Excuses - Excuses

We say in our yom kippur vidui - על חטא שחטאנו לפניך באונס וברצון. We confess the sins done out of our free will and those done from אונס - extenuating circumstances. All of the commentaries cannot believe their eyes!! Why do we have to receive atonement for sins done out of אונס. We know that אונס רחמנא פטריה - Hashem forgives אונס. It is not our fault. Cut me some slack.

Dude.

Rav Kook writes in Oiiiroissss Hatshuva that the foundation of tshuva is אחריות - personal responsibility. So much of our lives we make excuses. "I can't", "I am unable", "I'd love to but", "maybe a different time" etc. etc.

Comes teshuva and says "STOP MAKING EXCUSES THAT YOU CAN'T AND THAT IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT".

How many times I have heard "I would like to learn more, but....." RIBBONO SHEL OIIILLAAAMMM, I want to cry out, are you in a Siberian labor camp?? If you want to learn more, then LEARN MORE. Even if you DON'T want to learn more, learn more. I don't want to do a lot of things but responsibility requires that I do them anyway.  

We are sorry Hashem for making excuses......:-)

לע"נ מרת אסתר בת שמואל ולזכות אברהם מרדכי בן נעכא גיטל