Perek 71
Bentzion Meltzer
When one feels that one’s service of G•d is not going well1, one
should acknowledge that the appropriate verse at this time is, “I
[G•d] have sworn in My wrath/Aph [that they will not enter My peaceful
Sanctuary].”2
For even during a period of Divine wrath – Aph – one must realize that
this is only a manifestation of the eight lower Sephiroth3 below Binah,
4 and that even in the Aph – the Phe – is hidden the letter Aleph,
representing the Aluph/Leader of the World. In this way, one sweetens5
the Aph, the Divine wrath.
1 Ben Porath Yoseph 126c
2 Psalms 95:11
3 The letters aph inverted are the Hebrew letter Phe, which is
numerically equivalent to 80, a integer of 8, representing the eight
lower Sephiroth, each of which is a complete holographic system of the
ten Sephiroth, as is known.
4 Binah is the lower of the two upper Sephiroth connected with
knowledge and understanding, while in comparison, the eight lower
Sephiroth as a whole are connected with a lack of understanding and
with constrictions, which give rise to such periods of Divine wrath.
The implication here is that one must bring this higher understanding –
this experiential reality – into one’s period of constricted
consciousness.
5 The use of the metaphor, “sweetening” the judgments, used so
extensively in Chassidic texts, alludes that what is “done” does not
change the essence of the Aph, but only makes it palatable to us, just
as sweetener makes food palatable. This fits in with the idea of the
previous two teachings (#69 and 70), that all evil is only from our
perspective, and we transform evil by transforming our awareness, and
recognizing it as concealed Divine love.
Translation and Commentary by Rabbi Yehoshua Starrett and reprinted
with the kind permission of the Baal Shem Tov Foundation. Please visit
www.baalshemtov.com
Join a class on the Perekim from the Kesser Shem Tov: Shabbos morning
9am in the Shteibel Minyan Beis Medresh
Also, write to Bent...@besht-yomi.org to receive the Teachings of the
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Publicize the Teachings of the Baal Shem Tov To Help Bring
Moshiach Right NOW!
Joseph A. Cleary
I'm sorry for not writing before now but I contracted
something called Hives. I starch till I bleed as it itches that badly.
Please know that if I've offended you in any manner I'm
terribly sorry, truth.
Please do be well, and do have a good Shabbis and a Sweet
New Year for you and yours.
I have a question, but it may be that only Hashem can answer
this one.
I remember that just before the Rabbi Baal Shem Tov died he
asked his friend if he'd gone into the Mikvah, his answer was No as a result
that night the Rabbi died.
My question was if he had been to the Mikvah, would the
Rabbi have lived?
Shalom, Shalom, Yosef
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bentzion Meltzer" <bzme...@gmail.com>
To: "Teachings_of_the_Besht" <teachings_o...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Monday, August 23, 2010 9:14 PM
Subject: Perek 71
The Baal Shem Tov taught:
When one feels that one�s service of G�d is not going well1, one
should acknowledge that the appropriate verse at this time is, �I
[G�d] have sworn in My wrath/Aph [that they will not enter My peaceful
Sanctuary].�2
For even during a period of Divine wrath � Aph � one must realize that
this is only a manifestation of the eight lower Sephiroth3 below Binah,
4 and that even in the Aph � the Phe � is hidden the letter Aleph,
representing the Aluph/Leader of the World. In this way, one sweetens5
the Aph, the Divine wrath.
1 Ben Porath Yoseph 126c
2 Psalms 95:11
3 The letters aph inverted are the Hebrew letter Phe, which is
numerically equivalent to 80, a integer of 8, representing the eight
lower Sephiroth, each of which is a complete holographic system of the
ten Sephiroth, as is known.
4 Binah is the lower of the two upper Sephiroth connected with
knowledge and understanding, while in comparison, the eight lower
Sephiroth as a whole are connected with a lack of understanding and
with constrictions, which give rise to such periods of Divine wrath.
The implication here is that one must bring this higher understanding �
this experiential reality � into one�s period of constricted
consciousness.
5 The use of the metaphor, �sweetening� the judgments, used so
extensively in Chassidic texts, alludes that what is �done� does not
change the essence of the Aph, but only makes it palatable to us, just
as sweetener makes food palatable. This fits in with the idea of the
previous two teachings (#69 and 70), that all evil is only from our
perspective, and we transform evil by transforming our awareness, and
recognizing it as concealed Divine love.
Translation and Commentary by Rabbi Yehoshua Starrett and reprinted
with the kind permission of the Baal Shem Tov Foundation. Please visit
www.baalshemtov.com
Join a class on the Perekim from the Kesser Shem Tov: Shabbos morning
9am in the Shteibel Minyan Beis Medresh
Also, write to Bent...@besht-yomi.org to receive the Teachings of the
Baal Shem Tov in your email inbox, visit and join a discussion group
on the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov at
http://groups.google.com/group/teachings_of_the_besht?hl=en
Publicize the Teachings of the Baal Shem Tov To Help Bring
Moshiach Right NOW!
--
Bentzion Meltzer
Baal Shem Tov's life. He asked his chossid, Reb Pinchas if he had
gone to the Mikveh on the PREVIOUS day. Reb Pinchas replied: No. and
the Besht said to him, 'It is too late to correct that now'. It does
not indicate that the Ball Shem died BECAUSE of that. As to why he
replied that it was too late to correct, I don't know. I will have to
think about that a bit. It is a good question, Yosef. I will let you
know what I think it meant. bz