10/15/2006

Shalom and Shavua Tov

BEREISHIT

A

I. There is a well-known maxim of the Rebbes,* the leaders of Chabad:¹ Shabbat Bereishit affects the whole year, and the tone set on Shabbat Bereishit carries through the entire year.

Offhand this requires an explanation. What makes Shabbat Bereishit [the Shabbat on which the first section of the Torah is read] so unique? Why should the same not apply to that all-important day of matan Torah (the Day on which the Torah was given)? For that matter, surely all those sidrot with the only mention of certain mitzvot and other concepts, not repeated elsewhere in the Torah, are no less crucial to the whole year! Why, then, is Shabbat Bereishit so exceptional that it alone is said to determine the quality of the whole year?

II. The concept of 'In the beginning G-d bara (created ex nihilo, out of absolute nothingness²) the heaven and the earth", implies³ that of necessity creation is a con­stant process which takes place every minute and every moment. That is, the unique novelty of the 'Six Days of Creation/ namely the change from the original absolute nothingness into material being, is something which con­tinues every moment: there is a new coming-in to-being at all times.

It is in this sense that the verse 'Forever, Eternal One, Your word stands in the Heavens'⁴ is explained at length in Tanya:⁵ strictly speaking, every creature per se is even now sheer nothingness, and its very existence is only by virtue of G-d's continuously causing it to be. Thus it fol­lows that its ultimate being is Divinity.

III. We can now understand why Shabbat Bereishit affects the whole year. For the awareness of bereishit bara (in the beginning He created) is the very foundation of man's avodah (service of G-d) throughout the year.

When a Jew must transform his worldly affairs into instruments for Divinity, he may regard this as a difficult or altogether impossible task, contrary to the natural order. In reality however, 'Forever, Eternal One, Your word stands in the Heavens'! That is, ultimately there is no independent world, and everything exists only by vir­tue of the Ten Fiats by which the world was created:^a  'And G-d said let there be light,' and therefore 'there was light.' This, of course, applies to all creation. The Holy One, blessed is He, looked into the Torah (i.e., the Ten Fiats) and He created the world.'⁶ Thus when remember­ing and being aware that the very existence and reality of the world is utterly contingent on the Ten Fiats in the Torah,⁷ one realizes that the world cannot possibly be an impediment to mitzvot. For the same Torah also states: 'I am the Eternal your G-d'⁸ and all of the 613 Mitzvot.

When man accepts the Torah as the true reality of the world, he will be moved to recite sayings of our sages, a Psalm, a chapter of Mishnah, or a chapter of Tanya, even when walking in the street and involved in his per­sonal occupations. ^b Every good deed on his part will turn the scale for the whole world to the side of merit.⁹ In other words, man's recognition of, and contemplation on the in­ner meaning of bereishit bara affects all of Creation, the totality of 'the heavens and the earth and all their hosts.'

IV. The maxim that 'Shabbat Bereishit affects the whole year'¹⁰ thus means that this Shabbat relates to all matters, whether spiritual or physical.

The knowledge and awareness that 'Forever, Eternal One, Your word stands in the Heavens' relates not only to man's worship, his spiritual affairs; by implication it also relieves him of worry about physical matters. Any worry about his needs in 'children, life or sustenance'' is caused by momentarily forgetting that everything derives from G-d, as explained in Tanya.¹¹

To remember that everything comes from G-d means also to know that 'no evil comes from Him'¹² but only good, and this precludes any worries. As one realizes this fact one can see, even with the physical eye, how one's present condition is in fact good in a quite obvious and tangible form of goodness.

B

V. According to Jewish custom, mitzvot — i.e, aliyot, are sold on Shabbat Bereishit for the whole year.

The Rebbe, my father-in-law, explained that at the time of an aliyah, when ascending to the Torah, one as­cends into 'the lower, second and third stories [planes],'^d and still higher. This means that there is an ascent for the nefesh, ruach, neshamah, chayah and yechidah,¹³ culminating with the essence of the soul becoming bound up with the essence of the En Sof — with G-d Himself, as it were.

This, indeed, is the reason why one is not to recite a blessing for the study of Torah shebe'al peh if one does not understand the subject matter.¹⁴ For an aliyah to the Torah, however, even a completely ignorant person, he who does not understand the very words he utters, recites a blessing. In the latter case, he may indeed not under­stand what he is saying in his present state, but by the as­cent of his nefesh, ruach, neshamah, chayah and yechidah, there is a form of understanding which is drawn down from above: 'Mikra — the Written Torah (Scriptures) — calls forth and elicits.'¹⁵

The universe is related to Torah, as it is said that 'the Holy One, blessed is He, looked into the Torah and created the world,' and the Torah is referred to as the 'blue-print'¹⁶ used by the builder when constructing his building. An aliyah to the Torah, therefore, affects even the physical universe.

VI. Just as it is with aliyot to the Torah on any Shab­bat, Monday or Thursday/' beginning with Shabbat Bereishit, so too with designating times for the study of Torah. Shabbat Bereishit is an auspicious opportunity to undertake an intensified study of both nigleh (the exoteric part of Torah) and Chassidut. That is, in addition to every one's undertaking during the month of Tishrei to learn Torah throughout the year, on Shabbat Bereishit one should add to the daily Torah-study — in the study of nigleh as well as in the study of Chassidut. In the sup­plemental study of Chassidut one should include a part of the expositions of the weekly sidrot in Torah Or and Likutei Torah.¹⁷

May the Almighty grant that everyone decide to ac­cept this upon himself according to his true abilities — as much as he is able to, and in accordance with the root of his soul. The resolve on Shabbat Bereishit to increase the study of Torah also confers the very ability to do so in the course of the year and prevents many difficulties later on. This will also elicit abundant blessings in the physical realm of 'children, life and sustenance.'

The advantages of brevity are well-known, and thus to summarize: every one should accept upon himself to supplement both the study of nigleh and the study of Chassidut.

VII. This is the Shabbat on which we bless the month of Marcheshvan.¹ The month is called Marcheshavan because it is the season for rain.¹⁷*

Chassidut explains the difference between tal (dew) and matar (rain):¹⁸ rain depends on the avodah of man and one must pray for rain; while dew is a manifestation of itaruta dile'eyla (an arousal from Above), and 'Dew is never withheld.'¹⁹ Since rain depends on human avodah, it follows that it is more difficult to attain.

Herein we find the difference between the seasons of summer and winter [in the spiritual context of avodah]. In the summer there is dew — itaruta dile'eyla. Winter is the season for rain — itaruta diletata (arousal from below)^g Winter, thus, is a more difficult time.

There is another difference between the days of sum­mer and the days of winter. In the summer, there is a strong radiation — in the spiritual sense — from 'The Eter­nal G-d is a sun and shield.'²⁰ That is why even in the physical sense as well, there is then a stronger radiance of the sun, especially in the solstice of Tamuz.  Winter, however, is a time for avodah by means of itaruta diletata. The Rebbe, my father-in-law, once declared that the service of G-d is easier in the summer than in the winter. The Shabbat on which the month of Marcheshvan is blessed confers the necessary strength and abilities for the months of rain. This Shabbat is still in the month of Tishrei — 'the seventh month satiated with everything,’ ’²¹ ’²¹ that is why it confers the strength for the avodah of

winter.^h Though this avodah requires an itaruta diletata, man’s own dfforts, still there is a bestowal of strength for it. And as one performs this avodah of the winter, this Shabbat mevarchim  Marcheshvan becomes a source of blessing for the whole year,  in bothe the material and spiritual senses.

[Likutei Sichot, An Anthology of Talks by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, V. I: Bereishit, p.1-8]

*. [Hebrew and Yiddish words and expressions appearing in the text and notes without translation and explanation, are explained in the glossary.]

1. Sefer Hama'amarim 5711, p. 59.

2.[Genesis 1:1] The word bara signifies a creation ex nihilo; see the commentary of Ramban on this verse.

3. See Tanya, part II, chapter 2.

4. Psalms 119:89.

5. Part II, chapter 3.

a. [Avot V:l: The world was created by ten fiats/ — i.e., the ten ut­terances appearing in the first chapter of the Torah (Let there be light. . . Let there be a firmament etc.). Everything came into being, and is sustained in existence, by means of these ten fiats.]

6.   Zohar  II:161a.   —

[The Torah preceded the world (see Bereishit Rabba 8:2), and in fact served as the blueprint for the creation of the world (ibid., 1:1, cited further on). In other words, the universe was created and fashioned on the basis of, and suited to the contents and requirements of Torah. This is what we mean when saying 'The Holy One, blessed is He, looked into the Torah and created the world.' Now, as the world, or nature, is created in accordance with the Torah, it is impossible that this world could stand in conflict with Torah or be an impediment to the 613 commandments which are contained in that self-same Torah.]

7. Tanya, part II, end of chapter 1.

8. Exodus 20:2 (Deuteronomy 5:6).

b. [Torah is to be studied and recited not only in the synagogue or yeshivah, but also 'when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way' (Deuteronomy 6:7; see Yorna 19b). To know certain sections of Torah by heart — be it Psalms, Mishnah, Tanya, etc. — and to recite these at ap­propriate times, even in the office or business, when walking or travelling, not only facilitates the observance of Torah-study but also is of im­measurable benefit to the person doing so and to his environment. It is an an­tidote to the spiritual pollution of man and the air around him. See Hayom Yom, p. 10, and also ibid. pp. 5, 9, 27 and 35, where this idea is explained in detail. Cf. infra, Vayigash, note 10.]

9. Kidushin 40b -

['A man should always regard himself as though he were half guilty and half meritorious: If he performs one mitzvah, happy is he for weighing himself down in the scale of merit. . . Because the world is judged by its ma­jority and an individual (too) is judged by his majority (of deeds), if he per­forms one mitzvah, happy is he for turning the scale both for himself and for the whole world to the side of merit.']

10. The  word shanah (year) is etymologically related to the word shinny (change). Kol hashanah (lit. the whole year) thus indicates 'all changes and variables/

c. [See Mo'ed Katan 28b for the expression 'life, children, and sustenance'; also Likutei Sichot II:p. 632 and IV: p. 1306.]

11. Igeret Hakodesh (Tanya, part IV), section XI.

12. 'Out of the mouth of the Most High do not issue evil things'; Lamentations 3:38 - ['No evil descends from Above (Bereishit Rabba 51:3) and everything is good, though it is not ap­prehended because of its immense and abundant goodness' etc.; Igeret Hakodesh, sect. XI, see there at length.] d. [Paraphrasing Genesis 6:16.]

13. Bereishit Rabba 14:9. —

[This Midrash states that in the Scriptures we find these five terms as names for the soul. However, they are not synonymous; rather, every one of these terms denotes a different gradation — in ascending order — of the soul. See the Glossary, s.v.]

14. Magen Avraham on Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim, end of section 50.

15. See Likutei Torah, Vayikra, p. 5b. -

[The word mikra, denoting Scripture, is of the root kara — to call; evoke. The very reading of Scripture, because of its infinite sublimity, calls for and evokes a manifestation of the Divine light.]

16. Bereishit Rabba 1:1.

e. [These, in addition to Holy Days and fast-days, are the days on which the Torah is read in public, as instituted by Moses, the prophets, and Ezra the Scribe (see Baba Kama 82a; Yerushalmi, Megilah IV:1; and Masechet Soferim, ch. 10).]

17. Torah Or and Likutei Torah contain the Chassidic dis­courses and expositions on the weekly readings of the Torah, by R. Schneur Zalman of Liadi, author of Tanya and Shulchan Aruch.

f. [On the last Shabbat of every month (except for £/«/) the date of the beginning of the new month is proclaimed, and special prayers are recited which invoke the Divine blessings for the new month. This Shabbat, thus, is called Shabbat mevarchim hachodesh — the Shabbat on which the month is blessed.]

17.* Cf. Aruch, s.v. Marcheshvan.

18. See Likutei Torah, s.v. Ha'azinu Hashamayim;' [part IV, p. 73a

ff.]

19. Ta'anit 3a.

g. [General reference to the seasons, in our prayers and other sources, is as they are in the Land of Israel: the warm season of summer and the rainy season of winter.]

20. Psalms 84:12 -[See Tanya, part II, chapter 4, for the concept of the sun symbolizing G-d.]

21. Vayikra Rabba 29:8.

h. [The monthe of Tishrei is an all-comprenhensive month, affecting the year following, because it contains the special days of Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukot, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah.