txt/Chasidut/R' Tzadok HaKohen/Tzidkat HaTzadik/English/YU Torah miTzion Beit Midrash.txt

Tzidkat HaTzadik
צדקת הצדיק
YU Torah miTzion Beit Midrash
http://www.torontotorah.com

Tzidkat HaTzadik



Chapter 1



Chapter 2



Chapter 3



Chapter 4



Chapter 5



Chapter 6



Chapter 7



Chapter 8



Chapter 9



Chapter 10



Chapter 11

We learn from the creation of the world, that in all matters, the night comes before the day, as the Talmud teaches. (Berachot 2a) For in all matters, absence precedes existence. “When I dwell in darkness”, I know that afterward “Hashem will be my light.” (Michah 7:8) Indeed, a person’s entire life is comprised of times in darkness and light, day and night, and that cycle repeats itself as a circuit, with the darkness always coming first, as the peel precedes the fruit. This is always true except in the case of kodashim [referring here to both the laws of the Beit haMikdash and to the highest state of holiness in life] wherein the night follows the day. Once one has already arrived at holiness, the day is first, like one who is already inside the fruit; from his perspective, the fruit comes before the peel.

Chapter 12

Regarding repentance, there are two approaches: [preparing for] the future, and fixing the past. This is why we require two approaches: ‎1. Living a life of purity in the future (regarding one’s knowledge, where Torah is the cure, and it ‎saves from transgression for the future. This is similar to light which can return a person to the ‎good, as stated in a midrash. (Eichah, Introduction 2) This is as our sages taught regarding ‎repentance, “One who learned a single page, now must learn two pages.” (Vayikra Rabbah 25:1)) 2. Atonement fixing the past and correcting the sin. This is accomplished through an offering, and ‎modeled on it via prayer or fasting and charity. We know that (Yevamot 74b) [lack of] atonement ‎does not prevent return, for one who repents, even just via thought in his heart, is fully righteous. ‎This stage is like terumah [referring here to both the pure tithe given to kohanim, and to an ‎intermediate state of holiness in life], elevated from the completely mundane to become ‎righteous on some level. But to be kodashim, one who wishes to be sanctified and become holy ‎must also heal that which came before.  The time of day to accept the yoke of Heaven is linked ‎with terumah [in the Talmud’s statement that we recite Shema in the evening at the time when ‎the kohanim begin to eat their terumah], because lack of atonement for the past does not ‎prevent acceptance of the yoke of Heaven. Reciting Shema is Torah, as Rashi explains, and “to the ‎wicked one, G-d says, why do you speak My laws?” (Psalms 50:16) [Therefore, one must achieve ‎the level of terumah in order to recite Shema.] But immediately after one is purified for future ‎action, he is fully righteous, and he can accept the yoke of Heaven.‎