Parshas Mishpatim[1]

1^st Mamar “Veilah Hamishpatim Asher Tasim…”

1. Veilah Hamishpatim Asher Tasim:[2]

See Volume 1 of our Chassidishe Parsha Torah Or Series under Parshas Mishpatim where we covered the following matters of this Mamar in detail:

1. Two types of Jewish souls
2. The focal difference between the Zera Adam and Zera Beheima souls
3. Sight versus sound
4. The souls by Matan Torah
5. Moshe feeds G-dliness to the animal class souls
6. The angels’ perception of G-dliness
7. The meaning of the verse Vieileh Hamishpatim

1. The secret behind sociopaths – Kelipos do not have the aspect of Daas:

There exists three aspects of intellect, Chochmah, Bina and Daas. The aspect of Daas is the aspect of intellect that bridges between one’s mind and emotions and brings one’s comprehension into feeling. This aspect of intellect is only found in the side of holiness. However, in the side of evil, there is no aspect of intellect known as Daas. The reason for this is because they lack nullification to G-d, and their entire existence is just one of self-centeredness. This is the mystical meaning behind the story recorded in Melachim 1 that two harlots came to King Solomon for judgment over a dispute as to whose child died and as to whose child remained alive and the non-mother agreed to the initial verdict to have the baby sliced in half so that each can receive part of it. [The harlot in the story represents the side of evil which does not have the aspect of intellect known as Daas, and can hence come to such sociopathic behavior.]

• The Divine lesson: In the world of criminology, many are stunned and challenged with comprehending senseless crimes that do not serve any known benefit for the perpetrator. The rampant existence of serial killers, and high school shootings in the United States, have stunned even the greatest of criminologists and forensic psychologists in trying to understand the mind of these individuals who perpetrate such atrocious crimes against humanity. Their main focus is to see whether there is a commonality that they share, which if discovered, society can work on avoiding and preventing. All in all, there is no definitive answer which explains their behavior. The human mind cannot understand what would lead someone to become a sociopath in which he simply doesn’t care about right and wrong and feelings of others. The above teaching of the Alter Rebbe can help shed some light to sociopathic behavior. Kelipa in its essence does not have the aspect of intellect known as Daas, and hence naturally a person can live with a disconnect between what he is told to be right or wrong in his mind versus the reality that he lives and feels in his heart. Accordingly, if a child does not receive proper education of morals and ethics, and is not educated with the knowledge of a higher deity who watches his actions and who he must own up to, then it is only natural that sociopathic behavior will anchor within him. It is for this reason that the Rebbe fought a bitter, but unsuccessful, battle which reached the Supreme Court of the United States in 1962[3] to permit a non-denominational moment of prayer in the public educational institutions of the United States for the sake of the students being educated with daily emphasis on G-d and the morals that they must uphold.[4] This was further brought up in the 1980’s in which the Rebbe advocated for all schools to observe a moment of silence in the start of their day in order to instill fear of G-d in the hearts of the youths of the country for the sake of having a more civilized society and diminish the erosion of the morals of the country.[5]

1. The daily Mitzvos serve as soul garments which need to be fulfilled on time:

The verse states that the Hebrew slave is to work for his master for six years. This corresponds to the work the Jewish people perform in service of G-d during the 6000 year duration prior to the seventh millennium. It states in Scripture that G-d created days. This refers to the daily fulfillment of Mitzvah’s required of every soul. Every soul has a daily prescription of Torah and Mitzvah’s that it must fulfill in order so it receive its required soul garments to eventually be able to receive pleasure from G-dliness, from the ray of the divine presence. If even one day of Mitzvah fulfillment is missing, then the soul is missing one garment. Now, the reason that these Mitzvah’s must be performed daily, and it does not suffice to simply perform many in one day and then not perform any on a different day, is because the Mitzvah’s were given to be under the limitation of time and space as only then are they comprehensible to the soul. It is not possible for the soul to comprehend the Mitzvah as it exists above time and certainly it is not possible for the soul to comprehend the Mitzvah itself. The time given for the Jewish souls to receive these soul garments through the fulfillment of Mitzvah’s that are comprehensible within the limitations of time, is throughout the 6000 years of creation.

1. Laundering the Mitzvah garments:

It does not suffice to simply fulfill the daily Mitzvah’s in order to gain the soul garments, and in addition one must also serve/Oved G-d in the process, which comes from the wording of Ibud Oros, or tanning skin. The Mitzvah’s, like garments, must be washed and laundered from all stains and impurities in order so it be white and clean. This spiritual laundering of the Mitzvah’s is fulfilled through one working on his character, and turning darkness into light and bitterness into sweetness through transforming his animalistic emotions to emotions that are used for serving G-d. This itself is accomplished through the help of Moshe who is a faithful shepherd who feeds the Jewish soul the spiritual fodder it needs to accomplish this. This is also accomplished through the rigorous study of Torah to sift and verify practices of Jewish law, known as Libun Hilchasa, or laundering the Halacha. This is also accomplished through prayer which is an opportune time for one to contemplate matters of G-d to help elevate the Torah and Mitzvah’s of that day, as the Torah and Mitzvah’s of each day are elevated through the daily prayer.

2^nd Mamar “Biur Al Hanal…”

2. Biur Al Hanal:[6]
3. Souls of Atzilus are undisturbed by their dealings with the physical world:

One of the unique differences between souls that are from the world of Atzilus versus souls that come from Beriya and down is with regards to their constant attachment to G-d. Those souls that come from the world of Atzilus are able to serve G-d constantly and do not become affected or disturbed from their feeling of attachment to G-d even when they are involved in mundane activity of the world. They are a constant chariot for G-d even when they are involved in physical labor. This was the level of Yosef the viceroy of Egypt who was able to be involved in running the country of Egypt and still maintain the highest level of attachment to G-d constantly. However, those souls that come from the world of Beriyah, are not able to maintain their level of connection with G-d when they are involved in worldly matters which disturbs then from their Dveikus.

1. Only souls of the Jewish people, and not angels, can manage to be in a body:

The Angels derive from the aspect of G-d’s speech, in contrast to the Jewish soul which derives from the aspect of G-d’s thought. For this reason, angels are not capable of being invested within physical bodies below in this world, and still maintain a service of G-d. Indeed, the Angels once complained and prosecuted against the Jewish souls below with the claim that they would do a better job in serving G-d. To test them, and prove them wrong, G-d descended two of these angels into physical bodies below, and they transgressed much more than the Jewish souls in quality and quantity.[7] The reason for this is because the soul, being that it comes from G-d’s thought, at least remembers G-d even after its descent below, in contrast to angels who derive from the speech of G-d.

1. No Mitzvah’s in the future era:

Regarding the Hebrew slave, the verse states that he will go free in the seventh year. Mystically, this refers to the idea that in the seventh millennium the Jewish people will be free of Mitzvah’s. Now, in truth this matter is under debate amongst the authorities with some claiming that the Mitzvah’s will still exist in the future and others claiming that in the future all the Mitzvah’s will become nullified. Practically, the main ruling is that even in the future era the concept of Mitzvah’s will exist, but not in the same way as it exists today. First of all, in the future era we will offer sacrifices, as well as that in the future era there will be eternal rest unlike today in which we experience ups and downs.

3rd Mamar “Vayar Es Elokey Yisrael…”

3. Vayar Es Elokey Yisrael:[8]
4. G-d dwelling on the Jewish people – Jewish Body versus soul:

It is well known that the purpose of creation is for G-d to have a dwelling place below in this lower world. This is expressed in Scripture which states “and I shall dwell within you.” Now, the term you in this verse is written in the plural and not the singular. This comes to negate that the location of the dwelling of the divine presence is limited to the vessels of G-d in the temple, and comes to add that G-d dwells within the Jewish people and that the Jewish people are the abode for the divine presence to rest. Now, in today’s times, this residing of the divine presence only takes place within the souls of the Jewish people and not in their bodies. This is due to the impurity that is found in the body ever since the serpent was intimate with Chava and penetrated her with spiritual pollutants. These spiritual toxins have entered into the body of all humanity ever since, and prevent the divine presence from residing on it. Now, although when the Torah was given the body became pure and once again freed of its toxins, the sin of the golden calf, as well as other iniquities of the Jewish people in the desert, caused this impurity to return to the body. It is for this reason that the human body is referred to as the serpents skin as it contains impurity and spiritual toxins passed to it through the serpent. This, however, only applies to the body of the Jew and not to the Jewish soul which is an actual portion from G-d above and does not need any fixing [and does not contain contamination due to the sins].

In the future era, G-d will dwell also on the Jewish body: In the future era, the body of the Jewish people will become refined as it states in Scripture that the spirit of impurity will be banished from the land, and that the glory of G-d will be seen by all flesh. This tends to the fact that in the future era, the course and corporeal body will become so refined to the point that it too will be able to receive G-dliness and merit revelation of G-d. This is in contrast to today in which the revelation is only for the souls alone.

1. The G-dly revelation today is commensurate to the 248 bodily limbs:

The revelation of G-dliness that can be experienced today by the Jewish soul comes in the form of the body, with 248 different parts. There are 248 unique G-dly revelations which correspond to 248 parts that the G-dly soul is incorporated of.

1. The scholar versus the layman – Each soul receives a revelation commensurate to its level:

The 248 unique G-dly revelations which attaches to each Jewish soul, as stated above, does not shine equally to each Jew. Rather, every Jew receives a unique aspect of G-dly revelation in a quality that other souls do not receive, each soul receiving in accordance to its capabilities and purpose in this world. For example, those souls who are aspired to become the leaders of the Jewish people are considered intellectual souls, which receive a high level of G-dly revelation in their intellect and allow them to become a receptacle for Torah study. Other souls are receptacles for the emotional attributes, and other souls are considered the feet. Each soul receives in accordance to its unique definition and purpose.

1. Every Jewish soul starts off in a state of total unity with G-d:

The Jewish people as a whole are referred to in Scripture as 600,000 feet of the nation. This comes to hint to the idea that the Jewish people are the children of G-d, and a child is the extension of his father, acting as his leg. Just as a leg is nullified to the head and does everything the head wishes, so too the son. Every Jewish soul contains a naturally born feeling of nullification to G-d which is expressed in the hidden love that is contained in the heart of every single Jew and is above rhyme or reason and is expressed as the natural attraction and love that a son has for his father. Originally, a son was included in his father’s intellect and considered one with him. It is only afterwards through conception and birth that he has become his own independent entity. The same applies with the soul. In its origin, the G-dly soul is much higher than the level of foot, as it was one with G-d and was actual G-dliness. However, after the soul descends through the chain order of the world it becomes its own entity and is now called a leg. Nonetheless, it maintains the aspect of being a leg of the father and therefore still contains nullification due to their root. Furthermore, even after its descent below the soul maintains a relationship with its root above which is the level of Mazal. Every single Jewish soul contains a Mazal up above in the world of Atzilus which experiences G-d and sends messages to the soul below.

1. The uniqueness of the soul of Moshe:

While the 600,000 souls of the Jewish people are compared to the feet of the nation, Moshe is the head of the nation. The reason for this is because the soul of Moshe even after its descent below shines as it did above. It does not go through the descent and transformation from the status of head to the status of feet as occurs to all other souls. This means that the same level of revelation that the soul of Moshe experienced above in heaven in the world of Atzilus, it experiences likewise below within his body. The reason for this is because Moshe as well as the forefathers were chariots for G-d, being completely nullified to Him. This is in contrast to all the other Tzadikim, that although they too retain a very holy soul, nonetheless it goes through a state of descent and transformation to the point that it is not of the same level as it existed in the world of Atzilus.

1. Intellect is found more in the hands than in the feet:

It is readily evident that one’s hands contain a greater revelation of one’s intellect than one’s feet. This can be seen during times of joy that one’s hand automatically clap in expression of joy, in contrast to one’s feet which will only dance upon instruction from the brain. The reason for this is because although both the arm and legs are completely nullified to the head, nonetheless, the arm is considered like an extension of the head, while the legs are considered more independent and need to listen to the commands that come from the head. This is the difference between the souls of Moshe and the forefathers, in contrast of the souls of the other Tzadikim. Moshe and the forefathers are similar to the hands of the body which are absolute chariots to the head, in contrast to the other Tzadikim who are similar to the legs which are separate entities and need an instruction and command in order to listen.

1. Talk is NOT cheep – No speech, no effect:

King David states that “the stone which has been repulsed by the builders will become the cornerstone.” Stones in this verse refers to the letters of speech. The letters of speech are lower than intellect or emotions, although do contain an advantage over them as they elevate the emotions and intellect to a level higher than wisdom. On this our sages state that thought alone does not accomplish anything, and hence Torah study is only effective if it is spoken. Just as a person cannot live without a house which is made from stones so too a person cannot serve G-d without the letters of speech of Torah.

1. Learning Torah in English –Torah Stones versus Torah Bricks:

Difference between stones and bricks in the letters of speech: There exist two different types of materials that can be used to build a house; one is stone and the second is brick. Stones are naturally grown while bricks are made by man. Likewise, in Torah there exist two forms of letters, one are the letters of Lashon Hakodesh which is the language that was used by G-d to give the Torah to Moshe on Sinai, and the second are the letters of the languages of all the other 70 nations of the world.

Elevating the mundane languages: The Jewish people are scattered throughout all of the 70 nations, and through speaking the local language of these countries within their business dealings, and then going forward in serving G-d in prayer and study of Torah, they elevate the letters of speech of the 70 nations. These letters become elevated to the root of the soul of each individual. This is the spiritual building of bricks, and represents the mundane which is used for holy [i.e. Chulin Shenaseh Al Tharas Hakodesh]. These letters of the 70 foreign languages also become elevated when they are used to speak words of Torah to understand the Torah, as we see with regards to the Talmud that it was written in Aramaic. Now, just as bricks must be burned in an oven in order to become hard, so too, in order to be able to elevate the letters of the 70 foreign languages it is necessary for one to arouse the fire of love of G-d in the Shema prayer. This burns and incorporates all the letters that one spoke for his business dealings, as well as all the food and clothing that one consumes and uses, within G-dliness.

1. The difference between Hebrew and the other languages:

The reason that it is possible for the letters of all the other 70 languages to be elevated similar to the letters of Lashon Hakodesh is because in truth all of the languages are rooted in Lashon Hakodesh. The difference in all 70 languages is only in their combination of letters and sounds. However, they all use the original 22 letters and sounds of the Hebrew alphabet. The words that are agreed upon in each language to refer to a certain matter do not have any intrinsic connection with that item. [For example, the word table in English does not share any intrinsic connection with a table, and it is simply that the language agrees to name a table by this name.] This is in contrast to Lashon Hakodesh in which the actual name is what is responsible for the particular life force and vitality of that object, and hence there is an intrinsic connection between name and object. This is what is unique about Lashon Hakodesh versus all the other languages. Nonetheless, since in truth even the other languages are all rooted in the sounds of the letters of Lashon Hakodesh, therefore they also are able to be elevated.

[1] Torah Or p. 74b-79b

[2] Torah Or p. 74b-76a

[3] See Engel v. Vitale – Wikipedia; Abington School District v. Schempp – Wikipedia

[4] See Toras Menachem Vol. 34 pp. 148-156; English letter found in: Non-Denominational Prayer in Public Schools – Chabad.org

[5] See Sichos 5781 11^th Nissan; Toras Menachem 5743 Sichos of: 10^th Shevat, 11^th Nissan, Achron Shel Pesach; 12^th Tamuz; 5744 Sichos of 6^th Tishreiy; 19^th Kisleiv; 11^th Nissan; 5745: 6^th Tishreiy

[6] Torah Or p. 76a-b

[7] See Yalkut Shimoni Bereishis Remez 44 regarding Uziel and Samael

[8] Torah Or p. 76b-78a

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