How To Deal With Insult | Tomer Devorah: How to Become Like Hashem (Part 3)

*How can we become like Hashem when someone insults us, hurts us or even sins against us?* For the entire Playlist of Tomer Devorah: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLF-aTKCqR7-o In this third shiur in our series on *Tomer Devorah*, we continue exactly where the previous lesson left off — with the Ramak's astonishing description of Hashem as *"מלך נעלב — The Insulted King."* We begin with a brief review of what we have learned so far, and then enter into the heart of the first of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy. Here are timestamps to help you navigate the full lesson: 00:00 - Introduction to Tomer Devorah and Rabbi Moshe Cordovero 00:34 - Review: Striving to emulate the 13 Attributes of Mercy 01:25 - Understanding the Sefirah of Keter and the Attributes of Mercy 02:34 - The First Attribute: "Mi El Kamocha" (Who is a God like You?) 03:04 - Why God is called the "Insulted King" 04:51 - Divine Providence: God's awareness and connection to creation 05:58 - The concept of Free Will and God's energy 06:50 - How we use God's strength even when acting against His will 09:04 - The Story of King Yeravam: A lesson on God's power 12:44 - The prophecy against Yeravam's altar 14:03 - Yeravam's hand is dried up and paralyzed 15:32 - The Prophet's prayer and Yeravam's healing 17:02 - The changing nature of the "Rasha" (wicked person) 19:28 - Reflecting on how God could stop us at any moment 20:58 - Why the Angels praise the "Insulted King" 24:12 - The meaning of the name "Kel" (Kindness and Power) 26:16 - God's patience: Waiting for "Teshuvah" (return/repentance) 27:42 - Finding deeper meaning in life beyond physical pleasure 30:00 - Practical Application: Practicing patience and enduring insults 32:06 - Rabbi's personal reflection on teaching "Mussar" 33:57 - Choosing the path of God: Becoming patient with others 37:02 - Story of Rav Moshe Feinstein's kindness to a critic 38:48 - Midrashic teaching: Becoming a partner with God through silence 41:52 - King David's example of enduring insults 43:52 - Summary: Internalizing the First Attribute of Mercy 45:37 - Closing remarks and how to support the channel The Ramak teaches something almost impossible to comprehend: Even when a person is using the very strength and life that Hashem is giving him to sin against Him, Hashem does not withdraw that strength. Hashem could stop the person. He could make his hands and feet unable to move, just as we see in the remarkable story of *Yeravam*. Yet Hashem continues to sustain the person, continuing to give him the power to live and act — even while that person is using those very powers against Him. Why? Because Hashem is *patient*. He bears the insult and continues giving His goodness, waiting for the person to return in teshuvah. We then explore the story of Yeravam and the miraculous moment when his hand became rigid at the word of the prophet, demonstrating just how easily Hashem could have withheld a person's physical power. From there, we turn to *King David*, who describes himself as *"חסיד אני — I am godly."* Why could David call himself "godly"? The Midrash Tehillim, in the name of Rabbi Alexandri, gives a remarkable answer: whoever hears his disgrace, has the ability to respond, and nevertheless remains silent becomes a partner with the Holy One, blessed be He — because Hashem Himself hears those who insult and blaspheme Him, has the power to destroy them instantly, and nevertheless remains silent. This brings us to the practical lesson of the first Attribute: *מִי אֵל כָּמוֹךָ — Who is a God like You?* If we want to resemble our Creator, we must learn to develop something of this Divine patience ourselves. Not merely to refrain from retaliation, but to continue doing good even when we have been insulted. To continue giving. To continue showing kindness. To bear an insult without immediately striking back. And ultimately, to become more like the One in Whose image we were created. This is the first of the *Thirteen Attributes of Mercy*, rooted in the highest Sefirah of *Keter* — the level of complete Divine mercy. 📖 *Tomer Devorah — Rabbi Moshe Cordovero (the Ramak)* This is Part 3 of the series *How to Become Like Hashem*. May these teachings help us not merely to understand Hashem's ways, but to actually bring them into our own lives. #TomerDevorah #HowToBecomeLikeHashem #TheInsultedKing #Ramak #RabbiMosheCordovero #Kabbalah #Mussar #Torah #ThirteenAttributesOfMercy #MiElKamocha #DivineMercy #Hashem #Emunah #Teshuvah #JewishWisdom #JewishLearning #SpiritualGrowth #Middot #CharacterDevelopment #JewishSpirituality