The Secret of Humility and Sweetening the Judgments: The Power of the Tzaddik to Bring Down Abundance to the World
Lesson No. 33 | Morning Lessons at the Yeshiva, Monday Morning, Parashas Masei, 26 Tammuz 5755,
An in-depth discourse on the connection between Torah study, the Sefirah (Divine emanation) of Malchus (Kingship), and humility. Through the stories of Yerovam ben Nevat, Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi, and Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, it is explained how the tzaddik, through true lowliness and the acceptance of suffering, sweetens the harsh judgments, performs spiritual unifications, and brings down abundance and Geulah (Redemption) to the Jewish people.
A person who studies Torah can revive the dead. Sometimes a person says, "I haven't progressed, nothing has come of me." The reason for this is a lack of study. Sit and learn! How hard is it to learn Yalkut Shimoni or Zohar Chadash? The Zohar contains beautiful stories and wonderful commentaries like "HaSulam." In the past, people would study the Zohar with deep devotion and enthusiasm, even if they did not understand every single word, and rivers of tears would flow from their eyes. A person must understand what he is reading, and if he does not understand the first line, he will not be able to read the second line. For this reason, they did us a favor and divided the commentaries so that we can learn and understand.
There is a wonderful commentary on the Zohar called "Torei Zahav" (Rows of Gold). What are these "Torei Zahav"? The commentary explains that this is the secret of the connection between the Written Torah and the Oral Torah, between "Chochmah Ila'ah" (Higher Wisdom) and "Chochmah Tata'ah" (Lower Wisdom). Why does it speak of two rows? In order to connect the Higher Wisdom with the Sefirah of Malchus (Kingship, representing the lowest level that receives and manifests the Divine light).
All of our spiritual work is to draw the Wisdom down into Malchus, and Malchus is, first and foremost, lowliness and humility. In all the other Sefiros (Divine emanations), there is a danger of self-deception and arrogance—a person can take pride in his Chesed (kindness), Gevurah (strength/discipline), or Tiferes (harmony/beauty). Even in Yesod (foundation/purity), there can be arrogance, as was the case with Yerovam ben Nevat.
The Spark of Mashiach ben Yosef
Yerovam ben Nevat was on the level of a "new garment" without any flaw, above the Sefirah of Yesod. Hashem grabbed him by his garment and said to him, "Repent." Yerovam was a spark of Yosef the tzaddik. The holy Arizal explains the verse spoken to Yerovam's wife by the prophet Achiyah HaShiloni:
"And all of Israel shall mourn for him and bury him."
The intention here refers to Mashiach ben Yosef, for whom the entire land will mourn a unique mourning. Mashiach ben Yosef is destined to be a reincarnation of Yerovam ben Nevat himself, who will come at the end to complete the final tikkunim (spiritual rectifications). To achieve this, one must draw the Higher Wisdom down into Malchus, because a person cannot be truly humble without Da'as (Divine knowledge) and lowliness.
The Power of Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi
Rabbi Pinchas of Koretz explains that this was the power of Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi. The Talmud in Tractates Avodah Zarah and Bava Metzia relates that Antoninus, the Roman Emperor, dug a tunnel from his house to reach Rebbe (Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi). He would lie on the floor, serve Rebbe, and feed him and give him drink. When Rebbe wanted to climb into his bed, Antoninus would bend down and say, "Step on me." When Rebbe refused, Antoninus said to him, "Who will make me a footstool beneath you in the World to Come? I want to merit being beneath you in the World to Come."
The Talmud tells of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and his son Rabbi Elazar, that in their merit, no person died before their time. The holy Arizal writes in Sefer HaLikutim regarding the verse in the Book of Yonah:
"What is with you, sleeper? Arise, call out to your God!"
When the Jewish people are in distress, suffering, and facing terrible decrees, a Heavenly voice emerges from above and asks the tzaddik: "What is with you, sleeper? Nineveh is overturning, the Land of Israel is overturning, and you do not feel it?" Rebbe Nachman explains that when there is a lack of unification between "Zeir Anpin" (the Divine emotional attributes) and Malchus (the Divine manifestation in the world), harsh decrees arise. Hashem brings very lofty souls down to the world, and the tzaddik is required to perform spiritual unifications to save the Jewish people, so that people will not have to die in sanctification of Hashem's Name. Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai performed such immense unifications that no person passed away before their time in his generation.
Sweetening the Judgments Through Humility and Suffering
Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi also wanted to reach the spiritual level of Rabbi Elazar, and therefore he accepted upon himself terrible suffering. Out of immense pain, the sound of his cries could be heard from a distance of three miles. Rebbe's horse keeper was wealthier than Shapur Malka, the King of Persia. When Rebbe would begin to cry out, they would feed the horses so that their neighing would drown out his voice, but Rebbe's cries overpowered the noise of the horses, and even seafarers heard his voice.
During those years of suffering, even though no rain fell, the ground was completely saturated with water up to the surface. If someone uprooted a radish or a potato from the earth, the hole would immediately fill with water. Rabbi Pinchas of Koretz explains that Rebbe merited all of this only in the merit of his humility, as it is known that "when Rebbe died, humility ceased."
Whoever is on the level of "Ayin" (complete self-nullification) can sweeten the harsh judgments and bring down immense abundance to the generation, even without clouds and without rain. Moshe Rabbeinu, who embodied perfect humility—"very humble, more than any person"—brought down Manna from heaven and brought the Clouds of Glory that defeated all the snakes and scorpions. Whoever merits this humility of Moshe Rabbeinu will certainly be able to bring the complete Geulah (Redemption) to the Jewish people, speedily in our days, Amen.
Part 3 of 4 — Lesson No. 33