In Parshas Vayigash, there is a meeting between Yehuda and Yosef. At the time, Yehuda thought that Yosef was a non-Jewish vice-king of Egypt, not recognizing him as his long-lost brother. However, Yosef recognized his brothers and was pretending that he didn’t recognize them in order to ultimately bring them to do Teshuva, as described at length in the previous Parsha.
As part of the plan to bring them to do Teshuva, Yosef arranged for his brother Binyamin to be captured to see how much self-sacrifice they would display to rescue him. Yehuda, who was the brother who originally suggested selling Yosef as a slave, now took a stand to rescue his brother Binyamin from the Egyptian vice-king, who was really his brother Yosef in disguise.
Yehuda offered to exchange himself for Binyamin in captivity so that Binyamin can return to his father. This was because he had promised his father on his own life that he will return Binyamin to him. When Yosef saw Yehuda’s self-sacrifice to fight for the redemption of Binyamin, Yosef knew it was the correct time to reveal himself and reunite with his brothers.
Chapter 1
"Then Yehudah approached him (Yosef) and said, 'Please, my master... let your servant take the place of the lad (Binyamin) as your slave, so that the lad may go up with his brothers (to their father).'" (Bereishis 44:18)
In order to understand the spiritual significance of the meeting of Yehuda and Yosef, the Alter Rebbe will compare the difference between these two souls to the difference between the Mishkan and the Beis Hamikdash:
It is written (Shir HaShirim 1:17) “The beams of our house are cedars; the panels are from cypress.”
Rashi (ad loc.) says that this a reference to the Mishkan, whose walls were made from cedar wood.
We need to understand the difference between the Mishkan (Tabernacle) and the Beis Hamikdash (The Holy Temple). The Mishkan was constructed from beams of cedar; as it is written (Shemos 26:15) “And you shall make the planks for the Mishkan of upright beams of acacia wood.” Its coverings were constructed from “curtains of goat hair,” “ram skins,” and “Tachash skins” etc.
Whereas the Beis HaMikdash was specifically constructed from stones and dirt. (To the extent that “It is prohibited to have any exposed wood or wooden chambers.) Only poles of cedar wood were used to support the roof of the “Ulam” (antechamber of the “Heichal”) to prevent it from sagging.
The Heichal was the part of the Beis Hamikdash containing the Menorah, the Shulchan, and the Mizbei’ach HaZahav. It was 10 amos wide and 20 amos tall. In front of the Heichal was an antechamber called the “Ulam” (lit. “the hall”). The Ulam’s ceiling was five times the height of the ceiling of the Heichal, 100 amos. In addition, it was ten times as wide as the Heichal, 100 amos from north to south. In order to strengthen the walls of the Ulam to support the weight of the walls and the roof, there were wooden (cedar) poles extending from the roof of the Heichal (and the roofs of the Ta’im (side rooms)) into the Ulam, connecting the walls of the east and west walls Ulam.
Understanding the Distinction
We need to understand this distinction between the Mishkan and Mikdash: Why was the primary material used in the construction of the Mishkan made of cedar beams, whereas dirt was only utilized for the floor; whereas in the Beis Hamikdash, it was the reverse: stones and dirt were the primary building materials, even the ceiling was made from them, only wooden support poles were permitted, these were of minor importance in comparison to the primary materials of dirt and bricks that were used for the building the Beis Hamikdash?
The idea is: It is known that there are four categories in each world: inanimate, vegetation, animal and human. The inanimate category is lower than the vegetation category, the vegetation category is lower than the animal, etc., and the apex of all these categories is the human.
Seemingly, this hierarchy does not make sense: if this is the case, why specifically does the ground bring forth vegetation, that the vegetation grows and is nourished from the dirt? According to the proposed hierarchy, isn’t the vegetation superior to the inanimate kingdom which is represented by the dirt (so why would the vegetation be dependent on the dirt)?!
The Supernal Root
However, the concept is: this characteristic is not comparable to that characteristic – even though it’s true that the inanimate kingdom is a lower level than the vegetative kingdom, nevertheless, there is a superior advantage to the inanimate kingdom based on its Supernal root vs. the vegetative and animal, etc., kingdoms.
There is a well-known debate within the Talmud (Chagigah 12a): One opinion says “The Heavens preceded the Earth,” as it is written (Bereishis 1:1): “In the beginning the Heavens and the Earth were created.” The other opinion says “The Earth preceded the Heavens,” as it is written (Bereishis 2:4): “On that day the Earth and the Heavens were made etc.”
The resolution is that both of these Talmudic opinions are non-contradictory and the words of the Living G-d: In Hashem’s thought – the Earth preceded the Heavens, but when there was the actual Creation using Hashem’s speech, the Heavens were created first.
The concept is: “The end product manifests the intention that was in the original thought.” This means since the Earth was the “end product,” therefore, its source in thought is from the ultimate “original thought of Hashem.”
However, the Heavens, in the order of how Creation actually took place, were the beginning of Creation, this shows that they were in reality the last in thought, since this is the principle: Whatever is closer to the ultimate end product, comes from a deeper place in the original thought behind the whole thing.
Therefore, it comes out: In the “Seder Hishtalshelus-spiritual hierarchy of levels,” as perceived in the worlds, that have the levels of inanimate, vegetation, animal, and human: the vegetation is superior to the inanimate, and similarly the animal is superior to the vegetation, etc.
In this perspective, the inanimate, such as the dirt of the earth, is the “end product” of Creation, and the vegetation and animals are on a higher level. This fits with the opinion that “the Heavens preceded the earth.”
Nevertheless, from the perspective of its source in the original thought of Hashem, the Earth specifically precedes them all in that thought. This is why only it has the power to and capability to produce vegetation, because of its higher source, which is why vegetation, animals, and people are all dependent on the earth for sustenance.
The Mishkan and the Beis Hamikdash
However, the Mishkan did not achieve the ultimate state of perfection, but rather served as a temporary dwelling of Hashem. As it is written (Shmuel II, 7:6) “[Hashem said:] I have not yet dwelled in a house from the day I brought up the Jewish People from Egypt until today, rather I have only journeyed in a Tent and in a Mishkan.”
Based on this premise (of being a temporary dwelling), it was built according to the “Seder Hishtalshelus-spiritual hierarchy” of the worlds as they were created in their order, in which the Heavens precede the Earth.
Therefore, the walls of the Mishkan were constructed from wooden boards, representing the vegetable kingdom, and only the floor of the Mishkan was made from dirt representing the inanimate kingdom. This is how it is manifest sequentially in Seder Hishtalshelus, that the vegetable kingdom in higher than the inanimate kingdom.
Also, the boards were constructed from cedars, since the cedar is exceedingly tall, which is a prime example of the vegetable kingdom, that far surpasses the inanimate kingdom which doesn’t grow or sprout at all.
The coverings of the Mishkan were from curtains [of goat hair] and skins of rams and Tachash, which represent the animal kingdom, which is a much higher level than the vegetable kingdom.
Consequently, the curtains – which represent the aspect of “Makkifim-Encompassing Light of Hashem” which were spread out over the walls of the Mishkan – were from the animal kingdom, which is higher than the vegetable kingdom, which is what the walls of the Mishkan were constructed from.
It comes out, that all of the details of the Mishkan are according to the order of the levels of Hishtalshelus of how the Creation process happened in a top-down manner, which fits with the opinion that “the Heavens preceded the Earth.”
However, the Beis Hamikdash accomplished the complete perfection as a permanent dwelling for Hashem, as it is written (Tehillim 132:14): “This is My resting place forever; here I shall dwell for I desired it.”
It represented the state of being of “The Future Reality,” which will happen in the Seventh Millennium of Creation, when there will be “tranquil and eternal life.”
The cause of this state of tranquil and eternal life in the Seventh Millenium is: The level referred to as “Earth” as it exists Above in Atzilus, which is Malchus of Atzilus (Hashem’s Creative Power), will be elevated to its ultimate source in Hashem’s original thought, which is above all other levels.
As it is written (Mishlei 12:4) “A virtuous woman is the crown of her husband.” This represents how Malchus will become a “crown” in the Future for her “husband,” which is Ze’eir Anpin (Hashem’s Attributes of Kindness and Severity).
The Analogy of Husband and Wife
The Zohar uses an analogy of a husband and wife to explain the relationship of two of Hashem’s attributes in Atzilus, Ze’eir Anpin, the “husband,” and Malchus, the “wife.”
In general, a husband is the provider and the wife is the recipient. This is true in all aspects of their lives, financially, emotionally, and physically.
However, through the wife acting as proper recipient she is able to accomplish things that her husband cannot, that far surpass all of his accomplishments.
The prime example of this is the ability to give birth to children, which is the basis of all life, and can only be accomplished by the wife. In this sense she is compared to a crown, that goes above the head.
This represents the ability to accomplish something beyond the limitations of understanding, similar to the advantage of a mother over a teacher. A teacher cannot create a student, he can only teach someone who already has the ability to learn. A mother creates a child, literally.
Similarly, the very mode of being a recipient has an inherent advantage over that of being a provider. This is because in our relationship with Hashem the most correct model is that of a recipient, since Hashem is the Provider of everything and we are His recipients who should humble themselves and serve Him.
Since a wife is the model of a true recipient, she personifies the truest form of connection to Hashem.
This is greater than a person basing his connection to Hashem on his understanding and feelings, the model of a “provider,” since understanding and feelings are inherently limited, thus not “allowing” the unlimited Truth of Hashem is the complete sense.
Whereas the model of being a recipient, which is humility and devotion, is something that allows for the unlimited Truth of Hashem.
Just as this is true in the Jewish husband and wife in this world, it is true of the attributes of Ze’eir Anpin and Malchus: Ze’eir Anpin, which is Hashem’s attributes of Kindness and Severity etc. They ask as the “provider” of how the world should be run, and they give over the Divine energy needed to create and run the world. However, they are only expressing certain aspects of the Truth of Hashem. Malchus is the attribute of being the humble recipient of that input and energy, and to bring that input and energy into implementation in actually creating the world.
Now, this selfless mode of being a recipient is able to allow the Infinite Truth of Hashem to shine forth without any obstruction.
The advantage of Malchus is only partially revealed in the fact that it creates world something from nothing, which requires the Infinite Power of Hashem to accomplish this.
However, in the future the advantage of Malchus will be fully revealed, when the Infinite Light of Hashem will shine specifically through the “selflessness” and “humility” of Malchus.
It’s ability to become a “crown” is due to its higher source in Hashem’s original thought, as expressed in the idea that “the Earth (Malchus) preceded the Heavens (Ze’eir Anpin).
Therefore, also in the Beis HaMikdash, which resembled “The Future Reality,” the primary building materials used were stones and dirt, which are from the inanimate kingdom. Even the roof and ornate ceiling designs, which encompass the whole structure, were also made from stones and dirt instead of wood. This reflects how it will be in the Future Era – that the aspect of Earth precedes the Heavens, “A virtuous woman is the crown of her husband,” due to its loftier source.
Whereas the wooden beams which were in the ceiling – they were only used as a support, but the main material of the ceiling was made from inanimate stones.
This concept is similar to how people who give financial support to Torah...
