Inspiration Perspiration And Integration

The Lubavitcher Rebbe (Likutay Sichos volume 28,) points out there are three different modes described regarding the division of the land of Eretz Yisrael.  There is the mode of yerusha, inheritance, highlighted by the daughters of Tzafchlad who inherited their father, the mode of division based upon the size of the shevatim, in other words a logical division, and the mode of alloting portions by way of the Divine lottery.  Similarly, the Rebbe notes (Likutay Sichos Mattos volume 13,) that we find in pessukim and Chazal the Torah referred to as a yerusha, מורשה קהלת יעקב, a sale, כִּי לֶקַח טוב נָתַתִּי לָכֶם and a present, Berachot (5a.)  Why are there three different descriptions and methods given for these two integral items, Eretz Yisrael and the Torah?  These three methods are not just three different means used to divide Eretz Yisrael and three descriptions of the Torah but are indicative of three ways of connecting to Eretz Yisrael, the Torah and Hashem.  What are these three methods? 

One way of connection is via an external inspiration, an אתערותא דלתתא, which arouses a person to matters of kedusha.  That is represented by the lottery in dividing Eretz Yisrael and the present in regard to the Torah where there is no work involved, one merely receives.  Sometimes one is filled with a burst of inspiration to connect to Hashem.  Another method is the method of the sale or division based upon the size of the shevet, this represents the method of an internal work by the individual like one who pays for something or using one's own logic to allot the portions of land.  This is the method of working to establish a greater connection to Hashem.  The final way is that of the yerusha.  Even though an inheritance is something passed on to the the recipient for free, as the Gemarah says בן קם תית אביו, a son takes the place of his father, it is not merely that the son takes over the estate of the father, but he is in his place.  This is due to the deep, internal bond that exists between the father and son.  The son doesn't merely receive from his father, he takes over the estate due to his innate connection to his father.  So too, this is an inspiration that comes to a person because one is always attached to Hashem and sometimes that connection is more readily felt.      

We say in davening every day,אַשְׁרֵינוּ מַה טּוֹב חֶלְקֵנוּ וּמַה נָּעִים גּוֹרָלֵנוּ וּמַה יָּפָה יְרוּשָּׁתֵנוּ, "We are fortunate! How good is our portion! How pleasant is our lot! How beautiful is our inheritance!"  These three expression of חלקנו, גורלנו וירושתנו line up with these three methods of connection to Hashem.  As our portion, something we work on to make it ours, our lot, that we are given and our inheritance, that which we are inherently connected to. 

These are not merely three distinct methods of inspiration but are three ways that build upon each other.  In fact, as the Tanya chapter 3 notes, every deep thought that makes a difference to a person goes through these three stages.  There is the initial spark of the thought which is an external revelation which is called  חכמה and then the person internalizes and works out the thought until its details and boundaries are clear which is בינה.  Finally, the person feels the impact of the thought, becomes united with it, and acts accordingly which is דעת.   

It may be possible to suggest that the period of the three weeks from 17 Tammuz until 9 Av also correspond to these three methods.  The first week we are shocked into the feeling of mourning over the Mikdash with the fast of 17 Tammuz and the commencement of the laws of the three weeks.  The second week is the time to acquire the mourning where we must work on our understanding of golut and longing for geulah and the final week is to internalize and integrate these feelings into our lives.

No Spirituality

Balak sends a message to Bilam, עַ֣ם יָצָ֤א מִמִּצְרַ֨יִם֙ הִנֵּ֤ה כִסָּה֙ אֶת־עֵ֣ין הָאָ֔רֶץ וְה֥וּא ישֵׁ֖ב מִמֻּלִֽ, A people has come out of Egypt, and behold, they have covered the eye of the land, and they are stationed opposite me.  According to Rashi the words כִסָּה֙ אֶת־עֵ֣ין הָאָ֔רֶץ refers to the killing of Sichon and Og who were the guardians of the land.  Why does the possuk use the word כסה, cover to refer to destruction, we would expect the word to be destroyed, killed, a harsher word to convey that they were wiped out.  Furthermore, why does the possuk use the word עיו, eye, to refer to taking over the land?  

The Sfas Emes says כִסָּה֙ אֶת־עֵ֣ין הָאָ֔רֶץ refers to the idea that Klal Yisrael takes the ארץ, the total gashmious and and they find the ruchnious aspect of it.  What Balak was afraid of what not a physical destruction but a spiritual elevation.  He did not want to be bothered with having a spiritual way of living life, he preferred to continue living the way he always had. The Chasam Sofer adds based upon the writings of the Shla that the letter עין is often inserted to take something of holiness and lower it.  An example of this is seen in the name of בלעם himself.  the name בלעם contains the word לבם, their heart and has an עין added to it.  בלעם was a heart contaminator.  He took the capability of kedusha that he had but exchanged it for tumah purposes.  This fits with the Sfas Emes that the complaint of Balak is that Klal Yisrael is covering the עין, they are covering over our ability to use the base aspects of the world for tumah and instead are infusing it with kedusha.  That is why he approaches בלעם to reinsert the עין of tumah back into everyday activities.  With this idea we can read the possuk differently.  כִסָּה֙ אֶת־עֵ֣ין הָאָ֔רֶץ means that Klal Yisrael has covered over our natural tumah way of living by introducing kedusha into the very basic aspects of our lives and we are not willing to tolerate it.  In other words, Balak was not not able to tolerate a change of adding kedusha into his life.  

Defying Death

Rashi (20:1) says לָמָּה נִסְמְכָה פָרָשַׁת מִיתַת מִרְיָם לְפָרָשַׁת פָּרָה אֲדֻמָּה? לוֹמַר לְךָ, מַה קָּרְבָּנוֹת מְכַפְּרִין, אַף מִיתַת צַדִּיקִים מְכַפֶּרֶת.  Why is the limud that the death of a tzadik atones derived from the juxtaposition to parah adumah and not any other korban?  Furthermore, the para is not even like a regular korban as it is not offered in the Mikdash and there is nothing offered on the mizbaoch?  In addition, it is not even a technical kaparah?  

Rashi (19:2) says וְיִקְחוּ אֵלֶיךָ: לְעוֹלָם הִיא נִקְרֵאת עַל שִׁמְךָ — פָּרָה שֶׁעָשָׂה מֹשֶׁה בַּמִּדְבָּר.  Why is it important that the parah is callled the parah of Moshe?  The Midrash says וְיִקְחוּ אֵלֶיךָ פָרָה אֲדֻמָּה. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה לְךָ אֲנִי מְגַלֶּה טַעַם פָּרָה, אֲבָל לְאַחֵר, חֻקָּה.  Why does Moshe specifically merit to understand the reason of the parah?  Rashi says in the name of Moshe Hadarshan that the actions of the parah adumah are a kaparah for the sin of the agel, תבוא האם ותקנח צואת בנה.  How does the parah clean up the agel?

Chazal say that without the sin of the agel then the decree of death would have been nullified by the acceptance of the Torah.  The sin of Adam would have been fixed.  It is the sin of the agel that brought the concept of death back into the world.  The Kli Yakar says it doesn't mean that there would be no death at all, it means that all death would be בנשיקה and there would be no tumas meis (the idea that death via נשיקה doesn't bring about tumah is suggested in the Ramban.)  It is only after the sin of the agel that death brings about tumah.  So, the parah adumah which erases the tumas meis, comes to clean up the effect of the sin of the agel which is tumas meis. 

The Rambam at the end of Ch. 3 of the Laws of Parah says that there were 9 parot adumot that were used to purify from tumah and the 10th will be done by Mashiach.  Why is the Rambam telling us that Mashiach will bring anther parah adumah?  This hints to this idea that the completion of the entire notion of parah adumah to remove death will be accomplished only in the times of Mashiach when death will cease.   

With this background in mind, says the Rebbe (Likutay Sichos volume 33,) that is why Moshe is needed for the parah.  Since Chazal refer to Moshe and his actions as lasting (see Sota 9a, 13a,) he is the antidote to tumas meis.  Death is the ultimate limitation on things, but Moshe is able to transcend death.  Hence, he is the one to initiate the parsha of parah adumah and why it bears his name for Moshe is the only one to fully internalize the idea of the parah.  That is why it is only Moshe that can be given the reason for the parah for only he can have an understanding in how to transcend the demise of earthly things. 

The concept of death is an outgrowth of sin.  Without the sin of Adam and the agel there would be no death.  The concept of the parah erasing death is to remove the traces of sin that exist.  It is way of going back to pure beginnings.  With this idea, we can understand that the misah of the tzaddik atones like the parah shows us that the death of the tzaddik isn't merely an atonement for a sin but the entire existence of sin is uprooted.  In other words, one can bring a korban for kaparah but there is still possibility for sin, the cause, the סיבה of the sin still exists.  Parah adumah comes to remove the concept of death, meaning to uproot the very tumah in the world which causes sin, death and all mishaps.  In the words of Rav Kook, כנסת ישראל שואפת לתקון העולם בכל מלואו, לסליחה מקורית מטהרת, שבאה לא רק מישועת נפש האדם והטבת רצונו מצד עצמו, - שבזה צריכים להפגש בויתור ומדת חסד מיוחדה, בלא התכללות עם כל המדות כולן ובלא שקול של עז צדק ומשפט, - כי-אם תקון כולל לסבת החטאים. חק הטהרה, העברת רוח הטומאה על ידי שמו של משיח שקדם לעולם, "פרה אדומה מכפרת", והיא מטהרת מטומאת מת, נעוץ בסלוק המיתה מיסודה, בהעלאת העולם מעמק חטאו, מחטא הארץ ומקטרוג הלבנה, מנפילת התיאוריה העולמית ביסוד מציאותה, מהנמכת האידיאל העולמי במציאות, מה שהכשיר את החטא האנושי וכל הצרות הרבות הבאות ממנו. הכל, הכל צריך להיות מתוקן, הכל צריך להיות מטוהר. שאיפת ישראל לבנין האומה, לשיבת הארץ, היא שאיפה של עומק הטוב החודר את כל היש בשרשו. לא זקיפת לבנה מאיזה בנין כי אם פניה שלמה ועמוקה אל היסוד של כל הבנין, לכוננו בתקון. לא עצים אחדים וענפים מאילן החיים והטוב, אלא לחשוף את המקור, את מעין החיים שלשד עץ החיים, עם כל שרשיו, גזעיו ענפיו, פארותיו ועליו, משם יונק, וממנו יבא רוח חיים, רוח חדש, ועולם חדש, יבנה, "כי כאשר השמים החדשים והארץ החדשה אשר אני עושה עומדים לפני נאם ד' כן יעמד זרעכם ושמכם.  This is why Chazal compare the kaparah of the death of a tzaddik to the kaparah of the parah to tell us the depths of the atonement is that the death of a tzaddik also removes the very existence of sin.  Since tzaddikim are called "living," they provide an element of erasing the source of sin in the world, of attaching to eternality, which is recognizable in the void of their physical presence, and that brings the world closer to the stage of the ultimate eternity. 

Mahlokes About A Rebbe

The Malbim says וע"ז המליצו חז"ל שקרח שאל למשה טלית שמלה תכלת אם חייבת בציצית, ר"ל לעומת שהשיב משה שחייב בציצית, כי צריך חוט אחד מיוחד שבו תשכון הארת הקדושה שהתכלת מורה עליו אף שכל הטלית ממראה התכלת, וכן אף שכל העדה כלם קדושים צריך שיהיה אחד מהם הוא הקדוש שעליו ישכון ה' והוא יהי' השליח בינו ובינם והחוט שעל ידו תרד השפע אל העם, וקרח הכחיש זה שא"צ איש מיוחד אמצעי בין ה' ובינם אחר שכלם תכלת וכלם קדושים ובתוכם ה.  The fight of Korach was about the need for a Rebbe. 

The Chidushay HaRim says that Korach didn't understand that his greatness was only due to Moshe Rabbenu raising the level of everyone else. 

The Zohar says that Korach disagreed with the concept of piece.  Of course, everyone that argues is against peace?  The Rim explains that the tzaddik is able to take all the parts of Klal Yisrael and put them all together; to make one body out of all the different talents and capabilities.  Korach didn't see this function, he went against the very unity of Klal Yisrael. 

Korach did not understand that although everyone serves Hashem in their own way, there is a Rebbe who units everyone and elevates the entire nation that was Moshe Rabbenu. 

What Is The Desire

There are a lot of different events in Behaloscha.  A common denominator that runs through many of them is that one's desire defines the activity.  On the positive side we have Aharon feeling bad about missing out on the chanukah of the Mishkan and the tamei people missing out on korban pesach.  That desire does not go unnoticed and Aharon receives the lighting of the menorah and the tamei people bring about the parsha of pesach sheni.  

On the flip side, the Ramban identifies the פרעניות before the parsha of ויהי בנסוע as the possuk of ויסעו מהר ה and he quotes Chazal say כתינוק הבורח מבית הספר.  The Ballei Mussar point out that the issue is not the Klal Yisrael left to early, they only traveled based upon the command of Hashem, the issue is the attitude Klal Yisrael had to rush away from Sinai to not possibly receive more mitzvot.  The Ramban says it may be due to this, Klal Yisrael did not immediately enter into Eretz Yisrael.    

ויהי העם כמתאוננים Rashi says אֵין מִתְאוֹנְנִים אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן עֲלִילָה — מְבַקְּשִׁים עֲלִילָה הֵיאַךְ לִפְרֹשׁ מֵאַחֲרֵי הַמָּקוֹם, they were looking for a way how to turn away from Hashem.  Rashi says a similar idea 4 pessukim later on the words, וַיָּשֻׁ֣בוּ וַיִּבְכּ֗וּ גַּ֚ם בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ מִ֥י יַֽאֲכִלֵ֖נוּ בָּשָֽׂר, says Rashi, וְכִי לֹא הָיָה לָהֶם בָּשָׂר? וַהֲלֹא כְּבָר נֶאֱמַר "וְגַם עֵרֶב רַב עָלָה אִתָּם וְצֹאן וּבָקָר" וְגוֹ' (שמות י"ב), וְאִם תֹּאמַר אֲכָלוּם, וַהֲלֹא בִּכְנִיסָתָן לָאָרֶץ נֶאֱמַר "וּמִקְנֶה רַב הָיָה לִבְנֵי רְאוּבֵן" וְגוֹ' (במדבר ל"ב)? אֶלָּא שֶׁמְּבַקְשִׁים עֲלִילָה.  Rav Yerucham says Rashi is telling us that what inspired these complaints was really that there desire was to go against Hashem.  The complaints were not legitimate, they were just a coverup to comply with their desire to rebel against Hashem.

The Inner Animal

 The Chasam Sofer cites the Tanya, the handwritten edition was sold

Revelation Via Concealment

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר י״י֜ אֶל⁠־מֹשֶׁ֗ה הִנֵּ֨ה אָנֹכִ֜י בָּ֣א אֵלֶ֘יךָ֮ בְּעַ֣ב הֶֽעָנָן֒ בַּעֲב֞וּר יִשְׁמַ֤ע הָעָם֙ בְּדַבְּרִ֣י עִמָּ֔ךְ וְגַם⁠־בְּךָ֖ יַאֲמִ֣ינוּ לְעוֹלָ֑ם וַיַּגֵּ֥ד מֹשֶׁ֛ה אֶת⁠־דִּבְרֵ֥י הָעָ֖ם אֶל⁠־י״יֽ

וַיַּעֲמד הָעָם מֵרָחֹק וּמשֶׁה נִגַּשׁ אֶל הָעֲרָפֶל אֲשֶׁר שָׁם הָאֱלֹקִים 

The episode of Mattan Torah is clouded in a thick mist.  Why, at this the greatest moment of revelation, is there a hazy surrounding?  Rebbe Nachman (#115) says that Hashem always appears after there is a point of difficulty; after it appears that Hashem is hidden. In order to be coming closer to Hashem, it is necessary to overcome difficulties which appear to drive a person away.  However, Hashem Himself is found within the difficulty itself.  By pushing through, one will find Hashem behind the clouds. 

Rav Kook adds that this is necessary for a person to able to receive the great light of the revelation of Hashem.  Normally in order to see things clearer, the more light the better.  However, since Hashem's revelation is so great it would be impossible for a person to absorb it properly.  It is only through concealment that Hashem's revelation can be absorbed.  (This idea is the cause for the very existence of the world.  It is only through the act of tzitmtzum of Hashem concealing His Light that allows for the world to exist.)  The basis for this idea already is present in the words of the Rambam in Moreh Nevuchim who notes that Hashem is often described as lurking in darkness including the possuk בעב הענן because mortals contained in a physical form can't fathom the full revelation of Hashem.  Yet at the same time the Rambam notes this possuk in the beginning of Ch. 8 of Yesodey Hatorah as the basis for the entire Judaism for it is proof that Klal Yisrael saw that the prophesy of Moshe is true and hence all of the Torah is true.  In other words, at the greatest point of revelation, mankind is limited by his ability to fully see the revelation of Hashem.    

That is why the revelation of Mashiach has to come to the world in a hidden manner though the relationship with Lot and his daughters, Yehuda and Tamar, Rus and Boaz etc. for the great light must be hidden. 

At the time of Mattan Torah itself, the first luchos which Moshe went up to receive on Shavuot were broken.  However, the Gemarah Eiruvin (54a) says that if only the first luchos were not broken one would never forget their learning.  Torah would be hewed into a person's heart immediately upon studying.  It is only the breaking of the luchos that causes people to forget their learning.  Yet, as Rav Hutner notes (Chanukah maamer #3,) it is only through the forgetting of Torah that the pilpul of Torah is propagated and expanded throughout the generations.  It is the forgetting of Torah, the hiding of a revelation that leads to a greater light.  

Maybe this is hinted to in the Rambam (Talmud Torah 3:13) אין אדם לומד רוב חכמתו אלא בלילה.  Specifically when it is dark, when there is concealment that is when one merits to tap into the greatest wisdom 

Rav Kook ends  ובימינו אלה אין שום ספק שעוד הפעם אורו של משיח, אור של גאולה בבחינת תעלומה מופיע ומתנוצץ לפנינו, (ו) מרוב הזוהר המעולף בעיקרו בעובי חושך, עד כדי הסתרה נוראה, שהיא הולכת ונמשכת מאז אשר דבר ה' בא אל הרועה הנאמן ללמד לדורות, כי העב הענן המסתיר את האור העליון הוא הוא הענן המכין את ההתגלות של אורו, וכל הקשורים בקדושת ישראל, וקדושתה של תורה, שהיא לעד ולעולם מקור הגאולה, יבינו וידעו כי מעב הענן המסתיר את האור האלקי, תצא אורה אשר תופיע על הנשמות כולן, על כל ישראל ומהם על כל העמים, וכי "הנני בא אליך בעב הענן", במסתרים, במעשים אשר מבין הקרואים לעמוד בראשם ולעשותם, ישנם כאלה שאינם יודעים כלל את ערכם ואת מהותם, ביחס לתפקידם ההשגחיי העליון, הם נקראים בשמם ולא ידעו מי הוא הקורא אותם, וכמו אצל כורש הנכרי מתקיים גם בהם: אכנך ואאזרך ולא ידעתני. אבל הסוף של ההסתרה הנוראה הזאת, תהיה ההופעה היותר אדירה והיותר נצחית: למען ישמע העם בדברי עמך וגם בך יאמינו לעולם. ומאופל וממסתור, עיני עורים תראינה באור חדש, אשר יופיע על ציון ועל מקראיה במהרה בימינו אמן.