Words of Compassion

Day by Day - Kislev 22 (See today's Hayom Yom here. )
For many centuries Jews have been repeating the words of King David’s Psalms. In times of joy, in time of trouble, in regular daily prayer - The Tehillim (Psalms) is a staple of Jewish life.

You can read Tehillim as a book of Torah, you can read it as a song of praise or as a desperate plea for Divine mercy.

At one and the same time it expresses G-d’s feelings (towards us) and our feelings (towards Him) making it a blend of Heaven and earth.

The same can be said of the third day of creation, which the Torah describes as “good for Heaven and good for earth.”

Here’s the idea: The kindness of Sunday, “Let there be light”, will not produce “Tikun Olam”. Like a friend who, with his unconditional love for you, will not correct your faults because he’s not bothered by them.

The judgment of Monday will not bring “Tikun Olam”, like the friend who is bothered by your faults and must reject you because of them.

Compassion is a compound of kindness and judgment. Like the friend who recognizes your faults, knows you’re guilty, but is moved to be kind even though you are undeserving. He will help you ‘fix’ your faults: Tikun Olam.

Reciting words of Tehillim arouses the Divine compassion that enables us to purify the unholy and turn darkness into light, thereby repairing the world.

In the Hayom Yom calendar for today, the Rebbe tells us of the practice of daily recitation of Tehillim and attributes the custom to a “Takkana of the Rebbe” (his father in-law).

This is the calendar’s first Tuesday. It’s about saying the words of Tehillim and the Rebbe calls it Takkana! As in, “Tikun (Olam).”

What do you think?