12 Ways of Hamtakat Dinim (Sweetening Judgments) According to the Baal Shem Tov

12 Ways of Hamtakat Dinim (Sweetening Judgments) According to the Baal Shem Tov

The disciples of the Baal Shem Tov (of blessed memory) gathered and preserved for us what can be done during a time when judgments weigh heavily upon a community or an individual—in difficult times, times of gezerot and dinim. Below are quotations from the books of the Baal Shem Tov’s foremost disciple, Rabbi Yaakov Yosef of Polonnoye, “Toldot Yaakov Yosef”; the Baal Shem Tov’s grandson, Rabbi Ephraim of Sudilkov, “Degel Machaneh Ephraim”; and other disciples of the Baal Shem Tov.

12 Ways of Hamtakat Dinim

1. Sweetening judgment at its root When a person is overcome by various fears relating to this world, let him draw them, together with himself, toward their root—the fear of G-d. He should also connect fear with the Awesome One (in the Amidah, it says: the great, mighty, and awesome G-d). The Baal Shem Tov explained the words of the Arizal that judgment must be sweetened at its root. A person must find the root of judgment in mercy; then everything will be transformed into mercy, and judgment will be sweetened at its root—in the mercy found within it. Rabbi Nachman of Horodenka revealed this in his commentary on the Talmud (Bava Batra 16a): “When the sage named Levi explained that the Satan’s intentions in accusing Job were for the sake of Heaven, Satan came and kissed him.” The Maharsha explains: G-d praised Job by comparing him to Abraham, but Satan objected that Abraham’s intentions were exclusively for the sake of Heaven, whereas Job performed good deeds for his own sake. Satan was, as it were, seeking to restore justice. When Levi interpreted Satan’s intentions as being for the sake of Heaven, finding the root of mercy within them, the evil inclination was transformed into good (it came and kissed Levi). All this is because a person is given the yetzer hara in order to withstand a trial and merit reward. 2. Sweetening judgment through prayer The Baal Shem Tov explained in the name of his teacher, the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite, that one who prays sweetens judgment at its very root, connecting the judgment enacted in the lower world, Malchut, with its source in the higher world, Binah. There, in the higher world, he is regarded as an entirely different person. For when a person prays sincerely and repents for his deeds, above he is already regarded as a different person. The Besht taught that a judicial decree consists of a certain combination of letters. A messenger (a person who prays on behalf of another) can, through his prayer, rearrange them—without changing the letters themselves—in such a way that their combination is transformed for the good. 3. Sweetening judgment through brachot Rabbi Yehuda-Leib Pistiner taught that through brachot, the attribute of strict judgment is sweetened by means of gentle judgment. A person must have the proper kavanot when reciting brachot. The Name “Atah” (You) corresponds to the attribute of “Chesed” (loving-kindness), which must sweeten “Gevurah” (strict judgment), corresponding to the Name “Elokeinu” (our G-d). This takes place through the Name “Ad-nai” (the L-rd), which corresponds to gentle judgment—only in this way can judgment be sweetened; otherwise it is impossible. 4. Sweetening judgment by accepting yissurim (trials) with love One must connect the left side with the right, so that the former is subdued by the latter. The yetzer hara derives from the left side and, like a servant, rebels against his Master. If a person accepts all yissurim with love (ahavah derives from the right side), he will thereby transform everything into mercy. 5. Sweetening judgment through Torah study If strict judgment is being enacted against a person, he should study Torah in the morning with profound concentration, investing his heart in it, so as to cleave to the Creator’s inner Light concealed within the letters of the Torah. Such a person should elevate the Torah laws he is studying, in which fallen Malchut (fallen from its level) is contained. (Toldot Yaakov Yosef, Kuntres Aharon) It is stated in Berachot (5a): “Whoever diligently studies Torah—suffering and affliction depart from him.” (Tshuot Chen, Bereishit) 6. Sweetening judgment through immersion in a mikveh Immersion in a mikveh sweetens the judgments to such an extent that even the attribute of judgment itself agrees to come to a person’s aid. For it is stated in Tehillim (44:27): “Kumah ezratah lanu…”—(arise to help us). The word קומה “Kumah” (arise) consists of the same letters as the word מקוה “mikveh”, while the gematria of the word לנו “lanu” (for us) equals the gematria of the Name “Elokim” - אלקים, signifying judgment. 7. Sweetening judgments through understanding the purpose of Gevurot and Chassadim Gevurot (strict judgments) are necessary in the world so that Chassadim (loving-kindnesses) can be received. In truth, Gevurot are vessels for receiving Chassadim. By understanding this, one can sweeten judgment at its very root. 8. Sweetening judgments through faith A person must truly believe that everything taking place in the world comes from Him. The prophet says of this (Eikhah 3:38): “Does not the Most High bring forth both calamities and good from His mouth?” A person must believe that the Creator’s Mercy lies hidden behind everything that happens. Through faith, judgment is sweetened, as was the case with Rabbi Nachum Ish Gam Zu, who fell into misfortune but constantly said “Gam zu letovah” (this, too, is for the good). The tzadik saw the root of mercy within strict judgment and, as a result, Hashem performed a miracle for him, and everything turned out for the good. (Ta’anit 21a) 9. Sweetening judgments through repentance Judgment can be sweetened only at its root, and the root of judgment is Binah. The sefirah of Binah is understanding—that is, the ability to understand one thought on the basis of another. The essence of sweetening judgment in the world of Binah is repentance. Punishment was created solely to bring a person back to repentance. The Holy Zohar (1:22a) says that when the angels objected to the creation of man, arguing that he would sin repeatedly in the future, Hashem answered them: “But I have already created Repentance.” (Tshuot Chen, Likkutim, Vayakhel) 10. Sweetening judgments through hope in the L-rd It is stated in Bereishit (49:18): “For Your salvation I hope, O L-rd!” The sages teach that the essential thing is to sweeten the judgment associated with the Name “Elokim” through the Name “Havayah”. This is also alluded to in Tehillim (40:2): “I put my hope in the L-rd; He inclined toward me.” 11. Sweetening judgments through the Book of Tehillim (1) Rabbi Meshulam Zusman cited the verse from Tehillim (106:2): “Mi yemalel Gevurot Ad-nai, yashmia kol Tehilato”—(Who can recount the mighty acts of the L-rd? Whoever declares all His praise). Rabbi Meshulam Zusman explained that the word “yemalel” can be read as “will sweeten.” That is: “Who is capable of sweetening the Gevurot of Hashem? The one who declares “tehilato”—who reads the entire Book of Tehillim. The word “tehilato” refers to the Book of Tehillim. Moreover, this is also stated by the prophet Yeshayahu (48:9): “For the sake of My glory (“tehilati”) I restrain Myself (“ekhtom”), so as not to destroy you.” In other words, reciting Tehillim arouses the Mercy of G-d, for Mercy is designated by the words “panim” (face) and “chotem” (nose), while the words “ekhtom” (I restrain Myself) and “chotem” (nose) share the same root. 12. Sweetening judgments through the Book of Tehillim (2) The final letters of the verse from the Book of Shemot (1:1): “Ve-eleh shemot bnei Yisrael haba'im Mitzraymah”—(these are the names of the children of Israel who came to Egypt)—spell the word Tehillim. As is known, the Book of Shemot corresponds to the attribute of Gevurah (strict judgment). The verse from Tehillim (106:2): “Who can recount the mighty acts (Gevurot) of the L-rd, declare all His praise (tehilato)?” contains a hint as to how to sweeten judgments: the first part of the verse speaks of Gevurot, while the second offers a wondrous counsel—a hint as to how to subdue them: read the entire Book of Tehillim (the collection of David’s praises), declaring “all His praise.” The book “Shnei Luchot HaBrit,” by the Shelah HaKadosh, likewise states that the wondrous counsel for sweetening judgment is to read the entire Book of Tehillim. (Ginzei Yosef, Shemot)   (Compiled by the website from the books “Shivchei Besht,” “Early Hasidism,” and other sacred sources)