I would now like to share with my esteemed readers a fascinating idea. I would like to explain why it was orchestrated from above that the Oher HaChaim hakadosh would propose 42 interpretations of the first passuk in this week’s parsha: בחוקותי אם" "תלכו. We will begin by introducing an intriguing story presented in the sefer Shneim Asar Shivtei Yisrael, authored by Rabbi Moshe Yair Weinstock, ztz”l. He heard the story from the brilliant tzaddik, Rabbi Yisrael Yitzchak Reisman, ztz”l, a “dayan” in the holy city of Yerushalayim, who had heard it from one of the leading kabbalists in Yerushalayim, the divine Rabbi Chaim Shaul Dweck, ztz”l, the author of Eifah Sheleimah on the Arizal’s Otzros Chaim. He in turn had heard the story from his Rav and mentor, the esteemed Rabbi Mordechai Weingarten, ztz”l, who was the Rav in the Beis Midrash of the Ohr HaChaim hakadosh in Yerushalayim.
The name of the Ohr HaChaim hakadosh was Rabbi Chaim ben Atar. He was a craftsman skilled in weaving strands of gold. Since this was a lucrative craft, he only had to work several hours a day. He only kept a small amount of money for himself and used the rest to support the Torah-scholars studying in his Beis Midrash. At the end of every week, he customarily distributed loaves of challah and meat to the talmidei- chachamim. He would purchase a small ox, slaughter it, and divide up its meat to honor the Shabbas. Since their village was small, they did not slaughter very many animals.
On one occasion, all of the animals were deemed “treif” except for the one slaughtered by the Ohr HaChaim hakadosh. One of the wealthy men, a prominent man in the community, heard that the ox slaughtered by the Ohr HaChaim was deemed kosher. He approached the Rav and requested a portion of meat in honor of Shabbas. The Rav explained to him apologetically that the meat was intended exclusively for poor talmidei-chachamim, and he did not wish to leave even a single talmid-chacham without meat in honor of Shabbas.
In the midst of their conversation, a talmid-chacham entered. As was his sacred custom, the Ohr HaChaim handed him a portion of meat. In a fit of anger, the rich man exclaimed in a disparaging tone, “What, even this one is a talmid-chacham?!” The Rav did not react to this remark and remained silent. On the night of Shabbas Kodesh, the Ohr HaChaim dreamt that he was being held accountable in the heavens for having heard the rich man disparage a talmid-chacham without protesting. Hence, it was decreed in the heavens that he must accept upon himself to suffer the burden of galus for an entire year. Due to the kedushah of Shabbas, he remained where he was. On Motza’ei Shabbas, however, immediately after Havdalah, he packed up his belongings and left for galus.
On one Friday, while in galus, he passed through a field. He sat down to rest beneath the shade of a tree. He was engrossed in thoughts related to the parsha of the week, parshas Bechukosai. On that occasion, he came up with 42 ways to interpret the passuk אם" "תלכו בחוקותי. Afterwards, prior to sunset, he entered the city and went to the Beis Midrash. After the tefilah, a respectable fellow approached and invited him to spend Shabbas with him. The Rav agreed and went with him to partake of the Shabbas-night meal. After the meal, before reciting Birkas HaMazon, the “ba’al habayis” (the master of the house, the host) informed his guest that they would recite Birkas HaMazon by the Rav of the city, because he was a holy man who hears Torah in the heavenly yeshivah above.
The “ba’al habayis” and his guest arrived at the home of the Rav of the city. The “ba’al habayis,” who was an influential person in the community, sat down on the right side of the Rav. The author of the Ohr HaChaim, who was dressed very plainly, sat down at the end of the table. At the conclusion of the meal, prior to Birkas HaMazon, the Rav of the city became very spirited; it was time to abandon material concerns and his neshamah ascended (in a sort of trance). When he returned to himself, he began sharing the words of Torah that he had heard in the heavenly yeshivah. He presented 14 interpretations of the passuk בחוקותי אם" "תלכו. He concluded by saying, “This is what the holy Rav, Rabbi Chaim ben Atar, said.” The author of the Ohr HaChaim, who was extremely humble, and did not believe that he deserved this title of honor, could not refrain, and said, “This is what Chaim ben Atar said.”
The Rav of the city was outraged by the chutzpah of the guest. How dare he respond to what the Rav had heard in the heavenly yeshivah in the name of the holy Rabbi Chaim ben Atar, and refer to him simply as Chaim, without any title?! The “ba’al habayis” calmed the Rav of the city down and begged him to forgive the guest, since he was apparently a simple man. The Rav of the city calmed down, they recited Birkas HaMazon, and they went back to their home.
At the second meal, on Shabbas morning, it happened again. At the conclusion of their meal, the “ba’al habayis” and his guest went to the home of the Rav of the city. Once again, the Rav’s neshamah ascended in a trance. When he returned to himself, he said that he heard in the heavenly yeshivah another fourteen novel interpretations of the passuk "בחוקותי אם". He concluded as he had on Shabbas night, “This is what the holy Rav, Rabbi Chaim ben Atar, said.” Again, the guest repeated after him, “This is what Chaim ben Atar said.” Once again, the Rav of the city became outraged at the guest’s chutzpah. With great difficulty, the “ba’al habayis” calmed the Rav down, and he returned home with his guest.
After Seudah Shelishit, they went to the home of the Rav of the city once again. The same thing happened again. The Rav’s neshamah ascended. When he woke up, he repeated fourteen new interpretations of the passuk "בחוקותי אם" he had heard in the heavenly yeshivah. He concluded by saying, “This is what the holy Rav, Rabbi Chaim ben Atar, said.” Once again, the Ohr HaChaim hakadosh could not refrain, and he said, “This is what Chaim ben Atar said.”
At this point, none of the efforts of the “ba’al habayis” succeeded in calming down the Rav. He could not forgive this simple Jew disparaging the kavod of the Torah of the holy Rabbi Chaim ben Atar, whose words of Torah were being said in the heavens in his name. Hence, he ordered his assistant to place the guest in the community jail, and after Shabbas, he would consider how to punish him for belittling a talmid-chacham.
On Motza’ei Shabbas, a strong wind picked up threatening to destroy all the houses of the city. Seeing that their lives were in peril, the members of the community fled to the Rav’s house. As a man of G-d, they sought an explanation for this frightening storm that threatened their lives and their village. Why did HKB”H want to suddenly punish them?
The Rav made his neshamah ascend to inquire why this was happening. They answered him from heaven, “This is the punishment for having a holy man like Rabbi Chaim ben Atar imprisoned in your jail, and the Gehinnom cannot open up to enable the reshaim to return and complete their tikuns, so long as he is imprisoned. When you release him, the ruckus will quiet down.” That is what happened.
Additionally, the powers that be in the heavens requested that the Rav of the city inform the esteemed guest, Rabbi Chaim ben Atar, that because he had been imprisoned there for several hours, he had already completed his sentence equivalent to one year of galus. He could now return home in good graces. The Rav released the Ohr HaChaim hakadosh with great kavod, and he returned to his city to study Torah and serve Hashem with kedushah and taharah.
