The Doctrine of the Descent of the Tzaddik and More Bava Metzia 114-116

114

Spiritual Backlash

Our Gemara on amud aleph and beis discusses an encounter between Rabbah bar Avuha and Elijah the prophet:

אַשְׁכְּחֵיהּ רַבָּה בַּר אֲבוּהּ לְאֵלִיָּהוּ דְּקָאֵי בְּבֵית הַקְּבָרוֹת שֶׁל גּוֹיִם, אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מַהוּ שֶׁיְּסַדְּרוּ בְּבַעַל חוֹב? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: גָּמַר ״מִיכָה״ ״מִיכָה״ מֵעֲרָכִין. גַּבֵּי עֲרָכִין כְּתִיב ״וְאִם מָךְ הוּא מֵעֶרְכֶּךָ״, גַּבֵּי בַּעַל חוֹב כְּתִיב ״וְכִי יָמוּךְ אָחִיךָ״. 

The Gemara relates: Rabba bar Avuh found Elijah standing in a graveyard of gentiles. Rabba bar Avuh said to him: What is the halakha with regard to making arrangements for the debtor? Elijah said to him: A verbal analogy is derived from the usage of the term “poor” written in the context of a debtor and the term “poor” written in the context of valuations. With regard to valuations, it is written: “But if he is too poor [makh] for your valuation” (Leviticus 27:8), and with regard to a creditor, it is written: “But if your brother be poor [yamukh]” (Leviticus 25:35). 

מִנַּיִן לְעָרוֹם שֶׁלֹּא יִתְרוֹם? דִּכְתִיב: ״וְלֹא יִרְאֶה בְךָ עֶרְוַת דָּבָר״. 

Rabba bar Avuh now asks Elijah another question: From where is it derived with regard to a naked person that he may not separate teruma? He replied: As it is written: “And He see no unseemly thing in you” (Deuteronomy 23:15). This verse indicates that one may not recite any words of sanctity, including the blessing upon separating teruma, in front of one who is naked. 

אֲמַר לֵיהּ: לָאו כֹּהֵן הוּא מָר? מַאי טַעְמָא קָאֵי מָר בְּבֵית הַקְּבָרוֹת! אֲמַר לֵיהּ: לָא מַתְנֵי מָר טְהָרוֹת? דְּתַנְיָא, רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי אוֹמֵר: קִבְרֵיהֶן שֶׁל נׇכְרִים אֵין מְטַמְּאִין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְאַתֵּן צֹאנִי צֹאן מַרְעִיתִי אָדָם אַתֶּם״. אַתֶּם קְרוּיִין ״אָדָם״, וְאֵין נׇכְרִים קְרוּיִין ״אָדָם״. 

The amora proceeded to ask Elijah a different question and said to him: Is not the Master a priest? What is the reason that the Master is standing in a cemetery? Elijah said to him: Has the Master not studied the mishnaic order of Teharot? As it is taught in a baraita: Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai says that the graves of gentiles do not render one impure, as it is stated: “And you, My sheep, the sheep of My pasture, are man” (Ezekiel 34:31), which teaches that you, i.e., the Jewish people, are called “man,” but gentiles are not called “man.” Since the Torah states with regard to ritual impurity imparted in a tent: “If a man dies in a tent” (Numbers 19:14), evidently impurity imparted by a tent does not apply to gentiles.

Yaaros Devash (I.16) ties all of these three halachos together, so that the discussion during the visitation from Elijah was profoundly connected.  He explains the reason that a gentile does not capture impurity is ironically because he does not have a balancing potential for purity either.  This is an important spiritual principle:  There is always an equilibrium of capacity for purity and impurity. Much as a black garment does not show stains, the vessel that was the gentile’s body, devoid of the Torah, is empty and not receptive for either purity or impurity.  He takes this further with a graphic metaphor, why do flies gather around something dead that was once living instead of a stone?  The loss of life-power produces a particular kind of rot.  Thus, the Jewish corpse, which once embodied spiritual purity, also embodies a powerful backlash of impurity upon the soul’s exiting of the body.

But what will you say about a Jew who did not observe the Torah?  While, in some way, this is tragic, he is like a debtor.  He owes Hashem these observances, and therefore we allow him to make a payment plan, so to speak, like a debtor.  Therefore, he is not spiritually bankrupt and his body is still a vessel for spiritual purity and then can also become intensely impure.

The final discussion about the person who cannot take Terumah whilst being naked can be interpreted as follows (I am consciously diverging from the Ya’aros Devash, though he says something similar.) The gentile might object and say, he too can voluntarily do mitzvos and so he too should have potential for the purity-impurity effect.  The response to this claim is that the naked person cannot enact and sanctify the Terumah. Meaning, a person who is naked from mitzvos (see Midrash Tehillim 6:1) cannot just spontaneously decide to enact this spiritual potential on a one time basis.

115

Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is

Our Gemara on amud aleph quotes a series of verses in Mishle (6:1-3) that warn of the dangers of becoming a co-signer on a loan indiscriminately:

בְּ֭נִי אִם־עָרַ֣בְתָּ לְרֵעֶ֑ךָ תָּקַ֖עְתָּ לַזָּ֣ר כַּפֶּֽיךָ׃ 

My son, if you have become a co-signer for your fellow,

Given your hand for another, 

נוֹקַ֥שְׁתָּ בְאִמְרֵי־פִ֑יךָ נִ֝לְכַּ֗דְתָּ בְּאִמְרֵי־פִֽיךָ׃

You have been trapped by the words of your mouth,

Snared by the words of your mouth. 

עֲשֵׂ֨ה זֹ֥את אֵפ֪וֹא ׀ בְּנִ֡י וְֽהִנָּצֵ֗ל כִּ֘י בָ֤אתָ בְכַף־רֵעֶ֑ךָ לֵ֥ךְ הִ֝תְרַפֵּ֗ס וּרְהַ֥ב רֵעֶֽיךָ׃ 

Do this, then, my son, to extricate yourself,

For you have come into the power of your fellow:

Go grovel—and badger your fellow;

Interestingly, the Gemara Yoma (87a) also learns this same verse as referring to the “debts” and damages one incurs when verbally hurting another person:

אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק: כׇּל הַמַּקְנִיט אֶת חֲבֵירוֹ, אֲפִילּוּ בִּדְבָרִים — צָרִיךְ לְפַיְּיסוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״בְּנִי אִם עָרַבְתָּ לְרֵעֶךָ תָּקַעְתָּ לַזָּר כַּפֶּיךָ נוֹקַשְׁתָּ בְאִמְרֵי פִיךָ עֲשֵׂה זֹאת אֵפוֹא בְּנִי וְהִנָּצֵל כִּי בָאתָ בְכַף רֵעֶךָ לֵךְ הִתְרַפֵּס וּרְהַב רֵעֶיךָ״. אִם מָמוֹן יֵשׁ בְּיָדְךָ — הַתֵּר לוֹ פִּסַּת יָד, וְאִם לָאו — הַרְבֵּה עָלָיו רֵיעִים.

Rabbi Yitzḥak said: One who angers his friend, even only verbally, must appease him, as it is stated: “My son, if you have become a guarantor for your neighbor, if you have struck your hands for a stranger, you are snared by the words of your mouth… Do this now, my son, and deliver yourself, seeing you have come into the hand of your neighbor. Go, humble yourself [hitrapes] and urge [rehav] your neighbor” (Proverbs 6:1–3). This should be understood as follows: If you have money that you owe him, open the palm of [hater pisat] your hand to your neighbor and pay the money that you owe; and if not, if you have sinned against him verbally, increase [harbe] friends for him, i.e., send many people as your messengers to ask him for forgiveness.

Ben Yehoyada (Yoma Ibid) asks why does the verse seem to equate verbal abuse to being stuck cosigning on a bad loan? He answers, you might be tempted to minimize the liability of hurtful speech, claiming it is only words.  To this, Solomon responds in Mishle:  At times, the greatest financial liabilities can be incurred via mere words, such as when a person agrees to be a cosigner, without any additional action or kinyan (see Bava Basra 173b).  Therefore, we should not be surprised regarding the power of speech and the responsibility we have to repay emotional debts we bring upon ourselves.

116

The Doctrine of the Descent of the Tzaddik

Our Mishna on Amud Beis describes the halachic status of a renter who lives in the attic and what are his rights should it become uninhabitable, such as a caved-in floor:

מַתְנִי׳ הַבַּיִת וְהָעֲלִיָּיה. נִפְחֲתָה הָעֲלִיָּיה, וְאֵין בַּעַל הַבַּיִת רוֹצֶה לְתַקֵּן – הֲרֵי בַּעַל הָעֲלִיָּיה יוֹרֵד וְדָר לְמַטָּה, עַד שֶׁיְּתַקֵּן לוֹ אֶת הָעֲלִיָּיה.

MISHNA: If there was a house and an upper story owned by one person, and the upper story was rented out to another, if the floor of the upper story was broken, i.e., it fell in or collapsed, and the owner of the house does not want to repair it, the resident of the upper story can go down and live in the house below until the owner repairs the upper story for him.

Ya’aros Devash (2:16) explains this Gemara metaphorically as referring to the way in which a person may be faltering spiritually and Hashem sends a tzaddik to bring him out of his depths of sin. This is not merely a physical idea, such as a tzaddik bring the person back to judaism through kiruv, but also a much deeper kabbalistic idea, known as “Sod Haibbur”, which literally translates as the “Secret of the Leap Year”.  “Sod Haibbur” is a borrowed term which means the secret of an embryonic addition or growth. Our ancient sages possessed a secret mathematical tradition of how to calculate when to make a leap year that had to do with esoteric orbital calculations, also known as “Sod Haibbur”, the “Secret of the Leap Year”.  However this borrowed term refers to a mystical secret, having to do with the way in which a tzaddik can assist another soul, by a form of benign possession. (In mysticism, phonetic and idiomatic parallels also represent spiritual parallels, and therefore the idea that God created the world where the Sanhedrin had to occasionally adjust the months and years, speaks of a manner in which the tzaddik builds on, and intervenes in, the spiritual via the physical.)

The Gemara in Chagigah (15b) speaks of how Rabbi Yochanan had the ability to pull the infamous apostate, Elisha ben Avuya, out of Gehenom.  Ben Yehoyada asks, how is the fair or justice? He answers that really Elisha ben Avuya was not to get off scot free. Rather, it means that he would be reincarnated. However, due to his extremely corrupted state, he might not have been able to overcome his challenges even as reincarnated person without extra help. Rabbi Yochanan offered to piggyback on Elisha ben Avuya’s soul, via “Sod Haibbur”, and assist him in his mission in life.

This is a fascinating mystical idea that is like reincarnation, but not a full reincarnation. It is a temporary possession, or shall we say, enhancement of a person’s soul from one or many other souls, possibly ancestors. There even can be multiple soul possessions while both are still alive in other bodies. (See Rav Chaim Vital, Shaar Hagilgulim, Introduction 4, and chapter 5, as well as Magid Meisharim Vayishlach.)

We cannot understand these ideas in the fullest sense, but psychologically we can relate to these ideas on a symbolic level.  How many times have we been so inspired by an idea and/or a person that we feel possessed?  What is that state of mind?  What actually occurs in our consciousness?  Just because science does not give these experiences formal names, does not mean they aren’t meaningful or as real as anything else.

Similar to this, we find in chassidus the idea that the Tzaddik sometimes must not merely reach out to the sinners, but to even descend and speak in their common language, even if beneath their dignity, in order to draw the sinners back up.  Rav Nachman (Likkutei Moharan Part II, Torah 91:2) explains this doctrine:

אֲבָל הַצַּדִּיקִים אֲמִתִּיִּים הֵם מְקַשְּׁרִים חָכְמָה תַּתָּאָה בְּחָכְמָה עִלָּאָה, כִּי שִׂיחָתָן שֶׁל הַצַּדִּיקִים אֲמִתִּיִּים שֶׁהֵם מְשִׂיחִין וּמְסַפְּרִים שִׂיחַת חֻלִּין, הִיא יְקָרָה מְאֹד מְאֹד, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ע”ז יט): שִׂיחָתָן שֶׁל תַּלְמִידֵי־חֲכָמִים צְרִיכִין לִמּוּד, כִּי הַצַּדִּיק הָאֱמֶת בּוֹנֶה עוֹלָמוֹת הַחֲרֵבִין וּמַגְבִּיהַּ חָכְמָה תַּתָּאָה וּמְקַשְּׁרָהּ לְחָכְמָה עִלָּאָה עַל־יְדֵי שִׂיחָתוֹ וְסִפּוּרֵי דְּבָרָיו שֶׁמְּדַבֵּר עִם הֲמוֹן־עַם. כִּי הַשֵּׂכֶל שֶׁל הֲמוֹן־עַם שֶׁאֵינָם מְקַשְּׁרִים אוֹתוֹ לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, הוּא נִפְרָד מֵחָכְמָה עִלָּאָה, אֲבָל הַצַּדִּיק הָאֱמֶת מְקַשֵּׁר הַשֵּׂכֶל שֶׁל הֶהָמוֹן, אֲפִלּוּ הַשֵּׂכֶל וְהַחָכְמָה שֶׁל הָרָשָׁע, לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ. 

The true tzaddikim, however, bind lower wisdom with upper wisdom. This is because the conversation of true tzaddikim, their and chatting, is very, very precious. This is as our Sages, of blessed memory, taught: The chat of Torah scholars requires study (Avodah Zarah 19b). For the true tzaddik rebuilds destroyed worlds and elevates lower wisdom, binding it to upper wisdom by chatting with the common folk. This is because the intellect of the common people, who do not bind it to God, is detached from upper wisdom. But the true tzaddik binds the common people’s intellect—even the intellect and the wisdom of the wicked man—to God. 

וְזֶה עִנְיַן מַה שֶּׁהַצַּדִּיקִים מְדַבְּרִים עִם אֲנָשִׁים שֶׁאֵינָם הֲגוּנִים אוֹ אֲפִלּוּ עִם עַכּוּ”ם (אַךְ כְּשֶּׁמְּדַבֵּר עִם עַכּוּ”ם, אֲזַי הַצַּדִּיק מוֹצִיא הַטּוֹב מִמֶּנּוּ, וְהוּא נִשְׁאָר אֶפֶס וָרֵיק, שֶׁזֶּה בְּחִינַת מַה שֶּׁהָרַג מֹשֶׁה אֶת הַמִּצְרִי), כִּי כְּשֶׁהַצַּדִּיק מְדַבֵּר עִם רְשָׁעִים, וְהַצַּדִּיק מַגְבִּיהַּ שִׂכְלוֹ וּמְקַשְּׁרוֹ לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, אֲזַי מַעֲלֶה וּמְקַשֵּׁר שִׂכְלָם מִמָּקוֹם שֶׁהֵם לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ. כִּי הַצַּדִּיק הָאֱמֶת מְצַמְצֵם שִׂכְלוֹ, וּמְדַבֵּר עִמָּם בְּחָכְמָה נִפְלָאָה וּבִמְלָאכָה גְּדוֹלָה, וּמְקַשֵּׁר כָּל הַדִּבּוּרִים לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה מְבִיאָם לִידֵי תְּשׁוּבָה. 

This is the matter of tzaddikim talking with unworthy individuals or even with idolaters. {However, when he talks with an idolater, the tzaddik extracts the good in him and the idolater is left spent and empty, this being the deeper reason for Moshe killing the Egyptian.} For as the tzaddik talks with wicked individuals, and the tzaddik elevates his intellect and binds it to God, he is elevating and binding their minds to God from their level. This is because the true tzaddik contracts his intellect and converses with them using amazing wisdom and great craft to bind all the words to God. Through this he brings them to repentance. 

וְזֶה בְּחִינַת (דברים ל״ג:ג׳): וְהֵם תֻּכּוּ לְרַגְלֶךָ יִשָּׂא מִדַּבְּרֹתֶיךָ, וְדָרְשׁוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ב”ב ח): אֵלּוּ תַּלְמִידֵי־חֲכָמִים שֶׁהוֹלְכִים וּמְכַתְּתִים רַגְלֵיהֶם מֵעִיר לְעִיר וְנוֹשְׂאִים וְנוֹתְנִין בִּדְבָרָיו שֶׁל מָקוֹם. כִּי הַצַּדִּיקִים הָאֲמִתִּיִּים מְדַבְּרִים לִפְעָמִים עִם רְשָׁעִים וּמְסַפְּרִים עִמָּהֶם מֵעִסְקֵי מִלְחָמוֹת וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה מֵעִסְקֵי הָעוֹלָם, אַךְ הוּא מַלְבִּישׁ בָּזֶה הָאוֹר הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁל הַתּוֹרָה, כִּי הוּא מַלְבִּישׁ אוֹר הַתּוֹרָה בִּלְבוּשִׁים שׁוֹנִים זֶה מִזֶּה, עַד שֶׁמַּלְבִּישׁוֹ בַּדְּבָרִים הַלָּלוּ, וְהָאוֹר הַתּוֹרָה מִתְלַבֵּשׁ בְּצֵרוּפִים אֲחֵרִים. 

And this is the meaning of “They TuKu (placed themselves) at Your feet, accepting Your word” (Deuteronomy 33:3). Our Sages, of blessed memory, taught: These are the Torah scholars, who KiTetu (pound) their feet going from city to city… accepting and giving the words of the Omnipresent (Bava Batra 8a). For the true tzaddikim sometimes talk with wicked individuals and chat with them about the news of war and, similarly, about the news of the world. However, he enclothes in this the great light of the Torah. For he garbs the Torah’s light in various different garments, until he garbs it in these words, so that the Torah’s light enclothes itself in other permutations. 

And, finally, an insightful final piece is related by Rav Nachman at the end:

כִּי אִם הָיָה הַצַּדִּיק מְדַבֵּר תֵּכֶף תּוֹרָה בְּפֵרוּשׁ עִם הָרָשָׁע, הָיָה יָכוֹל לְהִתְפַּקֵּר יוֹתֵר וְהָיָה נַעֲשֶׂה רָשָׁע יוֹתֵר. כִּי צַדִּיקִים יֵלְכוּ בָם וּפֹשְׁעִים יִכָּשְׁלוּ בָם (הושע י״ד:י׳). כִּי זָכָה – נַעֲשֶׂה לוֹ סַם חַיִּים; לֹא זָכָה – נַעֲשֶׂה לוֹ סַם מָוֶת (יומא עב:). וְעַל־כֵּן אִם הָיוּ מְגַלִּין לוֹ תּוֹרָה כְּמוֹת שֶׁהִיא, הָיָה מִתְפַּקֵּר יוֹתֵר, כִּי הָיָה נַעֲשֶׂה אֶצְלוֹ סַם מָוֶת, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, כִּי הוּא רָחוֹק מִן הַתּוֹרָה. 

For if the tzaddik had straightaway spoken explicit Torah with the wicked man, he might have become more heretical and so become more wicked. This is because “the righteous walk in them whereas the sinners stumble in them” (Hosea 14:10). If one is deserving, the Torah becomes an elixir of life for him. But if one is not deserving, it becomes a fatal poison for him (Yoma 72b). And so, if they would reveal to him Torah as it is, he would become more heretical. In his case it would be a fatal poison, God forbid, because he is distant from the Torah. 

It seems intuitively true that a person who is not ready for Torah can be harmed by it.  Think of all the strange sounding Gemaras and how they might affect a person without the proper preparation and foundation.  The Tzaddik knows what stories and seemingly idle chatter could bring about enlightenment.  

On the other hand, I am always amazed, surprised and impressed at how Chabad Sheluchim expose unaffiliated Jews to all kinds of rituals and study, without necessarily going into deep philosophical discussion.  I suppose the Jewish soul thirsts for Torah, and even when learning what might seem strange, they still can become enamored and captivated.