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The Maamar “Walk after Hashem” from 1937, which was emailed out, is posted above.

I had hoped to write an explanatory introduction to the Maamar, but for the sake of spreading the light of Hashem’s inner Torah, once the translation became clean enough, it is more important to send it out. Please send us any questions or comments you may have.

This teaching is at the level of Chassidus, where the Kabbalistical ideas of sons and servants, corresponding to souls from different worlds

are brought down and explained in an applied fashion for practical Avodah service of Hashem. The word Avodah itself requires an introduction, but suffice for now to say that it means the work a person does on themselves, the refinement of character, the movement towards Hashem.

This Maamar focuses on the first steps of spirituality. Its description of the acceptance of yoke is a seemingly difficult task and an unpleasant one. Most people desire easy spirituality, which is unburdened pleasure of an ethereal nature, which asks nothing of them. Torah is the guide which Hashem gave the world. Mitzvos are the tools for refinement. Only by understanding the purpose of creation and the goal of life, as taught in the inner teachings of Torah, can we know what our role is, and how to achieve the ultimate joy and pleasure. Our evil inclination is our animal soul, ego, etc. our self centeredness. We must be careful in our religious life and spirituality to not be self serving even when we are developing our mystical and spiritual side. As much nullification as many of the non-Torah traditions provide, unless the nullification and self abnegation are to Hashem, the Creator, and follow Divinely proscribed guidelines, the human self remains, and will continue to be a barrier bewteen man and G-d. Hashem blessed the world with Holy and pure sources of the wellsprings of Torah in Kabbalah and Chassidus.

May Hashem lead us in His Light and keep us from the influences of false teachings, so the world may be filled with the knowledge of Hashem, peace will be upon the land with coming of the Righteous Redeemer, and the Will of Hashem will be fulfilled by bestowing the ultimate pleasure upon His creations.

Have a Good Shabbos,
Noah

(reprinted in Sefer HaMaamarim – Kuntreisim, vol. 2)
(translated from the Hebrew by Noah Shavrick)
(to subscribe for weekly teachings, please email to AZKF@comcast.net)

With the help of Heaven,
2nd day of Rosh Chodesh Elul, 5697 (1937), Perchtoldsdorf (at the health spa, Wald Sanatorium, near Vienna).

“You should ‘walk after’ Hashem your Lord, fear Him, keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him, and cleave to Him.” It considers here six things: 1) walking after, 2) fearing, 3) keeping, 4) listening, 5) serving, and 6) cleaving, which are different levels.

We need to understand, why did it begin with the issue of “walking after”, since the whole issue of walking is an external aspect (of the body’s powers)? Just like in the physical realm, with the powers of the soul, which are enclothed in the limbs of the body, the ability to walk is the very last power of the faculties of the soul. It exists within every person, even the most simple. So too, the general issue of walking, even in its spiritual form (to spiritually “walk after” Hashem), is an external aspect; for this is the main difference between Halicha “walking after” and Hamshacha “being drawn to”.

In spite of the fact that “being drawn to” is also the issue of “walking after”, nevertheless it is an inner aspect (from the soul’s powers), more than the issue of “walking after” (which is just an external expression of the soul’s powers). “Walking after” just describes an ability and action, but “being drawn to” describes the intellect and feelings. Both of them are going and moving from place to place, in an ascent from the lower to the higher, but nevertheless they are different in their cause, and they are different in the essence of their nature. “Walking after”, its cause is just the (basic) ability of power and strength. “Being drawn to”, its cause is the intellect and the emotions, as it is written, “Draw me after you, we will run”, and the Ibn Ezra explains that it is speaking about Avraham our father, peace be upon him, who was drawn after Hashem.

It is known that Avraham is Avram with the addition of the letter Hay, since a Hay represents a revelation, as the teaching, “Avram (who lacks the Hay) cannot produce children, but Avraham (with the Hay) can produce children,” and it is known that the Hay that was added to Avraham our father, peace be upon him, is the aspect of Binah (Understanding), since Avram (Av Ram) is the aspect of the intellect which is hidden beyond all thought, since Av (father) is the aspect of Chochmah Wisdom), and Ram (lofty) represents the loftiness. (Av Ram is) the aspect of Chochmah Siseemaah (the Hidden Wisdom in Kesser, the Crown), and when the letter Hay was added to him, all of this came to him in a literal comprehension, and this is that the walking (of Avraham), that he followed after Hashem, is the aspect of “being drawn to”, that he was drawn as a result of his awesome comprehension, as the prayer for rain, “Remember the father (Avraham) who was drawn after you like water;” but (plain) “walking after” is only external.

Afterwards, it considers five things: 1) “and you should fear Him,” 2) “and you should keep His commandments,” which in general are the issues of “fear” and “love”, in the fulfillment of the commandments.

3) “And you should listen to His voice” is the “inner feeling” which is called “Derheren” (in Yiddish), since there are two types of hearing, just like hearing a voice. There is one who only hears the sound of the voice alone, and there is one who hears the inner content of the voice. This means that there is one who only hears the sound, and there’s another who the sound of what he hears enters within his innermost self. One hears, and the other feels, as it is written about Abraham, our father, peace be upon him, “Since Abraham listened to My voice”; he felt.

4) “And you should serve Him” in active Avodah (service); 5) “and you should cleave to Him,” the Ibn Ezra explains (this means to cleave) with one’s heart, with the beginning and with the end. The issue of cleaving is when the concept, which one comprehends in Torah and in the knowledge of God, shines in his heart, and through the heart it comes in a literal active service.

These are very high levels, and when it says, “You should walk after Hashem your Lord,” it sounds like this is the main thing, and not only that the issue of “walking” is an external aspect, when it says, “You should walk after Hashem,” which is the aspect of the back and only the external, nevertheless, this is specifically the main thing, and through this will be the five other things that were considered afterwards.

Seemingly, the issue of “You should walk after Hashem your Lord” is a very low level of service, and how specifically through this can one come to all of the lofty levels, which are considered here? However the issue is that the foundation of Avodah (service) and its beginning is specifically the service of the acceptance of the yoke. This is the foundational basis in the service of God, that the beginning of the service specifically be with the acceptance of the yoke.

Just as with the general service of God, the beginning of man’s service is specifically the acceptance of the yoke, so too, every year, the beginning of the Avodah is the service of specifically accepting the yoke. It is known that the service of Rosh Hashanah is the acceptance of yoke of His Kingdom, may He be blessed, and just as in the kingdoms upon earth, at the time of the coronation, the main thing is the nullification and setting one’s self aside, that the person is nullified in all of his essence to the king, so too, the service of the New Year is the nullification and setting aside of oneself, in the acceptance of the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven, in tears and in pleading from the depths of the heart.

This is what is said on Rosh Hashanah, “Today is the birth of the world, today He stands in judgment of all creatures of the world, if they are like sons or if they are like servants, if like sons, have mercy upon us, like a father has mercy upon his sons, if like servants, our eyes turn to You.” Our Rebbi, whose soul is in Eden, explains that “today is the birth (Harras) of the world” means today the world “trembles”, the word “Harras” means trembling and fear, and the awe and fear are from this, that since today, the day of the Rosh Hashanah, He will place in judgment all of the creatures of the world.

In the creatures of the world, in general, there are two aspects and levels, sons and servants. “If we are like sons, have mercy upon us, like a father has mercy upon his sons.” We need to understand, why do sons need to request mercy? “Sons” mean that they are at a very close level (to Hashem), and just as in the physical realm, a son is like his father, and due to this reason, a son naturally loves his father and is drawn to him with a great and awesome love, for we clearly see that a young child, who does not know at all why this man is his father, nevertheless, he is drawn after him with all of his power, and certainly with an older son, who goes and recognizes the value of his father, he is drawn after him with all of his power, and greatly desires whatever is the will of his father. This means that what is the will of his father, is also the will of the son, and whatever is against the will of the father, this is also absolutely against the will of the son.

Furthermore, since this is the will of the father, the intellect of the son obligates (and absolutely accepts) that this is the way it should be. Generally, the intellect of the son is aligned with the intellect of a father, that just as the intellect of the Father obligates it to be, so too the intellect of the son obligates it to be. If so, the fact that the son fulfills the will of the father, in every detail, is because of the obligation of the intellect of the son, which is aligned in the essence of his nature to the intellect of the father.

Also, in actual service, the son serves his father with sincere service, with all of his heart and soul, all of this is because the son is drawn from the father who produced him, and is considered part of himself, as the teaching, “The son is the leg of the father,” and therefore, the son is constantly drawn with love and passion to his father, since everything is drawn back to its roots, and for this reason the will and powers of the son are aligned with the will and powers of the father, as the teaching, “Why are the sons of sages not sages, because (the sages) refer to people with disparaging terms.” From the fact that the Rabbis are looking into this and asking, “Why are the children of sages not sages,” the fact that they need a reason for this (change in behavior of the sage’s children), is that were it not due to the cause of the punishment (for the sage’s use of disparaging terms), then the power and will of the son would be naturally aligned to the powers and will of the father, from which he was taken.

Therefore, whatever the father commands the son to serve and to do, this is not a burden at all by the son, on the contrary, the son will serve the will of the father with joy and with great happiness, more than the son will do and serve for his own needs, as the teaching, “Like a son who puts out effort for his father and mother more than himself.” From this example can be understood regarding the souls of Israel, which are called “sons”, as the verse says, “You are sons to Hashem your Lord,” and Hashem is literally our father.

Therefore, the service of God, in the reading of the Shema, prayer, Torah study, and the commandments, this service will not be difficult for the souls of Israel at all. The “souls” are considered the aspect of “sons”, this is like their nature in their Divine Soul to go in the way of Hashem, without turning to the right or to the left, to only do what is the Upper Will, this is also truly their will. Also, with regards to comprehension of Hashem, their intellects, in comparison to above, they know and comprehend issues of G-dliness, and it firmly sits with them well. The issues of G-dliness literally sit well in their minds.

If so, it is a wonder, what is the request of compassion, that He should have mercy upon us like a father has mercy upon his sons? However, since on Rosh Hashanah, the main service is with the acceptance of yoke, therefore even the souls, which are at the aspect of sons, even their service is with the request of compassion and pleading.

The general issue is that the fact that the souls of Israel are called sons is due to the high level of the soul, but from the aspect of their “bodies”, they are called “servants”, as the verse says, “For to me, the Children of Israel are my servants.”

The main issue of servitude is specifically with a yoke. The servant, on his own, wishes to go freely and lazily through whatever work that there is, and he prefers freedom, and does not desire any work at all. All the service of the servant is only because of the great yoke that is placed upon him, the fear of his master, his awe and his fear, and because of this, he does all types of very hard and difficult work, even if it is against his will and not according to his strength, and the work is very hard upon him, until it even wears him out, due to the great amount of work, and even at night he does not rest in sleep, and besides this, even when he is literally sleeping, even then the yoke of the master and his fear is upon him. Furthermore, the yoke of the master is upon him like an iron yoke, to wake him up from his small sleep, in order to do his service. This harsh yoke does not give him a sense of peace at all. Although all of this is against the will of the servant, both due to the essence of his nature that he desires to go free, because of the nature of his laziness, and also due to the weakness of his strength, according to the magnitude of the work, nevertheless, due to the yoke of the master, it literally develops into (a new) nature within his soul to carry the yoke and the burden, and the great load with very difficult and heavy work.

Just like an ox becomes accustomed to his yoke, and a donkey to his load, so too, the servant becomes accustomed to his hard service, day and night, through the acceptance of the yoke. The acceptance of this yoke is acquired by the servant like his own literal nature, and all of this is because he gives himself over to be a servant, to except upon himself the yoke of his master, in anything that he commands upon him, at any time and any place, by literally and completely giving over himself, in this, that the servant gives himself over to be a servant.

In this giving over of himself, the servant nullifies his own nature, as if he himself does not exist in the world at all, and all of his having been created and his being in the world is only to serve his master, and to do all the work which is requested of him by the master, in the work of the field, plowing, planting, harvesting, working the garden and the vineyard, planting, hoeing, weeding, crushing the grain, grinding, baking, gathering together the produce of the garden and fruits of the vineyard, serving in the house by making the food, making clothing, making them nice, and cleaning vessels.

All of it is for the servant to do them, because of the master, and he does not consider himself to be any existence in the world at all, because he is considered like a possession, a monetary acquisition of the master, that he can do with him however he shall desire. Due to this giving over of himself, that the servant gives himself to be a servant, because of this, he accepts upon himself any hard and most difficult work, and he does not think about this at all. On the contrary, he knows within himself that this is how it should be, and since this work and service is all of his being, therefore, it is by him a literal nature to carry the harsh yoke and heavy load, with great effort and patience, and a complete acceptance of the yoke.

Therefore, we see, that in spite of the fact that the servant, due to his great heavy work, constantly day and night, he certainly does not have joy and pleasure “for himself”, from this work, with this harsh and heavy yoke. Nevertheless, even this servant has a great joy, that through the effort of his work is fulfilled “the will of his Master”, since the fulfillment of “the will of his Master” is all of his life and the essence of his being, and it was for this that he was created and made, and were it not for this, he has nothing for himself, since he has no place or existence or nature to himself at all, since his body and soul and whatever he acquires is to his master, that even what he profits or finds, all belongs to his master. The cause of all of this is the fact that he gave himself over to be a servant, specifically with the acceptance of the yoke.

This is (the meaning) that the Children of Israel are “servants”, that the Children of Israel, from their “bodies”, are at the aspect of a “servant”, since from the level of their “soul”, all of Israel are considered “sons”, as our Rebbi of blessed memory said that just like a son comes from the essence of the brain of his father, so too the souls of everyone from Israel is drawn from God’s wisdom.

Therefore all of Israel, even the most simple, are able, from the aspect of the light of their souls and its Holiness, to ascend and to go up to the greatest heights and levels, as the teaching, that every one of Israel is able to say, “When will my actions reach the actions of my forefathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob?” Even though the forefathers are literally the Chariot (a complete vehicle for G-dliness), that even when they were below, enclothed in physical bodies, they were a Chariot for G-dliness, nevertheless, everyone from Israel is able to say, “When will my actions reach the actions of my forefathers,” since the source of the soul is in the world of Atzilus (Emanation), and they are called “sons”.

However, from the aspect of their “body”, the souls of Israel are considered “servants”, that they need to accept upon themselves the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven, to the service of God. This is why we say, “Avinu Malkeinu” (“Our father our king”). From the aspect of the “soul”, Hashem is our “father”; from the aspect of the “body”, He is our “King” and He is called the King of Israel and its Redeemer.

We need to accept His yoke, may He be blessed. The acceptance of this yoke is like a simple servant who gives himself over to his master, in a complete giving over of himself, to be his servant. In this giving over of himself, the servant is nullified in all of his existence, and serves his master with a great yoke, to withstand all of the harsh and most difficult work. Even if the work is very hard upon him, nevertheless, due to the acceptance of the yoke, the heaviness of the work becomes natural to him, since it is the service of his master. This is all of his nature (and existence); he himself is not a being at all.

So too with the Avodah (service) of Hashem, the foundation of the service and its beginning is the acceptance of the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven. This is the beginning of the Avodah, to give over oneself to be a servant of God, with the acceptance of the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven, due to his fear of Elokim (the Lord), and this is called one who serves the Lord (Elokim), since Elokim is a term which represents dominion and mastery. He accepts upon himself the yoke of the Master and the dominion of Hashem, because of fear and awe in his soul, with the fear of heaven. Because of this, he subjugates all of his physical body to be like an ox to the yoke, literally. This means to put out effort with himself and his human power, contrary to his material nature and desire, to serve His service, like the service of a servant in the field, in the garden, and in the vineyard.

All of these (forms of work) are analogously found in the service of God. Plowing is the idea to soften his heart that it should be able to receive a planting of Torah and the commandments, like a plowed field, which can receive the seed of the grain. Likewise with hoeing and weeding, in Avodah (work and service), is to make a proper accounting with his soul, in a detailed manner, of his thoughts, speech, and actions, to push away what is not good and to distance them, in the manner of distancing the chaff from the wheat, and likewise with the refinement and repair of behavioral attributes, which are comparable to the removal of thorns, or to the removal of dry branches and wormy fruit. The preparation of food, in Avodah, is the Avodah of refinement. The making of clothing, in Avodah, is the fulfillment of commandments; through the commandments, fine garments are made. Laundering clothing is the issue of Teshuva (repentance), where one cries with the bitterness of their soul, over their standing, and the tears “wash”. The precious “vessels”, in Avodah, are the letters of Torah and prayer, and the “washing” is to increase in the words of Torah and pleading, that within all this, his Avodah could be like the service of the servant with the acceptance of the yoke.

This is the meaning of, “Today is the trembling of the world,” that on Rosh Hashanah, which is the day of judgment, the main service is the acceptance of the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven. On these two days, one needs to be careful from speaking unholy words, to minimize the amount of sleep, and to increase in prayer and in the saying of Tehillim (Psalms), day and night, so that the main service is specifically with the acceptance of yoke. This specifically is the foundation and root of Avodah (service), and through this specifically one can reach the highest, most lofty sublime levels.

This is the meaning of, “You should ‘walk after’ Hashem your Lord.” The main thing is to “walk after” Hashem. This is the level of the most simple servant, who gives himself over, to be a servant. All of the great, high lofty levels of love and fear, and Deveykus (cleaving), all are dependent on this giving over of oneself. This means that one should “walk after” Hashem.

Through the acceptance of the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven, we reach this (highest) level of “And you should cleave to Him,” a Deveykus (cleaving) of (our) Essence to (Hashem’s) Essence.

(translated from the Hebrew by Noah Shavrick, while maintaining the flavor of the original Hebrew)
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(Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneerson moved to the United States in the spring of 1940. He delivered this Maamar on Chanukah the following winter.)

With the help of heaven, Shabbos Parshas Mikaitz, 5701 (Friday evening, 12/27/1940)

Chapter 1
(The Talmud says,) “What is Chanukah? For our rabbis taught, ‘On Chof Hay (the 25th) of (the month of) Kislev, there are eight days of Chanukah. When the Greeks entered the temple, they made impure all of the oil of the Temple, and when the kingdom of the House of the Chashmonaim (Maccabees) overpowered and defeated the Greeks, they searched, yet they could not find except one flask of oil, which was placed with the seal of the high priest, and it only contained the amount to light one day. A miracle occurred upon it and they lit from it for eight days. The next year they established them and made them into holidays, with praise and thanks.’”

We need to understand, that only after they had already learned many laws in the Talmud, with regards to the laws of Chanukah, do they ask, “What is Chanukah?”

With every revelation and drawing down of Light from above, and every revelation of deliverance that the Holy One blessed be He does with Israel, His nation, whether it is from the drawing down of the Lights and revelations in the revelation of miracles which are enclothed in the garments of nature, or whether it is from the drawing down of the Lights and revelations in the revelation of miracles which go outside of the ways of nature, it is specifically at the “time” that was established for this. This means that even the set time, which then was the miracle, (that time) is the main thing in that matter.

This means, besides the fact that the establishment of the “time” of the revelation and the miracle affects the future time (of its commemoration and celebration), when it’s time is reached in the course of the year, since at that (celebratory) time is again revealed the radiance, and it is similar to what was at that time, the first time (of the miracle and revelation), and this is the content of the blessings, in the blessing of Shehecheyanu, that he has given us life and sustained us and we have reached this time, and the blessing of She’assa Nissim, that he has made miracles for our fathers in those days, in this time.

This means that just like on Rosh Hashanah we say, “This is the day of the beginning of your acts, a remembrance to the first day,” that on every Rosh Hashanah it is a remembrance to the first day of the intent of creation, which was the sixth day, in the act of creation. It is similarly so with every Sabbath, Yom Tov (Holiday), and special times of the miracles, that the radiance from them is recalled and accomplished, every year, on that day upon which was the miracle. Besides this, the time itself, upon which that matter was for the first time, that “time” has a relationship to the essence of the matter, that this matter needed to be specifically at this time.

The miracle of Chanukah was in the month of Kislev, on the 25th in it. We need to understand the relationship between Chanukah and specifically the month of Kislev.

Furthermore, we need to understand that, seemingly, the main miracle was that Israel found a flask of oil, sealed with the seal of the high priest, that when the Greeks defiled all of the oil, which was in the Temple, this flask they did not touch, since it was in the ground, like the commentary of Tosafos, since they had already decreed upon the Gentiles to cause defilement by contact like a Zav (impurity), and they also recognized that the Greeks did not touch this flask, like the commentary of Rashi.

Seemingly, the main miracle was the victory (Netzach) of the war, and through the victory of the war, they were able to find the oil. Furthermore, we need to understand, why did they establish eight lamps? The menorah in the temple had only seven lamps, and why are the lamps of Chanukah eight?

At the simple level, this is because of the miracle, that, from one flask, they lit from it for eight days. However, this itself we need to understand, since it had enough oil for one day, if so, the miracle was only for seven days. From the words of the Gemara (Talmud), that they lit from it for “eight days”, it sounds like the miracle was for all eight days, that each night, the menorah was (miraculously) filled from just one eighth of the flask, (instead of the whole flask).

We need to understand, why was the miracle of the flask of oil for eight, no less and no more? And with the issue in general, it is not understandable, that with the whole issue of the war with the Greeks, when they overpowered the Jews and entered the Temple, all of their victory, that they showed, was to make impure the oils that were in the Temple, since in the Holy Temple there were vessels of silver and gold, and it is the way of conquerors in the war to capture the spoils, and to take the silver, gold, and precious stones. In the war with the Greeks, this is not at all mentioned, except that they made impure, oils that were in the temple.

However, the issue is that the war with the Greeks was a spiritual war. They did not want to physically harm the bodies of Israel, but their main desire was to have the Jews forget “Your Torah” and to remove them from the “Laws of Your Will”. The whole matter of their war was against the Torah of Hashem and against the Commandments, which are the Laws of His Will, may He be blessed. This means that with regards to the Torah, which is a great wisdom and remarkable intelligence, to this, even the Greeks agreed, and since the Greeks were great wise men, they were also amazed over the great magnitude of the wondrous wisdom within the laws of the Torah.

However, what they were opposed to was that this is the “Torah of Hashem”, i.e. to the holiness of the Torah, which is His wisdom, may He be blessed. Against this, they waged war. And likewise, with regards to the Commandments which are (Mishpatim) logical laws, like honoring one’s father and mother, charity, keeping from stealing and thievery, and the Commandments which are (Aidos) testaments, like the Sabbath, and Passover, and the like, the Greeks also agreed to them, but the Commandments of the (Chukim) statutes (which have no logical reason) like impurity and purity, the red heifer, and (Shaatnez) mixing linen and wool, to this they were opposed.

And in truth, from the Torah, which is Light, even the Commandments, which are logical laws and testaments (Mishpatim and Aidos), need to be fulfilled, not because they are understood, even by the human intellect, but only because they are the commandment of Hashem. Against this the Greeks waged war, that they wanted Israel to forget the Torah “of Hashem” and the statutes “of His Will”, as the teaching, “(The Greeks commanded the Jews,) ‘Write for you upon the horn of an ox that you have no portion in the God of Israel.’” All of the war was against G-dliness. You can learn Torah, you can fulfill the Commandments of the logical laws and the testaments, just do not mention that it is the Torah of G-d and that the Commandments are the statutes of His Will, may He be blessed. Do not mention, in the Torah and the Commandments, the issue of G-dliness. Therefore, when the Greeks entered the temple, their first matter was to make impure all of the oil, which was in the temple.

Chapter 2
However, in this main issue of the war, the war of the Greeks, which was a spiritual war against the Torah of God and against the Commandments of God, which are the statutes of His Will, may He be blessed, why was their main desire to make impure the oil? The Greeks did this for the sake of victory (Netzach), since, at that moment, they had not yet conquered, it was only the beginning of the victory. Just as it is the way of those waging war is to capture or to stop up sources of water and the like, that through this they weaken the powers of the other side, likewise the Greeks, when they wanted to strongly establish their standing, and to conquer Israel, the beginning of everything was in their efforts to make impure the oil.

We need to understand why does this matter so much, that when they made impure the oil, in the temple, that through this they were certain of their victory? And also with regards to the miracle that the Holy One, blessed be He, did for Israel, through the Chashmonaim, it was primarily with the issue of the oil, that they found one flask of oil, sealed with the seal of the high priest, But, all of this was already after the victory that the Chashmonaim were victorious over the Greeks, and in this there were many revealed miracles beyond the ways of nature, that the weak ones were victorious over the strong ones, and the few over the many. For all of these miracles they did not establish a remembrance of an action, except praise and thanks, and only after they found one flask of oil, sealed with the seal of the high priest, and they recognized with it that the Greeks had not touched it, they established to light eight lamps.

The general issue of the strength of Israel’s power was through the saying of Shema Yisroel (Hear O Israel), and through this they were victorious over the Greeks, and upon the sword of Yehuda the Chasmonai (Judah Maccabee) was written the holy name “Maccabee”, which is the first letters of the verse, “Who is like you amongst the powers Hashem?” (Mi Chamocha Ba’eilim Hashem, Mem Chof, Bais, Yud spells Maccabee), since it was a spiritual war.

This war is constant in every generation, with every single individual, as the teaching, “The evil desire (Yetzer Hara) of a person increases upon him every day.” There are within this many different levels. There is one who his Animal Soul (Yetzer Hara) bothers him, in his war with him, with regards to emotional attributes, and with regards to behavior. The Animal Soul shoots upon him arrows and bombs from issues of the world, worldly things, which place in him a pleasure in eating and drinking, and primarily with regards to his clothing and to fix his hair, like the behavior of those who sit on the street corners.

And even if he is a student of Torah, the Animal Soul, that wants to cause him to stumble, even in this, that he should be arrogant in his Torah, it continues to blind the eyes of his intellect, that, on the contrary, since he is a student of Torah he needs to find positive reasons behind such (improper) behavior, and through this the animal soul captures the person and brings him into his (evil) domain, and while he is in his (evil) domain, then the Animal Soul pushes him, Heaven save us, from one push to another.

There is another person whose whole issue of the war of his inclination with him is with regards to thoughts, to throw into the man strange thoughts. This means, first of all, to interfere with the man in his prayer, that even when he is standing before God in prayer, his heart is not with him. This is not, God forbid, that he does not want to pray, or he is, God forbid, at the level that he does not believe in what he says in his prayer. He wants to pray and he believes in truth, in a complete faith, about all that he says in his prayer, and at times he even says a Psalm with feelings of the heart (Hartzig), but in spite of all this, suddenly, strange thoughts fall upon him, and from them are also foolishness and nonsense, which have no matter or content at all. This means, that in those thoughts there are no needs at all, not even for his physical matters.

For in truth, from a healthy intellect and even a human intellect, which is gross and physical, it would never agree in any manner, that while he’s standing before God in prayer, he should think of such things. Since, from a healthy intellect, a person needs to be orderly in all of his matters, and when he is standing and speaking before a wise man or official, this is not like the way that he speaks with another person like himself, and especially when he’s standing before God in prayer. And all of this is where the matter itself has content, but that he needs to push it off to another time. But, a matter, that from itself has no content of any type at all, and it is only to mix up his mind, where the animal soul mixes up his mind, at that moment, he is like one who lacks intelligence, G-d forbid, since someone who has a healthy mind, even his thoughts are orderly, which is not the case for someone who lacks intelligence, G-d forbid, his thoughts are not orderly.

And at times, the animal soul throws strange thoughts of heresy, G-d forbid, and the reason for this is because of the nature of his being regularly accustomed to be involved with unnecessary things, that the mind becomes empty, which is called by people a Pusta Kup.

And there is one whose animal soul fights with him with regards to speech, that even in this there are many levels, whether forbidden speech, like gossiping and evil talk, lying and slandering, whether with ugly speech, in forms all of flattery and the like, or with speech of jokes. And at times, the animal soul wages war with him with regards to seeing or hearing.

The beginning of everything is that the animal soul makes impure the “oil”, which is “pleasure”. It takes the pleasure that a person should have in issues of holiness and replaces it with the pleasure in this world, in general, and with all other issues, of the emotional attributes, thought and speech. And most of all is what the animal soul makes impure, G-d forbid, the oil of Torah and the commandments. That not only this, that it takes, God forbid, the G-dly pleasure and vitality, which is in the Torah and the commandments, but even more than this, it cools off for him (removes the spiritual vitality from) all of the holiness of the Torah and the commandments, to only grasp the matter in its simple form, according to the comprehension of his simple intellect.

Chapter 3

The well counseled “advice”, to be victorious over the war, is through the saying of the Shema, which is the Avodah (work) of the mind, to understand and comprehend what is His Unity and His Oneness, may he be blessed, in all of the creation, as Maimonides writes in the laws of reading the Shema, Chapter 1, Law 2, about the reason that the saying of the portion of Shema precedes the portion of “Vehaya Im Shamoah” (the second paragraph dealing with the commandments), and the portion of “Vayomer” (the third paragraph dealing with Tzitzis), since the portion of Shema has in it the Unity of Hashem, loving Him and studying His teachings, which is the main thing that everything else is dependent on.

This means, that in the actual issue of his learning Torah, should be the Unity of God and his love of G-d, that he does not grasp the words of Torah, just in their literal sense, but rather that, through the study of the laws, a unity of God is made, and a revelation of his love of G-d, may He be blessed.

And the Rambam’s words in Law 4 are specific when he says that Yaakov commanded (his sons to say the Shema) and encouraged them about the Unity of Hashem and “the way of Hashem”, upon which walked Abraham and Isaac his father. Seemingly, it is not understandable, what is his intent by adding the saying “and upon the way of Hashem, which Avraham and Yitzchak his father walked on,” since all of this is relative to the unity of God, since even the saying of the first verse of Shema, which requires a complete intention, our rabbis of blessed memory have said to make Him the King, above and below, and to the four directions of the world; more is not needed, since this is the issue of the true unity. If so, what did he come to add, by saying that Yaakov commanded them and encouraged them also about “the way of Hashem, upon which walked Abraham and Isaac his father?”

However, the matter is that with regards to the unity of Hashem there is a way and manner as to how to unify Him, may He be blessed, as our rabbis of blessed memory have said, “The forefathers are literally the Chariot.” The whole issue of a chariot (a vehicle) is a nullification and setting oneself aside, giving over oneself and setting oneself aside for G-dliness. The unification of Hashem needs to be only in a manner according to “the way of Hashem,” for it is possible to be that there is someone who unifies Hashem by studying Torah, but not in a manner that is “the way of Hashem”. This means that it is not in a manner of nullification and setting himself aside, but on the contrary, since he is a servant of Hashem, to unify Him, may he be blessed, the man is precious in his own eyes, and automatically becomes a “something” and existence to himself, and upon him our rabbis of blessed memory have said that the Holy One blessed be He says, “He and I are unable to dwell in the same world,” that his grossness and being something, pushes away the feet of the Shechinah (Divine Presence), because the inner light of Torah is hidden and further concealed from him.

This is the Avodah of the saying of the Shema, the unification of Hashem, in a manner that is according to “the way of Hashem” upon which walked Abraham and Isaac, with Mesiras Nefesh (giving over one’s soul to Hashem). The beginning of this work is in a manner of an acceptance of the Yoke, as the teaching of our rabbis of blessed memory, “Why does Shema precede “Vehaya Im Shamoah?” in order to accept upon himself the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven first.

The beginning of the Avodah is the acceptance of the yoke. This means, that although the Avodah of the saying of the Shema is the Avodah of the mind, the beginning of the Avodah, must be in the way of specifically accepting the yoke, that the ideas that one needs to know, in order to serve Hashem, its beginning is in the way of the acceptance of the yoke. This means to put out effort with his mind and to push his intellect, once, twice, three times, until many times, with a great and awesome effort, until he receives that comprehension. And after he receives the divine comprehension, he needs to put out effort with his mind, and to push his intellect, to understand that comprehension in clarity.

For it is brought by Maimonides, in the beginning of Mishneh Torah, “The foundation of all foundations and the pillar of wisdom is to know that there is a First Existence, and He brought all other existences into existence, and everything that exists from heaven and earth, and what ever is between them, did not come into existence, except from the truth of His Existence. The Rambam says here three foundational things: The first foundation is that Hashem, may He be blessed, is the First Existence. The second foundation is that Hashem brought everything else into existence. The third foundation is that the manner of (everything) coming into existence is from the truth of His Existence.

And although they are foundations, which means the central issues, that with essential issues, investigation and philosophizing cannot apply, since only something which is principally new, like a concept, can investigation and philosophizing be applied to it, but something which is foundational, which is essential, investigation and philosophizing cannot apply. Upon this the Rambam says “the pillar of wisdom”, for the foundation of all foundations is His nature and His essence, may He be blessed, and He Himself is the pillar of all wisdom, since He and His Wisdom are one. And the emanation of the issue of wisdom within His Essence, may He be blessed, this in itself is giving permission and the ability for the creatures to comprehend Him, may He be blessed.

And therefore it is possible to know these three foundational issues, that God, may He be blessed, is the First Existence, and that He has brought everything else into existence, and the manner of bringing them into existence is from the truth of His Existence. This is only what is possible to know, i.e. what the mind and intellect of a person are able to grasp. Moreover, the knowledge of this matter is also an obligation, as the Rambam says in Law 6, “And the knowledge of this matter is a positive commandment.” This means that besides this, that the knowledge of this matter is a foundation of all foundations and “the pillar of wisdom”, the actual and essential knowledge of this is a positive commandment.

The matter is that “knowing the Torah” is a commandment, and the parameter of the commandment is that his mind and intellect understand and grasp the matter of the law that he is learning. And the commandment of “knowing the Torah” is a commandment in addition to the commandment of “studying Torah”, since the parameter of the commandment (of “studying Torah”) is just saying the letters of the Torah, even if he does not understand their meaning. Yet, “knowing Torah”, the parameter of its commandment is specifically by “knowing the meaning”, and the more he knows is a greater and more beautiful fulfillment of the commandment. But nevertheless, knowing Torah is a general commandment, without a difference as to which law he studies.

In addition to “knowing Torah” and “studying Torah” is the commandment of “knowing Hashem”, which is a positive commandment, where the actual “knowing” is a particular positive commandment.

And in the study of the “inner esoteric aspects” of Torah, there are three commandments: “studying Torah”, “knowing Torah”, and the “knowing of G-dliness”, which is in the Torah, which is higher than all of them. It is the flask of oil that is sealed with the seal of the high priest, that through this they are victorious over the war with the animal soul.

And this is, (the meaning of the Talmud’s question) “What is Chanukah?” Since the word Chanukah makes up the words Chanu Koh (they “camped” (at the end of the war) on Koh”, the 25th , Chof Hay). Koh is the Sefirah of Malchus (which in Avodah is Mesiras Nefesh and acceptance of the yoke), and “Chanu Koh” means that the emanation (from the Sefiros above) reached (and “camped” (Chanu) at) the level of Malchus (Koh). For in the matter of Sefiros (Divine Emanations), the Sefirah of Malchus (Koh) is the end (and achievement) of all levels. And in Avodah, the matter of the Sefirah of Malchus (Koh) is the accepting of the Kingship and Dominion upon himself, as the teaching, “Make him king upon all of his limbs,” (make him) a ruler over himself.

And this is the question, “What is Chanukah?” (It is asking) how is it possible that a person become a ruler over themselves? This is through the Avodah. And this is that on the “Koh (25th) of Kislev” there are eight days of Chanukah. The summer months are the Ohr Yashar (straight light in the Sefiros, from above to below) (where the Sefiros are in the order of Chessed, Gevurah, Tiferes, Netzach, Hod, and Yesod), and the winter months are the Ohr Chozer (returning light from below to above, where the order of the Sefiros is Yesod, Hod, Netzach, Tiferes, Gevurah, and Chessed). In the summer months, Sivan is the third month (Tiferes), and in the winter months, Kislev is the third month (Netzach).

The summer months are the “straight light” in Avodah, which is the issue of “Torah”, which is the drawing down “from above to below”, and in the Sefiros, Sivan is the Sefirah of Tiferes. And the months of winter are the “returning light” in Avodah, which is the issue of “prayer”, which is sending up “from below to above”, for in the Sefiros, in the manner of the returning light, Kislev is the Sefirah of Netzach (Victory).

Therefore, we now understand the meaning of (“the 25th of Kislev”, the “Koh of Kislev”, the Netzach victory due to Malchus, the victory through the acceptance of the yoke and self-sacrifice of Mesiras Nefesh) in the month of “Kislev”, which is the Sefirah of “Netzach (Victory)”, in the Avodah of “Mesiras Nefesh” (Malchus, giving over one’s soul to Hashem), which is “on the 25th (Koh)” they were victorious over the Greeks, who opposed the Torah of Hashem and His commandments, may He be blessed.

There are 13 primary principles of our pure Torah:
1.The first principle is the existence of the Creator, may He be praised. This means that there is a Being who is perfect in all aspects of existence, and He is the cause of the existence of all of that exists, and through Him is maintained their existence, and from Him is drawn to them their continued existence. If we would consider a removal of His existence, then all existence would cease to exist, and they would not maintain their existence. And if we would consider a removal of all that exists besides Him, then His existence would not cease and not be lacking, since His existence is not dependently connected to any other. Anything besides Him, e.g. the intelligences, i.e. the angels and heavenly influences and what is beneath them, their existence is all dependent on Him. This is the first principle, upon which the verse says, “I am Hashem etc.”

2.The second principle is His Oneness, may He be exalted. This “cause” of everything is one, not like the oneness of a genus, and not like the oneness of a species, and not like a one which is a composite, which can be divided into many units, and not like the oneness of a simple body which is numerically one, but can be infinitely divided and broken up, but He, may He be exalted, is One. A oneness where there is no one like it in any manner. Upon this second principle the verse says, “Hear Israel, Hashem your Lord, Hashem is One.

3.The third principle is the negation of physicality to Him. This means that this One is not a body and it is not a power in a body. What occurs to bodies does not occur to him, like movement and rest, not in essence and not incidentally. Therefore, the Sages of blessed memory negated from Him combination and division, and they said, “There is no sitting and no standing, no division and no combination.” And the prophet said in the name of Hashem, “And to whom will you compare Me that I will be equal to?” If He were a body, then He would be similar to bodies. All that is brought in the Holy Books of attributions made to Him of physical attributes, like walking, standing, sitting, and speaking, etc. are all borrowed terms, as it says in the Talmud, “The Torah speaks like the language of man.” Many people have already spoken of this. This is the third principle, upon which the verse says, “You will not see any image.” This means you did not comprehend Hashem as any image, since He is, as we have said, not a body, and not a power in a body.

4.The fourth principle is that Hashem precedes everything. This means that this described One absolutely precedes all. Everything that exists besides Him does not come first, relative to Him. The proofs for this in the Holy books is many. This is the fourth principle upon which the verse says, “The dwelling place of the G-d who precedes.” And know that a great principle of the Torah of Moshe our teacher is that the world is new. Hashem formed it and created it, following an absolute lack of existence. And this that you see that I elaborate on this topic and stay outside of the idea of the philosophers who state the world has always been, this is in order to absolutely prove His existence, may He be exalted, as I have explained and clarified in Guide to the Perplexed.

5.The fifth principle is that He, may He be exalted, is the one who is worthy to serve Him and to exalt Him and to publicize His greatness and His commandments. This is not to be done to whatever is beneath Him in existence, like the angels, stars, spheres and elements, and whatever is composed of them, since they were given a nature to do specific actions. They have no dominion, no free will, but only do His Will, may He be exalted. They are not to be made as intermediaries to reach Him. All intentions should be focused on Him alone, and leave everything besides Him. This is the fifth principle, which is the warning against idolatry, and the majority of the Torah comes to warn against this.

6.The sixth principle is prophecy. This means to know that within this species of mankind, there are those to be found amongst them, individuals, who have very developed talents and great perfection, and they prepare themselves until they attain a form of intellect, and that intellect connects to the Active Intellect and from it emanates upon them a lofty flow, and these are the prophets, and this is prophecy, and this is its issue. An explanation of this principle in a complete way would be very lengthy, and out goal is not to detail every principle and elaborate on the ways of knowing them, since this is the general purpose of all wisdoms, but we will mention them to only be aware of them. The verses of the Torah testify to the prophecies of many prophets.

7.The seventh principle is the prophecy of Moshe Rabeinu. This is that we should believe that he is the father of all prophets who preceded him, and those who came after him. All of them are beneath him in level, and he is the most chosen one by Hashem, from all of mankind. He comprehended of Hashem, may He be exalted, greater than any man has ever comprehended, or will ever comprehend. He, of blessed memory, reached the absolute highest level above mankind, until he comprehended the angelic level and was at the level of the angels. There did not remain any curtain before him that he did not tear away, and no physical blockage stopped him. No flaw remained within him, not a small bit and not a large amount. His faculties of imagination ceased, as well as his senses in all that he attained, and his force of arousal was in fear, only his intellect remained. About this it is said upon him that he speaks with Hashem, without the medium of the angels. I wanted to explain this wondrous matter and explain closed verses of the Torah. I will explain what is says, “Mouth to Mouth and all of this verse and others in this matter. Were it not that I saw that these matters are very sublime and they need much elaboration and introductions and parables. We need to first explain the existence of angels and their differing levels before the Creator and also the explanation of the soul and its powers, and the scope will expand until we speak of the forms that the prophets mentioned of Hashem and His angels, and this will not suffice for this matter alone, and even if I would be brief in absolute brevity, it would take 100 pages. Therefore, I will leave it to its place, or in the books of homiletical explanations that I said I would write, or in the book of prophecy that I have begun to write, or a book that I will author in the explanation of these principles. I will return to this seventh principle and say that the prophecy of Moshe is separate from the prophecies of the other prophets in four differences. The first difference is that every prophet, whichever one, Hashem did not speak to them except through an intermediary, yet Moshe was without an intermediary, as the verse says, “Mouth to mouth I will speak to him.” The second difference is that all of the other prophets will not receive a vision except during sleep, as it says in many places, “In a night’s dream…, And he dreamt…, a vision in a night’s dream…, and many verses like this, or during the day, after a sleep befalls the prophet, a state in which all of his senses are at rest and his mind is emptied like at sleep. This state is called a vision or appearance, and upon this it says, “And the appearances of the Lord.” The speech of Hashem came to Moshe during the day, and he stood between the two Keruvim, as Hashem promised him, “And I will make myself known to you there, and I will speak with you.” The exalted One says, “If you will have prophecies, in a vision I will make known, in a dream I will speak to him, not so with my servant Moshe! The third difference is that the prophet, when the vision comes to him, even if it is in an appearance and through an angel, his faculties weaken and his body trembles, and a very great fear befalls him as if he is going to die, as it is explained in Daniel, when Gavriel spoke with him in a vision, it says, “No power remained within me, I was asleep on my face and my face to the ground,” and he said, “in the vision my pains turned over on me.” With Moshe, it was not so, but the speech came to him, and no trembling occurred to him at all. This is what is said, “And Hashem spoke to Moshe face to face, as a man speaks to his friend.” This means to say that just as no fear occurs to a person from speaking with a friend, so too he, of blessed memory, was not afraid from the speech, even though it was face to face. This was because of the strength of his bonding to intellect as we have said. The fourth difference is that with all of the prophets, their visions do not come to them due to their will, but at the will of Hashem. Sometimes the prophet would remain for many years without having a vision. There are some who request from the prophet to let them know something through prophecy, and they remained there until the prophecy came after many days, or after months, or it may not come at all. We have already seen of them who prepared themselves through joy of the heart and cleansing of the mind, as done by Elisha, when he said, “Get me a musician,” then the prophecy came to him. This is not definite, that one will prophesize anytime there is preparation. But Moshe Rabeinu, anytime he wanted, he said, “Stand up and hear what Hashem commands you. “ And it says, “Speak to Aharon your brother, and he should not come in at any time.” Chazal say, “Aharon cannot come in at any time, but Moshe is not limited.”
8.The eighth principle is that Torah is from Heaven. This means that we must believe that all of this Torah, that is found in our hands today, is the Torah which was given to Moshe, and it is entirely from the mouth of the Almighty. This means that it entirely reached Moshe from Hashem, like a touch, using a borrowed term, we will call speech. The quality of that touch is not known, except to him, to whom it reached. He is at the level of a scribe, where they read in front of him, and he writes it all, its dates, stories and commandments, so he is called the engraver. There is no difference between the verse, “And the children of Cham are Kush, Mitzrayim, Phut and Canaan,” or the verse, “And the name of his wife was Mihaytavel the daughter of Matraid,” or the verse, “I am Hashem, “ or the verse, “ Hear Israel, Hashem is our Lord, Hashem is One.” It is all from the mouth of the almighty, and it is all the Torah of Hashem, which is complete, pure, holy and true. Menashe did not become a greater nonbeliever and heretic, more than other heretics, except by the fact that he thought that the Torah contained chaff and husks, and that the dates and stories provide no benefit, and that Moshe said them on his own. This is what he meant, that Torah is not from Heaven. Chazal say that one who says that all of the Torah is from the mouth of Hashem except for one verse which Hashem did not say, but Moshe said on his own, upon such a person it says, “For he has disgraced the word of Hashem.” May Hashem should be elevated above from what the heretics speak. Rather, every letter in the Torah contains much wisdom and wonders, to whom Hashem gives understanding, and the end of its wisdom cannot be comprehended; its measure is longer than the land and wider than the sea. A person can only pray, as did Dovid, the anointed one of the G-d of Yaakov, who prayed, “Reveal my eyes, and I will see the wonders from your Torah.” So too, the Torah’s traditional meaning is also from the mouth of the Almighty, and this is what we do today, the form of the Sukkah, the Lulav, the Shofar, the Tzitzis, the Tefillin and the others, this is itself the form which Hashem told to Moshe, and he said to us. He just conveyed, like a trustworthy messenger, in what he brought. The speech which shows this principle is the verse, “With this you will know that Hashem sent me.. for this was not from my heart.”

9.The ninth principle is cessation. This means that this Torah of Moshe will not cease, and no Torah will come from Hashem besides it, and it will not be added to or taken away from, not in its written form, and not in its interpretation. The verse says, “Do not add to it and do not take away from it. We have already explained what is necessary to explain in the introduction to this work.

10.The tenth principle is that Hashem, may He be exalted, knows the actions of people, and does not neglect them. This is not like those who say, “Hashem has left the land.” But rather as it says, “Great is the advice and the deed which Your eyes are open over all of the ways of mankind.” And it says, “And Hashem saw the evil of man was great in the land.” And it says, “The cry of Siddome and Ammorah was great.” These show this tenth principle.

11.The eleventh principle is that Hashem, may He be exalted, pays a good reward to those who fulfill the Mitzvos of the Torah, and punishes those who transgress its warnings. The great reward is the World to Come, and the harsh punishment is Excision. We have already spoken sufficiently of this. The verse, which shows this principle, says, “If you forgive their sin, or if not, please erase me from Your book.” And Hashem, may He be exalted, replied, “He who sins against me….” This is a proof that it is known before Him the worshipper and the sinner, to reward good to this one, and to punish the other.

12.The twelfth principle is the Days of Moshiach. This means to believe and to truly know that Moshiach will come, and not to say that he has been made late, “If he tarries, wait for him.” Do not set a time for him, and do not explain the verses in order to bring out from them the time of his coming. The sages say, “The minds of those who calculate the end should be blown out.” Believe in him from the greatness and love, and pray for his coming, according to what was said about him by every prophet, from Moshe to Malachi. One who has doubt about Moshiach, or belittles the matter, such a person denies the Torah that explicitly promises Moshiach, in the Parsha of Bilaam and in Nitzavim. Included in this principle is that there is no king for Israel, except from Dovid, and specifically from the descendant of Shlomo. Whoever argues with regard to this family is a denier of Hashem and the words of His prophets.

13.The thirteenth principle is the resurrection of the dead, and we have already explained it. (Resurrection of the dead is a principle from the principles of the Torah of Moshe Rabeinu. There is no religion or bond with the Jewish Nation for anyone who does not believe in the resurrection of the dead. Resurrection of the dead is for the righteous, as in the words of the Midrash that the rain is for the righteous and the evil, but resurrection of the dead is only for the righteous. How can the evil become alive when they are already dead, even when they are living! So too, Chazal, of blessed memory, say upon them, “That the evildoers, even in their lives, are called dead, and the righteous, even when they are dead, they are called alive.” And know that a person will absolutely die and be dispersed into what they are composed of.

When these principles exist by a person, and their belief in them is true, this person enters the Community of Israel, and it is an obligation to love them, and to have compassion upon them, and to do all that Hashem commanded us regarding love and friendship, one towards another. And even if a person does what is possible to do from the sins, due to their desire and overpowering evil inclination, they are punished according to the amount of rebelliousness, and they have a portion in the World to Come and they are considered a sinner of Israel. When a person questions any one of the principles of these principles, this person goes out from the Community, and denies the Essence and is called a heretic, Apikoress, and one who uproots the plantings. It is an obligation to hate them and to destroy them, and upon them it says, “Your enemies Hashem, I will hate.”

“And Hashem said to Avram, Lech Licha (You should go out), …” (The preceding Parsha) Parshas Noach concludes with the verse, “And these were the days of Terach… and Terach died in Charan.” Immediately, (Parshas Lech Licha begins), “And Hashem said to Avram.” This was the first revelation of Hakadosh Baruch Hu to the father of the Nation, Avraham Avinu, peace be upon him.

We need to understand, what is the connection between the end of the preceding Parsha to the beginning of this Parsha? Seemingly, they are two different issues, from one extreme to the other, since Terach was an idol worshipper, and here it writes about the revelation of the Creator, who is One, Singular, and Unique. Furthermore, out of respect for Avraham, the Torah should have placed another issue in between these two subjects.

Also, in the course of the Parsha it is written that Hakadosh Baruch Hu promises the Land of Israel to Avraham Avinu, peace be upon him, as it is written, “And He said to him, I am Hashem, who took you out from Ur Kasdim, to give to you this land, to inherit it.” Avraham asked Hashem, “Through what will I know that I will inherit it?” Hakadosh Baruch Hu replies to him, “You will surely know that your descendants will be strangers in a land not of theirs, and they will enslave them and oppress them for four hundred years… and afterwards, they will go out with great possessions.”

We need to understand, what is the answer to the question of Avraham, about his desire to ascertain that he would inherit the Land of Israel?

In order to understand these two questions, let us explain the Mishnah in the Tractate of Pesachim (page 116a), “It begins with a denigration and ends with praise.” In the Haggadah of Pesach, one must begin with a denigration and end with praise. What is the denigration? Upon this there are two views in the Gemara, Rav and Shmuel. Shmuel says, “We were slaves to Pharoah,” this is the denigration. Rav says that the denigration is, “At first, idol worshippers were our fathers, Terach, the father of Avraham…”

Before we explain what is the reason for their dispute, we need to understand what is the reason that one must have a denigration precede the praise.

The answer is that there is a fixed law in creation that the negative always precedes the positive, as it is written in the Act of Creation, “And it was evening, and it was morning, one day.” This is as Chazal write in the beginning of Tractate Berachos, what is the reason the Tanna (author of the Mishna) opened with, “From when do we read the Shema in the evening,” and not (begin asking about the Shema) of the morning. It is learned from the creation of the world, for it says, “And it was evening, and it was morning.”

The reason for this fixed law is according to the principle which is written in Koheles, “Like the superiority of the light from the darkness,” (only from darkness is the excellence of light appreciated.) If we do not precede with a lack, we cannot value the filling in (of that lack), since the value of the filling is according to the size of the lack. Because of this reason, disintegration (of the seed) precedes the sprouting of the shoot, a question precedes an answer, subjugation precedes deliverance, suffering precedes comfort. Likewise, the Yetzer Hara (evil inclination) precedes the Yetzer Hatov (good inclination).

This is the cause, why one needs to begin the Haggadah of Pesach with a denigration, and to end with praise.

There are two aspects of subjugation (Sheebood): 1) the subjugation of the body, and 2) the subjugation of the Soul. This is the reason for the dispute between Rav and Shmuel. Rav holds that one needs to begin with the issue of the subjugation of the body, since the feeling of spiritual subjugation is only applicable to the choicest part of the Nation, those who are most developed in spiritual Avodah. However, subjugation of the body (to be physically oppressed) is understood and felt by all parts of the Nation. Therefore, we begin with (the denigration), “We were slaves to Pharoah…,” which is equally applicable to all. The praise is, “And Hashem took us out from Egypt… and gave us the Land of Israel.”

Rav holds that the denigration is the subjugation of the Soul. Therefore, one needs to begin with (the denigration), “At first, idol worshippers were our fathers, Terach, the father of Avraham…” The praise is, “And He brought us near to Har Sinai and gave us the Torah;” this is spiritual freedom.

Here is the place to elaborate upon what is the meaning of Avodah “Zara” (idolatry, literally: “foreign” worship)? It is written in the Holy Zohar that in a place where there is a Tircha (trouble and bother), there is found the Sitra Achora (the Other Side, i.e. evil). The explanation of the matter is that there is Avodah (service, worship, literally: working on oneself) with Simcha (joy), as the verse says, “Serve Hashem with Simcha.” And there is Avodah which has Tircha; (it is a bother), as the verse says, “Since you did not serve Hashem your Lord with Simcha.” The difference between them depends upon the measure of recognition the servant has for his master.

For example, when an important and honorable man requests for some service to be done for him, any person would have Simcha and pleasure over this opportunity which has befallen them, and immediately, with enthusiasm, they would fulfill the assignment in the most complete manner. This is not the case if the man was disgusting and lowly, and the community did not value him. If he would ask for someone to do for him some small service, even if someone were to respond to such a person, they would feel a burden and great bother in serving him.

The cause is that it is all dependent upon the recognition (awareness) and value that the servant (really “server”) places upon the one they are serving. Therefore, Avodah Zara (idolatry, literally: “foreign service”) means that the worshipper does not recognize and value the one they are serving, who is “Zarah” (“foreign”) to them. Therefore, their Avodah is with great bother.

This is what the Baal Shem Tov, may his memory be for a blessing, explains the verse, “There should not be amongst you a foreign god.” That even one who serves Hashem Yisborach, if they do not recognize the Creator Yisborach, that he is the Good One, and the One who does good, their Avodah is a bother and trouble for them. According to the recognition, correspondingly increases the value of the Avodah.

With the above elaboration, is explained to us, the two questions, which we asked at first. At the end of Parshas Noach, the Torah tells us about Terach, that he was an idol worshipper. It is known that there are five sources of the mouth (to pronounce the various letters). The letters DLTNT (Daled, Lamed, Tes, Nun, Tav) originate from the tongue, and the letter Tav can be transposed with the letter Tes. Therefore, the name Terach (“Tav” Resh Ches), can be spelled Terach (“Tes” Resh Ches) with a Tes, which means Tircha (difficulty and a bother) and that Terach (with a Tes) was a worshipper of Avodah “Zara”, a “foreign” service, which symbolizes Tircha. This is the spiritual subjugation, the subjugation of the soul, which is a preparation for spiritual freedom.

Parshas Noach ends with, “And Terach died in Charan,” since Avraham Avinu passed the stage of spiritual Tircha. Therefore, immediately Hakadosh Baruch Hu was revealed to him, “And Hashem said to Avram…”

According to the one who says that the Haggadah must begin with, “At first, idol worshippers were our fathers, Terach, the father of Avraham,” this was a spiritual subjugation, and this was a preparation to the spiritual freedom of the revelation of, “I am Hashem your Lord”, (at Har Sinai), as it is written in the fourth term of deliverance, “And I will take you for me as a Nation, and I will be for you the Lord.” As it is written, “When you take this nation out of Egypt, you will serve the Lord on this mountain.”

The answer to the second question is that in order to recognize the greatness of physical freedom, one needs the preparation of a physical subjugation. This is what Hakadosh Baruch Hu said to Avram, “You should surely know that your descendants will be strangers in a land not of theirs, and they will enslave them and oppress them…” Through the subjugation in the crucible of Egypt, they will acquire the lack (and need) and the vessels to know and to value the greatness of the freedom of receiving the Land of Israel.

In truth, both (subjugations and opinions of Rav and Shmuel) are interwoven together, since “There is no deliverance for the body without the deliverance for the soul,” and there is no Nationalism without the Torah. Hakadosh Baruch Hu and His Torah and Israel and His Land are all one piece. This is what is written, “And I will take you for me as a Nation, and I will be for you the Lord.” (Sources: Sefer Matan Torah, discourse V’Zos Lihudah and Sefer Peri Chacham, Letters, page 164 (authored by Rabbi Yehudah Leib Ashlag, ZT”L, the Baal HaSulam.)

Many people prefer an unburdened spirituality, which asks little of them. They just want to enjoy their spirituality without the responsibilities and laws. Many teachers and centers for such spirituality are readily available.

But as Rabbi Brandwein explains, this is Avodah Zarah, normally translated as idolatry, but literally means the foreign Avodah, since in such spirituality, Hashem is really foreign to the worshipper.

If one turns to Hashem and His Torah, then the Avodah is at least focused on selflessness in attending to the Will of Hashem, but, at first, it is a hard burden to carry. Only by putting out the effort to know Hashem and to attach to Hashem through Torah and mitzvos, especially through the inner light of Chassidus and Kabbalah will one come to recognize Hashem, where the Avodah is transformed into a service of joy and pleasure.

Much of the posted teaching is based on a discourse by Rabbi Ashlag called V’Zos Lihudah. Around 1930, Rabbi Avraham Brandwein’s father Reb Yehuda Hirsch (Yehuda Tzvi) Brandwein took out a loan and opened a publishing house for Rabbi Ashlag called Yehuda Virushalayim. At the time, Rabbi Yaakov Mordechai Brandwein, who was very poor, would send letters to the wealthy, asking for donations. It was customary to include some gift with the Tzedaka request letter. So, Rabbi Yaakov Mordechai Brandwein came to Rabbi Ashlag (the Baal haSulam) and asked him to write a commentary to the Haggadah of pesach. Rabbi Ashlag agreed and wrote the commentary entitled V’Zos Lihuda. Thereby, Rabbi Yaakov Mordechai had what to include with his Tzedaka letters. V’Zos Lihuda was then published by Rabbi Yehuda Hirsch at his publishing house of Yehudah Virushalayim. Rabbi Yehuda Hirsch told over that our Holy Rabbi, the Baal HaSulam came himself to the publishing house and there he sat and wrote the commentary on the Haggadah of Pesach. (These facts come from the Hebrew biography of the Baal HaSulam written by Rabbi Avraham Mordechai Gottleib.)

Please see the next post, which is the discourse itself.

Behold! All of the reasons, which are explained about the intent of the creation (of the world), which are: “it is from the nature of the Good One to do good,” and also “to convert the darkness to light, since the superiority of the light (comes from the contrast with darkness) etc.,” (these reasons) do not apply except after the death of the (primordial) Kings, which is when “Mah” and “Ban” mixed, and from this was the root of the darkness.

(The Sefiros of the world of Tohu-Chaos, called the Primordial Kings, were emanated out in a manner that they would be unable to retain their Light, so their vessels would break, called the death of the Kings, in order to cause a descent of the worlds to create darkness and evil. The name Havaya can be spelled out with different letter combinations. The primary Names are numerically 72 Av, 63 Sag, 45 Mah and 52 Ban. The breaking took place at the level of Sag, causing a mixture of Mah (the masculine) and Ban (the feminine). The Tikkun repair comes through the new Mah, a source of the soul, and the process of refinement is required.)

But before this (breaking of the vessels), it is not applicable to say, “to convert the darkness,” (since darkness had not yet been created). And also, the reason of “that it is the nature of the Good One,” is not applicable, since, before the creation, it is not possible to say upon Him, may He be blessed, the Good One, (who has a particular nature), as it is written, “And He is not from any of these Middos-attributes at all.”

The main reason (for the creation of the world) is (simply) “because it arose in His Will”, in a will that is incomprehensible, since there is one kind of will and there is another kind of will, (the first) is a will which is enclothed in reason and understanding, and (the second) is a will which is not enclothed in reason and understanding.

Likewise, in Torah and Mitzvos, there is a comprehensible will, for example, Sukkos, (to build a Sukkah) because of the surrounding clouds of glory (for Israel in the desert), and also Pesach (to commemorate the Exodus) and the like. But, in truth, this is what arose in His (incomprehensible) Will. And this is what they say (in the Mishnah), that one who says about the (Mitzvah of sending away the mother bird from the) bird’s nest, “You showed compassion etc., (such a person should be silenced,” since they explain Hashem’s will in logical terms, rather than simply accepting the Mitzvos as incomprehensible decrees); (In reality, the Mitzvos) are only decrees, (without a knowable reason). And this is sufficient for those who understand.

And what they say that the descent of the soul is a descent for the purpose of an ascent, (this reason applies only) like (the soul) is now, (in the lower worlds). Since, how is an ascent applicable to them, the souls, since (the souls of) Israel arose in the literal, essential G-dly thought, (which means the souls existed prior to creation, within Hashem)?

And it is also difficult to understand that the superiority of the light comes from the darkness; what superiority can there be, since everything was literally His Essence (and there was only light)?

But, the truth is that all of the reasons (for creation) were not said except after the mixture, when Mah and Ban were mixed, at the level of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil. And (now) we need to refine the good from the evil, to elevate everything to its root, “to the place where its tent was at the beginning,” (i.e. its origin).

And this is the main descent of the soul, to refine the refinements of Nogah, which is the level of “the flame of the turning sword.” (Kelipas Nogah (the Glowing Shell) is the level between Holiness and the three unclean Kelipos of complete evil. Nogah is a mixture of good and evil and must be refined by separating the good from the evil.) And the meaning is that one is able to elevate (matter of this world), as it is, (to the level which it was, i.e. its origin). For example, the Esrog-citron, which is just a fruit in this world, and it becomes a Esrog of Mitzvah.

And what is written that the three Kelipos (have no refinement, they) only have nullification and removal, this means that they do not have an ascent, like it is with the Kelipos of Nogah. (The Avodah on the three Unclean Kelipos is) only the aspect of (the Kelipos’) death and entire removal from their first nature. And this is sufficient for those who understand.

And behold, the refinement from the three Kelipos, mentioned above, cannot be except through the level of the Baal Teshuvah (the one who “returns” to Hashem) to arouse a Will, which is not enclothed in reason and knowledge.

And the refinement, from (the study of) Torah and (the performance of) Mitzvos, is the refinement of Nogah, and it is called the refinement of the Tzelem-image. (The Tzelem represents the Nefesh Hasichlis (the intellectual soul, the human mind) which is the intermediary between the Divine Soul and the Animal Soul.)This is the matter of the descent of the soul to refine the refinements of the Tzelem as it is written, “Man will walk just in the Tzelem.” This means, the soul, which is called man, descended for the sake of the Tzelem, since the soul comes from the new name “Mah”, from which comes the repair. And after the refinements, it is thereby elevated.

(There are four general levels of matter in our world: 1) inanimate, 2) vegetative, 3) animal, and 4) human.) Likewise, for example, with food, which, at the beginning, is at the level of vegetation, and afterwards, when (eaten by man), it ascends and becomes the flesh of man, even man ascends through it, as we see that (the food) becomes a new intellect (the food provides energy for the mind to create ideas), and also with (the consumption of) every animal (it is elevated into man, and the man thereby ascends higher).

In this manner, since essentially (the food) is from a root (and source called Tohu-Chaos) which is higher than man (from Tikkun-Repair), just (the food) fell (to lower levels below man) at the time of the “breaking of the vessels,” and this is what is written, “By everything that comes out from the mouth of God, man will live.” And the meaning is “on everything that comes out” from Above, (it) comes out from His mouth, etc. (The speech of Hashem, in the Act of Creation, in creating each matter, continuously sustains that matter and is the life force within the food, which gives energy to the man consuming the food.) And this is sufficient for those who understand.

And also, in every place, the refined is higher than the refiner. (Here, the food is refined by man, the refiner.) And this is like what our rabbis explain, “There is no drop that descends from above, that does not have two (corresponding) drops (which ascend from below) etc..” As it is written, “And I will lead you (doubly) standing etc..” (The Tikkun and refinement cause a greater accomplishment and elevation.) And (the refined item) becomes as it was, prior to the breaking (of the vessels).

And that the soul gets pleasure “from” the ray of the Shechinah-Divine Presence is only because it is from the nature of the Good One to do good, since there is a (G-dly) pleasure above, (when the Mitzvos are performed) that “I have spoken and My Will was done.” And likewise, for example, where one experiences pleasure from food, (the reason is because) in the food is (found) the root of his soul, and (upon consumption) when (the food) returns and it becomes one entity with him, he feels pleasure from this (return and refinement). And so too above, that the soul gets pleasure “from” the ray of the Shechinah, this means that (the reason) the soul gets pleasure is because (its root) is “from” the ray of the Shechinah, since it has in it a ray in the Shechinah. And the main union is afterwards, like with food, after one stops feeling any pleasure from it, then they literally become one, (the refiner and the refined).

And also in this world, at the time of Torah and Avodah work, as our Rabbis teach, “One moment (of such Avodah is a great pleasure) etc.,” (yet), at the time that (the person) perceives pleasure from the ray (of the Shechinah), (it) is not yet a perfect union, since (they are) feeling the pleasure. (The active experiencing of pleasure shows the two entities are not yet one.) And this is sufficient for those who understand.

And that (the soul) needs to have pleasure is because it is the nature of the Good One to do good. (Hashem’s desire to give pleasure to the souls, created within the souls the desire to receive such pleasure.) And this is sufficient for those who understand.

The meaning (of this) is like, for example, two people who make a covenant, and they literally become one. Each one is (emotionally) moved (and impacted) by the other, even if (at a time) he is far away from the (other), as it says, “A brother is born (to help in a time) of trouble,” and likewise for good (times). But, at the time when a true union is made, no emotional movement (and experience of feelings) is applicable, just like the (seminal) drop, when it is still in the (father’s) brain, it is not applicable to (say upon it) emotional movement and love (from the father to the son). But, after the birth (of the son, where the father and son have become distanced one from another, then it is applicable for love, since they are not yet in a state of completeness. And this is sufficient for those understand.

And this is the matter of the making (literally cutting) of a covenant, where they cut one thing, for the two (people), to show that they are like one thing, which has been cut. And this is the concept of the Reshimu-imprint, since there is 1) a Reshimu-imprint (in the World of Atzilus-Emanation), 2) a Chakikah-engraving (in the world of Beriyah-Creation), 3) a Chatzivah-hewing (in the world of Yetsirah-Formation), and 4) an Asiyah-Action making (in the world of Asiyah-Action), as is known, which correspond to the four levels, (through) which the soul descends. As the verse says, “Then 1) she saw, and 2) she told, 3) she prepared, and 4) she also investigated, and said to man.” And is written, “My Lord, the soul which You placed in me is 1) pure etc., 2) You created it, 3) You formed it, 4) You blew it etc., from the four worlds, 1) Atzilus, 2) Beriyah, 3) Yetsirah, 4) Asiyah . But, after the refinements (there are) five ascents (for the soul), and this is as it is written, “My servant 1) will become wise, 2) he will be lifted, and 3) exalted, 4) high, 5) very much.” And this is the matter of, “Teshuvah, which preceded the world.”

And behold, all of Torah and good deeds, and all thoughts of Teshuvah, all come from above, as it is written, “Until it is awakened upon us, a spirit from the Heights,” from the Reshimu-imprint which remains above. And this is the matter of “(Ain Mazal) there is no Mazel (source of influence) for Israel. This means that Ayin-nothingness is the Mazel, what cannot be comprehended, which is the level of the Kesser-crown. Mazel is (grammatically expressed as) a causative term (to cause influence), (while) Nozel flowing is a term which (connotes) having been caused and influenced.

And this is the oath (“To be a Tzaddik a not a Rasha-evildoer”), which they make (each soul) swear (prior to entering this world). Seemingly, this is hard to understand, since “free will” is given (to man), (to choose how to behave), so why do they make him swear? But the meaning is that (the oath) connotes a Hiskashrus-connection (with Hashem), to give him the power and strength to ascend. Therefore, we request (from Hashem, in the morning blessing before the Shema), “And (from Above,) place in our hearts ‘Binah-understanding.’” This is difficult to understand, since our Rabbis teach, “Everything is in the hands of heaven (except for man’s choice on how to behave).” But, the meaning is, as we have written, that, at first, the awakening comes from Above, as mentioned above, even though the “free will” is in his hand (to choose how to behave).

And this is the matter of, “(Eliezer), Please place your hand under my thigh, and I (Avraham) will have you swear by the Lord of the heavens and the Lord of the earth that you should not take a wife for my son (Yitzchak) from the daughters of Canaan, since the union of Yitzchak and Rivkah is the union of Mah and Ban, (Mah is masculine and Ban is feminine) while the daughters of Canaan are the Tzerufim-combinations (of letters which form) the physical (worlds).

The explanation of the matter is that man is divided into two levels, 1) the inner, and 2) the outer (i.e. the external), which are the aspects of 1) the Tzelem-image, and 2) the Demus-form. The level of the Tzelem is from the combinations of (the letters of the Name) Elokim, and the level of the Demus is from the level of Havaya. And behold there are 120 combinations of (transposing the 5 letters of) Elokim, and from (the lower) 48 of the (combinations), comes the mixture of the Tree of knowledge of good and evil, which fell at the “breaking of the vessels,” and this is “the wonders and miracles in the land of the children of Cham (Ches Mem =48).” The main refinement is to refine the combinations which fell.

The meaning of combinations is, for example, like we see in the Middos-attributes within man, that the Middos within themselves are the level of spirituality (and abstractness), and they do not have an (expressed and manifested) feeling in the body, except the lowest level in (each of the) Middos, which is the aspect of Malchus in the Middah, which reveals the Middah, and is called the aspect of letters, just like the letters of the intellect, which reveal the intellect, so too, the revelation of the Middos is called by the name “letters”.

And behold, according to the value of the vessel, is likewise (determined the value of) the light. This means, according to the value of the combinations within the revelation of the Middos, so too is the revelation for love or hatred, etc. But the Middos themselves do not have within them any change, they are only sources and spiritual roots for this; a hylic (potential state of) matter for them. And behold, the Middos are double, and so too in Malchus of the attributes, there are two aspects, 1) the aspect of Maamaros-statements, and 2) the aspect of Dibros-speeches, (which correspond to) 1) the aspect of Chomer-matter and 2) the Tzurah-form. The meaning is that the intellect within the speech is the aspect of the Tzurah, and the physical speech is the aspect of the Chomer. And due to the multitude of combinations, it is possible to change the Middah from good to evil, to the point where there is a grasp by the evil Middos of the vital animal soul. However, regarding the Middos themselves, it is written, “And My glory, I will not give to another.”

And behold, just like in physical “speech”, (i.e Elokim, “Ban”, and the feminine), which comes out from the five sources of the mouth, (the throat, palette, tongue, teeth, and lips,) (it originates from) the “voice” (i.e Havaya, “Mah” and the masculine), which comes from the five lobes of the lungs, (three on the right and two on the left), and so too in spiritual speech, which comes from the five Tzimtzum-restrictions from the Partzuf-form of Malchus-kingship in the Middos, (which are) the aspect of the five letters of Elokim. And this is sufficient for those who understand.

And when (the spiritual voice and speech) (become one, it is the union of Havaya and Elokim etc.. And this is sufficient for those understand.

Never attribute control or dominion to a sign or planet. It is like crediting a pen for the writing it does. Only the writer is responsible for the writing. The pen is a tool used to accomplish the task. So too, the signs and planets, etc. are just tools which Hashem uses to help us know what type of influence is occurring, but our souls and spirits are much greater and loftier than the planets or even the angels so we can go beyond the control of the planets and be directly connected to Hashem.)

According to the Rambam, during the second Holy Temple in Jerusalem, the Greeks made decrees on Israel, canceled their Jewish religion, did not allow Torah study of Mitzvah performance, plundered Israel’s money and daughters, broke into the Temple and defiled what was pure. Israel suffered much from the Greeks until Hashem, the Lord of their fathers, had compassion upon them and saved them from the Greeks. The Chashmonaim, the priests and sons of the High priest, killed many Greeks, saved Israel from the Greek Empire and established a line of Chasmonaic Kings which lasted more than two hundred years, until the Roman destruction of the Second Temple.

After Israel conquered their enemies, on the twenty-fifth of the month of Kislev, they entered the Temple and found only one pure flask of olive oil. Their was just enough pure oil to burn the menorah lights for one day, yet the oil burned for eight days, until they had processed more pure oil. Therefore, the Sages of that generation decreed that the eight days, beginning from the 25th of Kislev would be days of joy and praise. These days are called Chanukah.

Let us look at the Maccabean war through astrology and its connection to Torah, to be able to focus in on the hidden light behind the miracle of Chanukkah. Alexander the Great of Macedonia conquered the entire world, even Jerusalem, where he befriended Shimon the Tzaddik, as the Talmud Yoma relates.

After the death of Alexander, his awesome kingdom faltered and the Seleucids took control of the Syrian Empire with its capital in Antioch (today, a small city in Turkey called Anatolika), from which the rulers obtained their title Antiochus. The Ptolemys took Egypt and its surroundings. The Land of Israel was the boundary of both Empires with Syria to the North and Egypt to the South. The two Empires constantly waged war over the Land of Israel trying to annex it into their own Empire. The era of the Chashmonaim began during the days of Antiochus the Fourth called Epiphanes, the King of Syria. Ptolemy Philometor (and his younger brother Ptolemy Piskun) was the King of Egypt. This covered a time span of 1043 years until the kingdom of Herod the Edomite slave (years from creation 3617-3724, which is 143 to 36 BCE).

(The books of the Maccabees date the first war in 3585, but the Talmud explains that the rulership of the Chashmonaim which was established five years after the war began was 103 years prior to Herod, since from Herod’s reign until the destruction of the Holy Temple in 68 CE was also 103 years. Herein we have used the chronology of the Talmud and not the Maccabean or Josephusan versions, since their rendering in Hebrew has been lost and only translation have remained, their chronology did not remain accurate and contains many internal conflicts.)

In the year 3617 (143 CE), Antiochus Epiphanes retuned from a victory over Egypt by way of Israel on his return to Syria. He passed through Jerusalem and plundered the Temple, stealing the Holy Vessels, and appointing the Hellenist Menelaeus as the High priest, who turned his back on the Jewish religion and built a stadium in Jerusalem. He sent out the priest to fight with their friends in the coliseum, but the service in the Temple continued.

In the year 3621 (139 BCE), Appolonius, a general of Antiochus was sent to Israel. He decreed a ban on the Mitzvah of the New Moon (Rosh Chodesh), the Sabbath, and circumcision. On the 15th of Kislev, he plundered the Temple. On the 25th of Kislev, Menelaeus sacrificed a pig on the altar of the Holy Temple to Zeus the Olympian. From then on, the service in the Temple ended. That year, Mattisyahu, the son of Yochanan the High priest, and his sons Yehuda, Yochanan, Elazar, Yonasan and Shimon led the revolt against the decrees of Antiochus. The Maccabees are called the Chashmonaim since they came from the city of Chasmone in Judah (which is mentioned in the Book of Joshua, Chapter 15). Afterwards they moved to live in Modi’in. There they killed the King’s messenger who commanded them to worship idols. The Chashmonaim gathered together several hundred Jews who created the base for the Chasmonaic Army.

In the year 3622 (138 BCE), a year after the revolt, Mattisyahu the High Priest passed away and gave over the leadership to Yehuda his son (the well known Judah the Maccabee), who immediately went out to war against Appolonius and his soldiers. He killed Appolonius and wore his shield during the battles. That year, Siron the Aramean fought against Yehuda at Beit Choron (near the city of today’s Latrun). Yehudah killed him and scattered his armies.

In the year 3623 (137 BCE), Antiochus traveled to Persia leaving behind Lizius, the Guardian of his son Antiochus Apbatur. His General, Gargeus, saw what Yehudah had accomplished so Gargeus amassed an army of 40,000 men and 7000 horsemen and waged war at the city of Ammaus (5 KM SW of today’s Gezer) against Yehudah and his army of 3000 men, who lacked sufficient weapons. At this battle, Yehudah was victorious, killed 3000 of the Syrian soldiers and Gargeus returned in shame to Antioch.

In the year 3624 (136 BCE), Lucius was sent by Gargeus, heading an army of 60,000 men and 5000 horsemen to fight Yehudah and his army, now numbering 10,000. The battle took place at Beit Tzur (1 KM from today’s city of Chalchul, on the way to Chevron). Yehudah defeated the Syrians in the beginning of Kislev and immediately afterwards returned with a crown of victory to Jerusalem, which was freed by him entirely, except for a fortress on Har Tzion. On the 25th of Kislev, he purified the Holy Temple, and the well-known miracle of the flask of oil took place. The following year, the holiday of Chanukkah was established for all generations.

That year, Yehudah fought the Edomites in TransJordan, since they oppressed the Jews living there and he captured Akraba, Be’one, Rabat Amon and Ya’zer. He brought the Jews back to the land of Judah. His brother Shimon fought in the Galil heading a force of 3000. His victories reached Akko in the Western Galil. He killed 3000men and brought the Jews back to the Land of Judah. That year, in Gilead, Yehuda and Yonasan conquered Botzra and Mitzpeh. They killed 8000 men and returned the Jews who lived in Gilead to Judah. Yosef Ben Zecharya and Azaryah went without the permission of Yehudah the Maccabee, to wage war in Yavneh. Two thousand Jews were killed there. The same year, Yehudah conquered Chevron, but for the first time, many Priests were killed. When they went to bury them, they found idols in their garments, which they had liked and taken as spoils from their earlier conquests. The Maccabees understood the cause behind the loss of these men.

In the year 3625 (135 BCE), Antiochus Epiphanes died and his son Antiochus Apbatur (which means the lover of his father) ruled under the guardianship of Lizius. Immediately, Apbatur, with an army of 100,000 infantry, 22,000 horsemen, and 32 highly trained elephants, warred against Yehudah at Beit Tzur. Yehuda killed 600 men, but his brother Elazar was killed. The war did not stop and Yehuda and his troops went to Gofna in the Shomron (today a small city called Jufna, left of the Ramallah Shechem highway). One of the reasons was that it was a Shemittah year (where the fields lay fallow) so there was not enough food for his men. In the meantime, Antiochus and Lizius feared a rebellion in Antioch, so they made a truce with the Jews and returned to Antioch.

In the year 3627 (133 BCE), Demetrius, the cousin of Apbatur, conquered Antioch. He killed Apbatur and Lizius and he ruled there. That year, his general Nikanor fought against Yehuda in Kfar Sabba and 5000 men of Nikanor’s were killed. Nikanor joined forces with the Army of Aram and they fought together against Yehudah at Beit Choron. Yehuda, with a small army of 3000 soldiers, on the 13th of Adar defeated the large Army and killed Nikanor.

The next year, 3628 (132 BCE) Demetrius sent Bacchidus against the city of Arbel and he captured it. He killed many people there. Then he came to Jerusalem, heading an army of 20,000 men and 2000 horsemen. Yehuda led a force of only 800 men. It was an extremely bloody battle near the present city of Ramallah. Many people were killed, including Yehuda Maccabee. At the prisoner exchange, his brothers Yonasan and Shimon received his body and buried him in Modi’in. That year, the Holy Temple fell in the hands of Bacchidus, who appointed the Hellenist Alkemus as High priest, (who later died that year in Cheshvan after he started to destroy the walls of the Temple.) That year, Yochanan the Maccabee was killed by Arabs form the Arabic Tribe Yamri. Shimon and Yonasan, with a number of men, fought valiantly with Bacchidus in the marshes of the Jordan. After killing 1000 men of Bacchidus’ army, they crossed over the Jordan to the Eastern side. Bacchidus remained in power on the western side, which included Jerusalem, for two years.

In the year 3631 (129 BCE) Bacchidus fought with Shimon and Yonasan in Beit Baytzi (East of today’s Tekoa, not far from Bait Lechem). There, Yonasan put enough pressure on Bacchidus that Bacchidus was forced to return prisoners.

In the year 3635 (125 BCE), Alexander the son of Epiphanes fought with his cousin Demetrius for the throne of the kingdom. Each one wanted Yonasan on their side, so they sent him presents and gave him territory in Judah and Samaria. Yonasan took the side of Alexander against Demetrius and after a gruesome battle, Demetrius was killed and Alexander ascended the throne. He kept his promise to Yonasan, especially after his marriage to Cleopatra, the daughter of Ptolemy Philometor, the King of Egypt.

In the year 3640 (120 BCE), Demetrius the son of Demetrius arose with a force of 3000 horses, and tens of thousands of soldiers to fight Yonasan for having sided with Alexander. Yonasan conquered Yaffo without a battle, with a force of 10,000. In Ashdod, there was a harsh battle, where not even one of Israel was lost, but 8,000 were killed from Demetrius’ forces. That year, Demetrius captured Syria and ruled over it as Alexander the King fled to Arabia where he later died.

In the year, 3642 (118 BCE), Tryphon and Antiochus the younger, the son of Alexander, returned and captured Syria from Demetrius and Antiochus ruled in his place and made peace with Yonasan and gave him the Western Galil until Sulam Tzur (today’s Rush Hanikra) and in the south until Nachal Mitzrayim (Wadi el Arish). Then Yonasan conquered the cities in the Lower Galil and Har Chevron, and by Lod and he returned the Jews to their places. In those days, Yonasan went out with 3000 men to greet Tryphon, who came in deceit as an ally, yet his intent was to rebel against Antiochus and to take for himself all of the Land of Israel. When he reached Akko, Tryphon went and killed all of them, only leaving Yonasan alive as a captive. Shimon, the brother of Yonasan, fought against Tryphon, who out of fear fled to Gilad, but not before Yonasan was killed by Beit Sikma near Chevron.

In the year 3643 (117 BCE), Shimon conquered all of Israel and ruled over it. He captured Gezer near Ramallah and Yaffo in the plains, and placed Jews there, and the land was quiet for seven years.

In the year 3650 (110 BCE), Shimon and his sons Mattisyahu and Yehuda were murdered in the Fortress Doke, near Yericho, by his son in law Ptolemy the son of Chavuvo, who wanted to succeed him. However, Yochanan the son of Shimon came in first and took the power of rulership.

In the year 3654 (106 BCE), the Syrians waged war against Yochanan the son of Shimon the Chasmonai, and they took control of all of Israel except for Jerusalem and its surroundings, which remained in the hands of Yochanan. Afterwards, Yochanan gathered strength and conquered Shechem and destroyed the Samaritan Temple on the Mount Gerizim, and he conquered Edom and forcibly converted the Edomites. In his days, Judaism split into three groups. 1) The Perushim (Pharisees), who made up the majority of the masses who followed the Sages and the Torah; 2) the Tzidokim (Sadducees), who were the minority, they did not accept the leadership of the Sages of Israel; the Issiyim (Essenes), were a small sect who lived primarily in the Judean desert under a unique and rigid way of life.

After the death of Yochanan, in 3668 (92 BCE), his son, Yehuda Aristobulus accepted the role of power. However, he died after one year. His wife, the Queen ShlomTziyon, under Levirate marriage, married his younger brother Alexander Yannai (Yochanan), who became the King and the High Priest for 27 years (during the years 3669-3691, 91-64 BCE). He is well known in the Talmud as Yochanan the Cohen Gadol, who later became a Tzidoki. At the end of his days, after two defeats at the hands of the Syrians and Nivatim, Yannai gain strength and conquered all of the land. After his death, his wife ShlomTziyon ruled for 9 years.

In the year 3706 (54 BCE), after the death of ShlomTziyon, a strong struggle for power began between her two sons Horkanos, the firstborn, and the younger Aristobulus. Pompeyus the Roman, who lived in Syria, was ordered to go down and to settle the matter between them. Then Pompeyus, with the help of the supporters of Horkanos, ruled over Judah and Jerusalem and placed Horkanos in power with an advisor named Antipater the Edomite. When the Prassim conquered Syria and Israel, they gave rulership over to Antignos the son of Aristobulus. Due to this, Hordus (Herod), the son of Antipater, fled to Rome. There the Romans appointed him as the King of Judah under their guardianship. He returned to Judah in the year 3721 and fought there.

After a bitter struggle of three years between him and Antignos, Hordus captured the position of King in the year 3724 (36 BCE) and he ruled over all of Judah and he murdered all of the family of the Chashmonaim. Even his own wife, Miriam the Chasmonai and his own sons, he murdered. Not a single descendant from the line of the Chashmonaim remained. (Translator’s note: actually several great Rabbis were actually descendants of the Maccabees) (This history has been compiled from the books of the Chashmonaim and the Maccabees, Yuchsin and Seder Hadoros and others. With regards to the years of rulership of the Kings of the Chashmonaim there are different opinions.)

It is important to point out the words of the Ramban who wrote that the House of the Chashmonaim came to a complete end, since they took the Crown of Kingship for themselves and did not give it back over to the descendants of the House of David. (See Ramban on the Torah, Parshas Bereishis Chapter 49).

From the words of the Rambam at the beginning of this piece, whose source is from the Talmud, it is explained that the miracle of the oil was only for seven days, since the flask of oil contained enough to burn for one day, yet it continued to burn the full eight days. If so, the Holiday of Chanukkah should only be 7 days, of which there was a miracle; why did the Sages of Israel establish the celebration for eight days? Why were the Greeks so insistent that the Jews stop doing the Mitzvos of the New Moon, Shabbos, and Circumcision? Why did they not want to stop all of the practical Mitzvos?

The Greeks forced Israel to sacrifice a pig to Zeus the Olympian, as was explained in the Books of the Chashmonaim, the Maccabees, and Chazal. The question need be asked, why specifically to Zeus and not to the other gods, like Apollo, who by them was the god of the Sun, or to Neptune, who they believed ruled the sea? Why did they specifically choose a pig for the sacrifice and not any other animal?

Why do we not do any remembrance for the remarkable wars and victories by the Maccabees, but only commemorate the miracle of the oil. (As an aside, the miracle of the wars is hinted to in the prayer established for Chanukkah.)

Therefore, let us elaborate. (In Hebrew the word Cochav (star), can mean star, planet or moon.) The seven “moving stars” listed in order are Saturn, Jupiter (Tzedek), Mars, the Sun (Apollo), Venus, Mercury, and the Moon (Luna). They correspond to the Sefiros as enumerated by the Kabbalists as Chessed (Lovingkindness – Jupiter), Gevurah (Strength – Mars), Tiferes (Beauty – the Sun), Netzach (Victory – Venus), Hod (Glory – Mercury), Yesod (Foundation – Saturn) and Malchus (Kingship – the Moon). The impact and application of the “stars”, for good and for bad, applies to all people and nations, including Israel.

The difference between Israel and the other nations is in that through the Mitzvos, Israel has the power to neutralize the negative impact of the “stars” upon their bodies and souls. Through the flow and impact of the Sefirah called Binah (Understanding), which corresponds to what the Greek sages called the Encompassing Sphere, (see Rambam Laws of Yesoday Hatorah Chapter 3) which causes there to be a specific order in the cosmos, which controls the activity of every star in a defined and bounded manner. Just as a person is personally influenced by the radiance of the stars, so too the person’s soul is influenced by the radiance of the Sefiros, which are higher than the stars and to which the stars just correspond to them. The Mitzvos neutralize the influence of the Sefiros of Gevurah and Din and thereby automatically, the person is neutralized from the influence of the negative stars, which correspond to that Gevurah and Din. This expresses a part of our special nature, which was promised to us since Mount Sinai, as the verse says, “You will be a special people to me (Hashem) from all of the Nations.”

The three “stars” Saturn, Mars, and the Moon, their radiation causes very negative things. For example, Saturn is appointed over the cold, extreme dryness and desolation. Mars is appointed over wars and bloodshed. The moon is appointed over diseases of the body and soul, poverty and lacking. In order to be saved from these negative influences, (in their physical manifestation, or in their spiritual nature causing damage to the soul), we were commanded to keep Shabbos, circumcision and the New Moon. Shabbos neutralizes the flow of the planet Saturn, which rules on that day of Saturday. Circumcision which is accomplished by cutting off the foreskin and producing blood neutralizes the influence of the planet Mars. The new Moon, which is the establishment of the Hebrew Months, which follow the lunar cycle (in contrast to the secular calendar which follows the solar cycle) neutralizes the influence of the Moon. (See the Chida in Devash Lefi, section Ches, in the name of the Or Ainayim.)

Therefore, even before the Nation of Israel became a unified Nation by receiving the Torah at Har Sinai, they had already been commanded about these three Mitzvos. The Mitzvah of circumcision was given to Avraham Avinu. The people of Israel who did not circumcise themselves while they were enslaved in Egypt, were not delivered with the Exodus until they were all circumcised by the evening of Passover, before they left Egypt. (See the Book of Joshua Chapter 5 verse 5, and the commentary of Rashi and the Radak.) The Mitzvah of the New Moon was given in Egypt to Moshe and Aharon and then given over to Israel as is explicitly stated in the verse, “And Hashem spoke to Moshe and Aharon in the Land of Egypt saying, this month will be for you the Rosh Chodesh of all months, it is the first for you of the months of the year.”(Exodus 12:1-2) After the neutralization of the influence of Mars and the Moon, our fathers left Egypt. When they reached Marah, they were commanded about keeping Shabbos as explained in the verse, “See that Hashem has given you the Shabbos, and the Nation kept Shabbos on the seventh day.” (Exodus 16:29-30). After the additional neutralization of the influence of Saturn, Israel could unite to become a Nation who received the Torah and the Mitzvos and hear and see the sublimely, glorious awesome visions of standing at Har Sinai.

When Avraham was born, Jupiter stood to one side of Saturn. There was between them a very strong reciprocal influence. Jupiter radiated positive influences to the soul of the man and his personality, and negative influences on his body, amongst which are infertility. Avraham, who was born under Jupiter, was infertile. But after he sanctified his life for the good of mankind and guided the idolatrous world to recognize the one, unique G-d, and he requested children from his G-d who created the world and man. The location of Jupiter changed to the other side of Saturn and it neutralized the negative influences of Saturn and converted it into a planet, which radiates positive influences, amongst which are a preparedness for fruitfulness and high fertility. So too the sages say in the Talmud (Shabbos 156, according to Rashi), “Avraham said to Hakadosh Baruch Hu, ‘I have looked at my astrology and I am not capable of producing children.’ Hakadosh Baruch Hu said to him, ‘Go out from your astrology! Because Jupiter, which is your Mazal “sign” stands in the west, which is the place of coldness and it is infertile, I will change its place, and place it in the East which is a place of heat and you will be fertile.’” This is exactly what happened. This is what the prophet Yeshaya said to Israel, (Isaiah 41) “He who awoke Jupiter from the East, He will call him to His foot.”

From that time, the Mazal of Israel moved between Jupiter and Saturn. When Israel does the Will of G-d, they are influenced also from the radiance of the Sefirah of Malchus within Holiness, which receives light from the Sefirah of Chessed. Then, also the Moon receives radiance from Jupiter and by way of the Moon are received the positive influences. However, if they are not doing the Will of Hashem, they are pursued by the Sefiros of Gevurah and Yesod, which radiate negative influences by way of Mars (Gevurah), and Saturn (Yesod). (See the Biyur Hagara on Sefer Yetzira chapter 4). This is the reason that a Kosher and straight Jew is called Tzaddik (from the term Tzedek for Jupiter), and not called Tov (Good) or Yashar (straight) etc. As the verse says, “Your nation are all Tzaddikim (Isaiah 60:21), since when an individual is straight and worthy, they are influenced by Jupiter which receives from the Holy Malchus the radiance of the Sefirah of Chessed. Even a person who comes to convert, their title in Israel is a Ger Tzedek, for they are coming to enter and join a Nation which receives its Divine influence from the Holy Sefiros by way of Jupiter. Therefore, the capital of Israel is Jerusalem, upon which is the planet Jupiter, as the verse says, “Tzedek will dwell in her.” Therefore, the kings of Jerusalem were called Malki Tzedek, the Kings of Tzedek. Also, honesty and truth are called Tzedek as the verse says, “You should purse Tzedek.” (Devarim 16:20), “A complete and Tzedek weight you should have, a complete and Tzedek measure you should have.” (Devarim 25:15).

The planet Jupiter influences its radiance in the “signs” of Sagittarius and Pisces (the Months of Kislev and Adar). However, Avraham was born on Rosh Chodesh Nissan, which was still under the influence of Jupiter, since the Hebrew calendar does not align with the months of the “stars” since the “stars” correlate to the solar cycle.

So too Moshe Rabeinu, the messenger of the Lord to shape the Nation of Israel and to be their first deliverer, he was born on the 7th of Adar (see Talmud Shabbos 156 and Rosh Hashanah 11) whish is found, as was aid, under Jupiter.

When Israel give up the influence of this planet and are pushed as a result of their negative deeds to under Saturn, there is a greater power and strength to their enemies during the months of the rule of Jupiter, to be given over to them, and they have within their hands to subjugate the spirit of Israel in the month of Kislev. Then the exile (Galus) is given to Israel rather than destruction, since Sagittarius rules in this month and it is known as the “house of roads” causes to exile the “wandering Jew”. In Adar, which is known in the Astrological calendar as the “house of hatred”, they have the ability to subjugate the material realm and the body together. (It is possible that the matter is dependent on the composition of the planet Jupiter, which is Helium gas (the element of fire) which radiates in Kislev, and Hydrogen (the element of water) which radiates in Adar.)

The Sefirah of Malchus receives a negative radiance from the Sefiros of Gevurah and Yesod and corresponding to them are the Moon which corresponds to the Sefirah of Malchus is ruled by the planets Mars and Saturn which encircle Jupiter from its two sides and they overpower and nullify its natural radiance. (This is the secret of what the Sages say in the Zohar and Midrash in many places that the Shechinah is in Exile. This means that the Sefirah of Malchus, which needs to receive from the Sefirah of Chessed, and correspondingly the moon needs to receive the radiance of Jupiter during exile. And it draws and emanates in it the influence of the negative Sefiros and planets.)

Therefore, when the enemies of Israel who knew the astrological influences at an in depth level, they tried to conspire against Israel and almost succeeded. This was during the months of Kislev and Adar. And when the kindness of Hashem became the dominant force, Jupiter returned to radiate and the days themselves turned into days of Holidays for Israel. Purim in Adar and Chanukkah in Kislev. Therefore, Haman was a great astrologer (see Shaar Hakavanos of the Ari, the first Derush of Purim) and he chose the month of Adar through astrological lots for the opportune time to destroy Israel, since Israel was in Galus and they were pushed under the influence of Saturn, as said above. When they repented and Hashem’s mercies came out strongly and Jupiter returned to radiate again to Israel its natural radiances through the Sefirah of Malchus of Holiness, which returned to radiate in it. Then, “it was turned around, and the Jews ruled over their enemies.”

The Greeks who were great astrologers and worshipped the “moving stars” through idols, which were directed to them, knew all this. Therefore, they tried to Hellenize the Jews to not keep Shabbos, Rosh Chodesh, and circumcision. When they succeeded in this, and they caused Jupiter to be ruled by Mars and Saturn, specifically in the month of Kislev, at its height, on the 15th of the month they conquered Jerusalem and the Temple, and on the 25th they placed an idol in the Holy of Holies. However, since Jupiter radiates on Jerusalem, they placed the idol of Zeus the Olympian, who corresponds to Jupiter, and they specifically sacrificed a pig, since a sacrifice is not subjugation to an idol but rather converts the sacrifice into being a part of its nature. (This is just as food becomes part of the person’s body.) The pig represents Mars, as will be explained, which is the planet of the Greeks. Because of Mars’ radiance, they waged war, might and conflict coming through it. (Mars is also the planet of Eisav (Esau) who was given the blessing, “You shall live by the sword.”) Therefore, its sign is also the pig, as the sages explained on the verse, “The boars of the forest ravage it.” (Psalms 80:14). Through this they caused that the Jupiter over Jerusalem and the Temple should receive the negative influence of Mars, in greater measure and degree. (This is similar to the words of Yeshaya in the first Chapter of his prophecy regarding the idolatry of some of Israel in Jerusalem, that, “Jupiter rests on it, and now you are murderers,” behaving like Mars.)

Now we will explain how the pig is in Mars. The Holy Torah forbids eating an animal unless they chew their cud (are ruminates) and also have split hooves. The Torah points out that it is forbidden to eat a camel, hyrax and rabbit, since they do chew their cud, but they do not have split hooves. And not the pig, which has split hooves, but does not chew its cud; they are all unclean to you. Whichever animal is influenced by Jupiter as the Sefirah of Malchus radiates through Jupiter, chews its cud and has split hooves. Even people who are under Jupiter receive this radiance. Therefore, people of the sign of Sagittarius are great and fine talkers, like chewing the cud. Furthermore, many Sagittarians actually chew their cud and after they finish eating, they are capable of bringing back up their food to their mouths and to chew it a second time with pleasure. People of the sign Pisces suffer from problems and pains of their feet especially the ball of the foot, like the split hooves. Therefore, we are forbidden to eat from animals, which do not come from the influence of the Holy Sefiros that passes through Jupiter. However, the “stars” which encircle Jupiter from its two asides, which are as said Saturn and Mars, and the reciprocal influence from between them causes animals that receive the radiance from the third face of Saturn to chew their cud, but not have split hooves. (The camel chews its cud and has a partially split hoof but not entirely, therefore it is impure, since it comes from Saturn closest point to Jupiter. Therefore, the Arabs, who are compared metaphorically to the camel, are closest in their language and customs to the Jews, more than other nations. Nevertheless, they draw their influence from Saturn and therefore they are impure to us and their religion is idolatrous to us).

The pig, which receives its influence from the first face of Mars, which is close to Jupiter, has split hooves, but it does not chew its cud. Therefore, even though other animals, which do not have split hooves, yet chew their cud, they are forbidden and their influence is a negative one on the Jew who eats from it and it damages their soul. The Torah emphasizes the forbiddenness of the animal which has split hooves yet does not chew its cud, and the one which chews its cud yet does not have split hooves, for their influence upon one who consumes them is greatly destructive from the aspect of the damage their soul receives. Therefore, the Greeks preferred to sacrifice a pig over all other animals, since it is in Mars, which is their sign, as was said.

When the Chashmonaim gained power, by getting rid of the Hellenists, they returned the power to Jupiter. And by their self-sacrifice for the sake of a Torah and Pure life, they returned nature to its position, and in these specific months were able to defeat the Greeks. The deciding battle against Nikanor, where there were truly “a few” against “many”, was on the 13th of Adar (and during the Second Temple, this was celebrated as a holiday called The day of Nikanor), and the renewal of the Temple and its service was on the 25th of Kislev, the date of its prior ending. However, the miracle of the oil did not take place at the height of the month on the 15th, since the Hellenists were not totally eradicated. Some of them even remained after the Maccabean victories, so the power of Jupiter was not compete. Even that miracle that took place was through the Sefirah of Binah, which emanated through the Encompassing Sphere, which intervened into what was taking place, and neutralized the influence of Saturn and Mars on Jupiter, because of the self-sacrifice of the Chashmonaim for Torah and Mitzvos. Therefore, the Holiday is celebrated for 8 days to symbolize that its source does not come by way of the seven “moving stars” but from the Sefirah of Binah, which is above them and cancels out their power, and through which Israel is unique from all nations and languages, as was said. Therefore, the miracle of the battles was hidden, since those Hellenist who remained caused that the victories also claimed the loss of Tzaddikim. However, the miracle of the oil symbolizes the eternity of Torah and Mitzvos and that the spirit of Israel is made complete and that the Nation of Israel and the Torah will be established forever.

Lets point out that the Chasmonaic wars were not to achieve National freedom, but religious freedom, to be saved from the Greek lifestyle and to continue in the spirit of Israel and its Torah. What is most absurd within Israel today is that there are Hellenists who continue the lifestyle of the Greeks and the Olympians, under the name “Maccabee”, the name of the Chashmonaim who fought against such a lifestyle and gave up their possessions and lives in order to uproot such an influence from the Jewish people.

Note: The Romans decreed against Shabbos, circumcision and laws of menstruation (Talmud Me’ilah page 17). The status of a menstruant woman who sees blood which came from the “source” (her uterus), causes the empowerment of Mars and the Sefirah of stern judgment and anger, upon her and her soul (the biological cause of this was by Chava (Eve), the mother of all life, having eaten from the Tree of Knowledge which was composed of good and evil, a subject which is not for here). Her purification and empowerment of Jupiter and the Sefiros of Chessed and mercy upon her are required to take place after she ceases to see even a drop of this blood, and then afterwards to wait seven days, clean from blood, during which she is still under the influence of Mars, but not entirely, but with the blending of the other six “moving stars”. From the 8th night and on, if she bathes in the Mikvah (ritual bath), or in a body of water not drawn by man, through the power of the bathing, she is freed from the influence of the negative stars and enters into the influence of the Sefirah of Binah, within which the Jewish people are separated from the Nations. So too the Mitzvah of circumcision is from the 8th day onwards from this very reason. The Romans who feared that Israel would revolt and return the rulership to the influence of the Sefirah of Binah, decreed to nullify these Mitzvos, but they could not destroy the spirit of Israel and their faith. And the Nation of Israel lives!

Mordechai
found the man sitting in a wheelchair in a lounge filled with residents of the home. After introducing himself, Mordechai said softly but firmly, “If you don’t wish to join the services we can respect that, but why should you curse the volunteer? He is here to help and he was just doing his job.

“Young man,” the elderly gentleman said sternly, “wheel me to my room. I want to tell you a story.”

When they were in the room alone, the old man told his story of horror, pain and sadness. He came from a prominent religious family in Poland and when he was 12 years old, he and his family were taken to a Nazi concentration camp. They were all killed except for him and his father.

In their barracks there was a man who had smuggled in the tefillin shel rosh, the leather black box containing biblical passages worn on the head during morning prayers. Every day the men in the barracks would try to seize an opportunity to put on the religious gear, even for a moment, when
there were no Nazi S.S. guards nearby. The men knew that they hadn’t fulfilled the religious duty because they were missing the second part of the tefillin, for the hand, but their love for doing the Creator’s commands compelled them to do whatever they could.

The man continued, “But for my father that wasn’t enough. My bar mitzvah was coming up and he wanted that at least on t that day that I wear a complete set of tefillin. He had heard that in a barracks down the road, a man who had been killed had a complete pair of tefillin.

“On the morning of my bar mitzvah, my father, at great risk, went out early to the other barracks to get the tefillin. I was waiting by the window with trepidation. In the distance I could see him rushing to get back. As he came closer I could see that he was carrying something cupped in his hands.

“As he got to the barracks, a Nazi stepped out from behind a tree and shot and killed him right before my eyes! When the Nazi left I ran out
and took the pouch of tefillin that lay on the ground next to my father. I managed to hide it.

The old man peered angrily at Mordechai and said vehemently, “How can anyone pray to a G-d Who would kill a boy’s father right in front of him? I can’t!”

The man pointed to the dresser against the wall and said, “Open the top drawer.”

In the drawer Mordechai saw an old black tefillin pouch, crusted from many years of not being used. “Bring me the pouch,” the man ordered. Mordechai complied.

The man opened it and took out an old pair of tefillin. “This is what my father was carrying on that fateful day. I keep it to show people what my father died for, these dirty black boxes and straps. These were the last things I got from my father.”

Mordechai was stunned. He had no words – no comfort to give. He could only pity the poor man who had lived his life in anger, bitterness and sadness. “I’m sorry,” he finally stammered softly. “I didn’t realize.” Mordechai
left the room resolved never to come back to the man again. When he came home that evening, he couldn’t eat or sleep.

He returned to the home the next day, but avoided the old man’s room. A few days later, as Mordechai was helping the men who had come to the synagogue, one of the elderly wanted to recite the prayer said on the anniversary of a death, one that required a quorum.

“I have yahrtzeit today and I need to say Kaddish,” the elderly man beseeched. “We only have nine men here today. You think you could get a tenth?”

Mordechai had already made his rounds that morning and had been refused by many of the residents. They were too tired, not interested or half asleep. The only one he hadn’t approached was the old man on the second floor.

Reluctantly and hesitantly he went upstairs. He knew the old man would scold him, but he still had to make an effort. He knocked on the door gently and announced himself.

“It’s you again?” the old man
asked.

“I’m so sorry to trouble you,” Mordechai said softly, “but there’s a man in synagogue who needs to say Kaddish today. We need you for a minyan. Would you mind coming just this one time?”

The old man looked up at Mordechai and said, “If I come this time, then you’ll leave me alone?” Mordechai wasn’t expecting that response. “Yes,” he said in a whisper, “I won’t bother you again.”

To this day, Mordechai doesn’t know why he then said what he did. It could have infuriated the old man, but for some reason Mordechai blurted out, “Would you like to bring your tefillin?”

Mordechai braced himself for a bitter retort – but instead the man said again, “If I bring them, will you leave me alone?” “Yes,” Mordechai said, “I will leave you alone.”

“All right,” the man replied, “then wheel me downstairs and make sure that I’m in the back of the synagogue, so I can get out first.”

Mordechai wheeled the old man to the synagogue and brought him to the
back. “May I help you?” Mordechai asked as he took the tefillin out of the pouch. The gentleman put out his left hand. Mordechai helped him put on his tefillin and left the synagogue to do other work.

After the services, Mordechai returned and the synagogue was empty – except for the old man. He was still wearing his tefillin and tears were running down his cheeks. “Shall I get a doctor or a nurse?” Mordechai asked.

The man didn’t answer. Instead he was staring down at the straps of tefillin wrapped on his left arm, caressing them with his right hand and repeating over and over, “Tatte, Tatte [Father, Father], it feels so right.”

The old man then looked up at Mordechai and said, “For the last half hour I’ve felt so connected to my Tatte. I feel as though he has come back to me.”

Mordechai took the man back to his room and as he was about to leave, the old man said, “Please come back for me tomorrow.”

And so every morning Mordechai would go to the
second floor and the old man would be waiting for him at the elevator holding his tefillin. Mordechai would wheel him into the synagogue where he would sit in the back wearing his tefillin, holding a siddur (prayer book), absorbed in his thoughts.

One morning Mordechai got off the elevator on the second floor but the man wasn’t there. He hurried to his room, but his bed was empty. Instinctively he became afraid. He ran to the nurses’ station and asked where the gentleman was – and they told him.

He had been rushed to the hospital the previous afternoon and late in the day he had had a stroke and died. A few days later, Mordechai was given an award by the Jewish home for his work as a volunteer. After the ceremonies a woman approached him and thanked him for all he had done for her. Mordechai had no recollection of the woman. “Excuse me,” Mordechai said, “do I know you?”

“I am the daughter of that man you helped,” she said softly. “He was my father and you did so
much for him. You made his last days so comfortable. When he was in the hospital he called me frantically and asked me to bring him his tefillin. He wanted to pray one more time with them. I helped him with his tefillin in the hospital and then he had his stroke.”

He died wearing them.

Bound to his Father – in Heaven.

Heard from Rabbi Zvi Teitelbaum, principal of the Yeshiva of Greater Washington in Silver Spring, Maryland, and passed on via emails.

According to our personal behavior, it is determined what type of “form” we have. A good and holy form, or evil and impure form. Then there are mixtures of good and bad. Any spirit or soul that is similar to the “form” of behavior that a person has, can connect with that person or even possess them. This means that if we act positively, then the soul of a Tzaddik can possess us, a better word would be attach to us. The purpose is to support our efforts. Whatever direction we take, Hashem helps us further in that direction. So if someone wants to sin, G-d forbid, then Hashem lets an evil spirit or soul attach to that person to help them sin more or to suffer.

So the spirits are not in charge and we are not in danger of being possessed. And possessions can end with a change in behavior. When a person becomes kinder and less selfish, then their form changes so the evil spirits cannot stay attached. Equally, if someone has the attachment of a righteous soul, the moment they sin or even get angry, the holy spirit departs from them. So, in short, we should worry less about outside souls and focus on our inside soul. This spiritual form will decide the support system we get, whether from souls, spirits, angels, etc., all controlled by Hashem.