Making Our Menorah

At the beginning of the Parsha, Hashem describes the making of the Menorah in the Mishkan. The Alter Rebbe teaches that the Menorah is a metaphor for the Jewish People, especially during the time of Exile, and explains lessons in our service of Hashem by relating the process by which the Menorah in the Mishkan was made, and explaining how that process can be used in our own service of Hashem to make each of us into a “Menorah” that illuminates our surrounding.

Chapter 1

"וְזֶה מַעֲשֵׂה הַמְנֹרָה, מִקְשָׁה זָהָב. עַד יְרֵכָהּ, עַד פִּרְחָהּ [מִקְשָׁה הִוא כַּמַּרְאֶה אֲשֶׁר הֶרְאָה ה' אֶת מֹשֶׁה כֵּן עָשָׂה אֶת הַמְּנֹרָה]." (פָּרָשָׁתֵנוּ ח, ד):

“And this is how the Menorah was made: one solid piece of gold was beaten into this shape. All of its components, including its base and its ornamental flower designs [were made from one piece of gold beaten into the shape of a Menorah. Just as Hashem showed Moshe, so did he make the Menorah.]” (Bamidbar 8:4)

הִנֵּה מְנוֹרָה נִקְרֵאת כְּנֶסֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל – שֶׁהִיא קְדוּשַׁת כְּלַל נִשְׁמוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל.

Now, the Menorah is also a reference to the level in Sefiros of Malchus of Atzilus, called “Knesses Yisrael,” which is the collective holiness of all the Jewish souls.

כַּמְבֹאָר בִּמְנוֹרַת זְכַרְיָה: This concept is expressed in the prophecy of Zecharya, where he has a vision of a Menorah (in the Haftora of this week’s Parsha, Zecharya 4:1-6):

["וַיָּשָׁב הַמַּלְאָךְ הַדֹּבֵר בִּי וַיְעִירֵנִי כְּאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יֵעוֹר מִשְּׁנָתוֹ: וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלַי מָה אַתָּה רֹאֶה? וָאֹמַר: רָאִיתִי וְהִנֵּה מְנוֹרַת זָהָב כֻּלָּהּ וְגֻלָּהּ עַל רֹאשָׁהּ וְשִׁבְעָה נֵרֹתֶיהָ עָלֶיהָ שִׁבְעָה וְשִׁבְעָה מוּצָקוֹת לַנֵּרוֹת אֲשֶׁר עַל רֹאשָׁהּ: וּשְׁנַיִם זֵיתִים עָלֶיהָ אֶחָד מִימִין הַגֻּלָּה וְאֶחָד עַל שְׂמֹאלָהּ: וָאַעַן וָאֹמַר אֶל הַמַּלְאָךְ הַדֹּבֵר בִּי לֵאמֹר מָה אֵלֶּה אֲדֹנִי: וַיַּעַן הַמַּלְאָךְ הַדֹּבֵר בִּי, וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלַי: [הֲלוֹא יָדַעְתָּ מָה הֵמָּה אֵלֶּה? וָאֹמַר: לֹא אֲדֹנִי.] וַיַּעַן [וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלַי לֵאמֹר,] זֶה דְּבַר ה' [אֶל זְרֻבָּבֶל לֵאמֹר: לֹא בְחַיִל וְלֹא בְכֹחַ, כִּי אִם בְּרוּחִי אָמַר ה' צְבָאוֹת."]

[“And the angel who was speaking to me previously returned to me and woke me up like one who wakes up from sleep. And he said to me, “What do you see?” I said, “I see a Menorah of pure gold, with a bowl of oil above it, with seven lamps on it, with seven small pipes carrying oil to each lamp on its top. There are two olive trees next to it, one to the right of the bowl of oil and one to its left.” And I lifted my voice, and I said to the angel who was speaking to me, saying, “What are these, my master?” And the angel who was speaking to me earlier asked me, “Do you know what these are?” And I said: “No, my master.” And he answered, and he said to me saying, “This vision of the Menorah is the representation of the word of Hashem [to Zerubavel, saying, “Not with an army or physical strength will you succeed in building the Beis Hamikdash, but with my Spirit that will convince the king to personally support its construction, said Hashem.”]

הַמְּנוֹרָה הִיא "דְּבַר ה'" – הוּא אֲשֶׁר "בִּדְבַר ה' שָׁמַיִם נַעֲשׂוּ" (תְּהִלִּים לג, ו), הַמְּחַיֶּה כָּל הָעוֹלָמוֹת.

The Menorah in this vision is referred to as “the Word of Hashem.” This also refers to what it says in Tehilim (33:6), “With the Word of Hashem the heavens were created,” which is the level of Malchus of Atzilus, which is the revelation of Hashem that gives life to all the worlds.

שֶׁהִיא כְּנֶסֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל – עַל שֵׁם שֶׁמְּכַנֶּסֶת בְּתוֹכָהּ בְּחִינַת אֱלֹהוּת הַנִּקְרָא 'יִשְׂרָאֵל' – 'סוֹבֵב כָּל עָלְמִין', כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (וַיִּשְׁלַח לג, כ): "וַיִּקְרָא לוֹ אֵל אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל".

This level also corresponds to ‘Knesses Yisrael’ (the gathering of Yisrael), which is called by this name because it ‘gathers’ inside itself the revelation of Hashem called ‘Yisrael,’ which is the level of Ze’eir Anpin that ‘Surrounds (transcends) all the created worlds,’ as it is written (Bereshis 33:20), “And he (Yaakov) called Him (Hashem), G-d, who is the G-d of Yisrael.”

We see that Hashem associated His Name with Yisrael (since He is called the G-d of Yisrael), and this is a reference to the revelation of Hashem known as ‘Ze’eir Anpin,’ which is the set of six emotional attributes of Atzilus. These attributes “surround” all worlds in the same way that a person’s speech and action are motivated by his emotions. Thus, the emotions ‘encompass’ his speech and actions. This is in contrast to Malchus of Atzilus, which is the creative power that is directly involved in creating all the worlds.

This is why Malchus is called Knesses Yisrael, since it ‘contains’ in itself the full revelation of Hashem from the level of Ze’eir Anpin. It then uses that revelation to create the worlds, just like with a person, where the emotions and feelings that motivate his speech and action become included into any word or deed that stems from those emotions.

וְהִיא כּוֹלֶלֶת כָּל הַנְּשָׁמוֹת, מִגְּדוֹלֵי הַצַּדִּיקִים וְעַד פְּחוּתֵי עֵרֶךְ.

This level (of Malchus of Atzilus) includes in itself all the Jewish souls, from the greatest of the righteous until the lowest of spiritual stature.

וְעַל כֵּן כְּתִיב (זְכַרְיָה שָׁם): "אֶל זְרֻבָּבֶל" – Therefore, it is written (in Zecharya quoted above), “This is the Word of Hashem to Zerubavel,” since the message of Hashem expressed in the vision of the Menorah is not only to Zerubavel, who was Nechemya [called זְרוּבָבֶל-זָרוּעַ בְּבָבֶל- Planted in Bavel (exile)] one of the leaders who helped build the Second Beis Hamikdash, but also to every Jew in Exile who is confused, referring to זְרוּבָבֶל- זֶרַע הַמְבוּלְבָּל, אָדָם הַמְבוּלְבָּל, טוֹב עִם רַע, "זֶרַע אָדָם וְזֶרַע בְּהֵמָה" (יִרְמְיָה לא, כו), a confused person, mixed up between good and bad, referred to in Yirmiya (31:26) as “Children of men (human, moral tendencies) and children of animals (animalistic tendencies),” שֶׁ"מֵּשִׂים עַצְמוֹ כִּבְהֵמָה", שֶׁ"מְּהַלֵּךְ אַחַר שִׂיחָה נָאָה". meaning that he makes himself like an animal, by following his natural desires in going after idle chatter or more coarse desires.

Regarding this person, the verse says, “And this is how the Menorah was made,” meaning that someone who wants to leave his unholy tendencies and make himself into a “Menorah” (something that shines Divine Light), he should fulfill the following process (hinted to in the continuation of the verse):

"מִקְשָׁה": שֶׁמִּתְּחִלָּה הָיָה כִּכָּר עָגוּל, וּפֵירֵשׁ רַשִׁ"י: "עֶשֶׁת שֶׁל כִּכַּר זָהָב הָיְתָה, וּמַקִּישׁ בְּקוּרְנָס לְפַשֵּׁט אֵיבָרֶיהָ."

The first stage of the process: he should be “beaten;” The Menorah started as a round solid block of gold, like Rashi explains: “It was a solid block of gold, and the craftsman would strike it with a hammer to shape it properly into branches and other components, but it was not made from separate pieces welded together.”

וְעַל יְדֵי הַכָּאַת הַקּוּרְנָס יוֹרֵד זָהָב עֶלְיוֹן לְמַטָּה וְתַחְתּוֹן עוֹלֶה לְמַעְלָה, עַד שֶׁנִּתְעָרֵב כָּל הַזָּהָב וּמִתְבַּטֵּל מִצּוּרָתָהּ הָרִאשׁוֹן.

Through the blows of the hammer, the gold at the top of the block of gold would be shifted down to the bottom, and the gold at the bottom would be shifted to the top, until all the parts of the gold were mixed together, and it lost its original shape and gained a new shape of a Menorah.

כֵּן יַעֲשֶׂה הָאָדָם בְּעַצְמוֹ – לְשַׁבֵּר הַמִּדּוֹת שֶׁיִּתְבַּטְּלוּ מִצּוּרָתָם, כְּמַאֲמָר: "בַּטֵּל רְצוֹנְךָ מִפְּנֵי רְצוֹנוֹ", וּמַה שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה יִהְיֶה לְמַטָּה וְיִתְעָרֵב. וְדַי לַמֵּבִין.

This is what a person should do to himself. He should break his natural tendencies, until they lose their original form, like it says (Avos 2:4), “Nullify your will before His (Hashem’s) Will.” What he originally put as his top priority (his physical desires and needs), he should put at the bottom of the priority list (and put fulfilling Hashem’s Will as the top priority). Then he will come to the proper balance. This is something that can be understood through some reflection.

וְאַחֲרֵי זֶה אָמַר הַכָּתוּב "זָהָב" – יָבוֹא לִבְחִינַת זָהָב שֶׁהוּא יִרְאָה:

The second stage of the process: After this, the verse says that the Menorah was made of “gold,” meaning that he should come to the spiritual level corresponding to gold, which is the fear of Hashem.

כִּי כֶּסֶף הוּא אַהֲבָה, מִלְּשׁוֹן "נִכְסְפָה" (תְּהִלִּים פד, ג), שֶׁכּוֹסֵף לִדָּבֵק בְּשָׁרְשׁוֹ, "לֵאוֹר בְּאוֹר הַחַיִּים" (אִיּוֹב לג, ל). וְזֶהוּ נִקְרָא 'אַהֲבָה מְסוּתֶּרֶת' שֶׁיֵּשׁ תָּמִיד בְּלֵב כָּל אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל.

Silver, spiritually corresponds to love of Hashem, as in the wording of the verse (Tehilim 84:3) “My soul yearned-נִכְסְפָה for Hashem,” (the word נִכְסְפָה-yearning sharing the same letters as כֶּסֶף-silver) that his soul yearns to attach to its source, (Iyov 33:30) “To be illuminated with the Light of Life.” This is called ‘the hidden love’ for Hashem that exists constantly in the heart of every Jew.

וְזָהָב נִקְרָא יִרְאָה – "מִצָּפוֹן זָהָב יֶאֱתֶה עַל אֱלוֹהַּ נוֹרָא הוֹד" (אִיּוֹב לז, כב).

And gold corresponds spiritually to fear of Hashem, like it says, (Iyov 37:22) “Gold is hidden away for those that bring themselves to serve Hashem, and put their faith upon G-d who is awesome and majestic.” We see that the verse connects the creation of gold to the awesomeness of Hashem. An awareness of the awesomeness of Hashem leads to a fear of Hashem.

וּלְזֶה צָרִיךְ הִתְבּוֹנְנוּת בִּגְדוּלַּת אֵין־סוֹף בָּרוּךְ־הוּא, אֵיךְ הוּא 'מְמַלֵּא כָּל עָלְמִין', וְ"כֹלָּא קַמֵּיהּ כְּלָא חָשִׁיב", יִירָא וְיִתְבּוֹשֵׁשׁ מִגְּדוּלַּת אֵין־סוֹף בָּרוּךְ־הוּא.

This (attaining fear of Hashem) requires reflection upon the greatness of Hashem, who is Infinite, how He ‘fills (permeates) all worlds’ and ‘compared to Him, everything is totally unimportant.’ When one thinks about this, he will have awe and shame before the greatness of Hashem, who is Infinite.

וְעַל כֵּן תִּקְּנוּ לָנוּ אַנְשֵׁי כְּנֶסֶת הַגְּדוֹלָה הַתְּפִלָּה עִם פְּסוּקֵי דְזִמְרָה.

It is for this purpose that the Men of the Great Assembly established the order of the prayers together with the ‘Pesukei Dezimra-Verses of Praise’ that we say at the beginning of the prayers. According to the minimal requirement of the Torah, a person only needs to say the Shema and some personal requests, like in the time of the first Beis Hamikdash, when they did not recite all the prayers that we do because their mind was as clear as the heavens all day long, to be able to see, intellectually, and understand the wondrous truth of the Infinite Hashem.

אֲבָל אַנְשֵׁי כְּנֶסֶת הַגְּדוֹלָה בִּתְחִלַּת בַּיִת־שֵׁנִי, רָאוּ שֶׁנִּתְמַעֵט הַשֵּׂכֶל, וְנִתְקָרְבוּ הַלְּבָבוֹת אֶל הַחֹמֶר לִרְאוֹת הַגֶּשֶׁם לְבָד, עַל כֵּן תִּקְּנוּ לָהֶם הַתְּפִלָּה וּבִרְכוֹתֶיהָ, שֶׁכֻּלָּהּ סִפּוּרֵי שִׁבְחֵי אֱלֹהִים פְּעָמִים הַרְבֵּה – שֶׁיַּגִּיעַ לְמִדַּת יִרְאָה.

But the Men of the Great Assembly saw that people’s intellectual powers decreased, and their hearts became more bound up with physicality, becoming more exclusively aware of the physical existence. Therefore, they established the order of prayers and blessings. All of them recount the praises of Hashem many times over, until a person will come to fear Hashem.

וְזֶהוּ "רְפִידָתוֹ זָהָב" (שִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים ג, י): כְּמוֹ הַמְסַדֵּר הַמִּטָּה, מְסַדֵּר וּמַנִּיחַ כָּל דָּבָר וְדָבָר בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ עַל מְקוֹמוֹ – כֵּן הַמְסַדֵּר שִׁבְחֵי אֱלֹהִים נוֹתֵן מָקוֹם לְכָל דְּבַר ה', שֶׁבָּרָא לִכְבוֹדוֹ, לִמְצוֹא גְּדוּלָּתוֹ.

This is similar to what it says in the verse (Shir Hashirim 3:10), “His (Hashem’s) ‘beddings’ are arranged with gold,” meaning that just like someone who arranges a bed puts everything in the correct place, so too, someone who arranges his praises of Hashem properly makes a place to find the greatness of Hashem in everything that He created, which was only created for His Glory.

וְיֵשׁ שִׁבְעָה מִינֵי דַהֲבָא בְּדִיקְנָא. It says in the Zohar, there are seven shades of gold color in King David’s beard, signifying that he possessed seven qualities of the fear of Hashem (gold). דְּהִנֵּה דָּוִד הוּא רֶגֶל רְבִיעִי לַמֶּרְכָּבָה, בְּחִינַת אֱלֹהוּת הַנִּקְרָא (תְּהִלִּים קמה, יג): "מַלְכוּתְךָ מַלְכוּת כָּל עוֹלָמִים". וְ'דִיקְנָא' נִקְרָא הַמְשָׁכָה מֵהַשֵּׂכֶל, וְיֵשׁ שִׁבְעָה מִינֵי שִׂכְלִיִּים – בִּבְחִינַת דָּוִד הַנַּ"ל – שֶׁיָּכוֹל לָבֹא לִבְחִינַת זָהָב, שֶׁהִיא יִרְאָה. Since King David was the ‘fourth leg of the Chariot,’ which is the aspect of Hashem’s revelation called (Tehilim 145:13): “Your Kingship is the Kingdom of all worlds.” The ‘beard’ signifies drawing down from the intellect. So, seven colors of the ‘beard’ signify seven aspects of intellect that King David had, with which he was able to come to ‘gold,’ meaning the fear of Hashem.

וְזֶהוּ שִׁבְעָה קָנִים הַיּוֹצְאִים מִן הַמְּנוֹרָה, וְהֵם ז' יְמֵי הַבִּנְיָן. וְכָל אֶחָד כָּלוּל מִיּוֹ"ד – הֵם "שִׁבְעִים נֶפֶשׁ" שֶׁל יַעֲקֹב. These seven types of understanding that bring to the fear of Hashem, correspond to the seven branches of the Menorah, (which was made of gold). They also correspond to the seven attributes that Hashem uses to create the world. When these seven attributes are divided into ten internal components each, we come out with seventy, corresponding the “seventy souls” of Yaakov.

וְיֵשׁ שִׁבְעִים שָׁרָשִׁים בְּנִשְׁמוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְכָל אֶחָד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל אָחוּז בְּאֶחָד מֵהָע' שָׁרָשִׁים הַכְּלוּלִים מִז', וְיָכוֹל לָבוֹא לִבְחִינַת זָהָב עַל יְדֵי אֶחָד מִז' בְּחִינוֹת, לִהְיוֹת "רְפִידָתוֹ זָהָב", וְיִתְלַהֵב בְּהִתְגַּלּוּת לִבּוֹ "רִשְׁפֵּי אֵשׁ" – שֶׁהוּא חַם וְיָבֵשׁ. אֲבָל אַהֲבָה הַנַּ"ל אֵינוֹ מוּשָׂג בְּלִי בְּחִינַת מַיִם – קַר וְלַח. These seventy souls are the soul-roots of all the Jewish souls, and every Jew is rooted in one of those seventy souls. Therefore, every Jew is able to come to the level of ‘gold’ (fear of Hashem) through one of the seven types of understanding of Hashem. This understanding will then bring him to a fiery, impassioned feeling of fear and love for Hashem, the nature of fire being “hot and dry.” However, the type of love of Hashem mentioned above (like silver) cannot be attained without the aspect of “water,” which is “cold and wet.”

Chapter 2

"עַד יְרֵכָהּ עַד פִּרְחָהּ": "יְרֵכָהּ" הִיא רֶגֶל הַתַּחְתּוֹן, וְ"פִּרְחָהּ" הֵם הַפְּרָחִים עֶלְיוֹנִים – כֻּלָּהּ כְּאַחַת נִקְרָא "מְנוֹרָה":

The third stage of the process: The verse says, “including its base-יְרֵכָהּ and its flower-פִּרְחָהּ designs it was all from one piece of gold.” Its ‘base’ included the feet at the bottom, and its ‘flowers’ were the flower designs at the top of the Menorah. Yet, the entire thing from top to bottom was equally called as one entity, ‘the Menorah.’

בֵּין גְּדוֹלֵי צַדִּיקִים הַנִּקְרָאִים "פִּרְחָה" עַל שֵׁם שֶׁתּוֹרָתָם וּתְפִלָּתָם "פָּרְחָה לְעֵילָא" עַל יְדֵי "דְּחִילוּ וּרְחִימוּ", שֶׁהֵם "גַּדְפִין לְפָרְחָה", כַּמְבֹאָר בַּזֹּהַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ; וַאֲפִילוּ הַ"יָּרֵךְ" הוּא בֶּאֱמֶת מְנוֹרָה.

This signifies that all the Jewish People, whether the great Tzadikim - who are called ”פִּרְחָה” because their Torah study and prayers “פָּרְחָה-fly up” to Heaven through their love and fear of Hashem, which are like spiritual wings - together with the simple Jews who are called “the base” of the Menorah, are in truth all together one, single “Menorah.”

רַק שֶׁיִּהְיוּ "זָהָב טָהוֹר" – בְּלִי סִיג, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּפָּסוּק (תְּרוּמָה כה, לו) אַחַר "מִקְשָׁה אַחַת" – "זָהָב טָהוֹר".

However, this connection between all Jews is only revealed when they are “pure gold,” without impurities, like the verse (in Shemos 25:36) mentions after saying that it must be “one solid piece,” it adds that it must be “pure gold.”

כִּי הַזָּהָב אִם יֵשׁ בּוֹ סִיג מִמִּין אַחֵר נִשְׁתַּנָּה מַרְאִיתָהּ לְיֵרָקוֹן, כֵּן עַל יְדֵי הָרַע נִשְׁתַּנָּה. וְ"סִימָן לַעֲבֵירָה – הִדְרוֹקָן". וְצָרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת "סוּר מֵרָע" לְגַמְרֵי.

When gold has another type of material mixed in with it, it changes its appearance to green. So too, when a person sins, it changes a person’s appearance. Therefore, one must “turn from bad” completely to remain part of the pure gold Menorah.

וְהַיְינוּ לְהַאֲמִין בַּבֹּקֶר, "חֲדָשִׁים לַבְּקָרִים", שֶׁהַיּוֹם נִתְחַדֵּשׁ הָעוֹלָם: "הַמְחַדֵּשׁ בְּטוּבוֹ בְּכָל יוֹם תָּמִיד מַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית", שֶׁמַּמָּשׁ נִבְרָא מֵאַיִן לְיֵשׁ, וְהוּא – גַּם כֵּן הַיּוֹם נוֹצָר כְּמוֹ אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן, בְּוַדַּאי יִירָא וְיֵבוֹשׁ מִלַּמְרוֹת עֵינֵי כְבוֹדוֹ, וְלֹא יִרְצֶה בְּעוֹלָם הָאַיִן.

To help a person do this, he should remind himself every morning that he believes that he is created every morning as new, and that this day the world was just created as new. When he thinks about this, he will certainly have awe of Hashem and be embarrassed to rebel against Hashem, and he will not have such a desire for the world, which has no intrinsic existence.

גַּם בְּחוּשׁ הָרְאוּת אָנוּ רוֹאִים בְּכָל יוֹם "מַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית": בִּתְחִלָּה הַלַּיְלָה חֹשֶׁךְ, וְאַחַר כַּךְ "יְהִי אוֹר" הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ – לַיּוֹם. וְזֶהוּ "בְּכָל יוֹם אֲבָרְכֶךָּ" (תְּהִלִּים קמה, ב) – בְּמָה שֶׁאֲנִי רוֹאֶה שֶׁ"גּוֹלֵל אוֹר וְכוּ', וְחֹשֶׁךְ מִפְּנֵי אוֹר" הַיּוֹם, בָּזֶה אֲנִי מַכִּיר לְבָרְכֶךָּ.

Besides reminding ourselves of our belief, we can also see with our eyes that Hashem re-creates the world everyday: At the beginning of the night, there is darkness and afterwards, in the morning, the sun comes out to provide light. This is the meaning of (Tehilim 145:2), “Every day I will bless you.” The fact that I see that You take away the light of day every night and take away darkness in place of light every morning, with this I recognize to bless You.

וְאַל יֹאמַר הָאָדָם, שֶׁנִּמְנַע אֶצְלוֹ לִפָּרֵד מֵהָרַע וְהַתַּאֲווֹת – שֶׁנִּשְׁתָּרֵשׁ בְּאִיסּוּר, עַל זֶה אָנוּ אוֹמְרִים בַּתְּפִלָּה: "אֱמֶת מִמִּצְרַיִם גְּאַלְתָּנוּ ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ" –

A person shouldn’t think that it’s impossible to separate himself from bad things and physical desires because he is so rooted in the unholy things; regarding this, we say in the prayers, “It is true that You, Hashem, our G-d, have redeemed us from מִצְרָיִם-Egypt.”

"מִצְרַיִם" נִקְרָא "עֶרְוַת הָאָרֶץ", הַיְינוּ, הַדִּבּוּק בְּתַאֲווֹת בְּמַחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ, וְהָרַע מַקִּיפוֹ, שֶׁאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לָצֵאת וּלְהַסִּיחַ דַּעְתּוֹ מֵהֶם – זֶהוּ בְּחִינַת "מִצְרַיִם", שֶׁאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לִבְרוֹחַ מִשָּׁם כִּי אִם בִּרְצוֹן ה',

Egypt-מִצְרָיִם is described as “The land of shame,” representing someone whose thoughts are caught up in inappropriate desires. This is the idea of מִצְרָיִם-limitations (the word for Egypt also meaning limitations) that he feels unable to escape from unless Hashem will help him.

וְזֶהוּ "נָשִׁים מָשְׁלוּ בָנוּ" (יְשַׁעְיָה ג, יב) – "נָשִׁים" – לְשׁוֹן רַבִּים, בֵּין בְּהֶיתֵּר בֵּין בְּאִיסּוּר, אָז הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ־הוּא מוֹצִיאוֹ מִמִּצְרַיִם. כִּי מֵאַיִן יָבוֹא אִישׁ הַיִּשְׂרָאֵלִי לִבְחִינַת "מִצְרַיִם" – שֶׁנִּקְרְאוּ בָּנִים לַמָּקוֹם, שֶׁטִּבְעָם "לַעֲשׂוֹת רְצוֹן אֲבִיהֶם שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם"!

This is expressed in the verse (Yeshaya 3:12), regarding men who say to Hashem, “Women have ruled over us,” in our thoughts. Then Hashem takes this person out of this ‘constriction.’ Since, from where did it come to a Jew the thoughts that cause this type of ‘limitation?’ The Jewish people are called children of Hashem, and their nature is to fulfill the Will of their Father in Heaven.

אֲבָל הוּא מֵאִתּוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ, שֶׁנָּתַן הַיֵּצֶר־הָרָע, (כְּמַאֲמָר (מִיכָה ד, ו): "אֲשֶׁר הֲרֵעֹתִי וְגוֹ'"), כְּמוֹ שֶׁהָיָה גָּלוּת מִצְרַיִם עַל יְדֵי גַּלְגַּל; שֶׁ"גִּלְגֵּל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ־הוּא עִם אֲבוֹתֵינוּ עַד שֶׁהֱבִיאָם וְכוּ'".

But this was also caused by Hashem, since He gave us a Yetzer Hara-Evil Inclination, just like the original exile to Egypt was caused by Hashem, that “Hashem caused a series of events to happen until he brought them to Egypt.”

וְעַל כֵּן כְּתִיב (יִרְמְיָה ב, כא) "וְאָנֹכִי נְטַעְתִּיךְ שׂוֹרֵק, כֻּלֹּה זֶרַע אֱמֶת": אֲפִילוּ כְּשֶׁהָאָדָם נוֹפֵל לְמַטָּה חַס וְשָׁלוֹם לְתַאֲווֹת, בְּחִינַת "שׁוּרֻ"ק" – בְּעַקְמִימוּת, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן "כֻּלֹּה זֶרַע אֱמֶת" וְיָכוֹל לְהִשְׁתַּנּוֹת, וְיָכוֹל לַעֲשׂוֹת מִזֶּה סְגֻלָּה – "סְגֻלָּה מִכָּל הָעַמִּים" (יִתְרו יט, ה).

Therefore, it is written (Yirmiya 2:21): “And I planted you as my שׂוֹרֵק-vine, all of them are children of truth.” Meaning, that even if someone falls into unholy desires, represented by the vowel שׁוּרֻק (the word שׁוּרֻק is the same letters as the word for vine-שׂוֹרֵק), meaning that he goes crooked into unholy desires, nonetheless, he can change that crookedness around and make it into a “treasure” represented by the vowel סֶגוֹל-treasure.

וְכֵן הָיָה בְּמִצְרַיִם, שֶׁאָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ־הוּא (וַיִּגַּשׁ מו, ד) "אָנֹכִי אֵרֵד עִמְּךָ מִצְרַיְמָה, וְאָנֹכִי אַעַלְךָ גַם עָלֹה": "אָנֹכִי – "מִי שֶׁאָנֹכִי" – אֵרֵד וְגוֹ'", וְ"אָנֹכִי אַעַלְךָ" – שֶׁ"הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ־הוּא עוֹזְרוֹ", "גַּם – עָלֹה" – שֶׁבְּחִינַת "גַּם" יִהְיֶה לוֹ גַּם כֵּן עֲלִיָּה.

This is what happened in Egypt: Hashem told the Jewish People, “I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will bring you up, to also go up higher than where you started.” “I - Me, Myself- will go down with you,” meaning that Hashem Himself puts the soul into a body with these desires, “And I will bring you up,” meaning that “Hashem helps him” to overcome his Yetzer Hara, “And will also bring you up higher,” means that even the Yetzer Hara who is called “גַּם-also” will also go up.

וְזֶהוּ "אֱמֶת מִמִּצְרַיִם גְּאַלְתָּנוּ": כִּי "כֻּלֹּה זֶרַע אֱמֶת" כַּנַּ"ל, עַל כֵּן "מִמִּצְרַיִם גְּאַלְתָּנוּ ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ": שֶׁהַגְּאוּלָּה – שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הֲוָיָ"ה לֵאלֹהֵינוּ; "מִבֵּית עֲבָדִים", הַמְשׁוּעְבָּד לְתַאֲוֹת – "פְּדִיתָנוּ".

This is the meaning of “It is true that you redeemed us from Egypt-limitations.” The fact that we were redeemed is because every Jew is essentially true to Hashem, since “they are all children of truth.” Therefore, the prayer continues, “From Egypt-limitations You have redeemed us, Hashem our G-d,” meaning that the redemption consists of Hashem becoming our G-d. As it continues to explain, “From the place of slavery”- meaning slaves to physical desires- “He redeemed us.”

וְאֵיךְ הָיְתָה הַגְּאוּלָּה? "כָּל בְּכוֹרֵיהֶם הָרַגְתָּ": כִּי בְּעוֹלָם נִקְרָא "פֶּטֶר כָּל רֶחֶם" (בֹּא יג, ב) – הָרִאשׁוֹן. וְכֵן בְּנֶפֶשׁ – הוּא הַשֵּׂכֶל, "רֵאשִׁית – חָכְמָה" (תְּהִלִּים קיא, י); וְזֶהוּ "כָּל בְּכוֹרֵיהֶם" – הֵם שִׂכְלִיִּים שֶׁל מִצְרַיִם, שֶׁכָּל אֶחָד רוֹצֶה לְהַעֲמִיד רְצוֹנוֹ עַל יְדֵי שִׂכְלוֹ – "הָרַגְתָּ" – שֶׁיִּפּוֹל מִמַּדְרֵגָתוֹ וּרְצוֹנוֹ, שֶׁנִּקְרָא "מִיתָה".

How did this redemption happen? As the prayer continues, “All their firstborns (of Egypt) You killed.” In the physical world, the child who “first opens the womb” is called the firstborn. So too, in the person’s soul, the intellect is called the “firstborn.” This then is the meaning of “All their ‘firstborns,’” - meaning all the intellect of Egypt-limitations, that each person decides what he wants based on his own understanding - “You ‘killed,’”- meaning that You help us lose our level of egotistic desires.

"וּבְכוֹרְךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל" – שֶׁכֻּלּוֹ אֱלֹהוּת, לְהִתְבּוֹנֵן גְּדוּלַּת אֵין־סוֹף בָּרוּךְ־הוּא בַּתְּפִלָּה, הַנִּקְרָא "מִטָּה" בַּזֹּהַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ, שֶׁיֵּשׁ בַּתְּפִלָּה "מִטָּה, כִּסֵּא, מְנוֹרָה וְשֻׁלְחָן" (בַּזֹּהַר חֵלֶק ב': מ"ד, א'). "גָּאַלְתָּ": שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה מִקְרֶה, מֵחֲמַת מְנִיעוֹת, אֲבָל תִּהְיֶה הַגְּאוּלָּה וְחֵירוּת מִשִּׁעְבּוּד הַפַּרְנָסָה, שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה דָּבָר מוֹנֵעַ מִתְּפִלָּה, כִּי בְּלֹא תְפִלָּה אִי אֶפְשָׁר לִהְיוֹת "סוּר מֵרָע".

The prayer continues, “But, Your firstborn Yisroel” - who is totally Divine and holy, and reflects upon the greatness of the Infinite Hashem during prayer - which is called a “bed” in the holy Zohar. The prayer continues, “You have redeemed,” meaning that You help him to pray consistently, not just whenever he happens to have time. Redemption means that he is free from feeling subjugated to his mundane work so that it doesn’t stop him from proper prayer. Without proper prayer, it is impossible to “turn from the bad.”

וְלָכֵן תִּקְּנוּ וִדּוּיִים בְּכָל יוֹם בַּתְּפִלָּה: שֶׁקּוֹדֶם הַתְּפִלָּה כְּשֶׁיִּתְבּוֹנֵן שִׁפְלוּתוֹ, שֶׁהוּא בְּ"מִצְרַיִם", וְיִתְבּוֹנֵן בִּגְּדוּלַּת אֵין־סוֹף בָּרוּךְ־הוּא – יִתְחָרֵט בְּוַדַּאי מִן הָרַע; וּבַתְּפִלָּה יִהְיֶה "וִדּוּי דְּבָרִים", וְאָז יִהְיֶה מְנוֹרָה "אַחַת, זָהָב טָהוֹר", שֶׁיִּהְיֶה "יְרֵכָהּ וּפִרְחָהּ" – מְנוֹרָה אַחַת.

Therefore, they established to say the confession prayer every day. Before prayer, when a person will reflect on his lowly state and reflect upon the greatness of the Infinite Hashem, then he will undoubtedly regret the unholiness. And, during prayer, he will confess to Hashem. Then, he will be part of the “One Menorah of pure gold” so that, from the simplest of Jews to the greatest Tzadikim, it will be visible that it is all one Menorah.

אַךְ הָעִיקָּר, שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת אַחְדוּת גָּמוּר זֶה עִם זֶה, שֶׁלֹּא יַבִּיט בְּרָעַת חֲבֵירוֹ וְכוּ'. וְהַיְינוּ, שֶׁיֵּדַע שֶׁיֵּשׁ לְמַעְלָה מְנוֹרָה "מִקְשָׁה" – שֶׁהָעֶלְיוֹן יוֹרֵד לְמַטָּה, וְהַתַּחְתּוֹן עוֹלֶה לְמַעְלָה. שֶׁהָרַע יוֹרֵד לִפְעָמִים לְמַטָּה, וְנִכְנַס בְּאָדָם רַע. וּלְהֵיפֶךְ, עֲשִׂיַּת אֵיזֶה מִצְוָה מֵאָדָם רַע, לִפְעָמִים עוֹלֶה לְמַעְלָה וְנוֹטֵל אַחֵר.

The fourth stage of the process: However, the main thing needed for there to be true unity between Jewish people is that one person should not see the bad in his friend. How does he do this? He should know that Above, all the souls exist as “one solid piece.” At that level, a person on a high soul level can be expressed in a low soul level, and vice versa. For example, sometimes, a person who usually does good things did something bad, and the bad thing that he did became expressed in a person who usually does bad, dragging him down even lower. And sometimes the opposite happens: Someone who usually does bad things can do a mitzvah, and sometimes it goes up to inspire someone else.

וְכָל אָדָם צָרִיךְ לִתְלוֹת הַחִסָּרוֹן בּוֹ; וְהַטּוֹב שֶׁלּוֹ – שֶׁמָּא הוּא מֵאַחֵר שֶׁעָלָה לְמַעְלָה, וְרָעַת אֲחֵרִים – שֶׁמָּא הוּא שֶׁלּוֹ שֶׁיָּרַד לְמַטָּה, וְאָז יִהְיֶה בֶּאֱמֶת אֶחָד – הַיָּרֵךְ עִם הַפְּרָחִים, שֶׁכָּל אֶחָד יַחֲזִיק עַצְמוֹ לִבְחִינַת "יָרֵךְ" וְלַחֲבֵירוֹ בְּחִינַת "פֶּרַח" – וַחֲבֵירוֹ לְהֵיפֶךְ.

Every person should think that the bad that he finds in himself is from his own bad decisions, and the good that he finds in himself might really be from someone else whose good deeds elevated him. But, when he looks at his friends, he should think the opposite: The bad he sees in other people, maybe it’s from his own unholiness that came down to affect these people. Then, we will be truly one, since each person will consider himself as the “bottom” and his friend as the “top.”

וְאָז יָכוֹל אַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן לְהַדְלִיק אֵשׁ בְּכָל הַז' נֵרוֹת, שֶׁהוּא 'כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל', "רַב חֶסֶד", שֶׁכָּל הַחֲסָדִים בּוֹ – יוּכַל לְהַמְשִׁיךְ "אַהֲבָה־רַבָּה" לְ"אַהֲבַת־עוֹלָם", וְאָז מִמֵּילָא יִהְיֶה "תּוֹכוֹ רָצוּף אַהֲבָה" (שִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים ג, י), בְּהִתְגַּלּוּת לִבּוֹ כְּרִשְׁפֵּי אֵשׁ וְכוּ'. וְזֶהוּ "בְּהַעֲלֹתְךָ אֶת הַנֵּרוֹת" – שֶׁאַהֲרֹן יַעֲלֶה אוֹתָם.

Then, Aharon, the Kohen Gadol will be able to light the fire of Hashem in all the seven lamps of the Menorah, since he corresponds to Hashem’s attribute of “Abundant Kindness.” He will be able to draw down the “infinite love of Hashem” into our “love of Hashem based on His creation of the world,” and our entire being will be permeated with a revealed love of Hashem in our heart like a flaming fire. This is the idea behind the first verse of the Parsha, “When you (Aharon) will cause the flames of the Menorah to go up…” Meaning that Aharon will elevate them - every Jew - who makes himself into a spiritual Menorah.