The Secret of the Tears of the Oppressed: Why Are Pure Souls Taken From the World?
Lesson #202 | Monday, Parashas Ki Seitzei, 4 Elul 5759 - Comforting Mourners in Bnei Brak
A deep and comforting discourse based on the secrets of the holy Zohar, explaining the meaning behind the histalkus (passing away) of pure children and youths who never tasted the taste of sin. Through understanding the power of the parents' tears and the Torah study of the souls in the Mesivta Ila'ah (Heavenly Academy), it is revealed how these souls sweeten the harshest judgments from upon the Jewish people.
King Solomon says in the book of Koheles: "And behold the tears of the oppressed, and they have no comforter."
Over the passing of a pure and innocent child who was taken from us in his prime, there is truly no natural comfort. How can one be comforted over such a flower that was plucked? Who can comfort over the passing of a young boy, a baby whose mother's milk has not yet been wiped from his mouth? Over such a loss, King Solomon says, "they have no comforter."
The holy Zohar asks a piercing question: After all, there are people in the world who have sinned, but here we are speaking of holy and pure babies. And even if we say that there is the sin of the fathers, the pure and innocent child stands in Heaven and asks: "Master of the Universe, I was a pure child, I never blemished even a hairsbreadth. For what debt am I suffering? Do I need to pay off the debts of my fathers?"
Therefore, all those pure souls are called "oppressed," because they have a just claim. No sin in the world can justify the death agonies of a child who has never sinned. For such a passing, there is no natural or intellectual explanation. We could live a billion years and we would not be able to explain what happened here; only tzaddikim who understand the secret of souls at their root can grasp this.
A Boiling Ocean of Tears
The holy Zohar says that no tears in the world compare to the tears that emerge from the depths of the heart of a father and mother whose son was taken from them. These are irreplaceable tears, tears of deep sorrow that has no equal, when the parents cry in secret at night and cannot be calmed.
However, here the holy Zohar reveals an awesome secret to us. When there are harsh decrees upon the Jewish people, decrees of destruction, Heaven forbid, both physically and spiritually, Hashem looks for a way to sweeten the judgments. He waits for a "boiling ocean of tears" — tears of fire that can nullify the decrees from upon the Jewish people.
For this purpose, the most kosher souls are chosen, a pure father and mother, from whom Hashem knows that boiling tears will emerge from a pure heart. These children are the true emissaries of the congregation for the Jewish people. They are the ones who sweeten all the judgments from upon us and from upon the entire world.
The Study Partner of the King of Kings
These pure souls do not just enter the Garden of Eden; they cleave to Hashem Himself and enter straight into the "Mesivta Ila'ah," the Heavenly Academy of Hashem in all His glory.
A youth who yearned so much to study Gemara, who longed for Torah in holiness and purity, Hashem says to him: "You yearn so much for Torah? Come and learn with Me, I will be your chavrusa (study partner)." Hashem looks for pure and innocent souls, clean minds that have never been blemished, in order to study Torah with them.
In the month of Elul, when the yeshivas open down below, the yeshivas on high open as well. Hashem opens the Elul semester in the Heavenly Yeshiva and He looks for "new faces," pure souls who will be enthusiastic in His class.
Through their Torah study above, the verse in Tehillim is fulfilled:
"Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings You have founded strength... to silence the enemy and the avenger."
The breath from the mouths of these babies, and the novel Torah insights they hear from the Almighty, are what nullify all the decrees from upon the Jewish people. In their merit, the Jewish people endure, and in the merit of their Torah, all the judgments are sweetened.
Part 1 of 2 — Lesson #202
All parts: Part 1 (Current) | Part 2