In Parshas Shemini, the Torah details the laws of kosher and non-kosher animals. Among the laws of eating kosher animals, are the laws of shechita-ritual slaughtering. The slaughtering of a kosher animal must be done: 1-by a religious Jew, 2-with a perfectly smooth and razor-sharp knife, and 3-in a specific drawn-out motion across the front of the neck of the animal, not a downward chopping motion.
The Midrash Rabbah is the main commentary on the Torah from the Sages of the Talmud. In the Midrash Rabbah of Parshas Shemini it describes a specific instance of shechita that will be kosher even though some of its details will differ from the standard procedure of shechita.
This will be the shechita of the animal called “Beheimos,” also known as the “Shor HaBar-the Wild Ox.” This huge animal will have shechita performed on it from another huge animal known as the Livyason (Leviathon). The Livyason is a huge fish. It will shecht the Beheimos using its razor-sharp fins. At the same time, the Beheimos will kill the Livyason with its huge horns. These two animals will then be the main courses at a special feast in honor of the arrival of Moshiach.
The “problem” with this is that the fins of a fish are serrated and not smooth, and therefore should not be valid for shechita. The Midrash says that when Moshiach comes, Hashem will teach us a new insight into the laws of shechita that grants special permission to eat from this shechita even though the fins are serrated. (Similar to the special permission given to the Kohanim to eat from korban chatas birds that had “melika” performed, which is usually not a valid shechita.)
The Midrash starts out by quoting a verse from Tehillim about the Livyason. The verses are praising Hashem for His amazing creations of the ocean and its inhabitants, that include the most amazing sea-creature, the Livyason:
“How great are Your works Hashem, you have made them all with wisdom...You have made the great and expansive ocean, where there are innumerable creatures, small and great...and You have formed this Livyason to play with him.” (Tehillim 104:24-26)
The other problem, that the one performing the shechita must be a religious Jew, and the Livyason is not, is not directly addressed in this maamar. The Rebbe explains in Kuntres Torah Chadasha the answer to that question, as well as explaining many other aspects of this topic. See Sefer HaSichos 5751 vol. 2, pp. 566 and onwards, and mainly from pp. 579-582.
The Animal-Fight Show and the Laws of Shechita
The Midrash Rabba states, in Parshas Shemini (13:3):
“The Beheimos (Shor HaBar-Wild Ox) and the Livyason (Leviathon) are placed together in an arena for an Animal-Fight Show, which will be entertainment for the Tzadikim in the Future Era, when Moshiach comes. The Beheimos will attack the Livyason with its horns and kill it, and the Livyason will strike the Beheimos with its sharp fins and slaughter it.”
Now, have we not learned the following law (Chullin 15b):
“Everybody can perform kosher slaughter, and any utensil can be used to slaughter, and one can slaughter at any time. The only exception is that we may not use a harvesting sickle, which is serrated?”
So how can the serrated fins of a fish be used to perform shechita on the Beheimos?
A New Torah Insight
The Midrash continues to discuss this question until it quotes the verse from Yeshaya (51:4) that says “a new insight into the Torah laws will come forth from Me.” This new Torah insight will explain why this shechita is permitted.
At that point, Hashem will permit the slaughter that will occur when the Livyason will shecht the Beheimos with its fins.
Now, this Beheimos is known as the Shor HaBar (Wild Ox), (as the Targum Yonoson explains the verse, “the Beheimos that dwells on a thousand mountains” (Tehillim 50:10), the Targum translates the word “Beheimos” as “the Shor HaBar-Wild Ox.”)
Two Types of Tzadikim
Now, to understand this “animal-fight show” of the Livyason with the Shor HaBar, the idea must be prefaced by explaining how there are two different types of Tzadikim.
Hidden Tzadikim
The first type is hidden, since their service of Hashem is entirely spiritual. This means, that their service is in the contemplations of their hearts, which are intended to unite the lofty levels of the Sefiros of Atzilus and higher levels, and to ascend spiritually up the “ladder” of spiritual levels.
Because of the lofty souls of these tzadikim, through their mystical contemplations they are able to draw down Hashem’s Light into the various levels of Atzilus and unite them with His Infinite Light and which each other. In addition, they are able to elevate themselves spiritually in the various levels of spiritual worlds known as Hishtalshelus.
For example, a tzadik of this level was Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai, during his thirteen years hiding from the Romans in a cave. At that time, he was surely unable to actually fulfill many practical mitzvos. This is obvious because they only survived by eating carobs and drinking spring water due to a miracle in which Hashem made this tree and the spring for Rebbe Shimon and his son. That being the case, he could surely not fulfill the mitzvos of eating matza on Pesach, making kiddush over wine on Shabbos, taking the esrog and lulav and living in the sukka on Sukkos etc.
And similarly, the Arizal and the Baal Shem Tov were also on this level of tzadikim that were hidden.
The Zohar describes the difference between angels and the hidden tzaddikim by comparing them to fish. A fish is always included in its source of life, the water. This is why a fish will die as soon as it leaves the water. Similarly, the angels must always be included in their source of life in the spiritual realms where Hashem’s Light, their Source of Life, is openly revealed. They cannot live outside of the spiritual realm as fish cannot live out of water.
However, a Tzadik is on a much higher level. He is always bound up with his Source of life in Hashem so strongly, that even in the physical world he is powerfully connected to Hashem’s Infinite Light which is his Source of life. He is like a fish that lives on land. Meaning, he is connected to his source like a fish is connected to its source, but he is on land, where the Source is hidden from everyone else except for him.
Revealed Tzadikim
And the second type of tzadikim are those who are revealed. Their service of Hashem involves physicality by performing action mitzvos, such as fulfilling the command to “be joyful on the Festivals” (Devarim 16:14), which also draws down Light from Above, as the verse describes them as “Festivals that are for revealing Hashem” (Vayikra 23:2).
And this joy of the Festivals is because of the revelation of Hashem’s Infinite Light, which is drawn down and revealed during these Festivals. The drawing down of these revelations is the result of performing the action mitzvos, as our Sages taught us (Pesachim 109a), that in the times of the Beis HaMikdash, “there is no joy without meat,” which refers to the mitzva of bringing and eating the “Peace offering of Joy” that was brought on each Festival. However, now that we do not have the Beis HaMikdash, “there is no joy without wine,” as will be explained.
Now, on each Festival, the main way that light is drawn down is through the mitzvos of that Festival. For example: On Pesach with matza, on Shavuos by reliving the Giving of the Torah (in the public Torah reading), and on Sukkos by dwelling in the Sukka and shaking the Lulav and other species. Without these action mitzvos, it is impossible to draw down any light.
(Note of the Tzemach Tzedek: However, Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai, who was on the level likened to “the fish of the sea that walk on the earth,” was able to draw down these Lights from Above in Atzilus when he was in the cave by means of spiritual contemplations that brought about Unifications of the levels of Atzilus and soul elevations, even though he was unable to perform the mitzvos physically.)
The Role of Tzadikim in Connecting Worlds
Now, truthfully it is impossible for physical service of Hashem to enable us to make contact with G-dliness. Rather, it is only possible for our physical service to connect us to G-dliness, as a result of the spiritual service of tzadikim. These tzadikim are called “the fish of the sea.” They are like fish that are covered over by the sea. This idea of being submerged and concealed in the sea is similar to the idea that Tzadikim are from the concealed spiritual world that is higher than revelation, and therefore conceals what is contained within it.
These tzaddikim exist in every generation, and are hidden. They are the ones that join the lower worlds with the Infinite One, blessed is He.
(Note of the Tzemach Tzedek: This is similar to what our Sages said (Zohar vol III, 222b), “King Dovid connected the Torah Above with Hashem”).
This is the idea of the “Livyason,” which comes from the root "leviyah", which means “togetherness,” as the verse states, “This time my husband will be together with me.” (Bereishis 29:34)
The idea of “Livyason” is thus connection, and it refers to the hidden tzaddikim who connect Hashem’s Infinite Light with the physical world.
In the maamar there appears a long note of the Tzemach Tzedek. Due the complexity of the note, and to continue the flow of the maamar, we have left this note untranslated and placed the original Hebrew text of the note in the footnotes (footnote 27).
