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Acherei Mos - Kedoshim
I. Actions matter
1. 'Do not turn to the
fortune tellers and mediums.' (V'yikra* 18.5)
I heard [the following teaching] in the name of the holy man of G-d,
Rebbe* Yakov Yitzchok Z'L* of Lublin. The word 'fortune tellers' [Heb.
Ovos] is similar to the word meaning 'desire.' As it says '[And HaShem*]
did not desire...'[Heb. avo] This is a remez* for those people who are
satisfied with themselves because they have a desire to serve HaShem.
[The word] 'medium' [{Heb. Yidonim} is similar to the word meaning to
know.] These are the people who know the way [to serve] HaShem. But
this is only with their thoughts and not with actions. However it is not
sufficient to just have the desire, or the knowledge of how to serve
HaShem. One needs to do the actions. He should be on the level
of 'His actions are more then his understanding.' (p. 98 sefer Avnei
Zichoron teachings of Rebbe Yakov Yitzchok, the Chozeh of Lublin.)
* * *
II. The heart matters
2. 'You shall observe My decrees and My judgments...' (V'yikra 18.26)
You should see what I have said [elsewhere] with regards to the ending
verse of the Torah*. The verse ends with the letter 'lamed',
[the last words being] 'In the eyes of all Israel.' And [the Torah]
starts with the letter 'beis', [with the word] 'In the beginning.'
[Heb. Bereishis] This [spells out the word] 'heart.' [Heb. lev As
Chazal* teach] 'The Merciful One desires the heart.'
The main thing [in the service of HaShem] are the thoughts in ones
heart and not the actions alone. As Chazal teach us, 'Two people are
eating their Passover offering. One is eating it to fulfil the
mitzvah* of eating the Passover sacrifice, and the other eats it to
stuff himself. The one who eats it to fulfil the mitzvah of eating
the Passover sacrifice the verse says, "The tzaddikim* follow them."
The one who eats it to stuff himself the verse says, "The wicked
stumble in them." Even though they are both doing the same action.
They are both eating the Passover sacrifice after they are already
satisfied from their meal. However, their thoughts are not the same,
and the main thing is the thoughts of the heart.
It says in the fourth chapter of Pirkei Avos*, 'Rabbi Eliezer ben
Yakov said, 'He who does one mitzvah acquires one defender.' The
Bartenura* explains that it means he gets an angel who relates good
things about him.
The meaning is that an angel is created from the mitzvah that he has
done according to the greatness of the enthusiasm he had when he did
the mitzvah. This is the life that the angel, who was created from
his doing the mitzvah, has. If he does the mitzvah without any
kavanos* and intentions in his heart, then the angel is a body
without a soul. (p. 245 sefer Orach l'Chaim teachings of Rebbe
Avraham Chaim of Zlotchov.)
* * *
III. Source of holiness
3. 'You shall be holy because I, Hashem your G-d, am holy.' (V'yikra
19.2)
We can explain this verse according to the teaching that appears in
the Talmud*, 'There are three partners in [the birth] of a person,
The Holy One Blessed is He, his father and his mother.' It is
explained there that the portion of HaShem is the nashamah* that He
has placed in him. The portion of the father and mother is the
physical body of the person.
This is what HaShem says: 'You should be holy because I am holy.' The
meaning is that [your holiness comes] from the portion that you have
which is from Me. You nashamos were stored under the Throne of Glory,
and it is pure with all manner of purity. Because of my portion you
should have no fear [that you will not be able to be holy.]
Only, 'Each person should fear his mother and his father.' [This
means that] each person should have fear because of the portion that
comes from his father and mother. That is his physical body, which
draws him to all kinds of evil desires. With this portion you need to
serve [HaShem] and watch [over it, so that you will not come to sin.]
(p. 116 sefer Ner Yisroel. Teachings of Rebbe Yisroel of Rizhin and
his descendants. This is from Rebbe Yisroel of Rizhin.)
* * *
IV. Being prepared for holiness
4. 'You shall be holy because I, Hashem your G-d, am holy.' (V'yikra
19.2)
[The word] 'Holy' [Heb. kedoshim] is a word which implies [a need
for] preparation. (As Tosephos* explains with regards to the word
'mekadeshos', where he explains that the word means to prepare.)
This means that a person always needs to be prepared to be a vessel
to receive holiness from HaShem. [This is] 'Because I, Hashem, am
holy. The meaning of this is that HaShem [is saying that] he is
prepared and waiting all the time to bestow holiness and all types of
good things. However what is holding this back is [that] the one who
will receive [it is not prepared.]
This is similar to what we learn from the story of the Rebbe Reb*
Elimeilech ZY'A*. He asked in heaven, why it was that they did not
answer [our prayers?] They sent him to go to the Maggid* of Mezritch
(who at that time was already in the world of truth.) [He went and
asked] why it was that they did not answer [our prayers all the time.
The Maggid] answered that from above no evil descends into this
world, G-d forbid. Only all types of good things descend to Israel.
[The problem is that] when it comes down below [to this world] the
one receiving it turns it into evil.
For this reason the Torah commands, 'You shall be holy.' You should
attempt to be prepared to receive the good that comes down below and
not cause damage to it by making it turn evil, G-d forbid. (p. 116
sefer Ner Yisroel. Teachings of Rebbe Yisroel of Rizhin and his
descendants. This is from Rebbe Avraham Yakov of Sadagura.)
* * *
V. No one will be lost
5. 'Don't let the land spit you out for having made it impure, as it
spit out the nation that was there before you.' (V'yikra 19.2)
My grandfather [Rebbe Mordechai Yosef of Izbitza] said from this verse
there is a promise from HaShem to Israel that not a single soul from the
Jewish people will be lost G-d forbid.
The explanation is as follows. [The word] 'land' is a remez for the
midah* of 'the kingdom of heaven', that, as the Zohar* says, 'has no
eyes.' This [concept] teaches us the idea that appears in the Talmud,
'The one who steals a measure of wheat and plants it in the earth, it is
proper that it should not sprout.'
The meaning is that the main point behind the 'sprouting' is the trust
that a person has in the Eternal. [Because of this] he plants his seeds.
This is the meaning of what Chazal teach. The one who steals a measure
of wheat and plants it, shows that he does not have trust [in HaShem.]
If he would have had trust in HaShem he would understand that one person
cannot touch what has been prepared for his fellow. He would not have
stolen. From his stealing, we see that in truth, he did not have faith.
For that reason it should not have sprouted.
[The only reason why it grows is because] the world goes according to
the nature it was created with. This means that because the land 'does
not have any eyes' to observe what goes on in it's depths it [allows the
seeds] to sprout well. For if it had eyes to see what occurred in it's
depths it would see that this [planting] did not come from trust in
HaShem. Even though it might appear that it was done with faith in
HaShem, that is not the case.
Similarly we find [it was the case] with the Kittim*. The verse says,
'They did not know the decrees of the god of the land, and he sent among
them lions and they are killing them.' Because they didn't have a trace
of service [to HaShem] the land was not able to bear them and the lions
came to bring destruction among them. Afterwards when one of the kohanim
(priests) went among them and taught them the decrees of the god of the
land then the lions stopped destroying them. [This was the case] even
though they were not sincere. [As Chazal said] they found a figure of a
dove on Mount Gerazim [where they worshipped.] They continued
worshipping idols even after they outwardly changed.
Even with this the land was able to bear them because they were serving,
even in an insincere manner. Even though they were still serving idols
the land did not feel this, since theland had no eyes.
This is the meaning of the verse, 'Don't let the land spit you out for
having made it impure, as it spit out the nation that was there before
you.' HaShem is promising to the Jewish people that if they would go to
the land and they would bring 'eyes' to the land, then it would be
called, 'The land that HaShem your G-d watches over continually, the
eyes of HaShem are on it...' This means that also the land will feel in
it's depths [what is going on] and it would have eyes [to see] who is
serving HaShem in truth. Not a single soul of the Jewish people will be
lost because in the depths of the heart of a Jewish person it is filled
with desire and service [to HaShem.] Even though we see from time to
time that this [desire] is hidden in the Jewish people. It is only a
garment. [It appears that way] but in the depths of their hearts they
are called 'Israel' and they are pure.
This the land also understands, so that even if we see occasionally in
the Jewish people impurity and hiddenness. This is only a garment. In
their depths they are bound to the light of the desire of HaShem. That
is the meaning of 'Don't let the land spit you out...' Not a single soul
of the Jewish people will be lost. (p. 117 sefer Tepheres Mordechai,
teachings of Rebbe Mordechai Yosef Eluzer of Radzyn.)
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Arizal: Hebrew
initials of the words: Adoni Rabbenu Yitzchok Zechorono LeVaracha our
master Rabbi Yitzchok. Better known as Yitzchok Luria the great 16th
century
Kabbalist
Chazal: Hebrew initials for: Chochmenu Zichrona Levaracha (Our
sages of Blessed memory) Used to refer to Rabbis of the Talmud.
HaShem: Noun used in place of G-d. Lit. The Name
HY'D: Heb. HaShem Yimkom Domov: HaShem should avenge their blood.
Mishleh: One of the books of the Tenach, called in English
Proverbs.
Mitzvah (mitzvos):
One of the commandments of the Torah.
nashama: Hebrew word for soul.
peshat: A method of Biblical interpretation based on finding the
simple meaning in the Torah.
Rashi: The primary commentary on the Tenach.
Rebbe: Leader of a Chassidic group or a teacher
Shabbos:
Tractate in the Talmud
Shemos: Second book of the Torah. Called Exodus in English
Talmid (Talmidim): Disciples of a Rebbe.
Talmud: An ancient work of Jewish law.
Tehillim: Hebrew name for Psalms.
Torah: a. First 5 books of the Jewish Bible
b. Also refers to the whole of Jewish law
c. also common term for a chassidic teaching
Tshuva: Hebrew word for repentance
Tzaddik (Tzaddikim): lit. Righteous. Another name for a Chassidic
Rebbe.
Yetzer: lit. Inclination. It is Jewish belief that every Jew has
both an evil and good inclination within him, that are at 'war' to see
which of them the person will follow.
Yetzer Tov: Heb. Good Inclination
Yetzer HaRah: Heb. Evil Inclination.
ZT'L: Hebrew initials of the words: Zechor Tzaddik LeVaracha (The
memory of a Tzaddik - Righteous person is a blessing.)
ZY'A: Hebrew initials of the words: Zechiso Yagan Aleinu (His
merit should protect us.)
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Copyright (c) 1997 by Moshe Shulman
(mshulman@virtual.co.il)
All rights reserved.
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