The Secret of Self-Nullification: How the Spark of Mashiach in Every Jew is Revealed
Lesson No. 81 | Sunday, Parashas Vayechi, Eve of 13 Teves 5757. Parashas Mishpatim, Shevat 5757
A profound discourse explaining the difference between prayer and Hisbodedus (secluded prayer), and the secret of absolute self-nullification. Through the figures of Elisha, Yaakov Avinu (our Patriarch), and Moshe Rabbeinu, it is revealed how specifically through true humility and lowliness, a person can discover the root of their soul and awaken the spark of Mashiach within them.
Elisha the Prophet was so hidden, so humble and lowly, that all the disciples of Eliyahu the Prophet had no idea of his spiritual attainments. They thought he was merely accompanying him. However, when Eliyahu the Prophet departed this world, Rashi says that the Ruach HaKodesh (Divine Inspiration) departed from the rest of the disciples. Fifty men searched for Eliyahu for three days and could not find him, while Elisha merited to receive a double portion of his spirit. How is it possible to receive a double portion? Because Elisha accompanied him with mesirus nefesh (self-sacrifice) to Beis El, and from there to Yericho, and from there to Gilgal, and did not leave him for a single moment.
When a tzaddik passes away, he is absorbed into the Ohr Ein Sof (Infinite Light), into the supernal spirit. The tzaddik himself is absorbed into the Infinite Light, and the disciple who follows him day and night with such devotion, with fear of Heaven and *mesirus nefesh* (self-sacrifice), can merit at that very moment to receive a double portion. Such a disciple, who is attached to the tzaddik until the very end, merits eternal life.
Discovering the Root of the Soul
With every mitzvah through which we serve Hashem, we must strive to merit eternal life and create the spiritual vessels for it. Rebbe Nachman says in Torah 21 that Hashem, may He be blessed, lives eternally, and when a person is absorbed into their root, into Him, may He be blessed, then they too live eternally. This is how Eliyahu the Prophet lives eternally, Moshe Rabbeinu lives eternally, and the Patriarchs live eternally, because they were absorbed into the One.
A person's entire purpose in the world is to discover their root, to be absorbed into the One, and to be absorbed into Hashem, may He be blessed. But how can a person merit to discover their root? The essential path to achieve this, as Rebbe Nachman explains in Torah 42, is the practice of Hisbodedus.
The Difference Between Prayer and Hisbodedus
There is a fundamental difference between prayer and Hisbodedus. When a person prays to be a tzaddik, to be God-fearing, or to be holy—that is called prayer, it is not called Hisbodedus. True Hisbodedus is when a person nullifies all their desires and all their bad character traits, and sees that pride still remains within them. The pride that says, "I am the most important, I must be served, and everyone must bow down to me"—this is the work of Haman.
Regarding this, it is said about Haman:
"Yet all this is worth nothing to me"
The final letters of the Hebrew words "vechol zeh einennu shoveh li" (and all this is worth nothing to me) form the Tetragrammaton (the holy name of Hashem) in reverse, a combination that corresponds to the month of Tammuz, the month of destruction. When a person engages in Hisbodedus, they must toil until nothing is left of themselves, until they transform and rectify all the combinations of Hashem's holy name.
Because the soul is the exact opposite of the body. The body wants everything for itself, but the soul wants nothing for itself—it only wants to emanate and bestow upon others. The body only wants for itself, and the soul is the opposite of the body—it wants nothing for itself, it only wants to bestow. The tzaddik is solely a bestower; he has absolutely no desire to receive or take. A person must reach such a spiritual level that nothing remains of their ego. When they practice Hisbodedus and see that they are truly absolute nothingness and worth nothing—that is called true Hisbodedus. If a person is only in the state of a "receiver" who takes for themselves, they are the opposite of Hashem, who is the Supreme Bestower.
Mashiach Never Imagined He Was Mashiach
Rebbe Nachman says in Torah 79 that in every Jew there is a spark of Mashiach. But what is Mashiach? People think that Mashiach means everyone must bow down to him and proclaim him as Mashiach. The Chasam Sofer says the exact opposite: Mashiach never even imagined that he was Mashiach!
The prime example of this is Moshe Rabbeinu. Hashem argued with him for seven days at the Burning Bush. Moshe argued with Hashem for 168 consecutive hours, day and night, claiming that he was unworthy. He said to Hashem:
"Please send by the hand of whomever You will send"
The Ramban explains that Moshe Rabbeinu meant to say: "Every Jew, in every country in the world, is better than me!" Moshe truly knew that he deserved nothing and was unworthy of any spiritual level. Only a person who knows that they deserve nothing, and that they are unworthy of any level—only they can be Mashiach. Mashiach is the most humble of all men on the face of the earth, and he sees the immense importance of every single Jew.
Indeed, Hashem is in This Place
We find this concept as well with Yaakov Avinu in Parashas Vayetzei, when he said:
"Surely Hashem is in this place, and I did not know it"
It is brought in the sefer Heichal HaBracha of Komarno that the gematria (numerical value) of the words "Achen yesh Hashem bamakom hazeh" (Surely Hashem is in this place) equals exactly 541 — the same numerical value as "Yisrael". At that moment, the root of the souls of the Jewish people was revealed to Yaakov Avinu. He saw what tremendous lights were destined to descend into the world through the souls of Israel, and he immediately nullified himself before this light and said, "and I did not know it" — I am nothing; I no longer see anything of myself in the face of these lights.
Having Mesirus Nefesh (Self-Sacrifice) for the Jewish People
Based on this, Rebbe Nachman explains that Moshe Rabbeinu sacrificed himself for the Jewish people specifically because he had mesirus nefesh (self-sacrifice) that stemmed from a true recognition of his own lowliness. He knew, "Who am I and what am I?" One who is a true tzaddik and genuinely knows his own lowliness is capable of sacrificing his soul for the Jewish people. When a person recognizes that he is worth nothing, he directs himself every day to have mesirus nefesh, and then he elevates the entire world and becomes included in his spiritual root.
When a person sees tragedies and troubles befalling the Jewish people, he must understand that everything depends on us. If we were truly doing genuine teshuvah (repentance), no Jew would be harmed. How can a person say, "I am a tzaddik," when there is suffering among the Jewish people? A person must share in the tragedy that descends upon the Jewish people and feel the pain in every moment and every second. Only someone who is on the level of Moshe Rabbeinu, whose point of humility is so absolute that he does not think of himself at all, can stop tragedies and sweeten the harsh judgments from upon the Jewish people.
Part 1 of 2 — Lesson No. 81
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