Beis Moshiach Magazine - Recent Articles - BASI L’GANI 5715

Translated by Boruch Merkur

THE EPIC ACCOMPLISHMENT OF THE SEVENTH GENERATION

1. “I have returned to My garden, My sister, My bride.” On these words, the Midrash Rabba (in its place) comments: “‘To My garden’ – to My bridal chamber, to the place where My essence was [revealed] in the first days of Creation,” for the Ikar Sh’china (the essence of the Divine Presence) was manifest then in the lower realms [in the physical world itself]. But with the sin of the Tree of Knowledge, which gave rise to subsequent sins, a fundamental change took place: the Sh’china departed from the earth to the heavens.

Afterwards, when righteous people arose, they drew down the Sh’china from the heavens to the earth through their service of G-d. This process reached its pinnacle with Moshe Rabbeinu, [the leader of] the seventh [generation from Avrohom Avinu], and [as our Sages teach] “all sevenths are beloved.” Moshe Rabbeinu’s epic accomplishment is that he succeeded in [completing the entire process] drawing the Sh’china back down from the first firmament of the heavens to the earth. Similarly with regard to the Divine service of the other tzaddikim: through their avoda, they draw down G-dliness at the level of “shochen ad marom v’kadosh,” bringing the Divine presence to dwell in the lower realms.

This G-dly revelation is achieved through the Divine service of iskafia sitra achra, rejecting evil, for “when evil is shunned, the glory of the
Alm-ghty is manifest (istalek).” Here the meaning of “istalek” is that G-dliness is drawn down below in a revealed way but in a manner described as “istalek – a departure,” and is manifest in all worlds equally. Here we are speaking about the revelation of Ohr HaSovev Kol Almin, a sublime revelation of G-dliness. On account of its radical transcendence, it is manifest in all worlds equally.

A NACHAS RUACH TO ME

Now, in general, drawing down the Sh’china into the lower realms occurred primarily in the Mishkan and the Mikdash, as it is written, “Make for Me a Sanctuary and I shall dwell among them.” [The most prominent service of G-d that took place in the Sanctuary and the Holy Temple, the Beis Mikdash, was the offering of sacrifices.] Now, sacrifices entail two opposite movements: raising up as well as drawing down [paralleling the dynamic described above of elevating oneself spiritually, by rejecting evil, and the resultant revelation from On High, G-dliness being drawn down into the world]. This twofold motion is alluded to in the Torah regarding sacrifices: “Ishei, a burnt offering, a pleasant fragrance to G-d.” That is, a burnt offering is an elevation from the earth to the heavens, [whose spiritual counterpart is] the devotion of one’s skills and talents towards G-dliness, towards a holy end. Doing so brings about “a pleasant fragrance to G-d” – “a nachas ruach before Me, for I have spoken and My will has been done.” The nachas elicited from On High is described as, “nachut darga,” drawing down G-dliness from above to below. The same applies to the avoda of iskafia sitra achra, shunning evil [elevating one’s animalistic tendencies]. As a result of the avoda of shunning evil, the G-dly light that shines in all worlds equally is drawn down, especially to the lower realms.

TO REMOVE THE RUACH SHTUS

Of course, in order for there to be [the] avoda [of rejected evil], there must [first] be the existence of evil. Evil conceals the truth [of the reality of G-dliness], which in turn obscures the function of the G-dly soul. The effect of removing the influence of the G-dly soul is that it opens up the possibility for one to err, wrongly perceiving that he maintains his Judaism even when he transgresses G-d’s will.

The forces of evil employ a ruach shtus, a spirit of folly, to achieve this end. Once a spirit of folly enters the person, it becomes possible for him to commit a sin. However, by means of the avoda of iskafia sitra achra, exerting oneself to reject evil, the ruach shtus is removed. The result of this effort is that the evil folly is compelled to act in accordance with G-d’s will, or it is even transformed [into a force of good].

In the spirit of this confrontation against the ruach shtus, the Mishkan was made from standing planks of acacia wood, atzei shittim. Indeed the word “shittim” alludes to the transformation of the ruach shtus [insofar as it shares the same linguistic root].

In terms of the service of G-d, confronting the ruach shtus is accomplished by the spiritual avoda corresponding to offering sacrifices, korbanos.This avoda is described in the verse, “Adam ki yakriv mi’kem – a person who offers [a sacrifice] from among you.” That is, the main thing is that the offering of the sacrifice must be “mi’kem – from you,” a sacrifice from all aspects of the soul of man, as the verse continues, “From the animals, from the cattle, and from the sheep” [analogous to various aspects of the soul]. The result of this avoda is that it brings about “I shall dwell among you” [the Divine presence revealed within the Jew].

A SHIFT AWAY FROM REASON

2. In order to transform shtus d’l’umas zeh, evil folly, it is specifically by means of shtus d’k’dusha, holy folly. Just as in the realm of evil the term “shtus – folly” applies to behavior that is foolish, irrational, below reason, similarly in the realm of holiness there is an avoda that diverges from what is rational in that it transcends intellect; this too is called “shtus.”

Now, the meaning of the word “shtus” is “hetia – a shift or inclination” (as Rashi comments on the verse, “Ki sisteh (which is related to the word “shtus”) ishto” – “shifting away from the paths of modesty”). Here we see that in the context of intellect, a shift or departure from reason is called “shtus.” Stooping below intellect is evil folly, whereas rising above intellect is shtus d’k’dusha, holy folly. In the realm of holiness, even behavior that is below intellect, stems from where the concept exists in the essence of the soul, which transcends the intellect, literally at the level of sight [which cannot be disregarded even in the face of logic that contradicts it; “seeing is believing”].

“HIS FOOLISHNESS HELPED”

A discussion on the relative merit or demerit of foolish behavior is found in the Gemara: Rebbi Yehuda b’Rebbi Ila’i would take a branch of myrtle and dance before the bride [at a wedding]. Rav Shmuel bar Rav Yitzchock would dance with three [branches], for he would take three myrtle branches and dance with them. Rav Zeira said: The old man is dishonoring us. Rashi comments [on the words of Rav Zeira] that Rav Shmuel was dishonoring the Torah through this form of conduct, dancing with three branches. Indeed, Rav Zeira was among the leading Amoraim. Nevertheless, from the perspective of the reason and intellect of holiness, there is no place for this type of conduct; it is the opposite of rational behavior. However, the Gemara goes on to relate how, when Rav Shmuel passed away, a pillar of fire separated [his burial site from the others], for there was a pillar of fire that distinguished Rav Shmuel bar Rav Yitzchok from the entire world. Rav Zeira (the same Rav Zeira) said: The Sage’s branch (shutei l’sabba), his foolishness (shtusei l’sabba), and his approach (shitasei l’sabba) were to his credit. [At a wedding] he would dance with a myrtle branch, yet the Gemara states that “his foolishness was to his credit (shtusei l’sabba)”; shtus d’k’dusha, the folly of holiness, was to his credit. Indeed, he reached such a height in this manner of service that a pillar of fire stood as a sign of his distinction, an actual revelation of G-dly light [in the physical world].

[To be continued be”H]