It is written, “And let your camp be holy” (Devarim 23:15). Just as there is a border surrounding the various hosts and camps of the Shechinah, all of whom are called “holy,” so too the body and limbs of a human being comprise a “camp,” which if sanctified is also called the “camp of the Shechinah.” Thus it is written, “And I will be sanctified in the midst of (or “within”) the children of Israel” (Vayikra 22:32), and “I will dwell among (or “within”) them” (Shemos 25:8). But if a person heads in a bad direction he brings into himself the camp of the Sitra Achara. Therefore one should develop the habit of reciting this brief prayer: “Master of the Universe! Cause me to merit becoming a throne for the Shechinah!” For when the body is sanctified it becomes the throne of the Shechinah, which has a tremendous longing to settle upon the bodies of the righteous, whereas if a person perverts his ways the opposite occurs, Heaven forbid. This is concept is mentioned in the Zohar (Parashas Noach 68b) in connection with the verse, “And the [water] bore up the ark and it was raised from upon the earth” (Bereishis 7:17): “That is, when there are sinners in the world the Shechinah abandons the earth.” The Shechinah is called an “ark” — teivah — because if one changes the order of the letters of the word teivah (תיבה) it spells out the words Beis H[ashem] (בית ה') — the “House of Hashem.” The same passage elaborates on some of the ways in one can sanctify the body, the primary one being through studying Torah as much as possible. It is especially important to study at night, just before going to sleep. Thus it is related in Midrash HaNe’elam (Zohar Chadash 30b) in the name of Rabbi Yehudah: “Every night Metat, the Prince of the Countenance, takes the souls of all who study Torah and displays them before the Holy One Blessed is He. The ministering angels delay singing their song of praise until the souls of the righteous join with them and then they all sing together to God On High.”
Another strategy for sanctifying one’s body is to be very meticulous in the reciting of Shema, pronouncing it with great concentration, one word at a time. For the Shema contains 248 words corresponding to the 248 limbs of the body and it is taught in Zohar Chadash (59a) that if a person recites the Shema properly each word bestows its influence upon the corresponding limb. But if one recites it hastily and carelessly while thinking about other matters, so that his mind does not realize what his mouth is saying, then every limb draws upon it the Sitrah Acharah.. This causes his body to be afflicted with illness and suffering, all because he was not careful to recite the Shema with concentration.
To understand why this is so one must first know what is written in the book K’li Chemdah on Parashas Bereishis (Drush 2). There it is taught that just as a man’s 248 limbs and 365 sinews correspond to and are subordinate to the 248 positive and 365 negative commandments, so too the various lands and places in the world correspond to and are subordinate to the positive and negative commandments. [This is true of the beasts and birds as well. They, too, are apportioned among the limbs of the human body and are subordinate to the corresponding commandments.] Thus the scholars of earlier generations have said that the scorpion is under the dominion of the commandment of circumcision. The proof to this is that if the foreskin of an infant, who has never experienced an emission, is placed upon the wound of a scorpion, the pain abates and the danger passes. Another amazing remedy to be aware of is the placing of an infant’s foreskin in the mouth of a newborn to prevent him from ever suffering from epilepsy.
A person should also know that if he accepts his afflictions with love and affection then those very afflictions will refine, purify and sanctify his body to a great extent. It is explained in the Zohar in Parashas Shelach (168a) that the human soul is likened to a lamp. When a lamp does not give off sufficient illumination the usual procedure is to shake it a little until it burns properly. This is effective, however, only if the lamp is of high quality. If it is of low quality, such shaking will cause it to be extinguished altogether. Similarly, when someone sins his soul ceases to illuminate his body as it should. Therefore the Holy One Blessed is He brings upon him afflictions to shake him up. If he accepts them lovingly, his soul returns to radiating even greater than before. But if he does not accept them with love, then he is not illuminated even as much as before. On the contrary, the afflictions only make him worse, causing indictments to be raised against him until he plummets to the depths of Gehinnom. Let the one who fears the word of Hashem choose life. Then all will be well with him.
כְּתִיב (דְּבָרִים כג, טו): "וְהָיָה מַחֲנֶיךָ קָדוֹשׁ", כְּשֵׁם שֶׁיֵּשׁ גְּבוּל בְּכִתּוֹת וּמַחֲנוֹת הַשְּׁכִינָה, שֶׁנִּקְרָאִים קְדוֹשִׁים — כֵּן נָמֵי בְּגוּף הָאָדָם וְאֵבָרָיו, הֵם נִקְרָאִים מַחֲנֶה, בְּעִנְיָן אִם הָאָדָם מְקַדֵּשׁ אֶת גּוּפוֹ וְאֵבָרָיו בְּעִנְיְנֵי הַקְּדֻשָּׁה, אָז אֵבָרָיו שֶׁלּוֹ נִקְרָאִים מַחֲנֵה שְׁכִינָה מַמָּשׁ, וַעֲלֵיהֶם נֶאֱמַר: "וְנִקְדַּשְׁתִּי בְּתוֹךְ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְשָׁכַנְתִּי בְּתוֹכָם". וּכְשֶׁהוֹלֵךְ הָאָדָם בְּדֶרֶךְ לֹא טוֹב, אֲזַי הוּא מַכְנִיס עַצְמוֹ לִהְיוֹת מַחֲנֶה לְסִטְרָא אָחֳרָא. עַל כֵּן יִהְיֶה שָׁגוּר בְּפִי הָאָדָם לוֹמַר תְּפִלָּה קְצָרָה: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, זַכֵּנִי לִהְיוֹת כִּסֵּא לַשְּׁכִינָה! כִּי כְּשֶׁהַגּוּף הוּא בִּקְדֻשָּׁה, נַעֲשָׂה כִּסֵּא לַשְּׁכִינָה, כִּי זֶהוּ חֵשֶׁק וְתַאֲוָה לַשְּׁכִינָה לִשְׁרוֹת עַל גּוּפוֹת הַצַּדִּיקִים. מַה שֶּׁאֵין כֵּן כְּשֶׁיְּסַלֵּף אָדָם אֶת דַּרְכּוֹ, הוּא לְהִפּוּךְ, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם. כִּדְאִיתָא בַּזֹּהַר פָּרָשַׁת נֹחַ בַּפָּסוּק: וַיִּשְׂאוּ אֶת הַתֵּבָה, וְתָרֹם מֵעַל הָאָרֶץ — בְּגִין דְּחוֹטְאִין בְּעָלְמָא, שְׁכִינְתָּא מִסְתַּלֶּקֶת מִן אַרְעָא. וְהַשְּׁכִינָה נִקְרֵאת תֵּבָה, כִּי תֵּבָה הוּא אוֹת בֵּי"ת — הֵ"א בְּהִפּוּך אָתוֹן. וְשָׁם בַּזֹּהַר מְבֹאָר דְּבָרִים הַשַּׁיָּכִים אֶל קְדֻשַּׁת הַגּוּף וְאֵבָרָיו. וְעִקַּר מָקוֹם לְכָל הַקְּדֻשּׁוֹת — לְקַדֵּשׁ גּוּפוֹ בְּלִמּוּד הַתּוֹרָה מַאי דְּאֶפְשָׁר, וּבִפְרָט קֹדֶם שֶׁיֵּלֵךְ לִישֹׁן בַּלַּיְלָה, כִּדְאִיתָא בַּמִּדְרָשׁ הַנֶּעֱלָם: אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה: אֵין לְךָ בְּכָל לַיְלָה, שֶׁאֵינוֹ אוֹחֵז מַטַּטְרוֹן, שַׂר הַפְּנִים, כָּל הַנְּשָׁמוֹת הָעוֹסְקִים בַּתּוֹרָה וּמַרְאֶה אוֹתָן לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וּמַמְתִּינִים מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת מִלּוֹמַר שִׁירָה, עַד שֶׁיִּכָּנְסוּ נַפְשׁוֹת הַצַּדִּיקִים עִמָּהֶם וְיֹאמְרוּ בְּיַחַד לְאֵל עֶלְיוֹן מִקְּדֻשַּׁת הַגּוּף.
It is written, “And let your camp be holy” (Devarim 23:15). Just as there is a border surrounding the various hosts and camps of the Shechinah, all of whom are called “holy,” so too the body and limbs of a human being comprise a “camp,” which if sanctified is also called the “camp of the Shechinah.” Thus it is written, “And I will be sanctified in the midst of (or “within”) the children of Israel” (Vayikra 22:32), and “I will dwell among (or “within”) them” (Shemos 25:8). But if a person heads in a bad direction he brings into himself the camp of the Sitra Achara. Therefore one should develop the habit of reciting this brief prayer: “Master of the Universe! Cause me to merit becoming a throne for the Shechinah!” For when the body is sanctified it becomes the throne of the Shechinah, which has a tremendous longing to settle upon the bodies of the righteous, whereas if a person perverts his ways the opposite occurs, Heaven forbid. This is concept is mentioned in the Zohar (Parashas Noach 68b) in connection with the verse, “And the [water] bore up the ark and it was raised from upon the earth” (Bereishis 7:17): “That is, when there are sinners in the world the Shechinah abandons the earth.” The Shechinah is called an “ark” — teivah — because if one changes the order of the letters of the word teivah (תיבה) it spells out the words Beis H[ashem] (בית ה') — the “House of Hashem.” The same passage elaborates on some of the ways in one can sanctify the body, the primary one being through studying Torah as much as possible. It is especially important to study at night, just before going to sleep. Thus it is related in Midrash HaNe’elam (Zohar Chadash 30b) in the name of Rabbi Yehudah: “Every night Metat, the Prince of the Countenance, takes the souls of all who study Torah and displays them before the Holy One Blessed is He. The ministering angels delay singing their song of praise until the souls of the righteous join with them and then they all sing together to God On High.”
וְכֵן יְדַקְדֵּק אָדָם בַּאֲמִירַת קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע בְּכַוָּנָה גְּדוֹלָה וּמִלָּה בְּמִלָּה, כִּי יֵשׁ בִּקְרִיאַת שְׁמַע רמ"ח תֵּבוֹת נֶגֶד רמ"ח אֵבָרִים. וְאִיתָא בְּזֹהַר חָדָשׁ: כָּל אָדָם, שֶׁקּוֹרֵא קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע כִּדְקָא יָאוּת — כָּל תֵּבָה וְתֵבָה מַשְׁפִּיעַ בְּכָל אֵבָר וְאֵבָר דִּילֵיהּ; וְאִם אֵינוֹ קוֹרֵא קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע בְּכַוָּנָה, כִּי אִם בִּמְהִירוּת וַעֲרַאי, וּבְלִבּוֹ הוּא מְהַרְהֵר בַּעֲסָקִים אֲחֵרִים, וְלֵב אֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ מַה שֶּׁהַפֶּה מְדַבֵּר — אֲזַי כָּל אֵבָר וְאֵבָר שׁוֹאֵב עָלָיו סִטְרָא אָחֳרָא, וְעַל יְדֵי כֵּן בָּאִים חֳלָאִים וּמַכְאוֹבִים עַל גּוּפוֹת בְּנֵי אָדָם עַל אֲשֶׁר אֵינָן נִזְהָרִין לִקְרוֹת קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע בְּכַוָּנָה.
Another strategy for sanctifying one’s body is to be very meticulous in the reciting of Shema, pronouncing it with great concentration, one word at a time. For the Shema contains 248 words corresponding to the 248 limbs of the body and it is taught in Zohar Chadash (59a) that if a person recites the Shema properly each word bestows its influence upon the corresponding limb. But if one recites it hastily and carelessly while thinking about other matters, so that his mind does not realize what his mouth is saying, then every limb draws upon it the Sitrah Acharah.. This causes his body to be afflicted with illness and suffering, all because he was not careful to recite the Shema with concentration.
וְהָעִנְיָן, שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לֵידַע מַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב בַּסֵּפֶר "כְּלִי חֶמְדָה" פָּרָשַׁת בְּרֵאשִׁית: כִּי כְּשֵׁם שֶׁרמ"ח אֵבָרִים וְשס"ה גִּידִין שֶׁל הָאָדָם מְכֻוָּנִים וּמְשֻׁעְבָּדִים תַּחַת רמ"ח מִצְווֹת עֲשֵׂה וְשס"ה מִצְווֹת לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה, הָכֵי נָמֵי אַרְצוֹת תֵּבֵל וּמְקוֹמוֹת שֶׁל הָעוֹלָם מְכֻוָּנִים וּמְשֻׁעְבָּדִים תַּחַת רמ"ח מִצְווֹת עֲשֵׂה וְשס"ה מִצְווֹת לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה נֶגֶד אֵבָרִים וְגִידִים שֶׁל הָאָדָם. וְאָמְרוּ הָרִאשׁוֹנִים, כִּי עַקְרָב מָסוּר תַּחַת מֶמְשֶׁלֶת מִצְוַת מִילָה, וְזֶה מוֹפֵת, שֶׁאִם יִשֹּׁךְ הָעַקְרָב — אִם יָשִׂימוּ עַל הַנָּשׁוּךְ בְּרִית מִילָה שֶׁל תִּינוֹק, שֶׁלֹּא רָאָה קֶרִי — יִשְׁקֹט הַכְּאֵב וּמִסְתַּלֵּק הַסַּכָּנָה. וְעוֹד סְגֻלָּה נִפְלָאָה לְתִינוֹק הַנּוֹלָד, שֶׁלֹּא יִקְרֶה עָלָיו חֹלִי נִכְפֶּה, בַּר מִנַּן: מִיָּד כְּשֶׁנּוֹלַד, יָשִׂימוּ בְּפִיו בְּרִית קֹדֶשׁ שֶׁל תִּינוֹק, וְיִהְיֶה נִצּוֹל כָּל יָמָיו מֵחֹלִי נִכְפֶּה.
To understand why this is so one must first know what is written in the book K’li Chemdah on Parashas Bereishis (Drush 2). There it is taught that just as a man’s 248 limbs and 365 sinews correspond to and are subordinate to the 248 positive and 365 negative commandments, so too the various lands and places in the world correspond to and are subordinate to the positive and negative commandments. [This is true of the beasts and birds as well. They, too, are apportioned among the limbs of the human body and are subordinate to the corresponding commandments.] Thus the scholars of earlier generations have said that the scorpion is under the dominion of the commandment of circumcision. The proof to this is that if the foreskin of an infant, who has never experienced an emission, is placed upon the wound of a scorpion, the pain abates and the danger passes. Another amazing remedy to be aware of is the placing of an infant’s foreskin in the mouth of a newborn to prevent him from ever suffering from epilepsy.
עוֹד דַּע, כִּי הַיִּסוּרִים הַבָּאִים עַל הָאָדָם — אִם הוּא מְקַבֵּל עָלָיו בְּאַהֲבָה וּבְחִבָּה — אֲזַי אוֹתָן יִסּוּרִין מְזַכִּין וּמְטַהֲרִים וּמְקַדְּשִׁים אֶת הַגּוּף מְאֹד. וְהָעִנְיָן מְבֹאָר בַּזֹּהַר, פָּרָשַׁת לֵךְ לְךָ, כִּי נִשְׁמַת הָאָדָם נִמְשֶׁלֶת לְנֵר, וְטֶבַע הַנֵּר — כְּשֶׁאֵינוֹ מֵאִיר, אֲזַי מְנַעְנְעִין אוֹתוֹ קְצָת — וְיִתְלַהֵב יוֹתֵר וּמֵאִיר כָּרָאוּי, וְזֶה דַּוְקָא בְּנֵר יָפֶה, מַה שֶּׁאֵין כֵּן בְּנֵר גָּרוּעַ. אַדְּרַבָּה: בְּנַעְנוּעוֹ אוֹתוֹ, יִכְבֶּה הַנֵּר. וּכְמוֹ כֵן אָדָם, בִּהְיוֹתוֹ חוֹטֵא — הַנְּשָׁמָה אֵינָהּ מְאִירָה בְּתוֹךְ גּוּפוֹ כָּרָאוּי, אֲזַי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שׁוֹלֵחַ עָלָיו יִסּוּרִים, הַמְנַעְנְעִים אוֹתוֹ וּמְזַעְזְעִים אוֹתוֹ; וְכַאֲשֶׁר יְקַבֵּל בְּאַהֲבָה — אֲזַי חוֹתֶרֶת הַנְּשָׁמָה לִהְיוֹת מְאִירָה יוֹתֵר מִבָּרִאשׁוֹנָה; וְאִם אֵינוֹ מְקַבֵּל בְּאַהֲבָה — אֲזַי אֵינוֹ זוֹכֶה לְהָאִיר כְּבָרִאשׁוֹנָה, וְיִסּוּרִין מַרְעִין לוֹ, וְהַדִּין מִתְעוֹרֵר עָלָיו עַד יְרִידָתוֹ לְשׁוּחָה עֲמֻקָּה שֶׁל גֵּיהִנָּם, וְהַיָּרֵא דְּבַר ה', יִבְחַר בַּחַיִּים וְטוֹב לוֹ.
A person should also know that if he accepts his afflictions with love and affection then those very afflictions will refine, purify and sanctify his body to a great extent. It is explained in the Zohar in Parashas Shelach (168a) that the human soul is likened to a lamp. When a lamp does not give off sufficient illumination the usual procedure is to shake it a little until it burns properly. This is effective, however, only if the lamp is of high quality. If it is of low quality, such shaking will cause it to be extinguished altogether. Similarly, when someone sins his soul ceases to illuminate his body as it should. Therefore the Holy One Blessed is He brings upon him afflictions to shake him up. If he accepts them lovingly, his soul returns to radiating even greater than before. But if he does not accept them with love, then he is not illuminated even as much as before. On the contrary, the afflictions only make him worse, causing indictments to be raised against him until he plummets to the depths of Gehinnom. Let the one who fears the word of Hashem choose life. Then all will be well with him.