Shabbat Shuva/Haazinu - The Last Ember

Don't let this precious moment in time slip away.

In most years the third day of Tishrei, would be Tzom Gedalia, the fast day of Gedalia, but this year it is a “nidcheh,” it is deferred, and we will observe it on Sunday because it is not one of the fasts permissible on Shabbat. Nonetheless, Tzom Gedalia holds a special significance, beyond the fact that like most Rabbinical fast days, it commemorates the destruction of the Beit Hamikdash. It is intentionally set during the period of Teshuva between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, so a special message must be reflected in that timing. 

Moreover, Shabbat Shuva is a day with its own significance.  Shabbat and shuva have the same root, Shav, meaning “return” and “rest”.  In a sense, this is the most fundamental Shabbat of the year, and insight into Shabbat Shuva will enhance our understanding of Shabbat throughout the year. 

To fully understand the significance of Tzom Gedalia and its place in the days of teshuva, we need to examine the historical context. The events took place near the end of the First Temple period, after Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylonia, destroyed the Beit Hamikdash and exiled the ten tribes of Israel.

Nebuchadnezzar allowed a small Jewish presence to remain in Israel as a vassal state. Gedalia, a righteous Jew, was appointed governor, creating a brief period of stability. Many Jews who had fled the chaos of war returned, seeing it as a new beginning.

Gedalia believed that Jewish survival depended on cooperation with Babylonia, but not all agreed. A rebel faction led by Yishmael ben Netanya, backed by King Balis of Ammon, plotted to assassinate Gedalia and seize control. Despite multiple warnings about Yishmael’s intentions, Gedalia refused to act, dismissing the warnings as lashon hara—believing it wrong to act on rumors. Even when urged to protect himself, Gedalia trusted Yishmael's outward peacefulness and dismissed the threat.

Yishmael, under the pretense of seeking compromise, assassinated Gedalia and his household, shattering Jewish autonomy. Later, Yishmael massacred a group of pilgrims traveling to Jerusalem who were unaware the Beit Hamikdash had been destroyed. The verse in Yirmiyahu strangely attributes this massacre to Gedalia, and the Gemara in Mesechet Nida 61a explains that Gedalia bore responsibility for ignoring credible warnings, allowing the situation to escalate.

Based on this passage, Rava taught that while we must be cautious with lashon hara, ignoring valid concerns can be just as dangerous, especially when lives are at stake.

The Rambam teaches in Hilchot Taaniot 5:1 that the reason we fast on rabbinic fast days is not just to commemorate the destruction of the Beit Hamikdash. We fast to stop in our tracks, because, as Rambam writes: 

ומעשה אבותינו שהיה כמעשנו עתה

the actions of our forefathers are like our actions today. [Mishne Torah, Fasts 5:1]

In other words, we tend to repeat the mistakes of our ancestors. In Halacha 2, Rambam further explains what we commemorate on Tzom Gedalia:

ונכבת גחלת ישראל הנשארה

the remaining ember of hope for the Jewish people was extinguished.

We fast not only to recall historical events but because we continue to repeat the mistakes of our ancestors, perpetuating our exile by failing to act with the urgency required. When we don’t recognize the fragility of our situation—like the last ember of Israel—opportunities slip away. Gedalia, had he truly internalized the gravity of the moment, would have acted differently, rather than dismissing the warnings as lashon hara. He is blamed for the murder of innocents because he didn’t act with the seriousness the situation required.

This teaches us a powerful lesson: if we fail to assess situations logically and act when it’s crunch time, we risk allowing something catastrophic to happen. We can’t afford to ignore reality when critical moments arise.

It’s notable that this year, Tzom Gedalia is immediately followed by October 7, marking the first anniversary of that tragic day, which has sparked deep soul-searching in Israel about what could have been done to prevent the horrors of that day and its aftermath. It has also prompted reflection among Jews worldwide, asking: What does it mean to be Jewish, and why is there so much hatred against us? This anniversary, following Tzom Gedalia, underscores the lesson that we must be fully aware of life’s fragility and seize the opportunities before us—like teshuva, returning to God in this final week of the Ten Days of Teshuva leading up to Yom Kippur.

This is the message of Tzom Gedalia, Shabbat in general, Shabbat Shuva, and the days before Yom Kippur especially in the aftermath of October 7: now is a time of urgency.

The Rambam writes that Yom Kippur is

קץ סליחה ומחילה לישראל

The final opportunity for forgiveness for the Jewish people [Hilchot Teshuva 2:7]

It is our last chance. When it’s your last chance, you give it everything you have because time is running out. We must treat this week with the seriousness it warrants.

Shabbat—and especially Shabbat Shuva, and especially Shabbat Shuva this year—is not a day to rest on our laurels. It’s a unique opportunity to return to God, one that will never come again. Now is the time to speak to God one-on-one, to connect in whatever way we can. It may be difficult for some of us, but this is the moment to figure it out. The last ember is burning—don’t let it go out.

Shana Tova,

Rabbi Eliezer Hirsch