Sponsored in loving memory of Joseph and Shirley Goldwasser by Avraham and Joyce Litzman, their children and grandchildren.
Day Five
Introduction
“It Is Fitting for Man to Emulate His Creator”
The underlying principle of Tomer Devorah is that Mans’ central purpose in this world is to emulate the Merciful One, in Whose image he was created. Indeed, it is with these very words that the Ramak begins his work: האדם ראוי שידמה לקונו, It is fitting for man to emulate His Creator. The Torah clearly states that man is created in the Divine Image (Bereisheis 1:27): So the Almighty created Man in His image, in the image of the Almighty He created him. Now, this doesn’t merely mean that we should emulate HaShem in a general fashion, as our Sages state (Sifrei, Parshas Eikev 11:22): “Just as He is merciful and gracious, so should you endeavor to be merciful and gracious, and act charitably towards all.”
Rather, the Ramak reveals to us the inner secret of this “emulation”: namely, that it is proper for Man to emulate the Merciful One according to the attributes of the Ten Sefirot (The Ten Divine Levels of Spirituality). As discussed in Day Four, we compared the relationship between the Infinite Divine Light and the Ten Sefirot — to a giant lantern that filters the sunlight through ten multicolored lenses. The different color of each lens represents the different attributes of the Ten Divine Levels of Spirituality. The emulation of Man to the Creator derives primarily through one’s emulating the traits of the Sefirot, as will be discussed.
HaShem Connected Man to the Sefirot Through a Reciprocal Relationship
The Ramak illuminates our understanding with the following sublime words (Chapter One): “According to the manner in which a person conducts himself in this world, he merits to ‘open for himself’ the corresponding attribute Above.” Meaning, our emulation of the Sefirot (The Ten Divine Levels of Spirituality) renders a wondrous effect, awakening the reciprocal aspects of the Sefirot to radiate upon us from Heaven!
HaShem set up the system of Creation so that souls are birthed into existence through the agency of the Sefirot. Moreover, He desired that the world be perfected through a permanent connection between the souls and the Sefirot, with the latter responding to the former in a “reciprocal relationship.”
Wondrously, a person’s positive intentions and deeds “awaken” the Sefirot to bestow HaShem’s Sanctity, blessing and goodness upon him, his community, and the entire Creation. Truly, every individual is an entire world!
Therefore, man’s primary purpose in this world is to emulate HaShem according to the attributes of the Sefirot. The intent of this work is to focus on the Sefira of Binah, clarifying and elaborating on its function, and Man’s emulation of Binah. As the Ramak states in the beginning of Chapter Four: “Binah sweetens every Judgment,” and man’s emulation of Binah through performing Teshuvah Elyonah “rectifies every flaw.”
Sublime and Practical
Another remarkable aspect of Tomer Devorah is that on the one hand, it reveals sublime esoteric secrets of the Torah; while on the other, it shows us how to emulate the attributes of the Sefirot in a concrete and practical way.
