The Fast of Gedalya, commemorating the tragic murder of the leader of the remnant in Judah after the Destruction of the First Beit HaMikdash, is also the third day of the Asseret Yemei Teshuva (Ten Days of Repentance) and the first day of Slihot for Asseret Yemei Teshuva. In Ashkenazi communities the central prayer of today’s Slihot is called Horeita Derekh Teshuva L’Bat HaShoveivah (You have shown the path of repentance to the wayward daughter). It is said responsively with the entire congregation and it speaks of the sins and Teshuva of a number of people in Tanakh.
Adam eats from the forbidden fruit and then blames Hava. As a result, he and his descendants will have to toil the earth in order to have a livelihood. He is expelled from the Garden of Eden. God does not abandon him, though.
Kayin, after bringing an offering that was not acceptable to God but sees that his brother’s offering was accepted, commits the first murder. He, like, Adam, first attempts to hide from God, but then is stricken by the enormity of the guilt that stays with him.
Read and listen more about Adam and Kayin, possible reasons for Kayin’s rejected offering, Kayin and Hevel, and Kayin’s potential motives.
Reuven is there with the brothers when they throw Yosef into the pit. He attempts to save Yosef by himself, but he is too late – Yosef has already been removed from the pit and sold. Reuven also interferes with the intimate life of his father. Reuven tries to make up for his sins later on, and expresses anguish for not adequately protecting Yosef.
Read more about Reuven’s sin involving Bilhah and his attempt to save Yosef.
Yehuda, like Reuven, balks at the thought of killing a brother. Yehuda suggests to the other brothers that they sell Yosef instead of killing him. They agree, but the monstrous decision of leaving their brother to a cruel fate in a foreign land haunts him later, when he realizes the full horror and takes responsibility for his actions. Yehuda also sins in his conduct with his daughter-in-law, first preventing her from her yibum (levirate) rights with his remaining son, and then, after unwittingly engaging in an intimate encounter with her, sends her to be burned when she becomes pregnant. When she reveals to him what happened, he rescinds the order and acknowledges his sins and culpability.
Read and listen to various perspectives of the Yehuda and Tamar story, as well as to an analysis of the moment where Yehuda demonstrates to Yosef that he has changed for the better.
Ahav is a complicated character. A king of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, he marries Izevel, a foreign idol-worshipper and followers her lead, spreading Baal worship and forcing the worshippers of God to go into hiding in fear of being killed. He stands up to the King of Aram and prevails, with the help of God. He persecutes the prophets of God, but also seeks them out. He generally seems to care about his constituents- when he covets Navot’s vineyard, he asks to buy it and offers a generous replacement. When Navot refuses, Ahav is distressed but does not threaten Navot. Ahav, however, gives Izevel free reign to do as she pleases. She then sets up a kangaroo court with false witnesses to declare a fast, to execute Navot on false charges and confiscates his property, causing the vineyard to become the property of King Ahav. After Ahav is confronted by the prophet Eliyahu, he becomes very remorseful, mourns, and does his best to repent.
Read more about the fascinating figure of Ahav, his moment of faith, and his involvement in the terrible crime against Navot.
The People of Nineveh (in the time of the prophet Yona) were so steeped in sin that God commanded Yona to tell them that Nineveh would be “overturned” in forty days’ time- a word reminiscent of the overturning and complete destruction of the City of Sodom. The people of Nineveh heeded Yona’s warning and, at the order of the king, engaged in major communal fasting and repentance. Yona struggles with the idea that such a strong Divine decree of destruction can be thus cancelled as God demonstrates an emphasis on the values of compassion and mercy.
Read more about the story of Yona and the people of Ninveh and about God saving Yona from destruction, as well.
