But the Torah Doesn't Mention It!

Real questions, submitted by actual OU Torah followers, with their real answers. NOTE: For questions of practical halacha, please consult your own rabbi for guidance.

Q. In Judaism it’s said if you sin against man you must make it right with that person. Kings Manasseh and David didn’t yet God accepted their teshuva, as David committed murder and Manasseh caused all of Israel to sin.

A. Thanks for your question. Someone once asked me why Avraham never gave tzedaka. I asked, "Who says he didn't?" They answered, "The Torah never mentions it." I said, "It also never mentions Avraham using the restroom but I assume that he did." The reality is that failure of the Torah to mention something is not proof that it didn't happen. For example, Genesis 37:35 includes an offhand reference to Yaakov's daughters. Except for Dina, they're never discussed because they don't feature in the narrative. Failure to mention their births doesn't mean they were never born.

Similarly, did David go to Uriah's grave and ask forgiveness? I don't know; we're not told. But that doesn't mean it didn't happen. Maybe Uriah's burial place was unknown and David just did what was humanly possible. Likewise, II Chronicles chapter 33 describes Menashe's repentance; he had been taken captive by the Assyrians and was obviously in no position to approach the people he had wronged. Did Menashe go on an apology tour when he was restored to the throne? I don't know; we're not told. But that isn't proof that it didn't happen.

The important takeaway, I think, is that we see that the inability to approach others for forgiveness doesn't preclude one's ability to do teshuvah. If one is able to approach a person he has wronged but he fails to do so out of hatred, fear or embarrassment, that's one thing. He has to suck it up and approach that person as part of his teshuvah. But if apologizing to one we wronged is simply not an option? Well, that's out of one's hands. In such a case, as in many others, we just do what we can and we let God take care of the rest.

Rabbi Jack's latest book, Ask Rabbi Jack, is now available from Kodesh Press and on Amazon.com.