Importance of Akeidas Yitzchok — spiritual perspective

(limit at infinity)

In an earlier post, I covered logical arguments concerning akeidas Yitzchok. This event, however, has a very important spiritual lesson, which Avraham had to learn: we can define G-d’s expression in this world, but we cannot define His Essence.

In parshas Lech Lecha, Torah tells us that Avraham circumcised himself. In parshas Vayeira, he receives news of Sodom’s and Gamorra’s planned destruction and argues with G-d that some righteous individuals may live in them. Later, Yitzchok is miraculously conceived and born, and later yet (fast-forward thirty-odd years), G-d orders Avraham to sacrifice Yitzchok. What’s the connection between these events?

Initially, Avraham understood G-d as the Creator of the Universe. He deduced necessity of G-d’s existence from the fact that Universe functioned in an obvious order, which necessitated the source — only one — of that order. He preached monotheism and eventually received revelation of G-d, who told him to go to Eretz Kna’an to become an ancestor of a great nation. Before G-d’s revelation, Avraham’s understanding of G-d was limited to that of a Creator, after revelation — to whatever aspect of Himself G-d chose to reveal to Avraham. His understanding of G-d also was limited by his own nature. Avraham was kind and thus perceived G-d from this point of view, as a source of kindness in the world. Next came the circumcision. Chabad-Chassidic commentary on parshas Vayeira states:

When, as a young boy, Sholom DovBer of Lubavitch learned [the verse “G-d appeared to him”], he came in tears to his grandfather, Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Lubavitch (the Tzemach Tzedek), and cried, “If G-d appeared to Abraham, why doesn’t He appear to me, as well?” In reply to his little grandson’s anguished question, the Tzemach Tzedek told him that Abraham merited having G-d appear to him because, although he had indeed refined himself enough to attain very sublime levels of Divine consciousness, he at the same time knew that G-d is infinite and that therefore there were still an infinite number of levels of Divine consciousness to attain. This recognition left Abraham feeling grossly inadequate, as though he were still encrusted by layers of insensitivity to Divine awareness that needed to be removed — to be “circumcised” — in order to bare his heart before his Creator.

So, we see a gradual progression of Avraham’s understanding of G-d’s nature. He started with definition of G-d as a creator. Then he progressed to understanding of G-d as one who does kindness, chessed — from the “right” pillar of the kabbalistic tree of Divine Attributes. After his circumcision, Avraham achieved a level of being able to see the whole tree, with left side present. He was able to perceived that G-d is also a judge (as can be seen from his arguing with G-d about destruction of the Cities of the Plane: “Shall the Judge of the whole world not judge fairly?”). Birth of Yitzchok pushed the definition even further: not only was G-d the source of the world’s order, of Nature, but He was able to do miracles, transcending definitions of natural laws.



So, what did ordering Avraham to sacrifice Yitzchok accomplish? It elevated Avraham to understanding that G-d is beyond any definition or limitation whatsoever. Not of a Creator, not of a Kind Creator, not of a Just Creator, not even of someone who promised Avraham to become a father of a chosen nation. Avraham was not allowed to place any kind of limitation on G-d: natural, intellectual, emotional or logical. This new level Avraham achieved through an act of bittul, nullification of one’s ego and its importance. When being kind, Avraham related to the level of G-d’s Kindness (chesed). When asking for justice, Avraham asked for the level of G-d’s Justice (gevurah). When raising Yitzchok to become an ancestor of the Jewish nation that would proclaim G-d as King, Avraham was relating to the level of G-d’s Kingship (malchus). But what to do to relate to G-d’s undefinable Essence? Only through an act of sacrifice, nullification, removal of all definitions.

In our lives, we must do kindness, be just, keep all the mitzvos that make us G-d’s nation. While doing all this, however, we cannot allow any definitions or barriers to limit our relationship with Torah and G-d (as the Rebbe teaches). We must live in a constant act of self-sacrifice of our lives, our self-interests, our pleasures to G-d, reaching up to His Essence.

The final part of the story teaches us another lesson. In the end, G-d did not allow Avraham to slaughter his son and showed that He intended to keep his promise. Although G-d does not have to be limited by any characteristics, definitions of promises, he chooses to do so. He chooses to continue creating the world which defies His Oneness. He chooses to be the source of Kindness and Justice (and other eight spheros, whose vessels limit and define G-d’s Infinite Light). He chooses to continue having Jews as a chosen nation.

Giving us His Torah, G-d defied His own Infinity by limiting Himself to 613 commandments, to the physical world through which they are kept, to a specific nation, to whom a promise was given. A promise G-d intends to keep: that Jews through their efforts will bring about an Era when G-d’s Essence will be revealed in the materiality of the physical world, the Era of Mashiach. May this happen speedily in our days.

P.S. This also means that Hashem’s choice of us is limited to the specific 613 mitzvos. We can’t just serve Hashem in any way we want.

Parshas Noach — floodgates of teshuva

On Shmini Atzeres we prayed for rain, which we received next day on Simchas Torah — the rain of Torah, which starts with the account of the creation of the world. This week we are reading the next parsha: about Noach and the flood. Because nothing in Torah is random, we should be able to examine the connection between all these ideas.

Torah is compared to water in many places. In Tanya, Alter Rebbe compares Torah to water that falls from high and cascades from level to level until reaching its final destination, down below. So does Torah originate in the Will and Essence of Hashem, beyond creation (Torah is one of the things said to precede creation), and cascades from one spiritual world to another, taking form of each world, along the chain of creation, until it reaches our lowly and physical universe and takes in it the form of physical laws regarding material objects.

The importance of this analogy is two-fold:

First, we need to understand that all the halachos of Torah (and the physical events described in Torah) are nothing but the superficial aspect of Torah, whose essence is beyond mere physical laws and forms. We must strive to understand the inner essence of the laws, always remember where they came from, and never allow our observance of mitzvos to take superficial, routine form of execution of rituals.

Second, just like water that originates from great heights is destined for the lowly valleys, Torah, despite originating from great spiritual heights is destined for this world — and once it reached it, it stays here.

All the spiritual foundations of our physical laws exist so that a Jewish soul can descend into this world and bind these spiritual and lofty phenomena with lowly material matter. We must be, therefore, extremely careful with Halacha and very respectful to even minute aspects of it — there are no “more” or “less” important mitzvos. Even the slightest, minute mitzvah closes a circuit connecting the matter of this world with infinitely removed spiritual heights.



In the first chapter of Torah, Bereishis, we learn about the creation of the world, whose center is human being. The energy sustaining our world’s existence has recently been renewed on Rosh HaShanah, commonly called “Jewish New Year”. The day of Rosh HaShanah, however, is not the first day of creation, but the day when human was created — because the purpose of creation is for human to transform the physical universe into G-dly world, to unite the infinite and the finite, revealing thus the Oneness of G-d.

Jewish sources describe Adam as extremely wise human with prophetic abilities. How could he sin then, knowing what his actions will lead to? The answer is: he knew the Ohm’s Law. If you raise resistance, you also raise voltage. If you connect to G-d through holiness, you are revealing G-dliness in light. If you are connecting to G-d through unholiness, you are revealing G-dliness in darkness, a much more intense revelation. In order to connect to G-d through darkness, he had first to know of light and of darkness, and he reached for the source of this knowledge.

Adam was right: the connection to G-d through darkness is much stronger. This is why this world, the world of darkness and concealment of G-d’s existence, was created, and that is why our souls descend into it. In order to know how to find life in death, however, one must first taste life. Adam first tasted death and was exiled…

In the generation that followed, Adam’s error became increasingly difficult to rectify. The world was exposed to sin, to darkness, but inner essence of darkness, the Hidden Light, was difficult to access, because this Light was not tasted a priori.

This is what the Flood accomplished. It erased the sin and made teshuva (repentance) — an act of transforming sin into mitzva — easier. The original plan was to taste Life first and, “cook” the physical world with it, enfusing it with this taste. The plan did not work — raw flesh of the deadly and dark world was tasted first. That taste had to be washed out with the Flood, and a new sequence had to be invented: humans would not come into darkness with a priori experience and knowledge of light; they would be born in the darkness and discover light hidden in it.



It was not, however, until Avraham Avinu, when this process started. In his ma’amor Bosi LeGani, the Previous Rebbe of Chabad quotes medrash that explains that through the sin of Adam, Presence of G-d that was in this world departed. Through sins of following generations, it departed six more times, further and further.

Through actions of Avraham and his descendants, the Presence started to return, until It did so completely with the giving of Torah. The damage done by the sin of Avraham was reversed; the job of the Flood of teshuva has started. Now came the time to bring the world to its desired state: the state of unity between G-d and the world.

The sparks of Adam’s soul returned into this world in a form of Jewish souls to finish the job that he started: to do the collosal act of Great Teshuva: to return this world into the state of its oneness with G-d. Throughout the history, this process had success and had failure. Sometimes the end of Teshuva was near; sometimes it drew farther. Yet the Presence of G-d never departed this world again, as long as Jewish children were learning Torah.

Three centuries ago (as predicted beforehand by Kabbalah) the floodgates opened again. Not the floodgates of destruction, but the floodgates of life. The final act of teshuva started happening: the Essence of Torah was revealed in teachings of Chassidus — a recipe of how to complete the Return of the world to its source. At the same time, the floodgates in the material reason also opened, starting the era of discovery and increased understanding amongst the Nations. Today we have access to the deepest phenomena of the physical Universe that reveal the source (albeit incompletely studied and understood) of the physical phenomena. At the same time, we have access to teachings that reveal the source and essence of our Torah.

Just like a physicist can understand the classical phenomenon of friction better with knowledge of quantum mechanics, a Jew can understand — lehavdil — five classical levels of Torah knowledge (pardes — pshat, remez, drush, soid) much deeper with the help of essential level of Torah, Chassidus. More importantly, however, one has access to explanation of how to complete what was started in the first six days of Creation, what (after Adam messed up) was started by the Flood, by work of Avram Avinu and his descendants, by Exodus from Egypt, by giving of Torah, by building of the Temple — how to bring about the Era of Mashiach when the great teshuva of the world will be complete, and the revelation of G-d’s Oneness will be higher than it was before the physical world was created.

May this happen speedily in our days.

Ein od milvado

"In the heavens above and on the earth below, there is nothing but Him."

It says that the heavens are mentioned first, because it is easier to conceive that there is only Hashem in the spiritual worlds, since they are far away from us conceptually, such that "the spiritual" is some abstract concept anyway, so that it's possible to imagine that all there is "up there" is just G-d or G-dliness or "mind of G-d" or some other such fuzzy idea.

But our world -- it's much more difficult to comprehend how it can be said about it that there is nothing but G-d. What about the sky, the leaves, the ground, the annoying construction company that will turn off the water in the area 11 pm to 5 am on Friday night? Surely, they exist!

So, many explanations can be brought from Kabbala, Chassidus, philosophy, but one can also think of it in a simple way, due to the contributions of modern science.

Modern science tells us that everything is emptiness. Not for the most part, but in reality. As the famous fantasy writer Terry Pratchet put it (I will find the exact quote later), most of the universe is empty, because most of its existence consists of keeping tabs on those parts which are not empty. And this doesn't just means the expanses of space between the galaxies. I mean, inside the chair you're sitting on, most of the space is just "instructions" on how the elementary particles should interact with each other.

But those "instructions" come themselves from the properties of the particles. (The way I put it to someone: let's say you have an observation of a law that if you have a skinhead and a hippy meeting in a street, they will always get in a fight. Now, is this law "imposed" on the hippy and the skinhead from the outside, or is it a sequence of their properties ["skinheads hate pacifists" and "hippies hate racists"]? It would seem the latter.)

And those properties -- what are they properties of? It seems that they are just properties of empty pieces of space. These properties interact with each other; they get assigned to other pieces of space; the pieces of space they were assigned to get other properties, and so on.

Now we have to bring in Chassidus and to say that everything is created every second ex nihilo, by G-d. So, every single moment aspect of space-time is created by G-d, and He assigns to every single aspect of space certain properties, which interact (according to the laws that He set up) with each other in time.

So, looking at this web-site, or the next time you're outside, in the fresh air, think about it: all of the Universe is filled with Dvar Havaya, the speech of G-d.

Avinu loi meis

In the honor of Gimmel Tammuz, a re-post of a portion of Rabbi Posner’s parsha class.

What does Gemara mean when it says that we can learn that Yakov did not die from Torah not stating explicitly that he did die? “Did not die” in what sense? What is this concept of dual realities of Egyptians (in which Yakov Avinu died) vs. Jews (where he did not)?

To understand why Yakov did not die, we need to understand first what it meant for him to live. I think it’s a really important concept that should be understood very carefully, for a number of reasons. So, pay attention. Rabbi Posner briefly goes off on a bit of a tangent in the middle explaining about the Four Worlds, but then he returns to Yakov Avinu at 10:00.



And a story (heard from Rabbi Posner over Yom Kippur):

Most Chassidic groups have a custom called shirayim: the Rebbe eats a little bit from his plate, and then his Chassidim come and take each a peace for themselves. The source of this custom is the idea that everything that a tzaddik owns becomes holy too, since tzaddikim serve Eibeshter on the level of b’chol meoidecho (“with all your might”), which means that ther serve Hashem with everything they do, own or touch — and impart the essence of themselves and revealed holiness of their avoida on their possessions.

So, whatever the Rebbe partakes of becomes holy. And then his Chassidim partake of it to attach themselves to the Rebbe.

Well, for a number of reasons, this is not a custom of Chabad Chassidim. In short, one attaches oneself to the Rebbe b’pnimiyus, not b’chitzoinius. By studying his teachings (which the Rebbe makes accessible to the Chassidim), not by holding on to his gartel, so to speak. Even though elements of attaching oneself to the Rebbe through chitzoinius also exist in Chabad (after all, chitzoinius is a part of the equation), pnimiyus is the ikkar and chitzoinius is de-emphasized.

Anyway, the story goes that a Jew from a different Chassidic background had become a Lubavitcher chossid, but did not yet know that in Chabad they don’t do shirayim. So, when he was in the presence of the Frierdiker Rebbe, as soon as the Rebbe started eating, he came over and attempted to take some food from the Rebbe’s plate. The Rebbe smiled at him and gave him the shirayim and then said: “By others, getting shirayim is a privilege. By us, getting shirayim is also a responsibility.”

I also remembered something that Rabbi Posner said over a dinner one time. He had been to a farbrengen in Crown Heights, where a rabbi who had never seen the Rebbe in his life was telling people about the greatness of the Rebbe. An amazing feeling. He also talked about the love that one felt during the yechidus. “I was not going to speak, but then he asked me to speak, so I said: ‘You know, I've been to a yechidus with the Rebbe. When I was fourteen. And I did not feel love. I felt awe. I felt an overwhelming sense of awe. When you meet a person, you see him, his personality, character, history. When I saw the Rebbe, there was the sense of great Nothing. Just a source of pulsing power, of very direct purpose. He was there for a reason, and his whole life, his whole essence, his interaction with other Jews was geared towards that reason, that goal. And one was being overwhelmed by this [singular feeling] when standing in front of him.’”

Tradition, tradition!

(a re-post... sorry it’s late)

Notes from a Torah class by Rabbi Posner of Boston on Parshas Shlach. So, please forgive the choppiness.

It all starts with Jews sending the spies, who come back with the unfortunate report. When Hashem tells them they would travel in the desert for forty years as a punish… I mean, consequence of their actions, some people suddenly come to their senses. And decide that are ready to do it. Yep, ready to do it. Come on, let’s do it, let’s do it.

And then Moshe Rabbeinu says: “Don’t go, for Hashem is not with you.” And, as one might expect, they still go (into a battle) and get killed. So, what’s going on? OK, here come the notes:

Hinenu: we are ready (like Hineini). We are ready to go and to fight. What changed?

• Every Jew is inherently a believer in G-d
• When Moshe Rabbeinu screamed at them, they realized they were being foolish, and restored the connection
• But, MR said: don’t go, because G-d is not amongst you.
• Amalek came down and killed them.
• What did these people do wrong? It seems they did what Hashem wanted them to do…
• Moshe Rabbeinu told them not to go…
• You can do all teshuva in the world you want, but you still need MR and Aaron go with you
• You cannot divorce the soul of Torah from Torah itself
• You can talk about the beauty of customs and traditions – but if you change it, it is not going to last
• Needs to be steadfast connection to bris Hashem
• Who asked you to make decisions? You can’t make decisions either when you’re a spy or later, when you decide to attack on your own…
• If MR tells you: don’t go on, then it will not be successful.
• The power of tradition…
• What does it say, how do we know?

Within structure of Halacha itself – things that are permissible!!! Why not? It’s not the way it’s ever been done. It’s not the way that Jews have been doing it.

But, Chabad is the biggest rebellion ever. It’s not the way it’s been done; it’s not the way to do it.
Rabbi P. in Young Israel. In weekday shull. An old man giving a class. Rabbi P. saying Tehillim. The man was talking about the Blessing for the Sun. He was saying it’s really not such a big deal. People do it, but they don’t celebrate it. Don’t make a whole event out of it. Some people take regular things and blow things out of proportion about them. Like Chabad putting tefillin on in the street. Tefillin has always been a regular quiet thing – and suddenly you make a big deal out of it?!

In the year of 2009 of common era, someone should say this! Are you joking? Do you realize what happens here in the shull: groups of kids from Reform, Conservative families come learn about Shmura Matza in your shull (because Chabad brings them). Bridges between secular and religious worlds.

The world today is completely different world – majority of Jews have never and will never put on tefillin, until someone does it with them.

The mindset that existed in 1950s – this has never been done. Sending shluchim to places that have nothing to support them religiously: this has never happened in the history of Jews. Jews are very community-oriented. If you are a frum Jew, you need a minyan, and you need all that the community provides. How did Jews do it?

They never have.

The answer: If you walk by a lake, you don’t jump in it in your suit. But if your brother is drowning, of course you would jump in – so, you will wet your suit a little, nu…

So, yeah, there is a concept of doing things traditionally: daven in a shull, not in the middle of a street. But sometimes you need to make a change. The question is: why do you need to make a change? Why make a change?

When Jews tried to conquer EY for the heck of it, without Hashem’s and MR’s protection, it was not successful. They died. Just like families of Reform and Conservative Jews. They implemented changes for themselves, not for Hashem. You can’t have personal motivation – I think it’s a good idea, I think I want to do it.

So, when the Rebbe became a leader of the generation, he explained that when a Lubavitcher puts on tefillin with someone else, he doesn’t do it as his own thing but under guidance of the Moshe Rabbeinu of the generation.

Ad kan.

Parshas Toldos — different paths in the service of Hashem

[a re-post]


(our goal is to dig beneath the surface)

I don't have much time, so I will write briefly (to the extent possible):

Two brothers

Path of Eisav: focused on physical, uses spiritual to find inspiration for the physical. G-d is an ATM machine. Torah is a Divine wisdom that helps us how live our lives (be more successful physically, more inspired spiritually, have a nicer community). Sounds familiar?

Path of Yakov: focused on spiritual, on G-d. Uses physical to enhance his relationship with G-d by "uncovering" the truth of Divine concealed in the physical. The physical is only for the purpose of spiritual.

* * *

Argument between Rivka and Itzchok

The latter saw a great potential in Eisav, "a man of the fields". If only he could be made into a mentsch, Eisav would draw greater Light from Above ("where ba'al teshuva stands, a tzaddik cannot stand"). Rivka: mother, home, identity, rejuvenation. Itzchok: father, work, going out into the world, transforming it. Normally, "father" aspect is more important — we came into this world to transform it. Can't sit and learn Torah all day long. Furthermore, in order to support "home", one needs to dedicate time to "work". In order to reach G-d's Essence, we can't stay in the Higher Worlds; need to come down here and do "work" (avoida).

But — whenever "home" is in danger, whenever "work" threatens to swallow us whole and take us away from home, whenever this physical world threatens to conceal G-d to the point we completely forget about him, "mother" wins. Don't forget why you go to "work" — for the "home".

Ratzo and shov. A soul wants to go up to G-d, but then remembers that G-d wants it to be here (and, indeed, here is where G-d is found). Then, it returns into the world. But a point may come when you are too engrossed in the world, when you forget about G-d, or even if you don't forget, you treat G-d and Torah as your servants — you need them to be successful in this world, you derive inspiration from them during your life in this world. Then, you must go back up for rejuvination of your soul. Practically speaking: go to a Shabbos dinner in your local Chabad House. :)

* * *

Most converts to Judaism were descendants of Esav. The sparks of holiness that existed in his service were eventually elevated in later generations. "The head of Esav is next to Yakov".

Almost no descendants of Yishmoel converted to Judaism. Instead, they created a culture of death worship.

* * *

All of the above and more can be discovered in Kehos edition of Chabad-Chassidic commentary on Parshas Toldos.

* * *

A message from my rabbi:

In this week's Torah portion, we read about the first anti-semite — Esau. Jacob, the third of our patriarchs, was forced to flee his home, because of the threat of murder from his brother, who wished to kill him

Our Rabbis saw Esau as the archetype of the antisemite, who, for whatever reason, has a murderous hatred to Israel, wishes to annihilate him.

As Jacob leaves his home in Be'er Sheva, and is forced to flee, he could be justified in being downhearted. Charged with the mission of carrying forward the legacy of his father and grandfather, he could see his task as impossible, considering the murderous hatred that he is destined to face, forever.

But, Jacob's response is not despair. Instead, Jacob faces the challenge head-on, and decides to build a Jewish home and family. He has 12 sons, and finally returns to Israel, and even triumphs over the challenges of his brother's hatred.

This response is the eternal Jewish response to the hatred that we have faced throughout our history. We will continue to build, to grow, to teach and to live according to the traditions that we have received from our Patriarchs. And, eventually, we will triumph over the hatred of our enemies, and we will usher in the era of Moshiach.

May it happen, very soon!

Gavriel and Rivka Holzberg were Lubavitcher Rebbe's shluchim in Mumbai. They joined ranks of millions of Jewish souls that performed acts of mesirus nefesh throughout our history. Their goal was to bring Mashiach in our time, as soon as possible, by spreading the teachings of Chabad Chassidus and performing acts of ahavas Yisroel, unconditional love of a fellow Jew. We can help them — and all the other Chabad shluchim — in their goal through our actions. Today. Right now.

First in thought: seeing things from the spiritual perspective

In this week’s parsha, Chayei Soroh, we find Eliezer giving two different accounts of his meeting with Rivka. One detail from the two accounts concerns the order of asking Rivka’s name and giving her jewelry.

The way Torah describes it (Bereishis 24):

22. Now it came about, when the camels had finished drinking, [that] the man took a golden nose ring, weighing half [a shekel], and two bracelets for her hands, weighing ten gold [shekels].		כב. וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר כִּלּוּ הַגְּמַלִּים לִשְׁתּוֹת וַיִּקַּח הָאִישׁ נֶזֶם זָהָב בֶּקַע מִשְׁקָלוֹ וּשְׁנֵי צְמִידִים עַל יָדֶיהָ עֲשָׂרָה זָהָב מִשְׁקָלָם:
23. And he said, "Whose daughter are you? Please tell me. Is there place for us for lodging in your father's house?"		כג. וַיֹּאמֶר בַּת מִי אַתְּ הַגִּידִי נָא לִי הֲיֵשׁ בֵּית אָבִיךְ מָקוֹם לָנוּ לָלִין:

vs. the way Eliezer described it:

47. And I asked her, and I said, 'Whose daughter are you?' And she replied, 'The daughter of Bethuel the son of Nahor, whom Milcah bore to him.' And I placed the nose ring on her nose and the bracelets on her hands.

מז. וָאֶשְׁאַל אֹתָהּ וָאֹמַר בַּת מִי אַתְּ וַתֹּאמֶר בַּת בְּתוּאֵל בֶּן נָחוֹר אֲשֶׁר יָלְדָה לּוֹ מִלְכָּה וָאָשִׂם הַנֶּזֶם עַל אַפָּהּ וְהַצְּמִידִים עַל יָדֶיהָ:

So, we see that in the former description (that of Torah), first “the man” gave Rivka the jewels and only then did he ask her about her family. In Eliezer’s description, he first asked her about the family and then gave her the jewels.

Some commentators (such as Abarbenel) say that when making all the changes to his story, Eliezer made a diplomatic calculation: he tweaked the story in such a way that it would not seem strange or offensive to the parents of Rivka. So, while in reality he relied completely on Hashgacha Protis to guide him to the right person and thus “blindly” gave the jewelry to Rivka, when he was telling the story to the parents, he de-emphasized such a weird (to them) behavior.

Which is a lesson to us all: when talking to others, whose level of observance, or chassidishkeit, or emunas Hashem, or views in general differ from ours, we should not focus so much on the differences and not to draw attention to those things that our audience may find offensive or strange or that it would laugh at. This way we will be successful in our task to influence our audience.

* * *

Other commentators (I think it may have been Rabbeinu Behaye) say that “the man” described by Torah is actually M., the head angel. Eliezer was accompanied by Mr. M. on the first part of the journey. M. was the angel who shortened the length of the journey to one day; he gave Rivka jewelry; he changed the plates around so that Eliezer does not get poisoned. (It says that he even accompanied them on the beginning of their journey back, and only once they were on their way did he depart.)

So, in the first case, the angel already knew who Rivka was, and so he “gave” her jewelry: he designated in his mind (so to speak) that the jewelry should go to Rivka, even before she told Eliezer about her family. From Eliezer’s perspective, however, things were different: first he asked Rivka about her family and then gave her the jewelry.

This is an example of how sequence of events from the physical perspective can be different from the sequence of events from the spiritual perspective. Oftentimes we find discrepancies between our observations of the physical world and, lehavdil, that which is written in Torah. We must remember, however, that Torah contains in itself multiple levels of reality, including a multitude of spiritual levels and the physical level. Things may be true from a physical perspective one way, and may be at the same time true in a completely different way from the spiritual perspective.

* * *

In the song Lecha Doidi from Kabbalas Shabbos we say about Shabbos: “Soif b’ma’aseh, b’machshavah tchillo” — “Last in deed, first in thought”. Meaning, that Hashem created Shabbos last (of all days of creation), but in His mind if came first. The same can be said about our world (it came after the spiritual worlds, but the purpose of the creation is the physical world, into which a Jewish soul can come to do the mitzvos with the physical matter of it), and the same can be said about the Days of Moshiach. Though they will the last, seventh, era of the Creation, they, indeed, are the reason and the purpose for the existence of all the reality.

It says that tzaddikim already live in the Days of Moshiach. The unity between G-d and this world which will be manifest to us all during the time of geulah is already revealed to the tzaddikim: they already live on the level of ein od milvado — “there is nothing but Him” — and perceive the world this way. Just like the angel from the story above saw things from the spiritual perspective, just like from his point of view, the jewelry was already given, tzaddikim too see the world from the spiritual perspective first and see the jewel of creation, the Days of Moshiach, already given to the world and to Jews.

This is why we must cleave to the tzaddikim and follow their paths. I have heard it said about the Rebbe that oftentimes he demanded things of his chassidim which intially seemed impossible. At the first glance one might think that the Rebbe was an idealist, living in a fantasy world. It is true that the Rebbe was an idealist, but he was also a realist. He was simply walking ten steps ahead of us and telling us of how to follow him.

Oftentimes the instructions of the Rebbeim, the leaders of our generations, may seem strange and “backward”. Surely, we say, we can see with our eyes that things are the other way around, not the way the Rebbe says. But we must remember that the Rebbe already sees the true reality; he does not need the test of time to reveal its truth. And it simply makes sense to follow him.

More on the topic: “First in Thought”

Parshas Noach — the role of the rainbow

[a re-post]

In this audio-shiur, Rabbi Paltiel discusses the role of the rainbow as a guarantee that the world would never be destroyed. Why a rainbow? What does it mean that the rainbow is a guarantee by G-d — isn’t it just a physical phenomenon?

That’s the whole point. It is a regular physical phenomenon, which was created de novo in the crucible of the Flood that changed the physical and spiritual laws of the Universe (Rashi comments that during the Flood, sun was suspended in the sky and time did not move). Nowadays it is a regular occurrence, in which we can see a direct promise of G-d. This is representative of hashgachah protis, Divine Providence.

Miracles can be of two types, says Rabbi Paltiel. One type is a direct violation of nature — e.g., the splitting of Yam Suf, the suspension of the sun, manna descending from the sky. The other type is a miracle occurring “through” the nature, without breaking its order. An example of the second type is the miracle of Purim. No natural laws were broken: right people were in the right place in the right time, making right decisions. This is the type of G-d’s involvement that is mentioned in the commentary of Bava Metzia (the volume of Talmud starting with discussion of laws regarding lost and found objects — which, both the loss and the discovery of the object, are seemingly random): G-d involves himself in the world, but in such a way that His involvement can be attributed (if one wants to) to random occurrences. Lehavdil, Einstein said a similar thing: “Randomness is G-d’s way of staying anonymous”.

This is what we call Divine Providence — when we attribute a natural occurrence to G-d’s involvement. Of course, a student of the second book of Tanya will tell you that all reality happens through G-d’s direct and willful creation of the world; G-d is constantly involved with every aspect of creation which He constantly brings out of nothingness into existence. Here, however, we are talking about a situation when Divine Providence can be readily observed — a ray of light penetrates through a veil that conceals the Creator from this world. Yet, this light could be interpreted as another shade of darkness, if one wanted to — it is clothed in the darkness.

This type of miracle is of an even higher order than an open miracle. It takes no effort to just circumvent the laws of Nature — indeed, they are nothing but a shell covering up the truth anyway. A miracle of such kind is no display of G-d’s Oneness with the world, the absoluteness of His existence. Chassidus (hemshech Samech-Vov, for example) teaches us that revelation of light does not come from the deepest and most essential aspects of G-d. Light and revelation of the truth of G-d’s existence is a natural state of affairs. C’est normal, as French say.

The concealment of the light and creation of the darkness is what takes a more essential “effort” (so to speak). It goes against the essential desire of the existence to reveal G-d in it. That is why it takes G-d’s Essence, not just his Light, to create the material world, and that is why the material world seems to have independent existence — only a world created with G-d’s Essence that itself has no source can have such a property (the upper worlds, created with the Light, reveal their dependence upon their source, because Light, being Ein Sof — Without End — is, nevertheless, not without a Beginning).

The revelation of of the light together with darkness, then, is a revelation of even a higher caliber. Before the flood, such a revelation could not happen. Such a revelation would destroy the world. After the flood, a possibility of revealing the light bound in the darkness was created. This is what teshuvah is all about — ability to turn one’s sin into a virtue through repentance. This also, says Rabbi Paltiel, is a lesson to our everyday life. We must see rainbow in everything that happens to us: we must see that every occurrence in our lives is an act of G-d, despite having ability to be described through laws of physics, biology, economics, etc. All our success and livelihood comes from G-d. It does not mean we can sit around and wait for success to happen. We must build our own Arc, despite the fact that it is up to G-d to deliver us. What we must realize is that our (required) efforts are nothing but a vessel filled with G-d’s blessing.

Living in such a way, we will complete the work of the Flood. Not only the rainbow, but every single aspect of physical reality will be a revelation of G-d inside the material world, Light revealed in darkness. This is what the Messianic Era is all about, and our efforts in living our life with recognition of G-d’s Oneness with the world (which we openly reveal by performing mitzvos in this world with this kavanah) draw it closer. May it come speedily in our days.

(I recommend listening to Rabbi Paltiel’s shiur for more details and much better presentation.)

Reward and punishment; importance of slavery; Names of G-d

Some links for parshas Vaeira.

Why was slavery necessary for Jews (why not give Torah right away)? What was the uniqueness of Moishe Rabbeinu? What’s the whole deal with the dichotomy of G-d’s Names (Havaya vs. Elokim) and two modes of G-d’s speech?

From Golus to Geula

The parsha deals with the plagues — as soon as the plagues started the slavery ended. This is the beginning of the geula from Mitzrayim (Egypt). This class continues our series of analysis of the first pasuk (line) of the parsha. Hashem is in the middle of talking to Moshe and then he starts talking to him again. What is the purpose of this redundancy? Why is Hashem called by two different names in this pasuk? The analysis starts off with Yonason ben Uziel, moves on to Rashi, Even Ezra, Rabbenu Bechaye, Rikanti (with commentary from the Levush), Arizal, Shaloh, and Chassidus from the Lubavitcher Rebbe (including two ma’amarim — 5731 and 5732: Vol.1 of the Rebbe’s edited ma’amarim and a sicha — 5725).

Was Ramban a philosopher or a mystic? Is reward provided by Hashem for our mitzva natural or miraculous? And what does “natural” or “miraculous” mean anyway? For this and more, see Rabbi Paltiel’s shiur on parshas Vaeira:

Reward and Punishment

Are the rewards and punishments (schar v’onesh) in our lives brought about strictly by our actions or the Hand of G-d? The analysis includes the positions of the Rambam and the Ramban on reward and punishment. The Ramban says that each event of reward and punishment is a neis (miracle). The critique of their positions from the Avodas HaKodesh (Reb Meir Ben Gabbai) as presented in the Shaloh and the rejoinder of the Shaloh in support of the Rambam. Finally, Chassidus from a sicha of the Lubavitcher Rebbe takes the whole discussion to a new level.

Parshas and seifer Shmois — links

This week we are starting the second book of Torah, seifer Shemois, also known as Seifer haGeulah (fitting its popular name of “Exodus”). This week is also Rambam’s yortzeit — and a birthday of some of his potential gilgulim.

Some classes from Rabbi Paltiel:

Introduction to the Book of Shmois

The shiur begins with an introduction to The Book of Shemos (the exodus process starts with a description of the exile and culminates in the building of the mishkan because the departure from galus is not strictly physical). The shiur then continues the regular series on analysis of the first pasuk. Sources include Rashi, Rabbenu Bechaye, Even Ezra, Rambam, and Chassidus.

[Very interesting shiur talking about two levels of exile, drawing from Kabbalistic explanation of how “Names” — Shemois — descending into Egypt refers to Hashem’s Names from Atzilus descending into this world. Also very interesting story about Noideh beYehudah opposing Baal Shem Tov and his eineklach “converting” to Chabad Chassidus.]

The Speech of Moshe

This class includes an analysis of Moshe Rabbenu's difficulty speaking. Sources include Rashi, Rambam, Ralbag, and other classic commentaries followed by insights on the topic from Chassidus.

Jewish refusal to assimilate and yartzeit of Rambam

[How did the Jews not assimilate. Rambam — seeming discrepancy between his personal character and his writings. Very fascinating shiur.]

Why did Yakov ask Yosef to swear?

Part III (and final) of Rabbi Shmuel Posner’s class on Parshas Vayechi.

Why did Yakov have to ask his son Yosef to swear that he would burry him in Eretz Yisroel? Yosef’s promise was not enough? Why didn’t Yakov want to be buried in Egypt anyway?

Menashe vs. Ephraim

Part II of Rabbi Posner’s class on parshas Vayechi.

— Why did Yakov decide to bless younger Ephrayim before the older Menashe?
— Why did Yosef want to switch them back?
— What do Menashe and Ephrayim symbolize and what do the two approaches (of Yakov and Yosef) teach us how to deal with the world?

For this and more, listen to the shiur below.

Everybody is out to get Eisav — Parshas Vayishlach

(source)

A lot of Shakesperian action in the last two parshios — on the spiritual level. Drama upon drama in the play of forces of essence and superficiality.

Among the people who tried to make Eisav better, thereby utilizing the amazing potential he had and bringing forth Era of Mashiach (which, of course, would be called something else… like, “Era of Dira B’Tachtoinim”) were:

• Rivka (one has to assume — since she wasn’t too worried about one of her sons having a tendency to idolatry)
• Yitzchok (in the last week’s parsha)
  
• Leia (was destined to; ended up marrying Yakov)
• Yakov (in this week’s parsha)
• Dina, Leia’s daughter (was destined to; ended up being left behind by Yakov, who meanwhile became Yisroel; Dina was then raped, ostracized by her brothers and married Yosef)

* * *

What does this mean?

Eisav’s soul was a that of Baal Teshuva extraordinaire. He was naturally attracted to idolatry. He was the man of the world. He was interested in using spiritual to help him with the physical. He was a smart, resourseful, cunning, powerful man, son and grandson of holy people.

When Rivka realized that she had twins, she knew what was up: a standard model of Keser (the pre-sphera of the Seder Hishtalshelus, the chain of spiritual Tree of Life piercing the Universe). There is the essence, pnimi, and there is the outward aspect, makif. Pnimi is higher than makif. But makif also consists of two parts: pnimi of makif and makif of makif. Makif of makif (external of external) is lower than pnimi proper. But pnimi of makif (internal of external) is higher than anything.

If you are confused, think of it this way: something essential is higher than something superficial. But reveal the essence of the superficial, and you are going even higher.



So, Rivka tried (apparently) to bring out the essence of her second, superficial son. Didn’t work out. She realized she must invest her efforts into the other son, Yakov, who meanwhile received Eisav’s inheritance (step 1). Yitzchok wanted to bless Eisav to draw out his essence, but Yakov (supported by Rivka) got the blessing for himself (step 2). Instead, Eisav’s father blessed him that he would get his brother’s help to reveal his essence by subjugating himself to his brother (bittul) — something Eisav did not find very exciting.

* * *

Let’s shift our focus away from Eretz Kna’an for a second. Rivka had a brother, Lavan. He had two daughters: Leia and Rochel. The eldest, Leia, was “outgoing” (as we learn from the meforshim for this parsha), but in a positive sense — not in a masculine way of conquering but in a feminine way of kind influence. A perfect match for Eisav; a perfect opportunity to draw out his essence. Leia was not really happy about this prospect, however, and cried a lot (as a result, her eyesight suffered, making her less beautiful — ever saw the thick glasses frum girls wear?).



No reason to cry: Lavan (“the White” — hinting at the lofty level of his source) tricked the trickster Yakov and forced him to marry Leia. Bam! — Yakov got Eisav’s another secret weapon (step 3).

* * *

Fast-forward twenty years. Yakov is leaving Lavan. He meets with Eisav. He is ready for Dira B’Tachtoinim to happen. He sends his spiritual forces (angels) of pnimiyus to “convert” Eisav, reveal his essence and usher in the Era of Heaven on Earth. Eisav refuses to cooperate. As a result, two things happen.

First, Yakov leaves Dina (Leia’s daughter, who, like her mother, was destined to marry Eisav and bring about the necessary change in him) behind him. As a result, she “goes out” (just like her mother); she is raped; her brothers have conflict with locals; Dina is ostracized, moved to Egypt and ends up marrying Yosef (who bring the whole family to Egypt, institutes socialism in the whole land, which results in the family’s slavery and eventual Exodus from Egypt and granting of the Torah). Step 4.

In addition, Eisav sends his spiritual forces in a form of an angel to battle with Yakov. Yakov prevails in the fight and forces the angel to bless him. The forces of superficiality, of power, of dominance, of being part of the world leave Eisav and move to Yakov in the final step 5. Yakov becomes Yisroel — not a man of inwardness, of Torah study, of yeshiva setting, of cunning, but the man of outwardness, of dealing with the outside world, of domination. The fate of the world is sealed: the descendants of Yakov will be instrumental in revealing pnimiyus in chitzoinius, essence in the shell, by creating Dira B’Tachtoinim, Dwelling Place for G-d in the Lower Realms.

Yisroel moves across the border into the Eretz Yisroel, as a prelude to later descent into Egypt. Rochel (Yakov’s natural wife) dies and takes role she always wanted — that of the Mother of the Children of Yisroel, the Jewish nation. Leia becomes Yisroel’s natural wife (the role she always wanted). The feminine force of “outgoing” influence through kindness joins forces of Yisroel (domination and participation in the world) and Yakov (internalization).



Eisav is of no more use to anyone. When he asks Yakov — I mean, Yisroel — to travel with him, his brother tells him to go and wait by his mountain. When the time comes, the descendants of Yisroel will come and elevate Eisav and the world. Descendants of Eisav convert in large numbers to Judaism. Those who do not convert form a mutant religion loosely based on Judaism, whose job becomes (according to Rambam) to prepare the world for the idea of monotheism and the Era of Mashiach.

* * *

Cool, huh? Based on Lubavitcher Rebbe’s teachings and my rabbi’s Torah class.

Life of Sara

Interesting class by Rabbi Paltiel on the first Jewish woman, Sara.

The class [analyzes] the first pasuk (line) of the parsha. Rabbi Paltiel draws on Rashi, Ramban, Rashbam, Baal HaTurim, Abarbanel, Alshich, and a ma’amar to address the following three questions:

1. Why is it relevant in the Torah to describe the passing of Sarah?

2. Why does the pasuk follow a pattern of klal—prat—klal (general—specific—general)?

3. Why does the word “shana” (years) appear three times (instead of one) in the description of 127 years?

Parshas Chayei Sarah: Cave Machpelah

Cave Machpelah is the resting place of the first human, Adam HaRishoin, and the first three Jewish families — our Patriarchs and Matriarchs.

As one can hear in Rabbi Paltiel’s shiur, “A Cave of Many Layers”, Machpelah is much more than that — a boundary between the worlds.

This is not just a shiur about mystical. Mysticism in Chassidus is not merely anatomy; it is also medicine. Explaining the connection of spiritual worlds and events with the physical ones, Chassidus then explains how to serve G-d properly in the physical world, revealing spiritual in the physical. In the end of the day, it’s all about practical application and everyday relevance, not about stories of angels, lights and vessels (although learning those is important in itself).

In addition: “Phases of Avram Avinu’s Avoidas Hashem” with special emphasis on Akeida. (No, my earlier post was not a plagiarism of this shiur.) The shiur also has an interesting discussion of the difference between Abraham’s mitzvos and ours (were Abraham, for instance, to write a mezuza parchment, he could have used it afterwards as a bottle cork. We couldn’t — our mezuza parchments becomes holy once used for a mitzva).

Akeidas Yitzchok — rational approach

Some people have a problem with akeidas Yitzchok. “What do you mean, Avraham wanted to kill his son? Isn’t it barbaric — to want to sacrifice your own child? How is this used as a virtue? Isn’t it just like Muslim terrorists? Why would G-d ask such a thing? So, if G-d asked you to sacrifice your son, you would also do it? So, when a crazy person kills someone — it’s OK?”

In response, a few points:

1. To begin with, the argument that it is barbaric is not fair. We find it barbaric to sacrifice our children precisely because Judaism — a religion founded by Avraham — says so. During Avraham’s times and much-much-much later, it was OK to sacrifice one’s children to gods according to general rules of morality existing amongst most people. We find accounts of the Nations’ child-sacrifice practices in Torah and Judaism in general (and some of our mitzvos include prohibitions to emulate these nations). Throughout history, we also find stories of mass massacres of children. For instance, inhabitans of the famous Carthage sacrificed their children en masse (and you thought Romans were bad, huh?). When Carthage was besieged by Rome, they sacrificed a lot of children even when they knew they were going to lose — just in case it’d work.

One can hardly apply to Avraham standards of morality which appeared much after his time and were created by his own religion! It would as if I, as a surgeon, invented a certain procedure at the age of 50 and then would be blamed for not using it at the age of 30. Only until after it became clear that G-d does not want Yitzchok sacrificed has it become possible to even suggest that perhaps G-d does not want children sacrificed. Furthermore, as a moral message for masses it only appeared as a part of Torah given to Moses many generations later.

2. The more important thing that we are overlooking here is that this was asked by G-d. Yes, the same G-d that created the Heaven and Earth, the same G-d the gave Yitzchok to Avraham (in a miraculos way), the same G-d whose Essence penetrates all existence, aside of whom there is no reality. All laws of logic, morality, all emotions stand aside from the word of G-d. I am not sure how to say it any clearer that whatever G-d says is an absolute law, because there is nothing besides Him. Therefore, when Avraham was able to see past his own emotions and logic and recognize the Uniqueness and Oneness of G-d, he is indeed to be praised — especially regarding how hard our reason must calm our emotions in order to comperehend this.

3. I hardly think this can be compared to Muslim terrorists. First, because you do not compare light to darkness, life to death, and something clean to something filthy. In other words, lehavdil. Second, because what they are doing is not sacrifice. They blow themselves up because they have convinced themselves that they will be immediately rewarded for this act by life infinitely better than the one they are leading right now. What separates them from those not yet ready to commit a suicide is that they convinced themselves much better, while others still have some doubt or did not overcome the regular animalistic fear. When you trade X for Y, and Y is much better than X, you are not sacrificing X, you are making a reasonable exchange.

What about atheists who blow themselves up for an ideology? Aren’t they trully giving up their life for some higher (in their opinion) cause? No. They are giving their biological existence for something that in their mind replaced their life. Their life is their ideology, not what we call life. Therefore, they are not sacrificing something. A sacrifice can be only of something you really value, losing which is a real tragedy for you. Then it is a sacrifice.

What Avraham was sacrificing was infinitely valuable for him. Yitzchok was not only his son, given to him by G-d miraculously, but also his future, his cause, his whole life, his only promise that his life would not be a mere existence, but a life, with a reason and a purpose, having its effect in infinity. That was taken away from him for no reason, with no promise of receiving something back, by G-d whom Avraham knew as merciful (as we find out at the beginning of the parshah, Avraham argued that merciful G-d cannot kill inhabitants of Sodom if there was only one righteous person amongst them). Furthermore, it was absolutely against Avraham’s character, because his nature was that of love and kindness.

And he was ready to do it, because he recognized who G-d is: that G-d is beyond any definition, and our realization of G-d’s boundless and limitless Essence must be above any definition we have of G-d, of this world, and of our lives.

4. Should somebody today follow in Avraham’s footsteps? No, because G-d Himself promised He would not violate His Law, the Torah, and in Torah it is forbidden to sacrifice children. Just like G-d is unlikely to call pig kosher or square a triangle, He will never call child sacrifice permitted. What a lot of people overlook, furthermore, is that G-d never permitted child sacrifice in human history. He simply asked Avraham to be ready to sacrifice his child (and act Avraham would have not indication to be immoral), and then did not permit it happening!

So, if you believe G-d is speaking to you and telling you to sacrifice your child, see a good psychiatrist. And get yourself commited before it’s too late. How did Avraham know he was not having a delusion? Just like you know that the world around yourself is real — to Avraham (and Moses), G-d’s revelation was at least as real as the world around himself, and probably more, and G-d made sure that there absolutely no doubt (if something miraculous happens in front of me right now, I will first question my own sanity; Avraham knew that was his revelation was real). At the same time, he, as all prophets, had proof of absolute clarity of his mind, full logical capacity and so on.


Finally, we must all draw a lesson from Avraham’s conduct: ability to realize with absolute clarity who G-d is. When you’re thinking of breaking Torah (either a Biblical commandment, a Rabbinic commandment, doing something not in spirit of Torah, or even just taking a more lenient path because it is easier), G-d forbid, for some physical or mental pleasure, think about the realization of who G-d is that allowed Avraham to be ready to sacrifice his own son. G-d does not and will not ask us to sacrifice our children for Him. He does ask as to sacrifice ourselves — our love of this physical world and its pleasures — by keeping Torah and realizing that there is nothing besides Him. Literally. Mamosh.

(Oh yeah, the last thing: Yitzchok was not a child. He was in his 30’s and went willingly, knowing what’s going on.)

Parshas Vayeira with Chabad-Chassidic commentary

Parshas Vayeira talks about destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Avraham’s arguing with G-d about them (one of the few cases when tzaddikim argued with Hashem), statement that Hashem is merciful G-d (which is important for rational argument for Divine Providence — necessary itself for explanation how our Oral Torah is genuine), miraculous birth of the second Jew, Yitzchok, story of Lot and his daughters (whose encounter gave birth to the nation of Midyan, whose member, Ruth, was a grandmother of Dovid HaMelech and, therefore, a descendant Mashiach), and birth of our cousins’ ancestor, Ishmoel, whose mother was one of the people Avraham converted to monotheism.

The parsha also has one of the most significant stories in Judaism — akeidas Yitzchok (the binding of Isaac), a story that redefined the understanding of a relationship with G-d.

For all of this and more, read parshas Vayeira with Chabad-Chassidic commentary.

Self-sacrifice refines us in proportion to the extent of the sacrifice involved. The greater the sacrifice, the more dedication to G-d we must evoke in order to motivate the sacrifice; in other words, we can only sacrifice something for G-d if G-d means more to us than whatever it is that we are sacrificing. The deeper the layer of our being that is exposed in this process, the more refined we become.

The devotion we must evoke in order to give up our physical lives for G-d refines us so profoundly and completely that it transforms the very physical matter of our body, rendering it fit to embody spirituality. The material nature of the body, which is normally too coarse to reveal the Divinity that sustains it, becomes spiritually transparent.

It is precisely this sublime level that Isaac reached when he willingly surrendered his life to G-d. According to Midrash, Isaac not only willing to die for G-d; he actually did die: while bound on the altar, his soul temporarily left him and ascended to heaven. It was in this respect that Isaac’s self-sacrifice showed himself ready to give up his life (at Ur of the Kasdites) and even his entire being (at the binding of Isaac), Isaac did give up his life.

The episode of the binding of Isaac is recited daily as a prelude to morning prayers, since our ultimate objective in praying is to dedicate our entire being to G-d. If we pray with proper intention and devotion, this objective will be imbued with self-sacrifice; furthermore, our involvement in the physical world will be solely for the goal of enhancing our relationship with G-d and fulfilling our Divine mission in life. Even the most physical aspects of our lives — our “ashes” — will remain “on the altar”, part and parcel of our Divine lives.

You can also listen to Rabbi Paltiel’s audio-shiurim on the parsha: “A Perfect Reward” (how is G-d’s appearing to Avraham significant?), “From the Potential to Actual” (why was Avraham tested?), and “Hashem’s Investigation of Sedom” (what do antropomorphic terms of Hashem “seeing”, “descending” and “investigating” mean?).

Chabad-Chassidic commentary on Lech Lecha — a soul’s journey

Third installation (large file) of Kehot-edition Chumash with Rebbe’s (and generally Chabad-Chassidic) commentaries — this time, on parshas Lech Lecha. I have enjoyed Bereishis and Noach so far and have already ordered a copy for myself (it’s back in stock). This editions is amazing. Of course, there is nothing like studying Chassidus in original — reading the sichos, the ma’amorim, the letters concerning each parsha (or using such publications as Dvar Malchus, where this is compiled for each week). This book, however, is the second best thing, especially for English readers who want introduction into Chassidus or Chassidic commentary to Chumash.

The more I read this edition, the more I realize one aspect of its advantage — it is a commentary on its own. It doesn’t just provide a selection of the Rebbe’s sichos on a particular topic or a parsha (which is a very good thing in itself), it has its own system of commentary that draws on a great wealth of sources, with Chabad Chassidus being a main guiding theme. The depth of the commentary (combined with conciseness — something I need to learn) is unbelievable. Just from reading the provided free chapters on Bereishis and Lech Lecha (I didn’t have so much opportunity to study Noach in depth) one can learn major basics of Chabad Chassidus. I want to quote everything, but quoting first “Inner Dimensions” will suffice for now:

Go from your land and from your birthplace: go away from your father’s house, to the land that I will show you:

Metaphorically, this command is given to every soul about to be born, which must then descend from its source in the heavenly spheres through progressively lower gradations, gaining more definition, self-awareness, and distance from G-d at each step, until it reaches the physical plane. Its next step is to begin the process of ascent, traveling back in the opposite direction to transcend the shortsighted perspective of the body. Finally, it must then transcend even its own holy inclinations. This verse thus can be explained as follows:

Go: Descend from the highest levels—

From your land: The word for “land” (eretz) is related to the word for “will” or “desire” (ratzon). “Land” therefore alludes to G-d’s will, which is identified with the sefirah of keter. The soul is thus told to take leave of its lofty roots (keter) and descend to the next level, chochmah.

From your birthplace: Divine insight (chochmah) is called “father”, since chochmah “fathers” and gives birth to ideas. The soul must leave this level as well and descend even further, into the realm of understanding (binah).

Your father’s house: Binah is the womb where the seed of chochmah is developed and expanded, which is why it is called “your father’s house”. The soul must descend even further—

To the land, i.e., to the physical world: This is the ultimate, most difficult descent, yet through it the soul arrives in this world, which is the “land”—

That I will show you: The non-descriptive “I” refers to G-d’s essence, which is likewise beyond description. G-d promises the soul that in the merit of descending into this world and fulfilling the commandments, it will be shown the “I” of G-d, enabling it to cleave to G-d’s essence [through Torah and mitzvos].

Once the soul enters this world and becomes garbled in a human body, it is commanded and given strength to—

Go: this time in the opposite direction, from the lowest sphere to the highest—

From your land: “Land”, as we have explained above, alludes to will and desire. Firstly, the soul must transcend the animalistic desires of the body. It is then told to go—

From your birthplace: i.e., to transcend the assumptions and limited perspective of the intellect and emotions of the ego. It must then go—

From your father’s house: i.e., to transcend those behavioral habits that it acquired and became accustomed to due to a faulty education and less-than-perfect environment. It must go beyond all of these limitations—

To the land that I will show you: to a holy place, such as a synagogue of place of Torah study, where desires of the Divine soul dominate and prevail.

Only after we have successfully transcended the limitations of the body’s animating soul can we then proceed to the next task, that of transcending even the inclinations of the Divine soul, its own ratzon (land), chochmah (birthplace), and binah (father’s house), and reach a level that is beyond reason, “the land that I will show you”, a place where the sould does not merely comprehend Divinity [as was before the birth, in the Upper Worlds] but actually sees it.

[Based on Likutei Sichot, vol. 1, pp. 15–18.]

This was one of the first sichos of the Rebbe I ever studied by myself. I remember sitting on Shabbos in 770 and learning it.

The regular commentary provides a slightly different explanation on the first sentence of Lech Lecha, from Rebbe Rashab’s teachings. Read inside.

Other links.

Parshas Lech Lecha — leaving your boundaries. Ignoramus is forbidden to eat meat

In comments to my last post, I said that one of the proposed strategies in dealing with the world is “to recognize that in our lives, there are Jewish needs and there are regular, human needs. Just make sure they don’t contradict (and if they do, figure out, what’s more important in [each] case — and if you can choose a more lenient way in Judaism to accommodate a conflicting ‘worldly’ need, then do so).” Chabad Chassidus rejects this approach. Why? What’s wrong with a compromise between stringent and lenient, between Judaism and the worldly pleasures? The Lubavitcher Rebbe’s sicha on parshas Lech Lecha discusses this question.

Torah (whose name means “teaching”) provides an everyday lesson for us. Of course, Torah is the source of Halacha which governs our everyday life, but what about the portions of Torah that are not related to specific laws (or the immediately applicable laws)? The answer is that Torah that we see is only one dimension of the whole Torah. Stories and even laws presented in it hint at processes that happen in the spiritual realities of the Universe, whose study concerns us everyday and reveals more general themes of our service of G-d and life. Lech Lecha teaches us the meaning of “going away”, out of one’s current situation, one’s current bounds, for the sake of elevation.

One may think this means physical bounds and even spiritual bounds. No, says the Rebbe, it included the bounds of Torah, holy bounds — these also need to be broken, in order to go higher than one’s current position.

[E]ven before the circumcision, and even before the command to [440] “go forth from your land,” Avraham Avinu was at a lofty level. In the words of my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe [Rayatz], in the sichah of Simchas Torah, 5710 [1949] [441], Avraham Avinu was then a Jew of 75, master of many estates and master of all areas of his conduct. He had attained all the levels that he could have possibly attained by his own efforts, including even the level [in the apprehension of Divinity] known as [442] shekol hane'elam mikol ra'ayon.

And at that point he was commanded to “go forth from your land” i.e., to elevate himself to an even loftier level, and then he was commanded further concerning the circumcision. From this we may gain some notion of the sublime level which his circumcision enabled him to attain. […]

The mitzvah of circumcision elicits a flow of divine lights so sublime that they utterly transcend the created universe and Seder Hishtalshelus, the chainlike scheme of orderly descent by which divine light is progressively contracted. […] Furthermore, the mitzvah of circumcision upgrades the individual out of all proportion to his former spiritual state — like birth. [...]

As a preparation for the circumcision (which signifies a birthlike revelation and elicitation of sublime spiritual lights), Avraham Avinu was commanded: “Go forth from your land,” and so on. I.e., in order to arrive at the level of such lights, he first had to step out of his present bounds, even holy bounds.

The way to break out of the bounds and restrictions imposed by the animal soul is to conduct oneself according to the Shulchan Aruch and to study ethical writings. This enables a person to realize that materiality is utterly worthless [451]. As a result he will free himself of the restrictions of the animal soul, and of course from the restrictions of the body. However, when it comes to freeing oneself from restricting bounds in holy matters, that's quite a different story.

Exactly what are the latter restraints?

Concerning the study of Torah a man might argue: It’s enough for me that I am one of the [452] “supporters of the Torah”; it's enough that I study [453] “one chapter in the morning and one chapter in the evening”; the shiur after davenen will suffice; studying without exerting the soul or the flesh will be quite enough; it's enough that I study nigleh, the revealed plane of the Torah: do I have to study Chassidus as well?!

Concerning avodah, i.e., davenen, the same individual argues that it's quite enough that he arrives at shul in the middle of davenen; according to the Shulchan Aruch he can then skip most of Pesukei DeZimrah, the psalms of praise — i.e., three-quarters of the davenen — so long as he prays together with the congregation [454]. Surely it's enough that he hastily churns and chops his way through the words [455], without taking time off to think what they mean [456]. If he does think about what the words mean, without meditating for a moment on Whom he is addressing [457], then surely that's more than enough. As to the earnest frame of mind [458] that is supposed to precede prayer, he discharges this obligation by clasping his hands like a servant before his master;[459] now, having done that, he can allow his thoughts to fly hither and thither...

Concerning tzedakah, this individual argues that the Shulchan Aruch [460] itself lays down limits. There is a certain quota required by the Torah, deoraysa, and there is a certain quota required by the Sages, deRabbanan — and surely he is not obliged to give away more than the prescribed minimum. As to giving away more than a fifth of his income, then this is not only not obligatory, but (he argues) forbidden! For did not the Sages say that[461] “he who gives freely should not give away more than a fifth” [462]?

Besides, this individual argues, in no area of his life should a man make more stringent demands on himself than the Torah requires him to. For this stance he quotes the Talmud Yerushalmi [463]: “Let the Torah's prohibitions suffice for you!” “Tell me,” he protests, “am I expected to be more pious than the Yerushalmi?!” In similar vein such a man contends that it is not proper to expect him to do things that go beyond the letter of the law [464]: if only he would conduct himself according to the law, he says, according to the Shulchan Aruch…

These arguments derive from the limitations of one’s mindset — including the limitations of one’s mindset in holy matters.

Next, explaining the statement in Gemara “an ignoramus is forbidden to eat meat”, the Rebbe talks about the revolutionary understanding of Chassidus of the role of a Jew’s life in this world, the mission for which his soul descended into this world, so that it can ascend. He also discusses why even things permitted by Halacha need to be avoided, if they don’t serve a holy purpose directly.

My revered father-in-law, the Rebbe [Rayatz], once remarked [465] that in America there is an illness called “you're allowed to”.

On a number of occasions, by way of contrast, he related that chassidim are accustomed to say [466]: “What you're not allowed to do, you're not allowed to do, and what you are allowed to do, you don't have to do."

Along these lines it is taught that[467] “an ignoramus is forbidden to eat meat.” This does not signify an actual prohibition [468], for something that is actually forbidden (assur) is irredeemably bound (assur) in the clutches of the kelipos [469], and one cannot pronounce a blessing over it. In contrast, meat eaten by an ignoramus is not bound in the clutches of the kelipos; moreover, the ignoramus is obliged to pronounce a blessing before and after eating. Rather, the brakes applied above to the ignoramus echo the traditional advice: “What you are allowed to do, you don't have to do.”

Chassidus discusses the question [470] of whom eating is mainly intended to benefit. Eating is not primarily intended to serve the needs of man by enabling him to be a recipient and derive his nourishment from it, for man's spiritual standing is higher than that of the food he eats. Rather, eating is mainly intended to serve the needs of the food. The food desires and waits for man to eat it, so that he can sift its materiality and discover the divine sparks embedded in it and thereby elevate it.

In this spirit my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe [Rayatz], once related that one day a morsel of food fell from his father's fork into his plate. The Rebbe Rashab smiled and remarked: “He's not yet agreeable…”

When does the food desire that a man should eat it? — Only when he eats it not for the sake of his own desire but for the sake of the food's desire; i.e., he eats in order to elevate the food. If, however, he eats because of his own desire — i.e., he eats the food for his own need, since he wants to be a recipient and derive his nourishment from it — then not only does he not elevate the food, but in fact the food downgrades his spiritual standing. This in turn downgrades the standing of the food itself, because through it the man stumbled [471].

Along similar lines, my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe [Rayatz], once stated in a sichah [472]: While walking down the street one should think about words of Torah. (The subject matter varies from person to person — Chassidus, Gemara, Mishnayos, Ein Yaakov, or at least [473] a verse of Chumash or Tehillim.) If he does not think about words of Torah, the cobblestone on which he steps cries out to him: “Clod! Who are you to tread on me?”

It is true that the man is more elevated than the stone — a medaber, an articulate human, as against a domem, an inanimate object. However, the medaber is superior only when his conduct is directed by his intellective soul [474]. But when a spirit of folly [475] enters him, so that he does not fulfill his function as a thinking being and is therefore called a clod, then the cobblestone protests: “Clod! Who are you to tread on me?”

Nevertheless, even after all these reasoned explanations have been made, the mortal mind (including the mind of a Jew) is still bothered by a question: Granted that what the Torah forbids is forbidden — but when it comes to things that are permitted according to the Torah and the Shulchan Aruch, why should a person be told that these too should not be done?

In response to this question: One should not debate it by means of human logic, because here one will find a kashe (a logical query) based on a statement in the Talmud Bavli, and there one will find a kashe based on a statement in the Talmud Yerushalmi, and so on and so forth. Rather, the approach that is called for is kabbalas ol, an unquestioning acceptance of the yoke of heaven, and mesirus nefesh, self-sacrifice. What is required in the early stages of one’s avodah is kabbalas ol; at a higher level this becomes mesirus nefesh — for, as Chassidus explains, mesirus nefesh (lit., “surrendering one’s soul”) basically means mesiras haratzon (“surrendering one's will”), because nefesh [also] means “will”. This surrender of one's will also includes one's will in matters of kedushah (which is a Jew’s real will, as Rambam states as a psak din in the course of a halachic decision [476]). Such a surrender of the will obligates one to leap out of all his inhibiting restraints, including those involving kedushah.

This approach is especially required in the time of galus (now that [477] “because of our sins we were exiled from our Land”) — because at a time like this, avodah that follows the dictates of reason and commonsense will not suffice. What is needed is mesirus nefesh, for this is what gives Jews the stamina to survive the trek through galus. (Tanya[478] explains why “Moshe Rabbeinu… commanded… to the generation that entered the Land that they recite the Shema twice daily in order to acknowledge the Sovereignty of Heaven with self-sacrifice” — but this explanation speaks only of potential self-sacrifice, whereas the era of exile requires actual self-sacrifice.) One of the proofs for this is the fact that it is specifically during the era of exile that self-sacrifice is present and manifest.

To revert to Avraham Avinu: We can now appreciate why, when he began his period of exile, G-d commanded him to “go forth from your land”, to step beyond his accustomed limits [479]. This would empower him to go “to the land”, to go out to the world. He knew that though [480] “travel lessens three things”, not only would nothing be weakened with relation to himself, but, moreover [481], “I shall make your name great” — i.e., Your Name, the Divine Name Havayah, the Name of G-d's Essence (as is expounded in Chassidus [482]). Moreover, Avraham Avinu’s self-transcendence would empower him to attain the level of the circumcision — the revelation of sublime spiritual lights, a revelation that resembles birth [483].

Read more in the sicha.