Rav Yitzchak Luria Ashkenazi zt"l
הרב יצחק בן שלמה לוריא אשכנזי זצ"ל
Av 5 , 5332
Rav Yitzchak Luria Ashkenazi zt"l
The Ari was born in Yerushalayim in 1534. By the time he was eight, he was recognized as a wonder-child, a prodigy who already outshone the greatest minds of Yerushalayim. At this tender age, he had already mastered the intricacies of the Talmud and committed dozens of volumes to memory.
The Ari's father passed away while he was still a child. Under the pressure of poverty, his mother went to Egypt, where they lived with her brother, Mordecai Frances, a wealthy tax agent. The Ari's brilliance continued to shine. The young prodigy was placed under the tutelage of Rav Betzalel Ashkenazi (1520-1592), best known for his important Talmudic commentary, the Shita Mekubetzes (Embracing System). There is also evidence that the young lad also studied under the great Radbaz, Rav Dovid ben Zimri (1480-1573), who was then the chief Rav of Cairo. By the time he was fifteen, his expertise in Talmud had overwhelmed all the sages in Egypt. According to a reliable account, the Ari himself also wrote a large Talmudic commentary around this time. Had he remained nothing more than a Talmudic scholar, he would have joined the ranks of the greatest of all times.
The Chida said on him that the way he reached such a high level was that Eliyahu HaNavi purified him with ashes of a Parah Adumah. The Arizal is respected and accepted by all the great Rabbonim of the Ashkenazim (chassidim and non-chassidim), Sefardim and Teimanim. Besides Kabbalistic Seforim, the Arizal is very often quoted in halachic works, such as the Magen Avrohom, Be'er Heitiv and Mishna Berura. He is the foremost Kabbalist of the last five-hundred years and was a Gilgul (reincarnated spark) of Rebbe Shimon Bar Yochai.
At this time he married his uncle's daughter. At age seventeen, he discovered the Zohar, obtaining his own manuscript copy. Later, he spent fifteen years meditating, at first with his master, Rav Betzalel Ashkenazi, and then alone, reaching the highest levels of kedusha. Eventually, he spent two years meditating in a hut near the Nile, utterly isolated, not speaking to any human being. The only time he would return home would be on Erev Shabbos, just before dark. But even at home, he would not speak. When it was absolutely necessary for him to say something, he would say it in the fewest possible words, and only in Loshon HaKodesh.
It is accepted that the Ari became worthy of Ruach HaKodesh. At times, Eliyohu HaNovi revealed himself to him and taught him the mysteries of the Torah. Every night his soul ascended to heaven. Angels would escort him, asking which academy he chose to visit. Sometimes it would be that of Rav Shimon bar Yochai. He also visited the academies of Rav Akiva and Rav Eliezer HaGodol, and on occasion the academies of the Nevi’im.
At the end of this period, he received a command from Eliyohu HaNovi to go to Eretz Yisrael. He arrived in Tzefas during the summer of 1570, and began by concealing his gifts completely. He was only there a short time when the Ramak (Rav Moshe Cordovero, 1522-1570), head of the Tzefas Mekubolim, died on June 26, 1570 (23rd of Tammuz, 5330). By identifying the heavenly pillar of fire that followed the great Mekubol’s funeral procession, the Ari established himself as the new leader.
The Ari passed away on July 15, 1572 (5th of Av, 5332), barely two years after he had arrived in Tzefas. During his brief stay there, he had assembled a group of approximately a dozen disciples, with Rav Chaim Vital at their head, and they continued to review his teachings. For the most part, it was Rav Chaim who put them into writing. The main works are: Etz Chaim (Tree of Life) and Pri Etz Chaim (Fruit of the Tree of Life), as well as the Eight Gates, which deal with everything from Bible commentary to divine inspiration and reincarnation.
The Ari also authored the liturgical poems "Azamer Bishvachin", "Assader Lis’udossa" and "Benei Heichola", sung at the three Shabbos meals respectively and included in nearly every Chassidic and Sephardi Siddur.
The teachings of the Ari have been afforded status as a primary authority, on the same level as the Zohar itself. Every custom of the Ari was scrutinized, and many were accepted, even against previous practice. The great Polish codifier, Rav Avrohom Gombiner (1635-1683), author of the Mogen Avrohom (Shield of Avrohom), takes the Ari's personal customs as legally binding precedents. In deciding disputes that had remained unresolved for centuries, he often cites the Ari's custom as the final authority. The fact that the Ari had acted in a certain manner was enough to convince this tough-minded legalist that this was the correct opinion.
There are a select number of individuals who live on a plane so high above the rest of humanity that it seems that they are a completely different, higher species of being. They teach, yet we grasp but little, and from the few crumbs that we catch, we can build mountains. Such a person was Rav Yitzchok Luria, the holy Ari, the Lion of Tzefas.
(Compiled from Meditation and Kabbalah by Rav Aryeh Kaplan and from other sources)
Stories of Rav Yitzchak Luria Ashkenazi zt"l
The beis medrash was packed. Every seat was occupied by someone deeply engrossed in Torah study, earnestly reciting Tehillim, or absorbed in fervent prayer. Elul zeman was in full swing and the atmosphere reverberated with a tangible sense of teshuva that came with upcoming yomim noraim.
It was this intense environment into which the Uhjler Rav, Rav Moshe Yosef Teitelbaum entered. To his great consternation, however, he felt cold and impassive to the electric energy of Elul! He was bitterly disappointed in himself when the feeling didn’t dissipate. Rather, but the matter grew worse through all the days of selichos the aseres yamei teshuva.
“What is wrong with me?” the Uhjler rav sighed. Elul passed without so much as a flutter of passion in his heart. “Why do I feel unmoved by these auspicious days of mercy and good will – rachamim ve’ratzon?!” he cried.
His answer arrived from none other than his zeide, the holy Sanzer Rav, the Divrei Chaim. Immediately following the yomim noraim (the days of awe), the Uhjler Rav made his way to Sanz.
That Shabbos as the Divrei Chaim was in the midst of conducting his Friday Night tisch, he recited the words to the Arizal’s poem in honor of Shabbos “Na’avid lehon kisrin bemilin yakirin – We shall create crowns with precious words.” He then paused and said:
“When Klal Yisroel serve Hashem with prayer and devotion, their avoda creates the crown jewels for Hashem. The luster of each jewel is based on the quality of each person’s avoda. Some shine bright and some are duller; and some jewels…” Here, the Divrei Chaim paused for emphasis “…some jewels dazzle the most from those who agonize over their apparent lack of feeling and who are unable to muster enthusiasm though they yearn to be close to Hashem. This is why we say “Na’avid lehon kisrin bemilin yakirin – We shall create crowns with precious words,” as these words for Hashem’s crown are “yakirin”: substantial, consequential, precious, because they were said with a heavy heart that longs for Hashem!”
Rav Moshe Yosef had received his answer; the Uhjler Rav rejoiced. (Zichron Ish Chayil Naipest p. 152)
Rav Moshe Alshich greatly wished to study the secrets of Kabbola, especially since word of the Arizal’s teachings began to spread. He was distressed that others had been chosen while he was neglected and tearfully he came begging before the Arizal, kissed the hem of his clothing. He fell before his feet, kissing them, and wept, “Master, what sin have I committed? Of what crime am I guilty that you do not draw me close as a talmid like Rav Chaim Vital and Rav Yitzchok Falcon?”
The Arizal answered him that his soul had not come down into this world to study Kabbola and the secrets of Torah; rather, he was to master and disseminate the simpler, revealed form of Torah called peshat, because in a previous gilgul (incarnation) his soul had already mastered Kabbola, for he was a spark of the soul of Chutzpis the Meturgemon (translator).
“If you think I am just making excuses to put you off,” said the Arizal, “I shall give you a sign that will prove my words true: tomorrow, as I pass by on the road with my talmidim to go and greet Shabbos and accept the Shabbos day – if you see us passing by, it is a sign that I have been putting you off with excuses. If, however, you fail to see us pass you by on the road, it is a sign that I am telling you the truth.”
And so it was that Rav Moshe Alshich prepared himself, purchased provisions for Shabbos, dressed in Shabbos clothes and sat all ready and prepared by midday at the roadside, waiting eagerly for the Arizal and his talmidim to pass by. Finally, after waiting some time, a great, overwhelming tiredness passed over Rav Moshe and he fell asleep. He slumbered on as the Arizal passed by with his talmidim and did not wake and did not see them. After they had passed him, the Arizal sent back some talmidim to wake him so that he would not be left at the roadside alone and in danger. When he awoke, he was startled, confused and upset at having somehow missed the Arizal when he had passed right by!
“Didn’t I tell you,” admonished the Arizal, “that your soul has not come to the world this time to study Kabbola? Do not burden yourself with this matter any longer! Instead work on your seforim to teach peshat and they will become famous worldwide and generations afterward will study them.” From then on the Alshich did not seek to study Kabbola with the Arizal any more. (Shivchei HoArizal)
Similarly, the Chida writes in Shem HaGedolim #101 that when the Arizal refused to teach the Alshich Kabbola the Alshich complained and the Arizal responded that Rav Moshe Alshich’s soul in its present gilgul came to perfect the aspect of derush and not sod – sermons and not secrets.
The Minchas Elozor of Munkacsz told the following story:
The Arizal testified that he witnessed the entire heavenly host – the pamalya shel maala – all go together to hear the deroshos of Rav Moshe Alshich and therefore he also went to hear his holy words when he sat and sermonized in public.
One time, the Arizal was present when Rav Moshe Alshich was giving a derosha about Lovon HaArami and how he swindled, tricked and hoodwinked Yaakov. The pasuk says he cheated Yaakov aseres monim (Bereishis 31:8 & 31:41) and this, explained the Alshich, meant ten times ten, or a hundred times over! He then proceeded to explain and detail each of the hundred ways in which Lovon cheated Yaakov this way and that. The audience sat mesmerized and transfixed, enjoying the derosha and how the Alshich enumerated again and again the tricks that Lovon had employed against Yaakov one hundred different ways. During this derosha, the Arizal laughed and left.
Afterward, they asked the Arizal why he had laughed. The Arizal explained that he actually saw Lovon HoArami standing beside the Alshich as he spoke and gave his derosha.
“With each explanation of the hundred deceptions, Lovon nodded his head, agreeing with the Alshich saying, ‘Yes, that’s it…that’s true…that’s exactly how I did it and tricked Yaakov and cheated him that time. Yes, and that’s the other way I cheated him again…uh huh…’ That’s what made me laugh,” explained the Arizal. (Maso’os Yerushalayim Day 9 Footnote 17 p. 190)
“Rav Elozor of Bartosa used to say: Give Him what is His, for you and whatever is yours are His” (Avos 3:8).
When Rav Ovadia Yosef used to teach Pirkei Avos he would illustrate the above Mishna with the following story:
Once, when the Arizal was studying the secrets of Torah together with his talmidim, all of a sudden he paused and recited the blessing over bad news, “Boruch Dayan HaEmes – Blessed is the True Judge.”
“I hear a heavenly voice that a decree has been proclaimed in the Heavens above,” he said, quoting Doniel 4:14. “‘By the decree of the wakeful ones is the matter and by the word of the holy ones is the edict.’ It has been decreed that a swarm of innumerable locusts will overrun the city of Tzefas and devour all vegetation and all fruits and trees, as well as all the plants growing in the fields. The residents will starve and be left without sustenance! This will all come to pass because of one poor Tzaddik, a Talmid Chochom named Yaakov Altretz, who is fasting and wallowing on the ground with complaints against Hashem that he is left bereft of all livelihood and means of support and no one has any mercy on him. Hashem cannot bear to remain silent because of this pauper’s prayers and sufferings, and His anger has been kindled against the residents of Tzefas, his neighbors, since no one is doing anything to help the pauper and no one pays attention to him or his plight. This is the decree, and now, my brothers and friends, I ask you to make a collection for tzedoka and send one of us to purchase food and provisions; the rest of the money, give to this poor man immediately to ease his pain and suffering and end his hunger.”
Rav Yitzchok Kohen quickly got up, gathered money from the chevraya and headed to the local grocery, where he purchased food and provisions. He took these and the rest of the money and went off to find Rav Yaakov Altretz lying on the floor in misery and hunger. Rav Yaakov was a water carrier by trade and that morning his clay pails with which he would draw water from the well had fallen and broken. He was left with no means to purchase new ones and no means of support. He had no money and no food, and had not eaten that day.
Rav Yitzchok grasped Rav Yaakov by the hand, helped him get up and sat him at the table. He revived him with food and drink and presented him with provisions to sate his hunger and slake his thirst. He also gave him the rest of the money so that he could now purchase new pails to draw water from the well and continue to earn a living. Finally, he asked him to daven to Hashem for forgiveness for Tzefas that the decree should be canceled. “Because of you a terrible decree has been cast against Tzefas that a plague of swarming locusts devour our food. Now ask Hashem to have mercy. Please, from now on, be careful how you complain and what you say against Hashem’s ways,” Rav Yitzchok said to Rav Yaakov. He accepted the rebuke and promised to never do it again. He got up and tearfully davened, asking Hashem to annul the decree and remove His anger from the people of Tzefas.
Afterward, Rav Yitzchok Kohen returned to the Arizal and related what he had done and what had happened and the Arizal said, “Know now that your tzedoka for the poor man has canceled the decree of the locust plague. Thank goodness for Hashem’s mercy and kindness!” They resumed their study once more, when all of a sudden the sky darkened. All the talmidim became worried and terrified at the sight of clouds of innumerable locust swarms flying over the city, darkening the skies of Tzefas.
“Do not be alarmed, and don’t worry,” the Arizal reassured them. “As I said, the decree has been annulled. The locusts just haven’t yet received the message.” As soon as he had said this, a great gust of wind came from the sea and cast the entire swarm of locusts into the depths of the ocean, where they all drowned; not one of them set foot in Tzefas. Hashem saved the residents of Tzefas in the merit of the tzedoka and chessed that they did for Yaakov Altretz. Rav Shlomo Shlumiel was an eyewitness who testified as to the veracity of these events and was personally acquainted with the pauper, who was a Tzaddik and Chassid and well versed in the Torah by heart. Afterward, he was appointed Av Bais Din in Tripoli. Thus was fulfilled the dictum of Chazal in Avos: “Whoever fulfills the Torah in poverty shall in the end fulfill it in wealth”. (Anaf Etz Avos p. 181–182)
Divrei Torah of Rav Yitzchak Luria Ashkenazi zt"l
garments of the spirit
The Arizal writes that just as a person’s clothes are the garments of his body so are the hairs that cover his body and head the garments of his spirit. Therefore, just as a person feels no pain when his garments are removed, he also feels no pain when his hair is cut. His hairs are not really parts of his body. They are the garments of his spirit.
demonstrating our attatchment to hashem through the chanuka lights
“And it was after about three months that it was told to Yehuda, ‘Your kalla [daughter-in-law] Tamar has been unfaithful and behold she has conceived through unfaithfulness.’ And Yehuda said, ‘Take her out to be burned.’ She was taken out and she sent word to her father-in-law, saying, ‘By the man to whom these belong have I conceived.’ And she said, ‘Can you identify whose are this chosemes (seal) and these pesilim (wrap or threads) and this staff?’ (Bereishis 38:24–25)
Rav Avrohom Dov of Avritsch, in his sefer Bas Ayin, gives an amazing explanation of these pesukim based on the Arizal [Rav Elozor Twerski of Faltishan used to say that this is actually a teaching by Rav Mottele of Czernobyl, the Rebbe of the Bas Ayin, which was mistakenly incorporated into his talmid’s sefer without attribution.]
And it was after about three months – from Rosh Hashana to Chanuka, when the chasima occurs and judgment is sealed, is three months. Then the evil Soton, the accuser, comes forth and prosecutes people before the Creator, alluded to by the name Yehuda (which contains the four-letter name of Hashem: Yud-Kay-Vov-Kay). The accuser comes before Hashem (Yehuda) and prosecutes us, saying, “Your kalla, Tamar, has been unfaithful” – Knesses Yisrael, who is compared to a tamar (date tree) and is the kalla (bride) of Hashem, has been unfaithful! She has gone after her passions, lusts and desires “and behold she has conceived through unfaithfulness!” Not only does she sin, but she brings it upon herself! She is attached in dveikus to sin!
And Yehuda (Hashem) says, “Take her out to be burned.” Knesses Yisrael brings these sins upon herself! She was taken out and she sent word to her father-in-law, saying, “Knesses Yisrael responds to the prosecution of the evil yetzer’s accusations against her, saying: “It is a lie that we are attached in dveikus to sin; rather, we are attached in dveikus and have conceived from the person to whom these belong, le’ish asher eileh lo, the words eileh lo equaling seventy-two in gematria, which is equivalent to the word chessed, loving-kindness. We are attached to the One to Whom eileh lo – the source of chessed, Hashem – to Him are we attached in dveikus, and not to sin. Even if sometimes the exile and the burdens of earning a living and other matters cause us to stray – still, in the depths of our hearts we are attached in love to the Creator!
And she said further [to Yehuda/Hashem], “Can you identify whose are this chosemes (seal) and these pesilim (wrap or threads) and this staff?” The seal alludes to the miraculous oil of the Chanuka lights, which was found in one pure jug of oil sealed with the seal of the Kohen Godol, the pesilim allude to the wicks of the Ner Chanuka, and the staff hints at the vessel or kli, the receptacle for the oil and the wick to make a ner (candle). The word hamateh with the kollel (including the value of the word itself) is the same gematria as the word kli. This means that the mitzva of Ner Chanuka (the oil, wicks and vessel) that we perform, thereby fulfilling Hashem’s will, is clear proof that we follow Hashem and do His will. We are attached in dveikus to Hashem. And Yehuda (Hashem) responds, “Tzodka mimeni – she is more righteous and correct than I – I admit that Klal Yisrael are correct and that the truth is they are attached to Me, and even if occasionally they stray, it is because I did not give her to my son Sheiloh – hinting at Shilo, the Moshiach, as it says: Ad ki yavo Shilo (Bereishis 49:10), which alludes to the coming of Moshiach, because Moshiach has not yet come to end the exile and I have not yet sent the Redeemer to be their shepherd.” May he come speedily in our days, Amen.
love every jew
The Arizal teaches that we should accept upon ourselves the mitzva to love every Jew as ourselves before davening. Many have the minhag to recite this mitzva and accept it upon themselves before Shacharis each morning and it is printed in many siddurim.
It should be noted that in Pri Etz Chaim (Shaar Hanhogas Halimud Chap.1), Rav Chaim Vital, the talmid of the holy Arizal, teaches that the pasuk ve’ohavta lerei’acha komocha ani Hashem – “love your neighbor as yourself” –is the same gematria as shin,kuf,vov,tzaddi,yud,sov [the roshei teivos from the last stanza of the tefilla Ana BeKoach]. This is because shin, kuf, vov spells shaku which means a kiss, hinting to tefilla, which is likened to a kiss of the lips, and tzadi, yud, sov spells tzayis, which means “to listen to” or “hear” in Aramaic. Thus, explains Rav Chaim Vital, through Ve’ohavta Lerei’acha Komocha – by loving your fellow and asking for his needs before yours, your tefillos are heard and answered.
holy sparks
The Arizal teaches us that all physical objects contain holy sparks, and we can uplift those objects by using them for mitzvos. In Mitzrayim there were many spiritual sparks that called out for aliyoh. This was what Bnei Yisroel remembered: the objects themselves chased them, wanting to be uplifted. Now in the desert, however, they were eating the mon, called “angel food,” so holy that it was completely absorbed into the body with no waste left over to excrete later (Yoma 75a, Rashi Tehillim 78:25). Here, the bread was elevating them, unlike in Egypt, where they elevated the bread! This is why the mon is described as Z’ra Gad (pasuk 7), where the letter Gimel is found before the Dalet; here, the giver (the mon) comes before the poor man receiving it (Bnei Yisroel). The mon was doing them the favor by elevating them spiritually!
demonstrating our attatchment to hashem through the chanuka lights
“And it was after about three months that it was told to Yehuda, ‘Your kalla [daughter-in-law] Tamar has been unfaithful and behold she has conceived through unfaithfulness.’ And Yehuda said, ‘Take her out to be burned.’ She was taken out and she sent word to her father-in-law, saying, ‘By the man to whom these belong have I conceived.’ And she said, ‘Can you identify whose are this chosemes (seal) and these pesilim (wrap or threads) and this staff?’ (Bereishis 38:24–25)
Rav Avrohom Dov of Avritsch, in his sefer Bas Ayin, gives an amazing explanation of these pesukim based on the Arizal [Rav Elozor Twerski of Faltishan used to say that this is actually a teaching by Rav Mottele of Czernobyl, the Rebbe of the Bas Ayin, which was mistakenly incorporated into his talmid’s sefer without attribution.]
And it was after about three months – from Rosh Hashana to Chanuka, when the chasima occurs and judgment is sealed, is three months. Then the evil Soton, the accuser, comes forth and prosecutes people before the Creator, alluded to by the name Yehuda (which contains the four-letter name of Hashem: Yud-Kay-Vov-Kay). The accuser comes before Hashem (Yehuda) and prosecutes us, saying, “Your kalla, Tamar, has been unfaithful” – Knesses Yisrael, who is compared to a tamar (date tree) and is the kalla (bride) of Hashem, has been unfaithful! She has gone after her passions, lusts and desires “and behold she has conceived through unfaithfulness!” Not only does she sin, but she brings it upon herself! She is attached in dveikus to sin!
And Yehuda (Hashem) says, “Take her out to be burned.” Knesses Yisrael brings these sins upon herself! She was taken out and she sent word to her father-in-law, saying, “Knesses Yisrael responds to the prosecution of the evil yetzer’s accusations against her, saying: “It is a lie that we are attached in dveikus to sin; rather, we are attached in dveikus and have conceived from the person to whom these belong, le’ish asher eileh lo, the words eileh lo equaling seventy-two in gematria, which is equivalent to the word chessed, loving-kindness. We are attached to the One to Whom eileh lo – the source of chessed, Hashem – to Him are we attached in dveikus, and not to sin. Even if sometimes the exile and the burdens of earning a living and other matters cause us to stray – still, in the depths of our hearts we are attached in love to the Creator!
And she said further [to Yehuda/Hashem], “Can you identify whose are this chosemes (seal) and these pesilim (wrap or threads) and this staff?” The seal alludes to the miraculous oil of the Chanuka lights, which was found in one pure jug of oil sealed with the seal of the Kohen Godol, the pesilim allude to the wicks of the Ner Chanuka, and the staff hints at the vessel or kli, the receptacle for the oil and the wick to make a ner (candle). The word hamateh with the kollel (including the value of the word itself) is the same gematria as the word kli. This means that the mitzva of Ner Chanuka (the oil, wicks and vessel) that we perform, thereby fulfilling Hashem’s will, is clear proof that we follow Hashem and do His will. We are attached in dveikus to Hashem. And Yehuda (Hashem) responds, “Tzodka mimeni – she is more righteous and correct than I – I admit that Klal Yisrael are correct and that the truth is they are attached to Me, and even if occasionally they stray, it is because I did not give her to my son Sheiloh – hinting at Shilo, the Moshiach, as it says: Ad ki yavo Shilo (Bereishis 49:10), which alludes to the coming of Moshiach, because Moshiach has not yet come to end the exile and I have not yet sent the Redeemer to be their shepherd.” May he come speedily in our days, Amen.
the value of gemilus chassadim acts of loving kindnesss
Shimon Hatzaddik was among the last surviving members of the Great assembly.
He used to say: The world stands on three things: Torah, the service of G-d, and on acts of loving kindness. (Avos 1:2)
Rav Tzemach Kohen explained:
Acts of loving kindness is one of these three since it is so great it is even considered equal to Torah and Avodah. Gemilus chassadim - acts of loving kindness is even praised and considered greater than tzedaka as is known from several sources.
An example that can be clearly used to demonstrate this is the following true story that took place during the lifetime of the Arizal:
Once our master and teacher Rav Chaim Vital came before the holy Arizal, and the holy Arizal said to Rav Chaim:
I can see that the twenty letters of the Hebrew Alphabet that shine on your forehead all of them are shining except for the letter Gimmel which is backwards.
Immediately Rav Chaim Vital was seized with dread and fear, and he asked the holy Arizal to please explain why and to tell him the reason why this was so, for surely is was not for naught.
The Arizal answered Rav Chaim that he, Rav Chaim, is not properly doing acts of loving kindness and chessed for his father, "even though you are doing acts of chessed for him," explained the Arizal,"Still they are incomplete, it is not chessed maleh. Therefore the letter Gimmel is turned - facing away," You can see from this, concludes Rav Tzemach Kohen, that because he was not doing complete chessed properly the letter Gimmel was there however it was not written properly facing the correct direction.
However, whoever fails to do chessed, surely if he fails to do acts of loving kindness, then surely the letter will be missing and not written on his forehead at all.
You hereby can see clearly from this how great the matter of chessed and acts of loving kindness is, and that is why Chazal say that the world was created and stands on its sake alongside Torah and Avodah.
(Binyan Avos pg 12)
Segulos of Rav Yitzchak Luria Ashkenazi zt"l
A wondrous segulah for a person to repair and rectify himself, his nefesh, ruach and neshama of his soul and is hewn from the supernal light of our master and teacher the holy Arizal to recite every day after the tefilah the 48th Tikkun, Tikkun Mem Ches from the Tikkunei Zohar.
This segulah removes the precious sparks that were swallowed by the shells and husks of impurity known as the klippos to rectify the pergam habris and keri and may Hashem merit us to rectify and repair all the portions of our souls and may we come before him with no shame to the world of truth.
The benefits of reciting this tikkun daily after davening are:
- To rectify the three parts of the soul nefesh, ruach and neshamah
- The Angel of Death the Sam Mem and his group are thereby distanced and flee from him
- It saves a person from easily seeing Keri
- He will not see the death of his own children
- Hashem merits him to have fear of Heaven
- He is successful in all his endeavors
- He is saved from falling sickness (epilepsy)
- His mazal is uplifted and does not falter
- He shall not be poor and impoverished
- All his enemies fall beneath his feet
- He merits long life
- He merits the coming world of Olam haBah Amen
Tikkun Chatzos During The Three Weeks:
It is the minhag of many great tzaddikim to rise each night at midnight for Tikkun Chatzos and mourn bitterly the churban Bais HaMikdash and the galus of the Shechina. Many people who do not say Tikkun Chatzos during the year are noheg to say it during the three weeks.
The Mishna Berura (551:103) cites the writings of the Arizal that one should cry for the Bais HaMikdash for half an hour after midday each day during the three weeks. In the famed Yeshiva of Pressburg they used to say Tikkun Chatzos at midday during the three weeks. Others argue with this minhag and say that Tikkun Chatzos should only be said privately as this is an emotional time an individual should spend alone with Hashem. (Pischei Tshuvos)
The Arizal teaches that we should accept upon ourselves the mitzva to love every Jew as ourselves before davening. Many have the minhag to recite this mitzva and accept it upon themselves before Shacharis each morning and it is printed in many siddurim. It should be noted that in Pri Etz Chaim (shaar hanhogas halimud chap. 1), Rav Chaim Vital, the talmid of the holy Arizal, teaches that the pasuk ve’ohavta lerei’acha komocha ani Hashem – “love your neighbor as yourself” – is the same gematria as shin, kuf, vov, tzaddi, yud, sov [the same roshei teivos mentioned above from the last stanza of the tefilla Ana Be Koach]. This is because shin, kuf, vov spells shaku which means a kiss, hinting to tefilla, which is likened to a kiss of the lips, and tzadi, yud, sov spells tzayis, which means “to listen to” or “hear” in Aramaic. Thus, explains Rav Chaim Vital, through ve’ohavta lerei’acha komocha – by loving your fellow and asking for his needs before yours, your tefillos are heard and answered.