Wednesday, March 30, 2005
It's like this
Here's a sample of Divine Guidance going on.
Starting at 11 am, thinking ok, lets go skiing. Then 'thought' appears of: "1:30 PM is time to go skiing". Well, I'm thinking back... really, it seems like I'll get out of here before then... well it's 1:27PM, time to go!
Love!
Starting at 11 am, thinking ok, lets go skiing. Then 'thought' appears of: "1:30 PM is time to go skiing". Well, I'm thinking back... really, it seems like I'll get out of here before then... well it's 1:27PM, time to go!
Love!
Tuesday, March 29, 2005
God is AWAKE!
G-d is AWAKE!
Shivers vibrating through my form. God, Goddess, Source, Divine, G-D is AWAKE!!!!
The Source of Everything is Awake and Listening and Answering.
This is So Amazing, So Huge. I'm awed, humbled, trembling, weeping, amazed, grateful, blown away, quiet and excited.
The day before yesterday, I asked the Divine for some HGH. Yesterday the Palm Springs Life Extension Institute called requesting to ship me some HGH. (It just arrived.)
Yesterday I asked the Divine for more cash. Today an equipment order came in that I thought was all ready filled.
It's so so so so so amazing!
Are there more people noticing that God is AWAKE!
wow
Shivers vibrating through my form. God, Goddess, Source, Divine, G-D is AWAKE!!!!
The Source of Everything is Awake and Listening and Answering.
This is So Amazing, So Huge. I'm awed, humbled, trembling, weeping, amazed, grateful, blown away, quiet and excited.
The day before yesterday, I asked the Divine for some HGH. Yesterday the Palm Springs Life Extension Institute called requesting to ship me some HGH. (It just arrived.)
Yesterday I asked the Divine for more cash. Today an equipment order came in that I thought was all ready filled.
It's so so so so so amazing!
Are there more people noticing that God is AWAKE!
wow
Wednesday, March 23, 2005
Parshat Ki Tisa - IN THE GARDEN OF THE TORAH
B"H
Adar I 15, 5765 * February 24, 2005
===================================================
IN THE GARDEN OF THE TORAH
===================================================
Parshat Ki Tisa
---------------
Towards A Purpose Beyond Conception
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
1. The Path Upward
The name of this week’s reading, Ki Tisa, raises a question. Literally, Ki Tisa means when you raise up, and refers to the elevation of the heads of the children of Israel. Since the majority of the reading centers on the sin of the Golden Calf and its consequences, one is prompted to ask: How can this terrible sin contribute to the elevation of the Jewish people?
The sin of the Golden Calf represented a tragic descent. The impurity imparted by the sin of the Tree of Knowledge had departed from the souls of the Jewish people at the Giving of the Torah, but returned after the sin of the Golden Calf. Thus this sin is the source of all subsequent sins. Similarly, all the punishments suffered by the Jewish people throughout the centuries are connected to this sin. What place can such an event have in a portion whose name points to the Jews’ ascent?
2. For Man to Become More than Man
To answer this question, we must expand our conceptual framework, for the state to which G-d desires to bring mankind is above ordinary human conception. This is indicated by the very expression: When you lift up the heads; the heads, human intellect, must be elevated.
The essence of our souls is an actual part of G-d from above, and G-d desires that man transcend himself and experience this Divine potential. Moreover, the intent is not merely that we rise above our human intellect, but that we lift up the heads themselves, reshape our minds. Tasting a superrational connection to G-d is not sufficient; our very thoughts, the way we understand the world, must encompass a Truth which transcends intellect.
3. A Journey Charted by G-d
Intellect is a crossroads. On one hand, it is the faculty which enables humanity to grow and expand its horizons. On the other hand, a mortal’s intellect is by definition limited. Moreover, all intellect is rooted in self; the more one understands, the stronger one’s sense of selfhood becomes.
Following one’s own understanding can lead to seeing material existence or at least certain aspects of it as being apart from G-d. Our minds can understand how certain entities and experiences might serve as conduits for the expression of G-dliness. Other material entities and practices, however, appear to be foreign to that purpose, and we reject the possibility that they might also serve this function.
Taking this approach to the extreme, some modes of Divine service endeavor to avoid confronting material existence altogether, staying instead within the realm of the spiritual. Although there are certain virtues to this approach, it contains an inherent shortcoming: It encourages the notion that material reality exists apart from holiness.
The ultimate truth the heights to which Jewish heads should be lifted is that every aspect of existence can express the truth of His Being. This is reflected in the Torah’s description of Avraham’s efforts to spread the awareness of G-d’s existence: And he proclaimed there the name of G-d, eternal L-rd. The verse does not state El Ha’olam G-d of the world, which would imply that G-d is an entity unto Himself and the world is a separate entity unto itself. Instead, it states El Olam, implying that G-dliness and the world are one.
Even after this thrust is accepted, however, there exist certain aspects of being that appear separate from Him. Is there G-dliness in evil, for example? And if so, how can man cause this G-dliness to be revealed?
Although mortals cannot conceive of a meeting point between evil and sanctity, G-d can. Indeed, He charts paths leading each individual, and the world at large, to such an intersection. With Divine Providence, He creates situations into which no righteous man would enter voluntarily, forcing the righteous to become involved with (and thus elevate) the most base material concerns.
This is the intent of the command to lift up the heads of the children of Israel; that even within the realm characterized by separation, evil and self, there may flourish an awareness of G-d’s unbounded spiritual truth.
4. G-d’s Awesome Intrigue
In this vein, Chassidic thought describes sin as, an awesome intrigue devised against man. Jews by nature are above any connection with sin. If a person’s yetzer hora overcomes him and makes him sin, this is because the yetzer hora was prompted from Above to bring him to this act. This is purposeful, an awesome intrigue devised by G-d to bring about a higher and more complete unity between G-d, that individual, and the world at large.
In his explanation of our Sages’ statement that In the place of baalei teshuvah, even the completely righteous cannot stand, the Rambam states that baalei teshuvah are on a higher level because they conquer their [evil] inclination more. The righteous do not have to struggle so hard against their evil inclination; to the extent that they are righteous, their evil inclination is nullified. A baal teshuvah, by contrast, possesses a powerful evil inclination as evidenced by his sin and yet still desires to cling to G-d.
Moreover, our Sages teach that teshuvah transforms even sins which a person commits intentionally into merits. This elevates the lowest aspects of existence which derive sustenance from the realm of kelipah and brings them into a bond with G-d.
Why does a baal teshuvah have the potential to elevate aspects of existence which are by nature distant from G-dliness? Because in order to strive for teshuvah, a person must tap his deepest spiritual resources, that soul which is an actual part of G-d. When he reaches this point, he is able to appreciate that nothing is apart from Him. And in his life, he is able to show how every element of existence expresses His Truth.
This process is an example of the pattern, a descent for the purpose of an ascent. Our climb to those peaks which our intellect cannot reach on its own involves a descent to levels which our intellect would normally reject.
5. Three Phases
Based on the above, we can appreciate the sequence of Parshas Ki Tisa. The purpose the ascent of the Jewish people is stated in the opening verse. Afterwards, the reading continues with the final commands for the construction and dedication of the Sanctuary, the incense offering and the giving of the First Tablets. All these subjects reflect a connection to G-d above the limits of ordinary experience.
In order for that connection to penetrate the worldly realm, and to have it permeate even the lowest aspects of existence, follows the narrative of the Sin of the Golden Calf and the breaking of the Tablets. This terrible fall motivated the Jewish people to turn to G-d in teshuvah, evoking a third phase the revelation of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy a totally unbounded level of G-dliness that encompasses even the lowest levels.
This highest peak finds expression in the giving of the Second Tablets and the final event mentioned in this week’s Torah reading, the shining of Moshe’s countenance.
The shining of Moshe’s face manifested the ultimate fusion of the physical and the spiritual. G-dly light shone from Moshe’s physical body.
6. And Ultimately, Ascents Without Descent
Similar cycles of descent and ascent have shaped the history of our people. The aim of this process is a final union between the spiritual and the material the Era of the Redemption, when the world will be filled with the knowledge of G-d as the waters cover the ocean bed.
When seen in this context, all the years of exile appear as merely a fleeting moment. For exile has no purpose in and of itself; it is merely a means by which to evoke a deeper connection to G-d, and a medium which enables that bond to permeate every aspect of experience. When this purpose is accomplished, the exile will conclude; to quote the Rambam: The Torah has promised that ultimately, at the end of her exile, Israel will repent and immediately be redeemed.
And then will begin a never-ending ascent, as it is written: They will proceed from strength to strength, and appear before G-d in Zion.
(Adapted from Likkutei Sichos, Vol. XVII, p. 410 ff; Sichos Shabbos Parshas Ki Tisa, 5751, 5752)
Published and Copyrighted © by Sichos In English
788 Eastern Parkway Brooklyn, New York 11213
Tel. (718) 778-5436
Brought to you by Chabad.org
For more daily Torah study, please visit: http://www.chabad.org/dailystudy
Adar I 15, 5765 * February 24, 2005
===================================================
IN THE GARDEN OF THE TORAH
===================================================
Parshat Ki Tisa
---------------
Towards A Purpose Beyond Conception
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
1. The Path Upward
The name of this week’s reading, Ki Tisa, raises a question. Literally, Ki Tisa means when you raise up, and refers to the elevation of the heads of the children of Israel. Since the majority of the reading centers on the sin of the Golden Calf and its consequences, one is prompted to ask: How can this terrible sin contribute to the elevation of the Jewish people?
The sin of the Golden Calf represented a tragic descent. The impurity imparted by the sin of the Tree of Knowledge had departed from the souls of the Jewish people at the Giving of the Torah, but returned after the sin of the Golden Calf. Thus this sin is the source of all subsequent sins. Similarly, all the punishments suffered by the Jewish people throughout the centuries are connected to this sin. What place can such an event have in a portion whose name points to the Jews’ ascent?
2. For Man to Become More than Man
To answer this question, we must expand our conceptual framework, for the state to which G-d desires to bring mankind is above ordinary human conception. This is indicated by the very expression: When you lift up the heads; the heads, human intellect, must be elevated.
The essence of our souls is an actual part of G-d from above, and G-d desires that man transcend himself and experience this Divine potential. Moreover, the intent is not merely that we rise above our human intellect, but that we lift up the heads themselves, reshape our minds. Tasting a superrational connection to G-d is not sufficient; our very thoughts, the way we understand the world, must encompass a Truth which transcends intellect.
3. A Journey Charted by G-d
Intellect is a crossroads. On one hand, it is the faculty which enables humanity to grow and expand its horizons. On the other hand, a mortal’s intellect is by definition limited. Moreover, all intellect is rooted in self; the more one understands, the stronger one’s sense of selfhood becomes.
Following one’s own understanding can lead to seeing material existence or at least certain aspects of it as being apart from G-d. Our minds can understand how certain entities and experiences might serve as conduits for the expression of G-dliness. Other material entities and practices, however, appear to be foreign to that purpose, and we reject the possibility that they might also serve this function.
Taking this approach to the extreme, some modes of Divine service endeavor to avoid confronting material existence altogether, staying instead within the realm of the spiritual. Although there are certain virtues to this approach, it contains an inherent shortcoming: It encourages the notion that material reality exists apart from holiness.
The ultimate truth the heights to which Jewish heads should be lifted is that every aspect of existence can express the truth of His Being. This is reflected in the Torah’s description of Avraham’s efforts to spread the awareness of G-d’s existence: And he proclaimed there the name of G-d, eternal L-rd. The verse does not state El Ha’olam G-d of the world, which would imply that G-d is an entity unto Himself and the world is a separate entity unto itself. Instead, it states El Olam, implying that G-dliness and the world are one.
Even after this thrust is accepted, however, there exist certain aspects of being that appear separate from Him. Is there G-dliness in evil, for example? And if so, how can man cause this G-dliness to be revealed?
Although mortals cannot conceive of a meeting point between evil and sanctity, G-d can. Indeed, He charts paths leading each individual, and the world at large, to such an intersection. With Divine Providence, He creates situations into which no righteous man would enter voluntarily, forcing the righteous to become involved with (and thus elevate) the most base material concerns.
This is the intent of the command to lift up the heads of the children of Israel; that even within the realm characterized by separation, evil and self, there may flourish an awareness of G-d’s unbounded spiritual truth.
4. G-d’s Awesome Intrigue
In this vein, Chassidic thought describes sin as, an awesome intrigue devised against man. Jews by nature are above any connection with sin. If a person’s yetzer hora overcomes him and makes him sin, this is because the yetzer hora was prompted from Above to bring him to this act. This is purposeful, an awesome intrigue devised by G-d to bring about a higher and more complete unity between G-d, that individual, and the world at large.
In his explanation of our Sages’ statement that In the place of baalei teshuvah, even the completely righteous cannot stand, the Rambam states that baalei teshuvah are on a higher level because they conquer their [evil] inclination more. The righteous do not have to struggle so hard against their evil inclination; to the extent that they are righteous, their evil inclination is nullified. A baal teshuvah, by contrast, possesses a powerful evil inclination as evidenced by his sin and yet still desires to cling to G-d.
Moreover, our Sages teach that teshuvah transforms even sins which a person commits intentionally into merits. This elevates the lowest aspects of existence which derive sustenance from the realm of kelipah and brings them into a bond with G-d.
Why does a baal teshuvah have the potential to elevate aspects of existence which are by nature distant from G-dliness? Because in order to strive for teshuvah, a person must tap his deepest spiritual resources, that soul which is an actual part of G-d. When he reaches this point, he is able to appreciate that nothing is apart from Him. And in his life, he is able to show how every element of existence expresses His Truth.
This process is an example of the pattern, a descent for the purpose of an ascent. Our climb to those peaks which our intellect cannot reach on its own involves a descent to levels which our intellect would normally reject.
5. Three Phases
Based on the above, we can appreciate the sequence of Parshas Ki Tisa. The purpose the ascent of the Jewish people is stated in the opening verse. Afterwards, the reading continues with the final commands for the construction and dedication of the Sanctuary, the incense offering and the giving of the First Tablets. All these subjects reflect a connection to G-d above the limits of ordinary experience.
In order for that connection to penetrate the worldly realm, and to have it permeate even the lowest aspects of existence, follows the narrative of the Sin of the Golden Calf and the breaking of the Tablets. This terrible fall motivated the Jewish people to turn to G-d in teshuvah, evoking a third phase the revelation of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy a totally unbounded level of G-dliness that encompasses even the lowest levels.
This highest peak finds expression in the giving of the Second Tablets and the final event mentioned in this week’s Torah reading, the shining of Moshe’s countenance.
The shining of Moshe’s face manifested the ultimate fusion of the physical and the spiritual. G-dly light shone from Moshe’s physical body.
6. And Ultimately, Ascents Without Descent
Similar cycles of descent and ascent have shaped the history of our people. The aim of this process is a final union between the spiritual and the material the Era of the Redemption, when the world will be filled with the knowledge of G-d as the waters cover the ocean bed.
When seen in this context, all the years of exile appear as merely a fleeting moment. For exile has no purpose in and of itself; it is merely a means by which to evoke a deeper connection to G-d, and a medium which enables that bond to permeate every aspect of experience. When this purpose is accomplished, the exile will conclude; to quote the Rambam: The Torah has promised that ultimately, at the end of her exile, Israel will repent and immediately be redeemed.
And then will begin a never-ending ascent, as it is written: They will proceed from strength to strength, and appear before G-d in Zion.
(Adapted from Likkutei Sichos, Vol. XVII, p. 410 ff; Sichos Shabbos Parshas Ki Tisa, 5751, 5752)
Published and Copyrighted © by Sichos In English
788 Eastern Parkway Brooklyn, New York 11213
Tel. (718) 778-5436
Brought to you by Chabad.org
For more daily Torah study, please visit: http://www.chabad.org/dailystudy
CHASSIDIC STORY - The Disguised Prayer By: Yrachmiel Tilles
B"H
Adar I 15, 5765 * February 24, 2005
=============================
CHASSIDIC STORY
=============================
The Disguised Prayer
By: Yrachmiel Tilles
--------------------
During one of his travels, Rabbi Israel of Ruzhin stayed in a town called Sanek. The entire town came out to greet him, for the reputation of the chassidic master preceded him wherever he went. Among them were two Jews who were not adherents of the chassidic path. These mitnagdi ("opponents" -- as they were called) decided to challenge Rabbi Israel.
"Tell us," they argued, "it is very difficult for us to understand. Our custom is to arise well before the break of dawn, so that we could pray the morning prayer at sunrise according to the custom of the ancestral pious ones. After we finish praying, we remain for some time in the shul. Still wrapped in tallit and tefillin, we study Chumash and Mishnah. Even as we put away the tallit and tefillin, we recite more chapters of Torah from memory. Throughout the rest of the day, we maintain fixed times when we gather for additional study in the shul.
"You Chassidim, on the other hand, your way is to pray the morning prayer quite late in the morning. And after prayer, you bring out cake and brandy, and sit together around the table eating and drinking and singing and wishing each other 'lechayim!' Yet everyone calls you people chassidim ('pious ones') while we're labeled mitnagdim? It should be the other way around!"
Reb Leib, the attendant of the Ruzhiner, could not restrain himself. "Why, it makes perfect sense," he imputed. "Your entire service of G-d is performed with so little heart, in such a calculated, chilly and lifeless manner, it is no wonder that you study Mishnah afterwards -- in keeping with the custom to study Mishnah in memory of the dead. Not so the service of the Chassidim. We are alive -- whatever we do, no matter how much or how little, we do with devotion, warmth and vitality. Doesn't a living man need a sip of brandy once in a while?"
He drew a breath to go on, but Ruzhiner interrupted him. "I am sure you realize that he is just joking," said the chassidic master. "I will tell you the real reason for our way of praying and the secret of l'chayim.
"It is well know that since the destruction of the Holy Temple, our prayers take the place of the sacrifices which were offered there, as it is written, '[The prayer of] our lips shall replace the oxen [of the sacrifices].' [1] Our three daily prayers correspond to the daily burnt offerings. And just as a sacrifice was rendered invalid by inappropriate thoughts, so, too, is our prayer.
"When a person stands in prayer before his Creator, the Evil Inclination wants nothing more than to confuse him and introduce all manner of strange thoughts into his head. How is it possible to stand in prayer in face of that? In the end, it is unlikely that we succeeded in replacing the oxen of the sacrifices with our prayers. What did the chassidim discover to remedy the problem, and to battle against the ploys of this Evil Inclination, the Yetzer Hara?
"After prayer, the chassidim sit together, raise their glasses in l'chayim, and pour out their hearts in blessing. 'Yankele, you should find a proper match for your daughter,' exclaims one man to his friend. 'Beryl, your business should have as many customers as the eyes on a potato,' exclaims another.
"The Yetzer Hara, already regaling in his victory of having confounded the prayer of an entire congregation of Jews, and seeing them eating and drinking, concludes that they have finished praying, and joyfully retires for the morning.
"Now, it is a clear law in the Shulchan Aruch (Code of Jewish Law), that prayer can be said in any language that one understands. [2] So when Jews gather together to say l'chayim and they begin to bless one another from the depths of their hearts, it is the real prayer. Their intentions are pure, as their Yetzer Hara has left them to their own devices; and their prayers go straight to the heart of the Master of the World."
[Biographical note: Rabbi Israel Friedmann of Rhuzhin [1797-1850] was a
great-grandson of Rabbi DovBer, the Maggid of Mezritch. At a young age was already a charismatic leader with a large following of chassidim. Greatly respected by the other rebbes and Jewish leaders of his generation, he was -- and still is - referred to as "The Holy Rhuzhiner." Six of his sons established Chassidic dynasties, several of which -- such as Sadigora and Chortkov -- are thriving to this day.]
- A master storyteller with hundreds of published stories to his credit, Rabbi Yrachmiel Tilles is co-founder of ASCENT OF SAFED, and editor of Ascent Quarterly and the Ascent and KabbalaOnLine websites.
Footnotes:
1. Hosea 14:3.
2. Orach Chaim 62:2.
(To view this story online, or to post a comment, please click here:
http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=260592)
Adar I 15, 5765 * February 24, 2005
=============================
CHASSIDIC STORY
=============================
The Disguised Prayer
By: Yrachmiel Tilles
--------------------
During one of his travels, Rabbi Israel of Ruzhin stayed in a town called Sanek. The entire town came out to greet him, for the reputation of the chassidic master preceded him wherever he went. Among them were two Jews who were not adherents of the chassidic path. These mitnagdi ("opponents" -- as they were called) decided to challenge Rabbi Israel.
"Tell us," they argued, "it is very difficult for us to understand. Our custom is to arise well before the break of dawn, so that we could pray the morning prayer at sunrise according to the custom of the ancestral pious ones. After we finish praying, we remain for some time in the shul. Still wrapped in tallit and tefillin, we study Chumash and Mishnah. Even as we put away the tallit and tefillin, we recite more chapters of Torah from memory. Throughout the rest of the day, we maintain fixed times when we gather for additional study in the shul.
"You Chassidim, on the other hand, your way is to pray the morning prayer quite late in the morning. And after prayer, you bring out cake and brandy, and sit together around the table eating and drinking and singing and wishing each other 'lechayim!' Yet everyone calls you people chassidim ('pious ones') while we're labeled mitnagdim? It should be the other way around!"
Reb Leib, the attendant of the Ruzhiner, could not restrain himself. "Why, it makes perfect sense," he imputed. "Your entire service of G-d is performed with so little heart, in such a calculated, chilly and lifeless manner, it is no wonder that you study Mishnah afterwards -- in keeping with the custom to study Mishnah in memory of the dead. Not so the service of the Chassidim. We are alive -- whatever we do, no matter how much or how little, we do with devotion, warmth and vitality. Doesn't a living man need a sip of brandy once in a while?"
He drew a breath to go on, but Ruzhiner interrupted him. "I am sure you realize that he is just joking," said the chassidic master. "I will tell you the real reason for our way of praying and the secret of l'chayim.
"It is well know that since the destruction of the Holy Temple, our prayers take the place of the sacrifices which were offered there, as it is written, '[The prayer of] our lips shall replace the oxen [of the sacrifices].' [1] Our three daily prayers correspond to the daily burnt offerings. And just as a sacrifice was rendered invalid by inappropriate thoughts, so, too, is our prayer.
"When a person stands in prayer before his Creator, the Evil Inclination wants nothing more than to confuse him and introduce all manner of strange thoughts into his head. How is it possible to stand in prayer in face of that? In the end, it is unlikely that we succeeded in replacing the oxen of the sacrifices with our prayers. What did the chassidim discover to remedy the problem, and to battle against the ploys of this Evil Inclination, the Yetzer Hara?
"After prayer, the chassidim sit together, raise their glasses in l'chayim, and pour out their hearts in blessing. 'Yankele, you should find a proper match for your daughter,' exclaims one man to his friend. 'Beryl, your business should have as many customers as the eyes on a potato,' exclaims another.
"The Yetzer Hara, already regaling in his victory of having confounded the prayer of an entire congregation of Jews, and seeing them eating and drinking, concludes that they have finished praying, and joyfully retires for the morning.
"Now, it is a clear law in the Shulchan Aruch (Code of Jewish Law), that prayer can be said in any language that one understands. [2] So when Jews gather together to say l'chayim and they begin to bless one another from the depths of their hearts, it is the real prayer. Their intentions are pure, as their Yetzer Hara has left them to their own devices; and their prayers go straight to the heart of the Master of the World."
[Biographical note: Rabbi Israel Friedmann of Rhuzhin [1797-1850] was a
great-grandson of Rabbi DovBer, the Maggid of Mezritch. At a young age was already a charismatic leader with a large following of chassidim. Greatly respected by the other rebbes and Jewish leaders of his generation, he was -- and still is - referred to as "The Holy Rhuzhiner." Six of his sons established Chassidic dynasties, several of which -- such as Sadigora and Chortkov -- are thriving to this day.]
- A master storyteller with hundreds of published stories to his credit, Rabbi Yrachmiel Tilles is co-founder of ASCENT OF SAFED, and editor of Ascent Quarterly and the Ascent and KabbalaOnLine websites.
Footnotes:
1. Hosea 14:3.
2. Orach Chaim 62:2.
(To view this story online, or to post a comment, please click here:
http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=260592)
CHASSIDIC STORY - A Joker's Shabbat By: Yrachmiel Tilles
B"H
Adar II 5, 5765 * March 16, 2005
=============================
CHASSIDIC STORY
=============================
A Joker's Shabbat
By: Yrachmiel Tilles
--------------------
Hershel didn't just tell jokes. He breathed them. Certainly it seemed to the people in his native village of Mosayov in the Marmorash province that he had never drawn a single serious breath in his life. Nothing was too sacred or out of bounds to be the butt of Hershel's hilarity. "Fear of G-d"? The very notion was laughable to Hershel.
As might be expected, Hershel soon became the most popular guy in Mosayov among the idle, the crude, the silly and the drinkers. Whenever there was a crowd of people on the street or in the village tavern laughing hilariously, one was sure to find Hershel at its epicenter, perfecting his craft.
Hershel himself made a nice living as a seller of livestock. As his business took him to all the neighboring towns and villages, his reputation as a comedian spread throughout the Marmorash region.
Each year, he would travel to the great annual livestock fair in Tchernowitz.
Another person who consistently attended the fair was the rabbi of that city, the well known tzaddik (righteous person) and scholarly author, Rabbi Chaim of Tchernowitz. Rabbi Chaim would circulate among the merchants and accord them the opportunity to contribute to the many worthy causes that he was involved in for helping needy people and supporting educational institutions.
And so it came to pass that Rabbi Chaim was making his rounds of the stalls at the Tchernowitz fair when he suddenly came upon a large group of fair-goers laughing raucously, slapping their thighs and winking at each other. No doubt about it -- Hershel the Mosayover must be in the midst of them. And in top form too.
Rabbi Chaim thought to slip around them inconspicuously. He knew that from these crude, empty-headed types he could not expect much "business" anyway. But Hershel was quicker than he. "Hey! Holy Rebbe! Shalom aleichem" he called out, still grinning from the last joke he had successfully cracked.
"Aleichem shalom, my fellow Jews," responded the rabbi warmly. The die was cast. Now he could no longer turn away. "Perhaps you gentlemen would care to take a share in the great mitzvah of charity?"
"And what, exactly, is this charity for?" asked Hershel, still smirking.
"For pidyon shvuyim (redeeming captives), called the greatest mitzvah of all," the rabbi responded promptly. "There is a poor, unfortunate Jew who has a large debt of fifteen hundred zelotys (Polish gold currency) to his local poritz (nobleman landowner). Now he is languishing in the nobleman's dungeon, until the debt is paid."
Hershel's companions were all grinning in anticipation. They waited eagerly for their friend's witty riposte in the rabbi-jester dialogue.
Hershel put his hand in his pocket and took out 1,500 zalatas -- all the money he had brought with him to replenish his stock. "Here you are, Rabbi," he said quietly, with a strange look on his face. "Here is the entire sum you need to ransom the unfortunate Jew."
All the onlookers were startled for a moment, but then they realized this must be one of Hershel's clever jests. The rabbi would put out his hand for the money, and Hershel would pretend to start to give it to him and then at the last moment he would snatch it back, making a fool of the naïve Torah scholar.
But the tzaddik was not so naive after all. He held back, and simply gazed at Hershel thoughtfully.
"No, No," exclaimed Hershel, as his face took on a fully serious expression. "I really mean it. No joke. Please. Take the money." As he spoke the words, pressed the bulging purse he had drawn out of his pocket into Rabbi Chaim's hand.
The astonished rabbi felt himself overwhelmed with emotion -- excitement and relief at being able to secure the release of the poor imprisoned Jew, amazement that such a supposedly lowly soul could ascend to the highest of peaks in the briefest of moments. His cheeks were flushed; warm tears pooled at the corner of his eyes.
Hershel himself was stunned. He couldn't understand what he had just done. It had been a spontaneous impulse that had overcome him, but why had it been so irresistible?
The tzaddik wished to bless his donor appropriately, but wasn't sure how. For Rabbi Chaim, life turned on one hinge: Shabbat. He had even written a unique book, Siduro Shel Shabbat, explaining the exaltedness and holiness of the Seventh Day according to mystical principles of the Kabbalah. But how was that relevant to the loutish man that stood before him? Nevertheless, he thought to himself, such a deed deserves the greatest blessing of all. Still brimming with enthusiasm, he exclaimed:
"I bless you that, in the merit of this great mitzvah that you have done, you will experience the true taste of Shabbat."
Hershel was still numb. He nodded his head as if he understood what the tzaddik was talking about and answered, "Amen."
That very day Hershel returned to Mosayov. Since he had no money, there was no reason to remain in Tchernowitz. Still, he remained his cheerful, joking self.
As the week progressed, however, he began to feel a strange feeling welling up inside him: a spirit of holiness, something he had never felt before in his life. When Friday dawned and the feeling was even more intense, he realized that it must be connected to the oncoming Shabbat, and that this Shabbat would definitely be like no other he had ever experienced.
He went shopping to purchase Shabbat's special foods, and he could barely control his trembling. As the hours went by his inner upheaval grew stronger and stronger.
All those who encountered Hershel that Shabbat could hardly recognize him. Was that really him singing, dancing, studying, praying with ecstasy? Hershel could barely recognize himself! His entire being was bursting with the sacred pleasure of Shabbat.
It was the talk of the town. The idea that Hershel the clown could be caught up in a tzaddik-type intense love of Shabbat cracked up everyone who heard about it even more than Hershel's intentional jests. They even entertained the possibility that he had gone insane.
But then the news spread of what had happened at the livestock fair in Tchernowitz -- the incongruous charitable deed that Hershel had done and the extraordinary blessing of the tzaddik of Tchernowitz. People began to consider the issue more seriously.
After that Shabbat, Hershel returned to his customary light-hearted, joking manner. But by the following Shabbat he was again overwhelmed by the same spirit of holiness. It was as if there were two Hershels: the weekday persona and the Shabbat one.
Weeks went by, and months, without change in his situation. Hershel felt himself cracking under the strain of his dual personality. He decided to travel back to Tchernowitz to discuss his situation with the tzaddik who had blessed him.
Rabbi Chaim told him that in order to absorb the taste of Shabbat without spiritual and psychological damage, he would have to refine his weekday behavior. Hershel decided to stay on in Tchernowitz in order to learn more from his new mentor. Soon his daily lifestyle was slowly but steadily shifting to become harmonious with his weekly Shabbat elevation.
In the early 1800's, Rabbi Chaim of Chernovitz moved to the Land of Israel, and his faithful disciple Hershel accompanied him. They lived in the holy city of Tsfat. Today, nearly two centuries later, their burial sites are well known.
* * * *
Biographical note: Rabbi Chaim Tirar of Tchernowitz (1760-1817) was a leading disciple of the Maggid of Mezritch and of Rabbi Yechiel Michel of Zlotchov. He authored a number of important books, but is best known by the name of his esoteric commentary on the Torah, Be'er Mayim Chaim. Towards the end of his life he moved to Safed, where he is buried.
- A master storyteller with hundreds of published stories to his credit, Rabbi Yrachmiel Tilles is co-founder of ASCENT OF SAFED, and editor of Ascent Quarterly and the Ascent and KabbalaOnLine websites.
(To view this story online, or to post a comment, please click here:
http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=265497)
Adar II 5, 5765 * March 16, 2005
=============================
CHASSIDIC STORY
=============================
A Joker's Shabbat
By: Yrachmiel Tilles
--------------------
Hershel didn't just tell jokes. He breathed them. Certainly it seemed to the people in his native village of Mosayov in the Marmorash province that he had never drawn a single serious breath in his life. Nothing was too sacred or out of bounds to be the butt of Hershel's hilarity. "Fear of G-d"? The very notion was laughable to Hershel.
As might be expected, Hershel soon became the most popular guy in Mosayov among the idle, the crude, the silly and the drinkers. Whenever there was a crowd of people on the street or in the village tavern laughing hilariously, one was sure to find Hershel at its epicenter, perfecting his craft.
Hershel himself made a nice living as a seller of livestock. As his business took him to all the neighboring towns and villages, his reputation as a comedian spread throughout the Marmorash region.
Each year, he would travel to the great annual livestock fair in Tchernowitz.
Another person who consistently attended the fair was the rabbi of that city, the well known tzaddik (righteous person) and scholarly author, Rabbi Chaim of Tchernowitz. Rabbi Chaim would circulate among the merchants and accord them the opportunity to contribute to the many worthy causes that he was involved in for helping needy people and supporting educational institutions.
And so it came to pass that Rabbi Chaim was making his rounds of the stalls at the Tchernowitz fair when he suddenly came upon a large group of fair-goers laughing raucously, slapping their thighs and winking at each other. No doubt about it -- Hershel the Mosayover must be in the midst of them. And in top form too.
Rabbi Chaim thought to slip around them inconspicuously. He knew that from these crude, empty-headed types he could not expect much "business" anyway. But Hershel was quicker than he. "Hey! Holy Rebbe! Shalom aleichem" he called out, still grinning from the last joke he had successfully cracked.
"Aleichem shalom, my fellow Jews," responded the rabbi warmly. The die was cast. Now he could no longer turn away. "Perhaps you gentlemen would care to take a share in the great mitzvah of charity?"
"And what, exactly, is this charity for?" asked Hershel, still smirking.
"For pidyon shvuyim (redeeming captives), called the greatest mitzvah of all," the rabbi responded promptly. "There is a poor, unfortunate Jew who has a large debt of fifteen hundred zelotys (Polish gold currency) to his local poritz (nobleman landowner). Now he is languishing in the nobleman's dungeon, until the debt is paid."
Hershel's companions were all grinning in anticipation. They waited eagerly for their friend's witty riposte in the rabbi-jester dialogue.
Hershel put his hand in his pocket and took out 1,500 zalatas -- all the money he had brought with him to replenish his stock. "Here you are, Rabbi," he said quietly, with a strange look on his face. "Here is the entire sum you need to ransom the unfortunate Jew."
All the onlookers were startled for a moment, but then they realized this must be one of Hershel's clever jests. The rabbi would put out his hand for the money, and Hershel would pretend to start to give it to him and then at the last moment he would snatch it back, making a fool of the naïve Torah scholar.
But the tzaddik was not so naive after all. He held back, and simply gazed at Hershel thoughtfully.
"No, No," exclaimed Hershel, as his face took on a fully serious expression. "I really mean it. No joke. Please. Take the money." As he spoke the words, pressed the bulging purse he had drawn out of his pocket into Rabbi Chaim's hand.
The astonished rabbi felt himself overwhelmed with emotion -- excitement and relief at being able to secure the release of the poor imprisoned Jew, amazement that such a supposedly lowly soul could ascend to the highest of peaks in the briefest of moments. His cheeks were flushed; warm tears pooled at the corner of his eyes.
Hershel himself was stunned. He couldn't understand what he had just done. It had been a spontaneous impulse that had overcome him, but why had it been so irresistible?
The tzaddik wished to bless his donor appropriately, but wasn't sure how. For Rabbi Chaim, life turned on one hinge: Shabbat. He had even written a unique book, Siduro Shel Shabbat, explaining the exaltedness and holiness of the Seventh Day according to mystical principles of the Kabbalah. But how was that relevant to the loutish man that stood before him? Nevertheless, he thought to himself, such a deed deserves the greatest blessing of all. Still brimming with enthusiasm, he exclaimed:
"I bless you that, in the merit of this great mitzvah that you have done, you will experience the true taste of Shabbat."
Hershel was still numb. He nodded his head as if he understood what the tzaddik was talking about and answered, "Amen."
That very day Hershel returned to Mosayov. Since he had no money, there was no reason to remain in Tchernowitz. Still, he remained his cheerful, joking self.
As the week progressed, however, he began to feel a strange feeling welling up inside him: a spirit of holiness, something he had never felt before in his life. When Friday dawned and the feeling was even more intense, he realized that it must be connected to the oncoming Shabbat, and that this Shabbat would definitely be like no other he had ever experienced.
He went shopping to purchase Shabbat's special foods, and he could barely control his trembling. As the hours went by his inner upheaval grew stronger and stronger.
All those who encountered Hershel that Shabbat could hardly recognize him. Was that really him singing, dancing, studying, praying with ecstasy? Hershel could barely recognize himself! His entire being was bursting with the sacred pleasure of Shabbat.
It was the talk of the town. The idea that Hershel the clown could be caught up in a tzaddik-type intense love of Shabbat cracked up everyone who heard about it even more than Hershel's intentional jests. They even entertained the possibility that he had gone insane.
But then the news spread of what had happened at the livestock fair in Tchernowitz -- the incongruous charitable deed that Hershel had done and the extraordinary blessing of the tzaddik of Tchernowitz. People began to consider the issue more seriously.
After that Shabbat, Hershel returned to his customary light-hearted, joking manner. But by the following Shabbat he was again overwhelmed by the same spirit of holiness. It was as if there were two Hershels: the weekday persona and the Shabbat one.
Weeks went by, and months, without change in his situation. Hershel felt himself cracking under the strain of his dual personality. He decided to travel back to Tchernowitz to discuss his situation with the tzaddik who had blessed him.
Rabbi Chaim told him that in order to absorb the taste of Shabbat without spiritual and psychological damage, he would have to refine his weekday behavior. Hershel decided to stay on in Tchernowitz in order to learn more from his new mentor. Soon his daily lifestyle was slowly but steadily shifting to become harmonious with his weekly Shabbat elevation.
In the early 1800's, Rabbi Chaim of Chernovitz moved to the Land of Israel, and his faithful disciple Hershel accompanied him. They lived in the holy city of Tsfat. Today, nearly two centuries later, their burial sites are well known.
* * * *
Biographical note: Rabbi Chaim Tirar of Tchernowitz (1760-1817) was a leading disciple of the Maggid of Mezritch and of Rabbi Yechiel Michel of Zlotchov. He authored a number of important books, but is best known by the name of his esoteric commentary on the Torah, Be'er Mayim Chaim. Towards the end of his life he moved to Safed, where he is buried.
- A master storyteller with hundreds of published stories to his credit, Rabbi Yrachmiel Tilles is co-founder of ASCENT OF SAFED, and editor of Ascent Quarterly and the Ascent and KabbalaOnLine websites.
(To view this story online, or to post a comment, please click here:
http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=265497)
Parshat Pekudei - The Power of One
B"H
Adar I 29, 5765 * March 10, 2005
===================================================
IN THE GARDEN OF THE TORAH ===================================================
Parshat Pekudei ---------------
The Power of One - - - - - - - - -
1. Contrast and Concord
What is the true importance of an individual? On one hand, our society often exaggerates the importance of personal gratification. In actual life, however, many people feel dwarfed by their surroundings, insignificant before the raging sea of experience to which contemporary life exposes us.
These concepts receive focus in Parshas Pekudei. The word Pekudei means “reckoning,” and refers to the tallying of the gold, silver, and brass donated for the Sanctuary, and the inventory of all its utensils and services.
Any reckoning involves an interplay of antithetical concepts. The fact that a reckoning is required presumes the existence of a multitude of elements. The focus of a reckoning, however, is not the multitude, but rather the individual entities which comprise it. And yet the ultimate importance of each individual element stems from the fact that it exists as a part of a whole.
On one hand, the Sanctuary is dependent on its individual elements. If one of those elements, no matter how tiny, is lacking, the Sanctuary as a whole is incomplete, and unfit to serve as G d’s resting place.
Simultaneously, the whole which is forged by the combination of these elements is far more than the sum of its parts. When brought together, the different elements of the Sanctuary are granted a measure of importance that surpasses their individual value. By being a part of the Sanctuary, each element fosters the revelation of G d’s Presence.
2. True Accomplishment
Every person’s heart is described as “a sanctuary in microcosm,” and every act of worship in the Sanctuary is reflected in our Divine service. Similarly, with regard to the above concepts, every individual must appreciate that he is far greater than his individual self. He contains the potential to serve as part of klal Yisrael, the Jewish people as a whole — the medium for the revelation of G d’s Presence within our world.
How is this potential realized? When a person a) develops his own abilities to the utmost, shouldering all the responsibility that he has been given. And when b) he joins together with others engaged in the same task, thus becoming part of a greater whole.
The importance of the latter step is also highlighted in Parshas Vayakhel. Thus it is more than coincidence that these two Torah portions are often read together. On one hand, their messages may appear contradictory: Vayakhel emphasizes the fusion of individuals into a spiritual collective, while Pekudei underscores the personal contribution of every individual. But a collective will be incomplete unless it includes every individual, and unless it allows each of those individuals to fully developed himself.. Simultaneously, each individual must realize that he will not reach his full potential until he joins with others.
3. What Lies at the Core
The possibility exists of forging a unified whole from divergent parts only because each of these components already shares a fundamental connection. Every person’s soul is “an actual part of G d.” Therefore, despite the differences between individuals, they are bound together by a basic commonalty. Similarly, in the world at large, every particle of existence is maintained by G d’s creative energy, and this common ground generates the potential for unity.
4. Keeping One’s Balance Sheet
As mentioned, the reckoning of Parshas Pekudei includes “the account of the sums of gold, silver, and brass donated for the Sanctuary, and the account of all its utensils and its services.” First, an inventory was taken of the resources available, and then a reckoning was made as to how these resources were used.
These concepts are also relevant in our Divine service. First, a person must take inventory; he must know who he is and what he can do. Afterwards, from time to time, he must determine how well these abilities are being employed, and what he has accomplished with them. The sequence is also significant; awareness of the existence of one’s potential serves as a prod, spurring its realization.
5. The Catalyst for Personal Development
The Torah reading begins: “This is the reckoning of the Sanctuary... which was calculated by Moshe,” i.e., the reckoning of the different elements of the Sanctuary — and correspondingly, the reckoning of the abilities of every individual — is dependent on the input of Moshe Rabbeinu. It is Moshe Rabbeinu who arouses the inner G dly potential that every individual possesses.
And after all the elements of the Sanctuary were complete, it was Moshe who actually erected it and inaugurated its service. For it is Moshe’s leadership which stimulates the expression of each individual’s inner potential and encourages its synergistic interaction with that of others.
6. No End to Growth
Parshas Pekudei does not conclude with the construction of the Sanctuary, but mentions two further points:
a) That “the cloud rested upon it, and the glory of G d filled the Sanctuary,” i.e., the Sanctuary had become a resting place for the Divine Presence, and
b) “When the cloud arose... the children of Israel set forth on all their journeys” — that our Divine service requires constant progress.
These two points are fundamental to the reckoning that every person must make. Each must know that the ultimate goal is the revelation of G d’s Presence. And each must realize that it is impossible to rest on one’s laurels; the ongoing revelation of G d’s Presence involves continual advancement.
Ultimately, as we “proceed from strength to strength,” we will “appear before G d in Zion,” in the Third Beis HaMikdash with the coming of the Redemption.
(Adapted from Likkutei Sichos, Vol. XXI, p. 250ff; Sefer HaSichos 5749, p. 313ff; Sichos Shabbos Parshas Pekudei, 5743; Sichos Shabbos Parshas Vayakhel, 5752)
Adar I 29, 5765 * March 10, 2005
===================================================
IN THE GARDEN OF THE TORAH ===================================================
Parshat Pekudei ---------------
The Power of One - - - - - - - - -
1. Contrast and Concord
What is the true importance of an individual? On one hand, our society often exaggerates the importance of personal gratification. In actual life, however, many people feel dwarfed by their surroundings, insignificant before the raging sea of experience to which contemporary life exposes us.
These concepts receive focus in Parshas Pekudei. The word Pekudei means “reckoning,” and refers to the tallying of the gold, silver, and brass donated for the Sanctuary, and the inventory of all its utensils and services.
Any reckoning involves an interplay of antithetical concepts. The fact that a reckoning is required presumes the existence of a multitude of elements. The focus of a reckoning, however, is not the multitude, but rather the individual entities which comprise it. And yet the ultimate importance of each individual element stems from the fact that it exists as a part of a whole.
On one hand, the Sanctuary is dependent on its individual elements. If one of those elements, no matter how tiny, is lacking, the Sanctuary as a whole is incomplete, and unfit to serve as G d’s resting place.
Simultaneously, the whole which is forged by the combination of these elements is far more than the sum of its parts. When brought together, the different elements of the Sanctuary are granted a measure of importance that surpasses their individual value. By being a part of the Sanctuary, each element fosters the revelation of G d’s Presence.
2. True Accomplishment
Every person’s heart is described as “a sanctuary in microcosm,” and every act of worship in the Sanctuary is reflected in our Divine service. Similarly, with regard to the above concepts, every individual must appreciate that he is far greater than his individual self. He contains the potential to serve as part of klal Yisrael, the Jewish people as a whole — the medium for the revelation of G d’s Presence within our world.
How is this potential realized? When a person a) develops his own abilities to the utmost, shouldering all the responsibility that he has been given. And when b) he joins together with others engaged in the same task, thus becoming part of a greater whole.
The importance of the latter step is also highlighted in Parshas Vayakhel. Thus it is more than coincidence that these two Torah portions are often read together. On one hand, their messages may appear contradictory: Vayakhel emphasizes the fusion of individuals into a spiritual collective, while Pekudei underscores the personal contribution of every individual. But a collective will be incomplete unless it includes every individual, and unless it allows each of those individuals to fully developed himself.. Simultaneously, each individual must realize that he will not reach his full potential until he joins with others.
3. What Lies at the Core
The possibility exists of forging a unified whole from divergent parts only because each of these components already shares a fundamental connection. Every person’s soul is “an actual part of G d.” Therefore, despite the differences between individuals, they are bound together by a basic commonalty. Similarly, in the world at large, every particle of existence is maintained by G d’s creative energy, and this common ground generates the potential for unity.
4. Keeping One’s Balance Sheet
As mentioned, the reckoning of Parshas Pekudei includes “the account of the sums of gold, silver, and brass donated for the Sanctuary, and the account of all its utensils and its services.” First, an inventory was taken of the resources available, and then a reckoning was made as to how these resources were used.
These concepts are also relevant in our Divine service. First, a person must take inventory; he must know who he is and what he can do. Afterwards, from time to time, he must determine how well these abilities are being employed, and what he has accomplished with them. The sequence is also significant; awareness of the existence of one’s potential serves as a prod, spurring its realization.
5. The Catalyst for Personal Development
The Torah reading begins: “This is the reckoning of the Sanctuary... which was calculated by Moshe,” i.e., the reckoning of the different elements of the Sanctuary — and correspondingly, the reckoning of the abilities of every individual — is dependent on the input of Moshe Rabbeinu. It is Moshe Rabbeinu who arouses the inner G dly potential that every individual possesses.
And after all the elements of the Sanctuary were complete, it was Moshe who actually erected it and inaugurated its service. For it is Moshe’s leadership which stimulates the expression of each individual’s inner potential and encourages its synergistic interaction with that of others.
6. No End to Growth
Parshas Pekudei does not conclude with the construction of the Sanctuary, but mentions two further points:
a) That “the cloud rested upon it, and the glory of G d filled the Sanctuary,” i.e., the Sanctuary had become a resting place for the Divine Presence, and
b) “When the cloud arose... the children of Israel set forth on all their journeys” — that our Divine service requires constant progress.
These two points are fundamental to the reckoning that every person must make. Each must know that the ultimate goal is the revelation of G d’s Presence. And each must realize that it is impossible to rest on one’s laurels; the ongoing revelation of G d’s Presence involves continual advancement.
Ultimately, as we “proceed from strength to strength,” we will “appear before G d in Zion,” in the Third Beis HaMikdash with the coming of the Redemption.
(Adapted from Likkutei Sichos, Vol. XXI, p. 250ff; Sefer HaSichos 5749, p. 313ff; Sichos Shabbos Parshas Pekudei, 5743; Sichos Shabbos Parshas Vayakhel, 5752)
Daily Dose - Denying Reality
B"H
Denying Reality
---------------
Despair is the diametric opposite of everything in which we believe -in other words: it is a denial of reality.
It is a denial that there is a G-d that directs all of His creation and watches over every individual and assists each one in what he must accomplish…
A Daily Dose of Wisdom from the Rebbe
-words and condensation by Tzvi Freeman
Adar I 29, 5765 * March 10, 2005
Denying Reality
---------------
Despair is the diametric opposite of everything in which we believe -in other words: it is a denial of reality.
It is a denial that there is a G-d that directs all of His creation and watches over every individual and assists each one in what he must accomplish…
A Daily Dose of Wisdom from the Rebbe
-words and condensation by Tzvi Freeman
Adar I 29, 5765 * March 10, 2005
Daily Dose - All of You
B"H
All of You
----------
Where your thoughts are there you are --all of you
A Daily Dose of Wisdom from the Rebbe
-words and condensation by Tzvi Freeman
Adar II 7, 5765 * March 18, 2005
All of You
----------
Where your thoughts are there you are --all of you
A Daily Dose of Wisdom from the Rebbe
-words and condensation by Tzvi Freeman
Adar II 7, 5765 * March 18, 2005
On the Essence of Pleasure
By Tzvi Freeman
"Better one hour of teshuvah ("return") and good deeds in the world as it is now than all the life of the world as it will come to be. And better one hour of pleasure in the world to come than all the life of this world now." (Ethics of the Fathers, 4:17)
"There is nothing higher than pleasure." (The Book of Formation)
The world, the sages tell us, is made of pleasure. Pleasure condenses and contracts and becomes Wisdom. Wisdom condenses further and becomes Understanding. And so the process continues for infinite contractions until the light of Pleasure has condensed so far as to become a world we can squeeze between our fingers.
All begins with pleasure. Whose pleasure? The pleasure of the One who is called Infinite Light. And in what does the Infinite Light find pleasure? In being. For pleasure is being and being is pleasure.
Have you ever had the pleasure of being? All our lives, we run from pain and chase after pleasure. We are like the rivers, ever-moving, for whom stillness is death; for each pleasure brings its own pain and each pain drives us towards another pleasure until our lives are a state of ever-becoming, rarely, oh so rarely, just being.
But they do happen, those eternal moments; those moments of the pleasure of "is."
I cannot know your memories, but I will reveal one of mine: As a child, with all the family sitting about the fireplace, no one fighting, no one crying, and my father, surrendering to my mother’s assertions of what a father should be doing after dinner, is reading out loud for all of us one of his detective novels, just as he would dictate a legal transcript for his typist. But his lack of dramatic intonation does not matter, neither does the story he reads -- as though we ever knew what it was about. There is this glowing aura of pleasure, that we are all together and that is all that matters right now.
It was a moment that never ended, for it was never a part of time. It was a stillness; within time and beyond time. It was a point of is.
There are pitifully few more, but I will not say them -- as you do not need to reveal yours. It seems they almost all have to do with the woman or man with whom we have made an eternal covenant and with the family we have been blessed through such a union. With those with whom we can feel secure and in whom we find our essential selves.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Our lives are but a reflection of the divine. We are, in the words of Leonardo da Vinci, "G-d looking in a mirror, with everything there but the essence." All that He creates, the Mishna tells us, He creates for His glory, for He finds pleasure in each and every one of them.
But there are pleasures and there are pleasures. All the angelic hosts of spiritual heavens above, they bathe in the pleasure of endless enlightenment and divine wisdom, ever-striving higher and higher in their unquenchable thirst for the pure ecstasy of the infinite light. But the core pleasure of G-d, the delight of being -- of "is" -- that can only be found on the muddy bottom floor called earth. It is the pleasure G-d has from a world that also perceives the "is" -- for it believes itself to be as real as its Creator.
So what is His pleasure with this world, if it is so distant, so unenlightened? Just as ours: it is the pleasure of union with a soul that is distant from Him and chooses to come close; a soul that will make for Him a home out of the raw materials of a dark world; a soul that will give birth to beautiful deeds in which G-d can see Himself clearly reflected. In all those lie the ultimate pleasure of the One who is called Infinite Light.
It is not fair that He should have all the pleasure and we only the pain. Yet, if we would feel His infinite delight in those moments of return and good deeds, our world would cease to be; it would vanish as an ephemera of the shadows vanishes when the curtains are suddenly drawn open and the light of day bursts in.
Only in the world as it will come to be, once it has been fully transformed into a home for the Divine, then we will share in His pleasure He has now. Then we will say, and fully know, its truth, "Better one eternal moment of return and good deeds in that world that was, then all the life of this world as it was meant to be."
"Better one hour of teshuvah ("return") and good deeds in the world as it is now than all the life of the world as it will come to be. And better one hour of pleasure in the world to come than all the life of this world now." (Ethics of the Fathers, 4:17)
"There is nothing higher than pleasure." (The Book of Formation)
The world, the sages tell us, is made of pleasure. Pleasure condenses and contracts and becomes Wisdom. Wisdom condenses further and becomes Understanding. And so the process continues for infinite contractions until the light of Pleasure has condensed so far as to become a world we can squeeze between our fingers.
All begins with pleasure. Whose pleasure? The pleasure of the One who is called Infinite Light. And in what does the Infinite Light find pleasure? In being. For pleasure is being and being is pleasure.
Have you ever had the pleasure of being? All our lives, we run from pain and chase after pleasure. We are like the rivers, ever-moving, for whom stillness is death; for each pleasure brings its own pain and each pain drives us towards another pleasure until our lives are a state of ever-becoming, rarely, oh so rarely, just being.
But they do happen, those eternal moments; those moments of the pleasure of "is."
I cannot know your memories, but I will reveal one of mine: As a child, with all the family sitting about the fireplace, no one fighting, no one crying, and my father, surrendering to my mother’s assertions of what a father should be doing after dinner, is reading out loud for all of us one of his detective novels, just as he would dictate a legal transcript for his typist. But his lack of dramatic intonation does not matter, neither does the story he reads -- as though we ever knew what it was about. There is this glowing aura of pleasure, that we are all together and that is all that matters right now.
It was a moment that never ended, for it was never a part of time. It was a stillness; within time and beyond time. It was a point of is.
There are pitifully few more, but I will not say them -- as you do not need to reveal yours. It seems they almost all have to do with the woman or man with whom we have made an eternal covenant and with the family we have been blessed through such a union. With those with whom we can feel secure and in whom we find our essential selves.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Our lives are but a reflection of the divine. We are, in the words of Leonardo da Vinci, "G-d looking in a mirror, with everything there but the essence." All that He creates, the Mishna tells us, He creates for His glory, for He finds pleasure in each and every one of them.
But there are pleasures and there are pleasures. All the angelic hosts of spiritual heavens above, they bathe in the pleasure of endless enlightenment and divine wisdom, ever-striving higher and higher in their unquenchable thirst for the pure ecstasy of the infinite light. But the core pleasure of G-d, the delight of being -- of "is" -- that can only be found on the muddy bottom floor called earth. It is the pleasure G-d has from a world that also perceives the "is" -- for it believes itself to be as real as its Creator.
So what is His pleasure with this world, if it is so distant, so unenlightened? Just as ours: it is the pleasure of union with a soul that is distant from Him and chooses to come close; a soul that will make for Him a home out of the raw materials of a dark world; a soul that will give birth to beautiful deeds in which G-d can see Himself clearly reflected. In all those lie the ultimate pleasure of the One who is called Infinite Light.
It is not fair that He should have all the pleasure and we only the pain. Yet, if we would feel His infinite delight in those moments of return and good deeds, our world would cease to be; it would vanish as an ephemera of the shadows vanishes when the curtains are suddenly drawn open and the light of day bursts in.
Only in the world as it will come to be, once it has been fully transformed into a home for the Divine, then we will share in His pleasure He has now. Then we will say, and fully know, its truth, "Better one eternal moment of return and good deeds in that world that was, then all the life of this world as it was meant to be."
Community, Individuality, and Why It's Frustrating to Have a Brain
Based on the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson
This week's Torah reading, Vayak'hel (Exodus 35:1-38:20), and next week's reading, Pekudei (ibid. 38:21-40:38), are replete with questions and contradictions. The first enigma is the question of why these Parshiot exist at all. Most of their content seems completely superfluous.
The Torah is very mincing with words: laws whose details cover many pages in the Talmud are expressed by the Torah in a single sentence or word, or even by means of a single extra letter. But when it comes to the Mishkan, the sanctuary made by the people of Israel in the Sinai Desert, the Torah does a very unusual thing: it elaborates. And then it elaborates some more.
First (in the Parshiot of Terumah and Tetzaveh) we get a description of every one of the Sanctuary's dozens of components as spelled out in G-d's instructions to Moses. And then we get all the details a second time, in the account of the Sanctuary's actual construction in the Parshiot of Vayak'hel and Pekudei. The most amazing thing is that these two descriptions are virtually identical! The only real difference is that in the first account, the description of each item begins, "And they shall make...", and in the second account it begins, "And they made..."
The Sanctuary is the prototype of the "dwelling for G-d in the physical world" whose construction constitutes our mission in life. That's why the details are so important. But why do they have to be related twice? Couldn't the Torah simply say, "And the Children of Israel built it exactly as G-d had commanded"?
Why It's Frustrating Having a Brain
Having a brain means that you not only know how things are, but you also understand how things ought to be. Which means that you're constantly being made aware that things are not as they ought to be.
Human beings (most of whom have brains) deal with this frustration in a variety of ways. Some become "academics", which means that they concentrate on the way things ought to be and make believe that that's the way things are. Those who for some reason (usually job-related) are compelled to deal with the way things are, try not to think about the way things ought to be. Since neither approach can be maintained 100% of the time, human beings enjoy a higher stress level than cows, for example.
This has led humans to invent all sorts of salves and balms for stress, on the one hand, and all sorts of devices to do away with (or at least numb) the brain, on the other. Which is a shame, since it's great having a brain, and it's healthy to experience stress.
That's the lesson implicit in the "superfluous" chapters of Vayak'hel and Pekudei.
The Lubavitcher Rebbe explains that the Torah wants to emphasize that there will always be two versions of G-d's home on earth: the ideal version, as G-d envisions it and describes it to Moses, and the real version, as it is actually built in and out of our physical lives.
Does this means that G-d is making allowances? That His vision can be compromised by "the way things are" down here? But both versions are exactly the same in the Torah's account! In other words, we are empowered -- and expected -- to recreate the divine ideal in its entirety, down to every last peg, clasp and carrying pole, within the material world.
Recreate -- not duplicate. G-d does not want us to transform physical matter into substanceless spirit; He wants us to make the physical world hospitable to His presence.
Being human means never ceasing the effort to translate the ideal into the real. Not that we can eliminate the gap between matter and spirit. We can do better: we can make our lives a physical version of the divine vision. Human life is an attempt to achieve the impossible -- an attempt that fails, and in failing, achieves something even greater.
If you're experiencing stress, you're doing something right.
The Second Enigma: Transposed Headings
The second enigma of the Parshiot of Vayak'hel and Pekudei concerns the names by which they are called, and an apparent contradiction between each Parashah's name and its content.
To the casual reader, the names by which the 54 sections of the annual Torah-reading cycle are called seem quite incidental: a Parshah is almost always named after the first distinctive word to appear in its text. Chassidic teaching, however, which sees every event and phenomenon as specifically determined by Divine Providence, rejects the very concept of "incidence." Furthermore, says the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Chassidism teaches that the name of an object in the Holy Tongue constitutes its soul and essence; the Rebbe also points out that the word torah means "instruction," implying that there is nothing in Torah that is not instructive. Hence, the Rebbe concludes, there certainly cannot be anything "incidental" about the name of a section in Torah.
At his weekly Shabbat farbrengens the Rebbe would often dwell on the name of the Parshah read that week, demonstrating how this single word or phrase indeed enfolds within it the entire breadth and variety of the Parshah's contents, and how this Parshah's name, when its nuances are analyzed and set against the other components of the Jewish calendar with which it intersects, carries a wealth of information and instruction to our daily lives (for two examples, see Life after Death and Learning to Laugh)
Vayak'hel means "assembly" and "community," while the word Pekudei connotes itemization and individuality. So these two Parshiot, which follow each other in the Torah -- and on certain years are even joined together to form a single reading -- express the conflict, interaction and paradox of these two components of the human soul: a) our need and desire to bond together in a communal identity; b) our need and desire for an individual identity distinct and unique from our fellows.
But the most amazing thing about Vayak'hel and Pekudei is not that both are given equal prominence in the Torah; nor that they appear in the Torah in such proximity to each other; and not even that these seemingly dichotomous concepts are often fused to form a single reading called "Vayak'hel-Pekudei". The most amazing thing about these two Parshah names is that they seem to have switched places.
If we look beyond these names to the actual content of their respective Parshiot, we discover that the content of the Parshah that carries the name Vayak'hel would seem to be most appropriately named Pekudei, while the content of the Parshah of Pekudei begs the name Vayak'hel!
Vayak'hel begins by telling how Moses assembled the people to command them on the observance of Shabbat and the making of the Sanctuary; this act of assembly gives the Parshah its name (vayak'hel means "and he assembled" and is a form of the word kahal, "congregation"). But the remainder of the Parshah is filled with the particulars of the Mishkan's construction. Each of the Sanctuary's dozens of components is individually listed and described: its roof coverings, wall panels, foundation sockets, pillars, braces, brackets and curtains; the Ark, the Table, the Menorah, the two Altars, even the washbasin and its pedestal. We are given the exact dimensions of these components, the materials out of which they were made, the details of their design.
Pekudei means "accounts," and the Parshah begins with the statement, "These are the accounts of the Mishkan..." The etymological root of Pekudei, pakod, means to count, to remember, and to appoint -- all expressing the concept of itemization, of particular attention to detail (in modern Hebrew, a pakid is a bureaucrat). But while Pekudei also includes details of the Sanctuary's construction (specifically, those of the priestly garments), a major part of the Parshah is devoted to the Mishkan's assembly. In Pekudei the Torah relates how the components listed and described in Vayak'hel were fitted together to form the Sanctuary, and how the Divine Presence came to dwell in the completed structure. Indeed, the parts of the Mishkan, even as each was fashioned in perfect concurrence with its divine specifications, could not house the Divine Presence until they were assembled to collectively form the whole Mishkan.
In other words, the Parshah of Vayak'hel is taken up with the individual natures of the Sanctuary's parts, while Pekudei describes how these combine to form the greater structure -- the very opposite of what each Parshah's name means!
Five Lessons
To summerize:
1) The Torah includes a Parshah called Vayak'hel, and a Parshah called Pekudei.
2) On certain years they are joined as a single reading, called "Vayak'hel-Pekudei."
3) On other years, these two Parshiot form two separate Torah-readings, read on separate weeks.
4) Vayak'hel means "community," but the content of this Parshah is the value of individuality. Pekudei means "individuality," but its content is the advantage in union and integration.
5) Vayak'hel comes first in the Torah, followed by Pekudei.
Each of these nuances, says the Rebbe, is significant. Each illuminates the relationship between our individual and communal identities:
The First Lesson: We have and need them both. The fact that the Torah contains two Parshiot, one called Vayak'hel and the other called Pekudei, means that our need for communality and our striving for individual distinction are both important and desirable components of the human soul.
The Second Lesson: We can, and should, achieve a synthesis of the two. If Vayak'hel and Pekudei were only to appear in the Torah as two separate Parshiot, this would imply that while both are necessary, each has its time and place: that there are times when our communality must be emphasized (to the negation of our individuality), and there are times when an assertion of individuality is called for (albeit disruptive to our communality). We would not know that the two could be integrated.
The fact that, on certain years, Vayak'hel and Pekudei are joined to form a single reading, teaches us that we can, and should, achieve a synthesis of the two: a community that is not a faceless mass but a community of individuals, each contributing his or her distinct personality and capabilities toward the communal goal, with the community, in turn, providing the framework within which each can strive for his or her personal best.
The Third Lesson: We most also nurture each of the two as a thing of value in and of itself. On the other hand, if Vayak'hel and Pekudei were to appear only in their joint form, this would imply that the only desirable objective is the achievement of some sort of balance between these contrasting drives--a balance that may well entail a compromise of one or the other (or of both). Perhaps our individuality has value only in that it contributes in some way to the community; or perhaps the sole function of the community is to provide a framework for the development of the individual. We would not know that each is also an end unto itself.
The fact that Vayak'hel and Pekudei also appear in the Torah as two separate readings teaches us that -- in addition to the objective of integrating the two -- individuality and community are viable objectives in their own right as well. Individual perfection has value independently of how this contributes to the communal good; and the creation of a community is likewise an end unto itself, for it represents a state of being that is greater than the sum of its individual parts.
The Fourth Lesson: Each consists of the other. We have seen how community ("Vayak'hel") and individuality ("Pekudei") each represent a desirable goal, and how they can be integrated to form a third model, a community of individuals ("Vayak'hel-Pekudei"). But the Torah goes even further. It tells us that even when each is considered as an end unto itself, the two are inexorably bound with each other.
This is the lesson to be derived from the fact that the content of "Vayak'hel" is the nature of individual things, while "Pekudei" contains the description of how diverse parts are joined into a greater whole. The Torah is telling us even when the objective is solely the creation of a perfect community, the most perfect community is a community comprised of individuals who are fully in touch with and exercising their individuality (as Vayak'hel, even as a Parshah on its own, is comprised of manifestly individual parts). And the Torah is telling us even when the objective is exclusively the realization of individual potential, an individual can optimally actualize his uniqueness only as a member of a community (as the Parshah of Pekudei includes the creation of community).
The Fifth Lesson: Imperfect individuals make a perfect community. The question remaining is: Which should come first?
Logic would seem to dictate that individual development ("Pekudei") should come before community building ("Vayak'hel"): first one needs the parts, and then one can assemble these parts into the greater organism. So the initial emphasis, it would seem, should be on the perfection of the individual, after which these perfected individuals could be knit into the ideal community.
The Torah, however, places Vayak'hel before Pekudei, teaching us that the very opposite is the case: our very first objective, concludes the Rebbe, must be to bring people together, regardless of their individual state. Personal perfection will follow, fostered by the love and fellowship we show towards each other.
Based on the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe; adapted by Yanki Tauber
This week's Torah reading, Vayak'hel (Exodus 35:1-38:20), and next week's reading, Pekudei (ibid. 38:21-40:38), are replete with questions and contradictions. The first enigma is the question of why these Parshiot exist at all. Most of their content seems completely superfluous.
The Torah is very mincing with words: laws whose details cover many pages in the Talmud are expressed by the Torah in a single sentence or word, or even by means of a single extra letter. But when it comes to the Mishkan, the sanctuary made by the people of Israel in the Sinai Desert, the Torah does a very unusual thing: it elaborates. And then it elaborates some more.
First (in the Parshiot of Terumah and Tetzaveh) we get a description of every one of the Sanctuary's dozens of components as spelled out in G-d's instructions to Moses. And then we get all the details a second time, in the account of the Sanctuary's actual construction in the Parshiot of Vayak'hel and Pekudei. The most amazing thing is that these two descriptions are virtually identical! The only real difference is that in the first account, the description of each item begins, "And they shall make...", and in the second account it begins, "And they made..."
The Sanctuary is the prototype of the "dwelling for G-d in the physical world" whose construction constitutes our mission in life. That's why the details are so important. But why do they have to be related twice? Couldn't the Torah simply say, "And the Children of Israel built it exactly as G-d had commanded"?
Why It's Frustrating Having a Brain
Having a brain means that you not only know how things are, but you also understand how things ought to be. Which means that you're constantly being made aware that things are not as they ought to be.
Human beings (most of whom have brains) deal with this frustration in a variety of ways. Some become "academics", which means that they concentrate on the way things ought to be and make believe that that's the way things are. Those who for some reason (usually job-related) are compelled to deal with the way things are, try not to think about the way things ought to be. Since neither approach can be maintained 100% of the time, human beings enjoy a higher stress level than cows, for example.
This has led humans to invent all sorts of salves and balms for stress, on the one hand, and all sorts of devices to do away with (or at least numb) the brain, on the other. Which is a shame, since it's great having a brain, and it's healthy to experience stress.
That's the lesson implicit in the "superfluous" chapters of Vayak'hel and Pekudei.
The Lubavitcher Rebbe explains that the Torah wants to emphasize that there will always be two versions of G-d's home on earth: the ideal version, as G-d envisions it and describes it to Moses, and the real version, as it is actually built in and out of our physical lives.
Does this means that G-d is making allowances? That His vision can be compromised by "the way things are" down here? But both versions are exactly the same in the Torah's account! In other words, we are empowered -- and expected -- to recreate the divine ideal in its entirety, down to every last peg, clasp and carrying pole, within the material world.
Recreate -- not duplicate. G-d does not want us to transform physical matter into substanceless spirit; He wants us to make the physical world hospitable to His presence.
Being human means never ceasing the effort to translate the ideal into the real. Not that we can eliminate the gap between matter and spirit. We can do better: we can make our lives a physical version of the divine vision. Human life is an attempt to achieve the impossible -- an attempt that fails, and in failing, achieves something even greater.
If you're experiencing stress, you're doing something right.
The Second Enigma: Transposed Headings
The second enigma of the Parshiot of Vayak'hel and Pekudei concerns the names by which they are called, and an apparent contradiction between each Parashah's name and its content.
To the casual reader, the names by which the 54 sections of the annual Torah-reading cycle are called seem quite incidental: a Parshah is almost always named after the first distinctive word to appear in its text. Chassidic teaching, however, which sees every event and phenomenon as specifically determined by Divine Providence, rejects the very concept of "incidence." Furthermore, says the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Chassidism teaches that the name of an object in the Holy Tongue constitutes its soul and essence; the Rebbe also points out that the word torah means "instruction," implying that there is nothing in Torah that is not instructive. Hence, the Rebbe concludes, there certainly cannot be anything "incidental" about the name of a section in Torah.
At his weekly Shabbat farbrengens the Rebbe would often dwell on the name of the Parshah read that week, demonstrating how this single word or phrase indeed enfolds within it the entire breadth and variety of the Parshah's contents, and how this Parshah's name, when its nuances are analyzed and set against the other components of the Jewish calendar with which it intersects, carries a wealth of information and instruction to our daily lives (for two examples, see Life after Death and Learning to Laugh)
Vayak'hel means "assembly" and "community," while the word Pekudei connotes itemization and individuality. So these two Parshiot, which follow each other in the Torah -- and on certain years are even joined together to form a single reading -- express the conflict, interaction and paradox of these two components of the human soul: a) our need and desire to bond together in a communal identity; b) our need and desire for an individual identity distinct and unique from our fellows.
But the most amazing thing about Vayak'hel and Pekudei is not that both are given equal prominence in the Torah; nor that they appear in the Torah in such proximity to each other; and not even that these seemingly dichotomous concepts are often fused to form a single reading called "Vayak'hel-Pekudei". The most amazing thing about these two Parshah names is that they seem to have switched places.
If we look beyond these names to the actual content of their respective Parshiot, we discover that the content of the Parshah that carries the name Vayak'hel would seem to be most appropriately named Pekudei, while the content of the Parshah of Pekudei begs the name Vayak'hel!
Vayak'hel begins by telling how Moses assembled the people to command them on the observance of Shabbat and the making of the Sanctuary; this act of assembly gives the Parshah its name (vayak'hel means "and he assembled" and is a form of the word kahal, "congregation"). But the remainder of the Parshah is filled with the particulars of the Mishkan's construction. Each of the Sanctuary's dozens of components is individually listed and described: its roof coverings, wall panels, foundation sockets, pillars, braces, brackets and curtains; the Ark, the Table, the Menorah, the two Altars, even the washbasin and its pedestal. We are given the exact dimensions of these components, the materials out of which they were made, the details of their design.
Pekudei means "accounts," and the Parshah begins with the statement, "These are the accounts of the Mishkan..." The etymological root of Pekudei, pakod, means to count, to remember, and to appoint -- all expressing the concept of itemization, of particular attention to detail (in modern Hebrew, a pakid is a bureaucrat). But while Pekudei also includes details of the Sanctuary's construction (specifically, those of the priestly garments), a major part of the Parshah is devoted to the Mishkan's assembly. In Pekudei the Torah relates how the components listed and described in Vayak'hel were fitted together to form the Sanctuary, and how the Divine Presence came to dwell in the completed structure. Indeed, the parts of the Mishkan, even as each was fashioned in perfect concurrence with its divine specifications, could not house the Divine Presence until they were assembled to collectively form the whole Mishkan.
In other words, the Parshah of Vayak'hel is taken up with the individual natures of the Sanctuary's parts, while Pekudei describes how these combine to form the greater structure -- the very opposite of what each Parshah's name means!
Five Lessons
To summerize:
1) The Torah includes a Parshah called Vayak'hel, and a Parshah called Pekudei.
2) On certain years they are joined as a single reading, called "Vayak'hel-Pekudei."
3) On other years, these two Parshiot form two separate Torah-readings, read on separate weeks.
4) Vayak'hel means "community," but the content of this Parshah is the value of individuality. Pekudei means "individuality," but its content is the advantage in union and integration.
5) Vayak'hel comes first in the Torah, followed by Pekudei.
Each of these nuances, says the Rebbe, is significant. Each illuminates the relationship between our individual and communal identities:
The First Lesson: We have and need them both. The fact that the Torah contains two Parshiot, one called Vayak'hel and the other called Pekudei, means that our need for communality and our striving for individual distinction are both important and desirable components of the human soul.
The Second Lesson: We can, and should, achieve a synthesis of the two. If Vayak'hel and Pekudei were only to appear in the Torah as two separate Parshiot, this would imply that while both are necessary, each has its time and place: that there are times when our communality must be emphasized (to the negation of our individuality), and there are times when an assertion of individuality is called for (albeit disruptive to our communality). We would not know that the two could be integrated.
The fact that, on certain years, Vayak'hel and Pekudei are joined to form a single reading, teaches us that we can, and should, achieve a synthesis of the two: a community that is not a faceless mass but a community of individuals, each contributing his or her distinct personality and capabilities toward the communal goal, with the community, in turn, providing the framework within which each can strive for his or her personal best.
The Third Lesson: We most also nurture each of the two as a thing of value in and of itself. On the other hand, if Vayak'hel and Pekudei were to appear only in their joint form, this would imply that the only desirable objective is the achievement of some sort of balance between these contrasting drives--a balance that may well entail a compromise of one or the other (or of both). Perhaps our individuality has value only in that it contributes in some way to the community; or perhaps the sole function of the community is to provide a framework for the development of the individual. We would not know that each is also an end unto itself.
The fact that Vayak'hel and Pekudei also appear in the Torah as two separate readings teaches us that -- in addition to the objective of integrating the two -- individuality and community are viable objectives in their own right as well. Individual perfection has value independently of how this contributes to the communal good; and the creation of a community is likewise an end unto itself, for it represents a state of being that is greater than the sum of its individual parts.
The Fourth Lesson: Each consists of the other. We have seen how community ("Vayak'hel") and individuality ("Pekudei") each represent a desirable goal, and how they can be integrated to form a third model, a community of individuals ("Vayak'hel-Pekudei"). But the Torah goes even further. It tells us that even when each is considered as an end unto itself, the two are inexorably bound with each other.
This is the lesson to be derived from the fact that the content of "Vayak'hel" is the nature of individual things, while "Pekudei" contains the description of how diverse parts are joined into a greater whole. The Torah is telling us even when the objective is solely the creation of a perfect community, the most perfect community is a community comprised of individuals who are fully in touch with and exercising their individuality (as Vayak'hel, even as a Parshah on its own, is comprised of manifestly individual parts). And the Torah is telling us even when the objective is exclusively the realization of individual potential, an individual can optimally actualize his uniqueness only as a member of a community (as the Parshah of Pekudei includes the creation of community).
The Fifth Lesson: Imperfect individuals make a perfect community. The question remaining is: Which should come first?
Logic would seem to dictate that individual development ("Pekudei") should come before community building ("Vayak'hel"): first one needs the parts, and then one can assemble these parts into the greater organism. So the initial emphasis, it would seem, should be on the perfection of the individual, after which these perfected individuals could be knit into the ideal community.
The Torah, however, places Vayak'hel before Pekudei, teaching us that the very opposite is the case: our very first objective, concludes the Rebbe, must be to bring people together, regardless of their individual state. Personal perfection will follow, fostered by the love and fellowship we show towards each other.
Based on the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe; adapted by Yanki Tauber
Daily Dose - The Choice
B"H
The Choice
----------
Isn't this the whole meaning of life in this world: To choose between bondage to the material world and believing that your life comes from those many forces,--
Or to choose true life and to believe that all your needs and all your concerns come only from the one Source of All Life.
A Daily Dose of Wisdom from the Rebbe
-words and condensation by Tzvi Freeman
Adar I 26, 5765 * March 7, 2005
The Choice
----------
Isn't this the whole meaning of life in this world: To choose between bondage to the material world and believing that your life comes from those many forces,--
Or to choose true life and to believe that all your needs and all your concerns come only from the one Source of All Life.
A Daily Dose of Wisdom from the Rebbe
-words and condensation by Tzvi Freeman
Adar I 26, 5765 * March 7, 2005
Daily Dose - Consent
B"H
Consent
-------
This is how that darkness within us finds its way out: First it agrees with everything good we do.
When we choose to meditate, it tells us, “Yes! Meditate! That way you will become a great sage
When we choose to do a good deed, it says, “Yes! You are so wonderful! Think what others will do in return for this!”
Slowly, slowly, it convinces us that any good we do requires its approval. And then, you’ve fallen into its trap.
Do good without reason. Then there are no traps.
A Daily Dose of Wisdom from the Rebbe
-words and condensation by Tzvi Freeman
Adar I 15, 5765 * February 24, 2005
Consent
-------
This is how that darkness within us finds its way out: First it agrees with everything good we do.
When we choose to meditate, it tells us, “Yes! Meditate! That way you will become a great sage
When we choose to do a good deed, it says, “Yes! You are so wonderful! Think what others will do in return for this!”
Slowly, slowly, it convinces us that any good we do requires its approval. And then, you’ve fallen into its trap.
Do good without reason. Then there are no traps.
A Daily Dose of Wisdom from the Rebbe
-words and condensation by Tzvi Freeman
Adar I 15, 5765 * February 24, 2005
Daily Dose - Mockery
B"H
Mockery
-------
Mockery is the prime weapon of the dark impulses within Man. It is the prime obstacle to moving forward and upward --the thought that perhaps people will say, “Why are you behaving today differently than you did yesterday? Weren’t you good enough then? Are you really so great today?”
And the most powerful mocker is the one within your own self.
When you start something you know is good and right, and you hear a voice inside saying,
"Hold it! Who do you think you are to take on such a lofty noble path? Hypocrite! Don’t you remember what you were involved in just a moment ago?"
--know that what you did a moment ago is irrelevant. All that matters is what you will do right now.
Any voice that holds you back from moving forward -no matter how justified it may sound -any such voice is a voice of destruction and decay, not of growth and life.
A Daily Dose of Wisdom from the Rebbe
-words and condensation by Tzvi Freeman
Adar I 16, 5765 * February 25, 2005
Mockery
-------
Mockery is the prime weapon of the dark impulses within Man. It is the prime obstacle to moving forward and upward --the thought that perhaps people will say, “Why are you behaving today differently than you did yesterday? Weren’t you good enough then? Are you really so great today?”
And the most powerful mocker is the one within your own self.
When you start something you know is good and right, and you hear a voice inside saying,
"Hold it! Who do you think you are to take on such a lofty noble path? Hypocrite! Don’t you remember what you were involved in just a moment ago?"
--know that what you did a moment ago is irrelevant. All that matters is what you will do right now.
Any voice that holds you back from moving forward -no matter how justified it may sound -any such voice is a voice of destruction and decay, not of growth and life.
A Daily Dose of Wisdom from the Rebbe
-words and condensation by Tzvi Freeman
Adar I 16, 5765 * February 25, 2005
Daily Dose - Not the Body
B"H
Not the Body
------------
Remember you are not the body. Neither are you the animal that pounds within the body, demanding its way in every thing. You are a G-dly soul.
Do not confuse the pain and struggle of the body with the joy and purity of the G-dly soul.
A Daily Dose of Wisdom from the Rebbe
-words and condensation by Tzvi Freeman
Adar I 20, 5765 * March 1, 2005
Not the Body
------------
Remember you are not the body. Neither are you the animal that pounds within the body, demanding its way in every thing. You are a G-dly soul.
Do not confuse the pain and struggle of the body with the joy and purity of the G-dly soul.
A Daily Dose of Wisdom from the Rebbe
-words and condensation by Tzvi Freeman
Adar I 20, 5765 * March 1, 2005
Daily Dose - Advice on Anger
B"H
Advice on Anger
---------------
Prepare yourself with this meditation, and when you feel anger overcoming you, run through it in your mind:
Know that all that befalls you comes from a single Source, that there is nothing outside of that Oneness to be blamed for any event in the universe.
And although this person who insulted you, or hurt you, or damaged your property, is granted free choice and is held culpable for his decision to do wrong -- that is his problem. That it had to happen to you -- that is between you and the One Above.
A Daily Dose of Wisdom from the Rebbe
-words and condensation by Tzvi Freeman
Adar I 22, 5765 * March 3, 2005
Advice on Anger
---------------
Prepare yourself with this meditation, and when you feel anger overcoming you, run through it in your mind:
Know that all that befalls you comes from a single Source, that there is nothing outside of that Oneness to be blamed for any event in the universe.
And although this person who insulted you, or hurt you, or damaged your property, is granted free choice and is held culpable for his decision to do wrong -- that is his problem. That it had to happen to you -- that is between you and the One Above.
A Daily Dose of Wisdom from the Rebbe
-words and condensation by Tzvi Freeman
Adar I 22, 5765 * March 3, 2005
Daily Dose - Be A Rock
B"H
Be A Rock
---------
There are times when the entire world denies the truth you know within.
There are times you must be a lion, a deer, an eagle, a tree -- but now you must be a rock.
Now you must not flinch, not in any way even acknowledge the existence of the mighty waves that come crashing down upon you, conspiring to grind you to sand, to sweep you away to join them in the vast ocean.
You must be the hard, unmoving rock that lies at the essence of your soul, the voice from beyond all this ephemeral reality, from beyond all time and space, that says, "They are nothing. There is none else but He."
It begins with you. And then it happens in your world: The outer crust of facade begins to crack, the essential reality is revealed, the storm dissipates as though it never were, and all things begin to say, "I am not a thing. In truth, there is none else but He."
A Daily Dose of Wisdom from the Rebbe
-words and condensation by Tzvi Freeman
Adar I 23, 5765 * March 4, 2005
Be A Rock
---------
There are times when the entire world denies the truth you know within.
There are times you must be a lion, a deer, an eagle, a tree -- but now you must be a rock.
Now you must not flinch, not in any way even acknowledge the existence of the mighty waves that come crashing down upon you, conspiring to grind you to sand, to sweep you away to join them in the vast ocean.
You must be the hard, unmoving rock that lies at the essence of your soul, the voice from beyond all this ephemeral reality, from beyond all time and space, that says, "They are nothing. There is none else but He."
It begins with you. And then it happens in your world: The outer crust of facade begins to crack, the essential reality is revealed, the storm dissipates as though it never were, and all things begin to say, "I am not a thing. In truth, there is none else but He."
A Daily Dose of Wisdom from the Rebbe
-words and condensation by Tzvi Freeman
Adar I 23, 5765 * March 4, 2005
Daily Dose - Despair
B"H
Despair
-------
Despair is the ultimate form of self-worship --the perception that you have the capacity to truly mess up, to take the world's destiny out of its Creator's hands and sabotage His plans.
Know that the world is in a constant state of elevation, rocketing upwards towards its ultimate wholeness at every moment. Every quivering of every leaf, every subtle breeze, every slightest motion of any particle of our universe is another move in that same direction. Even those events that seem to thrust downward are in truth only a part of the ascent --like the poise of an athlete before he leaps, the contraction of a spring before its energy is released.
There is not a thing you could do halt that dynamic even for a moment. True, you must take responsibility for your deeds and work hard, very hard, to clean up your own mess. But when all the dust settles, you are exactly in the space where you were meant to be: One step closer.
A Daily Dose of Wisdom from the Rebbe
-words and condensation by Tzvi Freeman
Adar II 2, 5765 * March 13, 2005
Despair
-------
Despair is the ultimate form of self-worship --the perception that you have the capacity to truly mess up, to take the world's destiny out of its Creator's hands and sabotage His plans.
Know that the world is in a constant state of elevation, rocketing upwards towards its ultimate wholeness at every moment. Every quivering of every leaf, every subtle breeze, every slightest motion of any particle of our universe is another move in that same direction. Even those events that seem to thrust downward are in truth only a part of the ascent --like the poise of an athlete before he leaps, the contraction of a spring before its energy is released.
There is not a thing you could do halt that dynamic even for a moment. True, you must take responsibility for your deeds and work hard, very hard, to clean up your own mess. But when all the dust settles, you are exactly in the space where you were meant to be: One step closer.
A Daily Dose of Wisdom from the Rebbe
-words and condensation by Tzvi Freeman
Adar II 2, 5765 * March 13, 2005
Daily Dose - Focus
B"H
Focus
-----
Everything that occurs comes from Him, and He is only good. But if you and your world are not prepared to receive such good, it may manifest itself as apparent bad. Struggle hard to see the good, think positively -and then the good will become revealed.
A Daily Dose of Wisdom from the Rebbe
-words and condensation by Tzvi Freeman
Adar II 12, 5765 * March 23, 2005
Focus
-----
Everything that occurs comes from Him, and He is only good. But if you and your world are not prepared to receive such good, it may manifest itself as apparent bad. Struggle hard to see the good, think positively -and then the good will become revealed.
A Daily Dose of Wisdom from the Rebbe
-words and condensation by Tzvi Freeman
Adar II 12, 5765 * March 23, 2005
