SUNDAY PRAYER: YESOD-TIKKUN CHATZOT תקון חצות – LESSON WITH RAV MICHAEL LAITMAN
READING: between after midnight and sunrise of Sunday.
The Time of The Giving of The Torah
Shavuot – The Time of the Giving of the Torah
- The Festival of Shavuot
- As One Man within One Heart
- And They Stood at the Foot of the Mountain
- Arvut [Mutual ResponsibilityGuarantee]
- We Will do and We Will Hear
- Preparation to Receive the Torah
- The Giving of the Torah
The Festival of Shavuot
1. RABASH, Letter No. 52
The festival of Shavuot—the time of the giving of our Torah—is approaching. It is known that Shavuot is regarded as Malchut in the worlds and the heart in man. It is as Baal HaSulam interpreted about Mekadesh Shevi’i (seventh sanctifier) that Shevi’i comes from the words Shebi-Hu (who is in me).
He means that the Creator is clothed in the heart, and the time when we can interpret that the Torah dresses in the soul. This is why it is called Shavuot and “the giving of the Torah,” meaning that at that time the Torah dresses in the hearts of each and every one from the whole of Israel.
2. RABASH, Letter No. 52
The count from Passover to Shavuot it is the purification of the Kelim (vessels), which is purification in heart and mind. When the Kelim have been perfected, we are rewarded with the Torah.
Therefore, before Passover, the preparation of purifying the Kelim was with faith, called Mitzva (commandment/good deed). Through the exodus from Egypt they were rewarded with faith, as in “I am the Lord your God who took you out from the land of Egypt.” After Passover begins the work on purification as preparation for reception of the Torah. When the Torah dresses in the soul it is called “Shavuot, the time of the giving of our Torah.”
3. Maor VaShemesh, Rimzei Shavuot
The days of the count point to unity, as it is written in the holy books. Therefore, during the count, one should correct this attribute of unity, and by that one is rewarded with attaining the Torah on the festival of Shavuot [Feast of Weeks], as it is written, “And they journeyed from Rephidim and came to the Sinai Desert, and Israel camped there before the mountain.” The main thing, upon which everything depends, is to have love and brotherhood among the Children of Israel. It is as our sages said, that the whole Torah depends on the commandment, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” When there is peace in Israel, the Shechina [Divinity] is with them.
4. Maor VaShemesh, Rimzei Shavuot
At the time of the giving of the Torah, when they camped there in one heart, in love, and in brotherhood, as RASHI interpreted, because of it they were rewarded with receiving the Torah and the revelation of His Shechina on them face to face. This is the meaning of “And they journeyed from Rephidim.” Rephidim has the letters of Prudim [Heb: separated]. This implies that they journeyed from idleness and separation, and connected together in love to serve the Creator. Because of it, the Creator gave the Torah.
5. RABASH, Letter No. 59
We count forty-nine days to the days of the reception of the Torah.
Omer comes from the word Seorim [barley/measures]. This means that it comes from measures, by measuring in the heart the greatness of the Creator, as the holy Zohar interprets the verse, “Her husband is known at the gates.” The holy Zohar says, “Each according to what he assumes in his heart,” to that extent the light of the Creator is on that person.
This is called “faith.” When a person is rewarded with faith in the Creator, it is regarded as a “beast.” This is the meaning of the Omer being of barley, which is animal food, meaning that he has not yet been rewarded with the view of Torah. But on Shavuot, when rewarded with the reception of the Torah, one receives the view of Torah. For this reason, we offer the offering of wheat, which is food for man, who is the speaking.
As One Man in One Heart
6. RABASH, Article No. 16 (1986), “The Lord Has Chosen Jacob for Himself”
It is written, ‘and there Israel camped before the mountain,’ which our sages interpret ‘as one man in one heart.’ This is because each and every person from the nation completely detached himself from self-love … It turns out that all the individuals in the nation have come together and become one heart and one man, for only then were they qualified to receive the Torah.”
We therefore see that the Creator made it so the people of Israel would achieve wholeness by giving them the power to all be of equal form, which is to bring contentment to one’s Maker.
7. RABASH, Article No. 16 (1986), “The Lord Has Chosen Jacob for Himself”
“And Israel camped there before the mountain.” RASHI interpreted, “As one man with one heart.” This is why it is written, “camped,” in singular form [in Hebrew]. However, the rest of the pauses are with complaints and disputes, this is why it is written there “camped” in plural form [in Hebrew]. It follows that singular refers to equivalence of form.
With the above said we should interpret that the Creator has made the people of Israel. Although they are many, as in, “As their faces are not similar to one another, their views are not similar to one another” (Berachot, 58). Still, He has made them a unique people in the world, which is a great novelty. That is, although they are a nation, meaning plural, they still have the singular form through equivalence of form.
8. RABASH, Letter No. 42
“And the people encamped, as one man with one heart.” This means that they all had one goal, which is to benefit the Creator.
We should understand how they could be as one man with one heart, since we know what our sages said, “As their faces are not similar to one another, their views are not similar to one another,” so how could they be as one man with one heart?
Answer: If we are saying that each one cares for himself, it is impossible to be as one man, since they are not similar to one another. However, if they all annul their selves and worry only about the benefit of the Creator, they have no individual views, since the individuals have all been canceled and have entered the single authority.
9. Zohar for All, Kedoshim, “It Is Forbidden to Look Where the Creator Loathes”
Since the day when Israel were in the world, they were not in one heart and one desire before the Creator as on that day when they stood at Mt. Sinai.
10. RABASH, Letter No. 34
“And they shall all become one society.” In that state, it will be easier “To do Your will wholeheartedly.”
This is so because while there is not just one society, it is difficult to work wholeheartedly. Instead, part of the heart remains for its own benefit and not for the benefit of the Creator. It is said about it in Midrash Tanhuma, “‘You stand today,’ as the day at times shines and at times darkens, so it is with you. When it is dark for you, the light of the world will shine for you, as it is said, ‘And the Lord shall be unto you an everlasting light.’ When? When you are all one society, as it is written, ‘Alive everyone of you this day.’
11. Letter No. 34
Usually, if someone takes a pile of branches, can he break them all at once? But if taken one at a time, even a baby can break them. Similarly, you find that Israel will not be redeemed until they are all one society, as it is said, ‘In those days and at that time, says the Lord, the children of Israel shall come, they and the sons of Judah together.’ Thus, when they are united, they receive the face of Divinity.”
I presented the words of the Midrash so that you don’t think that the issue of a group, which is love of friends, relates to Hassidism. Rather, it is the teaching of our sages, who saw how necessary was the uniting of hearts into a single group for the reception of the face of Divinity.
And They Stood at the Foot of the Mountain
12. RABASH, Article No. 18 (1987), “What Is Preparation for Reception of the Torah? – 1”
It is written, “And they stood at the foot of the mountain.”
We must understand what is a “mountain.” The word Har [mountain] comes from the word Hirhurim [thoughts], which is man’s intellect. Anything that is in the intellect is regarded as “in potential.” Afterward, it can expand into actual fact. Accordingly, we can interpret “And the Lord came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain,” as the thought and intellect of man, meaning that the Creator informed all the people that the inclination of a man’s heart is evil from his youth. After the Creator informed them in potential, meaning at the top of the mountain, that which was in potential expanded in actual fact.
For this reason, the people came to actually feel and everyone now sensed the need for the Torah, as it is written, “I have created the evil inclination; I have created the spice of Torah.” Now they said that through actually feeling that they were forced to accept the Torah, meaning without choice, since they saw that if they received the Torah they would have delight and pleasure, and if not, there it would be their burial.
13. Baal HaSulam, Shamati, Article No. 53, “The Matter of Limitation”
It is written, “And they stood at the bottom of the mountain.”
(A mountain [Hebrew: Har] means thoughts [Hebrew: Hirhurim]). Moses led them to the end of the thought and the understanding and the reason, the lowest degree there is. Only then, when they agreed to such a state, to walk in it without any wavering or motion, and remain in that state as if they had the greatest Gadlut, and to be happy about it, this is the meaning of “Serve the Lord with gladness,” since during the Gadlut, it cannot be said that He gives them work to be in gladness because during the Gadlut, gladness comes by itself. Instead, the work of gladness is given to them for the time of Katnut, so they will have joy although they feel Katnut. And this is a lot of work.
This is called “the main part of the degree,” which is discerned as Katnut. This discernment must be permanent, and the Gadlut is only an addition. Also, one should yearn for the main part, not for the additions.
14. Baal Sulam. Shamati 199. “To Every Man of Israel”
Every man of Israel has an internal point in the heart, which is considered simple faith. This is an inheritance from our fathers, who stood on Mount Sinai. However, it is covered by many Klipot [shells], which are all kinds of dresses of Lo Lishma [not for Her sake], and the Klipot must be removed. Then his basis will be called “faith alone.”
Mutual Guarantee
15. Baal HaSulam, “The Arvut [Mutual Guarantee],” Item 17
This is to speak of the Arvut [mutual guarantee], when all of Israel became responsible for one another. Because the Torah was not given to them before each and every one from Israel was asked if he agreed to take upon himself the Mitzva [commandment] of loving others in the full measure expressed in the words “Love your friend as yourself,” This means that each and every one in Israel would take upon himself to care and work for each member of the nation, to satisfy all their needs, no less than the measure imprinted in him to care for his own needs.
16. Baal HaSulam, “The Arvut [Mutual Guarantee],” Item 17
Once the whole nation unanimously agreed and said, “We will do and we will hear,” each member of Israel became responsible that no member of the nation will lack anything. Only then did they become worthy of receiving the Torah, and not before.
With this collective responsibility, each member of the nation was liberated from worrying about the needs of his own body and could observe the Mitzva, “Love your friend as yourself” in the fullest measure and give all that he had to any needy person since he no longer cared for the existence of his own body, as he knew for certain that he was surrounded by six hundred thousand loyal lovers standing ready to provide for him.
17. Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, Likutey Halachot [Assorted Rules], Hoshen Mishpat, “Rules of the Guarantor”
It is impossible to observe Torah and Mitzvot [commandments] except through Arvut [mutual responsibility], when each one becomes responsible for his friend, since the essence of observing the Torah, which is the desire, is through unity. Therefore, anyone who wants to take upon himself the burden of Torah and Mitzvot should be included in the whole of Israel with great unity. For this reason, at the time of the reception of the Torah, they certainly became responsible for one another, since as soon as they want to receive the Torah they must all be included as one, in order to be incorporated in the desire. At that time, each one is certainly responsible for his friend because all are important as one.
18. Baal HaSulam, “Matan Torah” [The Giving of the Torah], Letter 15
If six hundred thousand men abandon their work for the satisfaction of their own needs and worry about nothing but standing guard so their friends will not lack a thing, and moreover, they will engage in this with great love, with their very heart and soul, in the full meaning of the Mitzva, “Love your friend as yourself,” it is then beyond doubt that no one in the nation will need to worry about his own well-being.
Because of this, one becomes completely free of securing his own survival and can easily observe the Mitzva, “Love your friend as yourself,” obeying all the conditions given in Items 3 and 4. After all, why would he worry about his own survival when six hundred thousand loyal lovers stand by, ready with great care to make sure he lacks nothing of his needs?
Therefore, once all the members of the nation agreed, they were immediately given the Torah, for now they were capable of observing it.
19. Baal HaSulam, “The Arvut [Mutual Guarantee]”, No. 17
Israel are responsible for one another, both on the positive side and on the negative side. On the positive side, if they keep the Arvut to the point that each one cares and satisfies the needs of his friends, they can fully observe the Torah and Mitzvot [commandments], meaning to bring contentment to their Maker, […]. On the negative side, if a part of the nation does not want to keep the Arvut, but to wallow in self-love, they cause the rest of the nation to remain immersed in their filth and lowliness without finding a way out of their filth.
20. Baal HaSulam, “The Arvut [Mutual Guarantee]”, No. 18
The Tana described the Arvut as two people who were on a boat, and one of them began to drill a hole in the boat. His friend said, “Why are you drilling?” He replied, “Why should you mind? I am drilling under me, not under you.” So he replied, “Fool! We will both drown together in the boat!”
21. Baal HaSulam, “The Arvut [Mutual Guarantee],” Items 18
Even after the reception of the Torah, if a handful from Israel betray and return to the filth of self-love, without consideration of others, that same amount of need that is put in the hands of those few would burden each one in Israel with the need to provide for it themselves because those few will not pity them at all.
Hence, the fulfillment of the Mitzva of loving one’s friend will be prevented from the whole of Israel. Thus, these rebels cause those who observe the Torah to remain in their filth of self-love, for they will not be able to engage in the Mitzva, “Love your friend as yourself,” and complete their love of others without their help.
22. Noam Elimelech, Likutei Shoshana
One must always pray for his friend, as one cannot do much for himself, for “One does not deliver oneself from imprisonment.” But when asking for his friend, he is answered quickly. Therefore, each one should pray for his friend, and thus each works on the other’s desire until all of them are answered. This is why it was said, “Israel are Arevim [responsible/sweet] for one another,” where Arevim means sweetness, as they sweeten for each other by the prayers they pray for one another, and by this they are answered. And the essence of prayer is in the thought since in the thought, one’s prayer can be accepted easily.
23. Pri Etz Chaim, “Gate of Selichot,” Chapter 8
We should speak in plural form, “We have sinned,” and not “I have sinned.” The reason is that all of Israel are one body, and each one from Israel is a particular organ, since this is the Arvut [mutual guarantee], where one is a guarantor for his friend if he sins. Therefore, although he does not have that same iniquity in him, he should still confess to it, since when his friend commits it, it is as though he himself committed it. This is why it is said in plural form. Even if a person makes a confession alone in his home he should say that what he sinned is regarded as though he and I committed our sin together because of the Arvut among the souls.
We Will do and We Will Hear
24. RABASH, Assorted Notes. Article No. 942, “Concerning the Mind Controlling the Heart”
As was said at the time of the giving of the Torah, “We will do and we will hear.”
That is, first, we will do mindlessly, and then we will be rewarded with hearing, so we can hear that what we are doing is what is good for us. Conversely, if we first want to understand that it is worthwhile for us to bestow upon the Creator and then we will do, we will never achieve this.
25. RABASH, Article No. 11 (1990), “What Placing the Hanukkah Candle on the Left Means in the Work”
We were given the work in Torah and Mitzvot in the form of “We shall do and we shall hear.” This means that by doing and observing Torah and Mitzvot in action, we will be rewarded with the state of hearing, too.
In other words, one must observe Torah and Mitzvot even by coercion. There is no need to wait for a time when he has a desire to observe Torah and Mitzvot, and then he will observe. Rather, one must overcome and observe only in action, but the doing will later bring him hearing, meaning that afterwards he will hear about the importance of Torah and Mitzvot. In other words, he will be rewarded with the delight and pleasure that is found in Torah and Mitzvot. This is the meaning of Israel’s saying, “We shall do and we shall hear.”
26. Baal HaSulam, “The Arvut” [Mutual Guarantee], No. 19
As our sages said, “The fathers observed the whole Torah even before it was given.” This means that because of the exaltedness of their souls, they could attain all the ways of the Creator with respect to the spirituality of the Torah, which stems from their Dvekut with Him without first needing the ladder of the practical part of the Torah, which they had no possibility of observing at all. […].
Undoubtedly, both the physical purity and the mental exaltedness of our holy fathers greatly influenced their sons and their sons’ sons, and their righteousness reflected upon that generation, whose members all assumed that sublime work, and each and every one stated clearly, “We will do and we will hear.” Because of this, we were chosen, out of necessity, to be a chosen people from among all nations.
27. RABASH, Assorted Notes. Article No. 294 “We Will Do and We Will Hear – 1”
When one takes upon himself an action, he is not involved in this matter because he takes upon himself what he is told to do. At that time, he does not have the bribe to blind him.
Hence, he can come to a state of hearing, meaning that he will hear that the Commander is correct. This is called “We will hear,” meaning that he understands Him. Hearing means understanding in the mind and in the heart, for precisely once he has no self-interest, he can understand that what the Commander is commanding him to do is right.
But before he takes upon himself the action, he is still receiving bribe, and therefore thinks that the Commander is not making sense. This is “We will do,” and later “We will hear.”
28. RABASH, Assorted Notes. Article No. 821, “We Will Do and We Will Hear – 2”
Annulment is called “doing” and not “hearing.” “Hearing” means understanding, and “doing” is only power without knowledge. This is “We will do and we will hear,” meaning that if he has the power of “doing” then he can receive “hearing” because his basis is faith and not knowledge.
29. RABASH, Assorted Notes. Article No. 940, “The Point in the Heart”
“We will do and we will hear, for through our work we will be rewarded with hearing, as it is written, “And all the people were seeing the voices,” meaning they heard the voice of the Creator.
Seeing means with the senses, which is a feeling in the heart, where each one, by Mount Sinai, felt that the voice of the Creator spoke to him and they had no doubt about the matter. This is called “seeing.” Similarly, when a person sees something, he has no doubt about it, unlike when he hears, for perhaps he did not hear very well. Therefore, we do not rely on hearsay but only on eye witnessing.
For this reason, at the time of the giving of the Torah, when they had no doubt that this was the voice of the Creator, it is called “seeing,”
30. RABASH, Article No. 18
When we hear the voice of the Creator speaking to the heart, as in “He who comes to purify is aided,” and it was interpreted in the holy Zohar that he is aided by a holy soul, meaning that the heart hears the voice of the Creator and then specifically the voice of holiness receives the governance over all the desires, meaning the desire to bestow. And naturally, they will not turn back to folly, meaning he will not sin again because all the desires of reception have surrendered under the desire to bestow.
At that time all the good pleasantness appears on the heart, for then there is room in the heart for the instilling of the Shechina (Divinity), and the gentleness and pleasantness, and flavor and friendship spread, and fill up all of man’s organs.
This applies specifically when hearing the voice of the Creator. At that time the whole body surrenders and enslaves itself to holiness.
Preparation to Receive the Torah
31. RABASH, Article No. 29 (1989), “What Is the Preparation to Receive the Torah in the Work? – 2”
In order to receive the Torah, a person must prepare himself—to have a need called a Kli, that the Torah can fill. This applies specifically when he wants to work for the sake of the Creator, for then he encounters the resistance of the body, which yells, “What is this work for you?” But a person believes in the sages, who said that only the Torah can deliver a person from the control of the evil inclination. This can be said only of those who want to be “Israel,” meaning Yashar-El [straight to the Creator]. They see that the evil inclination does not let them emerge from their control, and then they have a need to receive the Torah so the light of the Torah will reform them.
32. RABASH, Article No. 21 (1988), “What Does It Means that the Torah Was Given Out of the Darkness in the Work?”
The Torah is given specifically to the deficient, and that deficiency is called “darkness.” This is the meaning of the words, “The Torah was given out of the darkness.” That is, one who feels darkness in his life because he has no vessels of bestowal is fit to receive the Torah, so that through the Torah, the light in it will reform him and he will obtain the vessels of bestowal. Through them, he will be fit to receive the delight and pleasure,
33. RABASH, Article No. 21 (1988), “What Does It Means that the Torah Was Given Out of the Darkness in the Work?”
It follows that the Torah was given specifically to those who feel that their will to receive controls them. They cry out from the darkness that they need the Torah in order to deliver them from the darkness that is the control of the vessels of reception, on which there was a Tzimtzum [restriction] and concealment so that no light will shine in that place. But that place is the cause for the need to receive the Torah.
34. RABASH, Article No. 29 (1989), “What Is the Preparation to Receive the Torah in the Work? – 2”
Our sages said, “The Torah exists only in one who puts himself to death over it.” We should understand the word “exists.” What does it tell us? We should interpret this according to what our sages said, “The Creator said, ‘I have created the evil inclination; I have created the Torah as a spice.’” That is, the Torah should be a spice. In whom is this so, since “There is no light without a Kli, no filling without a lack”?
For this reason, they said that those who want to put their selves to death, meaning want to put to death the will to receive for their own sake, and want to do everything for the sake of the Creator, see that they cannot do this on their own. To them the Creator said, “I have created the evil inclination; I have created the Torah as a spice.”
35. RABASH, Letter No. 42
This is the meaning of what is written, “The view of landlords is opposite from the view of Torah.” It is so because the view of Torah is cancelling the authority, as our sages said, “‘If a man dies in a tent,’ the Torah exists only in one who puts himself to death,” meaning he puts himself to death, namely his self-gratification, and does everything only for the Creator. This is called “preparation for reception of the Torah.”
36. RABASH, Assorted Notes. Article No. 943, “Three Discernments in the Torah”
There are three discernments in the Torah: 1) Tushia, which Mateshet [exhausts] a person’s strength, 2) the Torah as a spice, 3) the light of Torah.
The first two discernments are regarded as a preparation to receive the Torah. Only the third discernment is called “Torah,” which is the essence, in the sense of doing good to His creations. The first two are considered “corrections of creation.”
The Giving of the Torah
37. Baal HaSulam, Shamati, Article No. 66, “Concerning the Giving of the Torah – 1”
The matter of the giving of the Torah that occurred on Mount Sinai does not mean that the Torah was given once and then the giving stopped. Rather, there is no absence in spirituality, since spirituality is an eternal matter, unending. But since, from the perspective of the Giver, we are unfit to receive the Torah, we say that the cessation is by the upper one.
However, then, at the foot of Mount Sinai, the whole of Israel were ready to receive the Torah, as it is written, “And the people camped at the bottom of the mount, as one man in one heart.” At that time, the public was prepared; they had but one intention, which is a single thought about the reception of the Torah.
However, there are no changes from the perspective of the Giver—He always gives, as it is written in the name of the Baal Shem Tov that each day one must hear the ten commandments on Mount Sinai.
38. Baal HaSulam, Shamati, Article No. 66, “Concerning the Giving of the Torah – 1”
if one has not yet been rewarded with the reception of the Torah, he hopes to be rewarded with the reception of the Torah in the following year. But when one has been awarded the wholeness of Lishma, he has nothing more to do in this world, since he has already corrected everything to be in the wholeness of Lishma.
For this reason, each and every year there is the time of reception of the Torah, since that time is ready for an awakening from below. This is because it is the awakening of the time when the light of the giving of the Torah was revealed in the lower ones. Hence, there is an awakening from above, which gives strength to the lower ones to be able to perform the qualifying act to receive the Torah, as then, when they were ready to receive the Torah.
39. RABASH, Article 468, “This Day, the Lord Your God Commands You”
“This day, the Lord your God commands you to do these statutes and ordinances, and you shall keep and do them with all your heart and with all your soul.” RASHI interprets, each day they will be as new in your eyes, as if you were commanded them that day.
We should understand how one can make them be as new, as though he were commanded them that day, for it has been sworn and standing since Mt. Sinai. To understand this, we first need to know the rule that everything is measured by the greatness of the one who commands. That is, according to the greatness and importance of the giver of the Torah, so is the greatness of the Torah.
Hence, each day when one takes upon himself the kingdom of heaven, according to the measure of the faith in Him, the merit of the Torah increases. Therefore, according to what a person attains in the greatness of the Creator, so the Torah is renewed in him. It therefore follows that each time, he has a new Torah, meaning that each time he has a different Giver. Then, naturally, the Torah that extends from Him is regarded as a new Torah.
40. RABASH. Assorted Notes Article No.895 “The Meaning of Hanukkah”
In the essay “Mutual Guarantee,” he writes, “And you will be unto Me a Segula from all the nations, for all the earth is Mine.” He asks what is the connection of Segula to “all the earth is Mine.” He explains there that “You will be unto Me a Segula,” for through you, sparks of cleansing of the body will be passed on to the all the nations, for Segula means a desire to bestow.