A New Tanya class By Rabbi Yitzchok Minkowicz Prayer is key to personal transformation that will reach to a greater level of Teshuva Ilah Tanya Igeres Hatshuva Chapter 10 In Chapter 9 the Alter Rebbe explained that Teshuva Ilah is the Neshama cleaving to Hashem thru Torah & Mitzvot. In Chapter 10 the Alter Rebbe explains that although Teshuva Ilah thru Torah & Mitzvot are a very high level nevertheless they are a gift from above. However we were created with a mission to do personal transformation on the level of Teshuva Ilah & that happens thru the proper intention in Prayer. Specifically in prayer of Shema where we say ViAhavta we need to constantly grow in our Love for Hashem. When we study torah we need to make ourselves a vessel that we are studying Hashems Torah. When we do Mitzvot we want to draw down levels of Kadosh very high levels of holiness upon us. After Prayer we אליך ה׳ נפשי אשא to cleave our soul to Hashem. This happens via our meditation in Pesukei Dizimra & the Blessings before & after Shema. Thru the meditation one creates Love for Hashem that effects a transformation in Torah & Mitzvot as well. So Teshuva Ilah is Meditation in Prayer & the results it produces. In order to achieve Teshuva Ilah one needs Teshuva Tata first as the Mishna says אין עומדים להתפלל אלא מתוך כובד ראש we need to practice humility & compassion. On the other hand the Beraisa says אין עומדים להתפלל אלא מתוך שמחה. So the order is Teshuva Tatah, Simcha & than Teshuva Ilah. For those that it’s hard to switch from humility to joy so quickly, than you can do the humility at Tikun Chatzot & if you can’t do tikun everyday at least Thursday night as Shabbas has the same letters of Teshuva & it is the high level of Teshuva that needs the Thursday night preparations. Shabbas all worlds & souls are elevated & especially during Prayer on Shabbas. As the verse in Isaya says; מחיתי כעב פשעיך, שובה אלי כי גאלתיך after we do Low Teshuva We can return to Hashem with high Teshuva. Live Tanya Class at Chabad Thursday Evening at 6:30P.M. A Project of Chabad Lubavitch of Southwest Florida 5620 Winkler Road Fort Myers, FL 33919 239-433-7708 www.Chabadswf.org Rabbi@chabadswf.org A Special thanks to David Perez for Video Taping the Class. Watch on YouTube: youtu.be/gnWc2gS12kw Brought to you by: ALL THINGS PODCAST Contact us for all your podcast needs: podcast@habet.dev