I have explained the deeper meaning of brit milah—circumcision
elsewhere at length. However, we cannot simply pass by this opportunity
to comment on such an important commandment and some of the secrets contained
in that mitzvah. This is especially so in view of the Torah relating the
fulfillment of this commandment to Israel’s possessing the Holy Land,
seeing that G-d said to Abraham: “I shall give to you and to your
descendants after you the land in which you sojourn, the whole of the
land of Canaan as an everlasting possession; I shall be their G-d”
(Genesis 17,8).
Our sages comment that G-d told Abraham: “If your offspring will
observe the commandment of circumcision they will enter the Holy Land;
if not, they will not enter.” (compare Rashi on Joshua 5, 4).
We observe that the land of Israel is closely tied up with the rite of
circumcision, the relevant verse in Scriptures (Deut. 32,9) being “For
the Lord’s portion is His people, Jacob His own allotment (the “allotment”
being the land of Israel). G-d chose us from all the other seventy nations
to be our G-d, and chose us to be His people. He gave the other seventy
nations their respective languages and countries, all under the supervision
of seventy representatives at the Celestial Court. Our tongue, however,
is a holy tongue. To us He gave the Holy Land, a land that is supervised
by G-d directly and not through one of His agents. This land is situated
“opposite” its counterpart in the Heavenly Spheres. We cannot
lay a claim to this land except through removal of the foreskin, which
represents the klipah, the symbol of the serpent’s pollution,
the influence of the sitra achra.
If Jews should fail to observe this commandment, G-d forbid, then this
would be something shameful for the land. All students of Kabbala are
aware that the Eretz Yisroel in the Heavenly Regions, i.e. the emanations
of yisod v’malchut, symbolize the secret of the relationship
between Zion and Jerusalem on earth. They are surrounded by klipot,
known also as areilim, uncircumcised people, for Mount Zion and
Mount Moriah are surrounded by the mountains of Esau and his offspring
Amalek. As long as Isaac had been alive, Esau’s descendants observed
the mitzvah of circumcision, but as soon as Isaac died they abandoned
it (Tannah de Bey Elyahu chapter 24). All the wicked people surround
Jerusalem, as is written, “All the Gentile nations surround me: (Psalms
118,10). Jerusalem can be compared to the “lily amongst the thorns,”
Solomon’s description of Israel in Song of Songs 2,2. Because terrestrial
Jerusalem is surrounded by such secular turbulence, the orlah in
the emanation yisod has to be removed as a first step so that the
covenant called brit ha’moed, the mystical root “sod”
of the emanation yisod can be revealed and the atara be
laid bare. This is the secret of the relationship between milah,
removal of the foreskin and priah, the splitting and pulling down
of the thin membrane beneath the foreskin (which is part of the operation,
and without which the rite of circumcision is halachically invalid). Once
this has been accomplished the form will resemble its Creator, and man
will emerge in the image of G-d.
An
essay from Rabbi Shaul Yosef Leiter, director
of Ascent
(W:03-63
Lech)
Rabbi Shalom Dov Ber Schneersohn of Lubavitch used to say,
"Lech Lecha is a truly happy portion. Day by day we
are living with Abraham, the first person to dedicate his life to make
known the existence of G-d. Abraham caused that every single Jew inherit
this ability to dedicate themselves to the Torah and its commandments."
One reason we can identify with the happiness of this week's portion
is that Abraham's journey parallels the journey each of us follows in
our lives. Just as G-d told Abraham, "Lech lecha", "go
to yourself", to your source, each of us is also always trying to
grow spiritually even if sometimes we are not aware of it.
Rabbi Shimon Vartimeer was walking in Vienna when he met the local governor
with whom he was acquainted. "Where are you going?" the governor
asked. R. Shimon answered, "I do not know". The governor became
angry and ordered that R. Shimon be imprisoned. When the govener calmed
down, he had the rabbi brought before him. "Why did you answer me
so foolishly?" he asked R. Shimon. "My master," R.
Shimon replied, "the opposite is true! I answered you very carefully.
You did not ask me where I wanted to go. Had you, I would have answered
'to my factory'. Rather you asked me where was I going. I answered in
truth: 'I do not know.' And we see it was the truth! I wanted to go to
my factory, and in the end I went to prison!" We learn from this
that however much we try to stay in control of our journey in life--hang
loose--the Almighty has His own plans. Nevertheless, wherever G-d places
us, we must do our utmost to elevate that location, situation, and ourselves!
The name of this week's parasha is an overall reference
to one's constant ascent from lower to higher spiritual levels
The name of this week's parasha, Lech Lecha, literally "Go to yourself",
is an overall reference to one's constant ascent from lower to higher
spiritual levels as a person fulfills his purpose in the world. Wait a
minute! The beginning of the portion does deal with Abraham going up from
Haran to Canaan, the future Israel. And yes, when he reached the Holy
Land he slowly came closer to Jerusalem where the Temple would be built.
But the portion continues with Abraham descending to Egypt, the spiritual
nadir of the world, and even worse--his wife being kidnapped by Pharoah!
How can this be considered constantly going to a higher level?
The Ramban made famous the principle that applies to this and
all Torah portions that describe our forefathers and their activities:
"The actions of the (fore)fathers are an indication to their children."
Abraham's descent into Egypt anticipated the future exile to Egypt by
his descendants. Similarly, Abraham's ascent from Egypt, "weighed
down with livestock, silver and gold" forged the path for Jewish
people's redemption from Egypt to also include "great wealth".
Even Pharoh's inability to touch Sara while she was his captive resulted
in the impossibility of the Egyptians' controlling the Jewish women during
the exile there. Ultimately, the purpose of Abraham's descent to Egypt
was for the much greater ascent of his descendants that came afterwards.
Hidden in the ostensibly tragic circumstances of his descent to Egypt
was the beginning of the incomparable elevation to come. The Zohar
(81/A) explains that Abraham's exalted spiritual status allowed him
to elevate the G-dly sparks that were hidden in the world within the most
seemingly spiritually void places such as Egypt. Abraham's high level
also protected him, and he left Egypt spiritually unscathed. Abraham's
descent to Egypt was to elevate the multitude of sparks hidden there.
This work he also left for his descendants to complete, which they did,
finishing the process with their redemption. So too, we, the final generation
of this exile, are meant to elevate our environment, preparing it for
the era of Moshiach.
Connect the soul that is in your body to your soul-root
that is on high
The inner dimension of these words, "Go to yourself…" is: connect
the soul that is in your body to your soul-root that is on high and always
connected to G-d. The root of the soul above isn't hampered by the world.
It constantly sees G-dliness revealed. Thus, the end of the verse, "...to
the land that I will show you." When we connect the lower part of
our soul to its higher part through our involvement in Torah and Mitzvos,
we also then attain the ability to see G-dliness in this world!
The great Kabbalist of Zefat, Isaac Luria (the Holy ARI), said that such
vision is even greater than seeing Elijah the prophet!
The word "land" can also refer to a state of being that is
lowly, just as land is something that is always walked upon. A Jew's lowliness
can be that he, the chosen of the creations, actually lowers himself from
his high level to take mundane pleasure in the physical world and its
illusions. In contrast, "land" can refer to the holy aspect
of lowliness; we can nullify our own desires in order to fulfill G-d's
Will through doing His commandments. This is also the meaning of "Go
to yourself from your land". It is a command to leave the lower level
of "land", the one preoccupied with the world and its pleasures,
to attain the higher "land" of holiness.
To each of us, the lesson is crucial: while we struggle in doubt over
our ability to overcome the ever growing obstacles in the darkness of
this exile, we have to remember that the descent and the darkness is only
from an external, superficial view. The inner dimension is that the descent
is actually a preparation for the much greater elevation that will come
in the future.
Shabbat Shalom, Shaul Leiter
