Virulency after virtue

Ha’Sephardic Mizrahi L’han’achut Limmudim Shiurim Drash.

“ Virulency after virtue ”

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Karvot Achri Midot Tovot

- Kislev 5779 –

Ma’et Rabino Aminadav Ibn Avraham Hinton

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The Turkish Sephardic Mizrahi Jew

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When the vices (Chata’im) and virtues (Midot) of man are weighed (Shichol) neither the first nor the second time is taken into consideration [Why not?- mistake verses error], but from the third time onward [Continuous- blatant, flagrant, unabashed) ; if his vices from the third time onward exceed his virtues, then those two transgressions, too are added [Remembered, documented], and he is tried [GEVURAH-judged on all; but if his virtues balance (L’Adin) his vices from the third transgression onward, all of his transgressions are wiped off one by one, as the third transgression is counted as the first for the two long since had been forgiven, so is the fourth considered thereafter first, as the third long since had been forgiven, and this way till end of the transgressions. That is saying concerning an individual, of whom it is said: "Yes, all these things does Hashem work, twice, yes three times, with a man" (Iyov 33.29): but concerning a Beth Knesset, the first, second and third transgression is held suspended [pendulous] over them, even as it is said: "This is what Hashem states: For three transgressions of Yisrael, yes, for four, I will not reverse it" (Amos 2.6 ) and when the reckoning [computation] comes up, the reckoning is made even in this manner, i. e. from the fourth transgression and onward. The intermediary category, if there be among the half of their transgressions such sins as never having put on Tefillin, each one is judged according to his transgressions, but has a share in the World to Come-Ha’Olam Ha’Bah. Even so are the wicked whose vices are more than their virtues judged according to their transgressions, but have a share in the World to Come-Ha’Olam Ha’Bah; for all Yisrael has a share in the World to Come-Ha’Olam Ha’Bah, even as it is said: "Your people also shall be all righteous; they shall inherit the land for ever" (Yeshayah 60. 21 ). So, too, do the righteous of among the nations of the world (GER TZEDEK) have a share in the World to Come-Ha’Olam Ha’Bah. Mishneh Tora, Teshuvah Perek Shilishi

The word virtue in Hebrew is pronounced: Ha’Midot Ha’tovot, the first word Mi (?? ) means: Who? Which? Whoever, everyone. Thus Midot (????? ) means: One’s character which we equate as virtue, the virtue of Michok from Michon (???? )- To stand, to place, dwelling place, site, foundation, basis. From this we gain M’dor (????? )- To dwell, Midoti (?????? )- Moral, ethical. Midi (???? )- Sufficiently. Midod (????? )- To measure, to be measured. Mod (??? )- To measure, stretch, extend. Midah (??? )- To attribute, trait, rule, measure. AL HA’MIDOT (?? ?????? )- To yield. MIDAH KENEGET MIDAH (????? ???? ???? )- Measure for measure, to measure by measure or to maintain balance.

Thus virtue is a person’s character, the way one believes, their basis, foundation, core values by which they stand and attribute their lives after, the way one follows, observes. How one is measured and measures themselves and attributes that into daily living. The traits that ascribes a person, the premise that one tailors and models their lives after is the real essence and meaning of virtue in Hebrew. Virulence is resentment.

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Ha’Mishneh Tor, Teshuvah Gimel. Halacha Mishneh Tora, Sefer Malda teaches:

Each and every one (Every human being) of the sons of man has virtues (MIDOT) and vices (Chata’im- sin, transgression, guilt, misdemeanors, offense, iniquity, malice, malignity, licentiousness). HE WHOSE VIRTUES EXCEED HIS VICES IS A JUST (Tzedek) MAN, and HE WHOSE VICES EXCEED HIS VIRTUES IS AN EVIL DOER (HA’RA’AH ISH); If both are EVENLY BALANCED, HE IS MEDIOCRE. Even so is a state. If the virtues of all of its inhabitants exceeded their vices, it is, indeed a just state; but if their vices exceeded, it is, indeed a wicked state. Even such is a standard for the whole world! [Jew and Non Jew]

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The balance isn’t to be a provocation of vexation per religiosity, tenets, rules and regulations. It is the balance and measurement of one’s placement of fulfillment by which determines how one lives, verses being told how one is to perform. That is if man’s vices, his doing’s surmount the good that he gives outward, then He is an irregularity, an imbalance, he is inharmonious as He is imbalanced with his decisions, choices, influences, acts and thus the outcome of such choices is virulence. His nature has outweighed his good, his good or seeking, searching for good is outweighed by his inhibitions, sublimations, impedances, conflict, oppositions which concludes his level of suffering in this world, in himself, within his presence, within his body, within his mindset. He never feels complete, for he wrestles between virtue and vice, which then is, the good He knows to do verses the nonchalance that He does do or cause thus His ambition is ambiguous, cryptic, vague, amorphous and ill-defined. He is pique by acerbity, because he regulates himself through burdening himself which then constrains himself from the quality of life that He could live and deserve in harmony, peace, tranquility and fulfillment. He is detached from equanimity and aplomb of imperturbability because He is self possessed by inadequacy, which then is the result of what Mishneh teaches us, either He is just, mediocre or wicked. That meaning either He seeks to please Hashem, fights between his own self will or has completely detached himself from seeking Hashem all together and has accepted His own will, his doings, his desires as his path by which He decides to follow.

This is why Sephardic, Mizrahi Halacha and Sephardic Judaic training and teaching is most imperative in our age and times as it has been for the past five thousand years as it reaches the whole man. More-so than religiosity in terms of rectification verses regulation, crendenda and apothegm and deistic devotion. That being the spirituality of the whole man needs completion verses exigent sacerdotal dogma. Man’s whole self needs completion and rectification and then he needs to know how to live within himself on a daily basis. To this Rabbi Yose raises an important She’elah concerning “ Spirituality verses Religiosity “ And we do not forbade religiosity, we promote religiosity that approaches it in spirituality verses religiosity opposite of spirituality that is credo without substantiation, the embodiment of Tora, that being Tora for the sake of pleasing and drawing to Hashem verses Tora and Hashem to please religion… That is not the same…. What did Rabbi Yose say?

R.Yose said: A person may not mortify himself by fasting, lest [He fall ill] and become a charge on the [Jewish Community- a weight, burden, constraint], which will then have to maintain him. R. Judah said in the name of Rav: What is R. Yosef’s reason [ Why is he teaching us this?] “ And let man become a live soul “ (Bereshith 2.7), Tora means: Keep a live the soul I gave you. B. Ta 22b; Tos ta 2:12.

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Thus what good is it for a man to fulfill religious obligations in fasting (Tzom) extensively to fulfill religious obligations and He becomes ill through the doing and then his doing per religiosity has caused him to now become a burden on the Jewish Community in that they have to care for him, pay and take care of him who is now ill, sick to the point of death for operating in a fashion religiously that made no sense realistically to the health and wellness of the person is an absurdity, irrational. To live as Bereshith states in Ha’Perek is more important, the maintaining of the soul, which then needs a body, a healthy body to live in, is more important than religious sincerity that but causes illness, death, communal burdens and encumbrance. Thus we Sephardic, Mizrahi Jews are centralized on spirituality verses religiosity! We are religious because we are spiritual, not spiritual because we are religious…. Man need to be unexpurgated in order to please Hashem….

We are further taught….

The presumption is that no man would drink out of a cup without first examining it thoroughly… Biket 75b.

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That being no man should seek to follow, use, apply, observe anything without first examining every aspect of what it is before going about to add it to his life.. Thus man should measure everything that he does, believe, follow, observe, practice in making certain that it is the embodiment of Tora, the only embodiment of Tora is Hashem himself, that being when we seek Tora for the sake of pleasing Hashem and that we apply Tora to our lives in drawing to Hashem the very words in Tora , the very Shechinah of Hashem, which then is the very essence of Hashem applied to our daily lives will cause us to find fulfillment. That embodiment is all Yisrael had in B’Midbar…

We too oft strive for continuity amixed with congruency, dovetailing incompletion as we measure ourselves by ponderosity, such ponderosity creates surfeit verses satiation, that is, we fulfill feel unfulfilled even in doings, because the doings undervalue and are unrealistic and removes the human experience. That is Hashem works through our humanity as we humanly seek to serve Hashem thou we do so in impermanence, in imperfection..

“ THUS IT IS NOT IN PERFECTING OUR IMPERFECTIONS, IT IS USING OUR IMPERFECTIONS TO PERFECT US.”

To this we are taught:

Man’s reality is built with profound, endless wisdom. The creator created many a great creature, higher than high and higher still, and all are needed in their posts, for nothing is superfluous and all is based on the fundamental cornerstone, which is, that what the Creator desires of man’s work is for him to correct all the deficiencies of Creation and elevate himself, elevation by elevation [ measure by measure- MIDAH KENEGET MIDAH], until he cleaves to His holiness. There is where all issues of remoteness from Him are found, as well as all their generations, and all the matters in nearing him and all their generations. Indeed, they are all great and profound matters and all are bound to incarnate under great circumstances to achieve the inclusive wholeness.

Ramchal, Da’at Tevunot (Knowledge of Intelligence).

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Every aspect of man and our work is a fulfillment of an allotment needed within the world, needed within Creation. Thus every soul that is within its body has purposely been added, given to the world by Hashem to fulfill His/ Her posts. That is we are centralized wherever we are within the world, in that spot and place, added to that place and spot for a purpose. You are where you are suppose to be for the purpose by which you have been placed there by Hashem. Thus you are wherever you are, meant in that place to fulfill Hashem’s will at that place for his reasoning. For nothing is superfluous, no one is without purpose and meaning in the vast universe. For Hashem knows you individually and intrinsically and you are who you are and meant to be who you are for the purpose of Hashem in that place and spot. Thus you can not negate where you are in doing what you are suppose to do in correcting the deficiencies of the world. Nothing that you do is small or insignificant or less valued than another. Whatever you do, you do for the sake of him who is with you for the doing. That is why you are who you are for the purpose of being who you are designed to be and in place where you are to bring about this change within the universe, to this Ha’Ramchal indicates such measurement- MIDOT is an elevation by elevation, that is the life in which we live and all its complexities causes an exchange, we have surmised that throughout this whole teaching that each area and episode of life causes us to learn, grow, change, transition, measure and evaluate ourselves by Tora yes until we eventually learn to cleave closely, or until our lives more closely in doings and actions match that which pleases Hashem. Thus your purpose and meaning and objection in life has already been set for you by Hashem from the placement of the soul before body to the body by which you are dressed in today. It is then a matter of the heart, for us to come to terms with ourselves, in looking introspectively within ourselves and working on rectifying ourselves, using our imperfections and incompletions to perfect and complete us that will but lead us to fulfillment. Thus it isn’t in doing religious obligations, credenda, axiomatic postulations. It is how can I live daily and follow and apply Tora to daily living in my human experience. You have purpose…….

To this Baal Ha’Sulam states of great importance:

The purpose of creation is invaluable for a tiny spark such as a persons soul can rise in its attainment higher than the ministering angels.

Baal Ha’Sulam “ A Handmaid that is heire to her mistress “

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The spark of one’s very soul just from the spark itself can rise higher than the angels themselves, for such a spark is awareness and that cognizance recognizes Hashem and His place and your place as He placed you within the universe. Purpose with obligation towards Hashem then is we are obligated to strive, endeavor, make continuous efforts in rectification and renewing the world through actions that lead to greater and greater fulfillment, that being fulfillment measure by measure, thus it isn’t giving up, it is continuing to work on ones self until the last breath is no more. Baal Ha’Sulam further states in this regard….

Every person is obliged to attain the root of his soul. Baal Ha”Sulam. “ The acting mind “

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It turns out that the purpose of the whole creation is that the lowly creatures will be able, by keeping Tora and Mitzvot, to rise ever upward, ever developing, until they are rewarded with Devekut with their creator. Baal Ha’Sulam, “ The giving of the Tora item 6.”

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Thus the secret formula to life is to live while steady exchanging selves, advancing through awareness and recognition of oneself through applying Tora and learning through Tora until ones body matches with his soul, until He does so for the sake of enjoyment, that is he enjoys seeking to please Hashem, even striving towards this, thou He realizes within his self being that he does so imperfectly, in flaw, in error, but yet He strives onward! Not in fasting or doing things that fulfill religiosity while internally He is still destitute. For we hear of religious figures all the time in all their garb, wearing their religious uniforms and reliquaries who do all sorts of despicable things in the earth. Such news about the Catholic popes give credence to that, thus one can be religiously pious and completely unrighteous, one can wear and look and appear religious by their garb, coordinated uniforms and outfits and from the outside look solemn while internally they are dressed, that being their soul in multiplitious vices that don’t match his factionary religious sect and its beliefs. Thus man’s spirituality is more important than his religiosity and if He but follow aspects of religiosity and does so through spirituality then He is whole, finds completion and real fulfillment and those that are this way are the most humble, astute, true seekers of Hashem… That being Tora for the sake of Tora and Hashem for the sake of Hashem….. Thus we perpetually keep going forward striving even through our own virulence until we Devekut adhesion, appreciating the journey of life, enjoying your lives, your breath and work at your Tikun, Ta’av- Long for, Ta’avah- longing, T’vunato- Insight, prudence, understanding, intellegience. Our soul’s took this body, not that the soul wasn’t complete, the body the soul took was. Thus our body’s are syllabus, a percu, a course curriculum conspectus for the soul to complete. Why complete the traits of that which will but fade, etiolate and go back to dust? Because the character development of the body raises the soul and harmonizes the body. It creates tranquility and peace within living far more than living in peril. To live at ease, verse living in agony.

To wake up every day with purpose, happiness, hope and feeling overjoyed verses awakening to misery, emptiness, hating life, complaining about everything and broken, blistered and bruised emotionally, psychologically, physiologically, mentally and health be effected by this compound compulsion, hang ups and coercion.

How do you measure your success?

I asked a friend this but a few days ago, where are you in measurement this beginning of 5779 verses 5778, where do you see yourself right now? Do you feel that you have grown, improved? Where are you at?

This very teaching came as a result of that friend, who I feel deeply sad for, they are apart of our religion who but can only see themselves as failing the very religious tenets that they are drub, wallop, hammered to follow and observe to the point of imperious autocratic dominance. That is this person has made some errors in their lives, some mistakes and apparently whomever where they attend that has awareness of this is bashing them with denigrations per dictatorial, tyrannical fascistic peremptory propaganda. It is one thing to hold a person accountable for their actions and another to abuse them as a result of their actions. Thus people go about in fulfillment of religious tenets that they seek to fulfill to the point of harming themselves with unrealistic expectations amidst or removing the act of learning through their mistakes or errors and they go about and gain religious acceptance but not spiritual freedom.

Thus I have tried swaying such friends to Sephardic Judaism as this relationship with Hashem and His Tora is far more important and greater than sodality in terms of affiliation acceptance.

Thus I have tried showing such friends what the Tora actually teaches…. It would be better to work at improving yourselves for Hashem, making contrition, Teshuva, Tikun to Hashem which is what Tora teaches than Tora become secondary to affilatory affirmations, bubbles and groupings that still causes the person to feel incomplete. I have seen it too many times, that many Jews have come to me beating themselves to death over seeking acceptance and feeling severed by ceremonial failures, that being Hashem and Tora is stated as the purpose but it is only the purpose secondary to religious affiliations and social acceptances. Such acceptances are fine, wonderful, communal and great. But if they do not cause a person to remain human, to improve within their state of being, to acknowledge themselves in an effort of bettering themselves for Hashem then such affiliations are not enough. Everyone seeks validation!!! But such validation should not be detrimental in causing people to have weights and boulders of stress, frustration, thinking Hashem is always displeased at them and they not learn to live and learn balance between the impermanence that they can not remove. Man was meant to be imperfect so his imperfections can teach Him how to draw, cleave, adhere to Hashem and thus man has it backwards…. I watch them from afar and wish they would but study thoroughly what Maimonides, Nachmonides, Rabbi Luria, Zohar for example actually taught…. We must present Tora to man to improve man which is spirituality, not Tora to man to condemn man… For in this regard we are condemned by daily actions if we are to live in denunciation what sort of joy, peace, freedom, living is that? Hashem for the sake of Hashem and Tora for the sake of Tora is the way a Jew should live, to this Rabash states:

One who wishes to go by the path of the Creator is called YASHAR- EL, which is considered YASHAR [ Straight], LA’EL [To G-d], meaning that He wants everything He does to rise straight to the Creator, and does not wish to have any other aim.

Rabash, Rungs of the ladder, “ One who strengthens one’s heart “

The word YASHAR EL (Yisrael- The Jewish People), is the letters of LI ROSH ( I have a head [MIND] ), meaning, that He believes He has a mind of Kedusha ( Sanctity).

Baal Ha’Sulam, Shamati [I heard], 143 “ Only good to Israel.”

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Thus He has a mind of Kedusha, a will, a mind that is Kedusha! That being He wills himself to seek Hashem, one’s only desire past His errors is to please Hashem. Thus even in his error, his will is Kedusha…. Thus his heart seeks Hashem and that is the only thought. That is why it states: He wants everything He does to rise straight to the Creator, and does not wish to have any other aim. He doesn’t desire any other aim, even if He ends up under another aim, thus this is practical “Tora made applicable to daily living “ He is called YASHAR straight LA’EL (To G-d), his heart is only after Hashem. Thus if He errors as the Pasuk states it is not accounted against him, only after His continuous effort towards Chat’aim is it accounted against him as Ha’Mishneh taught and explained… Rabino Luria has something of importance to add to this….

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Rabino Isaac Luria (1534-1572) stated in Ha’Chayyim Vital

Adam Ben Ha’Olamot, Ma’Amar. Article 36.

Mankind was created from all of the worlds. In this way, each world helps mankind with good deeds (Midot Tovot) and brings the flow of emanation to mankind and mankind returns them back to the worlds again in return. This is necessary because the worlds do not have the strength to sustain emanations without mankind's help. Therefore when a person sins, all the worlds are spoiled. They receive punishment and their emanations become wealthier because they did not help mankind…..

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We have forget to help our fellow man, we have forgot Tora! NISHMAT, PIKKUAH HA’NEFESH, BIKKUR HOLIM, KADESH ET HASHEM, KAVVANAT HA’LEV, KAVVANAH LA’TSEIT, BALEBATISH, DEVEKUT, HAKHMASAT OREHIM, EL MA’LE RACHAMIM, GEMILUT HA’SADIM, YIRAT HA’SHAMAYIM, YIRAT ADONAI, AHAVAT OLAM, AHAVAT YISRAEL, ANAVAH, AVODAT HA’LEV, HA’BAKESH SHALOM, BEDIDUT, CHARITZUT, DAN KOL HA’ADAM L’KAF ZECHUT (Judge everyone favorably, give the benefit of the doubt, the hand of merit and forgiveness), RACHAMANUT, RE’A (Vayikra 19.18), SEVER PANIM YAFOT (Being of cheerful countenance. The Mitzvot of living a life that exudes joy and emunah)…….

In closing man’s emanation is his effluence, issuance, origin, outflow, efflux, proceeding, exudation, diaphoresis. It is his emergence, that being the spurt of who and what man is and does! Thus this returning, cycling is man between his own straits. The cycle of improving, faltering, faith and folly. The world can’t be regulated in pleasing Hashem without man’s input within the world, without man’s good illuminating the worlds! When a man is impoverished, the world where He dwells is impoverished. A man who lives in a box on the street “ Heaven forbid” is the showing of a box in a street centered around filth centralized all around the box, seen lots of that in NY. Thus the man who lives this way has effected the surrounding areas where He dwells as well as within himself. As much as he lives within this box centralized around filth, whenever himself he is within a box that is oft just as abhorrent as the place where He dwells. For you have never seen a homeless man “ G-d forbid” living in a box on the street, with a box placed in an immaculate, clean, beautiful spot on the street. So in this same wise, man’s doings is the box in the midst of his own filth! He has contaminated his whole environment by doings, He is unfit and feels unfulfilled and everything that has to do with him is seen as that box in the street centralized around filth that even within this man He is boxed in and feels hopeless, constrained, bitter and empty… Thus how we live and what we do with our lives effects every aspect of our lives, how we view ourselves, how we perceive others view us, how and what condition we live in and ultimately and more importantly what does Hashem think concerning us….. Thus when man seeks to please Hashem his whole self is balances, complete, fulfilled, in harmony, content, at peace which then results in his home being in peace, his environment effected by his actions, resulting in his world is all at peace…… When any part is not at peace, all is not in peace, as He can not live opposite of all the forces that surrounds and centralizes with him. When everything is well, all things about his life is well, when anything is wrong, all of it is wrong… Thus helping him find fulfillment, that is helping him reevaluate Tora and Hashem within his actions lead to this concluding result being utopia, bliss, rectitude even amongst his realization of failure, error with probity! His errors teach him and draw, convince him the need or the realization of Tora and Hashem…. Thus He finds virtue instead of virulence and in doing so He learns the secret to life, the balance…..