The Secret of Hiskashrus (Connection) to the Tzaddik: Shedding the Garments of Skin and Meriting Garments of Light
Lesson No. 194 | * Tuesday, Parshas Nasso, Eve of 4 Sivan 5759 - Lesson for the 'Shaarei Torah' Yeshiva for Youth
The entire world was created so that the people of Israel would do the will of Hashem. Through Emunas Chachamim (faith in the Sages) and nullification to the tzaddikim, every Jew can elevate themselves above the limitations of the material world, shed their physical desires, and merit that their body will shine with a tremendous spiritual light, just as it was at the Giving of the Torah.
The entire world was created for the sake of the people of Israel, who are called "Reishis" (the first). All of creation waited for the Giving of the Torah on the sixth day, as Hashem made a condition with the works of creation:
"If Israel accepts the Torah, it is good; but if not, I will return you to Tohu VaVohu (astonishing emptiness and void)."
All the galaxies, stars, and constellations were created solely so that Israel would do the will of Hashem, cling to their root, and become completely included in Him, may He be blessed, who is the absolute reality. Aside from Hashem, there is no other reality in the world, and everything was created so that the people of Israel would live and fulfill His will.
Servants of Hashem from the Age of One Month
From this, we understand that everything Israel does is the will of the Omnipresent, and we must only think at all times about how to do His will more and more. The Midrash (Bamidbar Rabbah 3) comments on the verse:
"And you shall count the tribe of Levi... from one month old and upward you shall count them."
Why were the members of the tribe of Levi counted from the age of one month? The Midrash explains that from the moment they were born, they were already called servants of Hashem. When a person dedicates their entire life to the service of Hashem day and night, then even the days when they were a baby and could not actively serve Hashem are considered for them as if they had served Hashem during them. This is the tremendous merit of the tribe of Levi, who have no other interest in the world aside from the service of Hashem.
The Tzaddikim Who Do Not Tread on the Earth
At the Giving of the Torah, everyone was healed: the blind saw, the deaf heard, and the lame received legs. The true tzaddikim are called "masters of crutches," because they do not tread upon the earth of this world at all. They do not see the world, they do not hear it, and they do not perceive it, similar to the seventh Bettler (beggar) from the story of Rebbe Nachman, who has no legs at all.
Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai told a story from ancient times about two Torah scholars, among the greatest of their generation, who were traveling in the desert on the eve of Shabbos. They were riding on galloping horses and wanted to reach a certain place, but they saw that they were unable to make any progress. Suddenly, a lame man walking on crutches appeared before them, not touching the ground at all.
The lame man asked them where they were galloping, and when they answered him, he said: "You will no longer reach there; you are in the heart of the desert and the eve of Shabbos is approaching. But instead, bind yourselves to me, and I will take you out on the wings of eagles." The scholars wondered: "How can you, a lame man on crutches, take us, while we are riding on swift horses?"
The Power of Emunas Chachamim (Faith in the Sages)
The lame man replied to them: "Even though you are riding on animals that run fast, and you see me as a lame man without legs, if you wish, I will bring you right now to a place that has all the good in the world. Just close your eyes and ears, bind yourselves to me, and wherever I fly, you will fly too."
When a person believes in the Tzaddik Yesod Olam (the Tzaddik who is the foundation of the world) and nullifies himself to him, the tzaddik flies him in the blink of an eye. The phrase "keheref ayin" (in the blink of an eye) has the numerical value of 435, exactly the same as the words "Tzaddik Yesod Olam." The tzaddik told them to recite together with him the holy name "Ana B'Koach," which sweetens every judgment in the world. As soon as they did so, they flew a distance of five hundred parasangs in a millisecond, and they saw the tzaddik flying before them like a comet.
Shedding the Body and Shining Like the Sun
They found themselves at the entrance of a massive cave. Inside, three hundred students sat and learned, while eating from all the delicacies of the world. In the cave, there was a table, a golden menorah, and a bed inlaid with precious stones and pearls. The lame man stood on his crutches and served them, urging them to eat and drink after their long journey in the desert.
While they were eating, a tremendous wonder occurred: Suddenly, they saw how the lame man shed his physical body and reappeared with a spiritual body shining like the sun at midday. His soul radiated like the precious stones of "leshem, shevo, and achlamah" (opal, agate, and amethyst), exactly as the skin of Moshe Rabbeinu's face shone when he descended with the Tablets.
The author of the "Sfas Emes" explains a fundamental rule: Anything that was included in a general category and was singled out, was not singled out to teach only about itself, but to teach about the entire category. When the people of Israel stood at the Giving of the Torah and saw the thunder and lightning, their spiritual impurity ceased, and they emerged from all physical desires.
The "Sfas Emes" says that every Jew can merit this level of Moshe Rabbeinu. Every person can strip off their "garments of skin" – the body of the snake, the lusts, and the blemishes – and merit "garments of light", until their body shines like the midday sun. Through proper preparation for receiving the Torah, disconnecting from forbidden sights, and true holiness, the Divine spark is revealed, and a person merits to strip off all physical garments and stand face to face before Hashem.
Part 1 of 3 — Lesson No. 194