Approaching Yom Kippur: The Secret of the Ten Martyrs and the Atonement for the Sale of Yosef

Lesson No. 437 | Sunday, Parashat Va'etchanan, 9th of Av 5765.

On Yom Kippur, we read the awesome kinah (lamentation) about the Ten Martyrs (Asarah Harugei Malchut). This article reveals how their self-sacrifice atones for the sin of the sale of Yosef in every generation, the secret of hitbodedut that turned the fire into cool dew for Rabbi Chanina ben Teradion, and the power to sweeten all harsh decrees.

We are about to recite the most awesome of all kinot, the kinah of the "Ten Martyrs" (Asarah Harugei Malchut). The Gemara in Tractate Avodah Zarah and the holy Zohar describe the moments when these ten tzaddikim were taken to be killed. When they learned of the decree, they ascended on high in trepidation and inquired of Hashem. They did an hour of hitbodedut, because when a person does an hour of hitbodedut every day, he can reach the level of prophecy.

The Midrash in "Pirkei Heichalot" describes all the tortures that the Ten Martyrs endured. The moment Reuven saw that Yosef was gone, he cried out:

"The boy is gone, and I, where shall I go?"

At that moment, he knew with his ruach hakodesh (divine inspiration) that now ten sons, the ten greatest tzaddikim, would have to come in every generation and be killed in order to atone for this. In every generation, there are Ten Martyrs. Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev used to say that even those who were killed in Uman were in the aspect of the Ten Martyrs.

Until the King Mashiach comes, we are still atoning for the sale of Yosef, for throwing him into the pit and torturing him in Egypt for twelve years in prison, as it is written:

"They afflicted his foot with fetters, his soul was placed in iron."

Just as they took Yosef from the valley of Dothan to Egypt with cruel blows and broke his bones while he was screaming and crying, so too in every generation they take the people of Israel in death trains and with terrible tortures to extermination camps. All this is because we still have not atoned for what we did to Yosef.

The Cry of the Sun and the Vengeance for Jewish Blood

The holy Arizal explains Reuven's cry, "And I (Ani), where (Anah) shall I go." The word "Ani" (אני) hints at "E-l nekamot Hashem" (God of vengeance, Hashem), and the word "Anah" (אנה) hints at "E-l nekamot hofia" (God of vengeance, appear). Reuven saw that he failed to save Yosef, and understood that in every generation tzaddikim would be taken and undergo all the tortures in the world. Therefore, the holy Zohar says, when we say in prayer "E-l nekamot Hashem, E-l nekamot hofia," we must have in mind the Ten Martyrs.

The holy Arizal reveals an awesome secret about the verse, "Give thanks to Hashem, call upon His name, make known His deeds among the nations." The sun does not want to shine until the spilled blood of Israel is avenged. The sun does not truly shine, it is only an illusion, until they shoot spears and iron lances at it, as it is written in Habakkuk:

"Sun and moon stood still in their habitation; at the light of Your arrows they go, at the shining of Your glittering spear."

The sun cries out every day, and its song before sunrise is "Give thanks to Hashem, call upon His name." Therefore, one who does not see new miracles and wonders every day, about him it is said:

"And they do not regard the work of Hashem, nor do they see the deed of His hands."

Feeling Hashem at Every Moment

A Jew who recites the Shema without tefillin testifies falsely. If a person shouts "Shema Yisrael Hashem Elokeinu Hashem Echad" without tefillin, he does not truly know what "Hashem is One" means. A Jew who delays the time for reciting the Shema shows that he does not feel the reality of Hashem in the world; he feels only his body and "my strength and the might of my hand." If he had felt that there is Hashem, he would have jumped out of his bed to shout "Give thanks to Hashem, call upon His name," and he would have seen new miracles and wonders every day.

The Root of the Destruction: Fratricidal War

The wars and troubles that afflict us originate in baseless hatred and fratricidal wars. Already from the time of the creation of the world, Kayin and Hevel fought over the Land of Israel and the site of the Temple, and up to the war of the brothers Hyrcanus and Aristobulus, which brought Pompey and the Romans to Jerusalem. In the Shabbat zemirot we sing:

"I was handed over to Edom by the hand of my contentious companions."

People sing this and do not understand that they are mentioning the destruction that began because of "my contentious companions" – brothers who could not get along with each other. As long as Mashiach does not arrive and the sin of the sale of Yosef is not atoned for, we are liable to face harsh decrees, the expulsion of Jews from their land, and the uprooting of yeshivas and synagogues, which are the fortresses of Judaism.

The word "Bereshit" (In the beginning) hints at all the holocausts and decrees until the end of generations, including the years 5701 and 5702 (1941-1942), and it also hints at "Rosh Bayit" (Head of the house) – because troubles come when one does not believe that there is a Leader and a Head of the house, and then brothers fight one another.

Self-Sacrifice with Love

When we recite the kinot about the Ten Martyrs, we must know that there is nothing greater than dying for the sanctification of Hashem's Name (Kiddush Hashem). When a person sees that they are coming to kill Jews, he must be ready to run to the sword and perform self-sacrifice with joy.

This is what the Admor, Rabbi Avraham Elimelech of Karlin, did. He arrived in the Land of Israel thirty days before the outbreak of the Holocaust, went to the graves of tzaddikim, and cried out that a terrible holocaust was about to occur. Even though he could have remained in the Land and been saved, he chose to board the ship and return to Europe. He distributed his clothes, his shtreimel, and his silver cane so that they would not fall into the hands of the Nazis, and said: "I am going to be killed with my brothers; I am not leaving my brothers alone."

The Fire That Turned into Cool Dew

It is possible to sweeten all the harsh decrees by reciting the kinah of the Ten Martyrs with intention (kavanah). The Ten Martyrs atoned for all generations. On Yom Kippur, when this kinah is recited in the afternoon hours, many are already tired and falling asleep. But specifically then, one must stand up and shout, weeping a terrible weeping, because with this kinah, it is possible to sweeten everything.

The secret of the sweetening is revealed in the story of Rabbi Chanina ben Teradion. It is a tradition from the Maharam of Rothenburg, that whoever goes willingly and joyfully to perform self-sacrifice for the sanctification of Hashem's Name, is guaranteed not to feel any pain. When they threw Rabbi Chanina ben Teradion into the fire, not only did it not burn him, but it retreated backward. A hollow space was created inside the fire, and he sat there as if he were in a refrigerator.

The executioner, Kestner, stood in panic and did not understand what was happening. He asked, "Why isn't the fire burning you?" Rabbi Chanina answered him, "The fire will not burn me until I give it permission. Actually, I'm cold; maybe you have a sweater?" The executioner added bundles of branches, oil, and gasoline; the flames rose until they almost burned the executioner himself from the intense heat, but Rabbi Chanina sat inside a cool bubble.

Rabbi Chanina said to him, "I haven't done an hour of hitbodedut yet today. First let me do an hour of hitbodedut, and then I will tell you if you can burn me." The executioner went crazy. He began to understand that the Romans do not rule over the Jews, but rather the tzaddikim rule over Rome. The executioner himself did an hour of hitbodedut, his mind was transformed, and he reached the level of prophecy. He understood that all the killings are an atonement for the sale of Yosef, and he decided: "I want to be burned together with you; do you promise me life in the World to Come?" Rabbi Chanina answered him yes, and immediately a heavenly voice (bat kol) emerged and said: "Rabbi Chanina ben Teradion and Kestnari are destined for life in the World to Come."

Therefore, when we read the kinah about the Ten Martyrs on Yom Kippur, even if we are tired, we must remember the tremendous power of self-sacrifice and hitbodedut, and have the intention to sweeten all the judgments from upon the people of Israel.

Part 1 of 2 — Lesson No. 437

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