Musar על דברים 4:50

In explanation of repentance and its principles
Among the good things which God, may He be blessed, has bestowed upon His creations is the path which He prepared for them to ascend from the baseness of their actions, to escape the trap of their inequities, to hold their souls back from destruction and to remove His anger from upon them. Because of His goodness and uprightness, He has taught them and warned them to return to Him when they sin against Him - for He understands their nature, as it is stated (Psalms 25:8), "Good and upright is the Lord; therefore He shows sinners the way." [Even] if they greatly sin and rebel and act like treacherous betrayers - He does not close the doors of repentance to them, as it is stated (Isaiah 31:6), "Return, to Him to whom they have been so shamefully false." It is [also] stated (Jeremiah 3:22), "Turn back, O rebellious children, I will heal your afflictions." We are warned about repentance in several places in the Torah. It is explained that repentance is accepted even when the sinner repents because of his many troubles - how much more so [will it be accepted] if he returns because of fear or love of God - as it is stated (Deuteronomy 4:30), "When you are in distress because all these things have befallen you and, in the end, return to the Lord your God and obey Him." It is explained in the Torah that God will help those who repent beyond what their natural ability would allow; and that He renews a pure spirit within them, to reach great heights in His love - as it is stated (Deuteronomy 30:2), "And you return to the Lord your God, and you and your children heed His command with all your heart and soul, just as I enjoin upon you this day." Further, it is stated about the body of the matter (Deuteronomy 30:6), "Then the Lord, your God, will circumcise your heart and the hearts of your offspring," to acquire love for Him. And the Prophets and Writings constantly speak on the subject of repentance, such that the principles of repentance are all explained in their words, as will be explained.

And it [Torah] is the mainstay of the life of the soul, as we find in Sifrei, Parshath Ekev." R. Shimon says (Devarim 4:9): 'Only take heed to yourself and heed your soul exceedingly.' This may be compared to [the instance of] a king who captures a bird and hands it to his servant, saying to him: 'Take care of this bird for my son. If you lose it, do not think that you have lost a one-issar (a small-coin) bird, but that you have lost your soul.' And thus is it written (Devarim 32:47): 'For it [Torah] is not an empty thing for you [Not in vain do you toil in it; great reward inheres in it]; for it is your life.'"

After explaining by the way of reason that the Creator created His world only that it might worship Him and not through necessity, we shall (now) explain this matter by the way of Scripture. And we have advanced the rational arguments prior to the Scriptural arguments because the mind is more likely to accept them rather than the Scriptural arguments; they are more likely to become settled convictions in the mind of whoever attends to them because they are accompanied by (probable) arguments and demonstrations. I can therefore maintain that we have Scriptural warrant for the world’s creation, not by necessity, but as an act of grace and kindness¹⁶The word "Hesed" has several meanings in Biblical Hebrew. Louis Jacobs "The Concept of Hasid in the Biblical and Rabbinic Literatures" (Journal of Jewish Studies, Vol. VIII, numbers 3 and 4, pp. 20 ff) writes that the word "Hesed" means "mercy, loving kindness, loyalty, grace or charm, according to the context in which it occurs." See Nelson Glueck Das Wort Hesed im Alttestamentlichen Sprachge-brauche; English edition, Hesed in the Bible, Cincinnati, 1967.. As it is said (Psalms 89:3), “For I have said that the world is created through kindness.” We have discovered that every good done by the Creator, (may He be praised), for the sake of His creatures is implemented for His own sake rather than out of necessity or obligation. As it is said (Isaiah 48:11), “For mine own sake will I do it.” Further it is said (Hosea 14:5), “I will heal their backsliding; I will love them freely.” It is said (Deuteronomy 4:30), “Know this day and lay it to Thy heart, that the Lord, He is God.” And even before this, reason has already taught us that the Creator, may He be praised, did not create His world by necessity, but only so that it might worship Him. Hence, we have explained the mystery of the world’s creation by the way of Scripture and that of reason.

We know from Deut. 4,4: ואתם הדבקים בה' אלוקיכם חיים כולכם היום, "And you who have cleaved to the Lord your G–d are all alive this day," that G–d has chosen us from all other nations and elevated us beyond all other languages, i.e. He brought us close to His great Name, something which is the innermost secret of Torah. This is the true meaning of תורת ה' תמימה, that G–d's Torah is perfect. Our attachment, דבקות, to G–d finds its expression in our performance of the commandments contained in the Torah. When we fulfil Torah precepts we serve as G–d's throne, we honour Him. Due to our sins, unfortunately, we have been exiled and the name of G–d is no longer "whole," as our sages have told us.

There is little point in looking for moral ethical messages in this portion when the entire portion is literally filled with such messages. In fact the same can be said of most of the Book of Deuteronomy. Moses' principal purpose in writing this book called משנה תורה, review of the Torah, was to ensure that the new generation would relive in their minds what the previous generation had actually experienced, and that they would draw the appropriate moral conclusions from all this and engrave it on their collective memories.

There is little point in looking for moral ethical messages in this portion when the entire portion is literally filled with such messages. In fact the same can be said of most of the Book of Deuteronomy. Moses' principal purpose in writing this book called משנה תורה, review of the Torah, was to ensure that the new generation would relive in their minds what the previous generation had actually experienced, and that they would draw the appropriate moral conclusions from all this and engrave it on their collective memories.

I am surprised that when it comes to smallpox outbreaks, which spreads from child to child, why do people not take their children out of the city? In the future, the fathers will be responsible for the deaths of their children who are nursing, and have committed no sin, and those who are weaned and have committed no sins, and died from the sickness whose fathers did not take them away [from the city]. Every man who fears god should fear every eventuality. These things that are included in protecting the body are included in the warnings of (Devarim 4:9) 'take utmost care and watch yourselves scrupulously' and this is also the way of the world to take care of one's body since it is the container that the soul is wrapped up in so it will be a throne for the soul.

These four qualities are lacking if wisdom is lacking, for they cannot join together unless there be knowledge and wisdom. If a man does not have knowledge and wisdom, he will not recognize his God and serve Him, as it is said (Jeremiah 9:23), “But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth Me.” The Prophet means that everyone who possesses wisdom will understand and know “Me” immediately. For it is through knowledge that a man recognizes his Creator and then serves Him. In this manner, is it explained in many places. Concerning reason, it is said (Deuteronomy 29:8), “In order that you may do everything with intelligence”, and concerning knowledge, it is said (ibid., 4:35), “Unto thee it was shown, that thou mightest know.”

And the parable for this is about a man that wants to go to a city. And he is told that the path is confounded with thorns, snares and stumbling blocks. But because of his need for the place, he is not prevented from going. But if they would tell him that there is a lion on the path and a leopard constantly on it, he would then stop his feet from this path. Therefore King Solomon, peace be upon him, said (Proverbs 1:2), “For learning wisdom and reproof; for understanding.” Its explanation is [that] proper action and abandonment of sins is called wisdom, like the matter that is stated (Deuteronomy 4:6), “for that is your wisdom and your understanding.” But after he learns and know the commandments and what are the sins, he needs to study the disgrace of the sins, and the damage and the loss that comes with them - in order to distance his soul from them; to reprimand himself by remembering the punishments and to reprove others. And this knowledge is called reproof (mussar); and it is pleasant for those that give rebuke to study this.

And know that there are sublime virtues given over in the positive commandments such as: The virtues of free choice, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 30:19), “and choose life”; and the virtues of Torah study, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 6:7), “and you shall speak about them;” and the virtues of walking in the ways of the Lord, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 28:9), “and you shall walk in His ways;” and the virtues of contemplation of the greatness of the Lord, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 4:39), “Know therefore this day and keep in mind that the Lord alone is God in heaven above and on earth below; there is no other,” and David said (Psalms 14:2), “The Lord looks down from heaven on mankind to find a man of understanding, a man who seeks God”; and the virtues of remembrance of His kindnesses,” as it is stated (Deuteronomy 8:2), “Remember the whole way,” and it is [also] stated (Deuteronomy 8:6), “And you shall know that the Lord your God disciplines you just as a man disciplines his son,” and David said (Psalms 107:43), “he will contemplate the kindnesses of the Lord,” and said (Psalms 26:3), “For Your kindness is across from my eyes”; and the virtues of holiness, as it is stated (Leviticus 11:44), “and you shall sanctify yourselves and you shall be holy”; and the virtues of worship, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 10:20), “and He shall you worship;” and the virtues of fear, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 10:20), “And you shall fear the Lord”; and the virtues of love, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 6:5), “And you shall love the Lord, your God;” and the virtues of clinging, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 10:20), ”to Him shall you cling.” There are several levels to each of these, as will be explained, with God’s help. And man was created for the sake of these virtues, as it is stated (Isaiah 43:7), “All who are linked to My name, whom I have created for My glory.” And what is the hope of a creation if it does not make the things for which it was created, the toil of his soul and his main occupation?

“Only observe for yourself, and guard your soul diligently, lest you forget the matters that your eyes saw” (Deuteronomy 4:9). And our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, said (Menachot 99b) [that] anyone who forgets [even] one matter from his studies violates two negative commandments. Is it possible even if his studies were too hard for him? Hence we are taught to say, “And lest they depart from your heart” (Deuteronomy 4:9). The verse is only speaking of one who causes them to depart from his heart, by being idle from Torah study and not constantly poring over it.

And the fifth section: Vulgar speech. Our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, said (Shabbat 33a), “Anyone who speaks vulgarly - even if he was sealed for a decree of seventy years of good, it will be reversed to bad.” And Isaiah said (Isaiah 9:16), “That is why my Lord will not spare their youths, nor show compassion to their orphans and widows; for all are ungodly and wicked, and every mouth speaks vulgarity.” And on account of this, one who speaks vulgarly has a heavy iniquity and is ungodly and wicked. For he has abandoned and left shame and modesty, which are the famous traits of the holy seed (of Israel); and went to the paths of brazenness - which is the trait of the evil boors. Secondly - because he has profanced the Holy One of Israel, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 4:6), “and they will say, ‘Surely, that great nation is a wise and discerning people.’” But this one acted like the disgusting foolish ones that are distanced from the ways of the intellect, which is completely beautiful and also pleasant. And their foulness rises and their stink goes up, so every sage and understanding person surely despises and surely abominates them. And behold, he is profaning the tool of the intellect which is more precious than any beloved tool - as it is stated (Proverbs 20:15), “but wise speech is a precious tool.” And the punishment of one who listens to vulgar speech is great, since he does not seal his ear and does not separate from the words of vulgarity. And about him is it said (Proverbs 22:14), “The mouth of a forbidden woman is a deep pit; [He who is doomed by the Lord falls into it].”

We further find in Avoth (3:8): "R. Meir says: 'If one forgets a single thing from his learning, Scripture accounts it to him as if he is liable for his soul, as it is written (Devarim 4:9): "Only take heed to yourself, and heed your soul exceedingly, lest you forget, etc."

Maimonides, in his ספר המדע writes as follows: "We must appreciate a fundamental truth, something basic to all knowledge. There is a SINGLE original Cause who in turn has created all other phenomena. If you ever were to think that HE does not exist, it would follow that none of the phenomena we perceive exist either. If you could imagine that all other phenomena would cease to exist, HE still would continue to exist, since all phenomena need Him for their continued existence, whereas He does not need them for His existence. His "truth" is therefore not comparable to any other kind of "truth," and this is why the prophet says: וה' אלוקים הוא לבדו אמת, "And the Lord G–d is truth" (Jeremiah 10,10). This is also what the Torah means in Deut. 4,35 ואין עוד מלבדו, "There is no one else beside Him." No truth exists independent of G–d. It is His Existence that is the supreme G–d of the universe, and He guides the universe. It is a positive commandment to acquire knowledge of and guard these facts, for the Torah says: "I am the Lord your G–d, etc." Anyone who entertains the thought that there is any other deity is a כופר בעיקר, violates a fundamental negative commandment, because the Torah says: "You must not have any other god in My Presence." Such a person denies the central pillar of the Jewish faith that everything depends upon Him. Thus far Maimonides.

There is no one like Me in the whole world," means that G–d's Power is supreme compared to other apparent sources of Power. These three statements must be appreciated by us not merely as articles of faith, but as something we know. It is not enough to accept such tenets as something handed down by our ancestors, but they must be ידיעות, something that we know as facts. The Torah reminds the Jewish people who had stood at Mount Sinai, that their experience was defined in the words (Deut. 4,39): "Know therefore this day and keep in mind that the Lord alone is G–d in Heaven above and on earth below." It is spelled out that G–d exercises control both in the Celestial Regions and on Earth. Any other powers that we perceive in this universe have been endowed by G–d and could not generate power independently. These are facts which we must appreciate over and above what we normally refer to as "faith."

2) זרוז מצוה a display of eagerness to perform the commandment. That this is a higher level of performance is based on the verse אשר יעשה אותם האדם וחי בהם, "that man should do them and live (come to life) thereby," (Lev. 18,5). It means that performance should be joyful in order that a person may qualify for this level. One way of proving this is to perform the part of the מצוה one is capable of fulfilling even if one is fully aware that one will never be able to perform the מצוה in its entirety. An example of such זרוז was Moses establishing three cities of refuge on the East Bank of the Jordan, though these would not become operative until they would be matched by three more such cities on the West Bank. Moses could have left even the first three such cities to be set aside by his successor since he was aware that he would not be alive when they would begin to fulfil their designated purpose. Compare the Torah on this in Numbers 35,14-15, and Deut. 4,41.

Come and see the greatness of the eminence of one who upholds the Torah, and benefits a Torah scholar with his possessions and draws close to him, Scripture considering it as if he [thereby] cleaved to the Shechinah. As Chazal (Kethuvoth 111a) say on the verse (Deuteronomy 4:9): "And you that did cleave to the L-rd your G-d are all alive this day." Now is it possible for a man to cleave to the Shechinah? Is it not written (Ibid. 24): "For the L-rd your G-d is a consuming fire!" The intent is, rather, if one weds his daughter to a Torah scholar, or does business for a Torah scholar, or benefits a Torah scholar with his possessions, it is accounted to him as if he cleaved to the Shechinah." And they stated further (Ibid. 10b): "All who lodge Torah scholars in their homes and offer them of their fare are regarded by Scripture as presenters of daily ['continual'] sacrifices." And (Ibid. 63b): "R. Nechemiah opened [his discourse] in honor of the host, expounding (I Samuel 15:6): 'And Saul said to the Keni: Go, depart, go down from the midst of Amalek, lest I destroy you with him — and you have done lovingkindness with all the children of Israel': Now does this not follow a fortiori? If Yithro, who befriended Moses only for his own honor had this accorded [to his descendants, the Keni], then one who is host to a Torah scholar, and feeds him, and gives him to drink, and treats him of his possessions, how much more so!'… R. Elazar b. R. Yossi Haglili opened [his discourse] in honor of the host, expounding (II Samuel 6:11): 'And the L-rd blessed the house of Oved-Edom… because of the ark of G-d' [which he kept in his house]. Now does this not follow a fortiori? If the ark, which did not eat and did not drink — because they swept and sprinkled before it, thus [were they rewarded], then one who is host to a Torah scholar, and feeds him, and gives him to drink, and treats him of his possessions, how much more so!'"

This being so, let the foresighted reflect that if a person grows used to speaking with his mouth other than what is in his heart his children will undoubtedly stray and eventually deny the Torah, measure for measure. Moreover, he alienates himself from the holiness emanating from above and forfeits that distinction that is ascribed to Israel in the verse, “And as for you who cling to Hashem your God, you are all alive this day” (Devarim 4:4). To understand the significance of this verse consider that when a man tightens his belt until it clings tightly to his waste, not even dust can penetrate between the belt and the garment. So too, when Israel cling to Hashem through their meritorious ways and deeds, no accuser can intervene between them and their Heavenly Father. Take a look at what the Zohar (Parashas Pekudei 225a) writes on this topic:

A real love for one's children must be in this path — that he thinks always to guide his children in the paths of Justice, and teach them the manner of serving God. Blessed is He, according to what is said: "The father shall make known to the children Thy truth" (Is. 38:19). And it is written: "And you shall make known (the lessons of Sinai) to your children and your children's children" (Deut. 4:9). And, as it is said concerning Abraham, "For I know him to the end that he should command his children and his household after him" (Gen. 18:19).

בחודש השלישי … ביום הזה באו מדבר סיני. Rashi says that all the Torah had to write was: ביום ההוא, "On that day." Why did the Torah write: ביום הזה, "On this day?" This was to teach us that words of Torah should always appear new in our eyes, as if they had been revealed to us this very day. It is therefore incumbent upon each one of us each and every day of our lives to remember the epsiode of Mount Sinai, the revelation, and the giving of the Torah. We must be conscious that G–d chose us from amongst all the other nations although we had been so inextricably mixed up with the Egyptians that our departure from Egypt is described in the Torah (Deut. 4,34) as the removal of גוי מקרב גוי, "one part of a nation from another part of that same nation." We must remain constantly aware of all the miracles G–d performed on our account so that we should be able to arrive at Mount Sinai and shed the pollutants from the original serpent still remaining within us. We should always keep before our mind's eye that G–d gave us the Torah, something that He did not give even to the ministering angels. We must also be aware that all our collective souls were present at Mount Sinai when all this occurred and when G–d spoke to us face to face. In view of all this, how could it even occur to a person for a moment to again risk being covered with the pollutant of the serpent by disobeying G–d once again? Are we not all part of the oath which formed the Jewish response to G–d's offer of the holy Torah, i.e. "we shall do and we shall hear?" I have written more about the moral implications of all this in chapter ten of my treatise עשרה מאמרות.

A person should also recite this prayer: “May it be Your will to save me this day from an evil person, from evil happenstance and from an evil companion.” This is in order that he will not join with the wicked or with sinners or with groups of the treacherous, who gather to engage in bickering and quarreling. Their mouths are sharp swords and their curses, insults and blasphemies are like hot coals. The fire of Gehinnom burns within them enflaming their quarrels and contentions. Their thoughts are entirely for evil, even when they are in shul. They are filled with deceit, inventing pretexts against the upright who adhere to Hashem’s ways, in order to do them harm. Woe to them and woe to their souls! For the day will come suddenly when the wheel will turn against them and Heaven’s judgements will overwhelm them, stripping them of all their possessions. They will become objects of contempt and disgrace but no one will have pity upon them because of Heaven’s harsh decree. Let those who fear Hashem and who tremble at His word distance themselves from such people and from their gatherings and their tumult. Let the upright not heed their advice nor accompany them and certainly not join with them. Instead let them cling to love of Hashem and to the God-fearing and to those who tremble at His word. From such individuals they can learn the path of life. Concerning this was it written, “And as for you who cling to Hashem your God, you are all alive this day” (Devarim 4:4).

There is a general concensus among our sages that the Torah was given to the Jewish people on the Sabbath. Torah originated in Heaven, (i.e. the domain of תפארת,) the domain in which the concept of Israel is at home. This domain radiates spiritual values in all six directions. Moses told the Israelites in Deut. 4,36: מן השמים השמיעך את קולו ליסרך, ועל הארץ הראך את אשו הגדולה, ודבריו שמעת מתוך האש. "G–d made you hear His voice from Heaven in order to discipline you, and on the earth He showed you His great fire, and you heard His words out of the fire." The "earth" referred to here is the emanation מלכות. G–d told us that the emanations from תפארת up to and including the emanation מלכות, i.e. 7 emanations, were part of the revelation at Mount Sinai. These are the seven קולות, voices, that David refers to in Psalm 29 which we recite every Friday evening when ushering in the Sabbath. They are also an allusion to the tradition that this universe will continue for 6,000 years before it will experience a metamorphosis of 1,000 years after which the עולם הבא will be ushered in. The 1,000-year interval symbolises the concept of the Sabbath. We have discussed the dimension of "Time" on pages 208-209. When calculating the number of Sabbath days in the 6,000 years and adding the fact that the 1,000-year interval before the advent of עולם הבא is composed only of Sabbath days we get a total of 600,000 Sabbath days, or the same number as the number of the Jewish souls which experienced the Revelation and the building of the Tabernacle. This number also equals the number of letters the Torah is made up of.

Although we have stated that all generations subsequent to Adam contain some element of his, the link to Adam is only via the patriarchs who serve as the go-between. The only people who are named אבות, patriarchs, are Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The same applies to the matriarchs. Only Sarah, Rebeccah, Rachel and Leah are considered אמהות, matriarchs. We are all considered their children seeing that they are the roots and we are the branches. This whole process commenced ultimately with Adam and Eve, both of whom together are called אדם. How does this process work? Abraham and Sarah are the תיקון, reformation of Adam and Eve ensuring their continuity. Isaac and Rebeccah are the קלסתר פנים, the visible image of Abraham and Sarah, whereas the existence of the universe as we know it is due to Jacob. The "beauty" of Jacob is described as equivalent to the "beauty" of Adam (Baba Metzia 84a). Jacob is considered as attached to the tree of life because Adam had severed this attachment when he ate from the tree of knowledge. The patriarchs are important because it was they who started to repair the damage Adam had caused. Abraham may be considered as the root of the tree of knowledge, Isaac as its trunk, the area whence knowledge of good and evil is gained; Jacob represents the substance or content of "the tree of life in the midst of the garden," seeing that all his children remained loyal to his teachings. G–d Himself said about the Jewish people (Jacob) ואתם הדבקים בה' אלוקיכם חיים כלכם היום, "and you who have cleaved to the Lord your G–d are all alive this day" (Deut. 4,4). This means that all of Israel is basically in a position to live eternally [life of the soul after death of the body Ed.].

The objective of these commandments is to refine body and soul, and the purpose of that refinement is to establish, or better re-establish a close relationship with one's roots, ראשית. Since we have traversed many stages, ספירות, from the original roots, ראשית, this is a difficult task. Nonetheless as the Torah testifies in Deut. 4,4, it can be done, and it confers a superior quality of life on one. דבקות can be defined as the return of the branch to the stem, to the root. However far removed one has been from the source, the Torah exhorts us never to forget our roots, i.e.: וזכרת כי ה' אלוקיך הוא הנותן לך כח לעשות חיל. "You shall remember that it is the Lord your G–d who gives you strength to do valiantly." (Deut. 8,18). The fact that the מצוה of ציצית also features the exhortation וזכרתם, "you shall remember," demonstrates that a similar purpose underlies that commandment. When we follow accepted methods of exegesis, we have both the similar sounding words, i.e. גזרה שוה, present in those two מצות, as well as the references to לדורותיכם, "throughout your generations," which, when applied to former generations, is similar in meaning to ראשית, beginning, or root. The thrust of all this is to remind us that ultimately all our capabilities are rooted in G–d.

And I know their excuses, that the times are difficult, etc. But, in truth, if they searched their souls they would know that the yetzer is only deceiving them. For in other things, which are only of physical benefit to their son, does not each one of them assist his son with all of his strength, even more than he is able? And sometimes, he even places his life in danger because of him, doing things which are against the din, both between man and his neighbor and between man and the L-rd. And he blesses himself in his heart, saying: "All will be well with me, for I am doing charity at all times by feeding my family." But when he must support his son in Torah, to know how to serve the L-rd, bringing both his son and himself to eternal life, as we shall adduce below from the midrashim of Chazal, he says that times are hard! And this is as Scripture states (Isaiah 93:2): "And not Me did you call upon, Jacob; for you grew weary with Me, O Israel" — "with Me," specifically. As we find on this verse in the Midrash, Esther Rabbah 3: "All day he is busy working and does not become weary; he prays, and he becomes weary!" And, in truth, the expenditures for the Torah study of his sons are outside of the expenditures for sustenance fixed for him on Rosh Hashanah, as Chazal have said (Beitzah 16a): "All the sustenance for man is fixed for him from Rosh Hashanah until Yom Kippur, except expenditures for Shabbath, …and expenditures for his sons' Torah studies, which, if he gives less, he is given less [by Heaven], and if he gives more, he is given more." Come and see what Chazal have said (Kiddushin 30a): "If one teaches his son's son Torah, Scripture reckons it unto him as if he had received it on Mount Sinai, viz. Devarim 4:9: 'And you shall impart them [(words of Torah)] to your sons and to the sons of your sons," followed by (Ibid. 10): 'the day you stood before the L-rd your G-d in Chorev.'" Also, through this, he merits long life for him and his sons, it being written (Ibid. 11:19): "And you shall teach them to your sons," followed by (Ibid. 21): "So that your days be prolonged and the days of your sons, etc."

[Continuation of the Zohar:] וגללו את האבן. The combined forces of the emanations will roll away the heavy stone, the harsh decree from the mouth of the well, i.e. the lowest of the emanations מלכות, so that the Torah in the באר will be able to sustain us during the remainder of the exile and our flocks (people) will be watered, (sustained by Torah). At the end of this long "day," G–d will lead us back to ארץ ישראל. When Bileam speaks about the אחרית הימים, "the end of days" during which Israel is described as revenging itself on Moab (Numers 24,14), he refers to the period during which Israel has suffered in exile and at the end of which G–d will take revenge on those nations who have mistreated Israel while the latter were in exile. The "day" which Jacob speaks about to the shepherds is an allusion to that אחרים הימים. Thus far the Zohar.

The purpose of the Passover sacrifice is first and foremost to demonstrate G–d's superiority over all other deities both in Heaven and on earth. This is important; G–d had endowed many agents with different powers, and the impression that there were a number of primary sources of power in the universe had to be refuted. The discrediting of the strongest of these forces, the שר של מצרים, automatically brought about the discrediting of all other deities.

If an outstanding Torah giant such as Moses saw fit to seek elucidation from G–d concerning any doubts he entertained, how much more must we learn how important it is for us – who do not compare to Moses in the slightest degree – to constantly review the text we study in order to be certain that we have not misunderstood any of it. Moses, of course, exhorted the people to be sure to have the right intentions when studying Torah, as we know from 4,39: "Know therefore this day and keep in mind that the Lord alone is G–d in heaven above and on earth below; there is no other."

An even greater difficulty is that here the Midrash portrays the nations of the world, i.e. Satan, as challenging the חוקים, whereas in Deut. 4,6, the Torah itself describes these nations as extolling these very חוקים as the source of our wisdom and insight!

An even greater difficulty is that here the Midrash portrays the nations of the world, i.e. Satan, as challenging the חוקים, whereas in Deut. 4,6, the Torah itself describes these nations as extolling these very חוקים as the source of our wisdom and insight!

Perhaps you will say: behold we see that the sages everywhere obligated a man to guard himself well and not put himself in danger even if he is a righteous person with many merits. For instance: "everything is in the hands of heaven except colds and heatstrokes" (Ketubot 30a) and the Torah says "you shall guard yourselves very carefully" (Devarim 4:15). Hence one should not decide to "trust in G-d" in all situations, and in the Talmud Yerushalmi (Berachot 3, see also Chulin 142a) they said: "even when performing a Mitzva!".

But he is still not master over himself to keep his heart from being pulled by natural lusts so that they do not sway him to rationalize that certain things are permitted regarding the things whose evil is not so well known.

The same is true of the essential holiness of the L-rd which hovers over His people, Israel, through which they will merit to endure forever, as it is written (Devarim 4:4): "And you who cleave to the L-rd your G-d are all alive today, etc.", concerning which Chazal have said that this is only through the agency of Torah. And when men separate themselves from Torah, so long as the "moistness" of Torah is still upon them they still occupy themselves somewhat with its mitzvoth, to which they were accustomed in the past. But with the passage of time, as the moistness begins to dry, they also begin to forsake mitzvoth, and who knows to what this can lead. And, in truth, this is the intent of the verses in Parshath Bechukothai (Vaykira 26:14-15): "And if you do not hearken to Me (to toil in Torah, etc., as Rashi explains there), and you do not do all these mitzvoth (If you do not learn, you will not do), and if (as a result of not doing) you despise (the doers of) My statutes, and if your souls repel (the exemplifiers of) My ordinances, (the sages), not to do (i.e., preventing others from doing) all of My mitzvoth (i.e., if you deny that they are 'My' mitzvoth) to break My covenant" (i.e., to deny Me — seven transgressions, the first leading to the second, etc., all this as explained by Rashi according to Torath Cohanim.)

For even though he strives to conquer his evil inclination and to subdue his lusts, he will not change his nature because of this. He will not be able to remove bodily lust from his heart. He will at most be able to subdue it and be governed by wisdom instead of it. But nevertheless the darkness of the physical will inevitably do its work to entice and seduce him.

ותדבק נפשו בדינה . We find a statement in Bereshit Rabbah 80,7, that three expressions are used to describe G–d's love or attachment for Israel. The expressions are: דביקה, חשיקה, and חפיצה. The first expression is used in Deut. 4,4; the second expression is used in Deut. 7,7; the last expression is used in Malachi 3,12. The Midrash continues that we learn this lesson from this wicked person Shechem, of whom all these three kinds of feelings for Dinah are reported in 34,3-19 [actually the expression ויאהב is also used for his feelings.] Shechem's attachment to Dinah was of a terrestrial nature, designed to gratify his cravings in this world, and he wanted to achieve realization by means of these three kinds of "love."

As a result of these considerations, you will find that what is described as the עבודת הקודש (7,9), performed by the Levites is in reality service performed while under the influence of the Holy Spirit. This is why the Torah almost immediately afterwards commands that the spirit of טומאה must be removed from the camp (5,2). There are three different degrees of impurity; those infected by it must be removed from all or some of the three camps. Someone affected only by the spirit of impurity caused through contact with the dead, must leave only the מחנה שכינה. A זב, a person suffering from regular seminal discharge, needs to leave the מחנה לויה also, whereas a person afflicted with the visible skin eczema צרעת must also leave the camp of the Israelites. A person who has incurred טומאת מת has not really been guilty of anything. He suffers from the fact that since as the ideal human being he should have lived forever, the mere contact with death should remind him of the mortality not only of the departed but also of himself. Had man cleaved to G–d who is eternal, the decree of death would not have been issued, as the Torah reminds us when it says ואתך הדבקים בה', חיים כולכם היום, "You who have cleaved to G–d, are all alive as of this day" (Deut 4,4). Anyone who is in the מחנה שכינה is in an area which is the source of the blessing G–d had commanded, and which makes eternal life possible. Now, due to the sin of "Adam," when the body became totally physical, death itself has become טוב מאד, "very good," meaning that by means of "death," which is something precious in the eyes of G–d, man's soul can be salvaged for Eternal Life. The reference is to Psalms 116,15, where the death of the pious is described as "precious" in the eyes of G–d; death is the gateway to Eternal Life. Even thus there is a brief interval when body and soul part, the transition of even a perfectly pious individual is interrupted. This is why anyone who has been in some kind of touch with the dead has to leave the מחנה שכינה until he is purified.

I have found a beautiful commentary concerning this amongst the writings of the Arizal. We must understand why Moses bothered to set aside these three cities, seeing they could not perform their function until the other three cities of refuge on the West Bank of the Jordan had been set aside also (Numbers 35,13; compare Makkot 9). When we understand the Arizal's commentary on the problem of the cities of refuge, we will also understand why the Torah interrupted the report about the gift of the Torah to the Jewish people by mentioning already at this point that Moses set aside the three cities of refuge which were to be on the East Bank of the Jordan. The Ari zal sees in Moses' action an attempt at rehabilitation for when he had committed manslaughter and had taken it upon himself to slay the Egyptian who had tortured a Jew (Exodus 2,12). He had considered this killing in the category of a murder inadvertently committed because he had felt at the time that he was performing a מצוה by doing so. The first letters of the words הירדן מזרחה שמה, which describe what Moses did, form the acronym משה. The following words, אשר ירצח את רעהו are also an allusion to Moses. We have already described that Moses was the re-incarnation of Abel. The Torah here alludes to the first murder i.e. fratricide, when Cain slew his brother Abel. This is also alluded to in Exodus 2,11, when the Torah describes Moses as observing an Egyptian man: מכה איש עברי מאחיו, "torturing a Jewish man, one of his brothers." The Torah hints that the Egyptian was a former brother of Moses, i.e. a re-incarnation of Cain. In this instance the evil which had been part of Cain's character had re-surfaced in the character of this Egyptian. We have explained on another occasion that the נפש of Cain, i.e. his lowest spiritual part, was re-incarnated in the body of this Egyptian, whereas Cain's רוח, the superior part of his soul, was re-incarnated in the body of Yitro. The highest part of Cain's soul, i.e. the נשמה, was re-incarnated in the body of Korach. Korach made the mistake of quarrelling with Moses; this resulted in his גלגול failing to achieve its ultimate purpose. Yitro was of mixed feelings. When he became aware that he was wrong, had sinned, he converted to Judaism. At the end of the paragraph dealing with the cities of refuge the Torah writes: וזאת התורה אשר שם משה. This means that Moses determined the need to set aside these three cities of refuge at this time for his own sake.

אל תבט אחריך . When G–d does a person a favor to which he is not entitled by personal merit, such a person should feel shame and embarrassment. He most certainly should not feel superior because G–d has chosen to do him such a favor. This is why the angels rushed Lot, as if to say: "Be happy that at least you save your life." On the other hand, when the Jewish people were liberated by G–d from Egypt, and G–d performed many miracles, they had indeed merited those. This is why the Torah says אשר עשה ה' אלוקיך במצרים לעיניך, the miracles G–d performed for you in Egypt in front of your very eyes" (Deut. 4,34). Not only were the Israelites saved from the effects of the plagues, but they were allowed to watch the Egyptians suffer from them.

Why was it important for the Tabernacle to be equal in significance to heaven and earth? Just as heaven and earth have been cited as witnesses against Israel when the latter did not observe Torah (Deut.30,19), so the Tabernacle acts as witness on behalf of Israel as per the first verse in Parshat Pekudey "These are the "pledges" of the Tabernacle, the Tabernacle of Testimony" (Exodus 38,21). This is the reason Psalms 26,8 speaks of "I love Your temple abode, the dwelling- place of Your glory."

From this we can learn several things. A forgetful person should make reminders for himself. And high fences are needed in order that one should not forget the Torah. As it is written, "Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes saw" (Deut. 4:9). And he must be very careful not to forget the good qualities.

G–d informed the Israelites of the fact that His Ineffable Name represents His Essence. They heard His voice via היכלו, His Sanctuary, which is a description of the name א-ד-נ-י. [G–d's Sanctuary or palace, in this case the fire on Mount Sinai, must be perceived of as a "shell" which protects the listener or viewer from being burned by G–d's Essence. Ed.] This "name" or fire, [the אש דת Ed.] is maintained by performance of the 613 commandments on Israel's part. This is what G–d alluded to when He said: זה שמי וזה זכרי. The Zohar has already pointed out that when you pair the word שמי with half the Ineffable name י-ה, you obtain the number 365, i.e. the number of negative commandments in the Torah, whereas when you pair the word זכרי with the other half of the Ineffable name i.e. ו-ה, you obtain the number 248, the number of positive commandments in the Torah. In order to emphasize the division we have outlined further, the Torah (Deut. 4,36) describes the episode of the revelation at Mount Sinai in the following words: מן השמים השמיעך את קולו … ועל הארץ הראך את אשו הגדולה, "From the Heaven He let you hear, etc.,on Earth He showed you His fire." It was because G–d wanted to acquaint Israel with the meaning of His Ineffable Name, that He commenced the Decalogue with the words: אנכי י-ה-ו-ה אלוקיך, and concluded the statement with: אשר הוצאתיך מארץ מצרים. I have already explained on previous occasions that the miracles G–d performed in Egypt had as their objective to bring home to Israel the idea that the Ineffable Name stands for the G–d who was, is, and will be; who is able to renew the world-order at will, and who once before created the whole universe out of nothing. He is the absolute Master, and assigns what He chooses to whom He chooses. This was never more clearly demonstrated than when G–d dealt a fatal blow to the שר של מצרים, the most powerful force in the universe next to Him.

Yet, for everything there is an occasion, and for every experience, a time.¹²Compare Ecclesiastes 3:1-2. R. Salanter is saying that the epidemic has created a time for grief in our life. We also are pained by the untimely loss of life. Nevertheless, we should guide our emotions not to fear the plague. Now that this plague has appeared in the land, and even here—may the Merciful One save us—this is the teaching that should guide a person,¹³Compare II Samuel 7:19. The verse in II Samuel carries the overtone that this guidance is a gracious, unmerited gift from God. and this is common sense: Do not be afraid of [the disease] at all. For what is human life in any case? Who knows if his [future] path [in life] would have turned out [to be] upright. Furthermore, we must act in accordance with the wise doctors’ instructions - for our religion tells us to walk by the light of their words¹⁴Halakhah considers “you shall safeguard your lives very much” (Deut. 4:15) to be a mitzvah. Halakhah also rules that saving a life overrules all of the Torah’s commandments except for three. and thus uphold this life to be good and do good.

Gog and Magog viewed even Haman as foolish when they said "did he not know that these people have a patron who will accept their repentance even if the three pillars supporting the spiritual potential of the universe have been ruined?" They realised that the Jewish people would be able to regain their former stature if they did תשובה. We read clearly in Deut 4,30: "If you are in trouble, and all these dire predictions have indeed befallen you, and in the end you will return to the Lord,….He will not forget the covenant, etc." How then could Haman allow a whole year to elapse before his decree was to take effect? During that year Israel had ample time to repent its sins. This is the reason Gog and Magog are reported in Psalms to have declared war on "G–d and His anointed," (meaning the Jewish people). Penitence reaches right up to the throne of G–d! Gog therefore said "I will engage G–d," i.e. see to it that Israel has no chance to do תשובה. We have a similar statement by the Midrash Eychah Rabbati 3,3, that Nebuchadnezzar ordered his general Nebuzaradan not to allow the Jews a chance for public prayer, so that their repentance could not reach the Throne of G–d and be accepted.

The Torah writes in Deut. 4,5: “ראה למדתי אתכם חקים ומשפטים,” "See I have taught you statutes and social laws, etc." G–d has taught us both the kind of laws the meaning of which it is given to us to perceive, and others whose meaning is not given to us to perceive. The reason why we have been taught laws the meaning of which we are able to understand, is so that we should be ready to accept on trust those laws which are beyond our understanding. Put differently: the very nature of גזרות, those laws detached from direct contact with the highest domain of רשימה, lead us to faith in the validity of חק. Now we will explain the 4 domains briefly referred to when we first introduced the Midrash on the meaning of the red heifer legislation. "Torah" is referred to in four different expressions, i.e. 1) תורת ה'; 2) תורת אלוקים, as we know from Nechemiah 8,8: ויקראו בספר בתורת האלוקים מפורש, ושום שכל, ויבינו במקרא, "They read from the book of the Lord's Torah, and explained it, putting their mind to it, and they understood the reading." 3) We find Torah referred to as תורת אמת; 4) We find Torah referred to as תורת האדם. These four expressions are in reality four nuances of what are basically two "Torahs." The first two are נסתרות, concealed matters, whereas the last two are נגלות, aspects of Torah whose meaning has been revealed. Each category has its subcategories. The first concealed "names" of Torah refer to the respective meanings of the Ineffable four-lettered Name of G–d, as well as to the meaning of the name אלוקים. The former contains the secret of ה' אחד ושמו אחד; as such it is applicable to the abstract spiritual world. The latter, on the other hand, which is equal in numerical value to the word הטבע, "nature," clearly describes G–d or Torah respectively being manifest in our physical world. In Exodus 18,11, we find that Yitro said עתה ידעתי כי גדול י-ה-ו-ה מכל האלוקים. He had realized that the dimension of G–d when He is called Yedud, (we will use this description when we mean the four-lettered Ineffable Name) is beyond the one when He manifests Himself as אלוקים. 2) We find in Exodus 9,16, that G–d told Moses that the purpose of the final three plagues was "למען ספר שמי," and the "name" referred to was Yedud. 3) G–d describes His name as Yedud in Exodus 6,3. In that instance, He makes it plain that this had been an aspect of Him that had not previously been revealed. 4) When the activities of Moses are described in the concluding verses of the Torah (Deut. 34,11), Moses is described as the messenger of the Yedud dimension of G–d. His function in performing the miracles referred to there had been to expand Israel's consciousness of G–d as the Master of טבע, i.e. the dimension of אלוקים, and to teach them that there are dimensions to G–d which are far beyond that realm. This aspect of G–d we have earlier referred to as רשימו.

As to the yetzer's second contention — "Since you cannot observe the din completely, it is best to distance yourself from this [(guarding your tongue)] altogether" — you can answer: "Would I allow myself to conduct my business in this way?" For example, If someone saw me running with alacrity to "make a deal" to support myself and he asked me: "Why are you running? Do you think that by doing so you will become the wealthiest man in the whole world, like Ploni?" would I not certainly answer him: "Because I will not become like him should I 'hide my hand in the dish' and not support myself?" And if this is so with the transitory body, what should I answer for the affairs of the [eternal] soul? Because I cannot observe this trait in all its details and aspects, by means of which I could rise to eternal heights of exaltedness and holiness — [as we find in the holy Zohar, Parshath Chukath, that one who guards his mouth and his tongue merits being clothed with the holy spirit, and also shining eternally in the secreted light that no angel or [Heavenly] creature can visualize, as Chazal say and as we find in Reshith Chochmah in the name of Maharam Kordovero of blessed memory, that Rav Shoshan was shown secrets in a dream in which he saw that every hair of his beard shone with a torchlike luminescence, the result of his abstinence from idle speech] — should I, therefore, forebear from guarding my soul by guarding my mouth with all my might and not being G-d forbid, of the class of "the speakers of lashon hara" and the like, of those evil classes of which Chazal state that they do not behold the presence of the Shechinah? It is this that King Solomon, may peace be upon him, intended when he wrote (Koheleth 9:10): "All that your hand finds to do with your strength — do!" To teach us that even if it enters one's mind that he will not have the strength to complete the mitzvah in all of its details, in spite of this, he should do everything that he can do. And along these lines Chazal have said on Devarim 4:41: "Then Moses would set apart three cities," that Scripture apprises us of this [to teach us] that even though the three cities across the Jordan could not serve as cities of refuge until those in the land of Canaan had been designated, and he knew that he would not enter Eretz Yisrael, in spite of this Mosheh Rabbeinu, may peace be upon him, said: "Everything that it is in my power to do, I will do," as Rashi explains there. All this we have written, with the help of the Blessed L-rd, in explanation of what is stated in Avoth d'R. Nathan, that one should not distance himself from "a trait that has no end." As to "a labor that has no completion," this applies to [the study of] Torah, as indicated by the analogy adduced there.

Isaac erred by loving Esau and not paying attention to the separation between the holy and the profane, and the Gentile nations respectively, as outlined above, i.e. the sanctity of time as represented by the Sabbath. Jacob was למעלה מן הזמן, "above the limitations imposed by time." His stature is symbolized by: ואתם הדבקים בה' אלוקיכם חיים. Jacob was replete with all kinds of sanctities; he represented the root of the tree that is Israel. All of these concepts are alluded to in this portion.

לא תגנובו, "Do not steal," alludes to Adam who was a thief. נטע רבעי, the legislation of sanctifying the fruit of a tree in its fourth year, alludes to Noach who was drunk on a Wednesday. When a stranger (convert to Judaism) takes up residence among you, etc.," is an allusion to the first convert, Abraham. The prohibition of offering one's children as a sacrifice to the Moloch (20,2) is not part of the general prohibition to worship idols, but concerns itself specifically with the worship of fire. There are two kinds of fire. There is the fire described by the prophet Ovadiah 1,18 in the words: והיה בית יעקב אש, "The house of Jacob will turn into fire." This is a sacred fire, because the Lord your G–d is also called "fire." Also the fire in the Temple (Deut. 4,24) was sacred fire. However, there is another kind of fire, the fire of Esau, the fire of purgatory, a destructive fire emanating from the קליפה. When discussing the Moloch, the Torah adds (20,3) למען טמא את מקדשי ולחלל את שם קדשי, "and he so defiled My Temple and profaned My holy Name." How does the Temple feature in this paragraph? What does a fire-offering to the Moloch have to do with the Temple? The Torah wishes to point out that though fire-offerings to the Moloch are an abomination, there are fire- offerings such as the ones brought by Jacob which reflect the highest level of sanctity. When the Torah writes: והתקדשתם והייתם קדושים, it is an instruction to sanctify את קדוש יעקב, the G–d considered as the personification of holiness by Jacob. This is merely another way of saying: קודש ישראל לה', or that His name is called ישראל, the concept known as ישראל סבא, the first manifestation of G–d when He commenced creating the universe as a יש מאין by means of the first נקודה, as we explained above.

This is also what is alluded to in Deut. 4,5, ראה למדתי אתכם חקים ומשפטים, "see I have taught you statutes and social laws." The Torah compares the statutes to the social laws. The message is that just as there are easily appreci-ated reasons for the social legislation of Torah, so we must believe that the reasons underlying the חקים are equally good. They are not רק, empty, devoid of logic. On the contrary: if that is our impression, it proves that we are devoid of reason and good sense, are empty (compare Deut. 32,47). In the same verse, the משפטים, social laws are compared to the חקים, statutes, to make us appreciate that there are hidden meanings to these social laws which failed to meet the eye when we read them and thought we had understood their total meaning.

And our Sages, of blessed memory, said that repentance is not denied to the sinner unless his heart remains evil. But as for him who wants to draw nearer to God, God does not close the gates of repentance before him, but he opens the gates of repentance for him and teaches him the righteous path, as it is said, "Good and upright is the Lord, therefore doth He instruct sinners in the way" (Ps. 25:8). And further, "But from thence ye will seek the Lord thy God; and thou shalt find Him, if thou search after Him with all thy heart and with all thy soul" (Deut. 4:29). And further, "But the word is very nigh unto thee in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it" (Deut. 30:14). And further, "The Lord is nigh unto all those that call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth" (Ps. 145:18).

It was a great kindness that the Holy One, Blessed be He, did for mankind when he established a way for wrong-doers and sinners to flee from darkness to light, and did not close the doors of repentance to them, even if they had sinned greatly, as it is said, "Return, ye backsliding children, I will heal your backslidings" (Jer. 3:22). And repentance is accepted by God even if the sinner repents because of his great misfortunes; all the more so if he repents because of reverence and love of God. As it is said, "In thy distress, when all these things are come upon thee, in the end of days thou will return to the Lord thy God; and hearken unto His voice" (Deut. 4:30). And the Holy One, Blessed be He, helps penitents to repent even in matters which the strength of a man cannot attain, and he renews within them a pure spirit so that they may achieve the elements of repentance. As it is said, "And shalt return unto the Lord thy God, and hearken to His voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul" (Deut. 30:2). And further, at the end of that passage, "And the Lord will circumcise thy heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart" (Deut. 30:6). What this means is that in that thing which is not within your power to attain, the Holy One, Blessed be He, will circumcise your heart and give you the strength to do it.

How excellent is the quality of repentance. Last night this one was separated from the Lord, the God of Israel, Blessed be He. As it is said, "But your iniquities have separated between you and your God" (Is. 59:2). He cried and he was not answered, as it is said, "Yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear" (Is. 1:15). And he fulfilled precepts and they were torn up before his face, as it is said, "Who hath required this at your hand, to trample my courts" (Is. 1:12), and, "Oh that there were even one among you that would shut the doors" Mal. 1:10), and, "Hold your burnt offerings unto your sacrifices and eat ye flesh" (Jer. 7:21). Yet today he is closely attached to the Divine Presence, as it is said, "But you, who hold fast to the Lord your God" (Deut. 4:4). He cries out and is answered at once, as it is said, "And it shall come to pass that, before they call, I will answer" (Is. 65:24). He fulfills the commandments and they are received with pleasure and with joy, as it is said, "For the Lord hath already accepted thy works" (Eccl. 9:7). Moreover, his commandments are desired, as it is said, "Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord, as in days of old and in ancient years" (Mal. 3:4).

Also consider that the Holy One, Blessed be He, has given permission to no people in the world to tell His praises other than Israel, as it is said, "The people which I have formed for Myself, that they might tell of My praise" (Is. 43:21). And it is written, "For thou art a holy people unto the Lord thy God" (Deut. 7:6). And it is written, "And the Lord hath avouched thee this day to be His own treasure" (Deut. 26:18). And it is written "To make thee high above all nations" (Deut. 26:19). And the Holy One, Blessed be He, did not give any creature the ability to know the Name, Blessed be He, save to Israel, as it is written, "Unto thee it was shown, that thou mightest know that the Lord, He is God; there is none else beside Him" (Deut. 4:35). And it is written, "And what great nation is there, that hath statutes, and ordinances so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day" (Deut. 4:8). And it is written, "Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God; and Him shalt thou serve" (Deut. 6:13).

Also consider that the Holy One, Blessed be He, has given permission to no people in the world to tell His praises other than Israel, as it is said, "The people which I have formed for Myself, that they might tell of My praise" (Is. 43:21). And it is written, "For thou art a holy people unto the Lord thy God" (Deut. 7:6). And it is written, "And the Lord hath avouched thee this day to be His own treasure" (Deut. 26:18). And it is written "To make thee high above all nations" (Deut. 26:19). And the Holy One, Blessed be He, did not give any creature the ability to know the Name, Blessed be He, save to Israel, as it is written, "Unto thee it was shown, that thou mightest know that the Lord, He is God; there is none else beside Him" (Deut. 4:35). And it is written, "And what great nation is there, that hath statutes, and ordinances so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day" (Deut. 4:8). And it is written, "Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God; and Him shalt thou serve" (Deut. 6:13).

And, in truth, "And if not now" implies "every hour and every day." One must think "If not now" — that the Holy One Blessed be He determines for a man every day what he is to attain of the Torah of the L-rd and His service. As to the yetzer's enticing him that tomorrow he can make up for today, this is an error. For tomorrow is an obligation in itself, and he will not be able to make up the time that he lacks now. And only from day to evening [of the same day] do we find in Chazal: "One may borrow [of his time] in the daytime and make it up [in Torah study] at night." And this is the intent of (Devarim 4:9): "And lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life." And thus, (Koheleth 9:9): "And see life… all the days of your vanity" — that is, that not one day go lost. And thus, (Rambam, Hilchoth Talmud Torah 1:10): The verse "And lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life" implies that one may not be idle in the Torah of the L-rd for even one day — until his last day. And this is intimated in the verse (Mishlei 3:28): "Do not say to your friend: 'Go and return, and tomorrow I will give you,' if you have it with you [today]." "your friend" is the good yetzer, a man's true friend, who counsels him as to what will be good for him forever.

When G–d tells Israel in 19,4: "You have seen what I have done to Egypt, etc.," this occurred at a time when they had not yet been completely purified, and were still subject to the attribute of Justice, just like the Egyptians. The attribute of Justice had wanted to know why- seeing that both the Israelites and the Egyptians worshipped idols- the former should experience redemption. The only reason G–d was able to take the Israelites out of Egypt at the time was that they were descended from צדיקים, whereas the other Egyptians were descended from רשעים. The Israelites, however, had retained a spark of their erstwhile holiness and hence the Torah said of them: ותחת כי אהב את אבותיך ויבחר בזרעו אחריו ויוציאך בפניו בכוחו הגדול ממצרים, "And because He loved your fathers, He chose their heirs after them; He Himself in His great might led you out of Egypt" (Deut. 4 37). This verse tells of the great favour G–d did for the Jewish people by taking them out of Egypt; they witnessed how G–d treated a רשע בן צדיק (in this case).

The above proves that the approach we have taken is based on ancient tradition. But I would like to suggest a mystical approach: We do not find that any person had enjoyed G–d's "light" from the time of Adam until the appearance of Chanoch whom G–d took from this earth and made into an angel (Genesis 5,24), the one usually referred to as Matatron. During the ten generations that elapsed between Adam and Noach, the latter was the outstanding צדיק of his time, refined enough to become the instrument of man's survival as a species. This is why the Torah reminds us that נח, whose name is half of that of חנוך, is referred to by the words זה ינחמנו, "This one will comfort us" (Genesis 5,29). His name also amounts to half the name of the angel מטטרון, Matatron, since the first three letters in that name equal 58, i.e. the same as the numerical value of נח. The remaining letters in the name of that angel spell נור, a burning light, to signify that חנוך had been turned into a flame of fire and become that angel. What had remained of חנוך after the 58=חן had been removed is וך, i.e. 26, a number equaling the numerical value of the Ineffable Name of G–d. Of the name מטטרון we are left with נור), a form of אש, fire, an allusion that "the Lord your G–d is אש אוכלה, a fire that consumes" (Deut. 9.3). We note that though there was an element of the quality of חנוך about נח, this was still שקר, deception, as it was not a true quality, seeing that even the "beauty" of אדם הראשון was only הבל, vain, since he had pursued values that are vain.

To come back to the statement that all the souls are the root of Torah. There are two תורות. One Torah which was revealed to us from the "two-faced" region (emanation) of תפארת and מלכות, is both the written and the oral Torah. We find an allusion to these two תורות in Deut. 4,36: מן השמים השמיעך את קלו ליסרך ועל הארץ הראך את אשו הגדולה ודבריו שמעת מתוך האש, "From the heavens He let you hear His voice to discipline you; on earth He let you see His great fire; and from amidst the fire you heard His words." Heaven and Earth in this verse are the reference to the "two faces" of Torah [the written and the oral]. There exists, however, an "earlier" Torah which our sages alluded to when they told us that Torah had been created two thousand years prior to Creation. This Torah was "hidden" together with the original light. Kabbalists have explained that each emanation, ספירה, is equated with the number one thousand, [based on multiplying ten by ten by ten, at which point we return to the original number 1, i.e. אלף, representing G–d's unity, seeing that the letter אלף is identical with the word for one thousand, i.e. Eleph. Ed.] Construction of the material world began with the emanation חסד, in descending order. This is the reason why our sages always say עולם חסד יבנה, "the universe is built on חסד.” (Psalms 89,3) If this is so, we understand the two thousand (years) that the "higher" Torah preceded our universe as referring to the emanations חכמה and בינה which preceded the emanation of חסד [in the process of צמצום, the self-imposed limitations, which the Essence of G–d, אין סוף, imposed upon Himself in order to create the universe and for His creations in that universe to be able to relate to Him Ed.].

This is the secret dimension of Deut. 5,5: ואנכי עומד בין ה' וביניכם "I stand between G–d and you." It is well known to students of the Kabbalah that the root of אנכי stems from the emanation בינה. We have explained that בינה=יובל=דרור=50, freedom, i.e. גאולה = redemption. When Moses was in Heaven, i.e. had attained the 50th level of בינה, he had a "clear vision." This means that he viewed things through the original light which G–d had withdrawn from earth after Adam's sin. This is another way of explaining that G–d spoke to both Moses and the people of Israel פנים בפנים דבר ה' עמכם, "G–d spoke to you face to face" (Deut 5,4). If the Jewish people were on such a level it suggests that there were no מחיצות, no barriers between them and G–d. How do we explain that Moses is supposed to have provided a barrier between them, i.e. "I was standing between G–d and you?" We must conclude that there was indeed no barrier, that once Moses utilized the original light this removed his presence as a barrier. By receiving the Torah and attaining the above described level of בינה, Moses had fulfilled his mission as the re-incarnation of הבל. He added the letter ה from הבל to his name. He ascended the Mountain which was burning with fire until the very heart of Heaven, i.e. עד ל"ב השמים (Deut 4,11). The word לב is a reference to the total of 32 paths that lead to these insights, the basis of the whole Sefer Yetzirah (chapter 1, section 1) The letter ה which was added to Moses' name further symbolized that he had received and assimilated all the five books of the Torah. I have found the following in the writings of the Arizal: When the Torah quotes Moses saying: בבעלותי ההרה לקחת לוחות האבנים "When I ascended Mountain in order to receive the stone tablets, etc." (Deut 9,9), you can take the first letters of the first three words and construct the acronym הבל. This supports our contention that Moses completed the task of הבל by attaining the fiftieth level of בינה.

Let us now examine in what way the different Rabbis quoted in this Midrash differ. What nuances in the verse did each Rabbi find that he based his comment on? The central theme mentioned in the verse is "ועשיתם אתם." The word אתם seems superfluous. Even the word ועשיתם, is not needed, since the Torah could simply have said ואת מצותי תשמרו ותעשו. Why did the Torah have to say: ועשיתם אתם? Rabbi Chanina seems to explain this verse in the sense that I have written, that preoccupation with Torah should be לשמה, as I have defined; he will then be considered as having done the many things that he was unable to actually perform. The word תשמרו which precedes the word ועשיתם, would refer to study of Torah just as Rashi explained in Deut. 4,6: ושמרתם refers to study, ועשיתם to performance. The word שמירה would even include someone waiting patiently for the opportunity to perform a certain מצוה to present itself.

This is the reason why we also find the revelation at Mount Sinai and the giving of the Torah alluded to in this dream, as mentioned in Bereshit Rabbah 68, 12. We read there that the words "the ladder stood on the ground, its head reaching heavenwards," describe the ladder as at the foot of Mount Sinai, with its top reaching into the fiery mountain top up unto the heart of Heaven, as described in Deut. 4,11. Another version in the same Midrash points out that the numerical value of the letters in the word סלם, ladder, is equal to the numerical value of the letters in the word 130= סיני. The מלאכי אלוקים, heavenly messengers, are perceived as Moses and Aaron. Proof that prophets are called מלאכים is found in Chagai 1,13: ויאמר חגי מלאך ה' במלאכות ה' לעם. "Chagai, the angel of the Lord, fulfilling the Lord's mission, spoke to the people." When the angels are described as עולים, ascending, this refers to Moses of whom the Torah wrote (Exodus 19,3): ומשה עלה אל האלוקים, Moses ascended to G–d." When the Torah describes the angels as descending the ladder, it also refers to Moses, of whom the Torah wrote: וירד משה, Moses descended (Exodus 19,14). Next, G–d is described in the dream as standing above the ladder, and we know that "G–d descended to the top of Mount Sinai" (Exodus 19,20). Thus far the two versions of the Midrash.

This is the allusion contained in the words: על הארץ הראך אשו הגדולה, "On the earth He showed you His great fire" (4,36). The Torah (which was given surrounded by a great fire) is best fulfilled by those who humble themselves to be like the earth. "The Mountain was burning right up to the heart, לב, of the heavens." Moses ascended and merited receiving the לב, i.e. the 32 paths of wisdom, the entire Torah. In this way he perfected the erstwhile personality of הבל i.e. ה+לב.

This explains why the Midianites brought their קסמים, enchantments, with them before setting out on their mission to Bileam (22,7). The purpose of these enchantments is to call down to earth the influence that various horoscopic constellations exert on our fates. Balak was superior to Bileam in that field. The significance of נחשים, on the other hand is, that they are instruments which deny that G–d has an entourage who act as His agents. Neither of these devices would prove harmful to Israel as long as the latter carried out the will of their Father in Heaven. The Jewish people's fate is not governed by the forces of nature, i.e. מזל. Horoscopes are something that G–d granted the nations in lieu of השגחה פרטית, G–d's personal supervision and intervention in our affairs. All other magic devices are quite ineffective against Israel as long as Israel are on the level of דביקות לה', "cleaving to G–d." The Talmud in Chullin 7, relates that a woman tried to remove some earth from under the feet of Rabbi Chaninah. Rabbi Chaninah told her to go ahead, that it would not help her to perform her magic since it is written in Deut. 4,35: "there is no one beside Him." How can this be? Do we not have a statement by Rabbi Yochanan who said that the reason sorcery is called כשפים, is because it is a denial of the forces of G–d! The Talmud answers that the case of Rabbi Chaninah is special, because he had so many personal merits that protected him. So far the Talmud on the subject. Concerning the above, Bileam said: "There is no נחש in Jacob, i.e. it is powerless against Jacob, and there is no a קסם that prevails against Israel (Numbers 23,23). Bileam was well versed in all these disciplines including his remarkable awareness of how G–d operates. He knew when to make a curse effective and draw forth G–ds wrath on someone. This is why he commenced by employing instruments of sanctity such as the building of seven altars, offering sacrifices on them, etc. He built as many altars in one single day as the patriarchs had built in their combined life times, as Rashi points out on 23,4. When he realized that G–d had not become angry at Israel and that his accusations had proved futile, he resorted to magic: הוא הלך לקראת נחשים, he forsook the approach via the sacred and turned to the profane. His attitude was that he would mention Israel's shortcomings regardless of whether G–d would react to this negatively or not. He hoped that the curse would attach itself to the mention of their sins (Rashi). Bileam abandoned recourse to the נחשים only from 24,1 onwards. He had become afraid that the merits of Israel were too great, hence he turned his attention towards the "desert," i.e. he recalled the sin of the golden calf which Israel had made in the desert and from the consequences of which G–d had saved it. When the Torah writes “ותהי עליו רוח אלוקים,” this refers to the Divine spirit resting on Israel, not on Bileam, see Zohar on 24,2.

ועל כל קרבנך תקריב מלח . Salt represents the Covenant with your G–d, for salt is water which has become solid through being heated by fire. It alludes to the emanation מלכות. Although אסתר המלכה, Queen Esther, [a symbol of the emanation מלכות Ed.] had the חוט של חסד, thread of loving kindness (from the emanation חסד which represents the "upper” waters) extended to her, the fact remains that דינא דמלכותא דינא, that the preponderant emanation she was subject to was the emanation of דין, justice. The waters of this emanation are "salted" due to the power of the fire which has "burned" those waters. Salt as a symbol of the Covenant is the mystical dimension based on the emanation יסוד, which is in itself the אות הברית, symbol of the Covenant, as is well known to Kabbalists. שאור ודבש, yeast and honey, represent the כחות חיצוניות, negative forces in the universe, because yeast causes fermentation, whereas honey "sweetens” the חימוץ, i.e. strengthens the negative forces [because it makes sin appear palatable, enjoyable. Ed.]. Inasmuch as these two ingredients represent rebellion against G–d's commandments, they must not form part of any offering dedicated to G–d. The purpose of קרבן is to bring about a rapprochement between man and G–d. Yeast and honey are instruments which help to estrange man from G–d. It is clear that they cannot be part of any offering.

Now let us explain the difference between the terms קבה, and ארה respectively, though both are forms of curses. The word קבה means to possess the power to curse with one's mouth at the moment G–d is angry. The word ארה has two meanings. One meaning is also a form of curse, the other is derived from כמלא אורה וסלו, "like the space required by the collector (of figs) to fill his basket" (Mishnah Shvi-it 1,2). In other words, it means "collection." The Zohar (Sullam edition Balak, page 92) explains that this expression alludes to Balak asking Bileam to gather different herbs used by the most competent sorcerers, put them in a witches' brew, etc. Once he realised that Bileam's power was greater when he employed his mouth, he reverted to ask Bileam “קבה לי” (22,17)! On the first mission Balak sent the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian, seeing they were the experts on sorcery. He commanded them to ask Bileam to employ ארה, seeing that the dual meaning of that expression would include the curse by mouth and the curse by means of sorcery. He made sure the Midianites had their charms and the Moabites their respective instruments of magic. Since the Midianites had no knowledge of the closeness that existed between Israel and G–d, he did not want to affront them and therefore he sent the tools necessary for sorcery. Balak's principal intention was that Bileam curse the people by mouth. Bileam understood Balak's intention thoroughly, and that is why he mentioned קבה when G–d asked him what these men had wanted from him (22,11). The second mission, which did not include a delegation of Midianites, as Rashi has explained, comprised שרים רבים ונכבדים מאלה, "more princes of higher rank than the previous ones." The word נכבדים, refers to Moabite theologians who were aware of the close relationship that existed between G–d and Israel. This is why the emphasis is on קבה, curse by mouth, the only thing which might loosen this closeness between G–d and Israel. Whereas the first delegation consisted of politically more distinguished people, who are therefore referred to by Bileam as "princes," the second delegation did not contain such politically highly placed individuals, though those people were far more learned in the ways of magic and sorcery. Bileam referred to them as עבדי בלק, their political standing in the Moabite hierarchy. Bileam quoted the words of the Moabite man on the street who knew only that Israel had resided many hundreds of years in Egypt, the center of witchcraft and sorcery. They were therefore concerned with fighting Israel by more powerful witchcraft. Balak, who knew better, was aware that Israel did not operate witchcraft and sorcery, referred to them as גוי, an allusion to G–d having orchestrated the whole Exodus by separating גוי מקרב גוי, "one nation from the midst of another nation," as we know from Deut. 4,34. He knew that at that time Israel had discarded all their former relationship to sorcery, and assumed a close relationship with G–d instead.

We can find a very interesting allusion to this principle in Deut. 4,6: כי היא חכמתכם ובינתכם לעיני העמים אשר ישמעון את כל החוקים האלה ואמרו רק עם חכם ונבון הגוי הגדול הזה, "For that will be proof of your wisdom and discernment to other peoples, who on hearing of all these laws will say: 'Surely that great nation is a wise and discerning people.'" We have a principle that the words אך and רק are invariably used when the Torah wants to exclude something from consideration which was previously assumed to fall under a general category. We therefore have to try and understand what precisely the word רק in this verse is to exclude. Our sages commented on the word רק in this verse and others that even the least learned of the Jewish people are far superior to the Gentiles because they have the Torah and the wisdom contained in it. Our sages describe this graphically when they say "even the 'empty' ones (least observant) amongst you are as full of commandments as a pomegranate is full of pips" (Berachot 57a). So it will be in the future after all of Israel will be rehabilitated, a future described as a result of the rehabilitation of Cain. This will be in the nature of a חק, i.e. the kind of legislation which appears contrary to all logical considerations. Only G–d Himself knows the logic of the emergence of light from darkness just as only He understands the logic of the purity that emerges from the ashes of the red heifer while all those handling these ashes become impure by contact with it. In a similar way the same Cain who is known to us as the prototype of sin and impurity will eventually be the source of purification from sin and rehabilitation. The word חק may also be read as an acronym of the first letters in the words חוה קין, alluding to Eve who had said that she acquired Cain with G–d, as we mentioned earlier.

Let us get back to our main subject. When G–d made Moses His messenger, He revealed to him that there are several layers of holiness in the Celestial Spheres, one above the other, and that He in His capacity as the Ineffable Name effects changes in nature and re-arranges the whole planetary system if need be. He revealed to Moses the extent to which He exercises supervision over all that transpires in our world. He acquainted Moses with all aspects of His power which extends over all other so-called powers. All of this is included in the verses quoted at the very outset of our פרשה, namely: למען תדע כי אני י-ה-ו-ה בקרב הארץ, בעבור תדע כי אין כמוני בכל הארץ. The Torah warned us that we must know all these things, that it is not sufficient to relate to them only as tradition. This is underscored in Deut. 4,39: וידעת היום והשבות אל לבבך כי י-ה-ו-ה הוא האלוקים בשמים ממעל ועל הארץ מתחת אין עוד, "You must know this day and record it in your heart that the Lord your G–d is the only true G–d in the Heavens above and on the Earth below, there is none other." The expression והשבות אל לבבך is an allusion to repentance. Having firm knowledge of the power demonstrated by G–d on behalf of Israel establishes a close link between the individual Jew and his G–d, and acts as a powerful inducement to do תשובה. Moses is on record in Psalm 91,14, that when G–d sent him as a messenger to deliver the Israelites this was a sign of His fondness of him. The reason cited for G–d being fond of Moses is כי ידע שמי, "Because he knew My name." The sinner does the reverse; he distances himself from G–d. We are told in Isaiah 59,2: כי עונותיכם הבדילו ביני וביניכם, "For your iniquities have created a barrier between Me and you." If one had put distance between oneself and G–d and wants to re-approach Him one needs do repentance. Repentance is the act of returning and re-establishing one's bond with G–d. This return has to originate in the heart, and that is why the Torah in Deut. 4,39 used the expression: והשבות אל לבבך.

כי בי-ה ה' צור עולמים . This means that the universe, i.e. the עולם הבא, was created with the letter י, whereas the עולם הזה, the material world, was created with the letter ה. The Mishnah in Avot 5,1 already told us that G–d created the universe with ten מאמרות, directives. The first of these was אחדות, Unity, as we will explain later. The term דביקות, attachment, refers to something that is ongoing, everlasting, as we know from Deut.4,4, ואתם הדבקים בה' אלוקיכם, חיים כולכם היום, "you who have been cleaving to the Lord your G–d are all alive this day." The material world was created by five מאמרות, i.e. the letter ה. Our sages in Rosh Hashanah 21b, say that 50 שערי בינה, "gates of understanding," were created, and that Moses was given all of them except one. We know this because it says of Moses "ותחסרהו מעט מאלוקים," that You have made him only a little less than divine" (Psalms 8,6). In the introduction on his commentary on the Torah Nachmanides (Chavell edition page 3) describes this statement as meaning that all parts of creation such as the minerals, the various categories of vegetation, animal life and even human life, each required a special שער בינה by means of which they were brought into existence. This process continued until possession of an advanced שער בינה would enable a person to understand the psyche of fellow human beings, enable him to divine if his counterpart was a thief, an adulterer, etc. and even enable him to know if someone else who was suspected of disobeying the laws of ritual impurity concerning sexual relations with a menstruant woman was in fact guilty of such misconduct. Beyond that, a still higher שער בינה would give such a person access to knowledge about the motions and functions of the stars and planets. The total number of such שערי בינה is fifty, the fiftieth being reserved for the Creator alone, who had not revealed that potential to any creature. The wording in the Talmud, נבראו, "they have been created," suggesting that they had not remained only in the realm of G–d Himself, need not be understood literally, as the Talmud was concerned with describing what happened to the majority of these שערי בינה. So far Nachmanides. I personally, feel that the 50th שער בינה, an all embracing potential called hiyuli, primordial is the creative potential which has been withheld from any human being. Nachmanides possibly has this in mind when he refers to the verse in Psalms 33,9: “הוא אמר ויהי,” He said and it came into being."

We know that man has been granted the right to try and understand what exists מקצה השמים עד קצה השמים, i.e. the "lower" בנין. Anything beyond is out of bounds to our enquiry and study, as we know from Chagigah 11: "You might have thought that man's enquiries can range to matters preceding the creation of man on earth; to prevent you from doing so the Torah said: למן היום אשר ברא אלוקים אדם על הארץ, 'From the day the Lord created man on earth' (Deut 4,32). This in turn would have led you to believe that it is forbidden to enquire into the process of the six days of creation. To assure you that such enquiries are legitimate, the Torah adds: לימים ראשונים אשר היו לפניך, 'From the early days which preceded your existence.' I now might have thought that matters in the Heavens above and in regions "below" the earth form a legitimate subject for our enquiries. The Torah therefore adds: למקצה השמים עד קצה השמים, "From one end of Heaven to another end of Heaven." These are the parameters within which you may legitimately conduct your research. What is beyond them you must not concern yourself with. This means that both our intellectual accomplishments as well as our additional insights secured through prophetic visions will only concern matters within the framework outlined by the Torah. Anything pertaining to the Ineffable Name, inasmuch as it is the name of G–d's Essence, remains concealed.

We know that these four elements have their roots in successive layers of the Celestial Regions. At a higher level they are known as the four encampments of the שכינה which are supported by the archangels מיכאל, גבריאל, אוריאל and רפאל. The archangel מיכאל is the source of the waters in the "higher" regions, the spiritual waters; גבריאל is the source of the heavenly אש, spiritual fire; אוריאל is the source of אויר, air, whereas רפאל is the source of the spiritual equivalent to עפר, dust. These four foundations in turn are the result of downward evolution of still higher spiritual concepts, the ones represented by the four חיות in Ezekiel's vision of the מרכבה, the lion, the ox, man, and the eagle. These four images in turn have evolved from four concealed "legs" of the Celestial Chariot, מרכבה, which rests in the region of אצילות, until – at the top of the pyramid – we have the four letters of the Ineffable Name, the ultimate root of the four basic elements found in our world. The letter י represents the element מים, the letter ה represents אש, the letter ו represents the element רוח, whereas the last letter ה represents the element עפר. All this is familiar to scholars of Kabbalistic texts. Each of the levels we mentioned in turn has tens of thousands of sub-levels until we reach the ultimate level at which point it becomes clear כי ה' הוא האלוקים בשמים ממעל ועל הארץ מתחת אין עוד, "that the Lord G–d is in the Heavens above and on the earth below and that there is no one else." This means that there is absolutely no existence which He is not somehow part of, which is independent of Him (Deut. 4,39).

Once we follow this approach the verses in Deuteronomy which appeared strange, begin to make sense. Moses first said: "See I have given you חקים and משפטים, i.e. statutes devoid of rationale as well as laws that commend themselves to your reason." Immediately afterwards The Torah quotes the Gentiles as basing their assessment of the Jewish people as a wise and intelligent people on the fact that we perform all these commandments faithfully (compare Deut. 4,5/6). Their argument is that surely just as there are good reasons for the משפטים which have been revealed, there must be equally good reasons for the חקים which He has not seen fit to reveal. These חקים emanate in the domain רשימו. The meaning of the word רק in the verse רק עם חכם ונבון הגוי הגדול הזה, "this nation is a great and intelligent people," then is ריק, empty, i.e. "these commandments cannot be empty, devoid of intellectual content." As long as the people of Israel hold on to Torah and perform its commandments it is complimented by the nations of the world. This is what the Midrash alluded to when it said cryptically, פרה=ישראל, אדומה=ישראל, תמימה=ישראל, אשר לא עלה עליה עול=ישראל. This means that Israel is superior to the nations of the world in four respects, hence the grudging respect of Satan and the rest of the world. If we fail to demonstrate our superiority by heeding those four areas from which Torah values are transmitted to us, we would – G–d forbid! – become victims of the four kingdoms that rule over us in the four exiles. The degree of mystery surrounding these four examples of Torah legislation that Satan and the nations had quoted, varies. The red heifer legislation is the most mystifying, since its true reason is available only to those who have access to the domain of רשימו. The scapegoat on the Day of Atonement is a little less mystifying, as explained in the Zohar, in its commentary on the words איש עתי, Leviticus 16,21. The true reason for that legislation is reserved for those who have access to the domain of חקיקה. The domain חציבה holds the mystery of the levirate marriage legislation, whereas the domain of עשיה contains the answer to the mystery of the כלאים legislation. We have shown why this Parshah in pointing to the mystical domain of רשימו is really the root of all Torah legislation.

Once we follow this approach the verses in Deuteronomy which appeared strange, begin to make sense. Moses first said: "See I have given you חקים and משפטים, i.e. statutes devoid of rationale as well as laws that commend themselves to your reason." Immediately afterwards The Torah quotes the Gentiles as basing their assessment of the Jewish people as a wise and intelligent people on the fact that we perform all these commandments faithfully (compare Deut. 4,5/6). Their argument is that surely just as there are good reasons for the משפטים which have been revealed, there must be equally good reasons for the חקים which He has not seen fit to reveal. These חקים emanate in the domain רשימו. The meaning of the word רק in the verse רק עם חכם ונבון הגוי הגדול הזה, "this nation is a great and intelligent people," then is ריק, empty, i.e. "these commandments cannot be empty, devoid of intellectual content." As long as the people of Israel hold on to Torah and perform its commandments it is complimented by the nations of the world. This is what the Midrash alluded to when it said cryptically, פרה=ישראל, אדומה=ישראל, תמימה=ישראל, אשר לא עלה עליה עול=ישראל. This means that Israel is superior to the nations of the world in four respects, hence the grudging respect of Satan and the rest of the world. If we fail to demonstrate our superiority by heeding those four areas from which Torah values are transmitted to us, we would – G–d forbid! – become victims of the four kingdoms that rule over us in the four exiles. The degree of mystery surrounding these four examples of Torah legislation that Satan and the nations had quoted, varies. The red heifer legislation is the most mystifying, since its true reason is available only to those who have access to the domain of רשימו. The scapegoat on the Day of Atonement is a little less mystifying, as explained in the Zohar, in its commentary on the words איש עתי, Leviticus 16,21. The true reason for that legislation is reserved for those who have access to the domain of חקיקה. The domain חציבה holds the mystery of the levirate marriage legislation, whereas the domain of עשיה contains the answer to the mystery of the כלאים legislation. We have shown why this Parshah in pointing to the mystical domain of רשימו is really the root of all Torah legislation.

In connection with the debate in the Talmud (Shabbat 55a) whether זכות אבות, reliance on the merits of our patriarchs is still effective today, and if not, when it ceased to be so, the author makes the following observations: Tosafot quote a verse proving that even nowadays, i.e. after the destruction of the second Temple, this merit has not expired, and that we mention it in our prayers in order to remind G–d of it. I believe (author) that there is a difference between someone saying: "Please remember so and so," and someone saying: "Please do not forget so and so." The opinions in the Talmud which try and determine the merit of the forefathers ceased to be effective refer to G–d no longer actively remembering the merit of the patriarchs but simply not having forgotten them. The author of our prayer therefore refers to the merits of our forefathers כלא היו, "as if they had never existed," as distinct from "never having existed, having been used up." This is the difference between אין, and כאין. The חכמים mentioned in our prayer are the twelve sons of Jacob, all of whom accumulated powerful merits, so much so that Solomon describes them as a source of joy to their father (Proverbs 10,1). We also have a verse in Proverbs 24,3: בחכמה יבנה בית, "a house is built by wisdom," which is a reference to the house of Jacob. There used to be a period when the merits of the forefathers were constantly on G–d's mind. This was when the High Priest wore the breastplate. During those years the knowledge of what G–d desired flowed to us through the אורים ותומים, the oracle contained in that breastplate. Nowadays, alas, we are as if bereft of knowledge, i.e. כבלי מדע.

Just as one is obligated to fulfill the commandment [to be fruitful and multiply] in the physical sense, so is one commanded to do so in the spiritual sense by revealing new Torah insights. Through this, one merits the Torah’s illumination. The Sages said, “Acquire for yourself a companion” (Pirkei Avos 1:6). This statement is to be taken literally, but it is also a hint that his pen should be one’s companion. That is, one should record his insights. There is even a suggestion of this in the Torah: “Write this as a remembrance in a book” (Shemos 17:14). The word “this” alludes to the Torah (Avodah Zarah 2b), as it states, “And this is the Torah” (Devarim 4:44).

[The author connects four questions raised in Chulin 139 concerning where the Torah had alluded to future events as corresponding in some way to the four expressions used in Esther 8,16. He also draws parallels with the expressions used in the Torah for G–d's relationship with the Jewish people such as חשק, חפץ, דבק, i.e. different levels of liking for the Jewish people. The expression דבקות is used as applying to the Israel/G–d relationship in a reciprocal manner, thus creating a fourth expression of G–d's relationship with Israel. Those who are interested in studying these allusions in greater detail are referred to the original text. The author uses statements in the Talmud such as that we have an allusion to Mordechai in the Torah because the Torah says in Exodus 30,23 מר דרור, as his justification for finding similar allusions to the Purim i.e. Amalek episode in our portion. I will continue quoting his commentary concerning such allusions. Ed.]

Concerning this inseparable bond, the Torah says in Exodus 19,5 prior to the revelation at Mount Sinai: והייתם לי סגלה, "You will be My treasured possession." The means by which Israel becomes G–d's most treasured possession is the Torah. The word, i.e. vowel, סגל is comprised of three sounds, i.e. three times the letter י. Between them they represent the ten emanations, the ten commandments and the ten directives by means of which G–d created our universe. The Zohar at the end of Parshat Nasso where the offerings of the princes are described, comments that the verse עשרה עשרה הכף, (Numbers 7,86) "ten, ten the כף" which at first glance seems superfluous, for who does not know that twice ten equals twenty, means that the first ten represent מעשה בראשית, whereas the second ten represent the Ten Commandments when the Torah was given. The Torah wishes to tell us that the creation of the universe was justified only when Torah was revealed and accepted by the Jewish people. Together these "twenty" formed a unit, seeing that when one spells the letter י ten, as a word i.e. יוד, the numerical value is 20, i.e. כ. The inseparable relationship between G–d, Israel and Torah is thus amply documented. Israel is attached to these "twenty," as is mentioned in Deut. 4,4: ואתם הדבקים בה', "as for you who cleave to the Lord etc." The congregation of Israel, עדת ישראל, are ten (i.e. the minimum number of a quorum amongst which a part of the Presence of G–d can be found is ten). This number applies both to the spiritual part of the people, נשמה, as well as to their bodies, since the Talmud Nidah 31 tells us that there are three partners in the creation of a human being, G–d, father and mother. G–d's input is described as comprising ten parts, the soul and its various potentials. Father and mother between them also contribute ten components, the body and the materials it is formed of. This makes man a partner of G–d in the Creation of the universe in a manner of speaking Just as the purely spiritual world, עולם האצילות, had been "born," so now the אדם תחתון, man of the lower world was "born" in order to get to know G–d. This is what is meant by the Talmud Shabbat 119 saying that whoever says his prayers on the Sabbath Eve including the recital of Genesis 2,1-3, becomes a partner of G–d in His work of Creation. It is well known that this is the night our sages especially recommend for man and his wife to cohabit and fulfill the commandment to procreate.

The significance of the number seventy is the number of Jacob's offspring that went down to Egypt which corresponded to the seventy spiritual representatives of the Gentile nations in the Heavenly Regions. The reason that the seventy souls went to Egypt and into exile was to enable them to be refined there in what our sages have called "the crucible of Egypt." The Kabbalists tell us that of the seventy שרים, representatives at the Celestial Court we have mentioned, thirty five are perceived as lining up on the "right" side of the diagram of the ספירות, emanations, whereas the other thirty five are found on the "left" side. Israel has a סנהדרין, Supreme Court, of seventy judges corresponding to those שרים of the Gentile nations. All of these judges are from the root of קדושה. This is why the Torah warns us not to turn either right or left from what these judges (elders) tell us (Deut. 17,11). Rashi and other commentators interpret this to mean that even if the Sanhedrin tells you that "right" is "left," and that "left" is "right," we must abide by their ruling (Jerusalem Talmud Horayot 1,5). A Jewish Court of Law composed of expert scholars who have received the ordination called סמיכה, is called אלו-הים. It is the nature of this ordination that there is a continuous chain of authority going back all the way to G–d Himself via the scholars in each generation, including Moses who was ordained by G–d Himself. The very word used to describe this ordination, סמוכים, "adjoining, next to one another,” hints at the nature of the ordination, that it is valid only because it represents an unbroken chain of tradition. This idea is expressed in the Torah in Deut. 4,4 ואתם הדבקים בה' אלוקיכם חיים כלכם היום, "You who have cleaved to the Lord your G–d, are all alive this day." The 70 שרים of the Gentile nations are called אלהים אחרים, "deities of the others," because they look up to them as their gods. This idea is alluded to when the angel, (Esau's celestial counterpart), justifies Jacob being called Israel by saying כי שרית עם אלה-ים, you have fought with the 70 deities of the Gentile nations.

G–d looked upon Abraham as the innkeeper of the Sanctuary, so to speak. When we read in Genesis 17,22: "G–d rose from above Abraham," this is a clear indication that Abraham served as the מרכבה, the carrier of the שכינה. I have explained already that the letters in the name אברהם are an allusion to the various מרכבות. Abraham had personally fulfilled the injunction of the Torah אדם כי יקריב מכם קרבן לה' when he offered up his only beloved son Isaac. This amounted to אדם התחתון, man in the lower regions, establishing a close affinity with אדם העליון, man in the Celestial Regions in the mystical dimension of ואת הדבקים בה'. Isaac was the perfect עולה offering for G–d.

When the Midrash quotes Deut 14,1 "You are sons of the Lord your G–d," this is a reference to the crown of priesthood, the gift of the land of Israel, the air breathed by the righteous in the World to Come, seeing that the soul is part of the Divine. Souls are "born," as a result of the merging of the emanation תפארת with the emanation מלכות. G–d may therefore quite properly be perceived as the father of the Jewish people and we as His real children. Simple logic tells us that if there is a biological father-son relationship although the bodies of father and son respectively have been totally separate at all times, then there certainly exists such a relationship between souls and their Divine origin from which they have never been totally separated. Our attachment to G–d through our souls is documented in the Torah by the words: ואתם הדבקים בה' אלוקיכם חיים כולכם היום, "You who have cleaved to the Lord your G–d are all alive this day" (Deut. 4,4). Nowadays, during the ongoing period of exile, when the only souls released into this world are גלגולים souls needing transmigration, the Midrash bemoans a state of exile from the table of our Father. Yet, because He, G–d, remains our Father, there will come a time when we will again be allowed to sit at His table.

Afterwards one of the children began a discourse, “It is taught: ‘Whoever offers his son as a sacrifice [i.e., through circumcision] is credited as if he offered up all the sacrifices in the world to the Holy One Blessed is He.’ For this reason one must prepare an altar in a vessel filled with dirt in order to perform the circumcision beside it. This is reckoned by the Holy One Blessed is He as if he offered upon it a burnt sacrifice and it gave off a savory smell… “For this reason, fortunate is the lot of one who makes this offering in joy before the Holy One Blessed is He. Let him rejoice that entire day.” Rabbi Aba said, “Fortunate are you in this world and the next. Concerning you was it stated, ‘And as for you who cling to Hashem your God, all of you are alive this day’ (Devarim 4:4).” So they rejoiced that entire day a rejoicing of good deeds and Torah.

Therefore, a man must be careful to rise at midnight to serve his Creator and to engage in prayer and study, each according to his understanding. And let him make study his regular occupation and business a sideline. And if he merits a son let him conduct himself as I have written above. For it is no small matter to save a Jewish soul and to connect Israel with the Shechinah, as it is stated, “And as for you who cling to Hashem your God, you are all alive this day!” (Devarim 4:4). Then their righteousness will endure forever, Amein.

The select few manage to penetrate to an even higher level, i.e. the level of the yud in its full sense equivalent to the שקל הקודש, as we explained earlier. The reason the Torah calls for a contribution of only half this שקל הקודש (Exodus 30,13), is that most people are not able to attain a higher level than that represented by such a half שקל. Psalms 68,18, describes this dual yud when mentioning רבותיים instead of רבבות. There was no need for the Torah in פרשת כי תשא, to describe the שקל as a half שקל and spelling out that a whole שקל contains 20 geyrah, except to remind us of the fact that G–d's input into a human being is limited to ten parts out of of twenty. This means that the "holy" component of a human being to start with is only 50%. Man can be compared to a two sided coin. The scriptural hint for this is תתהפך כחומר חותם (Job 38,14), "it turns over like clay under the seal" (which has a seal imprinted on it). The body thus is viewed like the coin, i.e. the receptacle for the imprint the soul makes upon it. In its most elevated state the soul is to be viewed like G–d's imprint on the body. This is what our sages meant when they said that the soul resembles G–d in five ways. This is also the deeper meaning of our sages in Shekalim 4, saying that G–d showed Moses a fiery coin since He Himself is compared to consuming fire (אש אוכלה, Deut. 9,3). The Jewish people purchased the daily communal sacrifices from the money raised by these contributions (half-שקל). This is perhaps why these sacrifices are described as, אשה לה' "a fire offering to G–d (Numbers 28,3).

Afterwards he should recite: “Master of the Universe, save me, deliver me and give me succor from all sin, transgression and iniquity in the merit of the three commandments mention above. ‘I have placed my trust in You; let me not be ashamed forever; spare me in Your righteousness’ (Tehillim 31:2).” While reciting this verse one should have in mind that it begins with a beis and ends with a yud, for a numerical value of twelve, an allusion to the twelve tribes. Then he should say: “Master of the Universe, in the merit of the twelve tribes guard me and save me from every sin and from every form of the evil eye. Let them have no dominion over me or my offspring or their offspring forever. And do not allow the evil eye to have dominion over my belongings or my body. Hashem, guard my going out and my coming in. Let them be towards life and peace from now and forever. “Hashem is my refuge upon my right hand. Let us know and run to know Hashem as clearly as the dawn when it has gone forth (Hoshea 6:3). No man shall stand up before you; Hashem your God will put fear and awe of you over all the land upon which you tread as He has promised you (Devarim 11:25). Do not allow a sorceress to live (Shemos 22:17). No dog will wag its tongue towards any of the children of Israel (Shemos 11:7). You have been shown that you may know that Hashem is God, there is no other beside Him (Devarim 4:35).” Afterwards, when a man goes out to the street, his intention should be to meditate continually upon the mitzvos, as I have written above in Chapter Two. Even if he should happen to see snow he should reflect that it is one of the four shades of skin plagues. And especially if he should encounter an animal he should conduct himself according to the way I explained in that chapter.

This is the mystical aspect of what the sages in Avot 4,2 described as שכר מצוה מצוה, that the reward of fulfilling a commandment is a commandment." The fulfilling of a commandment will bring about a deeper understanding of all the spiritual values associated with its performance; this in turn will will deepen one's attachment to G–d and Torah. This is truly what Solomon meant when he described the Torah as אור, "spiritual enlightenment of the highest order" (Proverbs 6,23). I have already outlined that when the Torah said החודש הזה לכם, Israel was granted sanctity, whereas when the Sabbath was given to them the sanctity of G–d in His aspect of the Ineffable Name was granted to them. In the future there would be an attachment between G–d and Israel as described in Deut. 4,4; "You who are deeply attached to G–d are all alive this day." This dual concept of אחת דיבר ושתים שמענו, is also present in connection with Israel's counting according to the lunar calendar.

We have a statement in Avodah Zarah 2 by Rabbi Chanina bar Pappa that in the future G–d personally will appear with a Torah scroll in His lap announcing that anyone who has studied and observed the Torah should come and get his reward. Thereupon the Gentiles would assemble in a disorderly fashion and claim their reward. G–d would tell them to appear in an orderly fashion, each nation separately headed by their scribes, etc. [Scriptural proof is provided for all this in the relevant passage in the Talmud. Ed.] The first nation laying claim to reward would be the Romans who would extol their contributions to civilisation, pointing out the public baths, highways, etc., they had built. They would claim to have done all this in order to enable Israel to devote itself to Torah study. G–d is described as rejecting the claim as foolish, telling them they had done all this for their own sakes. As an example, G–d cites the market-places as having served merely immoral purposes. G–d would ask them if there was none amongst them who could יגיד זאת, i.e. who had devoted himself to Torah (based on Isaiah 43,9 where the word זאת is understood to apply to Torah)? Upon hearing this the Romans would be deeply disappointed, etc." The whole paragraph in the Talmud seems very long-winded. The Talmud could simply have said: זאת=תורה, without listing all the Romans' so-called accomplishments, and G–d's describing them as the very reverse.

The written and the oral Torah are called זה and זאת respectively, because they relate to one another just like the male and the female. When G–d is said to have asked the Romans: "Who amongst you can claim זאת, He meant: "Who amongst you can claim to have studied the oral Torah?" We read in Deut. 4,44: וזאת התורה אשר שם משה לפני בני ישראל, "And this is the Torah Moses placed in front of the Children of Israel;" this is a reference to the oral Torah. Furthermore, the scholars of the Kabbalah are aware of the written and oral Torah as also being referred to as חמה and לבנה, sun and moon, respectively. This is the reason that the Jewish people count according to the moon, i.e. the lunar calendar, whereas the Gentiles count according to the sun, i.e. the solar calendar.

Behold, thus each person needs to seek the proper cure when he needs them. For if he will not do this and will cause "death without judgment", he will be held accountable for his life. And he is at fault [his death is worthwhile] for he transgressed on that that is written [in the Torah], "and you shall protect very well your life." [deut / devarim 4;15] And the person who does not preserve his health, and does not act in the according to nature, to seek the proper medical treatment of his illness, to the best of his ability - will surely be punished since he transgressed that which is written in the Torah. It also comes out that he depended on a miracle and if a miracle was done for him, a part of his merits will be taken away.