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The Baal Shem Tov revealed to his students that it was due to his mikvah immersions that he attained his transcendental levels of holiness. And even though it is also said that he attained his exalted stature due to his fervent praying, both explanations are true, for it is precisely the purification of the mikvah that brought an awesome holiness to his prayers.
Since it is the beginning of the week of "Yesod" in our Omer count, when we are engaging in tshuva and spiritual purification from sexual sins, it is a fitting time to remember the powerful purifying powers of a mikvah. In doing so, we will draw from the fountains of insights found in the wonderful book, “Waters of Eden,” written by Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan, may his memory be for a blessing.
 

By Rabbi Mordechai Eliahu, Former Chief Rabbi of Israel, excerpted from his book, “Darkei Taharah,” Chapters 19-24.

Laws of Marital Relations (Rabbi M. Eliahu) - Part 1
Laws of Marital Relations (Rabbi M. Eliahu) - Part 2
Laws of Marital Relations (Rabbi M. Eliahu) - Part 3
Laws of Marital Relations (Rabbi M. Eliahu) - Part 4
Laws of Marital Relations (Rabbi M. Eliahu) - Part 5
Laws of Marital Relations (Rabbi M. Eliahu) - Part 6
Laws of Marital Relations (Rabbi M. Eliahu) - Part 7

“BE HOLY!”

It is written in the Torah:
“Speak to the entire community of Israel, and say to them, Be holy, for I the L-rd your God am holy” (Vayikra, 19:2). The meaning of “Be holy” in this verse is to separate oneself from forbidden sexual relationships (See Rashi, there).

Introduction

by Tzvi Fishman

As we have previously written in the essay, “Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf,” that while repentance is always accepted before G-d, the 10 days of t'shuva between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, and the period of “Shovavim” (the 6 straight weeks starting with parshat Shemot) are especially propitious times to atone for sexual transgressions. To help readers, we have translated a powerful penitential prayer composed by the renowned Torah scholar, Rabbi Aharon Rota, of blessed memory, author of the classic works, “Taharat HaKodesh” and “Shomer Emunim.”

This prayer and the learning that precedes it are designed to cleanse a person of sexual transgressions, known as blemishes to the Brit. These transgressions, including the spilling of semen in vain (masturbation), pre-marital sex, sexual relations with non-Jews, relations with a woman in her “niddah” menstrual period, adultery, improper relations with one’s wife, including premature ejaculation, forbidden incestuous relations, and the like, all of these are also known as blemishes to the “Yesod.”

Tikun HaKlali

Preface

[Skip to the ten psalms of the Tikun HaKlali]

Rebbe Nachman of Breslov (1772-1810) was a great-grandson of the Baal Shem Tov, founder of Hasidism.

The Tikun HaKlali (תיקון הכללי) is considered by the Breslov Hasidim to be a comprehensive rectification for all sins - in particular the sin of spilling semen in vain through involuntary nocturnal emission, masturbation, premature ejaculation, and other sexual sins. The Tikun HaKlali is a set of ten Tehillim (Psalms) whose recital serves as repentance over these sins. It is comprised of the following ten Psalms, said in this order: 16, 32, 41, 42, 59, 77, 90, 105, 137, and 150.