ישא ברכה – 34:1
“ויאמר ד' אל משה פסל לך שני לחות אבנים כראשונים, וכתבתי על הלחות את הדברים אשר היו על הלוחות הראשונים אשר שברת” – “And Hashem said to Moshe: Carve for yourself two Tablets of stone like the first ones, and I shall inscribe on the Tablets the words that were on the first Tablets, which you broke.” The Gemara in Shabbos 87a says on the words, “אשר שברת” that Hakodosh Boruch Hu told Moshe Rabbeinu, “יישר כחך ששיברת” – “Thank you for breaking them.” Why does it allude to us in the word, “אשר” that Hakodosh Boruch Hu thanked Moshe for breaking the first Luchos?
The B’nei Yissoschor says that the name, “ישראל” is the letters of “לי ראש” for Hakodosh Boruch Hu and Klal Yisroel are Kevayachol compared to a Chosson and Kallah. It says in the writing of the Arizal that at the time that a man is Mekadesh a woman he gives the woman what is called, “אור מקיף” – a special external surrounding light. Through Yichud with her, the next step in marriage, he gives her the “אור פנימי” – the inner light. In the name ישראל, the “outer” letters are “לי” as this alludes to Kiddushin which the words, “ליהרי את מקודשת ”. The ל' is the tallest of all the letters, and this represents the Ribbono Shel Olam, Who is Above all else. The י', is the smallest letters of all the letters, and this represents Klal Yisroel, who are few and small, as the Posuk in Devorim 7:7 says, “כי אתם המעט”. Thus, the letters, “לי” represent the Kiddushin between Hakodosh Boruch Hu and Klal Yisroel. The remaining letters of ישראל, which are ראש, or can be seen as אשר, they are the middle letters of ישראל, which alludes to the אור פנימי, the inner light, Kevayachol, like the Yichud, the next step in marriage. There are 248 limbs in a man, 252 limbs in a woman, plus the Kolel, is 501, which is the same Gematria as “אשר” – this is the completion of the two becoming whole. Moshe Rabbeinu broke the Luchos when he saw that Klal Yisroel made an Eigel, for the Luchos represented the marriage contract between Hakodosh Boruch Hu and Klal Yisroel, and Klal Yisroel making the Eigel was a breach in that contract. Thus, if the contract was broken, was annulled, then that would mean that Klal Yisroel did not breach the contract and should not be punished for it. By Moshe doing so, he was nullifying the letters, “אשר” – which represented the Yichud between Hakodosh Boruch Hu and Klal Yisroel. This is why in the word, “אשר” in the Posuk here is alluding to Hakodosh Boruch Hu saying, “יישר כחך ששברת” – for by Moshe breaking the Luchos, he undid the “אשר”, thereby saving Klal Yisroel.
Now we can understand the connection between Hakodosh Boruch Hu forgiving Klal Yisroel for their iniquities and sins, with making them a portion. Klal Yisroel is special. Hakodosh Boruch Hu, Kevayachol, married Klal Yisroel. There was a grave sin that Klal Yisroel transgressed, and it temporarily put things on hold. Moshe Rabbeinu broke the Luchos and to some extent annulled the marriage. But we want it back. We want to return to Hakodosh Boruch Hu. How can we do it? Hakodosh Boruch Hu already put into a place a way for us to reconnect to Hakodosh Boruch Hu, to reaffirm and redo the marriage – and that is through Shabbos Kodesh. Shabbos Kodesh is that which is in the storage house of Hakodosh Boruch Hu. We need to have the proper Da’as, the proper Yiras Hashem for it. We must strengthen ourselves with the Kedushas Shabbos, and with Yiras Hashem, and take that Kedusha with us all week. We must add Kedusha to all that we do, and in the Zechus of the unique gift that we received from Hakodosh Boruch Hu of Shabbos Kodesh – we should elevate ourselves in Kedusha, so that we achieve a full Kapparah for the Chet Ha’eigel, and be Zoche to the Geulah Shlaima, במהרה בימינו אמן!
