The Secret of the Soul Root of the Daughters of Zelophehad

Lesson No. 7 | 12th of Iyar 5755 - Continuation from No. 6 / 14th of Iyar 5755 - Melaveh Malkah (the post-Shabbat meal) / 14th of Iyar 5755 - Continuation in No. 8

Why did Moshe Rabbeinu (Moses our Teacher), who received the entire Torah, need to ask Hashem (the Creator) regarding the judgment of the daughters of Zelophehad? A profound article explaining the immense greatness of the souls of the Tzaddikim (righteous ones) who are called "living," and the secret of the soul root of the daughters of Zelophehad in the Gevuros Elyonos (Higher Severities).

Do Tzaddikim cause ritual impurity upon their death?

Eliyahu HaNavi (Elijah the Prophet) teaches us a powerful principle: Tzaddikim, even after their histalkus (passing away) from the world, do not cause ritual impurity. We see that Rabbi Akiva, despite having a physical body, did not cause impurity. This is also the custom in the Ar'a Kadisha (the Holy Land), as the 'Bnei Yissaschar' brings down, that in any place where there are no other graves around—the Kohanim (priests) are accustomed to go to the graves of the Tzaddikim.

Regarding the Me'arat HaMachpelah (Cave of the Patriarchs), the matter is slightly different and raises a question, since there are additional coffins there. It is known that on the lower level, beneath the place where we pray, the coffins of many Jews who wanted to be buried there were brought in over the generations, and even gentiles, priests, and monks requested to be buried there with Magen David symbols. Because of those foreign skeletons located there, a Kohen is not permitted to enter the Me'arat HaMachpelah. However, at the graves of Tzaddikim such as Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, where there are no foreign graves around, the custom in Eretz Yisrael (the Land of Israel) is that the Kohanim go up to the Tziyun (holy gravesite), because the Tzaddikim in their death are called living.

Based on this principle, a question arose during the carrying of the coffin of Yosef HaTzaddik (Joseph the Righteous). After all, Mishael and Elzaphan the sons of Uzziel carried Nadav and Avihu, and not the coffin of Yosef. And why? Because they said: "Yosef is alive!" He is in the category of the living and does not cause impurity. They saw him as a literal "human soul," a living soul, in the aspect of Adam HaRishon (the first man). If the Tzaddikim are alive and enduring, why should they cause impurity?

However, Rashi explains that regarding the dry Halacha (law), even if they are "living dead" and greater in their death than in their lives, ultimately the body does not move, and therefore according to the Halacha, they cause impurity. Yet in the depth of the matter, there is an aspect of eternal life here.

The Doubt of Moshe Regarding the Daughters of Zelophehad

From these matters, we come to understand the depth in the portion of the daughters of Zelophehad. The Torah tells us that Moshe Rabbeinu was in doubt regarding their judgment and brought their case before Hashem. On the surface, this is puzzling: Moshe Rabbeinu was on Mount Sinai for forty days and forty nights and received the entire Torah. The Halacha of "If a man dies and has no son, you shall transfer his inheritance to his daughter" (Numbers 27) should have been known to him. If so, what new doubt suddenly arose regarding the daughters of Zelophehad?

Rather, the Arizal HaKadosh (the holy Rabbi Isaac Luria) explains in 'Sha'ar HaPesukim' that the doubt was not a regular legal one, but rather stemmed from their high soul root. The daughters of Zelophehad were unique souls; their root was from the Gevuros Elyonos (Higher Severities).

It is known that the Levites have no inheritance in Eretz Yisrael. Why? Because the Kohanim (priests) are the aspect of Chasadim (Kindnesses), while the Levites come from the attribute of Gevurah (Severity), from the Higher Severities. Since they belong to a high spiritual level of Gevurah, it is not appropriate for them to have a portion in the physical land. And behold, the daughters of Zelophehad also belonged to the attribute of Gevurah. The name "Zelophehad" hints at "Tzel-Pachad" (Shadow of Fear/Awe), the aspect of "Pachad Yitzchak" (the Fear of Isaac), which is the root of Gevurah.

The Light of the Severities in Malchus

The Arizal HaKadosh reveals to us that they were five daughters corresponding to the Five Gevuros (Five Severities) in the secret of 'Zeir Anpin' (the Small Face/Divine emotive attributes). There are Gevuros that descend to Malchus (Eretz Yisrael is the aspect of the Sefirah of Malchus/Kingship), and there are Gevuros that remain above in Yesod (Foundation) and do not descend.

Eretz Yisrael, the Sefirah of Malchus, is characterized by humility and lowliness ("it has nothing of its own"). Moshe Rabbeinu saw that the daughters of Zelophehad came from such a high root of the Five Higher Gevuros, that he was in doubt: Do such souls, which are above Malchus, belong at all to an inheritance in the land? Perhaps their law is like that of the Levites who have no portion in the land because of the loftiness of their root?

This was Moshe's deep doubt: On one hand, they are Higher Gevuros that do not descend below. On the other hand, they are requesting an inheritance. Hashem answered him: "The daughters of Zelophehad speak correctly." It is true that their root is from the Gevuros that do not descend, but they illuminate within Malchus. Their light shines throughout all of Eretz Yisrael, and therefore it is fitting for them to take a portion in the land.

We find that we have learned that all of Moshe Rabbeinu's doubts were not from a lack of knowledge, Heaven forbid, but rather these were new Halachos (laws) that were renewed through a deep spiritual vision of the roots of the souls. And as it is written in the Midrash, every single day a Halacha is renewed, and every person must merit to see the Halacha that is renewed for him, until we merit the complete Geulah (Redemption) speedily in our days, Amen.

Part 3 of 4 — Lesson No. 7
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