Chapter Eight (פֶּרֶק שְׁמִינִי)

Since it is impossible to do Teshuvah [Repentance] properly except through the Tikkunim [Rectifications] of Teshuvah [Repentance] (לִהְיוֹת שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לַעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה כַּרָאוּי אִם לֹא עַל יְדֵי תִּיקּוּנֵי תְּשׁוּבָה), to remove the impression of the sins from the forehead (לְהַעֲבִיר הָרוֹשֶׁם שֶׁל הָעֲוֹנוֹת מִן הַמֵּצַח), as it is said (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר): “I have wiped away like a thick cloud your transgressions, and like a cloud your sins” (מָחִיתִי כָּעָב פְּשָׁעֶיךָ וְכַעָנָן חַטֹּאתֶיךָ) (Isaiah 44). And as it is found at the beginning of Idra Naso (וְכַד אִיתָא בְּרֵישׁ אִדְרָא דְּנַשָּׁא): “They are as the gleanings of the vineyard—these are the wicked, who did not pay heed to perform Teshuvah [Repentance]; and if they did pay heed, they do not know to which place, as is fitting” (אִינוּן בְּשׁוּלֵי כַרְמָא הֵם הָרְשָׁעִים לָא אַשְׁגְּחוּן לַעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה וְאִי אַשְׁגְּחוּן לָא יָדְעִין לְאָן אֲתַר כְּדַקָּא יָאוֹת) (Naso 127b). For they do not know the place of the blemish (שֶׁאֵינָם יוֹדְעִים מָקוֹם הַפְּגָם), to rectify the Names which they blemished (לְתַקֵּן הַשֵּׁמוֹת שֶׁפָּגַם בָּהֶם), as it is said (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר): “And he shall restore the theft which he has stolen” (וְהֵשִׁיב אֶת הַגְּזֵלָה אֲשֶׁר גָּזָל) (Leviticus 5). Therefore I shook out my lap and girded myself with strength (לָכֵן נִעַרְתִּי חָצְנִי וְאָזַרְתִּי גְבוּרָה), to arouse the multitude of mankind, the Children of Yisrael (לְהִתְעוֹרֵר הָמוֹן הָאֱנוֹשִׁי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל), that they should return in complete Teshuvah [Repentance] before the Holy One, Blessed Be He, and His Shekhinta (שֶׁיָּשׁוּבוּ בִּתְשׁוּבָה שְׁלֵמָה לִפְנֵי הקב״ה וּשְׁכִינְתֵּיהּ), to love Him and to cleave to Him (לְאַהֲבָה אוֹתוֹ וּלְדָבְקָה בוֹ). For behold (כִּי הֲלוֹא): “Your sins separate between you and your God” (עֲוֹנוֹתֵיכֶם מַבְדִּילִים בֵּינֵיכֶם וּבֵין אֱלֹהֵיכֶם) (Isaiah 59). For just as a wall of iron separates between Yisrael and their Father in Heaven (כִּי כְּמוֹ מְחִיצָה שֶׁל בַּרְזֶל מַפְסֶקֶת בֵּין יִשְׂרָאֵל לַאֲבִיהֶם שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם), so it is the coarse Klipah that blocks the gates of prayer (הִיא הַקְּלִיפָה הַגַּסָּה הַסּוֹתֶמֶת שַׁעֲרֵי תְּפִלָּה).

So too the Yetzer Hara [Evil Inclination] surrounds us (כֵּן הַיֵּצֶר הָרַע מְסַבֵּב אוֹתָנוּ); it is the defilement which every Nefesh [Soul] received from the sin of Adam haRishon (הִיא הַזּוֹהֲמָא שֶׁקִּבֵּלָה כָּל נֶפֶשׁ מֵחֵטְא אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן). For “the soul that sins, it shall die” (כִּי הַנֶּפֶשׁ הִיא הַחוֹטֵאת הִיא תָמוּת) (Ezekiel 18), in order to purge the defilement (לְמָרֵק הַזּוֹהֲמָא), and death is the completion of the refinement (וְהַמִּיתָה הִיא גְּמַר הַצִּירוּף). Therefore every Tzaddik [Righteous One] from Yisrael should set his heart to cleanse the defilement from within the Nefesh [Soul] (לָכֵן כָּל צַדִּיק מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל יָשִׂים אֶל לִבּוֹ לְנַקּוֹת הַזּוֹהֲמָא מִקֶּרֶב הַנֶּפֶשׁ), in which the evil overpowers the good (שֶׁבָּהּ רַע גּוֹבֵר עַל הַטּוֹב). And the Ruach [Spirit] comes from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, equal but not mingled (וְהָרוּחַ בָּאָה מֵעֵץ הַדַּעַת טוֹב וָרָע שְׁוִים אֲבָל לֹא מְעֹרָבִים), and not like the Nefesh [Soul], which is almost like a mixed dough (וְלֹא כַּמוֹ הַנֶּפֶשׁ שֶׁהִיא כִּמְעַט כְּמוֹ עִסָּה מְעֹרֶבֶת). And the Neshamah [Soul] is one in which the minority is evil and the majority is good (וְהַנְּשָׁמָה מִעוּטָהּ רַע וְרוּבָּהּ טוֹב), unless one purifies them through mortifications and complete Teshuvah [Repentance] (אִם לֹא שֶׁיִּטַּהֲרֵם בְּסִיגּוּפִים וּבִתְשׁוּבָה שְׁלֵמָה). And especially, one is able to see which transgression is wrapping itself around him (וּבִפְרָט שֶׁיָּכוֹל לִרְאוֹת אֵיזוֹ עֲבֵרָה הִיא מְלַפֶּפֶת אוֹתוֹ), and he has a greater desire for that transgression than for all the other transgressions of the Torah (וְיֵשׁ לוֹ יוֹתֵר חֵשֶׁק אֶל הָעֲבֵרָה הַזֹּאת יוֹתֵר מִכָּל עֲבֵרוֹת שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה).

And behold, people are not equal (וְהִנֵּה הַבְּנֵי אָדָם אֵינָם שָׁוִים), this one has desire and craving for harlotry (זֶה יֵשׁ לוֹ חֵשֶׁק וְתַאֲוָה לִזְנוּת), and this one for theft (וְזֶה לִגְנֵיבָה), in the way that I have explained in this book of mine (עַל דֶּרֶךְ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי בְּסִפְרִי זֶה), on the saying in tractate Eruvin (עַל מַאֲמָר דְּמַסֶּכֶת עֵירוּבִין): “And some say: he should examine his deeds” (וְאָמְרִי לַהּ יְמַשְׁמֵשׁ בְּמַעֲשָׂיו) (Eruvin 13b). For with the sense of touch of the intellect he will understand the impurity that is within him (כִּי בְּחוּשׁ הַמִּישּׁוּשׁ שֶׁל הַשֵּׂכֶל יָבִין הַטּוּמְאָה שֶׁבְּקִרְבּוֹ). And let not a man say, “I have no repair” and despair of Teshuvah [Repentance] (וְאַל יֹאמַר אָדָם אֵין לִי תִּקָּנָה וְיִתְיָאֵשׁ מִן הַתְּשׁוּבָה). Heaven forbid to believe this (חַס וְשָׁלוֹם מִלְּהַאֲמִין זֶה). For Rabbi Shimon said (דַּאֲמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן): There is nothing that stands before Teshuvah [Repentance] at all (אֵין לְךָ דָּבָר שֶׁעוֹמֵד בִּפְנֵי הַתְּשׁוּבָה כְּלָל). For behold, Menasheh king of Yehudah exchanged the Glory of the Omnipresent for vanities (שֶׁהֲרֵי מְנַשֶּׁה מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה הֵמִיר כְּבוֹדוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם בְּהֶבֶלִים), and he killed a thousand people from the Children of Yisrael every day (וְהֵמִית אֶלֶף אֲנָשִׁים מִבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּכָל יוֹם), and it is written (וְכָתוּב): “And Hashem was entreated of him” (וַיֵּעָתֶר לוֹ י־י׳) (II Chronicles 33), and accepted his Teshuvah [Repentance] (וְקִבֵּל תְּשׁוּבָתוֹ). And so it happened in the days of the Rav, Rabbi Moshe de Leon, of blessed memory (וְכֵן אֵירַע בִּימֵי הָרַב רַבִּי מֹשֶׁה דְלֵיאוֹן ז"ל), who was a great and important man (שֶׁהָיָה אָדָם גָּדוֹל וְחָשׁוּב), until the Shekhinah dwelled upon him (עַד שֶׁהַשְּׁכִינָה שָׁרְתָה עָלָיו). And already our Sages of blessed memory said (וּכְבָר אָמְרוּ חֲזַ״ל): “And with great awe—this is the revelation of the Shekhinah” (וּבְמוֹרָא גָּדוֹל זֶה גִּלּוּי שְׁכִינָה). And every wicked one who walked within his four cubits (וְכָל רָשָׁע שֶׁהָיָה הוֹלֵךְ בְּאַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת שֶׁלוֹ), fear and dread fell upon him (נָפַל עָלָיו פַּחַד וְאֵימָה), so much so that he was forced to fall beneath his feet and supplicate and beg before him (כָּל כָּךְ עַד שֶׁהָיָה מֻכְרָח לִפּוֹל תַּחַת רַגְלָיו וְלְהִתְחַנֵּן וּלְבַקֵּשׁ מִלְּפָנָיו), that he should give him Teshuvah [Repentance] for his sins (שֶׁיִּתֵּן לוֹ תְּשׁוּבָה עַל חֲטָאָיו). And in his days there was a certain rich man (וּבְיָמָיו הָיָה עָשִׁיר אֶחָד), who transgressed all the severe transgressions in the Torah (שֶׁעָבַר עַל כָּל הָעֲבֵרוֹת הַחֲמוּרוֹת שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה), he murdered and stole and robbed and committed adultery (רָצַח וְגָנַב וְגָזַל וְנִיאָף).

And it happened one time that he passed before him (וְאֵירַע פַּעַם אֶחָד שֶׁעָבַר לְפָנָיו), and immediately he contemplated Teshuvah [Repentance] (וּתְכֵף הִרְהֵר בִּתְשׁוּבָה), and he asked before him that he should decree Teshuvah for him (וּבִקֵּשׁ מִלְּפָנָיו שֶׁיִּקְצוֹב לוֹ תְּשׁוּבָה). And he promised him that if he would perform the Teshuvah decreed upon him by him (וְהִבְטִיחַ אוֹתוֹ אִם יַעֲשֶׂה הַתְּשׁוּבָה הַקְּצוּבָה עָלָיו מִמֶּנּוּ), then all his sins would be forgiven (אָז יִהְיוּ כָּל עֲוֹנוֹתָיו נִמְחָלִים). And on this condition: that he should not depart from his Beit Midrash [House of Study] from hearing Torah (וּבִתְּנַאי זֶה שֶׁלֹּא יָמוּשׁ מִבֵּית מִדְרָשׁוֹ מִלִּשְׁמוֹעַ תּוֹרָה). And behold, that wicked one performed his Teshuvah decreed upon him properly (וְהִנֵּה הָרָשָׁע הַזֶּה עָשָׂה תְּשׁוּבָתוֹ הַקְּצוּבָה עָלָיו כַּרָאוּי). And his master, of blessed memory, came (וּבָא רַבּוֹ ז"ל), and said to him (וְאָמַר לוֹ): Now is the time that you must accept death upon yourself, with Viduy [Confession] and the sins which you did (עַתָּה הִיא הָעֵת שֶׁתְּקַבֵּל עָלֶיךָ מִיתָה בִּוִדּוּי וְחֲטָאִים שֶׁעָשִׂיתָ). And he brought an iron ladle in his hand (וְהֵבִיא כַּף שֶׁל בַּרְזֶל בְּיָדוֹ), full of lead (מָלֵא עוֹפֶרֶת), and he lit a fire to heat the lead within the ladle (וְהִצִּית אֵשׁ לְחַמֵּם הָעוֹפֶרֶת שֶׁבְּתוֹךְ הַכַּף). And he commanded him to stretch himself out upon the ground with the spreading out of his hands and his feet (וְצִוָּה לוֹ לְהִשְׁתַּטֵּחַ עַצְמוֹ עַל הָאָרֶץ בִּפְשׁוּט יָדָיו וְרַגְלָיו). And he opened his mouth to receive the lead which was boiling (וּפָתַח אֶת פִּיו לְקַבֵּל הָעוֹפֶרֶת אֲשֶׁר הָיָה רוֹתֵחַ), to fulfill in himself the judgment of burning (שֶׁיְּקַיֵּם בְּעַצְמוֹ דִּין שְׂרֵפָה). And that Rav secretly had another ladle filled with honey (וְהָיָה לָרַב הַזֶּה בַּסֵּתֶר כַּף אֶחָד מָלֵא דְבַשׁ), and he inserted it into his mouth (וּתוֹחֲבוֹ לְתוֹךְ פִּיו). And he said to him (וְאָמַר לוֹ): “Your iniquity is removed and your sin is atoned for” (וְסָר עֲו‍ֹנְךָ וְחַטָּאתְךָ תְּכֻופָּר) (Isaiah 6). And he immediately stood and wept and said to him (וְעָמַד תֵּכֶף וּבָכָה וְאָמַר לוֹ): Rabbi, why have you deceived me? (רַבִּי לָמָּה רִמִּיתַנִי), is it not said (וְהֲלוֹא נֶאֱמַר): “And you shall love your fellow as yourself” (וְאָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעֲךָ כָּמוֹךָ) (Leviticus 19). For already the hour of that bitter death had been passing (כִּי כְּבָר הָיְתָה עֲבָרָה [עוֹבֶרֶת] הַשָּׁעָה שֶׁל הַמִּיתָה הַמָּרָה הַזֹּאת), if you had poured the lead into my mouth (אִם הָיִיתָ שׁוֹפֵךְ הָעוֹפֶרֶת לְתוֹךְ פִּי). And the Rav answered him (וְהֵשִׁיב לוֹ הָרַב): Do not fear and do not be afraid, for thought is considered as action (אַל תִּירָא וְאַל תִּפָּחֵד כִּי מַחֲשָׁבָה כְּמַעֲשֶׂה דָּמִי). And after some time, the time of the passing of the Rav, of blessed memory, arrived (וּלְאַחַר אֵיזֶה זְמַן הִגִּיעַ עֵת פְּטִירָתוֹ שֶׁל הָרַב ז"ל). And the Ba‘al Teshuvah [Penitent] wept before him very greatly (וּבָכָה לְפָנָיו הַבַּעַל תְּשׁוּבָה עַד מְאֹד), and requested from him that he take him with him to the World to Come (וּבִקֵּשׁ מִמֶּנּוּ שֶׁיִּקָּחֲנוּ עִמּוֹ לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא). And he said (וְאָמַר): For all the time that the exalted honor of your Torah was alive, I had awe and shame before you (כִּי כָּל זְמַן שֶׁהָיָה מַעֲלַת כְּבוֹד תּוֹרָתְךָ חַי הָיָה לִי מוֹרָא וּבוּשָׁה מִפָּנֶיךָ), and now I fear lest I return to my corruption, Heaven forbid (וְעַכְשָׁיו אֲנִי מִתְפַּחֵד שֶׁאַחֲזוֹר לְסוּרִי חַס וְשָׁלוֹם). And the Rav, may peace be upon him, gave his hand on this (וְנָתַן הָרַב עָלָיו שָׁלוֹם יָד עַל זֶה), and on the morrow he too passed away (וְלַמָּחָר נִפְטַר הוּא גַּם כֵּן), and he brought him with him to the World to Come (וְהֵבִיאוֹ עִמּוֹ לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא). And this story was constantly expounded by the Rav Rabbi Avraham HaLevi, may peace be upon him, in the synagogue of the holy community of Tzfat (וְהַמַּעֲשֶׂה הַזֶּה הָיָה דוֹרֵשׁ תָּמִיד הָרַב רַבִּי אַבְרָהָם הַלֵּוִי עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם בְּבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת דְּקַהֲל קָדוֹשׁ צְפַת), to arouse toward Teshuvah (לְהִתְעוֹרֵר עַל הַתְּשׁוּבָה). And so I heard from my teacher there on the Holy Land (וְכֵן שָׁמַעְתִּי מִמּוֹרִי שָׁם עַל אַדְמַת הַקֹּדֶשׁ). And from this awesome story every man should take proof not to despair from Teshuvah (וּמִן הַמַּעֲשֶׂה הַנּוֹרָא הַזֶּה יִקַּח כָּל אָדָם רְאָיָה שֶׁלֹּא לְהִתְיָאֵשׁ מִן הַתְּשׁוּבָה). As it is said (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר): “And you shall return to Hashem your God” (וְשַׁבְתָּ עַד י־י אֱלֹהֶיךָ) (Deuteronomy 4). And it is written after it (וּכְתִיב בַּתְרֵיהּ): “For Hashem your God is a merciful God, He will not abandon you nor destroy you” (כִּי אֵל רַחוּם ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ לֹא יַרְפְּךָ וְלֹא יַשְׁחִיתֶךָ) (Deuteronomy 4). And it is said (וְנֶאֱמַר): “Return us, Hashem, to You and we shall return, renew our days as of old” (הֲשִׁיבֵנוּ ה׳ אֵלֶיךָ וְנָשׁוּבָה חַדֵּשׁ יָמֵינוּ כְּקֶדֶם) (Lamentations 5). Blessed is Hashem forever, amen and amen (בָּרוּךְ י־י לְעוֹלָם אָמֵן וְאָמֵן).