יכול אני לפטור את כל העולם כולו מן הדין

Transcription

1 Rabbi Pinches Friedman Lag BaOmer 5774 Translation by Dr. Baruch Fox לעילוי נשמת אמי מורתי האשה החשובה מרת פערל בת רבי פנחס הכהן ע"ה שהלכה לעולמה יום ב י"ב אייר תשע"ד לפ"ק יכול אני לפטור את כל העולם כולו מן הדין Rashb y Has the Power to Absolve the Entire World from the Force of Din by Means of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy He Acquired during the Thirteen Years in the Cave In honor of the upcoming Lag BaOmer, the day of celebration for the passing of the divine Tanna Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, it is fitting to examine an intriguing statement he made about אמר 45b): himself. We have learned in the Gemara (Succah רבי ירמיה משום רבי שמעון בן יוחאי, יכול אני לפטור את כל העולם כולו מן Rabbi הדין Yirmiyah said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai: I have the power to absolve the entire world from the din that is due them. It seems clear that Rashby s statement is the basis for the widespread Jewish minhag to travel in times of need to pray at the site of Rashby s grave in Meiron to remind him to fulfill his promise: I have the power to absolve the entire world from the din that is due them. Indeed, countless stories are told of the wonderful omens and feats experienced by tens of thousands of Jews whose prayers were answered at that holy site. Hence, it is worth exploring, to the best of our limited abilities, the source of Rashby s unique power. Absolution from Din in the Merit of His Suffering in the Cave Let us begin with Rashi s illuminating comment regarding יכול אני לפטור את כל העולם כולו מן הדין - בזכותי statement: Rashby s in אני my merit, I suffer for all סובל כל עוונותיהם ופוטרן מן הדין of their sins and exonerate them from the enforcement of the din. The Maharsha adds in Chiddushei Aggados (ibid.): is, that והיינו שסובל עוונותיהם ביסורין וצער שהיה לו ולבנו במערה he carries the burden of their sins due to the torment and suffering he and his son experienced in the cave. Thus, we learn from these comments that the source of Rashby s power to absolve the entire world from the din stems from those years that he was forced to sequester himself in the cave separated and isolated from all earthly, mundane matters. I would like to propose an explanation for an intriguing statement in the Zohar hakadosh regarding the greatness of רבי שמעון בן יוחאי, מיום שברא הקב ה את :(61b Rashby (Acharei העולם היה מזדמן לפני הקב ה ונמצא עמו, והקב ה קרא לו בשמו, אשרי חלקו למעלה ולמטה, עליו כתוב )משלי כג כה( ישמח אביך ואמך, אביך דא קוב ה ואמך From the time the world was created, Rabbi דא כנסת ישראל. Shimon ben Yochai was frequently in the presence of HKB H; HKB H would call him by name. Blessed is his portion above and below. Of him it is written (Mishlei 23, 25): Your father and mother will rejoice your father refers to HKB H, and your mother refers to the congregation of Yisrael. Concerning this matter, the Gaon Chida writes in Nitzotzei Oros (ibid. 1) that the fact that Rashby was frequently in HKB H s presence from the beginning of creation is alluded נראה לי לרמוז she b chtav: to by the very first word in Torah במילת בראשי ת, שהוא נוטריקון א ור ת ורת ר בי ש מעון ב ן י וחאי, ברא א ור ת ורת ר בי as an acronym for בראשי ת he views the word the ש מעון light of the Torah of Rabbi Shimon ben ב ן י וחאי Yochai. A similar allusion is presented by the Agra D Kallah in the allusions he presents concerning the word בראשית at בראשי ת יצורף א ת רשב י ראשי (65): sefer the beginning of the תיבות א ור ת ורת ר בי ש מעון ב ן י וחאי, הוא אשר שלחו אלקים למחיה להאיר א ת it עיני is also a combination of the words ישראל באור תורתו it is he ;א ור ת ורת ר בי ש מעון ב ן י וחאי and an acronym for רשב י that G-d sent to revive and illuminate the eyes of Yisrael with the light of his Torah. Lag BaOmer

2 It Is the Tzaddikim s Task to Transform the Attribute of Din into Rachamim Let us attempt to explain the matter of Rashby being found in the presence of HKB H from the beginning of creation and the.בראשי ת allusions just presented regarding Rashby in the word As we know, HKB H began Torah she b chtav with the passuk (Bereishis,1 :(1 ברא אלקים את השמים ואת הארץ. בראשית Rashi points out that the passuk employs the name אלקים instead of the name Havaya; this indicates that Hashem initially thought to create the world based on the attribute of din ; however, he foresaw that the world could not endure based on this strict system alone; hence, he gave precedence to the attribute of rachamim and joined the attribute of rachamim to the attribute of din. This partnership is reflected in the passuk (ibid.,2 :(4 עשות ה אלקים ארץ ושמים here ביום the passuk employs a combination of the names Havaya and Elokim, reflecting the system of rachamim combined with din. The commentaries ponder this phenomenon. How is it even possible to suggest such a thing with regards to the Almighty that at first He thought to create the world based on the attribute of din and then He changed His mind, so to speak, because He saw that the world could not tolerate or endure a system of strict judgment. Certainly, He was aware of this from the get-go. So, why, in spite of this, did He consider creating the world based on the attribute of din? Although many answers have been proposed, I would like to present my own answer to this intriguing question based on the teachings of Chazal in the Gemara, the Midrash and the Zohar hakadosh. I would especially like to refer to the writings of the pupils of the holy Ba al Shem Tov, zy a, regarding methods to transform the attribute of din into rachamim. For, it is the Almighty s will that the tzaddikim nullify His decrees and sweeten and mitigate the force of din imposed on His holy people of Yisrael. The Gemara expresses this notion as follows (Yevamos 64a): אמר רבי יצחק מפני מה היו אבותינו עקורים, מפני שהקב ה מתאווה לתפלתן של צדיקים, אמר רבי יצחק למה נמשלה תפלתן של צדיקים כעתר, מה עתר זה מהפך התבואה ממקום למקום, כך תפלתן של צדיקים מהפכת מדותיו של הקב ה ממדת רגזנות למדת רחמנות. Rabbi Yitzchak said: Why were our forefathers infertile? Because HKB H craves the prayers of tzaddikim. Rabbi Yitzchak said: Why are the prayers of tzaddikim compared to a pitchfork? Just as a pitchfork turns over the grain and tosses it from one place to another, so, too, the prayers of tzaddikim turn over the attributes of HKB H from the attribute of anger to the attribute of mercy. The Prayers of Tzaddikim Transform the Attribute of Din into Rachamim It appears that the Almighty purposely thought to create the world based on a system of strict din and, seeing that the world was not sustainable based on this system, preferentially introduced the element of rachamim to join the attribute of din. He was establishing a fundamental principle for the tzaddikim and leaders of every generation; it is their duty to follow in His footsteps and mitigate the force of din directed against Yisrael. For, it states in parshas Eikev (Devarim 11, 22): Hashem, to לאהבה love את ה אלקיכם ללכת בכל דרכיו ולדבקה בו your G-d, to emulate His ways, and to cling to Him. Rashi explains: He is merciful, so you should be merciful; He bestows kindness, so you should bestow kindness. One can make the case that HKB H always runs the world just as He did at its inception. The sins committed in the world arouse, chas v shalom, the force of din in the world. Then the tzaddik comes along and diminishes the force of the din ; he effectively joins rachamim with din to mitigate the bitterness of the din. This is expressed by the Gemara as follows (Moed Katan :(16b מושל בי - צדיק, שאני גוזר גזירה ומבטלה who מי reigns over Me? The tzaddik; I issue a decree and he annuls it. In fact, the process of mitigating the forces of din is one of the fundamentals of the Torah of Kabbalah; all the writings of the Arizal are replete with methods and holy names designed to sweeten and diminish the forces of din. We find statements in the Zohar hakadosh (Bereishis 45b) praising at length a person who knows how to unify names and letters in order to diminish the din from Yisrael: מי שיודע לקשר יחוד זה אשרי חלקו, אהוב למעלה ואהוב למטה, הקב ה גוזר גזירה והוא מבטל... והכל מתברך כראוי, כל הדינים עוברים ומתבטלים ולא נמצא הדין בעולם, אשרי חלקו בעולם הזה ובעולם הבא, זה הוא למטה שעליו נאמר וצדיק יסוד עולם, זה הוא קיום של העולם. Such a person is praiseworthy; he is loved above and below. HKB H issues a decree and he annuls it. In effect, the force of din is eliminated from the world. Blessed is his portion in Olam HaZeh and in Olam HaBa. He is described as the tzaddik Lag BaOmer

3 the foundation of the world ( tzaddik yesod olam ); it is he that sustains the world. An Amazing Story Demonstrating Rashby s Wondrous Ability to Annul the Decree of Din It seems apparent that this passage is referring to the divine Tanna Rashby who is referred to as tzaddik yesod olam. We find an unbelievable story in the Zohar hakadosh (Part 1, daf 255, siman 17) portraying Rashby s ability to annul the decree of din. Here is the Hebrew translation of the passage from the Zohar: פעם אחת יצא רבי שמעון וראה כי העולם חשוך ואפל ונסתם אורו, אמר לו לרבי אלעזר בא ונראה מה רוצה הקב ה לעשות בעולם. הלכו ומצאו מלאך אחד שדומה להר גדול והוציא שלשים שלהבות אש מפיו. אמר לו רבי שמעון מה אתה רוצה לעשות, אמר לו רוצה אני להחריב העולם מפני שלא מצויים שלשים צדיקים בדור, שכך גזר הקב ה על אברהם שכתוב )בראשית יח יח( היו יהי ה בגימטריא שלשים. אמר לו רבי שמעון, בבקשה ממך לך לפני הקב ה ואמור לו, בן יוחאי נמצא בארץ. הלך אותו מלאך לפני הקב ה ואמר לו, אדון העולם גלוי לפניך מה שאמר לי בן יוחאי, אמר לו הקב ה לך והחרב את העולם ואל תשגיח בבן יוחאי. כאשר בא ראה רבי שמעון את המלאך, אמר לו אם לא תלך גוזרני עליך שלא תיכנס לשמים ותהיה במקום עזא ועזאל. וכאשר תיכנס לפני הקב ה אמור לו, אם אין שלשים צדיקים בעולם יהיו עשרים, שכך כתוב לא אשחית בעבור העשרים. ואם אין עשרים יהיו עשרה, שכך כתוב לא אשחית בעבור העשרה. ואם אין עשרה יהיו שנים, שהם אני ובני שכתוב על פי שני עדים יקום דבר, ואין דבר אלא עולם שכתוב בדבר ה שמים נעשו. ואם אין שנים הרי יש אחד, ואני הוא שכתוב )משלי י כה( וצדיק יסוד עולם. באותה שעה קול מן שמים יצא ואמר, אשרי חלקך רבי שמעון שהקב ה גוזר למעלה ואתה מבטל למטה, בודאי עליך נאמר )תהלים קמה יט( רצון יראיו יעשה. Once Rabbi Shimon went out and saw that the world was dark and gloomy and its light was blocked. He said to Rabbi Elazar, Come and let us see what HKB H wants to do in the world. They wandered about and found a malach, who resembled a large mountain; he emitted thirty fiery flames from his mouth. Rabbi Shimon said to him, What are you trying to do? He replied, I want to destroy the world, because there are not thirty tzaddikim to be found in this generation. For, that is what HKB H decreed regarding Avraham, as it is written (Bereishis 18, 18): היו יהי ה (and he will surely.(יהי ה) become) which has a numerical value of thirty Rabbi Shimon said to him, Please go to HKB H and tell him that the son of Yochai is present in the land. That malach went to HKB H and said to him, Master of the Universe, You are aware of what the son of Yochai said to me. HKB H responded to him, Go and destroy the world; and do not pay attention to the son of Yochai. When he came, Rabbi Shimon saw the malach. He said to him, If you do not go, I decree that you shall not enter heaven, rather you will be in hell. And when you enter the presence of HKB H, say to him, If there are not thirty tzaddikim in the world, there will be twenty. For it is written: I will not destroy on account of the twenty. And if there are not twenty, there will be ten. For it is written: I will not destroy on account of the ten. And if there are not ten, there will be two me and my son. For it is written: On the word of two witnesses, the matter will be determined... And if there are not two, there will be one and I am him. For it is written (Mishlei 10, 25): V tzaddik yesod olam (but a tzaddik is the foundation of the world). At that moment, a voice emanated from heaven and said, Blessed is your portion Rabbi Shimon; for HKB H issues a decree above and you annul it below. Certainly, the following was said about you (Tehillim 145, 19): The will of those who revere Him, He will perform. We can now appreciate the allusion presented by the Chida א ור ת ורת for: is an acronym בראשי ת and the Agra D Kallah that the ר בי light of the Torah of Rabbi Shimon ש מעון ב ן י וחאי ben Yochai. As we have mentioned, Rashi notes that this first passuk in the Torah employs the name Elokim rather than the name Havaya conveying to us that the Almighty initially thought to create the world based on the attribute of din ; seeing that the world could not endure under such a strict system, He preferentially introduced the attribute of rachamim to act in conjunction with din. We have explained that the purpose of that process was to teach the tzaddikim of every generation to act as HKB H did to mitigate the force of din directed at Yisrael. Therefore, the passuk hints to us how to accomplish this feat: א ור ת ורת ר בי ש מעון ב ן י וחאי ;בראשי ת we can mitigate the force of din by learning from the Torah of Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai how to combine and unify the holy names associated with the attribute of rachamim. This is the thrust of Rashby s declaration: אני לפטור את כל העולם כולו מן הדין I -- יכול have the power to absolve the entire world from the din that is due them. With the power of the Torah of mysticism which he learned in the cave, he achieved the ability to combine and unify holy names that mitigate the force of the din decreed against Yisrael. Lag BaOmer

4 בראשי ת בר א אלהי ם The Numerical Value of כ י ל א תשכ ח מפ י זרע ו Equals After much thought, I would like to add a nice, sound allusion. The Gemara (Shabbas 138b) presents a dispute between Rashby and the other sages as to whether or not the תנו Yisrael: Torah is destined to be forgotten by the people of רבנן, כשנכנסו רבותינו לכרם ביבנה אמרו עתידה תורה שתשתכח מישראל... תניא רבי שמעון בן יוחאי אומר, חס ושלום שתשתכח תורה מישראל, שנאמר )דברים לד the כא( Rabbis taught in a Baraisa: When כי לא תשכח מפי זרעו our Rabbis entered the vineyard in Yavneh, they said, The Torah will eventually be forgotten from Yisrael... It was taught in a Baraita: Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai says, Chas v shalom that the Torah should be forgotten from Yisrael; for it is stated: For it shall not be forgotten from the mouth of its offspring. Surely, the holy Tannaim in Kerem B Yavneh did not utter this statement for naught: תורה שתשתכח מישראל the עתידה Torah will eventually be forgotten from Yisrael. Rather, they arrived at this conclusion based on various pesukim, as the Gemara there explains. Also, they foresaw by means of ruach hakodesh that this would indeed be the situation during the period preceding the coming of the Mashiach. This being the case, how did Rashby dismiss their contention so easily with his statement: ושלום שתשתכח תורה מישראל chas -- חס v shalom that the Torah should be forgotten from Yisrael? In truth, our Rabbis in Kerem B Yavneh foresaw the situation that would prevail in the era preceding the coming of the Mashiach quite accurately. They saw the spiritual deterioration and darkness that would result in the Torah being forgotten from Yisrael. The Tanna, Rashby, however--to whom the mysteries of chochmah were revealed, and who illuminated the world with the light of the Torah of mysticism applied the kedushah of his Torah to prevent the Torah from being forgotten by Yisrael. A wonderful allusion presented in the Likutei Moharan and by the Tiferet Shlomo has become widespread throughout the Jewish world. The allusion that the Torah will not be forgotten from Yisrael in the merit of Rashby is contained in his statement. חס ושלום שתשתכח תורה מישראל, שנאמר כי לא תשכח מפי זרעו itself: The final letters of the passuk he cites in Devarim spell out the name. Yochai יוחא י Thus, the passuk teaches us that in the merit of his offspring i.e. Rabbi Shimon the Torah will never be forgotten by Yisrael. This concludes their words. So, now, we can suggest the following allusion. The opening words of the Torah: בראשי ת בר א אלהי ם (1,202) possess the exact same numerical value as the words of the passuk in Devarim: כ י ל א תשכ ח מפ י זרע ו.(1,202) This conveys the message that Rashby who as we have seen is alluded to by the word is בראשי ת the one who will prevent the Torah from being forgotten by Yisrael. For, the last letters of the passuk: which כ י states that the Torah will not be ל א תשכ ח מפ י זרע ו.יוחא י forgotten by his children spell out the name Thirteen Midos HaRachamim in the Merit of Thirteen Years in the Cave Continuing onward and upward along this exalted path, let us now explain the magnitude of Rashby s power which יכול אני לפטור את כל העולם emphatically: entitled him to proclaim I --כולו have the power to absolve the entire world מן הדין from the din that is due them. According to Rashi and the Maharsha, it was in the merit of the suffering he and his son Rabbi Elazar endured in the cave that he was able to make this claim. Now, we have learned in the Gemara (Ketubot 77b) that after Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi outsmarted the Malach HaMaves אזל אשכחיה לרבי alive: and ascended to the heavens while still he שמעון went and found בן יוחאי דהוה יתיב על תלת עשר תכטקי פיזא Rashby sitting in Gan Eden on thirteen chairs upholstered with gold. A plausible interpretation is that these thirteen chairs upon which Rashby sat in Gan Eden represent the incredible insights and knowledge he achieved both in the revealed and concealed realms. He sat in Gan Eden and delighted in the knowledge he had obtained by means of the thirteen hermeneutic principles (the thirteen rules by which the Torah is expounded), during the thirteen years he and Rabbi Elazar had spent in the cave. There they had engaged in Torah-study despite suffering and agony, separated and isolated from all matters pertaining to Olam HaZeh. Now, it is well-known from our holy sources cited in the name of the Maggid Rabbi Dov Ber of Mezritsch, zy a based on the Zohar hakadosh Raiyah Mehemnah (Pinchas 228a) י ג מדות שהתורה נדרשת principles, that the thirteen hermeneutic י ג מדות harachamim, correspond to the thirteen Midos,בהן We can now postulate that HKB H, the master.של רחמים orchestrator, arranged for Rashby and his son Rabbi Elazar to be detained in the cave for thirteen years, so that they would engage in Torah-study and service of Hashem while Lag BaOmer

5 enduring suffering and agony. Thus, they achieved tremendous insights and knowledge by means of the thirteen hermeneutic principles and as a result were able to arouse the thirteen Midos harachamim to protect the inhabitants of the world and mitigate the forces of din. This reflects the elucidation in the Gemara (Berachos 7a) of that which is stated with regards וחנותי 19): to the thirteen Midos harachamim (Shemos 33, את אשר אחון, אף על פי שאינו הגון, ורחמתי את אשר ארחם, אף על פי שאינו and הגון I shall show favor when I shall show favor, even though the recipient is not deserving, and I shall have mercy when I shall have mercy, even though the recipient is unworthy. Based on what we have discussed, we can begin to appreciate that which we find in the Zohar hakadosh in the Idra Rabba Kadisha (Nasso 130b). There Rashby expounds at length before the members of the study-group on the virtues of the thirteen Midos harachamim which emanate from the thirteen דאנא 132b): aspects of the holy beard. Then, he declares (ibid. I חמי see with my בעיני תליסר מכילין גליפין קמאי ונהירין כבוצינין own eyes thirteen Midos of rachamim etched before me and illuminating like torches of light. As explained, we can suggest that he accomplished all of this during the thirteen years he remained in the cave and engaged in Torah-study through suffering. The Zohar hakadosh explains (Nasso 131b) that Rashby requested that Rabbi Yitzchak elucidate the subject of the thirteen tikunim (functions) of the dikna kadisha (literally: holy beard). Among the things Rabbi Yitzchak mentions is their tremendous ability to shatter all of the litigants and prosecutors. It appears that this is alluded to by the thirteenth principle, which concludes the hermeneutic principles listed וכאן שני כתובים המכחישים זה את Yishmael: in the Baraita of Rabbi and זה here two passages עד שיבוא הכתוב השלישי ויכריע ביניהם that contradict each other until a third passage appears and reconciles them. We can suggest that this principle alludes to the mitigation of din : and וכאן here, in the thirteenth and concluding שני כתובים accomplished; midah, a phenomenal function is chesed we המכחישים have two contradictory Midos, זה את זה and gevurah ; שיבוא הכתוב השלישי until עד the third and ultimate level illuminates the thirteen Midos harachamim ; reconciling ויכריע them by mitigating the din and ביניהם transforming it into rachamim. We can now begin to appreciate to some small degree the יכול אני לפטור את כל העולם כולו מן statement: gist of Rashby s I הדין possess the ability to exempt the entire world from the din. As Rashi taught us, he suffered for their sins. The Maharsha added that he is specifically referring to the suffering he and his son endured in the cave. Thus, he is stating that in the merit of the agony he suffered in the cave, while engrossed in Torah-study for thirteen years through extreme self-sacrifice, he merited triggering the thirteen functions of the dikna kadisha the thirteen attributes of mercy which shatter and mitigate all of the judgments. Rashby Hid in the Cave of Moshe Rabeinu and Eliyahu HaNavi I would like to add a juicy thought of my own to support this wonderful idea. In the sefer Livnat HaSapir, authored by Rabbi David the son of Rabbi Yehudah HaChassid, zy a, (Bereishis), we find an incredible chiddush regarding the following statement in the Zohar hakadosh (Shelach 159a): בא וראה, אין רשות לבני העולם לומר דברים סתומים ולפרש אותם, come מלבד המנורה הטהורה רבי שמעון שהרי קוב ה הסכים על ידו and see, it is not permissible for people to articulate obscure ideas and to explain them except for the pure lamp, Rabbi Shimon; after all, the Holy One Blessed Is He agreed with him. Rabbi David explains that HKB H demonstrated his approval of Rashby s actions by performing miracles on his behalf for thirteen years in the very same cave that HKB H revealed Himself to Moshe Rabeinu and Eliyahu HaNavi; HKB H provided Rashby and his son with a carob tree and a well of water. We find in the Gemara (Pesachim 56a) that one of the ten things that was created at the end of the sixth day of creation at twilight was: שעמד בה משה ואליהו the מערה cave in which Moshe and Eliyahu stood. Concerning Moshe, Rashi directs us the passuk in Shemos (33, 22): בנקרת הצור עד עברי I ושמתיך placed you in a cleft of the rock... Similarly, concerning וילך עד הר האלהים 8): Eliyahu, the passuk states (Melachim I 19, he חורב walked until the Mountain ויבא שם אל המערה וילן שם of G-d, Chorev; he arrived there at the cave and spent the night there. [Translator s note: These pesukim are not quoted exactly as they appear in our texts.] Accordingly, Rabbi David claims that this was the very same cave in which Rashby and Rabbi Elazar sought refuge. Lag BaOmer

6 We should not be disturbed by the fact that Rashby hid in a cave in Eretz Yisrael, while Moshe and Eliyahu s cave on Har Chorev was in Midbar Sinai. For, this was a very unique cave having been created on Erev Shabbas at twilight; hence, HKB H transported the kedushah of this cave so that Rashby could hide in it. We find a similar phenomenon described in Yalkut Reuveini (Yitro 50) in the name of the Midrash. It describes how HKB H uprooted Har HaMoriah and transported it to Har Sinai, so that the Torah could be given on that holy site. Rashby a Spark of Moshe Hid in Moshe s Cave and Was Taught What Moshe Was Taught It seems that we can provide another worthwhile reason as to why Rashby secluded himself in the same cave where Moshe Rabeinu stood. We know that HKB H revealed the thirteen Midos harachamim to Moshe in that cave. For, it is written ויאמר אני אעביר כל טובי על פניך וקראתי בשם ה לפניך :(19 (Shemos,33 and וחנותי he said, I shall את אשר אחון ורחמתי את אשר ארחם cause all My goodness to pass before you, and I shall call out with the name Hashem before you; and I shall show favor when I shall show favor, and I shall have mercy when I shall have mercy. Rashi explains that this passuk is referring to the thirteen Midos harachamim. Additionally, let us introduce an insight from our teacher, דע כי הרשב י (Shabbas): the Arizal, presented in Likutei Shas עליו השלום היה ניצוץ ממשה רבינו ע ה, וכמו שמשה ברח מפני חרב פרעה והשיג שלימותו שם במדבר, כך הרשב י ברח מפני הקיסר והשיג שלימותו שם know במערה that Rashby, a h, was a spark from המדברה בלוד Moshe Rabeinu, a h; just as Moshe fled from Pharaoh s sword and achieved his perfection there in the wilderness, so, too, Rashby fled from the Caesar and achieved his perfection in the wilderness cave in Lod. Let us review the events orchestrated by HKB H germane to our discussion. HKB H appeared to Moshe in the cleft of the rock, while Moshe was situated in the cave, and revealed the thirteen Midos harachamim to him. Comes along Rashby, a spark from Moshe s neshamah; he is forced to flee from his home in order to arrive at the very same cave and remain there for thirteen years. As a result, during those thirteen years, he acquired knowledge of the thirteen Midos harachamim taught to Moshe Rabeinu. With this knowledge, the power of the thirteen Midos harachamim, Rashby was able to proclaim boldly: אני לפטור את כל העולם כולו מן הדין I יכול possess the power to exempt the entire world from the force of din. Let us add a final fascinating thought. Before HKB H appears ויאמר ה אל משה 17): to Moshe in the cleft of the rock (Shemos 33, Hashem גם את הדבר הזה אשר דברת אעשה כי מצאת חן בעיני ואדעך בשם said to Moshe, This matter, too, of which you spoke I will do, for you have found favor in My eyes, and I have known you by name. Here HKB H hints to Moshe that that which He is about to reveal to him in the cave by the rock the secrets of the thirteen Midos harachamim will also be revealed to his. ואדעך בשם words: spark, Rashby. This is implied by HKB H s ש מעון מ שה can be viewed as an abbreviation for ש ם The word Shimon (Rashby) and Moshe both of whom merited the revelation of the thirteen Midos harachamim in the cave. Donated by Dr. Ralph and Limor Madeb Lealui neshmat Refael Gavriel Simcha Chaim Ben shulamit To receive the mamarim by mamarim@shvileipinchas.com Lag BaOmer