BS"D Parshath Mattoth by Yitzhak Kolakowski ~ ~ ~ Purity and Renewal from Above ~ ~ ~ My dear friends, this week (Shabbos Mattos-Massei 5761) we see a lot is going on, thank G-d. This Shabbos is not only Shabbos, but it's also Rosh Chodesh, the New Moon, which is always the beginning of the Torah month. This coming month is the month of Menachem-Av. (Unless G-d sends us the Messiah, as we all hope He will, the first nine days of this coming month will be a time of intense mouring [prior to this time we have had twelve days of mourning on a lower level than that of the coming nine days. Among Jews, this time is usually called in English "the Three Weeks", while the last nine days are called "the Nine Days"] over the destruction of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem [may it soon be restored], which was twice destroyed on the ninth day of Av, Tisha B'Av. On Tisha B'Av the book of the Lamentations of Jeremiah are traditionally read in the synagogue along with other dirges known as "Kinoth", for this is the day that is set aside for mourning all the tragedies which have befallen the Jewish people throughout our history. In addition to the chanting of the Kinoth, other elements of mourning are observed for that day, such as fasting, sitting on the floor, abstainence from bathing and marital relations, etc.) Shabbos and a New Moon, leading up to the reading of the book of Lamentations, it might seem inconsiquential, but these things together are very powerful, if we tap into them - but let's put this on the shelf as we return to our regularly scheduled program.... - - - - "Every thing that may abide the fire, ye shall make to go through the fire, and it shall be clean..." (Numbers 31:23) - - - - My dear friends, you should know that Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, zy"a, tells us (Likutei Moharan 156) that a pure heart is necessary for renewal and novelty in one's service of G-d, particularly in one'sprivate conversations between oneself and their Maker (Hithbodeduth). And through this one comes to the inspiration called 'holy spirit', which is a level of prophecy. The Rebbe derives this from the words of the Psalmist, "Create me a clean heart, O God; and renew a stedfast spirit within me. Cast me not away from Thy presence; and take not Thy holy spirit from me." (Psalm 51:12-13, or 10-11 in some English Bibles) "Create me a clean heart..." the clean heart leading to "and renew..." renewal and novelty leading to "Thy holy spirit." But, of course, friends, to get to the last step, you have to go to the first, as if that was a simple matter. Now that first step was a clean heart. How does a person get a pure heart? For that matter, how does one get anything pure? Well, friends, we don't have to look any further than this week's sedra for the answer: "ye shall make to go through the fire, and it shall be clean." G-d has give fire a great power to cleanse and purify. Rebbe Nachman explains that fire has the power to, in a sense, destroy air - wind is air and the Hebrew word for "wind", "ruach", also means "spirit". Thus, Rebbe Nachman explains, when one's heart burns with a fire for G-d the spirit of impurity is destroyed and the heart becomes pure - a ready vessel for renewal and holy spirit. "And purify our hearts to serve You with truth..." (Sabbath liturgy) On Shabbos, we beg Hashem to take the fire of Truth and purify our hearts with it. Of course, Truth is none other than the Torah, and our sages tell us that Shabbos is equal to all the commandments of the Torah, so Shabbos is that fire which can purify our hearts. And it is well known that Hashem made the world in such a way that almost all the Mitzvos need what is called "hisorerus d'l'tata", an awakening from below, i.e. human effort for their accomplishment - but Shabbos is different. Shabbos is "hisorerus d'l'Ilela", an awakening from Above. Shabbos is completely a gift from Hashem... However, Rosh Chodesh, on the other hand, is the epitome of hisorerus d'l'tata. G-d gave to the Jewish people the responsibilty to decide when it is every month. It's something that G-d has decreed requires human effort to exist in this world... Rosh Chodesh. Just look at the word "Chodesh" (month). It's the same word as "Chiddush" or "Chadash", novelty - newness - renewal. Isn't that the entire goal of this purification - to be new? So, Rosh Chodesh is apparently (and it has been said so before by many people much greater than me) a time for renewal. (Just look at the waxing moon - renewing itself.) But, by ourselves, it's just too hard to start over. It's too hard to make ourselves new without help. How can we get to this pure state of renewal on Rosh Chodesh? But, this week we have Shabbos - Rosh Chodesh. The fire of Shabbos purifying us for the renewal of Rosh Chodesh. Renewal is usually, it would seem, hisorerus d'l'tata. However, this week renewal comes from Above, as a gift from Hashem, hisorerus d'l'Ilela. This week we can tap into this incredible power of renewal from Above... And this is just what Jeremiah was praying for, and what all Israel is praying for, written right there at the end of the Book of Lamentations (which we might, H"V, have to read next Sunday if we're, H"V, still in Galus). "Hashivenu, HASHEM, Alecha v'nashuvah, chadesh yamenu k'kedem." - "Turn Thou us unto Thee, O L-RD, and we shall be turned; renew our days as of old" (Lamentations 5:21) We're begging Hashem that HE should turn us to Him - hisorerus d'l'Ilela (awakening from Above) and Shabbos; and RENEW our days - Rosh Chodesh; right there in Lamentations. Shabbos-Rosh Chodesh Menachem Av. If we have this in mind this Shabbos, hopefully Hashem will turn to us and renew our days as of old - as in the old days when we had a Temple in Jerusalem. Please, G-d, make it soon. Gut Shabbos --------- (c) 2001 by J. Kolakowski. All Rights Reserved. Copying and distribution are permitten and encouraged if due credit is given