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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
You Control Your Destiny
The Ohr HaChaim, sheds light on the episode of Kayin with a penetrating insight. Isn’t his depression upon seeing his brother’s offering accepted, and his own forsaken, readily understandable? Why, then, did God query him (Beresheis 4:6), “Why are you anguished and why has your countenance fallen??” Isn’t it obvious?
You Control Your Destiny
The Ohr HaChaim explains that the Creator was perfectly aware of the misdirected self-pity in which Kayin wallowed: “Why did God hurt me by accepting my brother’s offering and rejecting mine?” The Almighty’s intent was to correct Kayin’s false notion, telling him, “It’s not My fault that Hevel’s offering was accepted while yours wasn’t! Don’t blame Me!”
Human nature instinctively “blames” God for the agony of our failings and flaws. The Holy One, Blessed Be He revealed to Kayin that the source of his sore frustration was manifest in his misplaced “blaming” God for rejecting his offering while accepting Hevel’s. Kayin was also “aggrieved” with the Almighty for “unfairly” creating him with his toxic nature because he was “certain” it was irredeemable. However, the Holy One, Blessed Be He advised Kayin that “blaming” Him is a futile reaction, which only intensifies the negativity. Indeed, the full accountability for one’s ultimate fate rests squarely on Man’s shoulders!
The Creator compassionately conveyed to Kayin “I have endowed you with the control over your destiny. Namely, your free-will to acknowledge that you were created in the Divine Image! You have the choice to define yourself as good, which is the root of your essence. Perceiving yourself as good activates your innate holiness and transforms all of your past misdeeds to goodness.” Instead of “blaming” the Almighty for his flaws, it befits Man to thank Him for creating him with a Holy Soul and granting him the opportunity to elevate himself by his free-will.
In the Ohr HaChaim’s own words (Beresheis 4:6-8):
God said to Kayin, “Surely if you will make yourself good -- Elevate!” Meaning, “If you will consider yourself as “good” then goodness will rest upon all your actions. As a result, they will ascend on their own accord, for holiness does not require the assistance of others to rise. We learn this from the throne of Rebbi Chiyah, which ascended Heavenward by its own power (Bava Metziah 85b). This is the message that the Creator conveyed to Kayin, Elevate! meaning, “Elevate on your own accord through the power of your own, innate, holiness!”
The Pivot of Free-Will
We understand from the Ohr HaChaim that the “pivot of free-will” rests on defining ourselves as holy and good. The inner strength and conviction to do so is predicated on the Torah’s irrefutable testimony that we were created in the Divine Image, as it states (Beresheis 1:27): “In the Image of the Almighty He created him.”
Moreover, defining ourselves as good and holy is the fundamental purpose of Teshuvah (Repentance). When we engage in Teshuvah, our inherent Sanctity is activated. The resultant holiness raises us Heavenward, like the throne of Rebbi Chiyah. This is the explanation of the words: “Surely if you will make yourself good — Elevate!” By choosing to classify ourselves as good, we will automatically ascend to our holy root.
Even though the Holy One, Blessed Be He created us in the Divine Image, it is incumbent upon us to actively define ourselves as good and holy. Until we do so, our Divine Image is merely a latent force, stored in potential. Only upon acknowledging our innate goodness does it become active; and as a result, the essence of our being is immediately sanctified. This can only occur because the Creator endowed us with a holy soul. As soon as we recognize our intrinsic goodness, we are automatically uplifted to the abode of our spiritual essence. This validation of our inherent goodness is the refinement and completion of our creation.
Externally Diametric Opposites
Rebbi Chiyah personified goodness and good deeds, while Kayin was the embodiment of evil. The Talmud (Sukkah 20a) tells us that Rebbi Chiyah single-handedly revived Torah study amongst the People of Israel, whereas Kayin was born as a “nest of impurity.” Nevertheless, the Ohr HaChaim asserts that had Kayin accepted the Creator’s guidance to repent, he would have ascended to the Upper-tiers of Heaven. Just as Rebbi Chiyah’s throne ascended to Heaven on the virtue of his intrinsic holiness, so too, Kayin’s repentance would have elevated him to the highest level of holiness. In conclusion, Kayin’s evil was manifested externally. The root of his soul was holy, and had he heeded God’s advice to repent, he would have ascended to the Upper-realms of holiness and goodness!
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