In Parshas Ki Savo, Moshe Rabeinu tells the Jewish People that only after forty years in the desert did the Jewish People finally merit to “see” the truth of Hashem’s greatness, and choose to connect to Him fully. However, he also said that they did see Hashem’s greatness in Egypt and in the desert. So, what is the difference between what they saw then and what they saw before entering the Land of Israel?
Additionally, in Parshas Ki Savo we read about 98 curses that Hashem says are the punishments for not keeping and the Torah, and straying into idol worship, G-d forbid. Why did the Sages establish that we read about these 98 curses of punishment before Rosh Hashana? Isn’t Rosh Hashana a happy time of coming close to Hashem?
The Alter Rebbe will explain the answers to these questions in this maamar:
“Moshe called to all of Yisrael (the Jewish People), and he said to them: You have seen all that Hashem has done before your eyes in the land of Egypt, to Pharoh and to all of his servants, and to all the people of his land. The great miracles that your eyes have seen, and the great signs and wonders. However, Hashem did not give you a heart to understand, or eyes to see, or ears to hear until this day.” (Devarim 29:1-3)
Rashi explains this verse: Before Moshe Rabeinu passed away, he wrote down the Torah and wanted to give it to the members of his Tribe, the Tribe of Levi. When the other Jews heard about this, they became jealous and asked Moshe to also write a Torah scroll for all the other Tribes as well (13 in total). When Moshe heard that they all wanted the Torah, he was very happy, and said that he finally sees that the Jewish People see and appreciate Hashem’s greatness and want to connect with Him through the Torah.
Now, this is puzzling: Originally, he said, “You have seen (the wonders of Hashem),” and then he said “however, Hashem has not given you...eyes to see (His greatness) until today”?
Understanding the Difference
To understand this, we must preface: It is written (Bereishis 21:33):
“He (Avraham) set up a hotel in Be’eir Shava, and he called out there that the Name (description) of Hashem, is that He is the G-d that is the true existence of the world.”
Now, it is written (Tehillim 113:4): “Hashem is exalted over all the nations,”
And (Yirmiya 10:7): “Who would not fear You, King of all nations,”
Meaning, that even the nations of the world “call Him G-d over all Supernal Powers,” (see Menachos 110a)
As it is written (Malachi 1:11): “From the rising of the sun until its setting, My Name is great among the nations,”
However, they exist in a manner of detachment from their Source in Hashem, so that they should have their own ego and independent existence.
However, Avraham got up and announced that “the Name (description) of Hashem, is that He is the G-d that is the true existence of the world.”
Meaning, that the Name of Hashem, which is Havaya, is the “G-d who is the true existence of the world,” and that its all One thing, since the world is nothing other than Hashem,
Hashem’s Name as He exists beyond the limitations of nature is spelled י-ה-ו-ה, which out of its holiness is never pronounced as it is written. Therefore, when referring to it we use the letters of the Name out of order, הויה-Havaya.
The point is that Hashem as He is beyond all limitations of the world, Havaya, is also the true existence of everything in the world. This is because nothing in the world has any separate existence independent of Him.
The Analogy of a Name
It is not written “G-d, (who is merely ruler and sustainer) of the world,” implying that the world has its own independent importance and existence, and Hashem only gives it life, this is not the case:
Rather, just like the name of a person, is not part of his essential being, it is just that his Life-Force (from Hashem) is invested in his (Hebrew) name,
In Tanya, Shaar HaYichud Vehaemuna (chap. 1), the Alter Rebbe explains how the Life-Force from Hashem give life to every creation through the letters of its Hebrew name.
As we see that when we call someone by his name, this awakens his very being,.
Even someone who is sleeping or has fainted can be awoken through calling their Hebrew name.
There are several stories of situations that someone was in a coma, and the Rebbe sent someone to call him by his Hebrew name, and that woke him up.
In other words: On the one hand, a person’s name is not part of his essential being, since he can exist without a name (as he did from the time he was born until being named). On the other hand, this name does reach and affect his essential being. The fact that a person is awakened even from deep sleep through calling his name shows that the person’s very life is connected to that (Hebrew) name.
We see that a person’s Hebrew name has two opposite aspects to it: It is connected to the very life of the person, but it is nothing of the essence and being of the person. It exists in the context of a person, but it is nothing other than the person. It has no independent value or existence outside of the person with that name.
So too, Hashem’s Name Havaya is invested in enlivening all worlds, and they are only like “garments” that are nullified to Him, and therefore it is literally all One thing, Hashem.
A Jewish person may not carry outside on Shabbos. However, he may walk outside wearing clothing, because clothing is considered ‘secondary’ and ‘nullified’ to the person himself. It is as if the clothing doesn’t exist, since it has no identity other than the person wearing it.
This is different than a person carrying clothing in his hands. In that case he is considered desecrating Shabbos, since clothing that is not worn has its own identity and is not nullified or secondary to the person.
Similarly, all the worlds receive existence and Life-Force from Hashem constantly. They are like Hashem’s “garments,” as it were, in the sense that they have no separate identity other than that of Hashem who is creating and enlivening them.
Oneness and Separation
This is the meaning of “G-d who is the true existence of the world,” as it is written “on that day, Hashem ‘יִהְיֶה-will be’ One and His Name will be One,” (Zecharya 14:9)
Now, the word ‘יִהְיֶה-will be’ is written as the Name of Hashem י-ה twice.
This implies that at that time, Hashem’s revelation will not be in a manner of first י-ה followed by ו-ה, since, the letter ו' is the aspect of drawing down a type of revelation of Hashem that is able to descend all the way below into our world, without disturbing the limitations of our world, and this allows that there can come into existence beings that have their own ego and sense of existence separate from Hashem.
Rather, the double expression י-ה followed by י-ה, is that everything, even our physical world will express Hashem in a manner of י-ה, that below in our world, Hashem’s revelation will be expressed as it is expressed Above in Atzilus.
The Four Letters of Hashem’s Name represent four stages of how Hashem’s Light descends into our world. This is understood from an analogy of a teacher and a student:
- Step one: The flash of insight in the mind of the teacher. This is like the letter י, which is like a singular point.
- Step two: The teacher develops the idea in his own mind, until he fully understands it. This is like the letter ה which has length and width.
- Step three: The teacher takes the idea in his head, and thinks about how he can bring down this idea to the level of the student, as that student can understand it in his current level. This is like the letter ו, which is shaped like a hook, that brings down something to a lower level. It is also shaped like a pipe, that the contents must squeeze into to descend to the lower level.
- Step four: The teacher actually gives over the idea to his student in speech (or writing), in an organized manner, so that student can grasp it one point at a time. This is like a ה, since at this point the student is now able to fully understand the concept in a way of breadth and depth.
Similarly, Hashem’s Revelation in Atzilus is like the idea inside the mind of the teacher. At that level it is revealed that there is no existence independent of Hashem. This corresponds to the letters י and ה. How His revelation comes down into the created worlds is like the letters ו and ה. This revelation comes down to the creations in way that they can handle at their current level, which is the knowledge that Hashem is the Ruler and Life-Giver of the world.
Avraham wanted to reveal in the world the awareness of Hashem as it is perceived in Atzilus, that there is no existence separate from Hashem. He wanted that our perception should directly reflect Hashem’s perception, as expressed in the double phrase: י-ה-י-ה.
Separation from Hashem
However, it is written: “One who complains, distances himself from the Master.” (Mishlei 16:28)
Rashi explains that one who complains and quarrels with other people, distances himself from the Master, Hashem. The Zohar (vol. III, 16b) says the verse means that one who sins, and one who speaks disrespectfully about Hashem, separates himself from the Master, Hashem.
And another verse states: “One who pursues his lusts, will be separated from Hashem.” (Mishlei 18:1)
Rashi explains this verse to refer to one who separates himself from Hashem by pursuing his physical desires in a way forbidden by Hashem.
Meaning, that when one places his desires in the physical pleasures of this world, or in unhealthy competition with other people, or in other bad character traits G-d forbid, he becomes “separated,” as it were, from His Master, Hashem, so that he cannot perceive the truth that “Hashem is One and His Name is One.”
I.e., he separates himself from being able to experience the truth that there is nothing besides for Hashem. This is because he feels himself and his own ego, which feel completely independent of Hashem.
Shining Face of Hashem
Now, it is written: “He (Hashem) will shine His face with us forever,” (Tehillim 67:2).
Meaning, the idea of Hashem “shining his face” towards us is like the following analogy: A person who gives something to his true friend, he gives it graciously, with good will, and a face that is lit-up from great joy and happiness.
When someone gives to someone he loves, his whole face is lit up in joy. This is called the “Inner Will,” meaning, the person deep down truly desires to give to that person.
This is not the case regarding his enemy, that he only gives him something “like one who throws it over the back of his shoulder,” against his will.
If someone is in a situation that he must give something to someone he hates, he does so by throwing the object behind himself, so that he won’t have to look at the one he is giving to. This is also called the “Outer Will,” that deep down he doesn’t want to give to that person, he only does so because he is forced to.
This is the idea of the verse (Bamidbar 6:25) “Hashem will shine His Face to you,” meaning, that He will give you your Life from his Inner Will, which is called “His Shining Face,” which is not the case regarding unholiness, that He gives them Life “like one who throws over the back of his shoulder.”
However, this “shining Face” of Hashem is only “with us,” meaning, when we are also focused on Hashem in a way of having a “shining face,” i.e., when we reveal our Inner Will to connect to Hashem with joy.
Like it says (Mishlei 27:19) “As water reflects the face of a person based on the face he shows, so too between the heart of one man towards another man,” that based on the feelings he shows his friend, those same feelings are reflected by to him by his friend.
Meaning: The “man” below is the Congregation of Yisrael (the Jewish People), as it is written (Yechezkal 34:17&31) “(Hashem says to the Jewish People:) And you are my flock, the flock of my tending, you are man.” The Gemara (Yevamos 61a) explains this to mean that “you – the Jewish People – are called ‘man.’”
The heart of the “man” below, the Jewish People, reflects to the heart “of the Man,” meaning, the “Man (the One) Above,” who sits on the “likeness of the Throne.”
In the book of Yechezkal, Hashem’s revelation in the world of Atzilus is referred to as “the likeness of a man, sitting on the likeness of a throne.” This represents how Hashem limits His revelation into the Ten Sefiros of Atzilus, which are the source of the ten soul powers of man, so that Hashem can “interact” with creation according to their level.
At this level of Atzilus, specifically in the emotive attributes of Hashem’s Kindness and Severity, Hashem’s “heart,” His expression of Kindness or the opposite, are corresponding to the actions and feelings of man below.
Regarding the Jewish People, the concept of having a “shining face” is as it is written: “Yisrael rejoices in its Creator,” (Tehillim 149:2)
Just as Hashem is happy and rejoices with us, as we say “Because of Your joy that You rejoiced in him (Yaakov), You called him Yisrael and Yeshurun.” (Daily Shachris Preliminary Prayers)
This is the joy in Hashem from realizing His unlimited greatness, and at the same time His love and closeness to us.
This is comparable to someone whose face lights up from great joy and happiness when he sees his true friend, his “face shines,” as mentioned above, and he completely forgets about his personal problems and suffering, because of his joy and delight from seeing the face of his friend,
So too, when a person remembers that Hashem is his True Friend, and that His Face is “shining” in happiness and delight to be close to the person, as explained above, and he contemplates on Hashem’s greatness, how He “Permeates all Worlds,” and “Encompasses all Worlds,” and “everything else is considered completely insignificant before Him,” he will forget about himself completely, even if he has suffering from worldly matters, and will only be filled with joy from his connection to Hashem.
