The Secret of the Chatan: The Ascent to the Sefirah of Binah and the Power of the Joy of Marriage
Lesson No. 107 | Tuesday morning, Parashat Eikev, 16 Menachem Av 5757 - at the Yeshiva
A profound discourse on the immense spiritual virtue of the Chatan (groom) on the day of his Chuppah (wedding canopy) and during the seven days of feasting. According to Chassidic teachings, the Chatan ascends to the Sefirah of Binah (the Divine emanation of Understanding), becomes the tzaddik of the generation, and has the power to draw down atonement for sins for all who participate in his joy—on a level even higher than Yom Kippur.
The prince of Gehenna (Hell) fights for souls, but the tzaddik says: "Whoever I grasp, no one will take him out of my hand." Whoever merits to truly serve the tzaddik, his soul is protected to such an extent that even Hashem, as it were, does not take this soul out of the tzaddik's hand. This struggle over the souls is revealed on the fifteenth of Av (Tu B'Av).
The sefer "Pri Tzaddik" explains that even Hoshea ben Elah, who was a wicked king, admitted that Chizkiyahu was the true tzaddik. He removed the barriers so that everyone could go up to Chizkiyahu in Jerusalem. Since the Jewish people did not go up, they became liable to death. Why did they not go up? Because a person must yearn. Even when there are closed borders and obstacles, if a person truly yearns—the border immediately opens and he makes the pilgrimage. But if they say, "We are victims of circumstance" and forget about Jerusalem, this is the greatest blemish.
The Strong Hand of Moshe Rabbeinu
The Torah testifies at the end of the Chumash (Five Books of Moses):
"And for all the strong hand, and for all the great awe, which Moshe performed before the eyes of all Israel."
What is this "strong hand"? The Jerusalem Talmud explains that Moshe's hand overpowered the hand of Hashem, as it were. The Jerusalem Talmud expounds: "For all the strong hand—this is the left," referring to Moshe's left hand. How did the struggle over the Luchos (Tablets) unfold? Moshe Rabbeinu came with his left hand, and Hashem, as it were, with His right hand. The tzaddik ascended and merited with his left hand to lower the right hand of Hashem, and to snatch the Luchos.
The sefer "Yefeh Mareh" explains the depth of this matter: Hashem, in His conduct of the world, is referred to in Kabbalistic terms as "Zeir Anpin" (the Small Face, representing the lower emotional attributes). However, when Moshe ascended to receive the Luchos, he ascended to the Sefirah of Binah (Understanding), which is above "Zeir Anpin." Moshe was incorporated into Binah, and the rule is that the left hand of the Sefirah of Binah is stronger and more "right-sided" than the right hand of Zeir Anpin. Here it is revealed how high the tzaddik can ascend—he bypasses, as it were, the regular Divine conduct and is incorporated into the Supernal Binah, into "Ima Ila'ah" (the Supernal Mother, the source of spiritual nurturing and redemption).
The Chatan as the Tzaddik of the Generation
This secret of the ascent to the Sefirah of Binah is the secret of the wedding. The "Degel Machaneh Ephraim" explains the verse:
"Go forth and gaze, O daughters of Zion, upon King Shlomo, upon the crown with which his mother crowned him on the day of his wedding, and on the day of the gladness of his heart."
Every single Chatan on the day of his Chuppah ascends to the Sefirah of Binah, to "Ima Ila'ah." The Supernal Mother crowns him with crowns, and the Chatan is literally incorporated into Binah. The Chatam Sofer zt"l said that during the seven days of the wedding feast, the Chatan is the tzaddik of the generation. It is told that the Chatam Sofer asked a certain Chatan to bless him and pray for him. When they asked him the meaning of this, he replied: "The Chatan is now the tzaddik of the generation!"
During these seven days, the Chatan who ascends to the Sefirah of Binah has the power to forgive all sins. His left hand can, as it were, overcome the right hand of Hashem, because he is situated above the regular Divine conduct.
Atonement of Sins for Those Who Gladden the Chatan
Anyone who goes to the Chatan, participates with him, escorts him, brings him joy, and dances by him—all his sins are forgiven. Why? Because through the joy, he becomes incorporated with the Chatan, who is currently in the Sefirah of Binah.
When one is present at the joy of a Chatan and Kallah (bride), such a great light descends that all sins are forgiven for anyone who contemplates teshuvah (repentance). In our generation, a person must contemplate teshuvah every second. A person walks in the street and is liable to stumble in thousands of forbidden sights. Therefore, the moment he makes a Vidui (confession prayer), even in his thoughts, through the power of the Chatan's holiness—everything is immediately forgiven.
Above the Level of Yom Kippur
The "Degel Machaneh Ephraim" reveals a novel concept that the joy of a Chatan and Kallah and the Sheva Brachos (seven wedding blessings) is a level higher than Yom Kippur. Every year on Yom Kippur we ascend to the Sefirah of Binah, which is why we say "Baruch Shem Kevod Malchuso Le'olam Va'ed" (Blessed is the Name of His glorious kingdom for all eternity) aloud. But at a wedding, the Chatan does not merely ascend to Binah—he himself becomes "Ima Ila'ah"!
The Chatan himself becomes the aspect of Yom Kippur. His entire essence now is the atonement of sins. During the seven days of the feast, he is stripped of this physical world, existing in the state of Adam before the sin, entirely enveloped in the Ohr HaGanuz (the Hidden Light).
Therefore, the dancing and joy at a wedding sweeten all the judgments. Through the dancing, the left overcomes the right, nullifying all the accusations in the world. In the merit of this joy, through which we merit to hear the five voices of the giving of the Torah, we can merit in the blink of an eye to the rebuilding of the Beis HaMikdash (Holy Temple), the complete Geulah (Redemption), and Mashiach ben David.
Part 3 of 3 — Lesson No. 107