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Lehavas David · Parshas Shemos · Maamar ח

The Hidden Sigh: Crying Out for Heaven's Honor

From the Torah ofRav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitzהרב דוד מתתיהו בן יחיאל יהושע רבינוביץProfile ›
Shemos 2:23
וַיְהִי בַיָּמִים הָרַבִּים הָהֵם וַיָּמׇת מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם וַיֵּאָנְחוּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל מִן־הָעֲבֹדָה וַיִּזְעָקוּ וַתַּעַל שַׁוְעָתָם אֶל־הָאֱלֹהִים מִן־הָעֲבֹדָה
It came to pass in those many days that the king of Egypt died; and Bnei Yisrael sighed from the labor, and they cried out, and their outcry rose up to God from the labor.
1“And Bnei Yisrael sighed from the labor, and they cried out, and their outcry rose up to God from the labor.”1 The holy sefarim, among them the Yismach Moshe and the Maor VaShemesh, ask why the verse uses two expressions, “they sighed” and “they cried out.” Crying out would seem to be stronger than sighing, since a person who raises his voice in a cry seems to be suffering more than one who only sighs. By telling us that they cried out, then, the verse shows how great Bnei Yisrael's suffering was: the bondage of Egypt weighed on them so heavily that they cried out. Why does it also need to say “they sighed”?
וַיֵּאָנְחוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִן הָעֲבוֹדָה וַיִּזְעָקוּ וַתַּעַל שַׁוְעָתָם אֶל הָאֱלֹקִים מִן הָעֲבוֹדָה (ב, כג). הִקְשׁוּ בַּסְּפָרִים הַקְּדוֹשִׁים (עיין בישמח משה, ובמאור ושמש) מַהוּ כֶּפֶל הַלָּשׁוֹן ׳וַיֵּאָנְחוּ וַיִּזְעָקוּ׳, דְּלִכְאוֹרָה זְעָקָה הִיא בְּחִינַת צְעָקָה חֲזָקָה יוֹתֵר מֵאֲנָחָה, שֶׁהֲרֵי אָדָם הַמֵּרִים קוֹלוֹ בִּזְעָקָה נִרְאֶה כְּמִצְטַעֵר יוֹתֵר מִן הַמִּתְאַנֵּחַ, וְאִם כֵּן בַּמֶּה שֶׁהוֹדִיעַ הַכָּתוּב אוֹדוֹת זַעֲקָתָם גִּילָּה יוֹתֵר עוֹצֶם הַסֵּבֶל שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁגָּבַר עֲלֵיהֶם שִׁעְבּוּד מִצְרַיִם עַד שֶׁזָּעֲקוּ, וּמַה צָרִיךְ תּוּ לוֹמַר הַלָּשׁוֹן ׳וַיֵּאָנְחוּ׳.
  1. Shemos 2:23. ↩
In shortIf “they cried out” already shows how deep the suffering was, why does the verse also say “they sighed”?
2Further on, the verse says, “And God saw Bnei Yisrael, and God knew.”2 What is this verse coming to teach us? Doesn't everyone know that Hashem sees and knows everything?
וּלְהַלָּן כְּתִיב ״וַיַּרְא אֱלֹקִים אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיֵּדַע אֱלֹקִים״ (ב, כה), וְצָרִיךְ בֵּיאוּר עִנְיָן זֶה הַכָּתוּב וּמַה בָּא לְהַשְׁמִיעֵנוּ, הֲלֹא נוֹדַע לְכָל שֶׁה׳ יִתְבָּרֵךְ רוֹאֶה וְיוֹדֵעַ הַכֹּל.
  1. Shemos 2:25. ↩
In shortHashem sees and knows everything, so what does the verse add by saying that God “saw” and “knew”?
3aPerhaps we can answer by first citing the sefer Yismach Yisrael. It quotes a teaching in the name of its author's father, the holy R' Yechiel of Alexander, zt"l, on the verse “Why have You done evil to this people …?”3 Moshe Rabbeinu argued before the Holy One, blessed be He: was not the whole purpose of the punishment and the bondage to stir Bnei Yisrael to greater understanding? Each of them was meant to take to heart why these sufferings had come upon him and what they were for, and to return to Hashem in complete teshuvah, so that He would have mercy on him. But all this applies only to a person who has understanding. One who is not of sound mind has none, and he is not subject to punishment. And Bnei Yisrael in Egypt had no understanding, as the verse says, “But they did not listen to Moshe, because of shortness of spirit and hard labor.”4 If so, “why have You done evil to this people?” It does no good in any case, for it is not bringing them back in teshuvah. Moshe's next words, “and You have not rescued,”5 mean that they gain no rescue at all from it.
וְאֶפְשָׁר לוֹמַר בְּהֶקְדֵּם מַה שֶׁכָּתַב בְּסֵפֶר הַקָּדוֹשׁ יְשַׂמַּח יִשְׂרָאֵל (אות ג׳) בְּשֵׁם אָבִיו הרה״ק רַבִּי יְחִיאֵל מאלכסנדר זצללה״ה עַל הַכָּתוּב (ה, כב) ״לָמָה הֲרֵעוֹתָה לָעָם הַזֶּה״ וְגוֹ׳, שֶׁטָּעַן מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ ע״ה לִפְנֵי הקב״ה, הֲלֹא כָּל סִיבַּת הָעוֹנֶשׁ וְהַשִּׁיעְבּוּד הָיָה בִּכְדֵי לְעוֹרֵר בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְהוֹסִיף דַּעַת, שֶׁיִּתֵּן כָּל אֶחָד אֶל לִבּוֹ עַל מָה זֶה בָּאוּ עָלָיו הַיִּסּוּרִים וּלְאֵיזֶה תַּכְלִית, וְיָשׁוֹב אֶל ד׳ בִּתְשׁוּבָה שְׁלֵימָה וִירַחֲמֵהוּ, אַךְ כָּל זֶה שַׁיָּיךְ בְּבַר דַּעַת, אֲבָל שׁוֹטֶה אֵין לוֹ דַּעַת וְאֵינוֹ בֶּן עוֹנְשִׁין, וּמֵאַחַר וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּמִצְרַיִם לֹא הָיָה לָהֶם דַּעַת, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (ו, ט) ״וְלֹא שָׁמְעוּ אֶל מֹשֶׁה מִקּוֹצֶר רוּחַ וּמֵעֲבוֹדָה קָשָׁה״, אִם כֵּן ׳לָמָה הֲרֵעוֹתָה לָעָם הַזֶּה׳ הֲרֵי בְּלָאו הָכִי אֵין זֶה מוֹעִיל, שֶׁהֲרֵי הֵם לֹא חוֹזְרִים עַל יְדֵי כֵּן בִּתְשׁוּבָה, ׳וְהַצֵּל לֹא הִצַּלְתָּ׳, שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם שׁוּם הַצָּלָה עַל יְדֵי זֶה.
  1. Yismach Yisrael §3; Shemos 5:22. ↩
  2. Shemos 6:9. ↩
  3. Shemos 5:23. ↩
3bThe Holy One, blessed be He, answered that it is not as Moshe said. Moshe Rabbeinu hears only the outward voices, and so it seems to him that they are not returning in teshuvah. But Hashem hears the voice of their innermost hearts. That is the meaning of His words “And I too have heard the groaning of Bnei Yisrael”:6 Hashem hears them groaning deep in their hearts over their low spiritual state, and He hears their longing, from the very depths of their hearts, to return in teshuvah. That is the gist of his words. In other words, even though no one can see from outside that Bnei Yisrael are praying for the honor of Heaven, deep in their hearts that is what they are praying for.
וְהֵשִׁיב לוֹ הקב״ה כִּי לֹא כֵן הוּא כִּדְבָרָיו, שֶׁכֵּן הוּא מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ שׁוֹמֵעַ רַק אֶת הַקּוֹלוֹת הַחִיצוֹנִיִּים, וּלְכָךְ נִדְמֶה לוֹ שֶׁאֵינָם חוֹזְרִים בִּתְשׁוּבָה, אֲבָל הקב״ה שׁוֹמֵעַ קוֹל פְּנִימִיּוּת לְבָבָם, וְזֶהוּ שֶׁכָּתוּב ״וְגַם אֲנִי שָׁמַעְתִּי אֶת נַאֲקַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל״, שֶׁה׳ יִתְבָּרֵךְ שׁוֹמֵעַ אֶת נַאֲקָתָם בִּפְנִימִיּוּת לְבָבָם עַל מַצָּבָם הַשָּׁפֵל בְּרוּחָנִיּוּת, וְאֶת כִּיסּוּפָם מֵעוֹמֶק פְּנִימִיּוּת לְבָבָם לָשׁוּב בִּתְשׁוּבָה, ע״כ תּוֹכֶן דְּבָרָיו הַקְּדוֹשִׁים. וְהַיְינוּ דְּאַף שֶׁכְּלַפֵּי חוּץ אֵין נִיכָּר שֶׁבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִתְפַּלְּלִים בִּשְׁבִיל עִנְיְינֵי כְּבוֹד שָׁמַיִם, אֲבָל בִּפְנִימִיּוּת לְבָבָם הֵם מִתְפַּלְּלִים עַל כְּבוֹד שָׁמַיִם.
  1. Shemos 6:5. ↩
In shortMoshe heard only outward voices, R' Yechiel of Alexander taught, but Hashem heard the people's hidden groaning, their longing for teshuvah.
4[The same is true of every individual.7 A person may recognize that he has fallen very low, and from the outside it may look as if there is no hope for him. Even so, thoughts of teshuvah come to every Jew. The Baal Shem Tov taught this on a saying of Chazal: “Every single day a heavenly voice goes forth from Mount Chorev and declares, ‘Woe to the creatures for the insult to the Torah.’”8 He asked: if we do not hear the heavenly voice, why does it go forth at all? And he explained that the voice is the thoughts of teshuvah stirred in every Jewish heart. Even a Jew who has fallen very low will often find thoughts of teshuvah, and regret for all his bad deeds, rising in his heart. At that moment he must stop, take an honest accounting of his soul, and reflect on his state and where he stands. By this power, through the inner part planted within him and through his soul, which is “a portion of God from Above,”9 he too will come to seek the honor of Heaven.]
*[וְכֵן הוּא הַדָּבָר בְּכָל אֶחָד, שֶׁאַף שֶׁמַּכִּיר בְּעַצְמוֹ שֶׁעוֹמֵד הוּא בְּשֵׁפֶל הַמַּצָּב, וּמִצַּד חִיצוֹנִיּוּתוֹ נִרְאֶה כִּי אֵין לוֹ תַּקָּנָה, מִכָּל מָקוֹם לְכָל יְהוּדִי בָּאִים הִרְהוּרֵי תְּשׁוּבָה, וּכְמַאֲמַר הַבַּעַל שֵׁם טוֹב עַל מַאֲמַר חז״ל (אבות ו, ב) בְּכָל יוֹם בַּת קוֹל יוֹצֵאת מֵהַר חוֹרֵב וְאוֹמֶרֶת אוֹי לָהֶם לַבְּרִיּוֹת מֵעֶלְבּוֹנָהּ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה. וְהִקְשָׁה, דְּאִם אֵין אָנוּ שׁוֹמְעִים אֶת הַבַּת קוֹל מַדּוּעַ הִיא יוֹצֵאת. וּפֵירֵשׁ דְּאֵלּוּ הֵמָּה הַהִרְהוּרֵי תְּשׁוּבָה הַמִּתְעוֹרְרִים בְּכָל לֵב יְהוּדִי, וְאַף יְהוּדִי הָעוֹמֵד בְּשֵׁפֶל הַמַּצָּב, פְּעָמִים רַבּוֹת שֶׁיַּעֲלוּ בְּלִבּוֹ הִרְהוּרֵי תְּשׁוּבָה וַחֲרָטָה עַל כָּל מַעֲשָׂיו הָרָעִים, וּבְעֵת זוֹ הוּא צָרִיךְ לַעֲמוֹד וְלַעֲשׂוֹת חֶשְׁבּוֹן הַנֶּפֶשׁ וּלְהִתְבּוֹנֵן בְּמַצָּבוֹ וּבְמַעֲמָדוֹ, וּבְכֹחַ זֶה, עַל יְדֵי חֶלְקוֹ הַפְּנִימִי הַנָּטוּעַ בְּקִרְבּוֹ וְעַל יְדֵי נִשְׁמָתוֹ אֲשֶׁר הִיא חֵלֶק אֱלוֹק מִמָּעַל, אַף הוּא יָבוֹא לִדְרוֹשׁ אַחַר כְּבוֹד שָׁמַיִם].
  1. The sefer's note: An addition from students' writings. ↩
  2. Avos 6:2. Mount Chorev is Mount Sinai. ↩
  3. The phrase echoes Iyov 31:2. ↩
In shortHowever low a Jew falls, thoughts of teshuvah, the Baal Shem Tov's “heavenly voice,” stir in him; heeding them, he comes to seek Heaven's honor.
5This lets us explain the two expressions “they sighed” and “they cried out.” “They cried out” is the great outcry that could be heard from outside, their cry over the harsh bondage. “They sighed” shows that deep within them was a profound sigh over the honor of Heaven. The verse calls it sighing because it was hidden. Only in a whisper, in the depths of their hearts, did they pray over the honor of Heaven, which was being profaned while they were in Egypt, the place called “the nakedness of the land.”10 This is also why the verse says “from the labor” twice. Besides their cry in the plain sense, over how much they suffered in Egypt, another cry was hidden inside it, over the honor of Heaven that was at stake. The power of this sigh came from the good hidden within them. And about this the verse says, “And God saw Bnei Yisrael, and God knew.” Only Hashem knows the secrets of the heart.11 He saw and understood that what Bnei Yisrael cared about most was the honor of Heaven. That is “and God knew”: it was revealed and known before Him that deep within themselves they were pleading for the honor of Heaven.
וּלְפִי זֶה יֵשׁ לְפָרֵשׁ כֶּפֶל הַלְּשׁוֹנוֹת ׳וַיֵּאָנְחוּ׳ ׳וַיִּזְעָקוּ׳, דְּ׳וַיִּזְעָקוּ׳ מוֹרֶה עַל הַצְּעָקָה הַגְּדוֹלָה הַנִּיכֶּרֶת בְּחִיצוֹנִיּוּת וְהִיא צַעֲקָתָם עַל קוֹשִׁי הַשִּׁיעְבּוּד, וְאִילּוּ ׳וַיֵּאָנְחוּ׳ מוֹרֶה שֶׁבְּתוֹךְ תּוֹכָם הָיְתָה אֲנָחָה עֲמוּקָּה עַל כְּבוֹד שָׁמַיִם, וְעַל כֵּן נֶאֱמַר לְשׁוֹן ׳וַיֵּאָנְחוּ׳ מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהָיָה זֶה בְּהֶסְתֵּר, שֶׁרַק בְּלַחַשׁ וְעוֹמֶק לְבָבָם הִתְפַּלְּלוּ עַל כְּבוֹד שָׁמַיִם הַמִּתְחַלֵּל בִּהְיוֹתָם בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם מְקוֹם עֶרְוַת הָאָרֶץ. וְזֶהוּ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ׳מִן הָעֲבוֹדָה׳ ב׳ פְּעָמִים, הַיְינוּ דְּמִלְּבַד זַעֲקָתָם כִּפְשׁוּטוֹ עַל גּוֹדֶל צַעֲרָם בְּמִצְרַיִם, הָיָה טָמוּן בָּזֶה עוֹד זְעָקָה עַל כְּבוֹד שָׁמַיִם שֶׁבַּדָּבָר, וְכֹחַ אַנְחָתָם הַזֶּה בָּא מִצַּד חֵלֶק הַטּוֹב הַטָּמוּן בְּתוֹכָם. וְעַל זֶה אָמַר הַכָּתוּב ׳וַיַּרְא אֱלֹקִים אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיֵּדַע אֱלֹקִים׳, שֶׁרַק ה׳ יִתְבָּרֵךְ יוֹדֵעַ תַּעֲלוּמוֹת לֵב, הוּא רָאָה וְהֵבִין שֶׁבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כַּוָּונָתָם בְּעִיקַּר עֲבוּר כְּבוֹד שָׁמַיִם, וְזֶהוּ ׳וַיֵּדַע אֱלֹקִים׳, שֶׁהָיָה גָּלוּי וְיָדוּעַ לְפָנָיו שֶׁבְּתוֹךְ תּוֹכָם מְבַקְּשִׁים לְמַעַן כְּבוֹד שָׁמַיִם.
  1. The phrase is from Bereishis 42:9. On Egypt as the most depraved of lands, see Rashi on Vayikra 18:3. ↩
  2. See Tehillim 44:22. ↩
In shortThe cry was over the bondage, but the hidden sigh was over Heaven's honor, and only Hashem, Who knows the heart, “saw” and “knew” it.
6With this we can also explain what we say at the close of the prayer Ana BeCho'ach: “Accept our outcry and hear our cry, O Knower of hidden things. Blessed is the Name of His glorious kingdom forever and ever.” We come to stand and plead before the Creator of the worlds because He knows hidden things. What lies deep in our hearts, that we are pleading for the honor of Heaven, is revealed and known before Him. That is why we say, “Accept our outcry and hear our cry.” The “cry” here is the inner sigh. A Jew stands and reflects on his bitter state, and he sighs, and the sigh bursts out from the depths of his heart. We ask the Holy One, blessed be He, to hear this sigh of ours, since He knows hidden things. He recognizes that even though we have fallen low, deep in our hearts we long and yearn for the honor of Heaven. All we want is “Blessed is the Name of His glorious kingdom forever and ever”: that the Name of His glorious kingdom grow ever greater in the world.
וּבָזֶה נוּכַל לְבָאֵר מַה שֶׁאוֹמְרִים בִּתְפִלַּת אָנָּא בְּכֹחַ, ׳שַׁוְעָתֵינוּ קַבֵּל וּשְׁמַע צַעֲקָתֵנוּ יוֹדֵעַ תַּעֲלוּמוֹת, בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ לְעוֹלָם וְעַד׳, הַיְינוּ דְּבָאִים אָנוּ בָּזֶה לַעֲמוֹד וּלְבַקֵּשׁ לִפְנֵי בּוֹרֵא עוֹלָמִים, מִכֵּיוָן שֶׁהוּא יִתְבָּרֵךְ יוֹדֵעַ תַּעֲלוּמוֹת, וְגָלוּי וְיָדוּעַ לְפָנָיו אֶת אֲשֶׁר בִּפְנִימִיּוּת לְבָבֵינוּ, שֶׁמְּבַקְּשִׁים אָנוּ עַל כְּבוֹד שָׁמַיִם, וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאוֹמְרִים אָנוּ ׳שַׁוְעָתֵינוּ קַבֵּל וּשְׁמַע צַעֲקָתֵנוּ׳, צְעָקָה הַיְינוּ בְּחִינַת הָאֲנָחָה הַפְּנִימִית, שֶׁכַּאֲשֶׁר אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל עוֹמֵד וּמִתְבּוֹנֵן בְּמַצָּבוֹ הַמַּר וּמִתְאַנֵּחַ, וְזוֹ הָאֲנָחָה בּוֹקַעַת מִמַּעֲמַקֵּי הַלֵּב, וּבַקָּשָׁתֵנוּ הִיא שֶׁיִּשְׁמַע הקב״ה אֶת אַנְחָתֵינוּ זוֹ כֵּיוָן שֶׁהוּא יוֹדֵעַ תַּעֲלוּמוֹת וּמַכִּיר בָּזֶה שֶׁאֲפִילּוּ שֶׁמַּצָּבֵינוּ שָׁפֵל, מִכָּל מָקוֹם בִּפְנִימִיּוּת הַלֵּב חוֹשְׁקִים וּמִתְאַוִּים אָנוּ לִכְבוֹד שָׁמַיִם, וְכָל רְצוֹנֵינוּ הוּא ׳בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ לְעוֹלָם וְעַד׳, שֶׁיִּתְרַבֶּה וְיִתְגַּדֵּל שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ בָּעוֹלָם.
In shortClosing Ana BeCho'ach, we ask the Knower of hidden things to hear our inner sigh, whose true wish is that His kingdom grow great.
7In this light we can understand what Dovid HaMelech said: “A maskil of Dovid, when he was in the cave, a prayer. With my voice I cry out to Hashem …”12 We may explain that maskil is a word for wisdom. When Dovid HaMelech prayed that Hashem save him from his enemies, one might have thought he was seeking his own honor. So he said maskil: anyone with the insight to look wisely will see that his prayer is for the honor of Heaven. Outwardly it may look as if all he wants is to be saved from his enemies. Inwardly, though, his intention is the verse's next words, “with my voice I plead to Hashem”: he pleads only for13 the honor of Hashem's kingdom. That is why the verse mentions that this was “when he was in the cave.” It shows that even in his time of many troubles, after he had suffered wars and been hunted by King Shaul, and much more besides, all that Dovid HaMelech asked for now was the honor of Heaven.
וּבָזֶה יֵשׁ לְפָרֵשׁ מַה שֶׁאָמַר דָּוִד הַמֶּלֶךְ ע״ה (תהלים קמב, א-ב) ״מַשְׂכִּיל לְדָוִד בִּהְיוֹתוֹ בַמְּעָרָה תְפִלָּה, קוֹלִי אֶל ה׳ אֶזְעָק״ וְגוֹ׳. וְיֵשׁ לְבָאֵר, דְּ׳מַשְׂכִּיל׳ הוּא לְשׁוֹן חָכְמָה, דְּהִנֵּה בְּעֵת שֶׁדָּוִד הַמֶּלֶךְ הִתְפַּלֵּל שֶׁה׳ יוֹשִׁיעַ אוֹתוֹ מִשּׂוֹנְאָיו, הָיָה אֶפְשָׁר לַחְשׁוֹב שֶׁכְּבוֹד עַצְמוֹ הוּא דּוֹרֵשׁ, לָכֵן אָמַר ׳מַשְׂכִּיל׳ שֶׁהַמַּשְׂכִּיל לִרְאוֹת בְּחָכְמָה, יַבְחִין שֶׁהַתְּפִלָּה שֶׁלּוֹ הִיא עֲבוּר כְּבוֹד שָׁמַיִם, שֶׁהֲגַם שֶׁבַּחִיצוֹנִיּוּת נִרְאֶה כְּאִילּוּ רְצוֹנוֹ רַק לְהִנָּצֵל מִשּׂוֹנְאָיו, אַךְ בִּפְנִימִיּוּת כַּוָּונָתוֹ הוּא בִּבְחִינַת ׳קוֹלִי אֶל ה׳ אֶתְחַנָּן׳, שֶׁהוּא מִתְחַנֵּן רַק עֲבוֹד כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ. וְעַל כֵּן הִזְכִּיר הַכָּתוּב שֶׁהָיָה זֶה בִּהְיוֹתוֹ בַּמְּעָרָה, לְגַלּוֹת בָּזֶה שֶׁדָּוִד הַמֶּלֶךְ ע״ה אַף בְּעֵת צָרוֹתָיו הַמְּרוּבּוֹת, אַחַר שֶׁסָּבַל מִמִּלְחָמוֹת וּרְדִיפוֹת מִשָּׁאוּל הַמֶּלֶךְ וְעוֹד כָּהֵנָּה וְכָהֵנָּה, עִם כָּל זֹאת כָּל בַּקָּשָׁתוֹ עַתָּה הִיא רַק לְמַעַן כְּבוֹד שָׁמַיִם.
  1. Tehillim 142:1–2. ↩
  2. The sefer has עבוד, a misprint for עבור, “for.” ↩
In shortDovid's prayer in the cave is a maskil: only insight reveals that his plea for rescue was really a plea for Heaven's honor.
8May the Holy One, blessed be He, help us to turn our hearts to the honor of Heaven, and so bring the redemption near. Amen, may it be His will.
הקב״ה יַעֲזוֹר, שֶׁנְּכַוֵּין לִכְבוֹד שָׁמַיִם, וּנְקָרֵב עַל יְדֵי זֶה הַגְּאוּלָּה, אָמֵן כֵּן יְהִי רָצוֹן.
In shortThe Rebbe prays that we turn our hearts to the honor of Heaven and so bring the redemption near.
9[Each of us must take a practical lesson from all this for himself.14 At every time and in every state, even when he has fallen very low, a person must plead and seek for the honor of Heaven. This is especially true now, in the days of Shovavim,15 a time suited to drawing close to Hashem and a time for repairing blemishes.]
*[וְהִנֵּה כָּל אֶחָד צָרִיךְ לִרְאוֹת מִכָּל זֶה לִיקַּח מוּסַר הַשֵּׂכֶל לְעַצְמוֹ לְמַעֲשֶׂה, שֶׁבְּכָל עֵת וּבְכָל מַצָּב שֶׁהוּא, אַף בְּעָמְדוֹ בְּשֵׁפֶל הַמַּצָּב, צָרִיךְ הוּא לְבַקֵּשׁ וְלִדְרוֹשׁ עַל כְּבוֹד שָׁמַיִם. וּבִפְרָט עַתָּה בְּעָמְדֵינוּ בִּימֵי השובבי״ם שֶׁהַזְּמַן גְּרָמָא לְהִתְקָרֵב אֶל השי״ת, וְהוּא עֵת תִּיקּוּן הַפְּגָמִים.
  1. The sefer's note: An addition from students' writings. ↩
  2. Shovavim is the name for the weeks of the Torah readings from Shemos through Mishpatim. It is a season traditionally devoted to teshuvah and to repairing blemishes. ↩
In shortIn every state we must seek Heaven's honor, above all during Shovavim, a time for drawing near to Hashem and repairing blemishes.
10[I would like to caution you and urge you about two things. The first is that we strengthen ourselves in learning Torah, the young men above all. They should make a point of learning for whole hours at a stretch, without breaking off to talk, in keeping with our enactment “Hosha Na: three hours.”16 Each of the three study sessions held in the yeshivah should open with at least an hour of unbroken learning, without any idle conversation. This advice will help a person master his mouth and tongue. When he learns without a break, without stopping for all kinds of talk, he keeps something like a fast from speech. This is a great repair in matters of holiness, for, as is known, the covenant of the tongue corresponds to the covenant of the flesh, the covenant of circumcision.17]
וּבִרְצוֹנִי לְהַזְהִיר וּלְעוֹרֵר עַל שְׁנֵי עִנְיָנִים, הָאֶחָד לְהִתְחַזֵּק בְּלִימּוּד הַתּוֹרָה, וּבְיִחוּד בְּנֵי הַנְּעוּרִים, לְהִתְעוֹרֵר בְּעִנְיַן לִימּוּד שָׁעוֹת רְצוּפוֹת בְּלִי הֶפְסֵק דִּיבּוּר, וּכְתַקָּנָתֵינוּ ׳הוֹשֵׁעַ נָא שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁעוֹת׳, שֶׁהַתְחָלַת כָּל סֵדֶר מג׳ הַסְּדָרִים הַנְּהוּגִים בִּישִׁיבָה תִּהְיֶה בְּלִימּוּד רָצוּף לְפָחוֹת בְּמֶשֶׁךְ הַשָּׁעָה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה בְּלִי לְהָשִׂיחַ בָּהֶם שִׂיחַת חוּלִּין. וְזֶה הָעֵצָה יוֹעִיל לוֹ לִהְיוֹת מוֹשֵׁל וְשׁוֹלֵט עַל פִּיו וּלְשׁוֹנוֹ, דְּעַל יְדֵי שֶׁיִּלְמַד בִּרְצִיפוּת מִבְּלִי לְהַפְסִיק בְּדִיבּוּרִים שׁוֹנִים הָוֵי כְּעֵין תַּעֲנִית דִּיבּוּר, וְהוּא תִּיקּוּן גָּדוֹל לְעִנְיְינֵי קְדוּשָּׁה, כַּנּוֹדָע שֶׁבְּרִית הַלָּשׁוֹן מְכֻוָּון כְּנֶגֶד בְּרִית הַמָּעוֹר.
  1. The name of the Rebbe's own enactment; the next sentence describes it. ↩
  2. See Sefer Yetzirah 1:3. ↩
In shortLearning the first hour of each session without idle talk is a fast from speech and a great repair in matters of holiness.
11a[The second thing is to strengthen ourselves in prayer. Anyone who sees that his prayer until now has not been as it should be should try to rise higher in it. This includes taking special care to guard the holiness of the synagogue and to answer amen, and keeping as far away as possible from talk and idle conversation during prayer. My holy father and teacher, zt"l, used to warn about this often, and he spoke at length about how serious it is. He would mention the well-known words of the Tosafos Yom Tov, R' Yom Tov Lipmann Heller, the commentator on the Mishnah, about the massacres of the years Tach and Tat.18 It was a time of terrible judgments and accusations, when many of Israel were slaughtered and their blood was spilled like water. In a dream, the Tosafos Yom Tov put a question to Heaven: why had Hashem done this to His people? After all, his generation had many great Torah scholars, by whose words we live to this day and whose Torah we still learn. What had brought on so terrible an accusation? He was answered from Heaven that they had fallen short in the honor due to prayer.]
הָעִנְיָן הַשֵּׁנִי, לְהִתְחַזֵּק בְּעִנְיַן תְּפִלָּה, שֶׁכָּל אֶחָד הַמַּכִּיר בְּעַצְמוֹ שֶׁתְּפִלָּתוֹ עַד עַתָּה לֹא הָיְתָה כָּרָאוּי, יִרְאֶה לְהִתְעַלּוֹת בְּעִנְיָן זֶה. וּבִכְלַל זֶה לְהִזָּהֵר בְּיוֹתֵר בִּשְׁמִירַת קְדוּשַּׁת בֵּית הַכְּנֶסֶת וּבַעֲנִיַּית אָמֵן, וּלְהִתְרַחֵק בְּכָל הָאוֹפֶן הָאֶפְשָׁרִי מִדִּיבּוּרִים וְשִׂיחָה בְּטֵילָה בִּשְׁעַת הַתְּפִלָּה. וכ״ק אאמו״ר זצללה״ה הָיָה רָגִיל לְהַזְהִיר עַל עִנְיָן זֶה, וְהִרְבָּה לְדַבֵּר בְּחוֹמֶר הָעִנְיָן, וְהִזְכִּיר אֶת דִּבְרֵי הַתּוֹסָפוֹת יוֹם טוֹב הַנּוֹדָעִים עַל תְּקוּפַת הַפְּרָעוֹת בִּשְׁנוֹת ת״ח ות״ט שֶׁהָיָה עֵת דִּינִים וְקִטְרוּגִים נוֹרָאִים, שֶׁנִּטְבְּחוּ הַרְבֵּה מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל וְנִשְׁפַּךְ דָּמָם כַּמַּיִם. וְשָׁאַל בִּשְׁאֵלַת חֲלוֹם עַל מָה וְלָמָּה עָשָׂה ה׳ כָּכָה לְעַמּוֹ, שֶׁהֲרֵי בְּדוֹרוֹ הָיוּ הַרְבֵּה גְּדוֹלֵי תּוֹרָה שֶׁעַד עַתָּה מִפִּיהֶם אָנוּ חַיִּים וְלוֹמְדִים אֶת תּוֹרָתָם, וּמַהוּ הַגּוֹרֵם לַקִּטְרוּג הַנּוֹרָא הַזֶּה. וְנַעֲנָה מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם, שֶׁחֶסְרוֹנָם הָיָה בִּכְבוֹד הַתְּפִילָּה,
  1. The years 5408–5409 (1648–1649), the time of the Chmielnicki massacres. ↩
11b[When a person comes to stand before a king of flesh and blood, how much awe and reverence he brings with him! All the more so, when we come to stand before the supreme King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He, we must come with reverence and with fitting holy awe. So even though there were great men and Torah scholars there, a terrible accusation was brought against them in Heaven, and this evil decree was issued. All this shows us how far the seriousness of the matter reaches. Whenever anyone enters the synagogue, he must know that he is now standing in prayer before the supreme King of kings, and that he is under a great obligation to conduct himself with reverence.]
שֶׁהֲרֵי בְּבוֹא אָדָם לַעֲמוֹד לִפְנֵי מֶלֶךְ בָּשָׂר וָדָם, כַּמָּה יַעֲשֶׂה זֹאת מִתּוֹךְ חֲרָדָה וְיִרְאַת הַכָּבוֹד, וְעַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה תִּגְדַּל הַחוֹבָה בְּבוֹאֵינוּ לַעֲמוֹד לִפְנֵי מֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְּלָכִים הקב״ה, שֶׁצָּרִיךְ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה זֹאת מִתּוֹךְ יִרְאַת הַכָּבוֹד וּבְחֶרְדַּת קוֹדֶשׁ הָרְאוּיָה. וְלָכֵן אַף שֶׁהָיוּ שָׁם גְּדוֹלִים וְלוֹמְדֵי תּוֹרָה, מִכָּל מָקוֹם נִגְרַם עֲלֵיהֶם קִטְרוּג נוֹרָא בַּשָּׁמַיִם, וְנִגְזְרָה הַגְּזֵירָה הָרָעָה הַזֹּאת. וְנוּכַל לִרְאוֹת מִכָּל זֶה, עַד הֵיכָן מַגַּעַת חוּמְרַת הָעִנְיָן, וְכָל אֶחָד כַּאֲשֶׁר נִכְנַס לְבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת צָרִיךְ שֶׁיֵּדַע כִּי עוֹמֵד הוּא עַתָּה בִּתְפִלָּה לִפְנֵי מֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְּלָכִים, וְחִיּוּב גָּדוֹל לִנְהוֹג בְּיִרְאַת הַכָּבוֹד.
11c[But when we do not come to the synagogue in this way, I do not wish to speak of how severe the punishment is, or how much harm it can cause. Everyone recognizes how grave our present situation is in this matter. It is not my way to go into detail, and I do not wish to speak against the people of Israel. But at the very least a great change must be made here, so that there will be no opening, Heaven forbid, for accusations, as we saw with the years Tach and Tat, Heaven save us. The great value of answering amen, and “Amen, yehei shmei rabba” in Kaddish, is likewise well known.]
אֲבָל כַּאֲשֶׁר בּוֹאֵנוּ לְבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת אֵינוֹ עַל דֶּרֶךְ הָאוֹפֶן הַנִּזְכָּר, אֵין רְצוֹנִי לְהַזְכִּיר אֶת גּוֹדֶל חוּמְרַת הָעוֹנֶשׁ עַל זֶה וְגוֹדֶל הָרָעָה שֶׁיְּכוֹלָה לְהִגָּרֵם עַל יְדֵי כָּךְ. וְכָל אֶחָד מַכִּיר בְּהַמַּצָּב הַחֲמוֹר שֶׁבּוֹ אָנוּ עוֹמְדִים אָנוּ לְעֵת עַתָּה בְּעִנְיָן זֶה, וְאֵין דַּרְכִּי לְפָרֵט, וְאֵין רְצוֹנִי לְקַטְרֵג עַל עַם יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְעַל כָּל פָּנִים יֵשׁ לְחוֹלֵל שִׁינּוּי גָּדוֹל בְּעִנְיָן זֶה, לְמַעַן לֹא יִהְיֶה ח״ו פִּתְחוֹן פֶּה לְקִטְרוּגִים, וְכַנִּזְכָּר לְעֵיל מֵעִנְיַן שְׁנוֹת ת״ח ת״ט רַחֲמָנָא לִיצְלַן. וּכְמוֹ כֵּן יָדוּעַ מַעֲלַת עֲנִיַּת אָמֵן וְאָמֵן יְהֵא שְׁמֵיהּ רַבָּה.
In shortPrayer demands reverence: the Tosafos Yom Tov was told the Tach and Tat massacres came from falling short in the honor due to prayer.
12[There are many more things I need to urge you about. Even so, we have relied on the saying of Chazal: “If you grasp too much, you have not grasped; if you grasp a little, you have grasped.”19 At the very least, then, let us take these two things to heart and strengthen ourselves in Torah and in prayer. Through this we will be privileged to bring near the time of the redemption, speedily in our days. Amen.]
וְעוֹד יֵשׁ צוֹרֶךְ לְעוֹרֵר עַל עִנְיָנִים רַבִּים, אַךְ מִכָּל מָקוֹם תָּמַכְנוּ יְתֵדוֹתֵינוּ בְּמַאֲמַר חז״ל (ראש השנה ד, ב) תָּפַסְתָּ מְרוּבֶּה לֹא תָּפַסְתָּ, תָּפַסְתָּ מוּעָט תָּפַסְתָּ, וְעַל כָּל פָּנִים לְכָל הַפָּחוֹת יֵשׁ לְהִתְעוֹרֵר בְּאֵלּוּ שְׁנֵי הָעִנְיָנִים, לְהִתְחַזֵּק בַּתּוֹרָה וּבִתְפִלָּה, וּבָזֶה נִזְכֶּה לְקָרֵב אֶת קֵץ הַגְּאוּלָּה בִּמְהֵרָה בְּיָמֵינוּ, אָמֵן].
  1. Rosh Hashanah 4b. ↩
In shortMay we at least strengthen ourselves in Torah and prayer, grasping a little rather than too much, and so bring the redemption near.
Takeaway

Even when we feel far from where we should be, and our prayers sound like nothing more than cries for relief, Hashem hears the hidden sigh beneath them, the heart's longing for His honor. When a thought of teshuvah comes, we should stop and take an honest accounting rather than let it pass. The Rebbe asks two things of us, learning without idle talk and standing in the synagogue with the reverence due to the King of kings, and through grasping these two we may be privileged to bring the redemption near.

Learn this in the merit of Rav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitz. His yahrzeit and life ›

All of Lehavas David

English translation, notes and summaries © Zechusam.