|
Building the mishkan, we
understand, was all about providing a place for the indwelling of the Shechinah.
Furthermore, we understand that this was not something that occurred once,
a long time ago. The presence of the Shechinah
varies according to our spiritual level. Even in times of apparent
separation – when we live in galus
– Chazal tell us[2] that
the Shechinah
follows along. There, the Shechinah
finds a place in the lives of great tzadikim.
Still, the presence
of the Shechinah
is a small part of what it should be. Its fullness is realized only in the
times of moshiach.
The process is
reflected in the period that we now enter. We increase our simcha with the
arrival of Adar. Why should this be? The dramatic salvation of Purim occurred
on specific days in the middle of the month. Why is the entire month
special?
We brought names of
months back with us from galus
Bavel.[3]
Those names are significant. Pairing them with particular months was not
random, but purposeful.
Look at Adar. We
learn what it is when we break it up into its syllables, and get alef-dar. The alef signifies Alufo shel olam, the
Chief of the world, Who takes up residence (dar) in our world.
The vehicle for
welcoming Him into our world is Daas,
with which we can understand whatever we do about Him. Daas belongs to Moshe Rabbenu. The
Zohar teaches that Moshe extends into every generation. Every person’s
comprehension of Torah – each on his own level – owes to a spark of Moshe
within him. (Moshe’s spark inside of us is the reason that Chazal can tell
us[4] to be exceedingly
humble. Humility was the outstanding midah
of Moshe. Precisely because he is present within us, we can aspire to
imitate him.)
This is where Haman
failed so miserably. He was overjoyed that his casting of lots settled on
the month of Adar to destroy the Jewish people. Moshe died on its seventh
day! With Moshe’s death, Daas
receded from Klal Yisrael. In its debilitated state, the spiritual fortunes
of Klal Yisrael would be depleted, he thought. Surely, he could then
triumph over them!
Haman did not know
that Moshe was also born on the same date, meaning that he was reborn, so
to speak, at the time of his physical death. Sparks of his Daas spread out and
lodged with Jews in all places and times. (This is why the Torah writes[5] that no one could find Moshe’s
burial place. He is buried where the eye cannot see – in the Daas of every Jew.)
Each person
experiences two periods of growth and maturation. They are like two
pregnancies. The first is experienced in utero, as the fetus develops into
a child. Even here, Hashem is with him. His presence is shown by Chazal’s
statement[6] that during
its stay in its mother’s womb, a light burns on the head of the fetus,
though which he can from one end of the world to the other; he is taught
Torah during that time. This corresponds to Adar I, the first Adar.
Once the child
emerges as an independent being, a long process of maturation begins.
Regardless of how intelligent the child is, his actions generally have no
legal import until he reaches adulthood (12 for a girl; 13 for a boy). At
that age, the young person gains the Daas
that is most important – understanding enough about Hashem that he can
contribute to yichud
Hashem.
But attaining this
rudimentary Daas
is only a beginning. It is limited by the person’s more or less natural,
given abilities. Real growth occurs after a succession of retreats and
advances. When a person’s Daas
is removed from Above, the righteous person tenaciously holds on – and
fights his way up to a position even higher than before. These repeated
incremental gains are like a second pregnancy. Here, too, Hashem is with
him. He emerges on a higher plane than he occupied before.
This is what is
behind Adar II, the second Adar.
|
Comments
Post a Comment