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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
Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai
Teshuvah Elyonah of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai
We noted in the foreword that Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai speaks of Teshuvah Elyonah (Exalted Repentance) in the Tikunei Zohar (6:22a). It states there as follows:
Woe to those people [of Israel] with whom the Holy One, Blessed Be He is imprisoned with them! And concerning Her it states (Brachos 5b): “A Prisoner cannot extricate Himself from the prison.” And Her redemption, which is awakened by Teshuvah Elyonah – [that is,] the Realm of Binah (Divine Enlightenment) is in their hands…. [As the verse states (Shemos 2:12):] “And he (Moshe) turned therein and therein,” looking to see if there is one who is aroused to do Teshuvah (Repentance) and destroy their prison, regarding him it is written (Yeshiyahu 49:9): “Say to the imprisoned, ‘Flee!’ and to those in darkness, ‘Be revealed!’” “And he turned therein and therein, and he saw that there was no man:” rather “each man to his way they’ve turned” (cf. ibid 53:6): to their own interests and their own endeavors; “…each man to his profit, from his corner” (ibid 56:11): [That is,] the gains of “this world,” to inherit “this world.” And such ones are not from the aspect of those about whom it states (Shemos 18:21): “Men of valor, fearers of Elokim, men of truth, haters of profit.”
Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai reveals that the one and only way to liberate the Shechinah (Divine Presence) from the dungeon of our long and bitter exile is for the People of Israel to engage in Teshuvah Elyonah. By breaking out of our dark prison of impurity, we will merit to free the Shechinah from Her shackles and intolerable suffering.
The Nefesh HaChaim
Rabbi Chaim Volozhin writes that when a person sins, he causes great anguish to the Divine Presence on two accounts. One, for the anguish he caused to the Divine Presence when he sinned. Secondly for his suffering,which comes to him as a consequence of the sin, and the Divine Presence feels and suffers his anguish. When the person does not feel his pain because he is otherwise consumed by the bitterness of the Divine Presence that feels his pain, then the Holy One grants him forgiveness. Indeed,He grants him a double portion of his livelihood and reverses his sins into Mitzvos -- for the two anguishes that he empathized with the Divine Presence!
Resolution
There is an apparent contradiction between empathizing with the anguish of the Shechinah (the Divine Presence) versus performing Teshuvah Elyonah with joy. How can a person feel two conflicting feelings?
The answer lies in aligning the two opposing forces to work as partners. First, sense the anguish of the Shechinah and realize that our transgressions caused this suffering. Secondly, let the anguish of the Shechinah be the impetus and inspiration to perform Teshuvah Elyonah with joy!
Joyfully ascend to the root of your soul, and your entire being will be rectified and sanctified. Indeed, your soul will be elevated and attached to the Holiness of the Divine Presence. Moreover, all of your transgressions will convert to Mitzvos! Thus, Teshuvah Elyonah will transform you into an entity of pure goodness, holiness, and joy.
The Power of Teshuvah Elyonah
Our Sages tell us (Gittin 55b) that the Holy Sanctuary was destroyed due to the sin of baseless hatred. Moreover, as long as we haven’t eradicated this insufferable transgression from our midst, it cannot be rebuilt! This isthe reason for our bitter and protracted exile. If Teshuvah Elyonah is the key to releasing the Shechinah from its imprisonment, it follows that it has the power to rectify baseless hatred. The Mitzvah to “love your friend like yourself ” pulsates throughout and is the culmination of Teshuvah Elyonah.
As Rabbi Akivah states (Beresheis Rabbah 24:7; Yerushalmi Nedarim 9:5; Sifra 2:12): “The Mitzvah of ‘And you shall love your fellow like yourself ’ is a major principle of the Torah.”
May unconditional love for every person be awakened within us, whereby we will merit to experience the Complete and Final Redemption quickly in our days, with the help of our Merciful Father in Heaven. Amen!
May all the People of Israel at the end of days perform Teshuvah Elyonah and cause the Light of Binah to illuminate upon the entire world. In God's compassion, we will see the emergence of the Beis HaMikdash -- the Holy Temple -- and the Messianic Era!At that time, may we join together with all Mankind and sing joyously to the Holy One. (Based on the Chayey Adam 155:41)
״אז ימלא שחוק פינו״
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