"Deeds of Kindness with Added Mystical Intentions"

Part 2: "Caring for a newborn"

translated and edited from

Tomer (the Palm Tree of) Devorah

of Rabbi Moshe Cordevero (the 'Ramak')

by Rabbi Moshe Miller

1. Caring for a newborn
2. Circumcision
3. Visiting the sick
4. Giving charity
5. Hosting Strangers
6. Attending to the dead
7. Providing for a bride
8. Peace-making

At the moment of a child's birth, one should provide him with all the necessities of his sustenance. Thus, he should have in mind the birth of tiferet from bina, for if "her labor is difficult" (Gen. 35:17) because of the aspect of judgment, G-d forbid, tiferet will tend toward the aspect of gevura, and its birth will be difficult. Therefore, it is necessary to ease the birth as much as possible so that tiferet will emerge on the right, towards chesed, and the child will be born without blemish.

We pray, "And bring forth the radiance of our judgment, O Awesome, Holy One." That is to say, we pray that the judgment of tiferet will be on the side of light, which is to the right, and will thus be sanctified and separated from the severities. This includes one's intention that his deeds constantly bind tiferet to chesed, bringing tiferet forth from bina to the side of chesed. Then the child born will be eager to fulfill the commandments, and he will be cleansed of imperfections.

Next installment: Circumcision

Previous Installment: Preface

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Rabbi Moshe-Leib Miller, a guest teacher at Ascent when he lived in Israel, was born in South Africa and received his yeshiva education in Israel and America. He is a prolific author and translator, with some twenty books to his name on a wide variety of topics, including a new, authoritative, annotated translation of the Zohar. He currently lives in Chicago.