THE CURSE AND HIDDEN BLESSING IN BAKING BREAD
Bechukosai
Rabbi Simon bar Yochai was visited by two of his students, Rabbi Yonason ben Asmai and Yehuda ben Geirim. When they took leave of him, Rabbi Shimon sent his son after them to request a blessing.
When he asked them for their bracha they said to him “May it be Hashem’s will that you sow but not reap, that you take in and not bring out, bring out and not take in, let your house be destroyed and your inn inhabited, let your table be disturbed and may you not see a new year.”
Distressed, he returned to his father and said that instead of blessing him, the Talmidim had cursed him. But on hearing what his Talmidim had said, Rabbi Shimon exclaimed “these are all blessings”.
That you "sow but not reap" means that you will have children and that they will not die. That you "take in and not bring out" means that you will take in daughter-in-law and your sons will not pass away and so your daughters-in-law will not leave. That you "bring out and not take in" means that you will have daughters and when they marry , their husbands will not die and they won’t have to return.
"Let your house be destroyed and your inn inhabited" is because this world is only temporary like an inn. After death is likened to a house which is permanent. The blessing was that he should not die so that the inn will be inhabited rather than the house.
"Let your table be disturbed" refers to the birth of children who create disorder in the home. And "may you not see a new year" means that your wife will not die and you will not need to remarry and have another Shana Rishona.
The Meforshim offer various explanations why the Talmidim disguised these beautiful blessings in the form of curses.
Chassidus explains that hidden in curses are some of Hashem’s deepest blessings. These blessings are so lofty that they cannot come down in a revealed way and must be hidden. Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai was a master of the inner dimension of Torah and was able to unlock the curses and reveal the blessings within.
Parshas Bechukosai contains within it the Tochecha, the rebuke and punishments that would befall Bnei Yisroel if they should fail to follow Hashem. Following the approach of Rabbi Shimon, the Kabbalists and Chassidic masters explain these verses of curses according to the inner dimension of Torah. They reveal to us some of the hidden Brachos that lie beneath.
One of the curses in the Tochecha is:
“When I break for you the staff of bread, and ten women will bake your bread in one oven, and they will bring back your bread by weight, and you will eat, yet not be satisfied”.
In Likutei Torah, the Alter Rebbe explains the inner meaning of these words.
Torah is likened to bread. Just as bread nourishes the body, Torah sustains the soul. Even though bread comes from a lower order of creation then man, it has a lofty Divine source. Torah in its source is the Tree of Life (the staff). With the breaking of the Luchos, the Torah descended from its G-dly source to be enclothed within physical matters so that we can access it.
But to nourish a person, bread must be baked. Raw dough will not be digested and become part of the body. Torah too needs to be baked so that it becomes one with us. Otherwise the Torah and the one learning it remain separate.
The Neshama has a fiery love for Hashem and desire to cleave to Him. These fires are hidden within the heart and are revealed through meditation on Hashem’s oneness (one oven). When one channels this love into their study, the bread of Torah is baked.
The ten women represent the 10 conscious faculties of the soul. They are referred to in female form representing the ‘receiver’. This is the humility to recognise that all of our spiritual qualities and strengths are given by Hashem and not of our own making.
When Torah is studied with this passion and desire to connect to Hashem, “you will eat and not be satisfied”. Kohelet describes “Whoever loves silver will not be sated with silver”. No matter how much they have, they still want more.
So too, our appetite and craving for Torah will not be sated. This bread gives Chayus to the Neshama so that no matter how much we learn, the words of Torah will remain ‘like new in our eyes’.
Based on Likutei Torah Parshas Bechukosai
When he asked them for their bracha they said to him “May it be Hashem’s will that you sow but not reap, that you take in and not bring out, bring out and not take in, let your house be destroyed and your inn inhabited, let your table be disturbed and may you not see a new year.”
Distressed, he returned to his father and said that instead of blessing him, the Talmidim had cursed him. But on hearing what his Talmidim had said, Rabbi Shimon exclaimed “these are all blessings”.
That you "sow but not reap" means that you will have children and that they will not die. That you "take in and not bring out" means that you will take in daughter-in-law and your sons will not pass away and so your daughters-in-law will not leave. That you "bring out and not take in" means that you will have daughters and when they marry , their husbands will not die and they won’t have to return.
"Let your house be destroyed and your inn inhabited" is because this world is only temporary like an inn. After death is likened to a house which is permanent. The blessing was that he should not die so that the inn will be inhabited rather than the house.
"Let your table be disturbed" refers to the birth of children who create disorder in the home. And "may you not see a new year" means that your wife will not die and you will not need to remarry and have another Shana Rishona.
The Meforshim offer various explanations why the Talmidim disguised these beautiful blessings in the form of curses.
Chassidus explains that hidden in curses are some of Hashem’s deepest blessings. These blessings are so lofty that they cannot come down in a revealed way and must be hidden. Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai was a master of the inner dimension of Torah and was able to unlock the curses and reveal the blessings within.
Parshas Bechukosai contains within it the Tochecha, the rebuke and punishments that would befall Bnei Yisroel if they should fail to follow Hashem. Following the approach of Rabbi Shimon, the Kabbalists and Chassidic masters explain these verses of curses according to the inner dimension of Torah. They reveal to us some of the hidden Brachos that lie beneath.
One of the curses in the Tochecha is:
“When I break for you the staff of bread, and ten women will bake your bread in one oven, and they will bring back your bread by weight, and you will eat, yet not be satisfied”.
In Likutei Torah, the Alter Rebbe explains the inner meaning of these words.
Torah is likened to bread. Just as bread nourishes the body, Torah sustains the soul. Even though bread comes from a lower order of creation then man, it has a lofty Divine source. Torah in its source is the Tree of Life (the staff). With the breaking of the Luchos, the Torah descended from its G-dly source to be enclothed within physical matters so that we can access it.
But to nourish a person, bread must be baked. Raw dough will not be digested and become part of the body. Torah too needs to be baked so that it becomes one with us. Otherwise the Torah and the one learning it remain separate.
The Neshama has a fiery love for Hashem and desire to cleave to Him. These fires are hidden within the heart and are revealed through meditation on Hashem’s oneness (one oven). When one channels this love into their study, the bread of Torah is baked.
The ten women represent the 10 conscious faculties of the soul. They are referred to in female form representing the ‘receiver’. This is the humility to recognise that all of our spiritual qualities and strengths are given by Hashem and not of our own making.
When Torah is studied with this passion and desire to connect to Hashem, “you will eat and not be satisfied”. Kohelet describes “Whoever loves silver will not be sated with silver”. No matter how much they have, they still want more.
So too, our appetite and craving for Torah will not be sated. This bread gives Chayus to the Neshama so that no matter how much we learn, the words of Torah will remain ‘like new in our eyes’.
Based on Likutei Torah Parshas Bechukosai