The Exodus from Egypt, Idolatry, and the Deeper Meaning of Sacrifices: A Lecture According to the Rambam

Introduction: The Order of This Lecture

Rabbosai, today is Erev Shabbos Vayikra, the Shabbos after Shabbos HaChodesh, before Shabbos HaGadol, Shabbos Panim it’s called in certain sefarim.

And we want to continue according to our order to speak a bit deeper about the topic that we spoke about last night at the shiur, al pi nigleh, al pi derech HaRambam.

The simple meaning is, what does nigleh mean? It’s also in the hidden matters, but in a manner that one speaks more intellectually. And this must be the same topic, the same point as it is in a more internal manner.

Chapter 1: The Rambam’s Approach Regarding the Exodus from Egypt

The Superficial Understanding Is Not Enough

And we need to preface here that we learned last night, and we will be’ezras Hashem learn next week in the continuation of the shiur, that there is the approach that the Rambam taught us about Yetzias Mitzrayim, about the importance of Yetzias Mitzrayim, why Yetzias Mitzrayim is an important thing.

This is one approach that is built on the fact that it cannot be, it cannot be that the simple story is enough, just that the Ribbono Shel Olam took the Jews out of Egypt. That is a very small thing, it doesn’t produce any eternal matter, any truly divine matter.

Although it’s not ruled out that someone should simply understand the simple point, the hakaras hatov, the virtue, the deed that the Ribbono Shel Olam took the Jews out of Egypt, that is still a small thing. We understand that the true Ribbono Shel Olam, the true service of God, and even the true service of what it can accomplish for a person, must be a deeper, broader thing than that.

The Innovation of Avraham Avinu and Moshe Rabbeinu

Therefore we learned in the Rambam’s way that the deeper, broader thing has to do with the innovation of Avraham Avinu, which later Moshe Rabbeinu renewed and made deeper, stronger, which are two points:

First Point: The Prohibition of Avodah Zarah – that one may not serve any created thing even though it perhaps deserves honor according to the reasoning of the generation of Enosh.

Second Point: Avodas Hashem – why Avraham Avinu made a mizbe’ach, and Moshe Rabbeinu made mitzvos and mizbechos and a Beis HaMikdash, which is to say that one should serve, one should publicize for the small ones, for the children, for everyone, the subject of the existence of Hashem through the fact that one performs service for Him.

These are the two innovations that we learned according to the way of the Rambam.

The Oath to the Patriarchs – A Completion of Avraham’s Plan

One must add here one thing that I didn’t say then, which we derive that the Rambam brings out there, that the redemption from Egypt was from the Ribbono Shel Olam who kept “and He kept the oath that He swore to your forefathers.”

One must understand that this means to say in depth, not simply that the Ribbono Shel Olam promised, therefore He must fulfill it, that’s simple. But the deeper perspective of this is simply that Yetzias Mitzrayim was the completion of the oath of Avraham Avinu.

The Ribbono Shel Olam promised about Avraham Avinu “in order that he will command his children and his household after him and they will keep the way of Hashem.” This is exactly what gave him an oath that his children will inherit the land.

In other words, Avraham Avinu’s plan, his beginning of the idea of being a nation that knows Hashem, that there should be people who believe, sons and wives, and all their students, all should know Hashem, that was the task of Avraham Avinu. And Moshe Rabbeinu is the completion of this thing.

It happened that in the inheritance of Egypt it was in danger, almost that the principle that Avraham Avinu planted would be forgotten. Moshe Rabbeinu renewed this.

What is said that it is the oath of the patriarchs, doesn’t mean simply to say that the Ribbono Shel Olam promised, therefore it had to happen. It means to say that this is the completion, the thing that Avraham Avinu began, Moshe Rabbeinu finished and carried out and made a much stronger tikkun.

Chapter 2: Knowledge of Hashem and the True One

The Rambam’s Way in Knowledge of Hashem

Now, we indeed learned, and this is what we want in the next shiur on that order to continue, that this is truly the way of the Rambam which is built on the fact that the true knowledge of Hashem, the true way of how a person must have devekus, a person must have knowledge of Hashem, is specifically to know the Ribbono Shel Olam as He is, as one calls it in Chassidic language, above all the worlds, before all the worlds, and after the world was created He remains the same, it doesn’t change Him.

But this is the comprehension that one calls in the end, or “the true One” as the Chovos HaLevavos calls it, the true God who is above everything.

Avodah Zarah Is Not Just Idols

And the Rambam teaches that this is the only one, this is the true innovation of removing avodah zarah. Avodah zarah is all conceptions, all comprehensions, it’s a true divine comprehension.

It’s not just that avodah zarah is not completely false and a lie, like the idol, the one who thinks that one serves the idol, certainly that is completely false. But the inner aspect of avodah zarah, all these levels indeed exist, there indeed are such levels, and the main point of avodas Hashem is specifically to serve the true One, the knowledge of the true One, that is the way.

No Innovation in the Essence of Divinity

Therefore according to this it cannot be, let us understand, according to this it cannot be that Yetzias Mitzrayim is some revelation, is some innovation in matters of divinity. The entire world is not an innovation in matters of divinity, not any thing. The innovation is that people know this, therefore, but in the essential thing there cannot be any innovation, from the day the world was created and onward the world was not created, there cannot be any innovation.

The Innovation Is in the Laws of Avodah Zarah

Rather what, if there is something that was innovated in Yetzias Mitzrayim, it is specifically the point that we call the laws of avodah zarah. The point of nullifying avodah zarah from the world, of overcoming the problem that causes that usually the small ones, the women, the children stumble, because because of this it results, or one begins to make services, altars and the like for all these forces and existences, therefore a mistake results, it becomes corrupted to errors. So the advice that removes the error, removes the subject of avodah zarah, and also the subject of avodas Hashem.

Chapter 3: Sacrifices – The Deeper Meaning of “To Remove Avodah Zarah”

The Question of the Ramban

Regarding this, on the contrary, people think that today one learns Vayikra, everyone remembers that the Rambam said that korbanos are only to remove avodah zarah. One must remember that this is not at all such a simple thing.

People think that if so, the commentators on the Rambam immediately say this, it’s not an innovation that only the Chassidic commentators or like the Narboni already said this, that people think that if so, and the Ramban already asks on him, if so, Avraham Avinu when there was no avodah zarah in the world, why did he need it? Or Adam HaRishon when there was no avodah zarah in the world, why did he need this? “Adam ki yakriv mikem,” yes?

The True Meaning of the Rambam

So the truth is, as the commentators explain, that it’s not correct, because the point that the Rambam means to say when he says that the korbanos are only to remove avodah zarah, he doesn’t mean to say because specifically the idol worshippers had some craziness of offering korbanos, and we should specifically do the same craziness. No, it’s not any craziness at all.

What he means to say is, by the way, that aside from the truth in its truth, from the side of the truth of Torah, from the side of the truth of HaKadosh Baruch Hu, and the truth of Hashem is forever, from that side there is no relevance to service in physicality, it’s not relevant to say that one serves Him with a korban. The true service is only with knowledge, with devekus, and a completely pure thought, and a completely pure devekus, only there is service relevant at all.

The Problem of People in This World

But people live in this world, and this world indeed has first of all an inclination to all the intermediate levels, all the ministers, all the angels, all the sefiros, all the levels. And the people who live in this world, they don’t understand.

One tells them avodas Hashem in the aspect of thought alone, in knowledge alone, perhaps one in a generation understands at all what one is talking about, or even that one in a generation also has a body. Even I hold that I understand, but I also live in a body, I also live among people, I also live in the life of this world, and for my body the upper levels are not understood. My body only understands things that one can see, that one can hear, that one can smell, that one can offer.

The Two Options Without Korbanos

So since it comes out here that there are only two options, there truly isn’t an option that if there wouldn’t be avodah zarah in the world one wouldn’t need korbanos. If there wouldn’t be avodah zarah in the world there wouldn’t be a world. The entire olam hazeh is a piece of avodah zarah. This world is the physicality. What is avodah zarah? To make the physicality more than the spirituality.

So, what is avodah zarah? If there wouldn’t be avodah zarah there would be a piece of avodah zarah, there would be a person, there would be physical servants. And now, and when one lives in the world there are only two options:

First Option: Either to say that avodas Hashem is only in purity of thought and simplicity, which perhaps the upper point, the divine soul, the highest level in the soul, or the highest people in the world, or the one generation that is a generation of knowledge can comprehend at all. But in general, all the parts of the soul, all the parts of people, the wife and children, the masses that one calls them, Klal Yisrael, we don’t understand this at all. And they will do, or they will be complete atheists, which is certainly not a way, or they will be idol worshippers necessarily, because they will understand that one speaks of all these existences, all these levels and existences, and what will they go see? They will think that this is the god, and they will serve avodah zarah.

This is the only option, either that only the one who truly understands is a servant of Hashem, and the others can be usually are distant from avodah zarah.

The Advice of Korbanos

So the advice of korbanos, this is what he says that here there is practical service, korbanos is the greatest practical service, korbanos is not different from laying tefillin in the true sense. People think that a korban is some greater connection, it’s only a greater connection because it’s more explicit, one says that it’s “a fire offering of pleasing aroma to Hashem” etc.

But to build a Beis HaMikdash and a Beis HaMidrash where one doesn’t make korbanos, or to learn a sefer, or do some practical mitzvah, is from the same point. It’s also avodah zarah, from the aspect of what the Ribbono Shel Olam is, it’s foreign to Him, it’s a service in physicality, it’s not a spiritual service, it’s not a service in thought of recognizing the essence of Hashem.

The Rambam’s Answer

To this the Rambam says that we would have lived in a world of existence, not a world of existence, in a world of actions, in a physical world, we wouldn’t have needed services in physicality, we could have indeed served only services in thought.

Since we live in this world which is avodah zarah, so if one wants to serve the Ribbono Shel Olam in this world, this is the way that he says, that if one wants to serve the Ribbono Shel Olam, that even the women and small ones should understand, a whole world should understand, even the wise ones, the wise people of knowledge should understand our service, one must do services that are like avodah zarah. The same thing that idol worshippers do, one must do in physicality, one must be able to show it, one must be able to feel it.

The Hidden and Revealed – The Chasam Sofer’s Explanation

As the Chasam Sofer said, “the hidden things are for Hashem our God,” a person has hidden service, it’s between him and himself, mind and heart. Mind and heart means hidden, that is for Hashem our God, that is service between a person and the Ribbono Shel Olam. But if a person wants to educate his children, he must do what is revealed, he must do services with the body, he must show warmth, he must show, do practical mitzvos. This is “for us and for our children forever.” This is the meaning, this is the secret of korbanos, of corresponding to avodah zarah.

“Corresponding to Avodah Zarah” Doesn’t Mean It Has No True Meaning

One must understand, even when one says that it’s only corresponding to avodah zarah, one doesn’t mean to say that it has no true meaning. It has no true meaning, just as the entire world has no true meaning. But the Ribbono Shel Olam made the world. The simple meaning is, the Ribbono Shel Olam wants avodah zarah so to speak in this sense. I don’t want chas v’shalom avodah zarah, I’m already speaking of the root of avodah zarah, yes?

The Gemara About Avodah Zarah

As it says in the Gemara [Avodah Zarah], the philosophers asked the sages, the gentiles asked the sages, if the Ribbono Shel Olam has no need for avodah zarah, why doesn’t He nullify it?

The sages answered, if one would serve something that has no benefit to the world, He could nullify it. But they serve the sun and the moon, so should He destroy the world because of the fools? Why should the world conduct itself according to its nature? And the fools of all the foundational elements are given over to their judgment?

It’s a very deep Gemara. What does the Gemara say? But the sun is real, he serves through the sun. He doesn’t serve something that has no substance. Something that has no substance would indeed be nullified immediately. He serves something that the world needs. But what is his error? He gives honor to the sun, and he forgets about the Ribbono Shel Olam. That is the error. The Ribbono Shel Olam says,

—

[End of Part 1]

Serving Hashem Through Physicality and the Innovation of Yetzias Mitzrayim

Serving Hashem Through Physicality – Not Avodah Zarah

You are a fool, you are a fool who corrupted, you will be held accountable in the future, you forgot about the Ribbono Shel Olam, you will be held accountable in the future. But the world conducts itself according to its nature, this must continue.

In other words, even in avodas Hashem, one doesn’t serve the sun, chas v’shalom, one serves the Ribbono Shel Olam. But one does it with the sun, one serves the Ribbono Shel Olam. That means, one says “all will thank You,” one serves the Ribbono Shel Olam, okay, this is a physical thing, in a certain sense, the star that one looks at, is the sun, is the moon. Sun and moon and all the hosts of heaven. One doesn’t say chas v’shalom that the sun gives praise to the Ribbono Shel Olam. The Ribbono Shel Olam doesn’t become greater or smaller that the sun gives Him praise. That is smallness, that is no value at all of what the Ribbono Shel Olam is.

Rather what? We live under the sun. So one must give Him praise and thanks through the sun, with the sun. One shows, how great and how beautiful the sun is, how well the sun works, one says, “How great are Your works Hashem, You made them all with wisdom,” etc. etc.

The Depth of Removing Avodah Zarah

And this is the depth when one says that everything is only to remove avodah zarah. One doesn’t mean to say that it could have been different. It could only have been different if there wouldn’t be a world, there wouldn’t be a sun and a moon. Once there is a sun and a moon in physicality, it must be or the only other option is that avodas Hashem should indeed be only above intellect, above comprehension, that means only with intellect, or only with heart, only with service of the heart.

But as long as this world lives, the service must be that is indeed against avodah zarah. And this is simple to understand the point now.

The Way of the Rambam

So we understand now, we said that this is one way, this is certainly the way of the Rambam and the way of truth in one sense, that avodas Hashem is only, the innovation can only be when one serves the true One, the One who is above all body, above all definition. And if there is service that is not so, there is service that has yes said details, here are laws, here are so many korbanos, and so much blood, and so many actions, so the simple meaning is that this is to remove avodah zarah, it must be to remove avodah zarah.

The Innovation of Yetzias Mitzrayim

Now, this was the innovation of Yetzias Mitzrayim. Yetzias Mitzrayim was innovated that one must go, and one can, one must go against avodah zarah, one must go against the existence of the bodies, of the physicality in the world, which they are the avodah zarah, all the forces appointed over the world. This is the innovation of Yetzias Mitzrayim, of Toras Moshe, of Avraham Avinu, this is what was innovated.

The “Opposite Meaning” – R’ Ezra’s Approach Regarding Pharaoh

What I want to say now, and we will learn, that there is a bit of an opposite meaning. We need to be precise if it’s truly opposite. According to what I think at the start of the shiur, one should seemingly say that it’s not truly opposite. But there is an opposite meaning.

Pharaoh and the Approach of the Rambam

Jacob’s Strategy with Esau and the Foundation of Power from Below Affecting Above

Chapter 3: Jacob’s True Plan

The Fundamental Question: Why Did Jacob Send Messengers to Esau?

What was the plan? And yet he wanted to solve it. But there is a question: What does Jacob want? Why does Jacob send messengers to Esau? The Midrash says that he could have left him alone, Esau is going his way, he could have left him like that. Why did he need to send him messengers at all?

The Answer: A Diplomatic Strategy of Awakening Esau

And the answer must be, and the Zohar hints that it goes with this answer — he explains a certain way to understand — but the answer must be that Jacob understood, sought, this was his way how he began diplomatically, and a whole story, and in the end “let me speak to my master,” yes?

He wanted through this he will arouse Esau, he will provoke him, until Esau will be subdued to Jacob. This was essentially Jacob’s plan — that’s why Jacob called Esau at all.

The Two Ways to Understand Jacob’s Words

And all the words that Jacob says, one can read them in a way of submission, yes, as Rashi learns — it’s one way to learn in a way of submission. But one can also learn it underground, secretly one can learn it in a way of the opposite of submission. One can learn it in the manner of saying that here Jacob reveals why Esau will actually fall before him, how — in other words — if one learns in the nimshal (application) of it, how the Jews overcome Esau, the problems of this world, of idolatry.

“And I Have Oxen and Donkeys, Sheep and Servants and Maidservants” — The Deeper Meaning

Jacob’s Learning by Laban: How to Rule Over the Forces of Evil

And what does he tell him? He tells him thus: “And I have oxen and donkeys, sheep and servants and maidservants.” What does this come in here? What he wants to say is, Jacob our father tells him: Did I go to Laban and just become stuck there, I had nothing to do? No! I went to Laban, I learned how to take care.

Laban was the great deceiver, he twisted heads all day long, and I learned from him how to be in control, how to take care, to deal with the problems, and one is in control of them.

The Difference Between the House of Shem and Ever and the Work by Laban

One can say it simply, yes? Jacob our father was in the house of Shem and Ever for fourteen years, he learned how to serve the Almighty in yeshiva, how to sit separated from the world etc. Afterwards he went to Laban, and he worked: “Stolen by day and stolen by night, by day the heat consumed me and the frost by night.” He sat and worked by day and by night.

And then Jacob our father carried out how to be a Jew, how to be a person, how to be one of the forefathers, when one works with Laban, with all the ways of this world. Not like the service of God separate, which is, as Chanoch understood it — that was unique to individuals, and all the righteous who were before him — but the way of Abraham our father, the true way of Moses our teacher.

Ox and Donkey: The Two Great Heads of the Kelipah

He says, Jacob our father: “And I have oxen and donkeys.” I had, I have under me, I am in control of ox and donkey. Ox and donkey is a hint to the two great heads of the kelipah.

Let’s say ox and donkey, which everyone knows: an ox is a damaging ox, a donkey is a donkey that helps, but he’s not a great tzaddik. One puts them together — it says “You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together.” The Zohar learns that with an ox alone one can figure out a solution, with a donkey alone one can figure out a solution, but both together one cannot figure out a solution.

Ox and donkey together — let’s say the combination of the kelipah, both together — when the kelipah has a feminine light, it’s very hard to figure out a solution. Jacob our father says: “And I have oxen and donkeys” — I know how to figure out a solution with the ox and the donkey.

Ox: The Power of Idolatry

An ox is also “The tongue of the righteous is choice silver” — an ox is one who has a portion, yes. An ox, one sees that from an ox comes idolatry, the calf emerges. “An ox eats grass,” yes. From the ox one can think that this is a way to worship idolatry. Jacob our father says: “And I have oxen and donkeys.”

Sheep and Servants and Maidservants: The Next Levels of This World

Afterwards he says: “Sheep and servants and maidservants.” What does “sheep and servants and maidservants” mean? Further, sheep means the next levels of things of this world, which are in control in this world, and they are called sheep and servants and maidservants.

The Zohar says: The sheep and servants and maidservants, these are the lower crowns, the lower levels that the Almighty killed in Egypt. How does he know? It says that the Almighty killed in Egypt: “From the firstborn of man to the firstborn of beast, to the firstborn of the captive, to the firstborn of the maidservant” — this is the sheep, killed the sheep, firstborn of beast, and the servants and maidservants.

Servants and maidservants — in other words — servants and maidservants hint at levels that must be servants to the higher superior levels. There is a level that is lower, that is a servant. Just as a person is a servant, is in control, is “a servant when he becomes king,” is a “house of bondage” — the servant means that he rules over us, this is idolatry, is the servant.

Servants of God, the entire host of heaven who are truly the servants, and in the end they become the kings — this is “under a servant when he becomes king.” But Jacob our father said “And I have oxen and donkeys, sheep and servants and maidservants.”

Why Did Moses Our Teacher Change “Seh” to “Tzon”?

And what does one see clearly from here? That tzon (flock) — this is what Moses our teacher said. By Jacob it doesn’t say seh (lamb). Why did Moses change the word seh to the word tzon? To hint to the Jews the word tzon that Jacob said: sheep and servants and maidservants. And he wanted to tell them: Through your taking the tzon, the servants and maidservants will return to being servants and maidservants.

This is the meaning of the Zohar on “ox and donkey, sheep and servants and maidservants,” on the verse “Draw out and take for yourselves sheep.”

The Foundation of “You Do the Deed Below and I Will Break Their Power Above”

The Zohar’s Explanation on “Draw Out and Take for Yourselves Sheep”

The Zohar says thus, the Almighty, the Holy One Blessed Be He says: “You do the deed below and I will break their power above.”

You will do the deed of taking a lamb for the house of the fathers below, and I will break their power from above. What does this mean? The meaning is thus: that the Zohar brings in here its approach to all mitzvot.

The Principle of the Forces of Impurity and How One Goes Against Them

In other words, the Zohar says that there is indeed a power, there is indeed such a thing called the sheep and servants and maidservants, the forces of impurity, the forces of evil, which are the sheep and servants and maidservants, and they are a great power. How can a Jew go against this? Yes?

How can a person — one says thus — if the Torah is an angel and I am a person, how can I go against it? Or we’re speaking now of the foundations of idolatry, one must ask thus: What does it mean?

The Speaker Begins to Explain the Question

It’s very nice, I will translate a bit of the Zohar, and I will begin a bit, because one says such a way thus, but he will explain it. It’s very cute, it’s very cute to say this. But how can one say this?

The Great Question: How Can a Person Go Against the Heavenly Powers?

The Problem of Living Under the Sun

I don’t understand: Don’t you need the sun? Don’t you need to come to the sun? Can’t you live without the sun? Can’t you live on the Almighty directly without the sun? You live under the sun. Should you go above the sun — fine, your body lives, right now you live below the sun.

And what does it mean I don’t decree the sun? What is the meaning? How can such a thing be? “This month is for you” — we are in control of the month. This means the month is on top of you, just like the moon, the lowest thing of the stars, the lowest of the heavenly bodies.

Further, the dominion is greater than you. So he says: Serving idolatry — “for the height is against your face” — you’re going to go against the power of the sun, it’s stronger than you, it will win. This is the fact: the world goes according to its nature, we are under the sun. What’s going on here?

Why the Ancient Sages Served the Sun

For this the Zohar learns that it must be that if it was indeed, if Moses our teacher came with such a novelty… the Rambam even thought two lines about the problem, which here there shouldn’t be any problem, because the Zohar completes it.

Moses our teacher says: We’re not just going to serve the Almighty, but we’re not going to go against the sun, and we’re also not going to make service to God — okay, that’s already the next level.

Well, it’s difficult: I don’t understand, what does it mean? What, you’re going to go against the sun? You’re going to be stronger than the sun? The Almighty is stronger than the sun, but you’re not. The sun will be angry at you.

Ah, the sun can’t be angry? The angel of the sun — I know — he can be angry. In other words, what does it mean? You’re not going to decree the sun, and you’re only going to serve the Almighty? And how will that work?

It’s Indeed a Difficult Matter: Why the Ancient Sages Served the Sun

It’s indeed a difficult matter, it’s indeed a tremendous question why all these ancient sages served the sun. They said: We need to reach the sun. The Almighty stands at the top of it — okay, they say, we’ll talk about the top later, we’ll forget about the Almighty Himself. Let it be so, what are you going to do with the sun? There’s a problem.

The Zohar’s Answer: The Action Below Effects Above

The Principle: Above Cannot Effect Below Without an Action Below

On this the Zohar teaches an answer, and the Zohar argues that it’s true, and the Zohar wants to say that through this there is such a principle: that everything above cannot effect below.

It’s a great novelty for the simple understanding, because below means that we are under the sun, it stands that the sun is stronger, greater, on top of us. Says the Zohar: Okay, in one way this is true, but there is some way how you can understand, as he says: You want us to turn things below to turn things above.

Slaughtering the Sheep: A Sign That Effects Above

In other words, through the fact that the people here go to break the sheep — the sheep, you say to him the sun as a parable, but the sheep receives the power from, as they say, the Ramban and the Rambam bring: the constellation of Aries [mazal taleh], which is the head of the constellations, the greatest constellation — so you go make a sign with slaughtering the sheep.

Because the Egyptians, why do they serve the sheep? Because it’s a sign for the constellation. You make a sign in reverse, you slaughter the sheep.

Not Only That We Don’t Serve Idolatry — But We Weaken the Power Above

Says the Zohar: But not simply you go slaughter the sheep, and afterwards they won’t be able to make the sheep above, the constellation of Aries, or an even higher level, the angel appointed over the constellation of Aries, not make any idolatry. No, what does he say? Even better: with the fact that you go slaughter the sheep, you will make that the constellation of Aries above should have less power, or at least the… I don’t know if the constellation of Aries perhaps is a good thing, but the simple meaning is: when Pharaoh serves the constellation of Aries, somehow the constellation of Aries gets a power, but the power is an evil power.

The Deeper Question: Is the Constellation of Aries an Evil Thing?

What does an evil power mean? Is the constellation of Aries an evil thing? It’s not an evil thing, the constellation is not idolatry. Even if we’ll say what was said earlier, we’ll say it’s idolatry — the constellation of Aries is not idolatry. What is the idolatry? Another deeper level.

In other words, let’s say, there is…

[The speaker begins to introduce a deeper point about the true idolatry, which is an even deeper level than the constellation itself]

Nullification of Idolatry Above and Below: The True Role of the Constellation of Aries

Chapter 4: The Constellation of Aries Is Not Essentially Evil

The Parable of the Electric Company

The Speaker:

What does an evil power mean? How can the constellation of Aries be an evil thing? No, it’s not an evil thing. The constellation is not the side of evil. Even if we say what the kabbalists said earlier, and it was said that it’s the side of evil, the constellation itself is not the side of evil. What is the side of evil? Another deeper level.

In other words, let’s say there’s a way, there’s something… let’s say a physical parable, let’s say there’s like an energy, electricity comes from the station, that’s the constellation, and one plugs in correctly to that station, one receives power.

What does a wicked person do? He plugs in some little destroyer, and through this he destroys. One can say that he destroys not only himself, he destroys the source as well. Because now they say, the electric company, and one goes to argue in, one bombards their electric company. What did the electric company do wrong? Electricity is good. Yes, but he is the evil side of the electric company. He gives power for those who make bombs to kill people, to kill Jews. That’s the side of evil.

How the Egyptians Took Power from the Constellation of Aries

The same thing, when the Egyptian took their approach how they served the prince, they connected to the prince, the sheep. He says, a sheep is a connection, is a sign to the celestial sheep, to the constellation of Aries. Through this they received the power of the constellation of Aries. And now the constellation of Aries became wicked, so to speak.

Desecration of God’s Name Through Misuse of Power

It’s like, one can’t, it’s the language of David Your servant, but it’s said even about the Almighty as well. When a person takes the Almighty’s power, and with the power that the Almighty gave in him he does evil, they say about the Almighty. As they say, “Lo yanuach shevet harasha al goral hatzadikim” [the scepter of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous], he makes a desecration of God’s name. Yes? They say about the Almighty, look what the Almighty does. The Almighty is today. Yes, the Almighty is power, it’s not His choice, it’s the person’s choice that He placed in him, in general, let’s say. But it’s desecrated, it’s said about this.

Just as they say when there’s a son who goes to evil culture, they say that “God’s name is desecrated.” Why is God’s name desecrated? One can always say, he gave him a good education. But even let’s say it’s clear that he gave him the best education, a person has free choice, his son can go in his ways. But the father’s power is desecrated. The father’s power becomes desecrated. Now the father’s power went to idolatry.

The same thing, when one makes the sheep into an idol, one takes the power from the celestial sheep through the earthly sheep in Egypt, and they make from it an idol, and use it for all kinds of lusts that they do there with the sheep, they enslave the Jews, innocent Jews, the sheep above becomes an idol.

Nullification of the Husk Within It — Not Nullification of the Constellation Itself

Why One Cannot Nullify the Constellation of Aries Itself

What is the Almighty, can one not nullify the constellation of Aries? Even let’s say someone says that there are forces of the husk, can one nullify the forces of the husk? For the moment perhaps. If there is a power that’s called a husk, it seems there’s a reason why it should be. It cannot be nullified.

What must be nullified is the husk within it, and thus the lower part… One does this below, one slaughters the sheep below, one removes the error, one says one never serves the sheep.

Slaughtering the Sheep — Nullifying the Error

In other words, no error comes out from it at all. Someone says that it’s the god, “Eleh elohecha Yisrael” [This is your god, Israel]? No, it’s not a god, it’s nothing, it’s like a sheep, one can eat it in one day. One doesn’t need to roast it, one can eat the whole thing in one night, until midnight the sheep is finished. And with this it’s redeemed above as well.

Redemption of the Hosts — Redemption of the Angels

“When You Went Out from Egypt with Hosts”

Where, think about it, when the Jews were redeemed, when the Jews were redeemed, not only the Jews were redeemed, all the stars were redeemed with them. “Ketzetkha me’ein tzeva’ot” [when you went out from Egypt with the hosts], they say in the Hoshanos, “Ve’imam malakhei tzeva’ot” [and with them the angels of hosts].

When “Kol tzivot Yisrael yatzu me’eretz Mitzrayim” [all the hosts of Israel went out from the land of Egypt] were redeemed, “Ve’imam nig’alu malakhei tzeva’ot” [and with them the angels of hosts were redeemed], the angels, the hosts of heaven, “Kol tzeva hashamayim asher lo tziviti” [all the hosts of heaven which I did not command], “Ve’etkhem hotzi Hashem vayotzi etkhem mikur habarzel miMitzrayim” [and you the Lord brought out, and He brought you out from the iron furnace from Egypt].

Visitation Upon the Hosts Above

When the nations went out, the servants, the angels, the “tzeva’ot asher lo tziviti” [hosts which I did not command], the hosts become idolatry. One must give them a full judgment. As it stands tomorrow, the last one erred with the crocodile, he thought that he was a god, he gave him a full judgment for the crocodile.

What does this mean? Did the crocodile sin? He sinned! What does this mean to bring out? That now he became a root of evil, in his name one does evil, because he also came to some error from this. So one strikes, whom does one strike? One strikes someone below. Strike the tree, break the power below, break the power of powers below, and the Almighty breaks it above.

The Difference Between Idolatry and Holiness

The True Role of the Sheep

In other words, one says now, the Almighty has everything, the beginning of creation, and the Almighty was always above, it’s not the simple meaning that there was once an angel who turned us away from the Almighty. God forbid, such a thing… but people thought so, people felt so, it comes out that the angel is indeed evil. When we broke his power below, his power is broken above.

Says the Almighty, that is, now they say about the Almighty, that means that one must redeem the Almighty as well from the exile of the Divine Presence, like Egypt and the constellation of Aries, that it itself becomes destroyed. They say that it’s broken, yes, people say that yes, broken this. No, they say now that it’s not so.

That when the Jew takes the sheep and he breaks the power of the sheep, the sheep is also redeemed, it loses its power. That is, it loses its power, loses its evil power within it, it loses its husk, the side of evil sheep, one can say the side of evil sheep becomes nullified and hidden, it becomes holy, it becomes only a good sheep.

The Jews’ Use of the Sheep

And do you want the good sheep? The Jews eat, the Jews have a good meal, a good feast, a good Seder night, a good Passover offering from the sheep, because that’s the true sheep, from this it was made. The constellation of Aries was not made that one should serve it and one should use power with it, I don’t know what, to enslave the Jews. No, it was made that the Jews should be free.

Answer to the Question: Is This Also Idolatry?

So then, yes, take this, you can ask a question, yes? You make, you say that you break idolatry, you also make idolatry. After all, you use it for another way of service. His way of service is specifically not “may all evil and fasting dry up Egypt,” and your way of service is specifically yes to eat, and you say that one sprinkles your blood, and this is a charm that there should be salvation. It’s funny.

No, the answer is, certainly I also use it. I also live in the world. I don’t say that I don’t need any sheep, I also need the sheep. But I need it differently, not the side of evil sheep, but the holy sheep. I need the sheep in order to make the Passover offering, while you need it in order to serve, in order to take from this power in order to do I don’t know what filth you do with this. That’s the whole difference. And this is the true breaking of the husk.

Breaking the Husk — Finish the Sins and Not the Sinners

Rabbi Meir’s Principle

We’ve already learned a principle from before that Rabbi Meir says, that breaking the husk is that one breaks the husk. And breaking the husk means that one makes it “Tamem chata’im velo chata’im” [finish the sins and not the sinners].

Tamem chata’im velo chata’im doesn’t mean that it’s a pity, poor thing, one should have finished the sins, but okay, one must finish the sins, but it’s a pity, sins and not sinners. No, sins is a greater nullification, yes? It’s a nullification of idolatry, it becomes finished. There is no sin, no sin. The sin also becomes finished, yes? Finish completely, simply finish completely means the sin itself, the sin. The author of Midrash Talpiot says this. But it’s not a problem at all.

When the Servant Becomes a Servant

Why did one establish the sin? That it’s a sin, it’s finished as a sin. That means that Esau is not a problem, he is a sheep and a lowly servant. Now that he’s the servant, that means he’s good.

Says Jacob our father, “Vayehi li” [and it became mine], says Jacob our father, “I have sheep.” One can ask a question, do you have all the husks? Says Jacob our father, “I have under my hand.” Okay. Another way he’s not a husk. A husk is when he thinks that he’s the head. When he’s a servant, the sheep and lowly servant.

The Plague of the Firstborn — Nullification of the Birthright of the Husks

The Almighty Killed All the Firstborn of Egypt

That is, the Almighty killed all the firstborn of Egypt. What does firstborn mean? Firstborn means that he thinks that he’s the head, yes? Firstborn is the head. When the sheep, when the servant, thinks that he’s a firstborn, one must kill him. One kills his birthright, and one gives the birthright to the Jews.

“My Son, My Firstborn, Israel”

Now the Jews say, “Beni bekhori Yisrael” [My son, My firstborn, Israel]. When the Jews become firstborn, they don’t say, but the Zohar says this thing in reverse, they say, “We are a firstborn to God.” Our offering is “Pesach hu laHashem” [it is a Passover offering to the Lord]. Thus the verse brings out, “Pesach hu laHashem.” What does “Pesach hu laHashem” mean? For whom is it? “Pesach hu laHashem.”

The Zohar’s Explanation of “It Is a Passover Offering to the Lord”

Says the Zohar, “Pesach hu laHashem” at the end of the whole piece, “Pesach hu laHashem” means, “Le’afka pesach la’avodah zarah, le’afka sitra achra deMitzrayim garim leih” [to take out the Passover from idolatry, to take out the other side of Egypt that caused it]. Now it’s a “Pesach hu laHashem.”

Summary: The Great Principle of the Zohar

Nullification of Idolatry Is Not Only Below

I hope it’s somewhat opened to explain how one way in Kabbalah is also that the whole novelty of Egypt is only nullification of idolatry. But the Zohar adds that nullification of idolatry is not only below, it’s also above. Because when one serves Esau, Esau becomes, the constellation of Esau above, becomes defiled, becomes an idol. And we must strike.

“The Lord Will Visit Upon the Host of Heaven in Heaven”

And when the Almighty “Yifkod Hashem al tzeva hamarom bamarom ve’al malkhei ha’adamah al ha’adamah” [the Lord will visit upon the host of heaven in heaven and upon the kings of the earth on the earth], that’s the meaning. The Almighty strikes, so to speak, the host of heaven.

How does He strike it? Not alone. It cannot be alone. But through the fact that before this the Jews had to make a Passover offering. The Jews’ Passover offering, this caused the plague of the firstborn. This is a very important principle.

The Zohar Elaborates in Parashat Bo

The Zohar elaborates on this. The entire Parashat Bo he elaborates on this. He asks the question, why couldn’t the Almighty know by Himself? The answer is, the Almighty, it works through, specifically through “Laset laset” [to carry and to place]. To say that the Almighty can by Himself, this was known without this.

The True Meaning of Nullification of the Husk

It must be, because there cannot truly be a husk, there is only a husk in the minds of people, that people think. And we must make to break the power of Satan below, and through this the power is broken above.

And this is deeper learned what the Rambam said, that the novelty was that one doesn’t serve idolatry, one doesn’t serve the stars and constellations. Now you understand that it’s so to speak, someone says the Zohar says not only one doesn’t serve, but the power of the stars and constellations was indeed broken.

The Conclusion: Through the Offering of the Passover Sacrifice

But one must remember what the Zohar says not that it was broken by itself, it was broken through this that the Jews offered the Passover sacrifice. The offering of the Passover sacrifice doesn’t become simply a small thing, one says that it’s a physical thing, it becomes, one says that it becomes, it opens up in the upper worlds.

In other words, the side of evil measure for measure truly becomes finished, the side of evil princes appointed etc., that’s the attachment.

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[End of Part 4]