Yitzchak and the Seder

Yitzchak and the Seder

Rabbi Yehoishophot Oliver

Yitzchak and Pesach

Our forefather Yitzchak personified the trait of Gevurah, strictness.[1] This is alluded to in the verse, “the fear of Yitzchak,”[2] since fear leads one to withdraw and is therefore connected to Gevurah.[3] 

Yitzchak was born on Pesach[4] and gave the blessings to Yaakov on Pesach.[5]

Yitzchak blessed Yaakov with the blessing of dew,[6] which was fitting for the time of the year when he gave the blessing, for “On Pesach, the storehouses of dew are opened.”[7] This is also the reason that it is customary to begin asking Hashem for dew on Pesach (on the Musaf-prayer of the second day).

The Seder Held At Yitzchak’s Blessings

At the momentous occasion of this blessing, Yitzchak held a proto-Seder, which included the core components of the Seder as it was later commanded to the Jewish people after the Giving of the Torah:

·      Yaakov ate two goats, corresponding[8] to the two sacrifices brought on Pesach in the era of the Beis Hamikdash—the Chagigah sacrifice and the Pesach Sacrifice.

·      Rivka brought bread[9]—these were the matzos.

·      Yaakov brought wine[10]—these were the Four Cups of Wine.

·      Maror, which is related to merirus, bitterness, represents Gevurah. Thus, Yitzchak himself, who personified Gevurah, represented the Maror at this event.[11] Since Maror represents extreme Gevurah, had Yaakov brought actual Maror, the combination of the innate Gevurah of Yitzchak and the intense Gevurah of Maror would have meant excessive Gevurah, which could have led to a negative outcome.
Likewise, the Zohar[12] states that Yaakov added water, which represents Chessed, to the wine, which represents Gevurah (as explained below), in order to create a counterbalance, for otherwise Yitzchak could not have tolerated the intense Gevurah.

Yitzchak, who personifies Gevurah, ate and drank all the above.

Gevurah in the Seder

All the elements of the Seder are related to Gevurah:

The Pesach Sacrifice: The Pesach sacrifice must be roasted.[13] Roasting uses fire, which is connected to Gevurah.[14]  

In particular, the Pesach and Chagigah sacrifices that Yitzchak consumed were connected to Gevurah because they were offered from goats, which are connected to Gevurah.

The connection between goats and Gevurah can be inferred from the words of the Talmud:[15] “Why are the goats brought out before the sheep? [Because] in the beginning, there is darkness, and then there is light.” Goats, which are darker, are brought out before sheep, which are white. Since darkness is associated with Gevurah[16] (and light, with Chessed, kindness), and goats are dark, it follows that goats are connected to Gevurah.

Also, the word for goat, eiz, is etymologically related to oz, might and power, which is connected to Gevurah.[17]

Matzo:

1.              The word matzo can also mean conflict.[18] Matzo in its connotation of conflict is connected to the Rabbinic exhortation, “One should always excite the Good Inclination to anger against the Evil Inclination.”[19] Anger is connected to Gevurah.

2.              We eat three matzos at the Seder, corresponding to the three kinds of Jews—Kohen, Levi, and Yisrael,[20] who in turn correspond to the three traits of Chesed, Gevurah, and Tiferes respectively.

From here it would seem that the matzo at the Seder is not specifically connected to Gevurah.

However, the main matzo of the Seder is the middle one, the Levi, and so the matzo at the Seder is specifically connected to Gevurah. We see this in the fact that it is with the middle matzo that we begin and end the Seder meal:

·      We recite the blessing “On the Eating of Matzo” specifically on the middle matzo—on the smaller half, the “Perusah.”

·      Then, at the end of the meal, we eat the Afikoman, which is also from the middle matzo, but from the larger half.

3.              We specifically break the middle matzo. This can be explained based on the idea that the three kinds of shofar blows (Tekia, Shevarim, and Teru’ah) correspond to the three forefathers. In particular, the Shevarim sound, which represents groaning, corresponds to Yitzchak, who is connected to Gevurah. Also, the word Shevarim comes from the word shevirah, breaking. Likewise, we break the middle matzo, and breaking, too, is connected to Gevurah.

Wine:

1.              The word for cup, kos, has the same numerical value as the divine name Elokim (כוס\אל-הים=86), which represents Gevurah.

2.              The Hebrew word for wine, yayin, has the numerical value of 70 (70יין=). This is also related to Elokim, because the nekudos of Elokim can be calculated according to the numerical value of the vowels. Here each dot is considered like a yud and thus has the numerical value of ten.

According to this calculation, it turns out that there are 7 dots in the name of Elokim—five in the chataf segol, one in the cholam, and one in the chirik. Seven times ten adds up to seventy. Thus, in this sense, wine has the same numerical value as Elokim, which represents Gevurah.

3.              Jewish law instructs that the wine for the Kiddush ceremony should preferably be red,[21] not white, and the color red represents Gevurah.

4.              Likewise, drinking wine influences one to enter a state of ratzo, a yearning to transcend the world, which is connected to Gevurah.[22]

Maror: Likewise, the maror, related to the word merirus, bitterness, represents Gevurah.

Indeed, if you calculate the numerical value of the three elements of the Pesach Sacrifice—Pesach, Matzo, and Maror—they have the same numerical value (פסח, מצה, מרור=729) as the acronym for the second line of the Ana Bechoach prayer (קרע שטן=729). Since the seven lines of this prayer correspond to the seven sefiros,[23] the second one corresponds to Gevurah. Also, the acronym is “k’ra Satan,” which translates as “tear the Satan,” and tearing represents destruction, which is associated with Gevurah.

Likewise, the numerical value of the acronym of Pesach, Matzo, Maror, and Kosos (cups—the four cups of wine) adds up to 180 (פ+מ+מ+כ), which represents Gevurah, because Yitzchak, who personified Gevurah, lived for 180 years.

Pesach and Chessed

However, Pesach itself represents Chessed, kindness. This is alluded to in the fact that Avraham, who personified Chessed, instructed Sarah to “knead and bake cakes”[24] (when they hosted the angels). These “cakes” were matzos,[25] a precursor to the matzos for Pesach. (Likewise, Shavuos is connected to Yitzchak and Gevurah, and Sukkos, to Yaakov and Tiferes.[26])

Likewise, Pesach is a time when Hashem revealed Himself from Above and came down to redeem the Jewish people despite their unworthiness, which represents Chessed.[27]

Thus, although the various elements of the Seder are associated with Gevurah,[28] we hold the Seder on Pesach, a time of divine Chessed, because the Seder represents the concept of hamtakas hagevuros bachasadim, the sweetening of Gevurah with Chessed.

To explain, Gevurah on its own can lead to a negative outcome.

However, when the harshness of Gevurah is balanced with Chessed, it enables Gevurah to affect the world constructively.

Based on Yalkut Levi Yitzchak, vol. 2, pp. 229-232.

---

[1] Pardes Rimonim, Shaar Hakinuyim ch. 4.

[2] Bereishis 31:42.

[3] See Tanya, ch. 3, end, that Gevurah is an offshoot of fear.

[4] Medrash Rabba, Bereishis 53:6.

[5] On the first night; see Pirkei Derabi Eliezer 32.

[6] Bereishis 27:28.

[7] Pirkei Derabi Eliezer ibid.. Targum Yonasan Ben Uziel on Bereishis 27:1.

[8] See Zohar 1:142b.

[9] Bereishis 27:17.

[10] Ibid. 27:25.

[11] Likutei Levi Yitzchak, Haoros L’Zohar Bereishis, p. 97.

[12] 4:189a.

[13] Shemos 12:8.

[14] Zohar 2:24a. Fire rises upwards, and rising upwards (haalaah milmata lemaalah) is connected to Gevurah. Likewise, fire separates and destroys, which are qualities related to Gevurah.

[15] Shabbos 77b.

[16] Cf. Zohar 1:141b—“‘And the darkness, He called night’—this refers to Yitzchak.”

[17] Likutei Levi Yitzchak, Haoros L’Zohar Bereishis, p. 56.

[18] This is tied to the concept that matzo represents bitul, humility, because matzo represents “the great war to nullify the ego.” Likutei Torah, Shir Hashirim 14d.

[19] Berachos 5a. See Tanya, ch. 31, where the Alter Rebbe explains that although in general, the person should serve Hashem with joy, occasionally, when he feels heavy and unenthusiastic in his divine service, he should awaken within himself bitterness over his distance from Hashem. This meditation to evoke bitterness is explained in chapter 29. The Alter Rebbe also explains that the word “always” here is not literal; rather, it means whenever one sees within himself a strong need to do so.

[20] See Shulchan Aruch Admur Hazaken 473:26.

[21] Shulchan Aruch Admur Hazaken, Laws of Pesach 472:26.

[22] Torah Ohr, Vayishlach 25b.

[23] Eitz Chaim, Shaar Sheviras Hakeilim, ch. 2.

[24] Bereishis 18:6.

[25] Bereishis Rabba, 48:12.

[26] Cf. Tur, Orach Chaim, 417.

[27] Cf. Tanya ch. 46.

[28] Indeed, the very word seder means order, which is connected to Gevurah.

Supernal Unification

Versus Refining the Sparks

Rabbi Yehoishophot Oliver

Adapted from the teachings of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneersohn זצ"ל

in honor of his yahrtzeit on 20 Av

“Yitzchak loved Esav because he would eat from his prey,[1] while Rivka loved Yaakov”.[2]

Although Yitzchak surely loved Esav as his son, how could Yitzchak have felt so favorably toward Esav that the Torah tells us that he specifically loved Esav, while it doesn’t declare that he loved Yaakov? Clearly Esav possessed some worthy quality that Yitzchak valued, and even more so than he valued the qualities of Yaakov!

Yitzchak’s divine service specifically resembled that of Esav, so he felt a special affinity with Esav.

Yitzchak was involved with “sowing” in “the field”, as it is written, “Yitzchak sowed in that year,”[3] and “Yitzchak went out to pray in the field”.[4]

The field, where plants grow and from which food is harvested, represents the spiritual task of birur hanitzutzos, refining the sparks of holiness trapped in physical objects. We accomplish this by being actively involved in the physical world and using it to serve Hashem. This was the focus of Yitzchak’s avodah—divine service.

Esav, too, was “a man of the field”,[5] whose main task was to be involved in the material world. (Unfortunately, he did not merit to do so by refining the sparks of holiness, as did Yitzchak.)

Moreover, the reason Yitzchak loved Esav was that “he would eat from his prey”, as Esav would bring him food from the field. In fact, Yitzchak desired not the food itself but the sparks of holiness hidden in the food that Esav would bring him.

Yaakov’s path was different. He had no connection to working in the field,[6] to active involvement in the physical world for the sake of refining sparks of holiness. He was a “man of simplicity who would sit in tents”.[7]

Rashi interprets that the plural “tents” refers to the two academies of the righteous Shem and Ever, where Yaakov would study Torah.[8]

Along these lines, the Medrash states that “tents” refers to “the tent of the Written Torah and the tent of the Oral Torah”.

Another interpretation is that a tent alludes to one’s wife and the mitzvah of marital relations, as in when Moshe instructed the Jewish men to “return to your tents”,[9] which our Sages explain[10] as granting permission to return to marital relations after a period in which it had been prohibited. Thus, Yaakov would “sit in the tents” of his wives, Leah and Rachel.

Modes of Malchus

On the kabalistic level, a wife corresponds to the sefirah of malchus of Atzilus, the feminine aspect of the divine. Thus, “sitting in the tents” means that Yaakov’s divine service was focused on malchus.

Yet we also find that the field, associated with the divine service of Yitzchak, alludes to malchus. How can this be, if the divine service of Yitzchak and Yaakov are different?

The “tent” and the “field” correspond to different aspects of malchus.

The “field” refers to the way malchus descends into Beriyah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah (b’ya for short) in order to refine the sparks of holiness found in the kelipos, negative spiritual energies, found there.

This is the meaning of “she gave teref—prey to her house”,[11] a reference to malchus. Teref (טרף) has the numerical value of 249, which corresponds to the 248 general sparks of holiness plus one (im hakolel).[12] Malchus descends to refine the sparks, which are then elevated to their supernal source.

In contrast, “tents” refers to marital relations, as above. Thus, “sitting in tents” represents ze’ir anpin, the masculine aspect of the divine, as it influences and unites with malchus, the feminine aspect of the divine. On this level, malchus remains in its original state in the utterly pure realm of Atzilus and is completely detached from the lower worlds of b’ya, where G–dliness is hidden in successively greater concealments.

Thus, a field alludes to the way malchus gives (shov)—the divine service of Yitzchak; while a tent, to the way it receives (ratzo)—the divine service of Yaakov.

Earth Versus Yerushalayim

This distinction parallels the difference between the earth (aretz) and Yerushalayim, which are also both said to refer to malchus.

The earth is the same concept as a field—it brings forth food.[13] Food represents refining the sparks because produce grown in a field contains an edible part—ochel and waste matter—pesoles. Eating involves birur—refinement, separating the useful part from what is to be discarded.

Thus, the earth/field is an analogy for the way malchus descends into b’ya in order to separate and refine the nitzotz, the spark of holiness, from the energy of kelipah in which it is encased there.

In contrast, Yerushalayim is called “the good [city]”,[14] which corresponds to the way malchus exists in Atzilus in a state of sublime purity.[15] The destruction of the physical city of Yerushalayim is merely a reflection and consequence of the “destruction” of the spiritual Yerushalayim, which is the estrangement between ze’ir anpin and malchus.

Rebuilding Yerushalayim means bringing ze’ir anpin to reunite with malchus, which we accomplish through Torah study.[16] Torah possesses this power because Torah, too, is pure goodness and holiness and is thus able to rebuild the spiritual Yerushalayim, which is similarly pure. This leads naturally to the rebuilding of the physical Yerushalayim as well.[17]

This is the deeper meaning of Yaakov, who corresponds to ze’ir anpin,[18] “sitting in the tents”—i.e., engaging in marital relations—with Leah and Rachel, who correspond to malchus. On a deeper level, this alludes to Yaakov’s Torah study, which effected the supernal unification of ze’ir anpin and malchus.

This fits nicely with the literal meaning of Yaakov “sitting in the tents”—Torah study.

Adapted from Yalkut Levi Yitzchak al HaTorah, Vol. 1, pp. 467-469.

________________________________

[1] This translation follows Onkelos.
[2] Bereshis 25:28.
[3] Ibid. 26:12
[4] Ibid. 24:63
[5] Ibid. 25:27.
[6] “לא היה שייך לשדה”.
[7] Ibid.
[8] Bereshis Rabbah 63:10.
[9] Devarim 5:27.
[10] Shabbos 87a.
[11] Mishlei 31:15.
[12] Cf. Sefer HaMaamarim 5663, p. 51.​​
[13] Berachos 49a.
[14] Berachos 48b.
[15] Cf. Likkutei Torah 15:3-4.
[16] Ibid. 29:3 ff.
[17] Ibid. 31:1-2.
[18] Cf. Reshimos vol. 169.

The Victory of Purim Through Yaakov’s Havayeh Powers

Tomb of Esther and Mordechai - Hamadan, Western Iran

The Victory of Purim Through Yaakov’s Havayeh Powers

Rabbi Yehoishophot Oliver

Mordechai and Esther correspond to Avraham and Sarah, respectively. 

The Medrash[1] teaches us about the parallel between Mordechai and Avraham:

[The Scroll of Esther describes Mordechai as] “ish Yehudi” (lit. a man of Judea) for he was equal to Avraham in his generation. Just as Avraham our forefather hurled himself into the fiery furnace and went around bringing people to recognize Hashem’s greatness, as it is written, “and the soul that they made in Charan”[2], so, too, Mordechai in his days brought the people to recognize Hashem’s greatness, as it is written, “and many of the nations of the land became Jews”[3] and he declared the unity of Hashem’s Name and he sanctified it. Therefore, he is called “Yehudi”, as it is written, “ish Yehudi”; do not read “Yehudi”, but “yechidi” [literally, “the man of the Unique One”, for he publicized Hashem’s unity].

On the other hand, Haman’s spiritual opposite is Avraham. This is the reason that the mothers of Mordechai and Haman shared the same name, Amtilai.[4]

Since Haman is the spiritual opposite of Avraham and Mordechai parallels Avraham, Haman is also the opposite of Mordechai.

Likewise, we see the parallel between Esther and Sarah in the teaching of Rabbi Akiva[5] that just as Sarah passed away at 127, so did Esther merit to rule over 127 countries.[6]

Thus, we see how Mordechai and Esther are spirituality connected to Avraham and Sarah.

However, there is a difference between them, and this is expressed in the gematria, the numerical value, of their names.

The gematria of Mordechai (מרדכי) is 274 and of Avraham אברהם) 248). The difference between them is 26, which is the same value as the holiest of Hashem’s names, the four-letter name referred to in Kabbalistic literature as Havayeh (הויה).

Likewise, the gematria of Sarah (שרה) is 505 and of Esther, אסתר) 661), with a difference of 156, which is six times Havayeh (26).

26 and 156 add up to 182, which is seven times Havayeh.

182 is also the numerical value of the name of Yaakov. The reason for this is that the key to defeating Haman is the spiritual energy of Yaakov. Haman was descended from Esav,[7] who was also descended from Avraham and Sarah.[8]

It was the fact that Mordechai and Esther were descended from Yaakov that granted them the power to defeat Haman. This is related to Hashem’s promise to Avraham, “for your seed shall be called be’Yitzchak—with Yitzchak”.[9] Our Sages explain this odd expression as being exclusionary: “with Yitzchak, but not all of Yitzchak”, for Esav is not considered the true seed of Avraham.

Therefore, Esther and Mordechai were endowed with an additional seven times the name of Havayeh, to allude to their inheritance of a unique spiritual strength from their ancestor, Yaakov, with which they were able to defeat Haman. Yaakov’s ability to overcome Esav enabled them, in turn, to overcome Esav’s descendant, Haman.

The Zohar explains[10] that Yaakov overcame Esav by bowing down to Hashem seven times while in Esav’s presence: “And he went ahead of them and he prostrated himself to the ground seven times, until he came close to his brother [Esav]”.[11] The Zohar explains that “And he went ahead of them” refers to a revelation of the Divine Presence, which went before Yaakov in order to protect him. When Yaakov saw this, he bowed down. Indeed, the verse doesn’t say that he bowed down to Esav but simply that he bowed down.

This relates to the gematrias of Yitzchak and Esav. The gematria of Yitzchak is 8 times Havayeh (26)—208.

Yitzchak split his amount of this revelation between his sons. He bequeathed seven portions of Havayeh to Yaakov, and one to Esav. It is on account of this one portion of Havayeh within Esav that he is considered a brother to Yaakov, as it is written, “isn’t Esav the brother of Yaakov?”[12]

But the gematria of Esav (עשו) is 376. The remainder of Esav consists of the exact opposite of Havayeh, tamei (טמא), which means impure and has a gematria of 50. This is the dominant aspect of Esav, and therefore, he contained it seven times: 7x50=350. (So in total, 350+26=376.)

The seven times tamei within Esav are the direct antithesis of the seven times Havayeh within Yaakov. This is the reason that Esav so despised Yaakov, on account of the seven times Havayeh within him.

But through Yaakov’s act of bowing down to Hashem seven times in Esav’s presence, the seven times Havayeh within Yaakov removed the seven times tamei within Esav. Once this was complete, the one time Havayeh, the good aspect hidden within Esav (which was swallowed up in the seven times tamei), was revealed, and therefore Esav “embraced him [Yaakov] and kissed him”. According to the Rashbi,[13] Esav did so with all his heart.

Yaakov’s victory granted his descendants, Mordechai and Esther, the power to defeat Esav’s descendant, Haman. This is apparent in the above Medrash where it says that Mordechai’s title ish Yehudi could also be read ish yechidi, which means “the man of the Unique One”, for Mordechai publicized Hashem’s absolute unity.

The lesson for our time is that the forces of impurity and evil related to the spiritual energies of Esav and Haman are still in existence. We overcome them by increasing in our faith and submission to Hashem as He reveals Himself in the name of Havayeh, which represents G-dliness that transcends nature. We accomplish this through increasing in our observance of Torah and Mitzvos in general, and specifically through studying the teachings of Chassidus.

Based on the teachings of the Rebbe’s father, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneersohn,
in Toras Levi Yitzchak, Chidushim U’biurim Be’shas, pp. 97, 214.

_____________________________
[1] Esther Rabbah 6:2.
[2] Bereshis 12:5.
[3] Esther 8:17. This could mean that they converted to Judaism (as Rashi explains), but in the context of this Medrash, it appears to mean that they accepted the faith in one G-d, just as Avraham’s “converts” didn’t literally convert.
[4] Avraham’s mother was Amtilai the daughter of Carnevo, while Haman’s mother was Amtilai the daughter of Urvesa—Bava Basra 91a.
[5] Bereshis Rabbah 48:3.
[6] Esther 1:1.
[7] Haman was descended from Amalek. Amalek’s father was Elifaz, whose father was Esav.
[8] Esav was the son of Yitzchak, who was the son of Avraham and Sarah.
[9] Bereshis 21:12.
[10] Bereshis 171b.
[11] Ibid. 33:3.
[12] Malachi 1:2.
[13] Sifri Behaaloscha 59.

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