29 Aug Parshas Shoftim; The Power of Chaos of ‘The First’

Inspired by the teachings of Harav Yitzchak Ginsburgh and Rabbi Moshe Genuth

 

Parshas Shoftim; The Power of Chaos of ‘The First’

As we are in Parshas Shoftim at the beginning of the month Elul approaching the NewYear, it is a time for introspection, transformation and new beginnings of our self.

 

It is the explicit purpose of the Priest to accept the items of offerings of the first of your grain, wine, and oil; and the first of the fleece of your flock   as they hold the powerful chaotic sparks of ‘the beginnings’. Additonally there is Bikkurim, the bringinfg of the first as an offering of the produce. These offerings given to the Kohen posses too much raw power for others (non Kohanim) as they posses ‘the power of chaos’ as in the beginning of creation. The offerings were as follows;

V18. 3: And this will be the stipend of the kohanim from the people from the slaughterers of [permitted] meat, whether an ox or a sheep; he will give the kohein the foreleg (the shoulder and identifies the appendages) and thejaw (aka the cheek, above and below the jaw and identifies the head) and the [fourth] stomach (which identifies the torso).

 

The Torah Parshas Shoftim talks about the 3 offerings of meats to the Kohen (3of 24 offerings to the priests). These 3 parts of the animal are kabbalisticaly understood to be the beginning of the formation of there respective parts of the body.

 

The holy station and purpose of the Kohan that makes it possible for him to receive these powerfutl chaotic sparks of the offerings of the ‘firsts’ to then elevate them on behalf of the tsibor.

 

As it was at the time of creation and continues to be, the Kabbalah states ’ the beginning of something is chaotic’.

 

V18. 4: The first portion of your grain, your wine, and your olive oil, and the first of the shearing of your sheep are you to give him.

 

Verse 4 refers to those 1st’s that would typically be brought to the Priests in a basket. What is interesting about this offering is that a wealthy man might bring his offering in a metal (gold) basket and a poor man might bring his offering in a wood (wicker) basket. The wealthy man could keep his metal basket but the poor man could not keep his wooden basket as a ‘transfer of kiddusha ’ of the power of 1st of these items of offering would have irreversibly affected the wooden basket.

 

Where Torah meets recovery our Yetzer Hora and our Tshuvah…

Beginnings in real life are like those who experience Recovery and  the conquering our yetzer hora as each  first holds the power of  chaos. Beginnings are a powerful and chaotic time. It is only when we submit (nullify ourselves)_ to a Higher Power-G-d, that we can begin to bridle that powerful chaos and start the elevating process of transformation; tshuva and Tikun. >

 

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Elul; The King is in the Field

This is the World of Action-Asya, also known as the World of ‘Kingship-Malchut’ and the ‘World of Tikun-Rectification’. It is our purpose to rectify ourselves and this world through our thoughts and actions… our tshuvah.

 

The culmination of all the 6 ‘mundane’ days of the week that are ‘received by Malchut-Kingship are elevated’ on the 7th day, Shabbos, the day of Malchut – Kingship.

 

During the month of Elul, it is written that ‘The King is in the field’ amongst us. Hashem, The King, comes down to ‘where we are’ to meet us. It is a metaphor for the greater presence of the emanation (sefirot) of Kingship-Malchut that meets from below to Keter and Hashem from above.

 

The emanation of Kingship – Malchut is both a receiver (F) of our efforts of our tshuvah, and a giver (M) of the culmination of our actions to be sent heavenward… as a conduit.

 

From a state of humility, Malchut-Kingship then ascends (gives) to the exaltedness of Keter- Crown (receives). These two states of emanation, Keter and Malchut are intimately connected.

 

During Elul, The King, Hashem and the power of Kingship-Malchut is in the field, amongst us, to receive and elevate the efforts of our tshuvah during this special time.

 

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Judges and Officers at Your Gates

In Parshas Shofitim 16.20 the Torah says  Justice twice; ‘Justice, Justice,  shall you pursue…” letting us know that their should be Justice on earth should be as Justice in heaven.

 

The Zohar further comments that ‘Judgement does not exist without Compassion/Mercy’.

 

The month of Elul marks the time of taking an intense personal inventory to prepare ourselves for transformation of the tshuvah that we do come the High Holidays and onward.

 

This weeks Parshas Shoftim offers the following insight; ‘You shall place Judges and Officers at your gates.’

 

At the gates of each city sat the representatives of the Torah Law, the judges and officers.

 

We say ‘Every Jew is as a city’. This is an insight of ‘the gates within each of us’, and that we have the ability to manage what enters and leaves the gates of our mind and our heart.

 

Getting in touch with this ability to ‘manage our gates’ requires doing the work of introspection … a personal inventory (and a focus on the essential trait of Humility). We must always keep in mind when doing a  personal inventory to  treat yourself with kindness and compassion.

 

Leib Getzel (Lawrence) Lax
Addictions and Counseling
lawrencelax.com