T39 (Tinyana) PNC - Lechu Chazu — Even the Raglayim Behold the Tachlis

'Lechu chazu mif'alos Hashem asher sam shamos ba-aretz' (Tehillim 46:9). Truly the matter is wondrous: Hashem created the entire creation with so many wondrous and awesome things — 'mah rabu ma'asecha Hashem' — even in this world alone, having created inanimate, vegetative, and so on; and who can estimate Hashem's greatness in the creatures of this world, much less other worlds. Everything was created only for Israel; and the main purpose of Israel's creation is for the form of Shabbos, which is the tachlis. Shabbos is the tachlis ma'asei shamayim va-aretz — the form of olam ha-neshamos (Zohar Hakdamah 1; Terumah 136), a world that is wholly Shabbos, where they will attain Hashem properly without any separating curtain or preventer; complete unity will be made, and each one will point with his finger 'zeh Hashem kivinu lo' (Ta'anis 31), and that is the tachlis for whose sake the entire creation was made. Therefore in every single thing created in the world there is a form of the tachlis: there is a starting point — the chain of descent down through worlds until it materialized as this image — and there is the end-form, the tachlis for whose sake it was created. Israel can deepen contemplation in the structure of limbs, the building, the stature and image of every single thing, contemplating the Creator's greatness through it and serving Him through it, and so onward higher and higher up to the tachlis, where that thing connects to the tachlis. Every single thing has a hold in the tachlis for whose sake it was created: through that thing one can attain Him and serve Him, all the way to where that thing concludes and connects to the tachlis. Each person needs to deepen contemplation in this — to know and recognize the Creator's greatness in every single thing, in its structure and image, in the particularity of its limbs and building, and to serve Him through this, until coming to the form of the tachlis of that thing — the form of Shabbos, olam ha-neshamos. Those with great intellect can do this. But for small ones like us today, all on a very low level in the form of raglayim, how can we possibly arrive at this knowledge? We must yearn and long that Hashem give us a manhig ha-dor, ro'eh ne'eman, who has the power to illuminate even in us — in raglayim — this knowledge and attainment, that we merit to come to the tachlis. Like Moshe, who from his immense level could illuminate even in the lowest of the low, even in a maidservant, as Chazal said (Mechilta Beshalach; Zohar Beshalach 55): a maidservant saw at the sea what Yechezkel the prophet did not see — Yechezkel, such a great prophet, did not see what a maidservant saw in Moshe's days, all because of the immense level of the manhig. He could illuminate even in raglayim — even raglayim, distant from the brain, can attain and know the tachlis through the works of Hashem in this lowly world. Through the manhig's gadlus, brain-light is drawn even into raglayim; then it can happen that these raglayim are greater than another's brain. 'Lechu chazu' — 'lechu' specifically (raglayim, the instruments of walking) — they too will behold the works of Hashem who has placed shamos in this earth, that is, the actions of Hashem in this lowly world: through them one can know and attain the tachlis. 'Asher sam shamos ba-aretz' — shamos as acronym of TaCHlis Ma'aseh SHamayim Va'arets, the form of 'nefesh chayah hu shemo' (Bereshis 2; Berachos 7b: do not read shamos but shemos) — the world of souls, which is the tachlis, is clothed and grasped in this lowly earth: through this lowly world specifically one is compelled to attain the tachlis. It is a wondrous chiddush: attaining the tachlis — such a lofty matter, attaining Him — depends specifically on the creatures of the lowly world; all souls are compelled to pass through this world to attain the tachlis. Mashiach ben David does not come until all the souls in the body are completed (Yevamos 62), because they are all compelled to come into this lowly world to attain the tachlis through it. So all souls are in the form of nitzrach la-briyos — they need the creatures to attain the tachlis through them.

It is fitting for us to say all this with weeping, with tears in threes — to cry and yearn, to plead and beseech before Him: when will we merit it — that we should have this knowledge, that we can know and recognize the Creator from every single detail of this world up to the tachlis? At our present low level, with no beauty in our faces (see Midrash Tehillim 143), we need Hashem to have mercy on us, to give us a manhig, ro'eh ne'eman, who can illuminate this knowledge in us, so that we serve Him properly and come to the tachlis.

There is certainly a distinction among the creatures: between what was created first and what was created on the sixth day, which is closer to Shabbos. The sefarim bring (Shemos 31:17) that even the six days were themselves created and stand in the secret of a circle around the inner point, which is Shabbos (Zohar Vayakhel 204) — but distinctions remain.

What Chazal said — 'It is better for a person not to have been created than to have been created' (Eruvin 13b) — and Koheles 4:3, 'Better than both is the one who has not yet been' — is astonishing: if so, why was he created? Certainly these statements are said only with respect to this world: given the troubles and sufferings each person endures, it would be better not to have been created. But for the World to Come, certainly it is better that he was created, because precisely through being-here he comes to the tachlis. And even in this world: 'one hour of teshuvah and good deeds in this world is more beautiful than all the life of the World to Come' (Avos 4:17).

Nissan is the Rosh HaShanah for kings (Rosh Hashanah 2). Then they appoint all kings Above, and certainly they give gifts to each one whom they crown. May Hashem give us also a king and manhig, ro'eh ne'eman, who can illuminate in us, etc., as above. 'Va-anachnu hem ha-am asher be-raglecha' — those who go after Your counsel, who conduct themselves after the manhig (Shemos 11; Rashi). If only we had a manhig like Moshe, etc., as above. (All of this pertains to lesson 39.)