Rav Dessler brings a mashal about the spiritual progress and development of a tzadik versus a baal t’shuvah. The tzadik advances in his service of Hashem bit by bit, like climbing the rungs of a ladder. The baal t’shuvah, on the other hand, is like a cripple who doesn’t have the arms and legs with which to climb. From his lowly place, watching the raging waters rise up from below, he cries out for help. At that point, Hashem comes and raises him up to great heights.
The baal t’shuvah cried out for assistance, and Hashem came to lift him up. It was Hashem who brought him to his current level; he couldn’t do it himself. The truth is, though, that the tzadik goes through the exact same process, too. As it says in Mishlei 24:16, “For a man is not righteous on earth that he does good and never sins” and in Koheles 7:20, “A tzadik falls seven times and rises…”
Even a tzadik will reach a point where he recognizes that he can’t go further, and he needs to pray to Hashem for Divine mercy. Hashem then raises him up to the next rung of the ladder.
The tzadik himself cannot move unless Hashem helps him to get there. The difference between the tzadik and the baal t’shuvah is that Hashem’s assistance is hidden by the fact that the tzadik is doing so much work.
This is the explanation of “In a place where a baal t’shuvah stands, even a perfect tzadik can’t stand.”
Hashem’s involvement and Divine mercy is much more revealed with the baal t’shuvah, than it is with the tzadik. But, at the end of the day, both of them really need assistance.
No matter where we are or how many times we fall, Hashem is our Father in Heaven. When we sincerely cry out to Him in search of Divine Mercy, He will turn to us, love us as His children, and help us to move forward.
(Material was previously published on ShiratMiriam.com.)
List of People Who Need a R’fuah Sh’leimah (a complete recovery)
Please recite Psalms 20, 30, 88, 121, and 130.
Boris Baruch ben Frecha Frida
Chaim Avraham ben Shifrah Zisel
Shimshon Shimon ben Mazal
Aharon Mordechai ben Sharon
Yaakov Yisrael Pinchas ben Tovah
Yisachar Dov ben Chayah Brachah
Tinok ben Chanah
Azriel ShemTov ben Brachah Esther
Shmuel Aryeh ben Sarah Rachel
Ronny Tzalach ben Simchah
Shmuel Aryeh ben Sarah Rachel
Moshe ben Devorah
Yehoshua ben Miriam
Yosef ben Leah
Nisan ben Yael
Efrayim Gavriel ben Esther
Chaim Yehudah HaLevi ben Sarah
Refael Meir HaLevi ben Esther
Mordechai ben Evelyn
David Chaim ben Rivkah
Moshe Leib ben Chanah Breindel
Eynav ben Tziporah
Yair ben Sarah
Moshe ben Zlata
Yishai Shimon ben Sigal
Shmuel ben Nazima
Evon bas Sally
Luna bas Rachel
Malkah bas Miriam
Tovah Yocheved bas Esther Bukas
Ruchamah Perel Malkah Leah bas Chanah Serel
Esther Hadassah bas Devorah
Ronit bas Rivkah
Mahnaz bas Nosrat
Sylia bas Rachel
Karen bas Rachel
Shoshanah Shurah bas Zina
Sonia bas Raya Rachel
Tinok bas Chanah Moriyah
Brachah Chanah bas Sarah
Devorah bas Esther
Batya bas Moonavar
Sarah bas Alizah
Chavah bas Bayla
Bella Berta bas Raya Rachel
Taliah Tanya bas Nina Nekadam
Raya Rachel bas Esther
Alizah Sima bas Sheina Brachah
Rivkah bas Sarah
To add names of individuals who need a r’fuah sh’leimah to next week’s T’hilim column, please email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and complete the Google form.