OUR UNITY WILL BRING US VICTORY
Noach - The war against Hamas
In his commentary, Ibn Ezra explains that the tower was built to serve as a rallying point. As nomadic shepherds, they were worried that they would lose their way while leading their flocks and become separated. The enormous structure would be visible as a marker of where to return.
The Alter Rebbe explains that their was a deeper purpose in their attempt to remain united.
The Ariza”l teaches that they wanted to use the Divine Names to force Hashem to shower them with blessings of goodness, prosperity and success, even as they acted sinfully, without surrendering themselves to do Hashem’s will. More specifically, they sought to draw down from the loftiest of the Divine Names, י-ה-ו-ה. This is what they meant when they said “let us make a name for ourselves”.
The seven Divine Names that may not be erased correspond to the seven Sefiros. The Sefira that corresponds to the Name י-ה-ו-ה, the most lofty of the Divine Names, is the Sefira of Tiferes. This is because Tiferes is the unifying force that brings harmony and synthesis to the polar energies of Chessed and Gevurah. Tiferes is the Sefira of peace and peace is the vessel to draw down Hashem’s infinite light and blessings.
The key to peace and unity is humility (Bittul). Only when a person has humility, are they able to be tolerant and accepting of someone else’s point of view and to be open to their influence.
The Torah was given to make peace in the world and all of her pathways are peace. When we have Bittul, surrendering ourselves to fulfill Hashem’s Will as found in the Torah, this brings unity, which in turn serves as the vessel for Hashem’s blessings from the open and infinite revelation of the Name י-ה-ו-ה.
The forces of evil and negativity, which do not surrender themselves to Hashem, cannot receive this lofty light. Instead, they receive only a limited allotment of vitality, enough to give them their existence. This comes from the Name of Elokim, a Name associated with the contraction of the Divine light.
The generation of the Tower of Bavel did not want to receive just this residual light. They wanted to receive the lofty flows and light and blessings from the Name י-ה-ו-ה. At the same time, they did not want to have to surrender themselves to the Will of Hashem. In the normal order of Creation, receiving this lofty light requires surrender. They sought to circumvent this order with the power of their unity.
The Alter Rebbe explains that according to the Divine order of Creation, they would have been successful, were it not for the direct intervention of Hashem. Hashem dispersed them to disrupt the unity, so that they would be unable to receive the blessings.
The Alter Rebbe concludes his discourse with the words of the sages “the dispersing of the wicked is beneficial for them and for the world… whereas the gathering together of the righteous is beneficial to them and for the world.”
Unity is the vessel for blessing. If their unity for evil would have drawn down blessings, how much more so a unity that is based upon surrender to Hashem and the furtherance of goodness and holiness.
Two weeks ago a devastating attack was launched against our brothers and sisters in Israel, by a great force of evil. We are not Hashem’s spokesperson to seek to explain or justify the unjustifiable pain and suffering inflicted upon us. But the Torah requires us to introspect and learn from our experiences.
The Hamas terrorists themselves said that they were encouraged in carrying out their horrendous attack, by the internal divisions and discord amongst in Israeli society. For more than half a year we have seen protests and refusal to report for duty. We have heard rhetoric, slander and even violence from one segment of the nation against another. In addition to physically weakening the nation and its governance, our internal divisions weaken the nation spiritually.
But the tragic attack awakened an incredible spirit of unity and brotherly love. The protests were called off and the nation came together, uniting the full spectrum that makes up our people. Jews in Israel and around the world have rallied as one behind the army, the victims and the captives with love, boundless initiatives of Chessed, prayer and solidarity.
Our unity of goodness and light will surely triumph over the forces of evil and darkness. May this unity create the vessel for Hashem’s ultimate blessing of true peace and healing, with the coming of Moshiach.
The Alter Rebbe explains that their was a deeper purpose in their attempt to remain united.
The Ariza”l teaches that they wanted to use the Divine Names to force Hashem to shower them with blessings of goodness, prosperity and success, even as they acted sinfully, without surrendering themselves to do Hashem’s will. More specifically, they sought to draw down from the loftiest of the Divine Names, י-ה-ו-ה. This is what they meant when they said “let us make a name for ourselves”.
The seven Divine Names that may not be erased correspond to the seven Sefiros. The Sefira that corresponds to the Name י-ה-ו-ה, the most lofty of the Divine Names, is the Sefira of Tiferes. This is because Tiferes is the unifying force that brings harmony and synthesis to the polar energies of Chessed and Gevurah. Tiferes is the Sefira of peace and peace is the vessel to draw down Hashem’s infinite light and blessings.
The key to peace and unity is humility (Bittul). Only when a person has humility, are they able to be tolerant and accepting of someone else’s point of view and to be open to their influence.
The Torah was given to make peace in the world and all of her pathways are peace. When we have Bittul, surrendering ourselves to fulfill Hashem’s Will as found in the Torah, this brings unity, which in turn serves as the vessel for Hashem’s blessings from the open and infinite revelation of the Name י-ה-ו-ה.
The forces of evil and negativity, which do not surrender themselves to Hashem, cannot receive this lofty light. Instead, they receive only a limited allotment of vitality, enough to give them their existence. This comes from the Name of Elokim, a Name associated with the contraction of the Divine light.
The generation of the Tower of Bavel did not want to receive just this residual light. They wanted to receive the lofty flows and light and blessings from the Name י-ה-ו-ה. At the same time, they did not want to have to surrender themselves to the Will of Hashem. In the normal order of Creation, receiving this lofty light requires surrender. They sought to circumvent this order with the power of their unity.
The Alter Rebbe explains that according to the Divine order of Creation, they would have been successful, were it not for the direct intervention of Hashem. Hashem dispersed them to disrupt the unity, so that they would be unable to receive the blessings.
The Alter Rebbe concludes his discourse with the words of the sages “the dispersing of the wicked is beneficial for them and for the world… whereas the gathering together of the righteous is beneficial to them and for the world.”
Unity is the vessel for blessing. If their unity for evil would have drawn down blessings, how much more so a unity that is based upon surrender to Hashem and the furtherance of goodness and holiness.
Two weeks ago a devastating attack was launched against our brothers and sisters in Israel, by a great force of evil. We are not Hashem’s spokesperson to seek to explain or justify the unjustifiable pain and suffering inflicted upon us. But the Torah requires us to introspect and learn from our experiences.
The Hamas terrorists themselves said that they were encouraged in carrying out their horrendous attack, by the internal divisions and discord amongst in Israeli society. For more than half a year we have seen protests and refusal to report for duty. We have heard rhetoric, slander and even violence from one segment of the nation against another. In addition to physically weakening the nation and its governance, our internal divisions weaken the nation spiritually.
But the tragic attack awakened an incredible spirit of unity and brotherly love. The protests were called off and the nation came together, uniting the full spectrum that makes up our people. Jews in Israel and around the world have rallied as one behind the army, the victims and the captives with love, boundless initiatives of Chessed, prayer and solidarity.
Our unity of goodness and light will surely triumph over the forces of evil and darkness. May this unity create the vessel for Hashem’s ultimate blessing of true peace and healing, with the coming of Moshiach.