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bestows upon his people on Shabbat. The neshamah yeteirah is necessary # 26347-EYAL-6BOOKS - 26347-Vaikra-EYAL | 14 - A | 18-08-19 | 15:24:56 | SR:-- | Black 26347-EYAL-6BOOKS -
in order to contain the overwhelming kedushah of Shabbat, which is too
“You shall be holy, for holy am I, Hashem, your G-d.” Chazal explain great for only one neshamah to endure. Thus, the neshamah yeteirah
that even before man was created, the angels would glorify Hashem’s enables a person to intensify his connection with Hashem and elevate
Name through him, as it says, “Blessed is Hashem, the G-d of Israel, from himself spiritually.
this world to the World to Come.” How could the angels glorify Hashem The command “Do not turn to the idols” alludes to one’s money, which
even before the world was created? Furthermore, the Midrash says that is the idol of our times. When a person conducts his business on Shabbat
prior to man’s creation, the angels did not want him to be created. Then because of his lust for money, it is a form of idol worship.
why did they glorify Hashem through man?
It says, “ – And molten gods you shall not
This is because they knew that ultimately Hashem would give the Torah make for yourselves,” is loosely translated as “a computer/television
to man, and through the study of Torah, the Name of Hashem would be screen.” This refers to devices portraying visual illusions that corrupt
glorified. The reason that they would glorify Hashem through the name of people. When a person refrains from immorality and distances himself
man even before the Creation of the world was because the Torah existed from lewdness, he fulfills the Torah’s command “You shall be holy.”
before Creation.
The first group of angels did not want Hashem to create man, because they
assumed that if he was a physical being, Hashem’s Name could not be
sanctified through him. However, the other angels, who knew that the
Torah would ultimately be given to Am Yisrael, wanted Hashem to create
man, since it is only through the study of Torah and its fulfillment that
Hashem’s Name can become sanctified in the world.
Hashem commanded Am Yisrael, “You shall be holy, for holy am I,” “Every man shall revere his mother and his
since, even before they were created, the angels praised Hashem and father and you shall observe My Sabbaths – I
glorified Him through Yisrael. Because this is Am Yisrael’s mission, they am Hashem, your G-d”
are obligated to remain holy. (Vayikra 19:3)
