Musar su Levitico 26:78

Now that it has been made clear that the world was not created for any need of God, we can say that the world was created for a great reason and that that reason is the service of the Creator, blessed be He. For just as a king is not called king until he has a people, as it is said (Proverbs 14:28), “In the multitude of people is the king’s glory”, so similarly the name “Creator” cannot be applied to one unless there is something that He has created. He is not called “God’ until He has a people, as it is said (Leviticus 26:12), “And I will be your God and ye shall be My people.” Even though the Divine name does not lack anything⁸See Psalms 10:16, "The Lord is King for ever and ever; the nations are perished out of His land." M. L. Malbim in his commentary on the Psalms Kitbe Kodesh Psalms, (Vilna: Romm. 1911), p. 21 observed "although the nations are absent from His land, God is God with or without people." because of the lack of men nor does It gain by them , nevertheless, in the creation of the world, it was fitting that the name of the Creator should be “God.” For example, the smiter can smite, but he is not called “the smiter” until he has smitten something. Even if there is no smitten object, there may be nothing lacking in the strength of the smiter, yet only when there is a smitten object is it proper to call the smiter by that name. Thus with the Creator, nothing was lacking in His power before the world was created, but in the creation of the world His perfection increased. This is the cause for which the world was created. Thus we know and understand that the Creation of the world was the perfection of God’s name.

4) The verse (Mishlei 2:4): "If you seek it [Torah] as silver… then you will understand the fear of G-d" is well known. And in monetary matters it is well known that if a business opportunity presents itself to a man, by which he can earn five gold pieces, and another opportunity, by which he can earn double, he will certainly choose the second. In our case, too, is it not known that there is no comparison between a few who occupy themselves with a mitzvah and many who do so? As it is written (Vayikra 26:8): "And five of you will pursue a hundred, and a hundred of you, ten thousand" (see Rashi there). Therefore (as it concerns our subject) it is known that [in the synagogue] aside from the mitzvah of prayer, we fulfill other commandments of the Torah: a) the positive mitzvah of tefillin, b) the positive mitzvah of reciting the Shema, c) the positive mitzvah of remembering Egypt. If so, if one comes to the synagogue to pray with a minyan, and all fulfill all of these mitzvoth, each mitzvah rises [proportionately] in holiness, which is not the case with one who prays alone.

We have set forth a little of the eminence of a man who is habituated to praying with a minyan, and the great increase of his mitzvoth and merits. The major thing here is that this mitzvah be a steady one, and not one that he slackens in. But if sometimes he performs it and sometimes slackens in it, G-d forbid, then he is in the class of (Vayikra 26:21): "But if you walk with Me by chance, etc." (see Rashi there). And thus have our sages of blessed memory said (Berachoth 6b), that when a man is accustomed to come to the house of study, and once does not come, the Holy One Blessed be He "inquires" after him as to why he has not come. And this is intimated in (Isaiah 50:10): "Who among you who fears the L-rd — who listens to the voice of His servant — has walked in the darkness, where it is not light for him?" (If he had gone to perform a mitzvah, it would have been light for him, but having gone on a mundane errand, it was not light for him) (Ibid.): "Let him trust in the name of the L-rd." Why has this befallen him" Because he should have trusted in the name of the L-rd and did not. R. Yochanan said; "When the Holy One Blessed be He comes to the synagogue and does not find ten men there, He becomes angry, viz. (Ibid. 2): 'Why, when I came, was there no man? when I called, was there no response?'" The intent is that even if a man were presented with an opportunity for profit at the time of his going to the synagogue, he should not pay heed to it, but trust in the name of the L-rd that what was set aside for him by Heaven will not be detracted from him. And, indeed, very often this is a test from Heaven for him. As our sages of blessed memory have said: "There is no man who is not subjected to tests. A rich man is tested; a poor man is tested, etc." And when a man reflects upon this, he sees this in his experience. He may sometimes stand a whole day in his shop and see very few customers, and when the time for the minchah prayer arrives [or on Sabbath eve before sunset], new customers come, whom he had never seen before, and beg him to sell to them — and all this, as a test, the Holy One Blessed be He testing him to see if his [Divine] service is dear to him [to be performed] with all of his heart and all of his soul.

The fourteenth principle is confession, as it is stated (Leviticus 5:5), "and he shall confess that wherein he has sinned." And he must mention his iniquities and the iniquities of his fathers. For he is punished [for them] - if he holds on to the actions of his fathers. And likewise is it written (Leviticus 26:40), "and they shall confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers."

אם בחקותי תלכו ועשיתם אותם . The word Otam is spelled without the letter ו, so that it can be read Attem "you" instead. The Zohar (Sullam edition page 7) explains that when Israel performs G–d's laws G–d considers them as if they had created G–d Himself, so to speak. I have enlarged on this theme in a number of places.

The first path is [that] when a man encounters troubles, he will consult his heart and say [that] it is only his ways and his plots that have caused this to him, and that his sins have caused [the pain] to his soul. So he repents to God; and He has mercy upon him, like the matter that is stated (Deuteronomy 31:17), "and many evils and troubles shall befall them; and they shall say on that day, 'Surely it is because our God is not in our midst that these evils have befallen us.'" But note that the custom among men is [that] if one sins to someone, and [later] at a time of trouble for him regrets it and submits to him because he needs him; such regret will be inferior in the eyes of his fellow - like the matter that Jephthah said (Judges 11:7), "How can you come to me now when you are in trouble?" However it is one of the kindnesses of God, may He be blessed, that He accepts repentance [motivated by] trouble and it is desirable in front of Him. And He will generously love the sinner when he returns to Him on the day of his rebuke and from amidst trouble, as it is stated (Hosea 14:2-5), "Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, for you have fallen because of your sin. Take words with you, etc. I will heal their affliction, generously will I take them back in love." And it is stated (Proverbs 3:12), "For whom the Lord loves, He rebukes, as a father the son whom he favors." But if the man does not repent from his evil on the day of evil, and the rebuked does not repent to the Rebuker, his iniquity grows and his punishment will be doubled. Do you not see that if a king rebukes someone who has sinned to him and he has not become chastised, [the king] will make his punishment harsher and be very hard on him. And it is written (Leviticus 26:18), "And if, for all that, you do not obey Me, I will go on to discipline you." And it is [also] stated (Job 36:13), "But the impious in heart become enraged; they do not cry for help when He afflicts them." And if he does not know and does not contemplate that the events have found him because of sins, but rather says like the Philistines (I Samuel 6:9), "it was not His hand that struck us; it just happened to us by chance" - there will be fury in front of Him for this, and his iniquity will grow. And the iniquity of this group will be greater than the sin of the first group. Therefore it is written about the first group (Leviticus 26:18), "I will go on to discipline you." And it is written afterwards about the other group [we] mentioned (Leviticus 26:21), "And if you remain hostile toward Me and refuse to obey Me, etc." For every group that is later in the section is more problematic than the one [above it]. So it is written afterwards (Leviticus 26:23-24), "And if these things fail to discipline you for Me, and you remain hostile to Me, I too will remain hostile to you." And afterwards, it is written (Leviticus 26:27-28), "But if, despite this, you disobey Me and remain hostile to Me, I will act against you in wrathful hostility." Its explanation is "you remain hostile to Me," because you will say, "It was just chance that [it] happened to us." But when a man does not recognize his deeds and does not know that he has the iniquity in his hands from his sinning, he must examine his actions and search his ways, as the matter is stated (Lamentations 3:40), "Let us search and examine our ways." But if he surely ignores his eyes and his ideas become foolish and deluded (from the expression in Scripture [Isaiah 19:13], "The nobles of Tanis have been foolish, the nobles of Memphis deluded"), and he does not investigate his ways and does not know the acts of his hands and that which his fingers have done and says, "I have not sinned" - his sin is very weighty, as it is stated (Jeremiah 2:35), "lo, I will bring you to judgment for saying, 'I have not sinned.'" And it is stated (Isaiah 42:25), "it blazed upon them all about, but they heeded not; it burned among them, but they gave it no thought." And it is stated (Proverbs 19:3), "A man’s folly subverts his way, and his heart rages against the Lord."

The first path is [that] when a man encounters troubles, he will consult his heart and say [that] it is only his ways and his plots that have caused this to him, and that his sins have caused [the pain] to his soul. So he repents to God; and He has mercy upon him, like the matter that is stated (Deuteronomy 31:17), "and many evils and troubles shall befall them; and they shall say on that day, 'Surely it is because our God is not in our midst that these evils have befallen us.'" But note that the custom among men is [that] if one sins to someone, and [later] at a time of trouble for him regrets it and submits to him because he needs him; such regret will be inferior in the eyes of his fellow - like the matter that Jephthah said (Judges 11:7), "How can you come to me now when you are in trouble?" However it is one of the kindnesses of God, may He be blessed, that He accepts repentance [motivated by] trouble and it is desirable in front of Him. And He will generously love the sinner when he returns to Him on the day of his rebuke and from amidst trouble, as it is stated (Hosea 14:2-5), "Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, for you have fallen because of your sin. Take words with you, etc. I will heal their affliction, generously will I take them back in love." And it is stated (Proverbs 3:12), "For whom the Lord loves, He rebukes, as a father the son whom he favors." But if the man does not repent from his evil on the day of evil, and the rebuked does not repent to the Rebuker, his iniquity grows and his punishment will be doubled. Do you not see that if a king rebukes someone who has sinned to him and he has not become chastised, [the king] will make his punishment harsher and be very hard on him. And it is written (Leviticus 26:18), "And if, for all that, you do not obey Me, I will go on to discipline you." And it is [also] stated (Job 36:13), "But the impious in heart become enraged; they do not cry for help when He afflicts them." And if he does not know and does not contemplate that the events have found him because of sins, but rather says like the Philistines (I Samuel 6:9), "it was not His hand that struck us; it just happened to us by chance" - there will be fury in front of Him for this, and his iniquity will grow. And the iniquity of this group will be greater than the sin of the first group. Therefore it is written about the first group (Leviticus 26:18), "I will go on to discipline you." And it is written afterwards about the other group [we] mentioned (Leviticus 26:21), "And if you remain hostile toward Me and refuse to obey Me, etc." For every group that is later in the section is more problematic than the one [above it]. So it is written afterwards (Leviticus 26:23-24), "And if these things fail to discipline you for Me, and you remain hostile to Me, I too will remain hostile to you." And afterwards, it is written (Leviticus 26:27-28), "But if, despite this, you disobey Me and remain hostile to Me, I will act against you in wrathful hostility." Its explanation is "you remain hostile to Me," because you will say, "It was just chance that [it] happened to us." But when a man does not recognize his deeds and does not know that he has the iniquity in his hands from his sinning, he must examine his actions and search his ways, as the matter is stated (Lamentations 3:40), "Let us search and examine our ways." But if he surely ignores his eyes and his ideas become foolish and deluded (from the expression in Scripture [Isaiah 19:13], "The nobles of Tanis have been foolish, the nobles of Memphis deluded"), and he does not investigate his ways and does not know the acts of his hands and that which his fingers have done and says, "I have not sinned" - his sin is very weighty, as it is stated (Jeremiah 2:35), "lo, I will bring you to judgment for saying, 'I have not sinned.'" And it is stated (Isaiah 42:25), "it blazed upon them all about, but they heeded not; it burned among them, but they gave it no thought." And it is stated (Proverbs 19:3), "A man’s folly subverts his way, and his heart rages against the Lord."

The first path is [that] when a man encounters troubles, he will consult his heart and say [that] it is only his ways and his plots that have caused this to him, and that his sins have caused [the pain] to his soul. So he repents to God; and He has mercy upon him, like the matter that is stated (Deuteronomy 31:17), "and many evils and troubles shall befall them; and they shall say on that day, 'Surely it is because our God is not in our midst that these evils have befallen us.'" But note that the custom among men is [that] if one sins to someone, and [later] at a time of trouble for him regrets it and submits to him because he needs him; such regret will be inferior in the eyes of his fellow - like the matter that Jephthah said (Judges 11:7), "How can you come to me now when you are in trouble?" However it is one of the kindnesses of God, may He be blessed, that He accepts repentance [motivated by] trouble and it is desirable in front of Him. And He will generously love the sinner when he returns to Him on the day of his rebuke and from amidst trouble, as it is stated (Hosea 14:2-5), "Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, for you have fallen because of your sin. Take words with you, etc. I will heal their affliction, generously will I take them back in love." And it is stated (Proverbs 3:12), "For whom the Lord loves, He rebukes, as a father the son whom he favors." But if the man does not repent from his evil on the day of evil, and the rebuked does not repent to the Rebuker, his iniquity grows and his punishment will be doubled. Do you not see that if a king rebukes someone who has sinned to him and he has not become chastised, [the king] will make his punishment harsher and be very hard on him. And it is written (Leviticus 26:18), "And if, for all that, you do not obey Me, I will go on to discipline you." And it is [also] stated (Job 36:13), "But the impious in heart become enraged; they do not cry for help when He afflicts them." And if he does not know and does not contemplate that the events have found him because of sins, but rather says like the Philistines (I Samuel 6:9), "it was not His hand that struck us; it just happened to us by chance" - there will be fury in front of Him for this, and his iniquity will grow. And the iniquity of this group will be greater than the sin of the first group. Therefore it is written about the first group (Leviticus 26:18), "I will go on to discipline you." And it is written afterwards about the other group [we] mentioned (Leviticus 26:21), "And if you remain hostile toward Me and refuse to obey Me, etc." For every group that is later in the section is more problematic than the one [above it]. So it is written afterwards (Leviticus 26:23-24), "And if these things fail to discipline you for Me, and you remain hostile to Me, I too will remain hostile to you." And afterwards, it is written (Leviticus 26:27-28), "But if, despite this, you disobey Me and remain hostile to Me, I will act against you in wrathful hostility." Its explanation is "you remain hostile to Me," because you will say, "It was just chance that [it] happened to us." But when a man does not recognize his deeds and does not know that he has the iniquity in his hands from his sinning, he must examine his actions and search his ways, as the matter is stated (Lamentations 3:40), "Let us search and examine our ways." But if he surely ignores his eyes and his ideas become foolish and deluded (from the expression in Scripture [Isaiah 19:13], "The nobles of Tanis have been foolish, the nobles of Memphis deluded"), and he does not investigate his ways and does not know the acts of his hands and that which his fingers have done and says, "I have not sinned" - his sin is very weighty, as it is stated (Jeremiah 2:35), "lo, I will bring you to judgment for saying, 'I have not sinned.'" And it is stated (Isaiah 42:25), "it blazed upon them all about, but they heeded not; it burned among them, but they gave it no thought." And it is stated (Proverbs 19:3), "A man’s folly subverts his way, and his heart rages against the Lord."

The first path is [that] when a man encounters troubles, he will consult his heart and say [that] it is only his ways and his plots that have caused this to him, and that his sins have caused [the pain] to his soul. So he repents to God; and He has mercy upon him, like the matter that is stated (Deuteronomy 31:17), "and many evils and troubles shall befall them; and they shall say on that day, 'Surely it is because our God is not in our midst that these evils have befallen us.'" But note that the custom among men is [that] if one sins to someone, and [later] at a time of trouble for him regrets it and submits to him because he needs him; such regret will be inferior in the eyes of his fellow - like the matter that Jephthah said (Judges 11:7), "How can you come to me now when you are in trouble?" However it is one of the kindnesses of God, may He be blessed, that He accepts repentance [motivated by] trouble and it is desirable in front of Him. And He will generously love the sinner when he returns to Him on the day of his rebuke and from amidst trouble, as it is stated (Hosea 14:2-5), "Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, for you have fallen because of your sin. Take words with you, etc. I will heal their affliction, generously will I take them back in love." And it is stated (Proverbs 3:12), "For whom the Lord loves, He rebukes, as a father the son whom he favors." But if the man does not repent from his evil on the day of evil, and the rebuked does not repent to the Rebuker, his iniquity grows and his punishment will be doubled. Do you not see that if a king rebukes someone who has sinned to him and he has not become chastised, [the king] will make his punishment harsher and be very hard on him. And it is written (Leviticus 26:18), "And if, for all that, you do not obey Me, I will go on to discipline you." And it is [also] stated (Job 36:13), "But the impious in heart become enraged; they do not cry for help when He afflicts them." And if he does not know and does not contemplate that the events have found him because of sins, but rather says like the Philistines (I Samuel 6:9), "it was not His hand that struck us; it just happened to us by chance" - there will be fury in front of Him for this, and his iniquity will grow. And the iniquity of this group will be greater than the sin of the first group. Therefore it is written about the first group (Leviticus 26:18), "I will go on to discipline you." And it is written afterwards about the other group [we] mentioned (Leviticus 26:21), "And if you remain hostile toward Me and refuse to obey Me, etc." For every group that is later in the section is more problematic than the one [above it]. So it is written afterwards (Leviticus 26:23-24), "And if these things fail to discipline you for Me, and you remain hostile to Me, I too will remain hostile to you." And afterwards, it is written (Leviticus 26:27-28), "But if, despite this, you disobey Me and remain hostile to Me, I will act against you in wrathful hostility." Its explanation is "you remain hostile to Me," because you will say, "It was just chance that [it] happened to us." But when a man does not recognize his deeds and does not know that he has the iniquity in his hands from his sinning, he must examine his actions and search his ways, as the matter is stated (Lamentations 3:40), "Let us search and examine our ways." But if he surely ignores his eyes and his ideas become foolish and deluded (from the expression in Scripture [Isaiah 19:13], "The nobles of Tanis have been foolish, the nobles of Memphis deluded"), and he does not investigate his ways and does not know the acts of his hands and that which his fingers have done and says, "I have not sinned" - his sin is very weighty, as it is stated (Jeremiah 2:35), "lo, I will bring you to judgment for saying, 'I have not sinned.'" And it is stated (Isaiah 42:25), "it blazed upon them all about, but they heeded not; it burned among them, but they gave it no thought." And it is stated (Proverbs 19:3), "A man’s folly subverts his way, and his heart rages against the Lord."

ואם תלכו עמי קרי . We learn from here that a person must set aside a specific place for his Torah study and prayers, etc. He should not let this become a matter of coincidence, קרי.

“And a figured stone you shall not set in your land” (Leviticus 26:1). We were warned with this not to bow down on a floor of stones in the synagogue or in any other place, except for the Temple.

The sixth section: One who has the ability to protest, but does not protest and has no words of reprimand in his mouth; and does not use the swords of his eyes and does not take responsibility for the deeds of sinners. So he will not be a man of reprimand, whereas we were commanded to destroy the evil from within our nation - as it is stated (Deuteronomy 13:6), “and you shall destroy the evil within you.” And our Rabbis said (Shabbat 54b), “Anyone who is in a position to protest against the members of his household and does not protest, is apprehended for the members of his household; if he is in a position to protest against the people of his city, and does not protest, he is apprehended for the people of his city; if he is in a position to protest the whole world, and does not protest, he is apprehended for the whole world.” And it is stated (Leviticus 26:37), “A man shall stumble over his brother.” And they, may their memory be blessed, expounded (Sanhedrin 27b), “‘A man over’ the iniquity of ‘his brother.’” And they said that all of Israel is responsible for one another.

וזכרתי את בריתי יעקב . Whereas this verse (26,42) is one of the verses comforting us, why does the Torah continue with verses which indicate that the תוכחה is not yet at an end? I have heard that this verse (42) is also still part of the admonition/curse. The Torah distinguishes between wicked people who are the children of wicked parents and those who did not see such wicked examples before them when they grew up. The latter kind of רשע deserves to be punished much more harshly than a person who has never seen a model of good conduct before him. Similarly, if one has been raised in an environment which was hostile to Torah and religion one is not nearly as guilty for not following the dictates of the Torah as one is if one had the good fortune to be raised in a community of Torah observant Jews. G–d is on record that He will remember that we had the advantages of having the patriarchs as our models before our eyes, as well as the advantage of having been given ארץ ישראל the holy land; in spite of these advantages we breached the holy covenant with G–d. The Torah therefore exhorts us to consider our additional guilt in this context.

Adam ruined this state of affairs by interfering with the סוד היין, the mystical properties of the grapes. [I suppose that this is based on the tree of knowledge having been a grape bearing tree. Ed.] He followed an evil path by squeezing a cluster of grapes (and consuming its juice). Had he not done so, that "wine" would have remained in the state of what our sages call the יין המשומר בענביו, "the wine that remained preserved within its grapes (compare Berachot 34).” In that event he would have been like "the cistern that does not lose a single drop” [hyperbole for total recall, see Avot 2,11. Ed.]. He would have retained all the holiness that had been his when he was created. When Adam sinned, he did not only lose some of his former glory, fall from a "high roof" (to the ground), but he fell into a "very deep pit" (below the ground). This was a בור רק, an empty pit [allusion to the pit Joseph had been thrown in. Genesis 37,24], since it did not even contain the ingredients for the survival of the species. The species was wiped out at the time of the deluge as a direct consequence of Adam having polluted that "drop of sacred semen," and made it "evil smelling." Due to G–d's personal intervention, Noach was saved seeing he was righteous, and the righteous are the foundation of the universe. The present universe was founded by him as a result.

Since atonement for sins by means of a sacrifice is possible only in ארץ ישראל we could have concluded that outside the Holy Land there is no need for that confession. To tell us that this is not so the Torah writes והתודו את עונם, "they shall confess their sins." This is written in Leviticus 26,40, a paragraph that describes the Jews as already in exile. Daniel 9,7 said: לך ה' הצדקה ולנו בושת הפנים, "Yours is righteousness O Lord, whereas shame is on us, etc." Daniel, of course, lived outside the land of Israel.

The שכינה itself resides exclusively amongst Israel, and this is the reason the Torah says "They shall make a Temple for Me so that I may reside amongst them." The Torah is also on record as: "whom I have taken out of the land of Egypt in order to dwell amongst them" (Exodus 29,46), and the Torah says: "I shall place My residence amongst them" (Leviticus 26,11). This is the residence in which the Ineffable Name of G–d is at home. G–d said to the Jewish people: "Take My residence, the one which I dwell in, for yourselves, and I will never depart from you." Even though on occasion you are bound to become ritually defiled (the antithesis to sanctity) My Presence will not depart from you. This is the meaning of: "who dwells amongst them in the midst of their defilement" (Leviticus 16,16). When G–d gave Israel this gift, and His Presence resided amongst them, Israel became the recipient of all of G–d's bounty. G–d entrusted Israel with the keys to all His treasure-chambers so that they had access to and could receive every conceivable kind of blessing from the שכינה. This is the true meaning of the verse: ונתתי משכני בתוככם והתהלכתי בתוככם והייתי לכם לאלוקים, "I make My residence amongst you….and I walk amongst you and I shall be your G–d" (Leviticus 26, 11-12). This verse almost portrays the שכינה as similar to the pledge held by a creditor, as if G–d were Israel's debtor.

Rabbi Yochanan concentrates on the other -Noach-like- aspect of serving G–d, i.e. waiting till one is inspired by G–d. He uses a metaphor describing input from above, i.e. the gaze of a shepherd on his flock. This always originates from a higher vantage point but is benevolent at the same time, much as when G–d said in Exodus 33,19: "I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious." This means that the recipients did not have a claim on G–d's grace. The very fact that Rabbi Yochanan uses dumb animals as the subjects in his metaphor shows that he speaks of a lower class of spiritual motivation.

Commandment 51 provides for the Court to impose the death penalty by the sword in certain situations (Hereg). If a master kills his Canaanite servant by a lethal blow, he is also guilty of execution by this method, viz: (Exodus 21,20) "he shall be avenged." (Leviticus 26,25 states "the sword will wreak vengeance for the covenant" on those breaching it).

Some Kabbalists explain Exodus 18,1, in which we are told what Yitro "had heard," as a description of Moses' spiritual ascent. According to that view, the words אשר עשה אלוקים למשה, mean that G–d in His capacity as י-ה-ו-ה, made an Elo-him of Moses. Yitro had heard that G–d said about Moses: ראה נתתיך אלוהים לפרעה, "See here, I have made you a deity over Pharaoh," while at the same time He had made the people His עם, nation. It was Yitro's understanding that becoming G–d's people meant becoming His "army." This would have been the realisation of G–d's wish ever since the Creation to have a residence in the material world. The reason that G–d, i.e. His manifest Presence, שכינה, withdrew from earth was only because man had seriously damaged that part of G–d's creation by his sins. Now G–d had refined the Jewish people in the "crucible" of the Egyptian bondage experience to the point where He chose them to be His "army" in lieu of His Celestial Army. This is the meaning of the words in 6,26: הוציאו את בני ישראל מארץ מצרים על צבאותם, "Take the children of Israel out of Egypt in their armies." Rashi comments that the words: צבאותם mean "every army according to their tribes." Had not these people participated in the sin of the golden calf afterwards, they would have remained on that lofty level indefinitely, just as they will be in the Messianic future of which the Torah says in Leviticus 26,12,: והתהלכתי בתוככם, "I shall be walking amongst you."

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.)

This is followed by the paragraph starting with: והיה כי יביאך ה' אלוקיך אל הארץ. Even though on the פשט level this paragraph speaks about terrestrial ארץ ישראל, the paragraph contains allusions to the ארץ ישראל למעלה, the corresponding land of Israel in the Celestial Regions, the land of everlasting life. When the Torah continues in 6,12: "Be careful not to forget, etc.," this must be understood along the lines Rashi explained Leviticus 26,12: "I shall walk amongst you and I will be your G–d, whereas you will be My people." Rashi says that it means G–d will go for a stroll with us in גן עדן as if He were one of us and we would have no cause to be afraid of Him. To emphasize this point, Leviticus 26,13 continues: "I am the Lord your G–d, etc." We are left to explain why the Torah interrupted the various paragraphs dealing with our having received the Torah with the report that Moses proceeded to set aside three of the cities of refuge which would serve would-be murderers as an escape from revenge-seeking relatives of the victim.

This is followed by the paragraph starting with: והיה כי יביאך ה' אלוקיך אל הארץ. Even though on the פשט level this paragraph speaks about terrestrial ארץ ישראל, the paragraph contains allusions to the ארץ ישראל למעלה, the corresponding land of Israel in the Celestial Regions, the land of everlasting life. When the Torah continues in 6,12: "Be careful not to forget, etc.," this must be understood along the lines Rashi explained Leviticus 26,12: "I shall walk amongst you and I will be your G–d, whereas you will be My people." Rashi says that it means G–d will go for a stroll with us in גן עדן as if He were one of us and we would have no cause to be afraid of Him. To emphasize this point, Leviticus 26,13 continues: "I am the Lord your G–d, etc." We are left to explain why the Torah interrupted the various paragraphs dealing with our having received the Torah with the report that Moses proceeded to set aside three of the cities of refuge which would serve would-be murderers as an escape from revenge-seeking relatives of the victim.

All sages agree that reason can grasp only two things the Creator and things created, and that there is nothing besides these two; furthermore, that God is of all times, whereas everything else has been created; that the Creator has neither a beginning nor an end, while things created do have both. They also tell us the Creator is not in need of anything, for if He were, He would not be perfect. Since the Creator is perfect, He does not lack anything; therefore He did not create the world out of need of something, but in order to do good to those who acquire merit.⁴²I, Similarly Joseph ibn Zaddik, who devotes a special chapter to the fact that God is not in need of anything (Microcosm p. 52) .אם יצטרך לדבר שברא, היא חםרון בעצמו ולא יוכל לברא אותו והואיל והתבאר שהוא עשיר, הוא ברא העולם לרוב נדבתו וחםדו ולא לדבר אחר Therefore we read in the creation story that God created the heavenly bodies in order to illuminate the earth and not the heavens; it is not the heavens and God who are in need of them but rather the earth and its inhabitants. If that which has been created had been made for the benefit of the Creator, it would be as eternal as He is, for whatever benefits Him cannot be separated from Him but always joined with Him.⁴³ib. p. 52. ואם הוצרך התחדש בו, לא ימלט או שהתחדש בו כהתחדש החום בגוך אחר הקור והתנועה אחר השכון, ואם כן יהיה אז נערך אל החדושים וכל נעדך לחידושים מחודש וכו׳. He also states that if God’s needs were not eternal but had arisen at some time, God Himself would not be eternal. Since the world has been created and is not eternal God did not need it before it was created, and since He did not need it before it existed, He is not in need of it afterwards either. God did create the world for the benefit of man, but not so for evil and sinful man (for this would contradict reason), but for the benefit of the pious, who recognize His divinity and serve Him in a fitting manner. But why create sinful men altogether? This touches on the important problem of the reason for the existence of evil, a problem which is decisive for the justification of the Jewish view of God. But his reply shows that the author did not understand the problem at all⁴⁴Similarly strange is another observation which refers to the problem of theodicy. Man’s sufferings are a sign of divine love, while a peaceful, non-suffering life proves that man is not beloved by God. IX, ועור כשיבואו על אדם ייםורין וחליים וצרות או יגלה מארצו, ידע כי הבורא אוהב אותו ויםרחו כאשר ייםר איש את בנו, ואם יראת כי שקט ובוטח בלא ייםורין וחליים והוא עומד בשלוה ולא עכרו עליו נםיונות, ידע כי אין הבורא אוהב אותו. , for he justifies the existence of sinners in a way which is incompatible with the belief in God’s omnipotence: God created the world for the benefit of the pious, while the sinners were created unintentionally as it were, out of the nature of creation. The fruit has a shell, and the purpose is what is inside—so are the pious the fruit of creation, and the evil-doers their shells. The sower is concerned with the growth of the wheat, yet weeds must be expected to grow also, just as thorns grow together with the rose. Thus does God intend to create only the pious; but the power of creation brings sinners forth at the same time.⁴⁵I, ועוד נדע ונבין, כי העולם לא בראו הבורא בעבור הרשעים וחמכעיםים אותו, כי זה לא יחייב אותו בשכל, ואולם בראו בעבור החםידים היודעים אלוהותו והעובדים אותו כראוי, וכל סוונתו היתד לברוא החםידים, אך נבראו הרשעים מכה טבע הבריאה, וכאשר יש לפרי קליפה והמבחר הוא טה שבתוך הקליפה, כן החסידים הם פרי בריאת העולם והרשעים הם כטו הקליפות וכאשר נראה כוונת הזורע להצמיח החטה לבדה אבל כה הצמח יוציא עם החטה באשה ועם השושנה מיני קוצים, כך כוונת הבורא לברוא החםידים אבל כה הבריאה יוציא עם החםידים רשעים. The author uses also an analogy from the area of human activities. Every good artisan wants to create a beautiful and useful object. The intelligent potter wants to make beautiful containers. If one of them turns out to be ugly, crooked or imperfect, he will not put it together with the beautiful ones, but he will throw it out and destroy it. Similarly, God wants to create in the world only pious and good people. He rejects the sinners because they do not fit in the work of creation. The pious glorify the divine work of creation, while the sinners contribute to the profanation of the divine Name.⁴⁶II וכאשר האומן החכם בעשותו מלאכה נאה, יתפאר בת לכל רואיו, כן הבורא יתברך יתפאר בחםידיו כאשר אמר: ובישראל אתפאר ואומר: ישראל אשר בך אתפאר, ויתפאר בחםידיו מפני שהם אות גדול על תקון מלאכתו וראיה ברורה על יושר פעולותיו, והרשעים הפך מה שאמרנו, כי הם נותנים פגם בבריאתו והם םבה לחלל שם כבודו וכו׳ If one might object that the fact that God had to create the world proves that He was in need of it, the answer is that no power in the world can force God to do anything—it is His own power which forces the creatures to proceed from non-being to being. He does this so that His divinity be recognized, His glory be revealed, and that He may be happy with His creatures as a father is happy at having a wise and intelligent son who grants him the honor due to him. The creation of the world does therefore not stem from God’s need, and yet it has an important reason, namely the glorification of God. As no king is a king unless he has subjects—as it says, “In the multitude of people is the king’s glory” (Prov. 14:28)—so is God a Creator only after He has created, and God only if He has a nation, as it says, “I shall be your God, and you shall be My people” (Lev. 26:12). Although the name of God is not weakened by the absence of human beings, nor exalted through their existence, the name of God becomes His only through creation. Although the power of the Creator existed before the creation, the name of the divinity has been perfected by it.⁴⁷ibid. ואחרי אשר התבאר, כי לא נברא העולם לצורך, נאמר כי נברא לםבה גדולה והוא עבודת הבורא ית׳ כי כאשר המלך לא יקרא מלך עד אשר יהיה לו עם, כמו שנאמר ברוב עם הדרת מלך, כמו כן שם הבורא לא נקרא בורא, עד אשר יהיה לו נברא ולא נקרא אלהים עד אשר יהיה לו עם כמ״ש והייתי לכם לאלהים ואתם תהיו לי לעם, ואע״פ ששם האלהות לא יחםר בחםרון בני אדם ולא יוםיף בהם, אך בבריאת העולם היה ראוי להקרא שם הבורא…וכן הבורא לא יחםר כהו בטרם נברא העולם, אך בבריאת העולם הוםיף שלמות שלו, וזו היא הםיבה אשר למענה נברא העולם. By worshipping and revering God and by fulfilling His will, man reaches the highest perfection of his power, his reason and his status, thereby testifying to the perfection of his creator.⁴⁸I כן מלכות הבורא ית׳ תוםיף שלמות והדור בעבודת בני האדם ויראתם ממנו, ואע״פ שלא יחםר שלמותו לחםרון עבודתם, אך כשישלים העבד רצון אדוניו יהיה העבד בתכלית השלמות בכחו ושכלו וכל עניניו ותהיה שלמותו לאות על שלמות אדוניו.

The fourteenth thing a man should remember is how a person tends to love one who is friendly towards him, as it is written : "As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man" (Prov. 27:19). All the more so, if a man sees that a king receives him with a friendly countenance and shows him that he loves him, how much will the man love him and praise him and extol him for this. All the more so are we obliged to love with all our hearts the Creator, Blessed be He, who has informed us that He loves us and has assured us that He will continue to love us in every generation. As it is said, "And yet for all that, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break My covenant with them" (Lev. 26:44).

The words Alah, i.e. "curse," and the word Eyleh i.e. "these," contain the same letters in the same order, only the vowel pattern is different. The message of the Torah is that once the curses of both Leviticus chapter 27, and Deuteronomy chapter 29, have come to pass, the return of Israel to its roots will be signalled by conversion of the אלה, curse to אלה דברי הברית, "these are the words of the covenant," that the guilt of Israel will be at an end, that there will no longer be a need for exile and dispersion. Lamentations 4,22 refers to these sins of Zion having come to an end. All this is the direct result of expulsion, exile, dispersion. The author refers to his commentary on מסכת תענית, in which he has elaborated on this subject.

G–d wanted him to wait a little after saying the word כארזים, "like cedars," so that it would be noticed that it was meant as a curse, not a pious wish. [The tone sign Tipcha, which is a tone sign that separates from what follows, is somewhat unexpectedly under the word ארזים, supports the thesis of the author. Ed.] It also hints at the "separation" of Israel from its roots, i.e. exile, and that is why the Talmud in Taanit says that Achiyah's curse, which did not envisage separation of the Jewish people from its homeland was more beneficial than Bileam's blessing. The South wind, which is capable of "dislocating" the cedar is a reference to Israel in exile, i.e. the cedar that has been "dislocated." The dislocation is for Israel's good however, enabling it to become refined, cleansed from sin. We see the curse as a coin with two sides, one of which contains a great blessing. All of this is predicted in the Torah's "reproofs," in Leviticus 26,44: "Yet, even then, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them or spurn them, etc." This is the blessing in disguise that we have talked about.

And our Sages said, "Everyone for whom it is possible to protest against the sinful things of the people of his household, and he does not protest, is considered guilty of the wrongs of the men of his household. If it is possible for him to protest against the deeds of the people of his city and he does not do so he is held responsible for the wrongs of the people of the city. If it is possible for him to protest against the wrongs of the whole world and he does not do so, then he is considered guilty of the wrongs of all the world" (Shabbath 54b). And it is said, "And they shall stumble one upon another" (Lev. 26:37). And our Rabbis, of blessed memory, explained it as meaning, "Each man for the sin of his brother," which teaches us that all Israel are responsible, one for another (Sanh. 27b).

And our Sages said, "Everyone for whom it is possible to protest against the sinful things of the people of his household, and he does not protest, is considered guilty of the wrongs of the men of his household. If it is possible for him to protest against the deeds of the people of his city and he does not do so he is held responsible for the wrongs of the people of the city. If it is possible for him to protest against the wrongs of the whole world and he does not do so, then he is considered guilty of the wrongs of all the world" (Shabbath 54b). And it is said, "And they shall stumble one upon another" (Lev. 26:37). And our Rabbis, of blessed memory, explained it as meaning, "Each man for the sin of his brother," which teaches us that all Israel are responsible, one for another (Sanh. 27b).

The fourteenth principle of repentance is the confession, as it is said, "That he shall confess that wherein he hath sinned" (Lev. 5:5). And a person is obliged to remember his sins, and the sins of his fathers. Now why should he confess the sins of his fathers? Because of the fact that he is considered guilty if he clings to the evil deeds of his fathers. And thus it is written, "And they shall confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers" (Lev. 26:40). And he should be very careful at the time of the confession to resolve in his heart to abandon his evil ways, for if he returns to them and does not abandon them he is like one who immerses himself but grasps an unclean creature (Ta'anith 16a). For confession is like immersion and the sin is like the unclean worm, and it is clear that immersion is of no use when the person who immerses himself holds on to the source of his defilement.

And if a man does not repent in the time of his trouble, his punishment will be doubled. It is just as in the case of a king of flesh and blood : if a man has sinned against him, and the king punishes him, and the man does not want to receive his punishment, the king will continue to punish him and will increase the weight of his yoke. And such is the character of the Holy One, Blessed be He, as it is written, "And if, for all that, you do not obey Me, I will go on to discipline you" (Lev. 26:18). And if he does not understand that the evils which come upon him are because of his sins, but he says, "It was chance that happened to us" (see I Samuel 6:9), there will be great wrath against this man, for he does not believe that because of his sins the troubles came upon him. Therefore you must know, and you must intelligently consider, that when God punishes a man, it is for the man's good, to favor him with two benefits : one, to atone for his sins, as it is said, "See mine affliction and my travail; and forgive all my sins" (Ps. 25:18); and the second, to rebuke him, and to cause him to return from his evil ways, as it is said, "Surely thou wilt fear Me, thou wilt receive correction" (Zeph. 3:7). And if a man does not repent because of his troubles, then woe to him who has borne troubles and has not yet atoned for his sins! And even then, his punishment will be doubled, because he does not believe that it is because of his sins that he was punished.

A few words concerning the four methods of executing someone legally that are possible in Jewish law, namely סקילה, שרפה, הרג, חנק, i.e. death by stoning, burning, sword or asphyxiation. Though according to the plain meaning, פשט, these methods are listed in descending order of severity, and the Torah specified the method compatible with each respective sin for which a death penalty is mandatory as a positive commandment, the fact remains that a person's death is due to the angel of death who derives his authority from the attribute of Justice, מדת הדין, which in turn decides on a variety of methods in which to implement this authority. Execution by the sword is symbolic of the avenging sword at work; it avenges the breach of the covenant with the supreme Law-giver. Hanging, i.e. choking to death, is appropriate for rebellious acts, i.e. an unspecified method of execution, suggesting that it is the result of the מדת הדין. The sinner is to have his mouth closed so that he can no longer speak out rebelliously. Stoning, סקילה, i.e. the very use of stones, suggests that the guilty person had upset the אבן הפינה, the cornerstone of Torah, had undermined it, so to speak. Death by fire, indicates that G–d's great fire had struck the guilty person (compare Rekanati's commentary on Deut. 18,16).

Now we can also understand Midrash Rabbah Vayikra in section 35, concerning Leviticus 26,3: "If you observe My commandments and carry them out;" Rabbi Chama said in the name of Rabbi Chanina that the meaning is that if you observe the Torah laws, I, (G–d) will consider this for you as if you had carried them out, the word אותם meaning the same as אתם, you." Rabbi Chaninah son of Pappa said that you will be considered as though you had created them yourselves, and, by extension, have created yourselves. Rabbi Chiyah taught: "He who studies to perform, not he who studies in order not to perform- for in such an instance it were better he had never been created. Rabbi Yochanan says that if someone studies with the intention of not performing, he should have had the afterbirth flung in his face so that he would not have been born alive. Rabbi Acha says that he who studies in order to perform (the commandments) will have the merit of welcoming the Holy Spirit. How do we know this? It is written in Joshua 1,8: למען תשמור לעשות ככל הכתוב בו, כי אז תצליח את דרכך ואז תשכיל. "So that you may observe faithfully all that is written therein (the Torah). Only then will you prosper in your undertakings and only then will you be successful." The expression תשכיל means that one is granted Holy Spirit as we know from Psalms 89,1: משכיל לאיתן האזרחי "An inspired statement by Eytan the Ezrahite." Thus far the Midrash in Vayikra.

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.

Rabbi Acha understands the words ועשיתם אתם according to a Kabbalistic interpretation that performance of the Sacrificial Service is something required by Heaven. This is based on the perception that by performing מצות Israel enhances the honour and glory of G–d. This is also the approach followed by the Zohar in its commentary on the words ועשיתם אתם. The following is a quotation from that passage in the Zohar, (Sullam edition page 7) on Bechukotai: G–d says: "If someone performs the commandments and walks in My paths, it is as if he had made the heavens, had made ME and preserved ME." This is derived from the defective spelling of Otam without the letter ו, so that the reading is "you have made (them) yourselves," i.e. you have constructed the fabric of the Name of G–d which is Torah. Rabbi Shimon explained Samuel II 8,13: ויעש דוד שם בשובו מהכותו את ארם בגיא מלח, "David made a name when he returned from defeating Aram at the valley of salt." Did David "make a name?" The meaning is that because David complied with G–d's instructions and walked in His paths, he made a name for G–d. No other king in the world achieved this merit. David used to rise from his bed at midnight singing the praises of G–d, until G–d Himself, i.e. His Holy Name arose on His throne at dawn, a reference to the emanation מלכות. We have learned in Leviticus 24,11 that the reverse is possible also, when the Torah says, ויקוב בן האשה הישראלית את השם ויקלל "The son of the Israelite woman made a hole in the name (of G–d) by cursing it." This source is the reason we can interpret the verse in Samuel as we did. This is also why the Torah writes in Leviticus 26,3 ועשיתם אתם, meaning that if you perform them (the commandments), the result will be that you improve His Name. Thus far the Zohar.

There is one strategy that can save a person from even a trace of conceit when he propounds his Torah insights in public. That is, by recalling that even if he is by far the greatest scholar of his generation he is still not on the level of Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai, yet Rabbi Shimon was exceedingly humble. Thus it is related in the Zohar on Parashas Shemos (14a): Rabbi Chiyya used to go to the masters of the Mishnah in order to learn from them. When he went to the house of Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai he saw that it was divided by a partition. Rabbi Chiyya was surprised and said to himself, “I will listen from outside.” He heard Rabbi Shimon saying, “[It is written,] ‘Flee, my beloved, and resemble a deer, etc.’ (Shir HaShirim 8:14). There is no other creature that behaves like the deer. When it flees it goes a short distance and then turns its head to look back at the place from which it fled. Then all along the way it turns its head back constantly. “This is what Israel was saying in this verse, ‘Master of the Universe! If we cause you to abandon us, may it be Your will to flee in the manner of the deer by continually looking back towards the place where you left us! This is also the manner of the creature called the ‘fawn of the harts.’ For this reason Shlomo said, ‘Resemble a deer or a fawn of the harts.’ This is what is stated in the verse, ‘And yet for all that, when they are in the land of their enemies I will not revile them nor will I utterly reject them to destroy them, etc.’ (Vayikra 26:44).”

Afterwards, as a result of Bileam "walking" i.e. setting out on an errand that was meant to harm the Jewish people, G–d transformed the intended curses into blessings in inverse ratio to the wickedness intended by him. As Solomon says in Proverbs 10,24: "The fear of the wicked will come upon him; the desire of the righteous will be granted." When Bileam next announces "ואדעה מה יוסף ה' דבר עמי," "I will know what else G–d will speak to me" (22,19), he is already inadvertently hinting that he will become the instrument by means of which G–d will bless Israel. An example of this additional blessing can be seen in the words "how goodly are your tents O Jacob, your dwellings O Israel." Whereas, originally the blessing was valid only while Israel was secure in its land, the additional words referring to temporary abodes of Israel, i.e. משכנותיך, include periods during which Israel will be exiled (24,5). The very exile is a source of blessing, since it produces repentance and subsequently a rejuvenation of the Jewish people. This is why the name Jacob, and the temporary nature of the dwellings called "huts," is associated with the former temporary residence of the Jewish people, on their own land, whereas "Israel," the choicest of names for this people, as well as "dwellings," is employed when it describes-paradoxically,-its state of exile. The Talmud in Baba Metzia 68a, in trying to define a mortgage which is called in Aramaic mashkanta, a word resembling the Hebrew Mishkan, dwelling, describes it as something that constantly “dwells” with the owner of the field against which a loan has been made. The constant awareness of one's dependence acts as a spur to rid oneself of such an obligation. The exile experience of the Jewish people is meant to do the same, to imbue us with the urgent desire to do all in our power to become worthy of redemption. At that time G–d's promise (Leviticus 26,11) ונתתי משכני בתוככם "I will give My dwelling to be in your midst," will be fulfilled. The destruction of the Temple and the Jewish state was a necessary prelude to building a better Jewish nation. This is the meaning of the prophecy וירד מיעקב והאביד שריד מעיר, "A victor will issue forth from Jacob to wipe out what is left of ‘lr’" (24,19). Bileam saw a vision of the greatness of the Messiah, someone greater than himself. What he did not appreciate was that purity could be rooted in impurity, just as Abraham came forth out of a Terach. When the Messiah arrives, the last vestiges of the dross remaining from former efforts at distilling the pure out of the impure will vanish. The מלאך רע, "evil angel," who is personified by Bileam, had to acknowledge this, i.e. say Amen" to this concept. Bileam expanded on this theme of redemption when he said: "What I see for them is not yet, what I behold will not be soon" (24,17). He seems to be repeating himself. Another difficulty in Bileam's words is the fact that they seem to be contradictory. First he says: "I can see it," suggesting a clear vision, whereas immediately afterwards he describes this as in the distant future, i.e. not being so clear. What is meant is that every single day that passes contains elements of the eventual total Redemption. This is what Bileam realises clearly. What he does not see so clearly is the date on which this process will be complete. Our Rabbis have described this process as "a single sheep resides amongst seventy wolves. These wolves attempt daily to devour the sheep, but the Almighty saves it from their clutches," as in Pessikta Rabbah 9,2. The very fact that the Jewish nation continues to exist is part of the proof that the Redemption is an ongoing process. G–d is busy performing such miracles without the person for whom such miracles are being performed even becoming aware of them. This is why Bileam says "I see it," i.e. as an ongoing process, "but not now," i.e. the true Redemption, the arrival of the Messiah, has not yet come to pass. Subsequently, Bileam turns to the vision of the Redemption, of which he says: "I see it, but not in the near future." He reveals that there is a date that G–d has fixed for it, though if the people were deserving that date could be advanced. This is parallel to the explanation of the sages on the apparent paradox in Isaiah 60,22, "at its appointed time, I will hasten it." The meaning is that though there is an appointed time beyond which the Redemption will not be delayed, it may occur sooner if Israel deserves it (Sanhedrin 98a). אשורנו, means "I can see it if Israel does penitence," whereas ולא קרוב, means that if they were not worthy then that Redemption would not be in the near future. It is at that time that all previous curses will turn into blessings, for the Redemption was brought about sooner as a result of Israel responding positively to the curses it has had to suffer. We read in Deuteronomy 23,6: "G–d transformed the curse (Bileam's) into a blessing for you, for the Lord your G–d loves you." The last words seem superfluous, since no one would assume that someone who hates you turns your curses into blessings. The meaning, however, may be that repentance is "great," since it has the power to convert former misdeeds into merits. Such repentance indeed has such power when it is the result of love of G–d and not the fear of punishment. Curses may be a hidden display of G–d's love, for once they have fulfilled their purpose, they eventually enable Him to turn them into blessings. Love for G–d by the repentant sinner is reciprocated by Him so that what used to be demerits are accounted as merits retroactively.

I would like to offer an additional thought on this anomaly. Rashi in his commentary on Leviticus 26,42- where the Torah writes that even while in exile, and while being persecuted, G–d will always remember the covenant with Jacob, Isaac and Abraham (in our favour)- states that the name יעקוב is spelled with the letter ו on only five occasions in the Bible. The name אליהו, on the other hand, is spelled without the final letter ו on five occasions. Rashi views Jacob as having "borrowed" a letter from the name of Elijah on those five occasions. He considers that letter as a pledge by the prophet Elijah that he will come to announce the deliverance of Israel. The mystical dimension of these five occasions is that they refer to the last two letters ו and ה in the Ineffable Name. Jacob, because he is the מרכבה, "carrier" of G–d's Presence, "borrowed" the letter ו from the name of אליהו five times. This letter was to serve as guarantee that the eventual redemption would be a full and comprehensive one. It should be able to combine with the letter נקבה תסובב גבר, the female element. This is an allusion to the promise in Jeremiah 31,22, that at that time שירה חדשה, "woman will court man," as we have mentioned elsewhere, and that the שירה חדשה, will be transformed into a שיר חדש. When Moses speaks about האות הזה, instead of האות הזאת in Exodus 8,19, this is an allusion to the time when the word אות will be treated as masculine in all its aspects. The word אות refers to the extra letter which will be added to the spelling of the word פדת, so that it will be seen to be פדות. Moses speaks of האות הזה as in (זה לך האות), to show that at the time of the final redemption the numerical value of the word זאת (when you ignore the "zeros,") will be 12, the same as the numerical value of the word זה. It is an allusion to the 12 צירופים, different permutations, in which the Ineffable Name can be spelled when using a word for each letter. It is significant that in Michah 7,15 we read concerning such a time in the future: כימי צאתך מארץ מצרים אראנו נפלאות. The prophet describes that the miracles performed by G–d at the time of the Exodus will pale into insignificance, and he describes how the nations of the world will react to G–d's manifesting His power anew. It is at that time that the real thrust of Moses' promise in Exodus 8,19: "I will set these My signs," will truly be fulfilled.

The two hundred and fifty men whose intentions were honorable since they wanted to elevate themselves spiritually, also spoke rebelliously despite their good intentions. We must not be too surprised at this, since we find in Gittin 57a, in connection with reports of the war that resulted in the destruction of Jerusalem and the Holy Temple, that there was a man called Bar Deroma who could jump a mile and a half and kill while jumping. The Roman Caesar, realising the danger this man represented to his army, placed his crown on the ground, and prayed to G–d (our G–d) not to deliver his army into the hands of this man. At that moment this Bar Deroma caused his own downfall by quoting a verse from Psalms 60,12: "Have You O G–d not forsaken us? You do not march with our armies!" When the Talmud asks that David had been guilty of similar statements and nothing had happened, the answer given is that when David said this it was a question, whereas in the case of Bar Deroma it was said as a statement. What happened with the two hundred and fifty men was similar. They were part of the ויקומו, the rebellious attitude, though their intent was different from that of Korach. We can compare them to a student who stands before his teacher in a very upright position, not deferentially. It was their demand that the whole congregation should be holy, that the mantle of holiness should not be restricted to selected individuals. They justified their demand by saying that the whole nation had been found worthy to be addressed directly by G–d at the Revelation at Mount Sinai. By using the singular when saying אנכי ה'אלוקיך, G–d supposedly included everybody as being part of the same category. Otherwise He could have said אלוקיכם. This proved that G–d is indeed בתוכנו, "amongst us all." When G–d promises the Jewish people good fortune in the future in Leviticus 26,12, He says "והתהלכתי בתוככם," since He refers to a period when the world will be full of the knowledge of G–d. That is the period of which Isaiah 11,9, has said: "The earth will be filled with knowledge of G–d." These men were eager to cleave to G–d, as had been the sons of Aaron when they brought the incense in the Holy of Holies and who had died as a result. Precisely the same happened to the two hundred and fifty men.

There are five בתי אבות, family-sources, which have to be viewed as "above" the concept of land distribution. They are the three patriarchs, to whom the land was promised, but who never took possession of it even though they pined for it and were buried in it. Then there is Joseph, who is described as the direct continuation of Jacob in Genesis 37,2: אלה תולדות יעקב, יוסף. [there was no other reason for the Torah to tell us this fact which we all knew. Ed.] Joseph expressed an ardent desire to be buried in the land of Israel, and made his brothers swear an oath that they would take his bones with them at the time of the redemption from Egypt (Genesis 50,24). There is also Levi, whose descendants did not share in the land, for the Torah describes G–d Himself as their inheritance (Deut. 18,1). We must realize that these five people (or groups of people) were on a spiritual level where they did not need their share of land on earth in order to have their share of the land of Israel in the Celestial Domain. That region is the root of the terrestrial ארץ ישראל. The letter ה in the words במקום ה-זה, alludes to these five categories of people who spiritually outranked the other twelve, i.e. 12 =זה. There is also a special significance in the number five when we consider the five manifestations of G–d's Presence that were missing during the time of the second Temple. This means that there was a residual presence of חרב, i.e. חורבן, destruction, during the entire period of the second Temple. Our sages expressed this in terms of the missing letter ה, in the word ואכבד in Chagai 1,8, where the word should have been the same as in Exodus 14,4, ואכבדה בפרעה (cf. Rashi on that verse in חגי). In the future (third Temple) these five manifestations of G–d's שכינה will be restored. Not only will they be restored, but such a future will herald new spiritual heights when the original light that permeated the universe immediately after the Creation will also be restored. It is the time described in Isaiah 25,9 as: זה ה' קוינו לו, "This is the Lord whom we have hoped for." At that time the promise in Leviticus 26,12: והתהלכתי בתוככם, "I will be walking among you," will also be fulfilled.

When this column of smoke inclined to the north it would enter a certain hole there. All the bands of the Sitra Achara knew about this smoke and would gather round. One of them was appointed over all of them and they were accompanied by sixty-thousand myriad encampments of shells of impurity. All of these would gather together in the north and stand beside a certain portal called, “Happenstance [keri].” It is from that opening that all the accusers of Israel would emanate. Concerning this was it stated, “And if you walk with me by happenstance, then I will also walk with you with the wrath of happenstance” (Vayikra 26:21-28). These are the same shells of impurity that go out to fly and hover about at night, appearing to men and engaging them in levity until they have an emission of seed [keri]. The column of smoke mentioned above provides sustenance for these accusers so that they will stay in their place and not spread about the world. It was corresponding to this that the evening service was instituted. And since these bands of accusers come from an eirev rav [a “mixed multitude”], the corresponding prayer is called tefilas erev [the “Evening Prayer”], to weaken the above mentioned forces. Extreme concentration is required during the Evening Prayer in order to weaken the power of the Sitra Achara, especially during this bitter exile.

We shall follow the approach of Pardes Rimonim in his introduction to שער האותיות. Many people mistakenly believe that the letters of the Hebrew tongue are only symbols used to express certain formations by our mouths when we make certain sounds. Such a premise is called הסכמיים, an accommodation, by the sages who formulated the אלף-בית, to an already existing speech pattern. These letters must instead be considered as עצמיים, original in their own right. Whatever language we speak is originally borrowed from the Hebrew. All languages evolved from Hebrew. When Adam first named all the animals in Genesis 2,19, he expressed the essence of each animal through the name he accorded that animal. As a result, a name of an object represents its true spiritual dimension. When the Hebrew word for rain is גשם, for instance, this is an expression denoting the spiritual influence exerted from the higher regions, denoting that the purpose of the spiritual input has been achieved. This process applies to the various worlds, such as the world of בריאה, יצירה, and עשיה, respectively, until in our physical world the drops of moisture that fall from the sky are also called גשם. This is actually a name "borrowed" from a word which had a broader meaning to begin with. The same applies to the word ידות used by the Mishnah to describe handles. Keeping this in mind, we understand that when the Torah (Leviticus 26,4) lists a number of blessings in store for us as a result of observing G–d's various statutes, etc., the first such blessing mentioned is that of גשם, rain. In view of the fact that rain is only one of the instruments enabling a crop to materialize, we would have expected the Torah to first mention bountiful crops as a consequence of Torah observance. The fact that the Torah chooses to mention rain first is an indication that there is much more to גשם than we thought.

The meaning of the Midrash is most likely that during the time Jacob had lain down, ויש-כב, and the time he woke up, he had experienced the expansion of the alphabet of 22 letters into three groups, i.e. 3+7+12, which made up the various elements of Israel, as we have discussed earlier. It was this additional insight which he described after he awoke as something that he had not realized previously.

Another allusion to walls being perceived as preventing moral damage is found in 26,28 where G–d is described as dealing with the recalcitrant Jewish people as בחמת קרי. G–d's anger is the result of abuse of the חומה, wall, as we shall see. In all the three instances of the dual spelling of the word לא-לו, we follow the written text first. This means that if the house in question did not have a wall surrounding it לא חומה, it ought to have one, i.e. לו חומה. [It is in the nature of such spelling that the reader first notices the written text before he articulates the word when reading it. The לא therefore is seen first. Ed.] If we were to read the לו before the לא, the meaning would be that we speak about a house which first had a wall, i.e. moral inhibitions, whose moral inhibitions were removed subsequently, i.e. לא חומה. In such an instance the words in the תוכחה describing G–d's reactions as בחמת קרי are applicable. We may then see the removal of the חומה, "wall of moral inhibition," as the catalyst of G–d's anger, חמת קרי. We have three areas in which man's lifestyle is examined by G–d. We have statements by our sages relating to all these three areas. The first area is covered by the Mishnah we have quoted in Avot. The second area is covered by the statement of Rav concerning the absence of food and drink in the Hereafter. The third area is covered by the dispute about the nature of הזיק ראיה discussed in Baba Batra. The sages (Baba Kama 30a) said in very succinct language that if someone wishes to be considered as pious he should observe the various rulings pertaining to the benedictions we are to recite. Other sages say such a person should live up to the moral precepts found in the tractate Avot.

Let us return to the statement that by their actions the righteous can transform the attribute of Justice into the attribute of Mercy and that the reverse is true of the actions of the wicked. This is the deeper meaning of 26,5: וישבתם לבטח בארצכם, "you will dwell safely in your land." Such a state is achieved through the refinement of matter, i.e. converting ארץ earth because of the בטח, the way one relates, i.e. relies on G–d. When your life on earth is one in which your enjoyment is motivated by the desire to serve G–d better, then the land itself assumes a spiritual dimension. This is why the prophet Isaiah 11,9 may have chosen to describe such a future period as כי מלאה הארץ דעה את ה', that the earth will be full of knowledge of the Lord." This is the reason why we have numerous allusions to this thought in פרשת בהר, where the sanctity of the land is discussed. The subject is always the sanctity of matter, not just the sanctity of the spirit. In פרשת בחוקותי the emphasis is merely shifted to the future when we have statements such as ועץ השדה יתן פריו, "and the tree of the field will yield its fruit" (26,4). This promise does not speak about the fruit-bearing trees yielding their harvest; rather it promises that as a result of sanctifying the land through our conduct the "tree of the field," (not the orchard) will also produce fruit fit to be consumed by man. The mystical dimension of all this is that matter will be perceived as possessing an intelligence of its own.

We find a clear allusion to the fact that we will be spared that ultimate degradation in Leviticus 26,44 where the Torah discusses all the punishments that will be inflicted on the Jewish nation for rebellion against the laws of the Torah: "Yet, even then when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them or spurn them so as to destroy them, annulling My covenant with them; for I the Lord am their G–d." The destruction G–d speaks of is the descent into the pit called "Gehinom." David refers to it by saying חייתני מיורדי בור, "You have preserved me from going down into the Pit" (verse 4). There is a further allusion here to Lamentations 3,53: צמתו בבור חיי, "They have ended my life in a pit." When David continues in verse 5: זמרו לה' חסידיו, "O you faithful sing to Him," he refers to the Ineffable Name by means of which many miracles have been performed, a "hidden" name, as G–d already told Moses when He said to him in Exodus 3,15: זה שמי לעלם וזה זכרי לדור דור, "This is My Name, the hidden one, (forever) and My appellation for all eternity." The reason that the word לעולם is spelled defective there is to alert us to the hidden aspects of G–d's name. The two references to זה, are: one to the Ineffable four-lettered Name, the other to the name א-ד-נ-י, which equals the numerical value of the word היכל, Sanctuary, i.e. 65. The mystique of G–d's name is its association with the Sanctuary.