055 —מאמרים מלוקט חלק ג - ש"פ שלח, כ"ח סיון, מבה"ח תמוז ה'תשי"ט

B"H, Shabbos Parshas Shelach, 28 Sivan, Eve of Rosh Chodesh Tammuz 5719.

VeAtah Yigdal Na Koach Ado-nai KaAsher Dibarta Leimor.

The verse states, "VeAtah Yigdal Na Koach Ado-nai KaAsher Dibarta Leimor"^[1], and Rashi explains^[2] what is the 'dibur' (speech) of Hashem^[3]—it is 'Erech Apayim' (slow to anger). The simple meaning of the verse is that the speech of Hashem (KaAsher Dibarta) is that the power of Ado-nai should be magnified, so Rashi needs to explain that, according to the plain meaning, it refers to Hashem being slow to anger. However, since the verse is phrased in a way that implies the speech is that the power of Ado-nai should be magnified, it suggests the verse also intends this idea. As the Gemara says^[4], when Moshe ascended to the heavens, Hashem said to him, "You should have helped Me" (to say, "May your mission succeed"^[5]), and immediately Moshe said, "VeAtah Yigdal Na Koach Ado-nai KaAsher Dibarta." That is, "KaAsher Dibarta" refers to the statement "You should have helped Me," meaning that the idea of helping (adding strength above) is "Yigdal Koach Ado-nai." Furthermore, the phrase "KaAsher Dibarta Leimor" implies that Hashem's speech is for Moshe to say. This is also clear from the above teaching of our Sages, that "KaAsher Dibarta" refers to what Hashem told Moshe, "You should have helped Me," that Moshe should say^[6] "May your mission succeed." And as is known^[7], all interpretations of a verse are connected, so these three explanations of "KaAsher Dibarta"—that it refers to "Yigdal Koach Ado-nai," to "Leimor," and to "Erech Apayim"—are all related. We must understand the connection between these three explanations.

2) The core explanation is that Moshe's request, "VeAtah Yigdal Na Koach Ado-nai... Hashem Erech Apayim..." is (as the verse continues^[8]) "Please forgive the sin of this people..."—forgiveness, pardon, and atonement for the sin of the spies. There are two aspects to forgiveness^[9]: its root is from a level above hishtalshelus (the chain of spiritual worlds), for to repair a blemish requires drawing from a very lofty place where blemish is impossible. But for forgiveness (repair) to be actualized, the flow must reach below, to the place where the blemish occurred. This is "VeAtah Yigdal Na Koach Ado-nai... Hashem Erech Apayim..."—the root of forgiveness is from "Erech Apayim," the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy^[10] which are above hishtalshelus^[11], and "Yigdal Koach Ado-nai" is that the flow reaches down to Ado-nai, to repair the blemish. The name Ado-nai is in Malchus^[12], and the blemish of the sin of the spies, who did not want practical mitzvos^[13], is in Malchus^[14]. Through the increase of the power of Ado-nai, the blemish is repaired and filled.

3) A more detailed explanation begins with the wording "VeAtah Yigdal Na Koach Ado-nai." There are two interpretations: in several discourses^[15] it is explained that "Yigdal Koach Ado-nai" means that the power (the root and source of Ado-nai) is drawn into Ado-nai, thus increasing it. The simple meaning is (and so it is explained in other discourses^[16]) that the increase is also in the power of Ado-nai. Accordingly, the connection between "Yigdal Na Koach Ado-nai" and "Hashem Erech Apayim..." (the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy above hishtalshelus) is clearer, for to increase the power of Ado-nai (its root and source) requires drawing from a level even higher than the root and source of hishtalshelus^[17].

4) The idea is that the name Ado-nai is in Malchus (as above), and the power of Ado-nai (the root and source of Malchus) is in Chochmah, for "Abba Yasad Brata" (the father founded the daughter)^[18]. This can be understood by analogy to the letters of speech in a person (since Malchus in general is speech^[19]), whose root^[20] is higher than the light (the intellect or emotion) invested in them. The fact that the same idea is expressed by different people in different words is because the root of the letters is in Chochmah, the hidden intellect and primordial intellect^[21] in the soul, which is above revealed intellect. This is why, by expressing an idea in speech, one gains greater understanding than when it was only in thought, for speech draws from Chochmah, the root and source of intellect.

5) The root of speech in Chochmah is not only about speech itself, but also about the intellect and emotions invested in speech. By being clothed in speech, they are divided into many parts. When one speaks words of love, the love itself is a single emotion, but when it is clothed in the words and letters of speech, it is divided into several words, each containing a part of the emotion^[22]. Similarly, when one expresses an intellectual idea, the idea is one, but when clothed in the words and letters of speech, it divides into several parts^[23]. This division of intellect and emotions (though they are simple in essence) is caused by the drawing from Chochmah, the primordial intellect^[24].

6) Accordingly^[25], we can better understand why expressing an idea in speech increases one’s comprehension more than before, because the power that divides the idea into the letters of speech is rooted in the primordial intellect, the source of revealed intellect^[26]. This also explains why sometimes, when learning something in thought, one encounters strong questions that cannot be resolved, but by learning it aloud, the questions and contradictions are resolved^[27]. For intellect as it is in its source is clear, without admixture or confusion^[28], so when one brings the intellect into speech, drawing it from its source (as above), it becomes clear to the point that there are no questions or contradictions at all^[29].

7) Even Chochmah, the primordial intellect, since it is the root and source of intellect, must have some form of existence. Just as intellect is an entity (outside the soul^[30]), so too is its root, the primordial intellect. This is the advantage of will over intellect (even over primordial intellect^[31]): will is not a separate entity, and its whole function is to direct and draw the soul^[30]. Therefore, will rules over all faculties^[32], even over intellect, as our Sages say^[33], "A person should always learn where his heart desires," for when one wants something, he understands it differently. Since will is above even the root of intellect (primordial intellect), the effect of will on intellect is also in its root. Therefore, the increase in intellect caused by will is much greater than that caused by speech^[34]. The increase through speech is because speech arouses the root of intellect, and since even the root of intellect is an entity and has form, the increase through drawing from the root is measured and limited. But the increase in intellect caused by will is not as limited, since will affects even the root of intellect. Similarly above, the increase in the name Ado-nai has two forms: the increase in Ado-nai by drawing from its power, its root and source. And the increase in Ado-nai by drawing from the 'sovev' (encompassing light) above hishtalshelus (which is analogous to will), which is a higher increase, since it is also in the power of Ado-nai (its root), as in the simple meaning of "Yigdal Koach Ado-nai," that the increase is in the power of Ado-nai.

8) All these matters above are drawn down through the avodah of man. This is "VeAtah Yigdal Na Koach Ado-nai KaAsher Dibarta Leimor"—"KaAsher Dibarta" refers to Hashem’s speech to Moshe, "You should have helped Me," that Moshe should say, "May your mission succeed"^[36], meaning the increase of the power of Ado-nai is accomplished through human avodah (Moshe’s saying). And as is known^[37], the avodah of man (the arousal from below) that brings about the drawing down (arousal from above) must be similar to the drawing down itself. Thus, for there to be an increase in the power of Ado-nai (the immanent light) by drawing from the sovev (encompassing light) above hishtalshelus, it is through an increase in avodah according to reason and understanding, by drawing and revealing avodah above reason and understanding. As explained in Tanya^[38], fulfillment of Torah and mitzvos depends on always remembering the idea of mesiras nefesh (self-sacrifice) to Hashem; by remembering mesiras nefesh, which is above hishtalshelus in man, there is an increase in the fulfillment of Torah and mitzvos, the hishtalshelus in man. More specifically, for the drawing of sovev and the increase in the power of Ado-nai, one must connect the avodah above reason and understanding with the level of primordial intellect. This is why our Sages say^[39], "Whoever answers Amen Yehei Shmei Rabbah with all his strength, his decree of seventy years is torn up"^[40]. "With all his strength" has two explanations: Rashi^[41] says it means with all his intention, and Tosafos^[42] says it means with a loud voice. The explanation is that by saying Amen Yehei Shmei Rabbah with all one’s strength, one causes the increase of the power of Ado-nai^[43]. "Shmei Rabbah" is His great Name, the sovev above hishtalshelus, and by drawing down the sovev, the power of Ado-nai is increased, as above. Therefore, by saying Amen Yehei Shmei Rabbah, the decree of seventy years is torn up, for the decree is due to the blemish in the name Ado-nai, and by increasing the power of Ado-nai, the blemish is repaired. For the drawing of "Shmei Rabbah" into the power of Ado-nai, both aspects of "with all his strength" are needed: all his intention is the inner desire above reason and understanding, and a loud voice is the speech that arouses the primordial intellect, the root of hishtalshelus^[44]. When all his intention is not just in thought but comes out in a loud voice, this causes the drawing of "Shmei Rabbah" into the power of Ado-nai.

9) It is known^[45] that man’s avodah reaches the root of creation, the level of hishtalshelus, and that the drawing down from above hishtalshelus through avodah is possible only because of the power given from above at Matan Torah. This is "KaAsher Dibarta Leimor"—that through man’s avodah (Leimor), the increase of the power of Ado-nai is accomplished by drawing from the sovev above hishtalshelus, and this is "KaAsher Dibarta," which also refers to Leimor (as explained at the beginning of the maamar), that through Hashem’s speech, "You should have helped Me," the power was given (to Moshe, and through him to every Jew) that through his avodah he can cause the increase of the power of Ado-nai. Based on what was explained above, that this power (that through avodah one can draw even the light above hishtalshelus) was given at Matan Torah, we can say that "KaAsher Dibarta Leimor" also refers to "Vayedaber... Leimor"^[46] said at Matan Torah^[47]. The explanation of "Vayedaber... Leimor" is that Hashem spoke so that Israel would say all these words (which refers to the entire Torah^[48]) in a manner of Leimor, to say the words that Hashem says^[49]. That is, when a person says words of Torah, he causes Hashem to say those words, drawing the infinite light (above hishtalshelus) into Torah (hishtalshelus). Through this, power is drawn into all of man’s avodah, so that through his avodah (in a way that what is above hishtalshelus in man shines within his hishtalshelus), he draws the light above hishtalshelus into hishtalshelus, the drawing of sovev into memaleh. Through this, the sovev is drawn even below into the world (so that the sovev is drawn into the inner aspect of the world), and thus the purpose of making a dwelling^[50] for Him in the lower realms is fulfilled.

Summary

This maamar teaches that Moshe’s request for G-d’s greatness to be revealed is fulfilled through our avodah, which draws down G-d’s infinite compassion into the world. By combining intention and speech, especially in Torah and prayer, we repair spiritual blemishes and fulfill the Divine purpose of making a dwelling for G-d below.