×
Friend,    With Purim right around the corner, Sefaria is busy preparing for the “Purim bump” — the increase in users who visit Sefaria to celebrate the holiday. Last year, more than 100,000 people visited the library or used the app to connect with the holiday or read along with Megillat Esther. This year we’re expecting even more.    To help with our text and tech preparations ahead of this busy time, a generous Jewish foundation is matching all gifts to the library up to $36,000.    Please give today to help us meet your learning needs!     
Save "Mishpatim ~ Levels of the Self, levels of the Soul
"
Mishpatim ~ Levels of the Self, levels of the Soul
(יט) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר ה' אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה כֹּ֥ה תֹאמַ֖ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אַתֶּ֣ם רְאִיתֶ֔ם כִּ֚י מִן־הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם דִּבַּ֖רְתִּי עִמָּכֶֽם׃ (כ) לֹ֥א תַעֲשׂ֖וּן אִתִּ֑י אֱלֹ֤קֵי כֶ֙סֶף֙ וֵאלֹקֵ֣י זָהָ֔ב לֹ֥א תַעֲשׂ֖וּ לָכֶֽם׃ (כא) מִזְבַּ֣ח אֲדָמָה֮ תַּעֲשֶׂה־לִּי֒ וְזָבַחְתָּ֣ עָלָ֗יו אֶת־עֹלֹתֶ֙יךָ֙ וְאֶת־שְׁלָמֶ֔יךָ אֶת־צֹֽאנְךָ֖ וְאֶת־בְּקָרֶ֑ךָ בְּכׇל־הַמָּקוֹם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אַזְכִּ֣יר אֶת־שְׁמִ֔י אָב֥וֹא אֵלֶ֖יךָ וּבֵרַכְתִּֽיךָ׃ (כב) וְאִם־מִזְבַּ֤ח אֲבָנִים֙ תַּֽעֲשֶׂה־לִּ֔י לֹֽא־תִבְנֶ֥ה אֶתְהֶ֖ן גָּזִ֑ית כִּ֧י חַרְבְּךָ֛ הֵנַ֥פְתָּ עָלֶ֖יהָ וַתְּחַֽלְלֶֽהָ׃ (כג) וְלֹֽא־תַעֲלֶ֥ה בְמַעֲלֹ֖ת עַֽל־מִזְבְּחִ֑י אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹֽא־תִגָּלֶ֥ה עֶרְוָתְךָ֖ עָלָֽיו׃ {פ}

(19) Ad-nai said to Moses: Thus shall you say to the Israelites: You yourselves saw that I spoke to you from the very heavens: (20) With Me, therefore, you shall not make any gods of silver, nor shall you make for yourselves any gods of gold. (21) Make for Me an altar of earth and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace-offerings, your sheep and your oxen; in every place where I cause My name to be mentioned I will come to you and bless you. (22) And if you make for Me an altar of stones, do not build it of hewn stones; for by wielding your tool upon them you have profaned them. (23) Do not ascend My altar by steps, that your nakedness may not be exposed upon it.

(א) וְאֵ֙לֶּה֙ הַמִּשְׁפָּטִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר תָּשִׂ֖ים לִפְנֵיהֶֽם׃ (ב) כִּ֤י תִקְנֶה֙ עֶ֣בֶד עִבְרִ֔י שֵׁ֥שׁ שָׁנִ֖ים יַעֲבֹ֑ד וּבַ֨שְּׁבִעִ֔ת יֵצֵ֥א לַֽחׇפְשִׁ֖י חִנָּֽם׃ (ג) אִם־בְּגַפּ֥וֹ יָבֹ֖א בְּגַפּ֣וֹ יֵצֵ֑א אִם־בַּ֤עַל אִשָּׁה֙ ה֔וּא וְיָצְאָ֥ה אִשְׁתּ֖וֹ עִמּֽוֹ׃ (ד) אִם־אֲדֹנָיו֙ יִתֶּן־ל֣וֹ אִשָּׁ֔ה וְיָלְדָה־ל֥וֹ בָנִ֖ים א֣וֹ בָנ֑וֹת הָאִשָּׁ֣ה וִילָדֶ֗יהָ תִּהְיֶה֙ לַֽאדֹנֶ֔יהָ וְה֖וּא יֵצֵ֥א בְגַפּֽוֹ׃ (ה) וְאִם־אָמֹ֤ר יֹאמַר֙ הָעֶ֔בֶד אָהַ֙בְתִּי֙ אֶת־אֲדֹנִ֔י אֶת־אִשְׁתִּ֖י וְאֶת־בָּנָ֑י לֹ֥א אֵצֵ֖א חׇפְשִֽׁי׃ (ו) וְהִגִּישׁ֤וֹ אֲדֹנָיו֙ אֶל־הָ֣אֱלֹקִ֔ים וְהִגִּישׁוֹ֙ אֶל־הַדֶּ֔לֶת א֖וֹ אֶל־הַמְּזוּזָ֑ה וְרָצַ֨ע אֲדֹנָ֤יו אֶת־אׇזְנוֹ֙ בַּמַּרְצֵ֔עַ וַעֲבָד֖וֹ לְעֹלָֽם׃ {ס}

(1) And these are the rules that you shall set before them: (2) When you acquire a Hebrew slave, that person shall serve six years—and shall go free in the seventh year, without payment. (3) If [a male slave] came single, he shall leave single; if he had a wife, his wife shall leave with him. (4) If his master gave him a wife, and she has borne him children, the wife and her children shall belong to the master, and he shall leave alone. (5) But if the slave declares, “I love my master, and my wife and children: I do not wish to go free,” (6) his master shall take him before God. He shall be brought to the door or the doorpost, and his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall then remain his master’s slave for life.

~ Exodus 21:1 is where the rabbis decided a new parsha, Mishpatim, began.

~ Do the texts seem that disconnected? Why or why not?

~ Can you imagine a connection between the ending of Yitro and the beginning of Mishpatim?

~ Why do you think Mishpatim "rules" begins talking about slavery?

A quick detour for a beautiful allegory
רַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי הָיָה דּוֹרֵשׁ אֶת הַמִּקְרָא הַזֶּה כְּמִין חוֹמֶר: מָה נִשְׁתַּנָּה אֹזֶן מִכׇּל אֵבָרִים שֶׁבַּגּוּף? אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: אֹזֶן שֶׁשָּׁמְעָה קוֹלִי עַל הַר סִינַי בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאָמַרְתִּי: ״כִּי לִי בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עֲבָדִים״ – וְלֹא עֲבָדִים לַעֲבָדִים, וְהָלַךְ זֶה וְקָנָה אָדוֹן לְעַצְמוֹ – יֵרָצַע. וְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בַּר רַבִּי הָיָה דּוֹרֵשׁ אֶת הַמִּקְרָא הַזֶּה כְּמִין חוֹמֶר: מָה נִשְׁתַּנָּה דֶּלֶת וּמְזוּזָה מִכׇּל כֵּלִים שֶׁבַּבַּיִת? אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: דֶּלֶת וּמְזוּזָה שֶׁהָיוּ עֵדִים בְּמִצְרַיִם בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁפָּסַחְתִּי עַל הַמַּשְׁקוֹף וְעַל שְׁתֵּי הַמְּזוּזוֹת, וְאָמַרְתִּי: ״כִּי לִי בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עֲבָדִים״ – וְלֹא עֲבָדִים לַעֲבָדִים, וְהוֹצֵאתִים מֵעַבְדוּת לְחֵירוּת, וְהָלַךְ זֶה וְקָנָה אָדוֹן לְעַצְמוֹ – יֵרָצַע בִּפְנֵיהֶם.
Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai would expound this verse as a type of decorative wreath [ḥomer], i.e., as an allegory: Why is the ear different from all the other limbs in the body, as the ear alone is pierced? The Holy One, Blessed be He, said: This ear heard My voice on Mount Sinai when I said: “For to Me the children of Israel are slaves” (Leviticus 25:55), which indicates: And they should not be slaves to slaves. And yet this man went and willingly acquired a master for himself. Therefore, let this ear be pierced. And Rabbi Shimon bar Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi would likewise expound this verse as a type of decorative wreath: Why are the door and a doorpost different from all other objects in the house, that the piercing is performed with them? The Holy One, Blessed be He, said: The door and the doorpost were witnesses in Egypt when I passed over the lintel and when I passed over the two doorposts of houses in which there were Jews (Exodus, chapter 12), and I said: “For to Me the children of Israel are slaves,” and they should not be slaves to slaves. And I delivered them at that time from slavery to freedom, and yet this man went and acquired a master for himself. Therefore, let him be pierced before them, as they are witnesses that he violated God’s will.

~ What is the connection between the door/doorposts?

~ What is the assumption about slavery?

ואלה המשפטים. כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "אֵלֶּה" פָּסַל אֶת הָרִאשׁוֹנִים, "וְאֵלֶּה" מוֹסִיף עַל הָרִאשׁוֹנִים, מָה הָרִאשׁוֹנִים מִסִּינַי, אַף אֵלּוּ מִסִּינַי; וְלָמָּה נִסְמְכָה פָּרָשַׁת דִּינִין לְפָרָשַׁת מִזְבֵּחַ? לוֹמַר לְךָ, שֶׁתָּשִׂים סַנְהֶדְרִין אֵצֶל הַמִּקְדָּשׁ (מכילתא):

ואלה המשפטים AND THESE ARE THE JUDGMENTS — Wherever אלה [these are] appears, it is used to cut off the preceding section from that which it introduces; where, however, ואלה “and these” is used, it adds something to the former subject (forms a continuation of it). So also here: “And these are the judgments”: What is the case with the former commandments (the עשרת הדברות)? They were given at Sinai! So these, too, were given at Sinai! If this be so, why is this section dealing with the “civil laws” placed immediately after that commanding the making of the altar? To tell you that you should seat (i. e. provide quarters for) the Sanhedrin in the vicinity of the Temple.

~ Rashi is basing himself in several midrashim: Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 21:1:1; Shemot Rabbah 30:3; cf. also Midrash Tanchuma, Mishpatim 3.

~ What does his comment imply regarding the question of civil law?

אשר תשים לפניהם. אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּבָּ"ה לְמֹשֶׁה: לֹא תַעֲלֶה עַל דַּעְתְּךָ לוֹמַר, אֶשְׁנֶה לָהֶם הַפֶּרֶק וְהַהֲלָכָה ב' אוֹ ג' פְּעָמִים, עַד שֶׁתְּהֵא סְדוּרָה בְּפִיהֶם כְּמִשְׁנָתָהּ, וְאֵינִי מַטְרִיחַ עַצְמִי לַהֲבִינָם טַעֲמֵי הַדָּבָר וּפֵרוּשׁוֹ, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר אֲשֶׁר תָּשִׂים לִפְנֵיהֶם – כְּשֻׁלְחָן הֶעָרוּךְ וּמוּכָן לֶאֱכֹל לִפְנֵי הָאָדָם (שם):

אשר תשים לפניהם WHICH YOU SHALL PUT BEFORE THEM — God said to Moses: It should not enter your mind to say, “I shall teach them a section of the Torah or a single Halacha twice or three times until it will become current in their mouths exactly according to its wording (until they know the text by heart), but I shall not take the trouble to make them understand the reason of each thing and its significance”; therefore Scripture says, אשר תשים לפניהם, “which you shall set before them” (cf. Genesis 34:23) — like a table fully laid before a person with everything ready for eating.

~ Rashi is basing himself in Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 21:1:1.

~ What does his commentary explain?

~ Is this surprising to you?

(א) כי תקנה עבד עברי. עֶבֶד שֶׁהוּא עִבְרִי; אוֹ אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא עַבְדּוֹ שֶׁל עִבְרִי – עֶבֶד כְּנַעֲנִי שֶׁלְּקַחְתּוֹ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל – וְעָלָיו הוּא אוֹמֵר שֵׁשׁ שָׁנִים יַעֲבֹד? וּמָה אֲנִי מְקַיֵּם וְהִתְנַחַלְתֶּם אֹתָם (ויקרא כ"ה), בְּלָקוּחַ מִן הַגּוֹי, אֲבָל בְּלָקוּחַ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל יֵצֵא בְּשֵׁשׁ? תַּ"לֹ כִּי יִמָּכֵר לְךָ אָחִיךָ הָעִבְרִי (דברים ט"ו), לֹא אָמַרְתִּי אֶלָּא בְאָחִיךָ:

(1) כי תקנה עבד עברי IF YOU BUY AN eved ivri — This means a slave who is a Hebrew. Or perhaps this is not so, but it means a servant of a Hebrew (one who had been the servant of a Hebrew), a Canaanite slave whom you hast bought from an Israelite, and maybe it is with regard to him that Scripture states “six years he shall serve”? — that can't be so, because, how I will then explain the commandment, (Leviticus 25:46) “and you shall leave them (the Canaanite slaves) as an inheritance for your children [and they shall serve you forever]”? I could reply, that this refers to the case of a Canaanite slave who has been bought from a heathen; but if such a servant has been bought from an Israelite he shall go free at the end of six years! — However, this explanation (that our text refers to a Canaanite servant) will not hold, for Scripture states, (Deuteronomy 15:12) “and if thy brother an Hebrew man be sold unto thee [and serve you six years, then in the seventh year you shall let him go free]” — the Torah says, as it were, by using the two terms העברי and אחיך: I tell you this (that the servant shall go free in the seventh year) only with regard to your brother! Consequently Leviticus 25:46 has to be applied to any Canaanite servant, whether bought from a Hebrew or from a heathen and עבד עברי in our text can only denote עבד שהוא עברי. (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 21:2:2)

(ב) כי תקנה. מִיַּד בֵּית דִּין שֶׁמְּכָרוּהוּ בִגְנֵבָתוֹ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר אִם אֵין לוֹ וְנִמְכַּר בִּגְנֵבָתוֹ, אוֹ אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא בְּמוֹכֵר עַצְמוֹ מִפְּנֵי דָּחְקוֹ, אֲבָל מְכָרוּהוּ בֵית דִּין לֹא יֵצֵא בְשֵׁשׁ? כְּשֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר וְכִי יָמוּךְ אָחִיךָ עִמָּךְ וְנִמְכַּר לָךְ (ויקרא כ"ה), הֲרֵי מוֹכֵר עַצְמוֹ מִפְּנֵי דָּחְקוֹ אָמוּר, וּמָה אֲנִי מְקַיֵּם כִּי תִקְנֶה? בְּנִמְכַּר בְּבֵית דִּין:

(2) ‎כי תקנה IF YOU ACQUIRE [A HEBREW SERVANT] — This means an Hebrew servant whom thou hast bought from the hand of the court which sold him for a theft which he had committed, as it is said, (Exodus 22:2) “if he (the thief) have nothing, then shall he be sold for his theft”. Or perhaps this is not so, but Scripture is referring to the case of one who sells himself as a servant on account of his destitution, whilst he who has been sold by the court for his theft shall not go free at the end of six years! This assumption it erroneous, for when Scripture states, (Leviticus 25:39, 40) “and if thy brother that dwells by you be waxen poor, and he sells himself to you… [he shall serve you until the year of jubilee]”, it is plain that in this passage there is mentioned the case of one who sells himself on account of his destitution. How then must I explain כי תקנה in this verse? Obviously as referring to him who was sold by the court (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 21:2:1).

~ Rashi clarifies a few things about the verse. How does one acquire a Hebrew slave? When does such slave go free? What is the difference between a Canaanite slave and a Hebrew slave?

(א) ואלה המשפטים כו׳. לפרש הסמיכות "ולא תעלה במעלות על מזבחי אשר לא תגלה ערותך עליו, ואלה המשפטים". נ"ל דכתיב "אהללה שם אלקים בשיר ואגדלנו בתודה", דהנה יש שני בחינות במידת הצדיקים, דהיינו יש צדיק שהולך תמיד במדריגה בדביקות בהשי"ת ומשבח תמיד בשירות ותשבחות, וכשמזדמן להצדיק הזה איזה טובה מאתו יתברך, אזי מתדבק יותר בהשי"ת ומכיר יותר בגדולתו יתברך ומשבח להבורא יתברך ביותר הדביקות בו וביותר חשקות, ואינו מודה לו יתברך עתה יותר בשביל הטובה שעשה עמו יותר ממקדם, רק בשביל הטובה הוא מכיר בגדולתו יתברך ומשבח לו בחשקות ודביקות יותר. ויש שאינו במדריגה זו, אבל הוא מכיר בטובתו יתברך ומשבח להבורא ב"ה על הטובה הנעשית לו, וכפי הכרתו הטובה הוא משבח יותר. ויש חילוק בין השבחות של הצדיקים הנ"ל, דהיינו הצדיק שהוא בא אל התדבקות יותר בשביל הטובה ומשבח להבורא ב"ה יותר בדביקות כנ"ל, הוא מדריגה גדולה, ואינו רשאי לעלות יותר ממדריגתו שהוא כעת בשעת השבח והתהילה, דכשיגביה את עצמו יותר ממדריגתו, אזי מגביה שפלותו כנגדו ונופל לו פניות ומחשבות זרות ר"ל, אבל כשהוא משבח בשביל הכרת טובתו, אזי כפי הכרתו יותר הוא יוכל לשבח יותר ואינו מזיק לו.

"And these are the rulings etc." (Exodus 21:1) and we shall interpret its connection with "And you shall not go up steps to my altar so you do not reveal your nakedness upon it, and these are the rulings." (Exodus 20:23). It seems to me that what is written "I will extol God's name in song, and aggrandize Him with thanks" (Psalms 69:31) is because there are two types aspects in the level of tzadikim. One of them is the Tzaddik who continuously increases their level of connection/clinging to the Holy Blessed One, and is always praising in songs and praises, and when something good from the Blessed One happens to that tzadik, they cling more to the Holy One of Blessing, and recognize God's greatness, and praise the Blessed Creator with more devotion and more desire. And it is not that such a tzadik thanks God now more because of the greater good that the Blessed One did, it is just that because of the good the tzadik recognizes the greatness of the Blessed One, and praises with greater devotion and desire. And there is a tzadik not in this level, but that recognizes the goodness of the Blessed One and according to the goodness that tzadik receives, due to recognizing the good, that tzadik praises more. And there is a difference between the praises of those tzadikim. The tzadik that comes to a greater clinging due to the goodness and praises the Blessed Creator with greater devotion, as explained, that tzadik is already in a great level, and is not permitted to go higher in their level, as at the moment of their praise, as they are raising themselves from their level, they also raise their baseness against themselves, and their emptiness and intruding thoughts fall upon them, God protect us, but when they praise due to their recognizing the good of the Blessed One, then according to their greater recognition they are able to praise more and that does not harm them.

~ What are the two levels of the tzadik?

~ What is praise due to goodness? What is simply praise? Which one is better, for the Noam Elimelech?

~ What happens when a tzadik wants to rise above their level?

‎וזהו "ולא תעלה במעלות על מזבחי", ר"ל שהשירות והתשבחות בדביקות והכרת גדולותיו הוא במקום קרבן, דהיינו שהוא מקרב עצמו אל הבורא ב"ה ולעולמות עליונים ונקרא בשם מזבח, וזש"ה "ולא תעלה במעלות", דהיינו בשעת השירות והתשבחות שהוא במקום קרבן, "על מזבחי", לא תעלה במעלות יותר ממדריגתך, כדי ש"לא תגלה ערותך עליו", דהיינו שלא יגביה שפלותך כנגדך ויפול בך פניות כנ"ל, וסמך לו "ואלה המשפטים (אשר תשים לפניהם)", ור"ל אלה המשפטים הנ"ל שאמרתי לך, "אשר תשים לפניהם", פירוש לפני הצדיקים שאינם במדריגה גדולה, רק שהם מכירים בטובות השי"ת אשר לפניהם, תוכל לשום המשפטים הנ"ל, דהיינו שהוא יכול לעלות במדריגה יותר ויותר כפי הכרתו.

And that is what it means when it says "Do not go up in steps מעלות maalot to my Altar" (Ex. 20:23) which is to say that the songs, and praises [done] in clinging/devotion and the recognition of the greatness of the One, all those are in place of a sacrifice קרבן korban, that is, when one brings oneself closer מקרב mekarev to the Blessed Creator and the higher worlds, and then one is called an altar, and this is what is written "do not go in steps", meaning, in the moment of songs and praises, which are in place of a sacrifice, "on My altar", meaning, do not go up in steps higher than your level, so "your nakedness does not show", meaning, that your baseness should not rise against you, and your emptiness fall upon you, as explained. And next to that is "And these are the rules" - the ones that were just explained. "That you will set in front of them" - them, the tzadikim that are not in a high level, that only when they recognize the many good [things] of the Holy Blessed Name, then you can set the rules in front of them, that is, that the tzadik is able to rise to higher levels, more and more, according to their recognition.

~ How does the Noam explain the proximity of the end of Yitro and the beginning of Mishpatim?

~ What is the altar? How do you like this metaphor?

~ What is "nakedness"?

‎וזהו "ואהללה שם אלקים בשיר ואגדלנו בתודה", ור"ל שאני מחזיק תרתי לטיבותא, דהיינו כשאני במדריגה זו לשבח בשירות ותשבחות ולא בשביל הטובה כנ"ל כי אם מחמת הכרת גדולתו יתברך, אזי אני מחזיק במדריגתי ואין אני משבח יותר ממדריגתי, וזהו "ואהללה בשיר" ולא יותר ממדריגתי, " ואגדלנו בתודה", דתודה רמז על אדם שהוא משבח בשביל טובתו, כדאיתא בגמרא ד׳ צריכין להודות, ור"ל כשאני בבחינה זאת לשבחו בשביל הכרת טובתו, אזי אני אגדלנו בתודה יותר כפי הכרתי.

And this is "I will extol God's name in song, and aggrandize Him with thanks" (Psalms 69:31), meaning, that I seize two for good, when I am in the level of praising with songs and praises, and not because of the good, as explained, because of my recognition of the greatness of the Blessed One, then I seize my level, and I do not praise more than my level [permits], and this is "I will extol in song", and not more than my level. "I will aggrandize in thanks" - thanks is a hint to the person who praises because of the good, as it is found in the Gemara "four need to thank" (Brachot 54b), and that is when I am in this aspect, of praising due to the recognizing of the good, then I can aggrandize Him in thanks, more than my recognition [permits].

~ Is it possible for the tzadik to rise above their level?

‎וזהו שאמרו חז"ל "אז ישיר משה כו׳ שר לא נאמר אלא אז ישיר מכאן רמז לתחיית המת־־ם מן התורה", ויש לתת טעם למה דוקא כאן רמז על תחיית המתים? ויש לפרש ע"פ הנ"ל, דהיינו שאז ביציאת מצרים היו במדריגה קטנה שהיו משבחים בשביל הכרת הטובה, וזש"ה "אז ישיר", ר"ל "אז" בעת התחייה, אז יהיו משבחים במדריגת "שיר" כנ"ל. וק"ל.

And this is what the sages said "Then Moses and the children of Israel will sing this song to the Lord” (Exodus 15:1). It is not stated: Sang, rather, “they will sing”. From here it is proved that resurrection of the dead is from the Torah" (Sanhedrin 91b) and one needs to understand why exactly from here there is a hint to the resurrection of the dead? And we can explain according to what was said above, that then, in the Exodus, they were all in a lower level, as they were praising because of the recognition of the good, and this is "then he will sing", "then" is in the time of resurrection, then they will be praising on the level of "song", as explained, and this is straightforward.

~ Does one eventually get to the higher level regardless?

אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר רַב: אַרְבָּעָה צְרִיכִין לְהוֹדוֹת: יוֹרְדֵי הַיָּם, הוֹלְכֵי מִדְבָּרוֹת, וּמִי שֶׁהָיָה חוֹלֶה וְנִתְרַפֵּא, וּמִי שֶׁהָיָה חָבוּשׁ בְּבֵית הָאֲסוּרִים וְיָצָא.
Rav Yehuda said that Rav said: Four must offer thanks to God with a thanks-offering and a special blessing. They are: Seafarers, those who walk in the desert, and one who was ill and recovered, and one who was incarcerated in prison and went out. All of these appear in the verses of a psalm (Psalms 107).

(ו) יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן פְּרַחְיָה וְנִתַּאי הָאַרְבֵּלִי קִבְּלוּ מֵהֶם. יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן פְּרַחְיָה אוֹמֵר, עֲשֵׂה לְךָ רַב, וּקְנֵה לְךָ חָבֵר, וֶהֱוֵי דָן אֶת כָּל הָאָדָם לְכַף זְכוּת:

(6) Joshua ben Perahiah and Nittai the Arbelite received [the oral tradition] from them. Joshua ben Perahiah used to say: appoint for thyself a teacher, and acquire for thyself a companion and judge all men with the scale weighted in his favor.

או יאמר, דהנה כתבנו במקום אחר דהצדיק צריך להיות בהכנעה גדולה, וזהו שהורה לנו התנא הדרך אשר נלך ואמר "עשה לך רב", פירוש אם יעלה על דעתך את צורכך המרובים, דהיינו פרנסה ועשירות ובנים וכבוד וכדומה, והיינו "רב" - דברים הרבה, "עשה לך" לשון יחיד, תכניס הכל אל האחדות, "וקנה לך חבר", דהנשמה נקראת חבר לאדם, והנשמה אינה באה לאדם כי אם ע"י טורח ויגיעה בעבודת השי"ת, והיינו "וקנה" מלשון קונה שמים וארץ, פירוש שתעבוד את הבורא ב"ה בשלימות עד שתקנה לך חבר היינו הנשמה.

Or say~ behold, in another place we wrote that the tzadik needs to be in a great state of surrender, and this is what the tanna teaches the way to go, and says "make a teacher for yourself" (Pirkei Avot 1:6), meaning, if in your mind all your great needs are central, such as money and riches and children and honor and so on, this is "rav" - meaning, many things, "make for yourself", in an expression of singularity, make it all enter in the Unity. [And] "acquire a friend" the soul is called "friend" to a person, and the soul does not come to a person unless one works very much at it, devoting to the service of the Holy One of Blessing, and this is "and acquire", from the same expression of "maker of heaven and earth", meaning, that you should work for the Blessed Creator in completeness until you can acquire the friend, that is, the soul.

~ How does the Noam Elimelech understand the development of a person?

~ What kind of soul is he talking about?

‎וזהו "כי תקנה", כשתרצה לקנות לך נשמה, "עבד" פירוש ע"י עבודת השי"ת, "עברי" פירוש תחזיק עצמך בהכנעה, שהצדיק נקרא בשם "ישראל", אבל אתה תחזיק עצמך בשם "עברי", כמ"ש ואקח את אביכם מעבר הנהר, ואז כשיעשה ויתנהג כך כנ"ל, "שש שנים יעבוד", פירוש שהששה קצוות נקראים "שנים", ויהיה יוכל לעבוד בהם להמשיך משם השפעות וכל הטובות לעולם, "ובשביעית", פירוש אם יבוא למדריגה שביעית ששם הוא החירות, "יצא לחפשי חנם", אז יכול לתקן ולפעול את כל ע"י דיבורו, והיינו "חנם" בלי שום עמל וטורח רק כאשר ידבר כן יקום.

And this is "when you acquire" (Exodus 21:2) - when you want to acquire a soul for yourself, "slave" really means servant of the Holy Blessed Name, "Hebrew" עברי meaning that you should seize yourself in surrender, that the tzadik is called by the name Israel, but you are to seize yourself in the name "Hebrew", as it is written "and I took your father from the other side מעבר of the river" (Joshua 24:3) and so, when one does and behaves as explained, then "six years he will work", meaning, that the six directions are called "years", and one will be able to serve on them, to continue from there the Flows and all the Good to the world. "And on the seventh", meaning, if one comes to the level of the seventh, in which there is freedom, one "will come out to freedom, for free" and then one can fix and act through one's speech, and this is "free", without any effort nor difficulty, just what one says, will happen.

~ How does he reread Israel and Hebrew?

~ To whom are we closer, to Avraham or Yaakov?

‎וזהו "אגורה באהלך עולמים", פירוש כשאני מוכנע ושפל בעיני עצמי כגר בארץ נכריה, "אגורה" לשון גירות, "באהלך", ר"ל אני יכול להשפיע לעוה"ז השפעות גדולות, דעוה"ז נקרא אוהל, "עולמים" ר"ל מעולמות עליונים. וק"ל.

And this is "I will dwell in your tent of worlds" (Psalms 61:6), meaning, when I surrender and I am small in my eyes, as an גר immigrant in a foreign land, "I will dwell" אגורה from the expression of גירות immigrant, "in Your tent", meaning, I am able to make flow in this world great Flows, since this world is called "tent", and "worlds", meaning, the higher levels. And this is straightforward.

~ What does the feeling of exile do, in terms of possibility?

לגוף, שתיקן את גופו לעבוד להשי"ת, "ויצאה אשתו עמו", ר"ל שגם הגוף יהנה עם הנשמה. וק"ל.

Single (בְּגַפּוֹ) for body גוף, that one has fixed his body to serve the Holy Blessed Name; "his wife will come with him" (Exodus 21:3) meaning, that the body will enjoy with the soul, also. And this is straightforward.

~ Are body and soul opposites?

או יאמר "כי תקנה עבד עברי כו׳", ד"עברי" הוא לשון כנפים, כמש"ה באברתו יסך לך, דאל"ף מתחלף בעי"ן באותיות אחה"ע, ור"ל "כי תקנה", כי תרצה לעלות במדריגה זו שתהיה עבד שהוא עברי, שיהיו לך כנפים לעלות בדביקות הבורא ב"ה, אזי "שש שנים יעבוד", ר"ל שששים שנה תמימים צריך אתה לעבוד ועדיין לא תקנת את עצמך בשלימות, אבל "בשביעית", ר"ל כשתגיע אחר ששים, אזי אינך צריך לעבוד כ"כ.

Or say - "when you acquire a Hebrew slave etc" (Exodus 21:2). 'Hebrew' עברי is an expression of wings, as in "He will cover you with His pinions באברתו" (Psalms 91:4), since alef and ayin switch according to the code אחה"ע (Sefer Yetzira and Arugat haBosem, R. Shmuel Archevolti, Italy 16th c). Meaning, "when you acquire", that is, when you desire to rise to this level, in which you will be a slave that is Hebrew, that you will have wings to rise in your devotion to the Blessed Creator, and then "six years he will labor" meaning, that a person needs sixty complete years to serve, and still will not have fixed themselves completely, however "in the seventh", meaning, when one passes sixty, then it is easier to serve.

~ Is it good to age?

"אם בגפו יבא", "גפו" הוא ג"כ לשון כנפים כתרגומו, דהנה יש צדיק שהוא קדוש מרחם ולא בא לעולם בגלגול רק לתקן קצת מה שלא תיקן בבריאה ראשונה, ואמר הכתוב הצדיק הזה שבא בגפו, דהיינו באברתו ובכנפיו שהוא צדיק גמור מרחם, אזי הוא בטוח ש"בגפו יצא" לעולמו ולא יכשל ח"ו בשום חטא בהיותו בעוה"ז, "ואם בעל אשה הוא", פירוש ואם אינו קדוש מרחם ויצה"ר יכול להחטיאו, שהוא מגרה אותו בתאוות הגשמיות הנקראים בשם אשה דהיינו נוקבא, כמש"ה "האשה אשר נתתה עמדי וכו׳ השיאני ואוכל", אבל הוא מתגבר על היצה"ר והוא "בעל אשה", שהוא מתגבר על תאוותיו שלא לעשותם, "ויצאה אשתו עמו", פירוש שכרו יהיה לעוה"ב שתצא אשתו עמו, דהיינו התאוות שהתגבר עליהם יהיו לו לשכר.

"If he came single" בְּגַפּוֹ, (Exodus 21:3) is also an expression of wings, as the translation, since behold the tzadik, who is sanctified already in the womb, and only comes into the world to fix what was not fixed in the first creation, and not to reincarnate, and this is what the Text says: such a tzadik, that came בְּגַפּוֹ, meaning, in the pinions and wings it is clear that that is a complete tzadik, from the womb, then that tzadik can be assured that "he will go out single בְּגַפּוֹ", to that tzadik's world, and will not stumble, God forbid, in any sin while that tzadik is in this world. "And if he is a husband of a wife" meaning, if he is not sanctified from the womb, and that the impulse to evil is able to make that tzadik sin, that the impulse stimulates the tzadik with all bodily desires that are called "woman" because they are the "nukvah", as it is written "the woman you gave me ... the serpent duped me and I ate", but one can conquer the impulse to evil, and then one becomes "the husband of a wife", meaning, that one has conquered the desires so as not to give in to them, "his wife will come out with him", meaning, one's reward is in the world that is coming, that one's wife will come out with them, meaning, the desires that one has conquered - those will be one's reward.

~ Are you able to read this above the binary?

~ Is it possible for all people to rise to the level of tzadik, in your opinion?

~ What does a master of one's inclination to evil look like?

‎ו"אם אדוניו יתן לו אשה", פירוש שיש צדיק גמור ושלם שאין היצה"ר יכול להחטיאו, רק השי"ת מזמין לו איזה נדנוד חטא קצת כדי שע"י זה שיחרד לבו בנדנוד חטא הזה שבא לידו וירבה בתשובה וחרטה, יעלה למדריגה יותר, וזהו "וילדה לו בנים או בנות" רמז כנ"ל, שעי"ז יבוא למדריגה גדולה שיהיו לו מצוות הרבה, שזה תולדות הצדיקים מעשים טובים, "האשה וילדיה תהיה לאדוניה", פירושו מובן ממילא, שזה נחשב לו לזכיות לפני אדון הכל, "והוא יצא בגפו" ר"ל שלא יזיק לו למדריגתו הנדנוד חטא הזה, רק יצא בגפו כנ"ל. וק"ל.

"And if his master gives him a wife" (Exodus 21:4), meaning, there is the complete tzadik to whom the impulse to evil cannot make sin, and yet the Holy Blessed One sends them some small inclination to a sin, so that one's heart will be afraid with this inclination to sin and one will do greatly in teshuvah and contrition, and one will rise on one's level, and this is "and she gave birth to male and female children", a hint of the above, that through this the tzadik will come to higher levels where they will have many mitzvot, as the generations of the tzadik are their good deeds. "The woman and her children will be for her master", meaning, it is understood from here that this is thought as merit by the Master of All, "and he will come out single", meaning, just that the tzadik will come on their own, as explained above. And this is straightforward.

~ If the tzadik is holy from the womb, does that tzadik change, after a lifetime?

~ What do you think it is better to be, someone who is as close as possible to perfect and never changes or a completely fallible person who changes to the good?

We use cookies to give you the best experience possible on our site. Click OK to continue using Sefaria. Learn More.OKאנחנו משתמשים ב"עוגיות" כדי לתת למשתמשים את חוויית השימוש הטובה ביותר.קראו עוד בנושאלחצו כאן לאישור