קריאת התורה א

Based on LM I:215 — The Twenty-Four Types of Pidyonos (continued)

"L'ray'ach sh'manecha tovim, shemen turak sh'mecha, al kain alamos ahaivucha" — "Your fragrant oils are good; your name is oil poured out; therefore maidens love you" (Shir HaShirim 1). "Shemen turak" = the aspect of bitulah shel Torah [the nullification/pausing of Torah]. During Torah study → Mochin are drawn (= holy anointing oil: "dishanta vashemen roshi") = "l'ray'ach sh'manecha tovim." But when the Tzaddik nullifies himself from Torah → "shemen turak" (= the Mochin withdrawn temporarily). Yet precisely then he sustains himself from the hidden Torah → sustaining all, even the nations → who come and convert. "Shemen turak sh'mecha, al kain alamos ahaivucha" — the alamos = gairim [converts] (as Rashi: Yisro came and converted). Specifically through "shemen turak" (= bitulah shel Torah — its nullification being its sustenance, for the true Tzaddik) → gairim are made.

All of this is the aspect of Pesach — the prohibition of chametz and the mitzvah of eating matzah. As explained above regarding the statement of our Sages: "The difference between chametz and matzah is only a mashehu." The mashehu is the aspect of the holy nekudah — the aspect of Moshe who stands between sh'mad and ratzon. For it is brought in all the sefarim that chametz on Pesach is the aspect of avodah zarah, ail achair, kefiros — which is the aspect of sh'mad, the aspect of the contamination and tumah of Mitzrayim, which is the aspect of the totality of the seventy nations. And Yisrael were chosen from among them at that time as a treasured nation and were included in His Name, which is the aspect of ratzon — which is the aspect of matzah.

Therefore on Pesach — at the beginning of Yisrael's drawing close to their Father in heaven — chametz is prohibited with an extremely severe prohibition of bal yaira'eh u'val yimatzai. After Kri'as Yam Suf, chametz was permitted. And on Shavuos — the time of the giving of our Torah — they specifically brought chametz as a korban in the Shtei HaLechem.

For the essential geulah from Mitzrayim and from all the exiles, and all of Yisrael's drawing close to Hashem, is through the aspect of pidyonos — the sweetening of the dinim — through which He redeemed us from Mitzrayim, as it is written (Devarim 13): "v'hapod'cha mibais avadim" — "Who redeemed you from the house of slaves." Through this He redeems us even now from all troubles, as we say every day: "Podainu u'matzilaynu mai'olam Hu Sh'mecha..." And we hope that He will redeem us from this bitter galus with a complete geulah, for the sake of His Name — as it is written (Tehillim 130): "V'Hu yifdeh es Yisrael..." and: "u'maivi Go'ail livnai v'naihem l'ma'an Sh'mo..."

The essential pidyon is the upper all-encompassing pidyon — through the aspect of the histalkus of Moshe — through the aspect of eis ratzon, Ra'ava d'Ra'avin — through which all the dinim are nullified and sweetened, as above. But this hamsakah and pidyon in ultimate completeness will only be at the coming of Mashiach, who is Moshe, of whom it is said: "V'ad Atik Yomin meta, l'vusheih ki'sleg chivar..." — for there is the aspect of Ra'ava d'Ra'avin, as is known.

For this reason Moshe refused his mission repeatedly and said (Shemos 4): "Sh'lach na b'yad tishlach" — "Send through whomever You will send" — for "I know that I am not the one who will redeem them in the future," as Rashi explains, from the words of our Sages (Pirkei d'Rabbi Eliezer ch. 40). He knew he could not complete this pidyon in ultimate perfection except after his histalkus — when he would depart to there. And through this there would be all the exiles and troubles, Rachmana litzlan, from the force of the dinim, through kefiros and avodah zarah, etc. — for they had not yet fully emerged from sh'mad to ratzon.

But Hashem compelled him to go and assured him that nonetheless He would redeem Yisrael and they would merit to receive the Torah on Shavuos, as it is written: "B'hotzi'acha es ha'am miMitzrayim ta'avdun es haElokim..." This was the assurance that they would receive the Torah on Shavuos and then merit the illumination of the ratzon. As Rashi explains (Mechilta, Parashas B'Shalach): on Shavuos He appeared to them as an elder full of mercy — the aspect of the eis ratzon, the aspect of the Yud-Gimmel Tikkunai Dikna [thirteen rectifications of the Beard], as brought in the Idra Rabba and the Kavanos — that on Shavuos they ascend there. For the essential drawing close of Yisrael to Hashem was at the time of Mattan Torah, when they drew close like geirim being converted — as Rashi explains there: they were converted like geirim through sprinkling and immersion, etc. The essential drawing close of geirim is through the aspect of the pidyon — through which they ascend from sh'mad to ratzon — through Moshe, through whom they were converted and received the Torah.

However, at the time of Yetzias Mitzrayim — before receiving the Torah — it was not possible to ascend to there, as understood in the Kavanos. And the contamination of Mitzrayim was clinging to them greatly. Therefore the geulah was very difficult. But Hashem illuminated upon them great and mighty mochin in an exceedingly wondrous illumination — not in the usual order — and through this they were redeemed. Nevertheless, they still had not ascended to the level of the Dikna Kadisha — the aspect of the eis ratzon — until Shavuos. Rather, the geulah was through the enormous illumination of all the mochin, etc. Meaning: the geulah was through the aspect of the twenty-four types of pidyonos mentioned above — only that they were all drawn through a wondrous illumination. For all the pidyonos and geulos — which are through the sweetening of the dinim — are all through the illumination of the mochin, as is known. And the more the mochin illuminate in greater abundance and more intense illumination, the more the dinim are sweetened. Therefore at the time of Yetzias Mitzrayim — although they did not ascend to the Dikna from which comes the upper all-encompassing pidyon, and the geulah was through the twenty-four types of pidyonos — nevertheless they were drawn through a wondrous and immense illumination through the sheer abundance of mochin, etc. — until the contamination of Mitzrayim was nullified and they were redeemed. Therefore chametz was then prohibited even in a mashehu — for at that point one must nullify and destroy the chametz completely. For chametz and matzah are the aspects of teva [nature] and hashgachah [divine providence]. Matzah is the aspect of hashgachah — the aspect of man [manna], bread from heaven — as Rashi explains (Kiddushin 38a): the dough that Yisrael brought out of Mitzrayim had in it the taste of man. For it was baked in haste without elaborate measures to leaven and flavor the dough as they do with chametz bread. Matzah is the aspect of bitachon in His hashgachah alone, without any enterprise or labor — as it is written (Shemos 12): "They baked the dough... cakes of matzos, for it did not leaven... and also provisions they did not make for themselves." But chametz is the aspect of teva — the aspect of dinim drawn from the name Elokim, which equals the numerical value of teva [nature], as is brought. From there come all the desires for money — the aspect of (Tehillim 71) "mikaf m'avel v'chometz" — leading to robbery through excessive desire for money, which is through kefiros: saying "kochi v'otzem yadi asah li" — "my power and the might of my hand made this for me," etc. They "leaven" their minds all their days about how to obtain money through some scheme or stratagem, as if it were within their power — when in truth it is the opposite: "Ki lo mimotza umima'arav... ki Elokim shofait..." The essential hold of nature (the aspect of chametz) is from dinim, as is known — from which descends the hold of avodah zarah and kefiros. But when the dinim are sweetened completely through the upper all-encompassing pidyon, then the middas hadin is transformed into rachamim. Then nature is included within hashgachah — in the aspect of "Hashem Hu HaElokim" — for one merits complete emunah that even the conduct of nature is only through His hashgachah. We simply do not understand His ways. Therefore, even one who engages in business and earns money — which appears to be through nature — in truth it is all through His hashgachah. As we see: many toil and exhaust themselves with immense exertion and gain nothing from their labor — on the contrary, they lose their money through it, as is visibly evident at all times. Therefore every person must believe that all livelihood and money reaches a person only through His hashgachah alone. The need for some business activity is among His wondrous ways that are impossible to understand. For certainly the ways of Hashem cannot be perceived. Hashem Who created the world yaish mai'ayin — something from absolute nothing — and even now causes grass to grow for the animals, etc., and grows such a great tree from a single seed, etc. — He could create and grow the tree without man's planting, and cause the grain to grow without man's plowing and sowing. But Hashem created everything for man's sake and willed that man specifically should engage in some activity for the growing of grain and trees, and similarly do some business for livelihood. But certainly everything is through His will and His hashgachah alone. In truth, the entire essential toil of man in agriculture and business, etc. — all of it was from the sin of Adam HaRishon, upon whom was decreed: "B'zai'as apecha tochal lechem, b'itzavon tochalenah" — "By the sweat of your brow you shall eat bread, in sorrow shall you eat." For Adam blemished the hashgachah — the aspect of matzah, which is the Ilana d'Chayai, the Eitz HaChaim — and ate from the Eitz HaDa'as Tov vaRa, which is the aspect of chametz, as is brought. Through this was decreed upon him "b'itzavon tochalenah" — from which all the above toils. But Yisrael who stood at Har Sinai — their contamination ceased. Therefore, whoever accepts upon himself the yoke of Torah — the yoke of kingship and the yoke of worldly occupation are removed from him. For one must fulfill: "hevai m'ma'et b'aisek va'asok baTorah" — "minimize your business and occupy yourself with Torah" — for all livelihood is from Him alone. This is merited through the aspect of Shavuos — the receiving of the Torah — when the eis ratzon is drawn. Through this, the dinim are sweetened completely until the din is transformed to rachamim, until nature is included within hashgachah — which is the sweetening of the chametz completely. Therefore at that time they bring chametz specifically as a korban — for the din is sweetened so greatly through the upper pidyon that one believes the truth: that nature itself — the business activity — is only His hashgachah. Then even the business one engages in is in great kedushah — the aspect of masa u'matan be'emunah [business conducted with emunah], the aspect of "tov Torah im derech eretz, she'yegi'as sh'naihem mashkachas avon" — "Torah combined with worldly occupation is good, for the toil of them both causes sin to be forgotten." For in truth, the essential purpose of business activity is only for this: to cause sin to be forgotten. For everyone knows how thoughts pursue him every day, etc. And there is no remedy to escape them except through the Torah, which is the essential salvation and cure — as our Sages said (Kiddushin 30b): "I created the yetzer hara, I created the Torah as its antidote." And as it is written: "M'zimah tishmor alecha..." But it is impossible for a person to study Torah every day continuously — especially the common people. Therefore Hashem arranged in His wondrous ways that a person should need to engage in some business for livelihood — in order to cause the sin to be forgotten, as above. But in truth, all livelihood is from Him alone, through His hashgachah alone. Therefore on Pesach, chametz is prohibited with an extremely severe prohibition. For as long as the sweetening of the upper pidyon has not yet been drawn, the Sitra Achra and the kefiros cling to the chametz greatly, and it is impossible to transform it to kedushah. Only through the holiness of the abundant mochin drawn on Pesach can one nullify and destroy it completely. But after Kri'as Yam Suf — when the geulah was fully completed and the kedushah of Yisrael was revealed — the essential splitting of the sea was through the aspect of Yosef, who also departed at the eis ratzon on Shabbos at Minchah. Through him was the essential geulah, as it is written (Shemos 13): "Vayikach Moshe es atzmos Yosef imo..." — "Moshe took the bones of Yosef with him." This is the aspect of what is written in the Zohar HaKadosh: "Mah titz'ak eilai — b'Atika talyah milsa" — for then the eis ratzon began to illuminate more greatly through the bones of Yosef. And because Yisrael had already begun to prepare themselves during the six days of the Sefirah for receiving the Torah — therefore the din was sweetened even more, and the chametz was sweetened through the eis ratzon until one could eat it afterward. Also, because they had already received the asvasa [remedy] — the matzah — as written in the Zohar HaKadosh. Through eating matzah and destroying chametz, they merited emunah in hashgachah so strongly that afterward, even when they eat chametz, it does not harm them. Meaning: even when they engage in some business for livelihood, they do not fall into the kefiros of nature, chas v'shalom, to say "kochi v'otzem yadi," chas v'shalom. Rather, they believe in Hashem — that all causes are from Him alone, and the conduct of nature itself is through His hashgachah alone. Throughout the days of the Sefirah, the dinim are sweetened until on the holy day of Shavuos — the time of the giving of our Torah — the eis ratzon is drawn in greater completeness, and the din is sweetened so greatly that the aspect of chametz (the aspect of teva) rises as a korban — for nature is completely included within hashgachah, as above. This is why one brings money for a pidyon to the tzaddik. For money is the aspect of dinim. When the tzaddik takes the money for his livelihood and eating, the money ascends to the root of livelihood — which depends on mazala, as our Sages said — meaning the train mazalin d'Dikna Kadisha [the two mazalos of the holy Beard], which is the aspect of the eis ratzon, as understood in the Kavanos. Through this, the dinim are sweetened through the upper pidyon — which is the essential — for even when making an individual pidyon, one needs to receive some illumination from there, as explained elsewhere. This is the aspect of the Bizas Mitzrayim and Bizas HaYam [the plunder of Egypt and the sea], regarding which Hashem urged them greatly — in order to fulfill His promise to Avraham Avinu: "V'acharai chain yaitz'u bir'chush gadol" — "afterward they shall go out with great wealth." For when Yisrael took the wealth and property from Mitzrayim and it came into their hands — into the domain of kedushah — this was the aspect of the pidyon: money coming into the hand of the tzaddik. For Yisrael — relative to the idol worshipers and the Mitzrim — are all called tzaddikim, as it is written: "V'amaich kulam tzaddikim..." Therefore, when the wealth came into their hands, the aspect of the pidyon was drawn. And all was through the power of Moshe, who took the bones of Yosef with him — who also departed on Shabbos at Minchah, etc. Now, how beautiful and pleasant are the words of our Sages who said (Sotah 13a): "Chacham laiv yikach mitzvos (Mishlei 10) — this is Moshe. For all Yisrael were busy with the plunder, while he was occupied with the bones of Yosef." This means precisely as above: specifically through the holiness of the bones of Yosef — through which the ratzon is drawn — the tikkun accomplished by Yisrael through taking the plunder was made possible. Therefore, precisely when they were busy with the plunder, precisely then Moshe was occupied with the bones of Yosef — for it is all the aspect of the pidyon: money coming into the hand of the tzaddik who can draw the eis ratzon, as above. This is the aspect of the Korban Todah [thanksgiving offering], which is the choicest of all korbanos. As our Sages said (Midrash Rabbah Tzav 89): all korbanos will be nullified except the Korban Todah. For the Todah contained both chametz and matzah — unlike all other korbanos. This is the essential perfection: when the din is sweetened so greatly that chametz is included within matzah — nature included within hashgachah, etc. — as above. This is merited when one emerges from a tzarah — for then one brings a Todah. When one emerges from trouble, it is only through the aspect of the pidyon. Therefore, chametz and matzah are then included together — this is the aspect of Shavuos, when they bring the Shtei HaLechem from chametz specifically. And as is brought: the Shtei HaLechem of Shavuos are in the aspect of a Korban Todah — as above. Therefore, most of the time Parashas Tzav is read on Shabbos HaGadol — the Shabbos before Pesach. For the essential miracle and geulah of Pesach was through the aspect of Shabbos, when the essential illumination of the eis ratzon shines, as is known. Therefore the Shabbos before Pesach is called "Shabbos HaGadol" — for the essential miracles and wonders of Pesach, which are called "great" — as it is written: "Saprah na li es hag'dolos she'asah Elisha" — were all through Shabbos, as above. Therefore they then read Parashas Tzav, which speaks of the Todah — for the essential purpose and tachlis of the miracles of Pesach is to merit Shavuos, which is in the aspect of the Korban Todah, as above. See the Idra Rabba, Parashas Naso, where it is explained: there is metzach [forehead] and there is metzach, etc. The metzach of Ze'ir Anpin: twenty-four supreme dinim are found there, etc. When this metzach is revealed, all the masters of din are aroused, etc., against the wicked of the world. This is the meaning of: "U'metzach ishah zonah hayah lach..." — "You had the forehead of a harlot." This is the aspect of the great severity of the prohibition of chametz on Pesach. For the force of the din of this metzach — from which the Sitra Achra and kelipos take hold — cannot be sweetened except through the revelation of the Metzach HaRatzon [forehead of Will]. As it is brought there: "Except at that time when the tefillos of Yisrael ascend before Atik Yomin, and He wishes to have mercy upon His children — He reveals the Metzach d'Ra'ava d'Ra'avin," etc. Therefore, on Pesach — when we do not yet have the power to draw the pidyon completely through the revelation of the Metzach HaRatzon — we must destroy the chametz entirely, and its prohibition is extremely severe: bal yaira'eh u'val yimatzai. For "chametz" shares the letters of "metzach" [in rearranged order] — for its hold comes from the chain of severe dinim of the metzach. Now, on Pesach, one must nullify and destroy it completely, for we do not have the power to sweeten it and transform it to kedushah. Only through the immense illumination of all the mochin that enter at once on Lail Shimurim [the night of guarding] — through this we have the power to nullify and destroy it completely, so that it is neither seen nor found in our borders at all. But not to transform it to kedushah — for the chametz at that time is the aspect of "metzach ishah zonah," the force of the contamination of Mitzrayim, the nakedness of the land, the aspect of sh'mad/eil acheir/kefiros. For immorality and kefiros depend on one another, as brought elsewhere. But through the mitzvah of Sefiras HaOmer — counting six days until the seventh of Pesach, having already begun to prepare for receiving the Torah — an illumination and sweetening is drawn upon them from the Metzach HaRatzon, the aspect of Atik that is then revealed. From there was the splitting of the sea — in the aspect of "Mah titz'ak eilai — b'Atika talyah," etc., as above. Therefore afterward chametz was permitted — sweetened through the illumination of the Metzach HaRatzon. And on Shavuos — through receiving the Torah, which is the essential revelation of the Metzach HaRatzon — therefore it is then a mitzvah to bring chametz specifically as a korban, as it is written: "chametz tai'afenah" — "they shall be baked as chametz." And this entire holy festival is named after the Shtei HaLechem that come from chametz, as it is written: "B'hakrivchem minchah chadashah laHashem b'Shavuosaichem." For then the Metzach HaRatzon is revealed, and the chametz — which shares the letters of "metzach" — draws its sustenance from the Metzach HaRatzon. Through this are all the sweetenings, the aspect of the upper pidyon, through which they ascend from sh'mad to ratzon and geirim are converted — all of which is the aspect of Shavuos, as above. Therefore they then bring chametz specifically as a korban, as above.