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BEGIN WITH A GRIN

A mother finds her teenage son in bed late in the morning.

“Moshele, what are you doing in bed? It’s late…”

“Ima, you told me to follow my dreams, so I went back to bed …”

HEAL THE PAIN, FEEL THE GOOD

This Shabbos is the second of the “seven of consolation,” seven haftoras of consolation that begin on Shabbos Nachamu and end on the Shabbos before Rosh Hashana. A quick look at the Jewish calendar shows an astonishing chiddush that began on 17 Tammuz, that there are exactly ten Shabbosos until Rosh Hashana. As we know, the number ten in Judaism represents a complete number which alludes to many spiritual ideas, the main one being the structure of man according to kabbala and Chassidus, a structure of ten soul powers. And, the structure of man’s soul reflects the structure of spiritual worlds which are also comprised of ten sefiros.

What can we learn from  this eye-opening revelation about ten weeks between 17 Tammuz and Rosh Hashana? And why are we mentioning this now, on Shabbos, parshas Eikev?

In order to answer these (and other) questions, we need to focus for a moment on the structure of the Jewish soul  and its soul powers. The ten soul powers are divided into two groups, the powers of the intellect (which are the three mochin in Chabad) and the powers of the emotions and implementation (the seven middos: chesed, gevura, tiferes, netzach, hod, yesod, malchus).

So too, the ten weeks between 17 Tammuz and Rosh Hashana are divided into two identically corresponding groups, each of which has exactly the same number of  elements! Our Sages call these weeks by two names: “the three of retribution” and “the seven of consolation.” The three Shabbosos of retribution, from 17 Tammuz until Tisha B’Av, which symbolize the destruction that occurred during those days, and the seven Shabbosos of consolation, from Shabbos Nachamu until Rosh Hashana. That means, the Three Weeks (17 Tammuz-Tisha B’Av) represent the world of the intellect while the seven Shabbosos that follow (including this Shabbos) represent the world of middos and emotions.

What does this teach us? How is this connected to the coming of Moshiach?

We all know that everything G-d does, He does for the good. We know and believe this is true but it’s hard to internalize it, hard to live with it. It’s hard to accept that even negative things in life and even destruction and exile are essentially good things. The division mentioned above, into three and seven, both in man’s soul and in the calendar, can help us accept it.

The general division between the intellect and the emotions is that the intellect represents that which is hidden, while the emotions represent that which is revealed, because man’s intellect is a revelation of soul powers that serve man himself, while the emotions are directed toward and in the service of relating to others. During the Three Weeks, the world of intellect, G-dly good is hidden. We know that it’s good, we believe that it’s good, but we don’t feel that it’s good.

During the seven weeks of consolation, the realm of emotions, we start to feel how everything is good!

PROCEEDING HEEL-FIRST

The ability to sense the hidden good, the ability to internalize that within the destruction there is construction and a new start, is particularly emphasized on this Shabbos, Shabbos parshas Eikev. Parshas Eikev begins with the words, “And it will be eikev you will listen.” The word “v’haya” (it will be) includes within it the four letters of HAVAYA, but in the reverse order. Instead of the yud and hei being first, they are at the end, while the vav and (second) hei take their place at the beginning of the word.

In Chassidus (Igeres HaKodesh, chapter 7), it explains that the letters yud-hei of G-d’s name represent the world of intellect and internal contemplation, while the letters vav-hei represent the world of emotions and middos. Usually, intellect comes before the emotions, but now, in exile, and mainly in ikvesa d’meshicha (“eikev tishmeun”), the service of G-d needs to be done in the reverse order, v’haya, vav-hei before yud-hei. Middos before intellect and understanding.

That means that the emphasis in the service of G-d in exile is the middos and emotions which lead to action and implementation, and not so much the intellect and deep meditation. When a Jew behaves like this, when he lives vav-hei – yud-hei (middos and action before intellect and understanding), during a time of “eikev,” ikvesa d’meshicha, a time of darkness and concealment, and he decides not to be fazed by everything going on around him and he listens and obeys (“tishmeun”) to G-d’s orders, G-d promises him the amazing reward that follows in the parsha. “And G-d will keep the covenant and the kindness that He swore to your fathers.” Covenant, kindness and oath are lofty revelations that Hashem promised Avrohom, Yitzchok and Yaakov. Service of Hashem done specifically this way, with middos and implementation ahead of intellect and the mind, leads to a wondrous reward promised to the Avos.

Furthermore, the Medrash says, “V’haya is always a term of joy.” Serving G-d in this way leads to great joy up above. “G-d rejoices with His deeds,” and through this, G-d bestows us with open, great joy below, “Israel rejoices with his Maker.” A joy in which we merit to see, feel, and understand that even in exile, the destruction turns into open good! But it doesn’t end here. The Medrash says, “G-d said to them… its reward (the reward for keeping Torah and mitzvos)  in the eikev (at the End of Days) I will give to you, as it says, “V’haya eikev tishmeun.” That means, service in a way of “eikev” brings the reward of “eikev” – the Days of Moshiach and the End of Days.

In simple words, our ability to internalize the hidden good within exile is revealed specifically when we put our intellect aside and start working with the “eikev,” with the lowest part of man, which represents physical action. It is very possible that this sounds absurd. We are trying to understand and feel the hidden good through… action? Since when does a physical act help intellectual understanding? Since when by using the “heels” can we help the head and heart?

The holy Torah teaches us an important lesson regarding internalizing spiritual ideas. The real way to success begins with “V’haya eikev” – first, middos and implementation and then intellect. First the foot (action) and then the head (understanding). Only this way do we get to the spiritual and material reward promised to to us and our ancestors, in the true and complete Geula, when we will see how G-d fulfills (and always fulfilled), “And G-d will keep the covenant and the kindness that He swore to your fathers.”

TO CONCLUDE WITH A STORY

We will end with a story. When the Tzemach Tzedek was a little boy, at the age when he started learning Chumash with his melamed, he was tested by his grandfather, the Alter Rebbe. The Alter Rebbe asked him, what does “eikev Avrohom listened to My voice” mean?

The Tzemach Tzedek said: Avrohom Avinu heard (perceived-sensed) G-d’s command even in his heel.

The Alter Rebbe enjoyed this answer and said: That is what it says, “V’haya eikev tishmeun,” that even the heel needs to listen to the mitzva and do it!

Good Shabbos!

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