Chapter 6
Now, in the earlier generations where the bad of the animal soul wasn’t expressed so strongly, the recital of Shema (with the contemplation of its meaning) was enough to completely nullify the unholiness of the animal soul.
This is not the case now, in the time called “the footsteps of Moshiach,” when the bad of the animal soul is very strongly expressed. It is now impossible to completely eradicate it’s unholiness with only the recital of Shema. For this reason, our Sages instituted the 18 blessings of Shemona Esrai.
The word “ב ְַַָּׁׁךור-blessed” is also an expression meaning bestowing and drawing down from Above, meaning that when we say a ב ְּרָ כָה-blessing using the phrase “ב ָ ָ תַאְּך ורההֲוָיָ ה אֱלֹהֵּינו -blessed/drawn down are You, Hashem, our G-d,” we are actually requesting that “הַׁויַׁוניֵּקֹלֱאַׁ'-Hashem Himself who is our G-d,” be drawn down and bestowed upon us so that He should be revealed directly to us, so that when we say “You” to Hashem, we should feel how that “You” in “הוי' אֱלֹקֵּינו -Hashem Himself, is our own personal G-d;” (i.e. that our connection to Hashem’s Essence should be revealed in a way that we connect to directly).
Meaning that in Shemona Esrai we are asking that our love for Hashem’s Essence should be revealed in our hearts, and then the unholiness of the animal soul will automatically be totally nullified, like darkness is dispelled by light, as explained above.
When we reach the blessing of “Please pardon us Hashem,” we aren’t asking forgiveness from our fear of punishment, that He should forgive us so that He will not punish us, G-d forbid; rather, the explanation of why we are asking forgiveness is as follows: This is like a person who asks forgiveness and pardon from his friend so that his friend’s good will and favor should be expressed to him. This is accomplished by arousing his friend’s mercy.
So too, we ask forgiveness from Hashem so that His good will and favor should be expressed to us, and we accomplish this through calling on Hashem’s “13 Attributes of Mercy.”
These “13 Attributes of Mercy” are also called “13 rivers of scented pure oil,” which purify and clean the sins of the Jewish People, so that there should not be any barriers (from sin) blocking out the revelation of His Will and good favor.
Now, the days of the month of Elul are a special time to awaken the “13 Attributes of Mercy,” so that by the time Yom Kippur comes, Hashem’s good will and favor can be fully revealed to the person, just like when the Jewish People sinned by making the golden calf, and after doing Teshuva, they were informed on Yom Kippur that they were forgiven, since that day is a time when His good will is fully expressed (after Teshuva).
Similarly, after removing all the barriers blocking out that good will through the Teshuva of Elul and Rosh Hashana, we experience the revelation of Hashem’s good will and love to us on Yom Kippur.
