Deeh Chochma Lenafshecha Eng Reeh 2009

Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas R’ei 5769

D’ei Chochmah L’nafshechah “Let your soul know wisdom” Parshas R’ei From the discourses of Moreinu v’Rabeinu the Gaon and Tzaddik Shlit”a - not for general circulation -

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D’ei Chochmah L’Nafshechah

Parshas R’ei

Shalosh Seudos1 of Parshas R’ei 5767 -‫ ֲא ֶשׁר ִתּ ְשׁ ְמעוּ ֶאל‬,‫ ַה ְבּ ָר ָכה‬-‫ ֶאת‬.‫וּק ָל ָלה‬ ְ ‫ ְבּ ָר ָכה‬,‫ֵיכם ַהיּוֹם‬ ֶ ‫" ְר ֵאה אָנ ִֹכי נ ֵֹתן ִל ְפנ‬ -‫לֹא ִת ְשׁ ְמעוּ ֶאל‬-‫ ִאם‬,‫ וְ ַה ְקּ ָל ָלה‬.‫יכם ֲא ֶשׁר אָנ ִֹכי ְמ ַצוֶּה ֶא ְת ֶכם ַהיּוֹם‬ ֶ ‫ִמ ְצוֹת ה' ֱאלֹ ֵק‬ ‫ ָל ֶל ֶכת‬:‫ ַה ֶדּ ֶר ְך ֲא ֶשׁר אָנ ִֹכי ְמ ַצוֶּה ֶא ְת ֶכם ַהיּוֹם‬-‫ ְו ַס ְר ֶתּם ִמן‬,‫יכם‬ ֶ ‫ִמ ְצוֹת ה' ֱאלֹ ֵק‬ ".‫ ְי ַד ְע ֶתּם‬-‫אַח ֵרי ֱאל ִֹהים ֲא ֵח ִרים ֲא ֶשׁר לֹא‬ ֲ “Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you shall heed the commandments of Hashem your God, which I command you this day; and the curse, if you shall not heed the commandments of Hashem your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which you have not known.”2

Sanctified Vision and Hearing There is an element of spiritual vision which stems from the fiftieth gate and is the deeper meaning of the opening phrase of our parshah: ‫ר ֵאה אָנ ִֹכי‬. ְ The word ‫ אָנ ִֹכי‬is an acronym for the four archetypal figures: ‫—אריה נשר כרוב יעקב‬the lion, the eagle, the keruv, and Yaakov. They translate to the four spiritual levels that correspond to the merkavah on high.3 [Moshe used the phrase ‫ ְר ֵאה אָנ ִֹכי‬to 1

The lesson was delivered at the third meal of Shabbos. Devarim 11:26-28 3 Chuppas Eliyahu Rabbah in Reishis Chochmah 2

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signal to us that we must work to “see Anochi,” to see the holy merkavah, since] it is only through gazing at this vehicle that one merits to transform a curse into a blessing, as indicated in the continuation of the verse. This is the Divine service of the tzaddikim in every generation: to transform every experience they undergo into good and blessing. Hashem always shines forth illumination and the holy letters bearing Divine bounty in order to bestow upon us the very best. But sometimes, when we lack the vessels [of necessary humility and faith] it appears as though we have received evil instead, G-d forbid. But the tzaddik believes with complete faith that that everything Hashem does for him is actually a blessing despite the fact that it seems to be a curse. In this manner he transforms the curse to a blessing. The verse states: "‫ָשׁר‬ ָ ‫אָדם י‬ ָ ‫ ָה‬-‫“—" ֲא ֶשׁר ָע ָשׂה ָה ֱאלֹ ִקים ֶאת‬Hashem made man upright...”4 We find that the word “upright”—‫—ישר‬is an acronym for ‫ראיה‬ ‫—שמיעה יחוד‬sight, hearing, and unification. When we interpose this hidden meaning into the verse, we read it differently: “Hashem created us all upright— with the capacity to see and hear in a manner that allows us to uplift every sight and sound into unity with the Creator.” It is significant that sight itself contains a dual aspect of blessing and curse, as the verse states: “Behold, I set before you...a blessing and a curse.” The verse continues to discuss hearing, “if you shall heed,” since it is only through sanctified hearing and vision that every curse is transformed into blessings. One must join sight which represents the aspect of Chochmah / Abba, with hearing which represents Binah / Imma to attain the fiftieth gate where there is no evil 4

Koheles 7:29 4

D’ei Chochmah L’Nafshechah

Parshas R’ei

and everything is transformed. [Chochmah is sight since we find in Avos that a “wise man sees the future results of his actions.” Binah alludes to hearing since understanding is the deeper “hearing” of the inner message of an idea. In Yiddish we call this, “daheren.”] The Obstacles of This World It is our task to learn how we can better our Divine service in light of these ideas. We can best do this through explaining [a seeming anomaly regarding] the verse at the end of our parshah: ‫וּביּוֹם‬ ַ ,‫ֹאכל ַמצּוֹת‬ ַ ‫ָמים תּ‬ ִ ‫" ֵשׁ ֶשׁת י‬ ".‫אכה‬ ָ ‫ֲשׂה ְמ ָל‬ ֶ ‫ לֹא ַתע‬,‫יך‬ ָ ‫יעי ֲע ֶצ ֶרת ַלה' ֱאלֹ ֶק‬ ִ ‫“— ַה ְשּׁ ִב‬Six days you shall eat matzos, and on the seventh day there shall be a solemn assembly to Hashem, your G-d. You shall do no work on it.”5 The Ramban asks the logical question: why are the concepts of assembly and the prohibition of melachah mentioned in this segment, where the subject is only the various offerings brought up on the festivals, which are known as the “seeing” offerings? This inclusion has a deeper meaning; that at the end of days, Hashem will plead with us to return to Him. During the entire month of Elul [which is the “end of days” in the cycle of the year], Hashem shines the light of the thirteen attributes of mercy upon us, since He wishes to “make up with us” [in preparation for the Yomim Nora’im]. This time is filled with love, as we find in the verse: "‫דוֹדי ִלי‬ ִ ְ‫דוֹדי ו‬ ִ ‫“—" ֲאנִ י ְל‬I am for my Beloved, and my Beloved is for me...”6 which forms the acronym ‫—אלול‬Elul. But our desire for too much of the pleasures of this world prevents us from truly returning to Hashem. This is similar to the teaching of the Zohar that when 5 6

Devarim 16:8 Shir HaShirim 6:3 5

D’ei Chochmah L’Nafshechah

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Adam ate from the forbidden fruit he violated the three cardinal sins [in a subtle manner].7 The meaning of this astonishing statement is that the three cardinal sins correspond to the lusts for physical pleasures of various forms [adultery], jealousy [murder], and the lust for honor [idolatry]. When the month of Elul comes around it is the task of every Jew to slaughter his evil inclination and free himself from materialism. This emerges from the teaching in Likutei Moharan, that each of the festivals is an auspicious time to overcome a different one of the three major bad traits. With the advent of Elul we are aroused to try to find the way to true dveikus to Hashem, but we have not yet been healed from the sickness of our materialism. Our Only Hope It is for this purpose that Hashem revealed the powerful Torah and advice of the greatest tzaddikim of the generations. Although each tzaddik revealed Torah lessons that were appropriate for his own close students, the greatest tzaddikim provided us with weapons to fight the side of evil that have application to everyone, since it is through such Torah teachings that we will conquer the entire world. The Vilna Gaon taught that although each tzaddik needs to do the Divine service of Moshiach, in the time immediately preceding Moshiach’s arrival, the tzaddikim will have to do the work of Moshiach at the level of the neshamah of Moshe, who will be the ultimate redeemer.8 This is alluded to in the verse: -‫" ַמה‬

7 8

Zohar III:111b See Sha’ar Hapesukim, parshas Yisro 6

D’ei Chochmah L’Nafshechah

Parshas R’ei

"‫ הוּא ֶשׁיִּ ְהיֶה‬,‫“— ֶשּׁ ָהיָה‬That which was, will be”9—whose initials form the name Moshe.10 The Arizal likewise teaches that Moshe Rabbeinu’s soul enters into the soul of every Torah scholar who alludes to Moshe.11 The Rambam teaches that Moshiach’s work will be to fight the war of Hashem to expand the borders of Israel.12 In spiritual terms this means to conquer one’s material desires [until they are subdued and only used to serve Hashem]. It is impossible to truly attain dveikus and grasp holiness as long as one has not overcome his material self, especially in the areas of overeating, avarice, and the tendency to oversleep [which includes physical lust]. Even the smallest degree of true understanding is only possible after one has defeated these insidious desires. For this reason, most people, even the most learned who know the words of the true tzaddikim, do not yet truly grasp the depth of their words. It is only the truly unusual tzaddikim of each generation who truly understand the depth of the Torah. Of course, understanding comes in direct accordance with how much one has clarified himself in these three areas, since the more he is purified in the areas of food, avarice, and “sleep,” the more he will truly guard the covenant and the more he will understand Hashem’s desire for him [and how to truly connect to Him]. This is why our only hope is in the merit of the true tzaddikim who truly purified themselves in every way and understood how to draw near to Hashem no matter the obstacle. It is through the written works of these tzaddikim that one

9

Koheles 1:9 Likutei Halachos, Hilchos Tolaim 4 11 Sha’ar Hapesukim, Parshas Yisro 12 Mishneh Torah, Hilchos Melachim 11:4 10

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is redeemed from evil, since their very souls are in their writings.13 It is through these writings that we are able to access the deep Torah of the tzaddikim and are empowered to fight the forces of evil within. “From My Flesh, I See G-d” It is well known that the entire Torah of the tzaddikim is a reflection of the verse: "‫אָדם‬ ָ ‫תּוֹרת ָה‬ ַ ‫“—"וְ זֹאת‬And this is the teaching of the [great] man.”14 As the Shelah HaKadosh writes, the word for human being—Adam—is from the Hebrew ‫“—אדמה לעליון‬I will be like that which is above”—since every person has within him all the supernal worlds and the greatest holiness and purity.15 This is the deeper meaning of Moshe’s words ‫ ְר ֵאה אָנ ִֹכי‬which can also be read, “Look at me.” Look at the “I”—the tzaddik who is the paradigm of a complete human being, who fully represents the merkavah in all of its aspects through his physical form. This is why the Arizal revealed which exalted spiritual level corresponds to each and every limb of the body—to enable us to “see the I”—to look at the self and see the merkavah. Hashem made us this way so that we can connect every limb to Him through our Divine service—“From my flesh, I see G-d.”16 It is our task to take every opportunity to remember the spiritual realms that we can access through every limb until we never forget them. For example, when a person’s hand hurts him he should take this as a hint that he needs to rectify the corresponding spiritual worlds [aspects] which 13

Shabbos 105a He brings Shmuel II, 7:19, but I think this is a verse in 'Chukas 15 Shelah Hakadosh, Parshas Bereishis 16 Iyov 19:26 14

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D’ei Chochmah L’Nafshechah

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this represents. Through the continuous work of the tzaddik to bind every element of his being to Hashem no matter what he experiences, he connects more and more strongly to the supernal worlds, until he truly lifts up the material to the spiritual. At this level, he connects his physical sight to the higher levels of spiritual hearing and vision, and begins to hear and see the spiritual reality within material existence. This is the lesson of our parshah: that one can either experience his physical body as a blessing or a curse. But the tzaddikim focus on their bodies through the aspect of spiritual hearing, Binah, which implies deep contemplation of the true state of things. This allows them to attain the aspect of blessing and good through the vehicle of the body. The Secret of Shechitah Each and every one of us wishes to serve Hashem unencumbered by the physical desires of this world. We all really want to be as pure as a newborn; we have no interest in raising up any barriers between ourselves and Hashem. But the only way to truly ascend is by fulfilling the verse, "‫ֻצּ ְב ֶתּם‬ ַ ‫צוּר ח‬-‫—" ַה ִבּיטוּ ֶאל‬ “Look to the Rock from which you were hewn.”17 We must search out Hashem by using our physical selves to connect to our tzelem Elokim, the G-dly image “from which we were hewn.” This will empower us slaughter the evil within. Interestingly, slaughtering the evil within the person himself is part of the kavanos of the mitzvah of slaughtering animals.18 The Arizal teaches a special kavanah when one checks the knife for blemishes before slaughtering. 17 18

Yeshayah 51:1 Discussed in Ta’amei Hamitzvos, Parshas R’ei 9

D’ei Chochmah L’Nafshechah

Parshas R’ei

[Halachically, an animal slaughtered with a blemished knife is not fit to eat and imparts defilement just like any animal killed by any means other than shechitah. For this reason, one is required to check the knife for blemishes at least after slaughtering, and preferably before as well.] The Arizal taught that while checking the knife, the shochet should contemplate the three permutations of the Divine Name ‫ה‬-‫ אהי‬that comprise 41 letters. When added together, there are a total of 123 letters, the numerical value of the word for blemish—‫פגם‬. One should specifically contemplate these Names since they represent the judgments which must be sweetened [through the slaughter so that the animal can be eaten and transformed into a higher life form]. These three Names have the same numerical value as ‫פגם‬, the Hebrew word for blemish, since they represent the three major blemishes of the soul discussed above: food, money, and sleep/lust. The reason why these blemishes are each associated with a Divine Name that has 41 letters in its expansion is because 41 is the value of the word ‫“—א"ם‬Mother.” The physical desires are “born” of the flesh, which is the “Mother” part of the person. [The sages spoke of the influence of parentage symbolically: the mother contributes the “red” or dinim aspects of the body, while the father contributes the “white” or chassadim aspects.19] Our job is to “slaughter” them. The Arizal teaches that we should focus on sweetening these judgments through transforming them into a 42-Name instead of one that comprises 41 letters. How do we accomplish this? When one slaughters, he should focus on the gematria of the word for the act itself: ‫השחיטה‬, which is 337. This is the same as three times the Name ‫יב"ק‬ 19

Niddah 31a 10

D’ei Chochmah L’Nafshechah

Parshas R’ei

[which is associated with the month of Elul20] plus its kollel. This name ‫יב"ק‬ represents the Names HaVaYaH-Elokim [‫אלהים‬-‫ = יהו"ה‬26 + 86 = 112] with which it shares its numerical value. There are three times HaVaYaH and three times Elokim, since there are three “points” that require special focus and work: the windpipe, the esophagus, and the jugular. Each of them is a repository of judgments expressed by the Name Elokim, and each corresponds to a different “officer of Pharoah” [the steward, the baker, and the butcher]. It is our job to bring in [the chassadim embodies by] the Shem HaVaYaH three separate times and join them to these three Names of Elokim. [The three “officers of Pharoah” are at the critical juncture of the neck, where energy is either shunted toward the mind and holiness, or toward “the back of the neck” / Pharoah / ‫ העורף‬where it feeds a person’s evil nature. Shechitah is meant to subdue these “three servants” so that the life-energy of food does not destroy a person spiritually.] In this manner one transforms what was originally an aspect of constricted consciousness into expanded consciousness. This illuminates the person’s physical body, an aspect of Elokim, with the light of his neshamah symbolized by the Shem HaVaYaH. Practical Guidance This demonstrates an essential principle: every teaching of the Arizal is actually relevant to each person’s private avodah and enables one to draw closer to completion. One who diligently learns the words of the Arizal will be able to connect to Hashem through each and every limb. Every sinew is really a 20

See Likutei Moharan I:6 11

D’ei Chochmah L’Nafshechah

Parshas R’ei

pathway to holiness and purity and the dveikus that comes with this. In this manner, one’s toil in the works of the Arizal will be Torah “learned in order to fulfill.” The Vilna Gaon teaches that this means learning in order to become one with Hashem through one’s learning. The purpose of revealing such deep Torah is surely not merely to learn without applying his learning to his personal life. The Vilna Gaon and his students revealed how every segment of the words of the Arizal actually apply to avodah, and to the spiritual counterpart of every physical object. One must not only focus on connection, one must also learn how to be a vehicle to reveals Hashem’s presence every moment of every day. One must try to focus on the spiritual but if he must think about his body he should do so in a way that draws him nearer to Hashem through the physical. This is sanctified hearing. One must grasp what the Torah of the Arizal really means deep in his heart. Through this he makes the deep yichud of hearing and vision, since he understands what he sees—he is finally “upright.” Of course the path to this yichud is very arduous and demands abundant effort. Even if one only grasps a little, this is also precious to Hashem and he has a part in the service of the tzaddikim who transform their entire bodies in honor of Hashem. But since each person’s level corresponds to how much he has cleansed himself of materialism, every small step is very difficult since when one is trapped in illicit desires, he is in a state of constricted consciousness associated with the Name Elokim. He must draw into himself the expanded consciousness associated with the Name HaVaYaH to overcome his difficulty. Although our job is to struggle to overcome this evil with all our might, there is another way to overcome illicit desires. If one arouses the holy source of

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D’ei Chochmah L’Nafshechah

Parshas R’ei

what he struggles with, he will no longer have any trouble with illicit desires at all. Yet the only way we can overcome our desires is through the Torah revealed by the true tzaddikim. These tzaddikim purified their bodies to such an extent that they were literally like a newborn who naturally eats what he needs and has no connection to the vices of this world. It is our job to connect to these tzaddikim until our souls are joined by their souls and we are lifted high above the petty desires of this world. It is only in the merit of merging our understanding with theirs that we can attain such heights. But one who stubbornly refuses to connect to the true tzaddikim will always find an excuse not to learn Torah, especially the deep teaching of the Arizal and their significance—that it is only through them that we understand how to truly serve Hashem. In the merit of the students of the Baal Shem Tov and all the true tzaddikim of each generation, we will be rectified slowly but surely until we are finally redeemed. Through learning their works, not just as intellectually stimulating Torah, but as a practical guide to change our lives, we will slaughter the evil within and purify even our physical selves. This is our only hope during the final days before Moshiach’s arrival. The Preciousness of Every Effort Our sages revealed that there are two keys to Divine service: yirah, fear of Hashem, which is the “outer key,” and the inner key which is the Torah itself.21 As we stand at the threshold of the month of Elul and wish to do battle with the forces of evil, we must make use of both keys. On the one hand, we must fight our tendency to sin on a simple level, which is a reflection fear of 21

See Shabbos 31a 13

D’ei Chochmah L’Nafshechah

Parshas R’ei

Hashem. Each person must make rigorously examine if his eating could be considered the way a Jew should really eat. We must each work out where we are holding in terms of avarice. Do we think about money all day? Is our fondest wish to amass a fortune? Clearly such thoughts cause us to forget our Creator and the purpose of creation. How much more important is a rigorously honest accounting in the area of personal purity at this time. Clearly a desire to sleep too much shows a marked lack of personal purity and is therefore included in this category. We must not allow Elul to pass us by like other months. We must be careful not to squander this month which is illuminated by the thirteen attributes of mercy through which we can all overcome our physical natures and truly start to serve Hashem. [When we have a full leap year—which is the rectified year when the solar and lunar are brought into alignment—Elul is actually the thirteenth month.] The first step is to purify our physical natures. Only after this can one truly declare Hashem King of the entire universe on Rosh Hashanah. Obviously, Hashem must first be King over our bodies, and only then do we crown Him over this physical existence as a whole. Yet at the same time we must also use the inner key of the deep lessons of the Torah of the true tzaddikim, each person according to his level. These two paths go together and only one who does his utmost in both areas can truly slaughter his evil inclination.

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D’ei Chochmah L’Nafshechah

Parshas R’ei

“Let Your Soul Know Wisdom” This is the meaning of the phrase: "‫—"דעה חכמה לנפשך והיא כתר לראשך‬ “Let your soul know (d’ei) wisdom (Chochmah), and it will be a crown (Kesser) for your head.”22 May we merit holy vision which is an aspect of Chochmah and is attained through holy hearing, until it penetrates down to our animal soul, our nefesh, so that even our physical bodies will be purified. “And it will be a crown to your head”—in this way we will merit the ultimate levels of spiritual connection experienced by the greatest tzaddikim until we are redeemed through an aspect of Kesser. May Hashem help us wake up and truly begin to serve Him from this Shabbos onward, when we consecrate the new month of Elul. The true tzaddikim would be filled with trembling from the moment that they heard this holy month announced. The Arizal himself would say Seilochos for the entire month of Elul like our Sefardic brothers. Every single Jew should arouse himself from his spiritual slumber and feel the holiness of the days now approaching. Why should he squander such gifts? Why not work to remove the influences of his lower self? We must remember that we will only be redeemed through teshuvah. But this is not meant to be hard. As the verse states, “For the matter is very close to you, in your mouth and heart, to do it.”23 Our main goal should be to draw ever closer to Hashem in whatever way we can. Often we can attain closeness only through either the inner or outer key. We need to be attuned to the right path for

22

From the Shabbos zemer “D’ror Yikrah,” based on Mishlei 24:14.

23

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D’ei Chochmah L’Nafshechah

Parshas R’ei

each moment, and, most importantly, we should never give up on attaining true closeness to Hashem no matter what we endure. Our job is to always seek Hashem with our entire hearts and souls and all our means, in whatever way we can. In the merit of this holy month, may Hashem help us rectify the sin of Adam and attain a body from Gan Eden like he had before he sinned. We should attain the level of the patriarchs who did their part in rectifying the first sin and truly purified their physical bodies. We should all be like our father Yaakov who was so pure that all of his children followed in his footsteps. In this merit, may Hashem send our holy redeemer speedily in our days. Amen!

Translated and Adapted by Rav Micha Golshevsky.

Please feel free to send comments, questions, and any feedback to: [email protected] .

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