Shavuot תרל”א
תרל”א
בעזה”י שבועות . לא נכתב כסדר. ליל א’
יום א’
בגמ’ ארץ יראה ושקטה. אם יראה למה שקטה. שקטה למה יראה. אלא בתחלה יראה ולבסוף שקטה כדריש לקיש תנאי התנה הקב”ה אם בנ”י מקבלין התורה מוטב ואם לאו מחזיר עולם לתוהו ובהו כו’.
The Gemara (Brachot 88a). Ḥizkiya said: What is the meaning of that which is written: “You caused sentence to be heard from heaven; the earth feared, and was silent” (Psalms 76:9)? If it was afraid, why was it silent; and if it was silent, why was it afraid? Rather, the meaning is: At first, it was afraid, and in the end, it was silent. “You caused a sentence to be heard from heaven” refers to the revelation at Sinai. And why was the earth afraid? It is in accordance with the statement of Reish Lakish, as Reish Lakish said: What is the meaning of that which is written: “And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day” (Genesis 1:31)? Why do I require the superfluous letter heh, the definite article, which does not appear on any of the other days? It teaches that the Holy One, Blessed be He, established a condition with the act of Creation, and said to them: If Israel accepts the Torah on the sixth day of Sivan, you will exist; and if they do not accept it, I will return you to the primordial state of chaos and disorder. Therefore, the earth was afraid until the Torah was given to Israel, lest it be returned to a state of chaos. Once the Jewish people accepted the Torah, the earth was calmed.
נראה הפי’ שע”י היראה שקטה לבסוף.
It would seem that the explanation of the Gemara is that it was due to the fear in the beginning that there was silence in the end.
כי מה צריך לכדר”ל הלא לא הקשה למה יראה רק אם יראה למה שקטה. דהקושיא ממ”נ אם זה שיראה עיקר א”כ מה שקטה דקאמר וכן להיפוך.
(We can see this is the explanation of the gemara from the question of Reish Lakish). For what was Reish Lakish asking? He did not merely ask why there was originally fear, rather he was asking if there was fear why there was silence. Meaning either way you look at it, if the fear is primary what is the point of the silence, and vica versa.
ומשני שע”י היראה בתחלה שקטה לבסוף.
Reish Lakish answers that both are needed, for without the original fear there would not be silence in the end.
כי אם לא הי’ צורך בתנאי לקבלת התורה למה התנה הקב”ה בשעת הבריאה. רק שזה הי’ הכנה לקבלת התורה שע”י שכל הבריאה תלוי בקבלת התורה לא יוכל טבע הבריאה להיות מונע ומתנגד לקבלת התורה. וע”י שיראה הי’ יכולין לקבל ושקטה לבסוף.
We see that the original fear is so important since HaShem made the condition of Torah acceptance with the world at its original conception, this shows that it was necessary. This is because the condition of Torah acceptance was a preparation for the actual acceptance. By making such a condition that the entire creation is dependent on Bnei Yisrael’s acceptance of the Torah, means that the nature of creation will not be able to prevent and oppose the acceptance of the Torah.
Therefore since there was originally fear Bnei Yisrael were able to receive the Torah and there was silence in the end.
וכמו כן בכל מצוה ג”כ ההכנה ע”י היראה מקודם כי בשעת עשיות המצוה צריך להיות באהבה ודביקות. וכל זה בא ע”י יראה הקודמת שעי”ז שומר אדם עצמו שלא יקלקל שיוכל לגשת לעשות המצוה כרצונו ית’.
So too (this procedure applies on an individual level) in each Mitzvah there is also the preparation, through original fear. For at the time of doing a mitzvah one is filled with love and connection to HaShem. However this comes through an original fear. It is through the fear that man protects himself that he will not become spoiled (through the excitement of love and fear), and one is able to approach doing the mitzvah in the way HaShem wills it.
וז”ש ושמרתם ועשיתם ושמירה הוא בחי’ יראה והוא בחי’ מל”ת שאין בו מעשה רק לשמור עצמו שלא לצאת מיראתו ית’ כדי להיות מוכן למ”ע באהבה.
This too is the meaning of the pasuk (Devarim 4:6 7:12) “You shall guard”, and “You shall do”, that the guarding is the idea of fear, which is the concept of negative commandments, where the sole action is not to do an action, rather to protect oneself to be constantly in fear of HaShem so that one can do the positive commandments with love.
ומל”ת הוא הכנה למ”ע כמ”ש סור מרע ועשה טוב.
Therefore the negative commandments are a preparation for the positive commandments. As we are told (Tehillim 34:15) Turn from evil and do good.
וז”ש ארץ יראה ושקטה. כי העצה בבחי’ ארץ להיות התיקון גם בעוה”ז ע”י הקדמת היראה לאהבה כנ”ל. והוא בחי’ זכור ושמור שזכירה הוא דביקות בחיות פנימיות. ושמור הוא יראה שלא לצאת מהגדר להיות מוכן לקיים המצות.
This is therefore why the pasuk above says “The land feared and was silent”. The advice for the concept of land (this world), to repair this world, is for fear to precede love. This is the concept of “remembering” and “guarding” (the Shabbos). “Remembering” refers to the connection to the inner life force (of HaShem that permeates everything). And “guarding” refers to the fear that one should not go out of his boundaries, and should always be prepared to fulfil the mitzvot.
The Gemara (shavuot 20b) explains that when HaShem said the words zachor and shamor – remember and guard the Shabbos (A different word is used each time in the Ten commandments), it was because HaShem said both words simultaneously. Now clearly Moshe did not change the word of HaShem from zahor to shamor (so why is it indeed written differently each time)?
רק כי דיבור ה’ לכלל ישראל הוא אחר תיקון השלימות מצדם.
The explanation rather is that the dibur – the commandment for Klal Yisrael once they have perfected themselves.
ובחי’ שמור הוא ההכנה להיות מוכן לקבל הקדושה.
The concept of shamor – guarding is the preparation, to be prepared to accept the holiness.
וז”ש מי שישנו בשמירה ישנו בזכירה שאף שאין כל אדם זוכה לדביקות פנימיות במקום שעיקר החיות שם שזה פי’ זכור להיות הדביקות במקום פנימי בלב במקום שאין שייכות שכחה שם לכך נקרא זכירה שהיא נקודה הכוללת כל חיות האדם. כעין אזכרתה. שפי’ כללות הדבר ועיקר מהותו כנ”ל. (דאס געדעכיניש). מ”מ מי ששומר עצמו וחיותו ורצונו שלא להשתמש בו לעניני עוה”ז כדי שיהי’ עיקר הרצון נקי לקיים מצותו ית’. הוא בכלל זכור ג”כ שבדיבור אחד נאמרו כנ”ל.
This is therefore the explanation of the words in the Gemara above, “One who has the rules of guarding has the rules of remembering.” (This teaches us various technical laws of Shabbos. However it can also teach us a deeper understanding). The word zachira – remembering refers to the connection of one’s heart to the deepest place, a place where there is no forgetfulness. For the word zechira – remembering refers to a place that includes the entire life force of mankind. Just as a reminder is something that reminds one of the very essence of everything.
Therefore the gemara teaches us that even though not everyone merits to this lofty level of zechira nevertheless, through guarding oneself, one’s life force and one’s desires, not to be misused for this world, so that one’s primary desire is exclusively for the sake of fulfilling the mitzvot, he too will merit the level of zachor – the intense connection, for “They were both said simultaneously.
ומרע”ה במשנה תורה עירש הכנת בנ”י ג”כ איך לבוא לבחי’ זכור כנ”ל. ועיין לקמן כי סיום הדיבור שייך ליום ב’ שחל בשבת]:
And therefore in the second tablets, in the book of Devarim, Moshe explained to Bnei Yisrael how to gain the level of zachor, and used the word shamor. (See also the end of the second piece (below) for the second day of Shavuot.)
ליל ב’ דשבועות בש”ק.
וביום הביכורים כו’ מנחה חדשה כו’.
Bamidbar (28:27) “And on the festival of new fruit, you shall bring a new mincha offering”
כי באורייתא ברא קוב”ה עלמא. נמצא חיות פנימיות של כל הנבראים הוא כח הראשית שמהתורה.
It is with the Torah that HaShem created the world. This means that the inner life force of everything in creation is the original energy that comes from the Torah.
כמ”ש בשביל התורה שנקראת ראשית. וכמ”ש כח מעשיו הגיד שתורה הוא כח מעשה בראשית.
As we find (proof of this idea, the word Bereishis stands for: For the Torah which is called Reishis. And similarly we find (Rashi on the word Bereishis connects it to the pasuk Tehillim 111:6) “The strength of His actions He revealed to His nation”. This (revelation is the giving of the Torah) which is the “strength of His actions”.
אך כי נברא להיות נעלם הפנימיות אבל ביום מתן תורה נתגלה זה ונדבק הכל בהשורש.
In creation the inner power was hidden, yet on the day of the giving of the Torah, this was revealed and everything reconnected to its source.
וז”ש פנים בפנים דיבר ה’ עמכם.
This is the meaning of the words “face (panim) to face HaShem spoke to you” (the word panim is connected to the word pnim – internal, that the internal pnimius was revealed)
וכן מ”ש מכל דיבור נתמלא העולם בשמים. וכן מ”ש נחלק לשבעים לשונות. הכל כנ”ל שאז נתגלה ונמשך חיות התורה לכל הנבראים.
Similarly the Gemara (Shabbos 88b) “with every word of Ten Commandments the entire world was filled”, and the Gemara (ibid) “each word of the Ten Commandements split up into 70 languages’ ‘. All this teaches us, as above, that when HaShem revealed Himself, the life force of the Torah was drawn into each and every being.
ועשרת הדיברות נגד עשרה מאמרות כמ”ש בזוה”ק. שפי’ מאמר בחשאי ובהסתר. ודיבור הוא התגלות. דבר מלך שלטון.
The Ten Commandments are opposite the ten sayings with which HaShem created the world with, as the Zohar explains. As we have explained (that the difference between a ma’amar – saying and dibur – commandment is) that a ma’amar is written in a hidden and covered fashion (HaShem hides Himself in the creation), whereas a dibur is revealing. As we find (Koheles 8:4) “A king’s command is authoritative”
שאז נתגלה שכח התורה מחי’ הכל ומושלת על הכל.
For it was at the time of the giving of the Torah that it was revealed that it is really the life force of the Torah that sustains and rules over everything.
ועיקר קבלת התורה הוא ההתגלות. ז”ש בתרגום וירד ה’ על הר סיני ואתגלי כו’. כי הקב”ה מלא כל הארץ כבודו רק שמקודם הי’ נסתר כנ”ל.
The main receiving of the Torah was the revelation (of HaShem’s presence that we merited). As the Targum (Unkelos Shemot 19:20) translates the word “And HaShem came down on Mt Sinai” to mean that “HaShem revealed Himself on Mt Sinai”. (Now even though) HaShem fills the world with His presence (always, so what was different about the revelation on Mt Sinai?), yet beforehand He was hidden.
ולכך נק’ יום הביכורים שנדבק עתה הכל בבחי’ הראשית ונתחדש עי”ז.
It is for this reason that the day of Shavuot is referred to in the Torah as the “day of the first fruit”. Because now everything became connected to the concept of the first (revelation) and therefore became renewed.
וכ”כ מחדש בטובו בכל יום מעשה בראשית ופירשו רז”ל בטובו בהתורה כנ”ל שפנימיות חיות מעשה בראשית מהתורה.
So too it says (in shacharis tefila) “He renews in His goodness the creation of the world. Our sages explain the “goodness” here is referring to the Torah. As explained above, that the inner life force of the creation of the world comes from the Torah.
ובכל יום מתחדש ג”כ מ”ב בדרך נסתר. ובשבועות נתגלה יותר שיש ביטול יצה”ר ג”כ על ידי שנתגלה שגם חיות סט”א מנקודה פנימיות כנ”ל.
(Now the day of Shavuot is unique in its extra revelation of every day). Every day there is a renewal of the creation, however it too is in a hidden way. Yet on Shavuot this is more revealed for there is also a nullification of the evil inclination. This is because it becomes clear that even the life force of the negative forces are also rooted in the inner life force of Torah. As above.
וזה שתי הלחם שמניפין פי’ אא”ז מו”ר זצלה”ה כי יש לחם משמים והוא התעוררות מחסד ה’. ויש לחם מן הארץ והוא ע”י מעשים טובים מתחתונים כו’ ע”ש. ושניהם צריכין תנופה לידע כי מ”מ חיות של מעשה תחתונים ג”כ רק מהשי”ת.
This is the reason for the mincha korban of two loaves that are waved. The Chidushei Harim explained that there is bread from Heaven, which represents the awakening of kindness of HaShem. And there is bread from the earth, which represents our good deeds. And both these loaves need to be waved, to teach us that we need to realise that the life force of this world, is also from HaShem.
והכלל שכל החיות צריך תנופה בשבועות שעל שם זה נק’ שבועות.
THe rule is that all the animal korbanot brought on Shavuot need to be waved. It is for this reason that it is called Shavuot. (As will be explained)
ואמרו מושבע ועומד מהר סיני. והיינו שבשעת קבלת התורה נתבטל כל החיות לשורשו עד שבאמת יצאתה נשמתן.
Our sages have taught that we are sworn (mushba connected to the word Shavuot) from Har Sinai. This means that at the moment of receiving the Torah, our entire life force was nullified to its source until our souls simply departed our bodies.
והוא ביטול כל חיות ורצון שבז’ מדות שכוללין כל האדם כמ”ש מו”ז ז”ל על ענין שבועה ע”ש.
This idea is that we nullify all of our desires that are in our 7 midos, which encompass the entire being. As the Chidushei Harim explained the concept of “swearing”
ואיתא שהתורה החזירה נשמתן. משיבת נפש. כלום יש משיא בתו והורג אנשי ביתו כו’.
Our sages have taught that (after their souls departed) the Torah returned their souls, as the pasuk says “The Torah of HaShem is pure, it restores the soul”. Now why would someone marry off his daughter and kill the residents of his home? (HaShem gave us the Torah, yet our souls departed?)
פירוש תורת ה’ תמימה שכל הנבראים רק מחיות של התורה. וזה תמימה שכל הנמצאים נמשכים ממנה. ולכך בכחה להחזיר נפשות של בנ”י לשורשן שזה עיקר כח התורה להיות מושלת גם בנבראים. כמ”ש אומן הביט וברא כו’.
The explanation of the words “The Torah is pure”, is that the entire creation is only from the life force of the Torah. This is the meaning of “pure”. That everything is drawn from it. And therefore it has the power to return the souls of Bnei Yisrael to their source, for this is the main power of the Torah, to control the creation. As it says HaShem looked into the Torah and created the world from it.
וזה שנק’ אנשי ביתו שרצון התורה להיות עוה”ז רק כפרוזדור לטרקלין כו’.
The reason why in the parable above, it compares Bnei Yisrael to the “residents of His house” (and not the residence of this world), for the will of the Torah is that this world should be just an entrance hall to the world to come.
וז”ש בראתי יצה”ר בראתי תבלין שבכח הביטול לתורה יוכל להחזיר ולהשיב נפשו ורצונו אף שנמשך כבר לדברי יצה”ר וזהו משיבת נפש.
This is the meaning of “I created the evil inclination, and I created the Torah as its antidote”. For it is through one’s nullification to the Torah that one is able to return one’s soul and desire, even though it has been drawn after the evil inclination. This is the meaning of “it restores the soul”.
וז”ש הכל מודין בעצרת דבעינן נמי לכם שניתן בו תורה וקבלת התורה הוא התגלות גם בעוה”ז.
It is for this reason that the Gemara (Pesachim 68b) “Everyone agrees that on atzeret (Shavuot) one also needs “lachem” (physical enjoyment), for it is the day that the Torah is given”, and the receiving of the Torah is the revelation of the Torah in this world (and therefore physical enjoyment is necessary).
כי הלא התורה קדמה רק שנתלבשה עתה להיות בעוה”ז ג”כ.
For even though the Torah preceded this world, nevertheless it was enclothed (and hidden), now however (after the giving of the Torah) it is also revealed in this world.
וכ’ נמי לכם להיות בטל להתורה.
The word “lachem” for you, teaches us that we need to nullify ourselves to the Torah.
וי”ל הכל מודין מודין מכלל דפליגי והיינו שבעצרת כל הנבראים והטבע מתבטלין ונמשכין לשורש חיותם כנ”ל. ביטול יצה”ר.
The gemara (ibid) uses the expression “everyone agrees” this implies that there are opponents (but here they agree). This is because the entire creation and nature are all nullified and drawn after the source of their life, as above, which is the nullification of the evil inclination.
ומהר”ל ז”ל כתב שלכך יש ביטול יצה”ר כי בל”ז שהתורה תבלין לדחותו לא הי’ נברא כלל ע”ש:
The Maharal explained that the reason why the evil inclination is nullified is because without this (ability to completely be nullified) by the antidote of the Torah, it (the evil inclination) would not have been created.
ליל ב’ בשבועות בש”ק
[כבר כתבתי לעיל על] זכור ושמור בדיבור אחד ששמירה הוא הכנה לזכירהAs written above on the Gemara (Rosh Hashana 27a) explains that both words of זכור ושמור remember and guard the Shabbos day, were both said by HaShem simultaneously.
והוא שמירת מל”ת שלא לצאת מהגדר להיות נקי ומוכן לקיים המצות.
The idea of “guarding” is to protect oneself from transgressing the negative commandments. To protect oneself from going out of the border, and to be prepared to fulfil the mitzvot.
ודיבור ה’ זכור אחר שלימות בנ”י שהוא בחי’ שמור הכנת ישראל.
The “remembering” is the stage after Bnei Yisrael have fulfilled their preparation of “guarding”.
ואיתא מה שאין הפה יכול לדבר ואוזן לשמוע. והלא שמעו בנ”י. אך שנתבטלו אז לשורש החיות. כמ”ש מו”ז ז”ל על רואים כו’ הקולות שהי’ למעלה מהתחלקות החושים ע”ש.
The Gemara (ibid) states that this (expression of HaShem simultaneously saying both words) was something that a mouth cannot say, and an ear cannot hear.
(This however is difficult for) Bnei Yisrael themselves were able to hear it?
However, since at that time they were completely nullified to the source of life, as the Chidushei Harim explained on the idea of “they saw the voices” (Shemot 20:15), that this was something beyond the regular senses.
ובכח התורה הוסר מהם הגשמיות. שמה שא”י לשמוע ע”י הטבע הוא.
It was with the power of the Torah that this physicality was removed from them. That the idea that they could not hear, was because of nature (however once they divest themselves of the physical limitations through the power of the Torah, they could hear the sounds.)
וכן כל מ”ש ז”ל לשבר האוזן מה שיכול לשמוע ג”כ הפי’ שע”י שנתלבשה התורה בלבוש ומשל גשמיי. עי”ז בכח חיות התורה להסיר הגשמיות שיתבטל להתורה. ומה”ט נתלבשה במשלים כאלו. וז”ש לשבר האזן הגשמיי כנ”ל.
Similarly when our sages say לשבר האוזן as a parable to enable us to understand. The idea is also that the Torah is enclothes in a clothing, and “Physical parable”, and the life force of the Torah is able to remove the physicality to be completely nullified to the Torah.
This is (indeed) why the Torah is enclothed in these types of parables, and this too is the idea of לשבר האוזן to enable the physical ear to hear.
וממילא יכולין לשמוע גם סוד הגנוז בתורה מה שא”א לשמוע בגשמיות.
Therefore we are also able to hear the very deepest hidden secrets of the Torah, those that we cannot normally hear due to our physical state. (because it is enclothed in physical “clothing”, we can hear its greatest secrets, [however it requires great understanding to interpret and plummet the depths])
וז”ש בדיבור א’ נאמרו. שע”י שבתורה מתיחדין ההסתר והגילוי. דאורייתא סתים וגליא. והוא עצמו בחי’ זכור שהוא הפנימיות שנטבע בחיות האדם. ושמור שהוא השמירה מבחוץ מקום הנגלה בעוה”ז.
This is the idea of (both “remembering” and “guarding”) were said with one expression. That through the power of the Torah the revealed and hidden become unified. For the Torah is hidden and revealed. This is the idea of “remembering” which is the inner pnimius that is hidden in man’s life force, and “guarding” which is the external guarding, in the revealed places of this world.
וע”י הדיבור שהוא התגלות כח הפנימי להיות נוהג הכל עפ”י הפנימיות כמ”ש לעיל פי’ דברות. עי”ז מתיחדין ויכולין לשמוע ג”כ כנ”ל:
It is through the expression דיבור of HaShem, which is the revelation of the inner power, to guide everything based on the pnimius, as we have explained above the idea of דברות (the word דבר refers to instruction and leadership). It is through this דיבור that the words become unified and we are able to hear (both the hidden and revealed) as explained above.
