MEMO RECEIVED

From: STATE

Code: SECRET

URGENT and TOP SECRET

Attention Special Agent:

Reliable intelligence indicates that agents from the "sitra ahra" (the other side) have compromised your identity. Our analysts estimate that you have a brief window of opportunity, perhaps ten days, to rehabilitate yourself. The Senior Field Commander recommends that you implement the Teshuvah strategy to repair the weaknesses that the enemy has exploited,

Encryption code - T-I-S-H-R-E-I

This is NOT a drill.

Your hands tremble as you read the grim words every field agent dreads: "This is NOT a drill." Although you've trained for years to react swiftly during a crisis, denial and self-doubt now poison your mind. "I've followed all procedures and done everything right. This must be a mistake."

The secret cable, however, shatters your self-confidence. It hits you like a wrecking ball, demolishing the wall of excuses you've carefully built around yourself. After one blow, your defenses have crumbled, and a ghostly foreboding overwhelms you. You collapse into a chair. A crumpled paper lying on the cold hardwood floor catches your eye. It's the classified memo; you don't remember dropping it.

"Maybe I have done something wrong," you admit. "But am I capable of changing my behavior?"

Doubt soon becomes embarrassment: "What will my colleagues think when they learn that I've been compromised?"

You push aside your fears and focus on your predicament.

"What is the Teshuvah strategy?"

The name sounds familiar, but the specifics elude you, so you turn to your operations manual on the bookcase beside your bed.

"Here it is in chapter two."

As you reach for the wrinkled memo and the cipher you'll need to understand the Teshuvah strategy, you hear gurgling in the hallway. It's a wet, deep throated, inhuman growl that makes the hair on your arms stand up. You've wasted precious time and allowed an agent from the sitra ahra to track you down. Panic seizes you, but you steady your hand and copy the first step of the Teshuvah strategy:

UHFRJQLCH KDUPIXO EHKDYLRU DQG VWRS LW

You grab your equipment pack and the operations manual and escape through the back door. Once you've found a secure location, you'll decode the Teshuvah strategy (see the Special Agent's Glossary at the bottom for the code).

The sidewalks are flooded with people eager to get home before the evening drizzle becomes a downpour. They barely notice you as you run past them, clutching your backpack to your chest. You think you hear plodding footsteps behind you, but a glance over your shoulder reveals nothing unusual. Around the corner sits a safe house; there you'll find sanctuary.

"Come on, open up," you plead, banging on the front door. The noise frightens the neighbors, and porch lights flicker on and off, like dying fireflies at the end of summer. You ignore them. You've just raised your fist to knock again when a foul odor, like rancid milk, swamps the porch.

"It's the sitra ahra."

Retching uncontrollably, you pound on the door. "Let me in!"

The door opens slightly; you push hard and tumble inside.

"Close it, close it now!" you shout.

Without asking questions, the agent-in-charge slams the door. Once your fear subsides, you explain that somehow you've compromised your identity, and now you're being hunted by the sitra ahra.

"Headquarters says I have ten days to return to my former self, and the senior field commander has suggested I use the Teshuvah strategy to do it."

The agent nods knowingly. "Since Elul, we've helped many agents like you. Let me suggest that you..."

A gruesome howl interrupts the agent-in-charge.

"They're here. Demons from the sitra ahra have found me."

"You must confront them to repair yourself," the agent says.

You gaze into the darkness but see nothing.

"Use the night vision goggles."

You rip the goggles from the backpack and stare into the darkness. Two shadowy figures emerge. They're arguing. Suddenly you realize that you're watching yourself screaming at a close friend.

You shudder. "This happened last February."

The agent-in-charge sits silently.

Transfixed, you return your gaze to the chilling scene.

"I remember that argument," you confess.

"I lost my temper and said things I shouldn't have. I guess our friendship ended that day."

The agent-in-charge anticipates your next move, opens the operations manual, and scribbles step two of the Teshuvah strategy.

"Here, decode it and see if it helps."

UHJUHW BRXU ZURQJ DFWLRQV

The mysterious night vision goggles have enabled you to see yourself more clearly.

"You're halfway through the Teshuvah strategy," the agent explains. "Decode the final two steps, and be on your way."

You sit down and copy the code:

DVN IRUJLYHQHVV and DFW GLIIHUHQWOB QHAW WLPH

*******

If we look deeply, we'll discover that the sitra ahra dwells inside each of us. Its demons are our most offensive qualities--such as angry outbursts, selfish attitudes, or dishonest impulses.

Fortunately, Judaism combats the sitra ahra with the Teshuvah strategy, a process strong enough to banish the demons of the other side. Those forces dwell only in darkness and must retreat when the light of teshuvah shines on them.

Turn on the light of teshuvah this year.

********

Special Agent's Glossary

SITRA AHRA—a term used by Kabbalists (Jewish mystics in the 16th century) to describe the dark side of human nature. Literally, it means the “other side,” a place without goodness. We defeat the sitra ahra when we perform God’s commandments and embrace divine qualities, such as truth and honesty.

COMPROMISED IDENTITY—when we fail to live up to our highest potential.

TEN DAYS TO REHABILITATE YOURSELF—the ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, known as aseret yemei teshuvah, the ten days of repentance.

TESHUVAH STRATEGY—a four step process of returning to our better selves. Teshuvah begins when we recognize our wrongdoing and stop it. The remaining steps involve feeling regret for our misbehavior, seeking forgiveness from those we’ve wronged, and pledging to avoid the misbehavior in the future.

ENCRYPTION CODE—a strategy that enables agents to safely send communications. The cipher for the Teshuvah strategy is: Shift all letters in the alphabet by three letters, so A becomes D and B becomes E.

WALL OF EXCUSES—because admitting our shortcomings is difficult, sometimes we make excuses to justify our wrongdoing. Teshuvah is impossible until we knock down the wall of excuses.

EMBARRASSMENT—when we admit our mistakes to others, we might feel embarrassed; however, teshuvah and honest sharing bring people together. OPERATIONS MANUAL—the laws of teshuvah are outlined in Rambam’s Mishneh Torah, Hilkhot Teshuvah, chapter 2.

ELUL—the Hebrew month prior to Tishrei. Elul marks the beginning of personal introspection in preparation for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

Surveillance Technology

The Teshuvah strategy demands introspection. During Elul and the aseret yemei teshuvah, we examine our behavior with an eye toward correcting our shortcomings. We’ve had fun pretending that these real surveillance devices could be used to analyze our behavior and aid teshuvah. Can you add to our list?

PEN ACTIVATED AUDIO RECORDER—This pen activated microcasette provides 90 minutes of uninterrupted recording per side. Use it to scrutinize your behavior: Have you been honest? Avoided gossip?

WIRELESS PLANT SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM—This plant cleverly conceals a high resolution color camera and 4GHz transmitter that transmits video through walls, floors, and ceilings. Evaluate your daily actions: Are you patient with others? Have you bruised someone’s feelings?

PORTABLE HAND-HELD GPS (Global Positioning System)—track the locations of your teshuvah targets—people you will ask for forgiveness.