PEREK 82
Bentzion Meltzer
When a person transgresses one sin, he will be confronted with the
test of another sin, so that he becomes aroused to repent, whereby the
first sin will be atoned. When the evil inclination sees this, it
tries to overpower the person with this second sin, but [even if he
succumbs], G•d defends him, as the verse says, "For three sins of
Israel [I can forgive them]."1
However, after a person has already sinned three times, the three
levels of his soul - his nefesh, ruach and neshamah2 - are caught up
in the klipoth,3 and one sin then inevitably brings another in its
wake, and the paths of repentance are withheld from him, until G•d has
mercy on him.
And this is what the prophet means, "Let us search our paths and
analyze them, and return to G•d,"4 for after one's path has become a
trodden way in one's eyes, because "the heart of this people has
become thick,"5 one must search and analyze one's behavior in order to
realize that one has sinned.6 Only then will one return to G•d.
1 Amos 2:6. The Talmud in Tractate Yoma 86b uses this verse as the
basis of the statement that G•d does not punish for a person's first
two sins (see Maimonides, Teshuvah 3:5, Keseph Mishneh ad loc). With a
third sin, though, one has already entrapped oneself within the force
of habit, and his repentance then becomes very difficult, as we read
in the next paragraph. One is thus held responsible for all successive
sins, although they may well be considered being done under the force
of compulsion.
2 From here we see that with every repetition of a physical act, the
influence of that act seeps deeper and deeper into one's soul.
3 Someone "caught in the klipoth" - the "shells" or "husks" - does not
even realize that he is trapped. Just as shells and husks conceal what
is inside them, so do the klipoth prevent one from seeing oneself
clearly and objectively.
4 Lamentations 3:40
5 Isaiah 6:10
6 It is not easy to change a habit, but even more than this, once one
has become accustomed to certain behavior, one tends to rationalize it
and justify it, thus making it difficult to even admit that the habit
needs changing. Only honest soul-searching introspection can see
through this self-deception.
Translation and Commentary by Rabbi Yehoshua Starrett and reprinted
with the kind permission of the Baal Shem Tov Foundation. Please visit
www.baalshemtov.com
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Publicize the Teachings of the Baal Shem Tov To Help Bring
Moshiach Right NOW!
Joseph A. Cleary
This is a subject I know all too well, the word is sin.
For some reason it brings to mind the bleakness of winter, where
the snow is on the ground and there isn't much to do but to read the Torah,
study the words least your mind leave you to go into sin.
Or at least it is for my feeble thought of what not to do as far
as sin is concerned.
Do be well and do have a good Shabbis.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bentzion Meltzer" <bzme...@gmail.com>
To: "Teachings_of_the_Besht" <teachings_o...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, October 27, 2010 7:57 PM
Subject: PEREK 82
The Baal Shem Tov taught:
When a person transgresses one sin, he will be confronted with the
test of another sin, so that he becomes aroused to repent, whereby the
first sin will be atoned. When the evil inclination sees this, it
tries to overpower the person with this second sin, but [even if he
succumbs], G�d defends him, as the verse says, "For three sins of
Israel [I can forgive them]."1
However, after a person has already sinned three times, the three
levels of his soul - his nefesh, ruach and neshamah2 - are caught up
in the klipoth,3 and one sin then inevitably brings another in its
wake, and the paths of repentance are withheld from him, until G�d has
mercy on him.
And this is what the prophet means, "Let us search our paths and
analyze them, and return to G�d,"4 for after one's path has become a
trodden way in one's eyes, because "the heart of this people has
become thick,"5 one must search and analyze one's behavior in order to
realize that one has sinned.6 Only then will one return to G�d.
1 Amos 2:6. The Talmud in Tractate Yoma 86b uses this verse as the
basis of the statement that G�d does not punish for a person's first
--