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Parsha Update: Toldos

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Lubab:
B”H

In the merit of the holy Tzadik, Rabbi Avraham Azuli, who ascended on this date, may his merit protect us.
 

This week’s Parsha begins, “And these are the generations of Yitzchak, Avraham gave birth to Yitzchak…”[1] Rashi[2] writes, regarding this seemingly redundant expression that the Torah teaches us that Hashem made Yitzchak look exactly like Avraham in order that people would know for certain that it was he who gave birth to him. For, there were scoffers who claimed that Sarah our mother became pregnant from Avimelech, the king of the Pelishtim (since Sarah did not give birth for so many years before).

 
Avraham represents kindness, as in “give kindness to Avraham,”[3] Yitzchak represents fear, as in “he swore by the fear of his father Yitzchak,”[4] and the Pelishtim to scoffers, i.e. those who mock Torah and Torah sages. This is hinted at by the related term – “Mefoolash,” meaning “wide,” symbolizing a state of unrestricted openness (towards even untoward influences).[5]

Kindness represents the concept of spreading forth, and fear represents withholding.[6] All forms of kindness are an expression of the self to the outside, as when we reach out to another with a kind word, a gift, or in whatever other kind way. By contrast, when we are afraid, we withdraw within our self, and we do not relate to others, as when we cower up in a corner, physically or psychologically.

Similarly, by G-d, “kindness” represents His revealing Himself, and “fear” represents His hiding the revelation of Himself.[7] The aforementioned Torah verse teaches us that the concealment of Hashem’s presence from us is itself the product (i.e. “born”) of His revelation.

Relative to each other, revelation and concealment are two polar opposites. Can you imagine turning on the lights in a dark room, and having the light bulb shine while the room mysteriously continues to remain dark? Of course not, for in a limited, i.e. time bound world such as our own, only one state can exist at a (given) time.

Relative to the infinite G-d, however, there is no difference at all between revelation and concealment. Both equally manifest His ability to do anything, and He transcends both of them. The proof is, for one, that during the plague of Egypt, at the exact same time and place the Egyptians found them selves in darkness so thick they could not move from their places, the Jews saw with perfect clarity.[8]

The fact that creation is limited itself shows that Hashem is not limited (even) to acting according to His (infinite) ability. He is absolutely unlimited, and can do whatever He desires. He can totally reveal Himself, totally hide Himself, or do anything in-between, etc.

Creations’ limitations also prove we do not have intrinsic existence, given that nothing limited creates itself, but that we depends on Hashem’s constantly desiring to hide the revelation of His own, infinite, being in order to allow for the lessened revelation of His being that is us and everything we know to become apparent. In this way, creation is not separate from, but a (perceptually) lessened revelation of His infinite ability to reveal Himself.[9]

To further clarify this matter, let us examine the difference between two types of transfer “influence,” and “light.” “Influence” refers to giving something that does not change states in being transferred from the giver to the receiver, which is not the case by light.

Within “influence” is physical influence and non-physical influence. When physical influence is transferred, it departs completely from its original source, since being physical, it is limited, and therefore cannot exist in two places at once. For example, the dollar bill you give to a poor person you are now lacking; the water collected in one spot on a mountain that slides down to another is now absent from the first spot, and so on.   

Non-physical influence, by definition, is not limited to time and space and can therefore exist in two places at once. Therefore, when it is given, it is not lacking from the giver. An example of this is how a teacher verbally reveals a concept previously hidden in their head to their students. Here, the concept can be in both the teachers and (multiple) students minds at the same time.

However, while teaching this concept, the teacher cannot teach, or even think about, another concept at the same time. For, though the concept is not limited, the teacher is, so he or she cannot be in two places at one time, not just physically, but also mentally. Rather, they can only be invested in one thing at a time.

An example of “light,” would be a ray of sunlight. Given that the sun is a gas, it is colorless and formless. Moreover, it does not contain rays of light (though it does contain properties that result in certain chemical reactions responsible for our perception of rays of light).

Our perceiving a ray of sunlight as being of a particular form and color owes, not to its actual nature – even at the time we are observing it – but to our angle and tools of observation. The proof is that the sun can shine in multiple places and appear to be all sorts of different colors at the same time.

 

Again, the ray we perceive as “something” as an entity that exists independent of its source (i.e. the sun) in fact, actually has no existence separate from it. We actually just perceive the sun’s capacity to illuminate (so to speak) in a certain way. And, that property itself is in no way separate from the (matter of) the sun itself.

 

Similarly, when we look at creation, we are looking at a limited revelation of G-d’s infinite ability to reveal Himself, as mentioned above. This ability itself, being infinite, actually transcends all limitations, only that from our reference point, we only perceive its limited manifestation (in terms of time/space). Moreover, even the ability itself, in full, does not exist as anything separate from Hashem Himself. Rather, it is just one ability of His, something He can do (like all else) by virtue of His Omnipotence.

 

We can now better appreciate the answer to the scoffers, the Pelishtim, those who ask: how can a limited world come from an infinite G-d? And, how can Creation be said to add nothing to His existence, that we can say that just as before creation He was One, so now post creation? For, as explained, limitation itself testifies to G-d’s Absolute Omnipotence, and Creation is not in any way separate from, but a (perceptually) limited revelation of this infinite ability of His.[10]

 

This revelation (i.e. this new insight) should give birth to a fear, or if you like “respect,” for Hashem, and by extension, an increased mindfulness of His commandments. For, as explained previously (e.g. in last week’s post) it is the performance of the Mitzvoth, positive and negative, which reveals His presence in the world – in whichever direction – whether by increasing our awareness of His revelation or removing our conceptual concealments.

 

King Shlomo, the wisest man who ever lived, states: “a Mitzvah is a candle.”[11] Let us each resolve, this Shabbos, to take upon ourselves either the observance or the at least the strengthening of one Mitzvah, in order to take part in the revelation of Hashem to all of humankind, an endeavor which we all hope, pray, and firmly believe, He will speedily grant with total success.

 

Good Shabbos,

Rabbi Dovid Wolkenfeld

 

 



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[1] Gen. 25:19

[2] ibid., title “Avraham gave birth to Yitzchak”

[3] Micah, 7:20

[4] Gen. 31:42

[5] Derech Chaim, Ch. 6 (“The Gate of Return” at: http://www.TrueKabbalah.com p. 30)

[6] Lekuteh Amarim

[7] Shaar HaYichud, Ch. 21

[8] Ex. 10:23

[9] Shaar HaYichud Ve’HaEmunah, Ch. 1,2

[10] All the above adapted from concepts in Reb Hillel Paritcher’s commentary on the Mitteler Rebbe’s “The Gate of Unity,” section 3.

[11] Pr. 6:23

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