The Torah portion of Vayeira begins
[1] with G-d revealing to Moshe His Ineffable Name Havayah. G-d then goes on to tell Moshe that He did not make this name known to Avraham, Yitzchak or Ya'akov. Rashi
[2] comments that G-d was thereby implying that "He did not make Himself known to them with His unlimited attribute of truth."
The Alter Rebbe explains[3] that, with this statement, G-d was answering Moshe's complaint of "Why do You mistreat Your people?" G-d in effect told Moshe that redemption is tied to the revelation of His Ineffable Name. In order to merit this great degree of revelation, it was necessary for the Jews to undergo the hardships of the Egyptian exile.
This redemption thus involved more than physical and spiritual liberation from slavery; its ultimate purpose was the revelation and knowledge of the Name Havayah. As long as the Name was not known by the Jewish people, there could be no true freedom.
What is the connection between Havayah and liberation?
The explanation is as follows: The Hebrew root of the word for Egypt (meitzar) means straits and limitations.[4] These are found within holiness as well. All human beings are inherently limited, so even when we serve G-d with all our power, we have still not transcended these built-in boundaries.
In a more profound sense, exodus from Egypt requires the transcending of even the limitations of holiness. Understandably, a person is not capable of doing this on his own, as man is inherently limited. One can leave this "Egypt" only by nullifying oneself before G-d, thereby becoming a receptacle for the G-dly revelation of Havayah, which takes a person beyond all limitations.
Herein lies an eternal lesson to Jews, at all times and in all places: An individual can attain a personal state of spiritual redemption even before the redemption of the entire nation.[5] It is thus possible for an individual to be in doubt as to whether he or she has already attained spiritual redemption or is still in a state of spiritual exile.
A person might well think that, if he has vanquished his evil inclination and is wholly dedicated to the study of Torah and the performance of mitzvos, with even his worldly activity being performed for the "sake of Heaven," that he has attained a state of redemption.
The verse therefore informs us that one may have attained the spiritual state of the Patriarchs, serving G-d with complete devotion to Torah, prayer and good deeds, but as long as the Name Havayah does not illuminate his life, he has yet to leave Egypt and attain true redemption.
But how does a person know whether he has merited the revelation of Havayah? Rashi answers by explaining that the Patriarchs did not merit Havayah because "He did not make Himself known to them with His unlimited attribute of Truth."
Truth is not subject to change. Thus, the Talmud Yerushalmi states[6] that "G-d's seal is emmes - truth." The Hebrew word emmes is composed of the three letters, alef, mem, tav - the first, middle and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. This indicates that, from the beginning, through the middle and until the conclusion, truth does not vary.
This, then, is the criterion by which we can determine whether a person has truly left behind all spiritual straits and limitations: If the person's manner of service defies change, i.e., his Torah study, prayer, performance of mitzvos and involvement in permissible matters are all done - under all circumstances - without change and with total nullification before G-d, then he can rest assured that he has attained a true state of spiritual redemption. Havayah is revealed within him, for his service displays the imprint of unvarying Truth.
Based on Likkutei Sichos, Vayeira 5749, pp. 1-5
Notes:
- (Back to text) Shmos 6:2-3.
- (Back to text) Ibid.
- (Back to text) Torah Or, Va'eira 56a. See also Toras Chayim, Va'eira 91b ff., Or HaTorah, Shmos Vol. VII, p. 2549ff.
- (Back to text) Torah Or, Yisro 71c, et al.
- (Back to text) See Iggeres HaKodesh, Epistle 4.
- (Back to text) Sanhedrin 1:1. See also Bereishis Rabbah 81:2; Devarim Rabbah 1:10; Shir HaShirim Rabbah 1:9.
At the beginning of the Torah portion of Vayeira, four expressions are used regarding the redemption of the Jews from Egypt:
[1] "I will release you... I will save you... I will liberate you... I will take you to Myself." Our Sages note
[2] that the four cups of wine we drink during the Pesach Seder correspond to these four expressions.
The Alter Rebbe writes in his Shulchan Aruch[3] that "the Sages established the four cups of wine in consonance with the four expressions: 'I will release you... I will liberate you... I will take you... I will save you.' "
Why does the Alter Rebbe change the order?
There are four general levels of repentance,[4] alluded to in the passage[5] "Turn away from evil; do good; seek peace; pursue it."
The first level, that of "turning away from evil," requires that an individual not transgress in thought, speech or action. If he has transgressed, he is to regret his past misdeeds and uproot his evil desires. For a person does not want to abandon his unity with G-d, and desires G-d's imminent revelation.
The second level of repentance involves doing teshuvah for shortcomings in the performance of mitzvos and good deeds. In order to draw down the level of holiness that is lacking due to a lassitude in the performance of positive commands, one's repentance must be of an extremely high order, so that one can unite with that level of G-dliness which transcends the world.
The third level, that of "seeking peace," is an even loftier form of repentance, wherein an individual resolves to excel in Torah study, which "brings about peace both above and below."[6] This level of repentance enables an individual to reach out to G-d Himself - far beyond the level of either imminent or transcendent G-dliness.
The highest level of repentance, the level of Torah, is itself composed of two levels - seeking peace and pursuing it - corresponding to the revealed and hidden[7] levels of Torah.
The Seder's four cups of wine also correspond to these four levels of repentance.[8] Accordingly, the four expressions of redemption conform to these four levels.
Thus, "I will release you from the bondage [the spiritual impurity] of Egypt," corresponds to the action of "turning away from evil."
"I will save you - v'hitzalti" (related to the Hebrew word tzeil or "shadow"), refers to the encompassing level of G-dliness that is drawn down through the performance of mitzvos.
"I will liberate you" corresponds to the level of Torah, for as our Sages state: "Only the person who studies Torah is truly free."[9] More specifically, this refers to the revealed portion of Torah, as understood from the simple reading of the text. Finally, "I will take you unto Me as a nation" (true unity with G-d) refers to the esoteric dimension of Torah, the highest level of repentance.
As these four degrees of repentance progress from the lowest to the highest, the Torah's expressions with regard to the Exodus also move from the smallest to the greatest.
Now, there is a well-known debate about which is more important: Torah study or the performance of mitzvos. If study comes first, then "I will liberate you" and "I will take you" would come last in the order of progression from lowest to highest. But, if positive performance is more important than study, "I will release you" should be mentioned last.
The reason for the difference in the order of expressions found in the Torah and in the Shulchan Aruch is now clear: The order in the Torah (the Torah desiring to emphasize Torah study) concludes with "I will take you," emphasizing the primacy of Torah study. The order in the Shulchan Aruch (which deals with laws of performance) concludes with "I will save you," emphasizing the primacy of performance.
Based on Likkutei Sichos, Vol. XI, pp. 14-22
Notes:
- (Back to text) Shmos 6:6-7.
- (Back to text) Yerushalmi, Pesachim 10:1; Bereishis Rabbah 88:5; Shmos Rabbah 6:4.
- (Back to text) Orach Chayim 472:14.
- (Back to text) Likkutei Torah, Balak 73b ff.
- (Back to text) Tehillim 34:15.
- (Back to text) Sanhedrin 99b.
- (Back to text) Or HaTorah, Va'eira p. 185, p. 2,596.
- (Back to text) Ibid., p. 237.
- (Back to text) Avos 6:2.
Shmos