Parshat Bereishis 5782
Rabbi Jablinowitz
We read in this week’s parsha that Hashem created the world in six days. On the seventh day of Shabbos, the Torah states (Chapter 2, Pasuk 1), Vayechulu Ha’Shamayim Ve’Ha’Aretz V’Kol Tzeva’am; Hashem’s creation of the heaven and the earth, and all their hosts was completed. The Medrash Rabbah on our parsha (10, 1) quotes the pasuk from Tehillim (Chapter 119, Pasuk 96), L’Chol Tichlah Rai’isi Kaitz, Rechavah Mitzvascha Meod; All your creations have an end and a limit. But your mitzvos, i.e. the Torah, has no borders or limits, as the pasuk states (Iyov, Chapter 11, Pasuk 9), Arukah M’Eretz Midah, U’Rechava Mini Yam.
The Medrash is emphasizing the fact that the physical, created world is finite and limited. But since Hashem is infinite and created the world with the Torah (Istakel B’Oraysa, U’Bara Alma), there are points of unlimited Kedushah contained within the created world. The Sfas Emes explains that this is the meaning of the word Meod in the pasuk Rechavah Mitzvascha Meod. The holiness contained within the world goes beyond its physical limitations. As an example, he brings the Gemara in Gittin 57A which refers to Eretz Yisrael as (sefer Yirmiyahu, Chapter 3, Pasuk 19), Eretz Chemdah Nachalas Zvi. Just as a Zvi, a deer, its skin doesn’t fit its flesh (Rashi explains that after you skin it, it shrinks and is no longer large enough to cover its meat), so too Eretz Yisrael expands according to whether Bnei Yisrael are dwelling on the land. The holiness of the land is such that its size isn’t limited; it expands according to its need.
The same idea is true of man. Man is a physical being, but he has within him a holy Neshamah. The Zohar Hakadosh in parshat Miketz teaches that as man makes more room for his Neshamah, it grows accordingly. One’s soul isn’t physical and therefore isn’t finite. It’s up to each person to decide how prominent he is willing to make his Neshamah within his being. And just as Eretz Yisrael grows according to its need, so too the Neshamah has no specific shiur and grows and develops according to the choice of whether one is willing to accommodate to his Neshamah.
Another illustration of the other-worldly contained in this world is Shabbos. Just as we explained about the Neshamah in man, Shabbos is referred to in the Zohar Hakadosh as Yuma D’Nishmasin, the day of souls. And on Shabbos we receive a Neshamah Yeseirah, a sense of the unlimited possibilities of holiness contained even within the limited, physical world.
The Sfas Emes learns that the pasuk (Chapter 2, Pasuk 2), Vayechal Elokim Bayom Ha’Shvi’i teaches that Shabbos was the means through which Hashem measured out holiness to the rest of the week. He derives from the pasuk in sefer Yeshayahu (Chapter 40, Pasuk 12), V’Chol Ba’Shalish, where the word V’Chol is used a verb to mean measure. Similarly, Vayechal Bayom Ha’Shvi’i; Hashem measured out to the rest of the week its holiness Bayom Ha’Shvi’i; through Shabbos. Just as the world was created through the unlimited holiness of the Torah which is Rechavah Moed, similarly Shabbos, which is Yuma D’Nishmasin, gave the measure of holiness to the rest of the days of the week.
Now we can understand the words of another Medrash Rabbah on our parsha which distinguishes between Avraham Avinu and Yaakov Avinu. The Medrash states (11,7), Avraham Avinu, about whom there is no specific reference to him keeping Shabbos, inherited the land B’Midah; with a specific measure, as the pasuk says (Chapter 13, Pasuk 17), Kum Hishalech Ba’Aretz L’Arkah U’Le’Rachbah. The Sfas Emes says that since Avraham Avinu had within him the source of Yishmael and Eisav, his holiness was expressed only within the physical. He inherited the land, but with the specific measure of its length and breadth. And therefore, there aren’t references connecting Avraham with keeping Shabbos.
Yaakov Avinu, however, Mitaso Haysah Sheleimah. He was the father of the holy tribes of Israel. And Chazal teach about Yaakov on the pasuk (Chapter 33, Pasuk 18), Vayichan es Pnei Ha’Ir, Kava Yaakov Tehcumin, Mikan She’Yaakov Shamar es Ha’Shabbos. Yaakov established Eirvu Techumin, teaching us that Yaakov specifically kept Shabbos. And since Yaakov had within him total holiness, he alone is referred to as the one who was Shomer Shabbos, the day which is not from this world, but is Me’Eiyn Olam Haba. As a result, Yaakov received a Nachalah Bli Metzarim; a portion without borders and measure, as the pasuk says by Yaakov (Chapter 28, Pasuk 14), U’Faratza Yamah V’Kedmah, Tzafona, Va’Negba. Yaakov received Eretz Yisrael as Eretz Ha’Zvi, a land without limits. And Yaakov is also associated more than the other forefathers with the holy Torah, as the pasuk says (Chapter 25, Pasuk 27), V’Yaakov Ish Tam Yoshev Ohalim, another expression of his connection to unlimited Kedushah as the Medrash teaches from the pasuk, Rechavah Mitzvascha Meod.
Good Shabbos
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