[Avodah] MISHPATIM SPEAK SOFTLY

[Micha Berger]

On Fri, Feb 17, 2012 at 01:36:51PM -0500, cantorwolberg at cox.net wrote:
: That is presumably what hell might be: the inner inferno of remorse
: when we realize the full scope of the injury we have wrought. No external
: fire can compare in burning intensity to the regret we will each feel
: when we perceive the suffering we ourselves have caused.

And it's the olam ha'emes, where there is no hiding from the truth.

In my booklet for Yamim Noraim
<http://www.aishdas.org/10YemeiTeshuvah.pdf>, in "Appendix: The Mechanism
of Teshuvah" (the page numbered 38 in the current version), I cite the
Iqarim 4:33, who says that the "fires" of gehennom are those of shame.

In comparison to Rabbeinu Yonah, who also says that punishment is caused
by the sin, but uses a medical metaphor -- sins cause unhealthy and
pained souls. Or the Ramchal, "sin detracts from one's perfection". And
also in comparison to Befesh haChaim who uses a cleanliness metaphor --
sin dirties the soul and thereby glocks its exposure to the light.

: May we all think before upbraiding others and do our share in lessening
: the emotional pain and anguish of our fellow human beings.

Upbraiding others is mandatory -- in the cases where it would be
constructive. Judaism has a notion of tokhachah, not "live and let
live". It's just that we have become progressively softer, and fewer
and fewer such cases exist.

:-)BBii!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             A person must be very patient
micha at aishdas.org        even with himself.
http://www.aishdas.org         - attributed to R' Nachman of Breslov
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