The Secret of Hod: The Immense Light of Yosef HaTzaddik and the Song of King David

Lesson No. 21 | Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Parashas Balak, 5, 6, 7, 8 Tammuz 5755 (Continued in 22)

When the people of Israel suffer, the nations of the world lose their faith, but the salvation of Hashem restores faith to the entire world. Yosef HaTzaddik, from within his suffering in the pit and in prison, brought down to the world a light of joy so immense that King David needed to constrict it through his song. This is the secret of the trait of Hod (Splendor/Submission) of Mashiach ben David—the supreme ability to rejoice even when you are defeated.

When Jews suffer and undergo tribulations, the entire world is liable to fall from faith. The nations look at the people of Israel and ask: "How does Hashem allow such a thing to happen to a Jew?" Regarding this, King David says in Tehillim (Psalms):

"Praise Hashem, all you nations; extol Him, all you peoples. For His loving-kindness has overwhelmed us, and the truth of Hashem is forever, Halleluyah."

The question arises: If the loving-kindness has overwhelmed us, the people of Israel, why are the nations the ones who need to praise Hashem? The answer is that the nations of the world lift their eyes to the people of Israel. When things are good for the people of Israel, the nations recognize that the God of Israel is the God of Truth. Everyone knows that the Torah of Israel is a Torah of truth, which does not allow for lawlessness, unlike other faiths where a person can sin, confess, and move on as he pleases.

But when they see that there are troubles for Israel, the whole world falls from faith. The nations wonder: After all, the Jews are a quiet people who do no harm to anyone, and if such things are done to them—where is the justice? Therefore, when Hashem does kindness with Israel and avenges their vengeance, the nations of the world return to their faith. This is also the explanation of the verse at the end of the Song of Haazinu:

"Sing aloud, O nations, of His people; for He will avenge the blood of His servants, and will render vengeance to His adversaries, and will appease His land and His people."

When the nations hear that Hashem is avenging the vengeance of Israel, everyone begins to believe that Hashem is truly God.

The Burning Light of Yosef HaTzaddik

This secret of faith from within suffering is revealed in all its intensity by Yosef HaTzaddik. His holy brothers—Yehudah, Reuven, Shimon, and Levi—sell him as a slave. Shimon pushes him into the pit, and Levi the tzaddik, about whom it is said, "Your Thummim and Your Urim be with Your pious one," cooperates with him. This is a terrible and dreadful thing that illustrates how a person in this world stands on a hairsbreadth.

Yosef was placed in terrible danger, a danger that even Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov did not face. Despite this, Yosef did not stop his dancing and his singing for even a single second, neither in the pit nor in the prison.

The holy Zohar says that through this joy, Yosef brought down to the world a light so immense and great that it had the power to burn up the entire world. This is a blinding light that must be coated and covered, because if people were to use it as it is, they would simply be burned by its intensity.

The Song of David and the Secret of the Trait of Hod

Here King David enters the picture. David saw that the great light that Yosef brought down through his joy and revelation was in the world. So that the tzaddikim could connect to this light without being burned, King David made a "coating" for it through his songs and psalms. Regarding this it is said:

"I have prepared a lamp for My anointed (Mashiach)."

David acted so that this light could shine in a correct and precise manner. The Zohar explains that only Mashiach ben David knows the secret of the correct constriction (tzimtzum) and the arrangement of the traits (Middos/Sefiros).

Hashem created the Sefirah of "Chochmah" (Wisdom), which is a great light that can burn the world, and therefore He built opposite it "Binah" (Understanding) which constricts it—the ability to deduce one thing from another. He created "Chesed" (Loving-kindness), which is also an immense light, and constricted it through "Gevurah" (Might/Restraint).

Afterward, Hashem created the trait of "Netzach" (Victory/Eternity). It is human nature to want to win; after all, one does not sing and chant for someone who is defeated. But opposite Netzach, Hashem created the trait of "Hod" (Splendor/Submission). What is the trait of Hod? Splendor and majesty are when a person is defeated—yet he remains in his joy. To be defeated and to rejoice—this is true joy.

This is the secret of "I have prepared a lamp for My anointed." Mashiach ben David is the one who knows the secret of Hod: even when he is defeated, he is filled with joy. In the merit of this power, may we merit the complete Geulah (Redemption) speedily in our days, Amen.

Part 2 of 4 — Lesson No. 21

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