RECTIFYING KAREIS

A wealthy philanthropist in shul, about to turn sixty, had just scheduled a colonoscopy.  Interestingly
enough, he had scheduled the test not because his doctor recommended it, but rather because he was
about to turn sixty. His concern is that he wants to make sure that he has not incurred the penalty of
Kareis – the penalty of being cut-off.
Presumably, his actions were based upon the Gemorah in Moed Katan (28a) where Rav Yoseph made a
party upon reaching the age of sixty because he made it to sixty and therefore did not incur the
punishment of Kareis. Abaye pointed out that there is a second type of Kareis called Kareis of days.  Rav
Yoseph replied that just outliving Kareis of years is also a reason to celebrate.
It is an unfortunate reality that there are many nice people out there who may have something rather
serious hanging over them. That something is the Divine punishment known as kareis—being cut off.
This penalty is associated with a number of violations: desecrating Shabbos, improper relationships.
eating blood, breaching the prohibition of niddah, eating on Yom Kippur, eating cheilev, going onto
prohibited places on Har HaBayis…the list goes on.

THE QUESTION
Kareis, of course, is quite serious.  But can anything be done? Is there a means by which kareis can be
rectified? If so, how? And why haven’t we heard about it before? Is there a particularly propitious time
for it?
The answer to this question, fortunately, is “yes.”  With the Yom Tov of Shavuos quickly approaching,
however, there is now a possibility of double-dipping.  But, there are other requirements.

LEARNING ALL NIGHT
The great AriZal, Rabbi Yitzchak Luria (Shaar Ruach HaKodesh, p. 11b) describes a rectification ritual
known as tikkun kareis. He writes as follows: “One who is awake all night and does not sleep at all, and
immerses himself in the study of Torah that entire night will exempt himself from one punishment of
kareis if, Heaven forbid, he has incurred it. Each night exempts one kareis.”
So here we have it.  One night of all night-learning can rectify one violation of Kareis.

THE THOUGHT PROCESS
Rav Chaim Vital, the foremost student of the AriZal, adds more information about the exact kavanos –
intentions that one must have while learning Torah for the rectification: One must connect his
neshamah to the root above, thus rectifying Adam Elyon. Practically, this means that he should focus
and picture his neshama connecting and originally emanating from the upper heavenly sphere.

THE FOUR CAVEATS
Other caveats that Rav Chaim Vital adds are to refrain from 1] haughtiness, 2] anger, 3] being makpid –
being overly-strict with people, and 4] lashon ha’ra.  It is, of course, worthwhile to study an overview of
each of these midos and actions to ensure that one does not violate them.

WHAT TO STUDY
Rav Alexander Ziskind of Grodno (d. 1794) author of the Sefer Yesod VeShoresh HaAvodah (Shaar
HaKollel) adds to this. He writes that it is proper to study a subject that is related to the sin that one has
committed, and that there are some propitious times for this ritual. The two most propitious times are
during Yamim Nora’im and during the weeks of Shovevim Tat.
What is “Shovevim Tat”? It is a special time when teshuvah is more effective: the weeks that we read
Sh’mos, Va’eira, Bo, BeShallach, Yisro, Mishpatim, Terumah, and Tetzaveh. The names of these
parashios form the acronym “Shovevim Tat,” which means “those who return.” He also adds that,
ideally, one should perform this tikkun while standing.

WHO ELSE DISCUSSES IT
Does anyone else discuss this tikkun? Do any of the standard rabbinical texts and sources reference it?
Are there any any Litvishe—non-Chassidish and non-Sephardic gedolim—who discuss it?
The answer is yes. The Chofetz Chaim discusses it.  But first some background:
The Rif (Rabbi Yitzchok Alfasi) is known for his commentary summarizing the more pertinent aspects of
the Talmud for us. The problem is that he did not write such a work on the order of the Talmud known
as Kodshim. To help fill this lacuna, the Chofetz Chaim himself wrote such a work, called Likutei
Halachos. In the beginning of Maseches Kerisus the Chofetz Chaim references this custom cited in the
Kabbalistic texts of Tikkun Kareis.

SOMETHING ELSE TO STUDY
The Chofetz Chaim adds the following words after he discusses the minhag of Tikkun Kareis: “It is certain
that if a person learns the entire maseches that deals with the punishment of kareis and the ways to
avoid it, it will be enormously effective in cleansing his neshamah.” He further adds that it is especially
true if he knows it well. There are 28 pages in Kerisus (and it is only one volume in the ArtScroll), so it
should not be stupendously difficult to master.

A LIST OF FASTS
The AriZal also provides a list of sins with a corresponding number of fasts that will atone for those sins
(also in Shaar Ruach HaKodesh). The commentators ask (see Ohr LeTzion Vol. III, Ch. 30) an interesting
question: Do these fasts atone for every instance of that particular sin, or is the entire cadre of fasts
listed necessary for each and every instance of violation of each sin? Or perhaps is there a sort of “all-
day pass” that requires more fasts, but not the entire list for each violation?
It seems that the answer to this question is cause for debate among halachic (or kabbalistic-halachic)
authorities. The first Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liady, writes in chapter three of his
Iggeres HaTeshuvah (found in the Tanya) that it is necessary to fast three times the amount listed in the
AriZal’s list, and the entire aveirah is thus fully atoned for. Rav Yoseph Chaim in response Rav Pealim
(Vol. III, No. 35) writes that one only need follow the AriZal’s formula once, and each violation of that sin
in the past is atoned for.

REDEEMING FASTS WITH TZEDAKAH
There is also an accepted practice to redeem the fasts with tzedakah. This practice is cited by the
Mishnah Berurah, the GraZ, and the Kaf HaChaim (O.C. 119:15). To calculate the proper amount, one
must figure out the portion cost per meal (for that day) and multiply it by the numbers listed by the
AriZal. He also points out that one cannot mix tikkunim; each fasting for a particular sin must be kept
separate.

ONLY AFTER AGE TWENTY
The punishment of kareis is only for prohibitions one committed after the age of 20. So even though one
is certainly liable for sins committed at age 13–20 (12–20 for girls), the punishment of kareis does not
begin until one’s 20th birthday. Some authorities read the Rambam as being of the opinion that liability
for kareis begins at 13; they infer this from what he writes in the laws of milah, that from age 13 if one
did not yet have a b’ris milah he must do so, and if he does not, he is chayav kareis. However, the
Rambam clearly writes in his commentary to the seventh chapter of Sanhedrin that the period for kareis
begins at age 20.

NO PREREQUISITE OF WARNING
To be liable for kareis, there is no prerequisite of hasra’ah (warning). The reason is that since the
punishment is meted out by Heaven, it is clearly known in the heavenly courts what the perpetrators
intentions were.

CONCLUSION
In conclusion, we see that there are steps by which one can recover from a kareis violation. They
involve sincere repentance, special kavanos, and all-night Torah study. Ultimately, it is worthwhile to
pursue, since Hashem does not want the death or destruction of those who sin. Rather, He desires our
penance and return to Torah and His ways. The Yom Tov of Shavuos is coming up and it gives people an
opportunity to learn all night.  We should take advantage of it.