The Spirit of All Flesh

May the L-rd, the G-d of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, who can go out before them and come in before them, who will bring them out, and bring them in, so that the congregation of G-d be not as sheep without a shepherd. (Num. 27:16-17)

The leader of the generation is able to uplift all of the speech and conversation of the people of his generation…to join the physical to the spiritual. This is similar to the two jokesters….

The Talmud, tractate Taanit 22a, relates that Rabbi Broka was once conversing with the prophet Elijah in the marketplace of Bei Lefet: "Is there anyone in this marketplace who will receive the Word to Come?" he asked him. Elijah pointed to two men. Rabbi Broka asked them what they did. They told him that they were jokesters, and that when they saw people depressed, they would cheer them up. (Ben Porat Yosef, p.16a)

Yesod is called "All" [in Hebrew, "kol"] because all of the supernal attributes are included in it. It unites them all and shines [them] into malchut, which is called "the bride" [in Hebrew, "kallah"] for the same reason, that all the attributes are also included in her.

The word "all" - "kol", and the word "bride" - "kallah", share the same root - kaf lamed. However, the word "kallah" has an additional letter hei, which corresponds both to the sefira of malchut and to the last letter hei of the Tetragrammaton. Malchut, like yesod, is also a microcosm of the entire sefiriotic realm. However, malchut is feminine and receptive, whereas yesod is masculine and imbuing.

Likewise, the tzadik unites all the attributes, as I wrote on the verse "…who can go out before them, and come in before them", in the name of my Master. (Toldot Yaakov Yosef, Lech Lecha, p. 19b)

For the individual, "[Torah study] not for the sake of G-d leads to study for the sake of G-d" (Pesachim 50b). That is, he uplifts his own self-centeredness by means of his selfless study. But if this aspect is not found in any individuals, it is found in the leaders of the generation. Thus, the above verse [in our Torah portion] says, "…who will bring them in." That is, who will bring them into his perspective [of selfless worship]. (Toldot Yaakov Yosef, Emor, p. 10c)

[Translation and commentary by Eliezer Shore from Sefer Baal Shem Tov on the Torah]