The following text by Reb Zalman is from this week’s Torah portion, Shabbos Shlach Lecha. (Click here for Hebrew/English version). [Notes by Gabbai Seth Fishman, BLOG Editor]:

“Written for Shabbat preceding new month of Tammuz, 5743 / 1983 in the Holy Land“

Send out for yourself men who will scout the land (Numbers 13:2)

The divine name, YHVH, for the month of Tammuz, according to the tradition of permutation of letters, is found in an acronym of last letters from the verse, (Esther 5:13) “zeH (Heh) eynenU (Vav) shoveH (Heh) lI (Yod) / this is worthless to me,” which spells YHVH backwards, i.e. HVHY.

[NOTE:  This is the verse found in Siddurim that show the monthly permutations of the name.  Cf, https://www.jewishrenewalhasidus.org/wp-content/uploads/tziruf.pdf for all the months and their texts as found in Siddur Ha-Ari.] 

And consider: The sign of Tammuz is Cancer, its quality is water sign and its chief characteristic is the level of wife as center of household and family, the astrological House of the Home. The particular letter for this month is chet and sense, hearing, which goes beyond all the senses.

For this time of year, a theme is the churban / destruction of the Holy Temple

[NOTE:  From the 17th of Tammuz to the 9th of Av is the period of mourning.] 

in the name of ADN”Y

[NOTE:  Each name of God alludes to a different Sefirah, and this one alludes to Malchut.]

and, for this reason, Moshe prayed:  (Numbers 14:17) Now, please, let the strength of ADN”Y be increased, as You spoke, saying“

[NOTE:  S/He gave us the thirteen attributes to invoke Hir mercy.]

for at this time,

[NOTE: Of Tammuz; of the destruction.] 

the power of DiBBuR / speaking right is very weakened.

[NOTE: Moshe prayed to the name Adn”y to strengthen the power of speech.]

For, (Exodus 14:3) “Closed in upon them is hamiDaBBeR / the power of speech” and there is no Peh-sach / open mouth (Pri etz chayim – Shaar Mikra kodesh 80:4).

[NOTE:  Usually read as “Closed in upon them is hamidbar / the desert; and Pesach / Passover.]

(more…)

The following text by Reb Zalman is from this week’s Torah portion, Shabbos Behaalotecha. (Click here for Hebrew/English version). [Notes by Gabbai Seth Fishman, BLOG Editor]:

• (Numbers 8:7) … then they shall wash their garments and be purified.

[NOTE: This is from instructions for preparing the Levites for their service.  Reb Shneur Zalman has pointed out that this is not just about the clothes they were wearing.]

being that three “garments” of the nefesh / soul: Machshavah / thought, Dibbur / speech and Maaseh / action should be clean.

[NOTE:  Garments are, in general, the visible, external trappings that cover things behind, things not visible to the eyes.  In the analogy here presented, the “garments” represent outward manifestation of realities. Behind them are invisible causes or mysteries. 

Simply put, we must clean up actions, clean up speech, and clean up thoughts.  The deeper we clean, the closer we move, (as the Levites in our text), toward God’s service.  ]

For, there’s the remnant “neshama / soul that You gave me” – from long since – “it was pure.”

[NOTE:  When we enter the world, our Neshama is pure and it remains so despite anything we may do, say or think that is not.  (Neshama and nefesh are both words for “soul” but the former is a part of us that is always close to God.)]

Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi
from Yishmiru Daat (2009 revision),
“Parashat Behaalotecha,” p. 34

The following text by Reb Zalman is from this week’s Torah portion, Shabbos BaMidbar. (Click here for Hebrew/English version). [Notes by Gabbai Seth Fishman, BLOG Editor]:

(Numbers 4:2) Make a count of the sons of…, etc.

[NOTE:  The Hebrew used,  Naso et rosh / make a count has another meaning of “lift up the head.”]

Lifting up the head. 

In order for the intellect to become a garment for the soul, the intellect has to spread itself and make a lot of wide space as follows:

(Psalms 24:7) Se’u / Raise up she’arim rosheichem / your mind’s imagination–

(Proverbs 31:23), Her husband is known b’she’arim / in the gates–

Read she’arim / gates as ha-hash’arot / the imaginal expansions, (i.e., awakeness as a shafel).

[NOTE:  And read, “her husband” as referring to God.

Reb Zalman tells of a conversation with his daughter Shalvi as a young child:
“Abba, after you sleep, you wake up, right?”
“Yes” he replied.
“Abba, after you are already awake, can you wake up even more?”

I’ve heard Zalman often cite his late teacher, Reb Yosef Yitzchak of Lubavitch for cultivating the imaginal faculty in his hasidim.]

(more…)

The following text by Reb Zalman is from this week’s Torah portion, Shabbos BeHar. (Click here for Hebrew/English version). [Notes by Gabbai Seth Fishman, BLOG Editor]:

(Leviticus 25:39) And if your friend becomes destitute – with you – and is sold to you.

[NOTE:  Achicha, (literally, “your brother”), has been translated as “your friend” throughout to keep the language gender neutral.  The words, “with you,” in this text, is understood as one who lives with you, i.e.,  nearby.  Gabbai Seth]

How could this have happened that your friend fell to such a low level that s/he is now being sold to you?

The likelihood is that the rich person was suppressed having fallen too with hir. For if the rich one could have been generous s/he would surely have lent support to hir friend so that the latter wouldn’t have had to become a servant.

And so, you have no right to work hir with low-paid, back-breaking work like an unskilled laborer, because it could have been you.

[NOTE:  The words, “with you,” can also be understood as you being with your friend in destitution.  If you don’t want to be treated that way if it happens to you, then don’t treat your friend that way.]

(more…)

In Tikkunei Zohar 9b it states that for each Hebrew month, there is a different permutation (“tziruf“) of the holy name YHVH. 

There are a total of 12 unique ways that the four letters with two repeated can be arranged (i.e. YHVH, YHHV, YVHH, HVHY, HVYH, HHVY, VHYH, VHHY, VYHH, HYHV, HYVH, HHYV) and each month has its unique combination.

Click here for a table of the months, in Hebrew and English – scroll down -, and their corresponding permutations).

Here’s some more from Reb Zalman on tziruf:

(more…)

The following text by Reb Zalman is from this week’s Torah portion, Shabbos Acharei Mot-Kedoshim. (Click here for Hebrew/English version). [Notes by Gabbai Seth Fishman, BLOG Editor]:

“You shall surely rebuke your fellow, but you shall not bear a sin on his account.” (Leviticus 19:17).

Show hir how they showed you too of your wrong and they rebuked you when you sinned, for you and s/he are together in this regard.

[NOTE:  The starting point for rebuke is compassion and empathy.  My friend’s transgression is, perhaps, something I have done, or like something I have done.]

“… et amitecha,” i.e., im amitecha / together with  your folk.

[NOTE:  Seeing yourself as not greater than is the ground in which the learning may be planted.] 

(more…)

The following text by Reb Zalman is from this week’s Torah portion, Shabbos Tazria-Metzorah. (Click here for Hebrew/English version). [Notes by Gabbai Seth Fishman, BLOG Editor]:

In the case of one afflicted with tzara’ath / leprosy or with the affliction of the houses, there is a sending away of a living creature, (cf, Leviticus: 14:7). 

And so it is also with the goat sent to Azazel, (ibid 16:8). 

[NOTE:  They are both purification rituals, the one for the leper, the other for the holy temple on Yom Kippur, and with each, there are two animals, one sent away alive, the other a sin offering for atonement.]

And in this case, it seems that the point of it is a Shamanic device, i.e. that it functions like the chukim

[NOTE:  Chukim are those mitzvot / commandments beyond understanding.  Shamanic devices reach into spiritual worlds.]

which, in general, seem to have no rational reason according to conventional wisdom or as seen through the eyes of multitudes.

(more…)

The following text by Reb Zalman is from this week’s Torah portion, Shabbos Vayak’hel. (Click here for Hebrew/English version).

(Exodus 35:30) “See, Hashem has called” (Bezalel). 

In Targum Onkelos, this phrase was translated into Aramaic as chazo d’rabei Hashem / “See, Hashem has raised up” (Bezalel), i.e., the calling of this man by Hashem was on the level of personal growth, similar to the way one helps a child grow, i.e. to learn to develop one’s strengths and feel confident about a particular task.

And whoever has sensed that Hashem yisborach appointed hir to a particular assignment has certainly been given the strength, the ability, the sense and the tools to complete it.  And thus, all hir thoughts are on the level of Machshavah Tovah / a good thought because Hashem yisborach refines it into a good deed, to do all milechet machashevet / intentional work.

Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi
from Yishmiru Daat (2009 revision),
“Parashat Vayak’hel,” pp. 33

The following text by Reb Zalman is from this week’s Torah portion, Shabbos Ki Tisa. (Click here for Hebrew/English version). [Notes by Gabbai Seth Fishman, BLOG Editor]:

“When you lift up the heads (i.e. take the sum) of the children of Israel according to their count, let each one give to Hashem an atonement for hir soul when they are counted, etc.” (Exodus 30:12)

[NOTE: Reb Zalman begins by noting a similarity between the counting of the census, (cf Rashi on Exodus 30:15), and the counting of worshippers in a minyan.]

Through the minyan of davenners in which they count those of Klal Yisrael who make a minyan / quorum of worshippers, they do it through lifting the heads

[NOTE: Think of “lifting the heads” in this regard as “raising the consciousness” or awareness.]

of all the children of Israel who came. For in a minyan, it is, as the quote says, (Chronicles II 17:6), “And hir heart was lifted up” through knowing Hir, for in the ways of Havaye, worshippers see themselves together with every Jew and one enters, because of this, into a sense of (Psalms: 47:5) “the pride of Yaakov.”

[NOTE: This piece is based upon many double entendres, in this case, being lifted up and being counted. Both derive from the root, נשא nun-sin-aleph, with a primary meaning of lifting up, (cf., Genesis 40:13, “Yisa Pharaoh Et Roshecha” / Pharaoh will lift up your head.) In the context of our text, Tisa Et Rosh is understood as “Taking the sum,” or counting.]

(more…)

The following text by Reb Zalman is from this week’s Torah portion, Shabbos Terumah. (Click here for Hebrew/English version). [Notes by Gabbai Seth Fishman, BLOG Editor]:

“And have them take for me an offering” (Exodus 25:2)

[NOTE:  The word “offering” is a translation of Terumah, the name of this week’s portion.  The word comes from the root רום   (reish-vav-mem) which means height.  In ancient time, the sacrifice was raised by the priest in an up-down direction.  Tenufah, another ritual, had the sacrifice moved side to side.] 

They should take the “Me,”

[NOTE:  The word  לי  can be read as “for me” as in the text, or it can be read as the direct object, as in “Have them take Me.] 

which is continually with them,

[NOTE:   In the innermost I-am-that-I-am-ness, the nominative of the nominative has havaye manifesting in each one of us.]

which will effect a raising to Hashem –

“You shall take Terumati / My heave offering / the raising of Me” (ibid.)

[NOTE:  Being in God’s presence creates a kind of inner-elevator which in turn sends blessings toward heaven which are accepted by God as Terumah / heave offerings.]

Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi
from Yishmiru Daat (2009 revision),
“Parashat Terumah,” p. 32