In the Torah portion of Vayishlach we read: "Yaakov said to his family and everyone with him: 'Get rid of the alien gods that you have. Purify yourselves and change your clothes.' "
The Rambam notes[1] that although the ritual impurity of idolatry is of Rabbinic origin, it is hinted at by Yaakov's statement. The Rambam's allusion to this verse provides us with a general understanding regarding idolatry.
One may well ask, how is it possible that idolatry is found in G-d's world? This is something like the question that was asked of the Sages:[2] "If G-d does not desire idolatry, why doesn't He have it cease to exist?"
The Gemara records that the Sages answered: "They [the idolaters] serve the sun, the moon, the stars and the constellations. Should His world then be destroyed because of these fools?"
Although this is a telling response, the question remains: How does G-d permit man to even think there may be some truth to idolatry? Surely, if G-d didn't want idolatry to exist, it would be impossible for man to entertain such thoughts?
The answer lies in the Rambam's statement that the ritual impurity of idolatry is hinted at in the verse: "Get rid of the foreign gods."
In other words, the fact that idolatry can exist is so that it can be eliminated - not as a natural development, but as a result of the actions of the Jewish people.
G-d desires that matters of holiness be revealed through the spiritual service of the Jews. He therefore created the world in such a manner that idolatry is possible, so that the Jewish people might reveal the true belief in the One G-d.
The Alter Rebbe states[3] that every transgression can be regarded as a minor form of idolatry. For G-d's unity, the antithesis of idolatry, means not merely that there is only one Creator, but that G-d is the only being that truly exists. All of existence is absolutely nullified before Him, and completely one with Him.
Therefore, when one acts in defiance of G-d's will as expressed in the commandments, one sets oneself apart from G-d, acting as though He were a separate entity. This constitutes a denial of G-d's unity, and the transgressor is therefore guilty of a form of idolatry.
Understandably, this extends not only to the person who transgresses, but also to the objects through which he transgresses; they too are in opposition to His unity.
Thus, just as idolatry itself is merely a fantasy in the mind of the worshipper, the sole purpose of which is to be negated by the Jewish people, so too with all forbidden matters - they exist only so that the Jews might overcome their blandishments.
The above fortifies us in our spiritual service. In the face of the numerous obstacles that stand in one's path, a person may wonder from where he is to derive the strength to overcome the evil that surrounds him and emerge victorious?
We see from the above that all opposition to holiness is a result of the concealment of the fact that "nothing truly exists other than He" - nothing in the world can exist independently of G-d.
When a person cleaves to G-d to such a degree that G-d's true unity is revealed within him, then all opposition to G-dliness will end, much as darkness - something that has no true existence - is dispelled before light.
Based on Likkutei Sichos, Vol. XXX, pp. 155-159.
Notes:
- (Back to text) Hilchos Shaar Avos HaTumah, beginning of ch. 6. Similarly in his commentary on the Mishnah, introduction to the Order of Taharos.
- (Back to text) Avodah Zarah 54b.
- (Back to text) Tanya ch. 20ff.
The Torah portion of Vayishlach begins by relating that Yaakov sent angels to his brother Esav, informing him that he had "sojourned by Lavan and tarried till now." He then told him
[1] that "I have acquired cattle, donkeys and sheep." The Midrash notes:
[2] " 'Donkey' refers to King Moshiach, as the verse states [in reference to Moshiach]:
[3] 'A poor man, riding on a donkey.' "
Moshiach's arrival is dependent on Birurim, the service of elevating the sparks of holiness found in the world.[4] When each and every Jew refines his body, his animal soul and his portion within the world, and uses them for the sake of holiness, then the revelation of the Time to Come is drawn down.
Yaakov therefore stated that he had only "sojourned" with Lavan, indicating that physical matters were for him only a means to an end, i.e., their transformation into vessels for G-dliness.
Having accomplished this task, he sends angels to inform his brother that he has a "donkey," i.e., he is now ready for Moshiach's arrival. He did so since he reasoned that Esav too had concluded his spiritual service, and so for Esav as well, the time for Redemption had arrived.[5]
The angels returned and reported: "We came to your brother, to Esav." In effect the angels said, "You call him your 'brother' - you are ready to go together with him towards the Redemption. But he is still 'Esav,' he has yet to be refined."
Since this was so, the Redemption could not take place.
With regard to Moshiach's arrival, the Gemara[6] points out the following seeming contradiction: "One verse states that Moshiach will arrive 'on a cloud,'[7] while another refers to 'a poor man, riding on a donkey.' " The Gemara explains: "If the Jewish people merit, he will arrive 'on a cloud,' if not, he will arrive as 'a poor man, riding on a donkey.' "
This being so, why did Yaakov allude to Moshiach's arrival with the word "donkey," alluding to his coming under less-than-ideal circumstances? Moreover, since Yaakov had satisfactorily completed his spiritual service, he was prepared to receive Moshiach "on a cloud" and not "riding on a donkey." Why the reference to a donkey?
A donkey is used when the distance or terrain that has to be covered is too great or too steep for a person to make it on foot. The same is true in a spiritual sense.
In spiritual terms, "donkey" - in Hebrew chamor, related to the word chomer, materiality - refers to the corporeal. Thus the Baal Shem Tov interprets[8] the verse[9] "When you see a donkey..." to mean "When you carefully examine your chomer, your materiality."
When a person refines and purifies his materiality, his soul attains a level that it could not reach on its own. This is in keeping with the inner meaning of the verse:[10] "There is much increase by the strength of the ox," i.e., using the power of the animal soul in one's service of G-d vastly enhances the spiritual level of the G-dly soul.[11]
Until the arrival of Moshiach, the most that can be accomplished is that the lower levels of the soul - those aspects that were clothed within the body - are elevated through one's service with the body, one's "donkey" or "ox."
However, with the arrival of Moshiach, when the superiority of the body over the soul shall be revealed, then even those soul levels that were too lofty to clothe themselves within a body will - along with the essence of the soul itself - be elevated as a result of the soul's spiritual service.
This is also alluded to in the saying of our Sages: "If the Jewish people merit [in Hebrew zachu], he will arrive 'on a cloud,' if not [lo zachu], he will arrive as 'a poor man, riding on a donkey.' " The Hebrew word zachu also refers to a state of elegance and refinement.
Thus, if "zachu," i.e., if man's spiritual service involves only spiritually refined matters, then the revelation in the Time to Come will be only "on a cloud" - emanating only from above.
But if the service also involves working with unrefined and corporeal matters - lo zachu - elevating and refining them as well, then the revelation will be "riding on a donkey." It will have additional spiritual impetus, for the "donkey" will lift the soul to a level that it never could attain on its own.
Yaakov thus said: "I have acquired an 'ox' and a 'donkey' - the heightened spiritual revelation of Moshiach in the manner that was due him for transforming the corporeal into the spiritual.
Based on Likkutei Sichos, Vol. I, pp. 69-73.
Notes:
- (Back to text) Bereishis 32:6.
- (Back to text) Bereishis Rabbah 75:6.
- (Back to text) Zechariah 9:9.
- (Back to text) Tanya, ch. 37.
- (Back to text) See Torah Or, p. 24c.
- (Back to text) Sanhedrin 98a.
- (Back to text) Daniel 7:13.
- (Back to text) HaYom Yom, entry 28 Shvat.
- (Back to text) Shmos 23:5.
- (Back to text) Mishlei 14:4.
- (Back to text) See Likkutei Torah, Ha'azinu, p. 75b.
Vayeitzei