Parah

Purification through bittul renews vitality· Essay 2

My grandfather, of blessed memory, said regarding Parashas Parah, that it purifies from the tumah (impurity) of [contact with] a corpse — which is the departure of the inner life-force — and the counsel [for this] is to be nullified like du…

The inner point of "zos" and bittul of the parah· Essay 3

In the Midrash: "Who can produce a pure thing from an impure one? Is it not the Only One of the world?" (Bamidbar Rabbah 19:1). Only Hashem, the absolute Oneness of the world, can draw purity out of impurity — a power that lies behind the m…

Teshuvah without sin as return to root· Essay 4

My grandfather, my teacher and master (of blessed memory for the life of the World to Come), said regarding the fact that Moshe Rabbeinu was a second forty days on the mountain. The Sefas Emes cites his grandfather, the Chiddushei HaRim, on…

Elevating the inner essence through truth· Essay 2

"On its flame... until the morning" (Vayikra 6:2). The Sefas Emes opens with the pasuk describing the fire on the Mizbeach burning through the night until morning, which he will read as an inner avodah. In the Zohar HaKadosh: an evil though…

Holiness and purity as two paths of avodah· Essay 2

On the pasuk, "However, My Shabbosos you shall keep" (Shemos 31:13). The Sefas Emes opens with the verse that warns to guard Shabbos, even amid the building of the Mishkan. And it is difficult, for it was already written, "Remember [the Sha…

Shabbos reveals the hidden reasons of Parah· Essay 1

As to why they established [the reading of] Parshas Parah on Shabbos. The Sefas Emes asks why Chazal fixed the reading of Parah specifically on Shabbos. It appears that Shabbos assists in this purification. Shabbos itself lends a helping po…

Humility born from confronting pride· Essay 2

In Rashi: "cedar wood and hyssop" — that the lofty one who sinned should lower himself like the hyssop. The Sefas Emes cites Rashi on the parah adumah (red heifer): the tall cedar and the lowly hyssop teach that a person who sinned through …

Inspiration as a springboard to teshuvah· Essay 1

These are the four parshiyos: Shekalim, Zachor, Parah, and HaChodesh. The Sefas Emes begins by naming the four special Torah readings of this season — Shekalim, Zachor, Parah, and HaChodesh. It appears that the two latter parshiyos are like…

Four parshiyos as spiritual ascent to purity· Essay 2

The mitzvah of terumas hadeshen (removing the ashes): that through the burning of evil thoughts, as it is written, "it is the olah" — [read as] a thought that "rises up" — an evil thought, see there in the Zohar. The Sefas Emes reads the of…

Parah adumah awakens inherited humility· Essay 3

Regarding the reason for the cedar wood, etc. [in the parah adumah]: let him lower himself, and he will be atoned for. The Sefas Emes cites the Midrashic teaching that the tall cedar used in the parah adumah hints that a person must humble …

Shabbos elevates the week's deeds to root· Essay 2

The order of these parshiyos: first came Kabbalas haTorah, which was the rectification of creation. The Sefas Emes considers the sequence of the parshiyos. The giving of the Torah came first and served as the tikkun, the setting-right, of t…

Purity drawn down through Torah· Essay 3

Chazal established the reading of Parshas Parah at the end of the year, so that everyone may come to purify himself. The Sefas Emes notes that the Sages fixed the public reading of Parshas Parah at this season — the close of the year before…

Bittul and Torah's life-force unite for taharah· Essay 2

In the name of my grandfather, of blessed memory, regarding the purification through the ashes of the Parah (Red Heifer), as it is written "living waters." The Sefas Emes opens with a teaching from his grandfather: the waters used in the Pa…

Bittul as the path to renewal· Essay 2

In the name of my grandfather, of blessed memory: the placing of Parshas Parah before the [parshah of the new] month [teaches] that through bittul (self-nullification), like ash, one is able to find renewal — and these are words that are pl…

Two fires of avodah: burning evil and illuminating good· Essay 3

In Rashi: the fire about which it is said "to kindle the lamp continually" — even it must be lit from the outer altar. The Sefas Emes begins from Rashi's point that even the inner fire of the Menorah had to be drawn from the fire of the out…

Taharah as the gateway to Torah· Essay 4

On the verse "This is the chukah (decree) of the Torah" — the Torah placed this expression before the mitzvah of the Parah (the red heifer) to hint that the entire Torah depends on taharah (purity), as it is written, "The words of Hashem ar…

Purity precedes renewal at year's end· Essay 5

Chazal established, at the end of the year, the reading of Parshas Parah before Parshas HaChodesh, as it is written, "Create for me a pure heart, O God, and renew within me a steadfast spirit" (Tehillim 51:12). The order of these special re…