Prayer for Heaven's Honor: Silencing the Accusers
From the Torah ofRav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitzהרב דוד מתתיהו בן יחיאל יהושע רבינוביץProfile ›
Bamidbar 23:21
לֹא־הִבִּיט אָוֶן בְּיַעֲקֹב וְלֹא־רָאָה עָמָל בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהָיו עִמּוֹ וּתְרוּעַת מֶלֶךְ בּוֹ
He has not beheld iniquity in Yaakov, nor seen wrongdoing in Yisrael; Hashem his God is with him, and the King's friendship is in him.
1“He has not beheld iniquity in Yaakov, nor seen wrongdoing in Yisrael; Hashem his God is with him.”1 Notice that the wording is repetitive and drawn out. Why did the verse not include Yaakov and Yisrael in a single statement? As is well known, “Yisrael” is a higher level than “Yaakov,” as the Zohar explains here.2 Yet the verse first mentions “Yaakov,” the lower level, and only then “Yisrael,” the higher one. And why does it use the word aven, iniquity, for Yaakov, but amal, wrongdoing, for Yisrael?
*לֹא הִבִּיט אָוֶן בְּיַעֲקֹב וְלֹא רָאָה עָמָל בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל ה׳ אֱלוֹקָיו עִמּוֹ (כג, כא). יֵשׁ לְדַקְדֵּק כְּפִילוּת וַאֲרִיכוּת הַלָּשׁוֹן כָּאן, מַדּוּעַ לֹא כָּלַל הַכָּתוּב הַכֹּל יַחַד, אֶלָּא הִזְכִּיר בַּתְּחִילָּה דַּרְגַּת יַעֲקֹב שֶׁהִיא דַּרְגָּה נְמוּכָה, וְסִיֵּים בְּדַרְגַּת יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהוּא מַדְרֵגָה גְּדוֹלָה כַּנּוֹדָע (כמבואר כאן בזוהר ח״ג רי, ב), וְעוֹד דִּלְגַבֵּי יַעֲקֹב אָמַר לְשׁוֹן ׳אָוֶן׳ וְאִילּוּ לְגַבֵּי יִשְׂרָאֵל הִזְכִּיר לְשׁוֹן ׳עָמָל׳.
In shortWhy does the verse divide between the lower “Yaakov” and the higher “Yisrael,” and speak of aven for one and amal for the other?
2We must also explain a passage in the Gemara. Chazal wanted to include Parshas Balak in the reading of the Shema, because it contains the verse “He crouched, he lay down like a lion, and like a lioness, who will rouse him?”3 Why, then, did they not do so? Because of tircha detzibbura, the burden it would place on the congregation. What made this verse so important that Chazal wished to join it to the reading of the Shema?
גַּם צָרִיךְ לְבָאֵר דִּבְרֵי הַגְּמָרָא (ברכות יב, ב) שֶׁבִּיקְּשׁוּ לִקְבּוֹעַ פָּרָשַׁת בָּלָק בִּקְרִיאַת שְׁמַע, מִשּׁוּם דִּכְתִיב בָּהּ (כד, ט) ״כָּרַע שָׁכַב כַּאֲרִי וּכְלָבִיא מִי יְקִימֶנּוּ״, וּמִפְּנֵי מָה לֹא קְבָעוּהָ מִשּׁוּם טוֹרַח צִבּוּר. וְיֵשׁ לְהָבִין גּוֹדֶל הָעִנְיָן בָּזֶה, עַד שֶׁבִּיקְּשׁוּ לְצָרֵף זֹאת לִקְרִיאַת שְׁמַע.
- Berachos 12b; Bamidbar 24:9. ↩
In shortWhat made “He crouched, he lay down like a lion” so important that Chazal wanted Parshas Balak in the daily Shema?
3My holy father and teacher, zt"l, gave a fitting explanation of “He has not beheld iniquity in Yaakov,” and we will open with it. The word hibit, “beheld,” means looking from above to below.4 So the verse is saying that the Holy One, blessed be He, did not look to see iniquity in the inner being of Bnei Yisrael; He looked for it only on the outside. The reason lies in the next words, “nor seen amal.” The word amal (עמל) is formed from the first letters of ayin, mo'ach, lev, “eye, brain, heart.” As tzaddikim have taught, a complete angel has never been created from the sins of Bnei Yisrael, since they do not commit them with a whole heart.5 Those angels lack the organs on which the soul depends, [the eye, brain and heart,] and that is why Hashem “has not beheld iniquity in Yaakov.” “Hashem his God is with him”: for Bnei Yisrael are always cleaving and bound to God. Those are his holy words.
וְנִפְתַּח בִּמְלִיצָתוֹ הַיְּשָׁרָה שֶׁל כ״ק אאמו״ר זצלה״ה בַּפָּסוּק ״לֹא הִבִּיט אָוֶן בְּיַעֲקֹב״, דִּלְשׁוֹן ׳הִבִּיט׳ מוֹרֶה עַל הַבָּטָה מִלְמַעְלָה לְמַטָּה (בראשית רבה מד, יב), דְּהַכָּתוּב אוֹמֵר שהקב״ה לֹא הִבִּיט לִרְאוֹת אָוֶן בִּפְנִימִיּוּתָם, אֶלָּא רַק בְּחִיצוֹנִיּוּת, כִּי ׳לֹא רָאָה עָמָל׳, עָמָל הוּא רָאשֵׁי תֵּיבוֹת עַיִן מֹחַ לֵב, כִּדְאִיתָא מִצַּדִּיקִים שֶׁעֲדַיִין לֹא נִבְרָא מַלְאָךְ שָׁלֵם מֵעֲבֵירוֹת שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל, הֱיוֹת וְאֵינָם עוֹשִׂים אוֹתָם בְּלֵב שָׁלֵם, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁהֵם חֲסֵרִים בָּאֵבָרִים שֶׁהַנְּשָׁמָה תְּלוּיָה בָּהֶם, לָכֵן לֹא הִבִּיט הקב״ה אָוֶן בְּיַעֲקֹב, ׳ה׳ אֱלוֹקָיו עִימּוֹ׳, כִּי תָּמִיד הֵם דְּבוּקִים וּקְשׁוּרִים לֶאֱלוֹקִים, עכד״ק.
- Bereishis Rabbah 44:12. ↩
- A sin creates an angel, an accuser; compare Avos 4:11, “One who commits a single transgression acquires for himself a single accuser.” ↩
In shortBnei Yisrael's sins are only outward, the Rebbe's father taught: done without a whole heart, they form only accusers lacking eye, brain and heart.
4We can explain the verse further through a Midrash: “Moshe said before the Holy One, blessed be He: ‘Master of the world, when You see Your children in distress and there is no one to ask for mercy on their behalf, answer them at once.’ Hashem said to him: ‘Moshe, by your life, whenever they call Me, I will answer them, as it is written, “… as Hashem our God is, whenever we call to Him.”’”6 The holy sefer Bnei Yissaschar, by R' Tzvi Elimelech of Dinov, asks: Moshe was asking about a time when there would be no one to ask for mercy on their behalf.7 What kind of reply, then, is “whenever they call Me”? We must also understand Chazal's wording, “I will answer them.”
וּבְיֶתֶר בֵּיאוּר אֶפְשָׁר לְפָרֵשׁ, עַל פִּי דִּבְרֵי הַמִּדְרָשׁ (דברים רבה ב, יא) אָמַר מֹשֶׁה לִפְנֵי הקב״ה רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם כְּשֶׁתְּהֵא רוֹאֶה בָּנֶיךָ בְּצַעַר וְאֵין מִי שֶׁיְּבַקֵּשׁ רַחֲמִים עֲלֵיהֶם מִיָּד עֲנֵה אוֹתָן, אָמַר לוֹ הקב״ה מֹשֶׁה חַיֶּיךָ בְּכָל שָׁעָה שֶׁיִּקְרְאוּ אוֹתִי אֲנִי אֶעֱנֶה אוֹתָם, דִּכְתִיב (דברים ד, ז) ״כַּה׳ אֱלֹהֵינוּ בְּכָל קָרְאֵנוּ אֵלָיו״. וְהִקְשָׁה בְּסֵפֶר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בְּנֵי יִשָּׂשכָר (תשרי ב, ו) הֲרֵי מֹשֶׁה מְבַקֵּשׁ עַל עֵת כָּזוֹ אֲשֶׁר אֵין מִי שֶׁיְּבַקֵּשׁ עֲלֵיהֶם רַחֲמִים, אִם כֵּן מַהוּ תְּשׁוּבַת הקב״ה ׳בְּכָל שָׁעָה שֶׁיִּקְרְאוּ אוֹתִי׳, גַּם יֵשׁ לְהָבִין לְשׁוֹן חז״ל ׳אֲנִי אֶעֱנֶה אוֹתָם׳.
- Devarim Rabbah 2:11; Devarim 4:7: “For which great nation is there that has God so near to it, as Hashem our God is, whenever we call to Him?” ↩
- Bnei Yissaschar, Tishrei 2:6. ↩
In shortMoshe asked for help when no one can pray; how does “whenever they call Me, I will answer them” respond to that?
5aThe Bnei Yissaschar answers as follows. As is well known, a person sometimes faces an accusation in Heaven, so that he cannot pray and be answered: the accusers speak against him and stand in the way, Heaven forbid, to hold back his salvation. We have a tradition that the remedy is not to ask anything for oneself at all, but to pray about that very matter in words of praise and thanksgiving. For example, when someone needs to ask for healing, he should praise Hashem as the One Who heals the sick, and only in his thoughts have in mind the sick person who needs a complete recovery. This is the meaning of Moshe's words, “When You see Your children in distress and there is no one to ask for mercy on their behalf.” He meant a time when the accusers stand ready to block prayer, so that Bnei Yisrael cannot bring about their salvation through prayer and pleading for mercy. Moshe asked that even then, at a time when they cannot pray, Hashem would answer them as soon as He saw them in distress.
אֶלָּא כַּיָּדוּעַ דְּלִפְעָמִים יֵשׁ קִטְרוּג בַּשָּׁמַיִם עַל הָאָדָם עַד שֶׁאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְהִתְפַּלֵּל וּלְהֵעָנוֹת בִּתְפִילָּתוֹ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהַמְּקַטְרְגִים מְקַטְרְגִים כְּנֶגְדּוֹ וּמְעַכְּבִים ח״ו לִמְנוֹעַ יְשׁוּעָתוֹ, וְקִבַּלְנוּ דְּהָעֵצָה לָזֶה הוּא לְבַל לְבַקֵּשׁ עַל עַצְמוֹ כְּלָל, אֶלָּא לְהִתְפַּלֵּל בִּלְשׁוֹן שֶׁבַח וְהוֹדָיָה עַל אוֹתוֹ הָעִנְיָן, כְּגוֹן כְּשֶׁצָּרִיךְ לְבַקֵּשׁ עַל רְפוּאָה, יְשַׁבֵּחַ לַה׳ עַל כָּךְ שֶׁהוּא רוֹפֵא חוֹלִים, וְרַק בְּמַחְשַׁבְתּוֹ יִזְכּוֹר הַחוֹלֶה שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לִרְפוּאָה שְׁלֵימָה. וְזֶה הַפֵּירוּשׁ בְּדִבְרֵי מֹשֶׁה הַנִּזְכָּרִים, כְּשֶׁתְּהֵא רוֹאֶה בָּנֶיךָ בְּצַעַר וְאֵין מִי שֶׁיְּבַקֵּשׁ עֲלֵיהֶם רַחֲמִים, הַיְינוּ בִּזְמַן שֶׁהַמְּקַטְרְגִים עוֹמְדִים לְעַכֵּב הַתְּפִילָּה, עַד שֶׁאֵין יְכוֹלִים לִפְעוֹל יְשׁוּעָתָם בִּתְפִילָּה וּבַקָּשַׁת רַחֲמִים, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן מִיָּד כְּשֶׁתִּרְאַם בְּצַעַר עֲנֵה אוֹתָם, בִּזְמַן שֶׁאֵינָם יְכוֹלִים לְהִתְפַּלֵּל.
5bHashem answered Moshe by giving him this very remedy: “whenever they call Me.” That is, they should set out the praise of the Omnipresent and keep their need for salvation in their thoughts alone. This is the force of “whenever they call Me”: they call in a way that is addressed to Me alone, so that only I hear and understand what their prayer means, and the accusers do not understand it. And so “I,” and no one else, “will answer them,” since only I understand the intent of their heart when they speak My praise, and against praise there is no accuser. That is why Chazal said, “A person should always set out the praise of the Omnipresent and afterward pray.”8 Once he has spoken the praise of the Omnipresent, against which there is no accuser at all, he has already prevailed on Hashem to bring him salvation. When he prays afterward, the accusers can no longer prevent it, for then they would be denying, Heaven forbid, the praise of the Holy One, blessed be He, which they themselves had already acknowledged and accepted. That is the gist of his holy words.
וְהֵשִׁיב לוֹ הקב״ה וְנָתַן לוֹ עֵצָה הַנִּזְכֶּרֶת, ׳בְּכָל שָׁעָה שֶׁיִּקְרְאוּ אוֹתִי׳, הַיְינוּ שֶׁיְּסַדְּרוּ שִׁבְחוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם וְיִזְכְּרוּ צוֹרֶךְ הַיְּשׁוּעָה רַק בְּמַחְשָׁבָה, וְזֶהוּ בְּכָל שָׁעָה שֶׁיִּקְרְאוּ ׳אוֹתִי׳, הַיְינוּ שֶׁיִּקְרְאוּ בְּאוֹפֶן שֶׁרַק אוֹתִי קוֹרְאִים, שֶׁרַק אֲנִי הַשּׁוֹמֵעַ וּמֵבִין כַּוָּונַת תְּפִילָּתָם וְלֹא יָבִינוּ הַמְּקַטְרְגִים, עַל יְדֵי זֶה ׳אֲנִי׳ דַּיְיקָא ׳אֶעֱנֶה אוֹתָם׳, מֵאַחַר שֶׁרַק אֲנִי מֵבִין כַּוָּונַת לִבָּם בְּהִזְכִּירָם הַשֶּׁבַח וְעַל זֶה אֵין מְקַטְרֵג. וְלָזֶה אָמְרוּ (ברכות לב, א) לְעוֹלָם יְסַדֵּר אָדָם שִׁבְחוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם וְאַחַר כָּךְ יִתְפַּלֵּל, כִּי אַחַר שֶׁהִזְכִּיר שִׁבְחוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם, אֲשֶׁר עַל זֶה אֵין שׁוּם מְקַטְרֵג, פָּעַל כְּבָר אֵצֶל הקב״ה לְהָבִיא עַל עַצְמוֹ הַיְּשׁוּעָה, וְאַחַר כָּךְ כְּשֶׁיִּתְפַּלֵּל לֹא יוּכְלוּ הַמְּקַטְרְגִים לִמְנוֹעַ, כִּי בָּזֶה יִהְיוּ חָלִילָה כְּמַכְחִישִׁים שִׁבְחוֹ שֶׁל הקב״ה אֲשֶׁר כְּבָר הוֹדוּ וְקִיבְּלוּ, עכתד״ק.
- Berachos 32a. ↩
In shortWhen accusers block prayer, one praises Hashem for the help needed and keeps the request in thought; no accuser opposes praise, so Hashem answers.
6We may suggest another explanation along similar lines, one that reflects a higher level than the first and also offers a further remedy for the same problem. Chazal said: “Why were the early generations answered when they prayed? Because they prayed with the Name.”9 What does “they prayed with the Name” mean? We know that the Holy One, blessed be He, says, “I am with him in distress,”10 and Chazal said: “When Israel is in pain, what does the Shechinah say? ‘My head is heavy, my arm is heavy.’”11 As it were, Hashem is with Israel in its distress and awaits its salvation. If so, prayer must be above all for the pain of the Shechinah. That is the meaning of “they prayed with the Name”: they prayed for the honor of Hashem, “to raise the Shechinah from the dust,” and against such a prayer the attribute of judgment has no opening to accuse. And this is what Moshe was saying, and what Hashem answered him. Even at a time when “there is no one to ask for mercy on their behalf,” because the accusations are so great, Heaven save us, when they call “Me,” praying for the honor of the Shechinah, which is with them in distress, “I will answer them.” For since they seek the honor of My Name, I must, as it were, answer them, and the accuser has no power to accuse.
וְאֶפְשָׁר לוֹמַר עוֹד בְּאוֹפֶן הַדּוֹמֶה לָזֶה, אַךְ הוּא מַדְרֵגָה גְּדוֹלָה מִזּוֹ וְהִיא גַּם עֵצָה נוֹסֶפֶת לְעִנְיָן זֶה, עַל פִּי מַה שֶׁאָמְרוּ חז״ל (מדרש תהלים צא עיין שם) מִפְּנֵי מָה הָרִאשׁוֹנִים הִתְפַּלְּלוּ וְנַעֲנוּ מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהִתְפַּלְּלוּ בְּשֵׁם, וְיֵשׁ לְהָבִין מַהוּ ׳הִתְפַּלְּלוּ בְּשֵׁם׳. אַךְ הִנֵּה יָדוּעַ שהקב״ה אוֹמֵר ״עִמּוֹ אָנֹכִי בְצָרָה״ (תהלים שם, טו), וּבִזְמַן שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל בְּצַעַר שְׁכִינָה מַה אוֹמֶרֶת קַלַּנִי מֵרֹאשִׁי קַלַּנִי מִזְּרוֹעִי (סנהדרין מו, א), שֶׁכִּבְיָכוֹל הקב״ה עִמָּם בְּצַעֲרָן וּמְצַפֶּה לִישׁוּעָתָן. אִם כֵּן עִיקַּר הַתְּפִילָּה צָרִיךְ שֶׁתִּהְיֶה עַל צַעַר הַשְּׁכִינָה, וְזֶה הַכַּוָּונָה ׳שֶׁהִתְפַּלְּלוּ בְּשֵׁם׳, הַיְינוּ שֶׁהִתְפַּלְּלוּ עַל כְּבוֹד הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, וּלְאוֹקְמָא שְׁכִינְתָּא מֵעַפְרָא, וְעַל תְּפִילָּה כָּזוֹ אֵין לְמִידַּת הַדִּין פִּתְחוֹן פֶּה לְקַטְרֵג. וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר מֹשֶׁה בְּשָׁעָה כּוּ׳ וְאֵין מִי שֶׁיְּבַקֵּשׁ עֲלֵיהֶם רַחֲמִים מֵחֲמַת גּוֹדֶל הַקִּטְרוּגִים רח״ל, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁיִּקְרְאוּ ׳אוֹתִי׳, הַיְינוּ שֶׁיִּתְפַּלְּלוּ עַל כְּבוֹד הַשְּׁכִינָה אֲשֶׁר עִמָּם בְּצָרָה, אֲנִי אֶעֱנֶה אוֹתָם, כִּי מֵאַחַר שֶׁדּוֹרְשִׁים כְּבוֹד שְׁמִי יִתְבָּרֵךְ, כִּבְיָכוֹל בְּהֶכְרֵחַ שֶׁאֶעֱנֶה אוֹתָם בְּאֵין לַמְּקַטְרֵג כֹּחַ לְקַטְרֵג.
In shortA higher remedy, we may suggest, is to “pray with the Name,” for the Shechinah's pain and Hashem's honor, which no accuser can oppose.
7How can a person truly reach such a level, praying for the honor of Heaven? Through mesirus nefesh, the readiness to give one's life. When we are ready to give our lives for the Creator, we have nothing before our eyes but the honor of Heaven, and all our prayer is for that alone. This is what the Gemara says: the prayers of the early generations were accepted because they gave their lives for the sanctification of Hashem's Name, like Rav Adda, who acted with mesirus nefesh for the sake of modesty.12 For mesirus nefesh brings a person to pray only for the honor of Hashem's Name, in the spirit of “praying with the Name,” and then, as we saw in Hashem's reply to Moshe, the prayer must be accepted.
וְהֵיאַךְ בֶּאֱמֶת אֶפְשָׁר לְהַגִּיעַ לְדַרְגָּה כָּזֹאת בִּתְפִילָּה לְהִתְפַּלֵּל עַל כְּבוֹד שָׁמַיִם, זֹאת עַל יְדֵי מְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ, כִּי כַּאֲשֶׁר אָנוּ מוּכָנִים לִמְסוֹר נַפְשֵׁנוּ לַבּוֹרֵא יִתְבָּרֵךְ שְׁמוֹ, אִם כֵּן אֵין לָנוּ נֶגֶד עֵינֵינוּ אֶלָּא כְּבוֹד שָׁמַיִם, וְכָל תְּפִילָּתֵנוּ הִיא רַק עַל זֶה. וְהוּא שֶׁאָמְרוּ בַּגְּמָרָא (ברכות כ, א) שֶׁהָרִאשׁוֹנִים נִתְקַבְּלוּ תְּפִילּוֹתֵיהֶם מִשּׁוּם דְּמָסְרוּ נַפְשַׁיְיהוּ עַל קְדוּשַּׁת הַשֵּׁם, כְּמוֹ רַב אַדָּא שֶׁמָּסַר נַפְשׁוֹ לְמַעַן צְנִיעוּת, כִּי עַל יְדֵי מְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ בָּאִים לְהִתְפַּלֵּל רַק עֲבוּר כְּבוֹד שְׁמוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ, בִּבְחִינַת ׳שֶׁמִּתְפַּלְּלִים בְּשֵׁם׳, שֶׁאָז בְּהֶכְרֵחַ שֶׁתִּתְקַבֵּל הַתְּפִילָּה כָּאָמוּר.
- Berachos 20a. Rav Adda bar Ahavah saw a woman in the marketplace wearing an immodest garment and, thinking she was Jewish, tore it from her; she turned out not to be Jewish, and he was fined four hundred zuz. The Gemara gives this as its example of how the early generations gave themselves over for the sanctification of Hashem's Name. ↩
In shortPrayer for Heaven's honor is reached through mesirus nefesh, which is why the Gemara credits the early generations' answered prayers to it.
8aThis also lets us explain why Chazal wanted to include Parshas Balak in the reading of the Shema for the sake of the verse “He crouched, he lay down like a lion, and like a lioness, who will rouse him?” For Chazal said in the Midrash on this verse: “There is no nation in the world like them. They are asleep to Torah and mitzvos, yet they rise from their sleep like lions, seize the reading of the Shema, and proclaim the Holy One, blessed be He, King. They become like lions to seize the mitzvos: to put on tzitzis, to lay tefillin, and to read the Shema.”13 Rashi, too, explains that Bnei Yisrael sleep and then rise at once with alacrity, pray and lay tefillin.14 The point is this. Even though they seem, Heaven forbid, to be asleep to the mitzvos, in a single moment, when they hurry to the shuls with mesirus nefesh, they at once reach a great level and, as the Midrash says, “become like lions.”
וּבָזֶה יִתְבָּאֵר גַּם מַה שֶׁבִּקְּשׁוּ לִקְבּוֹעַ פָּרָשַׁת בָּלָק בִּקְרִיאַת שְׁמַע מִטַּעַם שֶׁנִּזְכַּר בָּהּ הַפָּסוּק ״כָּרַע שָׁכַב כַּאֲרִי וּכְלָבִיא מִי יְקִימֶנּוּ״, שֶׁהֲרֵי אָמְרוּ חז״ל עַל פָּסוּק זֶה (במדבר רבה כ, כ) אֵין אוּמָּה בָּעוֹלָם כַּיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶם, הֲרֵי הֵם יְשָׁנִים מִן הַתּוֹרָה וּמִן הַמִּצְוֹות וְעוֹמְדִים מִשְּׁנָתָן כַּאֲרָיוֹת וְחוֹטְפִין קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע וּמַמְלִיכִין להקב״ה וְנַעֲשִׂין כַּאֲרָיוֹת לַחְטוֹף אֶת הַמִּצְוֹות, לִלְבּוֹשׁ צִיצִית וּלְהַנִּיחַ תְּפִילִּין וְלִקְרוֹא אֶת שְׁמַע (עיין רש״י לעיל כג, כד), שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל יְשָׁנִים וּמִיָּד קָמִים בִּזְרִיזוּת וּמִתְפַּלְּלִים וּמַנִּיחִים תְּפִילִּין. שֶׁהָעִנְיָן בָּזֶה, כִּי אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁנִּדְמֶה שח״ו יְשֵׁנִים הֵם מִן הַמִּצְוֹת, אֲבָל בְּרֶגַע אֶחָד כַּאֲשֶׁר פּוֹנִים לְבָתֵּי כְּנֵסִיּוֹת בִּזְרִיזוּת וּבִמְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ, מִיָּד מַגִּיעִים לְמַדְרֵגָה גְּדוֹלָה בִּבְחִינַת וְנַעֲשִׂין כַּאֲרָיוֹת בִּמְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ,
8bThis idea, then, belongs above all to the Shema, for it is well known that mesirus nefesh is its foundation and inner intent. We see this in R' Akiva, whose soul left him as he said echad, “One.”15 That came from his alacrity and longing for mitzvos, in the spirit of his words, “When will it come to my hand so that I may fulfill it?” And at the very hour they took him out to be killed, he had at once recited “Hear, Yisrael.” This is the great significance of Parshas Balak and its connection to the Shema, and why Chazal wanted to include it in that reading: to recall the great alacrity and mesirus nefesh of Bnei Yisrael.
וְאִם כֵּן הֲרֵי עִנְיָן זֶה שַׁיָּיךְ בְּיוֹתֵר לִקְרִיאַת שְׁמַע, כִּי מוּדַעַת זֹאת שֶׁהַיְּסוֹד וְהַכַּוָּונָה שֶׁל קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע הוּא עִנְיַן הַמְּסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ, כְּמוֹ דְּאִיתָא אֵצֶל רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא שֶׁיָּצְאָה נִשְׁמָתוֹ בְּאֶחָד (ברכות סא, ב), אֲשֶׁר זֶהוּ מִתּוֹךְ עִנְיַן הַזְּרִיזוּת וְהַהִשְׁתּוֹקְקוּת לַמִּצְוֹות בִּבְחִינַת מָתַי יָבוֹא לְיָדִי וַאֲקַיְּימֶנּוּ, וְשֶׁבְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה שֶׁהוֹצִיאוּהוּ לַהֲרִיגָה מִיָּד קָרָא קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע, וְזֶהוּ גּוֹדֶל הָעִנְיָן וְהַשַּׁיָּיכוּת שֶׁבִּקְּשׁוּ לִקְבּוֹעַ פָּרָשַׁת בָּלָק בִּקְרִיאַת שְׁמַע, בִּכְדֵי לְהַזְכִּיר גּוֹדֶל עִנְיַן הַזְּרִיזוּת וְהַמְּסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ בִּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.
- Berachos 61b. ↩
In shortJews who seem asleep rise like lions with mesirus nefesh, the heart of the Shema; so Chazal wished to include Parshas Balak in its reading.
9aThis also lets us explain the verse “He has not beheld iniquity in Yaakov …” We can read it as speaking of Bnei Yisrael at the time of prayer, when the accusers stand ready to accuse them, and yet the Holy One, blessed be He, hears their prayer. That is because “He has not beheld iniquity in Yaakov.” Even those on a lower level in Israel, the level of “Yaakov,” may have some trace of aven, iniquity, Heaven forbid, yet Hashem does not look at it, since “Hashem his God is with him.” Though they have “crouched and lain down” and seem asleep to the mitzvos, they rise in a single moment of mesirus nefesh. They get up early in the morning to go to the shuls and batei midrash, and there, in the beis midrash, they strive to focus their prayer on the honor of Hashem. At that moment Hashem sees that this is their inner being, and that the aven and the amal are only on the outside. This is in keeping with my holy father's teaching that their sins lie only on the surface.
וּבָזֶה יִתְבָּאֵר גַּם הַפָּסוּק ״לֹא הִבִּיט אָוֶן בְּיַעֲקֹב״ וְגוֹ׳, שֶׁיֵּשׁ לְפָרֵשׁ שֶׁהַפָּסוּק מְדַבֵּר בִּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּשְׁעַת הַתְּפִילָּה, אֲשֶׁר אָז הַמְּקַטְרְגִים עוֹמְדִים לְקַטְרֵג עֲלֵיהֶם, וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן הקב״ה שׁוֹמֵעַ תְּפִילָּתָם, וְזֶהוּ מִשּׁוּם דְּ׳לֹא הִבִּיט אָוֶן בְּיַעֲקֹב׳, כִּי אֲפִילּוּ אֵצֶל הַנְּמוּכִים שֶׁבְּיִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת יַעֲקֹב, אֲשֶׁר אֶצְלָם יָכוֹל לִהְיוֹת מָצוּי ח״ו בְּחִינַת אָוֶן, גַּם כֵּן הקב״ה אֵינוֹ מַבִּיט בָּזֶה, כֵּיוָן שֶׁ׳ה׳ אֱלוֹקָיו עִמּוֹ׳, כִּי אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁכָּרַע שָׁכַב וְנִרְאֶה כְּיָשֵׁן מִן הַמִּצְוֹות, מִכָּל מָקוֹם תֶּיכֶף וּמִיָּד כְּשֶׁקָּם בְּרֶגַע אֶחָד שֶׁל מְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ, דְּהַיְינוּ כְּשֶׁמַּשְׁכִּימִים בַּבּוֹקֶר לְבָתֵּי כְּנֵסִיּוֹת וּלְבָתֵּי מִדְרָשׁוֹת, וְשָׁם בְּבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ מִשְׁתַּדְּלִים לְכַוֵּין עַל כְּבוֹד ה׳, והקב״ה רוֹאֶה כִּי זֶהוּ הַפְּנִימִיּוּת, וְהָאָוֶן וְהֶעָמָל הוּא רַק בְּחִיצוֹנִיּוּת, וְעַל דֶּרֶךְ דִּבְרֵי כ״ק אאמו״ר זצללה״ה.
9bSo too “nor seen amal in Yisrael,” amal being formed from the first letters of “eye, brain, heart.” “Yisrael” are those on a higher level, to whom actual iniquity does not apply; their flaw lies only in mere thought, in the eye, brain and heart. Yet even in so subtle a matter Hashem sees that it is all only on the outside. He sees this through their prayer for the honor of Heaven, in the spirit of “Hashem his God is with him”: they pray for the sake of the honor of His Name. Through this Hashem sees their inner being, and so He accepts the prayer of all Israel. Here the verse uses the Name Elokim, “Hashem his God,” the Name that stands for judgment, to hint that even when judgments and accusers hold sway at the time of prayer, Heaven forbid, we are answered at once by praying for the honor of Heaven. This is true above all in the beis midrash, where people are roused most of all for the honor of Hashem.
וְכֵן אַף ׳לֹא רָאָה עָמָל בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל׳, שֶׁעָמָל הוּא ר״ת עַיִן מֹחַ לֵב, הַיְינוּ שֶׁגַּם בְּ׳יִשְׂרָאֵל׳ שֶׁהֵם אוֹתָם שֶׁבְּמַדְרֵגָה גְּדוֹלָה יוֹתֵר שֶׁאֵין שַׁיָּיךְ בָּהֶם אָוֶן מַמָּשׁ, וּפְגָמָם שַׁיָּיךְ רַק בְּמַחְשָׁבָה בְּעָלְמָא וּבְעַיִן מֹחַ וָלֵב, גַּם בְּדַקּוֹת זוֹ הקב״ה רוֹאֶה כִּי כָּל זֶה רַק בְּחִיצוֹנִיּוּת, עַל יְדֵי תְּפִילָּתָם עַל כְּבוֹד שָׁמַיִם בִּבְחִינַת ׳ה׳ אֱלוֹקָיו עִמּוֹ׳, שֶׁמִּתְפַּלְּלִים לְמַעַן כְּבוֹד שְׁמוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ, וּבָזֶה רוֹאֶה הקב״ה הַפְּנִימִיּוּת, וְלָכֵן מְקַבֵּל תְּפִילָּתָם שֶׁל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְהִזְכִּיר בָּזֶה שֵׁם אֱלֹקִים לִרְמוֹז כִּי אַף שֶׁבִּזְמַן תְּפִילָּתָם שׂוֹרֵר ח״ו דִּינִים וּמְקַטְרְגִים, מִכָּל מָקוֹם עַל יְדֵי שֶׁאָנוּ מִתְפַּלְּלִים עַל כְּבוֹד שָׁמַיִם מִיָּד נַעֲנִים, וְזֶהוּ בִּפְרָט עַל יְדֵי בֵּית הַמִּדְרָשׁ אֲשֶׁר שָׁם מִתְעוֹרְרִים בְּיוֹתֵר עַל כְּבוֹד הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ.
In shortAt prayer Hashem overlooks the aven of “Yaakov” and the subtle amal of “Yisrael,” seeing their inner being through prayer for His honor.
10All this makes clear that the prayers held in the beis midrash have the power to remove every kind of harsh judgment. This sheds light on what my holy great-grandfather explained in his sefer Divrei Binah about the words of the Mishnah: “… rising early to the beis midrash morning and evening, and hospitality to guests.”16 He explained the connection between the two. A person must know that the beis midrash does him a wondrous kindness, much like hospitality to guests. Picture a man who comes in from a parched wilderness, hungry and weary, and someone takes him into his home and gives him food and drink. So it is with one who comes to the beis midrash with his soul weary and thirsting for a drop of Torah and avodah. The beis midrash, as it were, takes him in like a guest and does him a kindness, restoring his soul through Torah study and prayer. This is all the more true of this beis midrash, which we have established with real mesirus nefesh in the name and memory of that tzaddik, my holy father. As is known, all his days he prayed for the sake of the Shechinah in exile and for the honor of Heaven; he always cried out and pleaded for that alone. Surely his spirit and his soul rest in this place. So we must strive with all our strength to walk in his ways, as we will explain.
מִכָּל זֶה מְבוֹאָר, שֶׁמִּכֹּחַ הַתְּפִילּוֹת אֲשֶׁר מִתְקַיְּימוֹת בְּבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ אֶפְשָׁר לְהָסִיר כָּל מִינֵי דִּינִים, אִם כֵּן מִזֶּה יֵשׁ לִרְאוֹת כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּיאֵר זְקֵנִי הַדִּבְרֵי בִּינָה (סוף פרשת בשלח) מַה שֶׁשָּׁנִינוּ (פאה א, א) וְהַשְׁכָּמַת בֵּית הַמִּדְרָשׁ שַׁחֲרִית וְעַרְבִית וְהַכְנָסַת אוֹרְחִים, וּבֵיאֵר הַשַּׁיָּיכוּת שֶׁל הַשְׁכָּמַת בֵּית הַמִּדְרָשׁ עִם הַכְנָסַת אוֹרְחִים, כִּי הָאָדָם צָרִיךְ לָדַעַת שֶׁהַבֵּית מִדְרָשׁ עוֹשֶׂה עִמּוֹ חֶסֶד נִפְלָא בִּבְחִינַת הַכְנָסַת אוֹרְחִים, כְּאָדָם שֶׁבָּא מִמִּדְבַּר צִיָּה כְּשֶׁהוּא רָעֵב וְעָיֵיף וְאָדָם מַכְנִיסוֹ לְבֵיתוֹ וּמַאֲכִילוֹ וּמַשְׁקֵהוּ, כֵּן הַבָּא לְבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ וְנַפְשׁוֹ עֲיֵיפָה וּמִשְׁתּוֹקֶקֶת לְלַחְלוּחִית שֶׁל תּוֹרָה וַעֲבוֹדָה, וּבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ כִּבְיָכוֹל מַכְנִיסוֹ כְּמוֹ אוֹרֵחַ וְגוֹמֵל עִמּוֹ חֶסֶד לְהָשִׁיב נַפְשׁוֹ בְּלִימּוּד תּוֹרָה וּתְפִילָּה. וּבְיִחוּד בְּבֵית מִדְרָשׁ זֶה אֲשֶׁר הֵקַמְנוּ בִּמְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ מַמָּשׁ עַל שְׁמוֹ וּלְזִכְרוֹ שֶׁל אוֹתוֹ צַדִּיק כ״ק אאמו״ר זצללה״ה, אֲשֶׁר כַּיָּדוּעַ כָּל יָמָיו הִתְפַּלֵּל לְמַעַן שְׁכִינְתָּא בְּגָלוּתָא וּכְבוֹד שָׁמַיִם, וְתָמִיד זָעַק וְדָרַשׁ רַק עַל כְּבוֹד שָׁמַיִם, וּבְוַדַּאי שֶׁרוּחוֹ וְנִשְׁמָתוֹ שׁוֹרָה בַּמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה, אִם כֵּן צְרִיכִים בְּכָל כּוֹחֵנוּ לְהִשְׁתַּדֵּל לָלֶכֶת בִּדְרָכָיו, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁנְּבָאֵר.
- Divrei Binah, end of Beshalach; Pe'ah 1:1. The words about the beis midrash appear in the version of this Mishnah said in the morning blessings (based on Shabbos 127a). ↩
In shortPrayer in the beis midrash removes harsh judgments and revives a weary soul as a host revives his guest, above all in this beis midrash.
11We must take care not to talk of mundane matters in the beis midrash, Heaven forbid, as the Shulchan Aruch rules.17 We must also strive for kavanah, focus, in prayer, as set out in Tefillas HaTzaddikim. And we must increase love and brotherhood in this place. I am confident that if we walk in this way, we will soon be privileged to greet Moshiach here. Amen.
לְהִיזָּהֵר בְּעִנְיַן שִׂיחָה בְּבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ ח״ו בְּדִבְרֵי חוּלִּין, כִּדְאִיתָא בְּשׁוּלְחָן עָרוּךְ (קפד, יא. קנא, א). וְכֵן לְהִשְׁתַּדֵּל בְּעִנְיַן כַּוָּונַת הַתְּפִילָּה, בְּמַה שֶׁכָּתַב בְּ׳תְּפִילַּת הַצַּדִּיקִים׳. וְכֵן לְהַרְבּוֹת אַהֲבָה וְאַחֲוָה בַּמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה. וּמוֹבְטַחֵנִי אֲשֶׁר בְּאִם נְהַלֵּךְ בַּדֶּרֶךְ הַזֶּה, נִזְכֶּה בְּקָרוֹב לְקַבֵּל פְּנֵי מָשִׁיחַ בַּמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה, אָמֵן:
- Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 151:1. The sefer also cites 184:11; the ruling meant there is unclear. ↩
In shortThe Rebbe trusts that by avoiding idle talk in the beis midrash, praying with kavanah and loving one another, we will soon greet Moshiach here.
Takeaway
There are times when our prayers seem unable to get through, because our failings give the accusers something to say. The remedy is to turn our prayer toward Hashem's honor: to praise Him for the very help we need and to feel the Shechinah's pain in our troubles, for against such prayer no accuser can speak. We reach it through mesirus nefesh, rising like lions to the beis midrash even when we feel asleep, and there, in a place kept holy, our weary souls are revived.
Learn this in the merit of Rav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitz. His yahrzeit and life ›
English translation, notes and summaries © Zechusam.