לקוטי שיחות חלק ד - מטות

Nedarim are the level of Binah. From the perspective of Binah, there is room for the existence of the world to be felt. The chacham who releases the vow represents the level of Chochmah. From the perspective of Chochmah, the world does not occupy any independent significance.

The idea of nedarim is that when a person feels that the world may bring him to a spiritual descent, he makes a neder, because nedarim are a fence for separation and restraint. Through the neder, he also draws down a higher spiritual influence. Afterwards, however, the chacham can release the neder, because the chacham elevates the person to a level where he no longer needs the neder.

In one’s personal avodah, nedarim represent Binah. From the perspective of Binah, the world is given a certain sense of reality. The chacham who releases the neder represents Chochmah. From the perspective of Chochmah, the world does not occupy any independent significance.

In many years, Parshas Matos is read on Shabbos Mevorchim Menachem Av. The meaning of this is as follows: Menachem means comfort. Comfort implies that there is pain, but one finds consolation for the pain. Av, however, represents compassion, as in the expression, “The way of a father is to have compassion.” Through compassion, the lack itself is filled. This comes from the level of Chochmah, before which the world does not occupy any independent significance, and therefore, from the outset, there is no pain.

In the future, although the level of compassion will be revealed, there will nevertheless also be comfort, as the verse says, “I, I am He Who comforts you.” This is because the ultimate purpose is that Divine revelation should be revealed within the lower realms. Therefore, Hashem says, “I do the work of both father and mother,” so that both qualities will be present: the revelation that is above hishtalshelus, the level of Av, and that this revelation should be drawn down within hishtalshelus, the level of Im.