The Secret of Humiliation: The Power of Faith in the Face of Mockery and Opening the Fiftieth Gate
Class No. 149 | Motzaei Shabbos Parashas Chukas, Eve of 11 Tammuz 5758 - Class for Shadarim (Emissaries)
During the time of Pharaoh's decrees, righteous women such as Bisyah, Yocheved, and Miriam held onto a burning faith in the coming of the Redeemer, even in the face of despair and mockery. This article reveals the tremendous secret of accepting humiliation with love, which corresponds to the years of the lives of the Seven Shepherds, and has the power to open the Fiftieth Gate of holiness for a person.
Facing all the horrific sights of the Egyptian decrees, and within Pharaoh's very own palace, everyone agreed to the decrees except for one daughter—Bisyah, the daughter of Pharaoh. She refused to accept her father's actions and declared, "I am waiting for this nation to be redeemed; I believe that the Redeemer will come very soon." She begged for the soul of the Redeemer to descend into the world, and in the merit of her faith, Hashem granted her Ruach HaKodesh (Divine Inspiration). She foresaw that the child was going to be thrown into the Nile River, and she knew that she would merit to raise the savior of Israel.
"She rises while it is still night, and gives food to her household and a portion to her maidens" (Proverbs 31:15).
This verse alludes to Bisyah, the daughter of Pharaoh, who would rise early in the morning and stay out late into the evening. For many days before Moshe was thrown in, she and her maidens would stroll along the Nile during the twilight hours of the morning and evening—the times when Jewish mothers would cast their children into the river in the hope that a merciful Egyptian would find them. She was searching for Moshe's ark, and because it came to her hand, Hashem granted her request.
She Considered a Field and Bought It: The Prayer of the Mothers
Similar to Bisyah, Yocheved also prayed incessantly to merit giving birth to the soul of the Redeemer. Regarding her, the verse states:
"She considered a field and bought it; from the fruit of her handiwork she planted a vineyard" (Proverbs 31:16).
Yocheved merited to give birth to and raise this wondrous soul, and in doing so, she saved the "field" of Hashem—the Nation of Israel. From here we learn a tremendous foundational principle: A person must direct all of their prayers toward meriting to give birth to the soul of the savior of Israel.
Miriam's Rebuke and the Secret of the Months of Destruction
At that time, Amram, who was the head of the Sanhedrin and the greatest sage of the generation, divorced his wife Yocheved following Pharaoh's decree. Following his lead, all of Israel divorced their wives. Then Miriam arose, a mere five-year-old girl, and was not ashamed to rebuke her elderly, 120-year-old father. Regarding her, it is said: "She girded her loins with strength" (Proverbs 31:17).
Miriam said to him: "You are making three grave mistakes! First, you have the power to nullify Pharaoh's decree. Second, Pharaoh only decreed against the males, but you are decreeing against the females as well. And third, I see with Ruach HaKodesh (Divine Inspiration) that the savior of Israel is destined to emerge from you!" Immediately, Amram listened to her voice and took back his wife.
In the book Asarah Maamaros, it is brought down that the months of Tammuz and Av were established as the months of destruction because that was when the divorces began among the Jewish people. When Amram divorced his wife, everyone said, "Are we more righteous than Amram?" and they divorced as well. Hashem said to them, "You did not have mercy on your wives and you destroyed your homes; I, too, will destroy the pride of your strength (the Holy Temple)." All of this happened because they lacked bitachon (trust in Hashem). They did not believe that with emunah (faith), one can nullify a thousand of Pharaoh's decrees.
Accepting Spitting with Love: The Secret of the Seven Shepherds
When Moshe was born and thrown into the Nile, it seemed that Miriam's prophecy had failed. The Midrash Shocher Tov (on Proverbs) describes Amram's reaction in a chilling manner:
"And her father spat in her face... and for this she shall be ashamed for seven days" (Numbers 12:14).
Amram slapped Miriam, spat in her face again and again, and scolded her: "Where is your prophecy? Look at what troubles you have caused me!" But Miriam did not lose her emunah and did not fall into despair. She strengthened herself in her prophecy and said: My prophecy will indeed be fulfilled; I am not afraid of your spitting.
Here lies a tremendous secret: Every time a person is spat upon and humiliated, it is worth 310 (Sh"I) worlds. One who accepts three instances of being spat upon with love merits a spiritual attainment corresponding to all the years of the lives of Adam HaRishon and the Seven Shepherds, which total 930 years!
The calculation is exact: Avraham and Yitzchak were each supposed to live 180 years (360), Moshe 120 (480), David 70 (550), Aharon 123 and Yaakov 147 (together 270, bringing us to 820), and Yosef 110 years—together exactly 930 years. Whoever accepts three instances of being spat upon already possesses the totality of the Seven Patriarchs. He receives the illumination of all the lives they lived, and all the spiritual attainments they were meant to receive.
Opening the Fiftieth Gate and Illuminating the Home
When a person goes out to spread Torah (as a Shadar - rabbinical emissary) and endures millions of insults and being spat upon, he does not know which Fiftieth Gate (Sha'ar HaNun) is opening for him, and what spiritual lights and attainments he is destined to receive.
This is also true within the home. When a person illuminates his wife with the 224 spiritual lights before leaving the house, he will always be filled with joy and gladness, paying no attention to any negative words. If he lovingly accepts even shouts from his wife, which stem from her pain, he will see how the Fiftieth Gate opens for him, and he will merit to see the Seven Shepherds at every moment.
In the merit of this self-sacrifice, those righteous women merited a high place in the Garden of Eden. Yocheved, Batya, Miriam, Serach bat Asher, and Devorah the Prophetess are in the supernal chambers, beholding the image of Moshe and Yosef, while angels sing the Song of the Sea with them. Whoever is willing to absorb insults for the sake of Hashem will also merit those supernal attainments and the complete Geulah (Redemption) speedily in our days, Amen.
Part 2 of 2 — Lesson No. 149
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