[Carried over from the end of the previous Sicha; the beginning of this sentence is on the previous page:] … "את ערלת לבבכם" ("the foreskin of your hearts") brings about41 the "ומל הוי׳ אלקיך את לבבך ואת לבב זרעך" ("And the L‑rd your G‑d will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring"), with the coming of Moshiach Tzidkeinu.
(From the sicha of Shabbos Parshas Shemini, 5740)
Parshas Metzora – Shabbos HaGadol
1. Today's Shabbos, like all the Shabbosos of the year, is connected with a particular parsha of the Torah. — My father-in-law, the Rebbe, was particular [OCR unclear] about mentioning the name of today's parsha. In various sefarim this parsha is not called by its name, but rather "Parshas Taharah" ("the portion of purity"). My father-in-law, the Rebbe, would in general not want to call it by any name at all, and mostly would write or say only the day of the month, and the like. — It is also now the month of Nissan, the time of the Exodus from Egypt. And like all matters, the fact that today's parsha is read in the month of Nissan is also by Divine Providence, because these two matters have a connection with each other.
2. Concerning the Exodus from Egypt, our Sages, of blessed memory, say1: "בזכות האמונה נגאלו אבותינו ממצרים" ("In the merit of faith our forefathers were redeemed from Egypt"). The precision here is — specifically faith. Not comprehension, but faith.
What is the accomplishment of faith, and what is its connection with the Exodus from Egypt, that specifically in its merit our forefathers were redeemed from Egypt?
The pious ones of the nations of the world also acknowledge the existence of the Creator. With them, however, this is not faith, but rather something that is compelled by reason. When one reflects on the existence of the world, then because of the principle "אין דבר עושה את עצמו" ("nothing makes itself")2, one arrives at the recognition that there is One Who created it and conducts it.
Since in essence G‑dliness does not register with them, but it is only the existence of the world that brings them to acknowledge G‑dliness, their acknowledgment, too, extends only as far as the world compels it — that is, only as far as G‑dliness relates to the world and is constricted within the garments of nature. Regarding what is higher than the world and nature, they do not acknowledge.
But the faith of Jews does not come from the world. Jews are in essence bound up with G‑dliness; consequently, G‑dliness registers with them. Just as with the nations of the world their concern is — the world, so with Jews their concern is G‑dliness. Consequently, in this there are no limitations of nature, and G‑dliness that is above nature, too, registers with them quite simply.
As it is explained in Chassidus3, the difference between the faith of the nations of the world and the faith of Israel is that the faith of Israel is in the Name Havayah — "הי׳ הוה ויהי׳ כאחד" ("was, is, and will be, as one") — above nature. And the faith of the nations of the world is in the Name Elokim, which is numerically equal to "הטבע" ("nature"). As Pharaoh with his magicians said: "לא ידעתי את הוי׳" ("I do not know Havayah"), "אצבע אלקים הוא" ("It is the finger of Elokim")4.
3. Stated more clearly:
In every matter in the world, the non-Jew seeks its nature. Unless he sees an open miracle that has no place in nature — then he must acknowledge that this is something G‑dly; and even then, as far as he can, he wants to clothe it in the garments of nature. But a Jew, to make the distinction, in every thing he sees immediately seeks the G‑dliness within it. And just as a non-Jew, even with an open miracle, tries with every kind of effort to explain that it comes from nature, the reverse is true of a Jew: even in a matter that seemingly is entirely from nature, he stands with the strength of a "עם קשה עורף" ("stiff-necked people") and argues: This is not from nature, but from G‑dliness.
And as already discussed5 in explaining the words of the Yerushalmi, "מאמין בחיי העולמים וזורע" ("He believes in the Life of the worlds and sows"): Although everyone knows that according to nature, if one sows a seed in the ground it grows, a Jew nevertheless will not rely on this. He will not take a seed and put it into the ground — destroying something with his own hands — because according to the laws of nature it ought to grow; the laws of nature are not reliable enough for him that on their account he should destroy something with his own hands. The reason why he sows is that he believes in the Life of the worlds and trusts in Him that his sowing will sprout and give fruit.
4. Just as a miracle, which has no place at all in nature, is certainly from the One Above Who made the change in nature, so too are natural matters.
If one wants to fool oneself, then even with the very greatest miracle one can also persuade oneself that it is not a miracle. Even the miracle of the Splitting of the Sea, which is one of the greatest miracles — to the point that our Sages, of blessed memory, use regarding it6 the expression "קשה" ("difficult") — here too there was room for error, to say that it was not a miracle.
It is stated in the Mechilta7 that at the time of the Splitting of the Sea, "כל מים שבעולם נבקעו" ("all the waters in the world were split") (except for the Euphrates River, as stated in a maamar of the Rebbe Maharash). And this is the meaning of what is written, "תפול עליהם אימתה ופחד" ("Terror and dread shall fall upon them"): when the nations saw the splitting of the waters, they inquired about its cause, and when they found out that it was on account of the Jews, "terror and dread fell upon them."
On the other hand, the fact that all the waters in the world were split also gave room to fool oneself. Had only the Sea of Reeds split, everyone would have known clearly that it was a miracle from the One Above on account of the Jews. But since all the waters in the world split, this gave room for an error in reasoning — that this came from the course of nature, etc., and was not a miracle on account of the Jews. And the proof: all the waters in the world split.
So that there can be free choice, the manner of conduct from Above is that even with the very greatest miracle there is room for error, as our Sages, of blessed memory, say8: "כתוב והרוצה לטעות יטעה" ("Write it, and whoever wishes to err will err").
5. And this is the meaning of "In the merit of faith our forefathers were redeemed from Egypt":
"מצרים" (Egypt) is related to the word "מצרים וגבולים" ("constraints and limitations"), and these come in two modes: a) Constraints of holiness — that is, G‑dliness is felt, but it is limited within reason and understanding, etc. — similar to faith in the Name Elokim. This is a root and gives room that, through descent and progressive development, etc., there can come to be b) constraints of kelipah, where, G‑d forbid, one entirely forgets about G‑dliness, to the point of the lowest descent — immersion in the forty-nine gates of impurity.
And in the merit of faith — in that Jews took no account at all of worldly matters and the course of nature: so that not only in spiritual matters, but also in physical matters, in which Jews are seemingly equal to the nations of the world, to make the distinction — in these too "היו ישראל מצויינים שם" ("Israel were distinguished there") —
this brought about the revelation of the Name Havayah, which is above nature, and consequently an exodus from Egypt — and not only from the constraints of kelipah, but also from the constraints of holiness.
6. And this is also alluded to in today's sidra — in the matter of the nega'im (leprous afflictions). The Rambam writes9 concerning nega'im — afflictions of garments and afflictions of houses — that they are not "ממנהגו של עולם" ("of the natural order of the world"), but rather "אות ופלא הי׳ בישראל כדי להזהירן מלשון הרע" ("a sign and a wonder among Israel, to warn them against evil speech"). And he explains at length the order that this followed: first, "משתנות קירות ביתו" ("the walls of his house change"); if this did not help, "משתנין כלי העור שבביתו" ("the leather vessels in his house change"), and so on.
Just as in the matter of the nega'im it was clearly seen that it is not from nature but comes from Above, so too Jews believed that everything comes from Above by Divine Providence; and just as with nega'im, there is in every thing a special intention, such as "להזהירם מן החטא" ("to warn them against sin"), etc. And in truth this too is good — a hidden good, and even an open good, as was the case with nega'im, as stated in the Midrash10: that through "ונתץ את הבית" ("and he shall demolish the house") they found the "מטמוניות של זהב" ("hidden treasures of gold") — treasures of gold — which the Canaanites had hidden.
(From the sicha of Shabbos Parshas Metzora, 5717)
7. According to what was said above, one will also understand the saying of our Sages, of blessed memory11: "רוח צפונית אינה מסובבת" ("The northern side is not enclosed"). The reason for this is stated12: in order to demonstrate the wonder of the creation of heaven and earth. Should someone come and say that there is no wonder in the creation of heaven and earth, he will be told: On the contrary, go and complete the northern side — and he will have to admit that creation is only "בחוק הבורא" ("by the power of the Creator"), blessed be He.
But seemingly this is not understood: how is it at all possible that one should persuade oneself and argue that the creation of the world is not a wonder?
But according to what was discussed earlier, it will be understood. So that there can be free choice, the evil inclination is granted permission from Above "לפתות ולהטעות" ("to entice and to mislead"), and he, the evil inclination, being a great craftsman at his work, can persuade a person of the wildest things — even that the creation of heaven and earth is no wonder.
8. On the other hand, although because of the concealment — the veiling — one can fall into such a great error, there is nevertheless in every matter also the revelation of G‑dliness. The One Above leaves one detail uncompleted, which created beings by their own power cannot complete; from this they have an indication regarding the entire whole, that it exists only by the power of the Creator.
And just as this is so in the creation of the world, so it is also in the conduct of the world, whether in a miraculous manner or in a natural manner. Even when a person wants to persuade himself that his success comes from the course of nature, or that "כחי ועוצם ידי עשה לי את החיל הזה" ("my strength and the might of my hand made me this wealth") — and the concealment and hiddenness of the world gives room for this — the One Above nevertheless leaves over one detail which a created being can in no way complete, so that through contemplating that detail one comes to the recognition that the entire whole, too, is only from the blessing of Havayah.
9. Therefore, when a person sees that in a certain detail of his affairs he is in no way successful, he must strengthen his faith and trust in the One Above; and then the One Above will complete that detail too.
Just as this is so in the life of the individual, so it is also in the life of the community. When one sees, in a general matter, one detail that cannot be completed, the remedy for it is not schemes, but to strengthen faith and trust in the One Above.
And then the One Above will complete the northern side, too.
[OCR unclear: the beginning of the following passage is missing] … "מצפון תפתח הרעה" ("From the north the evil shall break forth")13, that it will become a closed Mem, sealed on all sides, which is the matter of the future Redemption14. We will no longer need to depend on the kindnesses of the nations of the world — the truth of which, after all, is that "וחסד לאומים חטאת" ("the kindness of the nations is a sin"), and "לגרמייהו עבדין" ("they do it for their own sake")15 — rather, the One Above Himself will bring us "אל ארץ טובה ורחבה" ("to a good and spacious land"), "ארץ אשר עיני הוי׳ אלקיך בה" ("a land upon which the eyes of the L‑rd your G‑d are"), through Moshiach Tzidkeinu, speedily in our days.
(From the sicha of Acharon shel Pesach, 5717)
10. In the month of Nissan there are several kinds of matters: matters that are Biblical, Rabbinic, and customs. Among the principal features of the month of Nissan is — the festival of Pesach. As the Gemara interprets what is stated in the Mishnah, "באחד בניסן ראש השנה לרגלים" ("On the first of Nissan is the New Year for the festivals"), that this means "רגל שבו — פסח" ("the festival that is in it — Pesach")16. And in Pesach in particular there are the above-mentioned kinds: Biblical, Rabbinic, and customs.
There was once a custom that before Pesach the Rabbanim would send matzah shemurah to their congregants: a set of matzos — that is, six matzos for both Sedarim, or at least two matzos for the kezayis of matzah, that is, for the middle matzah.
The reason for the custom was, simply — for the sake of the Rav's income; through this, however, an essential matter was also safeguarded: there are, after all, many laws and fine points regarding matzos for the mitzvah17, and not everyone is expert in them or is able to carry them out; therefore the Rabbanim would provide their congregants with them, so that they would surely fulfill the mitzvah of matzah.
For various reasons, in many places the custom has lapsed. It is not relevant now to speak about the reasons why the custom lapsed. What I want to say is that I request — and, "לו ישר חילי" ("were my strength firm"), I would instruct — that the custom be reinstituted, that the Rabbanim send matzah shemurah to their congregants.
And not specifically a Rav, but everyone who has influence — be it a Rav, a shochet, a reverend, or a shamash — if he has but someone who, if he sends him matzos, will use the matzos that he sent him at the Seder, they should do so: send matzos, and specifically round ones18, specifically hand-made matzah19, and specifically matzah shemurah20. Through this, among hundreds and perhaps thousands of Jews, the mitzvah of eating matzah will be observed as it should be, and in a beautified manner. In places where it is customary to make communal Sedarim (such as hotels and the like), it is self-understood that the organizers of the Sedarim should do this.
And great is the virtue and the special quality of the mitzvah of matzah, which is, in the language of the holy Zohar, "מיכלא" ("the food of") … [continued on the next page]
Chag Ha[Pesach] [header cut off in the source]
[Opening of the next chapter, continued on the next page:] "מה נשתנה" ("How is it different"): …
Notes
1) Yalkut Shimoni, Hoshea, remez 519 (with a variation in wording). See also Mechilta, Beshalach 14:31. And see Shir HaShirim Rabbah, parsha 4, on the verse "אתי מלבנון כלה" ("Come with me from Lebanon, O bride"), 2.
2) On all this at length, see Chovos HaLevavos, Shaar HaYichud, ch. 5.
3) See Siddur, the discourse beginning "Sheshes Yamim" (the first). Shaar HaEmunah, ch. 4. The discourse beginning "VeKibel HaYehudim" (in Sefer HaMaamarim) 5687 (printed (also) in HaTamim, booklet 7; Sefer HaMaamarim 5701).
4) Shemos 5:2; ibid. 8:15.
5) See above, p. 216 ff., and the sources noted there.
6) Sotah 2a.
7) Parshas Beshalach 14:21.
8) Bereishis Rabbah 8:8.
9) End of Hilchos Tumas Tzaraas. And see Likkutei Torah, Parshas Tazria, the discourse beginning "Adam Ki Yihyeh."
10) See Vayikra Rabbah 17:6.
11) Bava Basra 25b.
12) Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, ch. 3.
13) Yirmeyahu 1:14. And see Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, ibid.
14) Yeshayahu 9:6: "למרבה המשרה" ("For the increase of the dominion"), etc. — according to the saying of our Sages, of blessed memory, Sanhedrin 94a.
15) See Bava Basra 10b. Tanya, ch. 1.
16) See Rashi, s.v. "Regel" (Rosh HaShanah 4a), who is forced to interpret the wording of the Mishnah [in this way]. But it can be understood according to what has been explained regarding the precise wording "Rosh Chodesh" (the "head" of the month) and not "the beginning of the month" — that it includes within itself all the days of the month, just as the head includes within itself the vitality of all the limbs (Likkutei Torah, beginning of Parshas Tavo; Shaar HaShin-Ches, ch. 3). Nevertheless, in the Mishnah the wording is "On the first of Nissan" and not "On Rosh Chodesh Nissan," in order to exclude the first day of Rosh Chodesh (when they would sanctify the month on the basis of witnesses). This is simple.
17) Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim, siman 460. And see Maadanei Shmuel on Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, siman 110, subsection 93 ff.
18) [The text of this note is not included in this page's source — OCR gap.]
19) [The text of this note is not included in this page's source — OCR gap.]
20) [The text of this note is not included in this page's source — OCR gap.]
40) [Belongs to the previous Sicha; its marker falls on the previous page.] Tanchuma, end of Parshas Teitzei. Rashi on the Torah, Shemos 17:16.
41) [Belongs to the previous Sicha.] See Iggeres HaKodesh, siman 4.
Key Lesson
The faith of a Jew does not depend on what the world compels him to admit; he seeks G‑dliness in every natural thing, and it was in the merit of this faith that our forefathers left all "constraints" of Egypt. When a person finds one detail of his life that he simply cannot complete, the answer is not more schemes but stronger faith and trust in G‑d, Who will then complete it — and in the same spirit we should actively help other Jews observe the mitzvah of matzah properly, with round, hand-made matzah shemurah.