Showing posts with label Tomer Devorah. Show all posts

Tomer Devorah - Emulating G-d: From Days of Old

Wednesday, March 19, 2014 · Posted in , , ,


"The righteous will flourish like the date palm..." (Tehillim 92:13)

Tomer Devorah [Palm Tree of Devorah] - an ethical treatise devoted to a Kabbalistic understanding of the commandment to imitate G-d based on the Torah verse "...you shall go in His ways" (Devarim 28:9) and "to go in all His ways" (11:22).  

The Sifri ("Eikev") explains: just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, is called 'Compassionate,' you should be compassionate; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, is called 'Gracious,' you should be gracious; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, is called 'Righteous,' you should be righteous; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, is called 'Pious,' you should be pious."  

Expounding the verse "Follow HaShem, your G-d..." (Devarim 13:5), the Gemara derives the practical implications of this concept:  "Emulate the attributes of the Holy One, Blessed Be He.  Just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, clothes the naked...so should you; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, visits the sick..so should you; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, consoles the bereaved, so should you..." (Sotah 14a)

In Tomer Devorah, the Thirteen Supernal Attributes of Mercy mentioned in Michah 7:18-20 are analyzed in detail.

The following are the words of the holy Sanzer Rebbi, the Divrei Chaim זצ"ל, as heard by his grandson, Rav Moshe Halberstam זצ"ל   from the Satmar Rebbi זצ"ל:

“…the learning from the Sefer Tomer Devorah is a segulah against the terrible sickness…”

It is recommended to learn from the sefer Tomer Devorah once a week or at least once a month, even though this sefer is not easy to understand. This segulah follows the principle of  middah keneged middah (measure for measure). If we emulate G-d’s Attributes and act like He does with patience, compassion, forgiveness, etc, HaShem will act towards us in the manner of middah keneged middah  and be patient, compassionate and forgiving with us.

To be privileged to channel G-d's blessing and benefit into the world, man must emulate his Creator.  It is insufficient that man is created in the Divine likeness - he must constantly, consciously, and willingly cleave to G-d by emulating Him in every way. 

"Who is G-d like You, Who pardons iniquity and forgives the transgression of the remnant of His heritage?  He does not maintain His anger forever, for He delights in kindness.  He will again show us compassion, He will vanquish our iniquities, and You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.  Show faithfulness to Yaakov, kindness to Avraham, which You have sworn to our fathers from days of old" (Michah 7:18-20)

Consequently, it is proper that these Thirteen Attributes should also be found in man.


Hitbodedut:  "HaShem, I realize that I have no separate existence from you and therefore I yearn to be more like You.  Please help me to rise above my nature and lead me in the path that I wish to go, which is to think, say and do only what is pleasing to You.  May I merit to bring love and mercy to my interactions."




From Days of Old

This is the Attribute which which the Holy One, Blessed is He, conducts Himself towards the people of Yisrael when their merit and all else fail, and they are unworthy.  What, then, does the Holy One, Blessed is He, do?  The verse states, "I recall My kindness towards you in your youth, My love for you on the day of your marriage..." (Yirmeyahu 2:2).  The Holy One, Blessed is He, recalls the days of old and the love He felt towards the people of Yisrael, and His compassion is aroused.  This way, He remembers all the commandments they have fulfilled since their birth and all the good qualities with which the Holy One, Blessed is He, conducts His world.  From all these, the Holy One, Blessed is He, fashions a special treasure with which to show them compassion.  This Attribute includes all the others, as explained in the "Idra."

So, too, should a person improve his conduct towards others.  For even if he cannot find a reason for showing love and compassion to his fellows from among those mentioned previously, he should say, "There was surely a time when they had not yet sinned, and in that time or in former days they were worthy."  For their sake, he should recall the love of "...those just weaned from milk and torn away from the breast" (Yeshayahu 28:9).  This way, he will not find a single person unworthy of kindness, prayers, or compassion.

Hitbodedut: HaShem, please help me to see something good in every person, their G-dly soul, that I can connect to and respect because they are Your creation.


RaMaK (Rabbi Moshe Cordovero

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Tomer Devorah - Emulating G-d: Which You have Sworn to our Fathers

Sunday, March 2, 2014 · Posted in , , ,


"The righteous will flourish like the date palm..." (Tehillim 92:13)

Tomer Devorah [Palm Tree of Devorah] - an ethical treatise devoted to a Kabbalistic understanding of the commandment to imitate G-d based on the Torah verse "...you shall go in His ways" (Devarim 28:9) and "to go in all His ways" (11:22).  

The Sifri ("Eikev") explains: just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, is called 'Compassionate,' you should be compassionate; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, is called 'Gracious,' you should be gracious; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, is called 'Righteous,' you should be righteous; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, is called 'Pious,' you should be pious."  

Expounding the verse "Follow HaShem, your G-d..." (Devarim 13:5), the Gemara derives the practical implications of this concept:  "Emulate the attributes of the Holy One, Blessed Be He.  Just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, clothes the naked...so should you; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, visits the sick..so should you; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, consoles the bereaved, so should you..." (Sotah 14a)

In Tomer Devorah, the Thirteen Supernal Attributes of Mercy mentioned in Michah 7:18-20 are analyzed in detail.

The following are the words of the holy Sanzer Rebbi, the Divrei Chaim זצ"ל, as heard by his grandson, Rav Moshe Halberstam זצ"ל   from the Satmar Rebbi זצ"ל:

“…the learning from the Sefer Tomer Devorah is a segulah against the terrible sickness…”

It is recommended to learn from the sefer Tomer Devorah once a week or at least once a month, even though this sefer is not easy to understand. This segulah follows the principle of  middah keneged middah (measure for measure). If we emulate G-d’s Attributes and act like He does with patience, compassion, forgiveness, etc, HaShem will act towards us in the manner of middah keneged middah  and be patient, compassionate and forgiving with us.

To be privileged to channel G-d's blessing and benefit into the world, man must emulate his Creator.  It is insufficient that man is created in the Divine likeness - he must constantly, consciously, and willingly cleave to G-d by emulating Him in every way. 

"Who is G-d like You, Who pardons iniquity and forgives the transgression of the remnant of His heritage?  He does not maintain His anger forever, for He delights in kindness.  He will again show us compassion, He will vanquish our iniquities, and You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.  Show faithfulness to Yaakov, kindness to Avraham, which You have sworn to our fathers from days of old" (Michah 7:18-20)

Consequently, it is proper that these Thirteen Attributes should also be found in man.


Hitbodedut:  "HaShem, I realize that I have no separate existence from you and therefore I yearn to be more like You.  Please help me to rise above my nature and lead me in the path that I wish to go, which is to think, say and do only what is pleasing to You.  May I merit to bring love and mercy to my interactions."


Which You have Sworn to our Fathers

Some people are unworthy, yet the Holy One, Blessed is He, has compassion for all.  On the verse " ...I will have mercy and show kindness to whomever I desire" (Shemot 33:19), the Talmud comments: 

The Holy One, Blessed is He, says, "This storehouse is for those who are unworthy."  But there is another storehouse - of grace - from which the Holy One, Blessed is He, bestows grace on the righteous as an unearned gift.  For the Holy One, Blessed is He, said, "Behold, they have the merit of their fathers.  I made an oath to the Patriarchs, so even if they are unworthy, they will merit, because they are the seed of the Patriarchs, to whom I swore.  Therefore, I will lead them and guide them until they are perfected." (Berachot 7a; Shemot Rabbah 45)

This is also how a person should conduct himself.  Even if he meets wicked people, he should not behave cruelly towards them or abuse them and so on.  Rather, he should show them compassion, saying, "Ultimately, they are the children of Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov.  Although they may not behave properly, their fathers were upright and worthy.  Hence, one who despises the sons despises the fathers, too.  I do not wish their fathers to be despised because of me!"  Thus, he should conceal their disgrace and improve them as much as he can.


Hitbodedut: HaShem please help me to be mevater, to not shame anyone or cause harm.  Please help me to stretch myself in emulating Your Mercy so that I can heal from the harm experienced from their wickedness by serving You and serving as a counter-balance, for we are all Avraham's children and I desire to give nachas ruach to our forefathers and HaShem by loving His children.


RaMaK (Rabbi Moshe Cordovero)

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Tomer Devorah - Emulating G-d: Kindness to Avraham

Wednesday, February 26, 2014 · Posted in , , ,


"The righteous will flourish like the date palm..." (Tehillim 92:13)

Tomer Devorah [Palm Tree of Devorah] - an ethical treatise devoted to a Kabbalistic understanding of the commandment to imitate G-d based on the Torah verse "...you shall go in His ways" (Devarim 28:9) and "to go in all His ways" (11:22).  

The Sifri ("Eikev") explains: just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, is called 'Compassionate,' you should be compassionate; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, is called 'Gracious,' you should be gracious; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, is called 'Righteous,' you should be righteous; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, is called 'Pious,' you should be pious."  

Expounding the verse "Follow HaShem, your G-d..." (Devarim 13:5), the Gemara derives the practical implications of this concept:  "Emulate the attributes of the Holy One, Blessed Be He.  Just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, clothes the naked...so should you; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, visits the sick..so should you; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, consoles the bereaved, so should you..." (Sotah 14a)

In Tomer Devorah, the Thirteen Supernal Attributes of Mercy mentioned in Michah 7:18-20 are analyzed in detail.

The following are the words of the holy Sanzer Rebbi, the Divrei Chaim זצ"ל, as heard by his grandson, Rav Moshe Halberstam זצ"ל   from the Satmar Rebbi זצ"ל:

“…the learning from the Sefer Tomer Devorah is a segulah against the terrible sickness…”

It is recommended to learn from the sefer Tomer Devorah once a week or at least once a month, even though this sefer is not easy to understand. This segulah follows the principle of  middah keneged middah (measure for measure). If we emulate G-d’s Attributes and act like He does with patience, compassion, forgiveness, etc, HaShem will act towards us in the manner of middah keneged middah  and be patient, compassionate and forgiving with us.

To be privileged to channel G-d's blessing and benefit into the world, man must emulate his Creator.  It is insufficient that man is created in the Divine likeness - he must constantly, consciously, and willingly cleave to G-d by emulating Him in every way. 

"Who is G-d like You, Who pardons iniquity and forgives the transgression of the remnant of His heritage?  He does not maintain His anger forever, for He delights in kindness.  He will again show us compassion, He will vanquish our iniquities, and You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.  Show faithfulness to Yaakov, kindness to Avraham, which You have sworn to our fathers from days of old" (Michah 7:18-20)

Consequently, it is proper that these Thirteen Attributes should also be found in man.


Hitbodedut:  "HaShem, I realize that I have no separate existence from you and therefore I yearn to be more like You.  Please help me to rise above my nature and lead me in the path that I wish to go, which is to think, say and do only what is pleasing to You.  May I merit to bring love and mercy to my interactions."





Kindness to Avraham

This Attribute applies to those who conduct goes beyond the requirements of the Law, like Avraham our Patriarch.  Thus, the Holy One, Blessed is He, also conducts Himself towards them in a way that goes beyond the requirements of the Law.  That is, He does not demand the strict execution of justice, not even regarding correctness.  Rather, He goes beyond the letter of the Law, just as they do.  This is the aspect of "kindness to Avraham" - the Holy One, Blessed is He, displays the Attribute of kindness towards those whose conduct is like Avraham's.

So, too, with man.  Although he conducts himself properly and correctly, with justness towards all men, towards those who are particularly righteous and pious, his conduct should go beyond the strict requirements of the Law.  Wherever he displays patience towards all men, with the righteous and pious he should have much more patience, showing them compassion beyond what the Law requires in his dealings with others.  They should be exceedingly important to him and especially beloved, and they should be among his friends.


Hitbodedut: HaShem, please help me to understand kindness and piousness and to conduct myself with mercy and kindness.  Please help me to stretch myself when in a position to offer kindness, charity or assistance to a pious person.  Help me to establish care and friendship.


RaMaK (Rabbi Moshe Cordovero)

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Tomer Devorah - Emulating G-d: Show Faithfulness to Yaakov

Sunday, February 16, 2014 · Posted in , ,


"The righteous will flourish like the date palm..." (Tehillim 92:13)

Tomer Devorah [Palm Tree of Devorah] - an ethical treatise devoted to a Kabbalistic understanding of the commandment to imitate G-d based on the Torah verse "...you shall go in His ways" (Devarim 28:9) and "to go in all His ways" (11:22).  

The Sifri ("Eikev") explains: just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, is called 'Compassionate,' you should be compassionate; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, is called 'Gracious,' you should be gracious; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, is called 'Righteous,' you should be righteous; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, is called 'Pious,' you should be pious."  

Expounding the verse "Follow HaShem, your G-d..." (Devarim 13:5), the Gemara derives the practical implications of this concept:  "Emulate the attributes of the Holy One, Blessed Be He.  Just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, clothes the naked...so should you; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, visits the sick..so should you; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, consoles the bereaved, so should you..." (Sotah 14a)

In Tomer Devorah, the Thirteen Supernal Attributes of Mercy mentioned in Michah 7:18-20 are analyzed in detail.

The following are the words of the holy Sanzer Rebbi, the Divrei Chaim זצ"ל, as heard by his grandson, Rav Moshe Halberstam זצ"ל   from the Satmar Rebbi זצ"ל:

“…the learning from the Sefer Tomer Devorah is a segulah against the terrible sickness…”

It is recommended to learn from the sefer Tomer Devorah once a week or at least once a month, even though this sefer is not easy to understand. This segulah follows the principle of  middah keneged middah (measure for measure). If we emulate G-d’s Attributes and act like He does with patience, compassion, forgiveness, etc, HaShem will act towards us in the manner of middah keneged middah  and be patient, compassionate and forgiving with us.

To be privileged to channel G-d's blessing and benefit into the world, man must emulate his Creator.  It is insufficient that man is created in the Divine likeness - he must constantly, consciously, and willingly cleave to G-d by emulating Him in every way. 

"Who is G-d like You, Who pardons iniquity and forgives the transgression of the remnant of His heritage?  He does not maintain His anger forever, for He delights in kindness.  He will again show us compassion, He will vanquish our iniquities, and You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.  Show faithfulness to Yaakov, kindness to Avraham, which You have sworn to our fathers from days of old" (Michah 7:18-20)

Consequently, it is proper that these Thirteen Attributes should also be found in man.


Hitbodedut:  "HaShem, I realize that I have no separate existence from you and therefore I yearn to be more like You.  Please help me to rise above my nature and lead me in the path that I wish to go, which is to think, say and do only what is pleasing to You.  May I merit to bring love and mercy to my interactions."

Show Faithfulness to Yaakov

The name Yisrael refers to a higher level than the name Yaakov.  This Attribute, "show faithfulness to Yaakov," applies to those individuals of average spiritual stature, who do not know how to go beyond what the Torah requires. They are called 'Yaakov,' for they adhere faithfully only to the strict requirements of the Torah.  The Holy One, Blessed is He, also has this aspect of faithfulness regarding correctness in judgment.  Towards those whose conduct in this world is correct, the Holy One, Blessed is He, also conducts Himself with this quality of faithfulness, having compassion for them in executing justice and fairness.

So, too, a person should act towards his fellow with fairness and faithfulness, and he should not pervert the justice due his friend.  He should have compassion for his fellow and be faithful, just as the Holy One, Blessed is He, shows compassion for His creatures of average stature, according to this quality of faithfulness, in order to perfect them.


Hitbodedut:  "HaShem, please help me to understand truth and to conduct myself in truthful ways.  Please help me to see the humanity of each person and not utilize anyone for my personal gain but rather act with true love and concern for others."

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Tomer Devorah - Emulating G-d: And You Will Cast all Their Sins into the Depths of the Sea

Wednesday, February 12, 2014 · Posted in , , ,


"The righteous will flourish like the date palm..." (Tehillim 92:13)

Tomer Devorah [Palm Tree of Devorah] - an ethical treatise devoted to a Kabbalistic understanding of the commandment to imitate G-d based on the Torah verse "...you shall go in His ways" (Devarim 28:9) and "to go in all His ways" (11:22).  

The Sifri ("Eikev") explains: just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, is called 'Compassionate,' you should be compassionate; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, is called 'Gracious,' you should be gracious; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, is called 'Righteous,' you should be righteous; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, is called 'Pious,' you should be pious."  

Expounding the verse "Follow HaShem, your G-d..." (Devarim 13:5), the Gemara derives the practical implications of this concept:  "Emulate the attributes of the Holy One, Blessed Be He.  Just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, clothes the naked...so should you; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, visits the sick..so should you; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, consoles the bereaved, so should you..." (Sotah 14a)

In Tomer Devorah, the Thirteen Supernal Attributes of Mercy mentioned in Michah 7:18-20 are analyzed in detail.

The following are the words of the holy Sanzer Rebbi, the Divrei Chaim זצ"ל, as heard by his grandson, Rav Moshe Halberstam זצ"ל   from the Satmar Rebbi זצ"ל:

“…the learning from the Sefer Tomer Devorah is a segulah against the terrible sickness…”

It is recommended to learn from the sefer Tomer Devorah once a week or at least once a month, even though this sefer is not easy to understand. This segulah follows the principle of  middah keneged middah (measure for measure). If we emulate G-d’s Attributes and act like He does with patience, compassion, forgiveness, etc, HaShem will act towards us in the manner of middah keneged middah  and be patient, compassionate and forgiving with us.

To be privileged to channel G-d's blessing and benefit into the world, man must emulate his Creator.  It is insufficient that man is created in the Divine likeness - he must constantly, consciously, and willingly cleave to G-d by emulating Him in every way. 

"Who is G-d like You, Who pardons iniquity and forgives the transgression of the remnant of His heritage?  He does not maintain His anger forever, for He delights in kindness.  He will again show us compassion, He will vanquish our iniquities, and You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.  Show faithfulness to Yaakov, kindness to Avraham, which You have sworn to our fathers from days of old" (Michah 7:18-20)

Consequently, it is proper that these Thirteen Attributes should also be found in man.


Hitbodedut:  "HaShem, I realize that I have no separate existence from you and therefore I yearn to be more like You.  Please help me to rise above my nature and lead me in the path that I wish to go, which is to think, say and do only what is pleasing to You.  May I merit to bring love and mercy to my interactions."




And You Will Cast all Their Sins into the Depths of the Sea

This Attribute is the goodness of the Holy One, Blessed is He.  For when Yisrael sinned, He delivered them into the hands of Pharoah.  But when they repented, why should H have punished Pharoah, or Sancheriv, or Haman and others like them?  Yet the Holy One, Blessed is He, is not content with saying to Yisrael, "Repent!" and then no further evil will befall them, for Haman, Pharoah, or Sancheriv will be removed from them.  This is not enough; instead, the iniquity of Haman reverts onto his own head, and so, too, with Pharoah and Sancheriv.

The reason the Holy One, Blessed is He, conducts Himself in this manner is to be found in the secret contained int he verse "The goat will bear all the sins of Yisrael upon it to the land of Gezerah.." (VaYikra 16:22).  The explanation is that the goat itself bears the punishment for their sins!  Now this is very hard to understand, for if Yisrael sinned, why should the goat be responsible?

This is understood as follows:

When a person confesses with the intention of accepting upon himself the cleansing of his sin, as King David states, "Cleanse me thoroughly of my wrongdoing.." (Tehillim 51:4), and as we pray, "Erase my sin in your great compassion" - he hopes his punishment will be light in order that it not interfere with his Torah study.  As we say in our prayers "...but not by way of severe suffering."  This was also King David's intentions when he stated, "You are just with regard to all that befalls me," expressing a willingness to accept suffering upon himself for those sins that can be purged only by means of severe affliction or death.  And so it is - when a person confesses his wrongdoing in *viddui, the Holy One, Blessed is He, immediately decrees severe suffering upon him for his sins.  Then Samae-l appears to claim his due, for this is the portion allotted him, as the Zohar on "Pikudei" explains.  But all the person's sins ultimately devolve upon his head.  This way, Yisrael is purified.  This is just like the goat that bore the sins of Yisrael to its death in Gezerah.

The reason for this is that the Holy One, Blessed is He, decreed upon His world that all who punish Yisrael will be annihilated.  That's why any animal that is party to a transgression bust be killed.  Similarly, the stones used to carry out the sentence of those condemned to death by stoning, and the sword used to carry out the sentence of those condemned to decapitation, must be buried in order to nullify their existence and power after they have carried out the judgment.

This is the attribute of "and You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea," implying that the Holy One, Blessed is He, will send forth the attribute of judgment to cast down those who are called "the depths of the sea," as the verse states: "The wicked are like the troubled sea, for it cannot rest, and its waters cast up mud and mire" (Yeshayahu 57:20).  This refers to those who execute judgement on Yisrael:  He will return their recompense upon their own heads, for after the people of Yisrael receive their judgment, the Holy One, Blessed is He, regrets His original demand that they be shamed.  And this is not all, for "...I was only a little angry, and [the nations of the world] helped make it worse" (Zechariya 1:15).

A person also ought to behave this way with his fellow.  Even if the latter is wicked and crushed through suffering, he should not despise him, for "having been whipped, he is like your brother."   On the contrary, he should draw close the downcast and those who are punished, have compassion for them, and save them from their enemies.


Hitbodedut: "HaShem, please help me emulate Your ways by praying for mercy for others and may that mercy extend to all Klal Yisrael as well." 


*viddui - The public confessions of one's sins on Yom Kippur.


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Tomer Devorah - Emulating G-d: He Will Vanquish our Iniquities

Monday, February 3, 2014 · Posted in , , ,


"The righteous will flourish like the date palm..." (Tehillim 92:13)

Tomer Devorah [Palm Tree of Devorah] - an ethical treatise devoted to a Kabbalistic understanding of the commandment to imitate G-d based on the Torah verse "...you shall go in His ways" (Devarim 28:9) and "to go in all His ways" (11:22).  

The Sifri ("Eikev") explains: just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, is called 'Compassionate,' you should be compassionate; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, is called 'Gracious,' you should be gracious; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, is called 'Righteous,' you should be righteous; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, is called 'Pious,' you should be pious."  

Expounding the verse "Follow HaShem, your G-d..." (Devarim 13:5), the Gemara derives the practical implications of this concept:  "Emulate the attributes of the Holy One, Blessed Be He.  Just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, clothes the naked...so should you; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, visits the sick..so should you; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, consoles the bereaved, so should you..." (Sotah 14a)

In Tomer Devorah, the Thirteen Supernal Attributes of Mercy mentioned in Michah 7:18-20 are analyzed in detail.

The following are the words of the holy Sanzer Rebbi, the Divrei Chaim זצ"ל, as heard by his grandson, Rav Moshe Halberstam זצ"ל   from the Satmar Rebbi זצ"ל:

“…the learning from the Sefer Tomer Devorah is a segulah against the terrible sickness…”

It is recommended to learn from the sefer Tomer Devorah once a week or at least once a month, even though this sefer is not easy to understand. This segulah follows the principle of  middah keneged middah (measure for measure). If we emulate G-d’s Attributes and act like He does with patience, compassion, forgiveness, etc, HaShem will act towards us in the manner of middah keneged middah  and be patient, compassionate and forgiving with us.

To be privileged to channel G-d's blessing and benefit into the world, man must emulate his Creator.  It is insufficient that man is created in the Divine likeness - he must constantly, consciously, and willingly cleave to G-d by emulating Him in every way. 

"Who is G-d like You, Who pardons iniquity and forgives the transgression of the remnant of His heritage?  He does not maintain His anger forever, for He delights in kindness.  He will again show us compassion, He will vanquish our iniquities, and You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.  Show faithfulness to Yaakov, kindness to Avraham, which You have sworn to our fathers from days of old" (Michah 7:18-20)

Consequently, it is proper that these Thirteen Attributes should also be found in man.


Hitbodedut:  "HaShem, I realize that I have no separate existence from you and therefore I yearn to be more like You.  Please help me to rise above my nature and lead me in the path that I wish to go, which is to think, say and do only what is pleasing to You.  May I merit to bring love and mercy to my interactions."


He Will Vanquish our Iniquities

The relationship of the Holy One, Blessed is He, to Yisrael is according to this Attribute, namely, the secret of vanquishing iniquity.  For the precepts are compared to a grapevine that's "budding, its blossoms bursting forth" (Bereishit 40:10) - it shoots upwards without limit, entering His blessed Presence.  However, sins have no entrance there, G-d forbid.  Rather, He suppresses them, denying them entry, as it is written, "...no harm will befall you (Tehillim 5:5), which our Sages interpret as implying that "no harm will befall man in Your dwelling place."  Thus, sin has no entry into the Inner Sanctum.

Since the precepts reside in His blessed Presence, they have no reward in this world.  For how could G-d grant spiritual reward in the material world?  Behold, the entire world is unworthy of a single precept and the spiritual bliss of His Presence.

For the same reason, G-d does not take the precepts as bribes.  For instance, the Holy One, Blessed is He, does not say, G-d forbid, "He has fulfilled forty commandments and committed ten transgressions; thus, thirty commandments remain, for ten are deducted in repayment for the ten transgressions!"  Rather, if even a perfectly righteous individual commits a sing sin, it as if he has burnt the Torah.  But when he pays his debt, he receives reward for all the precepts he has fulfilled.  This is a great kindness that the Holy One, Blessed is He, does for the righteous - He does not deduct from the precepts they fulfill, for these are very precious to Him and ascend directly to His blessed Presence.  Indeed, how could transgressions, whose punishment is a portion of that which is most despicable - Gehinnom- detract from precepts, whose reward is the radiance of the Shechinah, which is so highly valued?  How could one be exchanged for the other?  Instead, the Holy One, Blessed is He, collects the debt due for transgressions, and then He bestows the reward for all the precepts a person has fulfilled.

This is the Attribute of "vanquishing iniquity" - that is, transgressions do not prevail before G-d as the commandments do.  Rather, He suppresses transgressions, preventing them from ascending and entering His Presence.  And although He watches all the ways of man, both bad and good, He does not suppress the good.  Rather, it rises up, ascending to the very heights where all precepts merge to build an edifice and form a precious garment.  Transgressions, however, lack this special quality - instead, He vanquishes them, so they'll have no success and no entry into the Inner Sanctum.

A person should also conduct himself according to this Attribute.  He should not suppress his fellow's virtues but remember the evil he has done.  On the contrary, he should vanquish the evil, erasing it from memory and abandoning it, so that he will find no evil in his fellow, and his good qualities will be spread out before him.  And he should turn a blind eye to his faults as much as possible, just as the Holy One, Blessed is He, does in vanquishing our iniquities.

Hitbodedut:  "HaShem please help me to be more like You, to see the good and to erase the past."


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Tomer Devorah - Emulating G-d: He Will Again Show us Compassion

Friday, January 31, 2014 · Posted in , ,


"The righteous will flourish like the date palm..." (Tehillim 92:13)

Tomer Devorah [Palm Tree of Devorah] - an ethical treatise devoted to a Kabbalistic understanding of the commandment to imitate G-d based on the Torah verse "...you shall go in His ways" (Devarim 28:9) and "to go in all His ways" (11:22).  

The Sifri ("Eikev") explains: just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, is called 'Compassionate,' you should be compassionate; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, is called 'Gracious,' you should be gracious; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, is called 'Righteous,' you should be righteous; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, is called 'Pious,' you should be pious."  

Expounding the verse "Follow HaShem, your G-d..." (Devarim 13:5), the Gemara derives the practical implications of this concept:  "Emulate the attributes of the Holy One, Blessed Be He.  Just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, clothes the naked...so should you; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, visits the sick..so should you; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, consoles the bereaved, so should you..." (Sotah 14a)

In Tomer Devorah, the Thirteen Supernal Attributes of Mercy mentioned in Michah 7:18-20 are analyzed in detail.

The following are the words of the holy Sanzer Rebbi, the Divrei Chaim זצ"ל, as heard by his grandson, Rav Moshe Halberstam זצ"ל   from the Satmar Rebbi זצ"ל:

“…the learning from the Sefer Tomer Devorah is a segulah against the terrible sickness…”

It is recommended to learn from the sefer Tomer Devorah once a week or at least once a month, even though this sefer is not easy to understand. This segulah follows the principle of  middah keneged middah (measure for measure). If we emulate G-d’s Attributes and act like He does with patience, compassion, forgiveness, etc, HaShem will act towards us in the manner of middah keneged middah  and be patient, compassionate and forgiving with us.

To be privileged to channel G-d's blessing and benefit into the world, man must emulate his Creator.  It is insufficient that man is created in the Divine likeness - he must constantly, consciously, and willingly cleave to G-d by emulating Him in every way. 

"Who is G-d like You, Who pardons iniquity and forgives the transgression of the remnant of His heritage?  He does not maintain His anger forever, for He delights in kindness.  He will again show us compassion, He will vanquish our iniquities, and You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.  Show faithfulness to Yaakov, kindness to Avraham, which You have sworn to our fathers from days of old" (Michah 7:18-20)

Consequently, it is proper that these Thirteen Attributes should also be found in man.


Hitbodedut:  "HaShem, I realize that I have no separate existence from you and therefore I yearn to be more like You.  Please help me to rise above my nature and lead me in the path that I wish to go, which is to think, say and do only what is pleasing to You.  May I merit to bring love and mercy to my interactions."



He Will Again Show us Compassion

The Holy One, Blessed is He, does not behave as man behaves.  For when a person is provoked, he cannot bring himself to love the one who offended him to the same degree as before, even after he is appeased.  But if a person sins and afterwards repents, his stature before the Holy One, Blessed is He, is even greater than before.

This is the intention of the statement our Sages made, "The perfectly righteous cannot stand where repentant sinners stand."

They explain as follows:  

"Why is the letter ה (heh) shaped like a porch?  So that anyone who wants to go astray can do so!" 

The explanation of this is as follows:  

The physical world was created with the letter heh, for the Holy One, Blessed is He, created the world in such a way that it is wide-open to evil and sin. There is no area where the opportunity to sin, the evil urge, and blemishes of the soul are absent!  It is just like a wide-open, unfenced porch, which has no barriers against danger, as symbolized by the gap at the bottom of the heh.  Anyone who desires to forgo the World to Come has many exits, since wherever he turns, he can find evil and sin through which he can enter the domain of the Outside Forces.

And yet, the heh also has a gap in the top left corner, symbolizing repentance, which will be accepted by G-d.  But why shouldn't a person reenter by the same path through which they left?  Answers our Sages: "Because this will have no effect!"  For it is not enough for a repentant sinner to guard himself against sin the same way as perfectly righteous person does.  A tzaddik who has not sinned requires only a minor barrier, whereas for a repentant sinner, a small barrier is insufficient - he needs a number of tough restraints, since if he approaches the fence again, his evil urge might seduce him.

Therefore, he should not reenter via the same path by which he left, through the part of the porch he broke through.  Rather, he should ascend to the narrow gap at the top of the heh, representing the restraints and penances he accepts upon himself in mending the broken fence, and he should enter through there.

For this reason, "The perfectly righteous cannot stand where repentant sinners stand" - for the latter did not enter through the same door as the righteous such that they should stand together.  Instead, they mortified themselves in order to ascend through the upper door, and they inflicted penances on themselves and distanced themselves from sin much more than the righteous.  They have therefore ascended and attained the level of the heh that is called "the Fifth Palace of Gan Eden," that is to say, the roof of the heh, whereas the righteous have entered only through the lower opening of the heh - the entrance to the porch.

Therefore, when a person does teshuvah (תשובה), that is to say, tashuv heh, when he returns the heh to its proper place, then the Holy One, Blessed is He, will return His Shechinah to him.  And the Holy One, Blessed is He, will restore His love for the repentant person not only as it was originally but in an even greater measure.  

This is the explanation of the Attribute "He will again show us compassion": He will increase His compassion for Yisrael, perfecting us and drawing us closer to Himself.

This is also how a person should behave towards his fellow.  He should not nurse the hatred born of anger he once felt.  Rather, when he sees that this fellow desires his friendship, he should show him even greater compassion and love than before, saying, "He is like the penitents in whose place even the perfectly righteous cannot stand."  In this way, a person will draw his fellow very close to himself - much closer than he would draw those who have behaved perfectly righteous towards him, never wronging him.


Hitbodedut: "HaShem, just as you give to me even though I have sinned and repented, please help me do the same and may that also be a teshuvah for my sins so that You restore to me the benefit of Your love.  Please help me to see that this was for my growth and development and that the process has produced an amazing good.  Help me to trust it and for that trust to produce love and light."

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Tomer Devorah - Emulating G-d: For He Delights in Kindness

Thursday, January 23, 2014 · Posted in , ,


"The righteous will flourish like the date palm..." (Tehillim 92:13)

Tomer Devorah [Palm Tree of Devorah] - an ethical treatise devoted to a Kabbalistic understanding of the commandment to imitate G-d based on the Torah verse "...you shall go in His ways" (Devarim 28:9) and "to go in all His ways" (11:22).  

The Sifri ("Eikev") explains: just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, is called 'Compassionate,' you should be compassionate; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, is called 'Gracious,' you should be gracious; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, is called 'Righteous,' you should be righteous; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, is called 'Pious,' you should be pious."  

Expounding the verse "Follow HaShem, your G-d..." (Devarim 13:5), the Gemara derives the practical implications of this concept:  "Emulate the attributes of the Holy One, Blessed Be He.  Just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, clothes the naked...so should you; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, visits the sick..so should you; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, consoles the bereaved, so should you..." (Sotah 14a)

In Tomer Devorah, the Thirteen Supernal Attributes of Mercy mentioned in Michah 7:18-20 are analyzed in detail.

The following are the words of the holy Sanzer Rebbi, the Divrei Chaim זצ"ל, as heard by his grandson, Rav Moshe Halberstam זצ"ל   from the Satmar Rebbi זצ"ל:

“…the learning from the Sefer Tomer Devorah is a segulah against the terrible sickness…”

It is recommended to learn from the sefer Tomer Devorah once a week or at least once a month, even though this sefer is not easy to understand. This segulah follows the principle of  middah keneged middah (measure for measure). If we emulate G-d’s Attributes and act like He does with patience, compassion, forgiveness, etc, HaShem will act towards us in the manner of middah keneged middah  and be patient, compassionate and forgiving with us.

To be privileged to channel G-d's blessing and benefit into the world, man must emulate his Creator.  It is insufficient that man is created in the Divine likeness - he must constantly, consciously, and willingly cleave to G-d by emulating Him in every way. 

"Who is G-d like You, Who pardons iniquity and forgives the transgression of the remnant of His heritage?  He does not maintain His anger forever, for He delights in kindness.  He will again show us compassion, He will vanquish our iniquities, and You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.  Show faithfulness to Yaakov, kindness to Avraham, which You have sworn to our fathers from days of old" (Michah 7:18-20)

Consequently, it is proper that these Thirteen Attributes should also be found in man.


Hitbodedut:  "HaShem, I realize that I have no separate existence from you and therefore I yearn to be more like You.  Please help me to rise above my nature and lead me in the path that I wish to go, which is to think, say and do only what is pleasing to You.  May I merit to bring love and mercy to my interactions."



For He Delights in Kindness

Angels in a certain celestial chamber are appointed to receive the kind deeds man performs in this world.  When the Attribute of severity accuses Yisrael, these angels immediately exhibit those acts of kindness before the Heavenly Court, and the Holy One, Blessed is He, shows compassion to Yisrael, since He delights in kindness.  And even thought the people of Yisrael may be guilty, He shows them mercy if they are kind to one another.

This can be compared to when the Holy Temple was destoryed, when G-d said to the angel Gavriel: "Go in between the galgal, beneath the keruv, and fill your hands with burning coals from among the keruvim, and throw them on the city..." (Yechezkel 10:2).  For Gavriel is the angel of judgment and severity, and G-d gave him permission to receive the powers of severity from the fire on the Altar, which is between the galgal (wheel) below the keruvim (cherubim).  This is judgment according to the severities of *malchut, which became so severe that it sought to destroy everything and annihilate the seed of Yisrael, which had incurred the penalty of destruction.  However, the passage continues, "The form of a man's hand appeared under the wings of the keruvim" (ibid. 10:8).  The meaning of this is that the Holy One, Blessed is He, said to Gavriel, "Since they do kindness towards one another, even though they are guilty, they shall be saved, and a remnant of them will be left."  The reason for this is the Attribute of "He delights in kindness," that is, the kindness that one Jew shows another, for He remembers it in [the Jews'] favor, even though, from another point of view, they are unworthy.

A person should emulate this Attribute in his own conduct.  Even if one is aware that another person is doing him evil, and this angers him, if that person has some redeeming quality, e.g., he is kind to others, or he possesses some other virtue, this should be sufficient cause for one to dissipate his anger and find the other person pleasing, i.e., to delight in the kindness he does.  One should say, "It is enough for me that he has this good quality."  How much more so does all this apply to one's wife; as our Sages have said, "It is enough that they raise our children and save us from sin."  So, too, should a person say to himself with regard to every man, "It is enough that he has been good to me or to someone else in such and such a way, or that he has such and such a positive quality."  In this way, one should delight in kindness.


Hitbodedut: "HaShem please help me to be more like You, to shine love, kindness and benefit to those around me.  Please help me to search my mind to give the benefit of the doubt, to see the good in every person, including myself, and to treat everyone with sincere kindness and benefit."


*Malchut definition:  kingship, royalty, or sovereignty.  Malchut is the last of the Ten Sefirot.  It is uniquely "passive," having nothing but that which other sefirot pour into it (Eitz Chayim, Sha'ar 6, ch. 5, Sha'ar 8, ch. 5).  Thus, the Zohar compares malchut to the moon, which has no light of its own (vol. 1, pp. 249b, 251b, vol. 2, pp. 245b; Tikkunei Zohar, tikkun 44, p. 82b).  Nevertheless, malchut includes all the other sefirot, which pour their light into it.  Malchut is therefore compared to the sea, into which all rivers flow.  Malchut brings creation into being, for everything occurs among the lower beings by way of this sefirah (Tikkunei Zohar, tikkun 19, p. 40b; Zohar Chadash, p. 11a).  Malchut is referred to as "the architect with which the entire creation was made" (Pardes, Sha'ar 11, ch. 2).  Malchut also corresponds to the mouth (Tikkunei Zohar, intro., p. 17a) and thus represents the word of G-d (cf. Avot 5:1) and the revealed world (Zohar, vol. 1, p. 1b, and vol. 2, p. 127a).


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Tomer Devorah - Emulating G-d: He Does Not Retain His Anger Forever

Sunday, January 19, 2014 · Posted in , ,


"The righteous will flourish like the date palm..." (Tehillim 92:13)

Tomer Devorah [Palm Tree of Devorah] - an ethical treatise devoted to a Kabbalistic understanding of the commandment to imitate G-d based on the Torah verse "...you shall go in His ways" (Devarim 28:9) and "to go in all His ways" (11:22).  

The Sifri ("Eikev") explains: just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, is called 'Compassionate,' you should be compassionate; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, is called 'Gracious,' you should be gracious; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, is called 'Righteous,' you should be righteous; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, is called 'Pious,' you should be pious."  

Expounding the verse "Follow HaShem, your G-d..." (Devarim 13:5), the Gemara derives the practical implications of this concept:  "Emulate the attributes of the Holy One, Blessed Be He.  Just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, clothes the naked...so should you; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, visits the sick..so should you; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, consoles the bereaved, so should you..." (Sotah 14a)

In Tomer Devorah, the Thirteen Supernal Attributes of Mercy mentioned in Michah 7:18-20 are analyzed in detail.

The following are the words of the holy Sanzer Rebbi, the Divrei Chaim זצ"ל, as heard by his grandson, Rav Moshe Halberstam זצ"ל   from the Satmar Rebbi זצ"ל:

“…the learning from the Sefer Tomer Devorah is a segulah against the terrible sickness…”

It is recommended to learn from the sefer Tomer Devorah once a week or at least once a month, even though this sefer is not easy to understand. This segulah follows the principle of  middah keneged middah (measure for measure). If we emulate G-d’s Attributes and act like He does with patience, compassion, forgiveness, etc, HaShem will act towards us in the manner of middah keneged middah  and be patient, compassionate and forgiving with us.

To be privileged to channel G-d's blessing and benefit into the world, man must emulate his Creator.  It is insufficient that man is created in the Divine likeness - he must constantly, consciously, and willingly cleave to G-d by emulating Him in every way. 

"Who is G-d like You, Who pardons iniquity and forgives the transgression of the remnant of His heritage?  He does not maintain His anger forever, for He delights in kindness.  He will again show us compassion, He will vanquish our iniquities, and You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.  Show faithfulness to Yaakov, kindness to Avraham, which You have sworn to our fathers from days of old" (Michah 7:18-20)

Consequently, it is proper that these Thirteen Attributes should also be found in man.


Hitbodedut:  "HaShem, I realize that I have no separate existence from you and therefore I yearn to be more like You.  Please help me to rise above my nature and lead me in the path that I wish to go, which is to think, say and do only what is pleasing to You.  May I merit to bring love and mercy to my interactions."



He Does not Retain His Anger Forever

This Attribute is different from those mentioned previously, for even though a person persists in sinning, the Holy One, Blessed is He, does not persist in His anger.  And even when He does become angry, it is not forever. Rather, He assuages His anger even if a person does not repent, as we find in the days of Yaravam ben Yoash, when the Holy One, Blessed is He, restored the borders of the Land of Yisrael (Melachim Bet 14).  Even though the people were unrepentant worshipers of calf idols, He had compassion for them.  Why?  Because of this attribute of not maintaining His anger forever.  On the contrary, He deliberately mitigates His anger, even though the sin still exists.  And He does not exact punishment; rather, He waits hopefully and compassionately for sinners to repent.  This is the intention of the verse "Not forever will He do battle, nor will He bear a grudge for eternity" (Tehillim 103:9). Rather, the Holy One, Blessed is He, conducts Himself with both tenderness and severity, as Yisrael's benefit requires.

This is a fitting attribute for a person to acquire in his conduct towards his fellow.  Even if one is permitted to chastise his friend or his children severely, and they would accept the rebuke, this is no reason to harshen his chastisement and persist in his wrath, even if he is naturally angry.  Instead, he should assuage his anger and not linger over it, even where it would be permissible to do so.


Hitbodedut:  "HaShem please help me to create and build only love and to do no harm to anyone.  Knowing that self-imporovment is a process that takes a great deal of time, even a lifetime, help me to be patient and unafraid and able to restrain myself from committing a sin by saying and doing anything hurtful.  Please help me to only shine love and benefit."


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Tomer Devorah - Emulating G-d: Forgives the Remnant of His Heritage

Monday, January 13, 2014 · Posted in , , , ,


"The righteous will flourish like the date palm..." (Tehillim 92:13)

Tomer Devorah [Palm Tree of Devorah] - an ethical treatise devoted to a Kabbalistic understanding of the commandment to imitate G-d based on the Torah verse "...you shall go in His ways" (Devarim 28:9) and "to go in all His ways" (11:22).  

The Sifri ("Eikev") explains: just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, is called 'Compassionate,' you should be compassionate; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, is called 'Gracious,' you should be gracious; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, is called 'Righteous,' you should be righteous; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, is called 'Pious,' you should be pious."  

Expounding the verse "Follow HaShem, your G-d..." (Devarim 13:5), the Gemara derives the practical implications of this concept:  "Emulate the attributes of the Holy One, Blessed Be He.  Just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, clothes the naked...so should you; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, visits the sick..so should you; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, consoles the bereaved, so should you..." (Sotah 14a)

In Tomer Devorah, the Thirteen Supernal Attributes of Mercy mentioned in Michah 7:18-20 are analyzed in detail.

The following are the words of the holy Sanzer Rebbi, the Divrei Chaim זצ"ל, as heard by his grandson, Rav Moshe Halberstam זצ"ל   from the Satmar Rebbi זצ"ל:

“…the learning from the Sefer Tomer Devorah is a segulah against the terrible sickness…”

It is recommended to learn from the sefer Tomer Devorah once a week or at least once a month, even though this sefer is not easy to understand. This segulah follows the principle of  middah keneged middah (measure for measure). If we emulate G-d’s Attributes and act like He does with patience, compassion, forgiveness, etc, HaShem will act towards us in the manner of middah keneged middah  and be patient, compassionate and forgiving with us.

To be privileged to channel G-d's blessing and benefit into the world, man must emulate his Creator.  It is insufficient that man is created in the Divine likeness - he must constantly, consciously, and willingly cleave to G-d by emulating Him in every way. 

"Who is G-d like You, Who pardons iniquity and forgives the transgression of the remnant of His heritage?  He does not maintain His anger forever, for He delights in kindness.  He will again show us compassion, He will vanquish our iniquities, and You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.  Show faithfulness to Yaakov, kindness to Avraham, which You have sworn to our fathers from days of old" (Michah 7:18-20)

Consequently, it is proper that these Thirteen Attributes should also be found in man.


Hitbodedut:  "HaShem, I realize that I have no separate existence from you and therefore I yearn to be more like You.  Please help me to rise above my nature and lead me in the path that I wish to go, which is to think, say and do only what is pleasing to You.  May I merit to bring love and mercy to my interactions."



Forgives the Remnant [She'erit] of His Heritage

Yisrael is G-d's inheritance.  The Holy One, Blessed is He says, "If I punish them, the pain is Mine!" as it is written, "In all their trouble, He is afflicted..." (Yeshayahu 63:9)  This is also the intention of the verse, "... His soul became impatient with the misery of Yisrael." (Shoftim 10:16), for He cannot bear Yisrael's suffering and disgrace, since they are the she'erit (remnant) of His heritage.

A person should conduct himself the same way towards his friend, since all Yisrael are blood relatives, being that all souls are united, and each person has a part of all others.  This is why "all [the people of] Yisrael are guarantors for one another," since each individual Jew has a portion of all the others.  When one individual sins, he blemishes not only his own soul but the portion of him that every other Jew possesses.  It follows that his fellow Jew is a guarantor for that portion.

Hence, all Jews are family, and one should therefore desire the best for his fellow, view his neighbor's good fortune benevolently, and cherish his friend's honor as his own - for they are one and the same!  For this reason too,k we are commanded to "love your fellow Jew as yourself" (VaYikra 19:18) - and it is proper that a person desire the well-being of his fellow, and he should never speak ill of him or desire that evil befall him.  Just as the Holy One, Blessed is He, desires neither our disgrace nor our suffering, because we are His relatives, a person should not desire to see his fellow's disgrace, suffering or downfall.  Rather, a person should be pained by it as if he himself were the victim.  The reverse applies to his fellow's good fortune.


Hitbodedut:  "HaShem please help me to love the people that I hate and who cause me pain.  Please help me erase the sins being done by rising above my reactions and see that I can effect a repair in the supernal realms and within our nation by being lovingkind, forgiving, and praying for mercy for all of us."

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Tomer Devorah - Emulating G-d: Forgiving Transgressions

Friday, January 10, 2014 · Posted in , , ,


"The righteous will flourish like the date palm..." (Tehillim 92:13)

Tomer Devorah [Palm Tree of Devorah] - an ethical treatise devoted to a Kabbalistic understanding of the commandment to imitate G-d based on the Torah verse "...you shall go in His ways" (Devarim 28:9) and "to go in all His ways" (11:22).  

The Sifri ("Eikev") explains: just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, is called 'Compassionate,' you should be compassionate; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, is called 'Gracious,' you should be gracious; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, is called 'Righteous,' you should be righteous; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, is called 'Pious,' you should be pious."  

Expounding the verse "Follow HaShem, your G-d..." (Devarim 13:5), the Gemara derives the practical implications of this concept:  "Emulate the attributes of the Holy One, Blessed Be He.  Just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, clothes the naked...so should you; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, visits the sick..so should you; just as the Holy One, Blessed Be He, consoles the bereaved, so should you..." (Sotah 14a)

In Tomer Devorah, the Thirteen Supernal Attributes of Mercy mentioned in Michah 7:18-20 are analyzed in detail.

The following are the words of the holy Sanzer Rebbi, the Divrei Chaim זצ"ל, as heard by his grandson, Rav Moshe Halberstam זצ"ל   from the Satmar Rebbi זצ"ל:

“…the learning from the Sefer Tomer Devorah is a segulah against the terrible sickness…”

It is recommended to learn from the sefer Tomer Devorah once a week or at least once a month, even though this sefer is not easy to understand. This segulah follows the principle of  middah keneged middah (measure for measure). If we emulate G-d’s Attributes and act like He does with patience, compassion, forgiveness, etc, HaShem will act towards us in the manner of middah keneged middah  and be patient, compassionate and forgiving with us.

To be privileged to channel G-d's blessing and benefit into the world, man must emulate his Creator.  It is insufficient that man is created in the Divine likeness - he must constantly, consciously, and willingly cleave to G-d by emulating Him in every way. 

"Who is G-d like You, Who pardons iniquity and forgives the transgression of the remnant of His heritage?  He does not maintain His anger forever, for He delights in kindness.  He will again show us compassion, He will vanquish our iniquities, and You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.  Show faithfulness to Yaakov, kindness to Avraham, which You have sworn to our fathers from days of old" (Michah 7:18-20)

Consequently, it is proper that these Thirteen Attributes should also be found in man.


 Hitbodedut:  "HaShem, I realize that I have no separate existence from you and therefore I yearn to be more like You.  Please help me to rise above my nature and lead me in the path that I wish to go, which is to think, say and do only what is pleasing to You.  May I merit to bring love and mercy to my interactions."



Forgives Transgression

This Attribute is even greater than the previous one, for when G-d forgives a sinner, He doe snot convey His pardon through an emissary.  Rather, the Holy One Himself, Blessed is He, grants the pardon, as is written, "For with You is forgiveness.." (Tehillim 130:4).  He washes away the sin, "When G-d has washed away the filth of the daughters of Tziyon.." (Yeshayahu 4:4); "And I will sprinkle purifying waters upon you..." (Yechezkel 36:25).  This, then, is the quality of forgiveness of transgression - G-d sens purifying waters and washes away the sin.

A person should behave in the same way.   From this, one can understand that a person should be too ashamed to return to his sinful ways, for the King Himself cleanses the filth of his garments.

Hitbodedut: "HaShem, please accept my teshuvah and remove my sins.  Please help me not to blame others for my sins. Please help me take responsibility and see that I fell victim to the yetzer hara (evil inclination). Please, HaShem, I see how easy it is to succumb to the yetzer hara and I beg for Your help in rising above it. Please accept my teshuvah and send me assistance so that I do not make this mistake again."

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