In this week’s parsha a census is conducted that counts the entire nation of Israel. God tells Moshe Rabeinu to count the Levites separately for, “... והיו לי הלויים/… the Levites shall be Mine.” Why did God single out the Levites? Why did He make them His? The Midrash, addressing this question, says that whoever brings God close, God, in turn, brings that person close to Him. After the sin of the golden calf, the Levites brought God close to them. In response to Moshe Rabbeinu’s call, “Whoever is for God, come to me!” “All the children of Levi gathered around him.” God, in turn, brought the Levites close to Him.
The Chiddushei HaRim points out, though, that the Levites were not the only ones who resisted the temptation to sin. In fact, most of the nation did not participate in the idol worship. Why, then, did God bring particularly the Levites close to Him? The Chiddushei HaRim notes, that there is a big difference between passively not sinning and actively taking a stand. According to the Chiddushei HaRim, Chazal are teaching us this difference. The Levites, by gathering around Moshe made a clear declaration that they rejected the idol worship and were for God alone. They actively drew Him near to them. While it is certainly true that most of the rest of the nation did not participate in the idol worship, neither did they do the much more difficult thing and actively take a stand against it. Therefore, in response to the Levites coming close to God, God drew them near to Him as well.
The Sfas Emes takes this concept a step further. We should not infer from the Midrash and the Chiddushei HaRim’s interpretation that either one has a relationship with God or one does not. The Sfas Emes infers that God relates to each of us according to the level of our faith in Him. The stronger our faith, the closer He draws us to Him. We find this concept in the first Midrash of this week’s parsha. The Midrash quotes a pasuk in Tehillim, “צדקתך כהררי אל משפטיך תהום רבה .../Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains; Your judgments are like the vast deep …” The Midrash says that the first part of the pasuk is an allusion to tzadikim/righteous people, whereas the second part of the pasuk alludes to resha’im/wicked people. The righteous who believe that God rules over every aspect of creation, large and small alike, merit seeing the hidden light in everything. The prophet Yeshaya says that the wicked do their deeds in darkness and say, “מי רֹאֵנו ומי יֹדעֵנו/Who sees us and who knows of us?” They do not believe that God sees their actions. Correspondingly, the truth is kept from them as we find in Iyov, “וימנע מרשעים אורם .../Light is withheld from the wicked.” We see, then, that whether God allows us to come close to Him, to feel His presence, is dependent upon our belief that His presence is with us. When we believe His presence is here in our lives, in everything, He allows us to experience it. If, on the other hand, we do not believe it, then God withholds His truth from us.
We find the same idea in a Midrash from parshas Naso. The Midrash says that whoever increases the glory of heaven, increases respect for himself as well. On the other hand, whoever decreases respect for heaven by increasing is own honor, actually decreases his own honor while the honor of heaven remains the same. What is the meaning of this Midrash? How does the honor of heaven remain the same if, by our actions, we decrease it?
This Midrash is based on the same concept that we’ve explained. Whether God’s presence is revealed or hidden is dependent on the intent we imbue in our actions. If we know and believe that we are a tool, an agent of God in this world, that we are not our own masters but rather, are doing the will of God, then God’s kingdom becomes more manifest; it becomes clearer that everything is from God. By striving to fulfill God’s will through our actions, by believing that God is with us, we increase the honor of heaven and as a result our own esteem increases as well. This is the meaning of the Midrash mentioned earlier on the pasuk, “צדקתך כהררי אל .../Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains …” The righteous see God in everything. They draw the honor of heaven into this world, into nature.
On the other hand, a person who believes that he is the master of all his actions, who acts to increase his own honor, is akin to an idol worshipper since he removes God from the equation. In this case, the glory of heaven remains as it was – hidden. The Zohar mentions the exact same idea on the pasuk, “שִׁחֵת לו לא בניו מומם .../Corruption is not His; it is His children’s flaw …” The Zohar explains that our corruption prevents blessing from reaching us. Since blessing does not reach us, we are flawed. God remains hidden.
The notion that we have the power to draw God’s glory into the finite, that God becomes revealed in this world as a result of our actions and thoughts is mentioned by the Chiddushei HaRim. In the first pasuk of this week's Haftara, God told the prophet Hoshea, “והיה מספר בני ישראל כחול הים אשר לא יִמד ולא יִסָפֵר/The number of the children of Israel will be like the sand of the sea which cannot be measured nor counted.” The Midrash points out the contradiction in this pasuk. The pasuk starts by relating to “the number of the children of Israel” and ends by asserting that “it cannot be measured nor counted.” Stating that there is a number implies knowledge of the number. Why can it not be counted? The Midrash answers that God showed Hoshea the Jewish nation through their significant numbers. First there was only one Jew – Avraham Aveinu. Then there were two, Avraham and Yitzhak. Then there were the three Avos followed by twelve tribes, seventy souls who went down to Egypt, 600,000 males who left Egypt and finally, he compared them to the sand and the stars which effectively have no number.
This resolves the contradiction but what is the point of it? What is the Midrash teaching us? The Chiddushei HaRim explains that “no number” represents the infinite. It represents God’s presence. Numbers represent the finite, nature. God told Hoshea that the nation of Israel has the ability to reveal the level of “no number” of the infinite within the level of “number” within the finite; we can elevate the physical, the finite to a higher level, to a level on which God is revealed in nature.
For this reason the beginning of this week’s parsha records the date on which God commanded Moshe Rabeinu to take a census of the nation. Why is the date of God’s instruction mentioned specifically by the mitzvah of the census? We live in the physical which is governed by time. Numbers, as we have seen connotes the physical. The Torah is teaching us that our main mission is to draw the light of the Torah and holiness into time, into the physical.
This Midrash teaches us how. We do it by harking back to our roots, to our forefathers. This is the reason for the census. It highlights the fact that although we are many, we come from one. The census reminds us of our roots. This is why God tells Moshe Rabeinu, “שאו את רֹאש כל עדת בני ישראל .../Take a census of the entire community of the children of Israel …” The literal translation is, “Take the heads of the entire …” ראש/Head connotes ראשית/first. It indicates that although we are many, we must connect to those who came before us. This is hinted at, also, by the way the census was conducted. The pasuk tells us that they declared their lineage according to their families and their paternal houses. This was not a simple head count. Each Jew is part of a family, a paternal house. Each one of us has a father who has a father who has a father in an unbroken chain leading back to our first father Avraham Avinu. This is the meaning of the pasuk in Tehillim, “אם לא שויתי ודוממתי נפשי כגמול עלי אמו .../I swear I compared my soul to a just weaned baby next to his mother …” We need to relate to our forebears like a just weaned baby relates to his mother. A just weaned baby yearns for his mother and understands intuitively that she is his source. So too, must we relate to our ancestors in this way. We need to feel, just like the baby, that we stem from our forebears.
The holy Rav of Parshischa explains that we connect to our roots, to our forefathers, to our heritage, through our actions. When our actions relate back to our roots, back to our forefathers, we merit infinite blessing. We find this concept in Tana D’vei Eliyahu. The prophet Eliyahu teaches us that each Jew must say, “מתי יגיע מעשי למעשי אבותי אברהם יצחק ויעקב/When will my actions reach the level of the actions of my forefathers Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov.” Does Eliyahu actually expect us to reach the level of the Avos? The Rav of Parshischa answers that the word יגיעו/reach has the same root as נגיעה, the Hebrew word for “connection” or “touch.” Eliyahu is not teaching us that we should aspire to reach the level of our forefathers. Each generation is different and we cannot compare the actions of one generation to the actions of another. Rather, he is teaching us that our actions must connect with and relate to the actions of our forefathers. We’ve connected with the Avos when we strive to emulate them. By connecting to our forefathers through our actions, we ultimately connect to the Source of life and draw God’s light into the physical world.
Monday, May 14, 2007
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Bechukosai 5636 Second Ma'amar
“ואולך אתכם קוממיות/I led you upright.” Rashi, quoting Chazal, explains that they left Egypt with an upright stance – בקומה זקופה. Walking erect connotes a sense of pride. In fact, Chazal explain further that we left Egypt walking uprightly and we were not afraid of anyone. Although the pasuk is referring to the Exodus, this is a forerunner of every future redemption.
This seems to contradict a different saying of Chazal, though, that in order to have proper awe of God, we may not walk upright because, as the prophet Yeshaya said, His glory fills the entire world. Walking with pride shows a lack of awe for God’s glory. How can we reconcile these two concepts? How can we walk uprightly, with a sense of pride when relating to the world but still feel God’s presence and be in awe of Him?
Chazal give us a clue in the previous pasuk, “והתהלכתי בתוככם/I will walk among you.” Chazal explain that in the future, God will walk among us (i.e. we will feel His presence) and yet, we will not tremble. Even though we will not tremble, Chazal tell us that we will still be in awe of God as the pasuk continues, “והייתי לכם לא-להים/I will be your God.” We see that it is possible to feel God’s presence, be in awe of Him and yet not to tremble. In fact, in another place Chazal teach us that we were created this way. Chazal tell us that one of the ways in which we are comparable to angels is that we walk erect. In the ideal world, we should be able to be in awe of God and still walk uprightly. The Sfas Emes explains, however, that since nowadays we are not yet in the ideal world, because of the distractions of this world, the only way to have proper awe is by physically acting out complete subservience.
Chazal are promising us that there will come a time when we will be so completely rectified that we will be able to accept upon ourselves the yoke of heaven, feel God’s presence and be in awe of Him without the need to manifest this awe by physically showing total subservience (i.e. a bent posture.) God Himself testifies that we were on this level when we left Egypt – “I led you out with an upright stance.”
This seems to contradict a different saying of Chazal, though, that in order to have proper awe of God, we may not walk upright because, as the prophet Yeshaya said, His glory fills the entire world. Walking with pride shows a lack of awe for God’s glory. How can we reconcile these two concepts? How can we walk uprightly, with a sense of pride when relating to the world but still feel God’s presence and be in awe of Him?
Chazal give us a clue in the previous pasuk, “והתהלכתי בתוככם/I will walk among you.” Chazal explain that in the future, God will walk among us (i.e. we will feel His presence) and yet, we will not tremble. Even though we will not tremble, Chazal tell us that we will still be in awe of God as the pasuk continues, “והייתי לכם לא-להים/I will be your God.” We see that it is possible to feel God’s presence, be in awe of Him and yet not to tremble. In fact, in another place Chazal teach us that we were created this way. Chazal tell us that one of the ways in which we are comparable to angels is that we walk erect. In the ideal world, we should be able to be in awe of God and still walk uprightly. The Sfas Emes explains, however, that since nowadays we are not yet in the ideal world, because of the distractions of this world, the only way to have proper awe is by physically acting out complete subservience.
Chazal are promising us that there will come a time when we will be so completely rectified that we will be able to accept upon ourselves the yoke of heaven, feel God’s presence and be in awe of Him without the need to manifest this awe by physically showing total subservience (i.e. a bent posture.) God Himself testifies that we were on this level when we left Egypt – “I led you out with an upright stance.”
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Bechukosai 5636 First Ma'amar
“אם בחֻקֹתי תלכו .../If you will follow my statues …” Chazal tell us that בחֻקֹתי/my statutes” from the root חֹק/statute refers to mitzvos that have no apparent reason. The prohibition against wearing a garment made of linen and wool, for example, is a decree having no apparent reason. It is a חֹק/statute. “תלֵכו/You will follow” on the other hand, from the root הלוך/go, implies a reasoned decision. People generally think about where they want to go. Decide. Then go. It seems that חֹק/statute with הלוך/go is an awkward combination.
Addressing this issue, the Midrash quotes a pasuk in Tehillim, “חִשבתי דרכי ואשיבה רגלי אל עדֹתיך/I considered my ways and returned my feet to Your testimonies.” “עדֹתיך/Your testimonies” refer to the mitzvos. David HaMelech is saying that to attain clarity in action and thought it is not enough to rely on our logical faculty. We need to perform the mitzvos. In Mishlei we find, “ועל בינתך אל תִּשָׁעֵן/Do not rely on your own understanding.”
In what capacity, then, can we use our mental abilities, our logic in serving God? The Sfas Emes explains that we should use our intelligence to understand the need to perform God’s mitzvos and submit to Him. We need to understand and consciously consider before any act that this act is for the sake of God, lesheim shamayim. “... בחֻקֹתי תלֵכו .../… You will follow my statues …” then means, “Use your intelligence to submit to My will.”
We see this idea in the Midrash that Rashi quotes to explain, “אם בחֻקֹתי תלֵכו .../If you follow my statues …” The Midrash says that this cannot refer to performing mitzvos since the very next words in the pasuk are, “ואת מצותי תשמרו/and keep my mitzvos.” Rather, the Midrash says, it is referring to laboring at studying the Torah. How do the words, “אם בחֻקֹתי תלֵכו .../If you follow my statues …” refer to laboring at Torah? According to the Sfas Emes, Chazal are teaching us that we must use our power of reason represented by “הלוך/go” to know what to do to submit to God’s will represented by “חֹק/statute.”
The Sfas Emes is teaching us that we reach uprightness by performing mitzvos rather than trying to figure it out for ourselves. We use our intelligence to understand what we must do to submit to God’s will.
Clarifying the point further, Chazal tell us that regarding words of Torah a person should make himself like an ox to a yoke and a donkey to a burden. The Sfas Emes explains that just as an ox must go wherever the yoke leads him, so a person should follow the will of God wherever it leads him. Just as a donkey carries his burden, so a person carries with him the entire Creation which is elevated because of him.
This double comparison exactly parallels learning Torah and performing mitzvos. We need to learn Torah to determine the will of God and follow it just as an ox is lead by the yoke. When we learn Torah with this in mind, our actions are influenced as well. We take a moment before a mitzvah to consider, “I am doing God’s will.” Then our actions are elevated and become a vehicle for elevating the entire Creation just as the donkey carries his burden.
The results are illustrated in the next p’sukim which describe a world of plenty. Our actions, with the proper intent, draw the power of Torah into the physical world even to the point where barren trees, representing the lowest most impure places, are imbued with that power and give fruit.
Addressing this issue, the Midrash quotes a pasuk in Tehillim, “חִשבתי דרכי ואשיבה רגלי אל עדֹתיך/I considered my ways and returned my feet to Your testimonies.” “עדֹתיך/Your testimonies” refer to the mitzvos. David HaMelech is saying that to attain clarity in action and thought it is not enough to rely on our logical faculty. We need to perform the mitzvos. In Mishlei we find, “ועל בינתך אל תִּשָׁעֵן/Do not rely on your own understanding.”
In what capacity, then, can we use our mental abilities, our logic in serving God? The Sfas Emes explains that we should use our intelligence to understand the need to perform God’s mitzvos and submit to Him. We need to understand and consciously consider before any act that this act is for the sake of God, lesheim shamayim. “... בחֻקֹתי תלֵכו .../… You will follow my statues …” then means, “Use your intelligence to submit to My will.”
We see this idea in the Midrash that Rashi quotes to explain, “אם בחֻקֹתי תלֵכו .../If you follow my statues …” The Midrash says that this cannot refer to performing mitzvos since the very next words in the pasuk are, “ואת מצותי תשמרו/and keep my mitzvos.” Rather, the Midrash says, it is referring to laboring at studying the Torah. How do the words, “אם בחֻקֹתי תלֵכו .../If you follow my statues …” refer to laboring at Torah? According to the Sfas Emes, Chazal are teaching us that we must use our power of reason represented by “הלוך/go” to know what to do to submit to God’s will represented by “חֹק/statute.”
The Sfas Emes is teaching us that we reach uprightness by performing mitzvos rather than trying to figure it out for ourselves. We use our intelligence to understand what we must do to submit to God’s will.
Clarifying the point further, Chazal tell us that regarding words of Torah a person should make himself like an ox to a yoke and a donkey to a burden. The Sfas Emes explains that just as an ox must go wherever the yoke leads him, so a person should follow the will of God wherever it leads him. Just as a donkey carries his burden, so a person carries with him the entire Creation which is elevated because of him.
This double comparison exactly parallels learning Torah and performing mitzvos. We need to learn Torah to determine the will of God and follow it just as an ox is lead by the yoke. When we learn Torah with this in mind, our actions are influenced as well. We take a moment before a mitzvah to consider, “I am doing God’s will.” Then our actions are elevated and become a vehicle for elevating the entire Creation just as the donkey carries his burden.
The results are illustrated in the next p’sukim which describe a world of plenty. Our actions, with the proper intent, draw the power of Torah into the physical world even to the point where barren trees, representing the lowest most impure places, are imbued with that power and give fruit.
Monday, May 07, 2007
Behar 5636 First Ma'amar
At the end of parshas Behar we find, “כי לי בני ישראל עבדים עבדי הם .../For the children of Israel are servants to me; they are my servants…” Why the repetition? The Sfas Emes explains that first God chooses the children of Israel. Then, the children of Israel choose God by accepting upon themselves the yoke of heaven. This idea is clearly the meaning of two p’sukim in parshas Ki Savo, “את ה' האמרת היום/Today you have made God unique.” In the next pasuk we find, “וה' האמירך היום/And God has made you unique today.”
The Sfas Emes teaches that there is a continuum of acceptance ranging from no acceptance at all to complete acceptance. He alone rules over us to the extent that we subordinate ourselves to Him. We find this concept earlier in this week’s parsha. The pasuk states, “כי עבדי הם ... לא ימכרו ממכרת עבד/For they are my servants … they will not be sold like slaves.” These very same words, “עבדי הם/they are my servants” appear in the pasuk referred to earlier. This pasuk ends with a prohibition against selling a Jew on an auction block in the fashion that slaves are sold, “לא ימכרו ממכרת עבד/ they will not be sold like slaves.” The Sfas Emes teaches us that this prohibition is also a promise. To the extent that we subordinate ourselves to God, we will not be subject to the rule of others. We find this idea in Pirkei Avos as well, “Whoever accepts upon himself the yoke of Torah, the yoke of government is removed from him.” According to the Sfas Emes, this is not all or nothing, black or white. Rather, to the extent that we accept the yoke of Torah, the yoke of government is removed.
The Sfas Emes teaches that there is a continuum of acceptance ranging from no acceptance at all to complete acceptance. He alone rules over us to the extent that we subordinate ourselves to Him. We find this concept earlier in this week’s parsha. The pasuk states, “כי עבדי הם ... לא ימכרו ממכרת עבד/For they are my servants … they will not be sold like slaves.” These very same words, “עבדי הם/they are my servants” appear in the pasuk referred to earlier. This pasuk ends with a prohibition against selling a Jew on an auction block in the fashion that slaves are sold, “לא ימכרו ממכרת עבד/ they will not be sold like slaves.” The Sfas Emes teaches us that this prohibition is also a promise. To the extent that we subordinate ourselves to God, we will not be subject to the rule of others. We find this idea in Pirkei Avos as well, “Whoever accepts upon himself the yoke of Torah, the yoke of government is removed from him.” According to the Sfas Emes, this is not all or nothing, black or white. Rather, to the extent that we accept the yoke of Torah, the yoke of government is removed.
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Emor 5632 Second Ma'amar
In the previous ma’amar, the Sfas Emes explains how to reach pure intention in the service of God. He teaches that there is a two step process. First, God brings us close to Him. “Us,” the Sfas Emes, makes clear, refers to the nation of Israel as a whole. It is important for us, then, to identify with and view ourselves as part of the nation in order to be included in this. Once God brings us near, we accept His rule over us and subordinate all our desires and actions to Him. This acceptance results in purity of intention.
This ma’amar further expounds on this concept. To continue to exist, the physical world needs to constantly receive spiritual sustenance. The mechanism for infusing this life force includes the ten sayings with which God created the world. Through the ten sayings the world receives the spiritual sustenance it needs to continue to exist. A pasuk in Tehillim suggests this, “יום ליום יביע אומר .../Day to day utters speech …” The plain meaning of this pasuk is that the daily workings of the universe cause us to utter praises to God each day for each day the Creation is renewed. The Sfas Emes explains that the word אומר/speech in this pasuk is an allusion to the sayings through which spiritual power comes into the world.
The chapter in Tehillim continues by comparing the rising of the sun with a groom who emerges from his chamber in the morning. The Midrash explains the comparison. Just as a groom enters in purity and emerges impure so too the sun goes from purity to impurity. The physical in relation to the spiritual realms is called impure because it cannot exist without the spiritual much like a body is dead without the soul. Each day God renews the workings of the Creation and draws new life from the source of life to all the creations. In this context purity represents life that comes from the source of life whereas impurity is the physical Creation without the spiritual.
We see that אמירה/saying connotes a connection with the source of life. In this context the Midrash on the parsha tells us that Israel needs two אמירות/sayings. The Sfas Emes expounds. We need to desire to become pure by accepting God over us. We can succeed only by first identifying with and feeling a part of the nation of Israel.
Significantly, another Midrash in this week’s parsha states that slander prevents purity. According to the Sfas Emes, this is because a person who slanders another Jew is not feeling a part of the nation of Israel. He is therefore missing the first “אמירה/saying.” He is missing the first essential step in the process of becoming pure in his service to God.
The Sfas Emes clearly is teaching that the way to succeed in avodas HaShem is by developing a strong sense of identity with Knesses Yisrael. May we merit it!
This ma’amar further expounds on this concept. To continue to exist, the physical world needs to constantly receive spiritual sustenance. The mechanism for infusing this life force includes the ten sayings with which God created the world. Through the ten sayings the world receives the spiritual sustenance it needs to continue to exist. A pasuk in Tehillim suggests this, “יום ליום יביע אומר .../Day to day utters speech …” The plain meaning of this pasuk is that the daily workings of the universe cause us to utter praises to God each day for each day the Creation is renewed. The Sfas Emes explains that the word אומר/speech in this pasuk is an allusion to the sayings through which spiritual power comes into the world.
The chapter in Tehillim continues by comparing the rising of the sun with a groom who emerges from his chamber in the morning. The Midrash explains the comparison. Just as a groom enters in purity and emerges impure so too the sun goes from purity to impurity. The physical in relation to the spiritual realms is called impure because it cannot exist without the spiritual much like a body is dead without the soul. Each day God renews the workings of the Creation and draws new life from the source of life to all the creations. In this context purity represents life that comes from the source of life whereas impurity is the physical Creation without the spiritual.
We see that אמירה/saying connotes a connection with the source of life. In this context the Midrash on the parsha tells us that Israel needs two אמירות/sayings. The Sfas Emes expounds. We need to desire to become pure by accepting God over us. We can succeed only by first identifying with and feeling a part of the nation of Israel.
Significantly, another Midrash in this week’s parsha states that slander prevents purity. According to the Sfas Emes, this is because a person who slanders another Jew is not feeling a part of the nation of Israel. He is therefore missing the first “אמירה/saying.” He is missing the first essential step in the process of becoming pure in his service to God.
The Sfas Emes clearly is teaching that the way to succeed in avodas HaShem is by developing a strong sense of identity with Knesses Yisrael. May we merit it!
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