Vayira
From Torah Or by Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi
Translation and Commentary by Rabbi Gedalia Potash and William Schecter, MD
This draft has neither been edited nor approved by Rabbi Potash
Friday November 6, 2020
The opening words in Aramaic of the Elter Rebbe’s commentary are from the Zohar (The introduction of Tikunei HaZohar 17:a, Livorno Printing). “Elijah opened his discourse to Shimon Bar Yochai (the author of the Zohar) by referring to G-d: You are One, beyond all measure. You are Supreme……You created the 10 corrections which are called the 10 Sephirot”…...1
The Elter Rebbe then asks why the 10 Sephirot are called Corrections? He says in order to answer this question, we must first explain the essence of the Soul. The Soul, he says, is pure undivided light. All of its attributes, intellect and emotions are merely garments investing the Soul but not really part of its essence—which is pure light. These attributes are called Corrections because the Soul is corrected (perhaps improved in a certain sense) and clothed by these attributes.
To emphasize this point, the Elter Rebbe quotes Onkelos’2 translation of the Torah commandment “a man shall not wear women’s clothing” (Deuteronomy 22:5) as a man shall not “correct” himself with the “corrections” of a woman. What does Onkelos mean by using the term “correct”? The Elter Rebbe goes on to explain that Onkelos is using corrections as one might use the term jewelry which women use to beautify themselves to the point that the jewelry “unites” with the body. Although they are separate entities, they appear indistinguishable. So it is with the Soul and the body. The body, the investiture of the Soul, enhances the Soul. If the Soul is pure light, the attributes of the body (intellect and emotions) enable the Soul to express itself take action in our world to “repair it”. But there is a mutual relationship between the body and the Soul.
The Elter Rebbe gives an example. If a finger is injured, the Soul “feels” the injury. Conversely, if the Soul desires a certain action, organs of the body respond immediately to this desire. For example, the leg begins to walk etc. without any prior prolonged thought from the brain but rather without any delay. This is because the body “unites” with the Soul and the Soul acts on its desires as does the body because both body and Soul are “united”.
Rabbi Potash clarified this point as follows. “The Soul is corrected by the invested attributes of intellect and emotions. But how can the pure G-dly Soul be corrected?” Rabbi Potash gave the analogy of food and people. People are agents elevating the food. The fact that we act as the agents to elevate the food makes us more of a G-dly agent. It is true the soul is higher than the attributes but it needs the “hands and feet” of the attributes.
Rabbi Potash then used the Yiddish expression “א צדיק אין פעלץ “ (A Tsadik in Peltz--A tsadik in furs). The point is, if you are in a freezing cold place and you are a tsadik with a fur coat, you have two choices. You can sit and be warm in your fur coat alone or you can build a fire and warm up both yourself and the entire community.3 It is better to build a fire. A tsadik in peltz is analogous to the soul alone. The tsadik engaged in the community is analogous to the soul with its “garments” of intellect and emotions. So, although the soul and body are separate, when they unify they function as one entity in an integrated and seamless alliance.
By way of analogy, it will be understood that the intellect and the emotions of the Soul are also only “corrections” (like garments) of the Soul which “correct” (enhance?) and invest the Soul. In other words, they are tools by which the Soul functions in the world similar to the saw of a woodcutter. To love with the emotion of love, to contemplate with the attribute of wisdom etc., all of this is the result of the action of the Soul and its dissemination but the Soul itself is separated and above these emotions and intellectual attributes just like the person is fundamentally separate from whatever adornments are worn. Why is this so? The Elter Rebbe explains. Intellect and emotions are subject to change with time. Both undergo changes as we age. But the essence of the Soul is unchangeable. So, how do the emotions and intellect of the body, “correct” or enhance the Soul like a woman’s adornments? The intellect and the emotions are lights which strengthen the Soul and are not really garments but rather corrections (with energy from the Sephirot?) the strengths of which correct and beautify the Soul similar to jewelry which beautifies and adorns a person. We ended our discussion at this point. It seems there is a continual tension between unification of the body and the Soul and the fact that these two entities are fundamentally separate with the G-dly Soul on a higher plane.
- This discourse of Elijah from the Zohar is recited twice a day (before Shacharit and Minchah) in Sephardic synagogues. The prayer is called Petach Elijah (“Elijah opened”) after the first two words of the prayer. The prayer opens with a declaration of the unity and greatness of G-d who created the 10 Sephirot. Thereafter it describes the characteristics of the 10 Sephirot and their relationship to human concepts such as the Oral Torah.
- Onkelos (Hebrew: אֻנְקְלוֹס ’unqəlōs), possibly identical to Aquila of Sinope, was a Roman national who converted to Judaism in Tannaic times (c. 35–120 CE). He is considered to be the author of the Targum Onkelos (c. 110 CE) which is a translation of the Torah from Hebrew to Aramaic. (Source: Wikipedia)
- The parable of the “Tsadik in Peltz” is attributed to Rabbi Menachem Mendel Morgenzstern of Kotzk, better known as the Kotzker Rebbe (1787-1859). The Kotzker Rebbe is considered to be the spiritual founder of the Ger dynasty of Hasidim.
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Kotzk (Kock), Poland is located 45 km north of Lublin |