Showing posts with label Emulating G-d. 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: 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: 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 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: 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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Tomer Devorah - Emulating G-d: Who Pardons Iniquity

Tuesday, January 7, 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."



Who Pardons Iniquity

This Attribute is greater than the previous one, for when a person transgresses, a destructive creature is created. As stated in the Mishnah, "He who commits a single transgression acquires against himself a single accuser" who stands before the Holy One, Blessed is He, and states, "So and so made me."

Nevertheless, the Holy One, Blessed is He, bears the sin and endures it, and just as He sustains the entire world, He sustains this destructive creature until one of three things happens:
  1. The sinner repents, destroying or nullifying the destructive creature by his acts of penance.
  2. The righteous Judge nullifies it through the suffering or death of the sinner.
  3. The sinner descends to Gehinnom to pay his debt. 
This is the explanation of Kayin's plea, "Is my sin too great to bear?" (Bereishit 4:13), which Chazal (our Sages) interpreted as: "You bear and desire and nourish and sustain the entire world!  Is my sin so severe that You cannot sustain it (i.e., the destructive creature) until I repent and rectify the sin?"

It is with tremendous tolerance that G-d nourishes and sustains the evil creatures created by the sinner until he repents.  From this, man should learn to what extent he, too, should be tolerant and bear the yoke of his fellow and his sin.  He should tolerate one who sinned against him until the sinner mends his ways or the sin disappears of its own accord.


Hitbodedut: "HaShem, please help me to remember that this harm is Your Will and that it is good, sent for my ultimate growth and development.  Please help me to be tolerant of the situation and use it to improve myself and remove the negativity that I have created."


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Tomer Devorah - Emulating G-d: Who is G-d Like You

Saturday, January 4, 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."



Who is G-d like You

This Attribute refers to the Holy One, Blessed is He, as a tolerant King Who bears insult in a manner beyond human understanding.  Nothing is hidden from His view and there is not a moment that man is not nourished and sustained by virtue of the Divine power bestowed upon him.

Therefore, no man ever sins against G-d without G-d, at that very moment, bestowing abundant vitality upon him, giving him the power to move his limbs.  Yet even though a person uses this very vitality to transgress, G-d does not withhold it from him.  Rather, the Holy One, Blessed is He, suffers this insult and continues to enable his limbs to move.  Even at the very moment that a person uses that power for transgression, sin, and infuriating deeds, the Holy One, Blessed is He, bears them patiently.  He does not withhold His goodness from man.  He bears the insult and continues to bestow His power and benevolence on man.  Such an insult and the forbearance thereof defy description.

The ministering angels refer to the Holy One, Blessed is He, as the long-suffering King.

"Who is G-d like You" - You, G-d, are kind and benevolent, possessing the power to exact revenge and claim what is rightfully Yours, and yet You are patient and tolerant until man repents.

This is a virtue man should emulate - tolerance.  Even when he is insulted to the degree mentioned above he should not withdraw his benevolence from those upon whom he bestows it.


Hitbodedut: "HaShem, please help me to rise above my natural reaction of what I would say or do and lead me in the path that I wish to go, which is to bring love and mercy to this matter.  Please lead me in a way that will reflect tolerance, love, mercy and light."


*Hitbodedut = personal prayer



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