Parshat Chukat

Purim, Jerusalem, 5765

I am back. So little time and so much to do, but unlike the white rabbit, (sorry folks) I will not go jumping down any wackey wells. This week's Torah portion (parsha, to you hebrew experts) deals with the biblical remedy for the problem of what is mistakenly called, "ritual impurity."

A note on rituals. A booring ritual ofen leaves me feeling "impure." But done in the right way around the right people, such "rituals" turn into an exilarating experience, what my old galus rabbi from Boston, Rav Pollack, used to call, "the choreography of memory," influenced, no doubt, from his good buddy Elie Wiesel. It may mean that when we do these ritual actions, like a dance, that activates something deep in our collective memories, what Jung I think called, "central energy."

You can find at www.schuelers.com information on the "Jungian models of the psyche" page, and I quote, "The central energy runs through all subsequent differentiations; it lives in them all and cuts across them to the individual psyche; it is the only factor that remains unchanged in every situation. There is a level of central energy that is the “deepest part of the collective unconscious that can never be made conscious.” It is the substratum or bedrock of the psyche."

I have a feeling that ritual has to do with an action that stimulates central energy. But perhaps it is more than that, ritual is a potential doorway to expanded consciousness and/or divine inspiration.

Anyway, mom (hi mom, could you please remember to send those clothes for the kids) said that the blog was, and I quote, "really interesting, but jeepers, I just don't have the background to understand what youre saying." So mom is reminding me that just because I understand something, (and of course, that is questionable) it doesn't mean that everyone else does. And the only other critique I got was from Michael Abraham, who said I was, "long winded." So to you MA, I say, better long winded upstairs than down. And furthermore, you say, "long winded," but others say, "lotta spirit." Sometimes weaker minds dont have the patience to work out all the details, present company excluded. So for you PHD's in kabbalah out there, this may bore you, so you can go and soak your heads for a while and then get back after I finnish explaning to the moms, kids, and most everyone else.

Ahem. ./.. Impurity from the dead. We all got it, there can be no denying. Shlomovitz dies, doctor, nurse, and maybe the hospital air conditioner repair man all come in contact with Shlomovitz's deceased flesh. Doctor goes home and kisses his wife and kids, and presto! They are all impure with "TOOMAT MEETTA" the impurity of the dead. Kid goes to school, plays tag. Taps teacher on the shoulder, bumps into custodian, (this is getting ridiculous) And soon enough the whole school is contaminated. The impurity is transfered by physical contact, but wait! Not only with people, but also certain objects that can absorb impurity are also either receiving Tumat Meeta or giving it to those who touch them. What does Tumat Mita feel like? I dont know. Go to a funeral and see how you feel. Maybe it is like that feeling of waking up after a deep sleep whereupon just about everyone in the world feels a need to wash. This is a hint. The talmud tells us that sleep is one sixtieth of death.

Remember, we are talking about a dead human being here, and as I recall, a dead jewish human being. A dead animal or gentile does not contaminate with tumat mita. The law of ritual purity are one of the most complex sections of the Talmud, and require careful study.

But we have spoken enought about the impurity, lets get to the purification. The bible provides us with an enigmatic precept called, "the sprinkling of the ashes of the red heifer." The ancient israelite priests (the proper term is Cohanim, so as not to be confused with the guys in the white collars at the vatican) Take a perfectly red heifer, burn it down to ash on the mount of olives, throw some hyssop and cedarwood in the fire, mix the whole megillah with some fresh spring water, et voila! La Vrai Chose, bien sur. Gourmet "efer para aduma." (ashes of red heifer). Then the Cohen would take some of this water and ash mixture and sprinkle it onto someone who had become impure through contact with the dead. The impure dude would become pure and the pure Cohen woud alas become impure, by virtue of his act of sprinkling the water on the impure dude. Then he would have to go through his own purification proccess of which I can't describe to you.

Rashi (and always start with Rashi, who was a true holy man, and all time great explainer, of whom Rav Shimson Ostrapoler ZTSL HAYAD once said, "for every drop of ink of Rashi's commentary, you have to count seven clean days." Meaning, you have to be so pure to understand the tremendous depths of Rashi) brings the midrash (Torah legend), "since the Adversary and the other nations try pick an argument with Israel, trying to disprove our law, saying, "what is this commandment, what meaning could it possible have?' Rhetorical question, as the nations have decided that these strange things Jews do like ashes of red heifer and tefillin are a lot of hooey. They are not on the level of knowing, and you know what folks, with such enigmantic commandments, neither are we. There are commandments that a man can readilly understand with his intellect, like not killing or steaking, even belief in God and prayer, but there are many enigmatic laws, called, "Chukim (pronouncd: choo-keem)," or statutes, that simply boggle the mind. So Rashi continues. and says, don't bother trying to explain to your gentile friends and debate partners the nature of Chukim, statutes like the sprinkling of the ashes of the red heifer to purify from contact with the dead. just dont bother getting into it, mostly because you probably dont understand it either. Just hold onto simple faith, the simple faith that God created the world. brought the jews out of egypt, Gave us the Torah, gave authority to the holy prophets and rabbis, and watches over us and protects us every second of every day. And with that pure faith, say to your Goyishe budds, "Ashes of the Red Heifer? I dont know what meaning it could possibly have, but I do know this. God is the Master of Heaven and earth, He is the King of Kings, the Creator of all, and He made a decree which we cannot doubt or question, and that decree is to 'Take a perfectly red Heifer ... and burn it ... and sprinkle the ashen water on the third and seventh days of the week of a man's purification,' and the rest, say what you will, but God said it, we believe it, and that settles it.

Yes, this Rashi was embellished, but believe me, that's what he meant.

Now we can move on...

From the Mei HaShiloach

"They shall unto you take a perfect red heifer ..."

(Bamidbar-Numbers, 19:2)

In the future the blessed G-d will reveal His glory to Israel without any separation whatsoever, meaning that with the final redemption, man will behold the revelation of G-d in all things, and G-d will not be concealed, as He is now, for the most part. The ashes of the Red Heifer have been lost for eighteen hundred years, with the possile exception of the Arizal finding them in sixteenth century Safed, Israel, as coroborated by the CHidda. So the whole exilic state of God being concealed is all caught up in the absence of having a way to be purified from death by the ashes of the Parah Aduma. So when the Rebbe says, "In the future," he also means in the future when, with the final redemption, the laws of purity and the ability to regain freedom from the debilitating power of death will return to the world. for now this (reality of) life exists in the depths of Israel, yet it is revealed in outer "garments." These garments are the Torah and mitsvot, for one may only enter into the depths of the will of G-d through the Torah and mitsvot (for more on this see the Tanya, Liqutei Amarim, Ch. 4). All commandments, like giving charity, loving your neighbor, learning Torah, putting on Tefilin and not cheating your fellow man (you can go and find the other 608) are Garments for life. This means that just as a person is percieved through the grament of his body, because of course, a person is more than skin and bone, so to is Godliness accessed through behavior, beliefs and rituals that God commanded us. Each time God asks us to do something, he is giving us a little doorway to His desire, and saying, do this, and you will know something of what I want. Though God fills the whole world with His glory, He is only accessed throught what we loosely call, "torah and mitzvot," which could actually include a trip to the museum, depending on how it is done and what your adgenda is. But simply put, Gods will is only found in Torah and mitzvot. This is "they shall take unto you a heifer," which stands for life, as is known, a young fresh living cow in its first year, mammash l'chaiim! and at the present moment we are commanded that this life be clothed in garments, that is, the Torah and mitsvot. "Perfect red," meaning explicit strengths, without any separation or defect, explicit strengths, or "holy Chutzpah" is the kind of strength a person feels when he knows that God is leading him and protecting him, or even more than this, when he knows that he has purified his behavior and thought to suche a level in the service of the Lord that his very actions are determined by God, and then whatever he does will be God's will. This is the feeling that Adam the first man had in the garden of Eden before the sin, when he knew that he was the handwork of the Deity and everything he did or felt was God's own desire. Before the final redemption, reaching this level of explicit Divinely ordained strength (tekifut, in Heb.) is only accessable through the performance of Mitzvot and the study of the Torah, because only then, in the act of serving God in the way of the Torah and the Code of Jewish law, can one be sure that he is doing the right thing. Provided he knows how to do a mitzvah propeperly, and this is a major condition. But after the final redemtion, we will see clearly how everything, even things outside of the aegis of Torah and Mitzvot, we do will be according to Divine directive. "with no blemish in it," means that no foolishness would be found in any action (for as the Isbitser later mentions, just as a mentally deficient Cohen, once called a "fool," is disqualified from service, so any action done in foolishness is deficient), Living in the exile carries with it a kind of inane "black comedy" (nothing to do with negroes) subtext. We have been jaded, hardened to the world, and revert to meaningless comedy as a way of laughing at everything. Futile actions often make for good comedy. But the absence of meaning in all of this black comedy of our lives is really rooted in feelings of despair and hoplessness. "The redemption" means a time when God sees fit, either based on our merit or not, to free us from blindness to the meaning of life. In other words, on that great day, we will all know what is really going on. With the messianic redemption, and for little moments even before, a great God consciousness will fill the world, as the prophet Isaiah said, "and the knowledge of God will fill the world as the waters cover the sea." "which never carried a yoke on it's back," this teaches that Israel (at the depths) never experienced helpless agonizing and effort, as it is said in Zechariah (4), "two olives" standing solid, on either side of his vision of the menorah, standing for the, "anointed ones standing by the Master of all," moshiach. Perhaps what the holy Isbitser is saying is that just as the two olives stand solidly and effortlessly so will it be clear with the redemption that all the toil and strife was as nothing, that we were always receiving G-d's providence and God was always caring for our welfare, something that we are myopic to in the exile when consciousness is greatly limited. All of this is now hidden in the Torah and mitsvot, yet in the future the blessed G-d will show it to us without any separating "garments." In the future with the total redemption, God will break down the barrier between God and man. As it is said in the Midrash and in the Gemara (Nidda 61b), "the mitsvot will be nullified in days to come (of the final redemption),” and the blessed G-d will show us that we never really suffered under the "yoke" of a power in this world since He, may He be blessed, controls them all, yet all is in a state of concealment. This is the meaning of, "that never had upon it a yoke." All doubt will be erased, all problems of theodicy be solved (meaning we wil know the reasons and get the answers to the question of why do bad things happen to good people, why do the righteous suffer, the problems that perplexed even Moses the Lawgiver.) We will completely re-evaluate our understanding of evil, for we will not only have the ability to know the absloute difference between Good and evil, but God wil eradicate evil, and "death will be swallowed up forever," and no more shall we die.

From the haRav haGaon haKadosh haMefursam Choter Geza Tarshishim

the Beit Yaakov

ZTsuKLLH"H,
may his merit protect us.

Beit Yaakov, Parshat Chukat

“And G-d spoke to Moshe saying, This is the statute of the Torah, which G-d commanded, saying, speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring a perfectly red heifer, without blemish, which never carried a yoke on its back.” (Numbers, 19:1-2)
This can be understood through the verse (Isaiah, 26:4), “Trust in Hashem forever, for Y-aH Hashem is everlasting strength.” From this energy, the power of trust (bitachon) can enter into man, since the world was created with Y”aH, the first two letters of G-d’s name Y”HVH (Midrash Tanchuma, Chayei Sarah, 63). This hints that this world is only the beginning, and nothing is yet finished. And therefore, “there is no one possessing perfect righteousness in the land,” (Eccelesiastes, 7:20) concerning all matters. Thus fear overpowers in the world, even with the tsaddik (the righteous), for the very difficulty of perfecting anything in this world creates fear. And indeed, trusting in G-d (bitachon) has also increased in strength in this world. This is because evil is not entirely evil from one side to the other.
The, “Parah Adumah,” the red heifer, teaches of this. In this passage, the Holy One, blessed be He, teaches Israel the order of, “Tahara,” purity, and how far it reaches. The principle element of life is choice. The level below this is the world of plants, as explained in Parshat Korach. Therefore, when one touches the dead (and must be purified), it means that he feels that his own choices have no effect in the world, and this expresses itself in the action of coming into contact with the dead. The advice the Torah gives for this is to take the Parah (the heifer), which, as a cow, represents stubborn action done without choice. This is because the knowledge that the blessed G-d is the One who gives all life has been concealed from him. This is as it is written in the holy Zohar (Chukat, 180b), “this Parah which comes to purify, to purify the impure, has received from the left side. And who is on the left side (in Ezekiel’s vision of G-d’s chariot)? ‘The face of the Ox to the left.’ ”

Beit Yaakov, Parshat Korach

A view of the Judean desert from atop the cliff from where the scapegoat was thown on Yom Kippur in the Temple times.
The Beit Yaakov - Yaakov of Isbitza, son of the Mei HaShiloach

Parshat Korach



“And Korach took…”(Numbers, 16:1)

The affair of Korach and his rebellion against Moshe can be understood through the verse (Ecclesiastes, 9:10), “all that your hand shall find to do, do with your strength, for there is no deed, thought (bill of reckoning), or knowledge, or wisdom in the grave, where you are going.”

Before presenting the commentary of of one of the great spirit masters of the Ninteenth Century, Rav Yaakov of Isbitza, Poland, let me share with you the classical commentary on this verse brought to you from King Solomon's wisdom in the book of Ecclesiastes. Because one of the really interesting things about the Chassidic masters was the great creativity they used in their novel conceptions {"chidushim"} of the Torah. And their mastery of and respect for the classical sources was complete. So, my friend, if you want to really understand the words of the Chassidic masters, you have no choice but to know the classical commentaries that they were dealing with. Otherwise, you will not appreciate their creativity and innovative minds. The more you understand the classical commentaries, such as the Talmud, the legends (midrash), Rashi, and so forth, the more you will understand and esteem the Chasidichse Rebbes.
The translation attributed to the Talmudic sage Yonatan ben Uziel of the the above verse, Ecclesiastes, 9:10, tells us, "spend all of your energies to help the poor, because sooner or later you will be in the grave ("sheol," or the underworld), where there is no deliberation, or knowledge, or wisdom, lets face it, bub, there aint no way you gonna help no one, no how. (this is my own translation, and it is infact reliable) And after you die, it is not only the righteous acts you did in your lifetime that you will need to help you." At first glance, the only really difficult thing to understand from Rabbi Yonatan ben Uziel's rendering is the question, "what else do I need to help me in the world to come?" It seems to an unlearned fellow as myself that maybe there are people who fancy themselves as saints simply because they are washing lepers in the black hole of Calcutta. King Solomon, through the lense of Rabbi Yonatan, might say that everything you do in your life has significance for the state of your soul after it leaves the body. One who helps the poor, that's great, that is a huge mitzvah, but it is not enough. Everyone in the world is commanded seven commandments, (Belief in One God, Don't insult (Blaspheme) God, Don't Kill, No immoral sex acts, Don't steal, Uphold a Judicial system, and don't eat the flesh taken from a living animal - see www.thirdtemple.com), and anyone born of a Jewish mother is commanded 613 laws (of which about 80 or so can be performed by all Jews, as some laws are for kings, some for Cohenim (members of the priestly family), and some only while the temple is standing. And everything we do to follow God's will and enlighten ourselves and our communities determines the relative health or, God forbid, the opposite, in the world to come. So basically, King Solomon is saying, it's your world to come, you can do with it whatever you want to. Just dont come whining before the heavenly court that you volunteered in a soup kitchen for fifty years and that exempted you from putting on your tefillin and saying the Shema Yisrael, that that exempted you from learning Torah, from having to go to the mikveh, from having to get rid of your leaven products on passover. It's all essential, and it's all possible, because God does not make his commandments impossible, He is not a tyrant. Well, there's my five cents worth.

And Rashi, who can learn a verse without Rashi?? Cant be done. He was not just some Rabbi with an additude, my friends, he was the holy of holies and, as it were, heard the voice of God speaking from between the wings of the two Cherubim on the Ark of the covenant. That settles it. But will ultimate respect for Rashi, let me explain his words to the best of my abilty and God help me if I'm wrong. He says that the verse tells us, "do the will of your Master in your lifetime with all of your strength, and if you succeed you won't be plotzing at the big bill waiting for you in the afterworld." Rashi also tells us that the word, "cheshbon," which means "bill of reckoning," or, "account," is refering to the rightous, and the words "action, thought, knowledge, and wisdom," refer to the wicked. I see Rashi as saying, "On the one hand, there is no action, or knowledge, or wisdom that is of any use to those who messed up in their lifetimes, because you can't change the past. (You had your chance, bub. But don't despair, its reincarnation time for you.) And on the other hand, if you did the right(ous) thing you need not worry, you will have no "cheshbon" or account to pay in the world to come. Meaning, you are not going to have to go through the painful court deliberations that your poor mistaken friends will." Then Rashi says that if you don't want to say that "chesbon" refers to the righteous and the rest refers to the wicked, then, Cheshbon means simply "thought." He tells us, "in the afterlife, is there anything you can possibly do to get aquitted?" (On the slim chance that there is someone out there reading this who didn't get that this is a rhetorical question, go to someone who you think is, "smart," and ask them about the meaning of a, 'rhetorical question." Then get back to your computer and finnish this blog and you will be blessed with the power of perseverance {"a strong-willed and stubborn student." dont worry, son, its a good thing}.)
With that all said, and "with perseverence," we can turn to mammash a Gevaldt (way cool) piece of Torah. Here we go.


Translation of the Beit Yaakov.

“all that your hand shall find to do, do with your strength, for there is no deed, thought (bill of reckoning), or knowledge, or wisdom in the grave, where you are going.” (Ecclesiatstes, 9:10)

“Your strength,” hints at the right, or the right arm, the principle power of action. “Your hand,” hints at the left, an action that is not greatly based on choice. In this light, “all that your hand shall find to do, do with your strength,” means that the left should be included within the right, as is mentioned in the holy Zohar (Korach, 178a).
God created man as a greater being than all of His other creations, because He created him with the power of choice. This is man’s superiority over all other creations. Below man is the animal, for though the animal has the ability to freely move all of his limbs as he pleases, this is not a choice based on knowledge. Below the animal is the plant, which can not willfully move itself. However the plant has the ability to move and spread forth based on its very growth. Minerals and inanimate objects, however, stand in their form and are greatly limited in the power of movement.
And therefore, all of these receive life from man. (Meaning, man, with his conscious choice, can elevate lower life forms by using them in the service of God.) Inanimate object also possesses the power of life, but in a hidden way. Because of this, the power of choice became so important in the world. But sometimes a man does an action without knowledge or choice (meaning, he just does something without thinking - "brainless"), and the Holy One, blessed be He, agrees with the action. In this case, the power of this choiceless and brainless action was greater than one done with knowledge and deliberation. God alone was the source of this action, without man’s consciousness. And can one compare the consciousness of man with the consciousness of God? This is what King David meant when he said (Psalms, 146:2), “I will praise God with my life.” God desires the life of man, and wants man to serve God with his human power. This is (Psalms, 88:6), “among the dead I am free,” that God no longer wants my service. Even though certain good ones are set apart (meaning there are souls of certain tsaddikim in the world to come who, as we are told by our tradition, can pray and intercede on behalf of us folks down here in the world, swaying God's will), and they are truly great, still, since they do not have the power of action. living human beings are still greater, because they can still distinguish themselves by means of their service. “Fortunate is the once who the God of Jacob helps,” (Psalms, 146:5) meaning one who does not sin against God’s wisdom. This is because the attribute of Yaakov Avinu was to take care to act with justice (or to "establish equity" - See Psalms, 112:5) so that his actions would not need further clarification. This is why this verse (Psalms, 146:5) says, “his hope is in Hashem E-lohav,” for the name, “E-lohim,” teaches of wisdom.
The Midrash Rabba explains the words, “And Korach took.” What is written in the preceding passage? “Tell them to make for themselves tsitsit (fringes)... and that they put with the tsitsit of each corner a thread of techellet (sky-blue dyed wool) (Numbers, 15:38). Korach jumped up and asked Moshe, ‘If a cloak is entirely of techellet, what is the law as regards its being exempted from the obligation of tsitsit?’ Moses answered him, ‘It is subject to the obligation of tsitsit.’ Korach answered, ‘A cloak that is entirely composed of blue cannot free itself from the obligation, yet the four threads of techellet do free it!’ ”
The Tallit (Prayer shawl) represents something that encompasses man. Korach’s assertion was that since the light of God surrounds his being, and without God man cannot perform even the smallest action, then why is it at all necessary for man to continue to perform the service of God? The tsitstit hint at the service and fear of God. The place where the corner goes outside of the circle represents a time when the path of God is hidden, for it has gone outside of the boundary. In both situations, within and without, the service of God is necessary. If one sees clearly how God is governing the world, and that without His governance, nothing could be done, this would not oblige one to perform the service of God. What would he achieve with all his service? Also, if one has deduced that the world is not run under any higher governance, God forbid, this would also negate the power of service. It is rather when man knows that God is running the world, yet His way is hidden from man, this is when his heart is awoken to serve God.
God created night and day. “Day,” is when man imagines that he has the power of action. This is because the intellect is in control during the day. “Night,” is the time of sleep, when man sees that he has no power of action. One is required to wear tsitsit during the day, for then he could imagine that the power of action is all his, and therefore he (does not) need service. However, at night, when he sees that he has no power of action, then he is not required to wear tsitsit. This is like the saying of the Ari”zal, that at night the tsitsit is covered within the tallit, for it does not go outside of its boundary.
This was Korach’s assertion. Since he is encompassed by the kedusha (sanctity) of God, as he comes from the seed of the Patriarchs and kedusha is even like a part of his body, within him, as he said (Numbers, 16:3), “for God is within them,” then what use does he have for service? This is also his intention in saying, “a talit made entirely of techellet.” Since man is totally encompassed in kedusha, and his own choice will have little consequence, for it is not within his power to surpass his boundaries, then why would he continue to need to wear tsitsit? This is also true for his second assertion, “a house that is full of holy books does not need a mezuzzah on the door.” This being true, why would one need to actively serve God? Is he not full of the awesome power of kedusha to begin with?
This is why Moshe answered him (Numbers, 16:5), “in the morning, God will make it known.” When man serves God with his intellect, it is called, “tahara – purity.” When man does an action without his conscious knowledge, and later God makes it clear that the action was done from the depths of his kedusha (sanctity) which is imprinted within him, it is called, “kedusha – sanctity.” Kedusha is greater than Tahara. Yet now, while the kedusha is not yet refined, and the Tahara is not yet refined, man needs to actively serve God. This is because (Ecclesiastes, 9:10), “there is no deliberation, or knowledge, or wisdom, in the underworld.” Explaining this, the holy Zohar says (Korach, 178a), “an action that is done with knowledge (consciousness) and deliberation will not fall into hell.” In the future, the Altar itself will be greater than its accessories. (See Menachot, 99a) The kedusha which is permanently imprinted in man is called, “gufo shel mizbeach – the Altar itself.” Yet in this world, the accessories to the Altar (that which is offered upon it) are greater. This is because for the sake of the Altar itself one would not desecrate the Shabbat, for, “the act of building the Temple itself does not require the suspension of the laws of Shabbat.” (Yevamot, 6a) The, “Accessories,” however, meaning the sacrifices, the service itself, supercede the Shabbat. (Yoma, 85b) All the while man is alive, he can make the consciousness of God his help by means of crying out in prayer. When his pieces come apart, however, then he no longer has the power to enter and exit. Then his actions are fixed without his ability to redefine them (“what I meant by this was…”)
In the explanation of the Mei HaShiloach on the verse (Genesis, 4:7), “sin crouches at the door,” he quotes the Gemara (Eruvin, 19a), “even on the threshold of hell, the wicked do not return to the way of God.” “In hell,” itself, need not be said, for hell is a place of complete absence and loss, a parched and desolate land. In such a place, the consciousness of teshuva (return to God’s way) can not exist. An action done with such consciousness will not fall into hell. However, something done without consciousness, will remain without consciousness in its new home in hell. No matter how much Korach and his congregations scream from hell, “Moshe is true and the Torah is true,” it will not save them. (Baba Batra, 74a) This is because they are not crying out from the depths of their hearts. In their hearts they are still rebelling against Moshe.
Thus, even though in the future God will make it clear that actions that were done without consciousness emerged from the depths of kedusha, this is only a long way off. This is as it is written in the Kitvei Ari (Liqutei Torah, Tehillim), the last letters of the verse (Psalm 93:13), “TsadiK c’tamaR yifraCh – the righteous will bloom like the date palm,” spells the name, “Korach.” The date palm, the Tamar, teaches of something that will not happen for a long time in the future, as it is the last in the Torah’s enumeration of the seven species of the land of Israel. (Deuteronomy, 8:8, and also because the word Tam within Tamar means whole and perfect, and such perfection is only with the final redemption) Also, that it is read from the, “final,” letters, this itself teaches of something that is due a long time in the future.
King David fixed the actions of Korach. We see this in the Psalms attributed to the sons of Korach, and that they are not called by name, but just as, “the sons of Korach.” If it were, God forbid, bad for them, they would not have been called in their father’s name. The King Messiah will fix it all completely.

Introduction to the Mei HaShiloach (the Waters of the Shioah), a commentry on the Torah by Mordechai Yosef of Isbitza.

Here is one version of the story.[1] Reb Tsadok haCohen of Lublin was travelling to various Rabbis in Poland to sign a, “heter mea rabbanim,” the consent of a hundred Rabbis in order to divorce his wife. At that time Reb Tsadok, famous as a genius, was one of the most illustrious members of the, “mitnagdim,” the opponents of Hasidism who favored cerebral study to ecstatic devotion as the true form of divine service. Eventually he reached the house of the, “Mei Hashiloach,” Reb Mordechai Yosef in the town of Isbitza.[2] “The Rebbe’s class would begin at midnight by wrestling with revealed matters in a passage of the Talmud. By the morning light the discourse reached the secret of the furnace which powers the universe. In their discussion they arrived at the fundamental point: How does one arrive at the knowledge of the will of G-d through the actions of man, and at the revelation of G-d’s presence through the study of the Torah and the fulfillment of its commandments?”
Reb Tsadok stayed to discuss the lesson with the Rebbe of Isbitza after the class. “The Mei Hashiloach suddenly broke off the discussion of the lesson, turned to Reb Tsadok and said: ‘Here we are, involved in the study of this passage of Talmud according to our own minds and wills, as if the very law that we are discussing is our own wisdom. At the same time we are saying from our own understanding that the Torah is the blessed G-d’s, and hidden within it is His very will, may he be blessed, in a way that through the process of Torah study we may merit to know the will of the blessed G-d at every moment, at every second. Together with this we may then feel the presence of the Shechina which rests everywhere. Our sole objective is to ask: What in our study this evening has shown us the will of the Holy One, blessed be He, and what of it can proclaim the glory of heaven to the world? What of it can we use to fulfill our obligation to sanctify and love the Name of G-d in the world?’ In hearing the words from the mouth of the Mei Hashiloach, dread descended on Reb Tsadok’s heart, and he began to tremble in his entire being. He asked the Rebbe:
‘How can we understand the will of the Creator?’
‘By means of the study of Torah!’ answered the Mei Hashiloach. He continued, ‘A man who studies Torah must feel as if his feet are standing at the foot of Mount Sinai and he is hearing the Torah from the very mouth of the All Powerful. Then he knows that it is His blessed will.’
Reb Tsadok stood for a while, immersed in his thoughts. Days later, he would say of this conversation, ‘I felt as if he had placed burning coals on my heart.’ ”
As a result of this meeting, Reb Tsadok then became one of the principle students and Hasidim of the Rebbe of Isbitza and his way, so remaining for the rest of his life.
“Many years later, it is told that in Reb Tsadok’s old age, the famous genius Rabbi Yosef Rojin, the ‘Illui’ of Rogatchoff, visited the house of Reb Tsadok in order to engage the Cohen in, ‘pilpul,’ heated discourse in the law. Reb Tsadok said, ‘Your honor would like to know if I am a scholar. How will G-d be glorified in any way from this? This is not the reason why the sages of the great assembly instituted the blessing, “Blessed is G-d who grants man wisdom.” In my youth, I too was involved in such, “pilpul,” over the law, but I arrived at the understanding that the only way to achieve knowledge of the Torah is through the gates of Hasidism which the holy Baal Shem Tov had opened for us.”[3]
Who was Reb Mordechai Yosef of Isbitza, and how did he arrive at the revolutionary conception of the Torah found in his teachings? He was born in the town of Tomashov in Poland in 1800 (5560) to a rabbinic family. The introduction to the, “Beit Yaakov,” the teachings of his son, traces the families lineage, each generation a leader of his community, back to Reb Moshe Issralis, the, “Ramo,” and thus further to Rabbi Shlomo Yitchaki, Rash”i, the leading Medieval Torah commentator. Rashi then connects his lineage back to David haMelech. But as always, the fame of his family is not important. We are concerned with who he was. He grew up together with Rabbi Menachem Mendel Morgenstern, later to become, “the Kotsker Rebbe.” The two were childhood friends and together were students and Hasidim of Reb Simcha Bunem of Pshiske. It was from the Rebbe of Pshiske, the famous disciple of Yaakov Yitschak Horowitz, the, “Seer of Lublin,” that the two received from the wellsprings of the teachings of Rabbi Israel, the Baal Shem Tov, the founder of the Hasidic movement.
In the introduction of the second volume of the Mei Hashiloach, it is told that when the young Reb Mordechai Yosef first met his teacher, Reb Simcha Bunem, the teacher said to him, almost joking, “come, let us see who is taller.” He motioned that they should compare height by standing back to back. This was peculiar, because where Mordechai Yosef was quite small in physique, Reb Simcha Bunem was of a large, strapping form. The Pshisker then said to him, “Now I am taller than you. But you are still young, and in the days to come you shall grow.” It was the Rebbe of Pshiske who gave Mordechai Yosef the name, “the Mei Hashiloach,” the, “waters from the spring of Shiloach.” This is the underground spring which flows from under the temple Mount in Jerusalem and through the ancient city of David, now called Silwan. This was the place where the kings of the House of David were anointed. The meaning is akin to, “still waters run deep,” which is the sense Simcha Bunem received from the quiet intensity of his young student. The Pshisker said, “he is like the waters of the Shiloach which flow slowly and search out the deepest depths.”[4] This is reminiscent of the verse in Kohelet, “It is deep, exceedingly deep, and who can fathom it?”
When the Pshisker left this world, Reb Menachem Mendel became his successor, moving the center of operations to the town of Kotsk. Here in Kotsk, Mordechai Yosef, already his friend and study partner, became his disciple. There is much to say of this period, but it will not be said here. After some time the Kotsker closed himself in his room adjacent to the house of study, and there remained for the next twenty years until his death. When he would occasionally appear in his doorway, it was as the revelation of a Holy Seraph of G-d. In short, Mordechai Yosef objected to the Kotsker’s self-imposed confinement, and left for the town of Isbitza, taking ninety percent of the Kotsker Hasidim along with him. How many Jews were remained in Kotsk? A minyan (ten). He then sent a message back to Menachem Mendel, saying, “I promise to pay you back with children and grandchildren until the coming of the Messiah.”[5] Of this whole period, you will hear different versions depending on whether if comes from Kotsk family history, or Isbitza family history. The version of Isbitza follows in the next section, the introduction from the, “Dor Yesharim.” As a young student in Pshiske, it is told that he basically lived in the house of study, even sleeping there. He would return to visit his family for holidays.
As mentioned below in the, “Dor Yesharim,” the Mei Hashiloach never wrote down his insights into the Torah. Even his students refrained from writing, but would rather commit his words to memory and later discuss the meaning of the Rebbe’s teaching. This was also the case with the Baal Shem Tov. A story is told of the Baal Shem Tov seeing one of his students writing down his words of Torah. He looked at the writings and said, “not a word of what I have said have you written.” The introduction to the second volume of the Mei Hashiloach describes how the book was written. “Indeed a number of years after he was taken from us, a number of the students of the Mei Hashiloach took it upon themselves to collect that which they remembered from the teachings and commit them to writing. Then future generations will also benefit from the light of his holy teachings. They pleaded with the son of the Mei Hashiloach to help them in this endeavor, and he entrusted the task to his own son, Reb Gershon Chanoch Hainech (the first Radziner Rebbe.)” That the words of the Isbitser Rebbe were written from memory during the twenty years following his death accounts for their terse, distilled character. This is not a work of literary merit, it is purely concerned with content. One must bear in mind that the writer of Mei Hashiloach felt as if he was writing what he remembered from the time he stood at Mount Sinai. Furthermore, the lessons were delivered in Yiddish, the Hebrew of the Bible and the Aramaic of the Talmud and Zohar. Thus all that was Yiddish was then translated into Hebrew. Reb Gershon Chanoch published the first edition, an unedited of parts of the first volume, in the year 5620 (1860), four years after the Isbitzer left the world. It is told that the first printing of the Mei Hashiloach was done in a Gentile press and without any approbations from famous Rabbis of the generation, quite unusual for books of Hasidic discourse to this day. The second volume of the Mei Hashiloach was put in writing and printed by Reb Gershon Chanoch’s brother, Reb Mordechai Yosef Elazar.
Who studies this work? I once met with Reb Yaakov Lainer in Boro Park, Brooklyn, The son of the late Radziner Rebbe and a direct descendant of the Mei Hashiloah. He is the current publisher of Isbitza books in America. He told me that thirty years ago, his father, of blessed memory, would sell some twenty copies of the Mei Hashiloach each year. It was like a dinosaur. He told me that it that at that time it was only really studied by Jews who came from certain towns in Poland. Then in the late sixties, Reb Shlomo Carlebach, may his memory be blessed, began his work of traveling seven continents to light Jewish hearts with the fire of Hasidism. In his suitcase there was always a copy of the Mei Hashiloach. You could say that wherever he went, he took with him the light and profundity of the Isbitzer Rebbe, giving it to thirsty souls. I once heard him say, “you can not understand the Chumash (five books of Moses) without the Mei Hashiloach.” In my conversation with Reb Lainer, he gave Shlomo Carlebach the credit for popularizing the Mei Hashiloach in our generation. In the six years I spent with Shlomo Carlebach, not a learning, not a Shabbos went by without some light from the Isbitzer. Today it is found in every Hebrew bookstore, and is taught in every Yeshiva of new young spirit seekers seeking inspiration from the Hasidic masters. I used to spend much time in the shadow of Reb Yitschak Asher Twersky, of blessed memory, the Talner Rebbe of Boston. He is known as the pre-eminent scholar of Maimonides in this century. Sitting before him I always felt as if I was sitting before the Rambam. During one of his Drashot at the third meal of Shabbat, Parshat Beshalach in 1997, he quoted a teaching from the Mei Hashiloach on, “Who is like You among the powers, Hashem.” He then said that he wanted to find time to teach a regular shiur (lesson) devoted to the Mei Hashiloach. But sadly, he was summoned to the world of Truth before he could realize this desire. I remember Rabbi Shlomo Riskin in Efrat, Israel, during his drash for Shabbat haGadol, the week before Passover, mentioning before seven hundred people a teaching from the Mei Hashiloch. Also in Efrat, I happened to walk into a class with Rabbi Chaim Brovender with a copy of the Mei Hashiloach under my arm. He noticed it, and said, “Be careful. If you learn enough of this you may burn up!” I mention these examples just to show how widespread the prevalence of the Mei Hashiloach has become for those receptive to the teachings of Hasidism, whereas fifty years ago the name, “Mei Hashiloach,” would have gone unnoticed.
I beg forgiveness for doing something as brazen as trying to summarize the main principle of the Mei Hashiloach in a few sentences. First and foremost, everything is in the hands of Heaven. Everything that we receive in our lives, we are receiving directly from the blessed G-d. It is then the work of man in the world to develop a mind that is conscious of this reality. On top of a general unwavering dedication to the Torah and its laws, man must specifically work, through the study of the Torah and Avodat Hashem, the service of G-d, to know what G-d wants of him specifically in his life. He must also then know that G-d’s will could change at any time, and must constantly look to G-d to illuminate into him what He wants of man at any particular moment. This also necessitates that he not assume that what G-d wants from him is the same as that which he wants from another. Even if he sees another transgressing the Torah, he may not assume that the other is rebelling against G-d’s will, for he has no way of knowing the private relationship between the other and G-d. Thus, through personal refinement in according to his illumination of the will of G-d, he develops the consciousness of the presence and intentions of G-d. In this way, redemption is really just a change of consciousness. Then his conduct based on this new redemptive consciousness serves to glorify and sanctify the Name of G-d in the world. Now we must look in the text to find examples of these ideas.
It is written in the Gemara (Berachot, 33b), “all is in the hands of Heaven, except the fear of Heaven.” Rashi comments, “everything comes to man from G-d, the length of his life, whether he is poor or rich, whether he is simple or wise. However, whether he is good or wicked does not come from heaven, this is a choice delivered into the hands of man, where two ways are placed before him, and he shall choose the fear of G-d.” However, as the Mei Hashiloach writes in Parshat Vayeira, under, “and Sarah denied it,” that this only applies to the limits of the understanding of man’s intellect. It is in fact necessary for man to believe that he chooses to serve G-d so he has the desire to perform, and then the service can be called the work of his hands. However, in reality, he is, “taking from the treasure house of the King and giving back to the Kings,” in the saying of the Zohar (Shmini, 38a). So if all that man does is a result of the constant Providence of G-d, then even the sins of Israel are part of G-d’s greater plan. Needless to say that this is in the large view, and can not be taken before the action as a license to act recklessly. The Gemara (Avoda Zara, 4b) claims that Israel sinned in making a golden calf only to encourage the proper repentance of later generations. Though they went ahead and made the idol, they made atonement and their repentance was accepted. As a result, the tribes were given the mitsvah of giving the half-shekel. If the result of their sin was the performance of their mitsvah, which is meritorious in G-d’s view, certainly G-d takes pleasure when every Jew returns to His law. And if even the sin is transformed into merit, how much more pleasing is it when Israel performs acts that from the outset are meritorious! Thus the Mei Hashiloach repeats several times the words of the Gemara (Gittin, 53a), “one can not uphold the Torah unless he has failed in it.” After the fact, the failure only serves to deepen ones appreciation of the essence of the commandment.
There is a level beyond man’s choice, and this is clearly expressed concerning the verse, “in the plain over against Suf.” (Devarim, 1:1) There it is written, “Why were the sins of Israel discreetly mentioned through the names of the places where the sins occurred rather that by the mention of the time when they occurred? This is in order that man does not think that the sins were done according to their power of choice, and that they had the choice to remove themselves from the sin. The matter of place hints at this, for it was not possible for them to guard themselves from the sin and move to a different place.”
So too, we find the entire Davidic line, the very Messiah, as a result of the incest of Lot and his daughters. Also with Yehuda and Tamar, when he admits and says, “she is more righteous than I (mimeni),” the Gemara (Sotah 10b) says, “here G-d was saying, ‘the whole incident came forth from Me (memeni}.’ ” In Parshat Vayeishev, under, “and Er,” the Mei Hashiloach writes, “For the Holy One, blessed be He, conducts all the structures of the kingdom of the House of David, according to structures such as these, even though at the time of the action it seemed like a sin … The secret of the House of David is greatly concealed, even from the prophets.”
So truly, all that we are receiving in this world is coming from the blessed G-d. On the verse, “Mercy and Truth will not abandon you,” (Mishlei, 3:3) the Mei Hashiloach comments, “The verse is not formulated, ‘do not abandon Mercy and Truth,’ for truly the effluence of the blessed G-d descends constantly without interruption. Only man, from his side, needs to refine his heart and stand ready to receive, and not turn his back on this effluence, G-d forbid. But in His goodness the blessed G-d constantly effuses His effluence, and the man who longs for His Mercies shall not forsake them.”
Now it is up to man to develop a mind which constantly looking to the will of G-d to guide his actions. (Though this very effort must a direct effect of G-d’s influence in the world.) This can be seen in all of the actions of Yaakov Avinu, but particularly when he went to bless the sons of Yosef. Yaakov said, “Elo-him who guided me all my life until this day.” The Rebbe of Isbitza explains, “for every action I do, no matter how small, I need the blessed G-d to illuminate His will into me. I even need it with this action (blessing Menashe and Efriam), where I saw how it is His will to change it (to bless the younger before the older), nevertheless I need to see even the second time how it is His blessed will. Truly in this matter Yaakov was the greatest of the Patriarchs, for to have the blessed G-d constantly lead ones actions is a great level. This was the prayer of King David (Tehillim, 23:1), “G-d is my shepherd, I will lack nothing,” meaning that the Providence of the blessed G-d will not be lacking from me, for He will always guide me, and I will be ever aware that the blessed G-d is guiding me.”
Two characters are presented in the Mei Hashiloach. One is typified by Yosef, or Efriam, and this type always looks to the judgment of the Torah in every matter. So too does this type feel a sense of holy rage when confronted with transgression of the Torah, as with Pinchas, who descended from Efriam. The other type is Yehuda, who constantly looks to the blessed G-d to tell him how to act. This appears in Parshat Vayeishev:

This is as it is said (Yesahya, 11:13), “Efriam shall not be jealous of Yehuda, and Yehuda shall not distress Efriam.” These two tribes were always opposing each other, for the force of life which the blessed G-d gave to Efriam (from Yosef) was of the nature that it always looked to every action regarding its judgement and law, without moving from it. Therefore, when the writings warn Israel against sinning, then the aim of the Torah will be to say (Amos, 5:6), “lest the house of Yosef should prevail like fire,” meaning that they should concern themselves that there should be no opponents to their actions. The root of life for Yehuda, however, is to look to the blessed G-d regarding the course of every action. Even though he sees where the judgment leans, still he looks to the blessed G-d in order to see the depth of the truth of the matter.
So it is with all matters, and this is the root of life for Yehuda, to look to G-d in everything and not to act simply in a way that is accepted or habitual. Even though yesterday he acted in such a way, yet anyhow, today he does not want to rely on his former response, only that the blessed G-d should illuminate His will into him anew. This matter sometimes necessitates even doing something against the law, for, “it is a time to do for G-d, the Torah has been suspended.” (Tehillim 119:126)

So upon understanding this, one must be flexible with the will of G-d, for the vessel only illuminates from that which is shined into it. For the Mei Hashiloach, this is the essence of the commandment concerning the scriptural commandment of temporary vows, as explained in Parshat Mattot:

It occurred (with all of the prophets other than Moshe) in their prophetic spirit that whichever particular word of prophecy they were speaking was enduring for all eternity. Yet truly, there existed changes according to the quality of each generation. On this, “Moshe Rabeynu’s level of prophecy was superior to them all, prophesizing with ‘this is the word.’ ” This means that he understood the prophecy according to its time and place, understanding that a prophecy is only relevant for a particular time, and later G-d may desire something else … Therefore it is said, “this is the word,” for one must understand that the particular action is only temporarily forbidden to him, and that the blessed G-d can give him the power to receive all the good of the world without being disconnected from the service if the Divine.

Then, if G-d’s plans require different processes and limitations for each individual, then this changes the way on will view another’s way of acting in the world. “The blessed G-d allotted to each one goodness and life, and one is not similar to his fellow.” (Parshat Bamidbar) In Parshat Va’etchanan:

As for the meaning behind the commandments, each one feels the unique meaning of a commandment that another does not feel, nor does he have the understanding of his fellow. We find an example of this in the Gemara (Pesachim, 53b), “even though one says to light, and another says not to light, they both had the same intention.”[6] For at first it seemed as if one disagreed with the other, yet truly there was no disagreement for they both intended the same thing. Thus one does not call to question the attributes of his fellow, for he understands that his fellow can only keep the mitsvah in his own way, and not in his way. Therefore it says (in verse 19), “to cast out all your enemies from before you,” which is referring to those involved in fierce disagreements in Israel. Yet the meaning is not that they should be destroyed, G-d forbid, but rather to cast out their kind of service from before you, so as not to disturb you from your own service.

Furthermore, the Isbitser re-evaluates the entire matter of the commandment to rebuke ones neighbor in his interpretation of the verse, “you shall surely rebuke,” in Parshat Behar:

Even thought the blessed G-d commanded man to reprove his neighbor and to try to distance him from all evil as much as is possible, this is only possible in a place where he knows he can help him by bringing him to the good, or through prayer which will arouse compassion upon him to return him to the path of ethical behavior. However, if he can not remove him from his errors, then he must judge him meritoriously, and not accuse him. Thus one can not judge his neighbor as guilty, for perhaps his neighbor’s yetser hara (inclination to evil) is greater than his own. Or, perhaps what he sees as an error or sin is actually permitted to his neighbor, for there are many things that are forbidden to one but permitted to another.

Once one has gone through this process of personal refinement, and refining the way he sees the world, he is capable of experiencing redemption. This is because the nature of exile is really the exile of man’s consciousness, when he can not see the presence of G-d in his life. But if he can remove the veil and see how, “all really is in the hands of heaven,” then no matter what transpires it is all part of the direct involvement of G-d in order to bring about redemption, where the knowledge of G-d is sensed with utmost clarity. The classic example of this is found in Parshat Vayigash, where a simple change of consciousness in a second can bring Yehuda from believing that he is facing a life of incarceration by a foreign king to standing before his lost brother who will save his entire family from famine and be reunited with his father:

For all these verses (at the beginning of the Parsha) are a claim against the blessed G-d, with Yehuda supposing all the while that he was standing before and arguing with a gentile king. Then when the blessed G-d sent them the salvation, then they saw that even in retrospect they were never in danger, for truly they were arguing with their brother. Thus it will be in the future, when the blessed G-d will save us and redeem us, then G-d will show us that we were never in exile, and that a foreign nation never ruled over us, only G-d alone. This is the meaning of the verse (Tehillim, 37:10), “and a little more, and there is no evil one, and you considered his place, and there is nothing there,” meaning that very soon evil will be banished. “And you considered,” meaning the understanding of the heart, for if you want to understand its place, “there is nothing there,” meaning that in it there was no power of governance over you.

In this way, redemption is just a change of consciousness. To do this is a difficult path, requiring constant re-evaluation of how G-d’s will illuminates into each one of us. No matter what I think I understand, I have to go back and look again, for every letter in the Torah is infinite, and, as the Mei Hashiloach tells us, there is a depth far deeper in the words of Torah than the human consciousness can conceive.

Betsalel Philip Edwards, Old City, Jerusalem, 5760 – 2000

[1] This story is taken from, “b’heichal Isbitza – Lublin,” “In the chamber of Isbitza – Lublin,” by S.Z Shragai. Page 8.
[2] In the tradition of Torah scholars, Reb Mordechai Yosef is called in the name of his book, as the, “Mei Hashiloach.”
[3] Shragai, Page 9.
[4] Introduction to Vol. 2 of the Mei Hashiloach. This phrase appears but once all of scripture, Yeshaya {Isaiah} 8:6, "for as much as the the people refuse the waters of Shiloah that flow slowly, and rejoice in R'tsin and the son of Remaliyahu."
[5] I heard this from the mouth of Reb Shlomo Carlebach, Zts’l.
[6] This is discussing whether or not to leave a candle lit on the eve of Yom Kippur. One say that if there is light his is less likely to engage in intimate relations, and another says if it is dark and he does not see his wife, then he will be less likely to succumb. Both opinions are in order to distance one from sin.

The Mystery of the Upright by Rav Gershon Chenoch

Sod Yesharim. Parshat Vayigash
Rabbi Gershon Chenoch Lainer, ZTs”L, the Rebbe of Radzin
Translated by Betzalel Edwards on 7 tevet, 5763, the Yahrzeit of the Mei HaShiloach

It is written in the Zohar (206a), Parshat Vayigash, “For behold, the kings are coming together (Psalm 48), they are Yehuda and Yosef, who were summoned to dispute with one another, this one arguing over Binyamin, and this one arguing over Binyamin.”
Binyamin constantly needed to be strengthened, as did his entire tribe. This is as the Holy Rebbe said (Either his father the Beit Yaakov, or his grandfather the Mei HaShiloach), concerning the Zohar’s statement (Beshalach, 44b), For the one who comes from the side of Nukva (the feminine), death precedes him.” This is why when Binyamin was born, his mother Rachel, who died from the childbirth, wanted to call him, “Ben Oni – the son of my suffering,” whereas his father Yaakov called him, “Ben Yamin – the son of my Right arm, the son of my strength.” Yaakov gave Binyamin assistance from God’s lovingkindness, which is called, “Yamin – the right arm.” Therefore in the account of, “Pilegesh in Giv’ah” in the 20th chapter of the book of Judges, it is said of the army of the tribe of Binyamim, “Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen left handed men; every one could sling stones at a hair, and not miss.” (In other words, it is the nature of Binyamin to express the stern judgments of the left, however, Binyamin’s rectification comes when this power is brought into the right.) In the end of this war, the warriors of Binyamin were decimated. Here Binyamin fell into grave danger, risking total annihilation.
It is taught that Binyamin always comes in to the good attributes from among the nations, and bring them into Yisrael. We find this with the tribe of Mordechai, who entered the attribute of, “mishloach manot,” the gifts sent on Purim, as mentioned in the Mei HaShiloach in his explanation of the tractate Megillah. Mordechai, from the tribe of Binyamin, is called the, “Ish Yamini,” the right handed man. He discerned this attribute by examining the deficiency in the nation of Eylam. This is as the Mei HaShiloach explains in parshat Ci Teytsei, that it is precisely the desire that a nation has for that which it lacks that needs to be entered into Yisrael. The nation of Eylam suffered from a stingy nature, where their true desire was to be generous (study this Mei HaShiloach further).
In order for attributes to be brought into Yisrael, they must undergo great refinement. This was in order that they do not go astray in these attributes. Therefore, this process needed constant help from the aspect of Yehuda, who would always take the deep inner nature of the attribute, and not the external garments of that form of good. Yosef also had a constant need for the tribe of Binyamin, for Yosef would himself descend in order to bring forth the goodness from the nations and enter them into Yisrael. Therefore Yosef always needed the attribute of tsimtsum, constriction and delineation, in order not to go after the expansions of the nations, who receive all of the goodness with a rush of lust and indulgence.

As the Holy Rav (either the Beit Yaakov or the Mei HaShiloach) said, the whole root of Binyamin is - that which he enters into Yisrael, is really the capacity to expand the power of the vessel of Ysrael’s reception. All of the attributes that he enters into Israel are only vessels to receive goodness. This is because the good itself is not among them (the nations) (as said above, it is only their desire to receive). If he (Binyamin) is not illuminated from the attribute of Yosef, then it will seem as if he has no light with which to fill the vessel. He would then bring in vessels that are not appropriate for him. This is why it seemed as if Binyamin stole the chalice, which hints at a vessel of reception.
These were the claims of Yehuda and Yosef against each other. For truly, all their claims were really their disputes before God, even though they were not conscious of this, and the reality that Yosef was alive was hidden from them. Yet their hearts felt the deep roots of their soul, and this produced claims that emerged from the depths hidden within them. This is as the Holy Rebbe, the Mei HaShiloach says, that Yehuda claimed that it was Yosef that caused Binyamin to sin in stealing the chalice (and even though it was orchestrated by Yosef, it expressed a deep truth about Binyamin, and all was revealed to their souls). This is because all the while a person’s deficiency is not connected to an action, he can not be punished for it. So it was Yosef who caused Binyamin to be uprooted from his father’s house and taken on a stressful journey, whereby causing the sin to come into action.
For this, Yehuda claimed that by virtue of his own light and love of God, he could illuminate all of Yisrael, and then achieve an elevation of all of their attributes above all the matters of the physical world. Because of this, Yehuda thought he had a greater and more necessary connection to Binyamin.

“And Yosef said to his steward, Arise, follow after the men… And they said to him … how then should we steal from your lord’s house silver or gold? If any of your servants is found to have it, let him die, and we also will be my lord’s slaves. And he said, Now also let it be according to your words; he with whom it is found shall be my servant…”
All the brothers were Yosef’s servants. For Binyamin held the power of the vessel of reception for all of Israel, as mentioned above, and if he constantly needed Yosef, then if follows that all the brothers are enslaved to Josef. This was so until Yehuda arose in his awesome power and drew from the strength of his of love for God, deep in his heart. For if he exerts himself from his power of prayer, of the love of God, then it is revealed to him that also in this world he is never separated from God’s will, and it would be necessary to reveal that Yosef is alive.
This is as it is written in the Zohar (206b), “when two worlds (Zeir Anpin and Malchut, or Yosef and Yehuda) join together as one, and are summoned together as one, this one can open the treasure house, and this one can gather up that which is in it. Two holy world, the upper world and the lower world, ‘pass through as one.’ (Psalm 48)The secret of this is, when they join together as one, in this way, they, ‘pass through as one,’ for all the sins of the world are not forgiven in atonement until they are brought together as one. This is as it is written in Micha, “He passes over iniquity.’ ”
The source of Yosef is to draw Divine effluence, understanding, and to enter into the attribute of connection for all of Israel by means of that which he illuminates unto them from his attribute of tsimtsum – constriction, for all matters, so as not to expand out more than is proper. Therefore this attribute gives way to a great increase of souls and goodness, for all birth is a product of tsimtsum, and therefore the effluence is brought down with great strength, as it comes from a place of great contractions.
Yehuda receives all the goodness for all of Yisrael. When these two attributes, Yosef and Yehuda, come together, it is the complete zivvug (union)of Yesod and Malchut, and then God effuses all kinds of goodness with great love, with no spirit of accusation whatsoever.
This is the Zohar’s connection with, “passing over iniquity.” In the thirteen rectifications of the Beard of Arik Anpin, the Zohar, in the Idra Rabba, locates this attribute as the vertical path directly under the nose that is free of hair. It is the channel which connects the judgments of the nose down to the holy mouth, which pronounces the words, “I have forgiven.” It transforms “PeSh’A” (iniquity) into “SheF’A” (Divine abundance or effluence) (Same letters). The Eyts Chaiim teaches that the channel from the nose to the mouth is only in order to draw supernal Chochma (wisdom) down through the path of Chesed (Lovingkiness). This is called the light of Abba. This only happens after great clarifications. This is also like the translation of Tsora’at (leprosy) as, “s’geeru” Aramaic for, “closing,” meaning that the affliction is a result of closing off the lights of Chochma, or Abba. This is why the channel must be beneath the nose, which inhales the breath of life. This causes an illumination of the face, for scent is that which is brought close from afar. This is why the sacrifices are called, “reyach nichoach – a sweet savor (scent).”
Then the mouth finishes. The faculty of speech is the completion of any action. When something reaches speech, there is no more room for free choice. If the mouth is connected to that which is above it, then Divine Providence will never be removed from the mouth, and one will not be able to do anything outside of God’s will. Then there will be no room for natural laws, but all will be seen as a product of Divine conduct. Then it follows that there will be no residue of sin.
This is as the Zohar says (206b), R. Hiya said: ‘This is the mystery of the sacrifices, for when a sacrifice is offered up and each section receives exactly that which it needs, then there is a bond of union effected between all, and all faces are illuminated … and they are all brought together to atone for sin.” This is as the Holy Rebbe explained concerning the sacrifices, that a sacrifice brings worlds together, because a man and his property are one. The only difference is a difference in physical space. This is in order that his property can then come to him only by means of his own efforts. The more he refines himself, and arrives at the understanding of the words of Torah that are fixed in his heart, then just how his property is his inheritance and a part of his soul is revealed to him. Therefore, when one sins, it is seen on his possessions. Then when he clarifies the matter, subduing his consciousness before God, he then can bring together all the worlds, to the extent where even in this world he can sacrifice his property to be included in the supernal fire. This is as he explained in parshat Vayikra, that all the worlds come together, since the concealment and the separating veils are revealed.
This is the joining together of Yehuda and Yosef, which brings about a revelation of the depth hidden in all things. But it is only after the concealment, when man meditates on how God’s light is hidden from him because of sin, and then he will return and see how even this was a result of God’s providence. He then sees how God’s light exists in the darkness as it appears to him. He then manages to bring worlds together. He sees that God’s light is included in all places.