{"id":803,"date":"2020-04-24T21:17:50","date_gmt":"2020-04-24T21:17:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jewishpath.org\/wordpress\/?page_id=803"},"modified":"2020-11-08T16:07:33","modified_gmt":"2020-11-08T16:07:33","slug":"mussar-chesed","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/jewishpath.org\/wordpress\/mussar\/mussar-chesed","title":{"rendered":"Mussar – Chesed 6"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mussar – Chesed<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

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C<\/em><\/strong>hesed<\/em> is the fourth of the ten sefirot,<\/em> and the first of the emotive attributes within Creation.\u00a0 C<\/strong>hesed<\/em> is the first day<\/em> of Creation. On it was created the light of lovingkindness for all. What You Need to Know about Kabbalah Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh page 88\u00a0 <\/span>The first day is called in the Torah the day of one<\/em> (yom echad<\/em>) Bereishit (Genesis) 1.5<\/span> The Divine consciousness of this day is that all of Creation is one as embraced, in love, by the Oneness of the Creator (echad<\/em><\/strong>, one<\/strong> = 13 = ahavah<\/em>, love<\/em><\/strong>).\u00a0 C<\/strong>hesed <\/em>is associated in the soul with the desire to embrace all of Creation and bestow upon it goodness. As the expansive force which impels the soul to connect with outer reality, chesed <\/em>inspires, and thus implicitly accompanies, all the other expressions of emotive force which succeed it in the soul.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mishlei 1.2<\/span><\/p>\n

\u05dc\u05b8\u05d3\u05b7\u05e2\u05b7\u05ea<\/span> \u05d7\u05b8\u05db\u05b0\u05de\u05b8\u05d4<\/span> \u05d5\u05bc\u05de\u05d5\u05bc\u05e1\u05b8\u05e8<\/span> \u05dc\u05b0\u05d4\u05b8\u05d1\u05b4\u05d9\u05df \u05d0\u05b4\u05de\u05b0\u05e8\u05b5\u05d9<\/span> \u05d1\u05b4\u05d9\u05e0\u05b8\u05d4<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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To know (da\u2019at)<\/span> wisdom (chochmah)<\/span> and instruction (mussar)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0to perceive the words of<\/span> understanding (binah) Mishlei (Proverbs) 1.2<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u05dc\u05b8\u05e7\u05b7\u05d7\u05b7\u05ea \u05de\u05d5\u05bc\u05e1\u05b7\u05e8<\/span> \u05d4\u05b7\u05e9\u05b0\u05c2\u05db\u05b5\u05bc\u05dc<\/span> \u05e6\u05b6\u05d3\u05b6\u05e7<\/span> \u05d5\u05bc\u05de\u05b4\u05e9\u05b0\u05c1\u05e4\u05b8\u05bc\u05d8<\/span> \u05d5\u05bc\u05de\u05b5\u05e9\u05b8\u05c1\u05e8\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd<\/span><\/p>\n

To receive the instruction (mussar)<\/span> of wisdom<\/span>, justice,<\/span> and judgment,<\/span> and equity Mishlei (Proverbs) 1.3<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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Mussar<\/em>\u00a0seems to require the breaking of one\u2019s ego. The Rebbe says that within every Jew there lies hidden a great treasury of refined character traits.\u00a0 We must search for these refined traits.\u00a0 The sefirot will be our guide to study where we need to go to attain the goal in refining our traits. \u00a0Note:<\/strong> Most employers require that those who work for them formulate goals for each year.\u00a0 This is so that not only does the employee advance their skills but also the business reaps the benefits of a better work force.\u00a0 So if we know what our goals are in the study of mussar then we will have a way to discern if we are advancing toward them.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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Rav Yisrael Salanter taught that the Torah\u2019s ethical teachings needed to be activated by accessing one\u2019s emotions.\u00a0 Studying alone would not accomplish this.\u00a0 He said, It is necessary for Mussar to be studied in a passionate manner that will stir the soul; <\/em>Ohr Yisrael Rav Yisrael Salanter Feldheim page 125<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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The Torah Says, you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord<\/em> Vayikra (Leviticus) 19.18\u00a0 This is not meant to be understood intellectually but must be integrated into the heart.\u00a0 When the Torah\u2019s Words become alive to us then we have attained mussar\u2019s goal.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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Yalchut (Hosea 524) quotes G-d: The acts of benevolence that you do for each other are dearer to me than all the thousand sacrifices which King Soloman brought to me.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/em>Pikei Avot Treasure Artscroll page 15<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

To perform an act of kindness, without personal gain, is the highest degree of pure and enduring human worth.<\/span>\u00a0 Kind deeds between one person and another induce a corresponding flow of kindness from G-d that sustains the world.\u00a0 Maharal of Prague Pirkei Avos Artscroll page 17<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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\u05db\u05b4\u05bc\u05d9 \u05d0\u05b8\u05de\u05b7\u05e8\u05b0\u05ea\u05b4\u05bc\u05d9 \u05e2\u05d5\u05b9\u05dc\u05b8\u05dd \u05d7\u05b6\u05e1\u05b6\u05d3 \u05d9\u05b4\u05d1\u05b8\u05bc\u05e0\u05b6\u05d4 \u05e9\u05b8\u05c1\u05de\u05b7\u05d9\u05b4\u05dd \u05ea\u05b8\u05bc\u05db\u05b4\u05df \u05d0\u05b1\u05de\u05d5\u05bc\u05e0\u05b8\u05ea\u05b0\u05da\u05b8 \u05d1\u05b8\u05d4\u05b6\u05dd<\/span><\/p>\n

For I have said, the world is built on kindness (Chesed)<\/span>; You Establish Your Faithfulness in them.\u00a0 Tehillim (Psalms) 89.3<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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So how do we obtain chesed?<\/span><\/p>\n

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Just as Torah is transcendent, beyond the emanations whereby G-d\u2019s Creative Power is realized in the form of various garments or disguised, so man has within himself the capacity for self- transcendence, for elevating himself spiritually beyond his apparent existential limitations.\u00a0 This self-transcendence is affected by the study of Torah.<\/em>\u00a0 <\/em>Torah Lishmah Torah For Torah\u2019s Sake Rabbi Hayyim of Volozhin page 114<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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The whole purpose of Torah and Mitzvot is to qualify a person so that he or she will be fitting to receive all the Good inherent in the Intention of Creation which is to do good to G-d\u2019s creatures.\u00a0 Torah thus requires the purification of the will to receive for oneself alone in order that a person should be fit to receive this Divine Good<\/span>.\u00a0 <\/em>In the Shadow of the Ladder Rabbi Yehudah Lev Ashlag Page 105<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

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So to sum it all up, studying Torah and performing Mitzvot are the means of acquiring affinity of form, to become in the Likeness and Image of G-d.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Chesed grows in those who do deeds of Chesed.\u00a0 At the same time Chesed needs to be balanced with Gevurah.\u00a0 Chesed is G-d Giving Himself unrestrictedly.\u00a0 If He were to do that then Chesed would totally overwhelm creation.\u00a0 So G-d Balances His Chesed with Gevurah (restraint).\u00a0 We need to find this balance in our lives.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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\u05d0\u05b1\u05dc\u05b9\u05d4\u05b7\u05d9 \u05e0\u05b0\u05e9\u05b8\u05c1\u05de\u05b8\u05d4 \u05e9\u05b6\u05c1\u05e0\u05b8\u05bc\u05ea\u05b7\u05ea\u05b8\u05bc \u05d1\u05b4\u05bc\u05d9 \u05d8\u05b0\u05d4\u05d5\u05b9\u05e8\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d4\u05b4\u05d9\u05d0<\/span><\/p>\n

My G-d, the soul You Placed within me is pure.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Shottenstein Edition Siddur for Weekdays With An Interlinear Translation <\/u>(Mesorah Publications, Ltd., Brooklyn, N.Y. first edition 2002) p 27<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u05d0\u05b7\u05ea\u05b8\u05bc\u05d4 \u05d1\u05b0\u05e8\u05b8\u05d0\u05ea\u05b8\u05d4\u05bc \u05d0\u05b7\u05ea\u05b8\u05bc\u05d4 \u05d9\u05b0\u05e6\u05b7\u05e8\u05b0\u05ea\u05b8\u05bc\u05d4\u05bc \u05d0\u05b7\u05ea\u05b8\u05bc\u05d4 \u05e0\u05b0\u05e4\u05b7\u05d7\u05b0\u05ea\u05b8\u05bc\u05d4\u05bc \u05d1\u05b4\u05bc\u05d9 \u05d5\u05b0\u05d0\u05b7\u05ea\u05b8\u05bc\u05d4 \u05de\u05b0\u05e9\u05b7\u05c1\u05de\u05b0\u05bc\u05e8\u05b8\u05d4\u05bc \u05d1\u05b0\u05bc\u05e7\u05b4\u05e8\u05b0\u05d1\u05b4\u05bc\u05d9<\/span><\/p>\n

You Created it, You Formed it,\u00a0 You Breathed it into me. And You Preserve it within me<\/span><\/p>\n

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We received a pure soul that has been tainted by ours and others actions that were not Torah based.\u00a0 We need to return to Torah.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The word\u00a0teshuvah (to return)<\/em>\u00a0(\u05ea\u05e9\u05d5\u05d1\u05d4) contains<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0the word\u00a0Shabbot<\/em>\u00a0<\/span>followed by two Letters,\u00a0vov<\/em>\u00a0hei<\/em>\u00a0(\u05e9<\/span>\u05d1\u05ea<\/span> \u05d5’-\u05d4‘<\/span><\/span>).<\/span><\/p>\n

G\u2011d\u2019s name\u00a0Havayah<\/em>\u00a0<\/em>(\u05d9-\u05d4-\u05d5-\u05d4)<\/span><\/span>\u00a0represents the range of our spiritual potentials: the\u00a0Yud<\/em>\u00a0is identified with\u00a0Chochmah (Wisdom)<\/em>,<\/em>\u00a0the first\u00a0Hei<\/em>, with\u00a0Binah (Understanding)<\/em>,\u00a0<\/em>the\u00a0Vov<\/em>, with the six emotional attributes,<\/span><\/p>\n

and the final\u00a0Hei<\/em>\u00a0with\u00a0Malchut (the place where we live)<\/em>.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Of the higher levels,\u00a0Yud Hei<\/em>,\u00a0it can be said,\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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What is hidden is for G\u2011d, our L\u2011rd<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The letters\u00a0Vov Hei,\u00a0<\/em>however, represent lower levels,<\/span><\/p>\n

what is revealed<\/em> (to us) \u2013 the Torah.<\/span><\/p>\n

Devarim (Deuteronomy) 29.28<\/span><\/p>\n

What G-d Has Revealed of Himself is within The Torah.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Torah IS the Tree of Life.<\/span><\/p>\n

Etz Chaim \u2013 The Tree of Life<\/span><\/p>\n

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If we know our life\u2019s mission we will have inner peace.\u00a0 Our lives will have purpose, direction and meaning.\u00a0 We must accept that everyone has a unique mission for their lives.\u00a0 We cannot share their mission and no one can share ours.\u00a0 However, all of us are required to acquire traits that will improve the world.\u00a0 Chesed is just one of these<\/span>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

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Blessings and Peace<\/span><\/p>\n

Rebbetzin Revi Belk<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Mussar – Chesed   Chesed is the fourth of the ten sefirot, and the first of the emotive attributes within Creation.\u00a0 Chesed is the first day of Creation. On it…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"parent":618,"menu_order":5,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-803","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","category-mussar"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/jewishpath.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/803","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/jewishpath.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/jewishpath.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/jewishpath.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/jewishpath.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=803"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"http:\/\/jewishpath.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/803\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1176,"href":"http:\/\/jewishpath.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/803\/revisions\/1176"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/jewishpath.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/618"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/jewishpath.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=803"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/jewishpath.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=803"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/jewishpath.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=803"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}