Shalom (שלום) — Peace

Core definition

Shalom is the vessel that holds blessing: "lo matza HaKadosh Baruch Hu kli machzik berachah leYisrael ela hashalom" — the Holy One found no vessel holding blessing for Israel but peace (Berachos 64a) [58837/maamar_052 :: עמוד תסה]. Peace and unity are "the vessel holding the upper bestowing in spirituality and physicality" [31654/maamar_012 :: Summary (p. תצב)].

How the Rebbeim develop it

"V'chol banayich limudei Havayah, v'rav shalom banayich" (Yeshayahu 54:13): through learning Torah knowing it is Havayah's Torah — "talmidei Havayah" — then great shalom. The Targum: "all your children will learn in Havayah's Torah, and your children's shalom will be great." Hence "talmidei chachamim marbim shalom ba'olam" (scholars increase peace in the world): "al tikrei banayich ela bunayich" — talmidei chachamim who are "oskim b'binyano shel olam," occupied in the world's building [31628/maamar_005 :: דף עא].

"He compared all the Torah to tefillin": through the Torah "talmidei-chachamim marbim shalom ba'olam" — drawing a gilui Divinity below, so that the world of pirud (division) be in shalom and achdus — "goy echad ba'aretz" (one nation in the land) [58837/maamar_052 :: עמוד תסח]. Through the Torah a mochin-degadlus aspect is drawn, and through this shalom and achdus; anger and kapdanus are from mochin-dekatnus — the great in seichel receives the opposite opinion without anger [58837/maamar_052 :: עמוד תע].

The foundation of Torah and the people's upholding is unity and tzedakah ("v'ahavta l'rei'acha kamocha"): every man a root in the upper man's aspect on the throne — through the souls and hearts' uniting below, the upper roots unite, drawing the flow of all good and chesed from above into the man below [31654/maamar_012 :: Summary (p. תצב)]. "Marbeh tzedakah marbeh shalom": through tzedakah "Yud-Hei" is connected in "Vav-Hei" — the name complete [31654/maamar_012 :: Summary (p. תצג)]. "Ki ein hapanim ha'elyonim me'irim l'matah ela b'itaruta d'letata b'ma'aseh hatzedakah hanikra shalom" — the supernal countenances shine below only through the awakening from below in the deed of tzedakah, which is called shalom [31654/maamar_012 :: Summary (p. תצג)].

Key distinctions

• Shalom as vessel, not content. Peace does not add blessing; it is the kli machzik — the vessel that holds it [58837/maamar_052 :: עמוד תסה].
• Shalom in Yackov's inheritance. Yackov's complete inheritance is "hachesed v'hapachad v'ha'emes v'hashalom" — chesed, fear, truth, and peace — the mercies' middah that includes all [31654/maamar_012 :: Summary (p. תפא)].
• Shalom through Torah. Scholars increase peace because Torah draws mochin-degadlus, in which opposing views can coexist without anger; katnus breeds kapdanus [58837/maamar_052 :: עמוד תע].
• Shalom through unity and tzedakah. The uniting of souls below unites their upper roots; tzedakah is itself called shalom, completing the Divine name [31654/maamar_012 :: Summary (p. תצב–תצג)].
• "Verav shalom banayich." The peace of the children comes from knowing the Torah is Havayah's Torah — "alpin b'Oraysa d'Havayah" [31628/maamar_005 :: דף עא].
• Real vs. nominal shalom. Through mochin-degadlus "is made the birur in wholeness — to be in a real shalom and achdus aspect": the pirud becomes shalom and achdus in truth, not in appearance [58837/maamar_052 :: עמוד תע].

Related concepts

Achdus (unity), tzedakah, "talmidei chachamim marbim shalom ba'olam," birkas kohanim ("Havayah yevarech es amo bashalom"), mochin-degadlus.

Sources

• [58837/maamar_052 :: עמוד תסה] — "Lo matza... ela hashalom": peace as the vessel holding blessing.
• [58837/maamar_052 :: עמוד תסח] — "He compared all the Torah to tefillin"; Torah drawing gilui Divinity so the pirud world is in shalom and achdus.
• [58837/maamar_052 :: עמוד תע] — Mochin-degadlus as the root of shalom; mochin-dekatnus as the root of anger.
• [31628/maamar_005 :: דף עא] — "V'rav shalom banayich"; talmidei chachamim occupied in the world's building.
• [31654/maamar_012 :: Summary (p. תצב)] — Unity and tzedakah as Torah's foundation; peace and unity the vessel for the upper bestowing.
• [31654/maamar_012 :: Summary (p. תצג)] — "Marbeh tzedakah marbeh shalom"; tzedakah called shalom, completing the name.