In Pirkei Avoth we learn that Yirah (fear/awe) must preceed one's Torah learning.
In the Midrash, we learn that HaShem created the world initially out of Din, (judgement/might) and then joined it with Rahamim. (Mercy)
The Ramhal (Rav Mosheh Hayyim Luzzato) along with other mekubalim, (like R' Immanuel Hai Reiki in Mishnath Hasidim) explains that this Gevurah (Din) is the initial Tzimtzum that created the empty space into which the world was created. As they explain, the Tzimtzum is the root of the creation of the kli, the vessel.
It seems to me that the reason our Yirah must precede our learning, our Hochmah/wisdom, is because we need to create the vessel first that will contain our learning.
The Notzer Hesed explains that learning the secrets of the Torah, in the Zohar and the recorded writings of the Arizal, gives us proper Yirah. He says that even young children should be educated in these secrets so that they will have proper Yirah.
From this we can perhaps even understand that the learning that we do that is not l'shmah (for its own sake) still leads to learning l'shmah, because it creates the vessel for our future learning. How does it create the vessel? Through our learning, we see how much we don't know, we learn that there is so much still to learn, we get the smallest glimpse of just how great HaShem and His Torah are. This brings us to awe, which creates the vessel for our future learning.
30.4.08
say a little, do a lot
The Baal HaTanya explains today that in Shema Yisrael we take upon ourselves the yolk of heaven in word, but in Shemoneh Esrei, the silent amidah, the yolk of heaven actually rests upon us.
conversations overheard
Rebbe Nachman brings two teachings related to one another and to this time of year:
If one pays attention to the conversations of women, one can gain insight into the current state of the Shechinah. (Likkutei Moharan I:203)
If one pays attention [during the Sefirat haOmer] to the discussions that take place over the course of the day, one will see that they are all related to the sefirah of the particular day. (Likkutei Moharan I:182)
This goes to the heart of the Baal Shem Tov's torah that everything you experience is part of a private dialog between you and HaShem.
If one pays attention to the conversations of women, one can gain insight into the current state of the Shechinah. (Likkutei Moharan I:203)
If one pays attention [during the Sefirat haOmer] to the discussions that take place over the course of the day, one will see that they are all related to the sefirah of the particular day. (Likkutei Moharan I:182)
This goes to the heart of the Baal Shem Tov's torah that everything you experience is part of a private dialog between you and HaShem.
28.4.08
a little bit of knowledge
With the days of Gevurah ahead of us in the counting of the Omer, I feel myself falling into a deep heaviness. Today I felt helpless to raise myself up, even knowing full well that if I want it and push for it, nothing can keep the Jewish Neshamah down.
Then I remembered the Torah lesson I fear most. The Baal Shem Tov explains that sometimes HaShem turns His countenance away from us, HaShem (figuratively) hides from us. Other times though, He even hides the fact that He is hiding from us. In other words, sometimes we don't even realize He's hiding from us. This teaching scares me more than any other, because what do I do if I feel close to HaShem? How will I know if He isn't really hiding far from me, and I don't even know it?
So when I realized that I was feeling distant from HaShem it brought me great joy. At least I know that right now He isn't hiding the fact that He's hiding from me!
There's still a ways to go and the whole week of Gevurah, might, will be a challenge, but a challenge with a silver lining, for if we manage to harness this divine might and channel it into serving HaShem, then we have gained immeasurably.
Then I remembered the Torah lesson I fear most. The Baal Shem Tov explains that sometimes HaShem turns His countenance away from us, HaShem (figuratively) hides from us. Other times though, He even hides the fact that He is hiding from us. In other words, sometimes we don't even realize He's hiding from us. This teaching scares me more than any other, because what do I do if I feel close to HaShem? How will I know if He isn't really hiding far from me, and I don't even know it?
So when I realized that I was feeling distant from HaShem it brought me great joy. At least I know that right now He isn't hiding the fact that He's hiding from me!
There's still a ways to go and the whole week of Gevurah, might, will be a challenge, but a challenge with a silver lining, for if we manage to harness this divine might and channel it into serving HaShem, then we have gained immeasurably.
27.4.08
filling empty voids
The Noam Elimelech teaches (Parashath Ekev) that there are two components to the performance of the mitzwoth. The first is the action, the physical performance of the mitzwah. The second is the thought involved. The thought is inherently a recognition of anavah, humility.
Humility, he explains, is referred to as 'ekev' which hints at lowliness for it is the hebrew word for the heel, but ekev also hints at constancy. Humility is a constant avodah, we need to focus on and be aware of our humility and take strides to strengthen it at all times. It must pervade our every act.
This is in keeping with Rebbe Natan's teachings in Likkutei Halachoth about how we must connect each of our limbs to the humility and emunah of Mosheh Rabbeinu, in order that we may completely receive the Torah. (mentioned previously in 'bread of humility')
This past Shabbath, the seventh day of Pesah, I explained among other things an understanding about the word Har - mountain. We see that often Har is associated with negative connotations. (Tehillim: I look to the mountains, from whence will come my aid?; Talmud: Tzaddikim see that their yetzer hara was like a great mountain.) Yet we also see that Har Sinai is where the Torah was given, just as Har HaMoriah is called Har HaTov - the good mountain, by Mosheh Rabbeinu.
How can we understand this discrepancy? It seems to my limited understanding that the word Har represents something that is full. The fullness can either be from Kedushah, or Heaven forebid the opposite. If we don't fill a vaccum with Kedushah, the other is inevitable.
Which begs the question, how do we ensure we are full of Kedushah? The midrash explains that Har Sinai was the place where we received the Torah because of its great Humility. Similarly we know that Mosheh Rabbeinu merited to receive the Torah because he was exceedingly humble. The midrash Otiot d'Rabbi Akiva teaches that the letter Aleph, was chosen to begin the ten commandments because it didn't complain when the Torah was begun with a Bet. So we see that all the elements of matan Torah, were exemplary in their humility.
So too, the Noam Elimelech is teaching us, if we want HaShem to be present and take part in our mitzwoth, then our humility must be at the forefront of all our actions. This, I believe, is the essence of the teaching of the Baal Shem Tov (which we first mentioned in 'helping us (all) along') that the performance of the mitzwoth is beyond us and it is only out of the great kindness of HaShem that he gives us the ability to complete the mitzwoth, doing all the heavy lifting (as it were) himself.
In fact, the Noam Elimelech goes on to explain that in exchange for our performance of the mitzwoth through action AND humility, HaShem gives us also two things: the ability to perform the mitzwoth, (Something we have a better understanding and appreciation of thanks to what we just addressed) and goodness in this life. (It is known that the reward for mitzwoth is only in the next world, but out of love for our performance of mitzwoth HaShem (in His infinite Kindness) gives us kindness in this world.)
Humility, he explains, is referred to as 'ekev' which hints at lowliness for it is the hebrew word for the heel, but ekev also hints at constancy. Humility is a constant avodah, we need to focus on and be aware of our humility and take strides to strengthen it at all times. It must pervade our every act.
This is in keeping with Rebbe Natan's teachings in Likkutei Halachoth about how we must connect each of our limbs to the humility and emunah of Mosheh Rabbeinu, in order that we may completely receive the Torah. (mentioned previously in 'bread of humility')
This past Shabbath, the seventh day of Pesah, I explained among other things an understanding about the word Har - mountain. We see that often Har is associated with negative connotations. (Tehillim: I look to the mountains, from whence will come my aid?; Talmud: Tzaddikim see that their yetzer hara was like a great mountain.) Yet we also see that Har Sinai is where the Torah was given, just as Har HaMoriah is called Har HaTov - the good mountain, by Mosheh Rabbeinu.
How can we understand this discrepancy? It seems to my limited understanding that the word Har represents something that is full. The fullness can either be from Kedushah, or Heaven forebid the opposite. If we don't fill a vaccum with Kedushah, the other is inevitable.
Which begs the question, how do we ensure we are full of Kedushah? The midrash explains that Har Sinai was the place where we received the Torah because of its great Humility. Similarly we know that Mosheh Rabbeinu merited to receive the Torah because he was exceedingly humble. The midrash Otiot d'Rabbi Akiva teaches that the letter Aleph, was chosen to begin the ten commandments because it didn't complain when the Torah was begun with a Bet. So we see that all the elements of matan Torah, were exemplary in their humility.
So too, the Noam Elimelech is teaching us, if we want HaShem to be present and take part in our mitzwoth, then our humility must be at the forefront of all our actions. This, I believe, is the essence of the teaching of the Baal Shem Tov (which we first mentioned in 'helping us (all) along') that the performance of the mitzwoth is beyond us and it is only out of the great kindness of HaShem that he gives us the ability to complete the mitzwoth, doing all the heavy lifting (as it were) himself.
In fact, the Noam Elimelech goes on to explain that in exchange for our performance of the mitzwoth through action AND humility, HaShem gives us also two things: the ability to perform the mitzwoth, (Something we have a better understanding and appreciation of thanks to what we just addressed) and goodness in this life. (It is known that the reward for mitzwoth is only in the next world, but out of love for our performance of mitzwoth HaShem (in His infinite Kindness) gives us kindness in this world.)
15.4.08
fabric of song
There are many ways in which humankind are animal, but there are ways in which humanity is undeniably different. True, if we abdicate our ability to grow beyond our animal nature we become it. But, in the instances that we manage to overcome, to shine the light of a mitzwah, the light of our neshama on the world, something totally beyond nature can be glimpsed.
Rav Azulai in Hesed L'Avraham (4:3) explains the difference: HaShem, being the ultimate source and root of all of creation, created each creation out of a subset or lone aspect of the totality of His expression, His komah, His level. Man however, HaShem created in His image, a representation of His complete level.
This difference plays out in a very practical way: Because all of creation is rooted in HaShem's image, and we were created in HaShem's image, we can take responsibility for the livelihood of all of creation.
I wanted to expand on this teaching to understand how the world's underlying means of management is song. The Zohar begins in Parashath Bereishith explaining how the letters of the Torah are directed and animated by the ta'amim, the musical notes. All of creation follows the underlying tune, the niggun. Indeed the word Bereishith itself is an anagram of Shirath Av, a father's song. So too, Yisrael, who is created in the image of God, is an anagram of Shir E-l. (Godly Song)
Rav Azulai continues to explain that each element of creation has a specific song, [described in Perek Shirah] yet man has the ability to understand and unify and bring out the depth of all of the songs of creation through his tefilloth. All of creation (even the heavens) is compelled to raise up the words, the breaths, and even the sounds of man's Tefillah, so that all may be blessed.
What we see from all this is that truly, on the deepest of levels, HaShem runs the world through song, and that through our song we are given to care for and nurture all of creation, just as Adam HaRishon was the caretaker of Gan Eden. Lest we worry that perhaps our vocal skills aren't up to the challenge. The concept of song itself is a complex one. The Zohar quoted earlier refers to the music as ta'amim, which bears also the connotation of meanings. It is clear from everything we know about prayer that it must come from the heart, and what comes out from the heart enters the heart. As the Talmud explains, HaShem wants our hearts. (רחמנא ליבא בעי) When we pray from the depths of our hearts, that is the most crisp, most pure song that could be. When it is clear from our prayers that HaShem is the creator of all, and upon him, solely, we rely. That is the most beautiful song.
Rav Azulai in Hesed L'Avraham (4:3) explains the difference: HaShem, being the ultimate source and root of all of creation, created each creation out of a subset or lone aspect of the totality of His expression, His komah, His level. Man however, HaShem created in His image, a representation of His complete level.
This difference plays out in a very practical way: Because all of creation is rooted in HaShem's image, and we were created in HaShem's image, we can take responsibility for the livelihood of all of creation.
I wanted to expand on this teaching to understand how the world's underlying means of management is song. The Zohar begins in Parashath Bereishith explaining how the letters of the Torah are directed and animated by the ta'amim, the musical notes. All of creation follows the underlying tune, the niggun. Indeed the word Bereishith itself is an anagram of Shirath Av, a father's song. So too, Yisrael, who is created in the image of God, is an anagram of Shir E-l. (Godly Song)
Rav Azulai continues to explain that each element of creation has a specific song, [described in Perek Shirah] yet man has the ability to understand and unify and bring out the depth of all of the songs of creation through his tefilloth. All of creation (even the heavens) is compelled to raise up the words, the breaths, and even the sounds of man's Tefillah, so that all may be blessed.
What we see from all this is that truly, on the deepest of levels, HaShem runs the world through song, and that through our song we are given to care for and nurture all of creation, just as Adam HaRishon was the caretaker of Gan Eden. Lest we worry that perhaps our vocal skills aren't up to the challenge. The concept of song itself is a complex one. The Zohar quoted earlier refers to the music as ta'amim, which bears also the connotation of meanings. It is clear from everything we know about prayer that it must come from the heart, and what comes out from the heart enters the heart. As the Talmud explains, HaShem wants our hearts. (רחמנא ליבא בעי) When we pray from the depths of our hearts, that is the most crisp, most pure song that could be. When it is clear from our prayers that HaShem is the creator of all, and upon him, solely, we rely. That is the most beautiful song.
13.4.08
the completion of shabbos
The Bnei Yissachar (Nisan:3) humbly offers a chidush regarding why Shabbath HaGadol, the Shabbath before Pesah, ("The Great Shabbat") bears its name.
Since the time of our forefathers, they were practicing the Torah in all its nuances, but there was one area of halachah that remained undecided. They didn't know whether their practicing of the 613 mitzwoth exempted them from the 9 mitzwoth of the children of Noah. You might say that the 613 mitzwoth contain the 9 mitzwoth, true, but there are still very practical differences.
For example, he goes on to explain, once an animal has been slaughtered according to Jewish ritual law, the animal is now permissible for Jews to eat even if it is still kicking, whereas, since there is no concept of a proper way to slaughter animals for Bnei Noah, they must wait until the animal is dead, lest they transgress the prohibition of eating the limb of a living animal. (Whereas for Jews, the prohibition is only relevant before slaughter but not afterwards. Please note however that this is all a very technical example, but without the necesary information to derive practical halachah.) This safek, the doubt as to how to classify the children of Avraham, Yitzhak and Yaakov before Sinai, was actually at the root of the dispute between Yosef and his brothers. He told his father (Yaakov Avinu) that his brothers were transgressing the law of Bnei Noah by not waiting until the animal had died, whereas the brothers believed that since they kept all 613 mitzwoth of the Torah that they were exempt from the 9 mitzwoth of Bnei Noah.
This uncertainty created a major problem for our forefathers because it is clearly prohibited for a Bnei Noah to observe the Shabbath. Yet, if they wanted to properly keep the Torah, Shabbath observance is a major tenet of the 613 mitzwoth. What did they do as a result? They would observe the Shabbath flawlessly, except for a single transgression introduced in order to take into account this confounding uncertainty.
The Bnei Yissachar goes on to explain that the Rabbis all agree that according to the Torah, for a Bnei Noah there is only one valid way to purchase something. There is a disagreement as to what that one way is, but everyone agrees that there is only one way, it is either through meshicha pulling something into your possession, or through kesef, paying money for something. Rashi and Rabbeinu Tam disagree as to which way it is, but everyone agrees that one opinion is right and one wrong.
When HaShem commanded Bnei Yisrael to take the Pesah lamb, He tells Mosheh to tell them, "Pull and Take for you." The word used to Take here is a word that carries the connotation of purchasing with money. From the fact that HaShem, whose knowledge is without limit, commanded them to purchase the Pesah lamb both through pulling it into their possession, AND through paying money for it, Bnei Yisrael finally understood that they were no longer considered Bnei Noah. How so? Well, everyone agrees that Bnei Noah have only one way to purchase, meaning a second way would be irrelevant, and lest you say that they performed both kinds of purchasing just to be sure, there was no need 'to be sure' because HaShem doesn't have any 'doubt' about which kind of purchase is a valid purchase. (The Bnei Yissachar goes on to illustrate this chidush a little further, but this post is already complex enough.)
[To anyone who was brave enough to follow this far and hasn't gotten confused, I just wanted to reflect on this idea:] Stop and think about this. Their whole lives, for as many as five or six generations they had been guarding and keeping the Shabbath in every detail, except at one point each and every Shabbath, because of one uncertainty, they had to break the Shabbath somehow. No matter how small the transgression, it was an acknowledgement that they couldn't keep the Shabbath in its entirety. For more than four hundred years they ALMOST kept Shabbath. (that's more than 20,000 Shabbaths!)Can you imagine what it was like on Shabbath HaGadol, THE GREAT SHABBATH, that Bnei Yisrael kept Shabbath for the first time? Can you imagine the rejoicing and the singing?.. Can you imagine Seudah Shlishit, the third and final meal when they approached the end of Shabbath and they could hardly believe that this was it, this was their first Shabbath ever.
Shabbath is tantamount to the Beit HaMikdash. What Shabbath is to time, the Beit HaMikdash is to space. The Torah speaks about the completion of the Mishkan and the completion of the Beit HaMikdash, but for me this is the first time I ever heard about the completion of Shabbath. And we know, that while we don't have the Mishkan nor the Beit HaMikdash, we still have Shabbath. Shabbath and the Jewish people have celebrated thousands of years together. Wherever there is a Jew, that's where Shabbath will be. Shabbath and the Jewish people are inseparable. We can't begin to imagine the rejoicing of that first union.
That's why it's called The Great Shabbath.
May we all merit to experience A Great Shabbath this week, and may it uplift us into Pesah like we never experienced it before. (This year Shabbath HaGadol runs right into the first night of Pesah, when one ends the other begins.)
Since the time of our forefathers, they were practicing the Torah in all its nuances, but there was one area of halachah that remained undecided. They didn't know whether their practicing of the 613 mitzwoth exempted them from the 9 mitzwoth of the children of Noah. You might say that the 613 mitzwoth contain the 9 mitzwoth, true, but there are still very practical differences.
For example, he goes on to explain, once an animal has been slaughtered according to Jewish ritual law, the animal is now permissible for Jews to eat even if it is still kicking, whereas, since there is no concept of a proper way to slaughter animals for Bnei Noah, they must wait until the animal is dead, lest they transgress the prohibition of eating the limb of a living animal. (Whereas for Jews, the prohibition is only relevant before slaughter but not afterwards. Please note however that this is all a very technical example, but without the necesary information to derive practical halachah.) This safek, the doubt as to how to classify the children of Avraham, Yitzhak and Yaakov before Sinai, was actually at the root of the dispute between Yosef and his brothers. He told his father (Yaakov Avinu) that his brothers were transgressing the law of Bnei Noah by not waiting until the animal had died, whereas the brothers believed that since they kept all 613 mitzwoth of the Torah that they were exempt from the 9 mitzwoth of Bnei Noah.
This uncertainty created a major problem for our forefathers because it is clearly prohibited for a Bnei Noah to observe the Shabbath. Yet, if they wanted to properly keep the Torah, Shabbath observance is a major tenet of the 613 mitzwoth. What did they do as a result? They would observe the Shabbath flawlessly, except for a single transgression introduced in order to take into account this confounding uncertainty.
The Bnei Yissachar goes on to explain that the Rabbis all agree that according to the Torah, for a Bnei Noah there is only one valid way to purchase something. There is a disagreement as to what that one way is, but everyone agrees that there is only one way, it is either through meshicha pulling something into your possession, or through kesef, paying money for something. Rashi and Rabbeinu Tam disagree as to which way it is, but everyone agrees that one opinion is right and one wrong.
When HaShem commanded Bnei Yisrael to take the Pesah lamb, He tells Mosheh to tell them, "Pull and Take for you." The word used to Take here is a word that carries the connotation of purchasing with money. From the fact that HaShem, whose knowledge is without limit, commanded them to purchase the Pesah lamb both through pulling it into their possession, AND through paying money for it, Bnei Yisrael finally understood that they were no longer considered Bnei Noah. How so? Well, everyone agrees that Bnei Noah have only one way to purchase, meaning a second way would be irrelevant, and lest you say that they performed both kinds of purchasing just to be sure, there was no need 'to be sure' because HaShem doesn't have any 'doubt' about which kind of purchase is a valid purchase. (The Bnei Yissachar goes on to illustrate this chidush a little further, but this post is already complex enough.)
[To anyone who was brave enough to follow this far and hasn't gotten confused, I just wanted to reflect on this idea:] Stop and think about this. Their whole lives, for as many as five or six generations they had been guarding and keeping the Shabbath in every detail, except at one point each and every Shabbath, because of one uncertainty, they had to break the Shabbath somehow. No matter how small the transgression, it was an acknowledgement that they couldn't keep the Shabbath in its entirety. For more than four hundred years they ALMOST kept Shabbath. (that's more than 20,000 Shabbaths!)Can you imagine what it was like on Shabbath HaGadol, THE GREAT SHABBATH, that Bnei Yisrael kept Shabbath for the first time? Can you imagine the rejoicing and the singing?.. Can you imagine Seudah Shlishit, the third and final meal when they approached the end of Shabbath and they could hardly believe that this was it, this was their first Shabbath ever.
Shabbath is tantamount to the Beit HaMikdash. What Shabbath is to time, the Beit HaMikdash is to space. The Torah speaks about the completion of the Mishkan and the completion of the Beit HaMikdash, but for me this is the first time I ever heard about the completion of Shabbath. And we know, that while we don't have the Mishkan nor the Beit HaMikdash, we still have Shabbath. Shabbath and the Jewish people have celebrated thousands of years together. Wherever there is a Jew, that's where Shabbath will be. Shabbath and the Jewish people are inseparable. We can't begin to imagine the rejoicing of that first union.
That's why it's called The Great Shabbath.
May we all merit to experience A Great Shabbath this week, and may it uplift us into Pesah like we never experienced it before. (This year Shabbath HaGadol runs right into the first night of Pesah, when one ends the other begins.)
10.4.08
plight of the naked soul
What's the point of the Neshama coming into this world? When it leaves this world it can go no higher than the source from which it was originally carved. Up there it will remain pure but down here there is nothing but risk, and how many Neshamoth get to say they came out of this world unharmed, pure as when they came into it?
These aren't my questions, they are the questions of Rav Avraham Azulai as recorded in his sefer Hesed L'Avraham (4:4). (you can find the complete hebrew text online here) But, more importantly what are his answers?
He explains that before the Neshama comes down into this world, she is the daughter of the King who is locked away in a safe place, but she cannot come before the presence of the King because she has no clothing. It is only after she comes down into this world and is clothed in all the lower layers of soul, Ruah, Nefesh, and even a physical body, that she can perform mitzwoth. The mitzwoth are her only clothing, and after 120 years when she returns to her Father, her clothes allow her to gaze at His Countenance, and derive great unmeasurable pleasure from it.
So you see, without ever coming into this world it might seem like she remains more pure, but she remains unfulfilled, isolated, and distanced from her own Father.
[I shared this with the Taxi driver who brought me to work today, I saw a Likkutei Moharan in his door when I got in, though he wasn't wearing a kippah. He asked me what I was learning so I told him a little about Rav Azulai, and about his great-grandson, the Chida, about the Ohr HaHayyim, the Chida's teacher, and so on. So, he said, he lived around the time of Rebbe Nachman, I agreed more or less. I asked him if he had been to Uman, he said he went last Elul but he still needs to 'strengthen' his faith.. I said Amen, we all need to. I'm envious that he has been to Uman and I haven't, but I didn't tell him that. Though I was very happy that he had been.]
These aren't my questions, they are the questions of Rav Avraham Azulai as recorded in his sefer Hesed L'Avraham (4:4). (you can find the complete hebrew text online here) But, more importantly what are his answers?
He explains that before the Neshama comes down into this world, she is the daughter of the King who is locked away in a safe place, but she cannot come before the presence of the King because she has no clothing. It is only after she comes down into this world and is clothed in all the lower layers of soul, Ruah, Nefesh, and even a physical body, that she can perform mitzwoth. The mitzwoth are her only clothing, and after 120 years when she returns to her Father, her clothes allow her to gaze at His Countenance, and derive great unmeasurable pleasure from it.
So you see, without ever coming into this world it might seem like she remains more pure, but she remains unfulfilled, isolated, and distanced from her own Father.
[I shared this with the Taxi driver who brought me to work today, I saw a Likkutei Moharan in his door when I got in, though he wasn't wearing a kippah. He asked me what I was learning so I told him a little about Rav Azulai, and about his great-grandson, the Chida, about the Ohr HaHayyim, the Chida's teacher, and so on. So, he said, he lived around the time of Rebbe Nachman, I agreed more or less. I asked him if he had been to Uman, he said he went last Elul but he still needs to 'strengthen' his faith.. I said Amen, we all need to. I'm envious that he has been to Uman and I haven't, but I didn't tell him that. Though I was very happy that he had been.]
8.4.08
the rumblings of future triumph
When Mosheh Rabbeinu recalls HaShem's commands regarding entering the Holy Land, he speaks of the nations Amon and Moav as well as Edom. In the discussion he states some points that seem important only as historical trivia. Details like which nation dwelled in the land before Amon, Moav, or Edom inherited them, and what their various names were.
The Noam Elimelech says that the Torah is the furthest thing from a history lesson, and so these passages carry within them deep lessons. What kind of lessons? Mosheh Rabbeinu is showing us how to overcome our enemies. Even enemies such as Amon and Moav who had a connection with and the protection of Avraham Avinu, as well as Edom, who had the merit of the honor he showed his father Yitzhak Avinu. Because of their merits, we weren't permitted to war with them, so Mosheh Rabbeinu, in recounting their histories, tied them to the Sarim (the angelic rulers) of the nations they had defeated. In doing so, he uprooted their merits and opened the door to their ultimate destruction. Just as the Sarim had been defeated, so too would those who were tied to them be defeated.
This is a valuable lesson for us to understand the infinitely subtle and farsighted True Kindness of HaShem that is the driving force behind all of history. Our enemies today take on a name for themselves, not just any name, but the name of the nation who once inhabited our land. We don't have Mosheh Rabbeinu nowadays to tie our enemies to the fallen Sarim, so HaShem allows history to play out in such a way that it is done for us.
Just as the Plishtim, the Philistines fell before HaShem's first born, Yisrael, so too God-willing will the Palestinians (who chose to tie themselves to the name of a long dead idolatrous people, rather than to the merits of Yishmael) fall before HaShem's first born, Yisrael. Right now it seems like their name is a source of strength (a flag behind which many people may unite and gain recognition) but the time is approaching when it will become their undoing.
Speedily and in our days. Amen. Netzah. Selah. va'Ed.
[this is post #702 on this blog, gematria Shabbath שבת - may this post be an indication of the endless Shabbat to come, and may we all merit to experience it in HaShem's infinite mercy in our immediate future.]
The Noam Elimelech says that the Torah is the furthest thing from a history lesson, and so these passages carry within them deep lessons. What kind of lessons? Mosheh Rabbeinu is showing us how to overcome our enemies. Even enemies such as Amon and Moav who had a connection with and the protection of Avraham Avinu, as well as Edom, who had the merit of the honor he showed his father Yitzhak Avinu. Because of their merits, we weren't permitted to war with them, so Mosheh Rabbeinu, in recounting their histories, tied them to the Sarim (the angelic rulers) of the nations they had defeated. In doing so, he uprooted their merits and opened the door to their ultimate destruction. Just as the Sarim had been defeated, so too would those who were tied to them be defeated.
This is a valuable lesson for us to understand the infinitely subtle and farsighted True Kindness of HaShem that is the driving force behind all of history. Our enemies today take on a name for themselves, not just any name, but the name of the nation who once inhabited our land. We don't have Mosheh Rabbeinu nowadays to tie our enemies to the fallen Sarim, so HaShem allows history to play out in such a way that it is done for us.
Just as the Plishtim, the Philistines fell before HaShem's first born, Yisrael, so too God-willing will the Palestinians (who chose to tie themselves to the name of a long dead idolatrous people, rather than to the merits of Yishmael) fall before HaShem's first born, Yisrael. Right now it seems like their name is a source of strength (a flag behind which many people may unite and gain recognition) but the time is approaching when it will become their undoing.
Speedily and in our days. Amen. Netzah. Selah. va'Ed.
[this is post #702 on this blog, gematria Shabbath שבת - may this post be an indication of the endless Shabbat to come, and may we all merit to experience it in HaShem's infinite mercy in our immediate future.]
the debt of hametz
ואם לוה ככר קודם פסח, מוטב להחזירו קודם פסח ואם לא החזירו קודם יחזירנו אחר פסח ואין בזה חשש, ואם לא יחזירו יש בזה משום גזל: - if one borrows a loaf of bread before Pesah, it is better to return the loaf before Pesah, but if one didn't one should [definitely] return it after Pesah and there is no need to worry. And if someone did not return the loaf after Pesah, it becomes a problem of robbery.The Ben Ish Hai (Year one, parashath Tzav, letter yud) explains an interesting dilemma: If you owe someone a loaf of bread before Pesah, and you give them back a loaf of bread after Pesah, is this problematic?
It is better to return any debts of Hametz before Pesah. Though, if one did pay back the debt after Pesah, there is no problem with it. (For those who would like to look into this halachah in further depth, it is discussed in Siman תנ - 450 in the Shulchan Aruch, Beit Yosef, Aruch HaShulchan etc. The explanation in the Shulchan Aruch HaRav (found online here) is especially clear and thorough.)
To me this is an interesting question. It's as if we're getting into the realm of quantum-mechanics-like questions. Does the debt purport some kind of potential existence of this loaf of bread over Pesah? All the halachic inquiries deal with whether there was any kind of connection between the debt and any actual hametz that might be said to be in quasi-possession of the Jew over Pesah. In the end, even if a non-jew pays back a debt to a Jew (from before or (i think even on Pesah)) after Pesah with hametz that was prepared on Pesah, there is still no problem.
When I learned this halachah I liked the intellectual elegance of it; But it took a practical turn when I remembered a coworker bought me a KitKat (actually the Israeli equivalent: KifKef) a month or two ago and I never got around to paying them back. Now I know I should probably do it before Pesah to avoid any doubts.
2.4.08
prayers cleaving to prayers
We recently mentioned Rebbe Natan's explanation and understanding of the verse תפילה לעני כי יעטוף - "a prayer for the pauper when he will wrap.." He explained that prayer from the place of utter lack encompasses in its earnest simplicity all the prayers of others and brings them before HaShem.
The Noam Elimelech (Parashath Balak, i believe) explains it a little differently: He says that there are those people who are not on the level to have proper intentions, proper Kavanoth, while praying. In this case their Tefillah is like a body with no soul. Similarly they perform their mitzwoth as well, without lofty intentions, and so they too are compared to a soulless body.
The Tzaddik then, through his prayer, invests the body of other people's mitzwoth with a soul -- even their tefilloth, through his deep kavanoth. In this way, the prayer of the kavanah-poor person clothes and garbs the kavanoth of the Tzaddik's prayer. This is what is meant that the poor person's prayer will wrap [the Tzaddik's prayer.]
The Noam Elimelech (Parashath Balak, i believe) explains it a little differently: He says that there are those people who are not on the level to have proper intentions, proper Kavanoth, while praying. In this case their Tefillah is like a body with no soul. Similarly they perform their mitzwoth as well, without lofty intentions, and so they too are compared to a soulless body.
The Tzaddik then, through his prayer, invests the body of other people's mitzwoth with a soul -- even their tefilloth, through his deep kavanoth. In this way, the prayer of the kavanah-poor person clothes and garbs the kavanoth of the Tzaddik's prayer. This is what is meant that the poor person's prayer will wrap [the Tzaddik's prayer.]
1.4.08
wisdom is in the air of the land
Masechet Megilla (18a) brings a quote from Eretz Yisrael, "[if] a word is worth one coin, silence is worth two."
I love to find these quotes from Eretz Yisrael, it exposes some of the wisdom that the Babylonian Talmud chooses to associate with the land of Israel. For instance, what is special about Israel that encourages that particular saying? It would seem that this wisdom is applicable anywhere. Certainly we have in Pirkei Avoth, "siyag l'hochmah shtikah" - being silent is a fence around wisdom.
Ironically, everytime I think of something to write regarding this quote.. I feel the urge to be silent.
All I will say is that my grandfather always reminded me how important it is to take the time to think through your words before you let them out of your mouth. Today would have been his seventy eighth birthday, he passed away this year in Heshvan, my favorite month.
[for another example of wisdom from Eretz Yisrael in the Babylonian Talmud, see my post here from Masechet Horayos.]
לעילוי נשמת עובדיה בן רחל מתנה ויעקב אהרון
I love to find these quotes from Eretz Yisrael, it exposes some of the wisdom that the Babylonian Talmud chooses to associate with the land of Israel. For instance, what is special about Israel that encourages that particular saying? It would seem that this wisdom is applicable anywhere. Certainly we have in Pirkei Avoth, "siyag l'hochmah shtikah" - being silent is a fence around wisdom.
Ironically, everytime I think of something to write regarding this quote.. I feel the urge to be silent.
All I will say is that my grandfather always reminded me how important it is to take the time to think through your words before you let them out of your mouth. Today would have been his seventy eighth birthday, he passed away this year in Heshvan, my favorite month.
[for another example of wisdom from Eretz Yisrael in the Babylonian Talmud, see my post here from Masechet Horayos.]
לעילוי נשמת עובדיה בן רחל מתנה ויעקב אהרון
the judgement of the tzaddik is mercy
The Midrash speaks about how HaShem chose to create the world with Din, might and judgement, but saw that it couldn't stand so He partnered Rachamim, mercy, with it.
Many Hassidic Rebbes tackled the apparent change in HaShem's thought process, as if the Rabbis (chas v'shalom) were saying HaShem made a mistake. Of course He doesn't make mistakes, He's beyond time and infallible, so the concept of a mistake makes no sense in the context of HaShem. So what's the Midrash coming to teach us?
The Noam Elimelech has a unique take on this: He explains that there was no change, that the world still functions according to Din. But in order that the world would be able to exist, the Tzaddikim emerge in great Gevurah, great might, ascend to the root of all Din, and overcome and master the Judgement. Essentially the whole system works based on Gevurah or Din. Rachamim is the term for the victory of the Tzaddikim's Holy Gevurah over the natural Din HaShem bestowed within the system. This, he explains, is why the word 'partnered' (שתף) is used in the midrash as opposed to another word. HaShem allows the Tzaddikim through their great Holiness and desire to become partners in sustaining the world.
Many Hassidic Rebbes tackled the apparent change in HaShem's thought process, as if the Rabbis (chas v'shalom) were saying HaShem made a mistake. Of course He doesn't make mistakes, He's beyond time and infallible, so the concept of a mistake makes no sense in the context of HaShem. So what's the Midrash coming to teach us?
The Noam Elimelech has a unique take on this: He explains that there was no change, that the world still functions according to Din. But in order that the world would be able to exist, the Tzaddikim emerge in great Gevurah, great might, ascend to the root of all Din, and overcome and master the Judgement. Essentially the whole system works based on Gevurah or Din. Rachamim is the term for the victory of the Tzaddikim's Holy Gevurah over the natural Din HaShem bestowed within the system. This, he explains, is why the word 'partnered' (שתף) is used in the midrash as opposed to another word. HaShem allows the Tzaddikim through their great Holiness and desire to become partners in sustaining the world.
bread of humility
Rebbe Natan explains (Likkutei Halachoth - Hilchot Tefillin) that we are nourished not by the food we eat, but rather by the life-force within the food. If our bodies were purified in that they were completely humbled before HaShem, then we would be nourished directly from the life-force and the food itself would pass through us undigested.
It is only because we have not rectified our entire bodies, that we digest and use the corporeality of the food. Whichever part of our bodies have not properly been humbled cannot receive directly from the life-force within the food and so they are forced to consume the food itself in order to derive life.
This humility is an aspect of Mosheh Rabbeinu who was utterly humble. Each of our 248 limbs and 365 sinews must expose their potential humility which is the nature of Mosheh Rabbeinu that is latent within that body part. When our whole body is in a state of awareness of its dependence on and recognition of HaShem's might, then we don't need to eat at all. This is how Mosheh survived for one hundred and twenty days on Sinai without eating or drinking.
The reason, he explains, that our digestive functions produce putrid/disgusting byproducts is to remind us of how lowly and dependent we truly are.
It seems to me that this is good to keep in mind during the time between Purim and Pesah when we are meant to work on perfecting our ability to eat in holiness.
It is only because we have not rectified our entire bodies, that we digest and use the corporeality of the food. Whichever part of our bodies have not properly been humbled cannot receive directly from the life-force within the food and so they are forced to consume the food itself in order to derive life.
This humility is an aspect of Mosheh Rabbeinu who was utterly humble. Each of our 248 limbs and 365 sinews must expose their potential humility which is the nature of Mosheh Rabbeinu that is latent within that body part. When our whole body is in a state of awareness of its dependence on and recognition of HaShem's might, then we don't need to eat at all. This is how Mosheh survived for one hundred and twenty days on Sinai without eating or drinking.
The reason, he explains, that our digestive functions produce putrid/disgusting byproducts is to remind us of how lowly and dependent we truly are.
It seems to me that this is good to keep in mind during the time between Purim and Pesah when we are meant to work on perfecting our ability to eat in holiness.
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