Chapter 1
Hashem said to Moshe: “And you will command the Children of Yisroel, and they will bring to you pure olive oil, from olives that were crushed for the purpose of illumination, to kindle the lamps (of the Menorah) continually.
In the Mishkan outside of the Paroches (dividing curtain) that is in front of the Aron (Holy Ark), Aharon and his children should arrange this Menorah so that it should burn before Hashem from evening until morning, this is an eternal law throughout all generations of the Children of Yisrael.” (Shemos 27:20-12)
We need to understand: Since this mitzvah was intended for Aharon, who set up the Menorah, why would Hashem command Moshe “and they will bring to you” – which implies they will bring the olive oil to Moshe?
Also, we need to understand, in the first verse “and they will bring to you” – referring to Moshe – it states: “to kindle the lamps continually” whereas in the second verse referring to Aharon it states only “from evening until morning” that the lamps should be kindled?
However, the concept is:
Aharon is the “Escort of the Queen,” and this “Queen,” which is Malchus, Hashem’s attribute of Kingship, is the source of the Jewish People’s souls, since all Jews are children of Royalty,” and Aharon is their escort.
This is analogous to a groom and bride, they require escorts to accompany them to the Chuppa (marriage canopy), for they are not able to walk by themselves due to their shyness, and they need support to help them get married.
Similarly, in order for the souls of the Jewish People to be included back into their source, in the Infinite Light of Hashem, they do not have the ability to accomplish this on their own, only through the aspect of Aharon, who is their escort.
Now, just as it in the analogy, that the escorts of the groom and bride are only required during the time of the wedding, after which, escorts are no longer needed, because the newlyweds have become accustomed to each other,
so too, the escorting by Aharon is “on the day of His (Hashem’s) wedding (with the Jewish People), and the day of His heart’s rejoicing.” (Shir HaShirim 3:11)
The verse in Shir HaShirim compares the connection of Hashem and the Jewish People to a marriage. In marriage the bride and groom need help to start off their marriage, on the day of the wedding. So too, the Jewish People need help to get “married” to Hashem, as it were, meaning to initiate a deep inner connection to Hashem. After that initial connection to Hashem is established, then they no longer need (as much) that type of help, which comes from Aharon, their “escort.”
This “escort” is the Rejoicing from Above that is revealed in the souls of the Jewish People, to cause their hearts to rejoice with Hashem who dwells within their Torah learning and Divine service, which needs to be performed with joy, as it is written (Devarim 28:47) “(the reason for exile is) because you did not serve Hashem with joy.”
The verse in Parshas Ki Savo says that a person is punished for not serving Hashem with joy, rather he serves Hashem begrudgingly, as if it’s a burden. This shows that the proper service of Hashem is out of joy and happiness at the opportunity to make Hashem happy.
This joy is not only the proper method of serving Hashem, it also contains the power to initiate a connection with Hashem. When it comes as a gift from Above, this empowers the Jewish person to initiate a connection with Hashem. It “escorts” him on the path to establish that connection.
This joy is channeled through Aharon, and with this joy he “escorts” the Jewish People to unite with Hashem.
The idea is: This joy comes from the Infinite Light of Hashem – the Source of life and the Source of pleasure – that is clothed in Mitzvos.
As we say in the blessings over mitzvah performance: “Blessed are you Hashem our G-d, King of the world, אֲשֶׁר-that He made us holy בְּמִצְוֹתָיו-with His Mitzvos, and commanded us to do this and this mitzvah.”
Now, the word “אֲשֶׁר” which means “that,” is related to the word “אַשְׁרֵי-fortunate,” and is an expression of a tremendous pleasure to the point of causing someone to give thanks to Hashem, as in what Leah said when naming the second son from her maidservant Zilpah: “בְּאָשְׁרִי-Because of my good fortune, נִי בָּנוֹת-women have declared me fortunate, and she called his name “אָשֵׁר-Asher/the fortunate one.” (Bereshis 30:13)
which is an expression of joy and praise due an overwhelming abundance of good.
As it written (Bereishis 2:15) “and He (Hashem) placed him (Adam) in Gan Eden to work it and to guard it.”
The terms “to work it” refers to Mitzvos Asei (“Action” Mitzvos), that through fulfilling Mitzvos he “makes” Gan Eden, meaning, he draws into it a revelation of the Shechinah (Hashem’s Divine Presence) which brings enjoyment to the Tzaddikim that rejoice over Hashem in Gan Eden, and this is a wonderous pleasure that is without end.
Based on this, the meaning of the blessing on mitzvos is: “Blessed are you Hashem, our G-d, King of the world, ‘אֲשֶׁר-that we are infinitely fortunate,’ when He made us holy with His mitzvos and commanded to do such and such.
This is why our sages said regarding Elisha ben Avuya, who they called “the other guy,” “It is better they he be judged in Gehinom (hell), in order that he should eventually enter the World to Come, i.e., Gan Eden.” (Chagiga 15b)
This shows that all the suffering of Gehinom is worthwhile in order to receive the enjoyment of the World to Come, referring to Gan Eden.
And as our sages said regarding Rabbi Akiva, when he saw a large city of idol worshippers and the abundant material pleasures they had, “he laughed and said ‘If it is like this for those who strayed from His Will, then those who do His Will, all the more so will they receive an even greater form of pleasure from Hashem.” (Makos 24a-b)
Meaning: If there is so much abundant pleasure for “those who strayed from His Will”, which are only pleasures of this world, which originally derived from spiritual pleasure in holiness but descended and became transformed into pleasure in the materiality and coarseness of this world.
These pleasures did not descend in a manner of orderly progression from the Infinite Light of Hashem, one level after another level, as is the proper, organized manner of descent by levels of Holiness.
Rather, they “fell,” as it were, from their levels of Pleasures in Holiness as it is Above, in a manner similar to something falling from the top of the roof straight into a deep pit, in which case the object becomes totally shattered from the impact of the fall.
Therefore, these physical pleasures are termed “those who strayed from His Will,” as it were, meaning that they were steered away from the path of holiness and were cast into unholiness.
Now, “If it is like this for those who stray from His Will,” that there is abundant physical pleasure that “fell” from its source in holiness during from the Sheviras HaKeilim, all the more so for those “who make His Will happen,” – i.e., those who ‘make’ and channel the pleasure in holiness from the Will of Hashem Above, which comes in an organized descent through the levels of holiness, first into the Upper Gan Eden and then into the Lower Gan Eden, which is the pleasure in the revelation of Hashem’s Light, for them there is certainly experienced an overwhelming pleasure, multitudes of pleasure to no end – since Hashem’s Infinite Light is the source of life and the source of all pleasures:
Chapter 2
Now, this pleasure (that is in Gan Eden) is drawn down through the observance of Mitzvos.
Therefore, the Mitzvos are compared to lamps. Just as lighting lamps results in the home being filled with light and radiance, so too through the observance of Mitzvos one draws the radiance of Hashem’s Light into Gan Eden.
It is therefore written: (Devarim 28:47) “Because you did not serve Hashem your G-d with joy and gladness of heart, מֵרֹב כֹּל-from having an abundance of everything good, (that is why we are in exile).”
Now, the phrase “מֵרֹב כֹּל-from an abundance of everything” can also be interpreted to mean “more than having an abundance of everything good.”
Thus, we can interpret the verse to mean that we should be serving Hashem with joy that is more than the joy of having an abundance of good things.
The true “abundance of everything good” is referring to the abundantly good pleasures of the World to Come in Gan Eden. And the performance of mitzvos should be done with an even greater joy than the joy of the “abundant goodness” of entering Gan Eden.
To achieve this joy in mitzvah performance, a person should take to heart the following:
We say in the daily prayer in the blessings before Shema, in Yotzeir Or: “In the Heavens above and on the Earth below, there is nothing else besides for Hashem, and for all the praiseworthy works of Your Hands they will praise Your forever.”
Meaning: “in the Heavens above” refers to the Upper Gan Eden, “and on the Earth below” refers to the Lower Gan Eden, the praise to You regarding these levels is not a praise to Your true greatness, since they are only “the works of Your Hand”:
This is analogous to praising a person for their artistry, e.g., how they are a great writer, or they draw a beautiful picture. This praise doesn’t reflect on their true wisdom or essence.
Similarly, all the praise and acclaim that is generated in Gan Eden by the souls, in their rejoicing over Hashem with their understanding and comprehension, this praise is only about the “works of Your Hands” of Hashem, since this is the only way they can have some understanding and comprehension of Hashem’s existence, they have no comprehension of His Essence.
This ray of Hashem’s Light that is drawn from the Mitzvos into Gan Eden is termed “the works of Your Hand” of Hashem.
