Running Commentary on Torah 44 — Mach'as Kaf el Kaf

Beginner: **Opening drasha — *striking-palm-at-tefilah; 28 osiyos d-ovda d-bereshis = 28 parkin d-yadayim; avira d-EY vs avira d-chutz-la-aretz***. ***She-makin kaf el kaf bi-sh-as ha-tefilah*** — *'that one strikes palm-to-palm during tefilah'* (the common chasidic minhag of clapping during Amidah; Rabbeinu's drasha unlocks its meaning). **Bereshis Rabbah 1:1**: ***'lamah hischilah ha-Torah mi-Bereshis? Ki ha-umos yomru lanu: gazlanim atem, she-kivashtem eretz shivas amamim. Bi-shvil zeh koach ma'asav higid l-amo — she-higid she-kol ha-olamos ha-kol ma'aseh yadav, u-l-mi she-ha-Kadosh Baruch Hu rotzeh hu nosen'*** — *'why does the Torah *begin with Bereshis*? So that the nations shall not say 'you are robbers — you conquered the land of seven peoples!' Therefore 'He declared the power of His deeds to His nation' (**Tehillim 111:6**) — declaring that *all the worlds are His handiwork, and to whom He wishes He gives'*. ***V-zeh 'la-seis la-hem nachalas goyim', ki b-yado ha-kol*** — *'to give them the nations' inheritance' — because in His hand is everything*. **Rabbeinu's chidush — koach ma'asav = 28 osiyos of Ovda d-Bereshis = 28 parkin d-yadayim**: ***v-chol ha-devarim nikra-im 'koach ma'asav', k-neged כ"ח אתון ד-עובדא ד-בראשית, k-neged כ"ח פרקין דידים*** — *everything is called 'koach ma'asav' corresponding to the **28 letters** of the opening verse ***'b-reishis bara Elokim es ha-shamayim v-es ha-aretz'*** (Bereshis 1:1 has exactly 28 letters), and corresponding to the **28 joints of the hands** (14 phalanges × 2)*. The word ***koach*** itself is numerically **כ"ח = 28**. **Avira d-EY vs avira d-chutz**: ***v-zeh yadu'a ki avira d-eretz amamin hi t-me'ah*** (Shabbos 15b; Gittin 8a; Nazir 54b-55a — *the 'air of gentile lands' carries ritual impurity*; halachically, one returning from chutz-la-aretz is treated with tum'ah-aspects). ***V-avira d-Eretz Yisrael hu kadosh v-tahor*** — *EY's air is kadosh v-tahor*, *because HKBH extracted it from under the gentiles and gave it to us*. **Mach'as kapayim during tefilah — the chain**: ***u-kshe-anu m-cha'in kaf el kaf, ba-zeh nis-orer כ"ח אתון דבראשית, koach ma'asav; v-nimtza she-b-yado la-seis lanu nachalas goyim, ki ha-kol shel HaKadosh Baruch Hu*** — *when we clap kaf-to-kaf, we *arouse* the 28 osiyos of Bereshis / the koach-ma'asav; proving that *it is in His hand* to give us the land of the nations*. ***U-v-zeh yesh koach b-yadeinu l-taher avira shel eretz ha-amamin, ki nachzir eretz ha-amamin tachas memshalas HaKadosh Baruch Hu*** — *through this we have power to *purify even chutz-la-aretz air*, because we *return the land-of-nations to HKBH's rulership***. ***V-az n-taher avira ha-makom she-ish ha-Yisraeli mis-palel, v-sho-ev avira ha-kadosh k-mo b-Eretz Yisrael*** — *then the air where a Jew prays is purified, and he *breathes holy air as if in EY*. **Second mechanism — the sound-ejection**: ***gam al yedei mach'as kaf, nis-garesh avira ha-tamei. Ki al yedei [mach'as] kapayim nish-ma kol, v-ha-kol ha-zeh hu avira kadosh, mi-כ"ח אתון ד-ovda d-Bereshis, mi-כ"ח פרקין דידים*** — *also, through clapping, the *impure air is physically ejected* — because clapping produces *sound*, and sound carries the 28-osiyos of the 28-parkin-yadayim = holy air*. ***K-mo she-anu ro'in ba-chush, she-nisgaresh ha-avira al yedei mach'as kapayim*** — *as we see physically: clapping ejects the surrounding air* (the wave from the clap literally pushes air outward). **Why a fixed place for tefilah — Berachos 6b**: ***u-v-shvil zeh tzarich likbo'a makom li-t-filaso, k-mo she-anu ro'in ba-chush, she-b-nei adam ha-ba-im li-m-dinah she-einam m-ruga-lim ba-av-iv-ah... [fragmentary end]*** — *and this is why one must fix a place for tefilah (Berachos 6b's halachah): just as people coming to a new country are not yet accustomed to its air...* (Rabbeinu's empirical observation: repeat clapping in the same location gradually purifies that air-space into EY-air). Intermediate: **Opening** — Mach'as kaf bi-tefilah. **BR 1:1** 'koach ma'asav higid l-amo' (**Teh 111:6**) = **כ"ח אותיות Bereshis 1:1 = כ"ח פרקין דידיים** (koach=28). **Avira d-chutz** t-me'ah (Shab 15b; Git 8a; Nazir 54b-55a); **avira d-EY** kadosh. Clapping (1) arouses 28 osiyos → proves HKBH gives aretz → returns chutz-air to His rule → purifies; (2) ejects avira t-me'ah physically via sound-wave. **Ber 6b** fixed-place: repeat-clapping → EY-air.

Beginner: **Peirush — *'Atem nitzavim ha-yom' (Devarim 29:9): 10 bechinos = 10 clap-types***. **Devarim 29:9**: ***'atem nitzavim ha-yom kulchem li-fnei Hashem Elokeichem: rasheichem, shivteichem, zikneichem v-shotreichem, kol ish Yisrael — tapchem, n-sheichem, v-gercha asher b-kerev machanecha — mi-chotev eitzecha ad sho-ev meimecha'*** — *'you are standing today — all of you — before Hashem: your heads, your tribes, your elders and officers, all Yisrael — your children, your wives, and the stranger in your camp — from woodchopper to water-drawer'*. **Decoding**: ***'ein amidah ela tefilah'*** (Berachos 6b — *'standing is only tefilah'*) → the pasuk is specifically about tefilah. ***'Li-fnei Hashem Elokeichem' — zeh bechinas Eretz Yisrael*** (Kesubos 110b: ***'kol ha-dar b-EY k-mi she-yesh lo Elokah'*** — *'whoever dwells in EY is as one who has a G-d'*). ***Heinu al yedei mah tizku she-t-hei t-filaschem b-avira d-EY? Rasheichem, shivteichem v-chu'*** — *'how do you merit that your tefilah be in EY-air? Rasheichem, shivteichem...'* ***U-moneh eser bechinos, heinu bechinos mach'as kaf*** — *the pasuk lists *10 categories* (count: 1-rasheichem, 2-shivteichem, 3-zikneichem, 4-shotreichem, 5-kol-ish-Yisrael, 6-tapchem, 7-n-sheichem, 8-gercha-asher-b-kerev-machanecha, 9-mi-chotev-eitzecha, 10-sho-ev-meimecha) — *10 bechinos of mach'as kaf*. ***Al yedei m-chi'as kapayim, ha-tefilah hi b-avira d-Eretz Yisrael*** — *via clapping the *10 types*, tefilah enters EY-air*. Intermediate: **Peirush Dev 29:9** 'atem nitzavim' = tefilah (**Ber 6b** 'ein amidah ela tefilah'). 'Li-fnei Hashem'=EY (**Kes 110b** 'k-mi she-yesh lo Elokah'). Pasuk lists **10 categories** (rasheichem through sho-ev-meimecha) = **10 mach'as-kaf bechinos** → tefilah enters avira d-EY.

Beginner: **Peirush α — *'Tefilos k-neged temidin tikenum' (Berachos 26b) = EY; mach'as-kaf nullifies machshavos-akum; emunah=tefilah vs kfirot=machshavos-akum; 'va-hayisa ateres tiferes b-yad Hashem'***. **The opening**: ***tefilos k-neged temidin v-chu', heinu bechinas Eretz Yisrael*** — *'prayers were instituted corresponding to the temidim-sacrifices' = bechina of EY* (because temidim were brought *only in the Mikdash in EY*). **The mach'as-kaf chain**: ***heinu al yedei m-chi'as kapayim, nis-batel machshavos akum*** — *clapping nullifies *machshavos akum* (foreign/heretical thoughts). ***Ki kol ha-dar b-chutz-la-aretz domeh k-mi she-ein lo Elokah, v-chol ha-dar b-EY domeh k-mi she-yesh lo Elokah*** (Kesubos 110b again). ***V-al yedei m-chi'as kaf, azai hu dar b-avira d-EY, v-yesh lo Elokah, v-nis-batel machshavos akum*** — *clap → dwelling in EY-air → yesh-lo-Elokah → machshavos-akum nullified*. **Tefilah=emunah**: ***u-tfilah hi bechinas emunah, kmo she-kasuv 'va-y-hi yadav emunah ad bo ha-shemesh'*** (**Shemos 17:12** — Moshe's hands held up at war with Amalek: *'his hands were emunah'*; Targum: ***'p-risan bi-tzlo'*** — *'spread in prayer'* — Targum Onkelos renders emunah-of-Moshe's-hands as ***prisan bi-tzlo'*** — *'spread in tefilah'* — which explicitly equates yadayim-emunah with tefilah). ***V-neged emunah, hem ha-k-firos, machshavos akum*** — *opposite of emunah = k-firos = machshavos akum*. ***V-tikkunam al yedei temidin, al yedei Eretz Yisrael, al yedei m-chi'as kaf*** — *their repair is via temidin = EY = mach'as-kaf*. **Yeshayahu 62:3 chidush**: ***'v-hayis ateres tiferes b-yad Hashem, u-tznif m-luchah b-kaf Elokayich'*** — *'and you shall be a *crown of glory in Hashem's hand* and a royal turban in the palm of your G-d'*. Peirush: ***al yedei yad Hashem, al yedei m-chi'as kaf, she-nis-orer yadav shel ha-Kadosh Baruch Hu*** — *via HKBH's yad — = via mach'as-kaf (which awakens HKBH's yadayim) — the hirhurei akum are rectified*. ***Ki al yedei akum pogem ba-tiferes, kmo she-kasuv 'k-tiferes adam la-sheves bayis'*** (**Yeshayahu 44:13** — the construction-of-idols verse — *'like the beauty of man for dwelling in a house'* — the idol imitates adam's tiferes). ***K-she-m-sakken hirhurav, al yedei zeh na-aseh ateres tiferes, she-nis-ateir tiferes ba-atarah she-itrah lo imo*** (**Shir Ha-Shirim 3:11** — *'come out and behold king Solomon in the *atarah* his mother crowned him with'*). Intermediate: **Peirush α** — **Ber 26b** 'tefilos k-neged temidin' = EY. Mach'as-kaf → dwelling avira d-EY → yesh lo Elokah → nullifies machshavos-akum (**Kes 110b**). **Tefilah=emunah** (**Shem 17:12** 'yadav emunah'; Targum 'p-risan bi-tzlo'); k-firos=machshavos-akum → tikkun via mach'as-kaf. **Yesh 62:3** 'ateres tiferes b-yad Hashem' = via mach'as-kaf → rectify hirhurei akum ('k-tiferes adam la-sheves bayis' **Yesh 44:13**) → become ateres-tiferes (**Shir 3:11** 'atarah she-itrah lo imo').

Beginner: **Peirush β — *'Tefilos k-neged temidin' = tefilah reveals sodos-ha-Torah = kivshonos shel olam = kivshei d-Rachmana***. ***Peirush acher: 'tefilos k-neged temidin', peirush she-al yedei ha-tefilah nis-galeh sodos ha-Torah, ha-nikra-im 'kivshono shel olam,' 'kivshei d-Rachmana'*** — *another peirush: via tefilah, *the secrets of Torah* (called *'the hidden kiln of the world'* and *'hidden things of the Merciful One'*) are revealed*. **Anchor — Mishlei 27:26**: ***'u-kvasim li-lvushecha'*** — *'and lambs for your clothing'*. **Chagigah 13a** reads this verse (and others) as ***'d-varim she-hem kivshono shel olam yihyu b-lvushecha, v-al timseram la-acherim'*** — *'matters that are the *hidden kiln of the world* shall be your clothing, and do not transmit them to others'*. **The temidin=kevasim link**: ***u-temidin hem k-vasim, kmo she-kasuv 'es ha-keves echad ta'aseh va-boker'*** (**Bamidbar 28:4** — the korban-tamid of morning and evening was a *keves* / lamb; Zohar Pinchas 226b on this). ***V-al yedei tefilos nis-galeh sodos ha-Torah*** — *via tefilos, *sodos-ha-Torah* are revealed* — the *kvasim-li-lvushecha* become the inner-garments of the davener. **Cross-reference — Yeshayahu 43:2**: ***'ki sa-avor ba-mayim it-cha ani'*** — *'when you pass through water, I am with you'* (applied by Rabbeinu in L"M §73 and earlier §15 to the same sodos-Torah-via-tefilah chain). Intermediate: **Peirush β** — 'Tefilos k-neged temidin' = tefilah reveals **sodos-ha-Torah** = 'kivshono shel olam' = 'kivshei d-Rachmana' (**Mishlei 27:26** 'u-kvasim li-lvushecha'; **Chag 13a**). Temidin=k-vasim (**Bam 28:4**; Zohar Pin 226b). L"M §73, §15 cross-ref: 'ki sa-avor ba-mayim' (**Yesh 43:2**).

Beginner: **Peirush γ — *'Tefilos k-neged' = machshavos-zaros *against* tefilah (mabul); tikkun = tzedakah-l-EY → saved + avira-d-EY-machkim***. ***Peirush acher: 'tefilos k-neged' — heinu ha-machshavos zaros she-hem k-neged, she-hem m-valbelim t-filaso. V-nikra-im 'mabul', she-hem m-valbelim es t-filaso*** — *third peirush: 'tefilos k-neged' reads *k-neged* as 'against' — the foreign-thoughts (machshavos-zaros) are 'against' = *confuse* the tefilah. They are called *mabul* (flood / confusion — from *balbul*, the root of mabul in Chazalic wordplay)*. **Tikkun via tzedakah for EY**: ***v-tikkuno, she-yiten tzedakah l-Eretz Yisrael. V-al yedei zeh hu nichlal b-Eretz Yisrael*** — *one should give tzedakah for EY; via this he is *included in EY* (which operates at the level above-the-mabul)*. **Anchor — Yechezkel 22:24**: ***'at eretz lo m-tohara hi, lo gushmah b-yom za-am'*** — *'you (EY) are a land not cleansed, not rained-upon in the day of fury'* — Chazal (Zevachim 113a) derived that ***ha-mabul lo yarad b-Eretz Yisrael*** — *the Flood did not fall on EY*. ***V-al yedei zeh hu nitzol mi-machshavos zaros*** — *being included in EY saves from *machshavos zaros* (the mabul-of-the-mind parallels the mabul-of-the-world — both were withheld from EY)*. **'Temidin tikenum' decoded**: ***v-zeh 'temidin tik-num' — tikunam al yedei Eretz Yisrael, she-ne-emar bah: 'eretz asher v-chu' tamid einei Hashem Elokecha bah'*** (**Devarim 11:12** — *'a land upon which always the eyes of Hashem your G-d are'* — *tamid* = EY's constant state; *temidin* = the korban-sacrifices that draw this tamid-ayin-Hashem into daily tefilah). **Avira d-EY makchim**: ***gam 'avira d-Eretz Yisrael machkim'*** (**Bava Basra 158b** — *'EY's air makes one wise'*). ***V-al yedei zeh niz-dachech mocho, heinu machshavto*** — *via this his mo'ach is purified = his machshavah*. **Bereshis 9:16**: ***'v-ra-isiha, li-zkor b-ris olam'*** — *'and I shall see it (the rainbow) to remember an eternal covenant'*. ***'V-ra-isiha' — al yedei bechinas Eretz Yisrael, al yedei zeh nis-orer v-nis-takken 'b-ris olam'*** — *'I shall see it' = via EY, the *eternal covenant* is rectified* = ***bechinas tefilah, ח"י ברכות דצלותא*** — *bechina of tefilah = the **18 brachos of the Amidah*** (numerical: ***ח"י = 18***; the original Amidah had 18 brachos, hence *Shemoneh Esreh*). ***צדיק חי עלמין*** — *'tzaddik chai olamim'* (the ***yesod*** of Atzilus, the kabbalistic source of brachah). **R"N editorial closer**: ***kol zeh ha-inyan mi-techilas siman מ"ד ad kan, m-chaber yachad; v-chein shamanu rov d-varim elu b-drush echad. Ach bi-ch-sivaso ha-kedoshah, chilkam k-tzas. V-chein hayah darko kamah pe-amim, v-lo yada-ti ta'amo*** — *'all this, from the start of siman 44 until here, is *one connected matter*; thus we heard most of these words in *a single drash*. But in his holy writing he split them somewhat. And this was his way many times, and I do not know his reason'*. Intermediate: **Peirush γ** — 'Tefilos k-neged' = **machshavos-zaros against** tefilah = **mabul** (balbul). **Tikkun**: **tzedakah l-EY** → nichlal b-EY → above mabul (**Yech 22:24** 'lo gushmah b-yom za-am'; **Zev 113a** mabul lo yarad b-EY). 'Temidin tikenum' via EY (**Dev 11:12** 'tamid einei Hashem bah'). **Avira d-EY makchim** (**BB 158b**) → niz-dachech mo'ach/machshavah. **Ber 9:16** 'v-ra-isiha, li-zkor b-ris olam' = EY → tefilah = **ח"י=18 brachos d-tzelosa** = tzaddik chai olamim. **R"N closer**: all siman 44 is *one drash*; Rabbeinu split it in writing — reason unknown.