Monthly Archives: August 2015

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Today daily dose of emuna is dedicated to the refuah shleimah of Rav Ze’ev Ya’akov Moshe ben Chaya, Rabbi Zev Leff. May Hashem shower him with a complete recovery among all of Klal Yisrael who are sick and suffering b’karov, b’rachamim, Amen.

One of the greatest ‘unknowns’ of sin is revealed in the Zohar HaKadosh, Parshat Pinchas.  When a person sins he draws onto himself ‘ruach tumah’, an impure spirit.  This impurity directs a person towards arrogance.  Therefore the initial stages of teshuva must include a crushing of haughtiness; in other words a broken heart filled with humility.

Let’s understand – this essence of impurity rules man.  It affects all avenues of his life; decisions, emotions, values, desires, etc.  The only way to free oneself from the grips of superiority is to recall Hashem’s greatness and mankind’s eternal dependency on Hashem for everything.  In fact when Ahm Yisrael would bringkorbanot to the Beit HaMikdash to atone for their transgressions, the condition that Hashem accept them was that they come with a broken heart.  In the event not, thekorban was given to the dogs, literally.  Hashem does not ‘need’ the korban, but ‘yearns’ that the spirit of impurity cease control over the person.

A broken heart though must not exceed certain guidelines.  Indeed, the Kotzer Rebbe ztk’l who was known to say, ‘There is nothing more whole than a broken heart’ also taught it is never a positive thing to dwell too much on our sins for then we begin to take on an added negative power over our soul. Some signs to watch for; when an inner voice echoes refusal to forgive, one finds himself distant from Hashem’s warm forgiveness and feels lost, or one finds himself drawn more so to acts of wickedness because his relationship with Hashem has weakened as opposed to strengthened through teshuva.

The passuk in Tehillim 82 reads, “You are G-dlike beings, all of you sons of the most High”. We are all Hashem’s children.  We get lost sometimes.  Through fair self-judgment we can find our way home.

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There is a mandatory step that one must take before beginning the teshuva process; hachna’ah (surrendering oneself).  The Chovot Halevavot expounds – one must feel that in and of oneself he is nothing without Hashem. All of man’s successes, strength and talents are solely bestowed to him as a Divine gift. Furthermore, each person merits protection from harm only due to Hashem’s endless compassion; not as a result of his actions.

Taking this one step further, we should place our entire beings into Hashem’s hands and rely only on His kindness and not take pride at any time or place.  To put it simply; be humble before Hashem, know that everything is a gift, nothing belongs to you.  How can we attempt to enter into the gates of teshuva while feeling that we are powerful and deserving?   The Rambam ztk’l yet adds that if we feel undeserving of the trials and tribulations we are experiencing, this will undoubtedly hinder our ability to achieve complete atonement.

Teshuva requires that we enter into a state of lev neeshbar (a broken heart). The Midrash writes, “Rebbi Yehoshua ben Levi says great are those with a broken heart for at the time of the Beit HaMikdash man brought korban olah and korban mincha (depending on the need).  However, when man came forth with a broken heart it was as though he brought both sacrificies.”  

The passuk in Tehillim (34:18), “Hashem is near to the broken-hearted and saves the crushed in spirit” echoes the same thought on how close one feels when he acknowledges how much he needs Hashems to restore his life.

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Rabbi Eliezer Papo the Pele Yoetz ztk’l writes that when we pray Shemoneh Esrei at the place of mechayei maitim we should have the intent that Hashem bring back to teshuva all of the holy Jewish souls who have gone astray from the Torah path; since Torah living revives the soul back to life.

The Maharal ztk’l teaches in his book Netiv Hateshuvah – just as mankind was first created without illness, so too when Klal Yisrael comes back to teshuva they return to the perfected state of Adam HaRishon before the sin. He continues and adds that the Ba’al Teshuva touches the Holy Throne as written in Hoshea (14:2), “Shuva Yisrael Ad Hashem Elokecha…(Return Israel to Hashem your G-d)” – bigger is teshuva that touches the Kisei Hakavod where Adam HaRishon was brought down. Teshuva remedies the soul and brings it back as though no sin ever was.

Sin causes malady to the individual and to the world; therefore teshuva showers healing to oneself and to the world. Rav Yechezkel Levenstein ztk’l clarifies teshuva should not be seen as simply a means of erasing our wrongdoing; it is a mitzvah in its own right. Aside from the irreplaceable benefit it provides, teshuva is a mitzvah created by Hashem prior to the creation of this world. Through teshuva we can mamash cleave to Hashem Yitborach.

All mitzvot enable a degree of closeness, yet teshuva enables the soul to ‘touch’ so to speak the Holy Throne. The gematria of Kisei Hakavod and teshuva are equal = 713. Although the understanding of Hashem’s Throne of Glory is deeply complex and beyond human thought, we understand it to be a place of eternal splendor and goodness; where all life is raised and nourished.

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What does it mean to be forgiven by Hashem for our transgressions?  First let’s consider the idea that Hashem forgives, not His emissaries or angels, but ‘He, Himself’ as is written in Tehillim (130:4), “ki Eemcha hasileecha … (For forgiveness is with You…)”

Essentially forgiveness cleanses the soul from stains caused by sin.  We learn this through the passukim in Yeshayahu (4:4), “When Hashem shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Tzion…” and Yechezkel (36:25), “And I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you will be clean; from all your impurities…” Hashem ‘desires’ that our soul be ‘dressed’ in white garb, free of stains which acts as barriers in our relationship with Him.

When a mitzvah is done it ascends to the highest heights.  Yet, a transgression has no entry to that place.  From here we witness Hashem’s endless compassion.  A person’s mitzvah is shown before Hashem’s holy throne, yet their sins are not.  Mitzvot are priceless and cannot be compensated for in this lowly world (aside from some mentioned in the Torah).  Additionally they cannot be ‘traded in’ to lessen the bearing of our sins.

Hashem honors each mitzvah with a reward in due time.  A person’s transgressions do not reduce the eternal treasure due to be given in return of a mitzvah.   Teshuva is the most favorable of G-dly options to get rid of our transgressions.  Hashem ‘patiently awaits’ our return.  It is near. It is here. It is readily available for the taking in Chodesh Elul.

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Today’s daily dose of emuna is dedicated to the strength, clarity and emuna of Bat-El bat Tziona who recently was widowed by her young husband who was tragically killed in a car accident. Now left with three small children, may Hashem guide her path with special love, care and attention and may no one in Klal Yisrael know of any more sorrow, Amen.

One of Hashem’s 13 middot of Rachamim is ‘Noseh Avohn v’Pesha (Hashem is the ‘carrier’ of sins)’.  Each sin creates a prosecuting angel.  Each creation must be sustained for it to exist.  The angels created by our transgressions come before Hashem and demand sustenance.  According to the strict letter of the law the person who created the angel must nourish its needs.  Yet if that were the case he would be subject to harsh pain or death.  Hashem, in His Infinite Compassion ‘feeds’ the angel until one of three things occurs to that person: teshuva is done, difficulties arise or chas v’Shalom gehinnom comes to remedy.

The lesson here is deep and heart-stirring.  Hashem ‘accepts’ to sustain the evil creature that was created through a person’s sin all the while patiently waiting for him to do teshuva so that he may repair the damage he initiated and caused Hashem to bear.

‘Ve’Oveir al Pesha (Hashem passes over sins)’- once a transgression is committed there is no ‘natural’ means in which the consequences can be overturned.  The destructive angel that was created to destroy the transgressor is not going away. Nonetheless Hashem gives Klal Yisrael the ability to do teshuva which can put an end to the angel altogether.  By doing teshuva Hashem forgives us, we clean our soiled soul and erase the effect caused by the sin.

Thank you Hashem for the gift of teshuva.

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Today’s daily dose of emuna is dedicated to the refuah shleimah of Miriam bat Gittel (Meyer) and
Faiga Sarah bat Bracha Chaya (Meirowitz), the two girls injured in the horrific car accident in Arizona, where two of their friends were killed Reizel Morgenstern A’H and Hindy Spira A’H. May Hashem shower them with a complete healing refuat hanefesh v’refuat haguf and for the families of the niftarim that Hashem should give them strength to go through this difficult time. May we yell out ‘Di l’tzaroteinu’, no more suffering, no more tragedies… how much more can we handle? Hashem… Hashem…

Indeed, we are enduring so much pain and tragedy; a very difficult time for Klal Yisrael.  It is written in the Shema that the words of the Torah “…shall be upon your heart.”  What is the underlying message to the Jewish people?  Why must we etch them into our hearts?

Hashem foresaw that we will transgress and be lead astray.  Hashem foretold the exile and knew we would feel as though we were forsaken. Hashem foreknew that His face would be hidden from us. Yet with that promise Hashem also reassured the Jewish people that He would not let the exile begin to repair the damage of our estrangement until we were strong enough in Torah to have the means to survive the long and dark time ahead.  In the merit of Torah study and cleaving to its eternal message we would find the strength to rise above the ashes, do teshuva and carve our pathway back to the holy mission intended upon formation.

All we have is our holy Torah, a personal letter written by Hashem to the Jewish people, left to console us and give us the strength needed to survive until the complete redemption arrives.  Its message must be engraved in our minds, mouths and actions at every moment.  It is vital that we read and re-read its messages and allow the words of Infinite wisdom guide us.

It is essential that we heed the message of emuna and never forget that we live in an upside down world and nothing is as it appears, only as Hashem promises will be revealed as ultimately good.  May we merit to see it soon, b’rachamim, Amen.

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Today’s daily dose of emuna is dedicated l’iluy nishmat the two beautiful neshama’s who were tragically killed in a car accident while on vacation in Arizona z’l. May their souls bask in the Divine radiance of the Shechinah HaKedosha and may we, Klal Yisrael, keep pleading and beseeching rachamei Shamayim for the geula shleimah b’rachamim, b’karov, Amen. 

“Mi Kel Kamocha… (Who is like You Hashem…)”. We the Jewish people are so privileged to have a G-d as Hashem; Patient, Loving, Forbearing, Merciful and Forgiving. Everything is known before Hashem; The Knower of mankind’s innermost thoughts and intentions, even those we are unaware of ourselves.

With that being said Hashem is ‘aware’ that we transgress and yet He continues to shower us with life in spite of our rebelling against Him. By analogy it is compared to being hosted by friends in their clean and tidy home yet messing it up while they watch; all along not stopping us. At the exact moment of wrongdoing and acting against Hashem’s will we are still pumped with G-dly oxygen to act-out. We use the gift of life against the One Who gives us life.

The ministering angels who perform the priestly functions in Hashem’s celestial court proclaim that Hashem is “The King that allows Himself to be humiliated” (Tanya, Iggeret HaTeshuvah 7). Hashem is The Ba’al HaChesed and The Giver of life and can ‘take revenge’ on any soul yet never does.

Hashem bears the humiliation and ‘yearns’ for us to do teshuva in recognition of our wrongdoing and straying from the correct path to life. “Who is like you Hashem!!”

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Today’s daily dose of emuna is dedicated to the refuah shleimah of Tova Malka bas Rivka. She needs all the prayers she can get right now. She was diagnosed in April with stage 4 breast cancer and is only 43. She has two young girls 4 and 2.  May Hashem shower her with a complete healing among all of Klal Yisrael who are sick and suffering b’karov, brachamim, Amen.

As we tippy toe our way to Chodesh Elul with great trepidation of what the New Year will bring we should ponder, ‘What is being asked of us?’  ”Ubacharta ba’Chaim…(And you shall choose life …)”  We are instructed to choose life; to make a conscious decision to want to live.

Hashem Yitborach with His infinite compassion and love of the Jewish people carves both paths in full range before us.  We can clearly see the path that leads to prosperity and the roadway that heads to our own collapse, chas v’Shalom; it is our decision to make.  Hashem instructs us to ‘make the choice’ and He will ensure that we embark on the pathway of our choice.

The Heavenly ‘desire’ for us to choose correctly is so intense that our mere stirring of the heart is enough of an indication to put us on the roadway towards life.  The Nefesh Chaim, Rebbi Chaim m’Volozhin ztk’l teaches that when a Jew just contemplates doing a mitzvah, he ‘strikes’ his Heavenly rooted soul and causes Hashem to shower him immediately with strength and the ‘know how’ to go about fulfilling it.

From here we learn a great message that we need to carry with us all year long.  The only choice a Jew essentially has is to choose;”Ubacharta ba’Chaim…(And you shall choose life …)”.  This is the most important decision that each and every one of us faces at every given moment. What’s your choice?