Being absolutely distant from Hashem. Nevertheless, while “weeping is implanted in the heart from this side, joy sits in the other side.”
Meaning that in truth, from the vantage point of the body, one is absolutely distant from Hashem. However, from the standpoint of the soul, there is immense joy, to have joy in Hashem, ‘the joy of [His] mitzvos,’ which descend from His Essence and Being, so to speak, above even the level of Hashem’s Light that ‘Sovev Kol Almin-Encompasses all Worlds,” and become invested in the physical mitzvos that we perform, thus reconnecting us to Hashem’s Essence.
However, how is it possible that these two opposites (weeping and joy) are fused so absolutely?
It is accomplished through ‘Yaakov,’ who symbolizes the attribute of mercy.
It says (Bereishis 29:11) “And Yaakov...raised his voice and cried,” to awaken Hashem’s mercy. Yaakov represents Hashem’s attribute of Mercy. This attribute enables to fulfill our mission of planting mitzvos, since this mission requires a combination of bitterness and joy. The combination of these two opposite aspects is through awakening Hashem’s mercy. Based on this, we can explain the verse (in a third manner): “הַבָּּאִּים יַש ְרֵש -the Jewish People who came to this world to plant mitzvos יַעֲקֹב-is through the attribute of ‘Yaakov-Mercy of Hashem.’”
As we say (in the Daily Prayers), “In Your abundant mercy, have mercy on us...”
With this Mercy from Hashem, the joy of a mitzvah is made possible, which causes some of the power of connection to Hashem of the mitzvos to be revealed.
This is the meaning of the verse (Bereishis 27:22) “The voice is the voice of Yaakov.”
The verse is describing what Yitzchok said when Yaakov came to ask for the blessings. Yitzchok said that the characteristic feature of Yaakov is specifically his voice, how he mentions Hashem constantly in whatever he discusses.
This is analogous to a voice, which reveals what was previously concealed in thought. So too, with Hashem’s Mercy there can be revealed the hidden love and joy in Hashem’s service.
A voice is produced with three things: Fire and water, which are opposites, and air, which is an intermediary that connects the two opposites.
Speech is made of three components: 1- the moisture in the lungs and throat, 2- the heat and energy of the blood pumping into the lungs, 3- the air in the lungs. Through the air, the heat and moisture are able to merge together in producing the sound of the voice as that air hits the vocal cords and mouth.
Similarly, in order for the [effect of] action mitzvos to be revealed below, the idea of Yaakov (Mercy) is also necessary.
Therefore, Yaakov is known as “the middle pole” (see Shemos 26:28), which extends from the uppermost end to the lowermost end, in order to connect the beams [of the Mishkan] so that they do not separate and become detached.
The Mishkan (Tabernacle) in the desert that the Jewish People built was made of 48 standing beams of wood, called Kerashim. A hole was made in the middle of the beams, so that one long beam could be inserted through the middle of all the beams and thereby connect all of them.
Similarly, Yaakov’s Attribute of Mercy is able to connect all the levels, and bring the hidden higher levels into revelation in the lower levels.
This is the meaning of [the original verse], “Yaakov’s family, who arrived and took root in Egypt”:
Meaning, that in order for the Jewish People to receive the Torah and the mitzvos in a manner of Yaakov (planting) and Yisroel (sprouting), until their “seeds” of mitzvos in Egypt produced the great revelation of Hashem at the Giving of the Torah, when “Hashem spoke to you face to face,” (Devarim 5:4), they first had to come down into Egypt, which is the idea of bitterness, as it says that the Egyptians embittered their lives “with mortar and bricks” (Shemos 1:14).
Only then could they receive the Torah. This reflects the pattern described in the verse “First one must take be spiritually planted in the dirt and take root on the level of Yaakov; and only then can one grow and flourish spiritually on the level of Yisroel.”
This took place in Egypt in order to receive the Torah, which we received only on an external level, perceiving only how the Torah applies to physical matters of the mitzvos.
Similarly, the bitterness that we experience now in our present Exile and in our overwhelming responsibility to attain our livelihood, is so that in the Future [Redemption] we will be able to receive the inner dimension of the Torah, when (Yeshaya 52:8) “with our very eyes we will see when Hashem will return to Tzion [the Beis Hamikdash].”
This means that we will experience the inner dimension of the Torah which is described as “seeing it with our eyes,” meaning, seeing the lofty Divine dimension of the Torah that nowadays we only learn about but cannot directly perceive.
To reach this deeper level of perception of the Torah it is worth all the suffering in Exile, since the revelation of Hashem we will perceive then we will be a totally different category of revelation altogether compared to the revelation of Hashem that we perceive now through our understanding the Revealed Dimension of the Torah.
This is the meaning of the verse quoted at the beginning of the maamar (from Yeshaya 43:1), “So says Hashem your creator, Yaakov, your former, Yisroel,” which corresponds to another similar verse (Yeshaya 45:7) “He forms light and creates darkness:”
We asked at the beginning of the maamar: Since “creation” is a higher level than “formation,” so the higher level, Yisroel, should be associated with “creation,” and Yaakov, the lower level, with “formation,” why does the verse reverse the order and connect Yaakov with “creation” and Yisroel with “formation?”
We have a similar question on the verse “He forms light and creates darkness;” if light is higher than darkness, then light should be associated with “creation” and darkness with “formation,” why does the verse reverse the order of those associations?
The answer is: In everything there is the substance (matter) and the form (conceptual dimension).
The creation of the substance which came down below is known [figuratively] as “Yaakov,” and the formation, referring to the abstract form and concept is known as “Yisroel.”
In the process of creation, the first thing that is created is the matter/substance, which is then given a form. Thus, even though form is loftier than matter, nonetheless, the form only comes after there is already matter to shape and define.
In terms of darkness and light, Hashem first “creates” the matter, the substance, which is spiritually dark, and then “forms” the form/shape, which is spiritually illuminated. That is why it says “He forms light and creates darkness.”
Similarly, in terms of the Jewish People, the first stage of our being is in a state of spiritual darkness, known as Yaakov, in the time of Exile, which is followed by the higher stage of spiritual Light, known as Yisroel, in the Time of Redemption. This is why Yaakov is “created,” since this stage is created first, like the raw matter, which is then “formed” into the level of Yisroel.
This is the meaning of the statement of our Sages (Avos 3:9): “Anyone who’s fear of sin supersedes his wisdom, his wisdom will endure,” meaning in order for his wisdom to endure in a manner of true “sprouting forth,” this must have been preceded by his “fear of sin.”
Just like the form can only come after there matter and substance to shape, so too the wisdom, which is the spiritual form, only has lasting application in the “matter” of the actual mitzvah observance, the “fear of sin.”
As is explained above, “A wife who fears Hashem,” specifically, “she [is the one] who ‘תִתְׁה ל ָּל-is praised.’”
As explained above, that specifically the fear of Hashem ‘תִּתְהַלָּּל-is praised,’ meaning that it brings about ‘בְּהִּלּוֹ -when He [Hashem] will shine’ His true Light into us.
