The Secret of the Fifteenth of Shvat: Exemption from All Troubles Until the End of the World
Lesson No. 52 | * The night of the 10th of Teves, Parshas Vayechi, 5756 - The yahrtzeit (anniversary of passing) seudah (festive meal) of Moharnat (Rabbi Nathan of Breslov) zy"a in the Yeshiva - Part 3
Rebbe Nachman teaches about the process of sweetening the judgments that continues from Rosh Hashanah, through Chanukah, and until Tu B'Shvat. According to the secret of the holy Ruzhiner Rebbe, during these days, a person can, through the power of an hour of Hisbodedus (secluded prayer), exempt himself and the entire Jewish people from all troubles until the end of all generations.
Rabbi Shalom Shachna of Prohobisht was a "chad bedara" (unique in his generation). He passed away exactly in the year 5563 (1802), just a few short months after Rabbi Nathan drew close to Rebbe Nachman. Rebbe Nachman considered him to be the singular leader of the generation, and when he passed away, Rebbe Nachman said that a great light had departed and a great darkness had descended upon the world.
The concept of sweetening this darkness is connected to the days of Chanukah. As the holy Ruzhiner Rebbe explains, the direct continuation of Chanukah is the fifteenth of Shvat (Tu B'Shvat), and within it lies an immense secret of sweetening the judgments.
One Hundred and Twenty Days of Loving-Kindness and Sweetening
There is a process of one hundred and twenty days from Rosh Hashanah until Tu B'Shvat. The Talmud states regarding a debtor, that if a person owes money and the Rabbinical court obligates him to return it, they give him ninety days: thirty days to search for evidence, thirty days of "adrakhta" (court authorization to seize assets), and thirty days of "akhrazta" (public announcement of the property's sale).
So too is it with the Heavenly court. From Rosh Hashanah until "Zos Chanukah" (the eighth day of Chanukah), there are ninety days of searching for merits. And after all this, on Zos Chanukah, they have mercy on the person and give him an additional thirty days, until Tu B'Shvat, in the hope that perhaps he will still find some friends, some witnesses, or documents that will prove he is exempt.
"On Zos Chanukah the sweetening begins, but the final sweetening is on Tu B'Shvat, which is one of the four New Years—exactly a quarter of a year after Rosh Hashanah, and then the judgment is completely sweetened."
The Secret of the Fifteen Women Who Exempt Their Co-Wives
Here an immense secret is revealed, which the Ruzhiner Rebbe explains based on the Mishnah in Tractate Yevamos:
"Fifteen women exempt their co-wives, and the co-wives of their co-wives, from chalitzah (the shoe-removal ceremony) and from yibbum (levirate marriage) until the end of the world" (Yevamos 15a).
The Ruzhiner Rebbe says: The word "tzaroseihen" (their co-wives) hints at the "tzaros" (troubles) of a person. If a person wants to be freed from all troubles—from his own troubles, those of his children, his grandchildren, and his great-grandchildren until the end of all generations—when can he do this? On the fifteenth of Shvat, and similarly on the fifteenth of Av.
"A person can emerge from all troubles so that no sorrow remains for him, and exempt all his children and his children's children until the end of all generations, until Mashiach ben David comes."
Fifteen Times the Covenant of Circumcision
The secret of the number fifteen is also hidden within the one hundred and twenty days between Rosh Hashanah and Tu B'Shvat. One hundred and twenty days are exactly fifteen times eight days (15 times 8 equals 120).
In other words, there are fifteen occurrences of the "eight days of circumcision" here. During this period, a person must circumcise himself again and again spiritually. Every eight days from Rosh Hashanah until Tu B'Shvat is an aspect of a new covenant of circumcision, where he circumcises another spiritual foreskin, rectifies another blemish of the covenant (p'gam habris) and another blemish of the eyes, and thus he atones for everything during these one hundred and twenty days.
The Power of an Hour of Hisbodedus
Tu B'Shvat corresponds to the fifteenth of Av (Tu B'Av), about which it is said that there are no better days for Israel than the fifteenth of Av and Yom Kippur, when the daughters of Israel would go out and dance. Tu B'Av is like Yom Kippur, when the Sefirah of Malchus (the aspect of Nukva, the feminine Divine presence) shines brightly.
From the 1st of Teves until Tu B'Shvat there are exactly forty-five days, which correspond to the aspect of the Divine Name of Ma"h (which has the numerical value of 45). During these days, and especially as we stand before the days of Chanukah, this is the time when a person can exempt the entire Jewish people from all troubles.
"A person can, with the power of an hour of Hisbodedus, exempt the entire Jewish people from all troubles, for then they exempt their troubles and the troubles of their troubles until the end of the world."
In this Mishnah lies the entire secret of how a person can emerge from all troubles—he and his descendants until the end of all generations. And may we merit the complete Geulah (Redemption) speedily in our days, Amen.
Part 2 of 2 — Lesson No. 52
All parts: Part 1 | Part 2 (current)