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Orchard of Delights Pinchas

especially fitting theme for this Shabbat as it is the first of seven at the beginning of the portion. We must emphasize that while the
consecutive Shabbats following the Ninth of Av that all echo the daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly cycles of time encoded in the
theme of God comforting His people by reminding them that His Jewish calendar form the parameters of a Jew’s life, this World
unique covenant with the Jewish people is eternal and that the of Rectification is ultimately symbolized by the straight lines of
Messianic redemption will eventually take place the sefirot. Our inability to achieve genuine peace in this world
(symbolized by the broken vav), and the existential constraints of
The Haftorah begins with the following verses: “‘Comfort, comfort
My people,’ says your God. ‘Speak to the heart of Jerusalem and present reality (symbolized by the lines) necessitate our connection
proclaim to her that her time has been fulfilled, because her iniquity to the higher, more transcendent light, represented by circles, so that
has been pardoned’” (Isaiah 40:1-2). Here, God, in the words of the we can elevate both ourselves and creation. The ongoing service of
prophet, speaks of the “heart of Jerusalem.” According to Jewish God in the Temple and especially the experience of Shabbat and the
tradition, earthly Jerusalem, in its ideal form, mirrors heavenly holidays connect us to a higher light, a more spiritual essence.
Jerusalem. That is why Jerusalem is different from every other city; Indeed, we should note that the last letter in Pinchas’ name is a
its very nature reflects a higher, more ethereal, Divine reality. Just samech. Even though Pinchas used a romach – a spear, symbolizing
as Jerusalem is the Jewish people and the Land of Israel’s heart, a line – he was in fact drawing the source of his energy from a higher
heavenly Jerusalem is earthly Jerusalem’s heart. On a symbolic imperative, from the surrounding light of his love for the people
(derash) level the heart of Jerusalem and the heart of heaven can be (as discussed above in “Chariots of God”). By asking and receiving
said to be one and the same “place” or concept. Moses’ permission to act, we might add that he also received Moses’
surrounding light as well.
This profound connection between Jerusalem and the heart of 17
heaven is also revealed in another prophecy: “For from Zion will The Lubavitcher Rebbe, Menachem Mendel Schneerson, explained
come forth Torah and the word of God from Jerusalem” (Isaiah 2:3). that in order to bring Mashiach we must fill the vessels of this world,
The word of God first revealed to the people of Israel at Mount Sinai the vessels of rectification, with the more ethereal, spiritual light of
when “the mountain was burning in fire till the heart of heaven” will the primordial World of Tohu. In doing so, we will heal and rectify
ultimately be revealed to the entire world from Jerusalem. Linking two cosmic problems. We will heal the problem of light that is too
Jerusalem and the revelation at Sinai, the Ramban actually explains powerful entering vessels that are not strong enough, which originally
that the physical structures of the Tabernacle in the desert and lead to the “breaking of the vessels,” and we will rectify the present
the Temple in Jerusalem, as well as the spiritual service that took reality of strong vessels that do not contain enough light. Our
place in them, were an attempt to capture the awesome and unique contemporary situation, wherein strong vessels are not filled with
experience at Sinai on an ongoing basis. enough light, is reflected in the overemphasis on materialism that
pervades contemporary societies all over the world, at the expense of
It is fascinating to note other connections linking fire and
Jerusalem, or linking fire, Jerusalem, and Sinai. For one, the spiritual morals, ethics, and spiritual development.
essences, “the hearts,” of Israel’s four holy cities are each associated We can further connect these ideas to that of semichah, the transfer
with one of the four elements: fire, earth, air, and water. Jerusalem of rabbinic authority mentioned above. Although today rabbinic
is associated with fire because the sacrifices and holy incense offered ordination is often far more impersonal than in ancient times, the
in the Temple were burnt and the Temple menorah was lit. Hebron very notion of a teacher laying hands on his student testifies that
is associated with earth because the patriarchs and matriarchs were the student has not only learned the material required to qualify
buried there; Safed is associated with air because it is perched high as a rabbi but, even more profoundly, is a worthy receptacle for his

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