Musar su Deuteronomio 26:19

This is alluded to in 26,19: ולתתך עליון על כל הגוים אשר עשה לתהלה לשם ולתפארת, "and He will set you supreme over all the nations He has made, to be for fame renown and glory, etc." The word תפארת refers to the emanation of that name, the level at which original man of the dual face emanated. The word תהילה, on the other hand, refers to the still higher emanation בינה, as Pardes Rimonim explains under the heading תהלה in the section ערכי הכנויים. Though there seems to be some doubt whether this expression refers to the emanation כתר or בינה, we may consider that all three emanations i.e. כתר, חכמה, בינה are meant. They represent the origin of בנין. Keeping this in mind we understand why the term עליה, ascent, is used not only in connection with the blessing, such as in 26,19, but also in connection with the warning or curse in 28,43 where the stranger in the land of Israel is described as ascending, whereas we will descend. That verse even repeats the expression מעלה מעלה "higher and higher," describing the progress made by the alien. How are we to understand this? Do we not have a tradition that the מדה טובה, the positive, is always in 500 times greater supply than the negative? (Sotah 11; Sanhedrin 100, Yuma 76 et al.) We therefore must not understand the words מעלה מעלה to mean that the alien will climb much higher than Israel but rather that he will only ascend two steps. The repetition acts as a limitation, (מיעוט), a common occurrence in Bible exegesis. The reference to the ascent of the Jewish people in 26,19, ולתתך עליון, however, is a comprehensive term.

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).

The conclusion to be reached from all this is that a person must rouse himself to mourn with a bitter heart over the exile of the Shechinah and to moan over the length of this bitter exile. He must reflect in his heart that as long as we were living upon our land and the Shechinah rested between the two angels on the cover of the Ark, we received daily illumination. Israel was called, “A people that is holy to Hashem” (Devarim 26:19), and we were close to the Shechinah and to holiness. Meanwhile the shells of defilement hid themselves and were banished to the nethermost regions of the deep. But now, by contrast, Israel is pushed and pulled and scattered into every corner and to the very ends of the earth. In their exile they debase themselves greatly before every nation and tongue, treating them with every honor. Meanwhile, Lilis smiles and laughs, deriving great joy from seeing the people of Israel humble themselves before the nations. This is a literal fulfillment of the verse, “For our soul bowed down to the dust” (Tehillim 44:26). We are literally trampled beneath their feet. We are their slaves and maidservants. The fruits of Israel’s endeavors and labors inevitably attract the notice of one nation or another, who then come and take it from them by force. Meanwhile we are beaten, killed, slaughtered, and burned for the sanctification of the name of Heaven. How, then, can any God-fearing person not summon all his concentration, whenever the redemption is mentioned in our prayers, to beseech the Holy One Blessed is He to redeem us from nations of the world for His name’s sake? For an authentic tradition has come down to me that whoever constantly grieves over the exile of the Shechinah will merit the crown of Torah.