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Vol 17.19 - Tazria - Parshat HaChodesh        Spanish French Audio  Video

Hebrew Text:

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Summary:
 

Connection of "HaChodesh" - Geulah from Above, and "When a woman conceives" - Avodah from below. The purpose of the two conducts - miraculous conduct (Nisan) and conduct according to nature (Tishrei) and the inclusion of them, and the explanation in Avodat HaAdam
 
Lesson: Mitzvah that protects
 

Translation:

1. Shabbat Parshat HaChodesh sometimes occurs (like this year) on Shabbat Parshat Tazria.

All aspects of Torah are precise. From this itself that both Parshiot come together, it is proof that that they have, between them, a common point (for if not so, the Torah of Truth (תורת אמת) would not join them together).

At first glance, however, it appears that not only do they not have a common point, but on the contrary that they are completely opposite aspects, one from the other:

Parshat HaChodesh is named after the verse,

“This month shall be to you the head of the months etc.” –

the month of Nisan, whose aspect is the month of Geulah, as it comes completely from Above.

This is as the Sages state that this is represented by the verse, “The sound of my beloved! Behold, he is coming

(and more than this, that G-d is coming in a manner of)

 skipping (skipping to the end of Galut) (an awakening from Above) (באתערותא דלעילא)

This is why the entire Parsha is called Parshat HaChodesh, even though only one verse (in the beginning) of the Torah-reading speaks of the “Chodesh/month”, whereas the other verses speak about the laws of the Korban Pesach etc.

For this is the very reason itself (היא הנותנת):

Korban Pesach is named after the verse, “G-d passed over etc.” which depicts the Geulah which comes in the form of skipping– completely from Above, as it states: “the King of the kings of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed Himself to them and redeemed them”. This is the theme of Parshat HaChodesh, the month of Nisan, which is the month of Geulah.

Whereas the theme of “Tazria”

(Whose word is in the feminine form as it states before this, “when a woman (conceives)”

is – as the Alter Rebbe explains in the Maamer, ”Ish mazria techila” that man and woman are (allude to) G-d and Knesset Yisroel (the Jewish people). When “a man conceives first” – meaning that when G-d awakens a Yid “first” to serve G-d, (Note: without his own effort) then it is, “she gives birth to a female child”. This means that the Avodah does not endure (בת קיימא).

(Like women whose “understanding is sublime”)

(Note: ע"ח שער הכללים, פרק ז: וז"ס דעתן של נשים קלה, פי', ק"ל ה', כי ה"ג הם ה' הויו"ת, והם ק"ל כו. "קל" is gematria 5 times Havayah and refers to conception of thought)

However, when the “woman conceives first”– meaning that the Avodah starts from an awakening from below (אתערותא דלתתא), then “she gives birth to a male child”, the Avodah endures (בת קיימא)

According to this, the theme of Parshat ("when a woman conceives") “Tazria” shows on Avodat HaAdam specifically due to an awakening from below (not like Parshat HaChodesh which comes from Above).

2. There are many explanations on, “This month shall be to you the head of the months; to you it shall be the first of the months of the year”.

Among them are:

  1. According to Pshat – the Ibn Ezra explains the aspect of “month” and “year”. Due to the course of the moon, there is completely no scope of “year”, as he states, “there is no year to the moon at all”.

For in the revolving of the moon, one can only discern the division of months (each month “twenty-nine and a half days, plus two-thirds of an hour, plus seventy-three of the 1,080 subsections of an hour”) which results in a complete revolution of the moon.

(Even with regard to condition of the sun with regard to the earth).

Then the Molad (conjunction) of the moon starts anew). However, there is no part in the course of the moon that should divide one year from the other.

On the other hand, due to the sun, there is no category of months, as it states, “the sun has no month at all” - the (yearly) revolution of the sun is approximately “365 days and six hours” and its revolution is in a manner that it creates the four seasons of the year. However, in its course, there is no part which creates the boundaries of months.

The verse “This month shall be to you the head of the months” speaks of the number of months – which is related to (a year of) the moon (as the Sages state, “Yisroel counts according to the lunar cycle”). It starts from the first month, the month of Nisan,

(as opposed to the New Year of years (which is related to the sun) is in Tishrei).

  1. According to the Midrash, on the verse, “This month shall be to you etc.” the Sages state:

“When G-d chose His world, he established New Moons (Roshei Chodashim) and years; and when He chose Yaakov and his sons he established the New Moon (Rosh Chodesh) of Geulah”

The (Baal Ha) Akeida explains the difference between “When G-d chose His world” and “When He chose Yaakov and his sons”:

  • “When G-d chose His world” means the natural conduct which was established in Creation. The “head” of this conduct is in the month of Tishrei.
  • Whereas “When He chose Yaakov and his sons” means miraculous conduct – the overturning of nature (שידוד הטבע), which G-d does on behalf of the Yidden (“Yaakov and his sons”) and the “head” of this conduct is, “This month shall be to you” – the month of Nisan.

3. All the explanations of the Sages on the same verse or aspect have a connection between them. The same is in our case:

The two aforementioned aspects,

(The difference between the year of the sun and the year of the moon; and the difference between natural conduct and miraculous conduct – which are opposites)

are connected to each other:

Natural conduct is the conduct which is “will never be suspended” (לא ישבותו) – constancy, without change. This is similar to the light (and course) of the sun which does not have changes.

(This is similar to the explanation of the word “year/ שנה – from the word “change” (משנה).  It is the same course of the sun which repeats itself again).

Whereas miraculous conduct is an aspect of innovation (חידוש), where G-d sometimes overturns the natural conduct for a certain period. This is similar to the moon which (its light) changes from day to day and its light is renewed each month (“month/חודש” from the word “renewal/חידוש”).

4. One must understand:

  1. The verse state two things:
  1. “This month shall be to you the head of the months
  2. “it shall be the first of the months of the year

This means that the month of Nisan is not just the “head of the months”, but also “the first .. of the months of the year”.

It is not understood:

Since it speaks here regarding the aspect of “the month” which is connected with the moon, and “the moon has no year at all”, how can one say that Nisan is the “first”, even with regard to the aspects “(of the months) of the year”?

  1. On the other hand:

Even “When G-d chose His world” which is related to Tishrei, it also mentions

(not just that “He established in it . .years” but)

 “New Moons”.

Seemingly, how does Creation (nature) contain an aspect of “Month” – “innovation” (miracle)?

One must therefore say that even though, in general, Tishrei is connected with nature (year) and Nisan with miracle (month), however, here there is an “inclusion” (התכללות) between them:

  • Even in creation itself (before “He chose Yaakov and his sons”) there is an aspect of miracle (Rosh Chodesh).
  • So too on the other side: The innovation of “He chose Yaakov and his sons” manifests itself not just in miraculous conduct (month) but also in (the change which comes about through jt in) the natural conduct (year)

5. To understand this, one must beforehand explain the theme and inner intent of in the two conducts - natural and miraculous. For both are fitting to carry out the intent of creation and reveal G-d’s Greatness.

 However, the difference between them is:

  • The purpose of miraculous conduct is to reveal the Bli Gevul (unlimited aspect) of G-dliness – as G-d  is completely higher than the world. This is discerned in the world through the nullification (bitul) of its being (מציאות) – (the miracle) overturns (משדד) the machinations of nature (מערכות הטבע). This shows how nature is insignificant (ניט תופס מקום) with regard to the (Bli Gevul) of G-dliness.
  • The purpose of natural conduct is to reveal (how G-d  is enclothed (מתלבש) in the world, so that) even the existence (מציאות) of the world is united (מיוחד) with G-d, even the dictates of nature are a G-dly conducting.

6. Since the world was created, “for the sake of the Torah and for the sake of Yisroel” one must say that everything that exists in creation is dependent upon the Avodah of Yidden.

Therefore, it is understood that not only miraculous conduct, which is connected with “He chose Yaakov and his sons”, is dependent on Avodat Yisroel. But also “G-d chose His world” – the natural conduct – is dependent on Avodat Yisroel.

However, each of the ‘conducts’ is dependent in the Avodat HaAdam which is comparable to it (דוגמתה) – for the manners of Avodat HaShem are divided, in general, into two categories:

  • A Yid must have the motion (תנועה) of Kaballat Ol and Mesirat Nefesh – serving G-d not due to his understanding and feeling etc., but rather obeying the Supernal Will with bitul. Therefore, his Avodah is not measured according to the measures and boundaries (מדידות והגבלות) of his being.

This manner of Avodah awakens miraculous conduct, which effects the bitul in the world, as aforementioned

  • However, on the other hand, there must also be the being of the person (מציאות האדם)

(As it states, “all your heart”, “all your soul”),

ones devotion (דורכגענומעו) to serving G-d. Therefore, one must fulfill Torah and Mitzvot (not just due to Kaballat Ol, but) also with understanding and feeling etc. This manner of Avodah is dependent on natural conduct, which unites the existence of the world with G-dliness, as aforementioned.

7. The purpose of the intent is (indeed – unity (Achdut), and in our case) that there should be unity between the miraculous and natural (נס און טבע).

The reason that miracle and nature are two separate conducts, is only due to the lights and revelations (אורות וגילויים), which are expresses in two paths (קווין):

  • The path of “Bli Gevul” which comes down into miraculous conduct,
  • and in the path of “G-d’s power within the limitation” (כתו בגבול) - in natural conduct.

From the perspective of G-d’s Omnipotence (יכולת העצמות), however, Bli Gevul and Gevul (are not two avenues, but) one aspect – the expression of G-d’s Completeness (אויסדרוק פון שלימותו). This is like the well-known statement,

“If you say that G-d has power within the unlimited, yet He has no power within the limited, you are detracting from His Completeness” and (in an inner level - Pnimiyut) the expression of G-d’s ability.

Therefore, the intent of creation of G-d’s Essence (עצמותו ית׳) is carried out through the unification of miracle and nature.

The same is also in Avodat HaAdam:

The unity of the two paths of Avodah (Mesirat Nefesh and Kaballat Ol which is above reason and comprehension; and the Avodah due to the inner powers) are demanded from a Yid.

This is accomplished through the awakening of the essence of the soul. For due to this, the two manners of Avodah are (not contradictory, but on the contrary) unified (בהתאחדות).

8. Since, at their essence and root, miracle and nature are one aspect, it is understood, that even when coming down (Hishtalshelut) into this world

(where they visibly appear to be separate (opposite) conducts)

 they are – in Pnimiyut- united (מיוחד).

This is manifested also in that which nature itself, was given the “property” of above-nature (as will be explained in Par. 9).

The same is on the other hand. The aspect of miracle is also connected with the conducting of nature (as will be explained in Par. 11)

9. The explanation of this is:

There are two manners in the recognition of G-d’s Greatness in conducting nature:

  1. Through contemplating the conduct of creation, the movement of the constellations etc., one comes to the recognition that there must be a Master of this world who conducts it with a natural conduct.

As Rambam writes with regard to Avraham Avinu:

“He began to explore and think. . How is it possible for the sphere to continue to revolve without having anyone controlling it? Who is causing it to revolve? Surely, it does not cause itself to revolve etc.”

  1. Though contemplation in the “will never be suspended” (לא ישבותו) – the absence of change (העדר השינוי) of the conduct of nature, one perceives and recognizes that such a lack of change cannot be due to created beings,

(which are created and erode and are subject to change)

and even not, as it were, due to the G-dly Light () which is enclothed in the (boundary of) the world. Rather, it is power of the Ein Sof (G-d’s Essence) which was given into the conduct of nature.

Thus it comes out that in nature itself there is “above-nature” – the “I do not change” of Ein Sof (G-d’s Essence), blessed be He.

10. This is the explanation of the statement of the Sages, “When G-d chose His world, he established New Moons (Roshei Chodashim) and years”:

From the wording of the Sages, it is understood that, it is speaking here, not regarding the condition of “His world” from the perspective of the creation of the world, rather when G-d chose in the world.

(Similar to “He chose Yaakov and his sons”)

Specifically due to this choice He, “established New Moons (Roshei Chodashim) and years”. An addition to that which there is a world, in and of itself (due to creation).

It is not understood:

Since the aspect of “Roshei Chodashim and years” is (as the Akeida explains) the natural order which G-d imbued in creation, it is indeed a part of creation itself. Therefore, how can one say that this comes about from that which “G-d chose His world” (a higher virtue than there is due to creation)?

 However, the explanation of this is:

Due to the aspect of “G-d chose His world” – where true choice is only in G-d’s domain, as is known – nature and above-nature are one aspect. Therefore, in nature itself there is above-nature – the eternality of “I am G-d , I do not change”.

This is what is meant by “When G-d chose His world, He established Roshei Chodashim and years”. This is the miracle (month) which is in the aspect of nature, which expresses itself in the aspect of “year” (from the word “change”) as aforementioned Par. 2). The aspect of the absence of change.

11. Just as in nature itself there is above-nature – so too is it on the other hand:

Miraculous conduct is not “bounded” in the path of “miracle” which manifests the Bli Gevul of G-dliness. Rather, it also contains the aspect which a miracle transforms (מאכט איבער) nature.

(That nature itself should depict that G-d conducts it.)

Therefore, in miracles, in general, there also exists the category of ‘miracles which are enclothed – wrapped - in nature' (נסים המלובשים בטבע).

There are two paths in this:

  • This is a miracle (which is higher than nature) just like the miracles which are not enclothed in nature. This is like the ruling that one makes the same blessing, “He who performed miracles” both on Chanukah (which was a miracle that was not 'enclothed in nature') as well as on Purim (which was a miracle that was 'enclothed in nature').

(On the contrary – the Sages state that specifically on ‘miracles which are enclothed in nature’, one makes the blessing, ‘Blessed . . Who performs wonders alone”).

However, the miracle itself

(which is completely higher than nature)

comes down into being enclothed in (the ways of) nature, and accomplishes that the conduct of nature itself should be conducted, “specifically like an axe which is in the hand of the woodchopper etc.”

This means that in the miraculous conduct that is above nature, there is also the “property” of “nature”. For not only does a miracle rule over nature in a manner that it overturns nature. But also that through the miracle, nature itself is “uplifted” so much so that it is “above nature”.

One could say that this is the reason why Nisan is not just “the head of the months”, but also the “first .. of the months of the year”. For the purpose of the miraculous conduct of Nisan is to transform the natural conduct (year) that even in nature, there should be discerned that it is conducted by ‘Nisan’ – above-nature.

12. According to all the aforementioned, one can also understand the connection between Parshat HaChodesh and Parshat Tazria:

The difference between “(Parshat) HaChodesh” and Tazria is similar to the difference between miracle and nature:

  • Parshat HaChodesh which depicts revelation from Above (as aforementioned Par. 1) is higher than created beings. Just like the aspect of a “miracle”.
  • Tazria which depicts on the Avodah of below (עבודת המטה) (as aforementioned there) is connected with the being of the person (מציאות האדם) – similar to the aspect of “nature”.

When Parshat HaChodesh occurs in Parshat Tazria – it emphasizes and expresses that they are (in Pnimiyut) one aspect:

This will be revealed in the Future, when the tiding of, “Man after man was born in her” will be fulfilled. It will be “man conceives first” – the virtue that is in “Parshat HaChodesh” which comes from Above (miracle). Together with this will be “born in her”, the “she gives birth to a male”- the virtue which is in “Tazria” (nature) - the awakening from below.

MSichas Shabbat Parshat Tazria 5725, Maamarei s.v. HaChodesh 5731, 5733

Note: The verse states, “Rani v’Simchi Bat Tzion” (sing and rejoice daughter of Zion). “Rani” refers to the female aspect of rising from below to Above, through praise and song to G-d. This is the sole domain of angels since they can only rise up. Whereas the Jewish people possess the additional level of “Simchi” which refers to the male aspect of drawing down and revelation from Above to below. This is accomplished through the performance of Torah and Mitzvot, which are signs (“Tzion”) and indicators of spirituality.

When there is an ‘awakening from below’ then the Jewish people are called “Tzion” since they draw down spirituality below into Torah and Mitzvot.  However, in Galut, they are called “Bat Tzion” for they only receive from Above.

This is symbolized by the verse “when a man conceives first, she gives birth to a female child”. In other words, when there is no ‘awakening from below’, it is the level of bat/daughter. Whereas, the verse “And to Zion it will be said, ‘Man after man was born in her’” refers to drawing down spirituality. (As is states “when a female conceives first a male is born”). This occurs when there is first an ‘awakening from below’ (the level of “Rina/female”). However, without this preface, there is no revelation of “Simcha”, rather it is only the female level that receives from the ‘awakening from Above’ in an outward form.

The Navi is coming to comfort Bnei Yisroel that even in the time of Galut, which is called, “Bat Tzion”, that nevertheless there will be both levels “Rani” and “Simchi”. This is because there is a level of ‘awakening from Above’ that is extremely lofty where even the ‘awakening from below’ does not reach, at all. (This is the Transcendent level of G-dliness - סובב כל עלמין). From that level, G-dliness is drawn down even into this level of “Bat/daughter”.

Links:
https://www.torahrecordings.com/likutei-sichos/017/007_004   (Audio)

 

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