וְהַיְינוּ בְּחִּינַת חֶסֶ ד עֶלְיוֹ ן,ְךיִּ שְמַהְל מִּלְמַעְלָּ ה מַעְלָּ ה לִּבְחִּינַת עוֹמֶ ר, כְּדֵ י ֶיְהִּ יֶ שה בִּּיטּוּ ל הָּרָּצוֹ ן מִּנֶּפֶש ־ הַבַּהֲמִּי ת גַּ ם כֵּן דַּוְקָּ א . Thus, the word when we say “Today is one ‘day’ of the Omer,” this ‘day’ refers to Hashem’s Kindness Above, which we draw down from Above to below to Malchus, a.k.a. “the Omer,” in order that this revelation should specifically reach our animal soul as well, and enable it nullify its desires to Hashem.
וְזֶהוּ "[ ה י נ פ ל ר מֹע ה ת א ףי נ ה ו]' לִּרְ צוֹנְכֶ ם", כְּדֵ י ֶיְהִּ יֶ שה בִּּיטּוּ ל הָּרָּצוֹ ן ש ֶלָּּכֶ ם עַל יְדֵי הַמְש ָּכַ ת יִּפיִּ קַּמַהם הַנַּ" ל עַל יְדֵי סְפִּירַ ת הָּעוֹמֶר כו ' . This is the meaning of the verse, “And he shall wave the Omer before Hashem ‘לִרְ צוֹנְכֶַּׁם-for your goodwill,’” meaning that the purpose of waving the Omer was to enable us to nullify the ‘will’ and desires of the animal soul to Hashem, and this is accomplished by drawing down these “Makifim-Encompassing Awareness” mentioned above, through counting the Omer.
The simple meaning of the verse is that offering the Omer brings about a good will from Hashem towards us. The deeper meaning is that ‘לִּרְ צוֹנְכֶ ם-for your goodwill,’ is referring to our will and desire. The intention of the Omer offering and subsequent counting is to transform the will and desire of the animal soul to holiness.
What are these “Makifim-Encompassing Awareness?” There are concepts that our animal soul is able to fully grasp. For example, the idea that Hashem gives life to the world like the soul gives life to the body. Then there are loftier concepts that our animal soul is not able to fully grasp, namely, the way in which we are included in our source in Hashem, and there is nothing separate from Hashem at all. This higher level of awareness isn’t fully grasped, but it is understood to a certain extent, and this deep awareness, which is essentially from beyond our realm of direct experience, stays with us and “hovers” over our conscious, logical awareness of reality. This awareness “encompasses” our mind at all times and prevents us from developing an overblown ego, since deep down we know that there is nothing separate from Hashem.
וְזֶהוּ "וּסְפַרְ תֶּם לָּכֶם" ,ְךיִּ שְמַהְל ּוניְיַה הֶאָּרַ ת יִּפיִּ קַּמַהם הַנַּ" ל, ש ֶהוּ א "מִּמָּּחֳרָּ ת This is the meaning of “םֶּ תְר פְס ו- lit. ‘And you shall count,’ but here
הַש ַּבָּּ ת" דַּוְקָּ א כַּנַּ" ל, "לָּכֶ ם" – לְמַטָּּ ה, ֶא ךֹופֲהַלת נֶפֶש ־ הַבַּהֲמִּ י ת גַּ ם כֵּן , ֶיְהִּ יֶ שה בִּּיטּוּ ל רְ צוֹנְכֶ ם . translated as ‘And you shall shine’ לָּכֶּם-Into yourselves,” meaning to draw down the revelation of the “Makifim-Encompassing Awareness,” which come specifically from the level of Binah referred to as “the day after Shabbos,” to come down “לָּכֶּם-Into yourselves,” in order to also transform the animal soul, by nullifying his selfish desires to Hashem’s Will.
The level of Binah-Understanding is the source of the “Encompassing Awareness” that help us transform the animal soul’s desires. This means that from a deep understanding of Hashem’s Oneness and True Existence he will be able to change the perspective of the animal soul and his desires. The animal soul thinks that the world, and himself, is separate from Hashem. Therefore, he doesn’t see any problem being passionate about desiring physical things, since he thinks that Hashem is removed from the world. Therefore, physical existence is the most real thing to him. When the animal soul finds out that the world is not separate from Hashem and that Hashem is the True Existence of everything, then he will understand that it doesn’t make sense to get so excited about physicality. The physicality has no substance and value apart from Hashem’s purpose for them. So really Hashem is what he should be excited about.
This is the inner meaning of counting the Omer: To empower us to come to a new understanding of Hashem in such a way that we can change the animal soul’s perspective and feelings.
ע תֶא םֶכֲאיִּבֲה םֹו יִּמ" ּוהֶזְווֹ מֶר" – פֵּירוּש : מֵאוֹתוֹ יוֹ ם ש ֶהֵנִּיפוּ אֶ ת הָּעוֹמֶ ר, ש ֶהוּ א "לִּפְנֵ י הֲוָּיָּ ,"ה אֲזַ י "וּסְפַרְ תֶּ ם לָּכֶ ם" – This is the meaning of counting the Omer “from the day when you bring the Omer offering.” Meaning, from the ‘day’ (revelation) that you wave (elevate) the Omer (Malchus) to the level of “Before Havaya” (Binah), then “ֶַּׁ תְר פְס אום-You can shine לָּכֶַּׁם- into yourselves,”
תַּמְש ִּ יכוּ "לָּכֶ ם" עַל יְדֵי סְפִּירַ ת הָּעוֹמֶר "ש ֶבַ ע ש ַבָּּתוֹ ת" ש ֶהֵ ם מ "ט מִּדּוֹ ת . Meaning that, through counting the Omer you will draw down “לָּכֶַּׁם-into yourselves” a deeper understanding of Hashem, so that you can refine the seven emotional attributes of the animal soul, referred to as “seven weeks,” since each emotion includes the other six emotions, and thus, each of the seven emotions has seven aspects, which total in 49 specific emotional attributes.
וְאָּ ז הָּיָּה יָּכוֹ ל לִּהְיוֹ ת ךַּכ רַחַא מַתַּ ן־ תּוֹרָּ ה בְּש ָּבוּעוֹ ת, ש ֶהוּ א גִּילּוּ י רְ צוֹנוֹ מַמָּּש מִּלְמַעְלָּה־לְמַטָּּה – Then, afterward, there can be the Giving of the Torah on Shavuos, which is an actual revelation of Hashem’s Will, from Above to below.
ש ֶהוּ א לְמַעְלָּ ה מִּ תְּ פִּלָּּ ה, ש ֶהוּ א בְּחִּינַת יְצִּיאַת מִּ צְרַ יִּם , ש ֶהוּ א הָּרָּצוֹ א כַּנַּ" ל, "וְאָּהַבְתָּּ ]. . [בְּכָּ ל ךְבָּבְל ," This revelation is higher than that of prayer, which is the idea of “Leaving Mitzrayim-Limitation,” through a running in yearning to connect to Hashem, when we fulfill “and you shall love Hashem with all aspects of your heart, with the emotions of the Divine soul and of the animal soul,” when reciting Shema.
ש ֶעֲדַיִּין אֵינוֹ בִּּבְחִּינַת בִּּיטּוּ ל בְּתַכְלִּי ת כִּּ י "יֵש מִּ י ש ֶאוֹהֵ ב כו '." This love of Hashem is not total nullification of ego, since there must be some ego involved in any feeling of love.
מַה ש ֶּאֵין כֵּן בְּלִּימּוּ ד הַתּוֹרָּ ה – ש ֶהוּ א דְ בַ ר ה' מַמָּּש בְּפִּי ו . This is not the case with the study of Torah, which is Hashem’s actual words being said through the person’s mouth.
כְּמוֹ ש ֶכָּּתוּב (יְש ַעְיָּה נא, טז) :"וָּאָּש ִּ י ם דְּ בָּרַ י "ָּךיִּפְּב– "דְּ בָּרַ י" מַמָּּש , "אֲנִּ י הַמִּּש ְנָּ ה הַמְדַבֶּרֶ ת ךיִּפְּב " . As it is written regarding Torah study, (Yeshaya 51:16) “And I [Hashem] have placed My words in your mouth.” Meaning, the actual words that Hashem is saying are coming through the person’s mouth, like an angel told Rabbi Yosef Kairo while reciting Mishnayos “I am the Mishna itself speaking through your mouth.”
וּכְמַאֲמַ ר רַזַ "ל :"אֵלּוּ וָּאֵלּוּ דִּּ בְרֵ י אֱלֹקִּ י ם יִּיַחם כו ' ," ש ֶהֵ ם דִּּ בְרֵ י אֱלֹקִּ י ם מַמָּּש , גִּּ ילּוּ י רְ צוֹנוֹ מַמָּּש לְמַטָּּ ה . As our Sages have said (Eiruvin 13b) regarding different opinions of the Sages, “This opinion and the other opposite opinion are ‘The words of the Living G-d.’” Meaning that they are actually the words that the Living G-d is saying, which is an actual revelation of His Will, below in this world.
וְזֶהוּ "וְדִּ בַּרְ תָּּ בָּּ "ם– "בָּּ ם" מַמָּּש .וְהוּ א "ָּךְ שְפַנ לָּכְבּו" תַניִּחְּב (וָּאֶתְחַנַּ ן ו, ה), הַיְינוּ לְקַש ֵּ ר מַחֲש ָּבָּה בְּמַחֲש ָּבָּה כו ' . This is the meaning of the verse, “And you shall speak of them [the words of Torah].” You will be the one to actually say the words of Torah that Hashem says. This is also the level of loving Hashem “with all of your soul,” meaning to connect your thought with Hashem by thinking words of Torah.
ֵּנִּה ךַאה אָּמְרוּ רַזַ "ל :"כָּּ ל הָּאוֹמֵ ר אֵין לִּ י אֶלָּּא תוֹרָּ ה אֲפִּילּוּ תוֹרָּ ה אֵין לוֹ ." However, our Sages have said, (Yevamos 109b) “Whoever says that he only has Torah study without prayer, then he doesn’t even have Torah.”
ש ֶמֵּאַחַ ר ש ֶהוּ א יֵש וְדָּבָּ ר בִּּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ , אֲזַ י אַ ף כְּש ֶמְּדַבֵּ ר דִּּ בְרֵ י תוֹרָּה אֵין זֶ ה דְּ בַ ר ה ' כְּלָּ ל, וְאֵין זֶ ה גִּילּוּ י רְ צוֹנוֹ כְּלָּ ל. Since he has an ego and he considers himself as having his own independent existence, separate from Hashem, then even when he speaks words of Torah, it isn’t Hashem talking through him at all, and therefore it isn’t the direct revelation of Hashem’s Will at all.
(עֵירוּבִּין יג, ב).
"(וְדִּ בּוּר בְּדִּ בּוּר וּמַעֲש ֶה בְּמַעֲש ֶה " – רְ אֵ ה תַּנְיָּא פֶּרֶ ק מה. לְקַמָּּ ן ש ִּיר הַש ִּּירִּ ים מד, ב וּבְכַמָּּ ה מְקוֹמוֹ .)ת
ִ ד ףֹוס רֵּא ָ בְתִ נֶ ש הַמ ןיֵּ יַעְו( ליִחְתַמַה ר ו ב"ָרֵּא ָואֶאלָהָרְבַאם" (תּוֹרָּ ה אוֹ ר נו , א .)
(יְבָּמוֹ ת קט , ב).
LESSO NS IN LIKU TAY TORAH רַ ק ֹויְהִּל ךיִּרָּצת ֶדֹו קִּמם בְּחִּינַת הָּרָּ צוֹ א, יְצִּיאַת מִּ צְרַ יִּם מִּ מַּטָּּ ה־ לְמַעְלָּ ה כַּנַּ"ל . For that he needs to first have a yearning to connect to Hashem, to “Leave Mitzrayim-Limitations” from below to Above during prayer.
וְעַל יְדֵי זֶ ה "רוּחַ אַיְיתִּ י ךיִּ שְמַאְו ַחּור רוּחַ " , כִּּ י בְּאִּ תְ עֲרוּתָּ א־ דִּ לְתַתָּּא – אִּ תְ עֲרוּתָּא ־ דִּ לְעֵילָּּ א ,
Through this love for Hashem in prayer, this causes that “A spirit of awakening from below brings a spirit of awakening from Above, to draw down a spirit of revelation,” since “An awakening from man below causes an awakening from Hashem Above,”
וּמְ עוֹרֵ ר לְמַעְלָּ ה הַמְש ָּכַ ת רְ צוֹנוֹ כִּּבְיָּכוֹ ל לְמַטָּּ ה . and causes an awakening Above to draw down Hashem’s Will down here into this world, as it were, into our words of Torah study.
The maamar established that through an awakening of love for Hashem during prayer, Hashem reveals His Will in our words of Torah and thoughts of Torah. However, in order for this revelation to come down into actual, physical matters, this revelation must come from a very high source. This is why there must first be the Omer offering, where Malchus ascends to receive [from Bina] the power to descend into actual, physical mitzvos and their laws:
יִּרָּבְדִּּב שֵּבַלְתִּ יֶ ש ךַאם יִּ יִּמְ שַּגם, כְּמוֹ תְרוּמוֹ ת וּמַעַש ְרוֹ ת וְקָּרְ בְּנוֹ ת כו ' , וְ "לָּא ו אוֹרְ חָּ א דְ מַלְכָּּ א לְאִּש ְ תָּּ עֵ י בְּמִּלִּּין דְּ הֶדְ יוֹטָּ א כו ' " – However, in order for Hashem’s Will to become invested in physical matters of Torah and mitzvos, like Teruma and Maasar and Korbanos, a greater effort is required, since “It isn’t the way of a King to discuss mundane matters,”
(רְ אֵ ה זֹהַר חֵלֶק ב קסב, ב).
(זֹהַר חֵלֶק א פח, א. קסד, א. רלה, א. רמד, א).
(זֹהַר חֵלֶק ג קמט, ב. (רְ אֵ ה לְקַמָּּ ן פָּּרָּש ַ ת רְ אֵ ה לב, ב).
Terumah=giving a portion of the produce of Eretz Yisrael to the Kohen, Maaser= giving ten percent of the produce of Eretz Yisrael to the Levi, Korbanos=offerings in the Beis Hamikdash.
A king is involved with matters affecting the entire kingdom, and he has no interest in dealing with minor details of the maintenance of his palace, with paying the janitors, etc. There needs to a special reason for the king to get involved in something that is below his level. Similarly, for Hashem’s sublime revelation to be revealed in physical matters of Torah and Mitzvos, there needs to be a special effort from the person in his own personal service of Hashem in transforming his animal soul.
ֶדֹו קִּמ ךיִּרָּצ הָּיָּה הֶז לַעְום יִּנָּ יֶ שף הַכֹּהֵ ן אֶ ת הָּעוֹמֶ ר, ש ֶהוּ א ש ְ עוֹרָּ ה – ש ִּ עוּ ר־ ה' , מֵיכְלָּ א דִּּ בְהֵמָּ ה־ רַבָּּ ה הַנַּ" ל, "לִּפְנֵ י הֲוָּיָּ "ה – לְמַעְלָּ ה מֵהֲוָּיָּ ה כַּנַּ"ל . For this, there first needed to be the process of the Kohen waving the Omer, which is made of “ש ְעוֹרַָּׁהַׁ- barley,” which is the same letters as “ַׁועִ שרַׁ הַׁ'-Limitation consisting of Five aspects,” i.e. Malchus, just like barley is animal food, so too, the beings created by Malchus are called the “food of [Malchus,] the General Source of all Animals,” and the Kohen elevates Malchus to the level of Binah called “Before Havayah,” since this level is higher than the name of Havaya in Ze’eir Anpin. The name Havayah, in this context, is referring to Ze’eir Anpin, since in Ze’eir Anpin there is the attribute of Tiferes-Beautiful Blending of opposites, which expresses the name Havayah, which has the power to combine opposite aspects of Kindness and Severity. Since Havayah here refers to Ze’eir Anpin, “Before Havayah” must mean the level higher than Ze’eir Anpin, which is Binah- Understanding.
An obvious question on this statement, that “It isn’t the way of the king to discuss mundane matters:” Hashem Himself is everywhere, “There is no place where He is not,” and He is directly involved with every detail of creation. So, what does it mean that it isn’t the way of “the King” to get involved in physical matters? The answer is that even though Hashem is directly and personally involved in all details of physical existence, this involvement is hidden behind the “veil” of nature. From our perspective, Hashem’s Light is exalted beyond physicality, and we don’t see “the King” revealed in the physical world (for now). In order to overcome that concealment and see “the King” in the physical Mitzvos and in their Torah laws, we need to refine our animal soul and bring about a greater revelation of Hashem to ourselves so that we should see “the King” in the “mundane matters.”
יִּפְס יֵדְי לַע ךַּכ רַחַא הֶז יֵדְי לַעְורַ ת הָּעוֹמֶר , הָּיָּה הַמְש ָּכַ ת יִּפיִּ קַּמַהם לְמַטָּּ ה – "לָּעוֹמֶ ,"ר "וּסְפַרְ תֶּ ם לָּכֶ ם כו ' ש ֶבַ ע ש ַבָּּתוֹ ת כו ' " . Through this elevation of Malchus to Binah, then afterward, through counting of the Omer, we can bring down the “Makifim-Encompassing Awareness” into Malchus, which is called “the Omer,” and from there we draw it down below into our animal soul, which is also called “the Omer,” fulfilling the Mitzvah of “ֶַּׁ תְר פְס אוםַַׁׁלָּכֶַּׁם- you should shine into yourselves,” so that we can refine the “ש ֶַּׁב ַׁעַַׁׁש ב ָּתוַֹׁת- seven ‘weeks,’” i.e., seven emotional attributes, as each emotion has seven aspects.
וְהָּיָּ ה יָּכוֹ ל לִּהְיוֹ ת ַּתַמ ךַּכ רַחַאן־ תּוֹרָּ ה בְּש ָּבוּעוֹ ת, ש ֶהוּ א גִּילּוּ י רְ צוֹנוֹ כִּּבְיָּכוֹ ל לְמַטָּּ ה ֹו יִּתֹואְּבת הַתּוֹרָּ ה . :
Through this, we can, afterward, experience the “Giving of the Torah” on Shavuos, which is a revelation of Hashem’s Will here below, as it were, in the letters of the Torah that we physically say.
Summary of Chapter 3:
The experience of “running in yearning” for Hashem on the first day of Pesach is only for the Divine soul. The animal soul is too coarse to be transformed through a revelation from Above. In order to receive the Torah, Hashem’s Essential Will, in our physical body and animal soul, we need to transform the animal soul to be receptive to Hashem.
To help us in this, Hashem gave the Mitzvah of waving the Omer in the Beis Hamikdash and counting the days of the Omer. The Omer offering was made of barley, which is animal food. So too Above, there is a level of angels referred to as “animals,” the angels of the “Merkavah-Chariot.” The source of the “animal” angels and of our animal soul is Malchus of Atzilus. The word “הש ְעוֹרָּ -barley” is the same letters as “ש ִּעוּ ר ה'-Limitation consisting of Five aspects.” This is a reference to Malchus, which has five aspects of limitation that is uses to create finite beings. When angels that derive from Tohu are created and reconnected with their source through Malchus, then Malchus itself receives additional Divine revelation. This is similar to the process of eating, in which we receive energy from the spiritual source of the food. This is why Malchus is referred to as “the Omer,” since it is the source of these spiritual “animals” who are like “ש ְעוֹרָּ ה-barley,” since they are created using “ש ִּעוּ ר ה'- Five aspects of Limitation.” Malchus receives spiritual Light from these “barley angels” which it creates, like an animal that eats barley and new barley grows in its place.
Thus, the idea of waving the barley Omer offering is to elevate Malchus and ourselves to the level of Binah-Understanding (called “the day after Shabbos,” or “Before Havayah), to be able to receive a new revelation from Hashem. Through the subsequent counting of the Omer, we draw down this new revelation of the “Makifim-Encompassing Awareness” of Hashem from the level of Binah- Understanding of Atzilus. This refers to a very deep awareness of Hashem’s Oneness and True Existence - how there is nothing separate from Hashem at all. This awareness is so deep that it “encompasses” the mind to a certain extent, since it cannot be fully grasped and defined in the human mind. It is this deep awareness that comes into Malchus and into us, enabling us to change the perspective and desires of our animal soul.
For two reasons, this transformation of the animal soul is a necessary preparation for Receiving the Torah on Shavuos:
- Only through the “awakening from below” in our efforts of transforming the animal soul is there “an awakening from Above” to bring down His Will to be invested and revealed in our physical words of Torah and actions of Mitzvos.
- Only through nullifying the ego of the animal soul and its materialistic desires, do we become refined and receptive to actually receiving the revelation of Hashem’s Will in ourselves.
Lessons in the Service of Hashem from the Maamar:
- In order to experience “Leaving Mitzrayim-Limitations,” we need to awaken a love for Hashem during prayer, especially when we recite the Shema. As part of this, we describe the service of the angels. They tremble in awe before the infinite greatness of Hashem. Even though the angelic hosts are a great multitude, they are in awe of the tremendous greatness of Hashem’s Malchus- Kingship, which is the actual Elokus-Divinity that is creating all the worlds. This level of Malchus is only Hashem’s “Name,” which He uses to come down to the level of creation. However, Hashem Himself is truly infinite and beyond all possible limitations. One compared to a trillion has a relative value, since a trillion is made of one trillion ones. However, a trillion compared to infinity has no relative value whatsoever. So too, there is a relative value of the smallest creation in this world in comparison to the greatest of the angels in the highest spiritual realms. However, all the angels have no relative value whatsoever in comparison to Hashem’s Infinite Light, since it is an altogether different category of existence. From thinking deeply into these ideas, a person will come to awaken a love for Hashem when they recite Shema.
- Another contemplation that helps awaken love for Hashem: There are verses describing Hashem’s Kindness throughout the prayers. When we think about their meaning and Hashem’s Kindness to us, it helps us come to feel love for Hashem.
- If someone’s heart is hard and insensitive, he should ask Hashem to have mercy on the Divine soul that is trapped in the coarseness of the animal soul. He should realize that there will come a time when he will see that there was never really anything other than Hashem, and this can be very embarrassing to think that we were living a lie our entire life, thinking that the purpose of life is to pursue material gain and pleasure, when it all had no real value for itself, and was only valuable in Hashem’s service. We should ask Hashem to have mercy on us and realize the truth that Hashem is everywhere and the True Existence of everything, and the only thing we should want in our lives is to connect to Him through our Torah and Mitzvos. Our material needs should only be whatever is needed to be able to fulfill Torah and Mitzvos in the physical world.
- The inner meaning of “סְפִּירַ ת הַעוֹמֶר-counting the Omer” is to סַפִּּיר- shine Divine Light into our עוֹמֶר-animal soul. This means to come to a deeper awareness of Hashem’s Oneness and True Existence. By developing this deeper awareness of Hashem’s Oneness, that there is nothing separate from Him, we can nullify our ego and materialistic desires. This will enable us to truly experience “Receiving the Torah” on Shavuos in a revealed manner, and to feel how Hashem is speaking through our words of Torah, and His Will is truly revealed in our Mitzvos.
