Light of Infinite

Tisha B’av is the most somber day in the Jewish calendar. It’s sobering to think that thousands of years ago, we were on top of the world: in the Promised Land, with our Beit HaMikdash (Holy Temple), fully connected to the Divine. & then how quickly– in just three weeks– that connection was destroyed. When you really consider a loss like that, no matter how ephemeral it may be in the bigger picture, its weight can feel unbearable. 

The generation that left Egypt & wandered through the desert are referred to as dor hamidbar. They were a generation of dor dei’ah – “a generation of knowledge,” which paralleled Moshe who perceived Godliness. The generation that entered into Eretz Yisrael, however, were not on the same level of perceiving Godliness, because they were involved in mundane realities. Dor hamidbar “saw” at Mt Sinai, whereas the new generation only “heard,” as it’s written, “Now, Israel, listen..”

As they say, “seeing is believing,” because when one sees something with their own eyes, their doubts dissipate, whereas when one hears, they may believe in that moment, but when the moment has passed & anyone questions the moment or experience, often times belief dissipates, sometimes even altogether. The Rebbe explains that when Devarim, the repetition of the Torah, also called Mishneh Torah, was given to this generation, it was important to emphasize concepts such as mesirat nefesh (willingness to self-sacrifice), whereas that wasn’t required for the previous generation. Though it may seem that the generation to enter the land was on a lower level & that the descent would breed hopelessness. The previous generation were told, “For you have not yet come to the resting place & heritage…,” referring to Shiloh & Jerusalem. It would only be the generation that entered the Promised Land that would inherit this “resting palace & heritage.” It was the descent to the worldly that ushers in the revelation of the celestial. & so much like in our own lives, the temporal descent effects the ultimate ascent. This is hinted at in our reading Devarim every year during the nine days, the Shabbat preceding Tisha Ba’av, the date of the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash. But, as R’ Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev saw it, from the descent from the first & second Beit Hamikdash, we have Shabbat Chazon, the vision of the third & final Beit HaMikdash, which transcends the previous two & brings the full revelation, ushering in the final redemption.

THIS IS JUST A LITTLE SNIPPET, READ THE FULL DVAR/ARTICLE@ www.lightofinfinite.com🕊

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Thanks for listening/reading.
Much love, Erez Safar

** Follow on Facebook: www.facebook.com/lightofinfinite

*** Follow on instagram: @thelightofinfinite

Show Notes

Tisha B’av is the most somber day in the Jewish calendar. It’s sobering to think that thousands of years ago, we were on top of the world: in the Promised Land, with our Beit HaMikdash (Holy Temple), fully connected to the Divine. & then how quickly– in just three weeks– that connection was destroyed. When you really consider a loss like that, no matter how ephemeral it may be in the bigger picture, its weight can feel unbearable. 

The generation that left Egypt & wandered through the desert are referred to as dor hamidbar. They were a generation of dor dei’ah – “a generation of knowledge,” which paralleled Moshe who perceived Godliness. The generation that entered into Eretz Yisrael, however, were not on the same level of perceiving Godliness, because they were involved in mundane realities. Dor hamidbar “saw” at Mt Sinai, whereas the new generation only “heard,” as it’s written, “Now, Israel, listen..”

As they say, “seeing is believing,” because when one sees something with their own eyes, their doubts dissipate, whereas when one hears, they may believe in that moment, but when the moment has passed & anyone questions the moment or experience, often times belief dissipates, sometimes even altogether. The Rebbe explains that when Devarim, the repetition of the Torah, also called Mishneh Torah, was given to this generation, it was important to emphasize concepts such as mesirat nefesh (willingness to self-sacrifice), whereas that wasn’t required for the previous generation. Though it may seem that the generation to enter the land was on a lower level & that the descent would breed hopelessness. The previous generation were told, “For you have not yet come to the resting place & heritage…,” referring to Shiloh & Jerusalem. It would only be the generation that entered the Promised Land that would inherit this “resting palace & heritage.” It was the descent to the worldly that ushers in the revelation of the celestial. & so much like in our own lives, the temporal descent effects the ultimate ascent. This is hinted at in our reading Devarim every year during the nine days, the Shabbat preceding Tisha Ba’av, the date of the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash. But, as R’ Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev saw it, from the descent from the first & second Beit Hamikdash, we have Shabbat Chazon, the vision of the third & final Beit HaMikdash, which transcends the previous two & brings the full revelation, ushering in the final redemption.

THIS IS JUST A LITTLE SNIPPET, READ THE FULL DVAR/ARTICLE@ www.lightofinfinite.com🕊


---------------------- 

Thanks for listening/reading.
Much love, Erez Safar

** Follow on Facebook: www.facebook.com/lightofinfinite

*** Follow on instagram: @thelightofinfinite

What is Light of Infinite?

Fall in love with life, through weekly bursts of ancient Jewish mystic inspiration!

Light of Infinite is a blog, a podcast, a festival and a soon to be released book series, where Erez Safar acts as Your Spiritual DJ, curating insights into the weekly Torah portion and the infinite light of Kabbalah.