Translate

terça-feira, 26 de setembro de 2023

SF - The Joy of Repentance Day 16 -- Returning Everything to Its Source

The text of Tomer Devorah, written by Rabbi Moshe Cordovero (HaRamak).

Teshuvah Elyonah ~ Exalted Repentance.

Chapter Four, Binah (Divine Enlightenment).

Presented in the original Hebrew text and accompanied with the English translation.                              

The English text is annotated with the commentary of “Laughter Will Fill Our Mouths.”


Returning Everything to Its Source


The Ramak designates the Sefira of Binah as “Teshuvah,” which means “return,” because its primary function is to “return” everything to its root. The “sweetening of the Judgment” referred to by the Ramak is the return of the Divine Wrath back to its sweet source in Binah. So too, when man engages in Teshuvah Elyonah, “he merges with Binah” and ascends to the root of his holy soul. 


Powerful


With the above in mind, let’s turn for a moment to the first chapter of Tomer Devorah, where the Ramak discusses the Sefira of Keter (Crown) and the Thirteen Attributes of Exalted Compassion (Micah 7:18-20). One of these Attributes is He Will Again Show Us Compassion, which teaches that the Merciful One reveals even greater dimensions of love for a person after he repents than before he transgressed! The Teshuvah (Repentance) under discussion there is not Teshuvah Elyonah (Exalted Repentance), but “conventional” Teshuvah, which is a qualitatively different nature – not having direct access to Binah. We can thus understand that if “conventional” Teshuvah results in a greater revelation of the Shechinah (Divine Presence) than before, then Teshuvah Elyonah, which traces back to the Upper-tier of the Sefirot (System of Divine Lights), surely causes Binah to cast its radiance upon a person with a far greater magnitude than previously.


The Advantages of Teshuvah Elyonah Over Conventional Teshuvah


Indeed, the virtue of Teshuvah Elyonah (Exalted Repentance) is far more sublimely encompassing and holy than that of “conventional” Teshuvah. This is so despite the fact that the latter emulates the attributes of Keter (Crown), the most exalted and transcendent of the Sefirot, higher even than Binah! There are three factors that account for this anomaly.


First, conventional Teshuvah is very specific and restricted in nature, focusing on the rectification of individual misdeeds. In His boundless compassion, the Creator forgives the penitent, cleanses the blemish under consideration, and causes the Shechinah’s radiance to shine upon him with an even greater intensity than it did previously. On the other hand, with Teshuvah Elyonah a person ascends to the root of his soul, which resides eternally within Binah. This engenders a basic transformation of his entire essence wherein he emerges as an entity of goodness, purified from the impurity of all his previous transgressions.


Second, “conventional” Teshuvah doesn’t involve establishing a connection with the Sefirot (Divine Lights). Even though in Chapter One the Ramak addresses the emulation of the attributes of Keter (Crown), the most eminent of the Sefirot, the emulation does not facilitate a direct connection to the Sefirot. On the other hand, the essence of Teshuvah Elyonah (Exalted Repentance) is to merge with the Sefirot; with intention to awaken and to emulate them, particularly Binah. Through man’s engagement in Teshuvah Elyonah, the Holy One causes the Exalted Light of Binah to shine upon the entire world. This lofty level of Sanctity enables a person to free himself from the shackles of physical desire. Ascending to his holy root, he emerges created anew, purer than the loftiest Angel. With the coarseness of the body mastered by the refinement of the soul, his entire being becomes aglow with Divine light.


Third, when a person intends to ascend to his source in Binah, the Creator causes the other two Upper-tier Sefirot of Keter (Crown) and Chochmah (Wisdom) to complement Binah’s function. Thus, the unbounded compassion characterized by Keter and the life-giving grace characterized by Chochmah supplement Binah and facilitate the unprecedented wonder that is Teshuvah Elyonah.

NEW!
עצת חיים\Life Advice

Feel free to ask any type of question, and receive a personal and private answer. Please send your question to salantorg@gmail.com. Thank you!
Donate

May the souls who left this world be remembered for a blessing.
R' Yochanon Mordecai ben Ephraim and Moras Esther Leah bas Yehudah Yoseph
HaRav HaGaon Rebe Mordecai ben Rav Moshe
Meira Leah bas Michael
Basha Elka bas Moshe HaCohen
R' Maair Ben R' Yakutiel and Javayeer z"tl 
HaRav HaGaon Rebe Yisrael ben HaRav HaGaon Zev Wolf
HaRav HaGaon Rebe Moshe ben HaRav HaGaon Yacov
Moshe Fisher
HaRav HaGaon Daniel Zvi ben Avraham Chanuch
HaRav HaGaon BZF



Refuah Shleimah
Yochanon Baruch ben Fruma Ettta
Zivia bas Raizel
Tzvi ben Chana
Avner Shimon ben Argamon
Leah Hadassah bas Michal Chana
Chava Bas Michal Chanah
Mazal Malkah Mollie Bas Sarah
Nuna bas Nuna
Moishe Berl ben Yehudis
Yakir Efraim Ben Rachel Devora
Chaya Leah bas Sara
Chaya Shaina Chana Bas Itcha
Netanel Ilan ben Shayna Tzipora
Shmuel Ben Navat
Chanah Tauba bat Tzilah.
Daniella bat Sarah
Rise bat Faiga
Chaim Michael Levi Ben Dina.



US 305 653 1182
Israel 058 429 8471


Visit our website
Connect with us
LinkedIn Share This Email

Arquivo do blog