Article published by Visavis on October 4, 2022

Yom Kippur is a Teshuvah day: reflection, repentance and return to the right path.

In chapter 4 of Teshuva’s Halachot in his book Mishneh Torah, Maimonides presents a list of 24 attitudes that prevent or make it impossible for people to correct the course of their lives.

If we do not act on time, we generate a habituation mechanism: wrong behavior becomes a habit that permeates our routine and it becomes difficult to get rid of it. To help the reader, we have simplified the list proposed by Maimonides and synthesized it into ten essential aspects:

Set a bad example.

People who influence society, due to their leadership position – such as politicians, opinion makers, labor managers, etc. – have the imperative to carry out exemplary conduct, adjusted to objective moral guidelines and encourage their observance by society. Whoever holds a position of influence in society and encourages the transgression of moral norms or deprives society of acting morally, is committing one of the most serious sins because it encourages the destruction and disintegration of society.

Not taking education seriously.

Being indifferent to children or students who make mistakes and not trying to act to banish vices from them is a very serious mistake. We should be rigorous and wise in teaching (without causing authoritarianism or dictatorial expressions). Taking an active role to eradicate their vices is important to show that we seek the best for them.

Sin and apologize repeatedly.

Thinking that one can act immorally and then repent so that God and society will forgive the offense is a trick to encourage sin. This type of deception towards oneself only results in a greater proclivity to error. People should try to act in the best way and not look for excuses or gadgets like this. In principle, one must be predisposed to carry out a correct conduct and take responsibility for the consequences derived from one’s own actions.

Withdraw from society.

The human being is par excellence a social being. We cannot withdraw or be indifferent to the problems of the environment. We have a commitment to the needs of others. We can all contribute a personal and unique effort to the progress of society.

Be arrogant

We should be predisposed to listen and recognize our mistakes. Plunging into pride prevents fruitful dialogue and correct reasoning. Living full of arrogance and not accepting dialogue generates avoidable mistakes. On the contrary, being humble allows us to open up to dialogue and learn from all people.

Evade the law

A person should never take advantage of the supposed legislative imperfections and abuse their interpretation to encourage their evasion and consequent transgression. Ridiculing some isolated and decontextualized aspect of the law is a simple shortcut to neglect it, with the excuse that it is silly, obsolete or useless. We should consider that the law is wise and follow it to set the course of society.

(Read more: Yom Kippur begins this Tuesday at sunset, the holiest day of the Jewish people)

Look down on the wise and the elderly

The people who denigrate their teachers and parents show a lack of gratitude and express that they do not value the effort and wisdom of their predecessors. Maintaining a relationship of reverence and respect makes you value the wisdom and favor received and helps to build a respectful society.

Reject criticism

The person who tends to ignore a partner’s well-meaning rebuke and reacts defensively believes that he or she is always right. The correct thing would be to accept our perfectible character and, consequently, be reluctant to criticize. If this is not done, we run the risk of not developing our potential and innate greatness.

Slander

Whoever publicly defames and slanders is condemning a person and their family and/or environment to be the scum of society: you are killing them while they are alive and that generates social disruption that leads to anarchy. If you wish to warn the public of a sinner in order to protect society from the damage that may be caused, you must, even in that case -in which you are sure of the dangers that the sinner can cause- go first to the courts. We should not spread the fault of the sinner to the world without any control, so as not to reduce the possibility of his repentance and not to condemn his environment, his family and his descendants.

Get angry

Those who get angry threaten the lives of others and their own, lose their minds and act against the foundations of wisdom, leading the world to destruction. Anger makes us lose our temper and control of our behavior, causing us to act impulsively. Therefore, we have to try to stop and reflect before making a decision.

All these attitudes are well known for their high harmful level and fighting them will result in a better society. We hope that we have the strength not to fall into this type of behavior and, if we do, we trust that we will seek wise strategies to recover as individuals and as societies.

Source: www.visavis.com.ar