Tens Course - Lesson #36. "The Spiritual Meaning of Passover According to the Wisdom of Kabbalah"
Tens Course - Lesson #36.
Topic: "The Spiritual Meaning of Passover According to the Wisdom of Kabbalah"
I Seek My Brothers
12. RABASH, Article No. 3 (1984), "Love of Friends – 1"
And a certain man found him, and behold, he was wandering in the field. And the man asked him, saying, ‘What are you seeking?’ And he said, ‘I seek my brothers. Tell me, I pray you, where they are feeding the flock?’” (Genesis, 37).
A man “wandering in the field” refers to a place from which the crop of the field to sustain the world should spring. And the works of the field are plowing, sowing, and reaping. It is said about that: “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy,” and this is called “a field which the Lord has blessed.
”Baal HaTurim explained that a person wandering in the field refers to one who strays from the path of reason, who does not know the real way, which leads to the place he should reach, as in “an ass wandering in the field.” And he comes to a state where he thinks that he will never achieve the goal he should achieve.
“And the man asked him, saying, ‘What are you seeking?’” meaning, “How can I help you?” “And he said: ‘I seek my brethren.’” By being together with my brothers, that is, by being in a group where there is love of friends, I will be able to mount the trail that leads to the house of God.
This trail is called “a path of bestowal,” and this way is against our nature. To be able to achieve it, there is no other way but love of friends, by which everyone can help his friend.
“And the man said: ‘They are departed hence.’” And Rashi interpreted that they had departed themselves from the brotherhood, meaning they do not want to bond with you. This, in the end, caused Israel’s exile in Egypt. And to be redeemed from Egypt, we must take it upon ourselves to enter a group that wants to be in love of friends, and by that we will be rewarded with exodus from Egypt and the reception of the Torah.
The Miracle of the Exodus From Egypt
197. RABASH, Article No. 11 (1990), "What Placing the Hanukkah Candle on the Left Means in the Work"
A miracle” implies something that a person cannot obtain. That is, it is impossible for one to obtain it unless through a miracle from above. Only in this way is it called “a miracle.”
For this reason, when a person comes to a state where he already has recognition of evil, that it is impossible for him to emerge from the domination of the nations of the world in him, that Israel in him is in exile under them, and he sees no way that he can emerge from their power, when the Creator helps them and brings them out from the authority of the nations of the world and turns it around so that the people of Israel governs them, this is called “a miracle.
199. RABASH, Article No. 17 (1990),"What Is the Assistance that He who Comes to Purify Receives in the Work?"
Man’s ability to change nature is only in the hands of the Creator, meaning that He made nature, and He can change it, and this is called “the exodus from Egypt,” which was a miracle. This is why it is written, “Come,” meaning both of them together, as we say, “Come together,” likewise, the Creator and Moses.
And They Cried, and Their Cry Came Up unto God from the work.
212. RABASH, Article No. 11 (1986), "A Real Prayer Is over a Real Deficiency"
There are two conditions for praying from the bottom of the heart: 1) His work must be against nature. That is, he wants to do everything only to bestow, and wants to exit self-love. At that time it can be said that he has a lack. 2) He begins to exit self-love by himself and exerts in it, but cannot move an inch from his state. At that time he becomes needy of the Creator’s help and his prayer is real because he sees that he cannot do anything by himself. Then, when he cries out to the Creator to help him, he knows this from the work, as it is written, “And the sons of Israel sighed because of the work.” This means that by working and wanting to achieve the degree of being able to bestow upon the Creator, they saw that they could not emerge from their nature so they prayed from the bottom of the heart.
215. Zohar for All, Shemot [Exodus], "Sigh, Cry, and Outcry", Item No. 354
How are outcry and cry different? There is an outcry only in prayer, as it was said, “Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear to my outcry,” and also, “Unto You, O Lord, is my outcry,” and “My outcry is unto You, and You will heal me.” Thus, an outcry means words of prayer. A cry means crying and not saying anything, without any words. The cry is greater than all of them, for the cry is in the heart. It is closer to the Creator than a prayer or a sigh, as it is written, “For if they cry unto Me, I will surely hear their cry.”
A sigh, a cry, and an outcry are thought, voice, speech—Bina, ZA, and Malchut. Hence, a cry in which there is no speech is more acceptable to the Creator than a prayer in words, since the speech is revealed and there is gripping in it, but a cry, where there is no disclosure except in the crying heart, there is no hold for the accusers in it. It is also more acceptable than a sigh because it is revealed only in the thought of the one who sighs, which is Bina, and the lower one cannot properly adhere to the Creator through it. This is why a cry is more acceptable.
In Haste
240. RABASH, Article No. 13 (1987), “Why the Festival of Matzot Is Called Passover”
Why Passover is called “haste”? According to what RASHI interprets, Passover is called “haste” because the Creator jumped and passed over from Egyptian to Egyptian, and Israel in the middle, escaped. We see that skipping to the end means that He rushed the end, as though it was not yet time. Since he rushed himself, this is why Passover is called “haste.” It is as though he had to hurry so that the Egyptians who were among the Israelites would not awaken, as it was still not their time to be corrected. This is why He rushed Himself and saved what He could save. That is, only Israel received correction and not the Egyptians. This is why it is called “haste.”
252. Degel Machaneh Ephraim, Bo
Our livestock will also go with us; not a hoof shall remain behind … All that one has, slaves and servants, cattle, and even all his vessels are one’s sparks, which belong to the root of the soul and one must elevate them to their root … And all the lowly sparks are adhered from the beginning to infinity. When one, of whom they are from the root of the soul, has an ascent, they all rise with him, and it is all by being in true adhesion.
Nachshon’s Jump
261. Yalkut Shimoni, Exodus, Chapter 14, Item 234
When Israel stood by the sea, one said, “I am not going down,” and another said, “I am not going down.” While they stood and sought advice, Nachshon Son of Aminadav jumped and fell into the waves of the sea. It is about him that he says, “Save me, O God, for the waters are up to my neck [soul].”
262. RABASH, Article No. 1 (1986), "Moses Went"
One who has already begun the work, and is not saying that he will wait until the Creator gives him the desire to do the holy work and then he will begin to work. Rather, he does not want to wait because the craving to work and reach the truth pushes him forward though he does not see that he will have the ability to go forward alone, like Nahshon.
However, he sees that he cannot continue this work and is afraid that the burden of the kingdom of heaven, which he is now carrying, is beginning to fall off from him so he begins to call out for help, since he sees that each time, the burden he has taken on himself begins to fall.
The tearing of the Red Sea
263. Zohar for All, BeShalach [When Pharaoh Sent], "And ... Went, And It Came, And ... Stretched", Items No. 178-179
178) When Israel camped by the sea they saw several multitudes, several soldiers, and several camps above and below, and they all gathered over Israel. In their plight, Israel began to pray.
179) At that time, Israel saw adversity on all sides. The sea with its mounting waves was before them, behind them were all the appointees, all the camps of Egypt, and above them were several slanderers. They began to cry out to the Creator.
Praising the Exodus from Egypt
Zohar for All. Bo, Items No. 179-180
179) ...Man’s eternal obligation to speak in the praise of the exodus from Egypt. Every man who tells the story of the exodus from Egypt and delights in that story will rejoice with the Shechina (which is joy from all sides) in the next world. This is a man who is delighted with his master, and the Creator is delighted with that story of his.
180) When the Creator brings his company together and tells them, “Go and listen to the story of My praise, which my children tell, and rejoice in My redemption,” they all come and gather and bond with Israel, and listen to the story of the praise, that they are happy with the delight of redemption from their master, and come and thank the Creator for these miracles and mighty deeds, and thank Him for the holy nation that He has in the land. And they are happy with the joy of redemption of their Lord.