The Potential Of The Metzorah

What does אשה כי תזריע, giving birth have to do with the parsha of negaim which follows?  The Gemorah in Sanhedrin (98b) cites an opinion that Moshiach is called a metzorah.  Why is Moshiach given the title of the plagued, afflicted individual?  

Onklus translates a nega tza'arat as סגירותא.  A person that has a nega is closed up.  The Kabbalists teach that a nega means that there is great spiritual potential within a person but it is locked inside and is not coming to the forefront.  The metzorah is then secluded away from people so that he can meditate on his state and hopefully find the key to access the potential inside of him.  The nega is a chance for the person to bring out that potential which is locked inside of him/ her self.  That is like the woman who's pregnancy gives birth to a new child.  Moshiach is called a metzorah because he can cultivate, activate and access the spiritual energy locked up within the nation. 

Why do we celebrate the new moon if it is so small, we should celebrate the moon in its zenith, in the middle of the month?  Why is the mitzvah of kiddush hachodesh given right before leaving Egypt?  And what does it have to do with the rest of the parsha of Hachodesh which speaks of the laws of the Pesach offering?  What we are celebrating is not the moon in its full glory but rather the potential for growth.  The moon shrinks after it expends all of its potential.  It needs a recharge to be able to expand again.  Klal Yisroel was sitting at the brink of complete assimilation.  Why should they be redeemed?  Hashem was פוסח on the normal rules of the effort expected from Klal Yisroel and redeemed them because they had the potential for greatness.  They may have retained only a sliver of themselves throughout their stay in Egypt but that was enough to grow into a great nation.  

We say on Rosh Hashana היום הרת עולם, the world in pregnant with the opportunity for new growth.  Every new chodesh, every new year is a time to look at the potential for future growth and to go from being metzorah, potential which is locked and squandered to the metzorah of Moshiach, to bring forth that potential.   

Proper Knowledge

What does Parshat Shemini have to do with with parshat Parah?  Rashi says the parah is an atonement for the agel.  How does the parah atone for the agel?  Why is the derash of acquiring Torah by being ממית יצמו עליה (Berachot 63b) derived from אדם כי ימות באוהל in the parsha of Parah?  Why did Adam have to die because of eating from the eitz hadaat?  What was so wrong with eating from the eitz hadaat, why would gaining knowledge be prohibited?  

Before eating form the eitz haddat Adam had soul knowledge.  His daat was in tune with the chachma Elokut.  His actions were motivated by a pure spiritual outlook.  The eitz haddat brought bodily knowledge into Adam.  He now had daat about how his guf viewed things.  He went from a pure spiritual being who was governed by the nefesh to a being where the nefesh and guf had conflicting values.  This separation of the guf and nefesh means that it became impossible for Adam to fully achieve unity with Hashem in bodily form.  Therefore, there had to be death to the body for the soul to experience complete unity with Hashem.  This separation is what leads to a person being tamah upon death. 

The Beis Halevi (cited here,) explains that the source of the sin of the agel was that Klal Yisroel had a chesbon that they needed something to connect them with Hashem.  They used eitz hadaat knowledge.  They had a plan which made sense based upon their assessment of the situation but it was not what Hashem wanted, it was not in line with Sechal Eloki.  The tikkun to this tumat meis is to nullify themselves to soul knowledge.  To try to listen to the whispers of the soul.  This is reflected in the avodah of the parah adumah which is the paradigm of all chukim.  It is when one suspends their own manly knowledge and accepts their is something that escapes the sophistication of the human mind.  The closest way to come to this form of knowledge, the way to come closest to be in line with Sechal Eloki is through intense study of Torah.  That is why the derash of  intense Torah study is derived through the parsha of parah.  For it is the parsha of parah that comes to fix the sin of man, to get tangled in the brain which reflects the desires of the body and lose the pure thought process of the nefesh.  The way to become closer to true knowledge through Torah study.  

As explained in the last post, the sin of Nadav and Abihu was not following the rules that Hashem set forth for avodah.  They wished to offer a sacrifice of their own accord.  This made sense to them but it was not in line with the Ultimate Daat. The tikkun for that is the parah. 

The Rambam at the end of the Laws of Mikvaot describes how one who descends into a mikvah should view himself as being enveloped into the מי הדעת.  When one goes into a mikvah the intent is to purify the mind to be able to come closer to the pre sin knowledge.  In the avodah of the parah the מים חיים, the water untainted by sin which causes is death is sprinkled upon the individual to draw him closer to the proper daat.  It is a עתתערותא דלעילא to purify mankid from all of his חשבונות רבות which clutter the head.

Serving G-d

What was so wrong with Nadav and Avihu bringing a korban that Hashem didn't command?  Why could they not add to the avodah?  Rav Hirsch explains that the whole concept of avodah is to fulfill the commands and will of the master.  The many halachot, details and intricacies in Seder Kodshim are all part of the avodah.  One who deviates from this is not doing avodah but rather is serving his own heart's desire.  

There were some avodah arah with strange ways of serving it such as baal paor where one would defecate themselves before the avodah zarah.  Why would it have such a denigrating avodah?  Because the root of the adovah zarah was in essence serving one's own desires.  The avadoh zarah was a mean's to appease the forces for one to do what they desire.  It is a means of allowing one to do what their heart desires.  The Torah understands that avodah must be the opposite.  It is a means of coming close to Hashem according to how Hashem desires. 

Purim In A Conversation

Ester told Mordechai לך כנוס את כל היהודים.  Why does she say כל היהודים, what does the word כל come to include?  Why is there is a din on Purim to drink עד דלא ידע?  Mordechai tells Ester מי יודע אם לעת כזאת הגעת למלכות.  

The Gemorah in Megillah (16b) says לַיְּהוּדִים הָיְתָה אוֹרָה וְשִׂמְחָה וְשָׂשׂוֹן וִיקָר  refers to the mitzvot of Torah, Yom Tov, milah and tefillin.  Rashi explains that the gentile’s decrees were not to keep these mitzvot.  Why specifically these mitzvot?   The Gra explains that these mitzvot contain an אות of the relationship  between Hashem and Klal Yisroel.  In other words, these mitzvot demonstrate the bris that exists between Hashem and Klal Yisroel (see more about this in Yemay HaPurim of Rav Dovid Cohen.)  It is not the mitzvot themselves that bothered Haman, it was the brit.  It was the idea that Klal Yisroel would have an irreversible brit with Hashem that remains intact despite any negative actions from Klal Yisroel that bothered Haman.

The time of Purim is alluded to in the possuk אנכי הסתר אסתר פני ביום ההוא.  As was made famous from the song, the possuk doesn’t merely mean that G-d is hidden but that even in the great darkness if one searches hard enough G-d can be found.  This hanhagah plays out in Klal Yisroel as well.  Even if the fire of the soul is darkened, the nefesh still contains the dying coals of fire that wish to cleave to Hashem.

When instructing Ester approach Achashverosh, Mordechai says ומי יודע אם כעת הזאת הגעת למלכות.  Why did Mordechai need to add this line if he already explained the danger of the Jew’s extermination and furthermore Ester should listen because Mordechai is telling her what to do?

Ester explained her hesitation to Mordechai was because she had not been admitted to Achashverosh as of late and by going to him uncalled, she was endangering herself which would shoot down any chance of survival.  Her claim was that it was more likely to cause salvation to wait.  Mordechai answers that there is room for cheshbonot if one is operating in a purely logical format.  However, when it is one’s specific mission in this world, כעת הזאת הגעת למלכות, then one must tap into the level of מי יודע, to go beyond chesbonot to ensure this mission is carried out (based upon Torat Menachem 5622.) 

Ester responds if that is the case לך כנוס את כל היהודים.  The כל comes to include even the sinners. Even those that may have caused Haman’s decree to be signed must join in causing the salvation.  If I am expected to act in a manner that may not be dictated upon logic to cause the salvation that is because the heart of the issue is about something beyond logic.  The challenge is to the very connection Klal Yisroel has with Hashem which defies logic.  If that is the case, every single Jew, no matter their status must join together to help bring about the salvation.  We are not gathering the sinner to pray as a sinner, but rather as part of כל ישראל.  The Noam Elimelech parshat Devarim writes, כי יש עולם הנקרא "כל ישראל" והעולם ההוא שלם בלי שום פגם, כי הכללות ישראל הם הצדיקים כמ"ש "ועמך כולם צדיקים", וא"כ אף שהפרטים חוטאים לפעמים אבל הכללות הם תמיד קיימים בקדושתם ואין שטן ואין פגע רע בהם חלילה, כי יש עולם הנקרא "כל ישראל" והעולם ההוא שלם בלי שום פגם, כי הכללות ישראל הם הצדיקים כמ"ש "ועמך כולם צדיקים", וא"כ אף שהפרטים חוטאים לפעמים אבל הכללות הם תמיד קיימים בקדושתם ואין שטן ואין פגע רע בהם חלילה.  It is this level of כל ישראל where the sinners will add pure prays to Hashem.  They are just as important in causing the salvation (see Sichot Kodesh Ki Sesa 5631.)

To take this one step further, the gematria of the words כל and מי are 50.  There are 49 gates of wisdom.  The 50th gate is what can not be obtained through knowledge.  It is above the limits of human logic.  Mordechai told Ester that she must access her ability from that gate, from מי יודע, above logic.  Ester in turn responded, by that very token, כל ישראל, even the sinners must be included in the fast for my success. It is because of this that the celebration of Purim must be carried out in a manner which is not limited by the boundaries of logic and there is an obligation to get drunk.

Salty Enemies

In the last post we mentioned that salt has positive effects in preserving and enhancing food and it also contains negative elements which can erode and destroy other properties.  The Netziv understands this idea reflects hashgacha pratis.  Had everything just been black and white, pure good or evil, there would be no room for the average person that has elements of both. Now that Hashem created things of dycotimy it leaves room for the middle of the road folk.  "משא״כ עתה מגיע השתלשלות הענינים משעה רעה לתכלית הטוב מצומצם לפי המעשים בהשגחתו יתברך כמה יאריכון ימי הרעה ואיך תהי הרבה או מעט עד שבא לידי תכלית הטוב הבא באחרית הימים של חשך. מש״ה ברא הקב״ה הליכות הטבע בזה האופן. "  He says that is why we are instructed to offer salt with the korbanot, " כדי להתבונן על הברית של ההשגחה."  

At the end of Beshalach right before the attack of Amalak it says (17:7) וַיִּקְרָא֙ שֵׁ֣ם הַמָּק֔וֹם מַסָּ֖ה וּמְרִיבָ֑ה עַל־רִ֣יב׀ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וְעַ֨ל נַסֹּתָ֤ם אֶת־י״י֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הֲיֵ֧שׁ י״י֛ בְּקִרְבֵּ֖נוּ אִם־אָֽיִן׃.  The Netziv asks הדבר פלא, איך נסתפקו אחרי רואם עמוד אש וענן ועוד הרבה ניסים, דכולי עלמא ידעי דלא עביד אלא קוב״ה. וגם כבר כתיב ״ויאמינו בה׳ ובמשה עבדו״, how could they be in doubt if Hashem is with them after all the miracles they witnessed?  He answers that they understood Hashem does miracles to direct the course of history to work out but is Hashem with me in my private problems?  In the run of the mill דרך הטבע trials and tribulations will Hashem get me through them?  He continues that was why Amalek followed.  Amalek denies the hashgacha in the daily running of the world.  Once Klal Yisroel had a doubt about that, it left the door open for Amalek.  And that is why the battle had to be one through natural means to demonstrate this hashgacha.  Klal Yisroel had to be reminded of the salt, of the hashgacha that exists not just in an overt fashion but it guiding the natural events.  This is the story of the Megillah.  There is no mention of the name of Hashem, there is no obvious open miracle.  It is a case of where Hashem guides the events through nature to garuntee a successfull outrcome. 

Salty

Why must salt be brought with korbanot?  The Bechai says that salt is a fusion of middat hadin and middat harachamim.  It is a combo of water (chesed) and fire (din) that brings out the salt from within the water.  There is a constant tug of war present in salt.  That is why the word for salt, מלח has the same letters as the word for ward, מלחמה from the root of לחם.  Salt represents the clash between opposing forces. That is why salt has opposite effects.  On the one hand, it allows for things to stay fresh and extends the shelf life of products.  On the other hand, salt stunts the growth of produce from land.  It is an outgrowth of the opposite forces in salt.  When it stands on its own, salt is bitter and destructive.  The middat hadin stops it from having a positive effect.  When mixed into something else, then the clash helps bring to the forefront the strength of the product and it is preserved and its taste is enhanced.  It is the clash that brings out the full potential from within.  Everyone has inside of them a nefesh habehamit and nefesh eloki that struggle with each other.  This is a parallel to the slat.  When one offers a korban, it is not to throw away the nefesh habehamit but to challenge its challenge into a way of coming closer to Hashem.  That is why salt is brought together with the korban; to remind one's self that the struggle becomes part of the solution.

One Long Journey

The last verse of Shefer Shemot is כִּי֩ עֲנַ֨ן י״י֤ עַֽל־הַמִּשְׁכָּן֙ יוֹמָ֔ם וְאֵ֕שׁ תִּהְיֶ֥ה לַ֖יְלָה בּ֑וֹ לְעֵינֵ֥י כׇל־בֵּֽית־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּכׇל־מַסְעֵיהֶֽם.  What does this have to do with the culmination of the Mishkan?  The Sforno explains that it it telling us the strength of the presence of the Shechina in the Mikdash.  It never left until Klal Yisroel traveled from the stop.

Rashi says מקום חנייתן, אף הוא קרוי מסע so בכל מסעיהם includes the places of encampment.  The message is that there are no stops along the journey.  Even when one reaches another level, another camp along the journey, it is still part of one long path that must be continued.  This is fitting to conclude the book of Shemot for it encapsulates how the entire journey from the descent into Egypt until the building of the Mishkan is part of one arduous path  with "camps" of ten plagues, splitting of the sea, Mattan Torah etc. but it is all part of an ongoing journey (see Likutay Sichos volume 6 sicha 2.)  As the Sforno notes, the journey is incomplete for it is only in the Third Beis Hamikdash where the Shechina will have a permanent residence. 

Never Forgotten

The Yalkut (415) says  אמר להם בואו ואעשה לפניכם חשבון נכנסו כל ישראל עד שהוא יושב ומחשב שכח אלף ושבע מאות וחמשה ושבעים שקל שעשה ווים לעמודים התחיל יושב ותמה אמר עכשיו ישראל מוצאים ידיהם לומר נטלו משה האיר הקב"ה עיניו וראה אותם עשוין ווים לעמודים אמר להם ואת האלף ושבע המאות וגו', באותה שעה נתפייסו ישראל על מלאכת המשכן שנאמר אלה פקודי המשכן.  Why were these forgotten coins made into the hooks of the chatzar?  Why were these coins forgotten? 

The forgotten coins represent the forgotten Jews.  Those that are so far removed from pure avodah that they don't show up on Moshe's radar. However, even they will be remembered and will turn into the hooks, they will latch on to the outer part of the Mishkan.  They are attached (vav hachibur) via the ווי עמודים.  They will clutch on for dear life as they may be permitted only in the most external layer of the Mishkan.  There are twelve months of the year corresponding to every one of the shevatim.  The second Adar represents those that have strayed from the shevatim.  They have strayed outside the boundaries of Klal Yisroel.  However, it is in this time where they can be enlightened by the nes of Purim.  Even in the הסתר אסתר את פני, the light of Purim is able to awake these souls.  That is represented by the ואו - the gematria of 13, the gematria of אחד, that even they people can become attached to the body of Klal Yisroel.  That is what concerned Klal Yisroel.  what will be of these souls, especially in the days of the future?  Moshe said even they will be attached, will become וויו for the chatzer (based upon Emunas Etecha.)