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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
The Healing Power of Repentance
How Does One Inculcate Himself With Binah?
The Ramak’s wording is precise: “How does one inculcate himself with the attribute of Binah (Divine Enlightenment)?” It does not suffice for the person to conduct himself with the attribute of Binah sporadically and intermittently. Rather, “inculcate” has the connotation of habituating oneself on a constant basis with the attribute of Binah. As a result of his continuous dedication to internalize the attribute of Binah, it will continuously strengthen “all the days of his life.” Rabbi Yisrael Salanter similarly expressed (Ohr Yisrael, Letter Four), “Habit and experience rule over everything.” Therefore, a person must habituate himself in the attribute of Binah, focusing on its internalization, so that he will inculcate himself with Binah “all the days of his life.”
Teshuvah’s Healing Power
Just as a specific remedy is proven to heal a particular disease, so too, the effectiveness of Teshuvah’s (Repentance’s) healing power is well-established and undisputed. Just as the Almighty effortlessly transforms curses to blessings; so too, Teshuvah is a mighty force that can transform the basest transgression into the most sublime of Mitzvot! Indeed, Teshuvah holds the power to transform darkness to light, convert every sin into merit, and transmute all defilement into purity.
One Person’s Teshuvah Affects the Entirety of the People of Israel
The Ramak writes in the first chapter of Tomer Devorah: The People of Israel are like one united family, each person related to one another because all the souls are interconnected. What’s more, there is a portion of each soul contained in every other one.
In this light, when a person performs a good deed, he sanctifies every other Jew through the “portions” of their souls contained within him. We now understand that when a person performs Teshuvah Elyonah (Exalted Repentance), he causes the Light of Binah to rectify not only himself, but the portions of the souls of all the People of Israel within him. More, if he includes all the souls of the People of Israel in his intention to raise himself to his holy root, he awakens a true wonder – causing all the souls of the People of Israel to ascend to their holy roots. Thus, Binah casts its illumination over the entire People of Israel.
The Sefer Charedim
Similarly, The Sefer Charedim (66:13) notes that the phrase (Shemos 1:5) Seventy Soul (which refers to the seventy individuals who descended with Yaakov our Patriarch to Egypt), is curiously written in the singular tense “Soul” and not the plural tense “Souls.” He explains that this signifies the unity of the People of Israel. Accordingly, he advises us to engage in Teshuvah with the intention to inspire all of the People of Israel to join in our vital spiritual venture. Consequently, all the souls of the People of Israel will be influenced to perform Teshuvah, with the Merciful One’s help.
The Power of Repentance
In the same light, “Rabbi Meir said, ’The power of Repentance is great, for on account of an individual who repents, the sins of the entire world are forgiven’” (Yoma 86b).
Ever-expanding Worlds of Compassion
While human nature is limited in its scope to forgive, the Creator’s infinite compassion continually expands to grant forgiveness for every misdeed and character flaw. The Creator’s example is meant to inspire us to constantly open our hearts to new dimensions of compassion. Moreover, it stirs us to grant forgiveness to even the most ignoble people, (including ourselves), by broadening our capacity to emulate His infinite attribute of Mercy.
The “Secret of the Divine Image”
The Holy One, Blessed Be He created man in the “Secret of the Divine Image,” as the Ramak writes in Chapter One. This alludes to the idea that the Creator instilled spiritual aspects within Man that correspond to the Ten Sefirot (System of Divine Lights). For example, Avraham our Patriarch was impassioned with extraordinary loving-kindness because he ignited the inherent spark of Divine Kindness that pulsated in his heart.
Man’s primary purpose in this world is to emulate the Creator, through the corresponding aspects of the Sefirot that lie within himself. Man’s emulation of the Sefirot awakens the illumination of each individual Divine Light upon himself, his community, and the entire world. Therefore, it is vitally important to clarify the qualities of Binah so as to be illuminated regarding its corresponding emulation. Ultimately, this emulation awakens the Exalted Light of Binah to shine upon a person “all the days of his life.”
The Sefirot reflect the splendor of the Ohr Ein Sof, Baruch Hu (the Holy One’s Infinite Divine Light) which is the unbounded goodness that the Creator constantly bestows upon His creations. In His supreme Kindness, the Holy One, Blessed Be He “filtered” the Infinite Divine Light through the Sefirot, enabling us, His frail and finite creations, to attain the slightest inkling of His Essence: His Light, Compassion, Holiness, and Purity.
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