A Jew is meant to wake up and begin his day like...
PAUSE FOR A MOMENT.
How would you complete that first sentence? I think most people would naturally conclude that a Jew is meant to wake up and begin his day like a VALIENT SOLDIER. Or perhaps like a LOYAL SERVENT OF HASHEM. Or maybe like a RIGHTEOUS MAN. These would certainly be reasonable conclusions, wouldn't you say?
But shockingly, that's not how the Code of Jewish Law (Shulchan Aruch) begins. Instead of telling us to be human, we are taught to be like an animal: יתגבר כארי - be strong like a lion!
What is going on here? Why are we told to be like an animal, instead of like a human? We know there are tiers of creation: domem (inanimate objects, such as rocks), tzomeach (vegetation, plants, etc.), chai (animals), and medebar (speakers/humans). Each tier is another level and dimension of existence. The level of Tzomeach is fundamentally different and superior to domem. The level of Chai is fundamentally different and superior to tzomeach. And the level of medaber (the human being) is fundamentally different and superior to chai. So again, why go down a level? Why are we meant to be "like a lion"?
The truth of the matter is, this question extends far beyond the opening line of the Shulchan Aruch. "Be strong like a lion" is actually a term taken from a broader statement by Rabbi Yehuda ben Teima, where he teaches that in addition to being strong like a lion, a Jew is meant to be bold like a leopard (עז כנמר), light like an eagle (קל כנשר), and run like a deer (רץ כצבי).
Furthermore, Shlomo HaMelech in Mishlei (6:6) teaches that a Jew is meant to be like an ant (לך אל נמלה) in order to learn how to not be lazy.
There are numerous other examples of this, where we are specifically taught to mimic certain qualities of animals. And it begs the question: Why? If the human is fundamentally different and superior to the lower animal realm, why should we be encouraged to behave like them?
At the beginning of Parshas Tazria/Metzora, which primarily discusses the laws of Negaim (Tzaraas, which stems from speaking Lashon Hara, a disease that comes from abusing our role as medabar, speakers), the Torah speaks about childbirth and the laws of impurity that governs a woman upon the birth of a boy and a girl. The very first Rashi of the parsha quotes a teaching from the great Rav Simlai: "Just as the formation of man took place after that of every cattle, beast and fowl when the world was created, so, too, the law regarding him is set forth after the law regarding cattle, beast and fowl."
There is a great significance to the fact that man was created last. Our latter position in the creation process teaches us that everything that came before us (the sun, stars, moon, plants, animals, birds, fish, etc.) IS IN US.
In the words of the Sefas Emes: כי האדם הוא צורה של כל העולם לזאת כלול מכולן - Man is the embodiment of the entire world; therefore, he is comprised of all of them (see שפת אמת תזריע תרל"ב).
In the words of the Nefes HaChaim: וזהו פשטות ענין הכתוב נעשה אדם לשון רבים, ר"ל שכולם יתנו כח וחלק בבנינו שיהא כולל ומשותף מכולם - This is the simple meaning of the verse "Let us make man" written in the plural: that all of them should contribute strength and a portion in his construction, so that man will be inclusive of all and a partner with all of them (see נפש החיים שער א' סוף פרק ו).
Every single thing that was created before man gave man some of its energy, as a result, man is comprised from every thing in creation.
Our connection with the world is so much bigger than perhaps we tend to think. The seforim refer to man as an עולם קטן, a miniature world, since we are a microcosm of all creation.
As such, when we are told that we are likened to the "stars" of the heaven, it's a very real thing: we have some of the same energy as the stars. When we are told to learn from the ant, there's an actual part of us that has ant powers. The boldness of a leopard, swiftness of an eagle and speed of a deer are not merely traits we can mimic, but energies we can tap into...because they are in us.
The very beginning of the Code of Jewish Law highlights our connection to animals: Be strong like a lion. Be powerful and fearless against your Yetzer Hara. Know that deep inside of you is the energy of a roaring lion.
This capacity to harness so many distinctive energies is what makes man so unique and special. A lion cannot channel the qualities of the ant, and the ant cannot channel the qualities of the eagle. And so on.
But we can. We are humans, capable of quite a lot. We are the last in creation because the world is infused within us. We can connect to the entire world by simply connecting to our inner makeup, and if we channel these energies properly, there is no greater and holier task than this.
This is the journey of Sefiras HaOmer. We begin with barley and end with wheat; we go from animal food to human food. It's a journey of connecting our animal energies to our higher faculties. To unite the nefesh habihamus with the nefesh elokus, to link body and soul.
Rav Gedalia Schor zt"l (Ohr Gedaliahu, Tazria/Metzora) explains that on one hand, man was indeed created last. Our physical body was created last (on the sixth day), after everything else was already created and set in place. However, on the other hand, our soul was created first (on the first day). This is what it means in Tehillim: אחור וקדם צרתני - You have formed me last and first.
The job of a Jew is to connect the two. To live in this world of physicality and materialism, and channel all of the inner animal energies towards a higher purpose and calling.
Pause for a moment. Breathe.
Hear the calling... and pick up! Because what's waiting on the other line is the most meaningful and incredible life possible.
Have a holy Shabbos!
Ori Strum (rabbistrumo@gmail.com)
A Jew is meant to wake up and begin his day like...
PAUSE FOR A MOMENT.
How would you complete that first sentence? I think most people would naturally conclude that a Jew is meant to wake up and begin his day like a VALIENT SOLDIER. Or perhaps like a LOYAL SERVENT OF HASHEM. Or maybe like a RIGHTEOUS MAN. These would certainly be reasonable conclusions, wouldn't you say?
But shockingly, that's not how the Code of Jewish Law (Shulchan Aruch) begins. Instead of telling us to be human, we are taught to be like an animal: יתגבר כארי - be strong like a lion!
What is going on here? Why are we told to be like an animal, instead of like a human? We know there are tiers of creation: domem (inanimate objects, such as rocks), tzomeach (vegetation, plants, etc.), chai (animals), and medebar (speakers/humans). Each tier is another level and dimension of existence. The level of Tzomeach is fundamentally different and superior to domem. The level of Chai is fundamentally different and superior to tzomeach. And the level of medaber (the human being) is fundamentally different and superior to chai. So again, why go down a level? Why are we meant to be "like a lion"?
The truth of the matter is, this question extends far beyond the opening line of the Shulchan Aruch. "Be strong like a lion" is actually a term taken from a broader statement by Rabbi Yehuda ben Teima, where he teaches that in addition to being strong like a lion, a Jew is meant to be bold like a leopard (עז כנמר), light like an eagle (קל כנשר), and run like a deer (רץ כצבי).
Furthermore, Shlomo HaMelech in Mishlei (6:6) teaches that a Jew is meant to be like an ant (לך אל נמלה) in order to learn how to not be lazy.
There are numerous other examples of this, where we are specifically taught to mimic certain qualities of animals. And it begs the question: Why? If the human is fundamentally different and superior to the lower animal realm, why should we be encouraged to behave like them?
At the beginning of Parshas Tazria/Metzora, which primarily discusses the laws of Negaim (Tzaraas, which stems from speaking Lashon Hara, a disease that comes from abusing our role as medabar, speakers), the Torah speaks about childbirth and the laws of impurity that governs a woman upon the birth of a boy and a girl. The very first Rashi of the parsha quotes a teaching from the great Rav Simlai: "Just as the formation of man took place after that of every cattle, beast and fowl when the world was created, so, too, the law regarding him is set forth after the law regarding cattle, beast and fowl."
There is a great significance to the fact that man was created last. Our latter position in the creation process teaches us that everything that came before us (the sun, stars, moon, plants, animals, birds, fish, etc.) IS IN US.
In the words of the Sefas Emes: כי האדם הוא צורה של כל העולם לזאת כלול מכולן - Man is the embodiment of the entire world; therefore, he is comprised of all of them (see שפת אמת תזריע תרל"ב).
In the words of the Nefes HaChaim: וזהו פשטות ענין הכתוב נעשה אדם לשון רבים, ר"ל שכולם יתנו כח וחלק בבנינו שיהא כולל ומשותף מכולם - This is the simple meaning of the verse "Let us make man" written in the plural: that all of them should contribute strength and a portion in his construction, so that man will be inclusive of all and a partner with all of them (see נפש החיים שער א' סוף פרק ו).
Every single thing that was created before man gave man some of its energy, as a result, man is comprised from every thing in creation.
Our connection with the world is so much bigger than perhaps we tend to think. The seforim refer to man as an עולם קטן, a miniature world, since we are a microcosm of all creation.
As such, when we are told that we are likened to the "stars" of the heaven, it's a very real thing: we have some of the same energy as the stars. When we are told to learn from the ant, there's an actual part of us that has ant powers. The boldness of a leopard, swiftness of an eagle and speed of a deer are not merely traits we can mimic, but energies we can tap into...because they are in us.
The very beginning of the Code of Jewish Law highlights our connection to animals: Be strong like a lion. Be powerful and fearless against your Yetzer Hara. Know that deep inside of you is the energy of a roaring lion.
This capacity to harness so many distinctive energies is what makes man so unique and special. A lion cannot channel the qualities of the ant, and the ant cannot channel the qualities of the eagle. And so on.
But we can. We are humans, capable of quite a lot. We are the last in creation because the world is infused within us. We can connect to the entire world by simply connecting to our inner makeup, and if we channel these energies properly, there is no greater and holier task than this.
This is the journey of Sefiras HaOmer. We begin with barley and end with wheat; we go from animal food to human food. It's a journey of connecting our animal energies to our higher faculties. To unite the nefesh habihamus with the nefesh elokus, to link body and soul.
Rav Gedalia Schor zt"l (Ohr Gedaliahu, Tazria/Metzora) explains that on one hand, man was indeed created last. Our physical body was created last (on the sixth day), after everything else was already created and set in place. However, on the other hand, our soul was created first (on the first day). This is what it means in Tehillim: אחור וקדם צרתני - You have formed me last and first.
The job of a Jew is to connect the two. To live in this world of physicality and materialism, and channel all of the inner animal energies towards a higher purpose and calling.
Pause for a moment. Breathe.
Hear the calling... and pick up! Because what's waiting on the other line is the most meaningful and incredible life possible.
Have a holy Shabbos!
Ori Strum (rabbistrumo@gmail.com)
