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Day Twenty-Four
(ט) וימתקו הדינים וישקט החרון וינחם השם על הרעה.
(9) The Judgments are thereby sweetened, the flaring calmed, and HaShem relents concerning the evil.
The Zohar quoted on Day Twenty-Three tells us that Noach’s offering reversed the attribute of Judgment to Compassion. His offering made a powerful rectification, reversing the Divine Wrath that destroyed the world to the polar opposite attribute of Compassion. So too, if a person performs Teshuvah Elyonah (Supernal Repentance), he uplifts himself to his sweet root and converts himself and his past actions to goodness. Even his intentional sins convert to merits, as the Ramak writes (Day Forty), “the intentional transgressions become like merits to him!” More, Teshuvah Elyonah (Supernal Repentance) transmutes his Negative Impulse to Holiness and Purity, as the Ramak writes (Day Twenty-Six), “it is also beneficial to his evil side!”
Thus, a person’s Teshuvah Elyonah (Supernal Repentance) establishes a more powerful rectification than an offering! This advantage is attributed to two tiers of trust. One, his trust in HaShem’s unbounded compassion, which is revealed especially to the person contemplating Teshuvah (Repentance). Secondly, his acceptance of the Tomer Devorah’s revelation, that Man’s true and internal nature is in fact good, despite the externally manifested evil of his nature. By performing Teshuvah Elyonah (Supernal Repentance), man uplifts himself to the root of his soul, which is stationed in the pure, immutable goodness of Binah (Divine Enlightenment). While the offering reverses the Judgment to Compassion, Teshuvah Elyonah (Supernal Repentance) transforms the man, himself, into an entity of pure goodness.
Extricated From the Depths
A wondrous sequence of rectifications were initiated through the impetus of Noach’s offering. The Secret of the “pleasant aroma” was awakened, “the Judgments … thereby sweetened,” and as a result “HaShem relented concerning the evil.”
The fiery waters of the Nahar Dinur (River of Fire) retract up to their source in Binah (Divine Enlightenment) and transform back into the cool, clear waters of the “Expanses of the River,” i.e., Binah. Indeed, this cooling of Divine wrath is so absolute that it extends even if a person has been sentenced to the fiery depths of Gehinom (Purgatory) for the severity of his transgressions. As the Ramak states: “And HaShem relents concerning the evil,” and as the Talmud teaches (Nedarim 22a): “And evil is naught but a reference to Gehinom, as the verse states (Koheles 11:10): And the wicked are destined for the day of evil.
The Ramchal expounds on a similar concept in discussing the virtue of hope in HaShem. He writes (Otzros HaRamchal, Maimar HaKivui):
One who hopes in HaShem, even if he has entered Gehinom (Purgatory) is liberated by virtue of his hope in HaShem. As the verse states (Yeshayahu 40:31): Those who hope in HaShem, their strength will be revived and eagle’s wings will uplift them. Meaning, HaShem will shine His light upon him, and a company of the most exalted Angels will uplift a person whose hope is in HaShem. This is the intent of the words: “eagle’s wings will uplift them”: they will fly up with him. Verily, his hope is his purification!
