Veschanan Shabbat nachamu.
This week's haftorah read right after tisha b'av is nachamu nachamu ami. The rebbe asks why is the word nachamu said twice. The commentaries explain that we say it twice to console us for the loss of the first temple and the loss of the second temple.
However the rebbe asks that obviously if hashem consoles us this would include a comforting for both the first and second temple all in the same nachamu consoling.
What is added by comforting us twice?
The rebbe explains that there was something that was in the first temple that was lacking in the second and something in the second temple that was lacking in the first temple. The gemaera tells us that during the times of the first temple if Rosh Hashanah fell on Shabbat the shofar was blown all over eretz yisroel. However in the second temple era it was prohibited to be blown in eretz ysiroel proper only in the temple itself was it blown. Explain our rabbis that this was due to the decree of rabbah that one might forget it is Shabbat and carry the shofar 4 amot in the public domain to take it to a chacham who is able to blow the shofar properly. Hence we see that during first temple times the Jewish people where on a higher level having no need for any rabbinical restrictions to protect from desecration the Shabbat. All the Jews on their own remembered not to carry the shofar in a public domain on Shabbat.
On the other hand in the second temple era though they could not blow the shofar on a rosh hashana that fell on shabbat only in the temple,the holiness of the land remained there even after they where exiled from it a second time. All the borders they settled into in the second temple era remained holy and obligated that all the mitzvos of the land still be done even after the second temple was destroyed.
Each temple era had its unique quality. In the first temple we where on a higher level, like a tzadik however that higher level was temporary. Once the temple was destroyed it left the land. On the other hand in the second temple era the holiness was on a lower level. Yet whatever holiness was there permeated the land and remained there permanently. We where like a balie tshuva compared to tzadikim.
Another example to this would be like how the sun shines upon the earth as it compares to a candle. On the one hand the suns light extends all over however it comes from above and leaves once the day departs. On the other hand a candles light is much less yet the candle remain with us if we light whether day or night. In the first temple era the light of hashem shone upon us through hashems grace. We where not deserving of so high a level of divine revelation yet hashem gave it to us.
In the second temple era having been in exile and having done tshuva we became a better vessel for hashem divine closeness and the revelation of His presence though on a lesser level, permeated us more deeply. Hence its holiness last even today.
Each of these two levels have its qualities yet are limited by not being united and becoming one. That is the purpose of the third temple to combine the qualities of both temples and make them one.
To combine in the yid the high level of the tzadik but to have it permeate him as it does the bal tshuva. To make the candle shine as bright as the sun and be able to ignite itself to reach that level of light. Or when comparing this to the moon and the sun, to have reached a point where not only it gives off a reflection of the sun and shines its own light. But even more, it shines from itself and is as bright as the sun.
To understand this better we need to better comprehend the purpose of creation and then we can understand better what each stage achieves. what the first and second temple played in it and what the third and final temple will accomplish.
The purpose of creation is to make this world a dwelling place for g-d. Each temple brought hashem's presence closer into creation. The first temple brought hashems presence into the creation and it permeated the physical world itself yet its presence rested there because of g-d infinite ability to be found even in the lowest places. However the place of itself had not elevated itself yet to be a vessel for it.
The second temple made the earth a vessel to hashems light. It now had elevated itself to be a recipient to hashem. The problem was that it only raised itself up only enough to be a vessel up to the point of a recipient, not higher. The third temple will be how the earth itself will transformed completely through the Torah and mitvos we studied and preformed ,to become on the level equally to the level of divine revelation of hashem's essence how He is known to himself.
This can be likened to the progress of transformation from student to teacher. First the student receives the knowledge from the teacher. He knows all the teacher teaches. However this is only because the teacher explains the concept so well that even the poorest student is able to understand. It is really the teacher here that has entered the mind of the student and is found in the student's brain. The next level is the student himself arriving at understanding. He is now able to think and come up with new ideas and create new thoughts from his own mind. Yet his limitation is that he is still a student. He might come up with new ideas and yet they are on his own level not that of his teacher. The final and highest level is when he becomes as his teacher. When he is able to come up with original thoughts on his own equal to the depth of his teacher.
The first stage of the student is the first temple era, the second stage of the student is the second temple era, and the third stage of the student is the third temple and final level.
We have went from g-d being hidden in creation before any of the temples, to g-d revealing himself through an awakening from above in the first temple. Then a revelation of Him in the second temple through man returning to him. To a complete total revelation in creation where the cover of nature and creation will itself be transformed and reveal it true nature, which is g-d himself.
This is the meaning why the word nachamu nachamu is repeated for the comforting g-d will give us is to return to us the qualities that where unique to each temple and combine them as one in the third temple.
This week's haftorah read right after tisha b'av is nachamu nachamu ami. The rebbe asks why is the word nachamu said twice. The commentaries explain that we say it twice to console us for the loss of the first temple and the loss of the second temple.
However the rebbe asks that obviously if hashem consoles us this would include a comforting for both the first and second temple all in the same nachamu consoling.
What is added by comforting us twice?
The rebbe explains that there was something that was in the first temple that was lacking in the second and something in the second temple that was lacking in the first temple. The gemaera tells us that during the times of the first temple if Rosh Hashanah fell on Shabbat the shofar was blown all over eretz yisroel. However in the second temple era it was prohibited to be blown in eretz ysiroel proper only in the temple itself was it blown. Explain our rabbis that this was due to the decree of rabbah that one might forget it is Shabbat and carry the shofar 4 amot in the public domain to take it to a chacham who is able to blow the shofar properly. Hence we see that during first temple times the Jewish people where on a higher level having no need for any rabbinical restrictions to protect from desecration the Shabbat. All the Jews on their own remembered not to carry the shofar in a public domain on Shabbat.
On the other hand in the second temple era though they could not blow the shofar on a rosh hashana that fell on shabbat only in the temple,the holiness of the land remained there even after they where exiled from it a second time. All the borders they settled into in the second temple era remained holy and obligated that all the mitzvos of the land still be done even after the second temple was destroyed.
Each temple era had its unique quality. In the first temple we where on a higher level, like a tzadik however that higher level was temporary. Once the temple was destroyed it left the land. On the other hand in the second temple era the holiness was on a lower level. Yet whatever holiness was there permeated the land and remained there permanently. We where like a balie tshuva compared to tzadikim.
Another example to this would be like how the sun shines upon the earth as it compares to a candle. On the one hand the suns light extends all over however it comes from above and leaves once the day departs. On the other hand a candles light is much less yet the candle remain with us if we light whether day or night. In the first temple era the light of hashem shone upon us through hashems grace. We where not deserving of so high a level of divine revelation yet hashem gave it to us.
In the second temple era having been in exile and having done tshuva we became a better vessel for hashem divine closeness and the revelation of His presence though on a lesser level, permeated us more deeply. Hence its holiness last even today.
Each of these two levels have its qualities yet are limited by not being united and becoming one. That is the purpose of the third temple to combine the qualities of both temples and make them one.
To combine in the yid the high level of the tzadik but to have it permeate him as it does the bal tshuva. To make the candle shine as bright as the sun and be able to ignite itself to reach that level of light. Or when comparing this to the moon and the sun, to have reached a point where not only it gives off a reflection of the sun and shines its own light. But even more, it shines from itself and is as bright as the sun.
To understand this better we need to better comprehend the purpose of creation and then we can understand better what each stage achieves. what the first and second temple played in it and what the third and final temple will accomplish.
The purpose of creation is to make this world a dwelling place for g-d. Each temple brought hashem's presence closer into creation. The first temple brought hashems presence into the creation and it permeated the physical world itself yet its presence rested there because of g-d infinite ability to be found even in the lowest places. However the place of itself had not elevated itself yet to be a vessel for it.
The second temple made the earth a vessel to hashems light. It now had elevated itself to be a recipient to hashem. The problem was that it only raised itself up only enough to be a vessel up to the point of a recipient, not higher. The third temple will be how the earth itself will transformed completely through the Torah and mitvos we studied and preformed ,to become on the level equally to the level of divine revelation of hashem's essence how He is known to himself.
This can be likened to the progress of transformation from student to teacher. First the student receives the knowledge from the teacher. He knows all the teacher teaches. However this is only because the teacher explains the concept so well that even the poorest student is able to understand. It is really the teacher here that has entered the mind of the student and is found in the student's brain. The next level is the student himself arriving at understanding. He is now able to think and come up with new ideas and create new thoughts from his own mind. Yet his limitation is that he is still a student. He might come up with new ideas and yet they are on his own level not that of his teacher. The final and highest level is when he becomes as his teacher. When he is able to come up with original thoughts on his own equal to the depth of his teacher.
The first stage of the student is the first temple era, the second stage of the student is the second temple era, and the third stage of the student is the third temple and final level.
We have went from g-d being hidden in creation before any of the temples, to g-d revealing himself through an awakening from above in the first temple. Then a revelation of Him in the second temple through man returning to him. To a complete total revelation in creation where the cover of nature and creation will itself be transformed and reveal it true nature, which is g-d himself.
This is the meaning why the word nachamu nachamu is repeated for the comforting g-d will give us is to return to us the qualities that where unique to each temple and combine them as one in the third temple.
1 comment:
very inspiring
Post a Comment