English translation — פה"ח

Parshat HaChodesh<pg>206</pg>

A.

We read in the Yerushalmi<sup>1</sup>

: "Rabbi Ba in the name of Rabbi Chiyya bar Ashi: we do not interrupt between Purim and Parah,

Rabbi Levi in the name of R. Chiya bar Chanina<sup>2</sup>

we do not interrupt between Parah and HaChodesh.

Said Rabbi Levi: their sign of these portions,

between these cups

[regarding the four cups of the night of Pesach we learned<sup>3</sup>

between these cups, meaning between the first cup and the second, and between the second and the third.

Korban HaEdah]

if he wanted to drink, he may drink,

between the third and the fourth he may not drink."

That is,

that Rebbe Levi decides according to the opinion of R. Chiya bar Chanina⁴

that "we do not interrupt between Parah and the month",

and as a proof and strengthening he gave a sign from the law of interruption regarding the four cups of the Passover night,

that between the third and fourth cup "he should not drink".

And one should examine this sign of Rebbe Levi,

for although we find something similar in many places in the Torah

(that the Sages gave signs regarding specific matters,

for the benefit of remembering the things⁵

and the like)

— nevertheless

[besides this,

that also in those places there is room to say

(since all matters of the Torah are with precision)

that there is some connection in content between the sign and the thing upon which the sign is given,

nevertheless]

in our case,

that Rebbe Levi took this sign as support in deciding the halachah

(according to the opinion of R. Chiya bar Chanina),

certainly it is reasonable to say that there is in this sign a connection to the subject of the halachah.

Also it is puzzling: In the Yerushalmi there it continues

(after the sign of Rabbi Levi)

: "Rabbi Levi in the name of Rabbi Chama bar Chanina it is proper that the month should precede the heifer, for on the first of Nissan the Mishkan was erected and on the second the heifer was burned, and why does the heifer precede? Because it is the purification of all Israel"<sup>6</sup>,

And the Korban HaEidah explains there

(and its source is in the Ran<sup>7</sup>),

that this is the reason of Rabbi Chama bar Chanina that we do not interrupt between the heifer and the month,

because "it is not proper to interrupt between the heifer and the month, so that it should not precede too much, since it was fitting to be later."

But according to this it is not understood why the Talmud interrupted between the two statements of Rabbi Levi in the name of Rabbi Chama bar Chanina — that is, between the actual law and the reason for the law — with the statement of Rabbi Levi

(from his own opinion<sup>8</sup>)

regarding the sign that "between the third and the fourth he should not drink"<sup>9</sup>?

2.

And we must explain this by prefacing the reason for the enactment of reading the portion of Parah and the portion of HaChodesh,

that the reading of the portion of Parah is “to warn Israel to purify themselves so that they perform their Paschal offerings in purity”¹⁰,

and the portion of HaChodesh is because “therein is the passage of the Paschal offering”¹¹

[for just as<pg>207</pg>

in Egypt Moshe warned Israel about performing the Paschal offering on Rosh Chodesh Nissan¹²,

so too for generations they read the portion of HaChodesh “wherein is the passage of the Paschal offering” close to Rosh Chodesh Nissan

(or on Rosh Chodesh Nissan itself)].

And based on this, there is room to define the enactment of reading these two portions in two ways:

a)

These two readings are from the outset one enactment¹³,

which is divided into two — meaning that on the Shabbats between Purim and Passover one reads in the Torah two portions as preparations for making the Passover: in one they read about the purity required so that "they may make their Passover offerings in purity",

and in the second they read the portion of HaChodesh "where the portion of Passover is".

b)

These two readings are two different enactments

[in the manner of the two first portions,

Parshat Shekalim and Parshat Zachor,

which are two different matters,

that the reading of Parshat Shekalim is "to announce that they should bring their shekels in Adar"¹⁴,

and "Zachor" — "to connect the eradication of Amalek to the eradication of Haman"¹⁵]

— that the main enactment of reading Parshat Parah is to warn about the matter of impurity and purity

(in general)¹⁶,

except that they enacted to read it at this time

(in proximity to Passover)

because this warning pertains to the making of the Passover offering.

And according to this, it can be said,

that Rebbe Levi

(from his own opinion)

holds like Rebbe Chanina regarding the essence of the law

(that we do not interrupt)

but not for his reason,

that they disagree whether they are two enactments or one enactment:

The reason of R. Chiya bar Chanina that "we do not interrupt between Parah and HaChodesh",

is because he holds that originally they are like one reading

(enactment)

one,

the preparation for the making of the Passover,

and the reading of Parshat Parah is like a prior detail

(their purification of Israel)

in the reading of Parshat HaChodesh

(the making of the Passover),

and therefore it is understood simply that there is no place to interrupt between them.

And this is his intention in his statement "And why does Parah precede because it is their purification of all Israel",

that this explains also the reason that we do not interrupt between Parshat Parah and HaChodesh,

because by the precedence of Parshat Parah to Parshat HaChodesh

(because "it is their purification of all Israel")

it is emphasized that the making of the Passover

(Parshat HaChodesh)

depends on "their purification of all Israel"¹⁷

[in the language of the Midrash¹⁸

"eaters of the Passover need it

(the statute of the Parah)

"],

and from this it is understood that we do not interrupt between them¹⁹

(as above).

But Rabbi Levi does not hold thus,

for in this that he gave a sign

(for the law of R. Ch.)

from the law of "between the shel-

shi to the fourth he shall not drink" — his intention is to define the enactment of the reading,

that the enactment of reading all four parshiyot

(including P. Parah and P. HaChodesh)

is in the manner of the enactment of the four cups:

Just as the four cups of the Passover seder,

behold "each and every one is a commandment in its own right"²⁰,

and "each cup was instituted for a specific matter"²¹

[The first cup one recites over it the sanctification of the day,

the second cup one reads over it the Haggadah,

the third cup one recites over it the Grace after Meals,

the fourth cup one concludes over it the Hallel and recites over it the blessing of song²²]

; and that one does not drink between the third cup and the fourth cup is not because there is a connection between them

(because of which one may not interrupt between them),

but for a completely different reason²³

—

Similarly is it regarding the institution of reading the four portions,

that they are four

(institutions and)

different readings,

for the reading of the portion of the Red Heifer is not part of the institution of reading the portion of the month,

but rather it is a matter in its own right,

and that one does not interrupt between the Red Heifer and the month is due to an additional law.

3.

And one must explain the opinion of Rabbi Levi according to what is brought in several poskim²⁴

the reason for what is stated in the Mishnah²⁵

that on

[Shabbat]

the third

[they read]

the Red Heifer" — "because²⁶

they ask about the laws of Passover before Passover thirty days²⁷,

to remind that they should make the Passover in purity."

And behold, this law of thirty days before the festival they ask and expound upon the laws of the festival is not only regarding Passover,

but regarding all the festivals,

and as explained at length in the Shulchan Aruch of our master the Baal HaTanya²⁸

regarding the reason for this enactment: "Because each and every person dwelling in the Land of Israel is obligated to bring on the festival three offerings etc. and every offering must be free from any blemish and from other things that disqualify the offering; therefore the Sages enacted to expound the laws of the festival thirty days before it in order to remind the people about the festival, that they not forget to prepare fit animals for the offering, and they should have a period of all thirty days."

And based on this, it can be said,

that this that they instituted the reading of the portion of Parah to warn Israel about impurity,

is not only because of the Paschal sacrifice,

but rather because of the purity of the Festival in general

(which is required for the pilgrimage and the three Festival sacrifices

(aside from the Paschal sacrifice)),

and so it is understood from what they brought in several poskim²⁹

regarding the institution of the reading of the portion of Parah, that "a person is obligated³⁰

to purify himself on the Festival"³¹.

And it seems to me that this is the reason of Rabbi Ba who holds that "we do not interrupt between Purim and Parah",

for in his opinion the reading of the portion of Parah is connected to the institution of "they ask and expound etc. thirty days before Passover"³²

(and this is preparation for the purity of the Festival in general),

therefore it must be specifically adjacent to Purim

(in which the beginning of these thirty days occurs³³).

<pg>209</pg>

And it is found,

that the opinion of Rabbi Levi who gave the sign that "between the third and the fourth he should not drink" is an intermediate opinion between the method of Rabbi Abba and the method of Rabbi Chiya bar Chanina — that for practical law Rabbi Levi decided like the method of Rabbi Chiya bar Chanina that we do not interrupt between Parah and HaChodesh,

but not for his reason,

because according to the opinion of Rabbi Chiya bar Chanina they are like one enactment that is divided into two,

as above,

whereas Rabbi Levi holds,

that essentially they are two enactments

[like the cups of the Passover Seder],

because the portion of Parah is³⁴

a warning about the purity of the Festival in general³⁵,

except that there is a law

(additional)

that we do not interrupt between Parah and HaChodesh³⁶.

[And based on this it is understood why the Talmud immediately after the ruling of Rabbi Chiya bar Chanina brought the statement of Rabbi Levi

(from his own opinion),

before it brought the reason of Rabbi Chiya — because his intention in this is to emphasize,

that he stands in the method of Rabbi Chiya only for practical law,

but he does not hold like his reason].

4.

And according to the inwardness of the matters, it can be said,

that the negation of the interruption between Parah and the month is connected to what can be said in the inner content of the law of between the third cup and the fourth he should not drink.

And with the introduction of what is explained in the books³⁷,

that the content of the difference between the portion of Parah and the portion of the month in the service of man,

is like the matter of the difference between the service of the righteous and the service of repentance:

Parshat HaChodesh,

"which is the portion of Pesach",

teaches about the service of the tzaddikim — and as it was the first time,

that in Pesach Mitzrayim there was

(the beginning³⁸)

the conversion of the people of Israel³⁹,

and a convert who converts is like a newborn child⁴⁰

— and this is similar to the level of the tzaddikim,

who have no evil in them; and Parshat Parah,

which the Merciful One calls a sin-offering⁴¹,

and atones for the [sin of the] calf⁴²

— it⁴³

is the service of teshuvah.

And about this they said "one does not interrupt between Parah and HaChodesh",

that there must be the connection between the two portions,

to teach,

that even tzaddikim need to do teshuvah⁴⁴.

And this is also the inner meaning in the words of the Midrash¹⁸

(the above section b)

"With this it is said⁴⁵

this<pg>210</pg>

The statute of the Passover and with this it is said⁴⁶

This is the statute of the Torah and you do not know which statute is greater than this..

Who is greater, the heifer that those who eat the Passover need it":

The discussion "which statute is great" — Pesach or Parah — is in accordance with the two opinions in the Gemara⁴⁷,

if complete tzaddikim are greater than baalei teshuvah,

or that in the place where baalei teshuvah stand, complete tzaddikim cannot stand there.

And the Midrash concludes that Parah is great because "those who eat the Pesach need it",

and that is that teshuvah is great⁴⁸,

for even tzaddikim

(those who eat the Pesach)

need to do teshuvah⁴⁹

(Parah).

5.

And based on this, one can explain the dispute of Rebbe Levi and R. Chiya bar Chanina mentioned above

(regarding the reason for the law that one does not interrupt between Parah and the month)

in the inner dimension of the matters:

In this matter,

that even tzaddikim need to do teshuvah,

we find two times: a)

The teshuvah of the tzaddikim in their service now

(in this time).

b)

Mashiach came to bring back tzaddikim in teshuvah⁵⁰,

that this elevation,

that tzaddikim "will merit the level of teshuvah"⁵¹

— "will be specifically after the coming of Mashiach"⁵¹.

And it can be said,

that they are two modes in the teshuvah of the tzaddikim:

The repentance of the righteous in this time is repentance "over the distance"⁵²,

that although it speaks of righteous ones who have no sin or iniquity

(and even that they have no evil at all),

nevertheless,

since they are souls in bodies,

they are "distant" from God relative to the closeness of their souls before their descent below,

and as it is written in the book of Tanya⁵³

that also "a completely righteous person who serves God with fear and great love with delights does not reach the level of his attachment to God..

before his descent into this material world, not even a fraction of it, and there is no comparison or likeness between them at all..

that the body cannot bear etc.'"

And even more than this he wrote in the book of Tanya⁵⁴,

that also "the soul of..

a completely righteous person who serves God with fear and love with delights, nevertheless it is not nullified in existence entirely..

only it is a thing by itself, one who fears Him and loves Him"

(and as his language elsewhere⁵⁵

"there is one who loves").

And this is the matter of the teshuvah of the tzaddik,

that his distance from G-d is a thing that is distressing and troubling to him very much⁵⁶.

For although his being in this state is not at all through his fault,

that indeed he was created thus

[and it may be said,

that this very thing that he was created in a manner of "there is one who loves" is for his benefit,

for specifically through this there is in his service the advantage of free choice⁵⁷,

that when he is an entity,

"a thing in itself",

he chooses G-d and His Torah etc.'],

nevertheless,

from the aspect of the greatness of his thirst to be attached to G-d to the utmost,

he desires that his soul return to its former state and condition,

"and the spirit shall return to G-d who gave it"⁵⁸,

in order to "<pg>211</pg>

cleave⁵⁹

to Him, blessed be He, in a wondrous unity as it was united with Him, blessed be He, in the ultimate unity" before its descent below.

But this that Mashiach came to bring back the righteous in repentance is not repentance "over the distance" — since then the glory of G-d will be revealed below like above,

in a manner that there will not be any distance from G-d

(also when the man is below, soul in body)

— rather the intention in "to bring back the righteous" is that they will reach the level of repentance that comes from great love for G-d which is above measure and limitation

("with all your might")

:

In this time,

the main perfection of love "with all your might" is in a baal teshuvah⁶⁰,

for since the thirst of their soul to cleave to G-d comes after that "his soul was⁶¹

in a land of drought and shadow of death..

and distant from the light of G-d's countenance to the utmost

(and)

therefore his soul thirsts with greater intensity than the thirst of the souls of the righteous"

[And known is the parable about this⁶²

of one who flees from death,

that this flight is with all his bones and above all measures and limitations,

and this matter does not apply

(so much)

to the righteous]

;

But after the coming of Moshiach,

that His essence and being, may He be blessed, will be in revelation below,

behold the greatness and intensity of the revelation will effect in man an unlimited ascent,

in a manner that even tzaddikim will then attain the perfection of love "with all your might"⁶³.

6.

And behold, one of the differences between the two aforementioned modes in the repentance of the tzaddikim is:

In the first manner,

The repentance of the righteous is only a detail in the virtue of their service as righteous ones,

which is the service in a state of light and holiness that has no evil in it,

that also the repentance of the righteous is in order to reach the perfection of this service — since the very fact of his being a soul in a body in this material world is a state of "distance" as above, and is still lacking in a state of ultimate holiness, and consequently his service as a righteous one is not in perfection,

therefore he awakens in repentance to return his soul to its root and source

[And therefore this repentance is only before the coming of Mashiach,

but not so afterwards⁶⁴,

when "the spirit of impurity I will remove from the earth"⁶⁵,

there is no need for this repentance⁶⁶].

But not so in the second manner — the virtue of the repentance of the righteous after the coming of Mashiach

(an ascent without limit)

— the service of the righteous and the service of repentance are two different services,

<pg>212</pg>

that in each one there is an advantage over the other,

there is in this what there is not in that: the advantage in the service of the righteous is in the matter of drawing down the light of holiness from above

(through their service in the fulfillment of the Torah and commandments),

and the advantage in the service of repentance is in

(the refinement and)

ascent of the lower one⁶⁷.

And this is the explanation of the two opinions regarding the reason that we do not interrupt between Parah and HaChodesh: according to the opinion that this is because the reading of the portion of Parah is like a detail in the reading of the portion of HaChodesh,

this is analogous to the first manner in the repentance of the righteous,

the repentance of the righteous in this time,

which is repentance from distance,

which is a detail in the service of the righteous as mentioned; however, according to the view of Rabbi Levi that they are two separate readings except that one may not interrupt between them,

this is analogous to the second manner in the repentance of the righteous

(as it will be at the coming of Mashiach,

Mashiach came to bring the righteous to repentance),

that then they are two distinct advantages,

except that "we do not interrupt between them",

to indicate that then also the righteous will merit the advantage of repentance.

7.

And based on this, one can also explain the hint in the words of Rabbi Levi,

who gave a sign about this from the law of the four cups,

that "between the third and the fourth one should not drink"⁶⁸

:

The distinction between the first half of the order of the Haggadah of Pesach

(in which one drinks the first two cups)

and the second half

(in which one drinks the last two cups)

is: In the first half it discusses

(mainly)

about the redemption from Egypt,

while the second half pertains

(also)

to the future redemption to come; for not only the part of the Haggadah that is said over the fourth cup — which begins from "Pour out Your wrath upon the nations"⁶⁹

and continues with the last chapters of Hallel⁷⁰

etc. — which is openly related to the future redemption,

but also the meal that concludes with eating the afikoman, which is a remembrance of the Paschal sacrifice⁷¹

(and is called "tzafun"⁷²)

pertains to the future redemption.

And this is the inner reason why one does not drink between the third cup and the fourth cup: the third cup, upon which one recites the Grace After Meals,

alludes to the feast that the Holy One, blessed be He, will make for the righteous in the future to come&lt;sup&gt;73&lt;/sup&gt;,

and the fourth cup, with which one concludes the Hallel and recites the Blessing of Song,

which are only songs and praises,

entirely spiritual,

alludes to the level of the World to Come

(the World of Resurrection&lt;sup&gt;74&lt;/sup&gt;),

in which there is no eating or drinking, but rather the righteous sit and delight in the radiance of the Divine Presence&lt;sup&gt;75&lt;/sup&gt;.

And one may say,

that this corresponds to the two levels&lt;pg&gt;213&lt;/pg&gt;

In two modes of service

(of repentance and the service of the righteous)

In the future: the feast that the Holy One, blessed be He, makes for the righteous in the future is related to the virtue of repentance,

Ascent of the lower

(as above)

; and that they sit and delight in the radiance of the Shechinah and nothing more—this is the virtue of the service of the righteous⁷⁶,

The drawing down and revelation of the light of the Shechinah

(in a world that is entirely holiness).

And in the future there will be the union of the two virtues of the service of repentance and the service of the righteous⁷⁷,

Mashiach comes to bring the righteous back in repentance,

And therefore between the third and fourth cup do not

(interrupt and)

drink.

And this is the inner explanation in the sign of Rabbi Levi,

that we do not interrupt between Parah and HaChodesh

(which alludes to the repentance of the righteous)

it is like that of "between the third and the fourth he should not drink" — to indicate,

that here it is not discussing the repentance of the righteous in this time,

but rather about the connection of the service of repentance and the service of the righteous in the future

(as above at the end of his section),

Mashiach comes to bring back the righteous in repentance.

(From the talks of Shabbos Parshas Vayikra

(Parshas HaChodesh)

and the night of Shabbos Parshas Tetzaveh 5724)