The explanation of this subject is discussed frequently in Zohar and Tikunim. Binah is the superior teshuvah— "The mother crouching over the chicks..." He is to meditate profoundly and with concentration on the greatness of G‑d, and through his intellectual comprehension arouses a sense of intellectual reverence and love, rationally, intelligently. This love is that of the verse, "To love the Lord your G‑d" for "He is your life..." He will not be content with the endowed, latent love alone... So too with fear of G‑d, and terror or shame ... as is known. This is the import of "The mother crouching over the chicks.. ."
Ahava, love, is primarily the cleaving of spirit to spirit, as "He kisses me with the kisses of his mouth ..." as is known. This cleaving of spirit is the meaning of "With all your soul," with every aspect of your soul, with intellect, emotions and their garbs of thought, speech and deed. All cleave to Him. Ma_n's emotional faculties are bound up with His— "As He is merciful "..." Man's intellect adheres to His intellect and wisdom, assiduous Torah study, for "Torah issues from Wisdom." Man's thought is devoted to G‑d's, and his speech is the word of G‑d, the Halacha, as in the passages, "I have placed My word in your mouth," and "My words that I have placed in your mouth." Man's deeds shall be works of charity, to revive the spirit of the fallen, thus cleaving to G‑d's actions, as in, "For six days G‑d wrought..." as is known elsewhere.
This is the cleaving of spirit to spirit— the ultimate attachment and union as a result of love ...Since the violation of the covenant through wasteful emission, to say nothing of stark immorality or unions prohibited by Torah or the Sages (for the words of the Sages are more grave ...), causes a blemish in the mind, therefore his rectification is that he occupy himself with Torah that derives from Wisdom.
In Tanna Dvai Eliahu we find, "A man commits a sin and is liable to death before the Almighty, what shall he do and live? If he was accustomed to studying one page, he shall study two, to studying one chapter, he shall study two chapters..." This parallels the illustration of the cord severed and then reknotted— the place of the knot is so much thicker than the unaffected portion. So it is with the "Cord of His possession."
"With kindness and truth is sin forgiven ..." and "There is no 'truth' but Torah..."
Similarly, "The sin of the house of Eli will not be remitted by offerings" Only offerings are ineffective, but they will be pardoned through Torah and good deeds, as explained in Rosh Hashana end of Ch. I.
Start a Discussion