Chasidut su Numeri 12:3

Another aspect of the words: ‎וארא אל אברהם אל יצחק ‏ואל יעקב‎, “I used to appear to Avraham, Yitzchok, ‎and Yaakov, etc.” We find among the writings of the ‎‎Ari z’al that he does not understand Exodus ‎‎34,7 ‎נוצר חסד לאלפים‎ “He extends loving kindness to ‎thousands,” in the generally accepted meaning, but ‎that he understands the word ‎אלפים‎ as attributes of G’d ‎beginning with the letter aleph. These ‎attributes, though all being variations of the attribute ‎Justice, are “sweetened” by G’d through an addition of ‎a dose of ‎חסד‎, loving kindness.‎
In order to understand the Ari z’al we refer ‎first to a statement in Sh’mot Rabbah 47,11 ‎according to which Moses acquired the ability to make ‎the skin of his forehead shine, give forth light, (Exodus ‎‎34,29) because a drop of ink was left over from his ‎quill when he had completed recording the portion of ‎the Torah in writing. [Difficult to understand ‎as Moses did not write the Torah on Mount Sinai. ‎Ed.]‎
The author of the Or hachayim;Midrash had in mind ‎when writing that Moses merited this reward from left ‎over ink.‎
In order to illustrate the difference between a ‎‎“humble” person spelled with the letter ‎י‎, and a ‎‎“humble” person spelled without the letter ‎י‎, we need ‎to make a few introductory remarks. On the Torah’s ‎imperative for the Jewish people to strive to be “holy,”: ‎‎(Leviticus 19,2) to be “holy,” i.e. ‎קדושים תהיו כי קדוש אני ה'‏‎, ‎‎“be holy for I the Lord am holy,” we could have ‎misunderstood this line to mean that we must strive to ‎be as holy as G’d. Midrash Rabbah Vayikra ‎Rabbah 24,9 therefore writes that the words: ‎כי ‏קדוש אני‎, “for I am holy,” in that verse are a reminder ‎that only G’d is truly holy. G’d’s holiness transcends ‎anyone else’s holiness. Anyone who endeavours to ‎sincerely sanctify himself discovers that in spite of all ‎the progress he makes in this direction that he is still ‎far removed from his objective, i.e. total holiness. If a ‎person is under the illusion that he is already a worthy ‎servant of the Lord, this is proof that he is still far ‎from having reached his goal, that in fact he has not ‎even begun the journey leading to holiness. Anyone ‎who has begun this journey is painfully aware of how ‎far he still has to travel on that road. This is what the ‎Midrash had in mind when the author wrote, ‎explaining the words: ‎כי קדוש אני ה' אלוקיכם‎, “for I the Lord ‎your G’d am holy, ‎קדושתי למעלה מקדושתכם‎, “My holiness is ‎superior to your holiness.” [The author’s ‎version of this Midrash apparently had the ‎word ‎מסתלקת‎, “is receding,” instead of the word: ‎למעלה‎ ‎‎“is superior”. Ed.] ‎
Alternatively, this concept, instead of being ‎expressed negatively, may be expressed positively, as ‎we find in Eychah rabbah 11,3 where the ‎author writes that whenever the Jewish people sanctify ‎themselves they thereby strengthen the celestial ‎entourage of the Lord, i.e. they add holiness to His ‎holiness. The Midrash quotes psalms 60,14 in ‎support of this where the psalmist writes ‎באלוקים נעשה ‏חיל‎, “we will strengthen G’d by acting valiantly.” ‎‎(Compare likutim on that statement in the ‎‎Midrash) ‎

We hope to justify Akavyah’s using the language the ‎‎Mishnah recorded. Akavyah posits that a person in ‎evaluating himself, taking stock of himself, is tempted to look at a ‎list of his achievements first. If that person is a good person, ‎Akavyah reminds him that seeing that he is “descended” from an ‎evil smelling drop of semen he does not really have anything to ‎boast about. If he is a morally weak or inferior person, he is ‎reminded of his superior ancestors as his origin, something which ‎should make him ashamed for not living up to his forefathers’ ‎standards. Akavya was aware that there are two levels of “fear of ‎the Lord.” The lower level is called “fear of punishment,” whereas ‎the higher level is called ‎יראת הרוממות‎ “the awe of the ‎overwhelming superiority of the Creator.” He therefore addresses ‎both categories of individuals, assuming that each category finds ‎it difficult on occasion to resist the evil urge so that he may ‎commit a transgression. True ‎יראת השם‎ is only this latter category ‎of “awe and reverence of the Lord.” This is the level of ‎יראת שמים‎ ‎of the righteous, seeing that the ‎צדיק‎ always focuses on the ‎concept of the ‎אין סוף‎, “G’d as personification of infinity.” In Job ‎‎18,12 we have been taught that ‎חכמה ‏‎, “true wisdom,” is only ‎found in the realm described as ‎מאין‎, same letters as ‎אין‎ in ‎אין סוף‎. ‎The tzaddik always keeps reflecting on the fantastic ‎concept of the infinity of the Creator and how He is in charge of ‎millions of different categories of holy angels and a universe the ‎extent of which boggles the imagination. He thinks of how all ‎these angels are in constant awe of Him so that through his ‎preoccupation with such thoughts he does not fall victim to the ‎urge to taste the physical pleasures offered by the region into ‎which we have been placed by our fate. These physical urges, ‎after all, have become part of him only by genetic transmission ‎from his father and mother, whereas his divine soul, G’d’s ‎contribution to every human being as an integral part of Him, is ‎supplied by Him Who, most certainly is not subject to such urges. ‎It was Moses’ ability to concentrate on that “third” of his ‎ancestry, i.e. the ‎אין סוף‎, that resulted in his being described as ‎איש האלוקים‎, a “godly man.” (Deuteronomy 33,1) He had attained this ‎status by becoming what the Torah called: “the most humble ‎man on earth.” (Numbers 12,3) It follows from the Torah’s ‎definition of his personality that he had concentrated on the ‎closest possible connection with what was concealed from him, ‎‎(as well as from any living human being) i.e. G’d’s essence, so that ‎he considered himself as ‎אין‎, as if non-existent, immaterial.‎

‎Looking at our verse from a different perspective, we need to ‎remember that pious Jews serving G’d, experience a constant ‎ascent, elevation in their spiritual level. Still, they do not, in their ‎lifetime, begin to properly understand the workings of G’d’s ‎mind, much less His greatness. When the Torah (Numbers 12,3) ‎tells us that ‎והאיש משה עניו מאד וגו'‏‎, “the man Moses was ‎extremely humble, etc.,” such a compliment could only be paid to ‎someone who had attained almost superhuman stature. It does ‎not take a great effort for the ordinary individual surrounded by ‎people of far greater accomplishments, to remain humble. When ‎one has attained the stature of a Moses with whom G’d carried on ‎conversations as if he were His equal, the challenge to remain ‎humble is incomparably greater. The meaning of ‎ואנכי אעלך גם‎, ‎is a reminder to Yaakov, that regardless of where he finds himself, ‎the task of climbing the ladder of spiritual ascent ever higher will ‎remain with him for as long as he lives. Just as G’d is known as the ‎אין סוף‎, inexhaustibly profound, beyond our comprehension, so ‎the task of serving Him is never one that one may “retire” from, ‎thinking that one has done one’s duty.‎

And this is (Ex. 1), “And it came to pass, when the midwives feared God, and He made them houses.” This is the aspect of the housings of the tefillin. For the midwives are the aspect of the children's mother, drawing the light of tefillin, which are the aspect of mother, upon the son, who are the aspect of giving birth to the brains, the aspect of (ibid. 13), “Sanctify to Me all the male firstborns, whatsoever opens any womb” as mentioned. And this is, “And it happened, when they feared” specifically. For tefillin are the aspect of fear, as written, “And all the people of the land shall see that Hashem's name is called upon you, and they will fear you.” And our Rabbis z”l explained these are the head tefillin. For the midwives are the mother of Aharon and Moshe. And Miriam their sister was the second midwife, from whom royalty issued, as Rashi explained there. For Moshe and Aharon are the essence of the tefillin. Aharon the Kohen Gadol is the aspect of the Eight Tiqunei Diqna of the Kohen Gadol, which are the aspect of the eight elders, the aspect of the eight head and arm tefillin passages as mentioned. Moshe Rabbeinu is the aspect of the Supernal Elder, who boasted that he is extremely old and yet is young and suckling entirely etc. and the whole world does not amount to him so much as an eyeblink etc. This is the aspect of Moshe Rabbeinu a”h who is the aspect of (ibid. 2), “And behold, a crying youth,” that even tough he reach what he reached, the perfect aspect of the Elder in Holiness, still he was entirely in the aspect of youth and suckling, in the aspect of (Ps. 37), “I have been young and also old,” that even though I have become so much an elder, still I am entirely young and suckling, which this is the aspect of the boasting of the foremost level elder who is the Blind One as mentioned. And therefore Moshe attained that it was written of him (Deut. 34), “His eye was not dim and his natural force was not abated” — even after death. For no oldness jumped upon him at all, even when dying at 120 years age. For he attained the ultimate elderliness, yet remained entirely suckling, as if he still had not begin living at all, as written (ibid. 3:24), “You have begun to show” etc.; that is, he still did not grasp at all; Hashem Yithbarakh only began showing him his greatness etc. Which, all this is the above aspect, always beginning anew as mentioned. For Moshe is the aspect of “MaN/Manna,” as is known, of which it says (Ex. 17:15), “For they did not know MaH/what it is.” It is impossible to at all know what he is, that someone born of a woman should attain what he attained. And this is the letters of MoSheH being Shin MaH — Shin, the three fathers who are the entirety of the brains, entirety of the tefillin; but everything is drawn from the aspect of MaH, the aspect of, “For they did not know what it is,” which this is the essence of the aspect of Moshe, who is the aspect of the aforementioned elder, who was elder and suckling etc. as mentioned, who is the root of everything and above everything as mentioned. As written (Num. 12), “And the man, Moshe, was extremely humble” etc., which is the aspect of (Ps. 131), “Like a weaned child with his mother; my soul is with me like a weaned child,” which David said. And this is that it is written in the Zohar, regarding Moshe, that amongst the Sabas/Supernal Elders he is the Elder, and amongst the sucklings he is the suckling, that is, as mentioned, that he is old and suckling etc. as mentioned. And this is his saying (Deut. 31), “I am one hundred and twenty years old today” — today my days and years are filled, for he can longer go, as our Rabbis z”l said (Sotah 13b), “this teaches that [the gates of wisdom] were closed to him. For he needed to live the aforementioned long life, going each time further and further, and when he cannot go further he was forced to pass away, as discerned in the holy talks of Rabbeinu z”l. And therefore (ibid. 34), “And no man knew his burial-chamber,” for they did not know what he is, as mentioned. Hence Moshe is the aspect of the aforementioned Supernal Elder, who is the root of tefillin, which are the aspect of the face's skin beaming, which Moshe attain, which are the aspect of the light of tefillin, as Rabbeinu z”l said in the torah, “Markevoth Par`oh..” (LM #38), from the aspect of that Elder. And Aharon is the aspect of the eight Tiqunei Diqna, which are the aspect of the eight tefillin passages that are drawn from Moshe's aspect, from the aspect of that Elder. And this is, “And He made them houses” — houses of priesthood and royalty (Sh”R 1). Houses of priesthood are the aspect of tefillin, which are the aspect of the priesthood's sanctity as mentioned, the aspect of the sanctity of the firstborn, to give him to the Kohen as mentioned. And houses of royalty are the aspect of kingship of David Mashiach, the aspect of Emunah, which all this is the aspect of tefillin as mentioned. And the essence of tefillin's sanctity is the aspect of grasping Godliness, which the true tzaddiqim, who are from the aspect of Moshe, draw upon us, through many constrictions, which this is the main thing, that they manage to attain such a high and enormous perception, that they can constrict and clothe the perception in many constrictions and vestments until we too can manage to grasp Godliness as mentioned. And this is the aspect of tefillin housings, for it is impossible for us to receive the light of the passages themselves except by way of the housings and straps, which are the aspect of limitations and vessels of `Olam haTiqun, to receive the light by degree and measure. For they are able to enter the aspect of the “Empty Space" and reveal His Godliness there, and thereby make holy vessels. For the essence of these vessels' genesis is by means of repair of the Empty Space which is the beginning of the limitation, which is the root of all the vessels and masks generated from the coarsening of the light and its becoming distant from the Emanator. For if there was no Empty Space then the coarsening of the light and its distancing would be irrelevant etc., as explained and discerned in the Writings. Hence the essence of the vessels' genesis derives from the aspect of the Empty Space. But by means of Adam haRishon's failure he was seized in his vessels, the essence of which is in the aspect of the skin, which is the ultimate vessel, the exterior of the exterior; and that is where he was seized the most as mentioned, which this is the aspect of the “Serpent's bite,” from whence is the grip of all the Qelipoth/Husks, God forbid. And therefore the main repair is by means of purifying and processing the hide in sanctity, which is the aspect of repair of the imagination, repair of the Empty Space, which the aforementioned great Tzaddiqim attain repairing, to the point that from it, specifically, they make the aspect of holy vessels to receive the light in degree and measure. Which, this is the aspect of the hide of a pure beast, insofar as the essence of writing the Torah and tefillin is on the hide specifically, and as mentioned. And this is the aspect of the housings made of hide. For we need to receive the light through limitations and vessels that are made by the repair of the Empty Space which is the aspect of repairing the imagination, which is the aspect of hide, as mentioned. And this is the aspect of (Gen. 3), “And Hashem-God made Adam and his wife garments of skin and clothed them” — garments of skin specifically, for the main repair is repairing the skin etc. as mentioned. For, the garments of skin are the aspect of Tallith and Tefillin, which come from skin and from the hair that grows on the skin, as explained in the Etz Chayim. Which, this is the aspect of (Ex. 22:26), “ki hu kesutho levaddah/for that is his only covering” — this is tzitzith; “hi simlatho le`oro/it is his garment for his skin” — this is tefillin (Tiqqunim #69), which are more internal and lofty than tzitzith, as written there. And all this is the aspect of repair of the imagination, which is repair of the Empty Space, as the essence of the repair is by means of Emunah as mentioned. And this is, “And it came to pass, as the midwives feared God” — feared specifically. For holy piety is the aspect of repair of the constriction and stricture of the Empty Space, which is sweetened at it root by means of holy piety, which is the aspect of a “holy decree,” as is known. Therefore by the aspect of piety are made housings, which are the aspect of fixing the vessels and limitations to receive the tefillin's light by degree and measure as mentioned. And this is, “And it came to pass, as they feared... [God] made them housings” as mentioned.