Chapter 5
However, this ability of Aharon to elevate the soul “on the outer side of the curtain,” to bring about a revelation of unlimited love for Hashem, regarding this experience it is stated (Shemos 27:21) “an everlasting law for their generations, מֵ אֵ ת-from the בְּנֵי יִ שְׂ רָ אֵ ל-Children of Yisrael.”
The deeper meaning of “מֵ אֵ ת-from the” is “מ-from” “את” the letters of the Torah from א through ת. This means that this power to elevate the soul like the lighting up the Menorah is through the Torah study of the Jewish People.
When a person learns, and puts his heart and soul into the letters that he says with awe and love of Hashem, which these letters are rooted in the highest levels of Holiness, in the level of Chochma Above in Atzilus, then these letters of Chochma empower his spiritual elevation in prayer. Therefore, the Torah is Light, which illumines the “lamps.”
This refers to the “lamp of the Mitzvah” (Mishlei 6:23), which is a vessel to receive the Light of the Torah, and the Torah is the Light and Life of the Mitzvah. Together they cause this ability of Aharon to be an “Escort” – to channel the Light and revelation of love of Hashem within the person’s soul, to bring about the light and joy of a Mitzvah.
Whereas regarding one who doesn’t learn Torah, that does not possess this aspect of Chochmah generated from the letters of Torah learning, - our sages say (Avos 2:5): “one who does not learn Torah cannot be a Chasid-pious person.” The term “Chasid-pious person” mentioned by the sages often refers to those involved in intense prayer and contemplation. Our sages statement shows that one who doesn’t learn Torah cannot fully be involved in prayer and attain love and fear of Hashem.
The Role of Moshe
However, in order to channel the light of Torah into the Jewish People, this is through the aspect of Moshe. As it is written in the Zohar on the verse (Koheles 1:3): “What profit does a person have in all their toil that they toil under the sun?” The Zorah explains “the toil of Torah study is different, since it is above the ‘sun.’”
The term ‘sun’ is a reference to the level of Ze’eir Anpin, the Attributes of Hashem of Kindness and Severity and their derivatives in the World of Atzilus. ‘Under the sun’ is referring to Malchus, which is lower than Ze’eir Anpin and receives from it. Malchus is involved in creating the world. Any toil in material things is connected to Malchus, which is ‘under the sun.’ However, Torah study is in Hashem’s Wisdom and Understanding, Chochma and Bina of Atzilus, which are ‘above the sun,’ since they are higher than Ze’eir Anpin.
There at that transcendent level is Moshe, who is at the level of Chochmah of Atzilus, regarding him it says he was “heavy of mouth and heavy of tongue.” (Shemos 4:10) The fact the Moshe had a hard time speaking was because he was on a level much higher than Malchus of Atzilus, which is the source of speech in this world, since he was the level of Chochma of Atzilus.
The study of Torah is not in the manner of “rejoicing in a Mitzvah,” in which “your heart will run” in yearning to Hashem “from the outer side of the curtain,” meaning, a yearning to ascend from the created worlds to Atzilus, rather it (Torah learning) is the idea of “returning to reveal the Oneness of Hashem in this world.”
Through learning Torah, there is a manifestation of His True Oneness here below as it is Above, this is accomplished through Torah learning since it literally is the Word of Hashem. As it is written (Yeshayahu 59:21): “(Hashem promises to the Jewish People:) My Words (of Torah) which I have placed in your mouth (will never be forgotten by the Jewish People).” This means the words of Torah we speak with our mouths are literally “His Words” that He is saying through us.
Our sages say (see Kesubos 61b): “The Mishna is like the Queen,” who has a royal status like the King himself, since the person who says over the Mishna becomes united with “the Word of Hashem-which is the Halacha” (Shabbos 138b), so that when he says what the Halacha is according to the Torah, it is as if he is the one deciding it, since he is united with Hashem at that moment. This most complete level of Torah study where one unites with Hashem is the lofty level of someone who’s entire pursuit in life is Torah study, like Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai and his colleagues.
(Therefore, they were exempt from prayer, since prayer is the idea of submission to Hashem during bowing in Shemona Esrai, which channels the Infinite Light of Hashem into this world, and these revelations of Hashem are also generated through Torah study). As Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai said (Zohar III, 288a) “I am tied in one knot with Hashem,” which is the idea of complete egoless transparency to the Infinite Light of Hashem on the level of Yichudah Ila’ah.
Therefore, our sages say (Peah 1:1) “Learning Torah is equivalent to all of the Mitzvos.” In order to reach this manner and level of egoless transparency to Hashem, regarding this it is written: (Shemos 27:20) “and they shall bring to you pure olive oil,” which is the aspect of Chochmah-Wisdom of Holiness.
For our sages say: “Who is a Chochom-wise person? One who sees what will come to be as a result of his actions,” (Tamid 32a), which can also mean that he sees how everything is coming into being from Hashem in a manner of something from nothing. And as we say (in Shachris, in the blessing of Yotzer Or): “In His Goodness, He renews every day constantly the act of Creation.” Since, the process of the renewal of creation something from nothing is constantly happening.
The reason for this is: Regarding Hashem Himself it is written: “For I am Hashem, and I have never changed” (Malachi 3:6), and as we say in the Shachris: “You (Hashem) are the same before the world was created as You are after the world was created,” without any change. However, the renewal of the existence of creation is only from a limited expression of His Light. Therefore, there must be a constant renewal of this Light, so that the worlds shouldn’t cease to exist.
A short explanation of the reason for constant creation: Hashem is the only true Real Existence. He is beyond the category of change, since He is beyond the category of time and space. The idea of “something from nothing” has two different meanings, both of which are true: 1- creation of a type of existence that in no way existed before at all, 2- creation of something that feels separate from Hashem, our physical world, from an existence that has no independent existence or identity other than Hashem, meaning from His Light as it shines in Atzilus.
