LUZBY BERNAL

miércoles, 7 de septiembre de 2011

Nocturnal Emissions

Nocturnal Emissions
Written by Rabbi Damiel Frish   
Thursday, 04 June 2009
Nocturnal emissions are a common phenomenon. Many people find themselves at a loss how to deal with these occurrences and how to prevent them. Many people are brought to depression and despair when these mishaps occur, especially when they learn about the seriousness of spilling semen in vain. But this is precisely the design of the evil inclination, to bring a Jew to despair in his service of Hashem.
TYPES AND CAUSES OF NOCTURNAL EMISSIONS
Some nocturnal emissions are caused by looking at forbidden images, or by having forbidden fantasies. These can bring about sexual dreams. They can also be caused by unchaste language. They can also come about through over indulging in conversation with women, or speaking in a familiar and frivolous fashion with them, or by listening to a woman sing. Also, being alone with a woman (Yichud) can lead to a nocturnal emission. All of these things are considered borderline, deliberate violations of Jewish law (mazid), or perhaps even deliberate violations, in and of themselves.
Other things that can cause nocturnal emissions are actions and behavior which pollute a person’s being, like speaking bad about others (lashon hara), anger, falsehood, and arrogance.
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Also improper eating habits, such as eating things that stimulate the seminal glands before retiring to sleep, or by over eating. It can also be brought about by sleeping on one’s back, or belly, as opposed to the proper position of sleeping on one’s side. While these causes are not a serious as the above, a person must guard himself from them as well.
Nocturnal emissions can also happen  when a person is exhausted from travel, or from work, or from a feeling of bodily  weakness. Cases like these are not considered transgressions (although immersing in a purifying mikvah is required afterward all the same). It is taught that if one has an accidental emission when one is ill, this is a positive sign of recovery (as long as there was no sexual fantasy involved), since it is considered that the forces of evil (hahitzonim) will be satisfied with receiving the souls contained in the seminal emission, and thus leave the sick person alone.
Sometimes, the emission occurs because of the saturation of semen in the sperm glands, and the overflow is emitted from the body during sleep, without any intention on the part of the person, like sap that flows out from the trunk of a tree. Therefore, our Sages have said that six things are favorable signs in a sick person, and one of them is an accidental emission (Berachot 57B). Certainly, this is not referring to a sick person who indulges in forbidden sexual fantasies, for this is a clear transgression. Rather, the meaning is an emission that results from a build-up of seminal fluid due to reactivated hormonal and circulatory functioning in the ill person, and this is a positive sign that the individual’s  metabolism is returning to normal health. Since no illicit fantasies or feelings of pleasure are derived from this, the emission is like excess water, and it is not considered a sin at all.
There is another instance when an emission can occur to a person which can’t be traced to any cause. The holy Rabbi, the Baal Shem Tov, teaches that a man shouldn’t worry if this came about without any forbidden thoughts and fantasies on his part, for it is likely that this person was under a Heavenly decree of death for other transgressions, and this emission saved him from the decree, since the shame and broken heart that it caused him made him feel like dying, and this took the place of the penalty of death. 
An accidental emission can also occur to a servant of Hashem in order to break his heart with shame and show him that he still needs to work on his character traits (like pride). It may also be that spiritual agents of evil have accusations against the person, and the souls lost via the accidental emission are handed over to them, to appease them. But this only holds when no forbidden sexual thoughts were involved, for someone who purposely fantasizes to bring this about is like he purposely committed a forbidden sexual act. nightmare_imp_lg.jpg
It is written in the book, “Magid Devarav L’Yaacov,” (Section 207) that a person should take great heed to what the Sages decreed, that a man shouldn’t have fantasies in the day lest he  come to have a nocturnal emission during the night (Avodah Zara 20B), for surely one thing will lead to the other. This is because that a forbidden sexual thought creates the soul of a destructive spiritual agent, and evil spiritual forces will descend upon him at night to pollute him and cause him to have a seminal emission in order to create the body (of the destructive agent) to house the soul that he created during the day through his improper thoughts. Advice to prevent this from happening is to repent after having the forbidden thought in order to nullify the soul that was created before it finds its way into the body of a destructive agent.
It is written in the Talmud (Niddah 43A) in the name of Rav Shmuel that an emission of semen that comes out without an overall bodily sensation does not cause a state of impurity. The Rambam agrees with this ruling, when the emission occurs without sensation, or accompanying lust, or erection (Laws of Avot HaTumah, 5:4). However, in all cases, it is best to immerse in a mikvah.
An accidental emission can also occur when a person with habitual transgressions approaches something holy, or when a person learns Kabbalah without the proper self-cleansing and preparation.
WAYS TO PREVENT NOCTURNAL EMISSIONS
The book, “Taharat HaKodesh,” by Rabbi Aharon Rota, warns that nocturnal emissions bring weakness to the body, like the loss of blood. The nervous system is weakened as well (Chapter “Shmirat HaBrit,” 89:7). Here are some of the book’s suggestions on how to prevent this from occurring:
*Torah learning guards over a person. But before sitting down to learn, it is important to repent over past transgressions. At night, before sleeping, it is best not to learn subjects like Eishut (laws surrounding marital relations) which might stimulate the imagination.  Mishna, “Ein Yaacov,” and “Tanna Debe Eliahu” are recommended.
*Reciting the Bedtime Shema with great concentration is very helpful in warding off evil influences that visit a person during sleep, and in nullifying destructive agents that were created by spilling semen in vain.
*A person should strive to be happy and trust in Hashem, and not go to sleep depressed, for worry and fears over this matter before falling asleep expose him to the danger of it occurring.
*If a person makes an accounting over his deeds during the day, and spends a lot of time in repentance before going to sleep, he should study Torah before he retires to safeguard himself from accusing agents.
*The Arizal mentions that sleeping with a tallit katan (small fringed garment worn on the upper torso like a t-shirt) offers protection at night.
*If a person keeps a basin and a vessel filled with water in his bedroom for hand washing in the morning, he should be sure that it is covered, or distance it two meters from his bed.
*It is best not to sleep in one’s daytime clothes with keys and coins in one’s pocket.
TIKUN FOR NOCTURNAL EMISSIONS
*A person who has experienced a nocturnal emission (or a seminal emission of any kind, including permitted relations with one’s wife) should immerse in a mikvah as soon as one can. The Baal Shem Tov advices not to think about Torah matters before one has immersed. This applies to someone who has a mikvah nearby, but if immersion is not possible right away, one should not avoid learning Torah because of it. purifying_waters.jpg
*After an emission, before going to the mikvah, one should shower and wash the area, and put on clean underclothes.
*In the teachings of the Arizal, regarding an involuntary emission, Rabbi Chaim Vital writes: “My teacher (the Arizal) told me that all through the day following an emission, the impurity is revealed on the person’s forehead, even if he made truthful repentance with lots of tears and immersed in a mikvah, and the sign of impurity doesn’t completely disappear all the day until he says the Bedtime Shema.  But by repenting and immersing in a mikvah, the sign of the impurity is certainly lessened. But if he made repentance, but didn’t immerse, then the sign of impurity remains strong until he immerses. And in this regard, washing with 9 kabim of water (12 liters) won’t help – it will only lessen the sign of impurity somewhat.
*It is important to immerse in a mikvah and make proper t’shuva on the same day as the emission to wipe out the damaging agents that are created by keri (nocturnal emission).
*The recital of one of the special prayers, called tikunim, designed to rectify damage to the Brit (sexual transgression) is a powerful tool in eliminating the damaging blemishes caused by keri, and instrumental in returning the lost souls contained in the wasted seed to their heavenly source. [These tikunim include the “Tikun HaKali” of Rebbe Nachman; the “Tikun HaYesod Yeshuot Eliahu” of Rav Leon Levi; and “Tikun HaYesod” of Rav Aharon Rota.]
*If a person has a sexual dream, even if it does not bring him to a nocturnal emission, one should take pains to immerse in a mikvah, for just by the bad dream itself, kelipot (evil husks) can injure one’s small children, G-d forbid.
*Each person should strive to repent according to his station. If someone is able, it is beneficial to fast the whole day, or at least until midday. If one is capable, it is good to recite the whole Book of Tehillim. Giving 18 shekels or 18 coins or dollars in charity is recommended. Also to learn 18 chapters of Mishna. Repentance with a broken heart and tears is a very powerful atonement.  It is good to recite one of the tikunim mentioned during the day, or at least before retiring to sleep so that the soul ascends in a cleansed state while sleeping. At the very least, one of the tikunim should be recited on Thursday night or Erev Shabbat.
*The more a person endeavors to make deep and heartfelt t’shuva, the more he will succeed in releasing the souls of the wasted semen that were captured by the kelipot and returning them to their source. This will be enhanced by saying the daily prayers with extra intention and force, and by answering, “Amen, yihay shemai rabbah…” during the Kaddish prayer with power and intention. This is true also regarding the recital of the Shema, especially the Bedtime Shema when he should accept in his mind to receive lashes, or the four death penalties of the High Court in Jerusalem: stoning, burning, piercing, and suffocation. By doing so, he will not only rectify the souls spilled the previous night, but also holy souls that were lost through his mishaps of the past.
*If he should have another mishap the following night, let him not fall into depression and despair, G-d forbid, but rather fortify himself and continue on a firm path of t’shuva, believing that Hashem will answer his prayers and restore everything that was damaged.
*Every good deed and mitzvah and charity that he can perform that same day will add to his success, along with the recital of Tehillim, Mishnaot, and tikunim, for they are all wonderful remedies [rectifying the letters of the Torah that he blemished, since letters of the Torah are the spiritual chromosomes of his seed.]
These various remedies are not dependent one upon the other. One needn’t feel he must do them all. Rather, he should feel secure and happy to do whatever he can.
*Even if there are reoccurrences and lapses, a person should not become discouraged and depressed, for in the end he will win the battle. One should always strive to be happy, and guard against willfully looking at forbidden images and willfully thinking forbidden thoughts.
Remember, whoever strives to purify himself, is aided greatly by Heaven.
[Based on Chapter 21 of the book, “Kedusha and Tzniut” by Rabbi Daniel Frish, author of the commentary on the Zohar, “M’Tok M’Dvash”] 
Last Updated ( Thursday, 04 June 2009 )
http://www.jewishsexuality.com/nocturnal-emissions

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