HIDDEN POWER

Dear Family,

I hope everyone is well.

On Sunday night we celebrate Shavuot BEH, the time when we received the Torah, and I would like to share some items which came up this week which were connected.

This weeks Tanya gives us a glimpse of the HIDDEN POWER OF TORAH (Chap 52)

And this can be further understood from David HaMelech, whose birth and yohrtzeit are both on Shavuot, in Psalm 8 which I noticed this week.

The Baal Shem Tov's yohrtzeit is also on Shavuot and his Teachings and those of the Alte Rebbe, (author of Tanya above) are integrally related.

Tanya

The flow of life and vitality and light into the various worlds, and the manifestation of this light is through the Shechinah

The Hebrew word Shechinah has connotations of dwelling, queen, and mother. Like a mother which is a source, and the queen illuminating the world and revealing the wishes of the king, and allowing this source of light to dwell in the world.

From this source, there extends to each world, individual or creature the particular light and vitality suitable for it.

But the light of the Shechinah is too powerful, and the worlds etc would not be able to endure or receive this light without a protective garment to 'screen' and conceal the light. (An analogy given is a ray of light which becomes nullified and non existent in the body of the sun)

And the question is then, what kind of garment can shield the worlds to prevent them from becoming nullified in the light of the Shechina?! Why does the garment itself not become nullified?

THIS GARMENT IS TORAH AND MITZVOT which originates from a higher source than the Shechinah, from the Supernal wisdom (Chochmah Ilaah of the world of Atzilut) where He and His Wisdom are one.

This wisdom descends down through the various worlds from level to level, until it has clothed itself in material objects, namely the 613 commandments of the Torah

And as this Wisdom came down from level to level, so too did the Shechinah, and she clothed herself in each world where she dwelled.

(And we therefore, through Torah, have access to these very high levels of Wisdom and Light, through mundane activities down on earth, the lowest of worlds!

Ashreinu, mah tov chelkenu - How happy are we, and how fortunate is our portion!)

Tehillim - Psalms

Dovid Hamelech expresses these sentiments in V2 and V5 in Psalm 8, and the Talmud explains them as follows:

"When Moshe Rabeinu ascended Mount Sinai, the angels said to Hashem, 'Master of the Universe, what is someone born of a woman doing amongst us?'

Hashem answered, 'He has come to receive the Torah.'

They then said, 'This coveted treasure, which has been hidden with You before the creation of the world, how could you give it to a man of flesh and blood?' V5 in the Psalm says 'What is man that you remember him, and a person that you consider him?'

And V2 in the Psalm (the Angels speaking) 'G-d our Master, how glorious is Your Name in all the earth, that Your Majesty is spoken about in the heavens!'............ etc

The introduction to the Psalm explains that the Angels are jealous of our opportunity here on earth!

Wishing everyone a Gut Shabbos and a Gut Yom Tov, and we should receive the Torah anew with joy and inward permeation.