Parshas Noach

1^st Mamar “Mayim Rabim Lo Yuchlu Lechabos”

1. Mayim Rabim Lo Yuchlu Lechabos:

A. The involvement in worldly matters cannot extinguish one’s love for G-d:^[1]

The verse states that “the great waters are unable to extinguish the love.” The “great waters” in the verse refer to one’s preoccupation with making a livelihood, and his involvement in all other matters of the physical world. The verse then continues and says that despite the strength of this preoccupation, it does not have the power to extinguish the inner love of G-d that is found within a Jew’s heart. Every single Jew contains a dormant love for G-d within his soul. This is a natural love which derives from the G-dly soul, which has a natural inclination to desire G-d and be incorporated within Him, like a flame desires to leave the wick. This is because before the soul descended into the body it was involved in basking in the Ray of the divine presence and was united with the infinite light of G-d in a complete unity. Therefore, even after its descent down here into the body, and its involvement in physical matters which are called “great waters,” nonetheless, it still retains its eternal love and desire to be with G-d, and on the contrary through being involved in these great waters it is able to reach a much higher level than prior to its descent in this world.

A Parable: Chazal state that a woman only makes a covenant with the person who made her into a vessel. This is referring to a first marriage, and that a couples first marriage has an eternal effect on their hearts and emotions, and their feelings and longing for their spouse remains with them forever. If G-d forbid the spouse passes away, they will forever remain in their memory, which may cause them difficulty in moving on and re-marrying, and even after remarrying it may never be the same. This is because a first love remains etched in the heart forever, and even if one finds a replacement love, it will never extinguish and subdue the dormant feelings that one has for his first love. This is a parable for understanding the emotions of the soul of a Jew and his love for G-d. The G-dly soul’s first and eternal love is G-d, and this love remains with him forever even if he moves on to another reality, and “marries” the physical pleasures of the world and becomes involved in all of its dealings. While on a conscious level it may seem that this new love has managed to extinguish his first and old love for G-d, in truth it remains dormant in his heart, and his love for G-d will never cease.

The Divine lesson: Even if one is a sinner and has committed the gravest of sins he should never think that he is now incapable and unable to love G-d as he is too far and distanced from him. In truth, every Jew has the ability to fall back in love with his original first love which is G-d, and this applies even if he is vastly preoccupied with worldly matters, nonetheless, he must be aware that he contains a dormant fire in his heart that can be revealed whenever he chooses to exert the effort to do so.

B. The waters of Noah-The purpose of the flood was to purify the world:^[2]

The prophet Yeshaya refers to the great waters of the flood in the times of Noah as the waters of Noah, as he writes in the verse, “and I have sworn that I will never allow the waters of Noah to pass again upon the earth.” The reason for this is because the name Noach derives from the word “Naycha” which means pleasantness, and like a person who rests from work, and as it states that G-d rested on the seventh day, and the Targum writes that G-d was “Noach.” Now, for what reason do we refer to the greatest natural disaster to ever hit humanity in the entire history of the world, having wiped out almost all living creatures, as something that is pleasant and nice? The reason for this is because there is in truth an advantageous aspect in the fact that G-d decided to wipe away the evil of the world specifically using a flood of water. As seemingly, if the entire purpose of the flood was simply to kill the evil inhabitants of the world, why the necessity to make such a huge flood with all of its ensuing details. G-d could have simply made them die in one moment without making a flood at all. Rather, the explanation for why G-d chose specifically a flood to eradicate the evil man is because the flood also contained an independent purpose to purify the earth from its defilement and state of impurity, as the verse states that the land became filled with abomination and became very coarse, hence requiring purification. G-d thus sent specifically a flood in order to purify that which is impure just like a mikvah purifies the impure. Now just like a mikvah requires 40 Seah of water in order to purify the impure, so too the flood remained on the earth for 40 days corresponding to the 40 Seah of a Mikveh, in order to purify the entire earth. It is for this reason that the waters of the flood are called “Meiy Noach,” as these waters contained an aspect of kindness in them to bring refinement.

The waters of the flood of Noah came from the Chesed of Tohu:^[3] While normal waters of rain derive from the attribute of kindness from the world of Tikkun, this is only when the waters serve a productive purpose on earth such as to cause plants to grow. However, when the water ends up flooding the earth then such waters derive from the world of Tohu in which all of the attributes are revealed with tremendous intensity. Nonetheless, the flooding rains come from the attribute of Chesed of Tohu, as although the rains are intense and cause flooding, they served a purpose to purify the world from its many impurities that were drawn to it through the sins of man during the generation of the flood. Being that the world was so impure, waters from the world of Tikkun would not suffice to purify it, and specifically waters from the world of Tohu were necessary. It is for this reason also that all of the inhabitants of earth were killed, as the divine energy released through the flood from the level of Tohu was too intense for them to intake.

C. The trouble and exertion of making a livelihood helps one reach a higher level:^[4]

In addition to the fact that we find that the flood is referred to as the waters of Noah we also find that the exertion that is entailed in making a living is also referred to as the waters of Noah. The reason for this is as follows: Avraham our forefather was given a choice by G-d to choose for his children either the difficulty in making a living or Gehenom, as a way of cleansing the soul in order to reach high levels in service of G-d. Just as we find that after one’s passing his soul is not able to enter the garden of Eden and bask in the Ray of the divine presence until he first passes through Gehenom, as was stated by Acher that it is better for him to be judged in purgatory and then enter the world to come. In addition, his soul must first be immersed in the Dinar river in order to enter the next world. Now, just as it is regarding Gehenom that it is so powerful and strong to the point that it allows one to enter the garden of Eden, so too it is regarding rising from level to level in service of G-d, that the exertion of making a livelihood helps one reach a higher level. Now, the definition of livelihood troubles should not be mistaken to refer to the fact that we have taxes that are collected from us, as even during Temple times when we had a Jewish king we were taxed, and the tax was a large amount, as is known that we had to give 10% of our income to the king. Rather, the intent of livelihood troubles refers to the fact that in today’s times we have a lot of difficulty in making a living, and one must exert himself in many dealings of the physical world in order to bring himself an income. This is in contrast to emple times in which the G-dly blessing was so powerful and strong to the point that the land of Israel literally flowed with milk and honey in a supernatural way, and there was no worry or stress of making a living at that time. However, one should not be downtrodden over the fact that today one must involve himself very much in physical activity in order to make a livelihood, as in truth these great waters are considered the waters of Noah, as they help bring one’s soul to a higher level.

D. How one’s preoccupation in making a livelihood helps one reach higher spiritual levels:^[5]

Although from the onset, the preoccupation in making a livelihood seems to diminish one’s capability of serving G-d and revealing one’s love for Him, in truth, this preoccupation serves as a catalyst to reveal a much deeper emotion. The explanation is as follows: When one is involved in worldly matters, and removes his attention from those matters and focuses on serving G-d, then he is performing the divine services of Iskafya and Ishapcha, and causing there to be a greater light due to the fact that he came out of the darkness. [Just as a candle shine’s more at night than during the day, so too one’s service of G-d and the divine light that it elicits is greater highlighted when it comes specifically from a place of darkness, which is from an area that is devoid of G-dliness and involves worldly matters.] Furthermore, he is able to experience a greater emotion of love for G-d, as since in his preoccupation with making a livelihood he was in a place of darkness which is devoid of any revealed G-dliness’s, his need and passion to attach to G-d is a lot greater and stronger. [Just as a person has a greater desire and need to quench himself with water after running a marathon which caused him to lose liquids from his body, so too it is regarding one’s desire for G-dliness that one’s preoccupation with matters that are void of G-d in a revealed plane creates a much greater desire to attach to Him.]

E. Seder Hishtalshlus-The order of hierarch responsible for the world’s agriculture:^[6]

The following is the order of hierarchy that is responsible for the growth of products that serve as our food and sustenance in the physical world:

1. The Mazal in charge of the produce: All growth and vegetation that we consume, grows not just as a result of a natural process that G-d imbued within the world, but as the result of a Mazal which is appointed over it and tells it to grow, as the sages state that there is no blade of grass below in this world doesn’t have a Mazal which oversees it. Thus, it is the Mazalos, which are known as the constellations of the stars, which are in charge of giving the physical world all of its vitality and energy, as the verse states that grains grow a result of the sun and vegetables grow as a result of the moon.
2. The 70 angelic ministers in charge of the Mazal: The constellations themselves do not contain any intrinsic power which they then send to the world below, but rather receive all of their energy and vitality on behalf of the physical world from the 70 angelic ministers which are appointed over them, and draw to them the divine energy and power for them to transfer to the physical world. [These 70 angelic ministers correspond to each one of the 70 nations, and hence we find different properties of growth within the various countries of the world, with each country developing and producing produce that is unique to it. Such as for example, the country of Brazil contains a unique capability of growing many different types of fruits. The state of Florida contains a capability of growing many oranges. India contains a capability of growing much of the tea consumed today, and so on and so forth with each country containing its unique fertility of land with specific growth potentials. The spiritual reason behind this is because the angelic minister of that nation provides the constellations which reside over that country with the specific and unique powers and energies to grow their produce.]
3. The Ofanim angels in charge of the 70 angelic ministers: The 70 angelic ministers themselves do not contain any intrinsic power which they then send to the constellations, but rather receive all of their energy and vitality which they hand over to the constellations from the angels called Ofanim which are appointed over them, and draw to them the divine energy and power for them to transfer to the constellations.
4. The hierarchy of angels: The Ofanim angels do not contain any intrinsic power which they then send to the 70 angelic ministers, but rather receive all of their energy and vitality on behalf of the angelic ministers from higher angels which are appointed over them, and draw to them the divine energy and power for them to transfer to the 70 angelic minister. The same applies so on and so forth, that each level of angels contains a higher level of angels that is appointed over them which gives them the divine energy and power to transfer to the next level.
5. Malchus of Atzilus: The highest of the angels which is in charge of transferring the divine energy and powers to the Angels of levels below it, until it eventually reaches the physical world, itself receives from the divine level of Malchus of Atzilus, which is itself a mere ray of G-dliness. It is thus found that all of the divine energy and power that all the levels seem to have in truth come from G-d himself, and this itself is a mere glimmer of G-d’s infinite light and capabilities.

Contemplating the above leads to a desire and passion to attach to G-d himself: By contemplating the above order of hierarchy and the fact that all of the aspects of all the worlds derive from a mere ray of G-dliness, one soul becomes aroused with a great fiery love and passion to leave the darkness and concealment of the physical world and to only attach to G-d himself. Do not even desire at all to be found in the lower garden of Eden or the higher garden of Eden being that there it is a mere ray of G-dliness, and rather to desire to attach to G-d himself.

F. The root of the animal soul is higher than even the G-dly soul:^[7]

Although certainly in its revealed state, the G-dly soul is much higher and more spiritual than the animal soul, nonetheless, in its root above the animal soul is higher than the G-dly soul. This is hinted to in the verse which states that they were kings of the world who reigned prior to the kings of Israel, which is meaning to say that the animal soul which is synonymous with the gentile nations contains a higher root in the G-dly soul which is synonymous with the Jewish nation. It just happens to be that this high source which is the root of the animal soul shattered and fell below to a much lower level than the G-dly soul. This breakage and shattering is known as Sheviras Hakeilim, and is also into two in the above verse which states that the gentile kings reigned and died. This higher root of the animal soul is expressed even today within the animal soul and its ability to overcome and overpower the G-dly soul, with its lustful desires for the physical world and its pleasures. However, in truth, one has the potential and obligation to bring the animal soul to be on the same side as the G-dly soul and be interested in spirituality and G-d, and when one accomplishes this he accomplishes a much greater enthusiasm and love for G-d then his G-dly soul could have accomplished alone.

G. The ark of Noah refers to the words of prayer and symbolizes the ability of businessmen to have a more intense prayer than even the Torah learner:^[8]

The ark of Noah in its spiritual correspondence refers to the words of prayer, which are also called a Teiva in Hebrew. On this the verse instructs Noah and his family to enter the ark, which is a spiritual instruction for each Jew to immerse himself in the words of prayer. The meaning of the fact that the water reached a height of 15 Amos, references to the fact that the animal soul is able to overcome the G-dly soul with its intensity and power in its involvement in worldly matters and in making a living. Nonetheless, as the verse states the ark remained above the water, teaching us that even one who is immersed in worldly matters is able to push himself to overcome the waters of Noah who seek to flood his spiritual sensitivities, and attain a love and attachment to G-d nonetheless. Furthermore, as a result of the waters of the flood, the ark itself became elevated and rode on top of the heights of the water. This symbolizes the idea that those who are involved in worldly matters of making a living or able to not only overcome their worldly involvement but furthermore to take advantage of it to even enhance their spiritual service even more than the Torah learner, as explained above that when they immerse themselves in prayer it comes with much more passion due to their involvement in matters of darkness. Accordingly, it is a grave mistake that businessmen make to think that they are incapable of reaching any heights in service of G-d and the service of prayer and that they have a disadvantage in comparison to those who are Torah learners, as in truth it is to the contrary that they have an advantage over them and are able to accomplish more in their prayer than the regular Torah learner.

The Divine lesson: For whatever reason, it is common in recent generations to believe that anyone who does not have an occupation that’s involved with Torah learning, such as learning in a Kolel, having a rabbinical position as a Rav or Rosh Yeshiva, is incapable of becoming a true Torah scholar and proper Oveid Hashem. How can someone who works as a doctor or lawyer or accountant or construction worker or manager of a pizza shop be considered or expected to be a Torah scholar and Oveid Hashem. In truth, however, historically many of the great scholars of the Jewish people from both biblical to Talmudic and Rishonic times, had occupations that did not involve Rabbinics, and were nonetheless considered the most esteemed Torah scholars of their time. The lesson from the above teaching is to emphasize to our generation that even one who for whatever reason did not merit an occupation that involves spiritual matters and Torah learning, but rather a simple mundane activity, has the potential and the obligation to exceed in his Torah learning and service of G-d as much as possible, to the point that he even surpasses the service of G-d of the Torah learner. No one should cut themselves short and believe that their spiritual aspirations are finished if they’re not involved in an occupation that relates to spirituality.

H. The elevations that occur during prayer and on Shabbos:^[9]

Prayer elevates ones physical involvements and Torah learning: All of one’s physical and material matters of involvement in this world become elevated to G-dliness through prayer. It is for this reason that prayer is referred to as “Teivas Noach” as stated above, as it contains the waters of Noah which are Naicha Derucha, a pleasant spirit, which refers to rest and elevation. It is also similar to Shabbos in this regard. All of one’s weekday prayers during the six days of work contain a ray of the level of Shabbos which allow the items to be elevated. Even one’s Torah learning is elevated through one’s prayer during the week, through the love of G-d that one feels during prayer.^[10]

The prayers of the week are elevated through Shabbos:^[11] All of the weekday prayers are elevated on Shabbos, as on Shabbos all of the words are elevated. Throughout the week, we refine the 288 Sparks of Tohu. Throughout the week, the attribute of Malchus descends below into Biyah for the sake of refining these sparks. On Shabbos, the entire world of Biyah becomes elevated hence elevating the above sparks of the weekday work.

The two levels of Shabbos and the eternal Shabbos of the future era: The weekday prayers, however, only contain a ray from the lower-level Shabbos. Likewise, on Shabbos itself when the world of Biyah becomes elevated to Atzilus, this is only the lower level of Shabbos.^[12] However, there is a higher level of Shabbos which we will only merit in the future times, in which there will be an eternal elevation of all the worlds, and the world will merit to an eternal Shabbos. On this level, the entire world, including the world of Atzilus, will be elevated to a much higher level, and this elevation will be eternal in a way that the weekdays will no longer necessitate any refinement being that the spirit of impurity will be removed from the world. Thus, in the future even the weekdays will be on the level of Shabbos as we will no longer need for Atzilus to refine the worlds of Biyah, and hence it will be one long Shabbos.^[13]

2^nd Mamar “Im Yiten Ish Es Kol Hon Beiso”

2. Im Yiten Ish Es Kol Hon Beiso

A. Desiring G-d himself, and not His revelations:^[14]

The verse states that “even if one were to give all of the wealth of his home he would still be put to shame.” The verse refers arouses a great longing for G-d, on the level of “Bechol Meodecha/with all your might.” Nonetheless, this love would be considered a shame, as in truth all the love in the world can only connect man with a mere ray and glimmer of G-d. To connect to G-d’s essence, one needs to fulfill the actual physical mitzvot. This is the love of “Bechol Levavecha,” for a person to desire to connect with G-d’s essence which can only be fulfilled through the mitzvah’s.

3^rd Mamar “Biur Al Hanal”

3. Biur Al Hanal:

A. Understanding the true difference between the attribute of Gevura versus Chesed-Gevura is an overflow of Divine energy and not contracted energy:^[15]

Gevura is one of the attributes of G-d. Thus, unlike the common misconception that people have that this attribute involves contractions and abstinence from giving G-dliness^[16], in truth it is in increase and overflow of G-dly influx and revelation, and comes from the wording of Tagburos, which means “strong flow.” Accordingly, the flow of energy from the infinite light of G-d is more from the attribute of Gevura than it is from the attribute of Chesed. It is due to this reason that also below by creations, not all creations are able to receive from this divine light as it is too high and intense, and there is a judgment that takes place prior to a creation receiving from it to see if he is befitting of this life. This is in contrast to the attribute of Chesed which is cool and calm energy and therefore is able to be diffused below to all creations without distinction. This then is the true meaning behind the statement that G-d initially desired to create the world with the attribute of judgment, and after saying that the world would not endure it He decided to create it with the attribute of kindness. G-d originally wanted to create the world with the tremendous influx of G-dliness that is diffused from the attribute of Gevura, however, after seeing that it was not possible for all the creations to receive from it, He decided to create the world from the more calm and limited attribute of kindness. In this respect, Gevura refers to the world of Tohu in which the seven premortal kings resided, and while originally G-d desired to create the world from Tohu, He instead created from Tikkun which is Chesed based. [A parable to understand the above can be taken from a stream of water which enters into a cup from a faucet. There are two ways in which water will not enter into the cup; either due to not opening the faucet or opening it only slightly so only a few drops fall in, or through opening it to the highest pressure and having all the water enter the cup and bounce right out. In order for the water to remain in the cup the faucet must both be opened to an extent that water will flow, but not with too much force. The water not entering the cup is compared to the attribute of Gevura, while the water entering the cup is compared to the attribute of Chesed. Now, people usually understand the attribute of Gevura to mean that there is a very contracted level of G-dliness which is diffused, which is comparable to only very little water entering into the cup. The novelty of the above statement of Admur is that in truth the attribute of Gevura contains much more forceful diffusion of G-dliness then does the attribute of Chesed, which is compared to a very high pressure faucet which bounces the water off the cup.]

B. Tohu versus Tikkun:^[17]

The ratio between its vessels and divine light: It is explained in the teachings of Kabbalah that the world of Tohu contains a large amount of divine energy and a small amount of receptacles to hold it while the world of Tikkun is its exact opposite and contains a small amount of divine energy and a large amount of receptacles to hold it.

Hiskalelus-incorporation: Due to the above, the Sefiros in the world of Tohu were not incorporated of each other to have the attribute of Chesed within Gevura or vice a versa being that it’s divine energy was too intense to permit such collaboration. However, in the world of Tikkun the Sefiros contain ncorporation of each other’s attributes being that the attributes are not as intense and hence the attribute of kindness can still allow the attribute of Gevura to be incorporated within it.

C. A mixture of anger and joy when the temple was built:^[18] 

We find regarding the building of the first Temple that on that day when King Solomon sang Shir Hashirim that there was such great joy as was not experienced since  the world was created, as the divine presence filled the entire  Temple. At the same time, the verse states that G-d was upset and angry at King Solomon for having married the daughter of Pharaoh. Hence we find the concept of having two emotions which contradict each other existing at the same time, the emotion of joy and the emotion of anger. This came about due to the creation of the world of Tikkun which allows incorporation of various opposing attributes.

D. The G-dly soul of man comes from the world of Tikkun:^[19]

The soul of man comes from the world of Tikkun and for this reason it is able to incorporate within itself various opposing emotions and attributes and serve G-d in various different ways, whether through fear or love.

E. Angels can only experience one emotion:^[20]

The above is in contrast to angels which only contain one select attribute and emotion, and are unable to experience emotions that they were not derived from. Thus, the camp of angels belonging to Michael can only serve G-d through love and not through any other attribute or emotions such as fear. Likewise, the camp of angels belonging to Gabrielle can only serve G-d through fear and trepidation and not through any other emotion or attribute such as love.

[1] Torah Or 8c

[2] Torah Or 8c and 10a

[3] Torah Or 10a

[4] Torah Or p. 8d

[5] Torah Or p. 9a

[6] Torah Or p. 9a

[7] Torah Or p. 9a

[8] Torah Or 9a

[9] Torah Or 9b

[10] Torah Or 10a

[11] Torah Or 10a

[12] Torah Or 10a

[13] Torah Or 10a

[14] Torah Or Noach p. 9c-d

[15] Torah Or Noach p. 9c

[16] Vetzaruch Iyun, as Admur himself in numerous places including Shaar Hayichud Vihaemuna, explicitly explains like what he defines here is a misconception, that the attribute of Gevura conceals and blocks the G-dliness.

[17] Torah Or Noach p. 9c-d

[18] Torah Or Noach p. 9d

[19] Torah Or Noach p. 9d

[20] Torah Or Noach p. 9d

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