It is never too soon to begin preparing our souls for the High Holidays TB Sotah 3

Community adultery has dire consequences for the couple. Of course, whether the husband or the wife commits adultery, the trust that the marriage is built upon is destroyed. Rebuilding the trust is so difficult that many marriages end in divorce. Daf TB Sotah 3 teaches us that our actions have consequences. How we behave determines whether we feel God’s presence in our lives or not. Our actions not only have consequences in this world, but also in the world to come.

“And Rav Ḥisda says: Initially, before the Jewish people sinned, the Divine Presence resided with each and every one of them, as it is stated: “For the Lord your God walks in the midst of your camp” (Deuteronomy 23:15). Once they sinned, the Divine Presence withdrew from them, as it is stated in that same verse: “That He see no unseemly matter in you, and turn away from you” (Deuteronomy 23:15), teaching that when there is an “unseemly matter” among the Jewish people, the Divine Presence no longer resides among them.

“Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani says that Rabbi Yonatan says: Anyone who fulfills one mitzva in this world, that mitzva precedes him and goes before him to the World-to-Come, as it is stated: “And your righteousness shall go before you, the glory of the Lord shall be your reward” (Isaiah 58:8). And anyone who commits one transgression in this world, it shrouds him and goes before him to the Day of Judgment, as it is stated: “The paths of their way do wind, they go up into the waste, and are lost” (Job 6:18).

“Rabbi Elazar says: The transgression is chained to him and accompanies him like a dog, as it is stated concerning Joseph’s refusal to commit adultery with the wife of Potiphar: “That he listened not to her, to lie by her, or to be with her” (Genesis 39:10), which is understood to mean: If he would agree “to lie by her” in this world, the result would be that he would have “to be with her” forever, as the transgression would accompany him to the World-to-Come.” (Sefaria.org translation)

When I taught between minkha and ma’ariv on Shabbat, I told everybody as a rabbi as soon as I’m done dealing with anxiety of cleaning and preparing for Passover, I begin to be anxious about the High Holidays because they are only six months away. TB Sotah 3 reminds us that our actions have consequences. It is never too early to reflect upon our lives, recognize what we’ve done wrong, and do teshuvah, repentance, in order to become the person, we truly want to be.