In this chapter, the Rebbe Rashab summarizes the concepts explained until this point in the maamar, offering resolutions to several of the questions he posed at the outset.
וְזֶהוּ עִנְיַן קְלִפַּת מִדְיָן לְשׁוֹן מָדוֹן וּמְרִיבָה
On the basis of the above,1 it is possible to understand the nature of the kelipah of Midian, which shares the root letters of the word madon, meaning strife or quarreling.
שֶׁהוּא עִנְיַן הַפֵּרוּד וְהַהִתְחַלְּקוּת
Midian represents divisiveness and fragmentation,
כְּעִנְיַן שִׂנְאַת חִנָּם הַנִּזְכָּר לְעֵיל
thus relating to the concept of baseless hatred discussed above.
שֶׁהוּא הַהֵפֶךְ וּמְנַגֵּד לִכְלָלוּת שֵׁם הוי'
It epitomizes the antithesis and opponent of G‑d’s name Havayah as a whole.
שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הַיִּחוּד וְהַהִתְכַּלְלוּת דַּוְקָא
That name of G‑d is specifically identified with unity and synthesis,
כְּמוֹ שֶׁיִּתְבָּאֵר,
as will be explained in future chapters.2
וּקְלִפַּת מִדְיָן הוּא הַמְנַגֵּד לָזֶה לְגַמְרֵי.
The kelipah of Midian entirely opposes this unity,
וְגָרוּעַ יוֹתֵר מֵהַז' עֲמָמִין
and is therefore more harmful than the kelipah of the seven Canaanite nations,
שֶׁהֵן הַז' מִדּוֹת רָעוֹת
which represent the seven negative character traits,
וּכְמוֹ הַתַּאֲוָה וְהַכַּעַס וּרְצִיחָה וְהַגַּאֲוָה כוּ'.
such as selfish desire, anger, a tendency to violence even to the point of murder, haughtiness, etc.
Man’s conduct and character on the physical plane has a corresponding and reciprocal effect in the spiritual realms above.
שֶׁכָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד פּוֹגֵם
Each one of these traits causes a blemish
In a physical sense, a blemish mars the appearance and function of a limb or organ. Similarly, in a spiritual sense, man’s undesirable character traits and actions cause a blemish, i.e., weaken the Divine attributes above and adversely affect the manner in which they channel the flow of Divine vitality to the lower realms.
רַק בְּאוֹת פְּרָטִי מִשֵּׁם הוי' כוּ',
in only one particular letter of G‑d’s name Havayah.
Although as a whole, G‑d’s name Havayah is associated with oneness, it is also the source for the particular dimensions of existence within our world. Accordingly, each of its letters is associated with different Divine attributes. An undesirable quality expressed by man can affect the influence derived from a given attribute associated with one of the letters of that name.
וְכֵן גַּם בְּאִסּוּר תּוֹרָה בִּשְׁסָ"ה לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה רַחֲמָנָא לִצְּלָן
Just as the above-mentioned character faults cause only a particular blemish, so too, transgressing any one of the Torah’s 365 prohibitions, Heaven forbid,
שֶׁפּוֹגֵם רַק בְּמַדְרֵגָה א' פְּרָטִית
causes a blemish only in one particular level.3
In contrast, the division and strife associated with the kelipah of Midian affects the name Havayah as a whole.
(וּמִכָּל מָקוֹם
(Nevertheless, one should not lightly dismiss the possibility of general damage through a specific sin,
כְּתִיב וְנוֹקֵב שֵׁם הוי' כוּ'
as indicated by the phrase,4 venokeiv sheim Havayah, that literally means, “One who blasphemes G‑d’s name.”5
לְשׁוֹן נֶקֶב
The verb nokeiv shares the same letters as the word nekev that means “hole.” The implication is that
שֶׁעַל יְדֵי שֶׁפּוֹגֵם בִּפְרָט א' מִשְּׁסָ"ה לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה
when one causes a particular blemish by transgressing one of the 365 prohibitions,
פּוֹגֵם גַּם כֵּן בִּכְלָלוּת שֵׁם הוי',
his act produces a general effect, bringing about a “hole,” i.e., a blemish in G‑d’s name Havayah.
וּכְמוֹ עַל דֶּרֶךְ מָשָׁל בִּשְׁסָ"ה גִידִים כְּשֶׁנּוֹקֵב גִּיד אֶחָד
For example, to use an analogy, if one damages one of the 365 giddim6
וְיוֹצֵא מִמֶּנּוּ הַדָּם
to the point of drawing blood,
הֲרֵי גוֹרֵם חֲלִישׁוּת בְּכָל הַגּוּף כוּ'.
one weakens the entire body.
וּמִכָּל מָקוֹם לֹא פָגַם בִּבְחִינַת פְּגַם מַמָּשׁ עַל יְדֵי מַעֲשֶׂה הָרָע שֶׁלּוֹ
However, although an individual evil act has a general effect on G‑d’s name Havayah and weakens its influence, it causes an actual blemish
רַק בִּפְרָט אֶחָד כוּ')
only in a particular aspect of that name.)
מַה שֶּׁאֵין כֵּן בִּקְלִפַּת מִדְיָן
In contrast, the kelipah of Midian,
שֶׁהוּא עִנְיַן הַפֵּרוּד וְהַהִתְחַלְּקוּת
which is characterized by separation and division,
פּוֹגֵם בִּכְלָלוּת שֵׁם הוי' כוּ'.
causes a blemish in the name Havayah as a whole.
וְלָכֵן קָשֶׁה מְאֹד לְתַקֵּן קְלִפַּת מִדְיָן
It is therefore very difficult to correct the kelipah of Midian;
יוֹתֵר מֵהַקְּלִפּוֹת דְּז' מִדּוֹת רָעוֹת
indeed, this is harder than correcting the kelipos of the seven negative character traits,
גַּם בְּאִסּוּרֵי הַתּוֹרָה כוּ'.
even those that involve actual transgressions of the Torah’s commandments.
וְהָרְאָיָה לָזֶה
A proof for this
מִמַּה שֶּׁגָּלוּת רִאשׁוֹן שֶׁהָיָה עַל עֲווֹנוֹת חֲמוּרִים
is that the exile following the destruction of the First Beis HaMikdash was caused by violation of the severe prohibitions:7
דַּעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְגִלּוּי עֲרָיוֹת וּשְׁפִיכוּת דָּמִים
idolatry, adultery, and murder.
מִכָּל מָקוֹם הָיָה רַק שִׁבְעִים שָׁנָה,
Nevertheless, it lasted only seventy years.
דְּבִזְמַן ע' שָׁנָה
During those seventy years,
תִּקְּנוּ הַפְּגָמִים שֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּ עַל יְדֵי הַחֲטָאִים וַעֲווֹנוֹת הַנִּזְכָּרִים לְעֵיל.
the Jewish people were able to correct the blemishes caused by the sins and transgressions mentioned above.
Since the transgressions were specific in nature, the blemishes they caused were also restricted in scope and could be corrected through teshuvah of a specific nature.
וְגָלוּת הָאַחֲרוֹן הַזֶּה שֶׁהוּא עַל שִׂנְאַת חִנָּם,
This present and final exile, on the other hand, was caused by the sin of baseless hatred.8
וְכַיָּדוּעַ דְּבַעֲוֹן שִׂנְאַת חִנָּם נֶחֱרַב הַבַּיִת שֵׁנִי כוּ',
As is well known,6 the Second Beis HaMikdash was destroyed because of the sin of baseless hatred.
Because that sin is of a general and encompassing nature, the teshuvah for it must also be more encompassing.
וְנִמְשָׁךְ הַגָּלוּת הַמַּר יוֹתֵר מִי"ח מֵאוֹת שָׁנִים,
Consequently, this bitter exile has lasted over 1800 years,
וְהַיְנוּ מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהַפְּגַם הוּא בִּכְלָלוּת כוּ'
because the blemish which caused it was all-pervasive and therefore more difficult to correct,9
כְּמוֹ שֶׁיִּתְבָּאֵר.
as will be explained.
וְלָכֵן אָמַר לָתֵת נִקְמַת הוי' בְּמִדְיָן
Hence, in the command to wage war against Midian, the verse uses the expression, “to exact the retribution of G‑d (Havayah) from Midian,”10
With the explanations to follow, the Rebbe Rashab answers some of the questions raised at the beginning of the maamar.
לִהְיוֹת שֶׁהֵן הָפְכִּים וּמְנַגְּדִים לִכְלָלוּת שֵׁם הוי',
since Midian is the antithesis and opponent to the name Havayah as a whole.
לָכֵן הַמִּלְחָמָה בְּמִדְיָן הִיא נִקְמַת הוי' מַמָּשׁ כוּ'.
Therefore, the war against Midian constitutes “the retribution of G‑d (Havayah).”
וְלָכֵן הָיָה צָרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת הַמִּלְחָמָה עַל יְדֵי מֹשֶׁה דַוְקָא,
For this very reason, this war had to be conducted specifically by Moshe,11
לְפִי שֶׁמֹּשֶׁה הָיָה בַּאֲמִתַּת בְּחִינַת הַבִּטּוּל וְהָאַחְדּוּת
since Moshe was the ultimate personification of absolute bittul and unity,
בִּבְחִינַת בִּטּוּל עַצְמִי
manifesting essential bittul,
כְּמוֹ שֶׁיִּתְבָּאֵר,
as will be explained below.12
לָזֹאת נָתַן הוּא דַוְקָא כֹּחַ בְּנִשְׁמוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל
Accordingly, it was Moshe specifically who empowered the souls of the Jewish people
לִלְחוֹם עִם מִדְיָן וּלְבַעֲרָם,
to fight against Midian and obliterate them
וְלָזֹאת הָיָה צָרִיךְ מֹשֶׁה לִפְקוֹד אֲנָשִׁים לַצָּבָא כוּ'.
and, therefore, he had to appoint the soldiers to wage war.
וְזֶהוּ גַם כֵּן שֶׁאָמַר הֵחָלְצוּ מֵאִתְּכֶם,
This is also the reason why the term Heichaltzu was used. The verse continues mei’itchem which means “from among you,” indicating that only a limited number of Jews would actually participate in the war against Midian. Nevertheless,
דְּהֵחָלְצוּ מַשְׁמָע כֻּלְּכֶם,
the word heichaltzu is used because itconnotes the involvement of the entire Jewish people.13
הַיְנוּ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה בְּחִינַת הִתְאַחְדּוּת וְהִתְכַּלְלוּת כֻּלָּם,
Moshe’s involvement enabled the Jews to be characterized by unity and all-encompassing synthesis,
הֵפֶךְ בְּחִינַת הַפֵּרוּד וְהַהִתְחַלְּקוּת,
the very opposite of divisiveness and fragmentation.
וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה יִלָּחֲמוּ בְּמִדְיָן
Hence, they could fight against Midian
לָתֵת נִקְמַת הוי' בְּמִדְיָן כוּ'.
and “exact the retribution of G‑d from Midian.”9
קִצּוּר.
Summary:
קְלִפַּת מִדְיָן גָּרוּעַ מִז' עֲמָמִין
The kelipah of Midian is more harmful than that of the seven nations;
וּמְנַגֵּד לִכְלָלוּת שֵׁם הוי'.
it is opposed to the name Havayah as a whole.
וּכְמוֹ גָּלוּת אַחֲרוֹן דְּנִתְאָרֵךְ.
From the fact that the present exile has been prolonged so extensively, we can appreciate the severity of that sin.
יְתָרֵץ הַקֻּשְׁיוֹת.
Questions raised at the beginning of the maamar are resolved.
The First Beis HaMikdash was destroyed because of the commission of very severe sins. Nevertheless, the exile that expiated those sins lasted only 70 years. By contrast, the Second Beis HaMikdash was destroyed because of the sin of baseless hatred (identified with the kelipah of Midian).
At the outset, the Rebbe Rashab had asked the following questions:
Why was the war against Midian described as “exact[ing] the retribution of G‑d (Havayah) from Midian”?
Here, he explained that the reason is that Midian is the antithesis and opponent to the name Havayah as a whole. G‑d’s name Havayah represents the ultimate unity, while Midian is identified with yeshus and strife.
Why was it specifically Moshe who had to conduct this war?
He answered that Moshe was the ultimate personification of bittul and unity and inspired the entire Jewish people with these qualities.
Why did the Torah uses the term heichaltzu, which connotes the involvement of the entire people, when only a limited number of Jews actually participated in the war against Midian?
He explained that Moshe’s involvement caused the Jews to be characterized by unity to the extent that although the battle was actually fought by a few, it involved the entire people.
