Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Noam Elimelech for Yom Kippur

gemar chasima tova!

Noam Elimelech for Yom Kippur –

The Gemarra teaches that Sins between man and his fellow man are not atoned and absolved by Yom Kippur (Yoma 85b)

The reason for this is that so long as he has not appeased his friend and fellow there remains a prosecuting accusation against him on High which prevents his atonement until he appeases his friend and acquires his forgiveness. For as long as his friend has objections against him there remains a prosecuting accusation against him on High, and once his friend forgives him that accusation passes and is no longer there. *

(Noam Elimelech parshas Behaaloscha sv Vezehu VeAtah Yisroel Mah Hashem Elokecha Shoel Meimach)

Confession Viduy – In our Forefathers Merit We Become Beynonim

When we confess and recite Viduy we recite the formula: We and our forefathers have sinned, and we should explain the reason behind why we mention the sin of our forefathers when we confess?

Even if a person has sinned he should never make himself out to be wicked before the prosecuting accuser. Rather he should take partial blame for his wickedness, and partial credit for his righteousness. This is why we place some of the blame on our forefathers saying that if we have sinned it is partly their fault for not having sanctified us with complete holiness. This too is one of the reasons why we have sinned.

Our forefathers meanwhile, are already [safely protected] in Gan Eden where no prosecution or accusations can harm them, therefore we rely upon them and place some blame for our sins on them in order to not give the accuser any opening to blame us for our own wickedness. Then through the confession of our sins we make ourselves into average people (who are balanced neither wicked nor righteous). . . This is what the verse means "he [Yaakov] split the people up [literally halved them]," he taught the people to confess [which causes us to split up their sins and merits half and half so that they would be in equal measure] and to transform themselves into beynonim – average people.

(Noam Elimelech Parshas VaYishlach sv vezehu vayehi li shor vechamor)

Mincha Maftir Yonah:

Why did Yona flee from Hashem? To try and prevent accusations against Klal Yisroel

The Gemarra teaches: Why are Bnei Yisroel compared to a Yonah? Just as a Yonah bird never exchanges its mate for another, neither do Bnei Yisroel ever exchanges their G-d.

This means that they are forever attached to Hashem as is proper for a person to constantly always be attached cleaving to the Creator. . .

A righteous tzadik who is attached to the Creator in dveykus is called Yonah, because he is attached to Hashem like a Yona as we explained above.

We will explain the meaning of the verse "And Yona fled to Tarshish from before Hashem."

He was truly attached to Hashem and this is why he is named a Yona for he truly was one.

Now it is difficult to understand then, how can we possibly understand that Yona fled from Hashem, Whose glory fills the entire world; and the heavens and heavens' heavens cannot contain Him?!

Rather Yona's intention was to commit a sin for the sake of Hashem, known as an aveirah lishma. His intent was for the sake of Heaven, it was difficult for him to prophecy before the people of Ninveh, since if they would repent from their sins and transgressions then heaven forbid, there might be a Heavenly accusation leveled against Bnei Yisroel as the Gemarra tells uis that the nations might repent immediately. Therefore he tried to separate himself and to take to the seas and interrupt his dveykus and attachment to Hashem, all this, so long as he could prevent such a prophecy [and its consequences].

(Noam Elimelech Parshas Shelach sv O Yomar VaYishlach Osam Moshe LaTur es Eretz Canaan)

Yona and the Ship – the Soul and the Body

The Tanna teaches that one who sells a ship sells its mast as well.

The body is compared to a ship.

The Holy Zohar teaches regarding the prophet Yonah that when Yonah descended into the depths or bowels of the ship that this symbolizes the descent of the soul into the body.

Similarly the body in this world is like a ship sailing the stormy troubled seas, a person is cast into the stormy waters of life in this world where he must struggle to stay afloat, man must always ponder and contemplate that he is always navigating the great ocean of life and his quest is to stay afloat among the raging storms and tempest waters that life's trials toss at him.

Therefore the Tanna taught us that one who sells the ship has sold its mast, if a ship is like the body one who sells the ship proves that he does not care for the physical needs of his body at all. Therefore if he sells the mast, meaning that he no longer needs to act like a mast, like a guiding tower at the top of a mountain, this is because once he has proved that he does not care for the physical needs of this world, he attaches in dveykus to the Shechinah and he is no longer like a mast on the mountaintop.

Noam Elimelech (Parshas VaYec hi sv Shimon VeLevi Achim)


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