The Secret of the Reincarnations of Tzipporah's Soul and Receiving the Torah Anew
Lesson No. 120 | Thursday, Parashas Miketz, 26 Kislev, 2nd Candle of Chanukah 5758 - Lesson at the Breslov Kollel for Young Men
Yosef HaTzaddik revealed to his brothers his power to bring the two Mashiachs. From there, the lesson continues to the secret of the soul of Tzipporah, the twin sister of Hevel, who flew up to heaven to be saved from Kayin, and reincarnated into Devorah the Prophetess and Queen Esther in order to complete her portion in receiving the Torah—a light that shines upon us anew through the Chanukah candles.
Yosef HaTzaddik told his brothers about his dream, in which the sun and the moon bowed down to him. The brothers did not believe him and did not understand the depth of his words. Yosef was essentially telling them, "I can stop the sun and the moon; let us redeem the Land of Israel right now." The dream hints that Yosef attained the highest spiritual comprehension of the concept of the sun and the moon, which represent the Kabbalistic secrets of Zeir Anpin (the sun, representing the masculine Divine emotional attributes) and Malchus (the moon, representing the feminine Divine attribute of Kingship).
Yosef hinted to his brothers that he is the one who can bring the two Mashiachs—both Mashiach ben David and Mashiach ben Yosef. Through this power of the sun and the moon, the tzaddik can subdue all the nations that have strayed from the path of Hashem, particularly Esav and Yishmael, and shine a great light of deveikus (attachment) to the Torah twenty-four hours a day without interruption.
The Mark of Kayin and the Secret of the Divine Name Ekyeh
In contrast, we see the sin of Kayin. The moment Hashem rebuked Kayin, he could have done teshuvah (repentance). But the exact opposite happened—he lost his senses and his clarity of thought, he became even more jealous of Hevel, the evil inclination lay in wait for him and ruled over him, and therefore he killed Hevel.
After the sin, Hashem engraved the Hebrew letter Vav on his forehead. What does the letter Vav symbolize? The numerical value (gematria) of the letter Vav is six, and it hints at the six letters of the Divine Name Ekyeh (representing higher Divine mercy and potential). Kayin lost the spiritual comprehension of the ten letters of the Divine Name Elokim (representing strict justice), and therefore he fell lower and lower. In order to save him, Hashem returned to him the illumination of the six letters from the Name *Ekyeh* and engraved them on his forehead. A complete tikkun (rectification) for these spiritual configurations (partzufim) was accomplished later through the waters of the Flood, which washed and purified the world.
Tzipporah Flying to the Heavens
Here we arrive at the immense secret of Tzipporah. Tzipporah embodies the Kabbalistic secret of the 370 supernal lights (Sh"A Nehorin). The Midrash reveals that Tzipporah was the extra twin sister born with Hevel. After Kayin killed Hevel, he wanted to take Tzipporah as a wife.
The moment Kayin approached her, Tzipporah immediately uttered the Ineffable Name of Hashem, took flight, and ascended to the heavens like a free bird. Because of this, she is called "Tzipporah" (from the word tzippor, meaning bird)—because she ascended to the heavens like a bird. In heaven, she became a shining star and was called by the name "Istahar" (Esther).
The Journey of the Soul: From Devorah to Esther
The holy book Asarah Maamaros reveals the journey of her soul. After she ascended to heaven, she descended back into the world as Tzipporah, the wife of Moshe Rabbeinu. However, according to the opinion that Yisro only came to Moshe after the Giving of the Torah, it turns out that Tzipporah was not present at the revelation at Mount Sinai.
When Moshe wanted to bring his wife and sons down to Egypt, Aharon went out to meet him and said to him:
"We are already grieving over the first ones (the Jews suffering in Egypt), and you are coming to add to them?"
Consequently, Moshe sent her back to her father's house (as the verse states, "after she had been sent away"). Because Tzipporah missed the Song of the Sea and the Giving of the Torah, her soul had to reincarnate again. She returned in a reincarnation as Devorah the Prophetess, in order to merit singing the "Song of Devorah" as a completion for missing the Song of the Sea.
Receiving the Torah Anew
But the tikkun (rectification) was still not complete. In order to merit the aspect of receiving the Torah, Tzipporah's soul reincarnated one more time into Queen Esther. The first receiving of the Torah was through Moshe Rabbeinu, but the second receiving of the Torah, about which it is said:
"The Jews established and accepted upon themselves and upon their descendants"
occurred in the merit of Esther. The entire Megillas Esther is essentially the Giving of the Torah anew, and the entire creation is called by the name of Esther.
This secret of receiving the Torah anew shines upon us during the days of Chanukah as well. Through lighting and contemplating the Chanukah candles, every Jew can merit to hear the voice of the Giving of the Torah anew.
Part 3 of 3 — Lesson No. 120