Last year we discussed the reason we say Lechaim, and how to say Lechaim. To read it again click here. (It is also a good introduction to what we will discuss below).
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Rosh Hashana night, 5507 [1746]
The Teffilos of the Ba’al Shem Tov on Rosh Hashana night are legendary.
But this Rosh Hashona night was different. The Ba’al Shem Tov was motionless, it seemed as if he had no life in him. This was because, through reciting a series of holy Shemois, the Ba’al Shem Tov had caused His holy Neshoma to leave his body, and transverse on high, in what is known as an Aliyas Haneshoma.
In a letter to his brother-in-law Reb Gershon Kittuver, the Ba’al Shem Tov describes how he reached levels he never previously been able to attain.
“In an atmosphere of great joy, I encountered Neshomos of the living and of the dead… they asked me to help them ascend as well… there I saw the Soton going to be Mekatreg with a big joy…”
“I asked מורי ורבי [the Novi Achiyo Hashiloni] to go with me because it is dangerous to go to the higher realms… I ascended “to the palace of Moshiach, where Moshiach learns Torah with all the Tanaim and Tzadikim, and also with the Shiva Royim”…
“And there I asked Moshiach “אמתי קאתי מר – when will you come”?
“He answered me: “When your teachings are publicized and revealed in the world, and your fountains will be spread to the outside… and they too will be able to make Yichudim and Aliyos like you…”
“I was surprised by this and greatly pained because of the length of time necessary for this to be achieved.
“But I was soon appeased, because in the course of this journey I was given a relatively simple teaching. They are three special Segulos, and three Yichudim, which are easy to explain to some Tzadikim.
“But they would not allow me to reveal this.
The conclusion is the purpose of our discussing the letter here:
“However this I will inform you, during your Teffilos and learning, in every single word, have the intention to achieve Yichud there. For in every single letter there are Olamos, Neshomos, and Elokus, and when we say the words they join and unify one with the other… They achieve true unity with Hashem”.
In short: Though the Ba’al Shem Tov was not permitted to teach the actual Yichudim – he taught us that when we have in mind the general Kavona of ‘Achdus Haborei’ – the fact that all and everything is Elokus, then we are in effect having the same underlying Kavona, as if we know all the details.
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Wine VS Oil
Wine is the choicest, most special of all drinks.
Oil however, though far less tasty… retains a benefit that wine cannot achieve.
Because, whereas wine, as mature, tasty, and expensive as it may be, will still mix with all its less ‘Choshuve’ contemporaries. Oil rises above all other drinks.
And as much as one will stir their drink, the oil will still rise to the top.
Kabola (Sod) is compared to wine (נכנס יין יצא סוד), whereas Chassidus (Pnimiyus Hatorah) is compared to oil.
A key distinction between Chassidus and practical Kabolla is that Kabola seeks to change reality in the worlds. Whereas Pnimiyus Hatorah seeks to rise above all these levels, and focus on the core energy of Elokus.
I’ll explain:
Practical Kabola focuses on understanding Tzirufim, Yichudim, and Sheimos, (the combination of letters that create the worlds), using those combinations to affect change in the world.
Chassidus on the other hand focuses on the core energy – the energy higher than the combinations of creation.
Remember: At the beginning there was only אור אין סוף – infinity.
Then, following Tzimtzumim, through a combination of the holy letters of the Alef Beis worlds [levels] formed.
Those knowledgeable in these holy Tzirufim and Yichudim (combinations), are able to change them when necessary, thereby changing the entire cosmos, and bringing tremendous ישועות והצלות to the world.
But only certain unique Tzadikim, are allowed to engage in those matters of “practical Kabola”.
Chassidus on the other hand, because it is for everyone, concentrates on teaching the individual how to rise above Tzimtzumim, and focus on the Elokus that stands at the core of everything.
To use an example; a Tzadik knowledgeable in practical Kabola is like an electrician knowing exactly what each wire does, and how to direct the electricity.
If a non-electrician Chas Vesholom tries…
But though one has to be properly knowledgeable, to be able to create the combinations and connections needed to create the passageways of the energy called electricity, that doesn’t mean that a non-electrician has to sit in the dark…
Because once the electrician has dealt with the wiring, another person only needs to know how to plug something into the socket and/or flick a switch… thereby tapping in to the core energy.
It is an example for Chassidus.
Chassidus is for everyone, so for the most part it bypasses the Yichudim, instead placing the main emphasis on focusing on the Elokus that stand at the core of all Yichudim.
Lifting a person to see beyond the worlds, even the highest worlds, focusing instead at the core energy – אור אין סוף, and realising how everything is really this infinite light.
Chassidus provides an understanding about a level so deep, that like oil, it lifts the person higher than the physical worlds, teaching people to see beyond any Tzimtzumim, focusing instead on יחוד ה’ – the oneness of it all – אור אין סוף itself.
This is the reason why Chassidus doesn’t ask for one to Daven with Kavona of the Sheimos etc. as per the Mekubolim, rather to focus on the idea of ‘Yichud’ [at whichever level one can grasp].
But, important note: Just because we can’t change the world through Yichudim, we can still change it by a more general Kavona.
As the Ba’al Shem Tov wrote, that though He was not allowed to reveal “the three special Segulos, and three Yichudim”, nevertheless one should have a more general Kavona; That simply by saying the letters, they should all “achieve true unity with Hashem”.
Focus on Yichus Hashem – on the fact that everything is Elokus – and you will rise above the physical mundane world, and be able to be fully in tune with what your Nefesh Elokis wants to do.
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Purim is unique. Because on Purim we can have both.
The story of Purim is not about a revelation of higher than nature.
Not at all.
Purim is about how Hashem runs the world, and how everything is manifest through the special powers of Yichudim and Tzirufeim, how events in the physical will change simply by changing the combinations.
The story of Purim is about how a Yid, though their actions, can create and change reality.
Negatively (נהנו מסעודתו של אותו רשע), and positively (לך כנוס כל היהודים).
From Ester becoming queen, to Mordechai of all people overhearing Bigson and Seresh, etc. The story of Purim happened by changing the power within the world as it is, but not by changing the nature, just by changing the energy makeup.
It takes a Yid, with their innate Emuna, to realise that this is not an amazing sequence of chance events, rather the outcome of events that Hashem put into place to arrive at that specific outcome.
Purim is about revealing the Sod. The Sod (secret) that Elokus is everything, and Torah and Mitzvos create and change physical reality.
That is why we drink wine on Purim, because נכנס יין יצא סוד – our physical drinking wine is the physical action, of the underlying ‘secrets’ that make everything happen in the world.
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Now let’s move on from the wine, to the person drinking the wine.
Intellect is what differentiates a human from an animal.
It follows, that the more a person lives by dictate of their intellect, the more human they are acting. Thus, the ‘deeper’ their intellect – the deeper the differentiation between them and an animal.
But let’s move this up a level. Because a Yid (with his Nefesh Elokis) is in a different league, a Yid is Ruchani.
The more a Yid is ‘in tune’ with the oneness of Hashem, the more they are ‘in tune’ with reality.
So for a Yid, the focus cannot merely be on the question of “what do I want physically. How do I make decisions to do what will be best for me physically”. Or even deeper, “How do I live with “conscious intellect”, and create an amazing reality, change decrees, and manifest amazing goodness into my life”.
Rather, for a Yid the question is “what do I want spiritually”? How can my Nefesh Elokis (the real me) get where it needs to be.
How do I retain the focus on ‘Hecher’, on the oneness of the world?
When Chassdim would say Lechaim, they would often ask “Vos Iz Der Mevukash – what am I seeking from this Lechaim”.
What is the Mevukash when saying Lechaim on Purim?
The answer of course and first of all, is to be able to reveal the physical and spritual Sod of the world, and draw down for ouselves all physical and spiritual good!
But, with that, one needs to remember that Oil doesn’t mix.
Purim is a day where we can have the best of all worlds: On the one hand able to draw down the amazing physical and spiritual good usually only able to be drawn down by Tzadikim. On the other hand receive Kochos to be able to be focused on the understanding and feeling אז עס איז נישט דא קיין וועלט – that in reality there is no world!
So when saying Lechaim on Purim remain focussed on the question as a Yid how do I rise above the noise and clatter of even the deepest Sechel and feelings, and reach the truth which is עצמות… (Though as we are still נבראים we will have to settle for אור אין סוף…)
And because the גילוי – the levels we can tap into – are so deep, עד דלא ידע… it is the most opportune time to be able to feel (even somewhat) that Bitul brought about by the perception of אחדות הבורא, the oneness of everything.
A Chossid infused with oil, drinking wine.
A revelation of ‘Hecher’
This is a true Simchas Purim.
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Easier said than done.
So for the next weeks let us take a Ma’amor that discusses Achdus Hashem, and learn it through every day. Literally every day.
Learning it ten times before Purim.
Then, when we sit down on Purim to Farbreng, we will be conditioned to focus on the depth of the Koach Eloki that is the universe, in addition to the unique opportunity to be able to manifestכל מילי דמיטב מנפש ועד בשר בטוב הנראה והנגלה that is usually only able to be drawn down by Tzadikim empowered to use Tzirufim and Yichudim.