Polishing
The World Until It Shines
Sichos
in English
Shabbos
Parshas Emor; 17th Day of Iyar, 5750
1.
This week’s Torah portion begins: “Tell the priests, the children of
Aharon, and relate to them...” Our Sages, noting the apparent
redundancy of the commands, “tell” and “relate,” explain that
the verse is intended “to charge the adults with [the education of]
the children.”
This,
however, provokes a question: Since the education of children is of
fundamental importance to the future of our people, as our Sages
declared, “If there are no kids, there will be no goats,” why is the
education of our children not mentioned immediately after the giving of
the Torah? Why is its mention postponed until the middle of the Book of
VaYikra and, even then, it is not mentioned in the context of a matter
of general relevance, but rather in regard to the laws of the
priesthood?
These
questions can be resolved within an explanation of the connection
between the content of this Torah portion and the time of year when it
is read. Parshas Emor is always read in the month of Iyar, which is
distinguished by its connection to the mitzva of counting the omer.
Every day of this month is associated with this mitzva. [The
association of this mitzva with parshas Emor is further
emphasized by the fact that the mitzva of counting the omer is
related in detail in this Torah reading.]
The
counting of the omer is associated with education, as emphasized
by the fact that it commemorates the preparation (chinuch,
education) of the Jewish people to receive the Torah. The exodus from
Egypt can be considered as the “birth” of the Jewish people and the
seven weeks that followed can be considered a period of preparation as
the Jews waited anxiously, counting the days until they received the
Torah. Each year, this sequence is repeated, “advancing higher in
holiness,” revealing deeper dimensions of the Torah, until ultimately,
“a new Torah will emerge from Me,” in the Messianic age.
Chinuch,
education, is not only relevant in the initial stages of one’s
service. On the contrary, as a person grows and advances from level to
level he must “educate” himself to prepare to reach the higher rung.
This concept is alluded to in the counting of the omer, which: a)
begins after Pesach, i.e., after the Jewish people have taken a
“leap” forward in the service of G-d, and b) counts the days with
cardinal numbers rather than ordinal ones, i.e., rather than say,
“Today is the second day...,” “Today is the third day...,” and
the like. We say, “Today is two days to the omer,” “Today
is three days...,” indicating that each day includes within it the
service of all the previous days and then, contributes a further
dimension of growth itself.
The
counting of the omer is also related to the concept of Jewish
unity. The “seven perfect weeks” of the omer allude to
achieving perfection among the categories of the Jewish people,
signified by the seven branches of the menora, which reflect our
seven emotional qualities. During this period, all these seven
categories must be perfected until they “shine” (i.e., s’fira,
which means counting, also means shining.)
This
concept is also related to the month of Iyar, whose Hebrew spelling
serves as an acronym for the names Avrohom, Yitzchok, Yaakov, and Rochel,
the four figures who have endowed their spiritual heritage to the
totality of the Jewish people.
This
high level is also reflected in the expression our Sages use to
communicate the obligation to educate our children, “l’hazhir
gedolim al ha’katanim.” “L’hazhir” also means to
shine, i.e., these efforts will add shining light to the entire Jewish
people, both the parents and the children, and reveal their essential
positive qualities.
This
is also related to the name of the parsha, Parshas Emor, which
can also be interpreted to mean “grant praise and distinction,” as
in the verse, “You have granted praise and distinction to G-d
today.”
…Based
on the above, we can understood the initial question: Why was the
obligation to educate our children not mentioned directly after the
giving of the Torah. As explained above, in their statement, our Sages
used the word “l’hazhir,” which means to shine, rather than
another term meaning to educate. This implies that the goal is also to
make the children who receive the education shine. Therefore, this does
not apply in the initial stages of their education, but only after they
have begun elevating themselves and are seeking to reach a level of
completion.
In
other words, the obligation to give children the basics of education is
self-understood and does not require a commandment from the Torah. The
command that the Torah does find necessary to relate — the obligation
to educate one’s children until they shine — cannot be communicated
at the outset and is mentioned only after one has begun one’s service.
There
is a deeper lesson that can be derived from the words “emor”
and “v’amarta” (meaning “tell” and “and you shall
relate,” respectively). Significantly, though they are separated in
the verse, Rashi mentions them directly after each other to imply that
they are a single concept, i.e., the efforts of the adults to educate
the children is not separate from their own service, but rather, an
extension of it. It is not that in addition to their own service, they
also educate their children; but rather the adults and the children are
united in a single service. Similarly, the adult’s service is
complete to the point that it extends beyond himself and has an
influence on others, as well.
Furthermore,
just as the adults exert a positive influence on the children, this
activity has an effect upon themselves as well, causing them to
“shine.” This comes about because the unity of the adults and the
children draws down a light that completely transcends the differences
between adults and children.
The
above is reflected in the Jewish people’s efforts in “educating”
the world (i.e., the world can be considered as a child when compared to
the Jewish people, who are like adults). The Jewish people must
“polish” the world until it shines. This, in turn, will draw down a
higher light for the Jewish people themselves.
There
is also a mystic dimension to this concept. The word “emor”
(tell) is an acronym for the Hebrew words meaning, “fire, water, and
wind,” three of the four fundamental elements of existence. The word
“amarta” (relate) contains these three letters with the
addition of the letter Taf, which reflects the S’fira of Malchus,
which is associated with the element of earth. Emor, however,
does not allude to the element of earth because earth is included in the
other three elements, fire, air, and water. This can been seen from the
fact that when water is boiled, a residue of earth remains.
These
concepts are reflected in our behavior, “fire, water, and wind,”
refer to our potential for wisdom, understanding, and emotion. Exercise
of these potentials alone is not sufficient; it is also necessary to
add, “earth,” malchus, which refers to communicating to
others. This expression, however, is not an independent entity, but
rather an extension of one’s inner qualities. Through this expression
a greater and more encompassing light is generated…
2.
The above concepts are enhanced by a teaching of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai
in the fourth chapter of Pirkei Avos._ That teaching states:
Rabbi
Shimon states: There are three crowns: The crown of Torah, the crown of
priesthood, and the crown of kingship. The crown of a good name
surpasses them all.
This
raises an obvious question. Why doesn’t the Mishna mention four
crowns, including “the crown of a good name”?
The
concept can be explained as follows: Torah, priesthood, and royalty
refer to internal qualities within an individual’s personality. The
“crown of a good name” refers to one’s activities with others.
Rabbi Shimon explains that “crown of a good name” is not a separate
entity, but rather an extension of the other three crowns. Our work with
others has to be viewed, not as a different service, but as a
continuation of one’s personal efforts of refinement.
This
is alluded to by the terminology used by the Mishna. The Hebrew
expression translated as “surpasses them all” literally means
“ascends upon them,” i.e., when one has carried out the services of
Torah, priesthood, and kingship, then sharing one’s qualities with
others brings about a new crown that is higher than the other ones.
This
is also connected to Rabbi Shimon’s emphasis on the oneness of the
Jewish people, as reflected in his explanation of the verse: “How good
and how sweet it is for brothers to sit together.” This verse also
relates to the unity between the Jewish people and G-d for “brothers
sitting together” can refer to G-d and the Jewish people.
The
above sheds light on a statement of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai:
Come
and see how dear Israel is before the Holy One, blessed be He, wherever
they were exiled, the Divine presence was exiled with them.... When they
will be redeemed, the Divine presence will accompany them.
The
intent of this statement is that the unity between G-d and the Jewish
people is not for the sake of an external purpose, but rather a natural,
innate bond. Accordingly, wherever Israel is found, the Divine presence
accompanies them.
In
this context, it is worthy to contrast the manner in which this
statement is quoted in the Talmud and in the text, Ein Yaakov.
There are two primary differences: a) Ein Yaakov lists several
different exiles which the Jewish people were forced to undergo, while
the Talmud’s text is far more concise. b) Ein Yaakov spells the
name Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai with an Alef, while the Talmud omits
that letter.
The
differences can be explained based on the differences between the nature
of the two texts. Ein Yaakov was intended for people on a low
level of knowledge, while the Talmud can be studied only by those on a
more advanced level. Therefore, to emphasize the oneness of G-d with the
Jewish people on all levels, the Ein Yaakov mentions all the
places to which they were exiled.
It
also includes a Alef because the Alef is the key to
Redemption. The only differences in the Hebrew words for exile (gola)
and redemption (geula) is an Alef. The Alef stands
for Alufo shel Olam, G-d, “the L-rd of the world.” It is the
revelation of G-dliness that transforms the exile into redemption.
The
lessons from Parshas Emor mentioned above should motivate us to invest
more energy in the unity of the Jewish people and in education, teaching
young children, and also teaching adults, spreading forth the
wellsprings of Chassidus, the legacy of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai,
outward. Similarly, efforts must be made to educate gentiles and train
them in the performance of their seven mitzvos.
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