Please Learn in the Merit of:

Please learn for the merit of a complete recovery for the following individuals:

Ya'akov Don ben Esther Ahuvah Sharona
Avraham Yishayahu ben Aviva
Perel Leah bas Sima

Please learn in the merit/memory of Eyal ben Uriel, Gil-Ad Michael ben Ophir, Ya'akov Naftali ben Avraham, and Alter Aryeh Leib Reuven ben Sima

Wednesday, August 01, 2007

Shmiras HaLashon כ"ד טבת - Teves 24 - One-Hundred-and-Fourteenth Day

© 2007 by Robert Lepor. All rights reserved.

All of [that which we have written], is included in brief, in the [following] pasuk [from seferYishayahu”], as [the pasuk] states, “Trust in HaShem forever…”[1] (Yishayahu: 26; 4) [The] explanation [of this pasuk, is as follows]: Even at the time that Yirushalayim is in ruin, and the Jews are in exile, and as a result [of this], many people are found who rebel against The Holy One, Blessed is He. Nevertheless, [place your] trust in [HaShem], and He will assist you, for He still possesses the ability [to help people] as [He did] in the early times, [when the Beis HaMikdash existed. Though HaShem allowed Yirushalayim to be destroyed and the Jews to be sent into exile], He definitely did not also completely remove His Will from the world, as well, Heaven Forbid. [It is clear that HaShem did not remove His Will from this world], for if this would not be the case, the creation would be completely void. For it is known that at every single moment, The Holy One, Blessed is He, completely sustains all of Creation, as [we learn from that which our Sages wrote] for us in the B’racha of “Yotzeir[2], [as follows]: “…and you sustain all of them…”[3] (Nichemiah: 9; 6), and it is not written “You have sustained”, [as [we also learn] in the Zohar]. The pasuk [from seferYishayahu”], concludes with [the above teaching that HaShem constantly sustains Creation, by stating as follows]: “…for in “י-ה” – G-d, HaShem, [is The] Rock of worlds”. (Yishayahu: 26; 4) Our Sages of Blessed Memory have [taught in masechesMinachos” (29b), on the aforementioned pasuk quoted from seferYishayahu”], that The Holy One, Blessed is He, Created this world with the letter “ה” – “hei” from His Name, Yisbarach, and [Created] The World to Come with the letter “י” – “yood” [from The Name “י-ה”], and “צור” – “Rock” [refers to] strength.[4] [This means that] His Name – “י-ה”, Yisbarach, is the strength of the worlds until [the present] day. [This follows that which is taught] in “Osios D’Rabbi Akiva” (in letter “ו”), that the ends of the Heaven and the earth are inscribed with [HaShem’s] Holy Names, see over there. If [HaShem] were to remove His Will from [the Heaven and the earth], they would return to [a state of] desolation and emptiness as [they were] prior to the Creation.

From all of this [which we have learned about the attribute of placing one’s trust in HaShem], we are able to understand of the greatness of [the degree of] trust which a person should [place] in The Holy One, Blessed is He.

[1] The entire pasuk from seferYishayahu”, states as follows:

“[Place your] trust in HaShem forever, for in "י-ה" – Ya-h, HaShem, [is The] Rock of the worlds.” (Yishayahu: 26; 4)

The RaDa”K explains that it is fitting to place one’s trust in HaShem, as He is The “Rock of the worlds”, meaning, HaShem is The Source of strength for all time and for all of the worlds, and HaShem is thereby is the One who provides life to all of the worlds.

The MaLBI”M explains that in order for one to place one’s complete trust in someone, that person would need to fulfill two criterion: 1) The ability to fulfill the request of the one who wishes to place his trust in him, and 2) the persistence necessary to ensure that his ability to carry out the request will not be hindered or lost, or that his will and desire to carry out the request will not change.

The MaLBI”M explains that HaShem fulfills the above two criterion are fulfilled by HaShem, as 1) He is exists constantly and for all time, and 2) HaShem is The “Rock of the worlds”, He being the strength of all of the worlds, as all of the worlds rely on Him and they all exist due to Him. The MaLBI”M explains that it is only HaShem who fulfills these criterion, – He exists for all time and possesses the ability to provide for the needs of the one who trusts in Him.

The above follows that which is written in “Shmuel I” (15; 29), as follows:

“And also The Strength of Israel (i.e. HaShem) will not lie and will not regret [that which He had promised to do], for He is not a person to change His mind.” (Translation follows RaSh"I)

RaDa”K explains that HaShem will not renege on carrying through the good which He promised to bestow upon the person. In contrast, a person may change their mind and regret having made a given commitment due to anger or not possessing the same desire to carry out his promise.

[2] The b'racha of
Yotzeir” begins the the blessings prior to K'rias Shema” - “The Recitation of the Shema”.

[3] See note #2 on the Twenty-Third day of Teves.

[4] The gemara in masechesMenachos” (29b), quoting Rabbi Ami, explains, based on the aforementioned pasuk quoted from seferYishayahu”, that HaShem will be a shelter, both in this world and in The World to Come, for anyone who places their trust in HaShem. The gemara then goes on to explain that HaShem created this world with the letter “hei” and created The World to Come with the letter “yood”. There is an opening at the bottom of the “hei” to allow those who wish to sin, the ability to do so. The opening at the upper-left part of the “hei” is for those who wish to perform teshuvah for their sins, for which they will require Heavenly assistance. The gemara explains that the “yood” is small, as the number of righteous in The World to Come is small, and it is bent, as the righteous people in The World to Come have their heads bent as the good deeds of a given righteous individual would be different than any other righteous individual, and, as RaSh”I notes, the honor of one righteous person will be greater than that of another righteous person, and therefore, as a given righteous individual is ashamed of the superiority of the other person, in a given matter.

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