Elul 12

Eruvin 26
I have heard
That there are three
Types of fault

Three levels of sin
We can commit.

The first and the nastiest
Are sins done with full knowledge
And malice beforehand

Like, say, taking down the fence
That someone else put up
(And hiding the fence posts
So they can’t put it back in place)
Because you disagree with them
About the bylaws of fences
In this courtyard
Ouch.

There’s a case for teshuva
Right there
Remember that scholars are vulnerable
To demons like jealousy and pride
And must be extra vigilant

Or hurting someone without thinking
In anger or by listening to another
Say to help your teacher
Carry the nice fence posts away
Not paying any attention
To the harm you might cause
Because of the outside forces
Controlling you
(I tell you, demons everywhere!)

Or totally without meaning to
Utterly inadvertently
As in “I can’t imagine
You were hurt by my missing the eruv potluck.
I just forgot, ok?
It’s not like I don’t still own the house and the courtyard!”
But it is.
And now you can’t carry things over.
Still an error.
Still needs teshuva.
You still have to learn to be more careful
In avoiding demons.
Even if only the demon of forgetting!
Eruvin 26