Erev Rosh Hashana many shuls in the Chicagoland area received wonderful bookmarks from the YU Torah Mitzion Kollel of Chicago. One side of the book mark stated:
Yom Kippur
13 Attributes of Devine Mercy
Forbearing
Welcoming
Patient
Merciful
Gracious
Generous
Forgiving
Faithful
Trustful
Familial
Restrained
Hopeful
Supportive
How can I emulate these Devine
attributes in my life?
Based on Tomer Devorah of
Rabbi Moshe Cordovero, 16th c.
Well, the YU Kollel has an answer to, “How can I emulate these Devine attributes in my life?”
Starting this Sunday, November 6th from 8pm-9pm at Congregation KINS you can join Kollel Fellow Rabbi Etan Ehrenfeld and start learning Tomer Devorah. This sefer was first published in 1588 and one of the seminal muusar works.
Personally, I’ve had a copy of it for years and looked at it from time to time, but never really got into it. I’m very excited about being able to learn ideas from it in an informal setting, such as this chaburah. I hope you’ll join me!
I bought an edition of Tomer Devorah that is split into readings for each day of the month so that one can finish it every 30 days. While the lack of a pirush is frustrating, going through the whole sefer even once was rewarding in itself.
There are many heavy concepts, especially toward the end, but it is so worth it. I don’t remember who said it, but it’s been said that if one is going to learn any mussar on Shabbos, it should be Tomer Devorah.