Acharei Mot: Chapter 41

"Out of the depths I have cried to You, Hashem"

Synopsis

Rabbi Yehuda says that when God wanted to create the world He consulted the Torah, who said that if He did create man, man would sin and make Him angry. The Torah warned God that if he reacted to man's sinful actions the world would not survive. Therefore God did not create the world until He created repentance, and repentance is always available for mankind so people can be cleansed from their sins.

Creation Deeds Sin Singing Torah

243. Rabbi Yehuda opened the discussion saying, "A song of ascent. Out of the depths I have cried to You, Hashem" (Tehilim 130:1). We have learned that when the Holy One, blessed be He, created the world, He wanted to create man. He took counsel in the Torah. She said before Him: You wish to create this man, he will sin before you. He will anger You and, if You react to him according to his deeds, the world then will not survive before You, certainly not man. THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, said to her, "Am I for no reason called an "El, merciful and graciously long-suffering" (Shemot 34:6).

243. רִבִּי יְהוּדָה פָּתַח, שִׁיר הַמַּעֲלוֹת מִמַּעֲמַקִּים קְרָאתִיךָ יְיָ.' תָּנֵינָן, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּבָרָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָלְמָא, בָּעָא לְמִבְרֵי בַּר נָשׁ, אַמְלִיךְ בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, אָמְרָה קַמֵּיהּ, תִּבְעֵי לְמִבְרֵי הַאי בַּר נָשׁ, זַמִּין הוּא לְמֶחֱטֵי קַמָּךְ, זַמִּין הוּא לְאַרְגָּזָא קַמָּךְ. אִי תַּעֲבִיד לֵיהּ כְּעוֹבָדוֹי, הָא עָלְמָא לָא יָכִיל לְמֵיקָם קַמָּךְ, כ"ש הַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ. אָ"ל, וְכִי לְמַגָּנָא אִתְקָרִינָא, אֵל רַחוּם וְחַנּוּן אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם.

Atonement Creation Judgment Mochin Purification Repentance Sin Zeir Anpin

244. Before He created the world, He created repentance. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to repentance (WHICH IS THE SECRET OF BINAH CALLED REPENTANCE): 'I wish to create man in the world on the condition if they turn to you from their sins, you will be ready to forgive their sins and render atonement.' At every hour, repentance is available for mankind. When mankind repents from their iniquities, this repentance, NAMELY BINAH, returns to the Holy One, blessed be He, MEANING EXTENDS MOCHIN TO ZEIR ANPIN and atones for all. The Judgments are all subdued and mitigated, and man is purified of his sins.

244. וְעַד לָא בָּרָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָלְמָא, בָּרָא תְּשׁוּבָה, אָמַר לָהּ לִתְשׁוּבָה, אֲנָא בָּעֵינָא לְמִבְרֵי בַּר נָשׁ בְּעָלְמָא, עַל מְנָת דְּכַד יְתוּבוּן לָךְ מֵחוֹבֵיהוֹן, דְּתֶהֱוֵי זְמִינָא לְמִשְׁבַּק חוֹבֵיהוֹן, וּלְכַפְּרָא עָלַיְיהוּ. וּבְכָל שַׁעֲתָא וְשַׁעֲתָא תְּשׁוּבָה זְמִינָא לְגַבֵּי בְּנֵי נָשָׁא, וְכַד בְּנֵי נָשָׁא תַּיְיבִין מֵחוֹבַיְיהוּ, הַאי תְּשׁוּבָה תָּבַת לְגַבֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְכִפֵּר עַל כֺּלָּא, וְדִינִין אִתְכַּפְיָין, וּמִתְבַּסְּמָן כֻּלְּהוּ, וּבַר נָשׁ אִתְדָּכֵי מֵחוֹבֵיהּ.

Purification Repentance Sin

245. HE QUESTIONS: When is he cleansed from his sin? HE ANSWERS: When he properly enters repentance. Rabbi Yitzchak said: When he returns before the supernal King and prays from the depths of the heart, as the verse states, "Out of the depths I have cried to You, Hashem."

245. אֵימָתַי אִתְדָּכֵי ב"נ מֵחוֹבֵיהּ בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּעָאל בְּהַאי תְּשׁוּבָה כַּדְקָא חֲזֵי. ר' יִצְחָק אָמַר, דְּתָב קָמֵי מַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה, וְצַלֵּי צְלוֹתָא מֵעוּמְקָא דְּלִבָּא, הה"ד מִמַּעֲמַקִּים קְרָאתִיךָ יְיָ.'

Directions Flow Purification Repentance Sin Streams Well

246. Rabbi Aba said, "Out of the depths I have cried to You, Hashem" MEANS there is a hidden spot above. It is the depth of the well, DENOTING BINAH. From here flow streams and springs in every direction and the deepest part is called repentance. One who wishes to return and cleanse oneself from sins in this depth needs to call upon the Holy One, blessed be He, as the verse says, "Out of the depths I have cried to You, Hashem."

246. רִבִּי אַבָּא אָמַר, מִמַּעֲמַקִּים קְרָאתִיךָ יְיָ,' אֲתַר גָּנִיז הוּא לְעֵילָּא, וְהוּא עַמִיקָא דְּבֵירָא, וּמֵהַאי נָפְקִין נַחֲלִין וּמַבּוּעִין לְכָל עִיבָר, וְהַהוּא עֲמִיקָא דַּעֲמִיקְתָא אִקְרֵי תְּשׁוּבָה. וּמַאן דְּבָעֵי לְאָתָבָא וּלְאִתְדַכְּאָה מֵחוֹבוֹי, בְּהַאי עוּמְקָא אִצְטְרִיךְ לְמִקְרֵי לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, הה"ד מִמַּעֲמַקִּים קְרָאתִיךָ יְיָ.'

Altar Blessing Candles Flow Fragrance Judgment Mercy Prayer Priests Purification Repentance Sacrifice Sin

247. We have studied that when one sins before his Master, Mercy is awakened if he offers his sacrifice on the altar and the priest attains forgiveness for him and prays his prayer for him. The Judgments are mitigated and repentance, NAMELY BINAH, pours out blessings in the springs that emerge and flow. All candles are blessed together, NAMELY THE SFIROT OF MALCHUT, and one is cleansed from his sin.

247. תָּאנָא, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דַּהֲוָה ב"נ חָב קָמֵי מָארֵיהּ, וְקָרִיב קָרְבָּנֵיהּ עַל מַדְבְּחָא, וְכַהֲנָא מְכַפֵּר עָלֵיהּ, וּבָעֵי בָּעוּתֵיהּ עָלֵיהּ, מִתְעָרִין רַחֲמֵי, וְדִינִין מִתְבַּסְּמָן, וּתְשׁוּבָה אָרִיק בִּרְכָאן, בְּמַבּוּעִין דְּנַגְדִּין וְנָפְקִין, וּמִתְבָּרְכִין כֻּלְּהוּ בּוּצִינִין כַּחֲדָא, וּבַר נָשׁ אִתְדָּכֵי מֵחוֹבֵיהּ.

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