Rabbi Weinberg's Elul Thought for the Day

Wed August 26

Today is the sixth day of Elul!

 א"ר יונתן גדולה תשובה שמקרבת את הגאולה, שנאמר ובא לציון גואל ולשבי פשע ביעקב, מה טעם ובא לציון גואל, משום דשבי פשע ביעקב

Rabbi Yonatan said: Great is repentance, which hastens the redemption, as it is stated: “And a redeemer will come to Zion, and to those who repent from transgression in Jacob” (Isaiah 59:20). What is the reason that a redeemer will come to Zion? It is because there are those who repent from transgression in Jacob. (Gemara Yoma 86b)

We normally think of our teshuva as an extremely private affair that changes us as individuals.  In reality, our individual teshuva has a cosmic effect as well.  Every one of us that works hard to come closer to Hashem and to His Torah is also  bringing about greater redemption to the world as a whole.  May that redemption come very soon!