Tikkunim of the Arizal — Number of Fasts for Specific Sins
Tikkunim of the Arizal — Number of Fasts for Specific Sins
Rabbeinu Chaim Vital recorded in his book “Sha'ar Ruach HaKodesh”, in the name of his teacher, the Ari HaKadosh, the Arizal (of blessed memory), a teaching about Tikkunim—how many fasts each Jew should undertake for specific sins.
For example:
151 fasts—for displaying anger and rage;
(Rabbi Nachman of Breslov teaches that 151 immersions in a mikveh can remove anger);
84 fasts—for the wasteful emission of semen;
73 fasts—for violating the prohibition of stam yeinam (non-Jewish wine not intended for ritual libations);
61 fasts—for failing to fulfill a positive rabbinic obligation (for example, prayer);
56 fasts—for relations with a woman in a state of niddah;
Interestingly, 56 is the gematria of words such as yom (day), ha-bitul (nullification), and tevillah (immersion in a mikveh). As we can see, they are all connected with the mikveh, into which a woman must immerse on a specific day in order not to be in a state of niddah.
54 fasts—for disrespecting one's parents;
60 fasts—for insulting one's parents;
86 fasts—for violating Shabbat;
87 fasts—for lashon hara;
40 fasts—for having relations with an unmarried woman;
40 fasts—for speaking about unrelated matters in a synagogue;
44 fasts—for humiliating and insulting someone;
40 fasts—for humiliating a convert;
91 fasts—for eating non-kosher food;
28 fasts—for eating bread without netilat yadayim (ritual hand-washing);
365 fasts—for murder (abortions);
And so on...
Rav Daniel Cohen, Rosh Yeshivah of Shaarei Emet, teaches that if a contemporary person were to examine all of his actions, the rest of his life would turn into one continuous fast.
What should one do? Which Tikkun can help?
— Sur me-ra—aseh tov (turn away from evil and do good);
— Try the following approach: make a covenant with G-d:
“Master of the Universe! I confess my mistakes and failings, and I have no excuse before You. I am ashamed of everything I have done (list your mistakes). But I know that You are Merciful, Patient, Forgiving of sin and Purifying... Therefore, in Your great mercy, allow each page of Tanakh (Talmud, Mishnah, Tehillim) that I study each day to count as one fast.”
(Based on a lesson by Rav Daniel Cohen, “Shaarei HaEmet”)
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Tags: Number 84, the Arizal, Taanit, Ta'anit Niddah, Tikkunim, Number 151, Tikkun, Tikunim of the Arizal, The AriZal’s Tikkunim: The Number of Fasts for Specific Sins
