The Secret of Tomer Devorah: Becoming More Like God

On the 23rd of Tammuz we mark the hilula (yahrzeit) of Rabbi Moshe Cordovero — the great Kabbalist known as the Ramak. 

Rabbi Moshe Cordovero passed away just over 450 years ago at the remarkably young age of only forty-eight. Yet during his short lifetime, he authored an astonishing thirty books. At his funeral, his disciple, the holy Arizal, delivered a moving eulogy, declaring, "Here lies the Ark of the Torah." The Arizal also testified that the Ramak left this world completely free of sin.

Why Is God Called "The Humiliated King"?

Among the Ramak's most beloved works is Tomer Devorah, a timeless guide to developing one's character by emulating the attributes of God. In this remarkable sefer, drawing upon ancient mystical teachings, the Ramak refers to God by an unusual title: "The Humiliated King."

Why would the King of kings be called "The Humiliated King"?

The Ramak explains that God loves us so deeply and is so closely connected to us that when we descend spiritually — when we find ourselves in dark and painful places, He, so to speak, accompanies us there. He never abandons us.

The angels ask, "Master of the Universe! You are the exalted King of all creation. Why do You lower Yourself to such places?"

And yet He does. For this reason He is called the "Humiliated King."

This teaching offers extraordinary comfort. No matter how low a person may fall, God is still there. Even in our darkest moments, even in our failures, even in the places we would rather hide — He remains with us, waiting patiently for us to return.

Every Breath Comes from God

The Ramak continues with another profound insight. Every movement we make comes from God. He gives us the strength to move our hands, to walk with our feet, and to breathe each breath. We hear through the ears He created, we see through the eyes He sustains, and every moment of our existence depends entirely upon Him.

As the verse says, "You give life to all."

Sometimes, tragically, we misuse those very gifts. We may walk toward places we should not go. We may use our hands for actions we should never perform. Yet even then, God continues giving us the strength to move. He continues supplying life, energy, and vitality to every limb.

From this, the Ramak derives one of the greatest lessons in Jewish character development. If we aspire to resemble our Creator, we must learn to continue giving, even to those who have hurt us, disappointed us, or whom we feel do not deserve our kindness.

That is the Divine way.

A Powerful Segulah

The Rebbe of Sanz taught that anyone who establishes a regular study schedule in Tomer Devorah — even reading just a few lines each day, merits protection from severe illness.

It is also considered especially meaningful to read the entire book on the day of the Ramak’s yahrzeit. Those who do so are said to merit great blessings and salvation.

Some passages may be difficult to understand, but don't let that discourage you. Whatever you understand is a blessing. The most important goal is not simply to finish the book, but to absorb its message — to learn to imitate God's boundless compassion and to extend that same compassion to others.

May we merit to emulate God's attributes, deepen our compassion for others, and be blessed with abundant salvation and Divine kindness.