Category Archives: TORAH TEACHINGS

A LINGUISTIC JOURNEY ON NOACH’S ARK

 

Have you ever stopped to think about just how much in our lives depends upon tevos?  Language is a repository for human traditions and culture. Each nation uses words in order to communicate their collective sociological and historical perspectives and experiences.  These words, however, are descriptive, but not creative.

Lashon Hakodesh is a unique language in that G-d used it to create, as well as constantly recreate, the entire universe. Thus the DNA, the blueprint of all reality, exists within the letters and words of the Torah.

When (Hashem) G-d brought the flood waters to inundate the world, He directed Noach to build a teiva.  In Lashon Hakodesh, “ark” and “word” are cognates, that is, they are both composed of the same letters.  This is not mere coincidence.  There is a profound spiritual message in that equivalence.

This “Ark” was constructed of specific dimensions which were shin amos long; nun amos wide and lamed amos high. Interestingly, the three letters, nun, shin and lamed, which are embedded within these dimensions, form the rashei teivos for the three major motivators of human behavior – the ruchnious influence emanates from the neshama, the intellectual powers develop from the seichel, and emotional expression springs forth from the lev.

Just as Noach’s teiva contained that which could reestablish the entire eco-system of this world on the physical level, our tevos through Torah and Tefillos contain within them the power to rectify this world at all levels (including the neshoma). Therefore we can see a fascinating relationship between the dimensions of the teiva  and ourselves. How so?

 

Just as Noach’s teiva travelled in the direction of its length which was “S”hin amos, so to the words that we speak “travel” in the attitudinal “direction” guided by our “S”eichel. That is to say it is our “S”eichel that assists us to “navigate” through life.

Also just as the width of the ark, which was “N”un amos, is the dimension that provides the ships balance and stability, how much more so is our “N”eshama, the most essential “dimension” of our essence, in that it provides not only the proper “balance and stability between spirit and matter but also can bring one to a state of equanimity (histakavut) and devakus.

Last but not least, just as Noach’s ark, which was “L”amed amos high, bobbed up and down as it drifted on the high seas, so too the emotions that spring forth from the “L”ev highlight the vibrancy of one’s personality.

 

May our tevos, of Torah and Tefillah, “steer” us safely throughout our “voyage” in life, thereby meriting to reach our “port of destination” – the final geula – soon in our days.

TOO MANY HORSES

                      It is written in the Torah that “When you come into the Land… set a king over you; only he shall not have too many horses for himself, so he will not return the people to Egypt in order to increase horses, for Hashem has said to you, you shall no longer return on this road again. And he shall not have too many wives, so that his heart, not turn astray; and he shall not greatly increase silver and gold for himself. (Shoftim 16-17)

A Jewish King is not permitted to indulge in too many horses or too many wives nor to greatly increase his stores of silver and gold.  We may well understand the warning given with respect to the accumulation of wealth because of the challenges this poses and the warning against too many wives because of the complexities it creates within royal household. But it is far more difficult to fathom why our holy Torah has chosen to create a separate and distinct warning about having too many horses.  Are they not merely another form of wealth?  Why horses more so than any other possession?

Our Torah explains that it is specifically the accumulation of horses that would cause the people to return to Egypt (Mitzrayim). Why?  On a pragmatic level, Mitzrayim is the primary breeding ground for the Arabian horse, considered to be the most magnificent of all of the breeds. These horses have long commanded huge sums of money and are sought after and praised for their prowess and strength. Therefore, it would seem that if the king of the Jewish nation were to collect vast numbers of these horses, the Torah’s warning could well have practical consequences in that the king would set the direction for commerce and trade towards Mitzraim.

While this approach to an understanding of these verses may have practical appeal, there are other explanations which we will now explore. To better understand  this section fo the Torah and how they relate to our personal lives, we should first consider the teaching of our Sages that each of us rules over the “small kingdom” – that is oneself.  It may be helpful to visualize this “small kingdom” as  a small “nation” whose resources flow from three major centers corresponding to three major organs – the brain, the heart and the liver whose roles are crucial to the development of the mind, emotion and physical energies.

And who is the king of this microcosmic kingdom?  That is ideally the soul (neshoma) – the leader within us that governs and directs our inclinations – Thus the word  king (melech) is an acronym  for the three major organs: The (m)em corresponds to the (m)oach/mind; the (l)amed corresponds to the (l)ev/heart; while the (k)af corresponds to the (k)aved/liver.

The mind (moach) is the throne of the intellect which governs the thought processes. Its two upper faculties are wisdom and understanding. When these faculties are properly balanced they coordinate synergistically to produce knowledge (da’as).  The lev/heart is the pump that circulates life sustaining blood throughout the entire body. To nourish our spiritual existence the heart, as the seat of the loftier emotions, propagates those motivating forces which consist of a range of  moods and dispositions, from inspiration and joy to fear and sorrow.   The third of these essential organs is the liver (kaved) that filters and purifies the blood on the physical level, while on the spiritual level it ideally refines and sanctifies the physical desires for use in the service of Hashem.

With this introduction we can now infer that the Torah’s reference to the Jewish king is also a beneficial prescription for every individual for establishing the proper balance in life.

 

Horses, particularly those connected with Mitzrayim, epitomize the symbol of strength and prowess on the physical level. These qualities parallel the attributes of the natural instincts of man (nefesh behamis). This potent nature if harnessed constructively can be a tremendous asset in the pursuit and fulfillment of one’s goals in life. However, such an energy must be used judiciously, avoiding “racing” too fast or recklessly. Thus the Torah has provided a “warning sign” not to acquire too much , so to speak, “horse-power” in order to stay safely within the spiritual “speed limit.”

Next, the Torah commands the king not to have too many wives. The husband-wife relationship belongs to the heart (lev), because it is motivated by the loftier emotions that emanate from the heart such as love, loyalty and devotion.  Too many wives symbolizes a lack of this unity.

Then the king is warned that he “shall not greatly increase silver and gold”. Besides its monetary value, silver corresponds to chesed which is rooted in wisdom whereas gold symbolizes gavurot whose roots are in understanding. Wisdom and understanding are crucial tools for positive growth, however, the single-minded accumulation of intellectual assets or material wealth without a corresponding accrual of humility and submissiveness in the acknowledgement of the Source of these blessings can lead to an unbalanced portfolio with insufficient resources allocated to spiritual values.

Ironically, the Torah permits the establishment of a king and yet almost at the same time warns against the possible consequences. Now perhaps we can better understand the meaning of this seeming dichotomy by noticing the inverted order that is written in the Torah. Horses listed first, correspond to the liver (k)aved; then wives are listed paralleling the heart (l)ev; and finally silver and gold relating to the attributes of the mind (m)oach. The Torah is thereby teaching us that living a lifestyle that pursues “too many and too much”, chas vi-shalom, inverts/transforms the power of the kingship (m)e(l)e(k) to the state of  humiliation and disgrace k)e(l)e(m).

To avoid this and dedicate his thoughts, words and actions purely to the service of  Hashem,  the king is commanded to write two Sefer Torah: “It shall be with him, and he shall read from it all the days of his life, so he will learn to fear Hashem his G-d, to observe all the words of the Torah and these decrees, to perform them, so that his heart does not become haughty over his brethren and  (so that he will) not turn from the commandment right or left, so that he will prolong his years over his kingdom, he and his sons amid Israel.” (Shoftim 17:18-20)

Through following this prescription we coronate Hashem as the King of kings thereby bringing closer the geula and the rebuilding of the holy Temple (Beis HaMigdash), may it be soon in our days.

 

CONQUERING ERETZ CANAAN … AND OURSLVES

 

This week in Parshas Eikev there is a very interesting Torah portion in which Hashem promises to drive out the nations that lived in Eretz Canaan as it is written: “Hashem, your G-d will thrust these nations from before you little by little; you will not be able to annihilate them quickly, lest the beasts of the field increase against you”(Devarim 7:22). It is also written in Parshas Mishpatim (23:29-30) “I shall not drive them away from you in a single year, lest the land become desolate and the wildlife of the field multiply against you. Little by little shall I drive them away from you, until you become fruitful and make the land your heritage.”

We are aroused to ask a few interesting questions of how we can possibly understand the simple reading of these pasukim which implies that the wild animals, as threatening as they can be, could be considered more of a danger to us than the well fortified, strongly armed calculating Canaanite nations? After all don’t we find that throughout history enemy nations have always posed a much greater threat than any type of wild animals? What therefore are these “beasts of the field” that are so dangerous that the Torah announces that it is seemingly preferable to allow the potentially hostile Canninite nations to continue dwelling in the land temporarily until we “become fruitful and make the land our heritage”?

 

Perhaps these Torah sections can be understood in the following way that will teach us a wondrous lesson:    Eretz Yisrael can be seen to correspond to the body for our nation and we are its soul as is alluded to within the name of Israel which is the name of both our nation and our land. How do we see the spiritual DNA of this connection?  The letters yud, shin, reish, alef and lamed which form the word “Yisrael” are amazingly the exact acronym for the names of the Avos and Imahos of the Jewish people: Yitzchak, Yaakov, Sara, Rivka, Rachel, Avraham and Leah (according to the Ari HaKadosh, Likutei Torah, Kisvei Ari, parashas Vayishlach, d’h, Vayikra es shemo Yisrael).

If this is so, then let us ask if we are the soul and Eretz Israel is the body then what do the Canaanite nations and the beast of the field symbolize?

Perhaps we can venture to say that the powerful “Canaanite nations” can be understood to correspond to that part of human intellect which views life only through a lens of intellectual understanding of ephemeral values, while the “beasts of the field” can be seen to represent those baser emotions which are concerned with corporal pleasure seeking.

The Torah is therefore perhaps giving us an awesome teaching that when a Jewish neshoma begins its entry into the realm of mitzvos, as expressed in our nations entering the land of what will become Eretz Israel, there will be waiting for us two fierce adversaries which have to be subdued and controlled or expelled: One is the powerful, well fortified intellect which uses its powers of subjective reasoning and rationalization to ratify and justify its lifestyle choices, while the other even more potentially licentious adversary is here referred to as the “beasts of the field”.

Therefore the Torah is informing us, that because the self willed intellect and the unbridled emotions will not meekly yield to this yoke without a struggle, that only as quickly as we “increase” our levels of Torah and yerias Shamiem, will Hashem correspondingly help us to safely remove “little by little” the influence of those foreign ideologies that up until now “inhabited the land”. [Of course when referring to those kinds of thoughts allowed to temporarily remain, we are only referring to only those kinds of thoughts that are in the permissible range.] From here we can derive awesome lesson in life that human mind, like the land, is never a vacuum and therefore if the intellect is not occupied with some kind of mindful thoughts it will easily become inundated with an onslaught of corporeal desires as is so evident especially in these last few generations.

May we, the Bnei Israel, all merit soon in our days to reach the ideal level of Eretz Israel, as our Avos and Emos did, where our minds and hearts will only yearn to be constantly filled with the will of Hashem.

OF GIANTS, MEN AND GRASSHOPPERS

“There we saw the Nephilim, the sons of the giant

from among the Nephilim; and it came to pass that in our eyes

[we were] like grasshoppers, and so we were in their eyes.”  Bamidbar, 13:33

 

The military reconnaissance of the Land presaged a battle that  appeared hopeless as it would pit  the weak and small  against the strong and mighty. The spies – meraglim – in  answering the questions posed to them upon their return, seemingly did no more than state the obvious danger;  yet we know that they committed a grave sin in so doing.  What can we learn from this tragic event in order to avoid the errors of the meraglim?

 

The first step is to understand the nature of their failing.

The commentators acknowledge that the meraglim recognized  Hashem’s power but suggest that the spies thought that Hashem was going to limit Himself and act in accordance with nature and therefore B’nei Yisrael would be unable to triumph.

Yehoshuah and Caleb, men of complete faith, demonstrated what it takes to remain men – anashim – even in the face of  vastly stronger and more powerful enemies. Yehoshua faced the distraught assembly that was weeping and entreating Moshe to return to Egypt and told them a simple but profound truth.  He did not deny the obvious size and strength of the giants, but exhorted that “If  Hashem is pleased with us then will He bring us into this land  and will give it to us . . . and you , you should not fear the people of the land for they are our bread; their protective shadow is departed from them as G-d is with us . . . “ (Bamidbar 14: 8-9).

It all depends on the lens through which we view the test. The meraglim saw the inhabitants of the land as being too daunting and the land as being unconquerable, because they used their own personal discernment, Yehoshua and Calav viewed the inhabitants of the land through the lens of daas Torah and thus perceived them as presenting no meaningful obstacle.

Unless a Jew sees himself as a representative of G-d who is All Powerful, he will see himself  not as a person facing his adversary, but rather as a “grasshopper” facing a “giant”. The way in which we perceive our relationship to  Hashem is the deciding factor in how we view ourselves.

Referring to the spies’ encounter with the giants, the  Torah says “vanehi b’eineinu k’chagavim” and   “and in our  eyes [too] we were like grasshoppers.”  “Nehi” connotes weeping or crying and suggests a diminished, disheartened and despairing emotional state.  Although the  meraglim were initially described as ‘anashim’  righteous men — heads of the tribes of  Israel,  their lack of faith now surfaced transforming them to lose their exalted status.

As is all too apparent from our experiences during this long difficult galus, if our belief in Hashem weakens, our Jewish self esteem is diminished undermining our ability to see and appreciate our unique mission in this world.    The Kotzke Rebbe explains: The spies had no right to consider how the giants viewed them. As Jews and emissaries for the Jewish people, they should have thought only of their mission, not of what anyone else thought of them.            How many times do we become discouraged because of what we feel or perceive that other people think?

When, in that diminished psychological state, if we should be confronted by a difficult challenge, it takes on the hugeness of a giant in our eyes and as such has the power to discourage us from achieving our true potential and fulfilling our destiny.

How can we overcome this challenge. First we should realize that there is no barrier so  large or overwhelming that we cannot hurdle it,  if it is Hashem’s will  that we do so. The Maraglim saw themselves as grasshoppers. Why grasshoppers? Perhaps to teach us that every challenge gives us the opportunity to choose our direction and destiny in life. When threatened, the grasshopper can either jump back, as did the meraglim who counseled the nation to jump far away from their  “giant” appearing challenges or it can use it powerful hind legs to leap over the obstacle  that lies before it.  From this we can learn a wondrous lesson that when we stand up to a challenge for (Hashem’s) the Creator’s honor, our supernal “legs” of trust and faith “jump up” to the forefront and aid us in leaping over all and any perceived hurdles and barriers.

 

BLOOD TRANSFUSION FOR THE SOUL

Have you ever contemplated or wondered the deeper meaning of the very cryptic Torah portion, which extends for nearly two whole parshas, that describes in detail the spiritual cleansing and atonement process for the metzora? This mystical procedure involves taking some of the blood, from the korbon that is offered, and placing it on the right ear, the thumb of the right hand and the big toe on the right foot. Then the procedure is repeated applying (olive) oil at these very three same places?  (Metzora  14:13-30). Let us ask a few more questions. What could be the possible significance of these specific locations and is there any way to relate to this supernatural “therapy” that not only heals the physical tzaraas but most importantly “heals” the blemish on the soul?

Lastly, why does this holistic healing therapy literally need to extend from the “head to the toe” rather than focusing just on the actual place of the physical tzaraas? Perhaps the Torah is teaching us here that “healing” always needs to be holistic for true rebalancing. Here the Torah guides the sincere penitent through a non-invasive esoteric transformation that has the power to not only revitalize the life force of the body but to “heal” the underlying blemish at its root.

Rav Hirsch explains beautifully that the blood that is placed on these places of the body to symbolize that from now on the metzora must improve himself in mind – which is located opposite the ear, deed – the thumb representing action and effort – the big toe representing forward movement.

Perhaps from this we can add the following: The (olive) oil, which alludes to the illuminating wisdom of the Torah, was specifically put at the same place as the blood – which corresponds to the nefesh – to teach us that Divine healing and illumination comes through “applying” the Torah to all of our faculties and phases of life: as it is written “Nar mitzvah – Torah ohr”.

Therefore let us take this golden opportunity, of the reading of these two Parshas of Tazria and Metzora to help us to always “hear” our inner calling of what is the best thing to “do” at each “step” of our lives, thereby bringing closer the footsteps of the final redemption.

 

ONEG OR NEGA – PLEASURE OR CORRUPTIVE TRAGEDY – THE EYE OF THE STORY

          Lashon Hakodesh is a holy tongue with profound meaning.  There is a deep connection between words that share the same letters even if, on the surface, the words may appear to be entirely dissimilar. For example, let us examine the words, oneg and negaOneg represents a form of spiritual perfection that is expressed as pleasure. Interestingly enough it is spelled with same three letters as the word nega – the ultimate antonym of onegNega refers to the symptom of the lowest form of spiritual corruption – tzara’as, which was a spiritual/physical affliction which required its sufferers to be banished from the camp of Israel.

Oneg and nega, joy and sorrow, undergo surprising transmutations within the diagnosis and treatment of tzara’as.  The difference between oneg and nega lies in the position of the letter ayin, whose migration from the front of the word to the back, spells the difference between joy and suffering.  It is no coincidence that the ayin is not only a letter but also is a word that describes our organ of sight – the eye.  The Torah admonishes us not to follow our eyes because they can mislead us.  In the diagnosis of tzara’as, as in our own introspective techniques, it is only true spiritually guided vision that is reliable.

The kohen, who is imbued with spiritual sight, is the only one who could look at a blemished area and determine whether it was pure or contaminated.  Thus, when the Torah speaks about a change in the colors of blemished garments, and dictates which change indicates that purification is taking place, the word “eino” is used to describe the color.  This word too is composed of the same root letters as is the word for eye.   Even the inexperienced will notice that it is this same ayin, whose position in the words oneg and nega makes the difference between joy and sorrow that now is the herald of a change of color – a change of spirit.

The Ramban taught us that the afflictions of tzara’as are miraculous in that they never occur naturally. When we lived in Eretz Israel and conducted ourselves according to Hashem’s wishes, there was always a radiant shine of holiness upon us. As individuals began to sin, this physical shine disappeared and the tzara’as began to show in their homes, their garments and on their persons.

The ayin of oneg and nega reflects the All Seeing Eye before Whom all conduct and all motivation is transparent and all spiritual blemishes, visible.  In this setting, only the acknowledgment of error in attitude and actions begins the cleansing process.

The diagnosis and treatment of tzara’as when it appears on a Jew is illustrative of this point.   When the tzara’as covered the entire portion of the sufferer’s skin – the affliction was declared to be pure and the person was not isolated. However, when it began healing and the healthy skin appeared on it, that was when the person was declared to be a metzora and the quarantine, the declaration of contamination and the entire process of purification would begin (Vayikra 13:14-15).

This seeming contradiction is explained by Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch.  He points out that the purpose of the quarantine is to shock the metzora into recognizing his sinfulness and doing teshuva.  However, teshuva is only possible when there is some “healthy” submissiveness to the will of Hashem.   When the moral corruption is so complete that submissiveness is totally lacking, then quarantine will not help the person move toward change and there is no point in isolating him.  He or she is beyond redemption.

Nonetheless, this individual is not completely abandoned but is chastised in a different but equally effective manner. Although actually afflicted with tzara’as, unlike his fellow sufferers, he is ignored.  He may thereby experience a terrible spiritual/emotional isolation and a sense of being cut off because there is no social structure in place to help him towards confession and teshuva.  However, if and when this silent admonition prompts him to do teshuva, some healthy skin will appear as evidence of this change of heart and then isolation will help him towards the complete teshuva process.

Tzara’as classically was a punishment for the sin of lashon hara which is the tool of the skeptic.  The skeptic moves from oneg to a self-imposed state of nega by casting a baleful eye upon those around him or her.   Consequently, to reverse that process, the individual must change his or her way of seeing the world which can be achieved by judging the person or situation in a favorable light.

The blessing of experiencing oneg is a gift that comes through living humbly and righteously realizing that life is an opportunity for proper service in avodas Hashem at all stages, levels and experiences. Every event in life has deep meaning and positive purpose even if we cannot immediately see its relevance or value. The lens of the Torah transforms negative perceptions into positive outlooks.  When we view life through this lens, we are able to see all of creation as emanating from the Divine will. From this perspective we can then merit the true bliss of oneg.

THE (KOL KOL) VOICE OF YAAKOV TRANFORMS THE (YADAYIM) HANDS OF EISAV – TOLDOS

 

Upon awakening from sleep, we resume our life’s journey. From the moment that the holy Jewish soul is returned to the body, a fresh opportunity is presented to actualize our lifelong process of growth. How do we achieve this lofty goal?

The Rabbis (Chazal) explain that sleep is the period of time when our soul (the neshama) ascends to the supernal realms. The vacuum left behind causes a temporary influx of what we call – tum’ah – spiritual impurity. Upon awakening this tum’ah recedes to our hands with our sages giving us the knowledge of how to remove it by re-sanctifying our hands.

But even before we do that, t he first thing we do in the morning is say “modeh ani”, proclaiming our humble gratitude to our Creator for showing His confidence in us by restoring our soul to our body, giving us another day of life in which to fulfill Torah and mitzvoth. We surely appreciate that the renewal of our life each day is a gift — a fresh opportunity to actualize our lifelong process of spiritual growth.  How do we achieve this lofty goal in a practical way? We will look a bit more deeply into the spiritual connection between our voices (in which we start the day with “mode ani…” and our hands(that we wash in a uniaque fashion).

The Malbim explains that the hands represent the earthly power and might that lie within the domain of Yaakov Avinu’s brother Eisav; but the voice, which emanates from the realm of the soul lies within the domain of Yaakov.

When Yaakov approached Yitzchok for his brachos, Yitzchok touched him and felt the “hands of Eisav” but heard the “voice of Yaakov”, and thus made the immortal declaration:  “…hakol  kol Yaakov —- ve hayadayim yedai  Eisav.” (Toldos 27:  22)

Looking more deeply into these words, we come to learn that, according to the Malbim, Hashem desired that Yaakov be given both spiritual and material gifts and blessings, however, material blessings would come to Yaakov not by means of natural cause and effect, but only through hashgacha, through his voice – Torah and supplication (tefillah). If however, G-d forbid, Torah learning and tefillah were to be diminished then the flow of material blessings would also decrease.

Interestingly, the nusach of netillas yadayim, the first blessing of the day, provides a profound insight:  “Blessed ( or: The Source of all) are You, Hashem, our G-d King of the Universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments, and has commanded us on the washing –“netillas yadayim” – of the hands. Notably, the Sages did not choose for this blessing the word “rechitza” meaning “washing” but “netilla” meaning “taking”, as  in the bracha of  the lulov  where we say “al netillas lulav,” on the taking of the lulov, Perhaps a deeper reason for the selection of this – nusach  is  that just as the mitzvah of lulov is accomplished through the  act of “taking hold” of  the lulov, so also do we achieve spiritual success with the use of our hands – our ma’aseh yadayim –  by  “taking hold of “ , i.e., controlling and directing  our actions toward the fulfillment of the will of  Hashem.  May we soon merit to raise our voices and hands together in a unison greeting the Moshiach and the final redemption soon in our days.

STARS OF THE HEAVENS OR SAND OF THE SEASHORE — PARSHA VAYEIRA

 

We are all familiar with Hashem’s oath to Avraham Avinu after the Akeidas Yitzchak – or are we? “The angel of Hashem called to Avraham a second time from heaven. And he said, ‘By myself I swear – the word of Hashem – that because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only one, that I shall surely bless you and greatly increase your offering like the stars of the heavens and like the sand on the seashore and your offspring shall inherit the gate of its enemy. And all the nations of the earth shall bless themselves by your offspring, because you have listened to My voice.’” (Vayeria – 22:15-17), What is the nature of this promise? After all, if we are likened to the lofty, exalted multitude of stars, what is being added by the words that compare us to the minuscule sand on the seashore?

To add to this quandary, the Midrash Or HaAfelah informs us that this pasuk teaches us the inevitable consequence of our momentous choices:  When the Jewish nation complies with the Creator’s will, we will resemble the stars of the heavens, whom no nation can dominate, however when the Nation is defiant, then it will resemble the sand of the seashore that is trampled by every oppressive foot. The Medrash suggests that this promise to Avraham is not exclusively a blessing, for it also contains an admonition. Since we are told that this promise is Avraham’s reward for the Akeidah: – “. . .  because you have listened to My voice”, how can we properly understand this Midrash?

Perhaps we can find a solution to the implication of this Midrash, in the pasukim, by considering two well known but seemingly paradoxical paths in the service of Hashem that are actually complementary to each other.  One path is to serve Hashem, like the stars of the heavens, by seeing the gadlus haBorei — the majesty of the Infinite Creator, while the other path is achieved through seeing oneself, like the sand of the sea, through

the lens of shiflus atzmo – our relative minuteness. Through learning Torah we can come to see the gadlus haBorei in every facet within the creation, whereas our tefillos are designed to aid us in reaching a place of equanimity through humbly recognizing our total dependence on the benevolence of the Creator. Just as the waves of the sea wash over the sand constantly purifying it, so do the “waves” of our nusach in tefillah flow through us constantly purifying and realigning our “attitudinal coastlines” according to the will of Hashem.

Furthermore, perhaps we can surmise that even though being compared to the sand of the seashore contains an admonition, there is also imbedded within it a blessing for just like sand when trampled upon maintains its unique resilience and unity, so how much more so is the grandeur of our holy Jewish nation has demonstrated time and time again its resiliency in weathering throughout our shifting historical galus the political, theological and social “storms” that that, have tried to erode away our idealism and solidarity”. Fortunately the blessing given to Avraham Avinu and his descendants to be like the sand of the sea assures us that even though some of the nation has drifted away from the service of our benevolent Creator, soon refreshing “tides of holiness”, captained by Malcus David, will float everyone back to his or her place within the nation so as to be in position to usher in the final geula and rebuilding of our holy Temple. We see expressed in the Min Hameitzar of Hallel as it is said: – “You pushed me hard that I might fall but Hashem assisted me” and then the Hallel continues with the inspiring expression: “The stone despised by the builders has become the cornerstone.”

Another wondrous moshal that can be culled from our being compared to the sand of the seashore; just as grain of sand that becomes imbedded within a oyster can be miraculously become the catalyst for the formation of a precious pearl, how much more so can we, the Jewish nation, that has been swallowed up within the troughs of galus, use this challenging opportunity to reveal the “pearls” of our potential.

May we also soon merit the words at the conclusion of the blessing promised to Avraham Avinu: “And all the nations of the earth shall bless themselves by your offspring, because you have listened to My voice.”

A LINGUISTIC JOURNEY ON NOACH’S ARK

A LINGUISTIC JOURNEY ON NOACH’S ARK

 

B.S.D.                                By: Rabbi Yehoshua Binyamin Falk                Jan 12-12

          


Have you ever stopped to think about just how much in our lives depends upon tevos?  Language is a repository for human traditions and culture. Each nation uses words in order to communicate their collective sociological and historical perspectives and experiences.  These words, however, are descriptive, but not creative.

Lashon Hakodesh is a unique language in that G-d used it to create, as well as constantly recreate, the entire universe. Thus the DNA, the blueprint of all reality, exists within the letters and words of the Torah.

When (Hashem) G-d brought the flood waters to inundate the world, He directed Noach to build a teiva.  In Lashon Hakodesh, “ark” and “word” are cognates, that is, they are both composed of the same letters.  This is not mere coincidence.  There is a profound spiritual message in that equivalence.

This “Ark” was constructed of specific dimensions which were shin amos long; nun amos wide and lamed amos high. Interestingly, the three letters, nun, shin and lamed, which are embedded within these dimensions, form the rashei teivos for the three major motivators of human behavior – the ruchnious influence emanates from the neshama, the intellectual powers develop from the seichel, and emotional expression springs forth from the lev.

Just as Noach’s teiva contained that which could reestablish the entire eco-system of this world on the physical level, our tevos through Torah and Tefillos contain within them the power to rectify this world at all levels (including the neshoma). Therefore we can see a fascinating relationship between the dimensions of the teiva  and ourselves. How so?

Just as Noach’s teiva travelled in the direction of its length which was “S”hin amos, so to the words that we speak “travel” in the attitudinal “direction” guided by our “S”eichel. That is to say it is our “S”eichel that assists us to “navigate” through life.

Also just as the width of the ark, which was “N”un amos, is the dimension that provides the ships balance and stability, how much more so is our “N”eshama, the most essential “dimension” of our essence, in that it provides not only the proper “balance and stability between spirit and matter but also can bring one to a state of equanimity (histakavut) and devakus.

Last but not least, just as Noach’s ark, which was “L”amed amos high, bobbed up and down as it drifted on the high seas, so too the emotions that spring forth from the “L”ev highlight the vibrancy of one’s personality.

 

May our tevos, of Torah and Tefillah, “steer” us safely throughout our “voyage” in life, thereby meriting to reach our “port of destination” – the final geula – soon in our days.

SET UP GREAT STONES – A MEMORIAL TO THE FUTURE

“It shall be that when you cross over the Jordan, you shall erect these stones, of which I command you today, on Mount Ebal, and you should coat them with plaster. There you shall build an alter for Hashem, your G-d, an alter of stones; you shall not raise iron upon them. Of whole stones shall you build the alter of Hashem, your G-d, and you shall bring upon it elevation-offerings to Hashem, your G-d. You shall inscribe on the stones all the words of this Torah, well clarified” (Devarim 27: 4 – 8)

The rushing waters of the Yarden reach the place where the Kohanim accompanying the Aron Hakodesh are crossing and suddenly the mighty river flows upward as if blocked by a huge wall of glass.  There it becomes a raging torrent trapped behind a transparent barrier arching higher and ever higher until it reaches a peak where it remains suspended in a towering wall of potential destruction miraculously held in place – by Hashem.

Twelve men, one from each tribe, are instructed to raise up twelve great stones from the bed of the Yarden from the place where the feet of the Kohanim stood firm as Hashem commanded.  The stones were plastered with sid and transported to Mount Ebal where the Torah was written on them in seventy languages and then they were again covered with sid.  At Mount Ebal, they were used as an alter and then these stones were brought to Gilgal. ([1])  There they served as a permanent memorial whose purpose was to inform the children of Israel ([2])forever  that these stones were taken from the Jordan as the river stood at attention before the passage of the holy ark with its precious cargo.

 

The danger to Klal Yisrael in the crossing was palpable.  It was not a question of their lack of faith in Hashem’s power.   They had all witnessed that directly.   It was more a question of their worthiness – were they deserving of being saved?

The challenges in emuna we face today are not so different.  There are hugely destructive forces which form a “towering wall” of moral decadence that threatens to inundate everyone in its seemingly unfettered path.  Even those who have managed to safely navigate through the most dangerous passes, still are concerned about their loved ones praying that they survive this generations spiritual holocaust.

The Torah delineating the many details of the crossing of the Yarden is not to be seen as only a set of epic historic events but also as a paradigm about how to pass through our own Yardanian challenges, as we see hinted to in the word Yarden shares the same root letters as the word for descent – yerida. The Cazal tell us that a yerida is needed to bring about a true elevation – alia.

In order to better understand these questions we will add two more statements from our Sages, which are: that the test of being a wealthy person (asher) is greater than the test, as hard as it is, of a poor person and their statements that before every elevation (alia) there comes first a decent (yarida).  Therefore perhaps this is one of the reasons that the Torah instructed us to take the “great stones” out from the depths because homiletically that could be said to represent the “great stones” – ie. – feelings of success, and if not careful pride”, that naturally comes up with us after arising from a struggle. Therefore we were commanded to write the whole Torah in seventy languages and plaster the stones over (sid) plaster.  Why write the Torah in seventy languages and then plaster it with sid? Since the seventy languages represents the wisdom and culture of the nations with each having its unique variance from our pathway towards holiness, the Torah clearly expresses to us that no matter in which society during galus we find ourselves the Torah is always accessible to us. As for why to plaster the great stones over with sid, the Malbim (Devarim 27:2) explains that there is two kinds of sid. The ordinary form is spelled with a samach, whereas the more enduring form of sid, which was used here to cover the great stones begins with the letter sinn.

Perhaps, therefore we can add since there are no coincidences in the holy Torah and sid spelt with a sinn is the same letters as the holy Name Shakai- the attribute of the Creator’s power and strength, we can learn from here that if we ever begin feel excess pride we should envelope those “large stones” of self importance with the knowledge that everything that exist comes from Hashem’s (Shakai) awesome power and thereby realize that only effort is ours, but success is totally determined by the will of G-d.

If a person has properly dedicated their success and accomplishments to their Source and has offered to us them for Torah, mitzos and misim tovim then one is fitting to serve as a “mizbaach” to offer praise and thanks to Hashem for everything.

We can now ask why these stones were particularly brought over to Har Ebal, the site from which the curses were proclaimed and not Mount Gerizim where the blessings were pronounced. Why? Perhaps we can suggest that the positioning of these stones acknowledged “achievements” at Har Ebal these “great stones” will act as a barrier that will protect us from ever incurring the negative influences of the curses

According to the Rashbam, when we swore on the Torah at Har Grizim where the curses were pronounced and at Har Eivel where the blessings were pronounced, this Torah, which was written on the stones, was before us and we swore that we would uphold it.

Therefore we could add that perhaps one of the reasons the Torah was written in seventy languages is to teach us that in future generations, no matter where or how difficult is the exile this Torah, expressed in every language will serve to protect us if we uphold it.

The Chiddushei Harim says that in every nation there is a specific attribute that opposes Torah. Moshe Rabbeinu prepared Klal Yisrael for galus where they would be dispersed among the seventy nations and they would be learning and keeping Torah there, so that they could overcome the strength of the particular tum’ah that was opposing Torah in that nation.  Hence the Torah was translated into seventy tongues so that Klal Yisrael could keep the Torah in any galus that would come.

           The Ksav Sofer explains that this was done to frustrate the comments of the apikorsim who would claim that Torah could only be studied and kept in a sheltered environment such as the Midbar or in Eretz Yisrael where Jews maintained their autonomy and no one bothered them.  To refute this, the Torah was translated for them into seventy languages even before they entered Eretz Yisrael to inform them that they would be obligated to keep Torah and mitzvos no matter where they lived because Torah is eternal.  It supersedes place and time and belongs to all places and all times.

After we left Mount Ebal, where the curses for transgression were pronounced, the stones were permanently placed in Gilgal.   Perhaps this is to hint that those who don’t properly keep the Torah will need to come back and try again in another gilgul.

May we soon merit the building of the final Beis Hamikdash, where we will once again bring our korbanos on the holy alter of Hashem.

 

[1] There are a number of different shetas with regard to the number of different stones and which were moved to where. Gemora Sotah 35-b through 36-a.

[2] See Rav S.R. Hirsch, comm. on the Torah – Devarim 27:2. See also Sefer Yehoshuah 4: 6-20.