Names, Stars And Life Missions

The opening Rashi in Shemos says וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.  אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁמְּנָאָן בְּחַיֵּיהֶם בִּשְׁמוֹתָם, חָזַר וּמְנָאָם בְּמִיתָתָם, לְהוֹדִיעַ חִבָּתָם, שֶׁנִּמְשְׁלוּ לְכוֹכָבִים, שֶׁמּוֹצִיאָם וּמַכְנִיסָם בְּמִסְפַּר וּבִשְׁמוֹתָם (שמות רבה), שֶׁנֶּ' "הַמּוֹצִיא בְמִסְפָּר צְבָאָם לְכֻלָּם בְּשֵׁם יִקְרָא  Why are Klal Yisrael compared to stars?  What does the mashal add, anything can be counted?  How does counting show the precious they are?

Rashi quotes the possuk in Yishayeh (40:26) המוציא במספר צבאם לכלם בשם יקרא.  There is another, similar possuk in Tehillim (147:4) מונה מספר לכוכבים לכולם שמות יקרא.  Why the switch from singular, בשם to שמות, plural?  The Midrash in Vakhal (48:2) says כיצד יתקיימו שני כתובים אלו אלא כשהקב"ה מבקש לקרותם כאחד הוא קורא לכלם שם אחד וכשהוא קורא לכל אחד ואחד בשמו הוא קורא אותו מיכאל גבריאל לכך נאמר לכלם שמות יקרא.  The meaing of this Midrash is elaborated on by Rav Tzaddok in Sichas Malachay Hasharas and by Rav Kook in Midbar Shor #14.  They explain it a bit differently but the germane of the idea is the same.  The idea is that the name of a subject is an identification of its true identity, its purpose and importance.  The possuk which says בשם is talking about the grandeur of all of nature having one unified purpose and how inspiring that is.  There the focus is on the unified goal.  בשם יקרא, there is one unified goal and purpose to everything.  The possuk in Tehillim is focused on the individual goal of every individual star.  The possuk is focusing on the individual importance of everything.  That is בשמות, every one has their own mission to fulfill, their are various missions for individual souls.  

The counting of the shevatim is compared to the names an counting of the stars.  Just as a name indicates the mission and importance of the individual, so too the act of counting.  Counting means that there is something to be counted for, there is a purpose, a mission.      

As the golus of Mitzraim was starting it would seem that in the darkness of the golus the importance of Klal Yisrael would be lost.  They would cease to have an independent existence and would be subsumed under the mission of the Egyptians.  That is what the mashal of stars comes to tell us.  Just as stars are very far off from the earth and their impact is not felt very much, nonetheless they give off light.  The Gemarah Pesachim (2a) discusses if the light of stars is considered light and the conclusion is that it is.  What is the debate?  Since the light of stars does not illuminate like the moon and suns, one may say that is not defined as light.  However, the conclusion is that since stars have their own innate light that is called light.  Similarly, even in a dark golus where the power of Klal Yisrael to illuminate is diminished, they still retain a glimmer of light.  The connection to Hashem still exists and that light is what allows Klal Yisrael to survive (from Rav Moshe Shapira.)   

The Rebbe adds (Likutay Sichos volume 6) מנאן בשמותם, in their names, referring to the neshama of a person in a bodily form that is called a name, one has to awaken the מנין, the unifying count, the holy source, that unites all souls.  It is that connection to one's source that gives one the ability to overcome the boundaries of one's body,  Egypt, and the golus.  The ability to be light, to feel one's neshama, to be part of a collective mission, is what turns golus into geulah.  

Dan's Darkness

It is noted by holy books that the name of Hashem (in the יקוק form) does not appear in the parshios of Mikatz, Vayigash and the beginning of Vayechi.  Why is that?  And why does it finally appear in the possuk לישועתך קויתי ה?  And why is this prayer amended to the beracha of the tribe of Dan?  

The shevet of Dan is associated with the month of Teves.  What is the connection?  Chazal refer to ח, ט, י טבת as the three days of darkness.  The tribe of Dan is associated with those consumed with an inner darkness.  It is the tribe of Dan that brings along the פסל מיכה through the Yam Suf.  They are the rear guard of the tribes in the desert.  The ones holding up the rear spiritually.  

The darkness of the days of Teves is due to the fact that Teves is under the auspices of Esau.  It order to counteract this power it is necessary to have a tribe from Klal Yisrael that is associated with darkness but is able to transform this darkness into light.  That is the tribe of Dan.  As the Mictav M' Eliyahu (volume 2) elaborates on in his piece about Shimshon, see 'Shimshon the Messiah'. As Rav Dessler notes, in the beracha of Moshe, Dan is also compared to a lion in the same vein as Yehuda, דן גור אריה.  His kingship, his Messianic potential is due to his ability to steep into the dark forces and elevate them.  גור אריה יהודה, the essence of Yehuda is to rule, to be a lion but Dan first is Dan, has to associate with the lowness of life and then can elevate that to גור אריה.  

As explained in various sefarim, the name of Hashem is missing through the parshios of the descent of Klal Yisrael into the golus of Egypt.  In the golus the open hand of Hashem is no longer recognized.  It is a time of darkness.  It is in this time that the light of the tribe of Dan is able to illuminate some of the darkness by finding Hashem within the bleakness.  When Yaakov sees this middah present in the tribe of Dan, he evokes the name of Hashem.  Rashi says this is a prophecy about Shimson after he is captured.  Even when there is no more hope, he still is able to bring back a taste of the light.  

The Ramchal in מאמר הקיווי (available online) says the root of the word  קויתי is the word קו, a line, a reference to the Kabbilistic explanation of the construct of the world in which there is a concealment and then the light is brought back starting by a ray, a line of light.  In it this ray of light that Dan connects to.  Even in the bleakness of golus of Teves, he is able to find the ray of light to illiminate the darkness.  

Mashiach in 2 Years

 From the Mir parsha sheet:

But Mashiach didn't come in 2 years after the Chofetz Chaim's prophesy?

Eyes Of Yosef

The Mishna Zevachim (112b) says that in Mishchan Shiloh the maaser sheni and kadshim kalim could be eaten in any place that was within eyesight of the Mishkan.  In the Mikdash it was eaten within the walls of Jerusalem.  The Gemarah (118b) says רבי אבהו אמר אמר קרא בן פרת יוסף בן פרת עלי עין עין שלא רצתה לזון וליהנות מדבר שאינו שלו תזכה ותאכל כמלא עיניה.  What is the connection between Yosef not taking the wife of Potifar and koshim kalim eaten within eyesight?  The Gemarah says that the descendants of Yosef are not affected by yetzer harah בן פורת עולי עין, why are they above ayin harah?  

Yosef says ועתה אל תעצבו ואל יחר בעיניכם כי מכרתם אתי הנה כי למחיה שלחני אלקים לפניכם.  Yosef's perspective of life is to see the good in things. Even the heinous act of being sold into slavery is seen by Yosef as just a means of setting up Klal Yisrael in Egypt.  Even more than this, when he repeats this to the brothers after Yaakov's passing, he says וְאַתֶּ֕ם חֲשַׁבְתֶּ֥ם עָלַ֖י רָעָ֑ה אלקים חֲשָׁבָ֣הּ לְטֹבָ֔ה לְמַ֗עַן עֲשֹׂ֛ה כַּיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּ֖ה לְהַחֲיֹ֥ת עַם־רָֽב׃ וְעַתָּה֙ אַל־תִּירָ֔אוּ אָנֹכִ֛י אֲכַלְכֵּ֥ל אֶתְכֶ֖ם וְאֶֽת־טַפְּכֶ֑ם, not only does he tell them not to worry, but he would take care of them because his descent to Egypt turned positive.  This is despite the fact that the brothers did not have any intension of doing anything for the success of Yosef, nonetheless the fact that it turned positive was reason to be positive toward his brother as well (see Tanya end of Ch. 12, Likutay Sichos volume 5 Vayigash sicha 2 footnote 48.)  It is the ability of Yosef to see the good even in what appears to be bad that made him the perfect man to be able to reverse the bad fortunes of the famine. 

It is this eye of goodness that Yosef has which allows him to see kedusha even beyond the walls of kedusha.  The positive eye of Yosef allows him to perceive kedusha even into areas which are beyond the walls of kedusha.  Therefore, his Mishkan allows maaser and kodshim kalim to be eaten in anything within eyesight.  Even that which is beyond the boundary can be elevated (Rav Kook in hesped on Hertzel and Shmuot Reyah.)  This is what allows Yosef to not be affected by ayin harah.  Those affected by ayin harah it means they are affected by external surroundings and events.  Someone who needs external validation and acceptance is affected by how others view him.  Someone who is able to rise above external negative events is not bothered by the view of others and therefore the evil eye is counterbalanced by his good eye (see Ein Ayah Berachot 55b translated on marehkohen.com) 

Malchus Yosef vs. Yehuda

The Tosefta Berachot (4:16) asks אמרו לו [למדנו] רבינו אמר להם מפני מה זכה יהודה למלכות?  

The Midrash (90:3) says א"ר שמעון בן גמליאל יוסף משלו נתנו פִּיו שֶׁלֹא נָשַׁק בַּעֲבֵרָה, וְעַל פִּיךָ יִשַּׁק כָּל עַמִּי, גּוּפוֹ שֶׁלֹא נָגַע בַּעֲבֵרָה וַיַּלְבֵּשׁ אֹתוֹ בִּגְדֵי שֵׁשׁ, וכו

The Shiurei Daas (shmuz on Malchus) notes the difference in the terminology of the Midrashim that for Yosef it says he malchus was given משלו, it was something internal of Yosef that made him deserving but for Yehuda it says he merited malchus indicating it was thrust upon him do to his actions.  Why do Yehuda's actions allow malchus to be thrust upon him but Yosef is deserving and what is the nature of this difference if the malchus is innate or thrust upon the recipient?  

ויכלכל יוסף.  Yosef is associated with כל which is the middah of yesod, כי כל בשמים וארץ.  The middah of yesod is that one plays an active role to the degree of giving to others.  Yosef provided for the entire country.  His malchus emanates from his own self perfection.  From his own active self perfection.  That is משלו, his malchus is merely a reflection of his internal malchus, of his self control to abstain from averah.  His rulership over his own emotions, his own limbs, is what demands that he be given malchus over others.    

Yehuda is associated with the sefirah of malchus דלית ליה מגרמיה כלום, his essence is not about receiving from above.  He does stumble in sin, he is not perfect.  He doesn't receive malchut due to self perfection.  Instead, it is his acceptance of his mistake, in his acknowledgement that there is something outside of him, that allows malchut to be bestowed upon him.  

The Sfas Emes cites from the Rim that הלל corresponds to Yosef and הודאה to Yehuda.  What does this mean?  הלל is related to בהלו נרו, the tzidkus of Yosef shines forth (Sfas Emes Chanukah 5631, 5647.)  He has the middah of גואה דקדושה, to be confident in his avodah because he is successful.  Yehuda is the middah of הודאה, of acknowledging his errors.  He realizes everything he receives is a זכות to receive it from Hashem.  He on his own is underserving and is thankful for all that he obtains.      

The Darkness Of Monotony

The Midrash says חֹשֶׁךְ זה גלות יון שהחשיכה עיניהם של ישראל בגזירותיהן שהיתה אומרת להם כתבו על קרן השור שאין לכם חלק באלהי ישראל.  Why is the golus of יון called חושך and how does that connect with writing on the horn of the ox?  

The Bach (siman 670) says שעיקר גזירת היוונים היה ביטול העבודה, ומשום שכלל ישראל נתרשלו בעבודה,ועי"ז היה הגזירה על ביטול העבודה.  What is the nature of this attitude of התרשלות?  This happens when one's activities become a routine.  When one merely goes through the actions as rote without fire and passion.  Since the avodah was done on a daily basis for such a long period of time, the passion necessary for proper avodah was lost.  This led to יון.  Why does this lead to יון?  Because Yavan is the personification of monotony.  Aristo believed that the world was always around.  The laws of nature always existed and are unchangeable.  They are of the opinion that אין כל חדש תחת השמש, everything has a set system of laws preprogrammed that it must fit into and can not be changed.  This is noted by the Bnei Yissaschar in the very name of יון itself which shares the numerable value of the word גלגל for they believe everything fits under the rules of the galgalim,  יון, זה שמם לדראון ולחרפות, יו"ן בגימטריא גלג"ל, זה היה כל מגמתם להשכיח מישראל התורה רק להאמין שאין שום הנהגה למעלה מן הגלגלים והכל הוא בטבע הגלגלים ושפיטת הכוכבים.  (This gematria is already noted in Megalah Amukot Vaeschanan 66.) Or in other words, a גלגל is a circle that goes around, there is no way out, there is nothing beyond it.  When things are preprogramed to rules there is no excitement.  Excitement comes through chiddush.  Yavan is the anti-chiddush, anti- excitement.

Why did Yavan have a philosophy of קדמות העולם?  Why could they not accept something to be greater than the laws of nature?  Yavan's core belief is that for wisdom must be quantifiable.  Something can only be true if it can be proven and demonstrated to be the truth.  They were limited by the extent of their own ability to absorb and relate to information.  Only that which can be assessed and assessed by a human's senses and understanding was the accepted truth.  Since the world currently functions within the laws and boundaries of nature, they could not accept anything beyond that.  They were stuck in the own box that they had created.   

Daniel (Ch. 7) compares Yavan to a נמר.  As the Maharal notes, the נמר is associated with עזות as the Mishna Avos says הוי עז כנמר.  The Maharal says this is connected to chachma for לא הביישן למד, it requires an element of chutzpah to be able to question and come to the truth.  However, when one's wisom is totally derived from עזות and not tempered with the middah of ונפשי כעפר לכל תהיה, when there is a lack of מודים, a lack of acknowledgement that there may be wisdom beyond one's reach, then it can lead to one's downfall. 

Rav Nissim Gaon in his hakdamah to Shas says that nevuah stopped at the beginning of the reign of Alexander.  The navi had the capability to "see" that which is beyond the boundaries of the world.  The rise of Yavan comes about to stifle this power.  The malchus of Yavan is the antitheses to nevuah.  The ability to see the truth beyond the world's limitations was removed by Yavan.  This is the darkness that Yavan brings into the world.  When one is shrouded in utter darkness one can only feel themselves, they are not aware of anything beyond themselves.  This is the darkness which Yavan brings into the world, a lack of awareness of anything beyond the self. 

The ox represents the strength of this world.  רב תבואות בכח שור, the ox is used to plow and plant, the basis for human life in this world.  Yavan says true strength is by cultivating the powers that exist within this world.  There is nothing beyond that.   

להשכיחם תורתך.  The words חושך and שכוח share the same letters.  One forgets things that are not important to a person.  Things done as a routine are not what one remembers.  People remember that which is important, cherished and unique.  The influence of the the natural systems and order adhered to by Yavan leads to שכחה (see Shem MiShmuel Mekatz (5676).)   

The Sfas Emes interprets הרגיל בנר as one who brings light into the רגילות.  One who injects fire, passion into the actions of rote.  That is what Chanukah teaches us.  That is a lesson of the burning Chanukah candles.  The Shem MiShmuel adds that these days are auspicious to be able to inject  feelings of freshness, excitement and passion already from days yonder,  זמן כ"ה בכסלו הוא מסוגל להתחדשות והתחלת עבודה עוד מימות עולם כי במדרש שלמ"ד בתשרי נברא העולם הי' קרבן קין והבל בחנוכה, ובכ"ה בכסלו נגמר המשכן אלא שהמתין עם הקמתו עד חודש שנולד בו יצחק אבינו, ונראה כי עד נס חנוכה אף שהי' הזמן מסוגל להתחלת עבודה מטעמא דבעינן למימר קמן, מ"מ הי' כאלו אבן הי' מונח על פי הבאר, ובנס חנוכה מחמת גודל מסירת הנפש שהי' שם זכו שנגלל האבן מעל פי הבאר, והפתח פתוח וכל מי שנדבו לבו לכנוס יכנוס.

The Feminine Future

This post is an idea I suggested for my wife to say at her Neshai Chanukah event. 

In many seforim (see hakdamah to Chazon Ovadyah Chanukah) it is cited in the name of the Midrash that all the holidays will be בטל in the future except for Chanukah and Purim (in texts of Midrash we have, only Purim is mentioned, but this is a girsa many cite.)  What does it mean the holidays will be בטל if the laws of the Torah are not subject to change?  It means that the moadim will exist but their significance will fade in the great light of the Messianic era (see Teshuvot Rasha #13.)  Why is it that the holidays of Chanukah and Purim won't dim in the future as well?  

The holidays of Chanukah and Purim are unique in that they are the only holidays in which we find that woman are obligated in the mitzvot of the holiday due to the principle of אף הן היו באותו הנס and according to some opinions that means not only were they including in the same miracle but they were the catalyst for the miracle, Ester in the Purim story, and Yehudit in the Chanukah story.  

The possuk says about the days of the future (Yermiyahu 31:21) נקבה תסובב גבר, "a woman shall go after a man."  The Alter Rebbe explains that in the current state of affairs the man is the one to chase after the woman (Kiddushin 2b,) which reflects the heavenly flow from the זעיר אנפין (the masculine presence) into מלכות (the feminine presence.)  However, in the days of the future the state of מלכות will be elevated higher into the משפיע.  Hence, the woman will not play a passive role but an active role.  נקבה תסובב גבר, the woman will run after the man, she will seek to be משפיע to him, תסובב also as in סיבה ומסובב, she be be the cause for her husband's success.  There two modes are reflected in the last two of the sheva berachot.  The sixth beracha ends בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה', מְשַׂמֵּחַ חָתָן וְכַלָּה, the chatan is first, he is the giver and the כלה is the recipient.  The final beracha which describes the Messianic era, מְהֵרָה ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ יִשָּׁמַע בְּעָרֵי יְהוּדָה וּבְחוּצוֹת יְרוּשָׁלָיִם וכו, ends בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה', מְשַׂמֵּחַ חָתָן עִם הַכַּלָּה, the word עם meaning through as in the chatan's strength will come through the woman.  

Hence, it is specifically the holidays that come about through the actions of woman that are a harbinger of the days of the future when the feminine presence will be dominant and therefore their light will only grow stronger in the days of the future.