Basi Legani - 5710: Chapter 1
A discourse by Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneerson of Lubavitch; Translated by Eli Touger
From the Sichos in English Collection
The following maamar, comprising chapters 1-5 (i.e. Part I) of the series of discourses with the general title of Basi LeGani, was released in advance for study on Shabbos, Parshas Bo, Yud Shvat 5710 (1950), in honour of the yahrzeit of the author's grandmother, the saintly Rebbitzin Rivkah.
BASI LEGANI ACHOSI KALLAH - "I have come into My garden, My sister, My bride." -- (Shir HaShirim - Song of Songs 5:1)
[Song of Songs (Shir HaShirim), the Medrash explains, is not to be taken at face value: it is a metaphor describing the ongoing relationship between G-d and His bride, the Jewish people. The above verse, for example, refers to the time of the construction of the Sanctuary, when the Shechinah came into His garden — for it was then that the Divine Presence, distant for a time, was again revealed in this world.]
Medrash Rabbah (on the above verse) observes that the word used is not L'Gan [which would mean "to the garden"], but L'Gani [which means "to My garden"] - and this implies L'Gnuni [which means "to My bridal chamber." For, as the commentaries on the Medrash explain, this possessive form implies a private place, such as the chamber in which the spiritual union of the groom and bride is consummated. The Divine Presence is thus saying:] "I have come into My bridal chamber, into the place in which My essence was originally revealed."
The Medrash continues: "In the beginning, the essence of the Shechinah was apparent in this lowly world. However, in the wake of the [cosmic] sin of the Tree of Knowledge, the Shechinah departed from the earth and rose into the heavens. Later, on account of the sin of Cain and then of Enosh, the Shechinah withdrew even further from this world, rising from the nearest heaven to the second, and then to the third. Later yet, the sins of the generation of the Deluge caused it to recede from the third heaven to the fourth, and so on. This progressive recession of the revealed Divine Presence is alluded to in the wording of the verse that relates that Adam and Eve 'heard the sound of G-d walking about in the garden.' [Bereishis 3:8.] R. Abba notes: 'The verse does not use the expected form of the verb, Mehalech, but rather Mithalech, which suggests that they heard the Divine Presence springing back in successive stages of withdrawal.'"
The Medrash proceeds to explain that [after the sins of seven generations had caused the Divine Presence to withdraw seven spiritual levels from its initial manifestation in this world], seven tzaddikim arose whose divine service drew the Divine Presence down once more into this world below. Through the merit of Avraham the Shechinah was brought down from the seventh heaven to the sixth, through the merit of Yitzchak the Shechinah was brought down from the sixth heaven to the fifth, and so on - until Moshe, the seventh of these tzaddikim (and "all those who are seventh are cherished"), drew the revelation of the Shechinah down once again into this world below.
Divinity was primarily revealed in the Beis HaMikdash, as it is written, "And they shall make Me a sanctuary and I shall dwell within them." Significantly, the last Hebrew word of the verse is not, as expected, betocho [which would mean "within it"], but betocham, which means "within them" - for G-d craves a dwelling place within each individual Jew.
This concept can grant us an insight into the verse, - "The righteous will inherit the land and dwell forever upon it." Now the word le-ad, here translated "forever", recalls the word "ad" in the phrase, - "He Who dwells forever, exalted and holy is His Name." Our verse may thus be understood as follows: The righteous will inherit the land, which is an allusion to Gan Eden, because they cause "Him Who dwells forever, exalted and holy is His Name," to dwell and be revealed in this physical world below.
