The Weekly Dvar Torah
Volume I Issue #11
The Month of Av and The Light of Darkness Parshas Masei
Adapted from the wisdom of Rav Meir Simcha HaCohen of Dvinsk from the Meshech Chochmoh and Rav Tzadok HaCohen from Pri Tzadik and other works.
By Rav Yitzchak Schwartz Rosh Yeshiva Orchos Chaim Jerusalem
yschwartz@orchos.org.
This edition is dedicated to the merit and memory of Chenoch ben Yaacov Chaim who passes away the 3rd day of Tamuz 5768 July 6, 2008 may his memory be blessed.
The Zohar relates a remarkable story. It tells about a city named Luz in which no one ever died while in the city. Eventually the city's inhabitants were compelled to leave at which time they succumbed to a natural death. The sages of the Zohar came to Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai to ask for an explanation of this amazing phenomenon of longevity. Rabbi Shimon told them that when Hashem created the world, He utilized the mystical powers contained within the letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Hashem left the letter t'es hovering over the place that would eventually become the city of Luz. The letter t'es is the letter from which the light of life emanates. Thus the area on which the city of Luz was built was endowed with a special life-giving power.
Rav Tzadok HaCohen of Lublin explains that the correlation between long life and the letter t'es is evident from the Torah itself. The first time that the letter t'es appears in the Torah is in the book of Bereishis – Genesis 1:4 "And Hashem saw the light that it was good – tov, and Hashem separated the light from the darkness." The Hebrew word tov starts with the letter t'es. This is the quintessential light that is absolutely good – tov – t'es. Rav Tzadok HaCohen further explains that wherever a letter or word appears for the first time in the Torah the context in which the letter or word appears defines its deepest meaning. In this instance the letter t'es appears in the verse discussing light and goodness. From here our Sages worked out some of the amazing spiritual powers that emanate from the life – giving light contained in the letter t'es. This is the meaning of the statement in the Talmud in Bava Kama 55a that one who sees the letter t'es in a dream should look forward to good things.
Rav Tzadok HaCohen goes on to point out a remarkable paradox. The holiday of Rosh Chodesh Av will be observed this Shabbos. As we usher in the new month of Av, a sense of melancholy and glum sets in as we recall the national tragedies that have befallen our people during this month. Both the first and second temples were destroyed, and our people were exiled from the land of Israel during this month. Indeed the second exile, which continues to this day, has seen the Jewish people repeatedly oppressed and harassed. Despite all of this we are halachicaly compelled to sing the Hallel in celebration of the Rosh Chodesh holiday. Even more startling is the fact that the kabalistic work the Sefer HaYetzira explains that each of the twelve Hebrew months is associated with one of the Hebrew letters, and that the letter associated with the ominous month of Av is… t'es! How can the letter that shines the light of life and goodness be connected to the month of tragedy and misfortune?
In answering this paradox Rav Tzadok reveals a fascinating principle of Torah hashkofo (philosophy). The highest level of light and benevolence can emanate only from the darkness. Here too we find the source for this fundamental belief in the Torah itself, Bereishis-Genesis 1:2-4. When Hashem created the world "it was chaotic and formless, darkness loomed over everything and the Divine Spirit hovered above the waters. Then Hashem said let there be light and there was light. Then Hashem saw that the light was good and He separated between the light and the darkness." Our sages tell us that the creation of light referred to in this verse is not just the physical light that we are familiar with, but also the spiritual light of Divine goodness that Hashem later hid away for the righteous. This is the light of that is represented by the letter t'es.
Again we can apply the principle of Rav Tzadok that the first time something appears in the Torah has special significance. In this case we apply it to the two Hebrew words for good - tov and light – ohr. We note that the Hebrew words for light and goodness first appear in the context of the chaos and darkness mentioned in the beginning of creation. We can therefore derive that the mystical light referred to above emanates from chaos and darkness. This supernal light is always cloaked in darkness and turmoil in the very same way that the world was created, first Hashem created darkness and then the light was revealed.
In every generation there is a person who has the potential to become Moshiach but only if he and his generation are worthy. There is a tradition related by our Sages that this potential Moshiach is born on the ninth of Av. Rav Tzadok gives us a timeline when the birth actually took place in the first temple era. On the morning of the ninth of Av the citizens of Jerusalem awoke to the horrible reality that the city was vanquished by the enemy forces. The Jewish people began to repent and take to heart the warnings of the prophet Jeremiah. By the time evening came the Beis Hamikdash was blazing in flames. Upon seeing their holy temple ablaze and the pillars of smoke rising above the temple mount the Jews of Jerusalem intensified their teshuva. Their hearts were overwhelmed with guilt, regret, remorse, and commitment to repentance. At that very moment the [potential] Moshiach was born. As the ashes of the burning temple darkened the skies of Jerusalem, the Moshiach began to be revealed.
The supernal light must emanate from the darkness. This is the intent of the Sefer Yetzirah's statement that the letter t"es is the letter of the month of Av, notwithstanding that historically it has been a harbinger of death and national tragedy. On the one hand, the Beis Hamikdash – temple, that is referred to by our Sages as the "light of the world", was destroyed and in a spiritual sense the lights of the world were extinguished. Since then, the ever increasing layers of darkness that have been ushered in with the month of Av have cast a gloomy shadow over our fate; or so it seems. But this is not the way our Sages ob"m relate to these events. Rather, they see in all of this darkness the veil of the benevolent light, the light of creation that Hashem hid away for the righteous; the same light that the verse (Bereishis 1:4) refers to as tov – good, the word that contains the first appearance of the letter t'es; the letter of life, goodness, and light. So this Rosh Chodesh Av as we sing the Hallel in honor of the new month in our prayers and rejoice in the Shabbos we will have a better appreciation of what there is to sing about.
Rabbeinu Yonah in his classic work Sha'arei Teshuva – "Gates of Repentance" chapter 2:5 sums up the idea presented above as follows: "One who put his trust in Hashem should be filled with anticipation that even in the midst of his most intense anguish and tribulation the darkness will itself bring the light; as stated by the prophet Micha 7:8
"To my enemies [I say] do not rejoice because I have fallen for even as I sit now in the darkness Hashem is my light!" Upon which our Sages ob"m comment: Had I not fallen I would never have risen, had I not sat in the dark I would never have had light." In the midst of national or personal troubles this can be a very powerful and encouraging thought.
You can be a partner in disseminating these wonderful teachings.
Please contact us for dedication opportunities.
By Rav Yitzchak Schwartz Rosh Yeshiva Orchos Chaim Jerusalem
yschwartz@orchos.org.
This edition is dedicated to the merit and memory of Chenoch ben Yaacov Chaim who passes away the 3rd day of Tamuz 5768 July 6, 2008 may his memory be blessed.
The Zohar relates a remarkable story. It tells about a city named Luz in which no one ever died while in the city. Eventually the city's inhabitants were compelled to leave at which time they succumbed to a natural death. The sages of the Zohar came to Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai to ask for an explanation of this amazing phenomenon of longevity. Rabbi Shimon told them that when Hashem created the world, He utilized the mystical powers contained within the letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Hashem left the letter t'es hovering over the place that would eventually become the city of Luz. The letter t'es is the letter from which the light of life emanates. Thus the area on which the city of Luz was built was endowed with a special life-giving power.
Rav Tzadok HaCohen of Lublin explains that the correlation between long life and the letter t'es is evident from the Torah itself. The first time that the letter t'es appears in the Torah is in the book of Bereishis – Genesis 1:4 "And Hashem saw the light that it was good – tov, and Hashem separated the light from the darkness." The Hebrew word tov starts with the letter t'es. This is the quintessential light that is absolutely good – tov – t'es. Rav Tzadok HaCohen further explains that wherever a letter or word appears for the first time in the Torah the context in which the letter or word appears defines its deepest meaning. In this instance the letter t'es appears in the verse discussing light and goodness. From here our Sages worked out some of the amazing spiritual powers that emanate from the life – giving light contained in the letter t'es. This is the meaning of the statement in the Talmud in Bava Kama 55a that one who sees the letter t'es in a dream should look forward to good things.
Rav Tzadok HaCohen goes on to point out a remarkable paradox. The holiday of Rosh Chodesh Av will be observed this Shabbos. As we usher in the new month of Av, a sense of melancholy and glum sets in as we recall the national tragedies that have befallen our people during this month. Both the first and second temples were destroyed, and our people were exiled from the land of Israel during this month. Indeed the second exile, which continues to this day, has seen the Jewish people repeatedly oppressed and harassed. Despite all of this we are halachicaly compelled to sing the Hallel in celebration of the Rosh Chodesh holiday. Even more startling is the fact that the kabalistic work the Sefer HaYetzira explains that each of the twelve Hebrew months is associated with one of the Hebrew letters, and that the letter associated with the ominous month of Av is… t'es! How can the letter that shines the light of life and goodness be connected to the month of tragedy and misfortune?
In answering this paradox Rav Tzadok reveals a fascinating principle of Torah hashkofo (philosophy). The highest level of light and benevolence can emanate only from the darkness. Here too we find the source for this fundamental belief in the Torah itself, Bereishis-Genesis 1:2-4. When Hashem created the world "it was chaotic and formless, darkness loomed over everything and the Divine Spirit hovered above the waters. Then Hashem said let there be light and there was light. Then Hashem saw that the light was good and He separated between the light and the darkness." Our sages tell us that the creation of light referred to in this verse is not just the physical light that we are familiar with, but also the spiritual light of Divine goodness that Hashem later hid away for the righteous. This is the light of that is represented by the letter t'es.
Again we can apply the principle of Rav Tzadok that the first time something appears in the Torah has special significance. In this case we apply it to the two Hebrew words for good - tov and light – ohr. We note that the Hebrew words for light and goodness first appear in the context of the chaos and darkness mentioned in the beginning of creation. We can therefore derive that the mystical light referred to above emanates from chaos and darkness. This supernal light is always cloaked in darkness and turmoil in the very same way that the world was created, first Hashem created darkness and then the light was revealed.
In every generation there is a person who has the potential to become Moshiach but only if he and his generation are worthy. There is a tradition related by our Sages that this potential Moshiach is born on the ninth of Av. Rav Tzadok gives us a timeline when the birth actually took place in the first temple era. On the morning of the ninth of Av the citizens of Jerusalem awoke to the horrible reality that the city was vanquished by the enemy forces. The Jewish people began to repent and take to heart the warnings of the prophet Jeremiah. By the time evening came the Beis Hamikdash was blazing in flames. Upon seeing their holy temple ablaze and the pillars of smoke rising above the temple mount the Jews of Jerusalem intensified their teshuva. Their hearts were overwhelmed with guilt, regret, remorse, and commitment to repentance. At that very moment the [potential] Moshiach was born. As the ashes of the burning temple darkened the skies of Jerusalem, the Moshiach began to be revealed.
The supernal light must emanate from the darkness. This is the intent of the Sefer Yetzirah's statement that the letter t"es is the letter of the month of Av, notwithstanding that historically it has been a harbinger of death and national tragedy. On the one hand, the Beis Hamikdash – temple, that is referred to by our Sages as the "light of the world", was destroyed and in a spiritual sense the lights of the world were extinguished. Since then, the ever increasing layers of darkness that have been ushered in with the month of Av have cast a gloomy shadow over our fate; or so it seems. But this is not the way our Sages ob"m relate to these events. Rather, they see in all of this darkness the veil of the benevolent light, the light of creation that Hashem hid away for the righteous; the same light that the verse (Bereishis 1:4) refers to as tov – good, the word that contains the first appearance of the letter t'es; the letter of life, goodness, and light. So this Rosh Chodesh Av as we sing the Hallel in honor of the new month in our prayers and rejoice in the Shabbos we will have a better appreciation of what there is to sing about.
Rabbeinu Yonah in his classic work Sha'arei Teshuva – "Gates of Repentance" chapter 2:5 sums up the idea presented above as follows: "One who put his trust in Hashem should be filled with anticipation that even in the midst of his most intense anguish and tribulation the darkness will itself bring the light; as stated by the prophet Micha 7:8
"To my enemies [I say] do not rejoice because I have fallen for even as I sit now in the darkness Hashem is my light!" Upon which our Sages ob"m comment: Had I not fallen I would never have risen, had I not sat in the dark I would never have had light." In the midst of national or personal troubles this can be a very powerful and encouraging thought.
You can be a partner in disseminating these wonderful teachings.
Please contact us for dedication opportunities.