Beha’alotcha תרל”ד

תרל”ה
ויעש כן אהרן. שלא שינה. יש לפרש כי עשה מעשה המצוה כל ימי חייו בכוונה ורצון אחד. כי דרך כל אדם. שבהתחלה מתעורר לטוב. אח”כ נשכח ממנו. וצריך לחפש התעוררות באופן אחר תמיד. והאמת כי ההתפעלות הראשון הוא המובחר לזאת נאמר על אהרן שלא שינה וממילא בא לו תמיד השגות חדשות כמ”ש אם שמוע בישן תשמע בחדש:

Rashi explains that when the Torah states “And Aharon did it so,” it means that Aharon did not change. This can be understood in two ways. Firstly, Rashi suggests that it refers to Aharon not becoming haughty. However, we can also interpret it as Aharon continuing to perform the mitzvah of kindling the menorah with the same intention and enthusiasm throughout his life. Often, people start new endeavors with great excitement, but over time, that enthusiasm wanes. It is important to constantly seek new ways to maintain that initial excitement. The truth is that the initial excitement is actually the best and most preferable state. This is why Aharon’s unwavering commitment is praised, as he always maintained that initial enthusiasm.

By preserving this initial excitement, one is able to gain new insights, as the pasuk in Devarim (11:13) states, “If you will surely hear.” Rashi explains that this means by paying special attention to things one is already familiar with, it will lead to new and deeper insights.

והאספסוף כו’ התאוו תאוה כו’ אספה לי שבעים איש כו’. פרשנו בהקדם המשנה עשה רצונו כרצונך כדי כו’. ואין מובן מה שיעשה רצונך כרצונו. בטל רצונך כו’. ביאור הענין כי האלקים עשה את האדם ישר פי’ שלא הי’ צריך לחפש עצות והי’ מיוחד לעשות רצון בוראו בלבד כמו כל הנבראים שמים וארץ שעושין רצון הבורא. אך ע”י החטא נתקלקל הדביקות לכן יש עתה רצונות אחרים אשר לא לה’ המה. וע”י העבודה לסור מרע יכולין לבוא לרצון אמת. ומרע”ה הי’ נפרש מעוה”ז לגמרי. וכן היו ראוים בנ”י להיות בקבלת התורה רק שגרם החטא ולא הי’ להם הדביקות כראוי. לכן התאוו תאוה. פי’ לשם שמים שכאשר לא היו יכולין להיות במדריגה עליונה כנ”ל בחי’ מרע”ה אספקלריא דנהרא. פי’ שא”צ לבוא ע”י רצונות אחרים כלל. והוא בחי’ רוח ונפש כמ”ש בספרים שיש לכל איש ישראל נר”נ. ובחי’ נפש הוא מדריגה התחתונה שבא בהתפעלות נפש האדם. וזה אינו יכול להיות רק ע”י סור מרע כנ”ל. ואיש אשר רוח בו הוא בחי’ אדם ישר שאינו צריך לעצות אלו. ואיתא במד’ על אספה לי שבעים איש הבונה בשמים מעלותיו ואגודתו על ארץ יסדה משל בנין העומד על ספינות מקושרות כו’ עי”ש. כי בשמים אין צריכין התקשרות רק למטה בחי’ שבעים נפש שהם נגד ע’ אומות וכ’ רש”י ז”ל שנק’ נפש אחת ע”ש פרשת שמות. שבחי’ נפש הוא התאספות כל הרצונות למשכם לשמים. ומרע”ה לא הי’ צריך למדרגה זו והוא בחי’ עשה טוב. וז”ש עשה רצונו כרצונך ממש בלי עצות ועי”ז תוכל לקבל ההשפעה הבאה מהשי”ת בלי השתנות כענין המן לחם מן השמים והי’ בזכות משה כידוע. אך בנ”י אמרו נפשנו יבשה כו’ לכן נאמר אספה לי שבעים איש בחי’ תחתונה התקשרות הספינות בחי’ סור מרע. וז”ש בטל רצונך נגד מל”ת וע”י ביטול רצון יצה”ר יזכה שיבער השי”ת רוח הטומאה וז”ש שיבטל רצון אחרים כו’ [וי”ל ואגודתו מלשון גידים ששס”ה ל”ת הם נגד שס”ה גידין כנ”ל] והוא בחי’ נפש כנ”ל והבן כ”ז. עכ”ז נחשב לחטא כי היו צריכין להאמין בהקב”ה וע”י האמונה היו יכולין להתדבק במדריגת רוח ג”כ כי ע”י אמונה באין לאמת כמ”ש במק”א:

The Sfas Emes explains how the asafsuf were on a lower level than Moshe. They thought that they needed to use external desires to become excited and serve HaShem properly. This is why they were not satisfied with the manah which was a Heavenly food, and they desired meat.
Moshe was on a completely different level, and therefore required the seventy elders who were able to unify these lower desires to serve HaShem.
It was nevertheless considered a din, for they should have had emunah which would ultimately lead them to this elevated level where they could connect directly to the blessing of HaShem.

In understanding the story of the ‘asafsuf,’ some of Bnei Yisrael had a desire to eat meat and complained to Moshe. This can be explained along the lines of the Mishna in Avot (2:4) “Make His will like your will, so that He will make your will like His will.” What is the idea of making your will like His will?

The explanation is as follows: HaShem created man perfect. This means that initially, man was created without the need to find new ways to serve Him, for man was created to do the will of HaShem, just as the rest of creation does. However, it was through sin that this connection to HaShem became ruined. Therefore, now we are mixed with other external desires that are not godly. It is through the connection of staying away from sin that we are able to come to the truth.

Now Moshe Rabbeinu was completely separated from this world, and so too Bnei Yisrael were also supposed to be at the giving of the Torah. Yet, since they were affected by sin, they now wanted to have desires. This means that their intention was for the sake of Heaven because they realized that they were not on the level of Moshe, who was completely removed from sin. They knew that they could only attain their levels of closeness by mixing in external desires and excitement.

Yet Moshe was on the level of a completely illuminating light (aspaklaria hameira), meaning he did not need any external desires. A person is made up of Nefesh, Ruach, and Neshama. The lower levels of Nefesh and Ruach require excitement from external sources, which are only able to be effective through abstaining from sin. Yet one who is completely pure (Moshe) does not need any of these externalities.

The Midrash states that when Moshe was challenged by the asafsuf, HaShem told him to gather seventy elders. These elders were referred to in the singular tense because in Heaven, they do not need this connection. Yet down in this world, they were able to unify all the desires and focus them on the good.

However, Moshe was above this level and connected to the idea of “do good” and did not need the seventy elders to unify all the desires correctly.

With this, we can understand the idea of “Make His will like your will.” This means that one’s will should be like that of HaShem, without any externalities. This will enable a person to receive the blessing from HaShem as it is. Just as Bnei Yisrael received manna, a heavenly food, which was in the merit of Moshe.

Yet Bnei Yisrael sinned, and they complained about the manna, saying “our souls are dried up” – “נפשנו יבשה.” This referred to their lower levels of the soul, which could not connect directly to the higher will of HaShem and needed external excitements brought through the seventy elders.

With this, we can understand the continuation of the Mishna: Nullify your will, which is referring to the negative commandments. It is through the nullification of one’s desires that one merits HaShem removing the spirit of impurity. This is the concept of the continuation of the Mishna, “So that He will nullify the will of others to your will.”

Indeed, even though the asafsuf’s intention was for the sake of Heaven, nevertheless, what they were doing was considered a sin, for they should have trusted HaShem. It is through this emunah (faith) that they would

be able to connect to the higher level of Ruach, and it is also through emunah that brings a person to truth.