Shabbat Parashat Metzora 5779

Ein Ayah: Unadulterated Heavenly Inspiration

Gemara: Moshe went up [to Sinai to receive the Torah] in the beginning of the morning, and he came down from the mountain [with the Torah] early in the morning. The fact that he went up early is learned from that which it says: “Moshe woke up early in the morning and he ascended to Mt. Sinai” (Shemot 34:4). The fact that he came down early is learned from the pasuk, “Go, come down, and you shall go up, you and Aharon with you” (ibid. 19:24). The descent is connected to the ascent – just as the ascent was early in the morning, so too the descent was early in the morning.

Ein Ayah: Moshe Rabbeinu’s prophecy was the high divine influence that comes through the “light-giving mirror.” It was the source of the Torah and its power. It was the source and the beginning of existence of all the worlds, and it proceeds until it comes to the life of man, both his spiritual and his practical side. It relates to both the individual and the broad group.  

This divine influence is not impacted by life and environs, but rather it sets out the path to the character of the environs of the nation and the world. There is no need and thus it is a shortcoming to wait until part of the day has already passed and life starts activity before preparing oneself to accept the divine, glowing light in its clearest form. Specifically because it is free of any influence of the limited world of life, it has the power to give its superior power to give life, to perpetuate existence, and renew creation. It even makes the world of activity gentler and elevates the general creation to the highest levels, to spirituality, which conquers all with the grandeur and power of sanctity.

The same is true not only for receiving the Torah but also for its being brought down from where it was received, by the holy spirit of Moshe, to the nation. The nature of its original state remains intact and has no need for the influence of the environs and of life.

Indeed, early in the morning did he go up. This was while the content of life, especially those that usually stick out, remained covered with a curtain, disappearing from broader society. They sleep in the bosom of power, and the energy of the actions is not yet revealed. There is no assistance from any experience of life; there is no preparedness based on the inclinations of the community. Rather there is the light of “the lofty G-d, Who possesses heavens and earth” (see Bereishit 14:22). This is the divine desire, which is at the essence of the existence of everything, and it makes life stand and pushes existence to its maximum height in the world of action and of spirit, from the first of the levels to the last of the levels. Only this holy light “flows forth” early in the day. Only this lofty prophecy which was transmitted to Moshe, who was able to speak to Hashem “mouth to mouth” (see Bamidbar 12:8), was presented to the one who was trusted in Hashem’s home (see ibid. 7) to establish a testament in the Nation of Jacob (see Tehillim 78:5) forever by having the whole world stand by the spirit of Hashem Who created all.

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