Our Personal Lights: Mei Shiloach on Hanukah

It's written in Psalms (119:105) "Your words are a candle for my feet and a light for my path."  "A candle for my feet," for G-d directed words of Torah that are in every particular detail of creation as a sign that G-d's kingdom is above all.  "A light for my path," for also in every dimension G-d chose a special part as a reminder that dominion belongs to G-d.  A candle is something particular, while light is a generality.  G-d created the world in general and included in it the three dimensions of world, time, and soul.  It's written (Psalms, 199:16) "G-d formed days and one of the days belongs to Him."  Thus, from each dimension G-d selected a choice part that would illuminate with a revelation of personal light and cause recognition of G-d's kingdom.
*G-d created the world and chose the land of Israel, and from Israel He sanctified Jerusalem, and from there he sanctified the Temple.  G-d commanded that the menorah should be lit in the Temple, to shine its individual light in that place.
*In time, G-d chose the sabbath, and we also find the commandment of sabbath lights.
*Among souls, G-d chose his nation Israel, and for the time being, before the Total Clarification, G-d chose the tribe of Levi, and from among Levi G-d chose the Cohanim, and from the Cohanim G-d chose the High Priest, and gave the High Priest the duty of lighting the Menorah.

In the days of the Hasmoneans, G-d showed a spark of the future light, that in the Time to Come the High Priest will merit to be king, as will be revealed in the future by the Messiah, son of David.  At the time of Total Clarification, the choice part of Israel will be the tribe of Judah.  Then, just as the Hasmoneans merited extra dominion, so to in the Time to Come each individual Jew will shine a line recognizing G-d's kingship.

Thus, from the miracle that occurred with the Temple Menorah, our sages established an personal candle, for each and every person to shine their individual light for the choicest part of their soul.  Thus King David peace upon him said (Psalms 7:6) "G-d will count the nations in writing, and G-d will say to Zion a person and a person were born in Her."  We interpret "G-d will count the nations in writing" as that G-d guides the nations just for the sake of perpetuation of the species, like the rest of creation.  "G-d will say to Zion a person and a person were born in Her, and he prepares Her above," that is each Jew when they are born has a recognition that they were born chosen, from a new soul, and this is why each and every individual must light their own candle on Hanukah.

The schools of Shammai and Hillel disagreed about how to light Hanukah candles.  The school of Shammai taught we start with eight candles on the first night and end with one candle on the last night, while the school of Hillel taught that we start with one candle on the first night and end with eight candles on the last night.  This disagreement reflects their disagreement about how to achieve spiritual perfection, the Total Clarification.  The school of Shammai things that we start with eight and end with one, because the process involves destruction of imperfections, until only the choice holiness remains.  The school of Hillel things that we start with one candle and add on, because the essential part of the process in their eyes is that holiness should spread out at all times, and imperfections with automatically be annulled.

Rabbinic Ecology: The Mei Shiloach on Creation

And G-d said ‘Let us make Man in Our image.’

The Holy One created all creatures other than people first.  The other creatures recognized and understood their shortcoming; they had nobody who could connect their existence to the Holy One.  For only by means of people can things of this world connect themselves to G-d.  People elevate  everything, as is known.   Earth and water’s strength give their strength to plants, plants to animals, and animals to people.  People, by means of serving the Holy One, elevate all of the strength that they receive from this world, even the strength of water and earth.  When other creatures saw they lacked this connection, they prayed for the creation of people.  Thus G-d said, ‘Let us make Man…’  That is to say, G-d said to all other creatures, ‘You will give your strength and partner in the creation of people.’  This gives people a share in all of you, and if people need something, all of the other creatures will arise to help them.   When people are bad, it’s bad for all creatures, as in the generation of the Flood, and when it’s good for people, it’s good for all creatures. 

How connected are we to G-d? Sotah 38B

The gemara discusses if, when the Cohanim pronounce the priestly blessing, if objects in between the cohanim can prevent the blessing from 'reaching' the people.

If tall people are in front of short people, there is no interruption [in the flow of the blessing to the short people.]  The Ark does not interrupt [the flow of the blessing.]  What about a wall?  Come and learn, Rabbi Joshua the son of Levi said, 'Not even an iron wall can separate Israel from their Father in Heaven.'

The Hidden Altar; Zohar 80a

Abraham built two altars, one for the level that is revealed, and one for the level that is concealed.  Come and see that this is so, for it is written, 'Abraham built an altar for G-d that appeared to him' and elsewhere it is written 'Abraham build an altar there,' without any elaboration, or mention of 'G-d that appeared to him.'

Matok M'Dvash explains that the altar to revealed G_d is parallel to the outer altar of the Temple, where many forms of sacrifice were performed by various priests.  It is also parallel to Malchut, the lowest of the sefirot.

The altar to the concealed G-d is parallel to the inner altar of the Temple, where the high priest performed the incense sacrifice. and also the higher, less accessible sefirah of Binah.

I note that incense itself tends to conceal, while many of the sacrifices performed on the outer altar, such as the animal sacrifices, tended to reveal what is normally hidden.

Forms of Beauty: Rabbi Steinsaltz on the Tanya Chap 27

R. Steinstalz writes in his commentary on the 27th Chapter of the Tanya:

There is a complete beauty, of harmony of form and color, and there is a beauty of complete lack, of distortion and flaw, prepared so that it is like spice for beauty.

A Response to Beauty: Avodah Zarah 20a

When Rabbi Akiva saw the wife of the Roman general Tornosrofus, he spat, laughed, and cried.  R. Akiva spat, for her origin was a gross drop [of sperm.]  He laughed, for he knew that in the future she would convert and marry him.  He cried, for such beauty was destined to be swallowed by the dust.

More Proof the Talmud was Written by and for Men: Eruvin 54b

Just as a gazelle's womb is narrow and she is pleasurable for her husband every time just like the first time, so too the words of Torah are pleasurable to those who study them every time just like the first time.  (Trans by Melila Hellner-Eshed.)

King Solomon and the Angel of Death: Succah 53a

This is a very strange story which I'm not sure how to interpret.

Hillel the Elder said, "My feet bring me to the place that I love...."

King Solomon had two Ethiopian scribes named Elicharef and Achaia.  One day King Solomon saw the Angel of Death, who was said.  King Solomon asked, "Why are you sad?"  The Angel replied, "I have to take these two Ethiopians sitting here before you."  King Solomon sent the scribes in the company of Se'irm to Moza Deluz.  (The commentator Rashi explains that King Solomon had authority of demons, including the kind of demons named Se'irim.  Also Moza Deluz is a city known for being exempt from the authority of the Angel of Death.)  When the scribes arrived at Moza Deluz, they died.

The next day, King Solomon saw the Angel of Death was happy.  King Solomon asked, "Why are you happy?"  The Angel replied, "You sent the scribes to the very place where I needed them to be [so I could claim them.] "  King Solomon replied, "A person is brought to the place where they are required."

Moses' greatness: Ruach HaChaim on Ethics of the Fathers 1:1

OSTT –NS Pirke Avot Shuir May 4 2013. 

Pirke Avot 1:1

Moshe received Torah from Sinai and transmitted it to Joshua, Joshua to the Elders, the Elders to the Prophets, and the Prophets transmitted it to the Men of the Great Assembly. 

Ruach HaChaim:

Why does it say that Moshe ‘received’ and with regard to Joshua and afterwards ‘transmit?’  Shouldn’t the text say ‘Moshe received… and Joshua received from Moshe’ or ‘The Holy One Praised be G-d transmitted Torah to Moshe and Moshe transmitted it to Joshua…?”  In order to respond to this question, we can also explain what was taught in Sifre and mentioned by Rashi that all prophets prophesied with the word ‘Thus says G-d’ while Moshe was more advanced and prophesied with ‘This is the thing G-d commands.’  What was the advancement that allowed Moshe to prophecy so?

We can understand this question about Moshe’s prophecy according to the story in Numbers 12.  “Miriam and Aharon spoke about Moshe… Does G-d only speak to Moshe?  Doesn’t he also speak to us?”  Following that “G-d descended and said, ‘Hear my words, if there be your prophets … “  The phrase “If there be your prophets” is problematic.  “I will make myself known to him (אליו)  in a vision; I speak to/within (בו) him in a dream” is strange.  Why does it say ‘to him’ and them ‘to/within him.’ 

It also says “I speak with/in (בו)  him face to face.”  Shouldn’t the text be ‘with him (עמו)?  The phrase ‘in/with my servant Moshe is also difficult. 

Behold we know what is taught in Talmud Yevamot, and in the Midrash, that all prophets prophesied with a unclear glass, while Moshe prophesied with a clear glass.  It also says that the Shechina spoke from Moshe’ throat. 

In the Zohar, it points out that in the Torah (Genesis 22:11) ‘Avraham -Avraham’ has an interruption within it, while (Exodus 3:4) ‘Moshe Moshe’ does not. That hints at to Moshe’s level, how exalted he was compared to our Father Avraham.  It says in Talmud Chullin, ‘What was said of Moshe was greater than that said of Avraham, for scripture says of Avraham, “I am dust and ashes” while it says of Moshe ‘What are we?”’  By means of this specifically Moshe merited that the Torah would be given by his hand.

In order to explain Moshe’s greatness related to the fact that there is no interruption in ‘Moshe Moshe’… the name is the essence of a person’s soul.  Evidence for this is (Genesis 2:18) ‘The Man gave names… whatever the Man called a living soul was its name.”  The language  ‘called a living soul’ is difficult, for it should have said ‘called the living soul.’  This can be explained that naming is not mere utterance, but rather Adam saw the source of each living thing in the upper world, and according to this source gave a name by means of combinations of letters of that upper world that binds that living thing.  Thus ‘Whatever the Man called the living soul was its name’ the essential appropriate thing by combination of letters from the part of the upper world binding its soul.  So too with people, the name is the soul essence of its biding upper source.

This is the matter of the double names.  With regard to “Avraham-Avraham” the first name relates to the upper soul essence that is the most important part of the soul, only a small part of which flows to the body.  The body is just a sandal for the soul.  Just as the sandal only dresses a small lower part of the body, so too the body only garbs a small lower part of the soul.  The body is like a sandal on the end of the soul’s feet.  Thus it says (Exodus 3) ‘Take your sandals from your feet,” that is the body.  The second ‘Avraham’ refers to small lower part of the soul that flows to the body.  This is the meaning of ‘Avraham-Avraham’ with an interruption in the middle, that is  between the upper Avraham which is the soul in its source of the upper world and the lower Avraham whose lowest small part is dressed in the body.  The interruption is present between the words because the body interrupts between the two parts of the soul.  However there is no interruption in “Moshe Moshe” because Moshe’ body was so pure that there was no separation between the parts of his soul in the upper world and the body.  This is because of the Moshe’ great humility, for Moshe thought of himself as having no body, and said, “What are we.”   Avraham thought of the body as ‘dust and ashes.’  Thus we learn that the Shechina spoke in Moshe’ throat for his body was no interruption, thus the Shechina literally spoke through his throat.

This is the matter of Aharon and Miriam speaking regarding Moshe, for they thought that they too were pure like Moshe, and thus they said ‘It is true that G-d only speaks within Moshe’ that is to say literally from within his throat, for they thought they were on the same level.  G-d replied with ‘If there be your prophets of Hashem’  that is to say actual prophets of G-d.  All names of G-d are nicknames, but Hashem is the proper name.  Thus, G-d said to them, don’t imagine that your prophecy is on such an exalted level like Moshe, whose prophesy came from the level of Hashem directly.  For your prophecy is not always on this level.  “If there be your prophets of Hashem’ that is to say if sometimes it happens that there is prophesy among you on that level. 

Then it will be ‘I will make myself known to him in a vision.’ … A ‘vision’ is like perception through a glass wall…  thus scripture says ‘I make myself known in a vision’ that is from a distance.  This is a glass that does not shine, like an image in glass that does not shine, its manner is to show the shadow only.  Thus Ezekiel said, ‘I heard someone speaking to me,’ that is a voice was speaking and he heard it, but the voice did not actually reach him.  “I speak to him in a dream” because in dreams the body does not interrupt between the soul in its upper source because during sleep the soul arises from the body and not a single trace of the soul is left in the body.  At such a time the rest of the prophets are, like Moshe, able to have the word within their throats.  ‘Not so with my servant Moshe, face to face I speak within him’ that is with Moshe’ voice and vision, not with an image, as our sages said a clear glass, like simple glass that shows the actual thing and not an image, not like other prophets who (Ezekiel 17)  ‘propound a riddle and relate an allegory.’

This is why the rest of the prophets spoke with a ‘Thus says G-d.’  ‘Thus’ is like an image of the essential thing, and they were not able to say that was the actual word that they heard, the word without change heard from the mouth of G-d.  However the prophesy of Moshe was so elevated that G-d spoke to him as one does to a companion, in a clear manner.  Thus Moshe could say ‘This is was G-d commanded, saying.”  This is the word I heard clearly and I speak it to you  This is because of his great purity, he was able to see the source… all of this was due to his great humility.

… One can further explain the matter of Moshe receiving and transmitting to Joshua through consideration of (B Talmud Sotah 49a) ‘When Yose ben Yoezer died, the grapes were annulled; he was a man that contained everything.’   The meaning of this is like (Midrash Leviticus Rabba) on ‘Your breasts are grapes.’  Just as a grape that is larger than its neighbor on the vine is lower than it, so too a scholar that is greater than his neighbor is humbler.  A person merits everything through humility, and even though Moshe was the lord of prophets and father of the wise, he was only praised for this humility and achieved everything through it.  If there were now a person as humble as Moshe he would surely merit the Torah in its entirety.  This is as our Sages say (B Talmud Ta’anit 7a) ‘Why are words of Torah like water?  Just as water leaves a high place and travels to a low place so too words of Torah only stay in one who is very humble.’  The Torah migrated to Moshe who was extremely humble.  Just as a vessel, as its walls become thinner it holds more, and if its walls become like an onion skin it is almost completely a receptacle, so too the more humble a person is more space is available and open to receive Torah.  (Deuteronomy 8) “Lest your heart be elevated and you forget.”  When one raises oneself up automatically there is less room available for Torah and thus the Torah, G-d forbid, flees.  (Isaiah 11) “For the land will be full of knowledge of G-d like the water covers the sea.”  Just as water covers the sea, in places that are deeper more water flows.  

The King and the Moon: Shemot Raba 15:26

One of the most elegant rituals of Jewish prayer is 'Kiddush Levanah,' said some time after the new moon outdoors when the Moon is visible.  The liturgy connects the increase of the Moon to the restoration of Israel's monarchy, as well as the tradition that the Moon and Sun were once equally bright:

May it be Your will, G-d my L-rd and fathers' G-d, to complete the deficiencies of the moon, and may it be completely undiminished.  Let the light of the Moon be like the light of the Sun, as was the case during the seven days of Creation, before the Moon's light was reduced... and bring to pass what is written:  "They shall seek the L-rd their G-d and David their King, Amen!

I always wondered about other texts that connected moonlight to Israel's monarchy.  The book 'A River Flows from Eden' by Melila Hellner-Eshed led me to one.

Before the Holy One Praised be G-d took Israel out from Egypt, G-d let Israel know through a hint that they would only achieve a monarchy after thirty generations... the Moon is a 30 day cycle, and your monarchy will be the 30th generation.  The Moon begins to shine on the first of the month of Nisan, and increases until it's disk is full on the 15th, and then the Moon's light decreases until it is not visible on the 30th of Nisan.  So to is the case with Israel.  There were 15 generations from Abraham to King Solomon.  Abraham began to shine...  when King Solomon came, the disk of the Moon was full.

Problematic and Beautiful: Sukkot 45b

This text is both beautiful and problematic.  It is difficult not to read it as surprisingly, even shockingly Christian.  A famous sage also sounds egotistical.  

Hizkiah taught that Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai said, 'I can make the the entire world exempt from Judgement, from the day I was created until now.  If my son Eliezer were with me, we could expempt the entire world from Judgement since the world was created until now.  With Yotam ben Uziah [a king known for his humility] we could exempt the world from Judgment from the beginning to the end of creation.'

Hizkiah taught that Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai said, 'I have seen exalted people [Rashi says, those who receive the divine presence], and that there are few of them.  If there are 100, me and my son are among them.  If there are two, it is me and my son.'

[The Gemara asks] are there really so few?  Did not Rava teach that 8,000 people dwell before the Holy One, Praised be G-d...?

There is no contradiction between Rava and Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai.  Rava referred to the 8,000 who see G-d through a obscure lens, while Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai taught about the few who see G-d through a shining lens.

[The Gemara asks] but can there be so few people who see G-d through a shining lens?  Abbaye taught, 'There are at least 36 righteous people who receive the divine presence every day.'  How could there only be two?

There is no contradiction between Abbaye and Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai.  Abbaye taught regarding those who must seek permission to receive the divine presence, while Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai taught regarding those who do not need permission.