From achor to kedem through milah

במד' אחור וקדם כו' נוחל ב' עולמות.

In the Midrash: "Back and front etc." — he inherits two worlds.

The verse "Back and front You have formed me" teaches that a person is given a share in two worlds — this world and the World to Come.

כפכה רמז לב' יודין דוייצר.

"You have placed Your palm upon me" hints to the two yods of "vayyitzer" (and He formed).

The double yod in the word "vayyitzer" alludes to two acts of formation — the person fashioned for this world and the person fashioned for the World to Come.

שני יצירות בעוה"ז ובעוה"ב.

Two formations: in this world and in the World to Come.

Each person is created with a dual makeup — one dimension belonging to Olam Hazeh and another to Olam Haba.

דהגוף בעוה"ז אחור מכל הברואים.

For the body in this world is "back" (acharon, last) of all creatures.

Man's physical body was created last in the order of creation — in the dimension of "achor," the rear or final aspect.

אבל בנ"י הם בני עוה"ב בכח המילה זה היוד דקדם ואברהם אבינו ע"ה הוציא זה מכח אל הפועל לבוא לבחי' קדם.

But Bnei Yisrael are children of the World to Come through the power of milah (circumcision) — this is the yod of "kedem" (front/first) — and Avraham Avinu brought this from potential into actuality, to arrive at the aspect of "kedem."

The bris milah connects Bnei Yisrael to the higher "front" dimension that belongs to Olam Haba. Avraham, through receiving milah, actualized this elevated aspect of "kedem" — being first and foremost — in the world.

ועליו דרשו מי הקדימני ואשלם.

And about him they expounded: "Who has preceded Me, that I should repay him?"

Avraham reached such a level of "kedem" that he, as it were, "preceded" Hashem — performing milah even before being commanded — and this is the meaning of "Who has come before Me?"

ובכלל ישראל שניתן להם התורה בהר סיני נתעלו לבחי' קדם.

And the whole of Yisrael, to whom the Torah was given at Har Sinai, were elevated to the aspect of "kedem."

At Matan Torah, all of Bnei Yisrael as a nation were raised to this "front" dimension that belongs to the World to Come.

וע"ז כ' אמרתי בני עליון כולכם.

And about this it is written: "I said, you are children of the Most High, all of you."

Through the Torah, all Yisrael attained the lofty status of "children of the Most High" — the elevated "kedem" aspect.

אבל אאע"ה שזכה למילה קודם התורה כ' בו מי הקדימני.

But Avraham Avinu, who merited milah before the Torah, of him it is written: "Who has preceded Me?"

Avraham reached "kedem" through milah alone, even before the Torah was given, which is why his attainment is described with the special phrase "Who has come before Me?"

ולעתיד עתידין בנ"י להיות קדום לכל כמ"ש כעת יאמר ליעקב כו' מה פעל אל.

And in the future, Bnei Yisrael are destined to be "first" (kadum) to all, as it is written: "At that time it shall be said to Yaakov etc., what has Hashem wrought."

In the time to come, Bnei Yisrael will fully occupy the "kedem" aspect, recognized by all as foremost, when Hashem's hidden workings are revealed.

אבל גם בעוה"ז בכח המילה והתורה יכולין לזכות לבחי' קדם.

But even in this world, through the power of milah and the Torah, one can merit the aspect of "kedem."

One need not wait for the future — already in Olam Hazeh, the bris milah and the Torah grant access to this elevated "front" dimension.

כמ"ש מי יעלה לנו השמימה.

As it is written: "Who will ascend for us to the heavens" (Mi Yaaleh Lanu Hashamaymah).

The initial letters of this phrase spell "milah," teaching that milah is the gateway by which a person can ascend heavenward.

וכן בש"ק דהוא מעין עוה"ב הוא בחי' קדם.

And likewise Shabbos Kodesh, which is a foretaste of the World to Come, is the aspect of "kedem."

Shabbos, being a taste of Olam Haba, also belongs to this "front" dimension and lets a person touch the level of "kedem" each week.

ומ"מ כל איש ישראל הסדר שלו אחור ואח"כ קדם.

Nevertheless, the order for every Jew is "back" first and afterward "front."

Even so, a person's path normally begins in the lower "achor" dimension and only afterward rises to "kedem" — the elevation is reached through a process.

ולכן היצה"ר בא מקודם בחי' אחור ואח"כ נעשה גדול ויש ב' היצרים.

Therefore the yetzer hara comes first — the aspect of "back" — and afterward one grows up and there are the two inclinations.

This is why a child is first ruled by the yetzer hara (the "achor" stage), and only later, upon maturing, does the yetzer tov enter, so that both inclinations are present.

אבל לבסוף צריכין להתעלות לימי קדם.

But in the end one must rise to the "days of kedem" (yemei kedem).

The ultimate goal is to ascend to the elevated "front" state — the original, lofty days of closeness to Hashem.

וכמו שהיצה"ר שליט בלבדו בקטנותו.

And just as the yetzer hara rules alone in his youth,

In childhood the yetzer hara holds sole sway, before the yetzer tov has arrived.

כן בסוף צריך להיות נקי מיצה"ר ולהיות היצ"ט שליט בלבדו.

so too in the end one must become clean of the yetzer hara, and the yetzer tov should rule alone.

The avodah of a lifetime is to reverse the starting point: to so purify oneself that the yetzer tov alone governs, just as the yetzer hara once did.

לכן נק' זקן שקנה חכמה ומגרש היצה"ר לכן והדרת פני זקן.

Therefore he is called "zaken" — one who has acquired wisdom (zeh she-kanah chochmah) and drives out the yetzer hara — and therefore "you shall honor the face of the elder (zaken)."

A "zaken" is one who, through acquired wisdom, has expelled the yetzer hara and reached the pure "kedem" state, which is why the Torah commands us to honor him.

ומי שזוכה בנערותו להיות נקי מיצה"ר נק' זקן מיד:

And one who merits in his youth to be clean of the yetzer hara is called a "zaken" immediately.

One who already in his younger years purifies himself of the yetzer hara has reached the "kedem" level early, and so earns the title "zaken" even while young.

Summary: Every person is fashioned with two dimensions — "achor" (the body, last in creation, where the yetzer hara first rules) and "kedem" (the higher World-to-Come aspect). Through milah, Torah, and Shabbos, Bnei Yisrael ascend from "back" to "front." The lifelong avodah is to reverse one's starting point — to drive out the yetzer hara so the yetzer tov rules alone — which is the true meaning of being a "zaken."