You CAN change the past.

A few months before the passing of Rabbi Pinchas Menachem Alter of Ger, an honorable writer came to him in Israel from the United States, to receive approbation for the new book he had just authored.

Before I continue, let me preface with something. It is well known, righteous G-dly people know they are about to pass from this world. Some know a day, three days, a month, or more, when that final day will come. This gives them a chance to prepare, both for themselves and for all those they are connected to.

Back to our story.

Rabbi Pinchas blessed him and then said, more like speaking to himself; “I too am writing a book and I hope it will be a decent respectable book. I am not sure – but I hope it will be a good book.”

The writer looked puzzled, and Rabbi Pinchas said the following. “(In “the ethics of our fathers” it encourages us to always remember) all your deeds are written in a book.” And continued, “I am hoping my book, will be a good book.”  It was not long after that episode, the Rabbi’s book was handed in to Heaven.

As we come close to the end of this year, we are wrapping up another chapter of our book. Our sages share with us the opportunity, G-d grants us in this last month of the year, before the great days of judgment and the High Holidays.

When the Israelites all lived in Israel and someone killed another unintentionally, there was a fear that the relative of the dead person might want to take revenge, so  G-d provided cities of refuge that would protect the killer as a result of his accident.

When a person transgressed intentionally on purpose, but then they sincerely, regret the deed they did wrong, so in the eyes of G-d what they did, becomes considered an unintentional accidental sin. At this point in their lives, and with the current realization that they acted very foolishly when disregarding the rules, what they did, is considered a mistake.

It should follow from the above, that if someone murdered on purpose, intentionally, and he ran to the cities of refuge and sincerely regrets and repented for his terrible deed, he should be protected from any further punishments, because at this point, we say what was done is acknowledged by the perpetrator as being wrong!

However, it is only G-d who reads hearts. A court must judge by what they see and hear. Therefore, no matter what this individual NOW feels about his horrendous act, the courts must proceed with the law and order, the punishments the Bible prescribes, for what was intentional at THAT moment.

But once again. Right now, the person is a different person than the one who murdered shamelessly and viscously. How can a just and merciful G-d allow for the ultimate punishment of death, for an individual who is considered unintentional and totally sorry to his core for what he recognizes as a terrible wrong act?

And here lies the very powerful message.

In the cities of refuge even if only temporarily, everyone was protected, intentional and unintentional murderers and killers.  It was considered awfully extreme, legally very difficult and very uncommon for a court to punish someone with death.

The power of repentance and regret is so powerful, that if the remorse was deep enough and truly sincere, G-d who is always reading our hearts and in control of every detail in the universe, would orchestrate things in such a way the person legally would never end up on death row.

This month, before the High Holidays is the month of refuge from all that was done this past year. In this month we are protected. If we only look internally, with sincere intentions, we have the power to even change the past, so our future is written up, for a sweet healthy and happy New Year.