[Avodah] Reish Lakish

[Micha Berger]

Reish Lakish makes a number of statements that seem informed by his
being a baal teshuvah.

For example:

R' Yochanan, who aquired Torah over his whole life, holds that Moshe
got the Torah piece-by-piece over the 40 years. Reish Lakish -- at
once.

Reish Lakish's famous statement about teshuvah mei'avahah. Who would
know better than RL the power of regretting past wrongs against the
Beloved to propel you to where mitzvos would have?

And on this week's parashah (in Sanhedrin 108a): Rav Yochanan takes
tamim hayah bedorosav as a genai; to RL, who knew what being in a
negative environment could mean, it is shevach.

SheTir'u baTov!
-micha

-- 
Micha Berger             One who kills his inclination is as though he
micha at aishdas.org        brought an offering. But to bring an offering,
http://www.aishdas.org   you must know where to slaughter and what
Fax: (270) 514-1507      parts to offer.        - R' Simcha Zissel Ziv