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| | The weekly Sfas Emes is now available in a
Sefer. The Seferis called Emes Ve'emunah : A Sfas Emes Companion. This
Sefer contains all of the materials in the weekly emails, plus new
insights. The Sefer also contains the text in lashon hakodesh on which
the Sfas Emes worked to produce his ma'amar. Accessing the the Sfas
Emes via the Sefer offers advantages. You have the week's Torah
without having to print the email. You have the Sfas Emes' text--which
could not be sent by email. Also many people who would enjoy the Sfas
Emes do not have internet.
You can purchase this Sefer at your favorite bokstore, or online, at
the Targum or Feldheim websites. Emes Ve'Emunah will also be available
for purchase or perusal at the SOY Seform Sale, January 15-January 24.
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Parshas Matos
5632
The Parsha begins with Moshe Rabbeinu in a meeting with the leaders
of the Shevatim: Moshe tells them "Zeh Hadavar Asher Tsiva HaShem."
(This is -- exactly -- what HaShem has commanded.") The Sfas Emes cites
Rashi, who, in turn, follows the comment of the Sifri.. ( The Sifri is a
classical commentary--dating from Tana'itic times-- on Bemidbar and
Devarim.) The Sifri tells us that whenever Moshe transmitted the words
of HaShem, he sometimes introduced those words, as did other prophets in
communicating their prophecies, with the sentence "Koh Ahmar HaShem."
"Koh" means: "more or less like this." Hence, the introductory sentence
as a whole is: "This is -- approximately -- what HaShem said..." Moshe
Rabbeinu, however, operated at a level much higher than all other
prophets. As a result, ,Moshe was often able to transmit HaShem’s
message with such precision that he could introduce the message with ::
"Zeh Hadavar . . . " ("This is exactly what HaShem said.") The Torah signa
ls this higher degree of clarity and precision by using the word "Zeh" rather than "Koh."
Now the Sfas Emes asks a basic question: If the greater degree of
clarity that "Zeh" implies is a virtue, why were some of Moshe’s Nevu’os
(prophecies) preceded by "Koh?" The Sfas Emes answers: There are things
in the world which cannot really be clarified, things that we cannot
really grasp. We can handle these topics, only imprecisely-- with
similes, allusions, parables -- that is, only approximately, only "more
or less." That is, there is a whole realm of reality for which "Koh" is
the best that can be applied; "Zeh" invokes a standard that is
unattainable.
I have the impression that when the Sfas Emes refers to the things
that we cannot really grasp, he has in mind much more than what the Navi
says (Yeshayahu, 55:8): "For My thoughts are not your thoughts . . . "
Much more seems to be involved than merely "thoughts." Whole
configurations of reality seem to be the issue.
An example from another context may help to clarify the difference
between " . . . My thoughts" and "entire configurations." The example
comes from our Tefila of Shacharis on Shabbos, the Piyut that begins
"Hakol Yoducho." Nusach Ashkenaz goes on to say: "Ein Ke’erkecha" – "We
cannot measure Your greatness." By contrast, Nusach Sefard says "Ein
Aroch Eilecha" -- We don’t even have the METRIC with which we could even
conceivably measure Your greatness.")
Where is this realm that we cannot really understand? The Sfas Emes
tells us it is "Olam Hazeh." Note the double play on words: "Olam"
evokes the thought of He’eleim - "hidden." By contrast, "Hazeh" implies
definite clarity. You may ask: Which is it: Hidden or definite clarity?
The Sfas Emes seems to be saying: Both - that this double play on words
is telling us that we live in a world of ambiguity.
You may find this confusing. And indeed that is exactly what the
Sfas Emes is telling us: That the world is a very confusing place and by
all indications that is exactly how HaShem wants it to be.
Moshe was on a level so high that he could pierce the Hester and
perceive the world as it truly is, with the quality of "Zeh." So, too,
were Bnei Yisroel at the time of Matan Torah. Unfortunately, we lost this capability when we made the golden calf. As the Torah
says (Shemos, 33:6): "Vayisnatzlu Bnei Yiroel Es Edyam . . . "
(ArtScroll: "And the Children of Israel were stripped of their jewelry .
. . "). What "jewelry?" The crowns that we had been given when we said
"Na’aseh Venishma."
The Sfas Emes makes the point all the more forceful as he reads
"Edyam" not as their "jewelry" but as coming from the root "Eid" --
witness or testimony. This reading gives us the Pasuk just cited as:
"Bnei Yisroel lost the clarity of perception that they had been granted
at Sinai."
But all is not lost! The Sfas Emes quotes a ma’amar of Chazal, who
tell us that the crowns of truthful insight are restored to Bnei Yisroel
on Shabbos. The Zohar explains that, by observing Shabbos, we are
testifying as witnesses ("Eidim") that HaShem created the world and
gives the world its existence. Thus, by keeping the Mitzvos of Shabbos,
we have greater access to HaShem and -- penetrating the shroud of Hester
-- to an accurate picture of reality.
Shabbos, then, takes on the quality of "Zeh Hadavar!" This quality
of enhanced perception stands in sharp contrast to the situation on
Yemos Hachol (days in which the world may seem "empty" (from the root
"chalol") of HaShem’s presence. During the week, the most we can achieve
is to see the world as if through darkly stained glasses; i.e. with the
imperfect vision of "Koh."
Note how high are the Sfas Emes’s standards and expectations when he
tells us what we must do to reach even the inferior level of "Koh." How
can a person achieve "Koh?" By doing everything that his action Leshem
Shamayim (to bring honor to HaShem) and by doing so even though the
truth concerning the world is hidden.
One might expect that the Sfas Emes would rank Shabbos above Yemei
Hama’aseh (the days of work) in all respects and without qualification.
In fact, the world is more complex. The Sfas Emes remarks that Shabbos
also depends on the days of work since, to reach the level of "Zeh
Hadavar" -- fully accurate metaphysical perception -- a person must
start with "Koh" -- incomplete, and hence, unsatisfying perception.
That's us.
Parshas Ma'sei
Sfas Emes, Zechuso Tagein Aleinu, Parshas Mas'ei, 5632
The parsha begins (33: 1 -2): "These are the journeys of Bnei
Yisroel who went out of Egypt ... Moshe recorded their departures for
their journeys (motza'ei'hem lemas'ei'hem) ... these were the journeys
for their departures" (mas'ei'hem lemotza'ei'hem).
The Sfas Emes notes that the pasuk reverses the sequence of its key
words. First it speaks of "motza'ei 'hem lemas'ei' hem"; then it speaks
of "mas'ei'hem lemotza'ei'hem". The Sfas Emes explains the first
sequence as reflecting a basic reality :: for our story to begin, we
first had to get out of Egypt. Therefore, the pasuk starts with
"motza'ei'herm" -- a word that comes from the shoresh "Y'TZ'A", and
hence, a word that irresistibly evokes "ye'tzi'as Mitzrayim" (our exodus
from Egypt). Once we had made that break-out, we could proceed on our
journeys.
Apparently, our liberation from Egypt was not a "one shot" process
in which once and for all, we moved to a higher stage of development in
our relationship with HaShem. On the contrary, the Sfas Emes finds it
relevant to observe that every "masa" (journey) took us further from
Egypt. Evidently, escape from the cesspool of tum'a which Egypt was
known to be had to be gradual, involving many small steps. The Sfas Emes
may have inferred this point from the pasuk's use of the word
"motza'ei'hem" -- plural.
Proceeding in this vein, the Sfas Emes notes that our journeys
continued until we reached our goal -- Eretz Yisroel. The fact that we
had this objective was crucial. For, too often, people break out from a
bad situation; but lacking the right objective, go from the frying pan
into the fire. Two examples come swiftly to mind. One case is the story
of many Jews in the Shtetel. Reacting to the Shtetel's social
inequities, they broke away from Yiddishkeit, and sought social justice
-- in Stalin's tyranny. Another case involves many young Jews who broke
away from the materialism of their milieu in America to seek
spirituality -- in a cult.
The Sfas Emes has presented an analysis in terms of break-out
("freedom from") and journey to ("freedom to"). To conclude this
discussion , he applies this framework in a wholly new context. Thus, he
uses this perspective to explain why HaShem has made
gashmiyus(materialism) so attractive.
HaShem has arranged things this way so that the right reasons
motivate people when they strive to come closer to Him. If gashmiyus was
ugly ( "nivzeh"), people might break away and seek HaShem because of
their disgust with gashmiyus. But HaShem wants us to abandon gashmiyus
and come closer to Him because He is our goal and our objective in life.
That is what the pasuk means when it says: "motza'ei'hem le'mas'eihem";
that our departures -- break-outs -- be for the sake of our goals --
our journeys toward proper objectives.
Now comes the Sfas Emes with today's finat chidush -- his non-pshat
reading of the word mas''eichem". He tells us that when a person makes
the effort to depart from a misguided way of life, he/she will find that
people will help them. You may be wondering : how did " help" get into
this discussion? This case can serve as an example of a general problem
that some people have with the Sfas Emes.. They feel that he sometimes
takes liberties with the text, shaping it like "play dough" to suit his
rhetorical needs.
Nothing could be farther from the truth ! The Sfas Emes here is
based on --and working with-- classical Leshon Hakodesh.. He is simply
reading the word "mas'eihem " as coming from the root S' Y' A' --
mainsteam Hebrew. for "to help"1.
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Please Say Yes to Abba Yahweh and His Laws special in
this time when Abba Yahweh is 'testing' us:
Hab 1:12 Art thou not mikedem
(‘everlasting’
also said of Moshiach, indicating Moshiach’s eternal divine nature: Dan 7:14 And there was given Him (Moshiach) dominion,
and honor, and sovereignty, that all people, Goyim, tongues, should
pey-lammed-chet. [1] (worship as deity) (see Dan 3:12, serve, reverence as
deity Him (Moshiach). His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not
pass away, and His (Messianic) Kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.] see Michah
5:1[2];)
Yahweh
Elohai (my Elohim) Kedoshi (my Holy One)? We shall not die. Yahweh, Thou hast
appointed them (these Chaldean) for mishpat (ordinance); O Tzur, Thou hast
ordained them (these Chaldean) for reproof.
(Please
read the whole book of HaNavi Habakuk?)
Please take it serious what Abba Yahweh is telling us in:
Deu 18:15 Yahweh Eloheicha (your Elohim) will raise up unto thee a Navi
(prophet) from among thee, of thy achim (bretheren), kamoni (like me.....
Exo 32:30 The next
day Moshe said to the people, "You have committed a terrible sin. Now I
will go up to Yahweh; maybe I will be able to atone for your sin."); unto
him ye must listen;
Deu 18:16 According to all that thou
desired of Yahweh Eloheicha (your Elohimin) Chorev (to be burnt dried up,
ruined, wasted) in the Yom HaKahal (day of the congregation), saying, Let me
not hear again the voice of Yahweh Elohav (your Elohim), neither let me see
this eish hagedolah (‘great fire’) any more, that I die not.
Deu 18:17 And Yahweh said unto me, They
have well-spoken that which they have spoken.
Deu 18:18 I will raise them up a Navi
(prophet) from among their achim (brethren), like unto thee, and will put My
words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.
Joh
10:18
No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have samchut
(authority) to lay it down, and I have samchut to receive it again. This
mitzvah I received from HaAv (the Father).
Deu 18:19 And it shall come to pass,
that whosoever will not listen unto My words which he shall speak Bishmi (in My
Name), I will require it of him.
Joh 8:28 Therefore, Rebbe, Melech
HaMoshiach said to them, When you perform the hagbah (lifting up) of
the Ben HaAdam, you will have da'as (knowledge) that Ani Hu [YESHAYAH
41:4; SHEMOT 3:14-16], and from myself I do nothing, but as HaAv (the Father)
of me taught me, these things I speak.
[1]
Dictionary of the Talmud. M. Jastrow p. 1178 פלח
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