Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Va’eschanan 5769

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Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Vaeschanan 5769

Dei Chochmah

LnafshechahLet your soul know wisdom

Parshas Vaeschanan

From the discourses of Moreinu vRabeinu

the Gaon and Tzaddik Shlita

- not for general circulation -

Published by the Yam Hachochmah Institute

Under the auspices of Yeshivas Toras Chochom

for the study of the

revealed and hidden Torah

4 Ohalei Yosef st., Jerusalem


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Dei Chochmah LNafshechah Parshas Vaeschanan

3

Shalosh Seudos1ofParshas Vaeschanan 5767

" ' . - ,' -

- - , - -

. - - , ".

And I beseeched Hashem at that time, saying:ADNIHashem, You have

begun to show Your servant Your greatness, and Your strong hand. For

what force is there in heaven or on earth that can do according to Your

works and according to Your mighty acts? Please let me go over and see the

good land that is beyond the Yarden; that goodly hill-country, and

Levanon.2

The Secret of Moshes Prayer

When Moshe Rabbeinu pleaded with Hashem for clemency, we find that

he addressed Hashem as HaVaYaHElokim. [Although the verse seems to

indicate that the Name Moshe used was ADNI-HaVaYaH, this is incorrect, since

we see that the vowelization of the Shem HaVaYaH is that ofElokim.] The

Zohar reveals that when these two Names are together, it indicates that

1The lesson was delivered at the third meal of Shabbos.

2Devarim 3:23-25


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Hashems Name is complete.3 We can explain this in the context of the teaching

of the Arizal on the verse " - " Who [mi] is this/she [zos]

that comes up from the wilderness?4

The word " has a numerical value of 50

[ =10=40 ]. This fifty corresponds to the fifty gates ofBinah, which is the

deeper meaning of the Name Elokim. The word zos alludes to the aspect of

Malchus [shethe feminine concept], signified by the name ADNI. In light of

this teaching we learn that Moshe tried to sweeten the judgments through the

aspect of , ofBinah andMalchus.

As is well known, the prayer of Moshe was an attempt to bring the

ultimate redemption since his entering the land would have triggered a complete

rectification and we would never have been exiled.5

[It therefore especially

important for us to study Moshes attempt, his Vaeschanan, especially since

his prayers drew down immense gifts of kindness from the Otzar Matnas

Chinam, from Hashems Treasury of Unearned Gifts, which sustain us during

our long exile.6

An additional important question concerning the ultimate

redemption is the apparent contradiction regarding how it will come about.] On

the one hand, our sages say clearly that the redemption will come in the merit of

Yitzchak.7

On the other hand, it is very well known that the redemption depends

on the arrival and avodah of Eliyahu HaNavi [as implied in the verse at end of

3Zohar Hakadosh, Parshas Vayakhel

4Shir HaShirim 8:5; See Shaar Hakavanos,Drushei HaLailah #10

5See PriTzaddik, Parshas Matos

6See the teachings of the Arizal on Parshas Vaeschanan

7Shabbos 119b


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There are two essential paths to dveikus in Hashem, just as every person

is a made up of two distinct elements, the body and the soul. Hashem created

both elements to enable us to connect to and grasp Him. We all have a specific

physical form to enable us to recognize our Creator through the Divine image in

which imbued in which each of us was created. As the verse states, "

" And from my flesh, I see G-d.12 [Theoretically, one can connect to

Hashem through two paths: through deep contemplation of the Divine image in

our body, and through our soul.] Unfortunately, the physical has been so misused

and blemished over the years that it is [all but] impossible to see the Divine

through our physical bodies. [The Leshem explains that this distortion of the

material through the first sin resulted in the klippos or husk-like forces of

negativity grabbing hold of the physical and making it virtually impossible to

connect to Hashem through these elements.13

]

Today, the only way to attain dveikus to Hashem is through the

pathway of the soul, not the body. This means exploring and meditating on the

deeper meaning of each limb, as discussed in the mystical works. As the Baal

Shem Tov explains, today we can only see Hashem through, From my soul I

see G-d. [This does not contradict the verse in Iyov, since that can also be

read, From contemplating the deeper meaning of my flesh, I will come closer

to G-d.]

12Iyov 19:26

13See Sefer HaDeiah I,Drush #5, 7:8


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Yitzchaks Power to Mitigate Judgments

" - " These are the generations of Yitzchak,

son of Avraham.14

On this verse, the Zoharcomments: In the ultimate future,

the righteous will know Hashem in their hearts.15

In the future, the Jewish

people will sweeten all judgments through the aspect of Yitzchak. The name

Yitzchak itself alludes to this sweetening, since the numerical value of Yitzchak

is 208eight times twenty-six, the numerical value of the Shem HaVaYaH.

These eight Divine Names of " allude to the five kindnesses which sweeten

the three judgments. These three judgments correspond to three of the four sons

which the Torah spoke of that are mentioned in theHagadah. We sweeten these

three judgments through deep contemplation of, through the spiritual aspect of

my flesh, I see G-d, until we elevate ourselves above the physical and merit

dveikus.

But this is only possible through learning Torah, since without the Torah

it is impossible [to achieve or sustain] true dveikus to Hashem. It is only through

diligent study that a person can remove all of the material illusions and obstacles

from their physical nature so that they can cleave to Hashem.

The Mitigation of Judgments by Eliyahu

But the aspect of Yitzchak, the sweetening of these three judgments via

the five kindnesses, is not enough to bring the true redemption. We also need the

aspect of Eliyahu. The numerical value of the name Eliyahu is fifty-two and it

alludes to the aspect of the permutation of the Shem HaVaYaH which equals

14Bereishis 25:19

15ZoharI:135a


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fulfilling physical mitzvos can ascend to the level where every sinew and limb is

a vehicle for Divine revelation.

The tzaddikim experience the overwhelming joy of connection with

Hashem, which is the path of Torah / Yitzchak, whose very name means

laughter. This is the intense delight that we will experience in the ultimate future.

As the verse states: " " Then our mouths will be

filled with laughter, and our tongues with joyous song.16

At the same time, the

tzaddikim never lose sight of the pathway of Eliyahu, which transforms the body

into a vehicle of holiness.

This second level of Eliyahu is discussed by the Arizal himself when he

teaches how one should connect to Hashem on each spiritual world. He teaches

that one must ascending in his thoughts while contemplating the unity of the

holy merkavah, the Divine chariot, until he makes all of his limbs and sinews a

vehicle for Divinity. Then he can fulfill the verse, " '

" For I am Hashem, who dwells within the children of Yisrael.17

This

person also fulfills the verse, And you who cleave to Hashem your G-d, each of

you are living this day.18

This verse signifies that one should draw down the

revelation ofdveikus even into the aspect ofElokim, HashemElokeichem, your

G-d, since the Name Elokim expresses the lower and most material aspects of

creation.

This is why Moshe asked to enter Eretz Yisrael. It is only in the holy land

that one can perform the physical mitzvos in a manner that will completely

16Tehillim 126:2

17Bamidbar35:34

18Devarim 4:4


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sweeten all judgments and reveal G-dliness even in the lowest aspects. Had

Moshe entered and accomplished this task, he would have brought the ultimate

redemption whose purpose is to reveal Hashems presence even in the lowest

level of physical reality.

This is the meaning of the double comfort that is afforded to us after our

double destruction: the double dveikus to Hashem available through Torah and

through mitzvos.

Unfortunately, the forces of evil wait in ambush to push people into

twofold sins. Their first aim is to cause a person to stumble into blemishing his

nefesh through profanity and the like, G-d forbid. Many people mistakenly

believe that such sins are no big deal, but the sad reality is that they leave a very

great blemish on the soul, as we see from the great punishment for this sin, as

discussed in [numerous sources, including] Shabbos 33. After causing us to fall

into forbidden speech, the evil within begins to work on us to correspondingly

negative action.

This is the exact inverse of the steps to the twin consolation of Torah and

through mitzvos. First we must live with the spiritual reality of Torah, and only

then can we become a physical vehicle for the Divine by assuming the yoke of

physical mitzvos.

Guarding Our Speech

A person who does not work on at least the first step of divesting himself

from materialism is forbidden to learn works of Kabbalah, since he will surely

invest the spiritual concepts that he learns with a false material identity.


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Speaking profanity leads to sinful deeds. Even if the person who speaks

does not fall to such actions themselves, the younger generation copy what they

hear, and they do act inappropriately because of it. When a person speaks in a

manner that is not in keeping with the honor of the Kingsince His precious

children should certainly not speak this wayhe empowers the klippah ofPeor,

which works to bring about our downfall through sin. [Peor means

uncovering and is the root ofhefkeirus.]

This is so insidious and harmful! Hearing improper language from any

Jew, and especially from a young child or bochur, should make us feel

absolutely devastated. We should literally tear our garments and make a large

outcry on account of our having reached such low levels. When we see that there

are new and terrible decrees and children are lost to their parents, we should

search ourselves thoroughly to discover what failings within us have brought

about such terrible consequences.

It is especially important for one who wishes to be careful in his speech

to guard his eyes, since these blemishes cause evil speech. Abba is the

foundation of the daughter /Malchus.Abba /Chochmah is the aspect of sight,

while the daughter /Malchus is an aspect of speech. What one sees influences

what one says.

One must act with the holy gevuros of Yitzchak and Eliyahu, who was

truly zealous for the honor of Hashem. Although one must sweeten the harsh

judgments, this can only be done through engaging in holy judgments or gevuros

[by acting with self-restraint]. He must distance himself completely from every

unseemly sight both at home and while traveling. Even when in the company of


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others, if he hears that they speak in a way not in keeping with the holiness of a

Jew, he is obligated to separate himself from them until they do a true teshuvah.

The side of evil is always trying to instigate harsh decrees against the

Jewish people, and its main ammunition is found by pushing us into sin. The

only genuine way to combat this evil is through dveikus, through the holy vitality

of connection with HashemYou who cleave to Hashem are all alive this day.

Through the dual path ofdveikus in our innermost selves through Torah and the

outer elements through mitzvos, we will merit to overcome the forces of evil.

Since all of the Jewish people is a single organic whole, we all have a

responsibility to attain both aspects ofdveikus. The claim that this is the task of

tzaddikim is false, since the verse clearly states that we are all righteous.19 But

until we really work to achieve dveikus, the wicked son will have free reign to

wreak havoc through the two lower gevuros, G-d forbid!

She Who Rises from the Wilderness

This is especially important during the month of Menachem Av. The

seven weeks of consolation parallel the seven lower sefiros ofAtik encased in

Arich Anpin.

The Arizal explains that in the realm ofArich, Zeir Anpin and Nukvah

[the six lower sefiros from Chessed to Yesod, and the feminine aspect of

Malchus] stand on the exact same level [unlike in lower levels where Nukvah

only extends to the level of the torso ofZeir Anpin].This is a yichudon the

level ofHaVaYaH-Elokim and is the deeper meaning of the mitzvah to blow the

19Yeshayah 60:21


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chatzotzros, the silver trumpets. The word is a contraction of the words,

, half-forms. [On a simple level this alludes to] the lower aspect of

/Malchus, which is joined with the supernal aspect of " , the fifty gates of

Binah inImma. [These are likened to two halves of a whole because] this causes

a unification between the spiritual and physical duality, through such powerful

dveikus that even the physical becomes a medium for the spiritual. [So the two

broken halves of physical and spiritual are joined as one and made wholethe

two half-forms are joined.]

Dveikus through Torah is an aspect of the , the I, which alludes to

the aspect of the state of nothingness ofArich Anpin. Reaching the inner

aspect ofAtik, on the other hand, is symbolized by dveikus in mitzvos, even in

the outermost parts of a person. One who attains both of these levels can enter

Eretz Yisrael and attain absolute connection to Hashem.

There are very many who attain a level that parallels that of the Diaspora,

ofchutz laaretz. That is a deep feeling of closeness to Hashem through prayer

and learning Torah. But only the most righteous experience deep dveikus through

fulfilling each and every mitzvah. They feel a deep connection to Hashem every

time they put on their tallis or tefillin, which represent all mitzvos, since one

should long all day to crown Hashem with each and every mitzvah. [The tallis

here represents the garment one weaves through each mitzvah, and tefillin

represent the crowning of Hashem.]It is incumbent on every Jew to strive to reach this level of feeling the

light and sweetness of every single mitzvah. We must wish with all our hearts to

achieve true connection to Hashem face-to-face, as our sages explain the


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When the situation looks bleak we must never say that our troubles are a

mere coincidence. Instead, we must have mercy on our children and our

friendsand ourselvesand seek the real cause. This is especially important

regarding hardships that our family and friends experience, G-d forbid. We must

all do a deep soul-searching to repair what needs fixing, especially in areas of

personal purity since, Their G-d hates licentiousness.21

Let no person say that it is enough that he has kept himself pure; why

doesnt he watch just as carefully over his family and friends? Like Yitzchak and

Eliyahu, he should help others and enable them to repair what they have

damaged, especially those closest to him.

This is especially true during these crucial days. If we do not do a

thorough search, what will become of us? On the other hand, one who has done

his best to discover his flaws must know that, Hashem is not a tyrant.22 All He

wants is that we do whatever we can.

We must work to sanctify ourselves and others to the best of our ability.

The Rectification of Tu BAv

Parshas Vaeschanan is always read during the first of the seven weeks

of consolation, which corresponds to the ChesedofAtikwhich is encased in the

galgalta, the skull of ArichAnpin, which is the housing of the level of

Kesser within Arich Anpin. The Komarna Rebbe revealed that Kesser ] in]

Hebrew has a numerical value of 620 because it corresponds to the 613 Torah

commandments and the seven main rabbinic commandments.

21Sanhedrin 93a

22Avodah Zara 3a


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The Arizal taught that the ChessedofAtik is enrobed in the Chessedof

the first day of creation, and is known as chessed dkulah yomah, the

kindness which is entirely of the day.23

This alludes to the whitening effect of

Atik on the galgalta ofArich. In our context this refers to the whitening or

purification of our mitzvos in action so that they are performed with absolute

dveikus. It is through this that the Shechinah rests on ones physical self.

This is similar to the feeling that tzaddikim had in earlier times. When

they prayed they felt as refined as pure oilthey felt a deep connection to

Hashem in every aspect of their physical bodies. This came about through the

intense pleasure they took in their tallis and tefillin and all other mitzvos. This is

the level that we strive to reach on Tu BAv. If we would only seek to feel the

wonderful connection to Hashem inherent in mitzvos, we would also merit this

great level on this most special day. On Tu BAv, the three higher sefiros ofAtik

are revealed. Hidden in this lofty level is the source ofMalchus through which

one achieves a profound face-to-face connection with Hashem.24

Traditionally, the Jewish people would begin to expend greater efforts in

their Torah studies from Tu BAv onward, as we find in Rabbeinu Chananel.

Through strengthening our learning, our inner connection gets stronger and we

are able to connect that much more in the outer levels of mitzvah observance

which parallels Malchus, the bride. Through these efforts we merited that Tu

BAvwas celebrated as a holiday since we trusted that our dveikus would protect

us from future sin and our every action would stem from the pure white

23Shaar Maamarei Rashbi

24Taanis 31a


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intention to reveal Hashems Kingship in the world. [We see hints to this from

the tradition of matchmaking on that day, and the donning of white garments by

the brides.]

This is also the deeper meaning of the teaching of the Arizalthat the first

three judgments are sweetened during the Shemonah Esrei prayer when we say,

" " that Hashem is the owner of alland the final three are sweetened

when we throw ourselves down during Nefilas Apayim: ' "

" A psalm of Dovid: To You, Hashem, do I raise up my soul.25 [This is

the Sephardic version ofTachanun, which follows the text in theZohar.]

First we attain inner dveikus through our speech in Shemonah Esrei. Only

afterwards can we achieve dveikus even in our outermost being by casting

ourselves down bodily during Tachanun.

Let Your Soul Know WisdomThis is the meaning of the phrase, " "

Let your soul (nefesh) know (dei) wisdom (Chochmah), and it will be a crown

(Kesser) for your head.26

We must unite our innermost selves to Hashem

through speech which is an aspect ofMalchus. One can purify his speech only if

he watches his eyes which are an aspect ofChcohmah. Through this, we access

the level ofKesser, which means connecting to Him through doing the mitzvos

propelled by a very powerful feeling ofdveikus.

This lesson is especially relevant to Shabbos Nachamu which alludes to

Yitzchak Avinu, since his name has the same numerical value as Nachamu

25Shaar Hakavanos,Nefilas Apayim,Derush 4

26From the Shabbos zemerDror Yikrah, based onMishlei 24:14.


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Nachamu.27 Through the aspect of Yitzchak, of Binah of Arich Anpin as

expressed through speech from the throat, one merits to fulfill the mitzvos with

passionate dveikus and make his whole body a vehicle for the Shechinah.

Guard Your holy mitzvosby attaomomg the level of Yitzchak and

keeping the mitzvos with dveikus in an aspect of the light of ShabbosGuard

Your holy Shabboswill merit the ultimate redemption which is an aspect of

Shabbos28. Although it says that if the wicked son had been in Egypt he would

not have been redeemed, this is not true regarding the ultimate redemption. At

that time when we will merit a double consolation, and even the aspect of the

wicked son will be sweetened and rectified. We will attain true dveikus even in

the physical, and the most material elements will also be completely sanctifed.

Hashem should help us to arouse these great rectifications and truly merit

a double nechamah so that we will be forever free of the impure influence of

Peor. May we merit the ultimate rectification of Moshe when his fight with

Peor is completed through the aspects of Yitzchak and Eliyahu. We should

continuously work on this dual path until our powerful dveikus in Torah and

mitzvos leads Hashem to send us our righteous redeemer, speedily in our days.

Amen!

Translated and Adapted by Rav Micha Golshevsky.

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

27This is discussed in the writings of theRama MiPano, theBnei Yissaschar,and others.

28See Ohr Hachaim Hakadosh on the verse Vishamru bnei Yisrael es HaShabbos.

www.ladaat.net/gilionot.php


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Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Va’eschanan 5769