24 Shevat 5768 – Parshas Mishpatim 31 January 2008

Yeshaya Perokim 23 - 30

Shalom Aleichem to all the holy Jews and Jewesses – from a snowy Yerushalayim….

Firstly, you will find attached an outline of Sefer Yeshaya – I’m not sure where I found it, but here it is… I find it important to have a context for whatever I am learning; without seeing the whole picture, nothing really sticks with me. (In fact, the Ramchal – one of my heroes – writes in the introduction of Derech Hashem, and in many other places, that having the generalities is vital for knowing anything really.)

Secondly, I went through this week’s perakim, and picked out some of the most famous ones, here are the ‘Yeshaya-of-the-day’ highlights;

25:8 – U’Bila HaMaves LaNetzach, Umacha Hashem Elokim Dimah Me’al Kol Panim

25:9 – VeAmar BaYom HaHu Hineh Elokeinu Zeh, Kivinu Lo VeYoshiainu, Zeh Hashem Kivinu Lo, NaGila VeNismecha BeYeshuaso

26:4 – Bitchu BaHashem Adei Ad, Ki BeKah Hashem Tzur OIamim

27:13 – VeHaya BaYom HaHu, Yitoka BeShofar Gadol, U’Vau HaOvdim BeEretz Ashur, VeHanidachim Me’Eretz Mitzrayim, VeHishtachavu LaHashem BeHar HaKodesh BeYerushalayim

29:13 – VaYomer Hashem; Ya’an Ki Migash HaAm HaZeh BePiv U’Visfasav Kibduni VeLibo Richak Mimeni VaTehi Yirasem Osi Mitzvas Anashim Melumadah

We have discussed 27:13, I would like to focus on one other passuk this time –

Maseches Ta’anis ends with a very interesting ‘aggadata’ – “Ula Bira’a said in the name of Rebi Elazar: In the future, Hakadosh Baruch Hu is going to form a circle out of the Tzaddikim, and He will sit among them in Gan Eden. Each and every Tzaddik will point [to Hashem], as it says “VeAmar BaYom HaHu Hineh Elokeinu Zeh, Kivinu Lo VeYoshiainu, Zeh Hashem Kivinu Lo, NaGila VeNismecha BeYeshuaso.” [And it will be said on that day, “Here is our G-d, We have hoped for Him that He will save us, This is Hashem who we have hoped for, we will rejoice and be gladdened through His Salvation”]. In short, in Gan Eden, all the Tzaddikim will sit in a circle, and point to Hashem in the middle, and each will say, “This is Hashem, Who we hoped for.” (Using our Passuk in Yeshaya 25:9.)

In the Aggadatas of the Gemara, Chazal are always trying to convey to us a message. Is this what Gan Eden is, people sitting around pointing to the middle? (We know that Gan Eden is a waiting ground for the neshomas to come back into the body during Techiyas HaMesim – so there is no body, or rather, the body is detached from the neshoma, while the neshoma does its aerobics to get back into shape, so that it can come back and re-activate the body once again. So obviously, no fingers are actually pointing towards the middle!!!) We know that no-one can actually see Hashem – we can receive enjoyment from His presence etc. but what are they pointing at? BOTTOM LINE: WHAT ARE CHAZAL TRYING TO CONVEY TO US IN THIS GEMARA? WHAT DOES YESHAYA HANAVI MEAN BY THIS PASSUK?

It would be nice to hear your suggestions, I once heard a tremendous approach, and again, if someone finds out where it comes from, please let me know: Sitting in a circle represents something very profound. (Although the deepest levels of understanding, are left for the Mekubalim, as the Maharsha points out – maybe ask Rav Hartman if he can find out this for our little group – still, there is meaning for us too, on our level…) A circle has infinite sides, and therefore an infinite number of angles from the centre. Every point on the outside of the circle, where the Tzaddikim are sitting, has a different perspective of the middle of the circle. Each Tzaddik, looks at Torah, and looks at his relationship with Hashem from a different angle – each person, has his/her unique way of looking at reality, and Hashem. This is how Hashem wants it – chazal tell us; ‘just as their faces are dissimilar from one another, so too are their characteristics/thoughts different from one another.’ [We find the same idea conveyed to us by the fact that each tribe in the desert, camped in a specific angle from the Mishkan in the middle – and wherever the Mishkan moved, every tribe would maintain that angle from the ‘Camp of Shechina’. Each tribe had special characteristics, and unique ‘kochos hanefesh’ – each tribe had something unique to contribute to the totality of Klal Yisrael. In fact, the Ramban at the end of Parshas Naso, where all the leaders of the tribes brought exactly the same Korban, mentions that the thoughts and intentions of each tribe was in line with their kochos Hanefesh. [See the Artscroll Stone Edition Chumash, on Page 767, where he quotes a midrash saying similar things, and more….]

Does this mean that every perspective and every opinion about what Hashem wants of us is valid? Do I have to listen to every Joe Shmoe as a legitimate approach to seeing Hashem in the middle? OF COURSE NOT – the gemara is only talking about Tzaddikim!!! What does this tell us? What determines the ‘playing field’ of who can, and who can’t have a legitimate perspective? What are the parameters of ‘Emess’? My father (shlit”a) told me that one of the important reasons for the Rambam (and many other Rishonim) to define for us ‘The Principles of Faith’, is to lay down for generations that any position within the 13 Ikkarim is acceptable, and any position or understanding about Torah or life which is outside the 13 Ikkarim, is unacceptable, and is not a ‘valid seat on the perimeter of this circle’.

The most prevalent ‘kefira’ nowadays on the university campuses, and in the intellectual world, stems from what is called “relativism” or “relative morality”. I don’t want to go into it in detail, but basically, it says that everything that anyone says is only because of where they grew up, or the influences that had impact on their way of thinking. It is very hard to talk to someone who always responds – ‘very interesting – that may be the truth for you, but my truth looks a little different’ – almost like there are multiple truths, all of which are right, and none of which is wrong…. We however, believe in one truth – but within Judaism, we have many ways in which we express that truth – Rashi had one way of seeing it, the Ramban another – I have one way of understanding a passuk, you may have another… but we are always focusing on the passuk – and always within the guidelines of the 13 Ikkarim.

For the ‘moral relavists’ there is a circle without Hashem in the middle – for us, we are in a circle around Hashem, trying to understand Him and His Torah better…. TRUTH IS NOT RELATIVE – TRUTH IS ABSOLUTE, BUT ITS EXPRESSION IS RELATIVE….

I guess I went on a little bit there, but this is an important idea, especially in our day – we all have different perspectives in life – but it is important to keep our eye on the fact that we are focused on Hashem, on the Torah, on the Mitzvos – and we believe them to be absolutely true…..

My wife, Esti, had a chiddush: Like an orchestra, each instrument adds something else to the symphony, so too, we in our unique personalities add to the orchestra called “Klal Yisrael” – with our own personal Avodas Hashem. Each snowflake is different (I have snow on the brain – because it is snowing very heavily outside right now) – as is each person. BUT, we all play the music together…. This is why the gemara uses the word “A CIRCLE” which in Hebrew is a “MACHOL” - a tambourine, or a circular instrument which makes music. We all have our personal music to make – as part of the klal.

By R’ Shmuel Kimche

shmuelkimche@hotmail.com