Parshas Tetzaveh[1]

1^st Mamar “Veata Tetzaveh …”

1. Veata Tetzaveh:[2]

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

1. The position of Ahron and Moshe as leaders

1. Why Mitzvah’s are referred to as light:

In Scripture we find that Mitzvah’s are compared to candles. The reason for this is because just as when a candle is lit, its light fills the room, so too when one fulfills a Mitzvah it radiates a Divine light which is a ray of the Divine presence. This ray shines in the garden of Eden and is the source of the pleasure of the souls that abode there. This works as follows: When a Jew fulfills a command it arouses above that Hashem also fulfills that same command within the spiritual worlds. This fulfillment of Hashem elicits a Divine revelation within the spiritual world, and it is this elicited Divine revelation that serves as the source of the pleasure of the souls in the garden of Eden through them comprehending this Divine light.

1. The many different types of gardens of Eden specifically tailored for each soul:

Although the books only mention the lower and higher garden of Eden, in truth there exists many levels of garden of Edens for which reason souls never become bored and are constantly going from level to level, in living with the verse that Torah scholars have no rest. Now, how do the souls travel from a lower level of the garden of Eden to a higher level? This is through a shaft or elevator that exists between the two levels. Now, the various levels and shafts that exist between them to allow for travel, is unique for every single soul who enters the garden of Eden. Every soul has a specified tailored abode of levels of gardens of Eden through which he alone can travel upwards and become elevated. These levels are tailored in accordance to his specific Divine level and service that he performed in this world.

1. Olives cause forgetfulness similar to the body which causes coarseness:

The Talmud states that the eating of olives causes one to forget 70 years worth of Torah learning. The reason for this is because the olive comes from the world of forgetfulness, which is the world of Kelipos. This corresponds to the human body and animal soul which come from Nogah and is called the serpents skin and causes one to forget his love for G-d.

1. Olive oil helps the memory due to the crushing:

Although olives cause one to forget 70 years worth Torah learning, the consumption of their oil causes one to remember 70 years worth of Torah learning. The reason for this is because the oil contained within olives corresponds to wisdom, Chochma. Prior to crushing the olive its oil is concealed and all that one consumes is the bitterness of the olive which comes from evil and causes one to forget Torah learning. However, when one crushes the olive the oil comes out. The reason that oil was corresponds to wisdom and helps specifically with the aspect of memory is because wisdom known as Chochma, is the brain of memory. Now, just as it applies with regards to the olive so too it is with the body and animal soul. When one crushes his body and animal soul and the pride, ego, and self-centeredness that comes with it, this helps to reveal the level of wisdom within the soul.

1. Crushing one’s ego and pride is the oil that fuels G-d’s revelation on the person:

Similar to the required crushing of the olive to facilitate the removal of its oil, is the required crushing of the animal soul, which refers to one’s ego and pride, in order to remove the oil of the soul. This crushing is accomplished first and foremost through the Divine service of Iskafya, to avoid fulfilling his passions and desires by viewing himself as unworthy to receive them. One is to view himself as the dregs and leftovers of the Jewish people and hence not feel worthy of receiving all of the benefit and pleasures that people lust for. This will quash his lusts and remove him needing to withhold himself from his passions, as he won’t feel a passion to begin with. Since he views himself as completely unworthy and irrelevant in the world and is as if the world does not need him at all then what to him and to the world, and therefore he will not desire not this world nor the next world. This type of contemplation and recognition of one’s true value crushes the ego and pride of the animal soul and draws down the infinite light of G-d onto the person, as G-d only resides and reveals Himself to one who is nullified to Him. This revelation of G-d that results after crushing the pride of the animal soul shines onto the aspect of oil or wisdom of the soul that is revealed after the animal soul is crushed, as the aspect of wisdom of the soul is its aspect of nullification and self effacement. Without this crushing of the animal soul, the revelation of the infinite light of G-d that can be elicited through fulfillment of Torah and Mitzvah’s, will not be able to stick onto the body, just as a flame will not remain on a wick unless there is oil. It’ll rather burn through the wick and then disappear. In order to keep the flame of the infinite light of G-d on the wick of one’s body and soul, one is required to crush the oil of Chochmah out from the body and soul through breaking its pride and ego. This is the meaning behind the statement of the sages that G-d cannot dwell within one who is arrogant and haughty, as they lack the oil to sustain the flame.

2^nd Mamar “Veasisa Bigdei Kodesh Leahron…”

2. Veasisa Bigdei Kodesh Leahron:[3]
3. The priestly garments of the soul in the higher and lower Garden of Eden:

Aaron the high priests is considered one of the seven shepherds of the Jewish people and his job description is to imbue the Jewish soul with love of G-d. The priestly garments of Aaron are the garments for this love. The practical correspondence of the priestly garments for the souls of Israel are the fulfillment of Mitzvah’s with concentration and intent. Every single soul has two sets of garments that are created from the fulfillment of Torah and Mitzvah’s, one being created from the concentration and emotions that were felt during its fulfillment and one being created from the action of fulfillment itself. These garments which are created from the concentration and love serve as the clothing of the soul in the higher Garden of Eden. The garments that are created from the actual fulfillment of the Mitzvah, irrelevant of the intent and emotion, create the clothing which are worn by the soul in the lower garden of Eden.

1. The length of man’s life corresponds to the number of garments he needs to make:

The verse mentions the making of the priestly garments for Aaron and his sons. Mystically, this corresponds to the soul of every single Jew, as every single Jew needs to make garments for himself in this world so he can enter the next world clothed and be capable of receiving pleasure from the Divine presence, as explained above in length. Now, G-d allocates an amount of days in a person’s life corresponding to the amount of garments that his soul needs up in heaven. A soul that requires more garments will need to live more days so he can fulfill more Mitzvah’s on each day. A soul who needs less garments will have shorter days.

1. The two types of love of Avraham versus Aaron:

It is well known that Avraham is the first of the seven shepherds and that he too draws down love to the general souls of Israel, as does Aaron. What then is the job of Aaron? Why do we have two of the seven shepherds both drawing down love to the Jewish soul? The explanation is that they refer to two different forms and types of love which correspond to the two different forms of kindness or Chesed recorded in the Zohar. One form of Chesed is known as Chesed of the world, or Chesed Olam. A second form of Chesed is known as Rav Chesed. The level of Chesed Olam is a level of kindness that is within the limitations and regulations of the spiritual world of Atzilus. In contrast, the level of Rav Chesed is a level of kindness that surpasses the worlds and is much more limitless and powerful. The form of love that is nurtured to the Jewish souls by Avraham is the love that comes from Chesed Olam while the form of love that is nurtured to the Jewish souls by Aaron is the love that comes from Rav Chesed. We will now explain each one of these forms of kindness as they translate into love within the soul of a Jew.

1. Chesed Olam is the sudden Divine inspiration to serve G-d:

It often happens that a Jew is suddenly filled with an unexplainable and sudden inspiration to become a better Jew and serve G-d. He is suddenly overwhelmed with feeling of closeness and love for G-d, and with desire to faithfully observe His commands as an expression of one’s love towards Him. This sudden inspiration is a result of a revelation from the level of Chesed Olam into the soul of the Jew. Its purpose is to arouse people from the state of spiritual sleep which occurs as a result of indulgence in the nonsense of the world of which the heart of man is naturally attracted to. This in truth is the natural love that is contained within the heart of every Jew although is covered and concealed with a dirty sack, which is the body and animal soul. This is the love that we inherit from our forefather Avraham who is one of the seven shepherds who feeds love to the Jewish soul.

1. Rav Chesed is the great and infinite love aroused above after ones own love is revealed:

After a person is struck with a sudden inspiration to serve G-d it is his job to take that inspiration and translate it into action by removing the sackcloth of his animal soul from his heart and G-dly soul and to arouse a passionate love to attach to G-d. This arousal from below elicits an arousal from above in heaven which draws a revelation of Rav Chesed which is a passionate rapturous love that knows no bounds.

1. What is considered true studying of Torah Lishma?

In order to merit a revelation of the level of G-d’s essence known as Anochi below in this world one must study Torah. It is specifically the study of Torah, not of any of the wisdom, that has the power to draw down this level below into the world. Through the study of Torah one draws the infinite light of G-d into the attribute of wisdom, Chochmah. This is the meaning behind studying Torah Lishma, for the correct motives, as one is to study Torah for the sake of the Torah itself, in order to bring a revelation of the infinite light of G-d into the level of Chochmah. It is this intent behind Torah study that caused the Sages to compare the Jewish people to the groom, Chasan, and the Torah to the bride, Kallah, who is married to the groom. In a marriage, the groom is the giver, Mashpia, while the bride is the receiver, Mikabel. The study of Torah by a Jew has the ability of giving to the Torah and imbuing it with the infinite light of G-d, hence making the Torah the receiver and the Jew the giver. It is for this reason that Scripture describes the Torah as engaged to the Jewish people in the verse Torah Tziva Lanu Moshe Morasha Kehilas Yaakov, as the word Morasha can also be read as Meurasa which means engaged.

• The Divine lesson: There are many reasons behind why Jewish students sit in the study hall and study Talmud and other sections of Torah day and night. Some do so without any particular intent and study simply because that is the system of their upbringing. Their parents sent them to yeshiva to study and that is where all their friends are, so they likewise study. Other study due to more personal reasons or self gains, such as due to interest of the subject matter, or desire to become accomplished in the wisdom of Torah, or due to a desire to become famous and respected amongst his colleagues as a man of wisdom. Other study Torah for the sake of knowing Jewish law so they know how to practice it and become a better observant Jew. Some even study because they have aroused a great love and passion for G-d and know that they can only cleave to Him through Torah study. In truth, none of the above reasons, even the most altruistic of them such as the latter form of study for reasons of Dveikus, reaches the bar of true Torah Lishmah. True Torah Lishmah is when one studies for the sake of the Torah itself, to draw down the infinite light of G-d into the Torah. This is very easy to accomplish and have in mind by every Torah learner. Whether you are a scholar or an ignoramus, when you sit to study Torah you have the unique capability of effecting a huge impact above in heaven, to draw down the infinite light of G-d into His attribute of wisdom of Atzilus. If we all had this in mind prior to our study, not only would we study Torah for the most proper of reasons, but we would also attribute greater value and importance to our Torah study and diminish laxity in its quality and quantity of study. We would be motivated to study Torah irrelevant of our scholastic achievements, mental capabilities of understanding, strengths of our memory, and peer review of our knowledge.

1. We make the Mitzvah’s:

Just as we explained above that a Jew study of Torah has the ability to draw down the infinite light of G-d into the Torah and wisdom of above, hence making the Jewish people the Chasan, so too, the same applies regarding the Mitzvah’s, as the Jews make the Mitzvah’s through fulfilling them. Through the fulfillment of Mitzvah’s we cause G-dliness to be drawn to the limbs of the king above in the 248 parts of Z”a of Atzilus. It is for this reason the prior to fulfilling a Mitzvah we say a blessing which mentions the word sanctified, Kidishanu, as in truth, we end up sanctifying Hashem through our fulfillment of the Mitzvah. This is similar to a groom who sanctifies a bride, as we draw down G-dliness to the spiritual world as a groom gives to a bride.

1. Blessing only resides upon male and female unions:

The Zohar states that the blessing of G-d only rests on a place that contains a male and female. This means that an extra level of divinity is elicited to rest upon a union in which there is a giver and receiver, a Mashpia and Mikabel, which are the core jobs of a man and woman, masculinity versus femininity. This is why Scripture states regarding the creation of man that he created them male and female and then blessed them, as a blessing is from a level of above the worlds and can only rest upon a complete unit of male and female.

• The Divine lesson: It is only normal and expected for couples to go through times of turbulence in their relationship whether it be due to external factors such as a financial or health related challenges, or disagreement regarding running the home and educating the children, or due to internal factors such as due to perceived or real offenses of words and actions of one spouse to the other. All this is expected in a relationship as life isn’t perfect, and realistically speaking, happiness does not have a monopoly over our lives, unlike that which is portrayed in Hollywood. The bumps on the road will for certain come with some being bumpier than others. The key to achieving a stable, loving and happy relationship with one’s spouse is not by simply removing all of the bumps and obstacles which as stated is a fact of life that everyone will face to one degree or another. Rather, the key to marital bliss is found in the heart and mind of the spouses and their decision of how to react to the bumps and challenges that they face. Does one choose to make a big deal, express hurt and thereby take a risk of hurting the other spouse, express frustration of a challenge in a way that offends the other, or does he choose to dismiss the personal feelings against the other and try to work together for a better future. The above teaching of the Alter Rebbe can be used to motivate the couple to remain focused during challenging times and do everything possible to remain united, as it is specifically their unity that draws down the Divine blessing which is what they want and need to give them salvation from their troubles. Our sages state that in merit of the wife, wealth and blessing is found in one’s home and for this reason the sages instructed their students that if they desire to become wealthy than they should respect their wives. The reason for this is because G-d’s blessing can only reside in a union of male and female, husband and wife, who are lovingly and willingly bound in a relationship of giver and receiver, Mashpia and Mikabel, in which the husband desires to give and the wife desires to receive. A broken relationship is when either one or both spouses do not desire to do their part and be a giver or receiver. This forfeits the ability of receiving G-d’s blessing. Accordingly, specifically during times of challenges a couple must strengthen their resolve to remain loving and united in order to merit the blessing from above that they so much need.

3^rd Mamar “Veasisa Tzitz Zahav…”

3. Veasisa Tzitz Zahav Tahor Ufatachta:[4]
4. The Tzitz corresponds to cracks in the border wall:

The Tzitz was a gold ornament with the name of G-d engraved in it and was worn by the high priest over his forehead. It wasn’t just a majestic ornament that beautified the high priest and gave him elegance, but it had the actual capability of atoning for the sins of the Jewish people. What is the mystical correspondence of this gold band today? So, the term Tzitz comes from the word Yatzitz, such as in the verse Yatzitz Min Hacharakim, which means to peek or spy from the cracks. In service of G-d, this refers to the following: In temple times, every Jew enjoyed a consciously felt love and passion for G-d. [When they fulfilled a command it wasn’t dormant as it is today with regards to its experienced effect, but rather draw down a jolt of Divine energy to the individual who experienced it at that very moment. The same applies regarding Torah study, that the Jewish people felt and experienced the Divine connection with G-d during the study. It was similar to the effect of a working light switch that when it is turned on a person readily sees the lightbulb give light as a result.] Ever since the destruction of the Temple, however, there exists a wall and barrier of iron and metal which separates between the Jewish people and their father in heaven. This means that they have lost the natural conscious love that they had felt for G-d [and in turn do not feel any effect of their Mitzvah fulfillment and study of Torah, similar to the light of a lamp which is not seen to turn on even when the switch is pressed]. This wall and barrier of iron is composed of the sins of the Jewish people which create a dark cloud that conceals G-d from the Jew and prevents the Jew from experiencing Him. Nonetheless, the good news is that this wall and barrier of iron is penetrable and it is possible for windows and cracks to be carved within this wall so some light of G-d can shine through. Thus, even today it is possible for one to experience some Divine revelation and feeling of love and connection with G-d, through the cracks and windows that he makes in this wall. This is the mystical application of the Tzitz ornament even in today’s times. Now, how does one make cracks in the wall so he can receive some of the Divine light? With a spiritual sledgehammer. Just as a sledgehammer crushes parts of the wall, so too a person must break his heart through contemplating thoughts of repentance that come to each person on his level.

1. The problem is us, not Him:

Above we stated that during times of exile there exists an iron wall between us and G-d in heaven. It’s important to note that it is not G-d who built this wall but us, the Jewish people, with our sins. In truth, even during exile G-d radiates his Divine life and love to the Jewish people just as before, although we are blocked from seeing and experiencing it due to the wall that we put up. We are the ones who put it up and we’re the ones who have to take it down, and that’s why even today we have permission to make cracks in the wall in order to merit to receive some of the revelation that already shines to us from G-d. It is for this reason that our sages specifically state that there is a wall of iron between us and G-d in heaven, and not between G-d in heaven and us, as in truth from His perspective there is no wall and He continues shining His light just as before.

• The Divine lesson: In relationships, we often mistake our feelings of dislike or animosity for another to be mutual, and sometimes even create and initiate such feelings due to imagined animosity that one feels the other person has towards him. While of course at times animosity is mutual, at other times, it isn’t, and is simply the growth of a paranoid imagination and low self-image. People often make this same mistake regarding Hashem. More than the evil inclination wants one to fail a battle and succumb to sin, it desires to make him give up fighting the war. Its main evil intentions arrive after a sin is committed by the person, in which he tells the person that he is no longer worthy of G-d’s love or closeness and that G-d despises him, and that as a result G-d has now put up a brick wall between him and G-d. So if he feels kicked out of G-d’s house figuratively he’ll go look for a different house to take refuge. This cannot be further from the truth. The above teaching emphasizes that no matter what the sin and how much one has sinned, G-d who is our loving father in heaven continues to shine His benevolence and love towards us. It is we who put up the divider between us and Him to make us feel unconnected and unworthy. We put it up by doing the sin, and we could take it down by retracting the sin through repentance and then once again become susceptible to the Divine love and light of G-d that He always continued and continues to shine upon us.

[1] Torah Or p. 81a-85b

[2] Torah Or p. 81a-82a

[3] Torah Or p. 82a-83a

[4] Torah Or p. 83a-b