3,4 and 19 Kislev

The Gra (Aderes Eliyahu) in the beginning of Ha'azinu has many dikdukim in the possuk, האזינו השמים ואדברה ותשמע הארץ אמרי פי.  One of the points he raises it why the heavens is only afforded three words, האזינו השמים ואדברה while the earth gets four, ותשמע הארץ אמרי פי?  He explains that שמים refers to the Torah שבכתב and the ארץ refers to Torah שבעל פה.  He says the 4 and the 3 parallel the two types of שין on the tefillin of the head, the right side has a four pronged שין and the left side has a three pronged.  These also correspond to the three ברכת השחר in the morning and 4 in the evening.  How do these ideas all come together, what does the written Torah have to do with the number 4 and the oral Torah with the number 3?   

The Gemarah Shabbas (104a) says ג,ד stands for גומל דלים.  In the terminology of Chassidus ג refers to the middah of yesod which is the giver and the letter ד refers to malchut, the recipient.  The written Torah is the giver, it is given to Klal Yisrael from Hashem.  That is why it matches up with the number 3, the giver.  The oral Torah is the Torah composed by the recipients, Klal Yisrael.  The 4 pronged שין is on the right side of the tefillin, the side of chesed, the masculine side, the giver.  The 3 pronged שין in on the left side, that of gevurot, the feminine side, the recipient.  That is why there are 3 avos, three givers and 4 imahot, 4 receivers.  The morning is the time of chesed as well, there is a possibility of a bright new day.  The evening is the time of gevurot, of the time of taking in the events of the day.  That is the matchup of 3 to the written Torah, שמים and 4 to the oral Torah, ארץ.   

The name of the Alter Rebbe is שניאור which according to the Maharshal refers to שני אור, two forms of light.  The avodah of chassidus is to  take the ארץ and align it with שמים.  When the recipient is willing to acknowledge the giver that is the ultimate tikkun.  This is is hinted to by the fact that the original 19-20 Kislev liberation happened on a Tuesday- Wednesday, יום ג ויום ד.  The day is to celebrate the spreading forth of the recognition of the  complete presence of the שמים, the נותן in the ארץ. 

The Bas Ayin notes the the fact that Kislev is three months after Tishray and parallels this to the story of Yehuda and Tamar.  Rav Levi Yitzchak notes that there are two forms of three which correspond with two forms of giving the Torah.  The Torah was given in Sivan, the third month from the count from Nissan.  The Gemarah Shabbas (88a and Rav Nissan Gaon ad loc.) note many forms of three that were present at the giving of the Torah.  Moshe was the third child from the third shevet, Levi.  This is present at the giving of the written Torah from Hashem, the אתערותא דלעילא which happens in the third month from the method of counting from Nissan, the month of the greatest אתערותא דלעילא.  Chanukah is the holiday which is the precursor to the oral Torah and hence it happens in the third month counting from Tishray.  In other words, the count from אתערותא דלתתא, from man's own actions.  That is why Chanukah happened only through mesiras nefesh, it had to happen through the actions of man.  And the miracle happened through the חשמונאים, the descendants of Levi, the third tribe.  It is the oral Torah that leads us through the golus.  It is what distinguishes us from the gentiles.  While they may have the Septuagint, access to the written Torah, they do not have access to the oral Torah.  This is the three that leads to four, when the recipients, Klal Yisrael play an active role, and it is that fusion that guides us through the centuries. 

How Much Torah Will You Learn

The Chidushay HaRim comments on Ha'azenu:

The ספר החיים  is the sefer of understanding of Torah as Torah is the עץ חיים.  We daven to be able to access new understandings in Torah.  That is בינו שנות דור ודור that every year a new understanding is given, the inspiration of brain power for the year is determined on Rosh Hashana as well (see also post of my father last year, "yom ha'din -- on Torah".) 

In the introduction of שארית יוסף volume 3 Rabbi Wahrman cites this Rim in conjunction with other sources that there is a precise time for a chiddush in Torah to be brought into the world.  We are davening to be able to merit to access the chiddushim that are meant to be revealed specifically in תשפ"ה.

Rebbe Nasan in Likutay Halachat Beis Hakeneset (5:19) notes that the word תרועה is made of the words תורה ע, the 70 various modes of interpreting Torah.  In the mitzvah of shofar itself we allude to the Torah for it is through the Torah that everything else falls in place.  

The Kedushas Levi says that we blow shofar on Rosh Hashana to "remind" Hashem of the time of Mattan Torah when the shofar was blown.  Every other nation said no to the Torah but we accepted.  It is that time of favor when Klal Yisrael chose to accept the Torah in which we seek to imitate now in order to arouse favor that no matter how far removed we seem from that exalted time deep down we are the same people.  It is the merit of the Torah that we seek to evoke through the shofar and blow new understandings into our learning for the new year. 

When To Say ברוך שם

The Gemarah Yoma (37a) says that when the people hear the Kohan gadol uttering the שם המפורש the people say ברוך שם כבוד מלכותו and the Gemarah says the source תַּנְיָא, רַבִּי אוֹמֵר: ״כִּי שֵׁם ה׳ אֶקְרָא הָבוּ גוֹדֶל לֵאלֹהֵינוּ״, אָמַר לָהֶם מֹשֶׁה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל: בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאֲנִי מַזְכִּיר שְׁמוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, אַתֶּם הָבוּ גּוֹדֶל.  The Gemarah Taanis (16a) says וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁאֵין עוֹנִין ״אָמֵן״ בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״קוּמוּ בָּרְכוּ אֶת ה׳ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם מִן הָעוֹלָם עַד הָעוֹלָם וִיבָרְכוּ שֵׁם כְּבֹדֶךָ וּמְרוֹמַם עַל כׇּל בְּרָכָה וּתְהִלָּה.  Why do we need two pessukim to tell us that amen is not uttered in the Mikdash?  

Rav Soloveitchik explains these two Gemarot are two different discussions.  The Gemarah in Yoma is talking about the response of the nation to hearing the שם המפורש.  The Gemarah tells us for that that, כִּי שֵׁם ה׳, when the name of Hashem is pronounced, it obligates a response of ברוך שם.  The Gemarah in Taanis is another discussion about the response of kohanim to a beracha in the Mikdash.  That is not a din in hearing the name of Hashem annunciated, but a din in the קיום of the shem Hashem being uttered.  The נ"מ is even after Shimon Hatzaddik passed away and the שם מפורש was no longer used, still the kohanim would respond with ברוך שם because there is a קיום of the announcement of שם מפורש and that timeframe obligates a ברוך שם.  With this idea Rav Soloveitchik explains that is the מחייב for saying ברוך שם in Shema.  The Gra (on Orach Chayim siman 5) says that in Shema when one says the name of Hashem one has to have kavana not only for אדנות like every beracha for also for the explanation of הוי"ה.  In other words, in Shema there is a kium of mentioning the name of Hashem and hence we say ברוך שם.  

On Y.K. the blood is sprinkled אחת למעלה ושבעה למטה.  The אחת is drawn down into the 7 middot of a person.  To bring the holiness of Y.K. into a person.  The Alter Rebbe explains in great depth in the שער היחוד והאמונה how שמע ישראל is יחודא עילאה and ברוך שם  is  יחודא תתאה.  On Y.K. we given a lot of attention to ברוך שם because we want to take the kedusha of the day and be able to put it into a כלי to use throughout the year.

Raise Yourself Up

The Sifri (306) says ד"א יערף - ר' אליעזר בנו של ר' יוסי הגלילי אומר: אין יערף אלא לשון הריגה, שנא' (דברים כא) וערפו שם את העגלה בנחל. מה עגלה מכפרת על שפיכות דמים - כך דברי תורה מכפרת על שפיכות דמים:

There is another derash later in the Sifri ד"א יערוף כמטר לקחי - היה ר' בנאה אומר: אם עשית דברי תורה לשמם - דברי תורה חיים הם לך, שנאמר (משלי ד) כי חיים הם למוצאיהם ולכל בשרו מרפא; ואם לא עשית דברי תורה לשמן - דברי תורה ממיתים אותך, שנא' יערף כמטר לקחי. ואין עריפה אלא הריגה, שנא' וערפו את העגלה בנחל,  The second derash is understandable that that מטר, referring to the Torah, will יערף, kill someone who doesn't learn lishma.  But how does the first derash make sense in the possuk, how does it fit in the words that the Torah atones for killing? 

The Shem MiShmuel (5678) cites his father that the Torah is called לקח because how much you get out of it depends on how much you put in, how much you take.  His father also said it is called לקח because it raises a person up like ולקכתם לכם by lulav where the Gemarah says one fulfills the mitzvah by merely picking it up. The S.M. says the two interpretations go hand in hand.  According to how much one puts in, one is raised up.  

With he explains how learning Torah is מכפר.  When one raises themselves, the evil forces sustaining life form the averot one has done get left behind and cut off from their life force.  With this idea he explains the Gemarah Rosh Hashana (18a) בחטא בני עלי בהא דכתיב אם יתכפר עון בית עלי בזבח ומנחה, ואמרו ז"ל בזבח ומנחה אינו מתכפר אבל מתכפר בתורה.  Why does Torah work but nothing else?  Because the decree can't be removed through means of atonement.  However, Torah works from a different angle.  One doesn't try to clean up the evil within themselves but moves above them.  This form of nullifying the decree does work.  

That is what the Sifri means.  By killing the evil forces within one's self, one obtains a כפרה. (The S.M. interprets the שפיכות דמים of the Sifri as to the sin which the Gemarah Niddah (13a) equates to שפיכות דמים.)  

יערוף כמטר לקחי תזל כטל אמרתי.  The S.M. says according to his peshat it is read as when one kills the evil forces within themselves, then one awakens the חיות within a person just as dew brings out the water inside the plant. 

These two types of atonement may be the transfer between the first half of Tishre and the second.  The first half we focus on repentance, on cleansing our sins.  Sukkot is the time we start to move on to the kapparah of Torah.  The ניסוך המים is the celebration of Torah as the mefarshim say on the possuk ושאתם מים בששון and obviously the culmination of the entire holiday is Simchat Torah.  It is a time where we focus on ולקחתם לכם, raising ourselves up above any sins. 

Song Of Ha'azinu

Why is Ha'azinu called a song?  What is the significance of it being a song?  Why is the shira of Haazenu the binyan av from where we learn out the mitzvah of writing the Torah, כתבו לכם את השירה הזאת and why does the Torah emphasize at the end of Vayelech that the shira of Ha'azinu was written until the end, עד תמם? 

The Rambam (32:40) describes that Haazenu encompasses all of Jewish history.  Even though there are good times and bad times, ups and downs, the Torah promises that in the end Hashem will take us back. He adds there is no condition of teshuva and avodah rather it is a שטר עדות that Hashem will take us back.  What guarantees this return, if there is no repentance of special service, why and how does Hashem guarantee our survival and returning to our heights? 

It must be that there is an intrinsic connection between Hashem and Klal Yisroel that goes beyond reason.  The Maharal in Netzach Ch. 11 says the reason for the choosing of Avraham is not limited to the actions of Avraham but the choosing goes beyond following in his good ways.  ישראל אע"פ שחטא ישראל הוא  (Sanhedrin 44a) is because the being of a Yisroel is not defined by one's actions.  It is an innate connection to Hashem.  That is the explanation of עיצומו של יום מכפר because on Yom Kippur this innate connection comes to the forth front and sin doesn't play a role there (see Likutay Sichos volume 4.)  This is what Ha'azinu teaches us.  The Torah promises that at the end, that is why it emphasizes עד תמם, this connection to Hashem that goes beyond logic will guarantee our returning to the heights of our connection to Hashem.  That is why the mitzvah of writing the Torah is expressed through the shira of Ha'azinu because it is most integral for the perpetual existence of Klal Yisroel to guarantee the continuum of the Torah (see Nesivos Shalom.)

As Lord Rabbi Sacks a'h describes song goes where words cannot touch.  Song is able to reflect the mood of joyous, sad, awesome, horrific and any shade in between.  Songs contain low notes and high notes.  Song was an integral part of the service in the Mikdash and people went to the gas chambers singing.  Song reflects the totality of Jewish history with its highs, lows, peaks and valleys.  Song comes forth from the inner chambers of the soul, it is the only medium of expression in which one can have a taste of the connection to Hashem celebrated by Ha'azenu.

This message is most profound for a Shabbos between Yom Kippur and Sukkot.  It is in these sublime days when one is able to be most in tune with their cleansed soul and feel that profound connection to Hashem which will be celebrated hopefully in the near future.

Praise Hashem

כי שם ה' אקרא הבו גודל לאלקנו

The Sifri says ר' יוסי אומר: מנין לעומדים בבית הכנסת ואומר ברכו את ה' המבורך, שעונים אחריהם ברוך ה' המבורך לעולם ועד? ת"ל כי שם ה' אקרא הבו גודל לאלהינו וכו ...  ומנין שלא ירד דניאל לגוב אריות, אלא כדי שיעשה לו המקום נסים וגבורות בשביל לקדש שמו בעולם? שנאמר כי שם ה' אקרא.  The Sifri equates the din of answering a דבר שבקדושה and the halacha of mesirat nefesh.  What is the connection between these two laws?  We see that the yesod of the din is the same, kiddush shem Hashem in public.  Sometimes that is accomplished by giving up one's life and sometimes that is accomplished by answering to the "call of the Lord" in public.

The Gemorah in Yoma (37a) learns out from this possuk the obligation to answer ברוך שם after a blessing said with the announciation of Hashem's name which is done in the Mikdash.  How does this fit with the Sifri that learns out all responses in a synagogue from here?  The Gemorah Peshacim (50a) says that nowadays we don't read the name of Hashem as it is written, we only say the name of אדנות.  We can understand this two ways.  Either by mentioning אדנות it is a new way of pronouncing the name of Hashem or that even though we have not pronounced the words as written, it has the chalos of pronouncing the name as הויה.  What the Sifri is teaching us is that when there is a tzibbur is performing a דבר שבקדושה that has the chalos of mentioning the name of Hashem to obligate an answering of הבו גדול לאלקנו.  (Rav Soloveitchik.)

Teshuva Of Song

What is the connection between Shabbos and Teshuva that we emphasize it being Shabbos Teshuva?  What is the meaning of Teshuva?  It’s often mistranslated as repentance; however, the root of the word is shuv which means return.  Teshuva seemingly would mean to start anew, not to return to our old ways?  The Rambam tells us in the laws of Tefilla (13:5) that there is no problem of ending the alios on a bad note in Hazenu for its words of rebuke to arouse the nation to repent.  Why are these words different from the earlier tochachos which are given for us to repent; yet one can’t end on a bad note?

The neshama before it came into the world was united with Hashem.  After it comes into this world it forgets were it came from and has to return to unite itself with Hashem.  This is the meaning of Teshuva; to return one’s self to its state pre-coming into a body form.  This understanding makes the whole teshuva process easier for one doesn’t have to turn over a new leaf and become a new person but rather is just returning to himself.

The Or Hachaim in Berashis (2:2) explains the verse “vayechulu hashamayim” to mean that the world only became solidified on Shabbos.  Before Shabbos the world was lacking a life force to keep it intact. On Shabbos, the soul of the world was created.  That’s the meaning of the verse “vayinafesh.”   This is akin to Rosh Hashana where the world hangs in balance until we accept Hashem as the king.  This means both on Shabbos and Rosh Hashana are times where the world recognizes its creator and reunites with Him, which is the essence of Teshuva.  That is why there is a specific connection between Shabbos and Teshuva (especially during the ten days of repentance.)

The intent of the Rambam, explains Rav Nosson Gessetner, is that other tochachos are to scare a person into doing Teshuva and therefore one can’t end on a bad note.  However, the mussar of Hazenu is to bring a person to do Teshuva from love where the averos are turned into mitzvos.  Therefore, one can end on a bad note because it’s really a good note.  As the Mezzeritcher Magid explains the pnemious of every avero is Teshuva.  Therefore, the Torah calls Hazenu a shira in last week’s parsha (30:19) despite the mussar in it (Lubavitcher Rebbe.)  Shabbos brings out the Teshuva from love that follows the fear of Rosh Hashana (which is magnified following right after R.H.) 

The question is asked why was David Hamelech punished for calling the Torah zemiros if the Torah itself is calles a shira in last week’s parsha?  My father explained based upon the chiluk of Rav Yosef Engel between zimra which is related to the word zomar to prune the evil, vs. shira which is a positive expression.  On Rosh Hashana we say before blowing the shofar verses that start with the language of zemer because the shofar removes the evil from within us (Kedushas Lavi.)  However, the Torah is more than that, it is a positive step to enlighten a person.  That’s why Torah is a is a shira not merely a zemer.  The Teshiva of Rosh Hashana is to prune out the bad traits within us as the Gerrer Rebbeim said shofar is the rosh tavos of “shoresh poreh rosh velaanah,” it removes even the evil roots from within us.  However, from there we go to the Teshuva of shira which gives us positive mitvos and brings to a state of a positive existence in Hashem’s ways.  

Learning Teshuva

A vort from Rebbe Aharon M'belz.

The Targum on the 13 attributes of mercy (KI Sesa 34:7) translates וְנַקֵּה֙ לֹ֣א יְנַקֶּ֔ה as סָלַח לִדְתָּיְבִין לְאוֹרָיְתֵיהּ וְלִדְלָא תָּיְבִין לָא מְזַכֵּי.  Similarly, the in Yeshayahu (1:16) the possuk says רַֽחֲצוּ֙ הִזַּכּ֔וּ הָסִ֛ירוּ רֹ֥עַ מַעַלְלֵיכֶ֖ם מִנֶּ֣גֶד עֵינָ֑י and the Targum translates רחצו as תּוּבוּ לְאוֹרַיְתָא.  We see from here says Rav Wolbe, that the first step in teshuva is to learn Torah. 

Dovis Hamelech says in the chapter of לדוד ה' אורי that we recite during these days, בזאת אני בוטח.  The midrash comments that word בזאת is a reference to Torah.  Again, the protection that Dovid relied upon is Torah. 

Shiras Ha'azenu Vs. Shiras Hayam

The Rambam at the end of Ch. 8 of the Laws of Sefer torah goes through all the parshiot that are פתוח וסתום.  He says that Shiras Ha'azenu in written צורת שירת האזינו כל שיטה ושיטה יש באמצע ריוח אחד כצורת הפרשה הסתומה ונמצא כל שיטה חלוקה לשתים וכותבין אותה בשבעים שיטות ואלו הן התיבות שבראש כל שיטה ושיטה.  On the other hand, Shiras Hayam is written שירת הים כותבין אותה בשלשים שיטות שיטה ראשונה כדרכה ושאר השיטות אחת מניחין באמצעה ריוח אחד ואחת מניחין הריוח בשני מקומות באמצעה עד שתמצא השיטה חלוקה לשלש ונמצא ריוח כנגד הכתב וכתב כנגד הריוח.  Why is there this difference between the two songs?  The difference in writing represents the different natures of the two shirot.  What is their nature, and how is it reflected by its construction?

The number three represents that which is the head, that which is greater as in the three faculties of the brain.  However, even more than that, a person's head isn't covered, it is left open.  That is because the head is the higher aspect of mankind, that which didn't becomes contaminated by the sin of the atz haddas.  That is shiras hayam.  It is a time of a great revelation of Hashem, it is a great, revealed light.  That is the reason why the words are on top of the breaks between the words as well, for even that which is covered over is touched by that which is revealed.

The number seven represents that which is covered over by nature. טבע comes from the word טבע בים, the light of Hashem is hidden over. That is why the creation of the world goes through the seven lower sefirot to cover over the light of Hashem.  That is the shira of Ha'azenu. Besides the very words being enigmatic, the message contains times of darkness and doom.  That is why there is a column of empty space in the middle, for the revealed words are engulfed by that which is hidden.

However, ultimately it is Ha'azenu that is a greater shira than that of Beshalach.  אז ישיר משה is a hint to techias hamasim but the full message of geulah is contained in Ha'azenu. That is the the paradox; the greater darkness turns into the greatest light (based upon Mishkan Blvavi Evne.)

The Song Of Life

From the sefer Be'ar Miriam by a talmid of Rav Dovid Solevetchik.