Once upon a time there was a young and very hungry fox. He loved to kill and eat sheep. He would dart out of the forest a few times each day to visit one farm after another and grab a sheep. The local farmers were furious, and decided to band together and rid the forest of all the foxes. The great chief of the pack, an ancient fox, desperate to prevent a massacre, met with the farmers and promised to deal with the young killer.

The youngster realized the evil of his ways and begged his great chief to guide him in Teshuva – Repentance. So, the old fox began to teach him how to change his ways. As they began to work together, the young fox noticed a nice fat sheep wandering just at the edge of the forest. He began to salivate and asked his teacher, “Can we do this Teshuva quickly? I have something else to do!” The fox chief took care of the farmers’ business. (Sefer HaTeshuva of the Meiri)

Although we appreciate the opportunity to repair our relationship with God, many of us can’t wait until our normal lives resume. These days demand effort, attention and awareness. Our lives over the next month will constantly switch back and forth between Holyday and weekday. We too, see the fat sheep just outside the forest, and part of us says, “Can we do this quickly?”

The Meiri urges us to remember that our glance outside the forest, to the days immediately following the Days of Awe, reflects on the quality of our Teshuva.

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