The beauty of women “expands the mind of (Supernal) man” by perfecting the world we live in. * Women teach us what we truly are – gold, “one who donates it is healthy.”
By Rabbi Boruch Merkur
“Even in the material world, where possessions are valued, every Jew is wealthy – both in spirit as well as monetarily.”[1]
“Every Jew is gold.” That’s the testimony of the Rebbe, the great leader and prophet of our time - and it’s meant in the literal sense, legal tender. Banks, however, are yet to acknowledge that gold standard.
Puzzled by a similar sentiment, a reader writes in Letters to the Editor:
“I am particularly interested in the question raised in ‘Iron Leadership: Now What Do We Do?’[2] - about what the Rebbe means by ‘all matters of redemption are already here in the world,’ when this doesn’t seem to be the case.”[3]
Remember, Tanya is premised on the notion that - although it may contradict our perception, perfect devotion is “readily attainable” by every Jew. And although everything is prepared for the Future Era and we all stand ready to live that reality, we still must “open our eyes.” We must open our minds and hearts to what the Rebbe taught us, how to make it real to us.
That is this column’s mission statement: to trace the Rebbe’s final directives to date on how to experience the Messianic Era now, for it has already begun.
*
“In reward for the righteous women of that generation, the Jewish people were redeemed from Egypt.”[4] In fact, all generations are redeemed in reward for the righteous women of their times.[5]
Women are instrumental and uniquely empowered to bring redemption. It makes sense then that women take to heart the Rebbe’s teaching: “The next step … is not avodas ha’birurim, correcting the world (for we have already finished and completed that), but a special initiative to bring the awareness of this reality to the world.”[6]
The Rebbe goes on to explain how the beauty of women “expands the mind of man.”[7] In a community, this teaching translates practically into maintaining beautiful shuls and yeshivas, perfecting the world we live in, and thereby even “expanding the mind of Supernal Man.”[8]
The Rebbetzin’s name, Chaya Mushka, means “living spice,” being alive and beautiful. Jews are meant to be energized and enthusiastic about connecting to Hashem, blessing our homes with beauty:
Making a home for G-d in the physical world, with an eye towards pleasure and beauty (fragrance), adds in the fulfillment of “G-d’s desire for a home in the physical world” … making in the physical world (within its worldly framework) a “vessel” and “home” for the revelation of G-d’s delight (“nis’ava”).[9]
*
At the birth of our nation, the exodus from Egypt, Jewish women had no money – no silver or copper - to donate to the Mishkan, the Holy Sanctuary. What a sorry lot they had, it would seem. But the opposite is true. Although the women had no money to call their own, to donate to the Temple, they gave gold jewelry, their personal property:
As Ramban explains, “The verse mentions women, who don’t have silver or copper; their only possession is their gold jewelry, etc.”[10] Gold is a precious metal with an altogether superior quality compared to silver or copper, or the other materials donated to the Mishkan. Gold signifies the perfection of every Jew - men and women alike (for which reason both the men and the women possessed gold,[11] even those (women) who had no silver or copper).[12]
*
In a sense, all Jews are “poor,” in that we lack mazal, luck. As our Sages teach, “Ein mazal l’Yisroel – Jews have no luck.”[13] That is, Jews are not governed by the astrological forces that bestow good fortune. Rashi interprets this statement to mean that “through prayer and merit their luck becomes favorable.”
The current month, the joyous Hebrew month of Adar, is said to have “a healthy mazal,”[14] good luck. Rashi’s interpretation of Jewish mazal doesn’t fit here. A month doesn’t have volition to daven or seek additional merit. In what sense then is Adar a month of good luck?[15]
The month of Adar teaches us something more radical about the Jew’s ability to transcend mazal. Even as a Jew is an individual who is subject to astrological forces within the physical world, in the month of Adar, which has a “healthy mazal,” should he have “a court case with a non-Jew” … immediately with the onset of the month (without expending any particular effort), he will succeed, because the mazal is inherently “healthy,” to the point that even a Gentile recognizes and feels it.[16]
The Mezritcher Magid interprets this on a deeper level: “Ein mazal l’Yisroel” means that our true spiritual source or destiny emerges from “ayin” (bittul, devotion to the true Divine intent). The person’s true will is in line with G-d’s will.[17] In fact, that is why one should always strive in Torah even without proper intent, because “mi’toch sh’lo lishma ba li’shma,” eventually he will take on the right intent. But in a deeper sense, this teaching means that the “toch and inner intent of a Jew’s efforts - even when done not with the best intent (but with the lower, fallible mortal volition) - is in fact li’shma (for the sake of the Supernal will).”
Our soul’s journey is only taking us on a one-way ride. Sometimes our path meanders and snakes along this path, but ultimately the snake itself will be a “great servant,” it too will guide us – with increasing direction and speed – towards the ultimate, golden intent, the direct path to geula.
*
The golden path the Rebbe leads us on is the way of joy. When a Jew considers that since he is an “only child” of G-d Almighty, and G-d says that the first of a Jew’s possessions is “gold,” every Jew is inherently wealthy,
this meditation brings a Jew to an intense joy, the type of happiness that transforms one’s physical life, as the person lives in the world with all its natural limitations … All of his abilities are enhanced, and it inspires the same in others around him. It makes the person succeed in all his endeavors and in his entire life, as is clearly observable.
In fact, in addition to the joyous person being “a man of the Future Era” … he also becomes a true “man of this world,’ meaning that his life in the real world is authentic, alive, and successful.[18]
NOTES:
[1] Seifer HaSichos 5752, pg. 388
[2] Issue #1244
[3] Issue #1248, Letter to the Editor
[4] Sota 11b, beg.
[5] Yalkut Shimoni Rus remez 606, end (Midrash Zuta Rus). And note the teaching of the Arizal that the final redemption is a reincarnation of the generation of the exodus from Egypt.
[6] Seifer HaSichos 5752, pg. 163
[7] Brachos 57b
[8] Seifer HaSichos 5752 pg. 355
[9] Ibid FN 112
[10] Ramban on the verse VaYakhel 35:22
[11] All Jews of the time were wealthy, but it was relative one to the other. True, each Jew enjoyed the carrying load of 90 donkeys of their personal possessions, including silver and gold (Brachos 5b). But the really rich guy made the lesser tycoon look pretty shabby.
[12] Seifer HaSichos 5752 pg. 386
[13] Shabbos 156a, end
[14] Taanis 29a, end
[15] Even practically this is the case, as in this month Jews are meant to be litigious with non-Jews with they are in conflict.
[16] Seifer HaSichos 5752 pg. 387
[17] Ibid 384-385
[18] Seifer HaSichos 5752, pg. 388