민수기 23:31의 Chasidut
Likutei Halakhot
...(Numbers 23:22) "God took them out of Egypt," meaning that the blessed God brought them out independently - through an awakening from above, and without an awakening from below. Because God did not wait for the light to take form according to their vessels - which is the aspect of an awakening from below. Rather, "God took them out Egypt," meaning that God independently formed the light for good and caused it to descend from above...
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Kedushat Levi
Our author describes the prophecy of Moses as dealing with the holiness of matter, whereas the prophecy of Bileam was focused on the קליפות, the peels surrounding the essence of the fruit, i.e. matter which at best only “protects” the holy essence from being harmed. Most of the time when we speak of קליפות, we refer to matter that must be removed before we can lay bare the useful or holy essence within it. He quotes Sifrey on Mattot 2 as support for this thesis. It is stated there (in respect of the words זה הדבר) that Moses was able to employ the level of זה הדבר, “this is the word” (the word of G’d itself, (not a repetition of it), i.e. G’d speaks through my throat. This is a totally supernatural level of prophecy. A prophecy emanating from such supernatural regions is subject to being reversed (according to our author) something that is not possible when the utterance of the prophecy commenced in this material world of ours. Reversals of prophecies described as זה הדבר, can occur both when referring to “good” prophecies and “bad” prophecies. This is why Moses’ prophetic powers were used to promote holiness, sanctity, and could often “stand in the breach,” i.e. was able to reverse decrees that would have harmed or destroyed Israel otherwise.
Bileam, whose prophecies only dealt with matters devoid of sanctity, applied this technique also, but used it only to reverse “good” prophecies to “bad” prophecies The fact that Bileam did possess such powers is hinted at in the Torah when it quotes him as telling Balak (Numbers 23,1) בנה לי בזה שבעה מזבחות, “build for me as a symbol of the power of זה seven altars.” He repeats this with a slight variation when he tells Balak: והכן לי בזה שבעה מזבחות, “prepare for me, etc.” (Numbers 23,29). He again added the word בזה to indicate under what auspices he planned to change G’d’s mind about blessing Israel.
Rashi, commenting on 23,16 where G’d says to Bileam: שוב אל בלק וכה תדבד, “go back to Balak and speak to him using the method by which other prophets introduce their prophecies,” i.e. with the preamble כה, “thus,” explains that G’d had understood what Bileam had had in mind and He thwarted him from using the method called זה, which would have enabled him subsequently to reverse the blessings. In other words, G’d ensured that the words Bileam would utter could not be reversed.
Bileam, whose prophecies only dealt with matters devoid of sanctity, applied this technique also, but used it only to reverse “good” prophecies to “bad” prophecies The fact that Bileam did possess such powers is hinted at in the Torah when it quotes him as telling Balak (Numbers 23,1) בנה לי בזה שבעה מזבחות, “build for me as a symbol of the power of זה seven altars.” He repeats this with a slight variation when he tells Balak: והכן לי בזה שבעה מזבחות, “prepare for me, etc.” (Numbers 23,29). He again added the word בזה to indicate under what auspices he planned to change G’d’s mind about blessing Israel.
Rashi, commenting on 23,16 where G’d says to Bileam: שוב אל בלק וכה תדבד, “go back to Balak and speak to him using the method by which other prophets introduce their prophecies,” i.e. with the preamble כה, “thus,” explains that G’d had understood what Bileam had had in mind and He thwarted him from using the method called זה, which would have enabled him subsequently to reverse the blessings. In other words, G’d ensured that the words Bileam would utter could not be reversed.
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Kedushat Levi
Our author describes the prophecy of Moses as dealing with the holiness of matter, whereas the prophecy of Bileam was focused on the קליפות, the peels surrounding the essence of the fruit, i.e. matter which at best only “protects” the holy essence from being harmed. Most of the time when we speak of קליפות, we refer to matter that must be removed before we can lay bare the useful or holy essence within it. He quotes Sifrey on Mattot 2 as support for this thesis. It is stated there (in respect of the words זה הדבר) that Moses was able to employ the level of זה הדבר, “this is the word” (the word of G’d itself, (not a repetition of it), i.e. G’d speaks through my throat. This is a totally supernatural level of prophecy. A prophecy emanating from such supernatural regions is subject to being reversed (according to our author) something that is not possible when the utterance of the prophecy commenced in this material world of ours. Reversals of prophecies described as זה הדבר, can occur both when referring to “good” prophecies and “bad” prophecies. This is why Moses’ prophetic powers were used to promote holiness, sanctity, and could often “stand in the breach,” i.e. was able to reverse decrees that would have harmed or destroyed Israel otherwise.
Bileam, whose prophecies only dealt with matters devoid of sanctity, applied this technique also, but used it only to reverse “good” prophecies to “bad” prophecies The fact that Bileam did possess such powers is hinted at in the Torah when it quotes him as telling Balak (Numbers 23,1) בנה לי בזה שבעה מזבחות, “build for me as a symbol of the power of זה seven altars.” He repeats this with a slight variation when he tells Balak: והכן לי בזה שבעה מזבחות, “prepare for me, etc.” (Numbers 23,29). He again added the word בזה to indicate under what auspices he planned to change G’d’s mind about blessing Israel.
Rashi, commenting on 23,16 where G’d says to Bileam: שוב אל בלק וכה תדבד, “go back to Balak and speak to him using the method by which other prophets introduce their prophecies,” i.e. with the preamble כה, “thus,” explains that G’d had understood what Bileam had had in mind and He thwarted him from using the method called זה, which would have enabled him subsequently to reverse the blessings. In other words, G’d ensured that the words Bileam would utter could not be reversed.
Bileam, whose prophecies only dealt with matters devoid of sanctity, applied this technique also, but used it only to reverse “good” prophecies to “bad” prophecies The fact that Bileam did possess such powers is hinted at in the Torah when it quotes him as telling Balak (Numbers 23,1) בנה לי בזה שבעה מזבחות, “build for me as a symbol of the power of זה seven altars.” He repeats this with a slight variation when he tells Balak: והכן לי בזה שבעה מזבחות, “prepare for me, etc.” (Numbers 23,29). He again added the word בזה to indicate under what auspices he planned to change G’d’s mind about blessing Israel.
Rashi, commenting on 23,16 where G’d says to Bileam: שוב אל בלק וכה תדבד, “go back to Balak and speak to him using the method by which other prophets introduce their prophecies,” i.e. with the preamble כה, “thus,” explains that G’d had understood what Bileam had had in mind and He thwarted him from using the method called זה, which would have enabled him subsequently to reverse the blessings. In other words, G’d ensured that the words Bileam would utter could not be reversed.
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Sha'ar HaEmunah VeYesod HaChasidut
This matter is hinted at in the Zohar (Bamidbar, 118b) on the verse (Bamidbar, 2:2), “every man shall make his camp by his flag.” It says: Yet it is so, that within the holy supernal tree God sealed them with His seal, as we have established earlier. It is written (Yehezkel, 1:1), “and the form of their faces was the face of the man, and the face of the lion to the right, etc.” That is to say, the face of man was included in all four faces on the chariot. Their faces faced the four directions, each face different from the others, yet all included the face of man. Mikhael to the right, Gavriel to the left, Uriel to the front, Rafael to the back, and the Shekhina upon them. Hinted at in this passage from the Zohar on the Merkava is the entire matter of Israel’s connection to God, God’s providence through His management of the world, and the order behind His dispensation of effluence and life. Eventually it describes how God conducts the world through the outer garments. There the Zohar concludes (119a): Rabbi Yehuda said, “with Israel this is certainly so. But why do I also see this among the other nations?” He said to him, “Certainly you spoke well.” He opened his discourse with the verse (Bamidbar, 23:8), “What shall I curse that God has not cursed? Shall I send my wrath on that which God has not sent His?” “Come and see! The way things are above, so are they below. Above, there is right and there is left. Below, there is Israel and the nations. Israel holds onto the right, in the sanctity of the Holy King. The idolatrous nations hold on to the left, the side of impurity. They are all below, from all the levels of the left. All levels hold one to each other, until we see that they are all connected to the head. And wherever the head moves, the tail follows. Why is this? It is because the tail is holding on to the head. Thus, it is similar with the idolatrous nations who operate on the side of impurity. … Bilaam used all of the lower levels. He would look at the lower level, which is the tail, and is necessarily led by the head. This is why he said, “What can I curse that God has not cursed?” I cannot go against God! The supernal head was not giving out harsh judgments on those days.” … Rabbi Elazar cried and opened, saying, “Her sound is like that of a snake on the move.” (Yirmiyahu, 46:22) For now that Israel is in exile, surely the Shekhina moves like a snake. When the snake puts his head in the dust, his tail goes up and bites all that comes before him. It is the same way in the exile. The head is down in the dust, and the tail rules. Who causes the tail to go up, rule, and attack? It is the head, bent down below in the dust! Still, who is it that leads the tail, deciding which way it will go in its travels? The head! Though it is down in the dust, it leads the movements and wanderings of the tail. This is why it is said, “Her sound is like that of a snake on the move.” … Rabbi Yitzchak came and kissed his hands, and said, “If I had never learned anything save the answer to this question, it would be enough! Now I know how God leads the nations.” Here Rabbi Yitzchak understood how God conducts the world through the concealment of His presence, which is all hinted at in Yehezkel’s chariot. The description of the chariot mentions the storm wind, the great cloud, and the fire, which are all expressions of the concealment of God’s light. Yet none of these are mentioned in Yeshayahu’s vision of the chariot, for it was unnecessary at the time, as we explained above. One who understands allusions will realize why Yehezkel was compelled to reveal matters that Yeshayahu was not. The only things that the Torah reveals are matters which man needs to know in order to serve God, and to strengthen his trust and faith in God.62In summary, the mystery of faith is simple simple to express in words, yet difficult to obtain and live by. It means knowing that God’s judgment is really a vehicle for His mercy, in that it furthers His desire to bestow, and His overall plan for creation. God wisdom understands and decrees the ultimate good for His creation. The secret of the Merkava is the ability to see God’s light even in the outermost “garments” of creation, and in the realms furthest away from Divinity. In this way, the two mysteries – of faith and the Merkava – go hand in hand. The real secret is that the Divine Chariot is not some vision in the sky only beheld by a biblical prophet. The Chariot is in the world around us, both in times of redemption, and in exile. While this may not make the suffering any easier to bear on a day to day basis, it does mean that if a person looks upon the world with enlightened eyes – with the mystery of faith and the Merkava – he can, at least, find overall meaning in his suffering. This consciousness, passed from generation to generation, witnessed in the visions of the prophets and guarded in the wisdom of the sages. The transmission of sod – the Torah’s mystical dimension – is the subject of the next several chapters of this work.
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Kedushat Levi
Numbers 23,7. “come then and curse Yaakov for me, etc.;”
There is a rule that each nation must possess at least one virtue, [otherwise why would G’d allow its continued existence. Ed.]This virtue is the reason of its existence. Israel, on the other hand, possesses all virtues. This posed a problem for the wicked Bileam who had been charged with cursing such a virtuous nation. Bileam/Balak was searching for a virtue possessed by the Moabites which the Israelites could not match. Once he had isolated that virtue, this would be the key to his successfully putting a curse on the Jewish people. This is the reason why Balak, instead of using the word קלל, when asking Bileam to curse the Jewish people, used the word ארה instead, as the word ארה, from the root ארר, means to isolate in the sense of “to pin point, to single out.” The word ארר is closely related to the root ברר, “isolate,” usually the refuse, waste.
When our sages (Bartenurah on Peyah 8,1) speak of אורה בתאנים, the reference is to the selection of ripe figs for harvesting as figs do not ripen all at the same time.
Apparently, Balak wanted to pinpoint a virtue possessed by his people which was not shared by the Jewish people, and to base this moral superiority entitling Bileam to curse that nation on this virtue. This is why he referred to Yaakov, meaning: “in what manner am I like Yaakov who possessed so many virtues?” He went on saying: ולכה זועמה ישראל, “so that you can proceed and curse Israel.”
There is a rule that each nation must possess at least one virtue, [otherwise why would G’d allow its continued existence. Ed.]This virtue is the reason of its existence. Israel, on the other hand, possesses all virtues. This posed a problem for the wicked Bileam who had been charged with cursing such a virtuous nation. Bileam/Balak was searching for a virtue possessed by the Moabites which the Israelites could not match. Once he had isolated that virtue, this would be the key to his successfully putting a curse on the Jewish people. This is the reason why Balak, instead of using the word קלל, when asking Bileam to curse the Jewish people, used the word ארה instead, as the word ארה, from the root ארר, means to isolate in the sense of “to pin point, to single out.” The word ארר is closely related to the root ברר, “isolate,” usually the refuse, waste.
When our sages (Bartenurah on Peyah 8,1) speak of אורה בתאנים, the reference is to the selection of ripe figs for harvesting as figs do not ripen all at the same time.
Apparently, Balak wanted to pinpoint a virtue possessed by his people which was not shared by the Jewish people, and to base this moral superiority entitling Bileam to curse that nation on this virtue. This is why he referred to Yaakov, meaning: “in what manner am I like Yaakov who possessed so many virtues?” He went on saying: ולכה זועמה ישראל, “so that you can proceed and curse Israel.”
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Kedushat Levi
Numbers 23,9. “as I see them from the mountain tops, etc.;” according to Rashi,, Bileam, viewing Israel’s origin, understands that the creation of hills and mountains, etc., was all due to G’d wanting a people such as Israel. If He had not foreseen this in the future He would not have bothered with creating our part of the universe. This reminds us of Tanna de bey Eliyahu 14 where the opening line in the Torah reading בראשית ברא אלוקים, is understood to mean that on account of Israel, also known as ראשית, G’d began the creation of the universe. Had G’d foreseen only gentile nations in the future He would not have bothered creating hills and mountains.
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Kedushat Levi
Numbers 23,18. “arise Balak and listen!” This rather curious line may best be explained through a reference to B’reshit Rabbah 82,8 where the Midrash comments as follows on Isaiah 3,13: נצב לריב אלוקים ועומד לדין עמים, “the Lord stands up to plead a cause, He rises to judge peoples.” According to the Midrash there, the verse needs explaining, as we appear to have another verse (Joel 4,12) describing G’d as sitting. The solution offered is that when G’d “sits” in judgment of the Israelites He does so standing up, whereas when He judges the nations of the world He does so while remaining seated. The difference is in the amount of time devoted by G’d to that judgment. When forced to do things while standing up, one tends to try and finish one’s business so that one can sit down again. When doing one’s work while remaining comfortably seated, one is more likely to do things more slowly.
When our sages offered this solution to the apparent contradiction, they may have had in mind the verse according to which the tzaddik is able to reverse G’d’s evil decrees. The Talmud Ketuvot 111 views the word ישיבה, as a more comfortable position only if the seat has arm rests; otherwise standing upright while able to rest one’s arms is a preferable posture, (in the sense of “more comfortable.”) When G’d is portrayed as judging the nations of the world while seated, the meaning is that the throne He sits on has arm rests. When G’d judges the Israelites, although doing so while standing, He has no supports for His arms. This “shakiness” is what enables thetzaddikim to reverse evil decrees, as these decrees had never been firmly rooted. In other words, we learn that curses never have the kind of strength that blessings have. Bileam’s calling on Balak to arise, was meant to undermine any curse which would subsequently be issued against Israel. Israel’s righteous would be able to reverse such curses.
[I find all this somewhat irrelevant as the Jewish people never knew of what Bileam and Balak had planned until told about it by Moses. There were no Jewish witnesses to anything which transpired in this portion until where the Torah reports on what occurred subsequently in chapter 25. Ed.]
When our sages offered this solution to the apparent contradiction, they may have had in mind the verse according to which the tzaddik is able to reverse G’d’s evil decrees. The Talmud Ketuvot 111 views the word ישיבה, as a more comfortable position only if the seat has arm rests; otherwise standing upright while able to rest one’s arms is a preferable posture, (in the sense of “more comfortable.”) When G’d is portrayed as judging the nations of the world while seated, the meaning is that the throne He sits on has arm rests. When G’d judges the Israelites, although doing so while standing, He has no supports for His arms. This “shakiness” is what enables thetzaddikim to reverse evil decrees, as these decrees had never been firmly rooted. In other words, we learn that curses never have the kind of strength that blessings have. Bileam’s calling on Balak to arise, was meant to undermine any curse which would subsequently be issued against Israel. Israel’s righteous would be able to reverse such curses.
[I find all this somewhat irrelevant as the Jewish people never knew of what Bileam and Balak had planned until told about it by Moses. There were no Jewish witnesses to anything which transpired in this portion until where the Torah reports on what occurred subsequently in chapter 25. Ed.]
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Kedushat Levi
Numbers 23,19. “G’d is not man that He should lie, nor mortal that He should repent;” Our sages in Taanit 23, commenting on Job 22,28 ותגזור אומר ויקם לך ועל דרכיך נגה אור commonly translated as “You will decree and it will be fulfilled; and light will shine on Your affairs,” divide this verse into two halves, the first half referring to what man decrees on earth, and the second to what G’d fulfils in heaven. This is a way of explaining how it is that the tzaddik can “reverse G’d’s decree.” [The problem is that if so, how can Bileam say that the difference between man and G’d is that the latter does not “lie,” i.e. that His decrees cannot be upset by forces other than Him? The subject has to be studied in the Talmud where the sages debated the right of Choni ham’agel to pray insistently for rain, when apparently G’d had decree a drought. Ed.]
Our author tries to explain these apparent contradictions in a variety of ways. When Moses is referred to as איש האלוקים, in psalms 90,1 the reason is that he tried to be like G’d through invoking repeal of G’d’s harsh decrees against His people. We find something analogous in psalms 106,23 where the psalmist credits Moses with reversing G’d’s decree to annihilate the Jewish people. Our author views the use of the word אלוקים when applied to man as G’d “dressing up” in human garb and then complying with the requests made in the tzaddik’s prayerThis “dressing up” of G’d in human garb occurs only when the prayer of the righteous human being is for G’d’s help to the Israelites. Since wicked Bileam intended to enlist G’d’s support to curse the Israelites, he explains to Balak that לא איש א-ל, that G’d in such circumstances would not “dress up as a human being” in order to facilitate such prayers by Bileam. Subterfuge, i.e. ויכזב, does not qualify for G’d’s support.
This “dressing up” of G’d in human garb occurs only when the prayer of the righteous human being is for G’d’s help to the Israelites. Since wicked Bileam intended to enlist G’d’s support to curse the Israelites, he explains to Balak that לא איש א-ל, that G’d in such circumstances would not “dress up as a human being” in order to facilitate such prayers by Bileam. Subterfuge, i.e. ויכזב, does not qualify for G’d’s support.
This is also the meaning of the words: ה' איש מלחמה ה' שמו, “the Lord is a ‘man’ of war, his name is Hashem.” (Exodus15,3) Moses extols G’d’s “dressing up” in human garb when He destroys the mortal enemies of the Jewish people. He will perform what the tzaddik requests of Him when avenging the wrongs committed by the gentile nations against His chosen people. He will do so, since in the process His name will become sanctified and glorified.
While at first glance it may appear strange that G’d will assume the role of a “warrior” at the behest of one of His tzaddikim when this results in the destruction of His creatures, [something He is so loath to do this that His angels are not allowed to applaud it by singing a song, Ed.], the fact remains that the destruction of the wicked at the hands of G’d represents a major sanctification of G’d’s name, and this is why in the victory song of Moses in Exodus 15, He is described not as אלוקים, the attribute of Justice, but as Hashem, the attribute of Mercy, as the merits of this sanctification of His Name accrue to the “victims”, though not knowingly, seeing that at least their death has resulted in the sanctification of G’d’s Name. He thus performed an act of loving kindness for His enemies even while depriving their bodies of their lives.
Our author tries to explain these apparent contradictions in a variety of ways. When Moses is referred to as איש האלוקים, in psalms 90,1 the reason is that he tried to be like G’d through invoking repeal of G’d’s harsh decrees against His people. We find something analogous in psalms 106,23 where the psalmist credits Moses with reversing G’d’s decree to annihilate the Jewish people. Our author views the use of the word אלוקים when applied to man as G’d “dressing up” in human garb and then complying with the requests made in the tzaddik’s prayerThis “dressing up” of G’d in human garb occurs only when the prayer of the righteous human being is for G’d’s help to the Israelites. Since wicked Bileam intended to enlist G’d’s support to curse the Israelites, he explains to Balak that לא איש א-ל, that G’d in such circumstances would not “dress up as a human being” in order to facilitate such prayers by Bileam. Subterfuge, i.e. ויכזב, does not qualify for G’d’s support.
This “dressing up” of G’d in human garb occurs only when the prayer of the righteous human being is for G’d’s help to the Israelites. Since wicked Bileam intended to enlist G’d’s support to curse the Israelites, he explains to Balak that לא איש א-ל, that G’d in such circumstances would not “dress up as a human being” in order to facilitate such prayers by Bileam. Subterfuge, i.e. ויכזב, does not qualify for G’d’s support.
This is also the meaning of the words: ה' איש מלחמה ה' שמו, “the Lord is a ‘man’ of war, his name is Hashem.” (Exodus15,3) Moses extols G’d’s “dressing up” in human garb when He destroys the mortal enemies of the Jewish people. He will perform what the tzaddik requests of Him when avenging the wrongs committed by the gentile nations against His chosen people. He will do so, since in the process His name will become sanctified and glorified.
While at first glance it may appear strange that G’d will assume the role of a “warrior” at the behest of one of His tzaddikim when this results in the destruction of His creatures, [something He is so loath to do this that His angels are not allowed to applaud it by singing a song, Ed.], the fact remains that the destruction of the wicked at the hands of G’d represents a major sanctification of G’d’s name, and this is why in the victory song of Moses in Exodus 15, He is described not as אלוקים, the attribute of Justice, but as Hashem, the attribute of Mercy, as the merits of this sanctification of His Name accrue to the “victims”, though not knowingly, seeing that at least their death has resulted in the sanctification of G’d’s Name. He thus performed an act of loving kindness for His enemies even while depriving their bodies of their lives.
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Kedushat Levi
Numbers 23,20. “here I have been instructed to bless, since He has blessed I cannot reverse it.” Bileam clearly explains to Balak his inability to alter G’d’s decrees, as he told him before when he said that the difference between man and G’d is that G’d does not lie. On the other hand, although G’d does not reverse Himself, the righteous are able by their prayers to bring about a reversal of decrees harmful for the Jewish people. [In other words, man can sometimes accomplish what G’d is prevented from doing by His own initiative. Ed.]
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Kedushat Levi
Numbers 23,21. “no harm is in sight for Yaakov no woe for Israel. The Lord their G’d is with them.” The true meaning of these words is hard to understand, [as the Israelites certainly had not been faultless throughout these 40 years. Ed.]
Bileam describes G’d’s attitude when Israel’s merits come to His attention and when, G’d forbid, their sins call for His attention. He says that Israel’s merits will immediately command G’d’s attention and He will respond to them without delay, whereas He does not wish to take a look at their sins immediately. The former is spelled out when Bileam adds: ה' אלוקיו עמו, Hashem, its G’d is with it.” The expression following, i.e. ותרועת מלך בו, “and their king’s acclaim is in their midst,” is a reference to the divisive nature of the teruah sound of the shofar. A king can be acclaimed by unbroken sounds of the shofar or by broken sounds. G’d reacts selectively to reports He receives about the conduct of His people.
The author proceeds to use the opportunity to explain the deeper meaning of the respective sounds תקיעה and תרועה which emanate from the ram’s horn, the shofar. The former sound is unbroken, symbolizing unity, continuity, whereas the latter signifies dissonance, friction, disharmony.
At the time when the Holy Temple stood and service was performed in it, this was an era distinguished by the תקיעה, the very letters in that word when examined meaning תקע י-ה meaning “G’d fastens, clasps, unites.” During periods of exile, however, this is symbolised by the broken sound תרועה; during the period when the Temple stood daily burnt offerings, known as תמידים were offered by the priests on behalf of the entire people (who had contributed on an equal basis to the cost of these animals) both mornings and evenings. All of this symbolised the inner adhesion of the various tribes to one another. The תרועה sound by its very nature calls attention to the fact that the Jews are dispersed among gentiles, lacking this inner cohesion. As a result of their sins and the subsequent exile, G’d delays looking at the sins of the Jewish people while they are in exile, as the conditions for them to observe the Torah in full measure do not exist and it is harder for them to accumulate collective merits. [Some of the words are mine, but the author whose fame rests on his being an advocate vis a vis G’d of his people in exile, is making the point I described. Ed.]. He sees in the sequence in which we blow the shofar a summary of our history which began in glory, i.e. תקיעה, was interrupted by decline, exile, i.e. תרועה, but will most certainly end again with the תקיעה to signal our redemption soon in our days.
In support of his theory, the author quotes the statement of our sages that G’d’s presence cannot rest on us permanently unless at least 600000 male adults are assembled. (Midrash Hagadol Vayishlach 32,3) The תקיעה symbolizes that thought. This explains that whenever the Jewish people made camp while in the desert, a תקיעה as blown as a reminder that the Shechinah, G’d’s presence, was at hand. On the other hand, breaking camp was signaled by the blowing of a תרועה, the broken sound, as breaking camp was a sign that the people had displeased G’d, and that this was why they had to pack up once more. According to the Ari z’al, the various journeys were inspired by the need to accumulate merits by picking up “fallen” sparks along the route and to become the instrument of restoring same to the celestial position before they had “fallen” out of grace. The fact that the Israelites offset their sins by these merits of picking up “fallen sparks,” was responsible for G’d not immediately turning His attention to the misdemeanours of the Israelites that had brought about their need to move on.
The sound of the תרועה, reminder that G’d had broken, interrupted His preoccupation with the Israelites’ sins, was also a reminder of the need to acquire merits by elevating themselves spiritually to offset the effect of their sins.
[Various commentators in dealing with the inverted way in which Moses reports the process of making camp and breaking camp in Numbers 33,1-33,2 refer to each move being testimony to the people having angered G’d. Ed.]
Bileam describes G’d’s attitude when Israel’s merits come to His attention and when, G’d forbid, their sins call for His attention. He says that Israel’s merits will immediately command G’d’s attention and He will respond to them without delay, whereas He does not wish to take a look at their sins immediately. The former is spelled out when Bileam adds: ה' אלוקיו עמו, Hashem, its G’d is with it.” The expression following, i.e. ותרועת מלך בו, “and their king’s acclaim is in their midst,” is a reference to the divisive nature of the teruah sound of the shofar. A king can be acclaimed by unbroken sounds of the shofar or by broken sounds. G’d reacts selectively to reports He receives about the conduct of His people.
The author proceeds to use the opportunity to explain the deeper meaning of the respective sounds תקיעה and תרועה which emanate from the ram’s horn, the shofar. The former sound is unbroken, symbolizing unity, continuity, whereas the latter signifies dissonance, friction, disharmony.
At the time when the Holy Temple stood and service was performed in it, this was an era distinguished by the תקיעה, the very letters in that word when examined meaning תקע י-ה meaning “G’d fastens, clasps, unites.” During periods of exile, however, this is symbolised by the broken sound תרועה; during the period when the Temple stood daily burnt offerings, known as תמידים were offered by the priests on behalf of the entire people (who had contributed on an equal basis to the cost of these animals) both mornings and evenings. All of this symbolised the inner adhesion of the various tribes to one another. The תרועה sound by its very nature calls attention to the fact that the Jews are dispersed among gentiles, lacking this inner cohesion. As a result of their sins and the subsequent exile, G’d delays looking at the sins of the Jewish people while they are in exile, as the conditions for them to observe the Torah in full measure do not exist and it is harder for them to accumulate collective merits. [Some of the words are mine, but the author whose fame rests on his being an advocate vis a vis G’d of his people in exile, is making the point I described. Ed.]. He sees in the sequence in which we blow the shofar a summary of our history which began in glory, i.e. תקיעה, was interrupted by decline, exile, i.e. תרועה, but will most certainly end again with the תקיעה to signal our redemption soon in our days.
In support of his theory, the author quotes the statement of our sages that G’d’s presence cannot rest on us permanently unless at least 600000 male adults are assembled. (Midrash Hagadol Vayishlach 32,3) The תקיעה symbolizes that thought. This explains that whenever the Jewish people made camp while in the desert, a תקיעה as blown as a reminder that the Shechinah, G’d’s presence, was at hand. On the other hand, breaking camp was signaled by the blowing of a תרועה, the broken sound, as breaking camp was a sign that the people had displeased G’d, and that this was why they had to pack up once more. According to the Ari z’al, the various journeys were inspired by the need to accumulate merits by picking up “fallen” sparks along the route and to become the instrument of restoring same to the celestial position before they had “fallen” out of grace. The fact that the Israelites offset their sins by these merits of picking up “fallen sparks,” was responsible for G’d not immediately turning His attention to the misdemeanours of the Israelites that had brought about their need to move on.
The sound of the תרועה, reminder that G’d had broken, interrupted His preoccupation with the Israelites’ sins, was also a reminder of the need to acquire merits by elevating themselves spiritually to offset the effect of their sins.
[Various commentators in dealing with the inverted way in which Moses reports the process of making camp and breaking camp in Numbers 33,1-33,2 refer to each move being testimony to the people having angered G’d. Ed.]
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Kedushat Levi
Numbers 23,22. “the G’d Who has brought them out of Egypt.” Rashi draws our attention to the fact that Bileam had to retract a statement he had made when speaking to G’d in answer to His question who the men were that had come to visit him. (Numbers 22,9) At that time he had attributed Israel’s exodus from Egypt as being due to their own efforts, i.e. העם היוצא ממצרים. He has now been forced to admit publicly that it was G’d Who had brought the Jewish people out of Egypt.
We have a rule that “awakening, initiative,” can start either in the celestial regions or in the terrestrial regions. Every person can be the cause of G’d relating to him with the attribute of Mercy by simply improving the number of credits he accumulates through his good deeds. Based on this he may appeal to G’d to use His attribute of mercy in dealing with him. Invoking the merits of the patriarchs, however, in other words, mobilizing forces of mercy whose sources are in the “higher world,” is something only members of the Jewish people are able to do.
[Very doubtful, as King Chiskiyah, invoking his merits when asking G’d to let him live longer, was told by G’d that he was granted this extension only due to the merits of his ancestor David. Compare Kings II 20,1-5. Ed.]
This is what the wicked Bileam referred to when he said to G’d הנה העם יצא ממצרים, “here we have this nation that departed from Egypt, etc.” When crediting the Exodus to the Jewish people themselves, Bileam meant that this people by dint of their own merits aroused sufficient forces of the attribute of Mercy to bring about their redemption.
In order to show how wrong Bileam was, our sages in Avot chapter 5, list 10 “trials that the Jewish people had subjected G’d to, i.e. 10 collective sins, instead of ten collective merits which had resulted in their redemption. G’d indicated to Bileam that the attribute of Mercy which after being “awakened” by our patriarchs reminded G’d of His promise to them, that the Exodus was put in motion. It was the accumulated merits of the patriarchs which were the major factor in the redemption of the Jewish people from their cruel fate in Egypt. This is a factor that may come to the aid of the Jewish people, but never to the aid of the gentiles.
We have a rule that “awakening, initiative,” can start either in the celestial regions or in the terrestrial regions. Every person can be the cause of G’d relating to him with the attribute of Mercy by simply improving the number of credits he accumulates through his good deeds. Based on this he may appeal to G’d to use His attribute of mercy in dealing with him. Invoking the merits of the patriarchs, however, in other words, mobilizing forces of mercy whose sources are in the “higher world,” is something only members of the Jewish people are able to do.
[Very doubtful, as King Chiskiyah, invoking his merits when asking G’d to let him live longer, was told by G’d that he was granted this extension only due to the merits of his ancestor David. Compare Kings II 20,1-5. Ed.]
This is what the wicked Bileam referred to when he said to G’d הנה העם יצא ממצרים, “here we have this nation that departed from Egypt, etc.” When crediting the Exodus to the Jewish people themselves, Bileam meant that this people by dint of their own merits aroused sufficient forces of the attribute of Mercy to bring about their redemption.
In order to show how wrong Bileam was, our sages in Avot chapter 5, list 10 “trials that the Jewish people had subjected G’d to, i.e. 10 collective sins, instead of ten collective merits which had resulted in their redemption. G’d indicated to Bileam that the attribute of Mercy which after being “awakened” by our patriarchs reminded G’d of His promise to them, that the Exodus was put in motion. It was the accumulated merits of the patriarchs which were the major factor in the redemption of the Jewish people from their cruel fate in Egypt. This is a factor that may come to the aid of the Jewish people, but never to the aid of the gentiles.
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Kedushat Levi
Numbers 23,24. “they are a nation that rises like a lion, leaps up like the king of beasts. It rests not till it has feasted on prey and drunk the blood of the slain.”
In the matter of how to serve the Lord optimally, it is an accepted rule that the first stage of becoming a true servant of the Lord involves that the person concerned expects a reward as a form of recognition for his effort. It is simply not to be expected that every person will begin his career as a servant of the Lord by eschewing every kind of reward. When the Mishnah in Avot 1,3 teaches not to serve the Lord on condition of receiving a reward, it does not address “beginners.” Proof that this is the accepted norm is found in Pessachim 50 where the Talmud teaches that if we perform G’d’s commandments, even while also having ulterior motives, in due course we will do so without having ulterior motives. [This is part of the promise that the reward of performing a commandment brings in its wake performance of another commandment, (Avot 4,1) i.e. the same commandment, but on a higher level. Ed.] When one has attained this level of serving the Lord, one will also become the vehicle through which the “fallen” sparks, i.e. spiritual beings or human beings who have “fallen” from their erstwhile high moral/ethical level may be restored to grace through contact with such servants of the Lord. This has been spelled out in the writings of the Ari z’al.
As long as one serves the Lord expecting to be rewarded for this, the human being doing so is considered as on the level of a female, as by definition all females, i.e. their functions, are viewed primarily as recipients, vessels to be filled. Once having attained the level of serving the Lord without any expectation of reward, one has joined the ranks of the males. Not only does such a person not depend on “receiving,” but he is able to become a dispenser of satisfaction and pleasure even to the Creator. This is the true meaning of a statement in the Zohar III,7 that the Jewish people provide G’d with His sustenance, פרנסה.
This is also what Bileam had in mind when he said: הן עם כלביא יקום, “this is a nation that arises like a lioness,” but develops to the stature of being כארי יתנשא, “it elevates itself to become comparable to a mature male lion.” [According to our author Rashi commenting on that verse interprets it as sequential, i.e. beginning to serve the Lord while expecting a reward, progressing to serve Him without such expectations. I have not been able to find this Rashi. Ed.]
In the matter of how to serve the Lord optimally, it is an accepted rule that the first stage of becoming a true servant of the Lord involves that the person concerned expects a reward as a form of recognition for his effort. It is simply not to be expected that every person will begin his career as a servant of the Lord by eschewing every kind of reward. When the Mishnah in Avot 1,3 teaches not to serve the Lord on condition of receiving a reward, it does not address “beginners.” Proof that this is the accepted norm is found in Pessachim 50 where the Talmud teaches that if we perform G’d’s commandments, even while also having ulterior motives, in due course we will do so without having ulterior motives. [This is part of the promise that the reward of performing a commandment brings in its wake performance of another commandment, (Avot 4,1) i.e. the same commandment, but on a higher level. Ed.] When one has attained this level of serving the Lord, one will also become the vehicle through which the “fallen” sparks, i.e. spiritual beings or human beings who have “fallen” from their erstwhile high moral/ethical level may be restored to grace through contact with such servants of the Lord. This has been spelled out in the writings of the Ari z’al.
As long as one serves the Lord expecting to be rewarded for this, the human being doing so is considered as on the level of a female, as by definition all females, i.e. their functions, are viewed primarily as recipients, vessels to be filled. Once having attained the level of serving the Lord without any expectation of reward, one has joined the ranks of the males. Not only does such a person not depend on “receiving,” but he is able to become a dispenser of satisfaction and pleasure even to the Creator. This is the true meaning of a statement in the Zohar III,7 that the Jewish people provide G’d with His sustenance, פרנסה.
This is also what Bileam had in mind when he said: הן עם כלביא יקום, “this is a nation that arises like a lioness,” but develops to the stature of being כארי יתנשא, “it elevates itself to become comparable to a mature male lion.” [According to our author Rashi commenting on that verse interprets it as sequential, i.e. beginning to serve the Lord while expecting a reward, progressing to serve Him without such expectations. I have not been able to find this Rashi. Ed.]
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Kedushat Levi
Exodus 15,3.“The Lord is a man of war, nonetheless His name is Hashem, i.e. the Merciful One.” The author refers to a commentary of his on psalms 90,1 תפלה למשה איש האלוקים, “a prayer by Moses, the man of G’d.” He repeats a theme he has dwelled on repeatedly, that it is the primary effort of the righteous during all of their lives to make their contribution to G’d dispensing the maximum amount of His largesse for His creature. The prayers of the righteous are not concerned with asking for their personal well being, but with asking for the well being of the community within which they live. We perceive of G’d as “garbing” Himself in the mantle woven by the prayers of the righteous. This explains why Moses referred to G’d as איש, “man.” A righteous person in our time is comparable to Moses in his time. The Talmud in Shabbat 101 confirms this by saying that every righteous person in our time may be called “Moses,” hence the commencement of psalm 90 with the words תפלה למשה, do not refer only to the original Moses. The message of the psalm is that the prayers of the righteous in our generation are as effective in their effect on G’d as the prayers of Moses in his time. G’d garbing Himself with the prayers of the righteous is something that is the case only when the result (G’d’s largesse) is to become manifest immediately as beneficial. When G’d responds negatively to our prayers He is never referred to as איש. Hence the meaning of Bileam’s blessing in Numbers 23,19 לא איש א-ל ויכזב, “G’s is not like man who deceives,” teaches that the negative virtue of deceiving is called כזב. We never find the term איש applied to G’d when He is active in His attribute of Justice, decreeing punishment on His people. This remains true even if in answer to the prayers of the righteous He decrees judgment on our adversaries. In such instances He may be referred to as גבור, Warrior, or some other name depicting His attribute of Justice. [This is the difference between G’d as איש מלחמה and elsewhere as גבור מלחמה, (Isaiah 3,2; psalms 24,8) To make the distinction clear, Moses, repeats ה' שמו, His name, predominantly is Hashem, the Merciful One].
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