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Discover a joyful and uplifting path to Repentance!
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The Joy of Repentance\Guilt-Free
Based on Tomer Devorah by the Holy Ramak
Authored and Published by the Salant Foundation
Distributed by Feldheim
Two Exceptional Principles!
“הֲלֹא אִם תֵּיטִיב” וְתַשְׁרִישׁ עַצְמְךָ בְּסוֹד הַתְּשׁוּבָה “שְׂאֵת", תִּסְתַּלֵּק שָׁם בְּסוֹד הַטּוֹב הַמֻּשְׁרָשׁ שָׁם.
(14) “Surely if you will make yourself good” and implant yourself within the Secret of Teshuvah (Repentance), then “Elevate!” – you shall rise up to there through the Secret of the good that is rooted there.
You Know the Truth!
The Ramak uncovers the Merciful One’s care and love, embedded in the words He communicated to Kayin. “Surely” a word introducing an indisputable, undeniable statement, implies that Kayin subconsciously knew his soul was good and holy. It was towards this subconscious awareness that God directed His words: “Surely if you will make yourself good and root yourself in the Secret of Teshuvah — ’Elevate!’ – you shall rise up to there through the Secret of the good that is rooted there.” The Creator conveyed to him, “Kayin, you know in your inner being that you are good! By consciously validating your goodness, you will access the essence of true Teshuvah!”
Two Exceptional Principles
Two exceptional principles emerge from the Ramak’s profound words, perhaps the two most essential insights of this book:
1) The Creator revealed to Kayin that Binah (Divine Enlightenment), the realm where the “root of his soul” is stationed, contained a powerful and boundless reservoir of Holiness. Indeed, his soul’s Sanctity contained the potential to rectify even the supreme bitterness and undiluted evil that was the legacy of the Serpent’s venom. How much more so does the inherent Holiness of our souls, not born as a Nest of Impurity, contain the power and potency of Holiness that prevails over all impurity. Indeed, the “roots of our souls” generate infinite worlds of Holiness, just as the living root of a tree produces countless fruits!
2) A person is not defined by his actions, words, or thoughts, rather by his intrinsic goodness. By defining himself as good, and aligning his consciousness with Binah, he transforms his actions, words, and thoughts to goodness — past, present, and future! His misdeeds are likened to “suitcases” which contain his possessions, but do not reflect his essence. By intending to elevate himself to his intrinsic essence, his actions will also ascend and transform into Holiness.
The Symptoms and the Source
The fundamental purpose of Teshuvah Elyonah (Exalted Repentance) is to affect man’s universal rectification and sanctification. By ascending to his holy root, a person’s authentic essence is revealed. Implanting his being in goodness, his past negative actions are retroactively transformed to goodness, and he attains complete sanctification. In contrast, conventional Teshuvah only rectifies particular actions, rendering a limited rectification. This can be compared to different aspects of medical treatment: One aspect focuses on alleviating the patient’s symptoms, while another focuses on treating the illness’ underlying cause: “Conventional” Teshuvah can be compared to the former, while Teshuvah Elyonah is comparable to the latter, and results in a perfect spiritual healing.
The Super Speed of Thoughts
Thoughts travel at a super velocity and rocket to the lofty heights of Heaven. Scientists calculate the speed of light to be 186,000 miles per second. This is the greatest velocity of any material entity. Whereas thoughts are spiritual entities that God creates, and they are unencumbered by any material element. Who can ponder the mystery of a thought? When we attain Teshuvah Elyonah, we immediately access Eternity and Gan Eden!
Confidence!
We mentioned above that He Washes Away Sin is one of the thirteen Attributes of Compassion discussed in relation to Keter (Crown). As we saw, when a person performs Teshuvah, the Creator forgives him by virtue of Washing Away His Sin.
In his discussion on another of the thirteen Attributes: He Vanquishes Our Iniquities, the Ramak explains that Mitzvot have a special energy that allows them to ascend Heavenward. In contradistinction, transgressions are Divinely relegated by the Holy One, Blessed Be He to exist in a low state, so that the person who committed them can rectify them. Of course, the imperative to engage in Teshuvah is one of the most important Mitzvos as the Talmud (Brachos 17a) states, “A pearl from the mouth of Rava: ’The purpose of wisdom is Teshuvah and good deeds.’” We might have thought that Torah wisdom is the primary Mitzvah, as it says (Peah 1), “Torah study is equal to them all.” However, Rava clarifies that the purpose of Torah wisdom is to contemplate Teshuvah! If so, the Mitzvah of Teshuvah certainly “rises before Him.”
Therefore, the Holy One, Blessed Be He both (1) Washes Away His Sin, and (2) brings his Mitzvah of Teshuvah into His Presence. A person performing Teshuvah Elyonah automatically awakens these two aforementioned attributes of Keter, simply by intending to “elevate himself.” The activation of the purifying and elevating aspects of Keter enhance and augment his quest to perform Teshuvah Elyonah. Thus, his intention “to elevate” will certainly uplift him to his holy root, “causing Binah to illuminate all of his days” and “rectify every flaw!”
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