Protection Against the Evil
'Klipah' literally means 'shell' or 'peel' and 'tumah' is the force of evil. To get to the fruit, one has to remove the klipot. Kabbalistic writings refer to the power of tumah as 'klipot' because where ever it senses holiness, it tries to bury the holiness under layers and layers of itself. These klipot distort what you see and are usually created by your own ego. Removing klipot is life-long work. The more impure a person is, the more hold the Klipot have over him.
As in the story of Yosef Della Reina, the Kabbalist, who was thwarted in his attempts to bring an end to Satan's power and hasten the arrival of Moshiach. In a story that was widespread in Safed, Joseph Della Reina had to overcome the S'M and his permanent female partner, Lxxxx, before bringing about redemption. Joseph succeeded in overpowering these two archdemons, but erred later when he burned incense before Satan, which caused his undoing. After his failure, Joseph never recovered from his fallen state and sank further into evil, becoming an ally of Satan and the lover of Lxxxxx. Lxxxx dominated him completely and even brought to his bed the wife of the King of Greece.
The more Tikunim a person does the more protection he has and the less of a hold the Klipot have over him. If a person builds protection, then when he is forced to go into the domain of the Klipot they have little grasp over him and he can pass through un effected. Just like a small child who has not yet defiled himself can walk through the streets and is much less effected, so to a person who does Tikunim can walk through the streets and has much protection from the Klipot, impure thoughts and desires.
The basic trick is to build armor in advance. To do Tikunim before you need them, to seal the holes before the Klipot can gain a hold. Tikunim is a double term, it helps rectify the past and build protection in the future. Even a person that is fully aware that he is still in the possession of the Sitra Acher and that he is still falling to the sins, Heaven Forbid, he should also do the Tikunim. In addition the Tikunim will also send him much protection from heaven and save him from even entering into a situation where he may stumble. A person who does Tikunim if he ever Heaven Forbid enters a situation where he is about to stumble, suddenly all the Tikunim that he has done in the past will rise up to his aid and save him.
How to overcome the Klipot?
Both chazal and the Shulchan Aruch explain that in the merit of being extra careful with modesty, one merits righteous children who are great in Torah.
The Peleh Yoaitz, zs'l, writes (Chesed L'alofim on the Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim, chapter 3, paragraph 4) "Almost all of the entire reward and punishment for a woman in the future world depends on her tznius".
The Kaliver Rav, zs'l, said "Every piece of material that one adds for tznius is used in the heavenly court to tip the scales to the side of merit."
The Vilna Gaon, zs'l, said "The highest spiritual level for women is their tznius. This is how their greatness is measured."
The Chazon Ish, zs'l, said "The yiras shomayim of a woman is recognized and measured according to her care and meticulousness with tznius."
The Vilna Gaon also wrote that just as chazal teach that the antidote to the yetzer hora for men is to learn Torah, so too, the antidote to the yetzer hora for women is tznius and improving their character traits (from a letter of the Vilna Gaon).
The Chazon Ish said "The weapon for women to overcome the evil inclination is tznius clothing." He asked to publicize this. (Maaseh Ish, volume 4)
The Vilna Gaon also said that to the same extent that it is a mitzva for men to put all of their strength into learning the holy Torah, so too it is a mitzva for women to put all of their efforts into tznius.
The Chazon Ish said that from the drops of perspiration that come from a woman due to her wearing tznius clothes, a dew is made to revive her at t'chiyas ha'meisim. (Om Ani Chomah, Chapter 86)
Similarly Gemora Kesubos teaches that talmidei chachomim who exert themselves so much when learning Torah that they doze off and saliva goes out of their mouth, a dew is made from this saliva to revive them at t'chiyas ha'meisim.
The Chofetz Chaim said that every embellishment one makes in tznius increases the Shechina's presence, and protects and shields her from anguish and kitrugim (accusations).
The Chofetz Chaim also wrote that all sustenance, and all success both physically and spiritually, including our livelihood, are all in the merit of tznius.
The mitzva of tznius for women is not a heavy burden placed upon her as the yetzer hora tries to make her think. Rather, it is a privilege and important responsibility that was given to women. It is opposite all of the mitzvos that were given especially to men. The mitzva of tznius is a rectification that brings down abundant blessings to the entire world.
In the zechus of serving Hashem with this mitzva, women merit that their olam ha'boh will be on an equal spiritual level as men. That’s why the yetzer hora makes performing this mitzva so difficult for them.
The Chasam Sofer, zs'l, writes: "The reason this golus is worse than all the other exiles, with its great suffering, is because indecency is rampant amongst women. Indecency is worse than all the other sins in the Torah and did not occur in past exiles." And today pritzus is a thousand times worse than in the past, affecting even many kosher women.
One of the leaders of the past generation publicly stated that the entire Torah learning of a husband whose wife is not sufficiently careful with her tznius, goes to the forces of evil, Heaven forbid.
May it be Hashem’s will that we merit to sanctify His name publicly and show our self-sacrifice in performing His mitzvos. (And not feel embarrassed, even from our friends, as chazal say and as is written in the Tur, beginning of Orach Chaim "Be bold like a leopard and don't be ashamed from those who ridicule".)
May our merits rise up before Hashem, may He be blessed, and may the final redemption appear very soon, with great compassion and kindness, speedily in our days, Amen.
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As in the story of Yosef Della Reina, the Kabbalist, who was thwarted in his attempts to bring an end to Satan's power and hasten the arrival of Moshiach. In a story that was widespread in Safed, Joseph Della Reina had to overcome the S'M and his permanent female partner, Lxxxx, before bringing about redemption. Joseph succeeded in overpowering these two archdemons, but erred later when he burned incense before Satan, which caused his undoing. After his failure, Joseph never recovered from his fallen state and sank further into evil, becoming an ally of Satan and the lover of Lxxxxx. Lxxxx dominated him completely and even brought to his bed the wife of the King of Greece.
The more Tikunim a person does the more protection he has and the less of a hold the Klipot have over him. If a person builds protection, then when he is forced to go into the domain of the Klipot they have little grasp over him and he can pass through un effected. Just like a small child who has not yet defiled himself can walk through the streets and is much less effected, so to a person who does Tikunim can walk through the streets and has much protection from the Klipot, impure thoughts and desires.
The basic trick is to build armor in advance. To do Tikunim before you need them, to seal the holes before the Klipot can gain a hold. Tikunim is a double term, it helps rectify the past and build protection in the future. Even a person that is fully aware that he is still in the possession of the Sitra Acher and that he is still falling to the sins, Heaven Forbid, he should also do the Tikunim. In addition the Tikunim will also send him much protection from heaven and save him from even entering into a situation where he may stumble. A person who does Tikunim if he ever Heaven Forbid enters a situation where he is about to stumble, suddenly all the Tikunim that he has done in the past will rise up to his aid and save him.
How to overcome the Klipot?
Both chazal and the Shulchan Aruch explain that in the merit of being extra careful with modesty, one merits righteous children who are great in Torah.
The Peleh Yoaitz, zs'l, writes (Chesed L'alofim on the Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim, chapter 3, paragraph 4) "Almost all of the entire reward and punishment for a woman in the future world depends on her tznius".
The Kaliver Rav, zs'l, said "Every piece of material that one adds for tznius is used in the heavenly court to tip the scales to the side of merit."
The Vilna Gaon, zs'l, said "The highest spiritual level for women is their tznius. This is how their greatness is measured."
The Chazon Ish, zs'l, said "The yiras shomayim of a woman is recognized and measured according to her care and meticulousness with tznius."
The Vilna Gaon also wrote that just as chazal teach that the antidote to the yetzer hora for men is to learn Torah, so too, the antidote to the yetzer hora for women is tznius and improving their character traits (from a letter of the Vilna Gaon).
The Chazon Ish said "The weapon for women to overcome the evil inclination is tznius clothing." He asked to publicize this. (Maaseh Ish, volume 4)
The Vilna Gaon also said that to the same extent that it is a mitzva for men to put all of their strength into learning the holy Torah, so too it is a mitzva for women to put all of their efforts into tznius.
The Chazon Ish said that from the drops of perspiration that come from a woman due to her wearing tznius clothes, a dew is made to revive her at t'chiyas ha'meisim. (Om Ani Chomah, Chapter 86)
Similarly Gemora Kesubos teaches that talmidei chachomim who exert themselves so much when learning Torah that they doze off and saliva goes out of their mouth, a dew is made from this saliva to revive them at t'chiyas ha'meisim.
The Chofetz Chaim said that every embellishment one makes in tznius increases the Shechina's presence, and protects and shields her from anguish and kitrugim (accusations).
The Chofetz Chaim also wrote that all sustenance, and all success both physically and spiritually, including our livelihood, are all in the merit of tznius.
The mitzva of tznius for women is not a heavy burden placed upon her as the yetzer hora tries to make her think. Rather, it is a privilege and important responsibility that was given to women. It is opposite all of the mitzvos that were given especially to men. The mitzva of tznius is a rectification that brings down abundant blessings to the entire world.
In the zechus of serving Hashem with this mitzva, women merit that their olam ha'boh will be on an equal spiritual level as men. That’s why the yetzer hora makes performing this mitzva so difficult for them.
The Chasam Sofer, zs'l, writes: "The reason this golus is worse than all the other exiles, with its great suffering, is because indecency is rampant amongst women. Indecency is worse than all the other sins in the Torah and did not occur in past exiles." And today pritzus is a thousand times worse than in the past, affecting even many kosher women.
One of the leaders of the past generation publicly stated that the entire Torah learning of a husband whose wife is not sufficiently careful with her tznius, goes to the forces of evil, Heaven forbid.
May it be Hashem’s will that we merit to sanctify His name publicly and show our self-sacrifice in performing His mitzvos. (And not feel embarrassed, even from our friends, as chazal say and as is written in the Tur, beginning of Orach Chaim "Be bold like a leopard and don't be ashamed from those who ridicule".)
May our merits rise up before Hashem, may He be blessed, and may the final redemption appear very soon, with great compassion and kindness, speedily in our days, Amen.
Labels: Chizzuk
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