The Torah portion of Sisa contains an entire section
[1] relating to Shabbos. It begins by stating that Shabbos is "a sign between Me and you for all generations, so that you know that I, G-d, am making you holy." The section concludes: "And the children of Israel shall observe the Shabbos ... as an everlasting covenant ... for in six days G-d made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day He ceased working and rested."
Why is Shabbos and its laws discussed here at such length, when it was already covered in detail[2] as part of the Ten Commandments?
Our Sages derive[3] from the words "He ceased working and rested," that "An additional [measure of] soul is granted [the Jew] on the arrival of Shabbos. With the departure of Shabbos, it departs as well." Moreover, our Rabbis explain[4] that spices are sniffed on Saturday night during the Havdalah service so as to becalm the person's soul, which is perturbed by the departure of the additional soul.
The Alter Rebbe thus writes in his Shulchan Aruch:[5] "The Sages have established that spices be sniffed every Saturday night in order to pacify the soul. For it laments the departure of Shabbos because of the additional soul that has departed. Therefore it is assuaged and gladdened with a pleasant odor."
What exactly is meant by the statement that "an additional [measure of] soul is granted [the Jew] on the arrival of Shabbos"?
According to the Zohar, this literally refers to an additional measure of spirituality that is granted from above as a gift on Shabbos. The esoteric portion of Torah, however, explains it differently.
Rashi[6] says that it means that a person is given the ability to savor Shabbos in a state of tranquillity; he is able to eat and drink and enjoy Shabbos unhindered by the worries of the weekday. The Rashba[7] says: "There are those who explain that the additional soul refers to the tranquillity and delight that the soul finds on Shabbos, so that it is as if the person is granted an additional soul."
Thus, according to the revealed portion of Torah, the additional soul does not refer to an additional measure of spirituality, but rather to a state of mind that enables and also results from the tranquillity and delight of Shabbos.
Why then is this termed "an additional soul," rather than simply "a state of mind" or "a state of tranquillity" and the like? Because this tranquillity and delight of Shabbos is so pronounced that it effects an actual change in the person; it is as if the individual gains an additional soul.
This is to be understood as well from the fact that our Sages derive this understanding of the additional soul specifically from the verses in our Torah portion, and not from any earlier passage.
There is a novel aspect to Shabbos as described in Sisa. Previously, the Torah emphasized that Shabbos is markedly different from weekdays - "For in six days G-d made heaven and earth ... and rested on the seventh day. Therefore G-d blessed the day of Shabbos and hallowed it." Here, however, the verse states that Shabbos is "a sign between Me and you ... that I, G-d, am making you holy," and that Shabbos is "an everlasting covenant."
In other words, the Ten Commandments speaks of Shabbos in and of itself. Our portion addresses the effect that Shabbos has on the Jewish people.
This is particularly apparent in light of Rashi's comment on the verse "it is a sign between Me and you": "It is a great symbol between us that I have chosen you, in that I have given you My day of rest for rest."
Rashi is in effect telling us that the Jews' rest on Shabbos involves more than merely relaxing and resting from labor, but that it is G-d's day of rest. As a result, repose on this day effects an elevation within the Jew himself.
This is also emphasized by Rashi when he explains "a Shabbos of Sabbaths" to mean: "a repose of stillness and not a temporary rest." In other words, a Jews' rest on Shabbos entails a complete change in his being. This type of Shabbos tranquillity and peace can truly be termed an additional soul - G-d's tranquillity and quietude that is granted on Shabbos to and within each Jew.
Based on Likkutei Sichos, Vol. XXXI, pp. 191-195.
Notes:
- (Back to text) Shmos 31:13-18.
- (Back to text) Ibid., 20:8-11.
- (Back to text) Taanis 27b; Beitza 16a.
- (Back to text) Zohar, Vol. II, p. 208b, III, p. 35b; Rashbam and Tosafos, Pesachim 102b et al.
- (Back to text) Orach Chayim, beginning of section 297.
- (Back to text) Beitza 16a s.v. Neshamah Yeseirah.
- (Back to text) Teshuvas HaRashba, Vol. III, p. 290.
The Midrash
[1] says that when G-d told Moshe
[2] that the Jews were each to give a half-shekel as an "atonement offering for their souls," Moshe was so stunned that "he became flustered and recoiled," wondering
[3] how a mere half-shekel could serve as atonement
[4] for the sin of the Golden Calf.
The Midrash continues that this was one of the three times that Moshe heard something from G-d that "flustered him and caused him to recoil": "When G-d told Moshe that He be brought sacrificial offerings, Moshe said: 'If all the animals in the world were offered Him, it would not suffice!' When G-d told him: 'You shall make for Me a Sanctuary,' Moshe said: 'How can one possibly make a dwelling place for G-d?'
G-d responded: 'I do not ask that you perform according to My capacity and might, I only ask that you perform according to yours.' "
So why was Moshe flustered when he heard that the Jewish people were each to give a half-shekel as an "atonement offering for their souls"?
We may think that Moshe's consternation resulted from the fact that this offering would have to bring atonement for the sin of the Golden Calf - something that subjected its worshippers to the death penalty.[5]
This, however, is not so, as we find[6] that during the Days of Consecration a calf was to be offered "to atone for the sin of the Golden Calf.[7]" Moshe thus realized that a physical object could atone for the sin of the Golden Calf, since G-d only demands that people perform to the best of their ability and might. Why then was he so taken aback by the commandment of the half-shekel?
The Jewish people offered gifts for the Mishkan because "their hearts motivated them to give"[8] - it was according to their capacity and might. So too with regard to the Consecration offering of the calf - it was of their own free will, as all offerings are to be of one's "own free will."[9] Thus, the Consecration offering as well was brought according to the people's capacity and might.
The half-shekel gift, however, had to be given, whether the people wanted to or not.[10] Moshe therefore could not fathom how a Jew, by being forced to give a half-shekel - something clearly not according to his "capacity and might" - could thereby atone for his very soul.
The Midrash goes on to say[11] that in order to explain this to Moshe, "G-d showed Moshe a 'coin of fire' that He had taken from under His Throne of Glory, and said: 'Such as this they shall give.' "
If the half-shekel were to be given only from a limited level of the soul, then the gift - given under compulsion as it was - could not be offered with all one's might. But this would change if the gift were taken from the soul's essence. G-d therefore showed Moshe a "coin of fire," i.e. the essence of the Jewish soul, which springs "from under G-d's Throne of Glory,[12] and which therefore can descend to and permeate all aspects of a Jew's being.
Thus, even when a Jew gives his half-shekel in a coarsened (i.e. compulsory) manner, the gift is truly bound up with the essence of his soul, from where it is given in a totally free manner - according to the individual's greatest ability and might.
Herein lies a vital lesson. Should there be a Jew who does not conduct himself properly, it is incumbent upon all other Jews to draw him closer to Torah and mitzvos.
But there are those who say: "What possible benefit is there in getting an individual to don tefillin, or recite the Shema and the like, when the person is not at that level; he doesn't understand what these mitzvos mean, nor does he desire to perform them. So what is to be gained by 'forcing' him to put on tefillin, when he only does so because he can't say 'no' ?"
"The proper manner," these people go on to say, "is to teach him in an orderly fashion, step by step and day by day, until he comes to understand the importance of performing mitzvos. Then that person will begin to perform mitzvos on his own."
Herein comes the lesson of the half-shekel: Even when a Jew performs a mitzvah without delight or desire, even if he is actually forced into performing it, in truth the mitzvah is being performed with the fire of his soul's essence. As such, the act is indeed permeated with desire and delight.
Based on Likkutei Sichos, Vol. XVI, pp. 381-392.
Notes:
- (Back to text) Bamidbar Rabbah 12:3.
- (Back to text) Shmos 30:12-13.
- (Back to text) Tosafos, Chulin 42a. s.v. Zos; Shitah Mekubetzes, on Tosafos, Menachos 29a s.v. Shelosha.
- (Back to text) See Yerushalmi, Shekalim 2:3; Tanchuma, Sisa 10.
- (Back to text) See Likkutei Sichos, Vol. III, p. 923ff., and sources cited there.
- (Back to text) Shmos 29:1.
- (Back to text) Rashi, ibid.
- (Back to text) See Shmos 25:2, 35:5,22, 36:7.
- (Back to text) Vayikra 1:3; Rashi ibid., quoting Toras Kohanim, Rosh HaShanah 6a and sources cited there.
- (Back to text) Rambam, Hilchos Shekalim 1:9.
- (Back to text) Ibid.
- (Back to text) Reya Mehemna, Tzav, p. 29b, Naso, p. 123b.
The Torah reading Sisa begins with G-d telling Moshe
[1] that when he takes a national census, he should do so by having each Jew give a half-shekel atonement offering. So powerful was this charity offering that when Moshe was perplexed as to how the Jews could be uplifted thereby, G-d told him it would be accomplished by their half-shekel atonement gift for tzedakah.
[2]
What was so unique about this charitable act? Charity is, after all, a logical action that was performed even before the Torah was given.[3] Moreover, acting in a charitable fashion is not limited to human beings - animals, too, are charitable and merciful to their offspring, etc.?
Tzedakah may be given for any number of reasons: It may be done out of an instinctive caring for others, or out of a logical imperative - the survival of humanity depends on it. Understandably, in such an instance the giving will be commensurate with the giver's inherently limited degree of feeling or understanding.
A higher form of tzedakah occurs when a person gives, not out of personal motivations, but because G-d - Who is unlimited - so commanded. However, even in this instance, since the person gives tzedakah because of his desire to fulfill G-d's will, his giving will be subject to the limitations of this desire.
The highest form of tzedakah is - to paraphrase the Rambam[4] - "Performing a truthful act because it is verily so." In other words, the Jew gives this form of tzedakah as a reflection of his intrinsic relationship with G-d, and his visceral response to G-d's command, without any personal motive or desire whatsoever. It was in this manner that the Jewish people gave the half-shekel.
For with regard to the half-shekel that the Jews were to give for tzedakah, we are told[5] that "G-d showed him [Moshe] a coin of fire whose weight was half a shekel, and said to him: 'similar to this [coin] shall they give.' "
By exhibiting a "coin of fire" G-d empowered the Jews to give the half-shekel with all the fire of their divine souls, thus causing their gift to be wholly selfless - the epitome of tzedakah. The half-shekel gift was therefore very different from all acts of tzedakah performed until then, and enabled the Jews to be uplifted to a far greater degree.
This lofty manner of tzedakah is alluded to by the term a "coin of fire whose weight was half a shekel" - a combination of two opposites.
A coin possesses a permanent shape and form, while fire has neither. Moreover, fire, having no discernible weight, is entirely opposite a coin, the value of which lies precisely in its weight.
The above leads to another difference between fire and coins: because of its lack of weight, fire rises upwards - symbolic of the wholly selfless desire to leave the physical and become one with one's source above,[6] while the weight of a coin is symbolic of the dragging heaviness of physicality and corporeality.
The merging of these two opposites thus denoted the highest level of tzedakah, a degree that surpassed all bonds and limitations and therefore was able to combine opposites.
Just as fire has no form and constantly strives toward that which is loftier than itself, so too with the highest manner of tzedakah - it is given with fire and passion, not as a result of one's emotions, intellect, hope of reward, or even out of one's desire to fulfill G-d's will, but simply - like the nature of fire itself - because of the formless, limitless and intrinsic Jewish response to G-d's command that we give tzedakah.
Nevertheless, this fiery and ethereal tzedakah was given by means of a coin, i.e., in a very tangible manner, demonstrating that this ultimate tzedakah permeates one's physical being.
Based on Sefer HaSichos 5749, Vol. I, pp. 280-287.
Notes:
- (Back to text) Shmos 30:11-16.
- (Back to text) See Bava Basra 10b, and commentary of Rashi ibid.
- (Back to text) See Bereishis 18:19; Yechezkel 16:49. See also Likkutei Sichos, Vol. V, p. 155ff.
- (Back to text) Hilchos Teshuvah beginning of ch. 10.
- (Back to text) Yerushalmi, Shekalim, 1:4; Tanchuma, Sisa 9, Naso 11; Bamidbar Rabbah 12:3.
- (Back to text) See Tanya, beginning of ch. 19.
The Torah portion of Sisa contains the command to make the kiyor, the basin
[1] used by the kohanim to wash their hands and feet before performing a service in the Mishkan. All other vessels of the Mishkan are described in the previous portions of Terumah and Tetzaveh. Why is the kiyor not included with the rest?
Some Torah commentators explain[2] that this was because the use of the kiyor merely served as a preparation for the service in the Mishkan, and did not constitute service in and of itself. Because it was not used for actual service, it was therefore not included in the Torah portions that describe those vessels that were so used.
The fact that the kiyor merely served as a preparation also finds expression in its physical dimensions: Our Sages[3] derive from the verse:[4] "Moshe, Aharon and his children shall wash therefrom...." that the kiyor must be large enough to be used by four kohanim simultaneously, since "Moshe and Aharon are two; Aharon's children are another two."[5]
Why was it necessary that for all time the kiyor be large enough to be used by four individuals, when Moshe - one of the original four - used it only during the seven days during which the Mishkan was dedicated;[6] later the kiyor was used only by Aharon and his children?[7]
The explanation is as follows. The seven dedicatory days served as a preparatory stage to the service that would follow through Aharon and his sons. Since the kiyor, too, served as a preparation, it follows that Moshe's service in the preparatory stage that utilized the preparatory kiyor should be included as well for all time.
From the above it is understood that although the kiyor merely served as a preparation, it nevertheless displayed a special quality that made it stand out from all other vessels in the Mishkan, for which reason the quality of Moshe is particularly alluded to with reference to the kiyor - the kiyor must be large enough to include not only kohanim but Moshe as well.
These contrasting features of the kiyor - on one hand it is but a preparation, on the other hand Moshe's quality is clearly revealed therein - are also hinted at by the copper mirrors from which it was made.
On one hand, the copper mirrors - whose main use was for the enhancement of physical beauty - symbolized something base and ignoble. So much so that Moshe, notwithstanding his great love for all Jews,[8] found these mirrors offensive, made as they were "for the sake of the evil inclination."[9] Conversely, it was with regard to these selfsame mirrors that G-d said: "I cherish these above all else."[10]
How can we explain this contradiction.?
The novel aspect of building the Mishkan[11] lay in the fact that Jews were able to take physical objects and transform them into a Temple for G-d, fulfilling G-d's "earnest desire for a dwelling place in the nethermost levels."[12] And it was specifically these copper mirrors that represented the lowest level of all, since they were made to increase enticement - "for the sake of the evil inclination."
Moshe found these mirrors offensive, for he wanted G-d's Essence to be revealed within the Mishkan. Since things that are bound up with the evil inclination conceal G-d's Essence even after they have been refined,[13] Moshe felt that the use of these mirrors was inappropriate. And as for achieving a dwelling place "in the nethermost level," in Moshe's view, the other physical objects used in the construction of the Mishkan were sufficiently "nethermost."
G-d, however, informed Moshe that it is necessary for the Mishkan to possess - and thereby transform - even something so lowly as an item made "for the sake of the evil inclination." It is specifically the transformation of tangible evil that G-d "cherishes above all else."
Based on Likkutei Sichos, Vol. VI, pp. 196-199.
Notes:
- (Back to text) Shmos, 30:17ff.
- (Back to text) Chizkuni and Seforno 30:18.
- (Back to text) Zevachim 19b.
- (Back to text) Shmos 40:31.
- (Back to text) Rashi, Zevachim, ibid. See also commentaries there, as well as Torah Temimah, Shmos ibid., as to why Nadav and Avihu are not included in the count.
- (Back to text) See Zevachim 102a. See also Likkutei Sichos, Vol. VI, p. 175 fn. 28.
- (Back to text) See commentaries of Rashi, Shitah Mikubetzes, et. al., Zevachim, ibid.
- (Back to text) See Menachos 65a.
- (Back to text) See Rashi, Shmos 38:8.
- (Back to text) See Rashi, ibid.; Tanchuma, Pekudei 9.
- (Back to text) See Likkutei Sichos, Vol. III, Torah portion Terumah, et. al.
- (Back to text) Tanchuma, Naso 16.
- (Back to text) See Torah Or, p. 32a-b; Or HaTorah, Bo, p. 329.
Tetzaveh-Zayin Adar