Chasidut על קידושין 60:28
Kedushat Levi
We hope to justify Akavyah’s using the language the Mishnah recorded. Akavyah posits that a person in evaluating himself, taking stock of himself, is tempted to look at a list of his achievements first. If that person is a good person, Akavyah reminds him that seeing that he is “descended” from an evil smelling drop of semen he does not really have anything to boast about. If he is a morally weak or inferior person, he is reminded of his superior ancestors as his origin, something which should make him ashamed for not living up to his forefathers’ standards. Akavya was aware that there are two levels of “fear of the Lord.” The lower level is called “fear of punishment,” whereas the higher level is called יראת הרוממות “the awe of the overwhelming superiority of the Creator.” He therefore addresses both categories of individuals, assuming that each category finds it difficult on occasion to resist the evil urge so that he may commit a transgression. True יראת השם is only this latter category of “awe and reverence of the Lord.” This is the level of יראת שמים of the righteous, seeing that the צדיק always focuses on the concept of the אין סוף, “G’d as personification of infinity.” In Job 18,12 we have been taught that חכמה , “true wisdom,” is only found in the realm described as מאין, same letters as אין in אין סוף. The tzaddik always keeps reflecting on the fantastic concept of the infinity of the Creator and how He is in charge of millions of different categories of holy angels and a universe the extent of which boggles the imagination. He thinks of how all these angels are in constant awe of Him so that through his preoccupation with such thoughts he does not fall victim to the urge to taste the physical pleasures offered by the region into which we have been placed by our fate. These physical urges, after all, have become part of him only by genetic transmission from his father and mother, whereas his divine soul, G’d’s contribution to every human being as an integral part of Him, is supplied by Him Who, most certainly is not subject to such urges. It was Moses’ ability to concentrate on that “third” of his ancestry, i.e. the אין סוף, that resulted in his being described as איש האלוקים, a “godly man.” (Deuteronomy 33,1) He had attained this status by becoming what the Torah called: “the most humble man on earth.” (Numbers 12,3) It follows from the Torah’s definition of his personality that he had concentrated on the closest possible connection with what was concealed from him, (as well as from any living human being) i.e. G’d’s essence, so that he considered himself as אין, as if non-existent, immaterial.
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Kedushat Levi
Genesis 29,2. “he saw that there was a well in the field and that three flocks of sheep were lying around it;” …והאבן גדולה על פי הבאר, “and the rock covering the mouth of the well was very great.”
(The text is quoted until the end of verse 10 after Yaakov single-handedly moved the rock to make the water accessible.)
It appears best to explain this whole sequence allegorically. It is a given that G’d on His part is desirous to make available to His creatures an uninterrupted flow of His largesse, especially to His people of Israel. However, from time to time He appears to face interference from the “left” side of the diagram representing the emanations. The only time when G’d does not encounter such interference is when the Jewish people are awakened by feelings of joy, and this joy succeeds in repulsing such interference. This is the image that opened up before Yaakov’s eyes when he is described as וירא והנה באר , “he saw the fountain of G’d’s largesse primed to water the field.” The word שדה, commonly translated as “field,” is also a simile for חקל תפוחים קדישין a concept described in Zohar 1, 152 describing 3 layers of differing degrees of holiness in the celestial spheres that are all perceived as surrounding the באר, the well from which G’d’s largesse flows towards its recipients. On the three pilgrimage festivals, Passover, the festivals of “weeks,” Shavuot, and the festival of huts, these “spigots” of the “well” are especially primed to open as the Jewish people on those festivals are filled with a joy inspired by observing all the commandments associated with these festivals, and the fact that they are on sacred ground in Jerusalem. The three flocks of sheep mentioned in our verse are similes for these festivals. The “great rock” preventing access to the water from the well described is a simile for the powers of Satan, the left side of the emanations, trying to block access to G’d’s largesse for His people. This “rock” is alluded to in the Talmud Kidushin 30, where the Talmud suggests as a remedy against this phenomenon that persons feeling the evil urge as a form of a heavy stone, should proceed to the Torah academy and immerse themselves in Torah study so that this “stone” will melt. The “stone” is perceived in practice as the obstacle for G’d providing His largesse. When the three herds and their shepherds are joined by כל העדרים, “all the other herds,” i.e. all the Jewish people, their combined spiritual power will enable their leader to remove these obstacles to G’d’s largesse as the joy of serving the Lord is powerful enough to accomplish this.
(The text is quoted until the end of verse 10 after Yaakov single-handedly moved the rock to make the water accessible.)
It appears best to explain this whole sequence allegorically. It is a given that G’d on His part is desirous to make available to His creatures an uninterrupted flow of His largesse, especially to His people of Israel. However, from time to time He appears to face interference from the “left” side of the diagram representing the emanations. The only time when G’d does not encounter such interference is when the Jewish people are awakened by feelings of joy, and this joy succeeds in repulsing such interference. This is the image that opened up before Yaakov’s eyes when he is described as וירא והנה באר , “he saw the fountain of G’d’s largesse primed to water the field.” The word שדה, commonly translated as “field,” is also a simile for חקל תפוחים קדישין a concept described in Zohar 1, 152 describing 3 layers of differing degrees of holiness in the celestial spheres that are all perceived as surrounding the באר, the well from which G’d’s largesse flows towards its recipients. On the three pilgrimage festivals, Passover, the festivals of “weeks,” Shavuot, and the festival of huts, these “spigots” of the “well” are especially primed to open as the Jewish people on those festivals are filled with a joy inspired by observing all the commandments associated with these festivals, and the fact that they are on sacred ground in Jerusalem. The three flocks of sheep mentioned in our verse are similes for these festivals. The “great rock” preventing access to the water from the well described is a simile for the powers of Satan, the left side of the emanations, trying to block access to G’d’s largesse for His people. This “rock” is alluded to in the Talmud Kidushin 30, where the Talmud suggests as a remedy against this phenomenon that persons feeling the evil urge as a form of a heavy stone, should proceed to the Torah academy and immerse themselves in Torah study so that this “stone” will melt. The “stone” is perceived in practice as the obstacle for G’d providing His largesse. When the three herds and their shepherds are joined by כל העדרים, “all the other herds,” i.e. all the Jewish people, their combined spiritual power will enable their leader to remove these obstacles to G’d’s largesse as the joy of serving the Lord is powerful enough to accomplish this.
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Kedushat Levi
Exodus 15,2. “The Lord is my strength and might; He has become my deliverance.” Moses describes the process as being that the Children of Israel by dint of their prayers “awakened” the attribute of Mercy including all the largesse that G’d is willing and capable of putting at His creatures’ disposal. We must never lose sight of the fact that even when we carry out G’d’s will and desires, we would never be able to do even this unless we enjoyed a measure of Divine assistance. This is what the Talmud in Kiddushin 30 taught us when it states that without the ongoing assistance by G’d we could never stand up successfully against the evil urge. If this is so, it follows that even our good deeds are the product of Divine assistance, so how can our good deeds and prayers “awaken” the attribute of Mercy?
My revered and saintly teacher Rabbi Dov Baer, has provided us with one of his “pearls” of Torah insights by means of a parable. Let us say that a father is trying to teach his son a difficult lesson. He keeps trying but the son remains unresponsive, does not understand what is expected of him. What does the father do? He provides his son with some clue to the solution of the problem he had posed. Seeing that his father is actively helping him, the son is encouraged and redoubles his efforts to find the missing parts of the puzzle with which this father had confronted him. G’d, our Father in heaven, deals similarly with us. Realising that unless He helps us we might, G’d forbid, become the victims of the evil urge, He furnishes us with clues.
My revered and saintly teacher Rabbi Dov Baer, has provided us with one of his “pearls” of Torah insights by means of a parable. Let us say that a father is trying to teach his son a difficult lesson. He keeps trying but the son remains unresponsive, does not understand what is expected of him. What does the father do? He provides his son with some clue to the solution of the problem he had posed. Seeing that his father is actively helping him, the son is encouraged and redoubles his efforts to find the missing parts of the puzzle with which this father had confronted him. G’d, our Father in heaven, deals similarly with us. Realising that unless He helps us we might, G’d forbid, become the victims of the evil urge, He furnishes us with clues.
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