The Despised Wife and the Power of the Baal Teshuvah
Ki Seitzei
At the beginning of Parshas Ki Seitzei we have the Mitzvah of a man has two wives, one beloved and the other despised and his firstborn son is born to the despised wife. The Torah instructs that “on the day he [the husband] bequeaths his property to his sons”, he cannot give the right of the firstborn to the son of the beloved wife. Rather, he must “acknowledge the firstborn, the son of the despised [wife] and give him a double share in all that he possesses”.
During his lifetime, the father may choose to show greater favouritism to the son of the beloved wife, showering them with gifts, extra attention, food and clothing. But when it comes to apportioning the inheritance, he must give the double-portion of the Bechor to the son of the despised wife.
The Midrash draws a parallel between this Mitzvah and the two wives of Yaakov; Rochel and Leah. The Torah records how Yaakov loved Rochel and despised Leah. Leah gave birth to Yaakov’s firstborn—Reuven. Even though Yaakov loved Rochel’s son Yosef more than his other sons, at the time of his passing, Yaakov proclaimed Reuven as his firstborn.
The relationship between Hashem and the Jewish people is compared to that of a husband and a wife. Sometimes we are described as a beloved wife and sometimes as a despised wife. The Midrash Rabbah on Koheles teaches “there is a time to love” refers to the verse “I have loved you says Hashem. “and a time to hate” refers to “she raised her voice against me and therefore I have despised her”.
When the Beis Hamikdash stood, we were like the beloved wife. When we rebelled against Hashem and were sent into Golus, we became the despised wife, banished from the marital home.
This Mitzvah teaches us that the “Bechor” - the greatest Avodah, is not achieved in the times of the Beis Hamikdash and through the Avodah of Tzaddikim, but from the “despised wife”. Whilst the sins that brought us into Golus make us despised, they bring the opportunity for us to do Teshuvah. Raising us to the level of the Baal Teshuvah which infinitely outranks the Avodah of Tzaddikim.
This is the advantage of light that comes from the darkness and love that comes from a distance. It is echoed in the words of Dovid Hamelech “my soul thirsts for you in a parched and weary land without water. So may I see You in the Holy.” Being in a distant, parched land brings out an even greater yearning and thirsting for Hashem than in the Holy.
The Gemara (Yoma 86b) teaches; Great is Teshuvah that it pushes away a negative Mitzvah in the Torah. The Torah says that if a divorced woman marries someone else, her first husband is not allowed to take her back. Yet, Yirmiyahu says “If a man sends away his wife, and she goes away from him, and marries another man, may he return to her again?... But you have played the harlot [with] many lovers, yet return to Me, says the Lord.”
In the future, on the day that Hashem will “bequeath” to His children, the Baalei Teshuvah, the sons of the despised wife, will receive a double-fold reward.
Through their Torah and Mitzvos, Tzaddikim receive from the level of Anochi, the first word of the Aseres Hadibros, which incorporates all of the Mitzvos. The pronoun Anochi (I) refers to Hashem’s essence that is drawn down through Torah and Mitzvos.
But the Baal Teshuvah will receive a double measure, as reflected in the Posuk אנכי אנכי מוחה פשעיך, “I, I will erase your sins”. The pronoun Anochi is repeated twice, alluding to the advantage of the Baal Teshuvah and the even deeper level of G-dly revelation that their Teshuvah elicits.
Concerning the bequeathing to the Tzaddikim in the future, the Mishna teaches that in the future Hashem will bequeath to each Tzaddik 310 worlds. The son of the despised wife, the Baal Teshuvah, will inherit “the 620 pillars of light” described in Kabbalah.
The son of the beloved wife is also Moshiach ben Yosef who will precede the Redemption - Yosef being the son of Rochel, the beloved wife. The true Redemption will be brought by Moshiach ben Dovid, descended from Yehudah the son of Leah, the despised wife. Through our Avodah of Teshuvah in Golus, we will be immediately redeemed. Hashem will bring us back home and shower us with the twofold lights of the Geulah.
During his lifetime, the father may choose to show greater favouritism to the son of the beloved wife, showering them with gifts, extra attention, food and clothing. But when it comes to apportioning the inheritance, he must give the double-portion of the Bechor to the son of the despised wife.
The Midrash draws a parallel between this Mitzvah and the two wives of Yaakov; Rochel and Leah. The Torah records how Yaakov loved Rochel and despised Leah. Leah gave birth to Yaakov’s firstborn—Reuven. Even though Yaakov loved Rochel’s son Yosef more than his other sons, at the time of his passing, Yaakov proclaimed Reuven as his firstborn.
The relationship between Hashem and the Jewish people is compared to that of a husband and a wife. Sometimes we are described as a beloved wife and sometimes as a despised wife. The Midrash Rabbah on Koheles teaches “there is a time to love” refers to the verse “I have loved you says Hashem. “and a time to hate” refers to “she raised her voice against me and therefore I have despised her”.
When the Beis Hamikdash stood, we were like the beloved wife. When we rebelled against Hashem and were sent into Golus, we became the despised wife, banished from the marital home.
This Mitzvah teaches us that the “Bechor” - the greatest Avodah, is not achieved in the times of the Beis Hamikdash and through the Avodah of Tzaddikim, but from the “despised wife”. Whilst the sins that brought us into Golus make us despised, they bring the opportunity for us to do Teshuvah. Raising us to the level of the Baal Teshuvah which infinitely outranks the Avodah of Tzaddikim.
This is the advantage of light that comes from the darkness and love that comes from a distance. It is echoed in the words of Dovid Hamelech “my soul thirsts for you in a parched and weary land without water. So may I see You in the Holy.” Being in a distant, parched land brings out an even greater yearning and thirsting for Hashem than in the Holy.
The Gemara (Yoma 86b) teaches; Great is Teshuvah that it pushes away a negative Mitzvah in the Torah. The Torah says that if a divorced woman marries someone else, her first husband is not allowed to take her back. Yet, Yirmiyahu says “If a man sends away his wife, and she goes away from him, and marries another man, may he return to her again?... But you have played the harlot [with] many lovers, yet return to Me, says the Lord.”
In the future, on the day that Hashem will “bequeath” to His children, the Baalei Teshuvah, the sons of the despised wife, will receive a double-fold reward.
Through their Torah and Mitzvos, Tzaddikim receive from the level of Anochi, the first word of the Aseres Hadibros, which incorporates all of the Mitzvos. The pronoun Anochi (I) refers to Hashem’s essence that is drawn down through Torah and Mitzvos.
But the Baal Teshuvah will receive a double measure, as reflected in the Posuk אנכי אנכי מוחה פשעיך, “I, I will erase your sins”. The pronoun Anochi is repeated twice, alluding to the advantage of the Baal Teshuvah and the even deeper level of G-dly revelation that their Teshuvah elicits.
Concerning the bequeathing to the Tzaddikim in the future, the Mishna teaches that in the future Hashem will bequeath to each Tzaddik 310 worlds. The son of the despised wife, the Baal Teshuvah, will inherit “the 620 pillars of light” described in Kabbalah.
The son of the beloved wife is also Moshiach ben Yosef who will precede the Redemption - Yosef being the son of Rochel, the beloved wife. The true Redemption will be brought by Moshiach ben Dovid, descended from Yehudah the son of Leah, the despised wife. Through our Avodah of Teshuvah in Golus, we will be immediately redeemed. Hashem will bring us back home and shower us with the twofold lights of the Geulah.