The Secret of the Tablets of the Covenant: The Spiritual Levels of the Giving of the Torah
Lesson No. 28 | * Friday, Parashas Pinchas, 16 Tammuz 5755 (Continued from No. 27)
An in-depth lesson on the unfolding of the receiving of the Tablets of the Covenant according to the teachings of Kabbalah. The Rav explains how Moshe Rabbeinu intended to bring down the Tablets from the highest spiritual levels of Zeir Anpin (the Divine configuration of the six emotional attributes), and how the Sin of the Golden Calf caused a descent in these levels until the receiving of \
If we had merited the spiritual level of Leah (representing the hidden, higher state of consciousness), there would have been an eternal Geulah (Redemption) and the Holy Temple would never have been destroyed. However, in the desert, the situation was not like this. They immediately made the Golden Calf, and the state reverted to being "Achor b'Achor" (back-to-back, a state of spiritual concealment). All of the spiritual work of Moshe Rabbeinu was to bring the aspect of Rachel (representing the revealed, lower state of consciousness) to face Zeir Anpin, transforming the situation from "Achor b'Achor" to "Panim b'Panim" (face-to-face, a state of spiritual revelation and intimacy).
The aspect of Rachel corresponds to the Sefiros (Divine emanations) of Netzach (Victory/Eternity) and Hod (Splendor/Submission) of Zeir Anpin. As is known, every limb is composed of three joints: the right arm (Chesed - Loving-kindness) is divided into three, the left arm (Gevurah - Severity) into three, and similarly the legs—the right leg (Netzach) and the left leg (Hod) are each divided into three joints.
The Original Plan: Tablets from the Upper Joints
Initially, when Moshe Rabbeinu ascended the mountain, his plan was to bring down the Tablets from the upper joints of Netzach and Hod. Therefore, the Tablets were called "Luchos Avanim" (Tablets of Stone) and "Luchos HaBris" (Tablets of the Covenant) spelled with the first letter Vav.
However, during the forty days, a spiritual descent occurred. When Moshe ascended to take the Tablets, they had not yet committed the Sin of the Golden Calf, and he wanted to take them from the aspect of the body of Rachel, which corresponds to the upper and middle joints in Netzach and Hod. The Tablets are called "Luchos Avanim" because the legs are referred to as "Avanim" (stones), as our Sages, of blessed memory, mention regarding a woman whose "thighs grow cold like stones."
Hashem told Moshe to bring Tablets of stone corresponding to the Netzach and Hod of Rachel, which are connected with the Netzach and Hod of Zeir Anpin. This connection is called "Luchos HaBris" (Tablets of the Covenant), since the female aspect is called "Even" (stone) and the male aspect is called "Bris" (covenant, corresponding to Zeir Anpin). Before the sin, Zeir Anpin and Rachel were connected together, and therefore the Tablets were called "Luchos HaBris, Luchos Avanim."
The upper joints of Netzach and Hod touch the Sefirah of Tiferes (Beauty/Harmony), which is the aspect of the body. Regarding this, it is stated:
"Moshe and Aharon among His priests, and Shmuel among those who invoke His name"
Shmuel the Prophet merited to be from the upper joints of Netzach and Hod that touch Tiferes. Because of this, he had a connection to the spiritual level of Moshe and Aharon, an attainment that no other prophet merited.
The Secret of the Letter Vav: Between Tiferes and Yesod
When it is written in the Torah "Luchos" (Tablets) missing a Vav or with one Vav, this hints at the Sefirah of Tiferes. The first letter Vav symbolizes Tiferes, which includes the six extremities (two arms, two legs, above and below). The second letter Vav symbolizes the Sefirah of Yesod (Foundation).
Moshe wanted to bring down the Tablets from the Sefirah of Tiferes, from the place where Netzach and Hod touch it, and therefore this is hinted at with the first Vav. But ultimately, he received Tablets with the second Vav, which hints at the Sefirah of Yesod, from the part of Netzach and Hod that no longer touches Tiferes.
This is also the reason why initially it did not say "Shnei Luchos" (two Tablets) but rather "Luchas" (spelled missing the Vav)—in the singular form, like a single tablet. In the supernal worlds, with Zeir Anpin and Rachel, the legs (Netzach and Hod) are connected at their upper joints. Only at the middle joints do they begin to separate, and at the lower joints, the separation is absolute.
Among the angels, the legs are completely joined together, in the mystical secret of "and the soles of their feet were like the sole of a straight foot," and therefore during the Shemoneh Esrei prayer, we place our feet together to resemble the angels. Nadav and Avihu, who were the aspect of Netzach and Hod, were connected together like "two halves of a body."
The Three Levels in Receiving the Tablets
It emerges that there are three levels in receiving the Tablets. As long as the Tablets were drawn from the connected upper joints, they were called "Luchas" (with the first Vav missing, corresponding to Tiferes). When they descended to the middle joints, they were called "Luchos" (with the second Vav, corresponding to Yesod).
Only at the end of the forty days, when the Tablets were received from the lower, separated joints of Netzach and Hod, did the concept of "Shnei Luchos" (two Tablets) appear. After the Sin of the Golden Calf, it was no longer possible to receive the Tablets from the connected and upper parts, but only from the separated lower parts.
The Midrash describes how, during the forty days, a gradual spiritual descent occurred within the Jewish people. There is an opinion that they held strong for one day, some say two days, and some say that only in the last 11 days did they begin to commit the "act of the goat" (the Sin of the Golden Calf). Moshe Rabbeinu rebukes the Jewish people and shows them how they descended from level to level. Initially, they were poised to receive Tablets from the Tiferes of Zeir Anpin, and afterward, they descended to the level of Yesod, which is called "Bris" (Covenant).
The Breaking of the Tablets and the Second Tablets
When they actually made the Golden Calf, the spiritual descent was so great that the Tablets were no longer drawn from the male aspect at all, but only from the female aspect. Therefore, they were called "Luchos Avanim" (Tablets of Stone) — spelled completely missing the letters 'Vav' (לחת instead of לוחות), without any illumination from the Sefiros of Tiferes (Beauty) or Yesod (Foundation).
After Moshe broke the first Tablets, Hashem commanded him to carve two new Tablets. The second Tablets were already taken from the place where the Sefiros of Netzach (Eternity) and Hod (Splendor) are completely separated, and therefore the concept of "two Tablets" was emphasized. May it be His will that we merit the complete Geulah (Redemption) and to receive the Torah anew, speedily in our days, Amen.
Part 3 of 4 — Lesson No. 28