Ki Tisa 2
Friday March 5, 2021
Translation and Commentary by Rabbi Gedalia Potash and William Schecter, MD
This draft has neither been edited nor approved by Rabbi Potash
The title of this week’s Parasha, Ki Tisa, refers to the lifting of the heads up of the Children of Israel to permit counting for a census. The Elter Rebbe’s commentary focuses on another aspect of Tisa (Lifting Up) referring to the lifting up of the Jewish People from our material world. This focus on lifting up may seem paradoxical as the main topic in this week’s Parasha is the Sin of the Golden Calf which seems to be a distancing of the People rather than an uplifting of the People. In fact, G-d at one point in the Parasha wanted to end the Jewish People and start again with Moses. Let’s see how the Elter Rebbe deals with this.
The Elter Rebbe begins his discussion by quoting the Pasuk “His left hand is under my head and this right hand embraces me” (Song of Songs 2:6). The Elter Rebbe refers to the concept of “left” as something negative similar to a “pushing away “or rejection at first assuming that this refers to sinful behavior of the Children of Israel in the “Lower World”. But the Elter Rebbe rejects this interpretation saying that on the contrary “His left hand under my head” refers to a “lifting up” of the Children of Israel out of their wayward behavior. Although there is an accounting of the behavior of the Children of Israel at the foot of Mount Sinai, the “rejection” is not a “complete rejection” for at the same time that the Children of Israel are lifted from (and called to account for) their behavior, they are brought close by ‘His Right Hand”.
Rabbi Potash commented that שמאל (Smol=left) which can be interpreted as an action of distancing (through sin) can actually lead to an uplifting of a relationship. Sometimes things go downhill but the result can be an uplifting of the relationship. For example, if a loved one gets sick, can’t perform his or her usual role in the relationship, the partner can step in, provide care resulting in growth of love. On the other hand, sometimes if a person lets you down in one way or another, you grow distant. It’s all a matter of perspective. How we interpret what is going on. If we interpret the actions as something beyond their control, we can grow closer. But if we interpret the event as a willful act, we may become resentful and distant.
We have encountered the concept of left and right previously in our discussions. For example, as we have discussed, the Animal Soul and the Sitra Achra reside in the left side of the heart according to the Elter Rebbe, whereas the G-dly Soul resides in the right side of the heart. However, this association of the left with the “negative” and the right with “positive” is cross cultural. The Romans, before their exposure to the Jews, would predict the future with augurs, particularly related to birds. If the birds were located on the left of their vision, this was a negative prediction. The English word sinister is derived from the Latin word for left. The French words droite and gauche (right and left) are the origins of our English words adroit (smart, skilled) and gauche.
The Elter Rebbe then compares the Pasuk “His Right Embraces me” with another Pasuk “Though he stumbles, he does not fall … (for the Lord supports him) (Psalms 37:24). And to understand this the Elter Rebbe quotes another Pasuk: הקל קול יעקב (the voice is the voice of Jacob) (Genesis 27:26) This passage refers to the episode when Jacob dressed in sheep skins to fool his blind father Isaac in order to receive the blessing of the first born instead of his elder brother Esau. The Elter Rebbe continues the word kol (voice) is written twice, once without a “vav” (קל) and once with a “vav” (קול ) . The Elter Rebbe now compares the two “voices” to the Torah and Prayer. On the one hand, the Elter Rebbe says, Talmud Torah is the most important of the Mitzvot (תלמוד תורה כנגד כולם), presumably because all the other Mitzvot are contained in the Torah. On the other hand, praise of prayer is extolled because the thrice daily prayers “replace” the sacrifices after the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE. The Elter Rebbe now rejects the seeming discrepancy because he says that they are really two parts of the same process. Prayer is a call of the human being from below to the Divine above, whereas the Torah is communication from the Divine to the People of Israel below.
Rabbi Potash commented that every Jew has two voices: the voice of the Torah and the other voice of Falah. Torah is G-d’s wisdom which we accept in our lives acknowledging G-d and our relationship with Him. Tfilah is our yearning for a relationship with G-d. Sometimes Torah is highlighted as the ultimate and sometimes Prayer is highlighted as the ultimate. In fact, says the Elter Rebbe, they are part and parcel of the relationship. If we are engaged in just one of the two activities (e.g., Prayer from below to above) but are not willing to make room for G-d (as revealed in the Torah from above to below), we are not optimizing the relationship with G-d. Rabbi Potash said that everybody is capable of both of these activities although some people have more skill or interest in one or the other. However, in many ways learning Torah informs the Tfilah and vice versa. Ultimately learning leads to yearning and yearning leads to learning and understanding.
In light of this, it is clear that prayer is the fulfillment of the Commandment of reading (or reciting) the Shm’a (Hear of Israel…..) (Deuteronomy 6:4) and the Veahavta (And you Shall Love the Lord your G-d….) (Deuteronomy 6:5). The order of the prayers was arranged so that the supplicant will take upon himself Love of G-d as will be explained. And the path which brings man to this love (of G-d) is explained in the Pasuk: “I have set before you, life and death, a blessing and a curse. Therefore, choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the LORD your God, for he is your life ….” (Deuteronomy 30:19-20). For everything in this world contains both the material and the spiritual. The Spirituality and Divine Vitality is Life and Good whereas the Material represents Death and Evil. And from this concept, man will see the Physical (Material) is nullified vis a vis the Spiritual which gives life to him. So, man’s the body is nullified vis à vis his Spirituality and the Vitality within him enabling him to greatly love the life of his Soul.
Commenting on the Same Prayer, Rabbi Potash compared the Prayer to a marriage proposal to a beloved. At this time, we are aware and focused on the great love we have for our intended. The question is: “how do we get there? How do we acquire this great love?” Rabbi Potash then reviewed the location of the Shm’a Prayer in the Morning Service. It is preceded by the Psukei DiZimra (a series of Psalms and Piyyutim {poems with religious themes}) which serve to awaken in us the love of G-d. Rabbi Potash compared the Psukim DiZimra to “dating”, getting to know the person and developing a great love, culminating in the marriage proposal (the Shm’a)
The Elter Rebbe then goes on to comment on man’s seeing, really seeing, the beauty of the world which G-d created, which in fact is discussed in many of the Psalms and Piyyutim in the Pseukei DiZimra, and through this contemplation of all G-d’s creations and our Blessings, deep love for G-d will be awakened.
In conclusion, returning to the first quotation from the Song of Psalms (Song of Songs 2:6), G-d lifts us up with His left hand (metaphorically) so we rise up to be close to Him (prayer) while at the same time leaning down to embrace us with His right hand (Torah).
