Week 33 (From the Book): To Recognize the Spiritual Treasures Hidden within Each One of Us

The donkey is saying, "Yours, G-d, is the greatness, and the might, and the splendor, and the victory, and the glory, for everything in the Heavens and earth [is Yours]; Yours, G-d, is the kingship, and the exaltation over all." (Chronicles I, 29:11)

Rabbi Yochanan the son of Berokah would say: Whoever desecrates the Divine Name covertly, is punished in public. Regarding the desecration of the Name, the malicious and the merely negligent are one and the same.

Hod shebeHod (glory and gratefulness within the context of glory and gratefulness)

We now arrive at week thirty-three of the Jewish calendar, the week of Pesach Sheini and Lag Ba’Omer. As explained earlier, Lag Ba’Omer is a day of great celebration, because it was then that the students of Rabbi Akiva stopped perishing. On Lag Ba’Omer, we also celebrate the yahrzeit of the great tzadik, Yesod ha'Olam (foundation of the world), Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai. It is customary to light a bonfire in his honor, representing the great light that he brought to the world through his teachings of Kabbalah.

This week, in Perek Shirah, the donkey proclaims: “Yours, O Lord, are the greatness, and the might, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and on the earth [is Yours]; Yours is the kingdom and [You are He] Who is exalted over everything as the Leader.” (1 Chronicles 29:11) King David recited this verse when he was at the height of his glory, reiterating that everything is from Hashem: glory and kingship, the Heavens and the earth.

This is the week of hod (acknowledgement) in the Counting of the Omer, and therefore it is quite appropriate that the song of the donkey so gracefully acknowledge that everything comes from G-d. The song of the donkey contains all seven emotional sefirot: gedulah is a reference to chesed; then comes gevurah, tiferet, netzach, and hod; hakol is a reference to yesod; and mamlachah, a reference to malchut.

Pesach Sheni is the yahrzeit of Rabbi Meir, one of the greatest Torah scholars of all time. This week also includes the yahrzeit of the great Rabbi Yehuda Bar Ilai. All three men, Rabbi Shimon, Rabbi Meir and Rabbi Yehudah, were disciples of Rabbi Akiva. The Zohar (the main text of Kabbalah, written by Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai) tells us that during this week the Gates of Heaven are wide open.

Rabbi Chanan Morrison, based on the teachings of the Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Kook, helps us better understand the importance of the donkey. Donkeys are considered extremely impure. They have both signs of not being kosher – they do not chew their cud and do not have uncloven hooves. The Zohar teaches that the donkey is so impure that is considered an avi avot hatumah, a great source of impurity (as mentioned previously in Week 12, Kabbalah and Chassidism have the power to elevate even the most impure animals).

Despite being extremely impure, the donkey has a mitzvah that no other non-kosher animal has: "Every firstborn donkey must be redeemed with a lamb."[1] The Talmud, in the tractate of Bechorot (5B), explains that the reason why the donkey has this special mitzvah is because it was instrumental in helping the Jews transport the treasures they had received in Egypt. However, there is also a deeper meaning here: the donkey represents the treasure to be found within each one of us.

The word for donkey in Hebrew, chamor, comes from the word chomer, matter, physicality. In the messianic age, physicality will be merged with spirituality.[2] According to the prophecy of Zachariah, Moshiach will arrive on a donkey!

According to Rav Kook, the Messiah's donkey represents the period of Ikveta d’Mashicha, the time when the “steps” (ikvot) of messianic redemption begins to be heard. Ikvot also comes from the word ekev, which means heel or sole of the foot¸ the roughest and most insensitive part of the body. The era of Ikveta d’Mashicha is one of great spiritual decline, full of chutzpah, deceit, immorality and corruption. However, the Zohar writes that despite their external faults, the generation of this time will be good on the inside. This inner good will be reflected in the special souls of the pre-messianic era. Despite the gloom weighing on their behaviors and beliefs, they will be blessed with an innate holiness, as expressed in their great love for the Jewish people and for the Land of Israel.

The Ikveta d’Mashicha is to be a difficult period, and not all Torah scholars were eager to go through the experience. However, Rav Yosef showed great spiritual strength in saying: "May the Messiah come, and may I have the merit to sit in the shadow of his donkey’s dung."[3] Rav Yosef was accustomed to look at the inner essence of things. He recognized the holiness hidden in this special generation, symbolized by the Messiah’s donkey. Perhaps the above is also the deeper meaning for the statement: "If the earlier generations were like angels, we are like humans. But if they were like humans, we are like donkeys."[4]

Rabbi Moshe Wolfsohn explains that recognizing inner holiness was also the power of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai himself. It is no coincidence that hundreds of thousands of Jews of all backgrounds and levels of religiosity flock to his grave on Lag Ba’Omer. Rabbi Shimon was not only able to understand the deep meaning of the mystical side of the Torah, but he also knew of the enormous value hidden inside every Jew. Just as each of the 600,000 letters of the Torah are special, and essential to a scroll’s validity, so too is each of the 600,000 souls of the Jewish people holy and an essential part of the Jewish people as a whole. If only one letter in a Torah is missing, even if it seems to be the most insignificant one, that Torah is considered invalid and cannot be read in the synagogue. The same goes for the Jewish people and every soul that is part of it. Without even a single soul, even the lowest of the low, we are not complete.

At this level of thinking, one can understand that no one is above anyone else. This understanding is exactly what was lacking to the 24,000 (12,000 pairs) of students of Rabbi Akiva who died during the Counting of the Omer. In a pair, one of the partners might think he is superior to the other in understanding, and come to think that he need not show respect to the other. On the contrary, his partner should show him respect. Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai came into the world to fix this way of thinking.

When one looks at others while focusing on their inner essence, their soul, whose source is the same for all – G-d – there is no room for difference. On this level, we all truly equal, all siblings, children of one Father. This is the primary lesson taught by the Alter Rebbe in chapter 32 (lev, heart) of the Tanya; the Alter Rebbe explains that that this is the secret of how to love your neighbor as yourself. It was Rabbi Akiva who stated that to love your neighbor as yourself is the great general principle of the Torah.

It is also worth noting that while Rabbi Akiva’s deep love for his fellow might have always existed in potential, in the beginning of his life however, he expressed the exact opposite emotion. The Talmud quotes Rabbi Akiva, who states that before became learned, he hated the sages so much that he wanted to bite them like a donkey. His students ask why he did not want to bite them like a dog. Unlike a dog, Rabbi Akiva says, a donkey’s bite can break the bone. The Hebrew word for bone is etzem, which also means essence. Perhaps herein lies the secret to Rabbi Akiva’s teachings, which is connected to Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai’s path mentioned above: Rabbi Akiva was able to transform tremendous hatred into the greatest love by focusing on people’s essence.[5]

The number thirty-three is the number associated with Lag Ba’Omer and Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai. The combination of the Hebrew letters lamed and gimmel spell Lag, but also form the word gal, which means to reveal. One of the Rebbe’s best known ma’amarim on Lag Ba'Omer is entitled “Gal Einai v'Abita Niflaot miToratecha,” a verse in Psalm 119.

The lesson of this week’s Pirkei Avot is the teaching of Rabbi Yochanan the son of Berokah, who states: one who profanes the Name of Heaven in secret, will be punished in public. Either inadvertently or intentionally, it is all the same when it comes to the desecration of the Name (IV:4). This teaching appears related to Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, who sanctified the name of Hashem in secret and then publicly revealed his greatness. Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai spent twelve years in a cave studying Torah with his son. After this long period, he left the cave and spread his teachings to the rest of the Jewish world. (Rabbi Shimon’s additional teaching in Week 43 found along with that of Rabbi Yehudah Bar Ilai, in which Rabbi Shimon praises the importance of the “crown of a good name:” Having a “good name” means being a good example and thereby publicly sanctifying the name of G-d.)

This week’s sefirot combination is hod shebehod, just as Lag Ba’Omer itself. It is a week of tremendous revelation of divine glory. In the yearly count, Lag Ba’Omer is hod shebehod shebehod.

A lesson in self-improvement that we can learn from the song of the donkey is that everything comes from G-d, both what we perceive as bad and also what we perceive as good. Thus, as explained in the previous week, we must not only direct ourselves to Him when we are in trouble, but also thank Him in moments of glory.

---

[1]Exodus 13:13

[2] One of the Baal Shem Tov's teachings: "When you see chamor, a donkey" (Sh'mot 23:5) - when you carefully examine your chomer ("materiality"), your body, you will see... ..."your enemy" - meaning, that your chomer hates your Divine soul that longs for G-dliness and the spiritual, and furthermore, you will see that it is......"lying under its burden" placed upon it - (the body) by G-d, namely, that it should become refined through Torah and mitzvot; but the body is lazy to fulfill them. It may then occur to you that......"you will refrain from helping it" - to enable it to fulfill its mission, and instead you will follow the path of mortification of the flesh to break down the body's crass materiality. However, not in this approach will the light of Torah reside. Rather... ..."you must aid it" - purify the body, refine it, but do not break it by mortification.

There was indeed a method of subordinating the body through afflicting it with ascetic practices, but the Baal Shem Tov rejected this path. He saw the body not as an obstacle to the spirit, something intrinsically evil and unG-dly, but as a potential vehicle for the spiritual, a means for the soul to attain heights otherwise inaccessible. The "enemy" is to be transformed into an ally, an instrument. In great measure the Mitzvot employ gross physical matter to fulfill G-d's will, e.g. leather for tefillin thongs, wool for tzitzit, etc.

http://www.chabad.org/dailystudy/HayomYom.asp?tDate=2/21/2012

[3] Sanhedrin 98b

[4] Talmud, Shabbat 112b

[5] Talmud, Pesachim 49b

Week 34 (from the Book): To Work in a Focused Manner and without Ego

The ox is saying, "Then Moses and the Children of Israel sang this song to G-d, and they said, I shall sing to G-d, for He has triumphed; He has thrown the horse and its rider into the sea." (Exodus 15:1)

Rabbi Yishmael the son of Rabbi Yossi would say: One who learns Torah in order to teach, is given the opportunity to learn and teach. One who learns in order to do, is given the opportunity to learn, teach, observe and do.

Yesod shebeHod (foundation and firmness within the context of glory and gratefulness)

In week thirty-four, as we approach the end of the month of Iyar, in Perek Shirah, the ox declares that Moses and the Children of Israel will sing this song to the Lord, and say: I will sing to the Lord, Who exalts Himself gloriously, horse and rider He has thrown into the sea (Exodus 15:1). It is worth noting that the month of Iyar is linked to the zodiac sign of Taurus.

The ox is the last of the farm animals to sing in Perek Shirah, and its verse is from the introduction to the Song of the Sea. The sheep and the goat, the first farm animals in Perek Shirah, also sing a verse from the Song of the Sea, on Rosh Chodesh Nissan. The cow, the second farm animal mentioned after the sheep and the goat, sings a verse that refers to the Jewish people as Jacob, which reflects a more fragile and humble side of our people (Yaakov comes from the word Ekev, heel). The ox, on the other hand, uses the name Israel, which represents a stronger side. The ox sings as we near the end of the Counting of the Omer. During this journey of liberation, from the beginning of Nissan until now, we make a full transformation Jacob to Israel. The Hebrew word for ox is Shor, which is related to the word Shir (song) and Yashar (upright). This is connected to the very name, Israel, which can be read as Yashar-El (upright one of G-d) and, with a simple inversion of the letters, can mean Shir-El (song of G-d) and even Li-Rosh (to me is the head). As is well known, the song of the ox is in the future tense, a reference to the World to Come.

There is a similar journey within the month of Iyar itself (Taurus in the Zodiac). The first animal this month to sing was the horse, and now at the end of the month, the ox sings about how G-d threw the horse and its rider into the sea. Both the horse and the ox represent strength. However, while the horse’s power reflects somewhat unrestrained military might,[1] the ox is characterized by its humble acceptance of its yoke. The ox’s meat is kosher, while the horse’s meat is not. The ox’s firm acceptance of the yoke of Heaven is what is most precious in the eyes of Hashem.

The ox is also connected to the conquest of the Land of Israel, a general theme of this month of Iyar: “Moab became terrified of the people, for they were numerous, and Moab became disgusted because of the children of Israel. Moab said to the elders of Midian, ‘Now this assembly will eat up everything around us, as the ox eats up the greens of the field.’”[2] As further discussed below, Joseph is called an ox, and Joshua was a direct descendant of Joseph.

The number thirty-four is twice the value of 17, the gematria of tov, good. It is the combination of the first 17 years that Jacob lived with Joseph in Israel, and an additional 17 that he lived with Josef in Egypt, the best years of his life. 34 is also the gematria of Vayechi, the Torah portion that describes Jacob/Israel’s passing. The number 34 therefore also represents this journey from Yaakov to Yisrael, as well as the healing that Jacob experienced after being reunited with Joseph and living the best years of his life in Egypt. Thirty-four is also the gematria of ga’al, “redeemed” in Hebrew.

The Pirkei Avot lesson this week is from Rabbi Yishmael, who teaches that one who studies the Torah in order to teach, is given the opportunity to study and teach; those that study in order to practice, are given the opportunity to study, teach, observe and practice. (IV:5) The words of Rabbi Yishmael are related to the passing of Rabbi Akiva’s students during the days of the omer. Rabbi Akiva’s students died because they did not respect one another sufficiently. Those that thought they knew more than others believed that they should be the one receiving respect instead of giving. The most important aspect of learning is to do so in order to teach and practice, not in order to feed one’s own ego. The latter leads a person to think that his or her Torah knowledge makes them superior to others, defeating the whole purpose of learning in the first place.

On this week, the combination of sefirot results in yesod shebehod. Joseph, who represents the sefirah of yesod, is called an "ox" by Jacob in his blessing to Joseph on his deathbed, which can be found in the weekly Torah portion of Vayechi.

A lesson we may learn from the ox is that we must work on ourselves in a very concentrated and humble way, remembering G-d’s omnipotence. We must always keep in mind that Hashem saved us from our enemies in the past, and does so again in every generation. Therefore, we have nothing to fear.

---

[1] Psalms 20:8, 32:9, and 147:10

[2] Bamidbar 22:3-4

Week 35 (From the Book): To Thank G-d in Unison

The wild animals say: "Blessed is the One Who is good and bestows good." (Talmud, Brachot 48b)

Rabbi Tzadok would say: Do not separate yourself from the community. Do not act as a counselor-at-law (when serving as a judge). Do not make the Torah a crown to magnify yourself with, or a spade with which to dig. So would Hillel say: one who make personal use of the crown of Torah shall perish. Hence, one who benefits himself from the words of Torah, removes his life from the world.

Malchut shebeHod (kingship within the context of glory and gratefulness)

On the thirty-fifth week, in Perek Shirah, the wild animals sing “Blessed is G-d, who is good and bestows good.” (Talmud, Brachot 48b) This week includes both Yom Yerushalayim as well as Rosh Chodesh Sivan. The song of the wild animals is the blessing that is made to G-d according to Jewish law when something substantially good happens. This blessing is called HaTov veHaMetiv, and is used when the level of perceived good is even greater than that of the more familiar blessing of She'ychianu, because it is made when the good affects not only the individual but also others.

The fact that all wild animals, despite their strong and ferocious instincts, are able to sing in unison a song that shows concerns for others, is directly linked to a special quality we find in Rosh Chodesh Sivan. Sivan is marked by the giving of the Torah, which was made possible by the unity within the Jewish people at that time. The Torah relates that it was on Rosh Chodesh Sivan that all people camped at Mount Sinai "as one man with one heart."[1]

The month of Sivan is connected to the tribe of Zevulun, which was known for its merchant skills and its ability to survive in the outside “wild jungle” that is the capitalist world. Zevulun’s commercial prowess also benefited his brother, the tribe of Issachar, which had a more insular lifestyle, dedicating itself completely to the study of Torah. Zevulun fully supported Issachar financially.

The Torah also explicitly compares the Jewish women in Egypt to wild animals, and Rashi further explains that the entire Jewish people are referred to as wild animals, since Benjamin is called a wolf, Judah a lion, Dan a lion cub, etc.[2] Despite our strong personalities and diverse ways of thinking (two Jews, three ideas, as the traditional saying goes), we nevertheless all manage to get along. This closeness and unity, both among Jews and between us and G-d, is also symbolized by the zodiac sign of this month: Gemini (twins).

On Yom Yerushalayim, we celebrate Israel’s miraculous victory during the Six-Day War, when Jerusalem was reunited. There is also a deep connection here with the song of the wild animals, as this day marks the time when something substantially good happened to all of the Jewish people. As mentioned earlier. Nowadays, we only say the blessing of HaTov veHaMetiv when something very good happens. When something substantially bad happens (or at least perceived to be bad in our eyes) we make the blessing Baruch Dayan Emet (Blessed be the True Judge). The Talmud teaches that in Messianic times we will say the blessing of HaTov veHaMetiv (Blessed is G-d, Who is good and bestows good) in all circumstances, because we will understand that even what we once perceived to be bad is ultimately for the good. The same holds true for Yom Yerushalayim. The term Yom Yerushalayim is mentioned in the Psalms as a reference to the destruction of the Temple and of Jerusalem, an event perceived as being very bad, perhaps the worst in our history. After 1967, the term Yom Yerushalayim now refers to the day Jerusalem became liberated, a very good and happy day indeed, in the spirit of the blessing HaTov vehaMetiv. While it is still difficult to understand the meaning behind the great tragedy of the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, at least we now know that the new use of the term Yom Yerushalayim could not have come into being were it not for the first.

Finally, it is worth noting that the song of the wild animals has a double tov, good (HaTov veHaMetiv). As explained in the previous week, the gematria of tov is 17, and twice that amount is 34. This week appears to further build upon this concept.

The number thirty-five is the gematria of the term yehudi, which refers to all Jews, even though the root of the word comes only from the tribe of Judah. The name yehudi appears related to the ability of all the Tribes of Israel to be able to unite behind a single tribe. The first time yehudi appears in Tanach is in Megillat Esther, as a reference to Mordechai, who himself was from the tribe of Benjamin. The entire Jewish people are referred to in the Megillah as “Am Mordechai,” a “Mordechai Nation.”

Thirty-five is formed by the Hebrew letters lamed and heh, the only two letters in the word Hallel, a song of praise sung on Rosh Chodesh Sivan, and also sung by many on Yom Yerushalayim.

The Pirkei Avot lesson for this week comes from Rabbi Tzadok, who states that we must neither separate ourselves from the community, nor act as an advocate (when sitting as a judge); one should neither make the Torah a crown to glorify oneself, nor a spade with which to dig. (IV: 5) The words of Rabbi Tzadok are directly linked the concept of ​​Jewish unity emphasized on Rosh Chodesh Sivan.

It is worth noting that Rabbi Tzadok fasted for forty years to prevent the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai commented regarding Rabbi Tzadok that if there were one more tzadik like him Jerusalem would not have been destroyed. How appropriate therefore is it for Rabbi Tzadok’s words to fall on the week of Yom Yerushalayim!

This week we also complete one more cycle of seven weeks. The sefirot combination results in malchut shebehod. Malchut represents the concept of taking abstract ideas and applying them in the real world. This week, we bring our service of G-d and our pursuit of peace into complete fruition.

A lesson in self-improvement that can be drawn from the song of the wild animals is that everything that G-d does is for the good. Events that appear to be bad for us will ultimately prove to be for our own good.

---

[1] Rashi

[2] Exodus 1:19; Rashi

Week 36 (From the Book): To Have Emunah

The gazelle is saying, "And I shall sing of Your strength, I shall rejoice of Your kindness in the morning, for You were a refuge to me, and a hiding place on the day of my oppression." (Psalms 59:17)

Rabbi Yossi would say: Whoever honors the Torah, is himself honored by the people; whoever degrades the Torah, is himself degraded by the people.

Chesed shebeYesod (kindness within the context of foundation and firmness)

Week thirty-six in the Jewish calendar marks the holiday of Shavuot. The entire week is also known as “Shivah Yemei Miluim,” in which Shavuot sacrifices could still be brought to the Temple. On this week in Perek Shirah, the gazelle praises Hashem’s kindness in the morning, a shelter and refuge in times of trouble. (Psalm 59: 17)

The Hebrew word for gazelle is Tzvi, which has the same gematria as the word emunah, complete faith in Hashem. The word tzvi is composed of three letters, tzadi, beit, yud, and is an acronym for the phrase “tzadik b'emunatoh yichieh,” "a tzadik lives through his faith," a verse from the prophet Habakkuk. The Talmud explains that this verse is actually a summary of the entire Torah that was given to Moses on Mount Sinai on Shavuot.[1]

The song of the gazelle expresses its faith in Hashem, both in the morning and in times of trouble (“night”). A similar concept is found in the beginning of Psalm 92, which states, “It is good to give thanks to the Lord, and to sing to Your name, O Most High; To declare in the morning Your kindness and Your faith at night.”[2] After the troubles we encountered during the Counting of the Omer, which is associated with the night, on Shavuot, we witness the revelation of Hashem, clear as day.[3]

The horns of the gazelle are like a double crown, and we know that the Jewish people also received a double crown on Shavuot, as a reward for their faith in G-d. The Midrash teaches that while other nations refused to accept the Torah, the Jews did not even first ask what was in it. They simply stated, "Na'aseh veNishmah," "We will do and we will listen." The Jewish people willingly accepted to fulfill the commandments of the Torah even before knowing and understanding what they entailed. Hashem therefore gave each Jew two crowns, one for “Na'aseh” (we will do) and another for “Nishmah” (we will hear/understand). Unfortunately, these crowns were later removed after the sin of the golden calf.

The number thirty-six represents the thirty-six secret tzadikim that sustain the world. The number thirty-six is also ​​the total number of Chanukah candles that are lit during the eight days of the holiday. These two concepts seem connected to the light revealed to us on Shavuot, when, due to our efforts during the Counting of the Omer, we are all closer to being on the level of tzadikim. These thirty-six tzadikim are literally the foundation of the world.

This week’s lesson in Pirkei Avot comes from Rabbi Yossi, who teaches that one who honors the Torah will be honored by others, while one who dishonors the Torah, will be dishonored by others. (IV: 8) This lesson is strongly related to the giving of the Torah, as well as to the unfortunate events that took place shortly thereafter. When we accepted the Torah, we were shown great honor, but when we dishonored the Torah with the sin of the golden calf, that honor was taken away.

On this week, the combination of sefirot is chesed shebeyesod, kindness within foundation. On Shavuot, the Jewish people had to stand firm (by not getting too close to the mountain and not letting their souls expire completely from the tremendous Divine revelation), in order receive from G-d the great good that is the Torah. (As the week of Shavuot and the Shivah Yemei Miluim, this week also represents the “eighth week” of the cycle of Hod)

A lesson in self-improvement we may learn from the gazelle is that we must have faith in Hashem at night (during difficult times), knowing full well that the night will eventually pass and we will be able to thank Hashem in the openly revealed light of day.

---

[1] Makkot, 24A

[2] Psalm 92: 2,3

[3] Shem M’Shmuel, Lag Ba’omer

Week 37 (From the Book): To Maintain our Humility and Not Forget the Greatness We Experienced

PEREK SHIRAH: The elephant is saying, "How great are your works, G-d; Your thoughts are tremendously deep." (Psalms 92:6)

PIRKEI AVOT: His son, Rabbi Yishmael would say: One who refrains from serving as a judge avoids hatred, thievery and false oaths. One who frivolously hands down rulings is a fool, wicked and arrogant.

He would also say: Do not judge on your own, for there is none qualified to judge alone, only the One. And do not say, "You must accept my view," for this is their [the majority's] right, not yours.

SEFIROT: Gevurah shebeYesod (discipline and judgment within the context of foundation and firmness)

As we arrive at week thirty-seven, the week after Shavuot, the elephant in Perek Shirah proclaims, "How great are your works, G-d; Your thoughts are tremendously deep." (Psalms 92:6) The Hebrew word for great used by the elephant is gadlu, from the word gadol, big, and the elephant itself is the largest of all the land animals. The verse of the elephant is also from Psalm 92, mentioned in the previous week.

On Shavuot, we were all deeply impressed with the greatness of Hashem and His Torah. After this day of great Divine revelation, we all become higher and greater spiritually. The elephant comes to emphasize to us the greatness of that experience, and that it is important not to let ourselves forget it. Elephants, after all, are renowned for their memory. Physical greatness is also associated with the week after Shavuot because that is when we read the Torah portion of Nasso, the largest one in all of the Five Books of Moses.[1]

The number thirty-seven has the gematria of the root of the word gadol (big). Thirty-seven is also the numerical difference between the name of Moses (345) and Korach (308).[2] The “deep thoughts” mentioned by the elephant may actually be a reference to the rebellion of Korach against Moses and Aaron. 

Korach wanted the leadership position to himself and convinced a susbstantial number of his fellow tribesmen and neighbors to rebel. During his confrontation with Moses and Aaron, Korach and his congregation were miraculously sucked into a deep pit, which Pirkei Avot states was thought of and created by G-d in the very first week of Creation. The Rebbe explains that Korach and his group were brought into the pit while still alive in order that they be granted the opportunity to repent and return to G-d, as did Korach’s sons. This event happened on Rosh Chodesh Sivan, the begnning of this current month, and the Torah portion entitled “Korach,” which recounts this story, is often read communally by the Jewish people during the last days of Sivan.

It is appropriate that Moses is also associated with the elephant, the largest of the land animals, because as noted in Week 4 and Week 23, Moses is also related to the eagle, the largest bird, and the Leviathan, the largest sea animal. Moses was, and will always be, the greatest of all prophets.

The lesson from Pirkei Avot for this week is from Rabbi Yishmael, who teaches that one who refrains from making legal ruling removes himself from enmity, theft and unnecessary oaths: but one that frivolously issues legal decisions is a fool, wicked and arrogant. (IV:7) Rabbi Yishmael also states that the only one who can judge on his own is G-d, and that an individual should not say, “Accept my view,” for that is the right of the majority, not the individual’s.

The teaching of Rabbi Yishmael is connected with the emphasis on unity and harmony linked to the month of Sivan, as well as to the humility necessary in order to properly fulfill the commandments of the Torah. We must do all that is in our power not to aggrandize ourselves at the Torah’s expense, always remembering that only G-d is truly great.

Rabbi Yishmael’s words are also a clear reference to the interactions between Moses and Korach. Korach was an enormously rich person, with a deep-seated enlarged view of himself. During his rebellion against Moses and Aaron, Korach’s claim was based on a concept similar to the latter part of Rabbi Yishmael’s words; that Moses and Aaron should follow the majority and not retain key positions for themselves. Moses explained that Korach’s rebellion was ultimately against G-d Himself, who had chosen him and Aaron as the leaders of the Jewish people. As noted above, G-d does, and will, judge alone.

The combination of sefirot for this week results in gevurah shebeyesod. On this week, we must work with strength and discipline to maintain our solid foundation in our study of Torah and our fulfillment of mitzvot. The elephant represents this strong foundation. After all, who can move an elephant against its will?[3]

Finally, a lesson in self-improvement that we learn from the elephant is that even the largest animal realizes the infinite greatness and depth of Hashem.

---

[1] Nasso has 176 paragraphs; the largest Psalm, 119, has 176 verses; the largest Talmudic tractate, Bava Batra, has 176 folios.

[2]Dr. Akiva G. Belk, “Elazar, Korach, Shuvah, Pride and Depression,” available at http://www.jewishpath.org/gematriaelazarkorachetc.html; http://www.safed-kabbalah.com/Arizal/Korach5761.htm

[3] There also appears to be a connection between the elephant, Pil in Hebrew, and Eliyahu HaNavi. Both have the same gematria, 120; See also Talmud, Brachot 56B, where the description of a dream with an elephant follows the description of a dream with Pinchas, who is Elijah.