1. What is the nature of spiritual impurity (טומאה) and spiritual purity (טהרה)? The Chidushei HaRim explains that spiritual impurity means that one’s internal spiritual vitality has left him. The spiritually impure person can get it back by subordinating himself to God’s will. By disregarding his own life desires in favor of God’s he can renew his spiritual vitality. We learn this from the law of the Parah Adumah (red heifer). The ashes of the Parah Adumah are mixed with water and sprinkled on the impure person thus purifying him. According to the Chidushei HaRim these ashes suggest a nullification of one’s self. The lesson of the Parah Adumah is that by nullifying our own desires in favor of God’s, we come close to Him thereby renewing our own life force. This is why Parshas HaChodesh follows Parshas Parah. Parshas HaChodesh represents renewal (חודש/Month has the same root as חדש/new.)
The Sfas Emes understands this from the first Midrash in Chukas. The Midrash begins, “זאת חקת .../This is the law …” and then brings a pasuk from Iyov, “מי יתן טהור מטמא לא אחד/Who produces purity from impurity. No one!” The Midrash translates this pasuk, “Who produces purity from impurity? Is it not the One?” Producing purity from impurity seems impossible. However, it is only impossible if we believe that impurity has an autonomous existence. If we understand that even the impurity has a point of spiritual vitality at its core, that God gives existence to the impure as well, it becomes clear that the only difference between purity and impurity is how revealed that spiritual point of vitality is to us. This spiritual point is simply God’s life force.
Since this life force is ubiquitous and is the same for all, the Chidushei HaRim refers to it as, זאת/This (singular). The parsha of Parah Adumah appropriately begins with this word instead of אלה/These. The Parah Adumah contrasts with the golden calf where the idol worshipers said, “אלה אלהיך ישראל/Israel, these are your gods.” The ashes of the Parah Adumah teach us to subordinate ourselves to the One God, in contradistinction to idols that symbolize disparate forces in the world. In fact, Chazal teach us that the Parah Adumah is a rectification for the sin of the golden calf.
2. The Midrash says that we must keep the mitzvah of Parah Adumah simply because God decreed it. This implies that it has no reason. However another Midrash in the parsha tells us that God said He would reveal the reasons for this mitzvah to Moshe Rabeinu! Yet another Midrash tells us that Shlomo HaMelech understood the reason behind every mitzvah except for the mitzvah of Parah Adumah. Regarding Parah Adumah Shlomo HaMelech tells us in Koheles, “... אמרתי אחכמה והיא רחוקה ממני/… I said I will become wise but it eludes me.”
It is clear from these Midrashim that the mitzvah of Parah Adumah has reasons. The Sfas Emes explains that the reasons are above the natural world. A direct approach to finding the reasons therefore, will not work. The correct approach is to accept the mitzvah simply because God decreed it even though we do not understand. Then, paradoxically, God grants us an aspect of understanding as well. This is why God revealed the reasons to Moshe Rabeinu. Moshe Rabeinu represents the knowledge repository and highest level of the nation of Israel. On that level, God grants understanding. Shlomo HaMelech, on the other hand, wanted to understand the reasons for this mitzvah in order to become wise, “אמרתי אחכמה/I said I will become wise.” Because of his approach, understanding was kept from him, “והיא רחוקה ממני/but it eludes me.”
Showing posts with label Tisa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tisa. Show all posts
Friday, March 09, 2007
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Tisa 5631 First Ma'amar
In the beginning of this week’s parsha, Bezalel is appointed to build the Mishkan and its vessels. This is followed by an admonition to keep the Shabbos, “אך את שבתתי תשמרו .../Only keep my Sabbaths …” The word אך/only, is used in the Torah to exclude. Rashi explains that it comes here to exclude Shabbos from the work of the Mishkan. Bezalel and his team were not permitted to build the Mishkan on Shabbos. The Ramban has difficulty with this. The Ramban explains that when the word אך/only precedes a mitzvah, it restricts the application of the mitzvah. (e.g. אך/Only restricts the mitzvah of Shabbos with regard to circumcision. We may perform circumcisions on Shabbos.) Applying this logic to the Mishkan, if the word אך/only were coming to restrict Shabbos with regard to work on the Mishkan, it should mean that work on the Mishkan is permitted on Shabbos. Why, then, does Rashi say that from אך/only we learn that work on the Mishkan is prohibited on Shabbos?
In order to answer the Ramban’s question, we need to understand the relationship between Shabbos and the work of the Mishkan.
On Shabbos we can more easily be aware of and experience God’s presence. God’s presence, of course, is everywhere always. However, during the week it is more difficult to experience. He is hidden, in a manner of speaking. There are people, though, who experience God’s presence during the week as well. Torah scholars, for example, through their Torah learning, are aware of and experience God’s presence even during the week. This is why the Zohar calls Torah scholars Shabbos. In fact, Shabbos can be defined as a state of being connected to the God, the source of life.
The Chidushei HaRim points out that like Shabbos, the purpose of the Mishkan is the revelation of God’s presence. Sefer Shmos ends with the building of the Mishkan and the revelation of God. The Ramban explains in his introduction to Sefer Shmos that the revelation of God at the end of Sefer Shmos was the culmination of the redemption from Egypt.
Chazal tell us that after the revelation at Mount Sinai and before the sin of the golden calf, we were on such a high spiritual level, God was so revealed to us, that we were free of the evil inclination and death. Chazal teach us that when we said, “נעשה ונשמע/we will do and we will listen” at Mount Sinai, we were each given two crowns, one for “נעשה/we will do” and one for “נשמע/we will listen.” These two crowns symbolized the high spiritual level we were on. Before the sin, we experienced closeness to God without the Mishkan.
After the sin of the golden calf, being on a lower spiritual level, the two crowns were taken away from us. God was hidden from us. We needed the Mishkan to be able to experience closeness to God. The Arizal taught that on Shabbos, though, Moshe Rabeinu returned the crowns to us. The Arizal is teaching us that on Shabbos, God reveals Himself. On Shabbos, God makes it easier for us to be aware of Him. On Shabbos we can feel close to God without the Mishkan. This is the meaning of the pasuk in this week’s parsha referring to keeping Shabbos, “... לדעת כי אני ה' מקדשכם/… to know that I am God who sanctifies you.”
This explains the relationship between the Mishkan and Shabbos. The purpose of both is to allow us to experience closeness with God.
We find another example of the word אך/only regarding purifying vessels that we receive from non-Jews, “אך את הזהב ואת הכסף .../only the gold and silver …” In this case, as well, אך/only qualifies that which follows it. When purifying the gold, it must not have any rust on it. אך/Only tells us that only unsoiled gold can be purified.
The Sfas Emes explains that in this sense אך/only qualifies the day of Shabbos, as well. On Shabbos, there is no barrier between us and God. Because there is no barrier, God’s presence is manifest even without the Mishkan. This is why Bezalel was not permitted to do the work of the Mishkan on Shabbos. The Torah is commanding us to experience God’s presence on Shabbos, through Shabbos alone, without the Mishkan.
For this reason, as well, Chazal learn that only the thirty nine types of work found in the Mishkan are prohibited on Shabbos. God is the life giving force behind every action that we do. It appears, though, as if we are autonomous, that we are running on our own power. The thirty nine different types of work that we do during the week, therefore, actually hide God. They act as a barrier. In reality, though, we only act because God gives us strength to do so. Our mission during the week is to realize that our actions and activities are being powered by God. This realization enables us to feel God’s presence during the week as well. Since Shabbos was given to us so that we can more easily experience closeness to God, the thirty nine types of work that hide His presence are prohibited.
Contemplating this during the week as we go about our daily activities is a kind of keeping the Shabbos even during the week. Chazal hint at this when they advise us that we can keep the mitzvah of remembering the Shabbos during the week as well. If we find something good during the week we should set it aside for Shabbos. We’ve explained that Shabbos can be defined as a state of connectedness to God. Accordingly, understanding that God is behind every activity and action that we do during the week is an aspect of keeping Shabbos.
In order to answer the Ramban’s question, we need to understand the relationship between Shabbos and the work of the Mishkan.
On Shabbos we can more easily be aware of and experience God’s presence. God’s presence, of course, is everywhere always. However, during the week it is more difficult to experience. He is hidden, in a manner of speaking. There are people, though, who experience God’s presence during the week as well. Torah scholars, for example, through their Torah learning, are aware of and experience God’s presence even during the week. This is why the Zohar calls Torah scholars Shabbos. In fact, Shabbos can be defined as a state of being connected to the God, the source of life.
The Chidushei HaRim points out that like Shabbos, the purpose of the Mishkan is the revelation of God’s presence. Sefer Shmos ends with the building of the Mishkan and the revelation of God. The Ramban explains in his introduction to Sefer Shmos that the revelation of God at the end of Sefer Shmos was the culmination of the redemption from Egypt.
Chazal tell us that after the revelation at Mount Sinai and before the sin of the golden calf, we were on such a high spiritual level, God was so revealed to us, that we were free of the evil inclination and death. Chazal teach us that when we said, “נעשה ונשמע/we will do and we will listen” at Mount Sinai, we were each given two crowns, one for “נעשה/we will do” and one for “נשמע/we will listen.” These two crowns symbolized the high spiritual level we were on. Before the sin, we experienced closeness to God without the Mishkan.
After the sin of the golden calf, being on a lower spiritual level, the two crowns were taken away from us. God was hidden from us. We needed the Mishkan to be able to experience closeness to God. The Arizal taught that on Shabbos, though, Moshe Rabeinu returned the crowns to us. The Arizal is teaching us that on Shabbos, God reveals Himself. On Shabbos, God makes it easier for us to be aware of Him. On Shabbos we can feel close to God without the Mishkan. This is the meaning of the pasuk in this week’s parsha referring to keeping Shabbos, “... לדעת כי אני ה' מקדשכם/… to know that I am God who sanctifies you.”
This explains the relationship between the Mishkan and Shabbos. The purpose of both is to allow us to experience closeness with God.
We find another example of the word אך/only regarding purifying vessels that we receive from non-Jews, “אך את הזהב ואת הכסף .../only the gold and silver …” In this case, as well, אך/only qualifies that which follows it. When purifying the gold, it must not have any rust on it. אך/Only tells us that only unsoiled gold can be purified.
The Sfas Emes explains that in this sense אך/only qualifies the day of Shabbos, as well. On Shabbos, there is no barrier between us and God. Because there is no barrier, God’s presence is manifest even without the Mishkan. This is why Bezalel was not permitted to do the work of the Mishkan on Shabbos. The Torah is commanding us to experience God’s presence on Shabbos, through Shabbos alone, without the Mishkan.
For this reason, as well, Chazal learn that only the thirty nine types of work found in the Mishkan are prohibited on Shabbos. God is the life giving force behind every action that we do. It appears, though, as if we are autonomous, that we are running on our own power. The thirty nine different types of work that we do during the week, therefore, actually hide God. They act as a barrier. In reality, though, we only act because God gives us strength to do so. Our mission during the week is to realize that our actions and activities are being powered by God. This realization enables us to feel God’s presence during the week as well. Since Shabbos was given to us so that we can more easily experience closeness to God, the thirty nine types of work that hide His presence are prohibited.
Contemplating this during the week as we go about our daily activities is a kind of keeping the Shabbos even during the week. Chazal hint at this when they advise us that we can keep the mitzvah of remembering the Shabbos during the week as well. If we find something good during the week we should set it aside for Shabbos. We’ve explained that Shabbos can be defined as a state of connectedness to God. Accordingly, understanding that God is behind every activity and action that we do during the week is an aspect of keeping Shabbos.
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