"Jewish physical matter is spiritual." This teaching from the Alter Rebbe (as quoted in HaYom Yom for 27 Teves) is one of the most fundamental principles of Yiddishkeit. When we say the words "ובנו בחרת" (You chose us), the Alter Rebbe explains that it is going on our bodies! Of course, our souls are holy and spiritual, but we are enlightened that in a certain realm, our physical bodies are holy and spiritual as well. Hashem chose our physical bodies, thus showing us that even Jewish physical matter is, indeed, spiritual.
In HaYom Yom for 29 Adar II, the Rebbe quotes an unbelievable thing from his father, the Rebbe Rashab: My revered father, the Rebbe, once said at a farbrengen: "G-d created the world and all physical entities as something out of nothing (יש מאין or אין ליש). The task of Jews is to make something into nothing (מיש לאין), transforming the physical into the spiritual. The avodah of turning physicality into spirituality, and transforming a material entity into a vessel for the spirit, is the personal duty of every Jew; each and every individual is obligated to undertake it."
Hashem, in His infinite wisdom, created the world (something) from absolutely nothing. And incredibly, our job in this world is now to take that יש (something) and revert it back into אין (nothing).
"Nothing" is not negative; rather, "nothing" represents spirituality. Spirituality is in the realm of רוח, wind—a real entity that cannot be seen. In this sense, spirituality is in the realm of אין, nothing.
The way in which we can revert the YESH of this world into AYIN is through bitul, humility. The Rebbe of Koritz explains: כל עניו הוא בכתר מדת אין - every humble person is crowned with the attribute of AYIN (nothing).
Shlomo HaMelech famously teaches הבל הבלים, that הכל הבל—everything is הבל. On one level, we translate this word הבל as "vanity." From a basic, worldly perspective, it's true: this world is full of vanities and futilities. But there is a deeper insight to be gleaned here. הבל represents spirituality. הבל is a breath. It's air. It's the realm of אין; it's nothing. That "nothing" is spirituality at its core.
When Shlomo HaMelech tells us that הכל הבל, we are being taught how, ultimately, everything is Hevel—everything is spiritual. Every YESH has the potential to be turned into AYIN because, remember, "Jewish physical matter is spiritual."
It's not a coincidence that the Torah describes the man הבל (Hevel) as the one who brought a beautiful korban to Hashem, from the choicest of his flock. Like a breath (הבל) that becomes batul to the world (a breath that leaves the human is a transparent reality that becomes one with the air around it), Hevel brought a beautiful korban, a true expression of hisbatlus to Hashem. Kayin, on the other hand, who represents physical possessions (hence, קין is מלשון קנינים), brought his korban from the fruit of the ground. He was earthly and materially focused. Kayin was an עובד אדמה, a worker of the earth. Hevel, however, was a רועה צאן, a shepherd of sheep.
Hevel understood that you can live in this world, a world of physicality, but it can be channeled to spirituality. You can be amongst the field and the animals, but you can be a רועה, a term used to describe some of the greatest Jewish leaders to walk this planet (including Moshe Rabbeinu). A shepherd lives in this world but "guides" and "channels" it for a higher purpose and calling.
The Midrash relates that Hevel saw this world as an עולם אחר, "another world." Kayin said to Hevel, "Let's split up our portions. I will take this world in my portion, and you will take Olam Haba in your portion." However, once Kayin saw Hevel shepherding the sheep, he was infuriated that his brother was seemingly breaking the pact. "Why are you shepherding sheep in my portion?" Kayin said, upon which Hevel responded, "I never agreed that I would leave my sheep without a shepherd!" At this point, the argument had heated up, and Kayin arose and killed his brother, Hevel (see Midrash Aggadah, Bereishis 4:8).
Perhaps we can explain this fascinating Midrash in the following way. Kayin and Hevel were arguing about something so fundamental: How do you perceive this world? Kayin saw this world as a physical, materialistic world in and of itself. Hevel, however, saw this world as an עולם אחר, another world entirely. Kayin saw Olam Haba as something that existed, but not at all connected to this world—separate from this world of the adama/ground. Hevel, on the flip side, saw the potential for both to be working together. You can live in this physical world and elevate it. You can be in the field with the sheep, yet you can be a רועה—you can guide and channel the material. You can turn everything into spirituality. הכל הבל—everything can be spiritual. You can turn YESH into AYIN.
At the beginning of Orach Chaim, in the laws of Birchas Asher Yatzar, the Rema explains what the פלא (wonder) is that is expressed in ומפליא לעשות (He does wondrous things). The wonder is: במה ששומר רוח האדם בקרבו וקושר דבר רוחני בדבר גשמי — "the fact that Hashem keeps the spirit of man (neshama) within his body, thus binding something spiritual to something physical."
The fact that our bodies can contain our soul is a פלא, an absolute wonder. The definition of a פלא (wonder) is the fusion of the spiritual with the physical.
Vayikra begins with a small aleph. We know the word אלף, when rearranged, spells פלא. Vayikra, the portion of the Torah that introduces us to korbanos, is a calling for us to live a most wondrous, פליאהדיקה, life. It's a calling for us to see physical matter as spiritual—to fuse the two together. Like Hevel, to see this world as an עולם אחר. To take the YESH of this world and revert it to AYIN.
Korbanos, which are in place of the human who is bringing them, are a process of becoming close to Hashem through being mevatel ourselves to Him. What starts as a living, physical, material animal full of YESH, through the sacrificial process becomes more and more AYIN, more and more "nothing," more and more spiritual.
Remember, the aleph in Vayikra is small, perhaps hinting to us that no matter how small, physical, or mundane something may appear, we as yidden can turn it into spirituality. We can take that small אלף and turn it into the greatest פלא, infusing every ounce of this world with holiness and spirituality.
Have a WONDEROUS Shabbos!
"Jewish physical matter is spiritual." This teaching from the Alter Rebbe (as quoted in HaYom Yom for 27 Teves) is one of the most fundamental principles of Yiddishkeit. When we say the words "ובנו בחרת" (You chose us), the Alter Rebbe explains that it is going on our bodies! Of course, our souls are holy and spiritual, but we are enlightened that in a certain realm, our physical bodies are holy and spiritual as well. Hashem chose our physical bodies, thus showing us that even Jewish physical matter is, indeed, spiritual.
In HaYom Yom for 29 Adar II, the Rebbe quotes an unbelievable thing from his father, the Rebbe Rashab: My revered father, the Rebbe, once said at a farbrengen: "G-d created the world and all physical entities as something out of nothing (יש מאין or אין ליש). The task of Jews is to make something into nothing (מיש לאין), transforming the physical into the spiritual. The avodah of turning physicality into spirituality, and transforming a material entity into a vessel for the spirit, is the personal duty of every Jew; each and every individual is obligated to undertake it."
Hashem, in His infinite wisdom, created the world (something) from absolutely nothing. And incredibly, our job in this world is now to take that יש (something) and revert it back into אין (nothing).
"Nothing" is not negative; rather, "nothing" represents spirituality. Spirituality is in the realm of רוח, wind—a real entity that cannot be seen. In this sense, spirituality is in the realm of אין, nothing.
The way in which we can revert the YESH of this world into AYIN is through bitul, humility. The Rebbe of Koritz explains: כל עניו הוא בכתר מדת אין - every humble person is crowned with the attribute of AYIN (nothing).
Shlomo HaMelech famously teaches הבל הבלים, that הכל הבל—everything is הבל. On one level, we translate this word הבל as "vanity." From a basic, worldly perspective, it's true: this world is full of vanities and futilities. But there is a deeper insight to be gleaned here. הבל represents spirituality. הבל is a breath. It's air. It's the realm of אין; it's nothing. That "nothing" is spirituality at its core.
When Shlomo HaMelech tells us that הכל הבל, we are being taught how, ultimately, everything is Hevel—everything is spiritual. Every YESH has the potential to be turned into AYIN because, remember, "Jewish physical matter is spiritual."
It's not a coincidence that the Torah describes the man הבל (Hevel) as the one who brought a beautiful korban to Hashem, from the choicest of his flock. Like a breath (הבל) that becomes batul to the world (a breath that leaves the human is a transparent reality that becomes one with the air around it), Hevel brought a beautiful korban, a true expression of hisbatlus to Hashem. Kayin, on the other hand, who represents physical possessions (hence, קין is מלשון קנינים), brought his korban from the fruit of the ground. He was earthly and materially focused. Kayin was an עובד אדמה, a worker of the earth. Hevel, however, was a רועה צאן, a shepherd of sheep.
Hevel understood that you can live in this world, a world of physicality, but it can be channeled to spirituality. You can be amongst the field and the animals, but you can be a רועה, a term used to describe some of the greatest Jewish leaders to walk this planet (including Moshe Rabbeinu). A shepherd lives in this world but "guides" and "channels" it for a higher purpose and calling.
The Midrash relates that Hevel saw this world as an עולם אחר, "another world." Kayin said to Hevel, "Let's split up our portions. I will take this world in my portion, and you will take Olam Haba in your portion." However, once Kayin saw Hevel shepherding the sheep, he was infuriated that his brother was seemingly breaking the pact. "Why are you shepherding sheep in my portion?" Kayin said, upon which Hevel responded, "I never agreed that I would leave my sheep without a shepherd!" At this point, the argument had heated up, and Kayin arose and killed his brother, Hevel (see Midrash Aggadah, Bereishis 4:8).
Perhaps we can explain this fascinating Midrash in the following way. Kayin and Hevel were arguing about something so fundamental: How do you perceive this world? Kayin saw this world as a physical, materialistic world in and of itself. Hevel, however, saw this world as an עולם אחר, another world entirely. Kayin saw Olam Haba as something that existed, but not at all connected to this world—separate from this world of the adama/ground. Hevel, on the flip side, saw the potential for both to be working together. You can live in this physical world and elevate it. You can be in the field with the sheep, yet you can be a רועה—you can guide and channel the material. You can turn everything into spirituality. הכל הבל—everything can be spiritual. You can turn YESH into AYIN.
At the beginning of Orach Chaim, in the laws of Birchas Asher Yatzar, the Rema explains what the פלא (wonder) is that is expressed in ומפליא לעשות (He does wondrous things). The wonder is: במה ששומר רוח האדם בקרבו וקושר דבר רוחני בדבר גשמי — "the fact that Hashem keeps the spirit of man (neshama) within his body, thus binding something spiritual to something physical."
The fact that our bodies can contain our soul is a פלא, an absolute wonder. The definition of a פלא (wonder) is the fusion of the spiritual with the physical.
Vayikra begins with a small aleph. We know the word אלף, when rearranged, spells פלא. Vayikra, the portion of the Torah that introduces us to korbanos, is a calling for us to live a most wondrous, פליאהדיקה, life. It's a calling for us to see physical matter as spiritual—to fuse the two together. Like Hevel, to see this world as an עולם אחר. To take the YESH of this world and revert it to AYIN.
Korbanos, which are in place of the human who is bringing them, are a process of becoming close to Hashem through being mevatel ourselves to Him. What starts as a living, physical, material animal full of YESH, through the sacrificial process becomes more and more AYIN, more and more "nothing," more and more spiritual.
Remember, the aleph in Vayikra is small, perhaps hinting to us that no matter how small, physical, or mundane something may appear, we as yidden can turn it into spirituality. We can take that small אלף and turn it into the greatest פלא, infusing every ounce of this world with holiness and spirituality.
Have a WONDEROUS Shabbos!
