chassidism – The Tree of Life

Teshuvah Insights

Insights into Teshuvah

“The L-RD thy G-d will turn thy captivity.”

– Deuteronomy 30:3, JPS 1917 Tanach

According to the Talmud, this pasuk (verse) may be read to imply that H’Shem will return with thy captivity, indicating that just as the Shechinah (G-d’s Presence) is in exile with us, so, too, will the Shechinah return with us to the Land of Israel.

On another level, in consideration of the exile of the Shechinah as a result of the sin in our lives, through teshuvah, G-d’s presence will return with us, after being taken captive by the negative forces of the Sitra Achra. When we sin, our own spirit becomes tainted by the sitra Achra; yet, when we do teshuvah (repentance), we are brought out of the mire (Igeret HaTeshuva, end of chapter 6).

G-d’s presence will remain with us, as long as we abide in His commandments. Thus, if we sin, His presence is exiled from our awareness, until through teshuvah, we rectify our transgressions. So, the Shechinah, on the one hand, is exiled with the Jewish people, during galus; on the other hand, there is an exile of the Shechinah from our individual awareness, when we steep ourselves in sinful activity that brings down into the Sitra Achra.

Through teshuvah the Shechinah is returned, both on a corporate level, in regard the nation of Israel in due time, when the Third Temple is built, and on an individual level, whenever we are responsible though our misconduct in exiling a portion of the Shechinah, as is implied, “Your sins have distanced yourselves from Elokim (G-d)” (Isaiah 59:2).

Elul Preparation: Day 6

Elul Preparation: Day 6:

The importance of Elul with respect to Tammuz and Av. The culmination of the mourning process for the Beis HaMikdash leads into the month of introspection: this is no coincidence; rather, everything on the Hebrew calendar is divinely ordained. The Bnei Yissacher explains, that the month of Elul is associated with the pasuk (verse), “I will extol Thee, O L-RD, for Thou hast raised me up…” (Psalm 30:2).

Inasmuch that H’Shem’s Presence is amongst us, we may be lifted up out of the mire, so to speak, through teshuvah, during the month of Elul. As a result, we should exalt Him above our everyday concerns, placing our focus on Himas our highest priority in life. This doesn’t mean that we have to spend hours upon hours each day in the synagogue and studying Torah; rather, in all that we do (see Proverbs 3), we must have our eyes gazing toward Heaven with H’Shem in mind.

The Bnei Yissacher notes that the second part of the verse, “and my enemies did not rejoice over me,” refers to the teaching from the Zohar that the months of Nissan, Iya, and Sivan were given as a portion by lot to Jacob, while the months of Tammuz, Av, and Elul were given to Esau. Esau took a dark pleasure, a type of schadenfreude, in Israel being deprived of the sanctity of these months as preparation. Yet, Jacob wrested these out of the hands of Esau, re-establishing them for the sake of preparing the soul before Rosh HaSHannah; so, Esau was not able to rejoice.

What deeper insights can be drawn from this teaching? Ultimately, the yetzer hara, perhaps, here represented by Esau, cannot succeed in taking the opportunity away from us to repent during the month of Elul, try as much as it may. Even so, our efforts must be in the form of a sincere endeavor toward teshuvah, or else, G-d forbid, our yetzer hara may hamper our efforts.

Elul Preparation: Day 4

Tikkun HaNefesh (Renewal of the Soul) Day 4

The first set of tablets were broken. The second set of tablets were received after Moshe was on Sinai from the beginning of the month of Elul until the 10^th of Tishrei. These second tablets represent teshuvah, in the sense that our lives may be broken to a greater or lesser degree by our sinful nature (yetzer hara). If we do not make an attempt to mend the soul, then our connection to H’Shem will continue to suffer. As is written, “your sins have separated between you and G-d” (Isaiah 59:2).

When Moshe ascended to Mount Sinai for forty days, in order to receive the second set of commandments, he entered into yisuv hadaat, a settled state of mind, where He could be receptive to H’Shem’s communication with him. This interior calmness, knowing that we can retreat there in all circumstances, once, we have fostered an awareness of that place of solitude within, and hined our ability to retreat there, in order to reside in our inner sanctum, is all the more necessary. Than in times past, today, when so much adversity, and so many challenges are faced by us, as the Geulah (Redemption) draws near.

The Bnei Issacher explains, that these days of divine favor, are additionally designated as such, because of the creation the world, that began on Elul 25^th, although it’s inception in the will of the Creator, occurred sometime earlier in the month of Elul. (Contrary to the basic assumption that the world was created, beginning on Tishrei 1, the first day of creation was on Elul 25^th. Mankind was created on the sixth day of creation, corresponding to Tishrei 1).

We should anticipate a renewal of the soul, as we draw closer to the days on the Hebrew calendar, when everything was originally tohu vavohu (formless and void). So, to, may our souls return to a state of pristine renewal, as if we are beginning again in our devotion to H’Shem. Even if we have not yet done a complete teshuvah by the end of the month, may it be merited to us anyway.* Amen.

*based on Bnei Yissacher: Elul 4

Tikkun HaNefesh: Day 3

Ever since the times of Adam, after the expulsion of Adam and Chava (Eve) from the Garden of Eden, there has been an admixture of good and evil in the world. These are not primarily something external, as outside of us, rather, the potential for either, to a lesser or greater degree lies within the soul of every human being. So, to find our way in this world, we need to recognize the difference between the two, searching within ourselves for the taint of the soul that prevents us from drawing closer to G-d.

The Bnei Yissacher explains that the month of Elul is a time of opportunity for teshuvah, a return to G-d that begins with reflection upon the condition of the soul. “His hand is outstretched” (Isaiah 9:11), so that we may return to Him in complete repentance. This requires a sincere confession, and not returning to the same types of sins that may have been plaguing our lives, up until the moment of Divine favor in Elul, when opportunity prevails to change.

I will add that there seem to be general sins, that constitute a way of life that is in discord, so that it is more of an underlying attitude, that may permeate the soul (G-d forbid) and clouds our reasoning. Then, there are specific sins that can be clearly identified: these would include bad habits, and anything we know as wrong, yet do anyway. Yet, we may have to search below the level of our initial awareness to uproot negative thoughts and attitudes. May these become clear through the light that G-d will bestow upon us for the sake of purifying our souls.

These thirty days of Elul are the beginning of a forty-day period of time, when Moshe ascended to Sinai, in order to receive the second set of commandments, after G-d’s granting of His forgiveness to Bnei Yisrael. In our own lives, we need to return again and again to G-d, by way of a more thorough teshuvah each time, so that our endeavor may be sufficient in His eyes.*

The Nature of Perception

It’s taught in chasidism, as an essential point of the Chasidic worldview, that everything that happens within an individual’s sphere of personal experience is meant for a reason. The Ramchal in Mesillas Yesharim (the Path of the Just) also teaches that everything in our lives is meant to bring us closer to H’Shem. If we consider these integral precepts of Yiddishkeit in regard to the sin of the spies, who brought back an ill report of the land, how can this concept be applied?

One way, might be to view their failure to recognize the inherent kedusha of the land, and focus on the negative aspects instead, is to understand that they fell prey to the forces of tumah that influenced their souls in a manner that tainted their perspective and mission. This is the challenge that we all face today: how to find the kedushah – the concealed blessing within everything in our lives, despite any negative characteristics that conceal the hidden kernel of truth.

When ten of the twelve spies, excepting Joshua and Caleb, viewed themselves in comparison to the local inhabitants of the land of Canaan, they saw themselves as grasshoppers. Yet, perhaps, in that moment they were meant to cry out to H’Shem, like the worm in the story of hasgacha peratis (divine guidance) given over by the Baal Shem Tov, Because of the heat of the day, the worm, baking in the sun cried out to G-d, who sent a wind that shook a leaf from a tree, that subsequently landed on top of the worm to guard it from the searing hot rays of the sun.

When the ten spies perceived that the Children of Israel were incapable to defeat the giants of the land, they should have immediately cried out to H’Shem to help them conquer the land. They would have grown in humility and appreciation of H’Shem’s continuous power to assist them in all challenges. They would have reached the next level in trust of H’Shem. Yet, they failed to meet this expectation as set forth before them by the challenge at hand.

So, there are two ways of responding to situations like this in our own lives. To continue to put one foot in front of the other, while keeping our thoughts on H’Shem, or to turn around in defeatism, as if we have no other source to rely on other than ourselves. I believe that the challenges will continue to increase in this world as we draw closer to H’Shem through fostering our own dependence on Him. May we have success in continuously meeting these tests, meant to refine our character, and bring us into an increasing awareness of our need to rely upon the strength of H’Shem in our lives.

The cares and worries of the world will melt before us, when we realize that a constant focus on H’Shem through prayer, mitzvot, and Torah will enable us to succeed in transcending the mundanity of the world. This will bring us to an awareness of the kedushah present in our souls, when we reflect the kavod (glory) of H’Shem by acting in accordance with His will. Thus, ideally, we may become impervious to the earthly concerns that most people focus on to the exclusion of ruchniyos (spirituality). If we focus on our responsibilities toward G-d, then gashmiyos (material concerns) will no longer plague us.

This does not mean that we will have everything we want in life; rather, it means that G-d will provide what we need, and what we don’t have won’t bother us. Our primary duties in life are toward Him, so, by pleasing our Father in Heaven, we will be free from the entanglements of a mundane nature on earth.

If the things of this world, such as the acquisition of wealth, our reputation, and conformity to the things that the secular population think of as important in this life, weigh heavily upon our hearts, then we should let that burden go. Let go and let G-d reign in our heart instead. As mentioned elsewhere, in regard to the upside-down values of this world: it’s a topsy turvy world, the things important on earth are not significant in Heaven and the least of things on earth are regarded highly in Heaven (paraphrase, Talmud: Pesachim 50a).