Parashat ZAV - פרשת צו

B"H

This week's Parasha, Parashat ZAV, is all about Korbanot (Sacrifices) in the Temple. The word KORBANOT comes from the Hebrew verb LEHITKAREV - Getting closer to something / someone. While Jews are bringing sacrifices (during Temple times, Gentiles did so on Succot) they are getting closer to G - d. Not necessarily by the sacrifice itself but by their deep and honest repentance. However, Korbanot were not always brought after someone had done something wrong. There used to be sacrifices in order to thank G - d or special Korbanot for the holidays.

When you do something wrong, your Jewish soul (Neshama) will be influenced by your wrongdoing. Our task in this world is to elevate ourselves and souls and not to give in and blemish the Neshama. Of course, we may correct our wrongdoings by repentance but what makes everything a bit more complicated is that even thoughts can blemish your soul. You think something and don't even have to carry it out but it still leaves an influence in your mind and soul.

Today we are much more vulnerable to all kinds of thoughts and it is not only Facebook, Twitter or the entire Internet world causing us confrontations with all kinds of worldy things. Of course, it always depends on how you use the Internet  but still, temptations are around everywhere you look. 

Photo & Article: Kikar Shabbat

On the other hand, we cannot just lock ourselves away but have to interact with the world. There are times when I would love to lock myself into closed chassidic communities such as Toldot Aharon. Just live in my own backyard and not interfering with the outside world. Just live my own life without being confronted with news about Iran, economy, bombs, unemployment, etc. To be realistic, I wouldn't manage that kind of life for too long and just explode after a while. But for a certain period of time, every human needs a break and has to go inside of himself and think. Do Cheshbon Nefesh, meditate or simply taking some time for himself without media and other people around. 

I think it was the Maharal saying in his commentary on "Pirkei Avot" that a Jew has to interact with the world, as he is not alone on this planet. Worldly affairs are not always negative but what we have to do is learning how to approach them in a positive sense.

Rabbi Daniel Frish on the “Yetzer HaRah”

B”H 

Read a previous introduction on Rabbi Daniel Frish here: 

http://shearim.blogspot.com/2012/01/rabbi-daniel-frish-and-his-book-kedusha.html

The second chapter of the book “Kedusha veZniut – Holiness and Modesty” written by Rabbi Daniel Frish talks about how a man should free himself from his lust. Getting rid of the animal lust inside of him. A man was created with this lust but he has to learn how to use it in a positive, hence, modest way. Lust and passion must be used in a pure sense. Example: Lust can be turned into the highest kind of unity when a husband is having relations with his wife. 

On the other hand, a man has to be extremely careful because lust can arouse the greatest “Yetzer HaRah – Negative side in each of us”. A man’s task is to overcome his “Yetzer HaRah”he needs great strength. Furthermore, he should build fences around himself in order to prevent certain dangers beforehand. 

How does a man study Torah in a pure sense ? When he is keeping the union with G – d; keeping himself away from all negative influences. Thus, he will not be vulnerable to thoughts of negative lust but able to have pure relations with his wife. The result of this will be that the couple is going to have righteous children. 

How can someone overcome his “Yetzer HaRah” ? By using his Chochmah (wisdom). 

A great danger of arousing one’s “Yetzer HaRah” is being in contact with other Jews who don’t stick to Torah Mitzvot. However, the worst “Yetzer HaRah” of a man is always aroused by women, as a man can easily have second thoughts. 

We always have to remember that each of us has a Nefesh. In Judaism, souls rise to different levels and a “Nefesh” is the lowest state of a soul. Nefesh means that a human being is satisfying his needs such as eating, drinking, desires, passions, lust, materialism, etc. The Nefesh is mostly referred to a kind of animal soul, as on this level, we behave like an animal. We drink, eat and satisfy our worldly pleasures but don’t think that there is something higher. Example: Spirituality. Instead, we just follow our instinct in order to survive. 

Those who stick to the way of Torah and are thus able to overcome any negative powers trying to lead him astray is called a “Ba’al Torah” and a “Ba’al Mitzvot”. In order to withstand outside influences, a man has to build fences around himself. One of the names of G – d is “Shad – dai”. The Hebrew word “Dai” means “Enough”. When G – d was creating, He finally said “Dai – Enough”. A man has to do the same and say “Dai” when it comes to a certain situation where he could go astray. 

Photos: Miriam Woelke

A new Creation in the Morning

Photo: NASA

B”H

Every morning after waking up, Jews say a special blessing thanking G – d for returning their soul (Neshama) back into the body. According to the “Kitzur Shulchan Aruch”, the blessing “Mode Ani …” is said even before washing one’s hands.

Every morning, our life begins anew. Just like a new creation. The kabbalistic ZOHAR teaches that our souls leave our bodies when we sleep in order to rise to the upper spiritual worlds. However, this doesn’t mean that the soul is undergoing only positive experiences. Sometimes the Neshama has difficulties going up and gets stuck in some lower impurity levels. This may cause us bad dreams.

As soon as the soul leaves our body while we sleep, the body itself is regarded as “dead”. Dead always means “Tumah – Impurity”. This is the reason why we first wash our hands after waking up. When we wake up, our soul is immediately returned into the body but the former Tumah remains until we wash our hands. Chassidim take this Halacha very seriously and place a bowl of water next to their beds. Other people usually get up and go to a sink in order to wash their hands ritually (with a Natlah).

In the morning, the alarm clock rings and we are upset. We are either still tired, in a bad mood, not in the mood to go to work or the opposite. However, who is thinking about the new creation just taking place ? G – d decided to give us our Neshama back. We wake up and this alone is like a total new creation.

Who of us is thinking about the great miracle just taking place ?

Souls

B”H

The ZOHAR (Book of Splendor), Parashat Mishpatim, teaches some very deep insights into the secrets of the human souls. In particular, about the Jewish soul. Kabbalah and Chassidut teach that a Jew has a very different soul from a Gentile soul, the task of the Jew is different from those ones of the other nations. The Jewish soul contains a G – dly spark and only a Jewish soul is able to do Tikunim (rectifications) in this world (see the Ramchal in “Adir ba’Marom). Example: When a Gentile keeps Shabbat (a Gentile is forbidden to keep all Shabbat laws) or eats kosher food, he doesn’t cause anything whereas a Jew causes a rectification in this world.

Quote from the ZOHAR:

It is a great humiliation for the holy soul to enter into a “stranger” namely into a convert to Judaism, for then she has to fly from Paradise into a habitation built from an uncircumcised and unclean source.

The ZOHAR here talks about a reincarnated soul into the body of a convert. Kabbalah teaches that those Jewish souls are being reincarnated who missed reaching their goal in this world. Thus, they have to come back in order to reach it.

At a different place, the ZOHAR teaches that the souls are kept in in the upper spiritual worlds before entering a human body. G – d alone decides who is getting which soul and when the soul finally enters the body, it is upset because it wanted to stay with G – d in the upper worlds and not coming down to earth and entering a strange body whose owner is doing all kinds of strange things. The main goal of the soul is returning to G – d into the upper worlds but its worldly owner may damage it with his negative actions.

The ZOHAR continues:

When the souls which converts have obtained from Paradise pass away from this world, to where do they return ? According to the traditional law, he who first seizes the possessions of a convert at the time of the latter’s death becomes their rightful owner. In the same way, all holy supernatural souls which G – d has appointed for those that are below go out at certain times and seasons from their bodily owners and ascend to their first home in order to enjoy the delights of Paradise. There they encounter the souls of the converts, and whichever of them seizes on one claims it as its own. Each soul then clothes herself with that convert soul which she has claimed, and stands thus in Paradise, for there the souls must be all clothed.

A Jew has two Souls

B"H

As Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi (the Chabad founder) teaches in his TANYA : 

A Jew has two souls !

An animal soul following its desires and a g - dly soul with the desire of follwing Torah.

Especially now in the month of Elul, we should try to overcome our animalistic soul and concentrate our thoughts and actions on our G - dly soul !