Torah Descends Through Gates Opened Below

בענין שתי הלחם בשבועות.

Concerning the matter of the Shtei HaLechem (the two loaves) on Shavuos.

The Sefas Emes opens by taking up the meaning of the two loaves of bread brought as the special korban of Shavuos.

דכתיב יבחר אלקים חדשים אז לחם שערים.

As it is written: "He chooses new things; then bread of the gates" (cf. Shoftim 5:8).

The passuk hints that when Hashem chooses something new, "bread of the gates" is drawn down — a flow that descends through gateways into the lower world.

ופי' בתדב"א על התחדשות דברי תורה למטה דאיתא בזוה"ק ע"פ נודע בשערים בעלה כפום מה דמשער בלבא ע"ש פ' וירא.

And the Tana D'vei Eliyahu explains this as the renewal of divrei Torah here below; for the Zohar HaKadosh teaches on the passuk "Her husband is known in the gates" (Mishlei 31:23) — "according to what one measures in his heart"; see there, in parashas Vayeira.

The "gates" are the heart's openings: a person grasps Torah according to how wide he opens his heart, and Torah renews itself below in exactly that measure.

דכפי פתיחות לבות בנ"י למטה כך נפתחים שערי בינה למעלה.

For according to the opening of the hearts of Bnei Yisrael below, so are the gates of binah (understanding) opened above.

The arousal from below is decisive: when Bnei Yisrael open their hearts, the supernal Gates of Understanding open in kind.

כי התורה אין לה חקר ותכלית.

For the Torah has no fathoming and no end.

Torah in its root is infinite and unbounded, beyond any limit.

אבל כפי הכנת התחתונים כך מתפשטת התורה ונפתחו השערים.

But according to the preparation of those below, so does the Torah spread forth and the gates are opened.

The infinite Torah flows into the world only to the degree that the people below ready themselves to receive it.

וזהו שאו שערים ראשיכם ובאמת שתי הלחם הם בחי' משה ואהרן והם פתחי עולם כמ"ש מזה לעיל פ' במדבר.

This is the meaning of "Lift up your heads, O gates" (Tehillim 24:7). In truth the Shtei HaLechem correspond to the aspect of Moshe and Aharon, who are the "openings of the world," as was explained above in parashas Bamidbar.

The two loaves represent Moshe and Aharon, the two tzaddikim who serve as the gateways through which Torah and shefa enter the world.

ולכן בקבלת התורה שנתקנו אלה שני עמודים למטה נעשה תקונים גם למעלה אז לחם שערים הוא מה שהתורה מתפשטת להיות השפע יורדת בשערים וצמצומים.

Therefore at Kabbalas HaTorah, when these two pillars were established below, tikkunim (rectifications) were also effected above — "then, bread of the gates" — meaning that the Torah spreads forth so that the shefa descends through gates and tzimtzumim (contractions).

Through Moshe and Aharon, the two foundational pillars, the boundless Torah becomes channeled and contracted enough to descend into the world in a form people can hold.

שיוכלו התחתונים לקבל.

So that those below would be able to receive it.

The whole purpose of the tzimtzum is to make the infinite light receivable by limited human beings.

וכ"כ בונה בשמים כו' ואגודתו על ארץ.

And so it is written: "He builds His upper chambers in the heavens… and He founds His bundle (agudaso) upon the earth" (Amos 9:6).

The passuk teaches that the supernal structure rests upon a "bundle" set into the earth — the lower world is the foundation that bears the whole edifice.

כמ"ש במד' בהעלותך ספינות קשורות ע"ש.

As stated in the Midrash on Beha'aloscha, [like] ships tied together; see there.

The Midrash compares upper and lower worlds to ships bound to one another, so that what is anchored below holds and steadies what is above.

כי התחתונים הם עמודים שכל הבנין עומד עליהם.

For those below are the pillars upon which the entire structure stands.

Bnei Yisrael in this world are the supports upon which the entire spiritual edifice depends.

כי מלמעלה לעולם מוכן השפע לירד רק שיהי' כלי למטה לקבל.

For from above the shefa is always ready to descend; it requires only that there be a vessel below to receive it.

Hashem's abundance is constantly poised to flow; the only condition is that we form ourselves into a fitting kli (vessel) to hold it.

וכ' או יחזק במעוזי כו' שלום יעשה לי.

And it is written: "Or let him take hold of My stronghold… he shall make peace with Me; peace shall he make with Me" (Yeshayahu 27:5).

The passuk speaks of a person grasping the "stronghold" — clinging to Hashem — and thereby a peace is made.

היא נקודה שלימות שצריכה תיקון.

This is a point of wholeness that requires rectification.

There is an inner nekudah (point) of completeness within a person that calls out to be repaired and brought to its fullness.

ואז יעשה שלום לי שמתחדש מלמעלה שלימות מחדש וכמ"ש חז"ל ע"ז הפ' העוסק בתורה לשמה משים שלום בפמליא של מעלה ושל מטה:

And then "peace shall He make with Me," for a new wholeness is renewed from above — as Chazal said on this passuk: one who occupies himself with Torah lishmah makes peace in the heavenly retinue and in the earthly one.

Torah lishmah unites the worlds: when a person learns purely for Hashem's sake, he repairs the inner point and a fresh wholeness flows down, making shalom between the upper and lower realms.

Summary: The Shtei HaLechem of Shavuos express the secret that the infinite Torah descends only through "gates" and tzimtzumim, opened from above precisely in the measure that Bnei Yisrael open their hearts below. Moshe and Aharon — the two loaves, the two pillars — are the gateways of the world, and the lower realm is the very foundation that bears the whole structure. Through Torah lishmah a person becomes a fitting vessel, repairs the inner point, and draws down a renewed wholeness that makes peace above and below.