15.4.07

depths of talmud

It was such a great shock and an even greater comfort to see the Noam Elimelech dissect the beginning of masechet Berachoth. Especially after my previous post on the topic. Of course, it's different when Reb Elimelech of Lizhensk talks about something, there's the weight of divine knowledge behind his words, but still, it was nice to feel at least that I knew something was there, even if I couldn't put my finger on it.

He explains that in this, the longest of the three exiles, Yitzhak Avinu's experiences stand as emblems of what our own experience's will be like. Unlike the first to exiles, where the Shechinah was under the influence of the foreign dominion, represented by Sarah Imenu being taken by Pharoah and then Avimelech, in this exile, Rivkah Imenu is never taken from Yitzhak Avinu. Rather, even Avimelech acknowledges that she is his wife and sees them enjoying eachother.

Similarly, the Noam Elimelech intimates, in this Galut, the Tzaddik (here called the כהן - Kohen) can eat from (take joy in) the Terumah (תרום ה - lift up the letter heh, through teshuvah) in other words, the Shechinah, and this is the hour in which we can call out to HaShem (קורין קריאת) and he will hear (שמע) our prayers in the night, (בערבית) this long and dark exile.

He goes on with this [see Noam Elimelech end of פרשת ויגש] into the words of the Gemara as well, but the essence of this teaching, to my humble understanding is that in this Galut, through teshuvah, (repentance) mitzwoth, and Torah, we can cleave to God's divine revellation. No matter how long and dark this exile is, the Shechinah is with us and caring for us, awaiting our call.

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