004 —ושמע אביה את נדרה

VeShama Avihah Es Nidrah.

To understand the matter of the Scribes’ enactments, we observe that nearly the entire Talmud is filled with laws and stringencies that the Sages instituted, adding many fences and safeguards to the Written Torah. The matter is understood as our Sages said on the verse "Ki Tovim Dodecha MiYayin" ("Your love is better than wine"): Knesses Yisrael says, "The words of the Scribes are more pleasing to me than the wine of Torah." The "wine of Torah" refers to the inner dimension and secrets of Torah, as our Sages said, "When wine enters, secrets emerge." These words of the Scribes are more pleasing to Knesses Yisrael than even the secrets of Torah, because all the fences and stringencies of the Sages, and the paths of ethics in the Aggados and Pirkei Avos, all stem from a great love, as it is written, "I have loved you, says the L‑rd" (see also the discourse on "Ki Ahavcha Hashem Elokecha" in the maamar beginning "Lo Avah"). For example, a person, out of love for his son, is even more meticulous with him, adding extra protection and safeguards in every possible way, ensuring he is completely pure, and desires greatly that he find favor and wisdom to an even greater degree. Similarly, a precious pearl is guarded with the utmost care, vessel within vessel. So too, because of His great love for us, G‑d is stringent and meticulous with us through the Scribes’ enactments, which are His Torah, drawn from great love, in the form of fences and safeguards for our merit and benefit, so that we may be pure before Him (see also the discourse on "Shechorah Ani VeNavah" and see Midrash Rabbah, beginning of Shemos, regarding "and he who loves him disciplines him early").

In the time when the Beis HaMikdash stood, it was sufficient to fulfill the Torah itself, for our spirit was faithful to G‑d, and the cords of our love were not drawn to physical desires. It was easy for the love of G‑d to be fixed in the heart of every person, with enthusiasm for serving G‑d and His Torah, even without arousing great love. But generation after generation, as hearts became less complete in serving G‑d with intense love, and we were burned by foreign fires—physical loves and desires—which have so overpowered us that we cannot serve G‑d with love unless it is aroused through the Scribes’ enactments and their stringencies in all their details, both in "turning away from evil" (all the stringencies in the Gemara and Poskim) and in "doing good" (the words of ethics in Aggados and Pirkei Avos: a good eye, seeing the good in others, not thinking ill of another, a good heart, a good friend, etc.). (See also the discourse on "Koh Sevarchu Es Bnei Yisrael" regarding "How can I not show favor to Israel… they are so meticulous with themselves, even to the size of an olive…") Thus, when Knesses Yisrael is meticulous with itself, taking on more than what is written in the Torah, this draws down the aspect of "Yisa Hashem Panav"—a great love from above the order of spiritual worlds, which is then drawn to you, so that this great love is revealed in a person. (See also the discourse on "Shechorah Ani VeNavah" mentioned above, that through this, even the animal soul is elevated.) See also the discourse on "Ki Atah Neri" in Parshas Miketz regarding the difference between earlier and later generations. This is the meaning of "VeHashem Yagia Choshechi" ("and G‑d will illuminate my darkness"), which is from above the order of spiritual worlds. This is the idea of "Yisa Hashem Panav Eilecha" ("May G‑d lift His countenance to you"), which is achieved by being meticulous with oneself, as stated in the Zohar (Pinchas 238b): "He will carry him on His wings," which is higher than what is drawn through the 248 positive commandments, which are the 248 limbs of the King. See also Gemara Megillah (27b–28a) regarding "With what did you merit long life?" and the discourse on "Kol HaMa'arich BeEchad" ("Whoever prolongs 'Echad'…").

This is what is written: "VeShama Avihah Es Nidrah… Heni Avihah Osah" ("And her father hears her vow… her father annuls it"), for the father annuls the vow, because from the aspect of great love, he nullifies all prohibitions and bonds to which Knesses Yisrael is bound, and a prisoner cannot free himself except through the attribute of great love—the aspect of "her father." (The matter of the prohibitions to which she is bound can be explained as the weakness of the soul, which lacks the strength to break free from its chains and imprisonment—the materiality of the body and the animal soul. As explained elsewhere in the discourse on "BaChodesh HaShlishi" in Parshas Yisro, through Torah, strength and power are drawn to the soul to nullify these bonds. Elsewhere it is explained that these bonds are called "sirchos" in the Zohar, where the soul becomes entangled and thus cannot ascend, as explained in the discourse on "Mi El Kamocha." The annulment of vows on Yom Kippur is that through teshuvah, the annulment and nullification of these bonds and the revelation of great love in the soul are drawn down.)

It can also be explained that the father annuls, as in the Zohar (Emor 95b) regarding "when it is taken from the father, not from the mother," for from the aspect of Binah and Daas comes the subjugation of the evil inclination. This is the idea of vows as a safeguard for abstinence. But to actually transform darkness into light, this cannot be from Binah, from which judgments are aroused, but only from the aspect of Chochmah Ila'ah (Supernal Wisdom), as "the wisdom gives life," which is the self-nullification above understanding and knowledge, as explained in the discourse on "Re'eh Anochi Nosein." Thus, the father annuls and transforms darkness to light, and from this aspect is also drawn the idea of "if she shall be to a man" mentioned above (see Zohar there). However, the meaning of "VeShama Avihah Es Nidrah" is that through subjugation at first—which is the idea of vows—there is then drawn the revelation of the aspect of "her father," to transform darkness to light. See also about the aspect of "her father" in Pardes, Gate Five, Chapter Three. This is also what is written: "And Moshe spoke to the heads of the tribes… saying, this is the thing…"—that through "saying, this is the thing," which is from the aspect of Moshe, one can annul the vow, and the heads of the tribes are the aspect of the heart's desire, great love, as explained above.

Summary

The Alter Rebbe teaches that the Sages’ stringencies and safeguards are rooted in G‑d’s deep love for the Jewish people, much like a father’s care for his child. By accepting these enactments, we draw down a higher Divine love, enabling us to overcome spiritual obstacles and transform darkness into light.