The Weekly Dvar Torah
Volume 2 Issue #14
Intellect and Emunah: The Two Paths that Lead to Hashem
Va'eirah
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 publication, Zichron Yehoshua, is in memory of Yehoshua Yakov ben Moshe-Jeffrey Nussbaum through a generous grant from Dr. Eric Nussbaum and family.
This issue is dedicated Avigail bas Yocheved, may she be blessed.
“And Hashem spoke unto Moses, and said unto him: 'I am HASHEM; and I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, as by the name E-l Sh-ddai, but by My name YHWH I made not known to them.†(Shemot 6:3)
Rav Tzadok HaCohen of Lublin points out that in fact, Hashem did introduce Himself to the Forefathers on several occasions with the name YHVH. He explains that the real meaning of the verse is that although the Forefathers knew the different names of Hashem, their relationship with Him was centered around the aspect of Hashem that the name E-l Sh-ddai represents. Each of the various names of Hashem conveys a unique aspect of Hashem’s being and a unique way in which He interacts with man.
The name Sh-ddai is the name that Hashem utilized in concluding the six-day creation period. The name is derived from the Hebrew word dai which means: enough. At the end of the six-day creation process Hashem applied the name Sh-ddai to bring to a close His works. Our sages expressed this thought in the following way. During the six days of creation the universe was expanding, and would have continued to do so until Hashem applied the name Sh-ddai; as if to say to the universe: “enough ! you have expanded to sufficient proportions.†On the simplest level, our sages are referring to a physical phenomenon; a force limiting the endlessly expanding physical creation. Notwithstanding the basic idea of this teaching, Rav Tzadok elucidates this with the explanation of the great Hassidic master Rav Bunim. Hahsem created the world in a way that His presence, concealed behind the veil of physical reality, could be revealed by an unbiased in-depth observation of the multitude of details that make up the physical universe. In other words, Hashem created the world in a way that in and of itself testifies to the existence of its Creator.
The purpose of creation was to reveal the existence of Hashem as the Creator and Master of the universe who maintains dominion over man’s affairs. In order to accomplish this goal, over the course of the six-day creation period, Hashem embedded in the physical universe clues and reflections of His infinite being. Nevertheless, the clues were designed in a way that man could overlook them or interpret them in alternative ways. In so doing, Hashem allows man the gift of freewill, to choose to acknowledge Him as the creator and Master of the universe, or to deny His existence by ignoring or misinterpreting the clues and intimations that He implanted within it. Upon the culmination of the six-day creation period, when Hashem determined that there were sufficient (dai) clues to reveal His presence, He applied the name Sh-ddai, as if to say “there is enough evidence in creation to reveal My existence†but not in a way that would compromise the gift of free will.
Our Forefathers, Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yakov were pioneers in revealing Hashem’s presence within creation. By utilizing their keen and unbiased intellect in observing the clues that Hashem’s planted within creation they were able to reveal His presence and accept Him as Master of the universe. Moshe, on the other hand, was the father of all prophets. His relationship with Hashem was centered on direct communication with Him. It was not necessary for Moshe to discover Hashem through the deep intellectual process that the Forefathers utilized. All he needed to do was to listen to, and heed the words of Hashem. In contrast to the revelation of Hashem from within creation that the name E-l Sh-ddai conveys, the name YHVH appears when Hashem chooses the path of direct revelation of His will through prophecy. This was the basis for Moshe’s relationship with Hashem.
In light of the above explanations, we can better understand the verses that appear just prior to the opening verse of this week’s portion and Rashi’s comment on them. “They [the elders of Israel] said unto them [to Moshe and Aharon]: ‘HASHEM should look upon you, and judge; because you have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us.' And Moses returned unto HASHEM, and said: ‘Hashem, why have You brought harm on this people? Why is it that You have sent me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has dealt badly with this people; neither have You delivered Your people at all.' And Hashem said unto Moses: 'Now shall you see what I will do to Pharaoh; for by a strong hand shall he let them go, and by a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land.' And Hashem spoke unto Moses, and said unto him: 'I am HASHEM; and I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, as by the name E-l Sh-ddai, but by My name YHVH I did not make known to them.†(Shemot 5:21-23, 6:1-3)
“The Sages explained that Hashem’s response to Moshe [in the opening verse of this week’s portion] refers to what Moshe said in the verse mentioned at the end of the previous portion: "why have You [Hashem] brought harm on this people?" G-d responded to him, "Woe for those who are gone [i.e. the Forefathers] and cannot be replaced!" I have reason to mourn the deaths of the Fathers [for] many times I revealed Myself to them with [the Name] E-l Sh-ddai and they [never] said, "What is Your Name?" But, you said, "['Should they ask] what is His Name, what shall I tell them?' "And when Avraham sought to bury Sarah, he could not find land until he had to buy it at great expense. Similarly, concerning Yitzchak, there was opposition to him on account of the wells that he dug. Similarly, concerning Yaakov, [it is written:] "He bought the part of the field"in order to pitch his tent [i.e. he needed to purchase the land that Hashem promised to him], yet they did not question My attributes, but, you said, "Why did You bring harm on this people?" (Rashi: Shemot 6:9)
Hashem, after hearing Moshe’s complaint rebukes him for not following the path of our Forefathers. When Avraham, Yitzchak and Yakov were faced with what appeared to be contradictions to Hashem’s guiding providence in their lives, they did not complain nor did they questions G-d’s ways. They understood that the ways and thoughts of Hashem are often beyond the capacity of human intellect. In these situations, they relied upon their deep faith, emunah in Hashem’s infinite love and kindness despite their inability to perceive it. They raised themselves beyond the limitations of intellect with emunah and were able to transcend their established path of intellectual verification of Hashem’s presence and in its place utilize the power of emunah. In the realm of emunah Moshe was inferior to the Forefathers. When faced with a situation that seemed to stand in blatant contradiction to Hashem’s explicit promises of redemption, Moshe, instead of placing his faith in Hashem’s infinite, albeit unperceivable wisdom and kindness, began to question Hashem’s plan. Hashem’s rebuke to Moshe challenges him to live up to the example of his Forefathers and patiently and faithfully await the fruition of Hashem’s amazing plan for redemption that will eventually unfold in front of the eyes of the entire world.
By Rav Yitzchak Schwartz Rosh Yeshiva Orchos Chaim Jerusalem
yschwartz@orchos.org.
This publication, Zichron Yehoshua, is in memory of Yehoshua Yakov ben Moshe-Jeffrey Nussbaum through a generous grant from Dr. Eric Nussbaum and family.
This issue is dedicated Avigail bas Yocheved, may she be blessed.
“And Hashem spoke unto Moses, and said unto him: 'I am HASHEM; and I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, as by the name E-l Sh-ddai, but by My name YHWH I made not known to them.†(Shemot 6:3)
Rav Tzadok HaCohen of Lublin points out that in fact, Hashem did introduce Himself to the Forefathers on several occasions with the name YHVH. He explains that the real meaning of the verse is that although the Forefathers knew the different names of Hashem, their relationship with Him was centered around the aspect of Hashem that the name E-l Sh-ddai represents. Each of the various names of Hashem conveys a unique aspect of Hashem’s being and a unique way in which He interacts with man.
The name Sh-ddai is the name that Hashem utilized in concluding the six-day creation period. The name is derived from the Hebrew word dai which means: enough. At the end of the six-day creation process Hashem applied the name Sh-ddai to bring to a close His works. Our sages expressed this thought in the following way. During the six days of creation the universe was expanding, and would have continued to do so until Hashem applied the name Sh-ddai; as if to say to the universe: “enough ! you have expanded to sufficient proportions.†On the simplest level, our sages are referring to a physical phenomenon; a force limiting the endlessly expanding physical creation. Notwithstanding the basic idea of this teaching, Rav Tzadok elucidates this with the explanation of the great Hassidic master Rav Bunim. Hahsem created the world in a way that His presence, concealed behind the veil of physical reality, could be revealed by an unbiased in-depth observation of the multitude of details that make up the physical universe. In other words, Hashem created the world in a way that in and of itself testifies to the existence of its Creator.
The purpose of creation was to reveal the existence of Hashem as the Creator and Master of the universe who maintains dominion over man’s affairs. In order to accomplish this goal, over the course of the six-day creation period, Hashem embedded in the physical universe clues and reflections of His infinite being. Nevertheless, the clues were designed in a way that man could overlook them or interpret them in alternative ways. In so doing, Hashem allows man the gift of freewill, to choose to acknowledge Him as the creator and Master of the universe, or to deny His existence by ignoring or misinterpreting the clues and intimations that He implanted within it. Upon the culmination of the six-day creation period, when Hashem determined that there were sufficient (dai) clues to reveal His presence, He applied the name Sh-ddai, as if to say “there is enough evidence in creation to reveal My existence†but not in a way that would compromise the gift of free will.
Our Forefathers, Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yakov were pioneers in revealing Hashem’s presence within creation. By utilizing their keen and unbiased intellect in observing the clues that Hashem’s planted within creation they were able to reveal His presence and accept Him as Master of the universe. Moshe, on the other hand, was the father of all prophets. His relationship with Hashem was centered on direct communication with Him. It was not necessary for Moshe to discover Hashem through the deep intellectual process that the Forefathers utilized. All he needed to do was to listen to, and heed the words of Hashem. In contrast to the revelation of Hashem from within creation that the name E-l Sh-ddai conveys, the name YHVH appears when Hashem chooses the path of direct revelation of His will through prophecy. This was the basis for Moshe’s relationship with Hashem.
In light of the above explanations, we can better understand the verses that appear just prior to the opening verse of this week’s portion and Rashi’s comment on them. “They [the elders of Israel] said unto them [to Moshe and Aharon]: ‘HASHEM should look upon you, and judge; because you have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us.' And Moses returned unto HASHEM, and said: ‘Hashem, why have You brought harm on this people? Why is it that You have sent me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has dealt badly with this people; neither have You delivered Your people at all.' And Hashem said unto Moses: 'Now shall you see what I will do to Pharaoh; for by a strong hand shall he let them go, and by a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land.' And Hashem spoke unto Moses, and said unto him: 'I am HASHEM; and I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, as by the name E-l Sh-ddai, but by My name YHVH I did not make known to them.†(Shemot 5:21-23, 6:1-3)
“The Sages explained that Hashem’s response to Moshe [in the opening verse of this week’s portion] refers to what Moshe said in the verse mentioned at the end of the previous portion: "why have You [Hashem] brought harm on this people?" G-d responded to him, "Woe for those who are gone [i.e. the Forefathers] and cannot be replaced!" I have reason to mourn the deaths of the Fathers [for] many times I revealed Myself to them with [the Name] E-l Sh-ddai and they [never] said, "What is Your Name?" But, you said, "['Should they ask] what is His Name, what shall I tell them?' "And when Avraham sought to bury Sarah, he could not find land until he had to buy it at great expense. Similarly, concerning Yitzchak, there was opposition to him on account of the wells that he dug. Similarly, concerning Yaakov, [it is written:] "He bought the part of the field"in order to pitch his tent [i.e. he needed to purchase the land that Hashem promised to him], yet they did not question My attributes, but, you said, "Why did You bring harm on this people?" (Rashi: Shemot 6:9)
Hashem, after hearing Moshe’s complaint rebukes him for not following the path of our Forefathers. When Avraham, Yitzchak and Yakov were faced with what appeared to be contradictions to Hashem’s guiding providence in their lives, they did not complain nor did they questions G-d’s ways. They understood that the ways and thoughts of Hashem are often beyond the capacity of human intellect. In these situations, they relied upon their deep faith, emunah in Hashem’s infinite love and kindness despite their inability to perceive it. They raised themselves beyond the limitations of intellect with emunah and were able to transcend their established path of intellectual verification of Hashem’s presence and in its place utilize the power of emunah. In the realm of emunah Moshe was inferior to the Forefathers. When faced with a situation that seemed to stand in blatant contradiction to Hashem’s explicit promises of redemption, Moshe, instead of placing his faith in Hashem’s infinite, albeit unperceivable wisdom and kindness, began to question Hashem’s plan. Hashem’s rebuke to Moshe challenges him to live up to the example of his Forefathers and patiently and faithfully await the fruition of Hashem’s amazing plan for redemption that will eventually unfold in front of the eyes of the entire world.