024 —מאמרים מלוקט חלק ד - ש"פ עקב, מבה"ח אלול, כ"ג מנחם-אב ה'תשכ"ח

B"H, Shabbos Parshas Eikev, Mevorchim Elul, 23 Menachem Av 5728.

VeAtah Yisrael Mah Hashem Elokecha Sho'el Me'imach Ki Im LeYirah etc.

VeAtah Yisrael Mah Hashem Elokecha Sho'el Me'imach Ki Im LeYirah etc.^[1] The Gemara^[2] says: A person is obligated to recite one hundred blessings every day, as it is written, VeAtah Yisrael Mah Hashem Elokecha Sho'el Me'imach—do not read "mah" (what) but "me'ah" (one hundred)^[3]. We need to understand: "mah" and "me'ah" are two different concepts, even opposites. "Mah" implies something small^[4], while "me'ah" is a large number, even representing completeness^[5][6] [especially as explained in Chassidus^[7], that the difference between "me'ah" and "mah" is the addition of the letter alef, which hints at peleh, the transcendent light]. We also need to understand what the Tur^[8] brings in the name of Rav Natronai Gaon, that the obligation to recite one hundred blessings daily was instituted by King David, as it says^[9] "Ne'um HaGever Hukam Al"—"al" in gematria is one hundred, and the teaching of "do not read mah but me'ah" is only an asmachta^[10]. The reason David instituted this was because one hundred Jews were dying every day and the cause was unknown until he understood with Divine inspiration and instituted one hundred blessings daily. We need to understand: since the obligation to recite one hundred blessings is learned (as an asmachta) from the verse Mah Hashem Elokecha Sho'el Me'imach, which continues (in the verse) with LeYirah Es Hashem Elokecha... VeLe'ehavah Oso, it follows that reciting one hundred blessings brings to fear and love of Hashem^[11]. Yet, for many generations (as long as one hundred people were not dying daily), this was not instituted.

2) This can be understood based on what is explained in the discourses about blessings^[12] on the verse Baruch etc. Min HaOlam Ve'ad HaOlam, that the concept of a blessing is to draw down from the hidden world to the revealed world. In terms of the Sefiros, this is the flow from Binah (the hidden world) to Malchus (the revealed world). In terms of the Divine Names, it is the drawing down of the higher Havayah into the lower Havayah. The connection between Binah and Malchus to the two Names Havayah is that the higher Havayah is "sovev" (encompassing), and in Binah is the revelation of Kesser (sovev), while the lower Havayah is "memale" (immanent), which shines in Malchus. The blessing is the drawing down of the higher Havayah into the lower Havayah. The discourses explain that this drawing down, accomplished through a blessing, is such that the two Names unite. Although there is a pause (pesik ta'ama) between the two Names^[14], this pause is not a complete separation, and even more, the Pardes^[15] says that the pause between the two Havayahs actually unites them. Through the blessing, the connection of the two Names is a complete union.

3) It is known^[16] that a person's avodah (arousal from below), which brings about the drawing down (arousal from above), must resemble the drawing down. Thus, the avodah that brings about the blessing and the flow from the hidden to the revealed world is the love of "bechol nafshecha". The meaning is that "bechol nafshecha" means with all faculties of the soul—intellect and emotions^[17]. The idea is that the advantage of the love of "bechol nafshecha" over "bechol levavcha" is that in the latter, the main thing is the emotion [hence "bechol levavcha"—the heart is the seat of the emotions], for the understanding that gives rise to this love is in the external intellect connected to emotions, and this understanding is in the mind but does not illuminate the heart, so the intellect must actively produce the love. In "bechol nafshecha", the understanding that gives rise to love is in the inner intellect, which does illuminate the heart, and the love flows naturally from the intellect. Therefore, it says "bechol nafshecha", all faculties of the soul, for in this love even the intellect is felt. [This connects to what is explained elsewhere^[19], that the love of "bechol levavcha" is only in the heart, while "bechol nafshecha" spreads to all faculties and limbs, meaning that in "bechol levavcha" the mitzvos are done because of love, which affects action, but in "bechol nafshecha" the mitzvos are done almost automatically. The drawing down of emotions into lower faculties is similar to the drawing down of the emotions themselves, which are drawn from the intellect actively, and their extension into lower faculties is also active. But emotions drawn from intellect naturally, because the intellect shines in the heart, spread into all faculties and limbs, and their effect is natural.] Since intellect is hidden and emotions are revealed^[20], through the love of "bechol nafshecha"—where intellect shines in the heart—the blessing and flow from the hidden to the revealed world is accomplished.

4) Another explanation in the difference between the love of "bechol levavcha" and "bechol nafshecha"^[21] is that the former is in the aspect of "memale kol almin" (immanent), for since the vitality of memale is internalized in creation, through contemplation this vitality is felt even in the animal soul, and the love is "bechol levavcha"—with both inclinations^[22]. The love of "bechol nafshecha" is in the aspect of "sovev kol almin" (encompassing), for since sovev is above being internalized, when one senses the wondrousness of the Infinite Light (sovev), the love is with self-sacrifice, even to the point of giving up one's soul. Accordingly, the connection of the love of "bechol nafshecha" to the drawing down from the hidden world (the concept of blessing) is not only as it relates to Binah among the Sefiros, but also as it relates to the general level of sovev. The reason that through love stemming from the sense of the Infinite, the drawing down from sovev to memale occurs, is mainly when this love, which is from the aspect of chayah (encompassing), is also felt in the nefesh-ruach-neshamah (internal) faculties. This brings about the union of sovev and memale.

5) It is known^[23] that for the union of sovev and memale to occur, it is through drawing down the Infinite Light that is above both. This is the meaning of "do not read mah but me'ah": "mah" is Malchus, memale; "me'ah" is Arich, sovev; and "do not read mah but me'ah" means that even in "mah" (memale) there should be the drawing down of "me'ah" (sovev). The difference between "me'ah" and "mah" is the addition of the letter alef, which is Atik (the level of "one, not in number"^[25]) above sovev. The reason that by adding alef to "mah" it becomes "me'ah" is because alef is Atik, which brings about the union of sovev (me'ah) and memale (mah), so by adding alef, mah becomes me'ah.

Similarly, in a person's avodah, for there to be a union of chayah (encompassing) with nefesh-ruach-neshamah (internal)—that the love of "bechol nafshecha" is also felt in the inner faculties [and likewise the union of intellect and emotions^[26]]—this is accomplished through the avodah of mesirus nefesh, which comes from the level of yechidah^[27]. One explanation is that by giving oneself over to Elokus, all one's faculties are devoted to fulfilling the will of Hashem. Since both the encompassing and internal faculties [as well as intellect and emotions] are not for their own sake but to fulfill Hashem's will, they do not contradict each other but rather unite.

6) This is why the institution to recite one hundred blessings daily was specifically when one hundred people were dying each day, for the revelation of the power of mesirus nefesh comes through concealments and obstacles. [It is known^[28] that in exile, especially in the generation before Moshiach, the power of mesirus nefesh is more revealed than during the time of the Temple.] Therefore, the institution of one hundred blessings came after one hundred people died daily, for this was a state of the opposite of freedom from the Angel of Death^[29], which is the yetzer hara^[30], and this aroused their power of mesirus nefesh. Thus, the institution of one hundred blessings, which brings about the union of sovev and memale, is through the revelation of the power of yechidah, which draws down Atik, the alef of me'ah, the level of "one, not in number", and thus unites mah (memale) and me'ah (sovev)—do not read mah but me'ah.

Accordingly, we can also explain the Midrash^[31] that "veAtah" always means teshuvah, as in "VeAtah Yisrael Mah Hashem Elokecha Sho'el Me'imach". It is known^[32] that all explanations of a verse are connected, so the fact that Hashem asks for "mah"—one hundred blessings—is related to teshuvah, "veAtah". Since baalei teshuvah conquer their inclination more than tzaddikim^[33], and for a person to withstand his yetzer hara requires remembering the idea of mesirus nefesh^[34], the main revelation of the power of mesirus nefesh is in baalei teshuvah. Thus, "VeAtah... Mah Hashem Elokecha Sho'el Me'imach"—through the revelation of mesirus nefesh that comes through teshuvah, "veAtah", one can fulfill the matter of one hundred blessings, "Mah Hashem Elokecha Sho'el Me'imach".

7) We need to understand: in the above teaching, for mah (Malchus, memale) to become me'ah (Arich, sovev) it is through the alef (Atik) that is added, but mah itself does not contain me'ah, not even in potential. Yet, from the wording of our Sages, "do not read mah but me'ah", where me'ah is the reading of the written mah (for written and reading forms are concealment and revelation^[35]), it seems that mah itself contains me'ah in a hidden way. We also need to understand why in the first paragraph of Shema it says^[36] "bechol levavcha, bechol nafshecha, uvechol me'odecha" and in the second^[37] only "bechol levavchem uvechol nafshechem". Seemingly, since the second paragraph warns "hishameru"^[38]—beware lest your heart be led astray—it is even more relevant to mention mesirus nefesh, yet "bechol me'odecha" (which seems to refer to mesirus nefesh) is only in the first. The explanation is that "bechol me'odecha" as it appears in the context of love ("veAhavta... bechol me'odecha"), since love is (like all emotions) a feeling of loving, even if it is boundless, is the revelation of the essence of the soul as it relates to revelation (feeling). Love from the revealed faculties (even from the encompassing level of chayah) is limited, but the love of "bechol me'odecha", which is boundless, comes from the essence of the soul as it relates to revelation. The revelation of the soul's essence that is above revelation is in the concept of mesirus nefesh. That every Jew, even the simplest, gives his life for the sanctification of Hashem's Name is not due to the feeling of love, for this self-sacrifice is not from his will^[39] but because he cannot be separated, G‑d forbid, from Hashem's unity^[40]. Similarly, regarding the fulfillment of all 613 mitzvos, through remembering mesirus nefesh, after contemplating (and feeling) that every transgression causes separation from Hashem's unity as with idolatry, one refrains from sin not because of love but because he cannot be separated from Hashem's unity. Therefore, the second paragraph of Shema does not mention "bechol me'odecha", for the warning "lest your heart be led astray" is (not through the love of "bechol me'odecha", but) through remembering mesirus nefesh, which prevents transgressing Hashem's command.

8) This is^[41] "VeAtah Yisrael Mah Hashem Elokecha Sho'el Me'imach"—"mah" is bittul (self-nullification), as in "V'anachnu mah"^[42], which is the essential bittul from the soul's essence. The meaning of "Mah Hashem Elokecha Sho'el Me'imach" is that Hashem asks for the bittul of "mah". Although this bittul (from the soul's essence) is always complete, it is hidden. The concealment is not only due to the animal soul, but also because it is above revelation^[43], and Hashem asks to reveal the "mah". In this request (that Hashem asks to reveal the "mah") there are two aspects: to reveal the "mah" as it is through remembering mesirus nefesh, and also to reveal it through one hundred blessings^[44] (as our Sages expound: do not read mah but me'ah), the union of chayah with nefesh-ruach-neshamah, through which the "mah" of the level of yechidah is revealed (for the union of makif and pnimiyus is only through the essence).

Accordingly, we understand why me'ah is the reading of mah, for the bittul of "mah" from the soul's essence is the concealed aspect (written form), and me'ah, the union of chayah with nefesh-ruach-neshamah accomplished by revealing the soul's essence, is the revealed aspect (reading) of mah. [Additionally, the alef of me'ah, the level of yechidah through which the union of chayah and nefesh-ruach-neshamah is accomplished, is lower than the level of mah. For the yechidah that brings about this union (the alef of me'ah) is the essence as it relates to the revealed faculties, while the bittul of mah is from the soul's essence above revelation.]

And when the Jewish people fulfill Hashem's request to reveal the "mah" of the soul in both ways mentioned—revealing the "mah" as it is above form, and its revelation as it is drawn into the particular levels of the soul (nefesh, ruach, neshamah, chayah)—then Hashem fulfills their request, both the general and essential request of "Achas Sha'alti"^[45] as it is in itself—"Shivti BeVeis Hashem Kol Yemei Chayai"—and as it is drawn into many details ("Lachazos B'Noam Hashem U'Levaker BeHeichalo" etc.), and Hashem grants every Jew a good and sweet year^[46] materially and spiritually, down to the lowest levels.

Summary

This maamar explores the connection between humility (mah) and the one hundred daily blessings (me'ah), teaching that through mesirus nefesh and revealing the soul's essence, a Jew unites the transcendent and immanent aspects of G‑dliness, fulfilling Hashem's request and drawing down blessings.