English translation — תשא ב

1.

The Rebbe spoke many times about the greatness of the precision in Rashi's commentary on the Torah,

and in general,

that for the most part Rashi does not repeat his commentary twice<sup>1</sup>

see there what Rashi says regarding the Mishkan in Parshat Vayakhel<sup>2</sup>

: "I have already explained the donation of the Mishkan and its work in its place of command"],

except when the second time comes to add a matter or explanation and the like,

or when between the two verses there is an interruption of several parshiyot and all the more so — in another Chumash,

then he repeats the commentary

(in brief at least)

also when it does not come to any explanation,

because it could be that the

(student the)

learner does not remember his commentary from the first time.

All the more so within one parshah itself,

it is not reasonable that one would forget what Rashi explained a few verses earlier,

and consequently it is simple that Rashi does not need to repeat the commentary

(without an addition of a novel idea or explanation).

Based on this, one must understand in our parshah,

where we find that Rashi repeats the same explanation twice: on the verse³

"And I will send an angel before you, and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite",

Rashi quotes from the verse "And I will drive out the Canaanite etc.",

and explains: there are six nations, and the Girgashite stood and withdrew from before them on its own⁴

And also on the subsequent verse⁵

"Behold, I am driving out from before you the Amorite and the Canaanite etc.",

Rashi quotes "the Amorite etc." and explains: there are six nations here, for the Girgashite stood and withdrew from before them.

It is not understandable: why does Rashi need to repeat the same explanation a second time?

B.

There are commentators⁶

who say,

that Rashi repeats the explanation because the second time the verse speaks that the Almighty <b>Himself</b> "will go before them to drive them out",

not through an angel,

as in the previous verse — and therefore Rashi explains,

that nevertheless in <b>this</b> detail there will be no difference,

and also

When "&lt;b&gt;I am &lt;/b&gt;driving out from before you" the other seven nations will not be driven out from the land,

not to wage war with the Jews,

but only Girgashi — as in "And I will send an angel before you."

But this is not smooth,

because: a)

The novelty,

that the seven nations will not go away by themselves even when "My face will go"&lt;sup&gt;7&lt;/sup&gt;,

is not in Rashi; he only explains why the verse does not count Girgashi — and this is understood

(and all the more so)

from that which Rashi had previously explained that "Girgashi stood and turned away from before them."

b)

Granted, if it had stood in the verse that Jews would have war and be victorious because the Almighty goes with them,

the warning of this interpretation is understood: even though "Please let my Lord go in our midst"&lt;b&gt;*&lt;/b&gt;&lt;sup&gt;7&lt;/sup&gt;,

one will still need to come to war with the seven nations and only Girgashi will of itself turn away from before them; but in the verse "Behold, I am driving out from before you the Emorite etc." it does not speak at all about war and

(furthermore)

- the plain sense of the verse implies that here one speaks about a &lt;b&gt;better &lt;/b&gt;manner of conquest: "&lt;b&gt;Behold, I am driving out from before you&lt;/b&gt;" - and according to the above it turns out that the interpretation is in contradiction &lt;b&gt;to the superiority &lt;/b&gt;of "Behold, I am driving out from before you",

because also here it is only "Girgashi stood and turned away from before them"?

c.

The question becomes even stronger:

If according to Rashi's opinion one must explain according to the simple meaning of the verse,

why does the verse count only six nations when there are

Known⁸

that there are seven nations - should Rashi have explained when the verse lists only six nations for the <b>first</b> time

(at least explain <b>earlier</b>)

: we find this several times <b>earlier</b> in Chumash Shemot: twice in Parshat Shemot⁹

and once in Parshat Mishpatim¹⁰

- and there Rashi does not explain at all?

In Parshas Mishpatim one can still explain why Rashi is not mefaresh there,

because immediately at the beginning of the inyan it says there¹¹

"Hinei Anochi sholeiach malach lefanecha" and Rashi explains: "Here they were informed that they would sin in the future and the Shechinah says to them 'Ki lo e'aleh bekirbecha'"¹²,

which this statement is in our parshah where the Almighty told him after the sin of the calf "Veshalachti lefanecha malach etc. ki lo e'aleh bekirbecha etc."; and since it is said that one will learn further in our parshah about this,

Rashi relies also in this detail

(that the verse counts only six nations)

on what he explains later in our parshah¹³.

It is however not understood by the two times in Parshas Shemos,

where the verse enumerates six nations and leaves out Girgashi,

why Rashi does not stop there¹⁴

on this¹⁵.

4.

Also one must understand the variations in language in the commentaries of Rashi in our parshah:

a)

The first time Rashi says "six nations <b>are</b>"¹⁶,

and in the second commentary - "six nations <b>are here</b>"¹⁷.

b)

In his explanation the first time - "&lt;b&gt;and&lt;/b&gt;the Girgashite",

And in the second explanation - "&lt;b&gt;for &lt;/b&gt;the Girgashite".

c)

In the first explanation he concludes "

(from before them)

&lt;b&gt;by itself&lt;/b&gt;",

But the second time he omits the word&lt;sup&gt;18&lt;/sup&gt;.

d)

At the first time Rashi quotes from the verse "&lt;b&gt;And I will drive out &lt;/b&gt;the Canaanite etc.",

At the second time he quotes only "the Amorite etc."

(and not - "Behold I am driving out from before you").

e.

The difference between the verses

that in our parshah and the verses in Parshas Shemos

(and Parshas Bo),

that also in them are counted only six nations,

is simply:

In Parshas Shemos it does not speak about the seven <b>nations</b> themselves,

but about their <b>land</b> — the Almighty promises that He will take the Jews out of Egypt and bring them "to a good and spacious land,

to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the <b>place</b> of the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Amorite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite",

"And I said: I will bring you up from the affliction of Egypt to the <b>land</b> of the Canaanite etc., to a <b>land</b> flowing with milk and honey."

And consequently it is

(in the plain sense of Scripture)

no question why he does not list all seven nations - because this is understood from the plain meaning of the verse: he is

(precedes and)

emphasizes "to a good and broad land, to a land flowing with milk and honey,"

and it can be said that therefore he lists only the nations

(and not Girgashites),

because¹⁹

this virtue of the Land of Israel is primarily in the place of the Canaanite etc.²⁰

- only of the six²¹

nations²².

In our portion, however, it does not speak about the land of the nations,

but rather about

(the expulsion and defeat of)

the nations²³

themselves²⁴

: "And I will send an angel before you and I will drive out the Canaanite etc." - consequently Rashi must here explain why the expulsion of the Girgashites is not mentioned.

6.

In this itself, however, there is a distinction from the first verse regarding the second verse — and the difference is indicated in the words that Rashi quotes from the verse:

By the first verse, Rashi quotes the words “<b>And I will drive out</b> the Canaanite, etc.” — there it speaks of how the Almighty will deliver the nations into the hands of Bnei Yisrael — He will drive out the Canaanite, etc. — immediately an explanation is required: The verse here counts only six — how did the Jews become exempt from the seventh nation,

the Girgashite?

Rashi explains: “They are six nations” — that the

"And I will drive out" refers indeed only to six nations,

and the seventh - "and the Girgashite - stood and departed from before them of its own accord"²⁵.

However, in the second verse the matter of the driving out

(of the nations)

<b>follows </b>that which is stated earlier "Keep for yourself that which I command you today etc."²⁶

and as a <b>preface </b>to the subsequent commands

("Take heed to yourself etc."),

I.

e.

the Torah is here not so much to describe the manner of conduct of the Most High in driving out the nations,

rather this is mentioned as a preface to the subsequent commands to Jews - and therefore it is understood,

that here the question arises

(not,

as above,

how did one become rid of the Girgashite,

but)

: why does the verse not mention here the Girgashite,

since the <b>subsequent commands </b>pertain to <b>all </b>seven nations,

including the Girgashite?

that since it says "הנני <b>גורש </b>מפניך",

and one just learned that "גרגשי עמד ופנה מפניהם",

therefore the verse cannot include גרגשי - because:

א)

הא גופא קשה: why does it indeed say such a language "הנני גורש" which cannot include גרגשי?

Since the verse is here explicitly

(mainly)

the warnings and commands in relation to <b>all</b> the nations - should the verse have used a language that is suitable also for גרגשי?

b)

&lt;b&gt;And the main point&lt;/b&gt;: &lt;b&gt;in our subject &lt;/b&gt;the term "Goresh

(from before You)

" also applies regarding Girgashi.

In the earlier verse "And I will drive out the Canaanite etc." it is understood why "And I will drive out" finishes off Girgashi — because there is the &lt;b&gt;main &lt;/b&gt;place where the verse speaks about the novelty and subject of the expulsion of the nations,

therefore it is not proper to include Girgashi in the expulsion of the seven nations

(because they would think,

that regarding Girgashi the expulsion was in the same manner,

through war etc.)

; but not so in the second verse,

where the expulsion of the nations is mentioned only incidentally,

as an introduction as above.

And after it is proven from earlier that Girgashi "departed from before them",

the language of expulsion

("Behold I am driving out etc.")

is also appropriate regarding Girgashi.

Because the fact that the &lt;b&gt;Almighty &lt;/b&gt;drives out the nations can be in several manners,

including also the manner that He puts into them

(for example)

such terror and fear,

that they flee by themselves&lt;sup&gt;27&lt;/sup&gt;].

7.

Therefore Rashi says that the reason why here only seven nations are counted and not Girgashi is because — "Seven nations &lt;b&gt;are here&lt;/b&gt;": only &lt;b&gt;these seven&lt;/b&gt;&lt;sup&gt;,&lt;/sup&gt;

&lt;b&gt; &lt;/b&gt;nations were

(&lt;b&gt;at the time &lt;/b&gt;of entry into the land)

&lt;b&gt;inhabitants of the land &lt;/b&gt;— and with this it is understood

Why the commands in the continuation of the portion

("Lest you make a covenant with the inhabitant of the land upon which you come...

For you shall tear down their altars, etc.")

were said only in connection with the seven nations,

since regarding the Girgashite it is not necessary to command them - "for the Girgashite stood and departed from before them"

(and Rashi's wording is precise: "for the Girgashite etc."

(not "and the Girgashite" as in the first verse),

because in our case this is a reason why the commands here are not relevant to the Girgashite).

Based on this, it is also understood why Rashi does not say in the second explanation "stood and departed from before them of its own accord": here it is not relevant whether this was of its own accord or not,

but only the very matter that "stood and departed from before them",

and therefore he was not included in the category of "inhabitant of the land" at the time that "you come upon it".

8.

From the matters regarding halacha that one can take out from this Rashi:

Since that "Girgashi stood and turned away from before them" and was at the time of entry not a dweller of the land,

one must investigate whether the subsequent warnings and commands²⁹

apply

(in halacha)

also regarding Girgashi³⁰,

And in particular, in the case when the Bnei Girgashi return to Eretz Yisrael: whether the time of entry into the land is decisive, and since at that time he was not a resident of the land,

regarding him, from the outset, it does not apply³¹

the warning;

Or because at the time of <b>the saying of the command</b> he <b>was</b> a resident of the land, the command also applies regarding him

(And in particular — when he returns to the land),

Jews must also, regarding him, observe all the aforementioned warnings.

From the precision of Rashi's language here "six nations &lt;b&gt;are here &lt;/b&gt;because the Girgashite stood and turned away from before them" it is &lt;b&gt;understood&lt;/b&gt;&lt;sup&gt;32&lt;/sup&gt;,

that that which the command was said only regarding the six nations,

is because in practice only they were &lt;b&gt;there &lt;/b&gt;— "are here because the Girgashite stood and turned away from before them".

But in essence the matter also regarding Girgashite applies the obligation,

(and in particular — and because at the time of the command he also was an inhabitant of the land&lt;sup&gt;33&lt;/sup&gt;,

and consequently this is not nullified even after that)&lt;sup&gt;34&lt;/sup&gt;.

And based on this it is understood what one finds explicitly in Mishneh Torah&lt;sup&gt;35&lt;/sup&gt;

"And the Lord your God will give them before you and you shall strike them, you shall utterly destroy them, not

You shall not make a covenant with them and you shall not show them favor and you shall not intermarry with them..

their altars you shall demolish etc." also regarding Girgashite³⁶

; and one must not force that the commands speak

(only)

regarding Girgashite before "he stood and turned"³⁷,

or about the Girgashites who remained scattered in Eretz Yisrael³⁸

among the other seven nations.

9.

The meaning of the Torah in Rashi's commentary and in the introduction:

The two expressions in Rashi "And the Girgashite stood and withdrew from before them of his own accord",

and "For the Girgashite stood and withdrew from before them" apparently speak about two separate times: according to the first explanation "Six nations &lt;b&gt;they are and&lt;/b&gt;

(And the &lt;b&gt;additional&lt;/b&gt; vav)

the Girgashite stood and withdrew from before them" implies that "And I will drive out" had effect on the six nations and adds

(also on - and after this,

when afterwards it came to Girgashite)

"the Girgashite stood etc."

In the expression "&lt;b&gt;For &lt;/b&gt;the Girgashite stood and withdrew from before them" it is emphasized that this was before "Behold I am driving out from before you",

and according to the simple meaning of the expression: "Six nations &lt;b&gt;are here because &lt;/b&gt;the Girgashite stood and withdrew from before them",

he was not included in "Behold I am driving out from before you".

Which simply was the actual order of events in practice,

that before the Jews entered the Land of Israel

and waged war with the six nations,

"the Girgashite stood and withdrew etc."

And it can be said that it is not a dispute about reality: the majority of the Girgashite went away &lt;b&gt;at first&lt;/b&gt; and its minority

(mixed among the seven nations)

turned away afterwards.

And elsewhere more.

Tenth.

The explanation of this in the inwardness of the matters:

It is known³⁹,

that the seven nations "the Canaanite, the Amorite, etc." are the seven evil qualities which are corresponding opposite from the seven qualities of holiness: Canaanite is Chesed of the husk,

Hittite - Gevurah,

etc.

And the matter of conquering the seven nations is the service to conquer and refine the seven evil qualities,

that each particular nation is the quality which is an opponent to the corresponding quality in holiness.

It is explained in books⁴⁰

the matter of "Girgashite

(withdrew on its own)

that Girgashite is the aspect of Malchus of the husk,

that when one refines and rectifies the six nations

(the Canaanite etc.)

the quality of Malchus becomes refined and rectified in a <b>by itself</b> manner.

Because Malchus is the aspect of Nukva

(of the husk),

which has nothing of its own

(it is only a receiver from the higher qualities),

and when the evil of the six qualities of the husk is nullified,

the aspect of Malchus of the husk becomes nullified in a by itself manner⁴¹.

The concept of the kingdom of the husk in avodah is the aspect of thought, speech, and action in matters of the opposite of the holy.

And when one rectifies the six attributes

(the attribute of kindness — that he should not have any foreign love and lusts; the attribute of severity — to nullify the attribute of anger and the like,

and likewise in the other evil attributes),

then initially there is no place for thought, speech, and action of the opposite of the holy.

For the essence of thought, speech, and action is that they are garments and a result of the attributes — he thinks,

speaks in speech, and acts in action that which the attributes desire and necessitate.

But the action and refinement in the kingdom of the husk can be in a manner,

that before he has clarified and purified his evil attributes,

he conquers his evil inclination,

so that the evil attributes should not emerge in him into thought,

speech, and action.

Regarding the service of a Beinoni,

that the "evil in the left cavity" is "in its strength as at its birth to desire every pleasure of this world ..

and has not been displaced from its place at all",

he, however, overcomes and rules over the evil so that it should not clothe itself in thought, speech and deed].

Yes.

And this is the difference between the two explanations of Rashi:

In the first explanation it speaks about &lt;b&gt;an ordered order&lt;/b&gt; in the conquest of Eretz Yisrael - the conquest and clarification of the seven

(nations)

evil attributes,

and in this is the order "and I will drive out the Canaanite etc.",

one must drive out,

clarify the six nations - attributes,

and then is "and the Girgashite

stood and departed from before them &lt;b&gt;by itself&lt;/b&gt;"&lt;sup&gt;43&lt;/sup&gt;,

becomes in an automatic way "by itself" nullified in the aspect of malchus - the thought,

speech and action in which are clothed the six evil attributes.

In the second verse, however, it does not speak about the <b>order</b> of preparation for Eretz Yisrael,

The conquest and refinement of the seven

(nations)

midot,

but in connection with the <b>commandments and warnings</b> to Jews,

and the service of Torah and mitzvot is primarily in "the deed that they shall do" and "these which you shall not do" — as they must be his thought, speech, and action.

And therefore one cannot say here that "Girgashi stood and cleared out from before them <b>of itself</b>",

because "seven nations <b>are here</b>" — the evil of the seven midot of the kelipah is indeed "in its strength and its might in the left void as its offspring"⁴⁴,

it is only that "the Girgashi stood and cleared out from before them",

d.

d.

e.

e.

that his service is in a manner that the garments of thought,

speech and action are turned away and separated from the evil midot,

Now also this is from the aspect of the "advantage and dominance" of the aspect of wisdom of the "G-dly soul in the brain",

and this gives the power that the "intellects" of the "shell and sitra achra in the left cavity" should be <b>pushed aside</b>

(as explained at length in Tanya⁴²

regarding a Beinoni)

- and therefore one says about this "stood <b>and turned away from them</b>" - it is pushed aside before "the light of the holiness of the G-dly soul"].

And since "the nations <b>are here</b>",

there must be "<b>guard yourself</b>" - a special guarding that they should not affect him

In the attribute this—in the garments of the soul and the limbs of the body as above.

And the service in this clarification of all these seven attributes is the preparation and qualification for the conquest of all ten nations—also Keter Chochmah Binah⁴⁵,

which this will be in actuality in the true and complete redemption,

that one will then have

The land of the seven nations and also Kenei, Kenizi, and Kadmoni⁴⁶

- the complete Land of Israel

("Hashem your God will expand your border"⁴⁷),

very soon through Mashiach our righteousness.

(From the talk of Shabbat Parshat Vayikra-Purim 1980)