English translation — שבת חזון

Shabbos Chazon<pg>8</pg>

A.

In the inner explanation of the name "Shabbos Chazon"

(which in simple terms is after the haftarah<sup>1</sup>),

it is known what was brought<sup>2</sup>

the well-known chossid R. Hillel of Paritch<sup>3</sup>

"in the name of the Rav of Barditchev, may his soul be in Eden",

that "Shabbos Chazon" is from the term vision,

"that they show to each and every one of Israel<sup>4</sup>

the Holy Temple of the future from afar"

(and as below section 2).

And it can be said,

that when Shabbos Chazon falls on Tishah B'Av itself

(as in the determination of this year

(event,

'_dyn_edn_1')

">*),

then this matter of Shabbos Chazon — the vision of the future Holy Temple — is with greater excellence and greater strength.

For it is known⁵

that the purpose of the matter of the fasts

(and consequently — their inner intention also now)

is that they will become festive days,

in the language of the Rambam⁶

"that they are destined to be festive days⁷

and days of joy and gladness".

And this matter is with special emphasis in the fast of Tishah B'Av,

for "we do not recite⁸

Tachanun nor Selichos on Tishah B'Av and we do not fall on our faces because it is called a Moed".

And beyond this it is stated in the Yerushalmi⁹

that on the day the Temple was destroyed

(Tishah B'Av)

"the King Mashiach was born"¹⁰.

And especially according to the known¹¹

that on the day of a person's birth his mazal prevails,

so according to this it is found,

that on the day of Tishah B'Av the mazal of Mashiach our righteousness prevails¹²,

and it is an auspicious day for the matter of salvation and redemption¹³.

And this matter relates to practical halachah,

and as the Arizal wrote¹⁴

in the name of the Ari that this is among the reasons that we recite "verses of consolation" "on Tishah B'Av at Minchah...

for then at Minchah of Tishah B'Av Mashiach was born, who is called Menachem"¹⁵,

and it can be said that this is the inner reason that Tishah B'Av is called "Moed".

And based on this, one could say,

that when the fast of Tishah B'Av<pg>9</pg>

falls on the holy Sabbath,

that the fast is postponed to Sunday,

this is only in relation to the matter of the fast and the laws of affliction and mourning etc.,

but the aspect of the "festival" within it,

because on this day the redeemer of Israel was born and it is a day auspicious for consolation and redemption,

is not postponed by the Sabbath,

and on the contrary,

these matters are primarily on the holy Sabbath.

And regarding what was explained elsewhere¹⁶

regarding all the fasts,

that when they occur on the day of Shabbat, only the matter of the fast is postponed,

but that the fast day is called "a day of favor to G-d"¹⁷

is not postponed from the day of Shabbat,

and on the contrary,

it is a time of favor with greater intensity and greater strength,

for "you called it the desirable of days"¹⁸,

and we are commanded to delight it with the delight of eating and drinking etc.¹⁹,

and thus,

that when the fast occurs on the day of Shabbat, it is like a "festival" and a day of "joy and gladness"²⁰.

And from this it is understood also regarding our matter,

that since when Tisha B'Av occurs on Shabbat, its inner aspect is emphasized in a revealed manner,

that it is a "festival"²¹

and a day suitable for matters of salvation, redemption, and consolation,

then also the seeing of the Holy Temple in the future on this day

(being Shabbat Chazon),

is with greater intensity and greater strength.

B.

And we must explain the special elevation of the vision of the future Temple when Shabbat Chazon falls on Tisha B'Av itself,

with the introduction of the explanation in the continuation of the words of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev,

who brings there a parable to explain this, that they show the future Temple to each person from afar,

and his language is²²

:

"A parable..

Of a father who had a precious son and made him a precious garment to wear, and because the son was not careful with that garment and did deeds which should not be done, he tore it into many tears.

And he made him a second time a precious garment, and he tore it as well²³.

What did the father do? He made him a third garment and did not give it to him to wear, but rather stored it away, and at intervals²⁴

known he shows him the garment and says to him: See, if you conduct yourself in the straight path, this garment will be given to you to wear

[And through this he accustoms him to walk in the straight path until it is known of him that it has become like a nature for him, then he will give him the garment to wear, because then he is not afraid of him lest he return to his evil way, since it has become like natural, etc.']

And this is the matter of Shabbat Chazon, the language of vision, that they show each Jew the future Temple from afar, etc., and understand with discernment."

And that is, that the purpose of this that "they show..

the future Temple" is to accustom Bnei Yisrael&lt;pg&gt;10&lt;/pg&gt;

to go on the straight path until this walking will be for them "like a nature",

and then He will give them the Temple below.

And it requires clarification in the correspondence of the mashal to the content of the nimshal,

for at first glance,

it is understandable in the mashal,

that the garment itself is merely a secondary reward and does not by itself cause the son to behave as he should,

and therefore only by means of this, that his father does not give him the garment but only shows it to him and says to him: See, if you conduct yourself in the straight path, this garment will be given to you,

this accustoms him to go in the straight path; but in the nimshal,

the very existence of the Mikdash effects improvement and betterment in the state of Bnei Yisrael because it is a place of revelation of the Shechinah and seeing of Elokus.

And according to this it requires clarification,

how is it possible,

that seeing Elokus at the time of the Beis HaMikdash,

when the Beis HaMikdash stood in its place and Bnei Yisrael ascended for the pilgrimage and saw with their own eyes the ten miracles that were performed for our forefathers in the Beis HaMikdash²⁵,

and over many years,

all this did not effect upon them that they should improve their way,

even though at the time of the event there were prophets who rebuked Yisrael and warned them that through their evil deeds they would cause exile and destruction of the Beis HaMikdash — and yet this, that they only show the Mikdash of the future from afar,

and this itself only "at fixed intervals",

has the power to effect upon Bnei Yisrael to accustom them to go in the straight path until this will be "like a nature" in their souls?

3.

And it can be said,

that the explanation of this is hinted at in what the R. Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev said "that they show each individual of Yisrael the Mikdash of the future from afar".

For at first glance it requires clarification,

seeing and distance are two different matters,

and moreover — seeing 1)

indicates that the thing is in proximity,

2)

"brings near" and informs the details of the thing to the seer.

[And it is known the distinction between seeing and hearing&lt;sup&gt;26&lt;/sup&gt;,

that seeing is from close and hearing from afar&lt;sup&gt;27&lt;/sup&gt;.

That is to say: seeing reaches the soul and penetrates the person with a certainty and verification that is not in hearing,

for when a person sees some thing,

proofs and evidence will not avail to contradict his seeing&lt;sup&gt;28&lt;/sup&gt;,

for since he himself saw the thing, it is verified and clarified to him more than any intellectual clarification.

— And as emphasized in the halacha&lt;sup&gt;29&lt;/sup&gt;

that "a witness cannot become a judge",

as it is stated in the Gemara&lt;sup&gt;29&lt;/sup&gt;

the reason "since they saw him etc. they cannot find merit for him",

but not so when the judges hear from the witnesses,

even though it is clear to them that the witnesses speak truth&lt;sup&gt;30&lt;/sup&gt;,

they can find merit for him,

for the certainty and emotion that come from seeing is greater than the certainty and emotion that come from hearing],

And thus, what is it that he says that "they show to each and every Jew the Holy Temple of the future from afar" — that if this is in a manner of seeing,

then this emphasizes that it is not "from afar" but rather "from close".

And it must be said,

that his intention in this is to teach us two opposite matters that are necessary in order that the walking on the straight path will be and become "like nature" in a manner that will bring about the giving of the Holy Temple of the future.

4.

Explanation of the matter:

Known is the opinion of the Zohar³¹

that the third Holy Temple will be built by the Holy One, blessed be He,

"the building of the <pg>11</pg>

The Holy One, blessed be He.

And as Rashi wrote&lt;sup&gt;32&lt;/sup&gt;

"The future Temple that we await is built and perfected, it will be revealed and come from heaven, as it is said&lt;sup&gt;33&lt;/sup&gt;

The Sanctuary, O Lord, Your hands have established."

But on the other hand we find in our Sages, may their memory be blessed,&lt;sup&gt;34&lt;/sup&gt;

that the Temple will be built by the children of Israel,

and so the Rambam ruled&lt;sup&gt;35&lt;/sup&gt;

that the Messiah builds the Temple,

and ostensibly his reason is simple,

for the building of the Holy Temple is a positive commandment&lt;sup&gt;36&lt;/sup&gt;,

as it is said&lt;sup&gt;37&lt;/sup&gt;

And they shall make Me a Sanctuary,

and a commandment is something incumbent upon the children of Israel.

And behold, it has already been explained numerous times&lt;sup&gt;38&lt;/sup&gt;

that there can be several mediations between the two opinions,

that both of them are present in it

[For the building of the Temple below will be by human hand,

and into this Temple below the spiritual Temple above will descend and dwell,

or a physical Temple will descend from heaven but the doors or gates that were sunk into the earth,

which were by human hand,

will ascend and be revealed and they will set them in their place, and the one who sets the doors is considered&lt;sup&gt;39&lt;/sup&gt;

as if he built it].

And according to this it is found,

that in the future building there is need for both matters — both the matter of "the building of the Holy One, blessed be He,"

and also that it be done by human beings,

the King Messiah.

And the point of the explanation in this is,

for the main innovation of the Third Temple is that it will be an eternal Temple,

unlike the First Temple and the Second Temple,

and therefore it must be "a building of the Holy One, blessed be He",

and not a building of a human being,

which has no permanence

(as explained in the Zohar there⁴⁰).

But on the other hand,

the eternality of the Temple must be

(also)

as it is within the parameters of the lower realm,

and therefore this eternal establishment in the lower realm is through human action,

for then the eternality as it is from the aspect of "building of the Holy One, blessed be He" is also fixed in the

(parameters of)

the lower realm⁴¹.

5.

And it can be said,

that just as it is regarding the building of the Holy Temple,

so too it is regarding this that they show the future Temple to each and every one of Israel,

that there is in this something of these two matters — "a building of the Holy One, blessed be He" and human action

(and are hinted at in the two expressions "they show..

from afar",

as will be explained below)

:

That which is said "language of vision that is shown to each and every one of Israel",

its intention is not only that on Shabbos Chazon there exists the Holy Temple of the future in the aspect of vision for each and every one

(for then it was that each and every one sees and it is obvious that it is in his ability to see and the like),

but rather that "they show" it,

meaning that the vision comes not from the side of the person himself,

but rather it is the action of the one who shows it,

that the vision comes from above,

in the manner that the building is "the building of the Holy One, blessed be He".

And this is the novelty in this vision relative to the vision of the Divine Presence in the first and second Holy Temples:

In the first and second Temple,

even though the Children of Israel ascended for the pilgrimage and offered sacrifices in the Temple and saw the revelation of the Divine Presence through the ten miracles that were performed for our forefathers,

that it is obvious that all this brings to fear of Heaven

[all the more so and a fortiori from this that the ascent itself to Jerusalem to eat second tithe brings to fear of Heaven,

"&lt;pg&gt;12&lt;/pg&gt;

that he was⁴²

saw great holiness and priests engaged in the service, he directed his heart more to fear of Heaven and to study Torah, as they expounded in the Sifri: "so that you may learn to fear" etc.⁴³

Great is second tithe which brings to study, because he would stand in Jerusalem until he ate his second tithe and he would see that everyone is engaged in the work of Heaven and in the service, he too would direct himself to fear of Heaven and engage in Torah"]

— behold, this seeing is that which the Children of Israel saw and were aroused to fear of Heaven; whereas in the third Temple this is in the manner that "they show to each and every one of Israel",

that the Holy One, blessed be He, shows it.

And the difference between a thing that a person sees from himself and that which they show him from Above is both in quantity and in quality: When a person sees from himself, he does not see all the details of the thing,

but only what he is capable of seeing by his own power; but when they show him,

he can see the entire thing.

And furthermore: When the seeing of the thing is by the power of the person,

then his grasp of the thing is according to the manner of his vessels and senses,

and he does not grasp the thing as it is; whereas when they show him the thing,

it is not according to the measure of the person's grasp,

but according to the value of the thing that they show him.

And likewise is it regarding the Holy Temples: In the First and Second Temples, the Children of Israel "saw" from themselves the revelation,

and since it is a vision of a created being,

it is not the revelation of G‑dliness of the Temple as it is,

for a created being does not have the ability to see and comprehend of G‑dliness except in a limited manner,

according to the measure of the limitations and boundaries of the person&lt;sup&gt;44&lt;/sup&gt;

; but the Future Temple, which they show to each and every one of Israel,

is not according to the value and level of the created being,

but it is the Temple itself,

for the Holy One, blessed be He, shows it,

and this matter is incomparably higher than what a created being can see and comprehend.

And for this reason, the seeing of the revelations in the First Temple and Second Temple and the service then did not effect that the conduct of Bnei Yisrael in the straight path would be "like nature" in their soul,

the matter of eternity,

and specifically the seeing of the future Temple has in its power to effect that their conduct will be in the straight path,

For the seeing and service of Israel in the First and Second Temple is only the seeing and service of a created being,

for being measured and limited and subject to change,

thus also his service is in limitation and it is impossible that it will have eternity; but not so the seeing of the future Temple,

this is an action from the side of the Holy One, blessed be He,

and therefore specifically in its power to effect that the conduct in the straight path will become like nature.

6.

However, nevertheless,

since all this is from the "visions" that come from above,

and not from the person below,

it follows,

that from the perspective of the state of Bnei Yisrael in themselves, the vision of the Temple does not affect them in an eternal manner.

[And along the lines of what is explained in many places⁴⁵

regarding the various proclamations that are proclaimed from above,

in order to awaken a person to repentance,

that it is through the soul above hearing the heavenly voice,

and through its hearing this above, it is drawn and felt also in the soul below,

as the statement⁴⁶

<pg>13</pg>

Although he does not see, his mazal sees,

And therefore we see that suddenly there fall upon a person thoughts of repentance without any preparation and contemplation for this on his part — that is explained in this⁴⁷,

That since it comes not from the person below,

That he is aroused to repentance from himself,

But rather from an arousal from above,

This arousal has no permanence for the person].

And this is what is precise that "they show to each and every one of Israel the future Sanctuary from afar",

That even though they show the future Sanctuary,

It must be felt by the person that it is "from afar",

And the service of the person must be to contemplate in this itself,

That they show him the future Sanctuary,

And he from himself is far from this,

And this causes in him a movement of self-nullification until that through this there becomes a "vessel" that the drawing from above is felt and absorbed in his reality.

Based on this, one may also explain the connection to the matter of Shabbat Chazon in its simple sense,

which is named after the beginning of the haftarah "Chazon Yeshayahu",

which outwardly is "which he saw concerning Yehuda and Yerushalayim etc.",

matters that are the opposite of salvation and consolation,

for the revelation of the vision of the future Temple,

comes through the feeling of distance,

which is explained in the haftarah of "Shabbat Chazon",

that this brings about the closeness that "from vision

(may it be)

may our eyes see"&lt;sup&gt;48&lt;/sup&gt;,

that the seeing of the future Temple will not be from afar,

but from close.

7.

Based on all the above, one may explain the special superiority in the seeing of the future Temple when Shabbat Chazon falls on Tisha B'Av itself,

that then, in addition to this that they show each and every Jew the future Temple,

the quality of the revelation from the aspect of above,

behold, since on that very day Mashiach our righteousness was born,

and stands ready&lt;sup&gt;49&lt;/sup&gt;

to redeem Israel and to build the Temple in its place,

this adds in the granting of power for the service of man in relation to the future Temple,

that it will not be in a manner of "from afar",

but in a close manner,

and actually close,

which relates to the reality of man,

And through this descends and is revealed the Holy Temple below in actual revelation to each and every one,

And may it be His will that we merit this in Shabbos Chazon of this year specifically,

And especially that the initials of the year are "It will be, it will be the year I will show him wonders",

That the Holy One, blessed be He, Himself shows — I will show him — to each and every one of Israel wonders,

Of the true and complete redemption,

As "As in the days of your going out from the land of Egypt I will show him wonders"⁵⁰,

And immediately and at once.

(From the talks of Shabbos Parshas Devarim 5747-8)