The Secret of Hod: The Immense Light of Yosef HaTzaddik and the Song of King David
Class No. 21 | Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Parashas Balak, 5, 6, 7, 8 Tammuz 5755 (Continued in 22)
When the Jewish people suffer, the nations of the world lose their faith, but Hashem's salvation restores faith to the entire world. Yosef HaTzaddik, from within his suffering in the pit and the prison, brought down to the world a light of joy so immense that King David needed to constrict it through his song. This is the secret of the trait of Hod (splendor and submission) of Mashiach ben David—the supreme ability to rejoice even when you are defeated.
When Jews suffer and endure tribulations, the entire world is liable to fall from its faith. The nations look at the Jewish people and ask, "How can Hashem allow such a thing to happen to a Jew?" Regarding this, King David says in Tehillim (Psalms):
"Praise Hashem, all nations; laud Him, all peoples. For His loving-kindness has overwhelmed us, and the truth of Hashem is forever, Halleluyah."
The question arises: If the loving-kindness has overwhelmed us, the Jewish people, why are the nations the ones who need to praise Hashem? The answer is that the nations of the world lift their eyes to the Jewish people. When things are good for the Jewish people, the nations recognize that the God of Israel is the God of truth. Everyone knows that the Torah of Israel is a Torah of truth, which does not allow for lawlessness, unlike other beliefs where a person can sin, confess, and continue onward as he pleases.
But when they see that there are troubles for Israel, the whole world falls from faith. The nations wonder: The Jews are a quiet people who do no harm to anyone, and if this is done to them—where is the justice? Therefore, when Hashem does kindness with Israel and avenges their vengeance, the nations of the world return to their faith. This is also the explanation of the verse at the end of the Song of Ha'azinu:
"Sing aloud, O nations, of His people, for He will avenge the blood of His servants, and will render vengeance to His adversaries, and will appease His land and His people."
When the nations hear that Hashem is avenging the vengeance of Israel, everyone begins to believe that Hashem is truly God.
The Burning Light of Yosef HaTzaddik
This secret of faith from amidst suffering is revealed in all its intensity through Yosef HaTzaddik. His holy brothers—Yehuda, Reuven, Shimon, and Levi—sell him as a slave. Shimon pushes him into the pit, and Levi the tzaddik, about whom it is said, "Your Urim and Your Tumim belong to Your pious one," cooperates with him. This is a terrible and dreadful thing that illustrates how a person in this world stands on a hairsbreadth.
Yosef was placed in terrible danger, a danger that even Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov did not face. Despite this, Yosef did not stop his dancing and his singing for even a single second, neither in the pit nor in the prison.
The holy Zohar says that through this joy, Yosef brought down to the world a light so immense and great that it had the power to burn up the entire world. This is a blinding light that must be coated and covered, because if people were to use it exactly as it is, they would simply be burned by its intensity.
The Song of David and the Secret of the Trait of Hod
Here is where King David enters the picture. David saw that the great light Yosef had brought down through his joy and revelation was present in the world. In order for the tzaddikim to be able to connect to this light without being burned, King David created a "coating" for it through his songs and psalms. Regarding this it is said:
"I have prepared a lamp for My anointed."
David ensured that this light would be able to shine in a correct and precise manner. The Zohar explains that only Mashiach ben David knows the secret of the proper constriction and the arrangement of the Divine traits.
Hashem created the Sefirah of Chochmah (Wisdom), which is a great light that could burn the world, and therefore He built opposite it Binah (Understanding) to constrict it—the ability to deduce one thing from another. He created Chesed (Loving-kindness), which is also an immense light, and constricted it through Gevurah (Might/Restraint).
Afterward, Hashem created the trait of Netzach (Victory/Eternity). It is human nature to want to win; after all, people do not sing and chant for the one who is defeated. But opposite Netzach, Hashem created the trait of Hod (Splendor/Submission). What is the trait of Hod? Splendor and majesty are when a person is defeated—yet he remains in his joy. To be defeated and still rejoice—this is true joy.
This is the secret of "I have prepared a lamp for My anointed." Mashiach ben David is the one who knows the secret of Hod: even when he is defeated, he is filled with joy. In the merit of this power, may we merit the complete Geulah (Redemption) speedily in our days, Amen.
Part 2 of 4 — Class No. 21