YOM KIPPUR SEPTEMBER 30/ TISHREI 10 ON JEWISH THOUGHT AND ITS CONTEMPORARY APPLICATIONS Parsha Mikeitz in a Nutshell INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Just because a soul is in prison doesn’t mean it cannot dream. Yom Kippur in a Nutshell TheFreedom holiest day on the Hebrew calendar is also the most misunderstood. Yom KippurWhile theis a Exodusday of profound freed us from connection Pharaoh and and transcendence. his taskmasters, Discover the real Yomit committed Kippur. us to a greater, more embracing servitude. The Kabbala of Yom Kippur TheDiamonds Kabbalists and and Chicken Chassidic Fat masters teach us that the soul as it were is com‑ prisedAn allegory of five of dimensions.diamonds and Learn: chicken How fatdeep that is describes YOUR soul? the soul’s descent into the physical body. Yom Kippur: The Kittel Comforts and freedom often lead to complacency, but Yom Kippur reminds us simultaneously of our troubles and our triumphs, encouraging us to reflect on the mysterious cycle of life. WEEK IN REVIEW SEPTEMBER 29-30,2017 TISHREI 10,5777 YOM KIPPUR 1 of the challenge is the issue itself and how much is it our confidence in our ability to find a solution? Who is in a better YOM KIPPUR position to handle a predicament: One with more potential (but less awareness of his latent power) or one with more IN A NUTSHELL confidence and conviction (but with less potent fire‑pow‑ er)? All this underscores the critical importance of getting to know how powerful you actually are as opposed to how powerful you think you are. om Kippur is the holiest day of the year, when Ywe are closest to G‑d and to the essence of our souls. Yom Kippur means “Day of Atonement,” as the THE HOLIEST DAY OF THE YEAR verse states, “For on this day He will forgive you, to purify you, that you be cleansed from all your sins before G‑d.” Now imagine that you have one day a year when you can meet yourself face to face. A day when core soul is bared and you can see who you really are — not just who you think you are. Wouldn’t that be something? THE KABBALAH OF YOM KIPPUR Well, we are indeed given such a day. That day is called Yom YOU AT YOUR BEST Kippur. A day when we can travel into the innermot depths of our souls, and discover hitherto unknown recesses and dimensions that can empower you to achieve the seemingly n Yom Kippur your core soul — your very impossible. essence — is laid bare. — Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi Yom Kippur opens up doors to the core of our inner souls, to our very essence, and how to channel those intimate pow‑ On the holiest day of the year, the holiest ers into our daily lives and relationships. part of your soul enters the holiest space in existence. — The ORebbe The Kabbalists and Chassidic masters teach us that the soul as it were is comprised of five dimensions, one curled into How much of your potential has been actualized? As you the next: may have guessed, this is a trick question. Because we must first know how much potential we have before determining 1. The surface level of the soul is Nefesh – sensory life. The the amount that has been tapped. The real question then is: medical definition of biological life: a beating heart, a live Do you know how much potential you contain? How deep brain, a breathing organism. In the language of he Kabbal‑ is your soul? Or in the words of Alice’s Wonderland: How far istic sefirot — the functional lowest three sefirot, netzach, down does the rabbit hole go? hod, yesod (neh”i). This is not a mere academic exercise; it is the key to solv‑ 2. Layer two is Ruach – emotional life. The higher middos, ing many if not most of our challenges and struggles. How chesed, gevurah, tiferet (chaga”s). many of our problems are a result of us feeling hopeless and 3. Neshomo – intellectual life. Mochin, chochma, binah, demoralized due to a wrong or underestimated assessment daas (chabad). of our true potential? How many of our concerns would be resolved if we knew that we had the resources and strength These first three levels are immanentm, conscious and local‑ to deal with them? ized dimensions (kochos penimi’im). Then comes the tran‑ secendent, non‑localized powers of keter (the crown abve Think of it this way: When faced with a dilemma, how much the head): WEEK IN REVIEW SEPTEMBER 29-30,2017 TISHREI 10,5777 YOM KIPPUR 2 4. Chaya – transcendent life. Arich (the lower domension of tracting ourselves with outer stimulation, anything that will keter). relieve our existential loneliness. Some develop sharper tools like cynicism or worse. 5. And finally Yechida – oneness – the pure essence of the soul. Atik (the higher dimension of keter). Yechida, oneness, As much as we crave intimacy which resonates deep within is the pintele yid – the inner dot, the purest point of your us, the sad fact is that sensory stimulation consumes our dai‑ most intimate self. The inner child of innocence. Your core. ly lives, obfuscating our innocent essence, to the point that Our most tangible experiences are on the outer layers of the our inner life is most often left wanting if not plain starving. soul; what our surface senses and basic consciousness can perceive. But our truest and most meaningful experiences So is there hope? Can we reach our inner yechida? are on the inner levels of the soul, the deepest of them all – on the yechida level. The answer is yes — on Yom Kippur. However, the deepest recesses of the soul are shrouded But it is not a simple process. within its outer layers, which in turn are encased in the hard crust of the physical body and material universe. Entering the souls’ holy of holies is not a light matter. We don’t enter there at will and without great care. Being the Thus, we have three daily prayers (shacharit, mincha and purest place in your heart and the most intimate dimension maariv) corresponding to the first three conscious soul‑di‑ of the soul, yechida (the holy of holies) is extremely sensi‑ mensions (nefesh, ruach, nehsomo, nara”n) which we can tive. Every subtle move, even the slightest quiver, has a dra‑ access in our daily life routines. matic impact on that most tender of places in our psyches. Observe a newborn child’s’ ultra sensitivity to touch and On Shabbat and holidays we add a fourth prayer (musaf), surroundings. [This is why abuse that touches our intima‑ reflecting the transcendent chaya dimension accessible on cy, especially as young children, has such devastating con‑ these material‑labor‑free days. sequences]. By means of analogy: A strand of hair on your sleeve is harmless, but in your eye it is highly irritating. Our And once a year, achas ba’shono (lit. once a year), all the outer organs are protected from bacteria, but exposing our layers are stripped and we experience the fifth dimen‑ internal organs requires a highly sterilized environment. The sion — hence the fifth neilah prayer at rthe conclusion of subtler and purer the place, the greater the care necessary Yom Kippur — “achas,” the oneness and unity of the inner‑ to preserve its pristine character. most dimension of the soul, the holy of holies – yechida sheb’nefesh. But one day a year we are given the power to enter our holy of holies. And we enter with great care: We fast and suspend, Like the high priest who entered the holy of holies only on as much as possible, our immersion in the material world. the holiest day of the year, on Yom Kippur, the holiest part We spend the day in prayer and clothed in white – all to set of each soul enters the holiest space in existence, and can the proper ambiance to enter the holiest place in our souls. access the innermost core of its being. That one day is Yom Kippur – the day of the fifth dimension, when we celebrate yechida: The one and only day in the year This is the story of our lives. We are born pure and innocent when each of us has the power to access our innocence. On children. Children who dream enchanted dreams, believe this day you can become like the High Priest and enter your that everything is possible and expect the most. Vulner‑ own holy of holies. able children – unpolluted and uncorrupted. Then life’s challenges being to seep into our experiences. We slowly On Yom Kippur you return to your child, to your innocence, (some faster than others) learn about deceit, duplicity, dis‑ to your purest place. But this time, the innocence and exu‑ appointments and unrealized expectations. As the years roll berance of the child comes joined with the seasoning and on the outer layers of our soul and the body’s shell harden, experience of an adult. [One of the most awesome sights is innocence lost and expectations lowered. As we experience to witness the fusion of adulthood and childhood. Observe harsher realities many of our dreams and idealism wanes, an elder who still maintains the twinkle – the spunk, enthu‑ until many of us come to a point of silent resignation, dis‑ siasm and possibilities – of youth]. WEEK IN REVIEW SEPTEMBER 29-30,2017 TISHREI 10,5777 YOM KIPPUR 3 And therein lays the power of Yom Kippur. tions, expunge all judgment, and see the majesty in every soul’s journey.