לקוטי שיחות ABSTRACT פ' בראשית

- תוכן הענינים מלקו"ש השבועי -
נשמת אפרים לע"נ ר' אפרים ב"ר אברהם ע"ה האפמאן
▪ Resource to encourage the study of the Rebbe’s sichos ▪

חלקפסוקעניןהוראהא(א) The way one conducts oneself on Shabbos Bereishis affects the entire year
(ה) Selling of Aliyos on Shabbos Bereishis includes the resolve to increase one’s Torah study
(ז) Summer – time of dew – אתערותא דלעילא
Winter – time of rain – אתערותא דלתתאAwareness that all matters are from G-d which is only good
One should resolve to supplement one’s study of Niglah and of Chassidus
This Shabbos Mevarchim gives the power to the winter avodahב
הוספות(א) Shabbos Bereishis makes up for what one missed during Tishrei
(יט) Parshas Bereishis is a “large” Sedrah that encompasses the entire yearAll that are weak are able to become strengthened
Future revelations come from the learning of Chasidus nowגAdam sinned because the bigger the person, the bigger one’s inclination (Yetzer); Chavah’s error resulted from not hearing directly the particulars of the command; thus, at Matan Torah Moshe spoke to the women firstEfforts to increase the Torah involvement of Jewish women will also have a beneficial effect on the entire home, including Jewish menהא*בראשיתThe permanent acquisition of the Land for the Jews was the reason to begin the Torah with the events prior to leaving Egypt; three steps (G-d created, He gave it to the nations, and He took it and gave it to us) turned the land of Canaan into Eretz haKodeshLearning Torah and the conquest of Eretz Yisrael both require assistance from Aboveהב*התנינים
א, כאRashi emphasizes that the Big Fish had a mate, and G-d called it good, and He set one aside as a reward for Tzadikim
Even a Tzadik needs a “companion”, a chaver in avodas HaShemEveryone needs to have -
זכר – נקודה של יחו"ע
From time to time one needs -
נקבה – התפשטות של יחו"עהג*ויכל אלקים ביום השביעי
ב, בRashi’s second explanation that G-d did not violate Shabbos with the completion of the Creation since He knows the exact moment that Shabbos beginsEvery moment is special so that one moment lacking can cause a deficiency in one’s entire serviceיא*בראשיתThe first Rashi teaches two lessons:
1. A person should not be afraid of something that opposes Torah, since the whole world belongs to HaShem
2. More specifically, the need to again physically conquer the land, we learn that a person needs not only to dedicate their spiritual pursuits, but HaShem draws down the capability to transform the physical into the spiritualWe are to serve G-d not only through prayer, Torah study and the performance of mitzvos, but we also serve during all our mundane daily activities, even those that are done strictly to benefit our physical selvesיביהי אור
א, גאור created first (the main purpose of Creation but not needed at that time) and then hidden, which G-d declared as good; but this light was hidden in the Torah (רז גמטריא אור), to enable the ability for us to again reveal this אורThe purpose of a person’s service is to rectify one’s portion till it turns into light (and not just remove the darkness)
לאהפכא חשוכא לנהוראיג*ויאמר הנחש
ג, דDid not mention the removal of the snake’s speech, since obvious from “cursed from all the animals”Through one good deed one can transform much from “other” side to the good sideטואבראשיתTorah begins with a ב and not an א
1) with a blessing and not a curse – action of the person learning
2) ב closed on 3 sides and open on one – effect of learning on the Creation
3) 2nd level of Torah in בריאה, and not the first level in אצילות – related to the position of TorahSteps in learning:
(א) first, recognize and thank the Giver of the Torah
(ב) then, one can move to next step to learn with intellect and understandingטוביהי מארת
א, ידMazal (influence from the heavenly bodies) can influence a person’s life, but a Jew is not limited by themWhen a Jew adds to one’s service to G-d, need not fear at all regarding “influences”טוגהוא שמו
ב, יטAdam’s service connected the Creation with its source (naming the animals)
Matan Torah enabled connecting the Creation with G-dliness (Jews’ service)In the blessing of Shema one seeks Bitul of the animal soul; and in Shema itself one seeks to connect with G-dlinessטוד*מפרי האדמה
ד, גHevel brought from the best of that type (even though better types existed); all belongs to HaShem; thus, one should offer from the best from whatever type since the type does not matterOne needs to be careful in a hidur Mitzvah to do the best one can within one’s limitsטוה*כי נחמתי
ו, זG-d thought about destroying mankind, but only issued verbal decree after He had softened His anger
G-d reckoned what to do with man, but did not come to a firm decision even in thoughtWe need to be careful to speak positively about others
When we see a person do something bad, we should not make any firm decision about the merits even in thoughtכאבראשיתThe Tzemach Tzedek explains that the spiritual aspect of "conquering the land” refers to the Jews' spiritual service; when a Jew employs the physical world for a spiritual purpose, he is in effect "conquering the land" for spirituality; and thus, the story of Creation came first in the TorahAlthough the service of "conquest" is of a lower order than Torah and mitzvos, G-d's intent in Creation was best fulfilled through the transformation of the lowest level, this world, into a dwelling place fit for G-dכב*לכם יהי' לאכלה
א, כטPrevious verses elevate mankind above animals as the pinnacle of Creation; by not allowing man to eat animals ensures that one’s greatness does not lead to arroganceכהא*כי טוב ויבדל
א, דThe inner quality of light reveals the purpose of Creation how every Creation is totally one with G-d; thus, to allow free choice the light needs to be hiddenEven one who learns Torah all day needs אגדה, the study of the inner part of the Torahכהבויברך אותם
א, כבThe Jews are born with a streak of Chesed that is limited
Those born on the fifth day of the week are blessed with unlimited Chesed (like the fish that are nourished in the water by HaShem’s kindness)Unlimited Chesed from G-d is acquired by bitul from one’s essence (like the water completely covers the fish – allusion to Yosef)כהגלעשות
ב, גIn the six days of Creation, the world was complete; when Shabbos (a higher level) came, the world now needed a new, higher tikkunIn our generation, the world now needs learning of the inner Torah (chassidus)לאG-d established the number 10 as a complete number within Creation because it signifies a complete state; yet, Torah gave the number 10 importance to be implanted within Creation (blueprint)The avodah of Teshuvah exceeds the service of Tzadikim since it also raises the lower worldלבשני המאורות הגדולים
א, טזThe two luminaries were first created as equals, and only afterwards was there a diminishment in the light of the moon;
As relates to the Jewish people, the recipients, the Oral Torah (moon) is dependent upon (& diminished when compared to) the Written Torah (sun)
From G-d’s side they are both equal (per the blueprint)להאיקרא לו האדם
ב, יטDo the fish also need to be named by Adam?
Essence of Creation by G-d is to allow a means for the world to appear separate; thus, Adam called the animals names to classify them into separate groups; this reason does not apply to fish, as they are completely covered by the sea, and do not appear to be separate from it
Or, the goal of the Creation is that Adam (and mankind) should cause an effect of Bitul in this world; thus, Adam called the names of the animals to bring out their source; and this reason also applied to the fishלהבקין ושתSheis and Kayin both had descendants named Chanoch (expression of חינוך)
Service of Chanoch of Sheis was out of this world and, thus, he was taken out of the world רצוא
Service of Kayin is to build the world through Teshuvah שובOur service of Torah, Avodah, and Gemilus Chassadim require a combination of these two methods: רצוא ושוב (and not to predispose solely to one side or the other)

* שיחה רש"י