Monday Tevet 20 5703
Torah Lessons (5703)	Chumash: Sh'mot, Sheini with Rashi. Tehillim: 97-103. Tanya: However, the essence (p. 47)...and its delights.

The Mitteler Rebbe answered someone at Yechidus: When two discuss a subject in Avoda and they study together, there are two Divine souls [1] against one natural soul.

   

Notes:

1. (Back to text) See Tanya chapters 1 and 2 for an introduction to the concept of two souls.

   In our context the point is this: Each Divine soul (Neshama) desires not only that the person himself fulfill G-d's Will (to study Torah and be active in Avoda) but also desires that another do so.

   Selfless concern for another's spiritual welfare is, after all, part of the basic "goodness" and character of the Neshama.

   By contrast, the hedonistic natural soul is basically self-centered; it is not driven by a desire that another should enjoy physical pleasures etc.

   So, when two Jews study Torah together, the natural soul within each of them attempts to hinder that person alone. The G-dly soul, however, since it also desires the other's welfare, joins forces with his Neshama, so that "...there are two Divine souls against one natural soul."

Now, this aformentioned love attained by Beinonim at the time of prayer by virtue of the [temporary] preponderance of the divine soul [over the animal soul], etc., when compared to the standard of the tzaddikim who *serve* G-d in perfect truth ["in the truest manner of truth]", [this love] is not called "true service" at all, since it passes and disappears after prayer;

whereas it is written, [11] "The language [lit., `the lip'] of truth shall be established forever, but the tongue of falsehood is only momentary."

[Thus, the term "truth" refers to something immutable; the temporary and passing are not considered "true". The same applies here as well:

Since the Beinoni's love of G-d is felt only during prayer and disappears afterwards, it does not measure up to the "truest" sense of truth - the perfect truth attained by tzaddikim].

Nevertheless, in relation to the rank of the Beinoni, [this level of love] is regarded as a truly perfect service in terms of their level of truth, [i.e., the level of Beinonim], in each man relative to his standing in the category of the Beinonim [for, as mentioned earlier, the rank of Beinoni is subdivided into many levels].

Their love, too, which they possess [only] during prayer, I term, "The language of truth [,which] shall be established for ever," [i.e., their love is true and permanent, though manifest only during prayer], since their divine soul has the power to reawaken this love constantly, whenever it gathers strength during prayer, day after day, by means of the spiritual preparation appropriate to each soul's quality and rank.

[The higher the level of the soul, the less preparation it requires to awaken its love of G-d. Regardless, every soul has the capacity to arouse its love of G-d during prayer.

The Beinoni's love of G-d is thus constant, since it is either in an active, revealed state, or is in potentia, and can be revealed at any moment throughout the day (for, as mentioned earlier, every Beinoni has the potential to attain the level of "praying the whole day long."

One difficulty yet remains: How is it possible for the same level of service to be considered untrue by the standards of tzaddikim, and true with regard to Beinonim? Is truth not absolute?

This matter is now explained as follows:

The quality of truth is to be found on every level. In each, truth means the essence and core of that level; i.e., truth is defined as that which agrees with the essence of that particular level where it is measured.

Since this is so in all the myriad levels of the spiritual worlds, from the very highest to the very lowest, and since the lowest levels are incomparable to the highest, how can it be said that the lower grades possess truth?

We must say, therefore, that the term "truth" is relative to the level on which it is found, that each grade has its own core of truth.

Things are true if they agree with [the essence of] their own level and untrue if they do not; they need not agree with a higher level to be considered "true".

In the Alter Rebbe's words]:

For truth is the attribute of Jacob, [as the verse states:[12] "You give truth to Jacob]," who is called [13] "the middle bolt which secures everything from end to end," [14] [just as the middle bolt in the Tabernacle secured and bolted together all the boards by passing through them all.

In spiritual terms, this means that the attribute of truth passes] from the highest gradations and levels to the end [i.e., lowest] of all grades.

In each gradation and level it passes through the central point [of that particular level], which is, [i.e., which then becomes] the point and quality [i.e., the standard] of [that level's] attribute of truth.

[Proof is now given that each grade has its own standard of truth, as it were]:

The attribute of truth is an unbounded inheritance; it has no upper limit [as it extends] to the highest levels, and all lower gradations and levels are as nothing compared with those superior to them.

[If, then, truth is found on all levels despite their disparity, we must conclude that the standard of truth on each level is relative to the core of that level.

In support for his statement that the lower levels and grades are incomparable to the higher ones, the Alter Rebbe cites]:

As is known to those familiar with the Esoteric Discipline [i.e., Kabbalah], the quality that is the "head and intellect" - [the highest level] - within lower grades, is inferior to the "soles" and "feet" - [the very lowest level] - within the higher grades;

as our Sages say, [15] "The feet of the chayyot surpass all [those levels lower than them, including the highest degree within those lower levels]."

[The attribute of truth, then, is measured according to the standards of each level. We may thus conclude that the divine service of the Beinoni is considered "true" service relative to their level, although when compared with the service of tzaddikim it is not considered "true", since it passes after prayer.

   

Notes:

11. (Back to text) Mishlei 12:19.

12. (Back to text) Micah 7:20.

13. (Back to text) Zohar I, p. 1b; p. 224a.

14. (Back to text) Paraphrase of Shmot 26:28.

15. (Back to text) Chagigah 13a.

Positive Mitzvah 226: Execution by Beheading
Exodus 21:20 "[The sin] shall surely be avenged"

This Positive Mitzvah concerns the punishment of beheading a person who transgressed a sin serious enough to require this severe penalty.

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Positive Mitzvah 227: Execution by Strangulation
Exodus 21:16 "He shall be put to death"

This Positive Mitzvah concerns the execution of a person by strangulation.

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Positive Mitzvah 230: Hanging
Deuteronomy 21:22 "And you shall hang him on a tree"

Some sins are so serious that the court is commanded to publicly hang the corpses of the transgressors.

The hanging takes place only after the person is put to death by the Beit Din. People will then see the severe consequences of violating HaShem's will.

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Positive Mitzvah 231: Burying the Dead
Deuteronomy 21:23 "You shall surely bury him on the same day"

We are commanded to bury the body of a deceased person on the same day he died. This law applies to executed criminals and to those who have died from any other cause (see Negative Mitzvah 66).

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Negative Mitzvah 66: We are forbidden to leave a person unburied overnight
Deuteronomy 21:23 "His body shall not remain all night upon the tree"

Man was created in the image of HaShem and we must respect the body of a human being, even if he is no longer alive.

At times, a Beit Din may order the execution of a criminal and, after his execution, have the corpse hung as an example to the people. (See Positive Mitzvah 230). The corpse may not be left hanging overnight. Rather we must take the body down before sunset and bury it on the same day.

This law also applies to anyone that passes away.

We are forbidden to delay the burial to the next day, except in cases where it is required for respect and honor of the dead person. In a case where arrangements for the funeral have to be made, or relatives and friends need time to get to the funeral, such a delay is permissible.

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Let's say you saw a magnificent machine, with hundreds of thousands of parts, all working in spectacular unison and harmony, far beyond anything the human mind could contrive. And you examined the details of this machine and found that some aspects of its workings puzzle you. Would you complain to the inventor? Or would you pray in awe for understanding? Yet, to G-d you have complaints!

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The Tzaddik lacks nothing and so he prays for his people. But if he lacks nothing, then he knows that in truth they also lack nothing, and if so, for what is he praying? He prays they should have open eyes and open hearts to see and to know that in truth they lack nothing. But how can one who lacks nothing pray? Because deep inside he lacks nothing, but deeper, at his very core, he is his people.

From: Bringing Heaven Down to Earth by Tzvi Freeman - tzvif@aol.com