Toldos: Big Bang Theory

The following is based on the Maharal in Netzach Yisrael. Feel free to print this out and read it over Shabos Kodesh, just please not during Tefilos!

In the start of this week’s Parshah, we read as Yaakov Avinu buys the Bechorah – the Rights of the Firstborn from his brother Eisav HaRasha. And what did he buy it for? What was Yaakov charged for these prestigious privileges? A bowl of lentils. Eisav sells the holy Bechorah for some beans.

Now, Yaakov wasn’t cooking up lentils for no reason. Chazal explain that the preparation of lentils shows us that the day of that this transaction did not did not occur in a vacuum. This was the day of Avraham Avinu’s passing and thus Yaakov prepared lentils whose round shape symbolize and encapsulate the proverbial circle of life and death.

The day on which Avraham died served as a turning point in Eisav’s life. Within the spiritual black-hole generated by the Tzadik’s passing, Eisav chose to commit a number sins marking his decision to give up on a life of Kedushah and Tahrah and instead walk the path of darkness and corruption.

Even though these events are not explicit in verse, Chazal prove through the use of Drashos – analytical exegesis – that they in fact occurred.

On the top of the list of Aveiros that Eisav committed on that day was the moment that he was Kofer B’Ikar – he transformed into a heretic and rejected the existence of God. And how do Chazal learn this out? They see an extra word when Eisav agrees to sell the Bechorah, and this word tips them off to the extra, heretical intention that was going on behind the scenes. Let’s explain.

Eisav walks in and says, ‘Oy, I’m tired. Feed me that bowl of stuff.’ Yaakov replies, ‘Not for free. Let’s make a deal. My lentils for your Bechorah.’ Eisav considers the barter and says, ‘I’m Mamesh so tired I feel like I’m gonna die - V’Lamah Zeh Li Bechorah – of what use is the Bechorah to me? Pass me those beans.’ And the deal is done.

Now, in this Pasuk we openly see how Eisav is Kofer in the Chashivus of the Bechorah – he rejects the importance of the Rights of the Firstborn. He’s willing to trade it away for something far below its proper worth. But Eisav could have accomplished the same goal with one less word. He could have said V’Lamah Li HaBechorah – that would have the same exact connotation! So then why did he throw in the extra ‘Zeh’ in V’Lamah Zeh Li Bechorah?

From this Chazal understand that Eisav wasn’t just coming to be Kofer in the Bechorah, he was also coming to be Kofer in the added Zeh as well. And what is Zeh a reference to? Nothing other than HaKadosh Baruch Hu Himself, as the Pasuk says Zeh Keili - This is my God. Thus by adding the extra Zeh to his Kfirah in the Bechorah he also accomplished a Kfirah in Hashem as well.

A Maamar Chazal cannot be seen in a bubble. The Drashah and the Pasuk from which it came do not exist independently of one another.  The textual source from which a Maamar Chazal is extracted sheds crucial light on the nature of the Drashah itself. I have to see the Ma’amar Chazal through the lens of the content of the Pasuk that it emerged from. Chazal chose to introduce me to this teaching specifically with this Pasuk as its background. Otherwise they would have learned it out from another source.

With this in mind we are forced to sharpen our definition of Eisav’s heresy. He didn’t simply add on his rejection God with his roundabout rejection of Zeh. No. It’s much deeper. He rejected God specifically from within his rejection of the Bechorah! He became a Kofer B’Ikar through his Kfirah of the Bechorah. Well, what does that mean? We’ll need to take a detour.

The first Pasuk in the Torah states Bereishis Bara Elokim Es HaShamayim V’Es HaAretz – In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Chazal famously learn out that Bereishis means Bishvil Reishis – For the things that are called Reishis. It is because of things that the Torah calls Reishis that the world can exist. On that list is Am Yisrael, the Torah HaKedoshah, and specific Mitzvos that are called Reishis. For example Bikurim which is called Reishis Tvuaschem – the first of your produce. This Mitzvah entails bringing the first fruits of the field to the Beis HaMikdash.

What makes them so holy? Why can the world only exist because of Bikurim?

So a heretical philosopher will tell you the following: Any given thing can only produce something that it like itself. Water doesn’t produce fire and the opposite is also true. That being said, Yichud cannot produce Ribui and Ribui is incapable of generating Yichud. That which is unified and solitary will not generate multifariousness and multiplicity. Also, that which is dispersed and multidimensional will not produce something simple and whole. Thus, it is impossible that your monotheistic God created this world that has so many unrelated elements.

This is not our belief. We believe that HaKadosh Baruch Hu creates with ‘white light’ and we merely perceive it as many colors on the other side of the prism. This means that when God set the universe in motion all of the subsequently revealed energies were already present in the original spark. All life, every personal story, every everything that we see throughout the rest of history is merely an unfolding of that original creative force. It’s amazing that there was in fact a spiritual Big Bang. There is an original unifying energy that pulls together all the details in the world. Sof Ma’aseh B’Machshavah Techilah.

So the heretical philosopher will tell you that in an apple orchard one fruit blossoms, then a second appears, then a third, fourth and so on. But now we know that this is not true. Contained in the first apple is the potential for the rest of the orchard! Every other fruit is merely an unfolding of the latent energies that are already present in the first fruit.

Therefore, by holding the first - the Reishis - in high regard, when I designate the first fruit as a symbol of God’s unity, when I go ahead and bring that first fruit to the Beis HaMikdash and give it to Hashem I’m not merely giving Him one apple – I’m giving Him the whole field!

The Emunah, the faith in what Bikurim represents separates us from sacrilegious theorists. The concept of the Bikurim drives home the point that in this crazy, multifarious world of endless details – Hashem Echad – there is a unifying monotheistic force that holds it all together and gives it meaning.

The Bechorah is no different. The firstborn is called also called Reishis Ono. The world was created for it as well. Already present in the original son is potential of all future offspring. This explains why the original intention was for the Bechor - the firstborn - to be the Kohen, the priest. Bikurim re-enforce our Emunah in the Oneness of Hashem and therefore it’s intrinsically holy and the Bechor is fundamentally sanctified for the same reason.

We would look around the world and be led away from God and not towards Him. The Mitzvos of Reishis allow the world to exist in a context that we can be reminded that there is a unifying creative force, a common denominator, a Oneness to the world and history. The Mitzvos of Reishis save us from falling into Kfirah.

Let’s bring it full circle.

Now we can understand the depth of what Chazal were trying to teach us. V’Lamah Zeh Li Bechorah. We don’t learn that Eisav became a Kofer B’Ikar out of nowhere. Inasmuch as Eisav rejected the value of the Bechorah he simultaneously rejected the Oneness of God! By saying that the Bechorah is of no value he was also saying that the world we live in is essentially a world of dividedness and therefore it’s not a world that HaKadosh Baruch Hu governs. Kofer B’Ikar.

But what does this mean for me?

I look around my life and I see endless details. Bills and concerns. Different spheres of friends. A never-ending media barrage. A world of unbearable multiplicity and duality. I watch the news for fifteen minutes and each story turns my world upside down from a new angle. How am I expected to cope?

Knowing that all of the diversity in my life is coming from a Unified Source gives me the focus I need to sanctify all of my different endeavors for a Unified Purpose. When I clearly know that every situation is from Hashem I begin to uncover the inner wellsprings of inspiration needed to direct all of my responses towards Him. No matter where I end up. No matter what the universe delivers. The common denominator in all of my responses will be, ‘As long as it’s Ratzon Hashem.’

Balak: Teacher's Pet

The following is based on the Sefer MiMa’amakim, Rav Kook in Oros HaKodesh, the Sfas Emes and the Maharal in Derech Chayim. Feel free to print this out and read it over Shabbos Kodesh, just please not during Tefilos!

In this week’s Parsha we are introduced to Balak, King of Moav. Balak felt threatened by the presence of the Jewish people near his border, and so he brought the neighboring country of Midyan in for a brainstorming session and they decided to call upon Bila’am Ben B’or, a sorcerer, to curse – and thereby annihilate – the Jewish people.

In the Torah’s detailing of Bila’am’s journey to meet with Balak, Rashi and other commentators point out numerous allusions to Avraham Avinu’s experiences as he made his journey to sacrifice Yitzchak Avinu at the Akeidah. Why the repetitive comparisons? We are here to talk about Bila’am – not Avraham! Why do we need to highlight the association?

Chazal give us the answer to this question in Pirkei Avos (5:19). There the Mishna sets up an epic historical battle between Bila’am and Avraham. The Mishna states as follows: ‘Whosoever possesses these three qualities belongs to the disciples of Avraham Avinu: Ayin Tova - a benevolent eye, Ruach Nemucha - a humble spirit, and Nefesh Shfala - a meek soul. On the other hand, he who possesses the three opposite qualities; Ayin Ra’a an evil eye, Ruach Gvoha a proud spirit, and Nefesh Rechava -  a haughty soul, he is of the disciples of Bila’am HaRasha. How do the disciples of Avraham differ from the disciples of Bila’am? The disciples of Avraham enjoy this world and inherit the World to Come, while the disciples of Bila’am go down to the pit of destruction.’

One simple question on the text: Chazal here claim that if one has these three bad character traits he becomes a disciple of Bila’am. Since when do I need someone to teach me bad traits?! For this I need a character as famous and dramatic as Bila’am HaRasha to teach me? Any immature and insensitive person can figure these traits out by themselves! We need to implement specifically Bila’am HaRasha to teach me this?

And similarly, there are many great Tzadikim from our generations, and yet in contrast to Bila’am HaRasha’s unique quality to be a teacher of Ayin Ra’a, Ruach Gvoha and Nefesh Rechava we need specifically Avraham Avinu to teach me the opposite? No one else could emulate these Midos?

In short – why do we need this precise pair to bring out these contrasting sides?

As we attempt to refine our sensitivity to the words of Chazal, we need to understand that everything they say is intrinsic – the connections that they make, the comparisons that they draw are all stemming from deep-rooted universal truths. Meaning, if Avraham Avinu is lined up against Bila’am HaRasha, and we see that whatever his attributes are – the other personifies the diametrically opposing side, it shows us that Avraham Avinu and Bila’am HaRasha are inherently polar opposites.

This Mishna is coming to illustrate the concept of “Zeh L’Umas Zeh Bara Elokim” – Hashem created the world in such a way that every force has a counterforce. Each pair involved in a Zeh-L’Umas-Zeh relationship are involved in an existential tug-of-war. There is a point over which these two opposing forces are trying to prove their supremacy. Furthermore, this central point of contention is by the nature of its very existence is the only common factor between the two sides. Applying this concept back to our Mishna will hopefully add clarity…

The point of conflict between Bila’am HaRasha and Avraham Avinu is that they emerge in history as diametrically opposing ‘Firsts’, and they started a historical battle that is yet to end.

We know that Bila’am HaRasha was a gentile prophet, but it goes a fascinating step further:  The Torah HaKedosha at the end of Parshash VaYishlach tells us of eight evil Edomite Kings who ruled in succession of one another. This seemingly overlookable factoid is really of tremendous significance. Comes the Arizal and reveals to us that these eight kings play a central historical role: These kings were responsible for the supernal potential for evil manifesting in the world on a practical level. These weren’t just evil people – they were responsible for letting evil and impurity enter this realm of existence.

The first king mentioned in this list – meaning the leader, founder and ideological head of this group was a man named Bela Ben B’or. Sound familiar? It should: Because Bela Ben B’or was simply another way of referring to Bila’am Ben B’or.

This sets Bila’am HaRasha apart in a big way; he’s no longer just a non-Jewish prophet. Now we see him for what he truly is: On the historical scale, he is nothing less dramatic than the foremost and fundamental challenger to holiness in this world. He is the embodiment of Kilkul­ – spiritual destruction

On this level he stands diametrically apposed to Avraham Avinu. The role of the first of our forefathers is not difficult to explain. Avraham Avinu came down to this world in order to found a nation whose entire essence is to reveal holiness in the world. It was he who instituted this movement toward the discovery and revelation of godliness. Avraham is the force of Tikun – rectification.

It is the purpose of Am Yisrael to make the world a deeper, more meaningful, holier – and thereby automatically – better place. And it is Avraham Avinu who stands as its ideological originator.

But how do we do this? What is required of us to pull off the remarkable feat of transforming the world into a sanctified dwelling space? This starts with our Midos – our character traits.

We are forced to say that Midos of Avraham Avinu: Ayin Tova - a good eye, Ruach Nemucha - a humble spirit, and Nefesh Shfala - a meek soul are the keys, the tools that we need to refine and implement in order to fulfill our universal task of Divine Revelation. And we can even say one step further – it’s not the character traits that make me an ideological disciple of Avraham Avinu, that’s not what he is teaching me. I become a student of Avraham because he’s teaching me my purpose in this world. He’s teaching me how to bring about spiritual rectification to the expanse of creation. The only way to accomplish this is through the implementation of these Midos. When do so I will automatically connect myself to, become a student of, be a part of his historical mission.

And so, Ayin Ra’a an evil eye, Ruach Gvoha a proud spirit, and Nefesh Rechava - a haughty soul; the tell-tale signs that one is a disciple of Bila’am HaRasha; must be tools needed to make a the world a less spiritual, less holy, less God-conscious place. And the same holds true here – it’s not the Midos that make me a Talmid, a student, of Bila’am HaRasha – rather it’s self-attachment to the furtherance of Bila’am’s goals that makes him part of the club. This ideological association is revealed by the manifestation of his qualities

Chazal define Bila’am HaRasha’s Midos as such:  Ayin Ra’a – Resentfulness. Jealousy. The distaste for the good fortune of others. The thrill of watching something break. Ruach Gvoha – Pumped-up ego. Self-centeredness. The inability to function within a group. The furtherance of ‘self’ being the highest cause. Nefesh Rechava – Insatiability. And endless hunger for more and more physical pleasure. Lust and greed.

When a person gets caught up in these qualities he furthers Bila’am HaRasha’s goal. He creates disconnection and dissonance between the creations of the universe. He trains himself to be shallow. He disallows himself from connecting to the Divine.

Conversely; they define Avraham Avinu’s traits in the following way: Ayin Tova - Benevolence. My deep-rooted desire to complete that which is lacking and to fix that which is broken. My internal drive to make things right. Ruach Nemucha – Humility. Having the proper perspective that there is a greater goal, the wisdom as well as sensitivity to see myself as part of a bigger plan. Nefesh Shfala – Not living with an overdependence on the physical. Being satisfied with my lot.

These qualities facilitate Avraham Avinu’s ideology to come to fruition. Inasmuch as I myself as a vessel for holiness, a conduit for sensitivity, I can make the world a deeper, more meaningful place. A feeling of being settled without a constant nag to be shiny and shallow. An internal drive to see that my surroundings are always getting a little bit better. A kind word. Picking up a piece of trash. It is these qualities that the students Avraham Avinu put into practice in order to complete his – and their – task over the course of history.

The comparison between Bila’am HaRasha to Avraham Avinu allows me to take an assessment of which side I am on. Am I on the side of Tikun or Kilkul? Am I here to associate with Bila’am or Avraham? What do I want the world to look like?

HaKadosh Baruch Hu should give us the strength to fulfill our destiny and attach ourselves to Avraham Avinu’s vision of the world. We should be given the constant flow of inspiration and strength to polish and reveal our elements of Ayin Tova, Ruach Nemucha and Nefesh Shfala so that we can bring about the ultimate purpose of the universe: To make a beautiful, pure and holy world. A world that is receptive to Ratzon Hashem. If we can do this, there is no doubt that we will live lives of Simcha and Shleimus moving closer to HaKadosh Baruch Hu and ultimately the Geulah Sheleimah!

Nisan/Parshas HaChodesh: I Just Can't Wait to be King

Chazal established that we read four special Parshios during the month of Adar. This week we read the final Parsha of the Arba Parshios - Parshas HaChodesh.

Parshas HaChodesh revolves around the commandment given from HaKadosh Baruch Hu to Moshe Rabbeinu in which Hashem says,
“HaChodesh HaZeh Lachem, Rosh Chadashim. Rishon Hu Lachem L’Chodshei HaShana” – ‘This month shall be for you the beginning of the months. It shall be for you the first month of the year.’ We learn here about the first commandment given to the Jewish people: Kiddush HaChodesh

Kiddush HaChodesh (literally; ‘Sanctification of the Month’) is the act of declaring that the previous month has ended and the new month has begun. This proclamation, announced by Jewish courts (called a Beis Din) requires Eidus - testimony - that the new moon has been spotted, ending and simultaneously restarting the lunar-month cycle.

This power and responsibility given to Beis Din to declare when months begin and end, starts with Hashem saying HaChodesh HaZeh Lachem - ‘This month’ – meaning, the ability to formulate the months – ‘Shall be for you’ – is now in your hands.

The start of the new month is called Rosh Chodesh; and, as we will see, it is a very powerful moment.

We see in the Torah that this Mitzvah was given just before the redemption from Egypt stepped into high gear. The verses detailing this Mitzvah are found just before that of the Plague of the first-born. Chazal teach us that we learn from here that Kiddush HaChodesh is the Mitzvah of Geulah - redemption. We first need to understand what is the connection between Kiddush HaChodesh and the themes of Geulah/The Coming of Melech HaMoshiach - the Messiah. Because even though we learn about Rosh Chodesh within the context of Mitzrayim, Hashem promises us that the future redemption will be Acharis K’Reishis, that the final redemption, the Geula Adisa will magnify the themes of the first one, namely the exodus from Egypt. So what’s the connection between Rosh Chodesh and Moshiach?

Secondly, like we mentioned before, we aren’t talking about Kiddush HaChodesh for nothing. This Shabbos Kodesh, the week leading into Chodesh Nisan, was specifically set aside by Chazal to be Parshas HaChodesh. The question is, why? What is the connection between ‘Parshas HaChodesh’ and Nisan? And while it’s true that Passuk’s mentioning of, ‘Rishon Hu Lachem’ - ‘It shall be the first month for you’ - is a reference to the fact that Nisan is the first month in the lunar cycle; we still need to understand why it was Nisan specifically that was chosen to be the first month.

And to take it all once step deeper, we will hopefully see how both questions are really independent on one another. If A equals B, and B equals C, then A equals C. If Moshiach relates to Rosh Chodesh, and Rosh Chodesh is tied specifically toChodesh Nisan, then we will hopefully see how Moshiach and Geula are rooted in Nisan.

To understand the commonality between Rosh Chodesh and Moshiah we need to look at a story in Messeches Rosh HaShana. There, the Gemara tells the story of how Rav Chiya was told by Rebbi Yehudah to go to a certain city and perform Kiddush HaChodesh. Rav Chiya was told that when he completed his task, he was to send back the following message back to Rebbi Yehudah, “David Melech Yisrael Chai V’Kayam.” – ‘David, King of Israel, lives and endures.’

Rashi there clarifies why a declaration of the endurance of the Davidic Dynasty was an appropriate message to signify the sanctification of the moon. He explains that David HaMelech’s reign, (and subsequently his whole line after him, eventually leading to Mashiach ben David, the Messiah, who is a part of this lineage) is compared to the moon.

We see this in Tehilim (89:38), “K’Yareiach Yikon Olam” – ‘Like the moon, it (David’s reign) shall be established forever.’ Says the Radak in his commentary on this Passuk, and the Maharal in his explanation of the story above, David HaMelech’s dynasty and the moon share something important in common: perhaps at times they seems down and out – even invisible, but they are still holding on and destined to make a come-back. The moon withers away again and again, but it picks up. And it is specifically at the moment where it hits rock bottom that Rav Chiya was told to send back a message about David HaMelech’s journey through history.

It’s for this reason that in our Kiddush HaChodesh that we do today, we say about the moon that the Jewish people are Asidim L’Hischadesh KaMosah, in the future, with the coming of Melech HaMosiach (who, like we mentioned, needs to be a direct descendant of David HaMelech), we will be refreshed just like the moon.

If Kiddush HaChodesh is all tied up with David HaMelech then it is important to point out his spiritual significance. We are taught by the deeper sources that HaKadosh Baruch Hu interacts with us via seven Divine Attributes called, Sfiros or Midos. Specific key characters in Jewish history ‘mirror’ each one of these Traits. These select few are the representatives, or ‘Channels’ for the Sfiros. The seven people who serve as representatives of the Sfiros are the seven Ushpizin - Guests - that we invite over the course of Succos: Avraham Avinu, Yitzchak Avinu, Yaakov Avinu, Moshe Rabbeinu, Aharon HaKohen, Yosef HaTzadik and lastly David HaMelech.

David HaMelech parallels the final of the seven Midos called Malchus -Royalty. Royalty means control. A good king keeps all the various details of his kingdom in balance. In spiritual sense, the role of the Midah of Malchus is to ensure that the other six are in harmony. While it is beyond the scope of this essay to delve into everything that this means, it’s important to keep in mind that the concepts of David and Malchus go hand-in-hand, after all, we do call him David HaMelech .

With this we can begin to understand what it is about Nisan that highlights these messianic messages that HaChodesh contains. The Bnei Yisachar makes a few connections.

First, we are taught by the Ari’Zal that each of the twelve months parallels a one of the Shivtei Kah, the Twelve Tribes. Nisan, the first month, parallels Yehudah, who was ‘King’ of the tribes, and from whom David HaMelech and subsequently Moshiach descend.

We are taught by Chazal that the year has several starting points. There is the Rosh HaShana for holidays, the Rosh HaShana for the Trees, and there is also the Rosh HaShana for Melachim, for the Kings. It’s no longer surprising that the Rosh HaShana for Melachim is also Rosh Chodesh Nisan.

And this last one is simply fun. HaChodesh HaZeh Lachem, Rosh Chodashim - The letters that make up the word Lachem - ‘to you’, also spell “Melech” – King.

This explains the many references throughout Pesach-related literature to the concept of how via the exodus from Egypt, the Jewish people transcend to a new level called Bnei Melachim, ‘Kings and Sons of Kings’ – The energy of Malchus enters into the world in a big way during Nisan, and it transforms Lachem - You, into Melech, a King.

What does it mean that I am transformed into a Melech, a ‘micro-king’ during Nisan? Melech serves as an acrostic for Moach Lev Kaved - Brain, Heart, Kidneys. A king, as we mentioned before is in control. His guts don’t control him, nor do his emotions. First and foremost he’s collected and under control. He sees things objectively. His brain is up and running. He’s able to distinguish right from wrong without biases (heart) or base desires (guts) puling him astray. When it comes to Malchus, it’s first and foremost, Moach, then we can talk about Lev and Kaved.

(By the way, the system of Melech is the set-up of the human body: The Brain sits at the top, the heart beneath it, and the guts even lower.)

Chazal tell us in Messeches Rosh HaShana, “B’Nisan Nigalu, U’B’Nisan Asidim L’HiGa’el.” – In Nisan they were redeemed (from Egypt) and in Nisan they will be redeemed in the future. Like we said at the very start, the Geulah comes Acharis K’Reishis, only bigger and better. The first Geulah came together with Kidush HaChodesh to show that Jews can put the world around them in order. The Geulah Asida is going to come when Jews can show that they are Bnei Melachim - that they can put themselves in order¬ - Moach Lev Kaved.

HaKadosh Baruch Hu should give us a Bracha to realize our true value. If we only knew how precious we were, each on a prince and princess, then it would surely show in the way we act day-to-day. If we live life with through the lenses of Bnei Melachim, then there is no doubt that we will live lives of Simcha and Shleimus, moving closer to Melech Malchei HaMelachim HaKadosh Baruch Hu, and if we try really hard, hopefully - U’B’Nisan Asidim L’Higael.

Purim: Connect the Dots

The following is influenced in part by the Meor Einayim, Nefesh HaChayim Pachad Yitzchak, Maharal Sfas Emes, Ohr G’Dalyahu, Afikei Mayim, as well as conversations with Rav Avshi Weingott Shlit’a. Please feel free to print this out and read it over Shabbos, but please not during Tefilos.

HaKadosh Baruch Hu tells us that His fight with Amalek spans through all the generations - M’Dor Dor. We are commanded, “Timcheh Es Zecher Amalalek” – Wipe out any recollection of them. Clean the world of them.

Even more powerfully, the termination of Amalek comes hand-in-hand with the world reaching Tikun, a lofty spiritual term which simply means, “fixing” or “rectification.” The Passuk says, “Reishis Goyim Amalek V’Achariso Adei Oved” - Amalek is the Reishis, the start, the head of all the nations, but it’s Acharis, its end, its finality is destruction.

The meaning of V’Achriso Adei Oved is that Amalek’s final Tikun, their spiritual-fixing, is attained only via their nullification. V’Achriso: Their meeting with Acharis - as in Acharis HaYamim, the End of Days, where all things meet their Tikkun - is Adei Oveid, eternal destruction.

We see here Amalek’s association with the concept of being first, Resishis Goyim. Hashem always creates a balance between the holy and impure, and the contrast to Amalek’s Reishis, is that of Am Yisrael’s. As the Midrash says on the first word of the Torah, Bireishis, Bishvil Yisrael She’Nikra Reishis - What does the word Bireishis mean? For Am Yisrael who are called Reishis.

And so the stage is set for history’s most important battle, Reishis versus Reishis, withAchris HaYamim and Tikun Olam hanging in the balance.

Amalek has Koach HaPirud, the power Pirud - Disconnection. Amalek works like a pot-hole, seeping into the smallest crack, pushing and pushing until everything collapses. Amalek severs ties (last week we spoke about Amalek breaking up the Jewish people), between man and his fellow man, between man and his Maker, and between man and himself. Pirud, separation, divide and conquer. If we are trying to bring the world to Tikun, then Amalek is using Koach HaPirud to bring the world to farther and farther Kilkul, Spiritual Ruin.

The world of Tikun is described as a time where, VaYimaleh Ha’Aretz Da’as Hashem, the world will be filled with the truest form of Da’as, the Knowledge of God. If Da’as, specifically that of God represents Tikun, then logically Amalek is standing in the way of proper Da’as.

Da’as, as it is used first in the Torah, is an expression of connectedness. Va’Adam Yada Es Chava Ishto - And Adam ‘knew’ his wife. The verse goes on to tell us that this knowledge of one another caused Chava (Eve) to bear children. Clearly this wasn’t simply a deep conversation. The Torah is telling us that true knowledge means to be connected at the core.

This is the goal of VaYimaleh Ha’Aretz Da’as Hashem, for the world to live together with Hashem, to have a life infused with a deeply rooted consciousness of God – this is the Tikun of the universe.

Amalek therefore opposes this Da’as. Da’as leads connectedness, which leads to Tikun. Amalek brings Pirud - disconnection - and thereby Kilkul.

Haman, the main antagonist of the Purim-Story was a direct descendant of Amalek. And therefore he must have Pirud and Kilkul in his veins. (We’ve described how this is so in last week’s essay.) But to intensify this already startling information, Chazal trace Amalek’s roots back to the, Nachash HaKadmoni - the Snake in the Garden of Eden, thereby making Haman a reincarnation of everything that the Nachash HaKadmoni represents. Let’s see how this is so.

If we look carefully we see this Koach of anti-Da’as with the snake as well. For if we learned that Da’as is codeword for the intimate relationship between Adam and Chava, then it does not come as a shock that the Midrash tells us that the Nachash HaKadmoni actually slept with Chava (we don’t understand such things) in order to convince her to eat of the Eitz HaDa’as, which caused all of the problems that we experience for the rest of history. Thus, the Nachash, comes to desecrate the original Da’as in order to created the ultimate Kilkul.

What’s so bad about the Eitz HaDa’as Tov V’Ra? How does its consumption further the goals of Amalek? Until Adam ate from the tree he was living with Da’as Hashem, the way that God intended it. It part of his very nature to be totally in tune with Hashem’s will. A life of total Dveikus. But after he ate, he replaced this consciousness with a confusion of Tov V’Ra a confounding and fuddling blend of good and evil, right and wrong. Things were no longer clear as they once were. He was distracted away from that deep connection that he once possessed. Man’s clarity of mind allowed him to live on-on-one with the Creator, constantly. The consumption of the Eitz HaDa’as Tov V’Ra separated that connection, thereby creating the Pirud between man and maker, which opened the door to all sins - ever.

And this ultimate Kilkul, the eating of the Eitz HaDa’as Tov V’Ra (Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil) is Chazal’s source of Haman in the Torah. “Haman Min HaTorah Minayin?” Where does Haman appear in the Torah? “HaMin Ha’Eitz.” This is where Hashem asks Adam if he ate of the tree. And as we know, he did.

We learn a very important fundamental concept here. If Haman’s Torah-root is found in the Eitz HaDa’as Tov V’Ra (Hamin HaEitz), then it means that he must be pulling his entire essence from the Eitz HaDa’as Tov V’Ra, and therefore we see that the Nachash, Amalek and Haman are seeking to replace Da’as Hashem with Kilkul via Pirud.

It’s written in the Zohar that Moshe Rabbeinu is the Raza D’Da’as, the Secret of Da’as and the Da’as of Am Yisrael. One shining example is when Am Yisrael was fighting Amalek on the way to Har Sinai (a classic display of the Pirud against Da’as Hashem by the hand of Amalek). Chazal tell us that when Moshe’s hands were lifted, the Jews would gain the upper hand. When he put his hands down, Amalek would gain the upper hand. Chazal ask: What, Moshe’s hands win wars? No! It means that when Moshe would raise his hands he would be reminding the Jews to keep focused on the One Above. Keep your thoughts on Him and you are invincible. Moshe shows us here how he is a vessel of Da’as Hashem.

It would thereby reason to say that in the Megilah, at every stage of Haman’s downfall, we should see an expression of Da’as to signify the occasion. And we do.

The first seed is planted for Mordechai’s eventual upheaval and rise to power was before any problems with Haman began. His incrimination of Bigsan and Seresh led to his entry into Achashverosh’s book of merits which eventually led to his total decimation of Haman’s pride. He overheard Bigsan and Seresh plotting to kill Achashverosh, and the verse says there, “VaYivada HaDavar L’Mordechai” – And the matter became known to Mordecha.

Then again, when Haman rises into power, and the decree is set forth againt the Jewish people, before Mordechai begins to pray, the Passuk says, “U’Mordechai Yada Es Kol Asher Na’asa” And Mordechai knew everything that was done.

And then, finally, things go really down hill for Haman when Ester is finally convinced to go into see Achashverosh. How does Mordechai convince her to go in? U’Mi Yodea Im L’Eis KaZos HiGa’at L’Malchus? Who knows? Maybe this is the reason that you were brought into royalty! Save us!

Thus it’s clear that at every stage– the precursor, the preperation and the coming into fruition - of Haman’s downfall, an expression of Da’as is present. And we understand fully why this needs to be so. Haman, Amalek, the Nachash, and anything else in the world that seeks to cause Kilkul, simply falls before true Da’as.

So how does this play into my life? The message for me is that no matter what challenge comes my way, no matter what confusing situation needs to be dealt with, if my am constantly thinking about God, If I am absorbed to the best of my abilities in contemplation with my relationship with the divine, then I become so deeply rooted, so intrinsically connected to Hashem, my enhanced state of Da’as will pull me through. If I put my mind in high places, if I think holy thoughts, if I sit and take the time to focus and meditate on the right things, to work on that deep inner connection – then I am doing my part to bring the whole world towards VaYimaleh HaAretz Da’as Hashem. We are where are thoughts are, and it’s that power that can fight off any Amalek.

As we move closer to Purim, HaKadosh Baruch Hu should give us a Brahca to live with such a lofty state of mind. If we can do so there is on doubt that we will live lives of true Simcha and Shleimus, moving closer to HaKadosh Baruch Hu, and ultimately the Geulah Sheleimah!

Chanukah: Dreidel - Way Deeper Than You Thought

Ever since we’ve been little, it’s been a time-tested tradition: If we land on Shin we put one in. Got a Hei? Take half the winnings. Nun? No loss, no gain. And of course, things get really crazy when we land a Gimel. All those pennies in the middle? They’re ours now.

Okay, so what’s going on? Where is the Dreidel from? What’s really its purpose? Does it have a deeper meaning? The goal of this essay is not to explain the rules of the game, we’re trying to figure out what the Dreidel is telling us.

(Warning: We will not talk about Neis Gadol Haya Po - A great miracle happened here. Po is a marketing scam. The correct version is the Shin of Sham - ‘there’. We will explain the tremendous importance of this.)

Our journey begins with the Maharal’s understanding of this world as a whole. The Torah begins, Bereishis Barah Elokim Es HaShamayim V’Es HaAretz - in the beginning God created the heavens and the land. V’Ha’Aretz Haisa Tohu Va’Vohu V’Choshech Al Pnei Tihom - And the land was abysmal and empty and their was darkness upon the surface of the deep.

Chazal tell us that these four descriptions of the world are really hints to the four exiles. ‘Abysmal‘ means Babylon. ‘Empty’ means Persia. ‘Darkness’ is a reference to Greece, and ‘Deep’ is the final exile, from Rome until today.

But the verse isn’t over, “V’Ruach Elokim Mirachefes Al Pnei HaMayim” And the spirit of Hashem hovered over the surface of the waters. This, Chazal tell us, is a reference to the spirit of Mashiach, the force of Tikun Olam which permeates through the length of history.

But Why? Why does the Torah jump right into exiles the moment the universe is formed? Was there any sin done? And more, even if we say that the journey of the exiles is a necessary process; why did Hashem give us specifically four?

If we look at the verses carefully, we will pick up an important nuance. The Torah began by telling us that Hashem created the heavens and the land. But then the Torah tells us that the land - not the heavens – was abysmal and empty.

From this we learn an important rule. All the emptiness, dispersion and astonishing darkness is relevant down here, not in the higher realms of existence.

Chazal tell us that the Next World was created with the letter Yud. On the other hand, this world was created with a Hei. Let’s take a moment to explore what this means.

A Yud is in no way connected to the ground. On the contrary, it floats. The Yud is a simple entity which can’t be broken down into smaller components. Therefore the letter Yud represents unity. In the supernal and celestial levels of reality there is no challenge to God’s unity – Hashem’s reign takes the form of a Yud - eminent and undisturbed.

This world, where things become material, the whole game changes. Because with the advent of tangible physicality there is an inherit challenge to Hashem’s unified dominion. Even though we know this to be false, physical objects seem to take on an identity separate from their Creator. Because material objects don’t have an outright “Made By God” stamp on them, it’s easy to think that they have of a life of their own.

When things leave the stage of supernal unification and enter into physical corporeality they disperse into four. Four hemispheres, four directions, four winds, four corners of the world – call it what you want. Even in Bereishis when the Torah tells us about the transition from the Garden of Eden to the mundane world the Torah tells us that the Garden’s influence enters into the world via four rivers. When faced with which way to go, my choice will always be some permutation of forward, back, left, or right. In short, four is the dispersion of physicality.

But even though all things physically express themselves by spreading into four directions, there is a fifth point as well; the point in the center, giving the other four context. My friend might to be my left and the wall to my right, but we are both left of the wall, and both the wall and myself are to the right of my friend. Left and right are relative to what is center. The point in the middle always establishes the context of the four directions.

This is why Chazal told us that this world was created with a Hei. Hei is comprised of two parts. The bigger outer portion of a Hei is really a Daled with the numerical value of four. The smaller, internal part of the Hei is really just a Yud that is now resting on the ground.

The manifestation is clear. The Yud in its natural levitating state, as we said before, is God’s rule. But when that Yud reaches this world, when it rests, a Daled emerges from it and surrounds it. Daled which has the numerical value of four, shows us that all the dispersion of physicality is really surrounding the fifth point of context – which is the Yud - Ratzon Hashem.

Now we understand why the Torah starts to tell us about the exiles as soon as it begins. Because once there is a physical universe, which is on some level separate from God, the four angles of dispersion each take on their ‘personality’ – their own unique way of challenging God’s total control. The Torah is teaching us that the evil empires that contest Hashem’s dominance are a natural result of the universe’s existence.

The Maharal tells us what these four challenges are. Bavel, the first exile challenges our Nefesh. They challenge our souls by destroying the first Beis HaMikdash. After the Babylonians, we were exiled by the Persians, who sought to destroy our Guf, our bodies. Haman’s task was nothing more sophisticated than mass murder. The Greeks challenged our Sechel, our minds. Hellenism, Philosophy and the like were attempts to impurify the sanctity of Jewish culture, this time without any threat to our bodies. Lastly, Edom from whom we suffer from today, attacks us with HaKol - everything. The empire of Edom in its various forms and stages has tried to decree against our religious practice, kill us and defile our minds and hearts.

When physicality comes into being there will always be four challenges to overcome: Nefesh, Guf, Sechel and Hakol.

An amazing teaching of the Bnei Yisachar will bring everything back to our topic.

All things have their root, and even the four exiles had a prototype and that was the Jews’ stay in Egypt. Before the Jews went down as a unit, Yaakov Avinu sent Yehudah down to establish a town where the Jews would be able to live together amongst the Egyptians. When Yaakov sent him down, he told Yehuda to go Goshna - towards the city of Goshen. Goshna would be the center-point, a place where Jews would be together, even when surrounded by a super-force like Egypt.

Goshna is a microcosm for the Jews throughout history. A small beacon of Ratzon Hashem that shines through the Galus, slowly bring out the holiness that is hidden in the deepest and farthest places.

Goshna is comprised of four letters: Gimel Shin Nun and Hei, standing for Nefesh, Guf, Sechel and HaKol. Because even in the midst of the four powers that seek to challenge Ratzon Hashem there will always be a interior point, the Yud that rests on the ground, the contextual centerpiece that drives the whole thing towards the eventual goal of unifying all the dispersion - and that is the Jews.

The role of the Jews is to be the undoing of this dispersion. When we are ingathered from the four corners of the world it marks the downfall of the empires that challenge God’s unity.

This is the Dreidel. The Dreidel has four sides, with four letters - Nun, Gimel, Shin and Hei representing the inherit dispersion physicality and its challenges to God’s rule.

Chazal teach us that the Jews were playing with the Dreidel way before the story of Chanukah. When I look at the Dreidel, with its four letters I see exile. I see the distracting nature of all material things. But when those four sides begin to spin around the center point – the square becomes a circle.

A circle is unity - V’Na’aseh Kulam Agudah Achas La’asos Ritzonecha! ‘And make of them all one group – bound together to do Your Will.’ We say at the end of Messeches Ta’anis that in the world to come all of the righteous will sit in a circle to enjoy the presence of Hashem.

Spinning the square undoes all of the dispersion. The four sides of the Dreidel are undone when we see how everything revolves around the center-point – the Jews. That point on which the Dreidel spins is the Jews in Goshna surrounded by Egypt – eventually being the source of Egypt’s downfall.

For generations Jews have stared at the Dreidel and have taken the same message. It is our job to be the undoing of all of the dispersion. To take all the sqaures and make them circle. We are the center-point that will take the four exiles and nullify them.

B’Ezras Hashem we should be Zocheh to constantly uncover the Ratzon Hashem that is contained in every object to see the Hei that this world was created with and see past its Daled and access its Yud. Through this, there is no doubt that we will live lives of Simcha and Shleimus moving closer to HaKadosh Baruch Hu and eventually the Geulah!

Yom Kippur: Hit Rewind

As Yom Kippur is upon us, Teshuva - our ability to return to God – becomes a timely topic. Hopefully, when we delve into the words of Chazal we will discover some beautiful insights into the profound power of Teshuva.

There is a perplexing Gemara that appears both in the tractates of Nedarim and Pesachim. The Gemara there says that there is a list of several things that were produced before the universe was created. On that list is Teshuva.

Teshuva Kadma L’Olam. Teshuva - the capacity to overcome sin and bridge the gap with Hashem – to improve, develop and grow - was created before the stage of history was set. Let’s offer a few possible understandings to this puzzling comment of the Sages.

Rav Shmuel Tal Shlit’a in his Sefer Tal Chaim explains the following: Universal history is compared to river that flows with its dynamic changes in current and its twists and its turns. If the timeline of reality is compared to a river, then Teshuva - which is created before all of that, exists within the ‘source’ of that river. Any rock that is placed in the source of a river will cause whirls and currents that impact the river’s entire passage. So too, Teshuva’s influences permeates the course of history. Thus a person who engages in Teshuva harmonizes with that flow.

How do we see Teshuva’s influence seep into the very make-up of the world? At nearly every stage of creation we see either in explicit verses, or in the words of Chazal that Hashem carried out a certain creative act, and then decided that it wasn’t good enough. A few examples: The Midrash in Bereishis says that Hashem was “Boreh Olamos U’Machrivam”, He created a series of universes and destroyed them saying, ‘These are not pleasing to Me.’ until He created our universe world and let it remain by saying, ‘This one is pleasing to Me.’

What, God couldn’t get it right the first time?

Another Midrash. “B’Tchila Ala B’Machshava B’Midas HaDin”, HaKadosh Baruch Hu originally designed the world to run with strict, unforgiving principles – but He saw that the world could not be upheld under such standards. So what did He do? “Shiteif Ima Midas HaRachamim” He added Principles of Mercy to the mix.

Are we saying that God didn’t foresee the outcomes of His own decisions? He needed a change of plans?

When God created light the Passuk tells us that He dived between the light and the dark to make the concepts of night and day. Rashi tells us there that God hid away the original light because He saw that the wicked would abuse it.

Why create it and then hide it? Just start with it in its proper place!

There are more examples, but the theme is clear: Hashem intentionally created the world with lacks and imperfections in order to encode into the very fabric of reality a yearning for improvement.

When we do Teshuva, when we seek to improve ourselves, we synchronize our very being with the rhythm of creation.

Not only do we learn from Teshuva Kadma L’Olam that Teshuva is the propelling force of history, but we also learn something about Teshuva itself. Reb Yehoshua Skydel Shlit’a raises a beautiful point: Anything created before the world signifies that the world is meaningless without that thing.

What does this mean in relationship to Teshuva Kadma L’Olam? The answer is possibly this: Hashem created the world with the end goal in mind. And what is the end goal? BaYom HaHu Yihiyeh Hashem Echad U’Shemo Echad - the day where God’s glory will blatantly permeate all things, where the entire universe will openly be in-tune with Hashem’s Ratzon.

We see numerous sources in Chazal that certain select individuals didn’t sin in their lifetimes. We see from the fact that our Sages point out the few specials souls who did not mess up that everyone else does. We are humans, and by nature we are not perfect, therefore we make mistakes.

But now that we do make mistakes, if had no way of fixing them the world would never be able to reach the aforementioned state of flawlessness due to the piled up sins! How could the world ever reach perfection if things could only get worse?

Thus Teshuva needs to be built in as a prerequisite for creation to ever manifest positively. Teshuva Kadma L’Olam.

So now we understand that God preempted the world with Teshuva in order to direct the intrinsic shortcomings of creation towards change for the better, and let it achieve its purpose. But how does Teshuva being created before the world empower me on a practical level to overcome my personal shortcomings?

The great Maharal in his explanation on our Gemara gives the following answer. It’s a matter of simple logic that actions aren’t historically reversible. When I do something, it is done. Cause-and-Effect dictates that my deeds register on the universe in an irrevocable way.

This concept trickles down into my day-to-day. When I do something; anything really, it changes the course of events in my life. Any choice I make is the catalyst to the following set of circumstances that I will find myself in. Thus, when I; God forbid, commit a sin, my whole life moves forward with that sin as part of the background. One aspect of what Teshuva tries to accomplish is to ‘rewind’ my life, to move backwards to the original state of purity that I had before from before I did that Aveira and, as it were, start my life again from that point.

Therefore says the Maharal, every person who engages in Teshuva needs to see himself as he was before the sin was done and tap into that inner purity. ‘I felt so much close to Hashem, so much more whole before I did X.’ For in this realm of reality the sin is done, and unless you can psychologically wind back to before it was done, the association of the Aveira will continue to way you down.

For this reason we say Teshuva Kadma L’Olam - because the fresh start that I undergo has to be an entirely clean slate. And such purity exists before history, before anything in my personal history went wrong. Way back then there was a simple purity. The ability to rectify my life preceded my choice to wreck it.

How often do I find myself totally caught up in the shortcomings of my lifestyle, so absorbed in my mistakes that seemingly, there is no possible way to rise above them. “These are my friends, this is my club, this is my favorite drink, this my favorite movie – These are my Aveiros, and it’s just what I do!”

The physical reality says, ‘You’re right – this is your life, and there is no escaping it.’ Teshuva comes and says, ‘I’m one notch higher that the physical reality. Tap into my power, and anything is possible.

I’m only stuck with my mistakes inasmuch as I’m rooted in this world, but when I choose to rise above this world, when I chose to access a power that precedes the world, then I am empowered to truly be able to leave my mistakes behind and begin to grow again.

“Hashem, I’m so imperfect. I make mistakes on every level of my life. A fair assessment of my day-to-day makes me realize that I’m lacking in every area. Do I pray as well as I can? When I make Brachos, do I mean it? I really treat everyone as with the respect they deserve? I devote enough serious time to Torah study? I really go through with life with an active Emunah? Am I really I doing as well as I can? No, I’m not. But it doesn’t have to be this way. I know how good it feels to be close to you. I remember how whole I felt when I was living in sync with your Ratzon. I know that life was better when I lived with a Torah-focus. Please. I’m begging you, Aba, get me out of this. Help me rise above all of these inadequacies, empowered to overcome my weaknesses. Give me the strength to break free of my Aveiros, because their chains are so constricting. Hashem, I can’t do this by myself.

We’ve analyzed why Hashem made Teshuva first. We’ve seen how that makes it the driving force of history, and we’ve discussed how its primordial nature is the root of its power. Perhaps we can end by quoting the beautiful language of Rav Kook (Oros HaTeshuva,6:2) who encapsulates all of these ideas with sheer elegance:

“Teshuva is constantly engrained in the heart of man. Even during the moment of sin itself, the power Teshuva is contained in his spirit. And through its presence it sends forth its influence, a power only revealed when he comes to call out for Teshuva. In the very depth of reality, in the vivacity of space and time – Teshuva is rooted for it was created before the world. Even before the sin, the ability to overcome has already been prepared. Therefore nothing in this world is guaranteed like Teshuva is, and in the end all things will come under its influence and will be perfected through it, to come close, once again, to the will of the Creator.”

May we all experience the holiest Yom Kippur ever.