Hashem's Love for the Jewish People - Reb Itchie Mayer on Eikev

Here is Reb Itchie Mayer Morgenstern's Torah on Parshas Eikev, with English excerpt and full text in Hebrew in pdf form from Reb Itchie Mayer's Torah. You can send an e-mail to this address to subscribe to receive Rav Morgenstern's Torah in your e-mail box every week.

“And it shall come to pass, because you heed these ordinances, and keep, and do them, that Hashem you G-d shall keep with you the covenant and the mercy which He swore to your fathers.”[1]

Rashi explains: “‘And it shall come to pass, because you heed’—If you heed the little mitzvos that people tend to trample on with their heels [עקב] and do them, Hashem your G-d will keep His blessing for you, and will love you and make you numerous [which is the continuation in the next verse].”

Hashem’s Love for the Jewish People

The Arizal taught: “‘And He will love you and bless you and make you numerous’—The sages said that everything that the Jewish people eat [enjoy] in this world is from the blessing of Bilaam the wicked. But the merits of the Jewish people are kept in reserve for them for the world to come. As the verse says, ‘And Hashem your G-d will keep...’ The sages learned this from our verse here, from a parallel use of terms—here the term, ‘He will love you’ is bound to the term, ‘He will bless you.’ The verse says of Bilaam, ‘And Hashem your G-d will overturn for you the curse to a blessing, for Hashem your G-d loves you.’ In no other place in the Torah do we find blessings juxtaposed with the expression of Hashem’s love other than in connection with Bilaam. If so, the promise of Hashem to love and bless and make us numerous is the blessing of Bilaam.”[2]

In the section detailing Bilaam’s blessings the verse says, “A star has gone forth from Yaakov, and a tribe has arisen from Yisrael.”[3] The star coming forth from Yaakov refers to Moshiach.[4] The Messianic era is one that will be characterized by the total revelation of Hashem’s love for the Jewish people even to the lowest level of the world of Asiyah. This is why all of the blessings uttered by Bilaam refer to all of the blessings and abundance that reach the Jewish people in the world of Asiyah [which we call “this world”]. Its main revelation will be when Moshiach arrives.

Uplifting the Heels

The verse’s promise of Hashem’s love is really that we will merit to experience the full revelation of Hashem’s presence in the lower worlds when Moshiach arrives. But it all depends on, “If you will heed these ordinances...”—if we heed the aspect of the עקב, the heels [which is the lowermost world of Asiyah], then we will merit the arrival of Moshiach and the full expression of Hashem’s love for us.

The main blessing is that Bilaam’s curse should be transformed into a benediction; that the physicality of the world of Asiyah should be transformed into a revelation of G-dliness. Even when a person is in a lowly place and the yetzer hara challenges him, G-d forbid, even so he must make efforts to bind himself to the light of Hashem’s presence. This is the mission of the Jewish people, to reveal G-dliness in the lower places. In the ultimate future, Hashem will transform the yetzer hara into the joyful pleasure of Torah study, as the Zohar teaches. This is really the main joyful pleasure of Torah—to reveal Hashem’s presence in the lower worlds, because this is what rectifies all evil and creates a platform for the good.

[1] Devarim 7:12
[2] Sha’ar Hapesukim, Parshas Ekev
[3] Bamidbar 24:17
[4] Devarim Rabbah 1:20

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Reb Itchie Mayer on Tu B'Av and Parshas Ve'eschanan

Here is Reb Itchie Mayer Morgenstern's Torah on Parshas Ve'eschanan and Tu B'Av, with English excerpt and full text in Hebrew in pdf form from Reb Itchie Mayer's Torah. You can send an e-mail to this address to subscribe to receive Rav Morgenstern's Torah in your e-mail box every week.

Tu B’Av in Netzach and Yesod

The Arizal writes that the sefirah of Netzach is revealed on Tu B’Av.[1] Yet in another place he says that the sefirah of Yesod is revealed on that day.[2] The meaning of this apparent contradiction is that the fifteen of Av essentially relates to the sefirah of Yesod. We can understand this since many matches were finalized on this day. As our sages tell us, “The daughters of Yisrael would go out…”[3] Of course, a match requires a matchmaker. This “shadchan” is the sefirah of Netzach which literally means “victory” and connotes perseverance in the face of challenge. At first both parties to the match have doubts whether the other person is truly the right one. It is the determination of the shadchan that irons out the difficulties and completes the shidduch.

This is the strength of the true tzaddik who says, "גמרתי ואגמור"—“I have finished and I will finish.”[4] [The full quote of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov is, “I have been victorious and I will be victorious; I have finished and I will finish.”] This signifies that the main task of the tzaddik is to complete the shidduch between Hashem and the Shechinah. [The Shechinah signifies the revelation of Hashem’s presence in this material world through our actions, speech, and thoughts.

“Completing the shidduch between Hashem and the Shechinah” means that the Jewish people — and subsequently the entire world — attain a deep consciousness of Hashem in every action, word, and thought.] Even when there are many barriers, as the verse in our parshah states, “And Hashem was angry with me [Moshe Rabbeinu] because of you [the Jewish people],”[5] the tzaddik declares, “I have finished and I will finish.”

The task of every Jew is to enter into the aspect of Netzach, holy victory, which is above reason or one’s feelings of the moment. Commitment to victory imparts vast spiritual strength to achieve one’s goal. We can understand this from when a person is involved in a struggle with an antagonist; he will work hard and try any possible strategy to win. He will force himself to stay up long hours, day and night, until he defeats his nemesis. It is because the source of Netzach is above the mochin of Chochmah-Binah-Da’as, because its spiritual root transcend thought itself, that this attribute can awaken such astonishing strength of character. It is specifically through this characteristic that the tzaddikim succeed in completing the shidduch between ourselves and our Father in heaven.

[1] Pri Eitz Chaim, Mikrah Kodesh, Chapter 4
[2] Ibid, Sha'ar Chag Hashavuos, Chapter 1
[3] Taanis 31
[4] Chayei Moharan #218.
[5] Devarim 3:26

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Reb Itchie Mayer on Devarim

Here is Reb Itchie Mayer Morgenstern's Torah on Parshas Dervarim, with English excerpt and full text in Hebrew in pdf form from Reb Itchie Mayer's Torah. You can send an e-mail to this address to subscribe to receive Rav Morgenstern's Torah in your e-mail box every week.

Appointing a King

We eradicate Amalek nowadays by sanctifying ourselves from all evil. We rebuild the temple by building up our understanding through the holy works of the tzaddikim, both of Mussar and Chassidus. How to fulfill the third mitzvah of appointing a king in our time seems unclear, however.

Rebbe Nachman writes in Likutei Moharan: “Every person must say that the world was created for my sake.5 Since the world was created for me it follows that I must look carefully, delving at all times into how I can rectify the world through filling in what is missing in the world and praying for them.”6

It is not only Moshe who must lift up his fellow Jew in any way that he can. It is incumbent on every Jew to do his utmost to help his friend in material and spiritual matters. We all must feel for our friends’ lacks and do everything we can to rectify your fellow Jews. The entire world having been created for each of us means that each of us is responsible for the entire world.

Jews are all part of one cohesive neshamah. Like the heart, which the Zohar teaches is the king of the body because it is always working to bestow vitality on every part of our bodies, a person must always do good for his friends. He must pray that Hashem give everyone whatever they need. We should never think that another's problem is not our business, since we are all connected and everyone must do his part to rectify what he can. We do this either through prayer or focused thought where we draw down Hashem’s mercy on every Jew that he knows. This is an aspect of, “And he saw their suffering.”

Rebels Against the King

The main obstacle to truly entering into this mindset is one’s perception of his friend’s attitude. He stops wishing his friend well and praying for his benefit when he sees that his friend does not return the kindness. And worse, at times his friend may even repay evil with good. Yet even if one breaks off for this reason he is still
blemishing the Malchus since the main element of Malchus is to bestow good on everyone unconditionally. Without this characteristic he cannot possibly eliminate Amalek or attain true understanding which is the rebuilding of our personal Beis
Hamikdash.7

There is an aspect of the destruction of the holy temple that exists in every Jewish heart. This is when one falls prey to discouragement and small-mindedness. Yet Hashem always waits for every one of us to reign over his kingdom in holiness by acting like the heart of the world. This person does not only think about himself and his own needs. He feels for his fellow Jews and prays for their every need.

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True Hisbodedus - Reb Itchie Mayer Morgenstern on Matos-Masei

Here is Reb Itchie Mayer Morgenstern's Torah on Parshas Matos-Masei, with English excerpt and full text in Hebrew in pdf form from Reb Itchie Mayer's Torah. You can send an e-mail to this address to subscribe to receive Rav Morgenstern's Torah in your e-mail box every week.

Dovid HaMelech said, “My heart said to You [לך]...”[1] Rebbe Nachman quotes Rashi’s comment there, “to You” can also mean, “for You, on Your behalf.”[2] If a person wants to do a real hisbodedus, he must stand before Hashem believing fully that every word he says is from Hashem, that he is Hashem’s emissary. To come to this, one must begin by working at learning Torah lishmah, because it is certain that a person who learns Torah superficially will not come anywhere near to pouring his heart out spontaneously before Hashem. But with both Torah and prayer infused with dveikus, one merits [the influence of] the upper three sefiros of Atik, whose “breath” is completely infused with dveikus. One merits to make yichudim at the level of the Divine chariot, to really feel that everything is G-dliness. This is the meaning of Chashmal: mal [“speaking”] indicates ma’aseh merkavah, and chash [“quiet”] indicates ma’aseh bereishis.

One must feel a chiddush in prayer just as one finds a chiddush in Torah, and the tzaddikim said that when a person merits to speak fresh words of prayer before Hashem it is a sign that his prayers are accepted on high. But to be able to pray spontaneously before Hashem, one needs purity of heart—how do we purify it? “Every thing that went in fire must pass through fire.” The fire of enthusiasm purifies the heart so that one can compose his own prayer with freshness. Rebbe Nachman of Breslov teaches further that such words are a manifestation of ruach hakodesh, and this is the basis of the entire book of Tehillim.[3]

One must yearn for these levels, and feel pained for not having reached them. And one must yearn that the Torah should be like fire within him, because, “Everything that was in fire [and became impure] should be passed through fire [to purify it].”[4] As the Baal Shem Tov taught, all of the fiery sounds of Matan Torah can still be heard, and every person must sanctify himself so that he can catch them. Every little bit of learning must be in the fire of the dveikus of Matan Torah so that we can come to be, “directly before [נכח] the face of Hashem.” The word נכח is equal to three times the value of the Shem HaVaYaH [78 = יהו"ה x 3]; one must see three permutations of the Shem HaVaYaH before him at all times and eventually he will be able to really see that everything is Elokus—and this is the purpose of creation and the beginning of the redemption.

The Oath of the Exile

Through all of this we will merit to undo the oath that binds us to the exile, as the Zohar explains. [These are the “three oaths” in Shir Hashirim, as explained at the end of Kesuvos.] The Torah teaches that the sage, the bearer of Chochmah, has the power to annul a vow, and this is because the vow itself is on the level of Binah. We begin the fast of Yom HaKippurim with the annulment of vows in Kol Nidrei; this is a manifestation of the light of Chochmah. The exile [גולה] and the redemption [גאולה] stem from the same root—it is only that we are bound in exile because Chochmah manifest in completed Da’as represented by the alef [which means to teach] is absent. Yet this is repaired by anyone who seeks Da’as and dveikus, who believes that the Torah is Divine and that the Torah that he learns is the same that was given at Sinai, who feels that Hashem has planted eternal life in him now and has been chosen right now from all the nations to receive Torah as a gift from the heavens. And this is why there were many tzaddikim who exhorted their followers to spend time every day studying the words of the Zohar regarding the greatness of the Torah, or who learned section 47 in the Bach that discusses the blessings of the Torah time after time—to awaken their hearts to the holiness of the Torah.

The Blessings of the Torah

The destruction of the Beis Hamikdash was because of the Jewish people’s failure to appreciate the greatness of the Torah. This was demonstrated by the fact that they did not make the blessing over the Torah before they learned. And we can also fall into this error today by not having sufficient faith in the Torah’s ability to help us reach the redemption. And so the very beginning is to develop total emunah in the greatness and the holy power of the Torah itself, and this will empower one to devote more and more time to Torah lishmah so that all of the levels described above can be reached.

[1] Tehillim 27:8
[2] Likutei Moharan I:138
[3] Ibid., I:156
[4] Bamidbar 31:26

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Three Levels of Hurting Another - Reb Itchie Mayer Morgenstern on Behar-Bechukosai

Here is Reb Itchie Mayer Morgenstern's Torah on Parshas Bahar-Bechukosai, with English excerpt and full text in Hebrew in pdf form from Reb Itchie Mayer's Torah given in 5766. You can send an e-mail to this address to subscribe to receive Rav Morgenstern's Torah in your e-mail box every week.

“And you shall not wrong one another, and you shall fear your G-d; for I am Hashem your G-d.”[1]

Three Levels of Ona’ah

We need to understand the relationship between the “wronging” of ona’ah—cheating, in other words—and avodas Hashem. In this world there are numerous levels of cheating oneself and others in spiritual matters. For example, there are those who persist in such cheating for many years and it never even occurs to them that they are only fooling themselves. A person can even live out his entire life and never realize that he is living a lie. This is why the verse tells us, “Do not wrong one another, and you shall fear your G-d...” Being truly G-dfearing means always asking myself the question, “Am I really living in accordance with Hashem’s will or am I just fooling myself?”

This concept of ona’ah is also relevant to one’s connection with the true tzaddik. Even after a person has sought out and drawn close to the tzaddik, nevertheless he might still be fooling himself because he is not really searching for the ultimate truth. [In other words, he is close but he is not really exerting himself to follow all of the advice of the tzaddik.] However, since the amount of the “cheating” is, “less than a sixth of the value of the item,” the transaction is valid. This halachic principle has a spiritual application: the aspect of klippas nogah that affects this pseudo-chassid is nullified because the predominant closeness to the tzaddik far outweighs the degree of falseness within himself. (Although such a person often falls into the trap of his yetzer, nevertheless his constant efforts to keep a connection with the tzaddik protects him from falling into nogah completely.)

If a person is not close to the tzaddik but still refrains from engaging in controversy against him, it is as though the false part in him is exactly a “sixth of his total value.” He is caught up in the klippas nogah still; he is far from the truth and remains in great spiritual danger. In the halachic parallel, even though he must restore the extra that he hoodwinked from his customer, the sale is still valid. Although he will have to go through a great deal [of painful re-education] to rid himself of the falseness and draw close to the truth, nevertheless the good that he did, his Torah and mitzvos, have eternal value. Yet there is a third person who actively engages in conflict with the tzaddik, and his “cheating” is “more than a sixth of the total value.” When a person makes machlokes on the true tzaddik, the falseness inside of him overwhelms the good, and he will have to go through as many reincarnations as it takes until he attains his tikkun. He does not have true ownership over his Torah and mitzvos [since all kinyanim are from the tzaddik], and his “sale is invalid.”[2]

The tzaddik is the “son who searches through the King’s treasuries.” There are those who can give lectures on the Torah’s secrets and Kabbalistic meditations on the Divine Names, yet nevertheless remain immersed in crass materialism. If, at the very least, they don’t fool themselves completely and still want the truth—that the light of the Torah and the light of the tzaddik should purify them—they are like the cheater whose ona’ah is less than a sixth of the total value. The tzaddik can still uplift them until they find their atonement. And even if such people speak a great deal about Kabbalah but are completely dishonest with themselves and others, as long as they do not engage in controversy against the tzaddik they can still find their tikkun.

If, however, a person argues against the power of kedushah altogether—as though he does not need the inner dimension of Torah or any connection with Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, or even dveikus itself—and imagines that life in this world is altogether better without focusing on avodah at all, then his “transaction” is invalid, G-d forbid. In truth, there aren’t really people like this, because the Torah tells us clearly, “You are children to Hashem, your G-d.”[3] Every single Jew longs to nullify himself before Hashem, every single Jew wants to search through the King’s treasuries, to “see the countenance of the Master, Hashem.” “What does the verse mean when it refers to the ‘countenance of the Master, Hashem?’—this is Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai.”[4] Every single Jewish soul longs to be a part of the holy path of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, the path of “seeing the countenance of the Master, Hashem.” It is the path of only wanting to achieve closeness to Hashem, and forgetting the pursuit of money and all of worldly desires. “My soul longs for G-d; when will I come and see the face of Hashem?”

“Blessed is our G-d who created us for His glory and gave us a Torah of truth.” ברוך אלקינו שבראנו—“Blessed is our G-d who created us”—has the initials באש—“in fire.” This is the fire of the holy Tanna, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, who descended to this earth like a fiery angel from heaven to rescue the entire world from judgment and help us prepare ourselves to receive the Torah with fiery enthusiasm. The Mittler Rebbe of Lubavitch taught that Lag B’Omer is the main time to draw down chassadim for the entire year. The Chessed-conduct of the Shem HaVaYaH that is required to overcome the Din-conduct of nature and the Name Elokim is brought down by learning the Torah’s secrets. This was the path of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai—that the inner essence of reality should shine through its external covering so that we can see Hashem in everything. “Uncover [גל = ל"ג] my eyes and I will see wonders of Your Torah.” I will see נפלאות—wonders—which are נ' פלאות—the wondrous joining of Chochmah and Binah that happens when the fiftieth gate opens. These two paths parallel the two redeemers, Moshiach ben Yosef and Moshiach ben Dovid, and they are revealed when the light of the future world is made to shine.

[1] Vayikra 25:17
[2] Likutei Halachos, Hilchos Ona’ah 5:39
[3] Devarim 11:1
[4] Zohar II:38a

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Fish of the Sea - Reb Itchie Mayer on Shemini - Hebrew & English

Here is Reb Itchie Mayer Morgenstern's Torah on Parshas Shmini, with English excerpt and full text in Hebrew in pdf form and the English from Reb Itchie Mayer's Torah given in 5766. You can send an e-mail to this address to subscribe to receive Rav Morgenstern's Torah in your e-mail box every week.

The “Fish of the Sea”

Moshe Rabbeinu’s primary avodah was that of Yesod Abbah. This is a very deep avodah, which represents the bliss of true connection with Hashem, at the level of thought which is not apparent to those around him. Moshe Rabbeinu was connected to the aspect of Abba / Chochmah, and experienced the bliss of complete nullification to Hashem. This is why Moshe was called one of the "נוני ים"—“the fish of the sea.” Just as fish exist in the obscurity of the water, so too was the avodah of Moshe Rabbeinu well hidden—just as the Yesod is hidden. [Note: This is true on a material level, because the foundation of a building is actually underground and is not seen at all. The aspect of personal purity associated with the sefirah of Yesod is likewise a hidden matter.] This avodah involved the contemplation of supernal yichudim with absolute concentration. This is the avodah of the true tzaddikim who are an aspect of oil, which is soundless and whose viscosity damps all sound.[1]

We are taught that there are two “foods” that will be served at the time of Moshiach: the Shor Habar and the Livyasan, the “wild ox” and the “leviathan.”[2] Moshe Rabbeinu is associated with the Livyasan, just as the tzaddikim are an aspect of the “fish of the sea.” [Note: this is one reason why we eat fish on Shabbos.[3]] Nadav and Avihu are aspects of the Shor Habar, an outer revealed avodah, of the tzaddik who is always going in the way of teshuvah. This tzaddik is always shining with the light of true connection. Everyone who sees this tzaddik knows he is connected to Hashem. The Shor Habar is an aspect of a revealed avodah, just as the “wild ox” walks about upon the open land.[4] [Note: The Ba’al Shem Tov taught that Moshe Rabbeinu was not necessarily recognizable as a tzaddik from the outside.]

The Marriage of Chochmah and Binah

Chazal taught that every fish that has scales has fins, but not all that have fins necessarily have scales.[5] Kaskeses, scales, are an aspect of appearances since they are the outer covering of the fish. This refers to one whose primary avodah is an aspect of Imma / Binah, always striving to draw closer to Hashem. Such a person surely has fins with which to swim in the upper worlds.[6] Nadav and Avihu were an aspect of Binah / teshuvah, and it suited their essence to imbibe wine. [Note: On a simple level this is because the avodah of continuous teshuvah makes one joyously excited, “drunk on holiness.”] Superficially, it seems difficult that Chazal say that Nadav and Avihu died because they entered the Mishkan after imbibing wine.[7] Wasn’t teshuvah created before the world?[8] Isn’t it the reason we will be redeemed[9]? Does not the Zohar state that the beis in the first word of the Torah represents teshuvah?[10]

This is all true. Nevertheless, they failed to consult with Moshe and Aharon. And they didn’t marry.[11] Marriage is the unification of the avodos of Chochma and Binah. Moshe and Aharon taught that one must imbue his teshuvah, his aspect of Binah, with his aspect of Chochmah, the depths of who he is, his innermost self or pintele Yid, and resolve to improve from that moment on. How can he really improve? By connecting with Hashem at all times. This accessing of the deepest parts of ourselves is symbolized by the letter yud. [Note: On a simple level, the yud represents Chochmah, the small seed of an idea that must gestate through other stages before it is fully born. The yud is the smaller letter, it is just a point, a pintele Yid, that represents self-nullification, or making oneself smaller, before Hashem. This self-nullification is the birthplace of all wisdom, since “wisdom comes forth from nothingness.”[12]] This is the yud that will be added to the name of Dovid Hamelech in the ultimate future. [Instead of spelling it "דוד" we will spell it "דויד".] Dovid is the archetype of teshuvah since he accepted upon himself the yoke of teshuvah.[13] This is the unification of Binah and Chochmah within one’s teshuvah, as explained earlier.

The truth is that the Jewish people will only be redeemed in the merit of their teshuvah, and we have been promised by the Torah and Hashem’s prophets that at the end of the exile the Jewish people will repent completely.[14] “And it will be, when all of these things come upon you… And you will return to Hashem your G-d and Hashem your G-d will restore your returning…”[15] However, genuine teshuvah is not the guilt and self-recrimination that brings a person to depression that distances him from Hashem and from fulfilling his true purpose in life. On the contrary, teshuvah is meant to bring a person to true dveikus in Hashem in the way of Dovid HaMelech who decreed that we recite one hundred blesseings every day so that we are always reminded of Hashem. This is an aspect of continuous teshuvah. This is the marriage of Chochmah and Binah.

[1] See Zohar Hakadosh, Vayikra 39a
[2] See Midrash Rabbah, Shmini, Parsha 13; Bava Basra 74b; Zohar Hakadosh, vol. I, 135b; and Ginzei Meromim on the verse: "אחד באחד יגשו".
[3] Kitzur Shelah and many other sources.
[4] See Likutei Torah, Parshas Shmini
[5] Chulin 59a
[6] See Likutei Torah, Parshas Shmini
[7] Vayikra Rabbah, 20
[8] Pesachim 54b
[9] Sanhedrin 97b and Rambam
[10] Zohar Shemos, 180b
[11] Medrash Tanchuma, Acharei Mos 6
[12] Iyov 28:12
[13] Moed Katan 16
[14] Rambam, Hilchos Teshuvah 7:5
[15] Devarim 4:30; 30:3

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The Four Questions - Exceprt & Hebrew & English From R' Itchie Mayer

Here is Reb Itchie Mayer Morgenstern's Torah on Parshas Vayikra, with English excerpt and full text in both English and Hebrew in pdf form. You can send an e-mail to this address to subscribe to receive Rav Morgenstern's Torah in your e-mail box every week.

Whenever a person has doubts about whether his prayers are effective or not, he must hold strong to pure and simple faith. In truth, the Jewish people have an innate azus d’kedushah because they know with certainty that their prayers act as they should to draw down Hashem’s mercy and kindness because they are invigorated by their knowledge of the Torah and Hashem’s Name. This is what gives us strength and courage—it makes us like Boaz, “strength is in him.”

This is the inner meaning of the children having all of their questions answered, “Here the son asks,” this is the time when all that we ask for is answered for the good. This is the night when we receive an infusion of azus d’kedushah from above so that we can ask for all that we require materially and spiritually, so that we can conquer every battle without getting confused on whether what we seek is lishmah or not. These are the tools we need to receive the light of the redemption, and each person has unique holy sparks that only he needs to repair in order to help bring the geulah.

From where do we get this azus d’kedushah so that we can redeem prayer? From the Torah itself, which is the aspect of Rachel and which shines brightly on Pesach night. It illuminates prayer, and then this confident and strong prayer empowers the person to contemplate the light of G-dliness and the Torah alone. It is forbidden for a person to allow himself to fall into doubts about the efficacy of his prayer, because that is a sure path to melancholy and sadness since one must avoid speculation and philosophizing in the world of Asiyah completely. If one just holds strongly to his azus d’kedushah and the knowledge that every single word of prayer is precious and accepted, he will be able, in the merit of the tzaddikim, to draw down the light of Da’as and understand that his driving off the doubts was itself the holy spark that he needed to repair. This allows him to re-enter Hashem’s service with freshness and energy. On Pesach night, he can sit confidently like a little child who trusts that his parents will give him all the gifts—he will know with certainty that Hashem will provide him with all of the salvation that he requires. This is how Yosef saves Yehudah/Dovid.

Shabbos HaGadol

The Chasam Sofer taught that Shabbos HaGadol is particularly auspicious for the arrival of Moshiach. The K’sav Sofer explained that even though the Arizal taught that Eliyahu HaNavi will not come on Shabbos, nevertheless Moshiach will come before Shabbos and remain hidden until he is revealed on Shabbos. This Shabbos [before Pesach] is especially suited to the revelation of the concept of, “His Name is sure”—that the Jewish people have the ability to bring the redemption provided that they do not fall into doubts about the worthiness or effectiveness of their prayers. “His Name is sure”—we certainly can bring about the required salvation. In the merit of this faith, the redemption is drawn down.

This is the meaning of the haftarah of Shabbos HaGadol: that Hashem derives pleasure when a person connects with the holiness of prayer and doesn’t fall into the doubts of the world of Asiyah. Rather, the night of Pesach empowers him to attain clear and pure faith that Hashem hears ours prayers. This is why the redemption really depends on achieving a yichud in the world of Asiyah, which in turn strengthens us to beg for the redemption just as they cried out in Egypt. “And we will cry out to Hashem our G-d, and Hashem will hear our voices and see our affliction.”

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The Small Alef in Vayikra - Reb Itchie Mayer on the Parsha - Hebrew & English PDFs

Here is Reb Itchie Mayer Morgenstern's Torah on Parshas Vayikra, with English excerpt and full text in both English and Hebrew in pdf form. You can send an e-mail to this address to subscribe to receive Rav Morgenstern's Torah in your e-mail box every week.

“And Hashem called to Moshe and spoke to him from the tent of meeting, saying...”[1]

The Small Alef

The Arizal revealed that he achieved all that he did by virtue of the joy he felt in fulfilling mitzvos.[2] He was as supremely happy with every single mitzvah that he fulfilled as a person would be if he had profited by a million golden dinars. In the merit of this joy, all of the worlds opened before him and he was privileged to ascend and travel through all of them, from level to level. In this way, his soul was completely incorporated within the soul of Moshe Rabbeinu.

Similarly, the holy Baal Shem Tov—about whom Rav Mendel of Vitebesk testified that he was absolutely unique, and there had never been nor ever would be another like him—rose to all of the limitless levels that he did by virtue of being completely at one with every single Jewish soul.

These traits—joy in mitzvos and unity with other Jews—are both expressed by the small alef of the initial word of Vayikra. The small alef symbolizes being small in one’s own estimation in comparison with every other Jew, no matter who he might be. One cannot just remember that there is a mitzvah of ahavas Yisrael when someone is ill or tragedy strikes, G-d forbid. Even though it is true that, at such times, the bond between Jews is sparked into life, nevertheless this is not true love of one’s fellow Jew. The Baal Shem Tov achieved all that he did because he honored every single Jew with total self-nullification, and it was this that brought him to complete incorporation within the soul of Moshe Rabbeinu to whom the little alef of Hashem’s call referred directly. He sought to embody the little alef absolutely. As the Zohar teaches, “He who is small is great [רב]”—by making oneself small before everyone, one becomes incorporated within the truly great, the true Rav.

For us this means that we must also strive to think little of ourselves in comparison with others and not to cause any kind of pain or suffering to any Jew. Quite the contrary; we must be willing to sacrifice ourselves for their sake, and this is the uppermost yechidah aspect of one’s soul—to suffuse the soul of every single Jew you meet with joy and vitality, no matter who he is. Although, on the surface, this might appear to be a level that everyone can easily reach, it is not so simple. The alef means to teach[3]—humility demands great study and is not a simple avodah at all. To really intensify one’s love of his fellow Jews every single day and unite with all of their souls is a very deep kind of learning, and it was this that opened all of the gateways of heaven before the Baal Shem Tov just as simchah shel mitzvah had for the Arizal. One must actively contemplate and delve into the good that is in every single Jew.

The Baal HaTanya teaches that all of the Torah’s secrets are a manifestation of Chochmah, and the light of dveikus and experiencing delight in Hashem’s presence is a manifestation of Kesser. We have a general principle in Kabbalah that when one reaches a higher level, one automatically attains all of the levels below it. For this reason, when a person really takes pleasure in Hashem’s presence in a holy way of dveikus, he naturally also experiences the light of Chochmah. In just this way did the Baal Shem Tov attain all of the levels—by binding himself to the light of Kesser which is a “lover of all of Yisrael.” This bound him to each and every Jew, and once he was attached to the root of everything, he also merited the light of all of the other sefiros.

Rav Avraham b’Rav Nachman taught that this is why Moshiach is called “Prince of Peace.” Ultimately, Hashem will open all of the heavenly gates before Moshiach by virtue of his being a tzaddik who constantly seeks to foster peace among all Jews. The Baal Shem Tov shared a soul-root with Moshe because his main focus was also the avodah of the “small alef,” and in its merit he was privileged to hear Hashem “call to Moshe.”

[1] Vayikra 1:1
[2] Mishnah Berurah 669:10
[3] Iyov 33:33

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Rav Itchie Mayer Morgenstern on Parshas Vayakhel-Pikudei - Heb. & English pdf

Here is Reb Itchie Mayer Morgenstern's Torah on Parshas Vayakhel-Pikudei, with English excerpt and full text in both English and Hebrew in pdf form. You can send an e-mail to this address to subscribe to receive Rav Morgenstern's Torah in your e-mail box every week.

"אֵלֶּה פְקוּדֵי הַמִּשְׁכָּן מִשְׁכַּן הָעֵדֻת, אֲשֶׁר פֻּקַּד עַל-פִּי מֹשֶׁה: עֲבֹדַת הַלְוִיִּם בְּיַד אִיתָמָר בֶּן-אַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן... וַיְהִי מְאַת כִּכַּר הַכֶּסֶף לָצֶקֶת אֵת אַדְנֵי הַקֹּדֶשׁ וְאֵת אַדְנֵי הַפָּרֹכֶת: מְאַת אֲדָנִים לִמְאַת הַכִּכָּר, כִּכָּר לָאָדֶן."

“These are the accounts of the Mishkan, even the Mishkan of the testimony, as they were rendered according to the commandment of Moshe, through the service of the Leviim, by the hand of Itamar, the son of Aharon HaKohen... And the hundred talents of silver were for casting the sockets of the Mishkan, and the sockets of the veil: a hundred sockets for the hundred talents, a talent for a socket.”[1]

Rashi explains: “‘The sockets of the sanctuary’—[the sockets] of the forty-eight boards of the Mishkan, which had ninety-six sockets, together with the four sockets of the paroches makes a total of one hundred. The Torah says that all of the other sockets were of copper.”

Upholding the Mishkan

The main support of the Mishkan was from the placement of the boards within their sockets, which were donated by the Jewish people through the fixed rate of the half-shekel regardless of the wealth of the individual donor. It is this that the verse describes when it lists the measure of the hundred talents of silver, one talent for each socket. These were the sockets that upheld the boards which formed the structure of the Mishkan itself.

Reb Nosson of Breslov explains why it was necessary that the silver of the sockets come equally from every Jew: “They were commanded to each bring a half-shekel to teach us that no Jew is complete on his own; he has to join together with his fellow. The main rectification is achieved when everyone is brought together in love and unity, when each one is just a half until he is united with his friend, and that friend with yet another, until all of the varieties of opinions and personhoods become one within the absolute and simple unity of Hashem Himself. This process is most precious before Hashem. This is why, ‘The wealthy shall not add and the poor shall not give less’—so that there should be no division or difference among them.

It is necessary so that, ‘Each man’s wealth will atone for his soul, and the poor will not hear rebuke’[2]—so that the wealthy will not lord it over the poor and they will all achieve the rectification of tzedakah, which is to support the Torah in mutual love and respect. The main objective is to be united and subsumed within Hashem’s oneness, and this is only possible when a person is humble and self-effacing, when he nullifies his ego before his fellow Jews, when he, ‘Does not regard the wealthy above the poor.’[3] The giving of a uniform half-shekel demonstrates that all are equal before Hashem and everyone has a part to play in the establishment of the Mishkan, and through this Hashem’s absolute unity is revealed in the midst of variety and multiplicity. This is also why all the other offerings for the Mishkan were given in accordance with the person’s means, as Rashi explains at the beginning of Parshas Terumah. The unique nature of the half-shekel offering was to highlight to the wealthy that there is nothing to be prideful in their resources, because Hashem could just as easily build the Mishkan through the offerings of the poor, and He has the power to enrich the poor and impoverish the wealthy in any case. Although He does choose to give the merit of charity to those whom He has blessed with abundance, nevertheless the actual framework of the Mishkan is provided by each person equally. And the wealthy have no cause for pride, ‘For all is from You, and from Your hand do we give to You.’[4] The main act of tzedakah is in supporting Torah scholars who give birth to halachos, because this is a manifestation of the Mishkan built by Moshe Rabbeinu in every generation. And the main way in which we accomplish this is by revealing Hashem’s absolute oneness from among a multiplicity of actions.”[5]

This means that the basis of the integrity of the structure of the Mishkan derives from a relationship of equality between Torah scholars and those who support them, that they should be in a state of complete unity of the soul—that the silver sockets and the boards they support should be all of a piece. It is only when the supporters are unified with the talmidei chachamim and do not feel above them and the scholars do not feel superior in their scholarship that they are truly bound together and equal. Then the holiness of the boards also rests upon the sockets and the structure can stand securely, and the light of the yichud can shine brightly.

[1] Shemos 38:21,27
[2] Mishlei 13:8
[3] Iyov 34:19
[4] Divrei HaYamim I:29:14
[5] Likutei Halachos, Hilchos Apotropos #1

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*This* Shall Be Done for the Man Whom the King Wants to Honor - Reb Itchie Mayer on Tetzaveh

Here is Reb Itchie Mayer Morgenstern's Torah on Parshas Tetzaveh, with English excerpt and full text in both English and Hebrew in pdf form. You can send an e-mail to this address to subscribe to receive Rav Morgenstern's Torah in your e-mail box every week.

This is the level that the tzaddikim reach—of throwing themselves heart and soul into their avodah, and at the same time feeling certain and utterly secure in the fact that everything is done by Hashem alone, without it being contingent on their effort at all. This is the level of the “crown of crowns”—כתר כל הכתרים—which has the initials ככ"ה, as in, "כָּכָה יֵעָשֶׂה לָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר הַמֶּלֶךְ חָפֵץ בִּיקָרוֹ"—“So shall it be done for the man whom the king wants to honor.”[1] The tzaddikim bind together the external avodah of effort with the internal avodah of serene dveikus which is the level of the fiftieth gate. Although they are constantly in the state of the fiftieth gate of prayer and dveikus, they do not fall into the danger of abandoning the effort of Torah study in its plainest sense. The oil is to be crushed “for the light, and not for the menachos.”

We see this dual state in Mordechai HaTzaddik. Inside, he was always in the state of, “And Mordechai knew all that was happening.”[2] He knew within himself that there is nothing but Hashem, and his every movement and thought was only directed in prayer and dveikus to his Creator. He knew that the battle is to be won, “not by might and not by power.” But that is the internal avodah. From outside, he donned sackcloth and ashes and threw himself into the avodah of self-sacrifice. And the two are not mutually exclusive; the light of dveikus is what gives the tzaddik the energy to burn with a continuous flame in his external avodos.

It was to this unification of avodos that Hashem referred when He commanded Moshe Rabbeinu, “And you shall command the children of Yisrael,” you shall bind for them the internal and external aspects of avodah. Like you, they must know that everything is done by Hashem alone, and He does not require our contribution. At the same time, the building up of the Shechinah does demand effort on our part, that we should “crush” ourselves for the sake of the Shechinah and the Torah. The fact that the tzaddik can hold both of these avodos together in his mind and intentions is not self-contradictory—both are needed for the completion of avodah. The external effort creates a vessel so that the freely-given light of Hashem can enter. “Those who blacken themselves for Me [with effort by going to learn early and diligently] will find Me.”[3] “Whoever blackens himself for the sake of Torah will merit to shine in the world to come.”[4]

[1] Esther 6:11
[2] Ibid., 4:1
[3] Mishlei 8:17
[4] Sanhedrin 100a; Zohar II:140a

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Moshiach's Torah and Shabbos - Rav Itchie Mayer Morgenstern on Parshas Yisro

Here is Reb Itchie Mayer Morgenstern's Torah on Parshas Yisro, with English excerpt and full text in both English and Hebrew in pdf form. You can send an e-mail to this address to subscribe to receive Rav Morgenstern's Torah in your e-mail box every week.

“Remember the Shabbos day to keep it holy. Six days shall you
labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is Shabbos unto Hashem your G-d,
in it you shall not do any manner of work; you, nor your son, nor your daughter,
nor your manservant, nor your maidservant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger
that is within your gates. For during six days Hashem made heaven and earth, the
sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. It is for this that
Hashem blessed the Shabbos day and hallowed it.”[1]

Rashi explains: “‘And do all your work’—When Shabbos
arrives, it shall be in your eyes as though all of your work is done, so that
you do not remain preoccupied with labor.”[2]

Shabbos and the Torah of
the Future

Rebbe Nachman of Breslov taught that in the future, “on the
day that is entirely Shabbos,” the Torah of Atikah Sesima’ah will be
revealed.[3] As the verse says: "אָז תִּתְעַנַּג עַל הוי"ה"—“Then [in the
ultimate future] you will delight in [literally ‘upon’] Hashem-HaVaYaH.”[4] We
will delight upon HaVaYaH, which is the level of Atikah Sesima’ah.[5] This is
the main delight of Shabbos [and this verse is part of the extended kiddush of
the morning meal].

Reb Nosson of Breslov explains that the main element
of the sanctity of Shabbos derives from the Torah of Atikah Sesima’ah that will
be revealed and shine forth in the ultimate future. Although the Torah will
never be dispensed with, G-d forbid, and one should never think that the Torah
that we have now will ever be replaced, nevertheless the purpose of the arrival
of Moshiach is to reveal a “new Torah”—to help us fulfill the Torah completely.
Even now we can see that although Hashem commanded us to “be holy”—to sanctify
ourselves to an added degree within the limits of that which is permitted to
us[6]—nevertheless it is hard for us to find and follow a path that will lead us
to fulfill this commandment completely. Similarly, we find ourselves falling
short of fulfilling all of the Torah’s mitzvos perfectly, in all of their
detail, without ulterior motives. And even though Hashem planted tzaddikim in
every generation who provide us with guidance and instruction, still we feel far
from genuine avodah because the Soton exerts efforts to upend all the best
advice and intentions.

However, when Moshiach arrives he will be known
as Pele Yo’etz—“wondrous advisor”—[because his advice will achieve its purpose
fully].[7] Then we will see the fruition of the promise: “Behold, days are
coming, says Hashem, and I will make a new covenant with the house of Yisrael
and with the house of Yehudah. It is not according to the covenant that I made
with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of
the land of Egypt, for they broke My covenant, although I was a master over
them, says Hashem.”[8] This means that true guidance will be revealed that
cannot be “broken” by the sitra achra so that the Jewish people will be able to
fulfill the Torah’s commandments completely, and then they will attain an
everlasting redemption. This level corresponds with the holiness of the Shabbos,
because Shabbos comprises the letters תשוב:"וְשַׁבְתָּ עַד ה' אֱלֹקֶיךָ"—“And
you will repent/return to Hashem, your G-d.”[9] As Rebbe Nachman expressed it,
through observing the Shabbos, one draws the light of Moshiach and of repentance
upon himself.[10]

[1] Shemos 20:7-10
[2] Mechiltah
[3] Likutei
Moharan I:49
[4] Yeshayah 58:14
[5] Zohar I:219
[6] Vayikra 19:2 and
Rashi there.
[7] Yeshayah 9:5
[8] Yirmiyah 31:30-31
[9] Devarim 30:2
[10] Sefer HaMiddos

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The Avodah of Tu B’Shevat - Rav Itchie Mayer Morgenstern on B'Shalach

Here is Reb Itchie Mayer Morgenstern's Torah on Parshas B'shalach, with English excerpt and full text in both English and Hebrew in pdf form. You can send an e-mail to this address to subscribe to receive Rav Morgenstern's Torah in your e-mail box every week.

As we approach the “Rosh Hashanah of the Tree,” we must return to the avodah of uniting the Divine Names HaVaYaH and ADNI, for their combined numerical value is equal to that of אילן or “tree.” [26 + 65 = 91] It is upon this “tree” that all of the fruits through which Eretz Yisrael is praised grow, and the last of them is the date which alludes to the Shechinah that is hidden within the lowest level of the world of Beriyah and needs to be uplifted. Amalek sought to uproot the tree, meaning they sought to interrupt our ability to make this yichud. They were willing to leave us to study Torah as long as we abandoned the true purpose of Torah study, which is to connect to the Creator. Amalek’s object is to “darken the face of the Torah,” but the tzaddik continues his seeking after Hashem’s presence without interruption, so that Hashem should rule alone over all of His creation in a revealed way, immediately. The tzaddik devotes himself to rescuing the Torah from her imprisonment by revealing its secrets and light to the world as a whole. Even though every form of self-sacrifice is very precious to Hashem, the highest form of mesirus nefesh is that which is on behalf of the Torah itself, that all of its parts and secrets should be revealed. The great self-sacrifice of Nachshon ben Aminadav for the sake of the Torah is precious, but it only can happen by virtue of the self-sacrifice of Moshe Rabbeinu who devoted himself to the Torah’s secrets, who “split the sea of wisdom.”

Self-sacrifice for the sake of the Torah’s secrets does not mean, as some might believe, for “Kabbalah.” Rather, it means absolute devotion to the simple meaning of the Torah as well, each person in accordance with the root of his own soul, to the aspect of the Torah that is “hidden” from him because he has not yet penetrated it. Each concept that is still a secret for a person is called “the Torah’s secrets,” because no one has ever really sacrificed himself to the utmost extent for the Torah, in accordance with her worth. As the Baal Shem Tov taught, “‘Hashem’s Torah is pure’—she is still pure and whole, no one has yet so much as touched her.”[1]

This is a reflection of the teaching of the Zohar, that one must break through the besulim and the hidden aspect of the Torah. The Torah anxiously awaits the tzaddik who will come and break through the barriers so that her light can be revealed throughout all the world. This is why the exile goes on; because the Torah is hidden among the klippos, but to the degree to which each person works to release her from her exile, so too will he merit to see the light of Hashem that rests upon the head of each and every tzaddik. Then he too will be able to devote himself completely to the Torah as well, so that the barrier between Atzilus and Beriyah will be split and Hashem’s glory will be revealed everywhere.

The Bones of Yosef

A person must never say that since he manages to devote part of his time to Torah study he is doing enough. This kind of complacent attitude is not characteristic of the person described in the verse, “Those who diligently pursue Me [who darken themselves with effort and who wake early to study] will find Me.”[2] [The root word שחר indicates all of these things.] A person must “darken himself” for the sake of the Torah and dedicate himself body and soul above all reasoning and understanding.

We can see the difference between the former attitude and the latter manner of the tzaddik when we examine what happened when the Jewish people left Egypt. The Jewish people busied themselves gathering up the wealth of Egypt—gold and silver represent the emotive attributes of fear and love of G-d—but Moshe Rabbeinu was only preoccupied with gathering the bones of Yosef to bring them out of Egypt. The bones of Yosef represent the essence and ultimate truth of Divine service [עצמות = עצם], which is unifying Hashem’s Name and revealing His glory throughout the world. Moshe Rabbeinu was like the simple baal habayis who spends all day at work and grabs whatever time he can at night to learn so that he can have some connection with the holy Torah beyond all reasoning and understanding. This is the inner meaning of Moshe marrying “the Cushite woman.” He “darkened himself” for the sake of bonding with the Shechinah who is hidden in dark and deep places, and in return he merited to reach the level of Reisha d’Lo Isyadah, of “the head that is not known,” the highest awareness of Hashem that transcends all knowledge and understanding. This is the Shem HaVaYaH that rests upon the head of each and every tzaddik. May Hashem help us to magnify the glory of His Name, and may we merit to uplift the Shechinah from the depths of her imprisonment and dress her in garments of honor and glory, until we merit to see “eye to eye, Hashem’s return to Tzion.” Speedily and in our days, Amen.

[1] Baal Shem Tov Al HaTorah, Bereishis 34
[2] Mishlei 8:17

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Closing Your Eyes for Hisbonenus - Reb Itchie Mayer Morgenstern on Parshas Bo

Here is Reb Itchie Mayer Morgenstern's Torah on Parshas Bo, with English excerpt and full text in both English and Hebrew in pdf form. You can send an e-mail to this address to subscribe to receive Rav Morgenstern's Torah in your e-mail box every week.

When a Jew spends time in hisbodedus before his Creator, he closes his eyes so as not to be enticed by the illusory pleasures of this world because he doesn’t want to be connected to them. He knows that, for him, the “sweetness and light” of the Egyptians is absolute darkness, and the “darkness” of his avoidance of the temptations of this world is, for him, “light in his dwelling places.” When he closes his eyes in this way, he is able to see the brilliant hues that are rooted in the “hidden mind” of Mocha Sesima’ah, and he begins to derive pleasure from spiritual reality, from the fact that Hashem is revealed through a myriad of shades and hues of dveikus. He starts to feel Hashem’s light and glory within himself, and how all of the pleasures of this world are null and void, are like a mere sliver of light, compared with the delight of dveikus that is a composite of all possible forms of bliss.

“The Torah was only given to those who ate of the manna.”[1] The manna itself was rooted in the level called the “holy flame” or Mocha Sesima’ah as well, because it too was white which is a composite of all shades. This was expressed in the fact that those who ate of it could taste in it any flavor that they desired, just as Hashem’s light comprises all of the pleasures that are possible. So when a person seals his vision against the illusory nature of this world, he rises to the place of the “airspace” and its “membrane,” which is really the source of the human soul and its throne of glory. In that place it can be said, “From my flesh, I see G-d.” One begins to enjoy a vision of the ultimate Kisei HaKavod upon which the “form of a person sat.”[2] [Although he does not share the lofty vision of Hashem seen by Yechezkel HaNavi, nevertheless] he begins to get a sense of the presence of Hashem before whom he serves, just as the tzaddikim were able to “see” themselves serving before Hashem’s Kisei HaKavod as they prayed.

The final three plagues parallel these three states of dveikus: first, a person must meditate and be misboded on the expansive Binah light of Hashem. Then he must ascend to the place of the “hidden mind” which is the counterpart of the holy darkness of turning aside from this-worldly concerns to receive “light in all his dwellings.” With this, he destroys the klippah of the impure firstborn and rises further to the place of the “membrane of the airspace” and the “airspace” itself which correlates to the level of the Da’as of Atik and which reveals to him the source of his neshamah that “sits upon the throne.” The entire process is embodied within the blessing Asher Yatzar which is known to subdue all of the klippos. “It is revealed and known before Your Kisei HaKavod...” Meaning, through coming to the level of the Kisei HaKavod, we are able to subdue all of the klippos and utterly “smite Egypt through their firstborns.”[3]

[1] Midrash Tanchuma, Parshas B’shalach #1
[2] Yechezkel 1:26
[3] Tehillim 136:10

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Rav Itchie Mayer Morgenstern on Parshas Vayigash - English Excerpt & Full Text

Sorry for the delay but here is Reb Itchie Mayer Morgenstern's Torah on Parshas Vayigash, with English excerpt and full text in both English and Hebrew in pdf form.

“Then Yehudah approached him, and said: ‘Oh my lord, let your servant, I pray you, speak a word in my lord’s ears, and let not your anger burn against your servant; for you are even as Pharaoh. My lord asked his servants, saying: Have you a father, or a brother? And we said unto my lord: We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loves him.”

Rashi explains: “‘And [Yehudah] approached him...speak a work in my lord’s ears’—May my words enter your ears. ‘And let not your anger burn’—From here we learn that he spoke harshly to him. ‘For you are even as Pharaoh’—Its simple meaning is that you are as important in my eyes as Pharaoh. The Midrash teaches that, ‘Your end will be to be struck with leprosy just like Pharaoh was by my grandmother Sarah, for having kept her over one night.’ Another interpretation is, ‘Just as Pharaoh makes decrees that he doesn’t fulfill and promises that he doesn’t keep, so do you. Is this what you call “placing an eye” upon someone, that you said that you only want to “place your eye on him?”’ Another interpretation is, ‘You are just like Pharaoh—if you fight with me, I will kill both you and your master.’”

We find in the Zohar on the opening verse of this week’s parshah: “‘And Yehudah approached him’—Two worlds approached one another, to join one to the other so that they would become one, because Yehudah is a king and Yosef is a king. One came close to the other and they were joined one to the other.” This indicates that at the time of Yehudah’s approach toward Yosef, they were united. Yet this appears to contradict the Midrash that Rashi cites, that Yehudah spoke harshly to Yosef and went on the defensive with him.

...The path of contemplative avodah that leads to complete self-forgetting within Hashem’s light is that of Yosef HaTzaddik who reveals the “white light.” The path of contemplation in the manner of tzimtzum—meditation upon the limits and boundaries that serve to further adorn and highlight that which is limitless—is the path of Dovid HaMelech who reveals the “black light.” These are the two “worlds approaching one another, the two pathways of Yehudah and Yosef that one must know and appreciate individually as well as in conjunction with one another. Anyone who does not know how to join them has spiritually descended to Mitzrayim. Exclusive focus on Yehudah-type fiery yearning and effort will deprive him of serenity in his avodah, while exclusive focus on the cool meditative waters of Yosef will sap him of the ability to expend effort in avodah so that he will not be able to achieve completion. This inevitably leads to dissatisfaction and joylessness in his Divine service.

...After all of the contemplation and meditation and dveikus, everything must return to the state of self-nullification, to the “black fire” of realizing that no matter how much one apprehends G-dliness, it is all black and occluded when compared with the truth of Hashem’s light, which is beyond all apprehension.[1] When a created being comes to realize its nothingness and limitation, this realization becomes a vessel that can contain a spirit of prophecy, so that Hashem’s spirit can dwell within him. All the while that a person believes that he actually has the power to achieve closeness to Hashem through his own efforts and does not realize how dependent he is on Hashem’s mercy, he has no proper vessel in which to draw down a spirit of life and vitality from Hashem. He therefore must “return to dust,” to the aspect of Malchus, and understand that all of the levels that he can possibly reach are only reflections of the light that Hashem reveals, but they are as null and void when compared with the truth of Hashem’s light.

[1] Tikkunei Zohar, Tikkun #70

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Kavanah For Lighting the Menorah on Parshas Mikeitz - R' Itchie Mayer Morgenstern

Reb Itchie Mayer Morgenstern's Torah on Parshas Mikeitz and Chaunkah, with English excerpt and full text in both English and Hebrew in pdf form, just in time for the last day of Chanukah!

Even when a person seeks dveikus [Yosef] with all of his might, he still requires the level of Dovid-Yehudah [desire] to complete his Divine service. Although Yosef was kodesh kodashim, all the while that he was separate from Yehudah’s aspect he could not leave his imprisonment. Even when a person seeks the spiritual pleasures of the level of Chochmah, he still must be filled with yearning to access true closeness to Hashem. Avshalom is an example of a person who accessed the level of Chochmah without yearning for further improvement and closeness to Hashem. He had a “bad eye,” or a negative attitude that tainted his imagination. This made him unworthy of ascension to the throne of Dovid-Yehudah.[1] Clearly, we too must take care to always work on strengthening our yearning for holiness. Without its force, we run the risk of remaining fools who wander around spiritually without ever really achieving anything lasting.

Every desire for holiness is a form of prayer before Hashem. This is how Rav Pinchas of Koretz explains the folk adage of his day: “If a person’s house burns down, he’ll become wealthy.” This is because when people see how miserable he is, their hearts go out to him. They then feel a strong desire that he recover from his personal catastrophe. These desires act as petitions before Hashem, and sometimes they are so abundant that they transform the sufferer into a wealthy man.

Rebbe Nachman teaches a similar concept, but he explains that the desire is much more powerful when one expresses it in words, since it actually assumes the character of prayer. After a Jew reaches the aspect of mikeitz-kamatz, he arrives at the next level: “And Pharaoh dreamed.” This means that he accessed the positive aspect of the imaginative faculty which is the avodah of Yosef who was called, “master of dreams.”[2] At this level, one is able to make yichudim, holy unifications, in his thoughts.

The main avodah of Chanukah is to draw down the light of Hashem into our every limb, in the manner of the yichud of ner. This yichud is composed of combining each of the Divine Names EHYH, ELHIM, and ADNI with the Sheim HaVaYaH. The first combination with אהי"ה represents CHaBaD; the second with אלהי"ם alludes to CHaGaT; and the third with אדנ"י to NH”Y. These six Names have a total numerical value of 250, the same as that of נ"ר, or candle. [יהו"ה = 26; 3 x 26 = 72; אהי"ה = 21; אלהי"ם = 86; אדנ"י = 65; the total including another 6 for the kollel of each of the six sheimos = 250] This is the yichud that we make by lighting the Chanukah candles.[1]

Practically, this means that through the lights of Chanukah we purify ourselves from our desire for food which corresponds to CHaBaD, for money which corresponds to CHaGaT, and from our base urges which correspond to NH”Y. [On a simple level, this is because one eats with his mouth which is in his head which is the seat of the mentalities of CHaBaD, one does business transactions with his hands which is in the realm of the torso of CHaGaT, and the baser urges are sourced in the lower realm from the waist down.] Our task when we light the menorah is to beg Hashem to bless us with true purity in these areas. We must take pleasure in Hashem and also feel a powerful yearning to increase in holiness, just as we light another candle each night of Chanukah.

[1] Pri Eitz Chaim, Chanukah
[2] Likutei Moharan, loc cit.
[3] Ibid

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Reb Itchie Mayer Morgenstern on Parshas Vayeshev

Reb Itchie Mayer Morgenstern's Torah on Parshas Vayeshev, with English excerpt and full text in both English and Hebrew in pdf form:

The main task of Chanukah is to rectify the aspects of Yaakov and Yosef. We can do this by contemplating the lights of Chanukah and recognizing that the entire expanse of creation is exclusively a reflection of the light of Hashem. We must also learn the thirty-six tractates of Shas, since each one opens the gates to a different spiritual illumination. [There are a total of thirty-six candles lit on Chanukah, exclusive of the eight shamashim.] We must also celebrate Chanukah with an abundance of joy and praise and thanksgiving to Hashem. But we must also rectify Netzach, since without Netzach we cannot completely rectify Hod. The avodah of Netzach on Chanukah is to learn an abundance of Torah, and give as much tzedakah as possible, in an aspect of Yissachar [Torah] and Gad [gomel dalim]. We must also strengthen our bitachon that the thirteen attributes of mercy are drawn down during Chanukah.

Our every action during these days must performed with joy and good heartedness, as we feel the pleasure of connection with Hashem in an aspect of Asher, [which also means fortunate, and whose portion flows with the olive oil of the menorah]. We must be very wary not to act out of depression or sadness, since this flips the letters of הוד to דוה, from splendor to suffering, as we find in the verse, "כָּל-הַיּוֹם דָּוָה"—“All the day is pain.”[2] Instead we must strengthen ourselves in the avodah of teshuvah and bitachon. We must draw down the light of the Chashmonaim, whose every victory was due to their inexhaustible bitachon in Hashem. It was their trust in Hashem that empowered them to act with courage and self-sacrifice. Regarding their victories, our sages teach that although they were not worthy of such miracles, they won in the merit of their bitachon that Hashem would save them from their enemies.

[1] Sefer Halikutim, Parshas Vayeishev
[2] Eichah 1:13

Toras Chochom on Vayeshev
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Rav Itchie Mayer Morgenstern on Parshas Vayishlach - Excerpt & Full PDFs

Below is an excerpt from the English translation of the drasha given by Rav Itchie Mayer Morgenstern on Parshas Vayishlach. Below that are links to download the full Hebrew and/or English translation texts in pdf format...

"וַיִּוָּתֵר יַעֲקֹב לְבַדּוֹ וַיֵּאָבֵק אִישׁ עִמּוֹ עַד עֲלוֹת הַשָּׁחַר. וַיַּרְא כִּי לֹא יָכֹל לוֹ, וַיִּגַּע בְּכַף-יְרֵכוֹ;
וַתֵּקַע כַּף-יֶרֶךְ יַעֲקֹב בְּהֵאָבְקוֹ עִמּוֹ."

“And Yaakov was left alone, and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Yaakov’s thigh was strained as he wrestled with him.”[1]

Rashi explains: “‘And Yaakov remained’—he returned to retrieve some small vessels he had forgotten. ‘And there wrestled [וַיֵּאָבֵק] a man’—Menachem explains this word means that Yaakov got dusty from the dirt [אבק] that got kicked up during their struggle. But I think this comes from the Aramaic word that means to bind oneself to another, since this is the way of two people when they fight. They grapple with each other, each attempting to fell his opponent. Our rabbis teach that this was Eisav’s heavenly counterpart, his “angel.”

The Tzaddik without Arms and the Tzaddik without Feet

Rebbe Nachman teaches in the “Seven Beggars,” which is the last of his remarkable tales, that there are two different types of tzaddikim. The first tzaddik is “without hands.” [Because of the illusory nature of this world, he appears to be deficient in the attribute that he has actually perfected. This tzaddik actually has wondrous spiritual power in his hands.] The task of this tzaddik is to heal the princess [the Jewish soul, the Shechinah] from the arrows shot at her even after they have already inflicted harmful wounds. This tzaddik alludes to Moshiach ben Yosef who embodies the general level of chayah. [Chayah is equivalent to Chochmah; it is the intense vitality and spiritual wakefulness that is the gift of Chochmah.]
This is the secret of the Tikkun HaKlali, the “general remedy” that expresses the fourfold song that will be sung in the ultimate future. This new song is described in the Tikkunei Zohar as a “single, double, triple, and quadruple song.”[2]

Rebbe Nachman did not speak at length about the second tzaddik “without legs,” but Rav Avraham ben Rav Nachman reveals that the beginning of the story sheds light on his task at the end. In the beginning of the story, we find that the prince fell to heresy. We see that the tzaddik without legs is Moshiach ben Dovid whose task will be to cure the King’s son of the ills of apostasy.

These two aspects allude to the two major klippos that cause Jewish souls to sin. The first attacks Yesod / Foundation and breaches personal purity and is symbolized by serpents. The task of Moshiach ben Yosef is to heal Jewish souls of these blemishes that are known as “snake venom.” He must inject powerful sanctity in us all to counter all such negative effects. The second aspect of Moshiach ben Dovid will rectify blemishes in Malchus [accepting Hashem’s Kingship], which are the many heresies and negative philosophies that abound. This second evil is stronger than the first and is much harder to heal.

The Arizal taught that the supernal light of Chanukah and Purim rectify both blemishes of the wound of Yaakov through the powers of Moshiach ben Yosef and Moshiach ben Dovid.

The Avodah of Chanukah: Moshiach ben Yosef

On Chanukah our task is to gaze at the candles and contemplate that the entire creation is from Hashem, since nothing exists but Him. We must think about this deeply until we are filled with a powerful yearning to serve Hashem through “running and returning.”

We must remember that the candles are ideally lit with olive oil that has been “crushed to give light.” This means experiencing the passionate subsuming of the self within the absoluteness of Hashem so that one becomes willing to sacrifice himself to serve Hashem with holy fire. At the same time, we must ascend and be included with the Primal Cause and feel the pleasure of connection with Him.

One who follows this path will stop falling prey to his physical desires, since what is really drawing a person to indulge is the G-dliness that is trapped within physical reality. The moment that tzaddikim feel drawn to partake of an unnecessary physical pleasure, they transform the impulse into a vessel that receives the light of Hashem. Through self-sacrifice, they merit the deep pleasure of oneness with Hashem. And the more material and slowly the craving, the stronger the vessel forged by rejecting it with self-sacrifice. The more that evil tries to entice a person and prevent him from ascending on high, the more his fiery yearning makes a ner tamid, an eternal flame, that embodies both nullification of the self and taking pleasure in the Creator.

Devarim 4:35
Bereishis 32:25-26
Tikkunei Zohar, pg.
21b. See Likutei Moharan II:24 and 92
[1] Bereishis 32:25-26
[2]
Tikkunei Zohar, pg. 21b. See Likutei Moharan II:24 and 9

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Rav Itchie Mayer Morgenstern on Vayeira - Excerpt & Full Text

The following is a section from Rav Itchie Mayer Morgenstern's drasha from this past week on Parshas Vayeira. You can get the links to download the full pdf versions of the write-up of these shiurim in both Hebrew and in English translation below:

People tend to stumble through the physical world like blind men who walk in darkness. As a result of the great impurity that pervades the physical world, we are like a חולה—a sick person—which itself has a numerical value of forty-nine, the forty-nine gates of impurity that affect us all in one way or another. When a person who is bound to impurity learns Torah and prays, he does this in a very dry manner, with no vitality or light. It is for this reason that Avraham Avinu commanded us to be like angels in the way we have already described until Hashem “appears to us,” “visits the sick,” and delivers us by lifting us up from the forty-nine gates of Binah to the fiftieth gate. This is the only way to be truly freed from the deep darkness of the physical world—by powerful contemplation of Hashem’s Name in the manner of the fiftieth gate of Binah.

Rav Tzaddok HaKohen of Lublin teaches that after Hashem appeared to Avraham in the beginning of our parshah he was never again alone, since Hashem’s Presence accompanied him everywhere afterward. Hashem blessed Avraham with the ability to draw the revelation of Elokus into the oral Torah.[1] It is about this blessing that our sages commented on the verse, "הוֹשִׁבַנִי בְמַחֲשַׁכִּים"—“He has set me in dark places...”[2] Every Jew can follow Avraham’s legacy and perceive Hashem at all times, and especially when he is learning or praying, since Yitzchak inherited this from his father and passed it on to his son Yaakov. This is the meaning of the Midrash on the verse, "וְיִתֶּן-לְךָ הָאֱלֹקִים"—“‘And G-d will give you...’—He will give you Elokus.”[3] This indicates that Hashem enabled Yaakov and his descendants to cleave to Hashem at all times.

But this level cannot be attained all at once. Instead, one must slowly eject the darkness that is within him until he escapes the upheaval of the spiritual state of Sodom. As we find in the verse, "וּמְשַׁחֲרַי יִמְצָאֻנְנִי"—“Those who rise early diligently to seek Me will find Me.”[1] If we truly seek the Shechinah we will eventually merit to find Hashem.

[1] Mishlei 8:17

[1] Pri Tzaddik, Vayeira, #7
[2] Tehillim 143:3
[3] Bereishis 27:28; Bereishis Rabbah loc cit

Click on the following links to get the full pdf text of Rav Itchie Mayer Morgenstern's Torah on Parshas Vayeira:

Toras Chochom on Vayeira
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