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It is well-known that Soviet Jews, through no fault of their own, were denied even the most basic Jewish knowledge. With the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917, Jewish schools were shut down, Jewish s’forim and books were destroyed, and ritual objects were ruined. Germany tried to wipe out the Jews, while the Soviets tried to wipe out Judaism.

It is said that the renowned Chassidic mashpia, R’ Dovid Horodoker zt”l, wept when Czar Nicholas II was overthrown during the Russian Revolution of 1917. “Why do you shed tears over the fall of a tyrant?” he was asked. “I weep,” replied the holy chasid, “because a great mashal in Chassidus is gone.”

There was once a man who went through all the tribulations of Siberia together with the famed Maggid, R’ Yaakov Galinsky shlit”a. After their freedom, he found out that he was the only survivor of his family and was alone in the world. He was broken and saw no reason to live. R’ Yaakov felt that he needed some chizuk to strengthen his resolve and brought him to the home of the Chazon Ish, R’ Avraham Yeshaya Karelitz zt”l.

Although the mitzvah of teshuvah can be done at any time of the year, the practice is most associated with Aseres Yemei Teshuvah—the Ten Days of Repentance. The Rambam writes in Mishneh Torah that Aseres Yemei Teshuvah is an auspicious time for repentance: “Although repentance and prayer are always effective, they are even more effective during Aseres Yemei Teshuvah when they are accepted immediately.”

The Gemara recounts how the Sages told R’ Zeira, “One should always reject with the left hand and embrace with the right” (Sota 47b). R’ Zeira, however, preferred to focus on the sin, not the sinner.

 It’s easy to accuse someone else of being defensive.

It is no coincidence that Parshas D’varim is always read on the Shabbos before Tish’ah B’Av, as Moshe Rabbeinu recaps the tragedy of the M’raglim (Spies). Chazal say that this incident not only transpired on the Ninth of Av, but it was the root of all future destruction that would take place on this cursed day (Taanis 29a).