The Secret of the Tablets of the Covenant: The Spiritual Levels of the Giving of the Torah

Lesson No. 28 | * Friday, Parashas Pinchas, 16 Tammuz 5755 (Continued from No. 27)

An in-depth lesson on the spiritual progression of receiving the Luchos HaBris (Tablets of the Covenant) according to the teachings of Kabbalah. The Rav (Rabbi Berland shlit"a) explains how Moshe Rabbeinu intended to bring down the Luchos from the highest spiritual levels of Zeir Anpin (the Divine configuration of the lower emotional attributes), and how the Sin of the Golden Calf caused a descent in these levels until the receiving of \

Had we merited the spiritual level of Leah, there would have been an eternal Geulah (Redemption) and the Beis HaMikdash (Holy Temple) would never have been destroyed. However, in the desert, this was not the case. They immediately made the Golden Calf, and the spiritual state reverted to being "Achor b'Achor" (back-to-back, a state of concealed Divine light). The entire spiritual work of Moshe Rabbeinu was to bring the aspect of Rachel face-to-face with Zeir Anpin, transforming the state from "Achor b'Achor" to "Panim b'Panim" (face-to-face, a state of revealed Divine light and intimacy).

The aspect of Rachel corresponds to the Sefiros (Divine emanations) of Netzach (Eternity/Victory) and Hod (Splendor/Submission) of Zeir Anpin. As is known in Kabbalah, every limb is composed of three joints: the right arm (Chesed - Loving-kindness) is divided into three, the left arm (Gevurah - Severity/Might) into three, and similarly the legs—the right leg (Netzach) and the left leg (Hod)—are each divided into three joints.

The Original Plan: Tablets from the Upper Joints

Initially, when Moshe Rabbeinu ascended the mountain, his plan was to bring down the Luchos from the upper joints of Netzach and Hod. Therefore, the Luchos were called "Luchos Avanim" (Tablets of Stone) and "Luchos HaBris" (Tablets of the Covenant) spelled with the first letter Vav.

However, during the forty days, a spiritual descent occurred. When Moshe ascended to receive the Luchos, they had not yet made the Golden Calf, and he wanted to take them from the aspect of the body of Rachel, which corresponds to the upper and middle joints of Netzach and Hod. The Luchos are called "Luchos Avanim" (Tablets of Stone) because the legs are referred to as "stones," as our Sages mention regarding a woman whose "thighs grow cold like stones."

Hashem told Moshe to bring Tablets of Stone corresponding to the Netzach and Hod of Rachel, which is connected with the Netzach and Hod of Zeir Anpin. This connection is called "Luchos HaBris" (Tablets of the Covenant), because the feminine aspect is called "Even" (stone) and the masculine aspect is called "Bris" (covenant, corresponding to Zeir Anpin). Before the sin, Zeir Anpin and Rachel were connected together, and therefore the Luchos were called "Luchos HaBris, Luchos Avanim" (Tablets of the Covenant, Tablets of Stone).

The upper joints of Netzach and Hod touch the Sefirah of Tiferes (Beauty/Harmony), which is the aspect of the body. Regarding this, it is stated:

"Moshe and Aharon among His priests, and Shmuel among those who invoke His Name" (Tehillim 99:6).

Shmuel HaNavi (Samuel the Prophet) merited to be from the upper joints of Netzach and Hod that touch Tiferes. Because of this, he had a connection to the spiritual level of Moshe and Aharon, an attainment that no other prophet merited.

The Secret of the Letter Vav: Between Tiferes and Yesod

When the word "Luchos" is written in the Torah as "לחת" (missing the letter Vav) or with a single Vav, it alludes to the Sefirah of Tiferes. The first letter Vav (which has the numerical value of six) symbolizes Tiferes, which includes the six extremities (two arms, two legs, above, and below). The second letter Vav symbolizes the Sefirah of Yesod (Foundation).

Moshe wanted to bring down the Luchos from the Sefirah of Tiferes, from the place where Netzach and Hod touch it, and therefore this is hinted at by the first Vav. However, ultimately, he received Luchos with the second Vav, which alludes to the Sefirah of Yesod, from the part of Netzach and Hod that no longer touches Tiferes.

This is also the reason why initially it does not say "two Luchos" but rather "Luchos" (written deficiently as "לחת")—in the singular form, like a single tablet. In the upper worlds, by Zeir Anpin and Rachel, the legs (Netzach and Hod) are connected at their upper joints. Only at the middle joints do they begin to separate, and at the lower joints, the separation is complete.

Among the angels, the legs are completely connected, in the mystical secret of "and the soles of their feet were as the sole of a straight foot" (Yechezkel 1:7). Therefore, during the Shemoneh Esrei prayer, we keep our feet together to resemble the angels. Nadav and Avihu, who embodied the aspects of Netzach and Hod, were connected together like "two halves of a single body."

The Three Levels in Receiving the Tablets

It emerges that there are three spiritual levels in receiving the Luchos. As long as the Luchos were drawn from the connected upper joints, they were called "Luchos" (spelled with the first Vav, corresponding to Tiferes). When they descended to the middle joints, they were called "Luchos" (spelled with the second Vav, corresponding to Yesod).

Only at the end of the forty days, when the Luchos were received from the lower, separated joints of Netzach and Hod, did the concept of "two Luchos" appear. After the Sin of the Golden Calf, it was no longer possible to receive the Luchos from the connected and upper parts, but only from the separated lower parts.

The Midrash describes how, during the forty days, a gradual spiritual descent occurred within the Jewish people. There is an opinion that they held strong for one day, some say two days, and some say that only in the last 11 days did they begin to commit the "deed of the goat" (the Sin of the Golden Calf). Moshe Rabbeinu rebukes the Jewish people and shows them how they descended from level to level. Initially, they were poised to receive Luchos from the Tiferes of Zeir Anpin, and afterward, they descended to the level of Yesod, which is called "Bris" (Covenant).

The Breaking of the Tablets and the Second Tablets

When they actually made the Golden Calf, the descent was so great that the Luchos were no longer drawn from the masculine aspect at all, but only from the feminine aspect. Therefore, they were called "Luchos Avanim" (Tablets of Stone)—spelled completely deficiently without any letters Vav, lacking any spiritual illumination from Tiferes or Yesod.

After Moshe broke the first Luchos, Hashem commanded him to carve two new tablets. The second Luchos were already taken from the place where Netzach and Hod are completely separated, and therefore the concept of "two Luchos" was emphasized. May it be His will that we merit the complete Geulah (Redemption) and the receiving of the Torah anew, speedily in our days, Amen.

Part 3 of 4 — Lesson No. 28

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