission. We generally admit fault. But this is another type of admitting. We admit that we did a GREAT JOB!!! In life, we have to cut ourselves some slack more often. We have to be forgiving of our shortcomings and very proud of our accomplishments. We have to look back and "admit it" - we did SUPER DEEDS!!
Think about this past year: We all said tens of thousands of brachos!!! WOW-EEE!!! We all gave from our hard earned money to those less fortunate!! SO HOLLLYYYY!! We all said "I love you" to people we loved. Every word of affection is worth more than all of the money in the world can buy. Ask any wealthy person if they would give up all of their money to have their loved ones who are no longer alive back here with them and they would unhesitatingly agree because love is worth more than anything money can buy. And you made someone feel loved!! What an accomplishment.
You kept Shabbos!! Every second you were keeping Shabbos properly you were getting mitzvos. Commandment number 4. HUUUUGEE!
You honored your parents/grandparents/spouse/Rav etc. etc. The list goes on and on. How many guests did you have at your house? How many meals did you either prepare for others or at least pay for [family included - nobody else would support them as generally as you do. To get 5 dollars from another person no matter how rich is a very difficult task (I have tried unsuccessfully to get people to donate to good causes on countless occasions) whereas my parents and yours gave us a free ride, all expenses paid, until we reached adulthood. The gemara considers that a high form of tzedaka. Tzedaka, as I have written and spoken so many times - begins in the home].
MILLIONS OF MITZVOS!! FEEEELL GOOD ABOUT YOURSELF. That is the lesson of vidui maasros. Look back and congratulate yourself for your great accomplishments. Once you do that then the job of admitting error will be so much easier because your sense of self worth and self esteem have skyrocketed.
Love yourself because you contribute to this world what nobody else can or does. The very fact that you are here is living proof that Hashem wants your presence here and values your contribution that you have already and will make in the future to the world. In the words of one of all of our Rebbeim from the youngest age - Dr. Seuss [who was a Dr. like I am a ballerina]:
May we all appreciate ourselves [and others] and have the sweetest Shabbos of our lives!!!
Much love,
Me 
