Dedicated in memory of Rachel Leah bat R' Chaim Tzvi Volume 8 Number 10 Brought to you by Naaleh.com The Four Cups: Levels of the Soul Based on a Naaleh.com shiur by Rabbi Hershel Reichman The Shem Mishmuel discusses the number shel yud, the small line at the top of the yud. The Shem MiShmuel explains that the five four, which plays a central role in the Chassidut teaches us that there are four levels senses correspond to the five levels of the Hagadah. There are four cups of wine, four of reality; atzilut, briah, yetzirah, and asiyah. soul. When Adam and Chava sinned with the questions, and four sons. In Parshat Va’eira, Above these four universes stands the four levels of the soul they damaged their four Hashem uses four expressions of redemption ultimately unknowable source of the universe, senses and in turn the four letters of Hashem’s – V’hotzeiti, V’hitzalti, V’ga'alti, V’lakachti – represented by the kutzo shel yud, the fifth line name. The four letters were a foundation for which parallel the four cups of wine. There is which has no sound. the fifth level, yechida, which then had no a fifth expression, V’heiviti, corresponding to foundation to rest on. The sin of Adam the fifth step in the redemptive process. The human mind can achieve a certain grasp produced four evils which parallel the four V’hotzeiti, I will remove the bondage. of the four worlds. But there’s a higher, major exiles. Idolatry corresponds to neshama V’hitzalti, I will save you from their threats. infinite, fifth level beyond them. The Ein Sof is and relates to Bavel. Immorality is associated V’ga'alti, I will redeem you. V’lakachti, I will limitless, ineffable, and unfathomable. The with ruach, misplaced passion and Paras. bring you to Me as My people, which refers to Shem MiShmuel explains that Hashem Yavan corresponds to murder and neshama. the giving of the Torah at Sinai. Finally, created the world in triplicate form. Just as Edom, the final exile, relates to lashon hara V’heiviti, I will bring you to the land of Israel, there are five levels of the universe, the human and chaya. Hashem though is the essence of the ultimate goal of redemption. soul also have five levels: nefesh, ruach, goodness, Man was created in the divine neshama, chaya, and yechida. Nefesh is the image and therefore he must be fundamentally Instead of focusing on five levels of redemp- biological level, ruach is the emotional level, good. tion, why did the sages only focus on four? If neshama is the intellectual level, and chaya is the expressions of redemption parallel the the divine aspect of the soul which is the We drink the four cups and focus on the cups of wine we drink at the Seder, why do connective, pervasive, force that knits together number four because at the Exodus of Egypt we not have a fifth cup? the three levels of the soul and makes us there were four levels of redemption of the divinely human. The fifth level is yechida, soul. The fifth level remains inaccessible. The Shem MiShmuel explains that there are which is beyond anything we can grasp. In When Mashiach comes and brings us to the seven special names of Hashem. The primary Kabbalah it is called the 50th level, the yovel land of Israel, Hashem will recreate that realm name is the shem hameforosh written as or the nekuda penimit. It is the unreachable of Adam and Chava before the sin. The fifth yud-keh-vav-keh. This name was never realm, our core identity which defines who we cup is the cup of Eliyahu which we do not pronounced except in the Beit Hamikdash on are but is beyond description or human drink. It signifies the era of Mashiach when we Yom Kippur. According to Kabbalistic teaching perception. This parallels the kutzo shel yud. will finally reach V’heiveiti, the level of yechida, there’s a fifth letter in this name, the kutzo when evil will no longer reign. Pesach: The Concealed Candle Based on a Naaleh.com shiur by Mrs. Shira Smiles The Gemara instructs us that on the night of understand what we are meant to learn from throne and enter a human body. However, it the fourteenth of Nissan to search for the challenges He puts us through. always yearns to return and free itself from its chametz throughout the house by the light of physical trappings. The body, on the other a candle. In each generation we are obligated The Torah tells us that Hashem saw and He hand, is enslaved. If it does not accept the to see ourselves as if we left Mitzrayim. How knew. The Pa’amei Moed explains that He control of the soul, it and the soul will remain are we to accomplish this, and how does saw our suffering, and knew that within the enslaved to physicality. Our soul, however, using a candle help us in our tasks? deep recesses of our hearts we were repent- always sees God and wants to serve Him. The ing – even though we were unaware. That is moment the body recognizes its true purpose Rabbi G. Rabinowitz notes that in retrospect why it took us a full forty-nine days from our and desires to serve Hashem, it sets the soul we understand that our horrific enslavement exodus until we reached Mount Sinai to be free. The soul can then lead man to a higher served a purpose, for it made us a compas- ready to accept the Torah, one day for each spiritual standard, just as the Jews are meant sionate people who treat of the weak and level of impurity to which we had sunk. to lead mankind to a higher moral standard. downtrodden farily. Similarly we must realize that our personal challenges and troubles also Rabbi Moshe Schwab quoting the Chovot This struggle of the soul is symbolized best serve a purpose. Hashem provides us Halevovot notes that man is a composite of through the image of a candle, writes Rabbi opportunities for growth through these two elements, the physical body and the Mindel in My Prayer, for a candle flutters and situations. The Seder should serve as a spiritual soul. The soul was forced to come strives to move continually upward. It looks like platform to reach out to Hashem to help us down from its abode under the Heavenly it wants to detach itself from the wick that Continued on page 2 Help support Naaleh by searching the web! For more information visit www.iGive/Naaleh.com & www.iSearchiGive/Naaleh.com visit us online at: www.naaleh.com | for questions, suggestions, or dedication opportunities, email [email protected] 1 Dedicated in memory of Rachel Leah bat R' Chaim Tzvi Volume 8 Number 10 Brought to you by Naaleh.com Pesach: The Concealed Candle Based on a Naaleh.com shiur by Mrs. Shira Smiles Continued from page 1 keeps it anchored. This analogy is based on ward at will. He lost this ability after the sin. but rather through our open hearts and souls. the verse, “The soul of man is a candle of However, when Eliyahu rose to heaven, he God.” Some families have an especially long regained this ability. He returns to earth from Halekach Vehalebuv writes that Eliyahu can candle on their Seder table to symbolize this time to time and is always welcomed at every bring out the inherent holiness in each of us. yearning of the soul. A more universally circumcision and at every Seder where he As we celebrate our Seder, let us take that accepted custom is the Cup of Eliyahu. The bears witness to the covenant of the blood of symbolic flame and reach inward and upward Malbim explains that when Adam was first circumcision and to the blood of the Pascal to open the door of our heart that will open the created, body and soul were not fused and Sacrifice. The Kotzker Rebbe taught that gates of heaven. Adam could shed his body and rise heaven- Eliyahu does not really enter through the door, The Holiday of Pesach – Part II Based on a Naaleh.com shiur by Rebbetzin Tziporah Heller Our forefather Yaakov was called nirdaf, the fulfill our roles with passion and dedication. Moshe replied, “Now the matter is known.” one who was persecuted. First he was Rashi explains that he meant to say, “Now it is oppressed by Esav, then by Lavan. Esav The most feminine of all traits is malchut, known why the Jews are still suffering in wanted the birthright. But he sold it to Yaakov which is recognizing Hashem’s Kingship. It’s Egypt, for they have talebearers (baalei lashon and said, “What do I need it for?” Rashi tells telling Hashem, “I will be whatever You want hara) amongst them.” The enemy is negativity. us that he knew the birthright carried with it a me to be. Once I’ve negated my own spiritual heritage. It was not just a material limitations before You, I will influence others.” The heroines of Mitzrayim, Yocheved and inheritance, but demanded responsibility and The woman in Mitzrayim personified this with Miriam, teach us great lessons. Yocheved’s accountability from its bearer What did he their deeds. They gave birth under inconceiv- name can be read as yud, vav and kavod. The need that for? able circumstances. They understood the yud is Hashem’s name. The subsequent vav is value of life and desired to actualize their an elongated yud that takes the yud down to Yaakov though wanted this level of account- mission.