Heroes

HEROES OF THE
TANACH
Rav Shlomo Aviner
5777
©
Copyright 5777
All rights reserved.
Parts of this publication may be translated or transmitted
for non-business purposes.
The articles about women in the Tanach

from Rav Aviner's book "Aishet Chayil"
were translated by Lazar Sarna with the assistance of
Tova Sarna Segal and Naomi Sarna
The articles about men in the Tanach from Rav Aviner's

book "Nesichei Adam"
were translated by Mordechai Friedfertig
Edited by Orly Friedfertig
Computer typeset by Moshe Kaplan
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Dedicated
"Le-Ilui Nishmat" – in loving memory of
Ha-Rav Gavriel Noach

and
Rivkah Holtzberg HY"D
The beloved directors of Chabad-Lubavitch of

Mumbai, India
who were tragically taken from us
in a terrorist attack
on their Chabad House
28 Mar Cheshvan 5769

Dedicated
with great respect, immense love
and everlasting gratitude
for the success, happiness and health of
Dr. and Mrs. Irving and Cherna

Moskowitz
Dear Friends of Yeshivat Ateret Yerushalayim

Lovers of Zion
Whose hands fulfill:
"Hashem is the builder of Jerusalem"
(Tehillim 147:2)
Table of Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
1. Adam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2. Avraham . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
3. Yitzchak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
4. Yaakov . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
5. Moshe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
6. Shimshon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
7. David . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
8. Mordechai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Author's Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170

Introduction
Our Rabbi, Ha-Rav Tzvi Yehudah Ha-Cohen Kook, ex-
plains that we must view the history of our ancestors in
light of the great principle “the action of the fathers is a
sign for the children” (Ramban on Bereshit 12:1,
Tanchuma – Lech Lecha 9 and Sotah 34a). Crucial to our
understanding of this statement is the idea that our forefa-
thers are not separate entities from their children, but
rather form a continuum with them. They are the root of
Klal Yisrael. Their actions are “signs” for their children (i.e.
for us), because we are in fact one entity with them. We
are bound together, sharing a single essence which flows
throughout time, from one generation to the next. When
we learn about our forefathers and their actions, we learn
about ourselves and our actions, for they are one and the
same.
In these beautifully crafted discussions of our ancestors in
the Tanach, Ha-Rav Shlomo Aviner – Rosh Yeshiva of
Ateret Yerushalayim in the heart of the Old City of Jeru-
salem, and Rav of Beit El – clearly elucidates the traits and
potentials which we have received from each of our an-
cestors. These heroes are not only the foundation of our
Nation, but the foundation of each of us individually as
well. When we read about their experiences and their re-
sponses, we learn what is inherent within our national and
personal soul.
May Rav Aviner's discussions help actualize the strengths
which are embedded in our very essence.
Mordechai Friedfertig
In the heart of Jerusalem between the Walls
Adam
1. Rabbi Banah was a Great Man
2. The Impurity of the Graves of the Righteous
3. The Level of Eliezer, Avraham's Servant
4. The Level of Avraham and Sarah
5. The Level of Adam Ha-Rishon
6. The Level of Existence
1. Rabbi Banah was a Great Man

The Gemara relates that Rabbi Banah would mark graves
(Baba Batra 58a). Rashi explains that he was a great and
important person and was therefore given permission to
enter the graves of the righteous, while it was forbidden
for others to do so since the righteous are greater in death
than in life (Chullin 7b). He would enter the burial caves,
measure their internal length and then measure them from
the outside. Next he would make a plaster marker to indi-
cate that the place is impure, thus deterring the pure and
the cohanim from walking there and becoming impure.
Rashi states that a job such as this could only be per-
formed by an important person, since a grave is a holy
and awe-inspiring place. One must enter in a proper man-
ner, with the recognition of its holiness and not in the spirit
of a builder, an archeologist or a tour guide. On the face
of it, it seems as though Rabbi Banah was entering the
e12E Heroes of the Tanach
cave to measure, but we must understand that these mea-

surements were not of a technical nature, but rather a se-
rious matter for the sake of a mitzvah – a deed that could
only be performed by a great and noble individual.
Question: Who is considered a great person?
Answer: Someone we rely upon to perform a holy task,
who truly recognizes the task’s greatness. Entering a
righteous person's burial cave is like coming into his home,
as the Gemara says: "the righteous are greater in death
than in life" (Chullin 7b). Therefore, just as a person does
not knock on a Rabbi's door, enter and begin to look
around, so too would they not do so after his death. Not
everyone may enter the burial cave of the righteous.
Question: Is it disrespectful to visit the graves of the
righteous?
Answer: Visiting the grave is a different matter. This is
similar to listening to a Rabbi's class. Just as everyone may
listen to his class during his lifetime (which is similar to
visiting him), so too may everyone visit his grave after his
death. Visiting his grave is a way of cleaving to his spirit.
Measuring a grave is like trespassing in a private home.
This may only be done by a great person with an
incredible awe of Heaven, guarding the honor of the
Torah scholar, and only for the sake of a mitzvah, such as
preventing cohanim from becoming impure.
Adam e13E
2. The Impurity of the Graves of the

Righteous
The Gemara specifically points out that Rabbi Banah was
marking the graves at the Cave of Machpelah. We thereby
learn that the Cave of Machpelah transmits impurity. Var-
ious points are clarified by this Gemara: 1. There is a dis-
pute in the Gemara whether the graves of non-Jews trans-
mit impurity. Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai (Rashbi) says that
the graves of non-Jews do not transmit impurity through-
out a structure (referred to as "Tumat Ohel") (Yevamot
61a). Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov are, for this purpose,
placed within the same category as non-Jews because they
lived before the giving of the Torah, i.e. before the laws of
purity and impurity were given. If this is so, we can con-
clude that the Cave of Machpelah does not transmit impu-
rity. Rabbi Banah's actions, however, imply that the Hala-
chah does not follow the Rashbi – after all, if the cave did
not transmit impurity, he would have no reason to mark it
off. But this is not correct. The Halachah does follow the
Rashbi, but the Rama in the Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh Deah
372:2) writes that it is proper to be strict and not to enter
areas where there are non-Jewish corpses. Another expla-
nation: Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov are not in this cat-
egory of non-Jews since they were prophets and great
people. In this case, their graves would transmit impurity.
2. We must also discuss the opinion that the graves of the
righteous do not transmit impurity, as quoted by some Ri-
shonim (Rabbis of the Middle Ages), since the righteous
are called "living" even in their death. Our Gemara about

Rabbi Banah, according to Rashi and its simple meaning,
is a clear proof that the graves of the righteous do transmit
impurity. The decision of the majority of Achronim (later
authorities) – both Sefardic (including Ha-Rav Ovadiah
Yosef) and Ashkenazic – is that they do transmit impurity
and it is therefore forbidden for cohanim to enter the Cave
of Machpelah, Kever Rachel, etc. While there are some au-
thorities who are lenientin this matter, they represent a tiny
minority and our Sages are not pleased with those who
enter these holy places.
3. The Level of Eliezer, Avraham's

Servant
When Rabbi Banah arrives at the Cave of Machpelah, he
finds Eliezer, Avraham's servant, standing in front of the
door. Rabbi Banah asks him: what is Avraham doing now?
He responds: He is lying in Sarah's arms and she is check-
ing his head. Rabbi Banah says: Go tell Avraham that I
am at the door. Eliezer says: you should know that there
is no evil inclination in the World to Come. In this world,
it is immodest to enter when someone is lying in his wife's
arms and is checking his head, but there is no evil inclina-
tion there.
The commentators explain that we are obligated NOT to
understand this story according to its simple meaning. We
are to understand that Rabbi Banah’s marking of the
graves was either through "Ruach Ha-Kodesh" (Divine in-
Adam e15E
spiration), a dream or intellectual introspection. SO did

Rabbi Banah really mark off the graves or not? It is possi-
ble that he did not. Rather the meaning of "marked off
graves" is that he measured the spiritual levels of the ear-
liest inhabitants of the grave. He defined who Avraham is
spiritually, who Sarah is spiritually, who Eliezer is spiritu-
ally, and who Adam is spiritually. But why was Rabbi
Banah so involved with evaluating the spiritual levels of
the dead – why not “measure” the living? Because for as
long as a person is alive, we do not know what will be-
come of him. Yochanan, the Cohain Gadol, became a
heretic at the age of eighty (Pesikta De-Rav Kahana 11,
9). Only when a person dies do we know who he is, as it
says: "The day of one’s death is better than the day of
one's birth" (Kohelet 7:1). The well-known parable ex-
plains (Midrash Rabbah ibid.): There was a celebration for
a new ship setting sail. On the same day, an old ship laden
with merchandise was returning to the port to unload for
the last time. One clerk went out to look at the old ship.
They said to him: "What are you doing – the celebration
is for the new ship which is now leaving the dock?!" He
said to them: "We do not know what the fate of the new
ship will be. Perhaps it will sink, perhaps bandits will take
it over…As for the old one, who has finished its role, we
know what it accomplished." Only after a person dies is it
possible to summarize who he was and what he did in his
life; this is what Rabbi Banah was doing. It is also possible
to explain, according to the simple meaning of the text,
that he was marking off the graves, i.e. checking and
measuring them, as his name – Rabbi Banah – suggests:

"Banai" means a "builder." He did not simply enter and
measure, rather he entered, contemplated, and became
connected to these righteous people, awed by their holi-
ness. He thus merited understanding their identity and
greatness, either through a revelation in a dream (Ben Ish
Chai) or through a deep intellectual understanding
(Maharal). After all, as Rashi explained (see above), Rabbi
Banah was a great person.
Rabbi Banah arrived at the Cave of Machpelah and met
Eliezer at the entrance. Before you are able to understand
Avraham, you must first understand Eliezer. Eliezer is the
one who drew from the Torah of his teacher Avraham and
gave it to others to drink (Rashi on Bereshit 16:2). Eliezer
was the external Avraham. First and foremost, we must
understand that Eliezer was a great person. Eliezer was in
effect Avraham's Rosh Yeshiva, who spread Avraham's
Torah outward. Eliezer was a Canaanite convert, one of
the people whom Avraham converted and brought to
faith.
Question: If he was such a great person, why did Avraham
leave him with Yishmael during the Akeidah?
Answer: Eliezer was extremely important. He spread
Avraham's Torah and Avraham entrusted him to choose a
wife for Yitzchak, the woman who would be the
continuation of the Nation of Israel. But at the Akeidah,
Avraham said to him: "Stay here with the donkey"
(Bereshit 22:5). Our Sages explain: "A nation similar to the
Adam e17E
donkey" (Yevamot 62a), i.e. in relation to the Akeidah,

you – Eliezer and Yishmael – are on the level of a donkey.
This does not mean that their entire lives are on the level
of a donkey, but when compared to the powerful level of
the Akeidah, they were donkeys. If they had seen
Avraham taking his son to be slaughtered, they would
have gone crazy. They would have crumbled, become
heretics or killed Avraham. They were incapable of being
exposed to this great light. In its wake, they were donkeys.
In order to understand Avraham, we must first understand
Eliezer. Eliezer was an idealist, an important individual, a
student of Torah and he stood at the door. Where Eliezer
ends, Avraham begins. Compared to Avraham, he was
like a donkey. The Maharal (Gevurot Hashem, chap. 29)
explains that Avraham rode on a donkey, as did Moshe
Rabbenu, and the Messiah will do the same. This means
that they are able to overcome the material world (the He-
brew word for donkey – "Chamor" – is similar to the word
for material – "Chomer"). Avraham was completely liber-
ated from the material world. Eliezer, Avraham's servant,
was important but was still mired in material reality.
Avraham rose above this reality. He was on a different
plane. This is the reason that he did not marry off Yitzchak
to Eliezer's daughter. Our Sages state: "You are cursed and
my son is blessed and the cursed do not become attached
to the blessed" (Bereshit Rabbah 59:9). But if Eliezer was
cursed, how did he serve as Avraham's Rosh Yeshiva?! We
must understand that everything is relative. The curse of
the material still grasped him, while Avraham was on a
much higher level. It is difficult to explain who Eliezer was

but when you understand Eliezer's level, you can under-
stand that Avraham was more supreme than him: he was
a spiritual giant. This is the beginning of understanding
Avraham. Our Sages explain that the verse (Yehoshua
14:15): "The biggest man among the giants" refers to
Avraham Avinu (Massechet Sofrim, chap. 21).
4. The Level of Avraham and Sarah

What was Avraham Avinu doing? "He was lying in Sarah's
arms," while she was checking his head. Even before we
begin to understand the details, we must see what unites
these two acts: they are both signs of affection. And by the
way, the "Nimukei Yosef" says at the beginning of the
Gemara in Baba Batra (and this ruling appears in the
Shulchan Aruch) that it is forbidden for a person to pub-
licly display acts of affection towards his spouse. We see
from here that if Avraham and Sarah were not deceased
it would be forbidden for them to act in this way. He does
not state that it is a strict law, but that it is not proper eti-
quette, since there are occasions that it is permissible to be
lenient. If one's wife is tired or sick, for example, she may
lean on him in public.
We thus see that there is great affection between Avraham
and Sarah. This is the most blatant fact. This is a spiritual
remedy for the sin of Adam and Chavah, who had their
love destroyed. Adam was cursed through an economic
destruction, as it says: "You shall eat bread by the sweat
Adam e19E
of your brow" (Bereshit 3:19), and Chavah was cursed

through the destruction of the relationship between hus-
band and wife: "Your desire shall be for your husband,
and he shall rule over you" (ibid. 16). These two curses
are not artificial, external matters, but are implanted with
the sin itself. The sin is what caused the curse. We see that
the damage in the relationship was manifest in two ways:
1. Adam only gave his wife a name at a later period, i.e.
he did not know her name. Knowing someone by name is
the foundation of a relationship. If people call someone
"Hey, redhead" – this testifies that there is a lack of rela-
tionship. After all, this person has a name! 2. When
Hashem asks Adam what he did, he answered: "The
woman whom You gave to be with me" (ibid. 12) – she is
guilty. He throws the blame on his wife (Rashi ibid.).
Hashem did not even relate to this claim, and punished
them both. Our Sages say in the Midrash that Adam was
ungrateful. Instead of thanking Hashem for the wife he re-
ceived, he blamed Him for her. In contrast, Avraham and
Sarah symbolize friendship and love even though they ex-
perienced difficult times. Sarah did not give birth for many
years, but she did not demand from Avraham: "Give me
children" (see Bereshit 30:1). It is written that anyone who
calls on Hashem to judge his case against another is pun-
ished first (Rosh Hashanah 16b). We see that Sarah did
call on Hashem to judge between herself and Avraham, as
she said: "Hashem will judge between me and you" (ibid.
16:5). But we also see that Avraham did listen to her. We
must therefore differentiate between a one-time unfortu-
nate event and an over-all relationship which is full of love

and affection.
Our Sages state that Avraham was secondary to Sarah in
prophecy (Shemot Rabbah 1:1). She was a great prophet
and had a better understanding. This is the beginning of
the spiritual remedy of Adam's sin. Adam's economic de-
struction was also repaired by Avraham, who was ex-
tremely wealthy. Maran Ha-Rav Kook explains this idea
(Orot, Yisrael U-Techiyato 26). He says that the beginning
of trust between one person and another is the trust be-
tween husband and wife. If there is trust between husband
and wife, there is trust between one person and another,
and from this there is trust among the Nation, between Na-
tions and between worlds. Repairing the tear which is
found in the world begins with a husband and wife.
Avraham Avinu therefore loved all of humanity, as it says
about him: "All the families of the earth shall bless them-
selves through you" (Bereshit 12:3). This love began be-
tween him and his wife.
Avraham laid in Sarah's arms, which points to her suprem-
acy. She was like a support for him. From one perspective,
Sarah was more important, as we mentioned, since she
was a greater prophet than Avraham. But she was check-
ing (i.e. searching the contents of) his head, showing that
Avraham was greater than her in the "head." He was sec-
ondary to her in prophecy, but he was greater in Torah.
Avraham kept the entire Torah before it was given, as it
says: "Because Avraham obeyed My voice, and observed
My safeguards, My mitzvot, My laws and My Torahs"
Adam e21E
(Bereshit 26:5). In all matters relating to the head – the

power of thought – Avraham was greater, and in every-
thing relating to the body – to reality – Sarah was greater.
Sarah was greater in bringing theoretical matters to reality.
Sarah therefore makes the decision of how the reconcile
the two issues: 1. "All the families of the earth shall bless
themselves through you" which includes Yishmael, and 2.
the issue of whether or not to remove Yishmael from their
household, which, for the love of Yishmael, Avraham did
not want to do. The same relationship existed between
Yitzchak and Rivka, as is seen in her decision regarding
Esav, whom Yitzchak loved. The Vilna Gaon explains the
midrash that Esav's head is buried in the Cave of
Machpelah in this way: Esav's head – his supreme element
– has a portion that is endowed with the holiness of our
Forefathers (see Likutim at the end of the book "Sa'arat
Eliyahu and brought in Igrot Ha-Re'eiyah vol. 1, p. 142).
Rivka tells Yitzchak that Esav's head will come to the Cave
of Machpelah in the future, but that in the present, it is
forbidden for Esav to receive his blessing! Yitzchak was
correct in seeing Esav’s holiness from the perspective of
absolute truth, which will appear in the future, but in prac-
tice Rivka was right in seeing that this blessing was to be
delayed. The Torah encompasses all worlds; it applies
from the beginning of the world until its end. Prophecy,
on the other hand, relates to the here and now, as Rashi
explains: prophecy is a temporary measure according to
reality (Rashi on Chullin 137a). Avraham therefore relied
on Sarah. He lay in her arms, for she was greater in the
practical reality. But she lovingly related to his head, where

he was supreme.
5. The Level of Adam Ha-Rishon

After Rabbi Banah entered, looked around and left the
cave of Avraham and Sarah, he wanted to enter the Cave
of Adam Ha-Rishon, which is also in the Cave of
Machpelah. The Gemara continues: when Rabbi Banah
came to Adam Ha-Rishon's grave, a voice from Heaven
said: ''You saw the form of Avraham, who has My form
[via those who came before him, but] you may not see My
form itself [as embodied in Adam, who was created di-
rectly in G-d’s image]" (see Rashi ibid.). This means that
you may not look at Adam Ha-Rishon, since his level of
holiness is above intellect, prophecy and all understanding.
Rabbi Yehudah Ha-Levi explains in the Sefer Ha-Kuzari
(1, 95) that the Master of the Universe is the mother and
father of Adam Ha-Rishonim. A normal person has three
partners in his creation, but Adam only had one Being
who created him: the Master of the Universe. Adam is
therefore not a person like us, but something entirely dif-
ferent. Just as Avraham is on a completely different level
than Eliezer, so too is Adam Ha-Rishon on a completely
different level than Avraham. We do not possess the ability
to understand Adam Ha-Rishon. Our Sages say that the
soul of Adam Ha-Rishon includes all the souls of the entire
world (Tanchuma – Ki Tisa 12, Shemot Rabbah 40:3,
Tikunei Zohar – Tikun 50 p. 92). Adam 's prophecy was
Adam e23E
also above Moshe's prophecy (Orot Ha-Kodesh 1, p. 280).

Moshe Rabbenu needed to separate from his wife, since
he received constant prophecy. Even a righteous and pure
individual is not completely liberated from the material
world. A person who ascends the Temple Mount is there-
fore required to ritually immerse after a seminal emission
(unrelated to "Tevilat Ezra – Decree of Ezra" which always
requires immersion in a case of emission), even though it
occurred through a holy and pure marital encounter. In
contrast, Adam was a prophet without separating from his
wife. "They were naked…and they were not ashamed"
(Bereshit 2:25). This is clearly not our level. Even after the
sin, when his level of holiness decreased, he is still on a
more exalted level than us. He is more G-dly. He is "The
man". There is a dispute among the commentators
whether Rabbi Banah saw Adam before or after the sin,
but we must nevertheless understand that he is the person
whom G-d created, the image of G-d in man.
Rabbi Banah thus wanted to mark off the cave –– meaning
that he wanted to teach the world who Adam was. A Di-
vine voice told him: "The inner cave is the same size as
the outer" (ibid.), i.e. you do not need to enter for this pur-
pose, you can measure from the outside. Rabbi Banah
checked and made an enigmatic statement: "Two caverns,
this one above that one, the upper one is the same size as
the lower." There is a dispute as to what he meant: are
there two caves with one cave inside the other or is there
one cave on top of the other? Rashi explains that Rabbi
Banah was saying that there is Adam Ha-Rishon the way
he really was (the inner/lower cave) and there is Adam

Ha-Rishon to us (the outer/upper cave). We want to know
who Adam is in order to learn from his ways and to know
how to act, since we are called "Adam" (man) and we are
his continuation. The Divine Voice answered: you only
need to learn the essence of Adam Ha-Rishon as the father
of humanity. There is no need to understand his entire es-
sence. We can compare this to a Rabbi/student relation-
ship. In order to learn in a Rabbi's class, there is no need
to know the Rabbi's inner, personal essence. It is enough
to know how he acts outwardly. There is no way for you
to understand the objective Adam Ha-Rishon, it is suffi-
cient to know him subjectively. As we said, Eliezer is the
"outward" Avraham Avinu, and through him we can un-
derstand the inner Avraham. But we do not have the tools
to do the same with Adam Ha-Rishon. It is forbidden to
relate to matters which are too deep. These are the secrets
of Torah. The first parashah of the Torah is in this category
and its understanding is only revealed to select individuals
(Chagigah 11b). There are also Torah secrets which no
one knows. Therefore, do not touch the grave of Adam
Ha-Rishon – do not measure inside.
"Rabbi Banah said: I saw the heels of Adam Ha-Rishon –
they were like the sun." It is possible that he looked at
them before he was admonished not to look. The heel is
the lowest, the lowliest and the most base part of a person.
The sun is the most powerful splendor in the world and it
blinds. Rabbi Banah said the lowest and most physical part
of Adam was filled with splendor and it blinded anyone
Adam e25E
who tried to look at it. Even his heels were full of Divine
light. It is written that in the future "Holy to Hashem" will
be written on the bells of a horse (based on Zechariah
14:20. see Orot 2, p. 311). This is the same thing that is
written on the "Tzitz" worn on the Kohain Gadol's forehead
when he enters the Holy of Holies. In the future, all reality
will be elevated – even the bells of a horse. This was
Adam's level before the sin. The level of humanity after the
Resurrection of the Dead will be like Adam's level before
the sin, since sinning is death. It is detachment from the
Tree of Life. Before sinning, even Adam Ha-Rishon's heels
were like the sun, the most supreme part of the material
world.
Question: Did Adam Ha-Rishon live in this world or the
World to Come?
Answer: He lived in this world. He ate the fruits of this
world, but his physicality was completely spiritual and this
is the entire goal of the world. A completely spiritual world
is the World to Come. The purpose of creating the physical
was that there would be sanctification of Hashem's Name
in the lower world. Our purpose is "Be Holy" (Vayikra
19:2) here in the lower world.
6. The Level of Existence

The Gemara continues: "Anyone compared to Sarah is like
a monkey compared to a person." All people, even right-
eous individuals and Rabbis, are monkeys when com-
pared to Sarah. We must understand that there are differ-

ent levels in reality. In order to understand Sarah's great-
ness, the Gemara explains this idea to us in a negative
way, which is often the case with great ideals that are dif-
ficult to explain. Everyone is a monkey compared to
Avraham and Sarah. If you understand Eliezer's level,
Avraham was greater. If you understand the level of all of
humanity, they are monkeys compared to Sarah. "Sarah
compared to Chavah is like a monkey compared to a
man." All of us are like monkeys when compared to Sarah,
but Sarah compared to Chavah is like a monkey com-
pared to a man. Chavah is not an actual person. She is a
soulful being, the person who was created by G-d Himself.
The Gemara says: "Chavah compared to Adam is like a
monkey compared to a man." The "Ben Ish Chai" raises a
difficulty based on the Arizal (in Sha'ar Ha-Kavanot,
Derush Rosh Hashanah): He brings the statement of our
Sages that Adam Ha-Rishon could not look into the face
of Chavah. Just as Rabbi Banah was blinded by Adam
Ha-Rishon, so was Adam Ha-Rishon blinded by his wife.
If this is the case, there is a contradiction. The Gemara
says that she was like a monkey compared to him, but
here it is implied, if he could not look in her face, that she
was more supreme. The "Ben Ish Chai" explains that there
is no contradiction. Adam was greater than Chavah before
the sin, but she was greater than him after the sin. The sin
affected Adam more than it affected Chavah. In this world
and in our time, the same is true. A righteous man is more
supreme than a righteous woman on account of the power
Adam e27E
of the Torah. But when a man sins, he descends to a

greater extent than when a woman sins. A man can climb
higher, but he can also deteriorate to the lowest level. Per-
haps a woman is not able to climb as high, but her fall is
also much less. In the Torah, the most evil people are men
and not women. There are hardly any evil women. It is
true that there is Izevel (Jezebel), and Vashti and Zeresh,
but there are many more righteous than sinful women. In
the communal transgressions – the sin of the Golden Calf
and the sin of the spies – the women did not participate.
And the women did not sink to the forty-ninth gate of im-
purity in Egypt. At the same time, the two great ones who
rose to save the Nation from Egyptian slavery were men:
Moshe and Aharon. Our Rabbi, Ha-Rav Tzvi Yehudah, ex-
plains that a woman is more G-dly, and a man is more
human (see the book "Bat Melech," p. 15). A woman pos-
sesses more Divine abilities, and a man possesses more
human abilities. A woman is therefore more stable and less
prone to spiritual descent. Although Chavah caused the sin
and influenced Adam to sin, we can ask: why was he en-
ticed? Is it possible that he was there when the snake spoke
to her? Our Sages ask: where was Adam at this time? Why
was Chavah left alone facing the snake? When the Master
of the Universe asks him: "Where are you?" It is not a ge-
ographical question, but a spiritual one. Adam was greater
than Chavah before the sin, but she was greater than him
afterwards. Another interpretation: At the beginning,
Adam Ha-Rishon was a combination of two people, as the
Gemara (Berachot 61a and Eruvin 18a) explains the
verse: "Male and female – He created them" (Bereshit 5:2).

Later, they were separated. If so, the male alone when
compared to Adam Ha-Rishon (the combination of male
and female) is like a monkey before a man.
One of the commentators asks: If this is true, why does the
Gemara say that Sarah was like a monkey compare to
Avraham? He explains that it is true that Avraham was
greater in Torah, but as is known, Sarah was greater in
prophecy (see Rashi on Bereshit 11:29). Rabbi Banah
came to all of these understandings either through "Ruach
Ha-Kodesh" (Divine inspiration), a dream or intellectual in-
trospection.
The Gemara continues: "Adam compared to the Divine
Presence is like a monkey compared to a person. The Di-
vine light which sparkles within a person is like a monkey
compared to the Divine light which sparkles throughout
G-d’s creation. This Divine light, which dwells in the en-
tirety of existence, is the Divine Presence. There was a Di-
vine light even before G-d’s spiritual creations, as we say:
"You existed before the world was created and You exist
after the world was created." This is in opposition to phi-
losophies which limit the Divine light to the Divine light
within man. These beliefs state that G-d is man and man
is G-d. Although this is true, since there is a Divine light
within man, there is a much more supreme Divine light
than man, which came before man. I once spoke with a
Buddhist and I told him that we cleave to Hashem. He
asked me: "What is cleaving to Hashem? Hashem is man.
The way to cleave to Hashem is to cleave to yourself." This
Adam e29E
is similar to the top of the glue which sticks to the con-

tainer: man cleaves to himself. But it is not true. The Di-
vine light in G-d’s creation is far more supreme than the
Divine light in man, and the Divine light in existence is like
a monkey compared to the Divine light which is above ex-
istence. Someone who does not understand this is a Pan-
theist, which is the philosophy of Spinoza, who said that
everything is G-d. This is incorrect. Although the entire
world is full of Divine light, the Master of the Universe was
before the world and is above the world: "Who reigned
before any form was created" and "after all has ceased to
be" (from "Adon Olam"). To a certain extent, we can reach
the Divine light within existence but we have no concept
of the Divine light before or above existence. This is
something that even Adam Ha-Rishon could not under-
stand.
The Gemara brings examples to clarify this matter: "The
radiance of Rav Kahana is a semblance of that of Rav. The
radiance of Rav is a semblance of that of Rabbi Abahu.
The radiance of Rabbi Abahu is a semblance of that of
Yaakov." We know that Rav Kahana was the student of
Rav, but can we compare the two?! They were worlds
apart. The Maharal explains that Rav Kahana was a mor-
sel compared to Rav. "The radiance of Yaakov is a sem-
blance of Adam Ha-Rishon." Yaakov was similar to Adam
Ha-Rishon. Although we are all like monkeys compared to
Adam Ha-Rishon, there are different levels among the
monkeys. The Maharal explains in his introduction to
"Beer Ha-Golah" that in our times people think that they
are the great Torah scholars of the generation but they do

not understand the difference between themselves and
their Rabbi, and they do not understand the difference be-
tween their Rabbi and the "Rishonim" (the earlier ones).
The "Rishonim" understood this concept well. The student
understood that he was nothing compared to his teacher,
and everyone knew that they were absolutely nothing
compared to the ancient ones. "If the early Sages were like
sons of angels, we are like people; if they were like people,
we are like donkeys" (see Shabbat 112b).
Avraham
1. The Wisdom of Avraham
2. Character Traits and Actions
3. Avraham's Faith
4. Calling out Hashem's Name in the World
5. The Great Man among the Giants
6. The Students of Avraham Avinu
1. The Wisdom of Avraham

Avraham Avinu is the greatest of the spiritual giants. How
is it possible to dare talk about him? When we learn Chu-
mash, there is certainly no choice but to mention his
name. To simply discuss Avraham Avinu is chutzpah. But
our generation has much chutzpah and we will therefore
be brazen and speak about him. The Nation of Israel had
many spiritual giants, but Avraham Avinu is the greatest of
them. All of the giants who followed him are giants be-
cause they are standing on his shoulders. If we did not be-
lieve in Torah, it would be impossible to believe that a per-
son such as this actually existed in history. When I arrive
in the World to Come, I will not be brazen enough to ap-
proach Avraham Avinu and say "Shalom." I will stand at
a distance and stare, and this too will be a brazen act. I
will stand in fear and trembling at a distance. I will also not
dare to approach other giants. Only one giant will I be bra-
zen enough to approach: Our Rabbi, Ha-Rav Tzvi

Yehudah Kook. I will dare to do this since I met him dur-
ing his lifetime, but I will not do more than that.
Hashem could have begun the Nation of Israel from the
ground up, with primitive generations slowly advancing
spiritually. This is what occurred with the other nations of
the world. Those nations look at their past with some em-
barrassment, apologetically and even arrogantly, but most
of all with happiness that their current state has improved
and developed beyond that of the primitive generations.
Hashem could have created the Nation of Israel in the
same way, but His wisdom dictated otherwise. The Nation
of Israel began from a giant about whom it is said: "When
will my actions reach [the level of] my forefathers' actions?"
In contrast, the non-Jews say: "When will my actions not
be like my forefathers' actions, but much better?" For the
Nation of Israel, there is someone to look at and say:
"Look at this one and sanctify yourself" (Rosh Hashanah
20a). Our education is not only built on words and general
concepts, even if they are spiritual, ethical and supreme
ones. We believe that a person will grow spiritually greater
when he sees a living model before him, who serves as a
guide, teacher and Rabbi. Avraham Avinu lives within us
and we say about him: "Look at this one and sanctify
yourself." Our Sages state that every Jew must look at him-
self and say: "When will my actions reach my forefathers'
actions?" (Tana De-Bei Eliyahu Rabbah 25), i.e. the ac-
tions of Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov.
The prophet Yeshayahu says: "Listen to me, you who fol-
Avraham e33E
low after righteousness, you who seek Hashem"

(Yeshayahu 51:1). One who is searching for justice and
ethical integrity, one who is searching for recognition of
the Divine: "Listen to me..: Look at the rock from which
you are hewn, and to the pit from which you are dug.
Look to Avraham your father and to Sarah who bore you"
(Yeshayahu 51:1-2). Someone who is searching for these
things only has to do one thing: Look at Avraham Avinu
and Sarah Imenu. Avraham and Sarah are the same thing.
Everything we learn about Avraham Avinu is the same for
Sarah Imenu, except for minor differences. Avraham is the
male paradigm and Sarah is the female paradigm for one
identity.
What then is Avraham Avinu’s greatness? Avraham Avinu
was a giant in what distinguishes man from beast, as ex-
plained in the book "Moreh Nevuchim" (1, 2) – the intel-
lect. Animals also have emotions, imaginations and de-
sires, but only people possess intellect – technological in-
tellect and spiritual intellect, ethical and supreme intellect.
Rashi asks on the verse: "And man became a living being"
– aren't animals also living beings? He explains that this is
true but the soul of the human being is greater since it pos-
sesses knowledge and speech (Rashi on Bereshit 2:7).
Knowledge, speech and intellect are identical concepts.
Avraham Avinu was a giant of wisdom. This was his
unique path. Maran Ha-Rav Kook explains in his com-
mentary on the siddur, "Olat Re'eiyah" (vol. 1, p. 269),
that the prayer "Shemoneh Esrei" begins: "the G-d of
Avraham, the G-d of Yitzchak and the G-d of Yaakov" in-
stead of mentioning them altogether: "the G-d of

Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov" since each of the forefa-
thers had a different path to the Master of the Universe.
There are different types of wisdom in the world: mathe-
matics, physics, etc., but Avraham Avinu was a giant in the
greatest of wisdoms: the wisdom of the world. He investi-
gated questions such as: why are we in the world? Why
were we created? Who created us? Maran Ha-Rav Kook
said that Avraham Avinu's trait was the attainment of un-
derstanding through deep examination and philosophical
and critical introspection. "And with it, he lovingly called
in the name of Hashem to inform everyone about Him"
(Olat Re'eiyah ibid.). Intellect provides the ability to trans-
mit messages to others. Emotion, imagination and desire
are non-transmittable. Intellect can be translated into
words and transmitted from one person to another. If the
explanation is unclear, it can be explained again and again
until the message is absorbed.
Yitzchak possessed a different trait – "the fear of Yitzchak"
– awe of Hashem. Should we understand from this, G-d
forbid, that Avraham Avinu did not possess awe of
Hashem? He certainly possessed it. He had awe of
Hashem through his wisdom. But didn't Yitzchak possess
wisdom? He certainly had wisdom, but it flowed through
his awe of Hashem. A hint of this idea is found in the fact
that Avraham established Shacharit (the morning prayer)
and Yitzchak established Minchah (the afternoon prayer)
(Berachot 26b). The Tosafot ask: If this is so, how can the
Gemara (Yoma 28b) say that Avraham prayed Minchah?
Avraham e35E
Answer: After Yitzchak established it, Avraham also prayed

it.
Avraham thus possessed great wisdom. He learned on his
own from the time he was a small child. For a time, he
ran away from home and learned in the yeshiva of Shem
and Ever. Shem and Ever were spiritual giants, but they
were hidden from the world. In every generation, there
were a few who were believers. The Rambam lists them:
Chanoch, Metushelach, Shem and Ever (Hilchot Avodah
Zarah, chap. 1). They were loners, hidden within their
yeshivot, and one could come and learn from them if he
so desired. Nimrod, the great warrior in the name of evil
and heresy, a sort of Hitler of yesteryear, did not fear
Shem and Ever, but he did fear Avraham Avinu.
Question: Isn't it written that King Shlomo was the wisest
of all men. Was he wiser than Avraham Avinu?
Answer: He was the wisest of all men. The Gemara in
Rosh Hashanah (21b) says that no prophet arose like
Moshe – no one arose like Moshe among the prophets, but
someone did arise like Moshe among the kings. Moshe
Rabbenu was the greatest in prophecy but King Shlomo
was greater in kingship. In this area, he was greater than
Moshe Rabbenu and even greater than Avraham Avinu.
Avraham was not a king at all, and Moshe Rabbenu was
the beginning of kingship. The verse: "He became king
over Yeshurun" (Devarim 33:5) refers to Moshe Rabbenu,
but King Shlomo was the greatest of all kings. At the end
of his book "Or Le-Netivati," Our Rabbi, Ha-Rav Tzvi
Yehudah, records dreams which he dreamt. He writes that

he once dreamt that he wrote an article about the way to
run a state according to Torah, and showed it to "Abba
z"l" (Maran Ha-Rav Kook). Maran Ha-Rav looked at him
and said: "You need to show it to King Shlomo." "I brought
it to King Shlomo," our Rabbi wrote, "And he agreed." If
so, the proper way to run a state is by the example set by
King Shlomo. The administration of a state is obviously
not detached from other areas of wisdom. We see in the
book of Kohelet how this wisdom is connected to many
other areas of wisdom, but it is also a wisdom in and of
itself.
2. Character Traits and Actions

Avraham Avinu's wisdom was revealed in acts of kindness
or, more precisely, in positive character traits. Character
traits are the general and actions are the details. Connect-
ing the two is the uniqueness of Avraham's wisdom. Wis-
dom unconnected to action is Bila'am's wisdom, who was
a great sage, as it says: "He knows the supreme knowl-
edge" (Bemidbar 24:16), not for the sake of improvement
but for the sake of evil. Even wisdom can be used in both
directions, as it says: "whoever you bless will be blessed
and whoever you curse will be cursed" (Bemidbar 22:6).
Bila'am chose to utilize it for evil. In contrast, Avraham
Avinu used wisdom for good. Ha-Rav Naftali Hertz Vizel
proves in his book "Gan Na'ul" that whenever the Tanach
uses the term "chacham" (sage) it means a righteous sage.
Avraham e37E
A person may be learned, a professor or a philosopher but

if he is not righteous, he is not called a "chacham." In Shut
"Noda Bi-Yehudah," he brings a quote which refers to a
particular individual as an enlightened person, a re-
searcher and a "chacham." The "Noda Bi-Yehudah" writes
to the person who was writing: "Do not call him a
'chacham.'" A "chacham" is someone whose entire wisdom
is revealed in Torah, mitzvot and acts of goodness. This is
in fact Avraham Avinu's wisdom: wisdom which leads to
kindness, acts of goodness and to the entire Torah.
Avraham Avinu learned the entire Torah before it was
given. How? Through his conscience. The "Ba'al
Ha-Tanya" explains that Avraham Avinu's Torah learning
did not include the details (Likutei Torah, Shelach,
ma'amar 2). Avraham did not light Chanukah candles, did
not read the Haggadah on Pesach or celebrate Sukkot. He
did not live in the details but in the general concepts. He
may have observed the details or not, but the essence is
that he learned Torah through his faith and out of the faith
he built his character traits.
Our Sages say that Avraham had four hundred chapters
in his tractate of Avodah Zarah ("Idol Worship") (Avodah
Zarah 14b). We have five chapters and we understand
them with difficulty. Where is Avraham's Tractate Avodah
Zarah with four hundred chapters? We do not know. It dis-
appeared. Only one book remains which Avraham wrote:
"Sefer Ha-Yetzirah – The Book of Creation." It was passed
down orally until Rabbi Akiva wrote it down and arranged
it. Avraham Avinu was a great warrior against idol wor-
ship, since idol worship is a metaphysical and ideological

error which results in horrible unethical corruption. This is
certainly not difficult to understand since there are so
many gods and a person can always find a god for what-
ever he wants to do. This is not permissibility, it is much
more. In idol worship, everything is holy. Even illicit sexual
relations can be performed in a Temple and called
"kedeshot" (holy women) – everything is holy. In idol wor-
ship, any human inclination is permitted and holy (see
Yerushalami, Avodah Zarah 1:1). But we say: "Hashem is
one."
3. Avraham's Faith
At the beginning of his journey, Avraham Avinu was a phi-
losopher. Philosophy is intellectual investigation. Every-
thing must be proven, and anything which is not proven
does not exist. Avraham went on to be higher than a phi-
losopher. He was a believer, a believer in Hashem. When
Hashem said to him: "Take your son" (Bereshit 22:1), he
took his son although there is no way to explain it from a
philosophical perspective. There was no explanation from
the perspective of human intellect, human ethics or
societal norms. There was only belief.
Maran Ha-Rav Kook explains the expression in the
Gemara: "He is called humble, he is called righteous, from
the students of Avraham Avinu" (Berachot 6b) that the
fundamental qualities of righteousness and humility are
not to be arrogant and not to apply the prevailing intellect
Avraham e39E
to every situation. The commandment of Brit Milah is un-

clear, and the Akedah is certainly unclear. "We must un-
derstand that a person does not live a true life based on
the prevailing intellect alone, but by acts of goodness. And
Avraham Avinu, may peace be upon him, also nullified his
intellect after all of his philosophizing, with simple faith, as
the commentators explain in the trial of the Akedah" (Ain
Aya, Berachot vol.1, chap. 1 #55). There are those who
think that faith in Hashem is designed for the weak and
those who are empty, that awe of Hashem is for those who
are afraid. This is not true. Faith in Hashem comes from
wisdom. The wiser a person, the greater his belief in
Hashem, the greater his awe of Hashem and the greater
are his acts of goodness. The Gemara uses an expression:
"A strong person who fears" (Shabbat 31b). Maran Ha-Rav
Kook explains that one can fear sin out of weakness of
character or from general fear. But the ultimate goal is to
be strong and fear sin (see Ain Aya ibid.). Avraham Avinu
possessed positive character traits, feared Hashem and
nullified his intellect precisely on account of his wisdom.
Through intellect and wisdom, one reaches humility and
the understanding that something exists above wisdom.
The things we have learned about Avraham Avinu up to
this point are surprising. We do not usually discuss
Avraham Avinu from the perspective of wisdom but from
his loving-kindness and positive character traits. We must
understand that his positive character traits flowed from
recognition of Hashem and understanding. There are
other paths to refining one's character traits – the paths of
emotion, imagination, desire, fear, societal pressure or

societal influence. There are many paths and they are all
good, but the supreme path is through knowledge. The
Rambam therefore named his collection of laws of positive
traits as "Hilchot De'ot – the Laws of Knowledge." A person
knows more and more until knowledge takes his entire
personality captive.
This is how Avraham Avinu proceeded and ultimately cre-
ated a revolution. He revolutionized wisdom, and out of
this came a revolution of positive character traits in the
world. Human history is divided into two parts: before
Avraham Avinu and after Avraham Avinu. In a completely
different, secular realm, Greek philosophers talk about the
period before Socrates and the period after Socrates.
Some things are pre-Socrates and others are
post-Socrates. In contrast, Chabad Chasidim talk about
the period before St. Petersburg and after St. Petersburg.
The first Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Shneur Zalman of
Liadi known as the "Ba'al Ha-Tanya," was arrested on sus-
picion of treason, brought to the jail in St. Petersburg, ac-
quitted and released. Chabad Chasidim therefore divide
history into the periods before St. Petersburg and after it.
But we are the students of Avraham Avinu and we divide
history between the periods before Avraham Avinu and af-
ter him. In world history, pre-history is until Avraham
Avinu and history begins with Avraham Avinu. Nursery
school children and first– and second-graders therefore
must begin to learn Torah from Avraham Avinu.
Pre-history from Adam Ha-Rishon and Noach must be oc-
Avraham e41E
casionally mentioned only for the sake of general knowl-

edge. The essence of history begins with Avraham Avinu.
Before Avraham Avinu, all humanity deteriorated to a hor-
rid state until the flood, not to mention what occurred be-
fore humanity, as our Sages state: Hashem built worlds
and destroyed them (Kohelet Rabbah 3:14). Each new
world created was better than the previous one. How
many worlds did Hashem build and destroy? I saw that
one Kabbalist wrote that Hashem spent seventeen and a
half billion years creating worlds and destroying them. This
is interesting, since scientists estimate that the Big Bang oc-
curred fifteen billion years ago. If so, the exact time was
seventeen and a half billion years ago. All history is thus
divided between seventeen and a half billion years before
Avraham, and the time from Avraham Avinu onward. The
sun, by the way, has enough energy for another five to ten
billion years.
Question: Hasn't the world only existed for approximately
five thousand years?
Answer: Our world has only existed for a little over
fifty-seven hundred years but Hashem built worlds and
destroyed them beforehand. Our world is beautiful. I love
our world. It is better for a person in our world than in all
the other worlds which Hashem built over the seventeen
and a half billion years and then destroyed. Our Sages
state that the first word in the Torah, "Bereshit" (In the
beginning), begins with the Hebrew letter "bet" which is
closed on its right side to teach us that we should not
search for what came before. It can be compared to a king

who built a castle in a place that had been a garbage
dump. A journalist came [The midrash does not say a
journalist but "a person came" but we understand what
type of person…] and asked: "Wasn't it disgusting here
before?" The king threw him out: "You're disgusting! Get
out of here! What does it matter to you that it was
disgusting before?! Now it is not." It is forbidden to remind
a newly-observant person of his past actions. Now, we are
not only in a much better world, but we also have the
great fortune to live after the appearance of Avraham
Avinu. There is therefore no reason to dwell on what
preceded Avraham Avinu, it is insulting and extraneous.
It is written at the end of Pirkei Avot (6:9) that Hashem
acquired five possessions for Himself in His world: Torah,
heaven and earth, Avraham, Israel and the Temple. If this
is so, where did Avraham stand? He stood with the Torah,
with heaven and earth, with Israel and with the Temple.
The Mishnah brings as a proof that Hashem acquired
Avraham from the verse: "He blessed him, saying: Blessed
is Avram of G-d, the Most High, who acquired heaven and
earth" (Bereshit 14:19). Who acquired heaven and earth?
G-d, the Most High, acquired heaven and earth. Midrash
Shmuel on Pirkei Avot says: This is not so, Avraham Avinu
is the one who acquired heaven and earth! But did
Avraham Avinu create heaven and earth? Certainly not,
but Avraham Avinu gave meaning to all of heaven and
earth. There is no meaning to the creation of heaven and
earth without Avraham Avinu (see Bereshit Rabbah 12:9).
Avraham e43E
Everything was suspended after creation to see if Avraham

Avinu would come into existence or not. If Avraham did
not come, there would be a need to destroy all of human-
ity. Midrash Shmuel thus says that if Hashem acquires
heaven and earth, He acquires Avraham Avinu all the
more so, since all of heaven and earth is not worth any-
thing without Avraham Avinu.
4. Calling out Hashem's Name in the

World
There were thus catastrophes before Avraham Avinu. At
the time of the flood, Hashem blessed Noach, but Noach
did not elevate humanity. He only elevated himself. Even
his sons were not exactly on his level. The Rambam de-
scribes at great length in the first chapter of Hilchot
Avodah Zarah (Laws of Idol Worship) how humanity de-
teriorated in the generation after the flood to the point that
there was a lack of recognition of the Master of the Uni-
verse. The world became so primitive, materialistic, base,
lowly and evil that all they knew was the form of trees and
stones, and their “sages” were ignorant. Only a few select
individuals knew Hashem: Chanoch, Metushelach, Noach,
Shem and Ever. The world continued on this way until the
birth of the Pillar of the World: Avraham Avinu. From the
time he was weaned – maybe two or three years old, his
mind began to wander. As we said, Avraham's greatness
was his wisdom. There are wise children and foolish el-
ders. His thoughts began to wander and he began to think
day and night, and he was surprised: how does this cycle
constantly continue if there is no one controlling it? The
cycle is all of nature. He did not have a teacher, and was
living in Ur Kasdim among ignorant idol worshippers.
Avraham continued to ponder until he reached the true
path from his own proper understanding. He came to eve-
rything through the power of his own wisdom. He knew
that there is only one Gd, and that He controls the cycle.
He created everything and there is no other god but Him.
He also knew that the entire world was mistaken, and that
this error was caused by the worshipping of stars and
forms until the truth was lost from their body of knowl-
edge. At the age of forty, Avraham came to know his Cre-
ator. Thirty-seven years of investigating, learning and pon-
dering. He began at the age of three and reached his con-
clusions when he was forty. It took him thirty-seven years.
The Gemara says that Avraham knew his Creator at the
age of three (Nedarim 32a). There is no contradiction
here. The "Kesef Mishnah" explains that he began to know
at the age of three and his recognition of the Divine was
complete at the age of forty. "A forty year old reaches un-
derstanding" (Pirkei Avot 5:21). The Rambam continues
that once he knew, he began discussing this with the peo-
ple of Ur Kasdim and explaining to them that they were
on the wrong path. He broke the idols and informed them
that it is only proper to worship G-d. Because he began to
influence them with his proofs, King Nimrod wanted to kill
him. He was the king of the idol worshippers, the king of
heretics, the king of those who rebel, the king of evil. He
Avraham e45E
threw Avraham Avinu into a fiery furnace, into a cremato-

rium, exactly like Hitler. He threw him in alive, but "Ba-
ruch Hashem" a miracle occurred for him and he escaped
unharmed. He then went to Charan and began to inform
the entire world that there is only one G-d and it is proper
to worship him. He would go from city to city and from
country to country calling to the people until he came to
the land of Canaan…and when the people would gather
around him and ask him about his words, he would offer
an explanation to each of them according to their under-
standing until they returned to the path of truth. Each per-
son required a different explanation, a different reason, a
different proof. Each person according to his path, accord-
ing to his soul. He gathered thousands and tens of thou-
sands of people and he implanted in their hearts this great
essential teaching (faith in Hashem) and he wrote many
books. Four hundred chapters disappeared, all except
"Sefer Ha-Yetzirah – the Book of Creation." But the ideas
were not lost – they were absorbed into the Oral Torah.
Question: Where are these people?
Answer: All these people seemed to have disappeared.
They are not the Nation of Israel. They are good people
who were absorbed into the nations of the world, beside
the Nation of Israel. They are part of the covenant of
Avraham. They are not the Nation of Israel. The Nation of
Israel is the offspring of Yaakov.
The Rambam explains that this chain continues in the Na-
tion of Israel: Avraham taught it to his son Yitzchak.
Yitzchak sat, taught and cautioned others. Yitzchak taught

Yaakov and appointed him to teach, and he sat, taught,
and strengthened those who gathered around him. And
Yaakov Avinu taught all of his sons, and he chose Levi
and appointed him as the leader. All of his sons learned
and taught but Levi was the head. He placed him in a ye-
shiva to teach them the way of Hashem, and to observe
the mitzvot of Avraham. He commanded his sons that the
leadership should not depart from the offspring of Levi, so
that the teachings would not be forgotten. This idea gained
strength amongst the children of Yaakov, and those who
gathered around them, and there became a nation within
the world who knew Hashem. The Nation is only the chil-
dren of Yaakov, and not those who gathered around them
from the nations, and the Nation’s uniqueness was that its
essence was faith in Hashem. Those who gathered around
them were good and pleasant people but they are not the
Nation of Israel. They are the righteous people from the
nations of the world, similar to Aner, Eshkol and Mamre,
with whom Avraham took counsel, who were righteous
non-Jews. There are also righteous non-Jews today and
they are the students of the students of these people who
gathered around. The Rambam continues: When Israel ex-
tended their stay in Egypt, they learned their ways and
worshipped idols like them, with the exception of the tribe
of Levi who stood firmly by the mitzvot of the forefathers
and never worshipped idols. The Nation of Israel sank to
the forty-ninth gate of impurity, walking among them and
experiencing the spiritual death of idol worship. Because
Avraham e47E
of Hashem's love for us, and to keep the oath He made

to Avraham Avinu, He made Moshe Rabbenu, the master
of all of the prophets, and sent him to take the Nation of
Israel out of Egypt (Rambam, Hilchot Avodah Zarah –
Laws of Idol Worship 1:3). Hashem thus loves us because
He loves Avraham Avinu. We are the Nation of Avraham
Avinu. The qualities of Avraham Avinu, the faith of
Avraham Avinu, the character traits of Avraham Avinu,
were absorbed into the Nation of Israel in the iron furnace
of Egypt. Because of Hashem's love for and promise to
Avraham Avinu, He took us out of Egypt by Moshe
Rabbenu. Avraham Avinu is us and we are Avraham
Avinu in the form of a Nation. He is in the form of an
individual and we are in the form of a Nation. We said
earlier that Avraham is the male paradigm and Sarah is
the female paradigm. The paradigm of an individual is
Avraham and the paradigm of a community is the Nation
of Israel – "the Nation of the G-d of Avraham."
Our Sages say that Avraham Avinu walked the length and
breadth of the Land of Israel. Why? So that it would be
easily conquered by his children (Baba Batra 100a). Since
Avraham Avinu is us, his cleaving to the Land of Israel
made it easier for us to conquer. Avraham is the seed and
we are the tree, we are the fruit. Everything within us co-
mes from Avraham Avinu. When we learn about Avraham
Avinu, we learn about ourselves.
5. The Great Man among the Giants

Those who look at Avraham Avinu as an equal commit a
grave error. This is called learning Tanach "Be-Gova
Einayim" (literally, "at the height of the eyes"). This is first
and foremost an intellectual error. This shows that they do
not understand anything, they did not learn anything and
they did not grasp anything. They do not understand who
Avraham Avinu is. The second error results from the first.
It is an educational error. If we look at Avraham Avinu
from the correct perspective and follow after him, we fol-
low his light. But if Avraham Avinu is the same as us, even
when we follow him, we will remain in the same place. We
will not be elevated and exalted. We will not have a guide.
We will lack the "Look at this one and sanctify yourself."
This is thus a double error. The educational error comes
in tow since all of the personalities in the Tanach are spir-
itual giants. Ha-Rav Moshe Feinstein relates in the preface
to the last volume of his responsa, Shut Igrot Moshe, an
incident which occurred in his city in Russia. A man be-
came ill with a horrible sickness: his tongue swelled up
within his mouth, he was unable to speak and he eventu-
ally died. A day before his death, Rav Moshe came to visit
him and the man asked that everyone leave the room. He
had something private and of great importance to discuss
with the Rav. He explained that he had given a class and
had discussed Lot's older daughter who named her son
Moav – from father. She was the progenitor of the Moabite
People, which means that she is the ancestor of Rut, who
is the great-grandmother of King David, from whom the
Avraham e49E
Messiah will descend. How could it be, he had asked, that

this woman, who had no shame, and therefore publicized
her illicit and immoral behavior by giving her son a name
that would ever recall here sinful act, was granted such
honor? He spared no words in denigrating her behavior.
He continued: "That night, two elderly women appeared
to me in a dream. Their heads and faces were covered,
and they said they were Lot's daughters. They had heard
my complaint about their behavior and came from the
World of Truth to convey to me a justification for their ac-
tions. Since it was well-known that Avraham Avinu, their
uncle, was an individual for whom miracles were com-
monplace, they feared that people might say that their
sons were conceived by immaculate conception. There
were no men around, so how else could they have been
conceived? In order to prevent another religion such as
Christianity from being established by this misunderstand-
ing, they decided to publicize the source of their concep-
tion. Their motives were pure and lofty. Since he had spo-
ken ill against them and defamed their character, he was
to be punished as the spies in the wilderness were pun-
ished. Their tongues swelled, and they died an unusual
death." Ha-Rav Feinstein says that this seems correct. We
are not speaking about the daughters of Lot. We are
speaking about our great and holy people, and all the
more so the giant of the giants. This expression referring
to Avraham Avinu: "The great man among the giants" is
found in the Book of Yehoshua (14:15). Our Sages say
that his full stature was equal to seventy-four men. This is
an exact figure. How much is the great man among the

giants? Seventy-four (Massechet Sofrim 21:9). Everything
with us is exact. The midrash says that he was as strong
as seventy-four men, and he ate and drank like
seventy-four men, and the drinking refers to wine! This
midrash appears in a work "Midrash Peli'ah" (Surprising
Midrash) which quotes midrashim that are difficult to un-
derstand (piskah 17). There is an explanation of this mid-
rash in the name of Rabbi Eliyahu Vilna, which I have not
been able to locate in the works of the Vilna Gaon (Rabbi
Eliyahu of Vilna), but it certainly fits his genius. He quotes
the verses: "Moshe, Aharon, Nadav and Avihu, and the
seventy elders of Israel ascended…they gazed at G-d, ate
and drank" (Shemot 24:9, 11), i.e. seventy-four people.
What does "eat and drink mean"? Purification of the phys-
ical until "they gazed at G-d." "And Avraham Avinu fed this
food to the angels, whose food is the splendor of the Di-
vine Presence," i.e. supreme, spiritual food. This means
that Avraham was like the seventy elders, Moshe, Aharon,
Nadav and Avihu, in relation to the purification of the ma-
terial. King David also purified the physical. He had an evil
inclination which he killed by fasting (Yerushalmi,
Berachot 9:5, Tanya chap. 1). Avraham Avinu however
did not kill his evil inclination but purified it. He is there-
fore called Avraham which has the gematria (each letter
has a numerical value) of 248, since all 248 of his limbs
served Hashem.
Avraham e51E
6. The Students of Avraham Avinu

As we stated, Avraham Avinu's wisdom was revealed in
the purity of his character traits. This is in contrast to
Bilam, who had wisdom but did not purify his character.
Therefore, "What is the difference between the students of
Avraham Avinu and the students of Bilam?" (Pirkei Avot
5:19) Avraham Avinu had a "good eye," he loved every-
one. Bilam however had an "evil eye," he hated everyone.
Why is it written: "What is the difference between the stu-
dents of Avraham Avinu and the students of Bilam?" and
not "What is the difference between Avraham Avinu and
Bilam?" Answer: a person is recognized through his stu-
dents. Tell me who your student is and I will tell you who
you are. Avraham Avinu is recognized through his student
Moshe Rabbenu and all of the spiritual giants of the Nation
of Israel who are his students. Everyone of the Nation of
Israel at this time is a student of Avraham Avinu. As we
said, we therefore begin by teaching little children about
Avraham Avinu. A successful teacher is not one who has
a student who knows more about Avraham Avinu after the
class, but one who has a student who is more like
Avraham Avinu after the class. Avraham Avinu is im-
printed in our personality and soul, but we must exert ef-
fort in order to bring the potential Avraham Avinu out
from within us. The connection to the Land of Israel be-
gins with Avraham Avinu. Positive character traits begin
with Avraham Avinu. And the love of Israel begins with
Avraham Avinu. Our love of Israel does not begin with
Moshe Rabbenu, since if that were so, it would be possible
to say that we only love someone who learns Torah. Our

love of Israel begins with Avraham Avinu. The Nation of
Israel is Avraham Avinu. We are saturated with the spirit
of Avraham Avinu, the treasured character of Israel, which
itself began with Avraham Avinu. The treasured character
of Israel appeared during the Exodus from Egypt, but it
was absorbed from Avraham Avinu in the fiery furnace.
We are the Nation of Avraham Avinu. Moshe Rabbenu is
the student of Avraham Avinu. Someone who is as wise
as Moshe Rabbenu, but is not the student of Avraham
Avinu, becomes Bilam. "Our Sages say: 'A prophet like Is-
rael never arose again in Israel' (Devarim 34:10) but some-
one did arise like him among the nations of the world,"
namely Bilam (Bemidbar Rabbah 14:19). Is Bilam similar
to Moshe? There are similarities, but the great difference is
that Moshe Rabbenu is the student of Avraham Avinu and
Bilam is not. And if he is the opposite of Avraham Avinu,
he is also the opposite of Moshe Rabbenu.
We have thus merited meeting a spiritual giant. We must
think about him all the time, look to him all the time. Every
act that a person performs must be considered from the
perspective of what Avraham Avinu would have done in
this situation. We must act in consonance with Avraham
Avinu. May we merit fulfilling the command "Look to
Avraham your father and to Sarah who bore you."
Yitzchak
1. "Avraham begot Yitzchak"
2. The Fear of Yitzchak
3. "Bitul Ha-Yesh – Self-Nullification"
4. A Hidden Tzadik
5. "Yitzchak Sowed"
6. A Spirit of the World to Come
1. "Avraham begot Yitzchak"

Fear grips us when we discuss Yitzchak Avinu. We fear dis-
cussing all of the spiritual giants of the world who appear
in the Tanach, but all the more so when it comes to
Yitzchak Avinu, about whom it is said: "the fear of
Yitzchak" (Bereshit 31:42). Yaakov Avinu refers to the
Master of the Universe as "the fear of Yitzchak" (Bereshit
31:42). It appears that the fear of the Master of the Uni-
verse is also the fear of Yitzchak himself. Rivka Imenu also
feared Yitzchak. The first time that Rivka saw him from
afar, she fell off her camel (Bereshit 24:64). The Netziv
says that all of her life, along with the love, peace and
friendship she shared with him, Rivka also feared him. She
was therefore not brazen enough to tell him directly that it
was preferable to bless Yaakov over Esav. Rivka feared
him even though she was full of courage. After all, when
Eliezer came as the agent of Avraham Avinu, Betuel did
not want Rivka to go with him. Eliezer was extremely pa-

tient and said: "Let us call the young woman and ask her"
(Bereshit 24:57). Betuel was certain that she would refuse
to go with a stranger to a distant land. But Rivka said: "I
will go". Rashi expands upon the forcefulness of her words,
telling us that she said: "I will go on my own, even if you
do not want [me to go] (ibid.), i.e. do not start to speak
to my heart, saying that you do not want me to go, for I
am going anyway!” So we can see that she was already
full of courage. Even sending Yaakov to deceive Yitzchak
required great strength from her. But when it came to
things relating to Yitzchak, to stand facing him, she was full
of fear. We too are therefore not brazen enough to discuss
him. But even if we were brazen, there is not much to dis-
cuss since not much is related about Yitzchak Avinu.
Yitzchak hardly spoke and there are very few details about
what he did. The Torah relates that he sowed seeds, har-
vested and dug wells. All is summarized in two verses. This
is in stark contrast to Avraham Avinu who was active in
many areas. Avraham was a warrior and conquered coun-
tries. Avraham called out in the name of Hashem, went
down to Egypt and dwelled there, and experienced many
amazing things in his life. Yaakov Avinu also had an
eventful life, though it was stormy and full of deceptions.
He received the blessing, left the Land, and was with
Lavan. He survived all of these difficulties, and then re-
turned to the Land, struggled with the angels, met with
Esav, endured the episode with Shechem, and many other
things. But there are no stories about Yitzchak Avinu! It is
Yitzchak e55E
as if he did not do anything. Researchers of Tanach thus

claim, in their shallow way, that Yitzchak did nothing of
his own. He is merely a connector, a bland passageway
between Avraham and Yaakov. He is the "son of" and the
"father of." Some of them even claim that part of what is
related about him is simply made up in order to say
something about this pareve figure.
In truth, they grasp the point precisely – Yitzchak is "noth-
ing," and being "nothing" is the highest level which exists.
It is called "Bitul Ha-Yesh" – self-nullification. Yitzchak is
an unknown phenomenon: a hidden tzadik (righteous per-
son). A revealed tzadik is an active person, who runs from
place to place, teaching, performing acts of kindness, etc.
A figure such as this is understandable. But we are inca-
pable of understanding a hidden tzadik. In an enigmatic
statement, our great Rabbi, the Rambam, says that every
person can be as righteous as Moshe Rabbenu (Hilchot
Teshuvah 9:2). As is known, the Rambam does not use
rhetoric. He speaks straight and to the point, especially in
his books of Halachah. If he nonetheless uses rhetoric, he
explicitly says: "This is homiletics!" Therefore, if the Ram-
bam states that any person can be as righteous as Moshe
Rabbenu, we must understand it according to its simple
meaning. How so? Can we really be like Moshe Rabbenu?!
Answer: we must pay close attention to the fact that the
Rambam does not say that we can be as wise as Moshe
Rabbenu, or that we can be a prophet like Moshe
Rabbenu or a leader like Moshe Rabbenu, but that we can
be as righteous as him. We learn from here that any per-
son can be righteous! In every role in the world, a person

can be evil or righteous. We do not choose the role which
is designated for us in the world. The Master of the Uni-
verse places each person in a different place: one is poor,
one is rich, one is wise, one is stupid, one is strong and
one is weak. But regardless of the circumstances in which
one finds oneself, one can be as righteous as Moshe
Rabbenu or as wicked as Yerovam ben Navat. He can be
a revealed tzadik about whom everyone knows and talks
about, or he can be a hidden tzadik whom others do not
recognize.
Yitzchak Avinu was thus a giant among spiritual giants. He
was a giant like Avraham Avinu and perhaps even greater,
since he was both Avraham Avinu and Yitzchak Avinu. As
is known, the cynics of that generation said that Yitzchak
was born from Sarah and Avimelech. In order to combat
this notion, Hashem made Yitzchak's features identical to
Avraham Avinu's (Bereshit Rabbah 53:6). But not only did
Yitzchak's face appear as Avraham Avinu's, his experi-
ences also paralleled those of Avraham Avinu: Avraham
yearned to have offspring, Yitzchak yearned to have off-
spring. Avraham traveled to the land of the Philistines on
account of a famine. So did Yitzchak. Avraham foresaw
danger for his wife, who was taken captive –– the same
occurred to Yitzchak and his wife. Avraham had two sons
who were polar opposites –– Yitzchak had two sons who
were polar opposites. Avraham removed one of his sons
after his wife demanded that he do so; Yitzchak too re-
moved one of his sons following his wife's directives. Eve-
Yitzchak e57E
ryone can see the parallel life experiences between

Avraham and Yitzchak. It is less obvious though, that their
inner, spiritual worlds were also identical. Our Sages say
that Yitzchak is called Avraham because Yitzchak is
Avraham. He is a type of Avraham. There are different
types of Avraham: There is Avraham who is Avraham and
there is Avraham who is Yitzchak. The Midrash explains
this idea on the verse: "And these are the generations of
Yitzchak son of Avraham – Avraham begot Yitzchak"
(Bereshit 25:19). The Midrash says "And these are the gen-
erations of Yitzchak son of Avraham – Avraham," Yitzchak
is Avraham. The Midrash adds: "This is a deep matter," the
soul of the father flows through the son (Bereshit 63:3).
This reality applies not only when a father dies while his
wife is pregnant and the son is named for him. Even when
the father is alive, his soul flows through and shines within
his son. All of the wells which Avraham Avinu dug and
which were closed up by the Philistines were opened anew
by Yitzchak Avinu. This applies to the simple wells of water
as well as the supreme, spiritual wells which were closed
by the Philistines, because the war with the Philistines and
the other evil non-Jews is always fought on two fronts:
there is a military, agricultural, and settlement war and a
spiritual, faith-based, supreme war. Yitzchak opened the
wells of Avraham and dug additional ones of his own.
2. The Fear of Yitzchak

Maran Ha-Rav Kook explains in his commentary on the
siddur, "Olat Re'eiyah" (vol. 1, p. 269), that the prayer
"Shemoneh Esrei" begins: "the G-d of Avraham, the G-d
of Yitzchak and the G-d of Yaakov" instead of "the G-d of
Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov," because each of the fore-
fathers had a different form of Divine service. There is the
worship of the "G-d of Avraham," there is the worship of
the "G-d of Yitzchak" and there is the worship of the "G-d
of Yaakov." Maran Ha-Rav Kook explains that the main
characteristic of Avraham Avinu is wisdom. As is known,
while still in his youth, Avraham engaged in intellectual in-
vestigation and asked himself who created the world. He
had great wisdom, and all of the kings from the east and
west came to take counsel with him. The main character-
istic of Yitzchak is awe of Hashem – "the fear of Yitzchak."
Obviously, Avraham Avinu also possessed awe of
Hashem, since a person who does not possess awe is an
ignoramus. Wisdom leads one to the awe of Hashem:
"The awe of Hashem is wisdom" (Iyov 28:28). The
Ramchal in the introduction to his book "Mesilat Yesharim"
says that this is "the wisdom" with the definitive “the.” Awe
of Hashem means seeing that everything comes from the
source of everything. People often think that someone
who has awe of Hashem is primitive, but the Rambam
does not. The Rambam says: "What is the path to love
Him and fear Him? When one reflects…" (Hilchot Yesodei
Ha-Torah, chap. 2). Through introspective and deep wis-
dom, one is filled with awe of Hashem. Yitzchak Avinu's
Yitzchak e59E
special characteristic was awe of Hashem, and through it

he was filled with wisdom, since there is no greater wisdom
than looking at the source of everything. On account of
Yitzchak's deep introspection, he also possessed the ability
to look positively at the Nation of Israel more so than the
other of our forefathers. The Gemara relates that in the
future Hashem will turn to Avraham and tell him that He
cannot redeem the Nation of Israel since they are full of
sin. Avraham Avinu will answer Him: "They should be
wiped out for the sake of the sanctification of Hashem's
Name." Yaakov Avinu will respond in the same way.
When Hashem turns to Yitzchak Avinu, Yitzchak will an-
swer Him: "Most people live seventy years. Deduct the first
twenty for which he is not liable for sin. Thus, fifty years
remain. Half of them are night, and therefore only
twenty-five years remain. Half the daytime is occupied
with eating and drinking, when a person does not perform
many transgressions. What remains? Twelve and a half
years! I'll bear the sin upon myself for half of the time and
You accept half of the time on Yourself. And if you do not
agree to this, I will bear responsibility for it all. Hashem will
say to him: "I accept" (Shabbat 99b).
Nonetheless, Avraham and Yitzchak had the same Divine
worship. Their point of departure, however, was different.
Avraham began from wisdom and through it reached awe
of Hashem, while Yitzchak began from awe of Hashem
and through it reached wisdom. Avraham established
Shacharit and Yitzchak established Minchah. It is obviously
not the same prayer. But Yitzchak also prayed Shacharit,
which his father established. The Tosafot explain that

Avraham Avinu also prayed Minchah, as soon as Yitzchak
established it. Through his own Divine service, Avraham
reached the Divine service of Yitzchak. This is all summa-
rized in one short phrase: "And the two of them walked
together" (Bereshit 22:6, 8). The two of them walked to-
gether to the most supreme trial, to the spiritual Everest of
all history.
3. "Bitul Ha-Yesh – Self-Nullification"

Yitzchak thus possessed the trait of awe. "Hashem's treas-
ure-house only contains awe of heaven" (Berachot 33b).
The Maharal explains that there is an advantage to the
awe of Hashem in contrast to the love of Hashem. In love
of Hashem – "I love Hashem." In contrast, there is no "I"
in awe of Hashem. This is the advantage of
"self-nullification" ((Netivot Olam, Netiv Ha-Yirah), i.e. a
person does not act in awe of Hashem. He nullifies himself
to Hashem. On the face of it, it is not a positive thing for
a person to nullify himself. But it all depends before whom
a person is nullifying himself. If it is nullification before an-
other person, it is negative. We recite a blessing over this:
"Blessed is Hashem…who has not made me a slave." As
Maran Ha-Rav Kook explains (Olat Ha-Re'eiyah vol. 1, p.
71), the intention is not only physical enslavement but also
emotional/psychological enslavement. But someone who
nullifies himself before Hashem, enjoys the greatest level
Yitzchak e61E
of existence. That is "and a spirit lifted me" (Yechezkel

3:12).
In truth, Yitzchak also nullified himself before other people,
but only those whom he recognized as agents of Hashem.
He did not search for a spouse by himself, rather Eliezer,
the trusted servant of Avraham, who drew from the Torah
of his teacher Avraham and gave it to others to drink, is
the one who brought him a spouse, and he accepted.
Yitzchak understood that this servant, in this area, was the
hand of Hashem. The blessing to Yaakov also came
through Rivka, i.e. Yitzchak understood that Rivka ar-
ranged it. She knew what she was doing. In this area, the
hand of Hashem acted through Rivka. The Akedah is the
ultimate example. His father takes him based on a Divine
command, and he goes: "And the two of them walked to-
gether." "'And where is the lamb for the offering?' And
Avraham said: 'G-d will see to it Himself the lamb for the
offering, my son.' And the two of them walked together"
(Bereshit 22:8). This is self-sacrifice, the climax of climaxes
of self-nullification.
The Chasidic Rebbe of Piacezna, Ha-Rav Kolonymous
Kalman Shapira, lived during the Holocaust. Every
Shabbat night he would deliver a Dvar Torah in the War-
saw Ghetto. He would write it down after Shabbat. For
many years after the war, his Dvrei Torah remained hid-
den in a jar among the ruins of the Warsaw Ghetto. The
Rebbe was murdered along with his entire family during
the Holocaust. His book called "Aish Kodesh – Sacred
Fire" was published not long ago. The Rebbe of Piacezna
says that although Yitzchak was ready to be slaughtered,

in actuality, he was not slaughtered. It is not the same
thing to be ready to be slaughtered as it is to be actually
slaughtered. The Rebbe asks: was it possible to have the
Akedah against Yitzchak's will? He answers: certainly! No
one asked the millions murdered during the Holocaust if
they were willing to be slaughtered, and yet they were
slaughtered. This is Akedat Yitzchak against their will! The
Rebbe states that this was the completion of the Akedah.
The will without the actualization of Yitzchak, combined
with the actualization without the will of the millions mur-
dered for the sanctification of Hashem's name, form a
whole. He says that the millions slaughtered are not "like
the Akedah of Yitzchak" or a "continuation of the Akedah
of Yitzchak," rather their deaths are the actualization of the
Akedah of Yitzchak.
4. A Hidden Tzadik
Yitzchak Avinu is thus a hidden tzadik. The characteristic
of a hidden tzadik is that his righteousness is expressed in
his inner world. Our world does not see the internal, for it
values the external. Our world is a world of deception and
externals. Someone told me that there was once a gather-
ing of Rabbis. Some of the Rabbis were wearing white
shirts, some were wearing hats and suits and a few wore
rabbinic hats and long jackets. No one interacted with the
ones who wore the white shirts. They said "shalom" to the
ones with a hat and suit. And they asked for a blessing
Yitzchak e63E
from the ones with the rabbinic hats and long jackets. This
is how our world appears; it is a world of externals. If a
person performs many outer acts of loving kindness, he is
respected. But we must remember that there are people
who are hidden tzadikim, whose righteous is hidden within
their inner world. Their greatness is hidden there. But a
person sees with his eyes. Even the prophet Shmuel erred
when he was impressed by Eliav. When Hashem sent
Shmuel to make one of the sons of Yishai king, Shmuel
saw Eliav and said: "Surely Hashem’s anointed is before
Him" (Shmuel 1 16:6). Hashem said to him: "Do not look
at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because
I have refused him. For it is not as a man sees, since a
man sees the outer appearance but Hashem sees the
heart" (ibid. 7-8). Our Sages say (Pesachim 66b) that Eliav
was an angry person. We see much later that when David
comes to his brothers to draft them to wage war, Eliav he
is angry. If Eliav was going to be angry much later, why
judge him for it now? Our Sages explain that although he
would be angry later, he had the character of an angry
person. Hashem sees the heart, and he knew that he was
an angry person by nature. In contrast, David went around
with base people, and for every transgression, they blamed
him and his men. But "Man sees the outer appearance but
Hashem sees the heart," and Hashem said about him:
"Anoint him, for he is the one" (ibid. 12).
Question: How does a hidden tzadik contribute to others
when he has amazing inner world?
Answer: His contribution is on the level of souls. The secret

of souls is that everyone is connected. When a person is
full of kindness, his kindness influences all of the souls.
When a person performs a good act, he exalts all of
humanity – Jews, non-Jews and even animals. When a
hidden tzadik lives in society, people sense, either
consciously or unconsciously, his greatness and absorb it.
The influence of a hidden tzadik on the world is therefore
greater than that of a revealed tzadik. The revealed
tzadikim draw their spiritual strength from the hidden
tzadikim. Furthermore, revealed tzadikim also have a
hidden part. We know revealed tzadikim, but we do not
truly know them, since they also possess a hidden
righteousness, and it is greater beyond measure. It is
possible to say that the revealed part is only the excess of
the hidden. There is a statement in "Orot Ha-Kodesh" (vol.
3, pp. 347-348) in which Maran Ha-Rav Kook relates to a
revealed tzadik and a hidden tzadik. He explains that the
revealed tzadik desires the best of the best and the best of
society, and he acts to attain it. The hidden tzadik desires
the best of humanity and existence. He is not restricted by
time, but strives to elevate all of existence. This does not
mean that on account of his broad sight he was not
involved in immediate small issues, but that this is only a
small part of the overall reality. Maran Ha-Rav Kook
explains that there is a tzadik who is both hidden and
revealed, and there is an inner tension within his
personality. There is also a tzadik in which the hidden and
revealed are united without tension between them. And
Yitzchak e65E
there is a supreme tzadik in which the revealed side and

the hidden side are one. Since he is a hidden tzadik, he
also influences all of existence.
5. "Yitzchak Sowed"
The meaning of "the fear of Yitzchak" is not that Yitzchak
Avinu went around gloomy all day, bent over and sad. It
is related that Yitzchak was sporting with Rivka, his wife.
Avimelech saw this from afar, and did not believe that this
was his wife, since the way of the world is for a person to
sport with everyone, smile at everyone, flirt with everyone
and insult his wife... Therefore, if Yitzchak was sporting
with this woman, it certainly was not his wife! So
Avimelech thought. Yitzchak also worked the land. He
sowed and harvested one hundred gates, one hundred
times more than everyone else. It appears that he was a
good farmer. He dug wells, and was completely connected
to the Land of Israel. He was the only one who did not
leave the Land. Avraham Avinu was an "Oleh Chadash"
(a new immigrant) and Yaakov Avinu was forced to leave
the Land for many years. But Yitzchak was born in the
Land and died in the Land, and he did not leave it. He
lived in "Gerar,” which is located in the area of Gush Katif.
The name "Gerar" is preserved today as the valley next to
Gush Katif. He occasionally came to Be'er Sheva and
Hevron, but he lived mostly in places in the south.
Avraham Avinu was in Beit El in Binyamin and Elon
Moreh in the Shomron and also in Be'er Sheva in the
Negev, while Yitzchak lived in Gush Katif and south of Mt.

Hevron. Yitzchak was a settler and suffered greatly at the
hands of the Philistines. He dug a well, and the Philistines
came and said: "It is ours." And from then on and always,
everything belonged to them... Yitzchak did not argue with
them, for he knew with whom he was dealing. He dug the
well a second time, and they also claimed ownership over
it, as was their way. Yitzchak knew that they hated him.
Yitzchak did not look at the world with fear and trembling.
He was a person who nullified himself towards the Master
of the Universe, and he was filled with the power of action.
On the verse: "Yitzchak went to meditate in the field,"
Maran Ha-Rav Kook says that the word "Si'ach" (meditate)
is an abbreviation on "Sekel" (intellect), "Yecholet" (ability)
and "Chaim" (life) (Orot Ha-Kodesh vol. 3, p. 106).
Yitzchak possessed much intellect, had great ability and
the strength of life. Maran Ha-Rav Kook says: do not err
and think that Avraham Avinu had the character trait of
kindness and Yitzchak Avinu did not. Yitzchak also had
the trait of kindness. After all, Yitzchak was the student of
Avraham. Yitzchak prayed Shacharit like Avraham: "To re-
late Your kindness in the morning," and the trait of
Yitzchak was built upon the trait of Avraham. The charac-
teristic of Yitzchak is above the characteristic of Avraham
(see Shemoneh Kevatzim 6, #163). The stature of
Yitzchak is his self-nullification, which is referred to as the
characteristic of strength.
We see the unbound trait of kindness in Yitzchak. He loves
Esav, even though he knows who Esav is. Even though it
Yitzchak e67E
is written that his eyes were dim, a blind person also

knows what Esav is engaged in all day long. Yitzchak knew
that "Yaakov was a wholesome man who sat in tents" and
that Esav was running around in the field hunting rabbits.
If so, why did Yitzchak love Esav? He loved him without
bounds. And even in the future when difficulties will be
raised against the behavior of the Nation of Israel, and
Avraham Avinu will not have what to respond, it will be
Yitzchak who will defend the Nation. Israel will then say to
him: "You are our father" (Shabbat 89b). Yitzchak pos-
sessed the trait of unbounded kindness and he therefore
loved Esav. But Esav caused great distress! Yitzchak said
that Esav will repent in the future. We know this because
Esav's head is buried in the Cave of Machpelah. But it is
not yet the future and Esav is still completely wicked.
Yitzchak constantly lived with the recognition of the future
time. Maran Ha-Rav Kook explains that for this reason,
Yitzchak had to marry someone who did not possess su-
preme kindness, but someone who was practical. This was
Rivka Imenu, who was an incredibly kind person and also
very practical.
Eliezer, the servant of Avraham, searched for a wife for
Yitzchak. He knew that the young woman did not need to
know everything, and did not need to be pretty or wealthy.
What was important was that she had a good heart. Eliezer
therefore said: "Can I please drink a little water from your
jug?" and she responded: "Drink, my master, and I will also
give your camels a drink" (Bereshit 24:14). She was the
match for Yitzchak. As is known, a camel drinks a huge
amount of water. Rivka went back and forth to the trough

while Eliezer stood there amazed. She could have asked
for his help, but she did not. The servant of Avraham knew
that Yitzchak was a person of boundless kindness, spiritual
kindness, and he saw that Rivka was a woman with pure
and holy material kindness. He therefore thought that she
was the perfect match for his master, Yitzchak. Rivka is the
one who prevents the blessing from going to Esav because
it is not the current reality. Yitzchak possesses a boundless
kindness which is unaffected by time, but practical kind-
ness is necessary to maintain proper order.
6. A Spirit of the World to Come

Yitzchak Avinu is truly an example of self-nullification.
There is no greater self-nullification than the Akedah. We
said earlier that Yitzchak was not actually slaughtered. This
is not precise, however, since it is written that his ashes
were piled upon the altar (Bereshit Rabbah 94:5). It does
not say that his soul departed, but that he will rise during
the Resurrection of the Dead and Avraham will recite the
blessing: "Blessed is Hashem who revives the dead." Tears
fell from the eyes of the angels into the eyes of Yitzchak,
and as a result he was blinded (Bereshit Rabbah 65:10).
This is the supreme completion of Yitzchak Avinu. Maran
Ha-Rav Kook explains (Orot Ha-Kodesh vol. 3, p. 135)
that a person possesses two souls. One soul is a Divine,
holy soul – an image of G-d. This is called the "super-ego"
in psychology. The second soul is an impure, animal, base
Yitzchak e69E
soul. Psychology calls this the "id." A constant war exists

within a person between the Divine soul and the animal
soul, between the good inclination and the evil inclination.
This is a life and death struggle. It is impossible to strike a
compromise between purity and impurity. Additionally,
the holy soul is divided into two spirits, both of which are
good: a spirit of this world and a spirit of the World to
Come. This means that there are good things in the world:
to build, to perform acts of kindness, to elevate oneself, to
fix, to wage war, to teach, to educate, etc. This is the spirit
of this world. In contrast, the supreme and eternal spirit of
the World to Come is above this world and time. There is
also a war between these two spirits. It is not a war be-
tween enemies, but a war between two friends, each with
a positive purpose. After the Akedah, Yitzchak was not of
this world but of the World to Come. He was the spirit of
the World to Come. But do not err: this does not mean
that he did not act here. After all, we know that he sowed
and harvested and "grew increasingly large." He grew in
this world but his sustenance was from the World to
Come. His body was here but his soul was there. Yitzchak
was here on loan, as an emissary, but he was in other
world. This strange status did not cause him to look dis-
paragingly on what was done here. He also worked and
invested energy in this world, but all of his yearnings,
thoughts, feelings and interests were for the World to
Come. We must remember that Yitzchak Avinu is our fa-
ther and we are all nurtured by the power of his spiritual-
ity, holiness and purity, and we must remember to in-

crease these ideals in our lives.
Yaakov
1. The Man whose Entire Life was Contrary to His Will
2. The Man whose Entire Life was Distress
3. Objective Crisis and Subjective Crisis
4. Yaakov Avinu Repaired the Guile of the Snake
5. Yaakov Avinu's Bed was Whole
6. Twelve Shades
7. Yaakov Avinu Builds a Nation
8. "I am Esav, your firstborn"
9. The Secret of Opposites
10. Sensory Integration
11. Yaakov Avinu – The Middle Man
12. Yaakov Established Ma'ariv
13. Everything is for the Best
14. To be Your Servant in all Situations
15. I Did Not Take away Free Choice
1. The Man whose Entire Life was

Contrary to His Will
It is possible to refer to Yaakov Avinu as "the man above
crisis." In truth, Yaakov Avinu's entire life was full of crises.
The definition of a crisis is anything that is contrary to a
person's will. A person's will can be evil or it can be good.
Life is constructed in such a way that it is not always ac-
cording to a person's will. There are some people who only
experience one crisis during the course of a lifetime, there

are others who experience one crisis every year, and still
others who experience crises more often. But for Yaakov
Avinu, crises were routine. He knew about crises while still
in the womb. Yaakov was set to come out of his mother's
womb first, and then Yaakov, but it transpired that his twin
brother Esav came out first "with his hand grasping on to
Esav's heel" (Bereshit 25:26). Reality was not according to
his will but he did not give in, he held on to Esav's heel.
Although he was unable to prevent it, Yaakov still knew
that he was the firstborn. He therefore waited for the op-
portunity to straighten that which was crooked. And then,
when Esav came in from the field, Yaakov said to his
brother: "Sell, this day, your birthright to me" (ibid. 25:31).
This is surprising: is Yaakov a thief? No, he was taking
what was rightfully his. Even though he paid for it, it was
still his. He paid for it with a bowl of lentils and a grudge
that gripped Esav to the point that he wanted to kill him.
All of this was obviously not pleasant for Yaakov, it was
contrary to his will, but he would not give up on the right
of the firstborn, since it was completely his. Furthermore,
Esav himself said: "What use is the birthright to me?" (ibid.
25:32).
Later on, the blessing was rightfully his. And again – con-
trary to his will – Esav was set to receive the blessing in
his stead from their father Yitzchak. His mother, Rivka,
called to him: "Your curse will be upon me, my son, just
listen to my voice" (ibid. 26:13), i.e. all of the complica-
tions that are bound up with this deceptive act will be on
Yaakov e73E
me and my head! This implies that if it were not so,

Yaakov would have taken the blame on himself. But Rivka
exempted him. Certainly to merit the curse of Yitzchak is
not the most pleasant thing. Yaakov was saved from the
curse, but Esav still wanted to kill him. Not only was there
grudge and hatred – "He deceived me these two times, he
took my birthright and now he took away my blessing"
(ibid. 27:36) – but now Esav wanted to kill him. Leaving
Israel was also contrary to his will. Without any choice, he
fled from his brother, following his mother's command.
And thus, when he comes to Charan, to the house of his
uncle Lavan, he meets Rachel. Rachel warns him: Beware
of my father, he is a deceiver! Yaakov responds to her:
"Let your mind be at ease. I am his brother in deception!"
(Rashi on ibid. 29:12). I know how to maneuver, how to
beware of deceivers, "With the merciful you will show
yourself merciful. With an upright man, you will show
yourself to be upright. With the pure, you will show your-
self to be pure. And with the perverse, you will show your-
self to be subtle" (Tehillim 18:27). Yaakov did not intend
to give in. But an additional complication arose, also con-
trary to his will: Rachel had mercy on Leah, her older sis-
ter, who Lavan included in his scheme. Rachel took the
secret code, which Yaakov gave her to avoid being tricked,
and gave it to Leah so she would not be shamed (Rashi
to Bereshit 29:25) – "And behold, in the morning, it was
Leah!" (ibid.). This is truly a major crisis and certainly con-
trary to his will, since "I will work for you for seven years
for Rachel" (ibid. 18) – for Rachel and not for Leah. But
it was not meant to be. The two of them will be like one:
"Complete the week of this one and we will give you this
one too" (ibid. 27). Now everything was even more com-
plicated and major tension evolved, "And Hashem saw
that Leah was hated" (ibid. 31). It was not active hatred,
G-d forbid, but rather "And he loved Rachel more than
Leah" (ibid. 30). He loved Leah, but he loved Rachel
more. Loving less is not a great thing, but loving more is.
Regardless, Leah felt hated, and there was much tension.
An additional complication – Rachel was barren. Bilhah,
her maidservant, enters the picture, as does Zilphah,
Leah's maidservant, and the tension grows further. And
then there is the issue of livelihood, for Yaakov works for
Lavan. As is known, Lavan was evil, "Your father mocked
and changed my wages tens of times" (ibid. 31:7). But
Yaakov does not give in here either: "If he said: 'Speckled
ones shall be your wages,' the entire flock would give birth
to speckled ones and if he said: 'Ones with rings [in their
fur] shall be your wages,' the entire flock would give birth
to ones with rings" (ibid. 8). "And Yaakov saw that the face
of Lavan was not toward him as it had been yesterday"
(ibid. 2). Yaakov knew that Lavan wanted to conspire
against him. It was therefore time to leave. This was obvi-
ously under the directive of Hashem. Yaakov flees from
Lavan, Lavan pursues and catches him, but – Baruch
Hashem, everything works out this time.
Yaakov e75E
2. The Man whose Entire Life was

Distress
The time now comes for meeting his brother Esav.
Yaakov, his wives, his sons and all of his possessions are
on the way to the Land of Israel, and Esav is waiting to
kill him. He has four hundred men with him. Is Yaakov
really going to continue on his way? Why doesn't he delay
his return to the Land of Israel until Esav's anger subsides?
Hashem commanded him to go and he is going, even into
the face of danger. As is known, the mitzvah of settling the
Land of Israel exists even in a state of danger and it ap-
plies at all times (Ramban, additions to the Sefer
Ha-Mitzvot of the Rambam, positive mitzvah #4.
Le-Netivot Yisrael of our Rabbi, Ha-Rav Tzvi Yehudah
Ha-Cohain Kook vol. 1, p. 181 and p. 210 and many
other places). This is how it was throughout all of the gen-
erations: during the time of Avraham Avinu and time of
Yitzchak Avinu and now during the time of Yaakov Avinu.
The new and innovative teaching that "saving life
supercedes the Land of Israel" is therefore most surprising.
Who invented this strange statement? It is obviously not a
proper idea.
Yaakov thus heads into the face of danger on the way to
the Land of Israel to meet Esav and his four hundred men.
He is also entrapped in a personal danger – he struggles
with the angel the entire night and – Baruch Hashem –
overcomes him, but he pays a price for the struggle: he
limps on his hip. Rachel, whom he loved so much, then
dies on the way. This was certainly contrary to his will.

And when he arrives in Shechem and desires to settle
down, the episode of Dinah, his daughter, befalls him.
This is horrible. His two sons cunningly kill all of the males
of Shechem. This is also very hard: what did you (my
sons) do? "You have troubled me to make me odious
among the nations of the Land. And I am few in number
and they will gather and strike me" (Bereshit 34:30).
Then there were wars. This is not explicitly mentioned in
the Torah, but is hinted at and written in the midrash (for
example, Bereshit Rabbah 81:4). "And they travelled, and
the fear of G-d fell upon the cities around them, and they
did not pursue the Children of Yaakov" (ibid. 35:5). If the
fear of G-d was upon the cities, Yaakov surely "took care"
of their inhabitants in such a way that fear descended
upon them. The Torah states: "Which I took from the hand
of the Amorite with my sword and bow" (ibid. 48:22 and
Bereshit Rabbah 80:9). This implies that Yaakov waged
war.
And finally, "And Yaakov dwelled" (ibid. 37:1). Yaakov
wanted to settle down in tranquility, but the anger over
Yosef grasped him (Rashi ibid.). There is no peace! There
is now tension between the children themselves. Yosef
brings an evil report to Yaakov and his brothers hate him.
In the end, Yosef disappears, "dies." "Do you recognize
your son's coat or not?" (ibid. 37:32). And furthermore,
there is famine in the Land. They go down to Egpyt to get
food, Binyamin is taken and then Shimon – enough! How
much distress can one person handle?!
Yaakov e77E
The general principle is that Yaakov Avinu's entire life was

filled with crisis.
3. Objective Crisis and Subjective Crisis

We already defined a crisis as an event which occurs con-
trary to a person's will, i.e. everyone experiences crisis in
their lives. No one lives exactly according to his will, even
though all of his desires may be good. The first question
is thus: how many? But the more essential question is: how
do you respond to the crisis? There are two different types
of crisis: an objective crisis and a subjective crisis. An ob-
jective crisis is a crisis which occurs contrary to the will of
a person and also contrary to the will of all people. For
example, a person breaks his foot, receives a cast, is lim-
ited and physically challenged. He then experiences the
subjective crisis – how will I respond to what has occurred?
The objective crisis is sometimes quite minute and the re-
sponse is huge in its force. And sometimes it is the oppo-
site: the crisis is truly great and the response is minimal.
Both of these are not good. If a person's close relative dies
and he does not sit "shiva," does not mourn and does not
eulogize him – he is emotionally unhealthy. But some-
times, people make a huge commotion over nothing.
The question is therefore how a person responds to a cri-
sis: does he break, fold, despair or continue on in strength?
This follows what Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Satnov
(Cheshbon Ha-Nefesh, chap. 2) writes regarding patience
and how a person deals with tragedy: when a bad incident
occurs to you, do not make it worse by despairing over

nothing. The world was not created for prophets who
know what to expect ahead of time. Sometimes one can-
not beware of something bad occurring, but if it has al-
ready occurred, one can beware not to make it worse.
4. Yaakov Avinu Repaired the Guile of

the Snake
Yaakov experienced distress and crises, but he did not
panic or complain – he continued on! From the moment
of his birth and even beforehand, he continued on: "his
hand held Esav's heel" (Bereshit 25:26). In the most com-
plicated situations, he utilized different tactics. The Shelah
writes that Yaakov repaired the guile of the snake. The
snake was deceptive, and Yaakov Avinu also used decep-
tion. The snake however acted deceitfully for evil purposes
(see Shmuel 2 13:3 with Metzudat David, Rashi and
Ralbag), while Yaakov Avinu used it for good (see Rashi
on Bereshit 27:35 and ibid. 34:13). It is true that some-
times one must use the trait of deception. The Torah tes-
tifies about Yaakov Avinu: "And Yaakov was a wholesome
man, who dwelled in tents" (ibid. 25:22). It is rare that the
Torah informs us that a particular person is wholesome or
kind. The Torah also testifies about Moshe: "And the man
Moshe was extremely humble, more than any man on
earth" (Bemidbar 12:3). This is rare, an exception to the
rule, because we might have thought that Yaakov was not
wholesome. The proof: we see various times that he de-
Yaakov e79E
ceives Lavan. Not true! The Torah informs us: Yaakov was
wholesome: "his heart and his mouth were the same, he
was not duplicitous" (Rashi ibid.). This was not his "profes-
sion." His profession was to be a wholesome person! A
wholesome person sometimes needs to deceive, "And with
the perverse, you will show yourself to be subtle." He
sometimes had to dress in Esav's clothing. And what he
had to do, he did without concern.
5. Yaakov Avinu's Bed was Whole

From where did Yaakov muster the strength to survive the
most difficult and complicated situations? – with his
brother, his father, his mother and his sons (which is the
most difficult trial of all). Furthermore, all of his sons were
righteous! Twelve sons and all of them were inside.
Yishmael was outside, Esav was outside, but the twelve
sons of Yaakov – even though they sinned – were all in-
side! This follows the statement of our Sages (Pesachim
56a and Tanchuma, Vayechi 8): Yaakov's bed was whole.
This was unlike Avraham's bed, which contained refuse,
which came out in the form of Yishmael. This does not
mean that the refuse of Yishmael dwelled in Avraham
Avinu, but that the potential existed in him. This is similar
to a box of matches which has the potential to burn down
a building. The purpose of the matches is not to burn
down buildings –– they have a positive purpose, but one
must be careful that the matches are not used to destroy
on account of negligence. This is also like a healthy person
who carries a recessive genetic disease. It is hidden. He is

completely healthy, but the hidden disease can burst forth
one day. It is possible to say that Avraham Avinu was a
"carrier" of trouble, even though he himself was the holy
of holies. And this hidden trouble appeared in Yishmael.
And Yitzchak was a "carrier" of trouble which appeared in
Esav.
6. Twelve Shades
And Yaakov Avinu was whole. He thus redeemed
Avraham (see Yeshayahu 29:22 and Sanhedrin 19b). He
retroactively justified Avraham and Yitzchak. He also suc-
ceeded in holding the brothers together. Yosef brought an
evil report – Yaakov listened. The brothers hated Yosef –
Yaakov waited. He united everyone together, "he guarded
this thing in his heart" (Bereshit 37:11): everything will
work out in the end. And indeed, as is known, it did work
out: "Listen Yisrael, Hashem our G-d, Hashem is one" –
just as there is only One in your heart, so too is there only
One in our heart (Pesachim 56a). We are united, Baruch
Hashem. Yaakov Avinu divided the brothers into their
shades – this one receives this blessing and this one re-
ceives that blessing. No one is pushed aside for another.
This is unlike with Yitzchak. "Your seed shall be called
through Yitzchak" (Bereshit 21:12) – through part of
Yitzchak and not all of the descendants of Yitzchak (San-
hedrin 59b). "For the son of this handmaiden will not in-
herit with my son, with Yitzchak" (ibid. verse 10). And
Yaakov e81E
Esav was also outside. But regarding Yaakov Avinu, eve-

ryone was inside. There are different shades among them,
as is clarified in the blessing of Yaakov to his sons
(Parashat Vayechi), which later received an "approbation"
from Moshe Rabbenu (Parashat Ve-Zot Ha-Berachah).
Each tribe had its blessing. The Nation of Israel is assem-
bled from twelve different shades, as Maran Ha-Rav writes
rhetorically: "A war of brothers." There are wars between
enemies and people who hate each other: us or Yishmael!
Us or Esav! But there is also a war of brothers: The Hala-
chah is like the Rambam or the Tosafot. This is a war, but
a war between brothers. There is a war between the incli-
nations: the good inclination against the evil inclination –
a war of enemies. But there can also be a war within the
good inclination: to learn Gemara or Kuzari? To live in my
parents' house or my in-laws' house? I am torn – a war of
brothers. A brotherly war can also end very badly, as with
Yosef being thrown into the pit and sold to the
Yishmaelites. But this is not necessarily the case. It can
work out, as truly happened in the end. Both are the
words of the Living G-d: Yaakov divided each of his sons
into different tribes, as did Moshe Rabbenu much later:
"Each man in his camp and under his flag" (Bemidbar
1:52).
7. Yaakov Avinu Builds a Nation

Without us paying attention, an additional factor exists:
Yaakov Avinu is not only engaged in building his family –
he is building a nation! And what Yaakov Avinu is building

now has to stand throughout the course of all generations.
The smallest blemish can be a catastrophe. If a man builds
a multi-story building – a small defect below can cause the
building to be crooked higher up and it can collapse. The
Rambam says in "Moreh Nevuchim": our forefathers knew
that by establishing their family, they were laying the foun-
dation to build a nation. This is an explicit verse: "And I
will make you a great Nation" (Bereshit 12:2). Avraham
Avinu knew this and Yitzchak Avinu knew this. Avraham
removed Yishmael from his midst, even though it was ex-
tremely difficult. And Yitzchak removed Esav. And in the
end, who truly removed them? The women, who under-
stood through their prophetic senses that these individuals
were currently not to participate in building the world. It
was theoretically possible, but not in the actual here and
now.
A great weight therefore rested on Yaakov Avinu: to build
the Jewish Nation, which needed to include all of the dif-
ferent shades. Yaakov was therefore married to two
women. Perhaps someone will raise the difficulty that the
two wives appeared on account of a conflict and not be-
cause it was the preferred path. He wanted to marry
Rachel – "And behold it was Leah!?" On account of this
deceit, he was not going to marry Rachel? Yaakov also
married Rachel, and tension was born between the wives
and their sons. And with all of this, we see that this was
completely Hashem's will: "Like Rachel and Leah, both of
whom, built up the House of Israel" (Rut 4:11)! And this
Yaakov e83E
included the maidservants and their children – all of them

built the House of Israel together. Building the family of
Yaakov was complicated. Building the House of Israel –
the Nation of Israel – was even more complicated, and it
therefore required all of our strengths together.
8. "I am Esav, your firstborn"

There is still a great wonder here. Didn't Yitzchak Avinu
understand who Esav was? Didn't he see that he was evil
and fundamentally corrupt? Maran Ha-Rav Kook explains
Yitzchak's reasoning (Midbar Shur, Derish #29). Yitzchak
Avinu understood that a Nation was being born here, and
its purpose was to spread a light among the nations, a Na-
tion including not only those who learned in the House of
Study. There are times when there is a need to destroy evil
by the sword and with war. Yaakov Avinu was a "whole-
some man, who dwelled in tents." His strength was not
physical. In contrast, Esav was physically strong. He knew
how to hunt and how to wage war. The Nation greatly
needed this trait at this time. If so, perhaps Esav was the
heir? Although Esav was evil, he could repent. In order to
create a Nation, there is a need for "Esavs."
But Rivka saw differently through prophecy, and taught
her younger son, Yaakov. Yaakov came before his father
and informed him: I understand, father. "I am Esav, your
firstborn!" I am Esav! When need be – I am Esav. I am not
Esav in my inner soul. I am still gentle and wholesome
within, but when there is a need, I wear Esav's clothing.
Our forefathers knew that they were building a Nation,

that they were the root of a Nation. Yaakov Avinu was the
father of the Tribes as well as the actual father of the Na-
tion. He was thus a double man. He possessed both his
blessing and Esav's blessing. He had both his wife and
Esav's wife, i.e. Leah, who had weak eyes from crying
since she thought that she would be Esav's wife (Rashi on
Bereshit 29:17). Yaakov Avinu had to connect these two
extremes to survive all of the conflicts.
9. The Secret of Opposites

How was Yaakov able to succeed? This secret was already
implanted within his father and mother, who were com-
pletely different from one another. This idea is explained
by the Maharal on the Mishnah (Derech Chaim on Pirkei
Avot 1:12): "The world stands on three things: on the To-
rah, on Divine service and on acts of loving-kindness."
Yitzchak's trait was Divine service. Rivka's trait was acts of
loving kindness. Eliezer, Avraham's servant, searched for
someone like her for Yitzchak: "Drink, my master, and I
will also give your camels a drink" (Bereshit 24:14). She
ran from him to the trough, and then to the well and back
to the camels, over and over. "And the young woman to
whom I say: 'Please lower your jug so I may drink,' and
she replies: 'Drink, and I will also give water to your cam-
els, You have designated her for your servant, Yitzchak"
(24:14) – she is suitable for him because she possesses the
trait of loving-kindness (Rashi ibid.). Rivka was the oppo-
Yaakov e85E
site of Yitzchak in her fundamental character. It seemed

like an impossible match. They did not have children for
twenty years, but when they had a child, he was armed
with both of their talents.
Avraham and Sarah were similar. They both possessed the
trait of loving-kindness. Avraham converted the men and
Sarah converted the women. But Yitzchak and Rivka were
fundamentally different. One should know that the more
one's parents are opposites and different from one an-
other, the greater the child's strength to overcome crises.
Yaakov was torn between his parents, as in the brotherly
war mentioned above. It is good to be a hidden righteous
person or a revealed one – but who am I? Where do I
stand between them? This is similar to a person standing
with his legs close together – he is less stable. If he spreads
his legs a little, he has a stronger stance. Another compar-
ison: a person with only one eye lacks perception. When
a person has two eyes, they have greater depth percep-
tion. Furthermore, the closer one's eyes, the less depth per-
ception he has. A greater distance between them allows for
greater depth.
10. Sensory Integration

An example of this idea can be seen through the wayward
son (Sanhedrin 71a): "And bring him to the elders of his
city…and say…our son is wayward, he does not listen to
our voice" (Devarim 21:19-20). Rabbi Yehudah says: In
order for him to be in the category of a wayward son, the
parents must have the same voice, appearance and stat-

ure. The Maharal says (Chiddushei Aggadot ibid.): That is
it! If the parents are different and each pulls in his own
direction, is it such a surprise that he is a wayward son?
Although the Halachah does not follow Rabbi Yehudah,
we clearly learn that if the parents are different, the child
is torn. In order for the two eyes to see properly, there is
a need for sensory integration. If a person lacks this, he is
drunk and each eye sees something different. He sees dou-
ble. If parents are different, there is thus a need for inte-
gration, and when this exists, the children are firm in their
souls. By the way, the same is true from a biological-
genetic perspective. If two parents are cousins, generation
after generation, the body is prevented from battling new
bacteria. If there are preexisting bacteria, there is no prob-
lem since both parents are immunized. But regarding new
bacteria, a person loses the ability to withstand them. This
applies biologically, psychologically and spiritually.
11. Yaakov Avinu – The Middle Man

The Maharal (Derech Chaim ibid.) thus explains that since
Yaakov's parents were opposites – loving-kindness on the
one side and Divine service on the other – he grew in the
middle. Since Yaakov Avinu was the middle man, he was
capable of standing firm. When a crisis arrived from the
right, his powers from the left allowed him to withstand it,
and vise-versa. And when a crisis came straight on, he
stood firmly in the middle. The reason is that Yaakov
Yaakov e87E
Avinu learned Torah in two contradictory yeshivot. He

learned in the yeshiva of Avraham Avinu and he learned
in the yeshiva of Yitzchak Avinu. He also later learned in
the yeshiva of Shem and Ever, which is close to an "ethical
university," where he learned universal ethical wisdom,
which was passed through the generations from Adam
Ha-Rishon to Noach. But he first learned in the yeshiva of
Avraham Avinu and the yeshiva of Yitzchak Avinu, as it is
written: "A wholesome man, who dwelled in tents"
(Bereshit 25:27). What is the meaning of "tents"? Shouldn't
it say "who dwelled in a tent"? No, he dwelled in two tents.
He learned in two yeshivot. Rabbi Yosef Gikatilla explains
in the book "Sha'arei Orah" (sha'ar 5, p. 57b) that Yaakov
Avinu's trait was the secret of the middle trait: it is similar
to the central leaf of the lulav ("Tiyomet" in Hebrew),
which holds the two sides together. It is well-known that
according to Halachah, if the "Tiyomet" is missing, the lu-
lav is invalid. The two sides must be connected by the
"Tiyomet." Thus, Yaakov Avinu connected the two tents:
the tent of Avraham, which is kindness and the tent of
Yitzchak, which is strict justice. Yaakov held the right and
left together in the middle to the point that Avraham
grasped Yaakov from the right and Yitzchak grasped
Yaakov from the left. This is the secret of the middle,
which the Rambam discusses (Shemoneh Perakim, chap.
4): the middle path is the path of Hashem. Don’t be an
extremist. Extremism damages even the most precious
thing in the world. But wasn't Avraham Avinu an extrem-
ist? G-d forbid. Avraham Avinu was the holy of holies. But
a child who possessed an extremist "Avrahamness" came

from him – Yishmael. And Yitzchak was the holy of holies,
but a child who possessed an extremist "Yitzchakness"
came from him: Esav, who is Rome, who is Christianity,
who is Western Civilization – who engaged in murder
without pause. And Yaakov Avinu – he is the middle path.
12. Yaakov Established Ma'ariv

The Gemara (Berachot 26a) states that Avraham estab-
lished Shacharit, Yitzchak established Minchah and
Yaakov established Ma'ariv. But the Tosafot explain that
Avraham Avinu also prayed Minchah after Yitzchak estab-
lished it. Then what is the difference between them? It is
the emphasis that this one established Shacharit and that
this one established Minchah and that this one established
Maariv. Maariv is when it is night, dark, complicated. One
must beware. Protect us, Hashem! During Ma'ariv, we do
not connect the Redemption (mentioned in the prayer
"Ga'al Yisrael") to the Shemoneh Esrei but recite
"Hashkeveinu" (a plea for protection) in the middle. At
Ma'ariv, there is an interruption (unlike at Shachrit): Be-
ware!
13. Everything is for the Best

Let us return to our subject. Yaakov Avinu was the middle
path. He was armed with the strength of Avraham and the
strength of Yitzchak, whether from his parents or his learn-
Yaakov e89E
ing in yeshiva. He was therefore prepared to stand firmly

and not to stumble in any situation. And all of his sons
were also inside! This is the most difficult of work. But
there were crises. A crisis, as we explained, is a situation
which is contrary to the human will. How do I emotionally
digest such an experience? Do I wage war? I will certainly
wage war. If I am sick – I go to a doctor. If I broke my leg
– I put on a cast. But how do I not break subjectively, psy-
chologically?
This is explained in the book "Mesillat Yesharim" in the
chapter on righteousness (chap. 19). There are two solu-
tions. There is one solution which is equally available to
all and there is another which is for unique individuals.
The solution available to all: everything is for the best!
Whatever Hashem does, He does for the best. How so? I
do not know, but it is for the best. The surgeon causes you
pain. Do you think that he enjoys it? G-d forbid. He cuts
your skin and by doing so, he saves your life. After all, you
know the doctor – he loves you. If he hurts you – thank
him, hug him and kiss him. If he hurts you, it is a sign that
you truly have something very severe. If it were not so, he
would not have hurt you. Therefore, love him and do not
hate him in your heart, and do not show him that you hate
him. Studies show that a high percentage of those who
commit suicide are dentists, because of the enmity that is
conveyed to them by the patients out of a fear of the pro-
cedure. It breaks their spirit to the point that they are lost.
This is a fact. This is the solution that is equal to all: eve-
rything is for the best! You will understand in the end:
Yaakov, how good it was that you fled from your brother,
since you then met Rachel and Leah. Everything will be
clarified in the end, it just requires patience. "I give thanks
to you, Hashem, although You were angry with me"
(Yeshayahu 12:1). It once happened that two men went
on a business trip. One of them had to return because he
got a thorn in his foot, and he cursed and blasphemed. He
later found out that his fellow's ship sank. He gave thanks
and praise (Yalkut Shimoni, Yeshayahu 417).
14. To be Your Servant in all Situations

And there is the second solution, which is at a higher level,
which is for exceptional individuals. These individuals
have no personal concerns. They are only concerned
about the Master of the Universe. And a person such as
this will therefore say: what do I care about distress? What
do I care if it is against my will? Isn't the ideal to serve
Hashem? What prevents me from serving Him?
In my youth, I once went to the mikveh with my uncle. It
was a big city outside of Israel and it had only one mikveh.
It was Erev Yom Kippur, and there was a long line to get
in. My uncle lost his patience. The attendant looked at him
and spit out: "My master, you're impatient." My uncle said:
"The time, the time." The attendant said: "Nu, what time
does my master have today on Erev Yom Kippur?" My un-
cle said: "My master does not understand, one needs to
repent." The attendant got up from his place, pulled my
uncle aside gently into a corner and said: "Please, repent.
Yaakov e91E
Who is disturbing my master from repenting?! Who is dis-

tracting his honor from serving Hashem?” Correct. You
can serve Hashem whether healthy or sick, wealthy or
poor, hated or beloved, married to a good woman or to
an evil woman, etc.
15. I Did Not Take away Free Choice

Who truly prevents you from serving Hashem? You can
serve Him under all circumstances. "A time to give birth
and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot"
(kohelet 3:2) – it is possible to serve Hashem in every sit-
uation. Nothing prevents you. The Master of the Universe
can leave you bare, without money, without family and
without a house, but one thing cannot be taken from you
– free choice. It is not because it cannot be taken. Hashem
can take it away if He so desires, as he did with Pharaoh,
according to one interpretation (see Rambam, Hilchot
Teshuvah 6:3). But Hashem does not want to do this.
There is therefore nothing preventing you from serving
Hashem. On the contrary, the Ramchal (ibid.) says that it
is similar to an officer in an elite combat unit. The combat
officer loves difficult missions. The more difficult and com-
plex the mission, the greater he can prove his loyalty and
love.
Perhaps I should therefore invite distress upon myself? No,
do not invite it. It will come on its own. You also do not
know which type will come, and if you can withstand it.
Therefore, do not invite it! If Hashem sends distress, he
also provides the ability to withstand it, but you should not
"volunteer." Remember: Yaakov Avinu was able to with-
stand all of the difficulties by remaining on the middle
path.
Moshe
1. "And Moshe was a shepherd"
2. "And he went out to his brothers"
3. "And Moshe grew up"
4. "But they will not believe me"
5. Light from Darkness
6. "How can I bear"
7. Brothers and Friends
8. Listen to Me, My Nation
1. "And Moshe was a shepherd"

"And The Holy One Blessed Be He also tested Moshe with
a flock. Our Sages said that when Moshe Rabbenu, may
peace be upon him, tended Yitro's flock in the desert, a
kid escaped and he ran after it until it reached shelter.
Upon reaching shelter, a pool of water appeared, and the
goat stopped to drink. When Moshe arrived, he said to it:
'I was not aware that you ran away because of thirst. You
are tired. He carried it on his shoulder. The Holy One
Blessed Be He said: You are merciful in tending mortals'
flock, so will you tend my flock, Israel." (Shemot Rabbah
2:2).
This is the fundamental characteristic of a leader: self-sac-
rifice for the sake of his flock. He is not a leader for himself
but for others. Egocentric leaders are only concerned with
themselves, as it says: "Be careful in your relations with the

government, for they only draw a man close for their own
interests. They appear as friends when it is to their benefit,
but they do not stand by a man in his time of distress"
(Pirkei Avot 2:3). But it says regarding dedicated leaders:
"And all who are faithfully involved in the needs of the
community, may The Holy One Blessed Be He pay their
reward and remove from them any illness, heal their entire
body and forgive their sin, and send blessing and success
to all of the works of their hands, with all Israel, their
brothers" ("Mi-Sheberach for the ruling government" re-
cited on Shabbat morning after the Torah reading).
2. "And he went out to his brothers"

(Shemot 2:11)
"And he went out to his brothers" – Pharaoh said to him:
you are called my daughter's son, and any you can name
your position (Tanchuma). What did Moshe Rabbenu
choose? Minister of the Interior? Foreign Minister? No, he
chose to be the administrator of all of the Concentration
Camps! Moshe said to him: I request to organize your
work force. But Moshe's intention was only to see the en-
slavement of Israel (ibid.) – perhaps he could help.
"And he saw their suffering" (Shemot 2:11) – And what did
he see? He saw their suffering, cried and said: I would die
for you. He would incline his shoulder and help each and
every one of them. If he saw an adult's burden on a child,
a child's burden on an adult, a man's burden on a woman,
Moshe e95E
a woman's burden on a man, a elderly person's burden on

a young man, a young man's burden on an elderly person
– he would put aside his royal rank and do all of the work
as if he were aiding Pharaoh. The Holy One said to him:
You put aside your dealings and went out to see the dis-
tress of Israel and acted in a brotherly fashion, I will put
aside the supreme ones and lower ones and talk with you
(Shemot Rabbah :32).
Moshe did not exalt himself over the community and he
did not say “Goodbye, my soul,” but rather, was con-
cerned about the other. He is a brother who feels the pain
of his brothers.
3. "And Moshe grew up" (Shemot 2:11)

"And Moshe grew up." "But doesn't everyone grow up?!
This is to tell you that he grew not in the same way as the
rest of the world" (Shemot Rabbah 1). "We have a tradi-
tion that he lived for twenty years in Pharaoh's palace"
(ibid. 11:20). But this is surprising – is this a place for the
leader of Israel to grow up?! Wouldn't it have been more
appropriate for him to learn in a religious nursery school,
Talmud Torah and then a yeshiva? Why there, in the
midst of impurity?
Rabbi Avraham Ibn Ezra explains that the thoughts of
Hashem are deep. We cannot know his secrets. Only He
can create circumstances. It is possible that Hashem
caused Moshe to grow up in the king's palace in order for
his soul to be used to being at a supreme level, and not
used to being at a lowly level in a house of slavery. After

all, we see that he killed the Egyptian who did injustice,
and saved the daughters of Yitro from the shepherds who
stole the water which the women had drawn for their
flocks (Shemot 2:3 and see also Rabbi Avraham Ibn Ezra
on Shemot 14:13). Since he grew up as a free man, like
the son of a king, Moshe Rabbenu learned how to stand
at full stature with strength and courage. In order to free
themselves from slave mentality, the children of Israel
needed to undergo a long process of forty years in the des-
ert. This follows what the Rambam wrote: that it is not a
man's nature to grow up enslaved with mortar, bricks, etc.
and then to be able immediately to wash his hands of the
filth, and wage war against the children of giants (Moreh
Nevuchim 3, 32).
4. "But they will not believe me" (Shemot

4:1)
Perhaps you will say: how it is possible to have a leader
who is so different from the people, who grew up in a
completely different way and did not grow up in the
"neighborhood"? Moshe Rabbenu was in fact concerned
about this issue: "Moshe answered [Hashem] and said: But
they will not believe me and will not listen to my voice, for
they will say that Hashem did not appear to you."
Ha-Rav Naftali Tzvi Yehudah Berlin, the Netziv, explains
that it is clear that Moshe did not say: "But they will not
believe me" regarding the Redemption, since that is exactly
Moshe e97E
what they were requesting. Rather Moshe said, "But they

will not believe me" that Hashem appeared to him. The
reason is that they did not know Moshe as a great Torah
scholar, expert in the tradition of the forefathers, and he
did not derive from holiness and righteousness. After all,
he spent his youth in Pharaoh's palace, was engaged in
different worldly wisdoms, and dressed and spoke like an
Egyptian to the point that the daughters of Yitro thought
he was an Egyptian. People thought it was more proper
that Hashem would appear to Aharon, who was already a
prophet in Egypt. This was Moshe Rabbenu's claim: The
people of Israel will say, "Hashem did not appear to you."
If so, why was Moshe Rabbenu punished with Tzara'at (a
skin disease) for suspecting that they would not believe
him? The Netziv answers that you should not second-guess
Hashem, as the prophet Yeshayahu (55:9) says: "For My
thoughts are not your thoughts and My ways are not your
ways."
The Netziv concludes by relating to our time: Therefore, at
this time, when we have seen that Hashem has done won-
ders for the Jewish settlement in Israel, and inclined the
heart of the Sultan and his minister to agree to this, His
sign is His word, and we should not be so wise as to say
that it needs to occur in a different manner (Igrot Acharit
Ke-Bereshit, Kovetz Shivat Tzion vol. 1, p. 17-18 and
Ha-Emek Davar on Shemot 4:1 in brief).
And our Sages also wrote: "Moshe said to Hashem: The
Children of Israel will say to me: you never learned Torah
in your life and you were a shepherd to Yitro's flock – what
did you do to merit the Divine Presence revealing itself to

you and becoming the redeemer?" (Midrash, Torah
Sheleimah – Shemot 4:3). It later became clear that Moshe
Rabbenu is the most supreme soul which appeared in the
world. "Never again has a prophet arisen in Israel like Mo-
she, who Hashem had known face to face" (Devarim
34:10). Maran Ha-Rav Kook writes that Moshe was the
most exalted receptacle of the Divine light that a human
soul could be (Olat Re'eiyah vol. 2, p. 159).
5. Light from Darkness

"Pharaoh's daughter raised the one who would exact ret-
ribution from her father, in the future, in her own house"
(Shemot Rabbah 1). The Maharal (Gevurot Hashem,
chap. 18) explains that the reason that Moshe Rabbenu,
peace be upon him, was raised in Pharaoh's palace, is like
the Messiah who will sit at the entrance to Rome, since if
it were not for the absence that was found there, the dif-
ferent form which was to appear later whould not have
come into being. The Nation of Israel was born out of the
collapse of Egypt. The light of Israel appears out of the
blotting out of Rome and the West, from the destruction
of the non-Jews to the love of Israel.
6. "How can I bear" (Devarim 1:12)

The role of leadership is not an easy one, and Moshe
Rabbenu was exhausted from the burden. "How can I bear
alone your troubles, your burden and your strife?"
Moshe e99E
Rashi explains: "Your troubles – teaches that they were

trouble-makers. One person would see another win in
court, and would say: I have witnesses to bring, I have
proofs to bring, I will add judges to you." Then why didn't
you bring them before?! Why didn't you immediately say
that you do not trust them?!
"Your burden – They were heretics. If he left home early,
they said: Why did Ben Amram leave [home early]?
Maybe everything is not okay in his house [i.e. he is argu-
ing with his wife]. If he left home late, they said: Why did
Ben Amram not leave? What do you think? They would
sit and give [evil] suggestions and think [all types of]
thoughts." So much ungraciousness and so many evil eyes!
"Your strife – teaches that they were ill-tempered," con-
stantly complaining.
Moshe Rabbenu therefore received instruction to appoint
himself helpers. But who would agree to be a leader under
these circumstances? How could he convince them?
7. Brothers and Friends

"I will take the heads of your tribes" (ibid. 1:15). Rashi ex-
plains that Moshe convinced them with words: Fortunate
are you, who will be appointed over the Children of
Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov, over people who are
called brothers and friends.
But how so? I thought they were trouble-makers, heretics
and ill-tempered?! Answer: They were both trouble-
makers, heretics and ill-tempered as well as brothers and
friends! There is no contradiction. And even if there is a

contradiction, life is full of contradictions. A father is angry
with his son, and at the same time he loves him. It is his
son, he has no other. This is our Nation, we have no
other. It causes us distress and yet we still love it.
8. Listen to Me, My Nation

Maran Ha-Rav Kook writes: "Listen to me, my Nation, I
speak to you from my soul, from my inner soul, from the
connection of life from which I am connected to all of you,
and all of you are connected to me, from the feeling which
I feel more deeply than all others: You and only you, all
of you, all of your souls, all of your generations, you are
the only meaning of my life. I live through you, in you, in
the entire constellation of all of you…Without you, I have
nothing…I must love you with an eternal love. It is impos-
sible for me to feel any other feeling…You give meaning
to my life, work, Torah, prayer, song, hope…with you –
my people, my nation, my mother, source of life, with you
I fly to the expanses of the world. With you eternally, I live
eternal life. With your glory, I am full of splendor and
glory. With your affliction, I am full of pain. With the pain
that is in your soul, I am full of bitterness…your Land, the
Land of your hope, is holy to me, her heavens are the
source of grace…" (Orot Ha-Re'eiyah p. 54).
Shimshon
1. A Strange Man
2. Nazir
3. "The spirit of Hashem began to resound"
4. A Courageous Spirit
5. "He sought a pretext against the Philistines"
6. There are No Miracles for Naught
7. "Dan is a lion cub"
8. "Dan shall judge his people"
9. "A snake on the road"
10. A Hidden Righteous Person
11. Within Impure Worlds
12. Like a Strand of Hair
13. The One who Falls and Gets Up
14. "Let me die with the Philistines"
15. "Shimshon in his generation was like Aharon in his generation"
16. "It is from Hashem"
1. A Strange Man
On the face of it, this man who appears in the Book of
Shoftim is quite different than other judges. He is a rather
strange man. He does not act as a judge, leader or military
man but engages in odd adventures: he knocks down
gates and carries them on his back, gets involved with Phi-
listine women, captures foxes and lights fires with them,
tells riddles and kills people in order to take their garments.

What benefit is this to us? It is true that the Philistines
caused us much distress, and any act of vengeance is jus-
tified, but there is an immense gap between these acts and
the statement "And he judged Israel" (Shoftim 16:31).
We cannot deny that this was a man who possessed in-
credible strength. He takes the jaw of a donkey and kills
one thousand men (ibid. 15:16). But instead of utilizing his
strength for the beneficial and constructive purpose of sav-
ing the Nation of Israel, he uses it for his personal adven-
tures. During his entire life, he wanders, with long hair, like
a hippie, detached from society, far from Judaism, living
among the Philistines, marrying their daughters and using
his strength for nonsense and vanities. He does not have
a friend, Rabbi, supporters or students. This is most sur-
prising: what is his place in the Book of Shoftim?
There are in fact researchers, including religious ones, who
claim: "This is clear proof that physical prowess has noth-
ing to do with us. Hashem once 'tried' to bring a person
who possessed strength, but it became clear that the result
was the exact opposite of holiness. This man did not live
a holy life. On the contrary, he became defiled through
empty acts and the impurity of non-Jews. The concepts of
holiness and strength are in the category of 'and they did
not draw near to one another' (Shemot 14:20). We were
not created to be strong, physical heroes. We are weak
and pitiful. This is what we are meant to be. After all, look
what became of Shimshon who possessed strength." This
Shimshon e103E
is what appears when one learns the Book of Shoftim on

a surface, superficial level.
2. Nazir
We are obviously not surface readers. It is true that this is
a man with long hair, but this is not simply because of a
desire to look good. He is a Nazir, and it is therefore for-
bidden for him to cut the hair on his head. "And razor
should not touch his head because the boy will be a Nazir
of G-d" (Shoftim 13:5). Furthermore, he is not a regular
Nazir but a Nazir from birth. A Nazir is a supremely holy
person, who raises himself above simple, lowly and base
matters which interest other people. Before Shimshon's
birth, an angel informs his mother: "He will be a Nazir of
G-d." What is the need for this? Perhaps it is preferable to
give him the opportunity to decide on his own? Why do
they decide for him? There is a special reason: He will not
be elevated for his own personal righteousness and holi-
ness – he can worry about this himself – but "The child will
be a Nazir of G-d from the womb, and he will begin to
save Israel from the Philistines" (ibid. 13:5).
This man's role is to begin saving us from the Philistines.
He needs to be a Nazir for this purpose? It seems that one
would need to be a military man, not a Nazir. And did he
truly act like a Nazir of G-d? It does not appear as such.
While we do not have Nezirim (plural of Nazir) today, I
merited meeting Ha-Rav David Cohain ztz"l, the student of
Maran Ha-Rav Kook, who was called the "Nazir." He also
had long hair, but above all he was a gentle person, who
had a completely good heart, wisdom and holiness. He re-
spected and loved every person. He smiled and helped
everyone. He possessed an incredible wisdom of holiness,
and was also a genius in science, philosophy and lan-
guages. This is "the boy will be a Nazir of G-d from birth
until the day of his death" (ibid. v. 7). It is true that there
was a Divine announcement regarding Shimshon, but in
reality it does not appear to be so.
3. "The spirit of Hashem began to

resound"
Furthermore, it is not only that there was a Divine decision
that this man would be a Nazir, but a verse also testifies
that he possessed "Ruach Ha-Kodesh" (Holy Spirit). "And
the spirit of Hashem began to resound in the camp of Dan,
between Tzorah and Eshta'ol" (ibid. v. 25). A "Ruach
Ha-Kodesh" is not something which immediately appears
and descends upon one who is not ready for it. It appears
slowly, out of an ethical, spiritual, emotional and intellec-
tual elevation. After intense efforts, a Holy Spirit reveals
itself little-by-little, while crumbs of spiritual awakening ap-
pear. Shimshon was in fact a very serious person, and the
spirit of Hashem resounded within him. Perhaps he only
possessed a Holy Spirit at first but later deteriorated? This
is not so, as we see from the fact that the text tells us three
more times that the Holy Spirit was within him. In the in-
cident with the lion: "And the spirit of Hashem came
Shimshon e105E
mightily upon him, and he tore him apart as he would

have torn a kid" (ibid. 14:6). He accomplished this with
the Holy Spirit which rested upon him. Even after
Shimshon had obligated himself to pay thirty garments if
someone solved his riddle, it is written: "And the Spirit of
Hashem came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon,
and slew thirty men of them and took their clothing" (ibid.
14:19). And much later: "And the spirit of Hashem came
mightily upon him, and the cords that were on his arms
became as flax that was burnt with fire and his bands
melted off his hands" (ibid. 15:14).
It is impossible to deny that there are four mentions of the
fact that the spirit of Hashem rested on Shimshon. None-
theless, this appears to be a strange spirit of Hashem, not
the usual type. Although we are not experts in matters re-
garding the spirit of Hashem, it seems that it does not need
to express itself in tearing apart a lion, the killing of thirty
people and removing the cords from his arms, but in var-
ious other ways.
4. Courageous Spirit
The Rambam explains in Moreh Nevuchim (2, 45) that
there are different levels of prophecy and the spirit of
Hashem. Prophets do not immediately leap to the su-
preme level, but slowly climb and reach whatever level
they will attain. The Rambam says that the first level is the
appearance of courage and bravery. This is not courage
for just anything, but an awakening for a great purpose
such as saving an important community. When one feels

an intense inner pull to act and to save, it is not happen-
stance but a prophetic revelation.
The first act which is related about Moshe Rabbenu, the
Master of all prophets, like whom no one rose or will arise,
is "and he struck the Egyptian" (Shemot 2:12). He did not
first appear as a holy or righteous individual but as one
who saves a Jew from an Egyptian, despite the danger in-
volved in the act. He did not come up with excuses to
avoid becoming involved.
"He went out to his brothers and saw their suffering" (ibid.
2:11). Rashi explains that his intention was to see their suf-
fering and grieve with them. When an Egyptian strikes a
Jew it is impossible to be silent. The second act related
about him is in Midian, when the shepherds chase away
Yitro's daughters and do not allow them to give their flocks
water. Moshe rose up against this injustice too, and gave
water to the flocks. In general, someone who is running
away and arrives in a new place prefers not to draw atten-
tion to himself on his first day. There was an injustice here,
even if it only involved non-Jews. It was still an injustice
that was impossible to accept. Moshe Rabbenu was there-
fore awakened, both spiritually and physically, since these
shepherds were certainly not weaklings. The Rambam
points out that this was Moshe Rabbenu's first step in
prophecy. When a person hears an inner voice calling him
to act courageously for the sake of justice and truth – this
is the spirit of Hashem. Where does the Rambam learn
that there is a connection between courage and the spirit
Shimshon e107E
of Hashem? It is mentioned many times that the judges

had a spirit of Hashem, even though they did not exude
holiness, write holy books, prophesy and spread Torah.
For example, a spirit of Hashem rested on Yiftach (Shoftim
11:29), even though his behavior was not so "clean." After
all, he vowed to sacrifice his daughter to Hashem. But the
Targum Yonatan explains that his spirit of courage was
from Hashem. Yiftach displayed self-sacrifice to wage war
and save Israel, and showed political courage in his nego-
tiations with Ammon (ibid. 11:12-29). Similarly, "a spirit of
Hashem enrobed Gidon" (ibid. 6:34), even though out-
wardly he was not a "Torah personality." Our Sages ex-
plain: "Yiftach in his generation was like Shmuel in his
generation and Moshe in his generation" (based on Rosh
Hashanah 25b). It also says about Otniel ben Kenaz: "And
a spirit of Hashem was on him, and he judged Israel and
went out to war" (ibid. 3:10). He was indeed a great man
in Torah. A spirit of Hashem therefore also means a cou-
rageous spirit from Hashem which exalts and pushes a
person to perform great acts for the sake of the entire Jew-
ish People.
We see this regarding Yiftach and Gidon but it is more dif-
ficult to understand how Shimshon saved Israel, and it is
certainly difficult to understand why he married non-Jew-
ish women. The basic answer is that they converted. Oth-
erwise, his parents – who were righteous people who mer-
ited a revelation from angels, and especially his mother,
who was more important than his father, would never
have agreed to these marriages. The Rambam therefore
writes: "Do not even think that Shimshon, who saved

Israel…married non-Jewish women" (Hilchot Issurei Bi'ah
13:14 based on Yevamot 76a and Tosafot ibid. 24b). The
Rambam explains that they converted but that their con-
version was incomplete. They converted in the mikveh but
not in the heart, and their end proved their original inten-
tions (Rambam ibid. 16). But even if they did convert, it
is strange that he went to look for a wife among the Phi-
listine women. And, in fact, when he informed his parents:
"I have seen a woman in Timnat of the daughters of the
Philistines, now get her for me as a wife" (ibid. 14:2). Their
hearts ached: "And his father and mother said to him: Is
there no woman among the daughters of your brothers or
among all of my Nation that you go to take a wife from
the uncircumcised Philistines?" (ibid. verse 3). After all, this
is horrible. This man, who was designated by a prophecy
to be a Nazir of G-d and save Israel, went to look for a
wife outside of his Nation! They tried to convince him, but
Shimshon did as he pleased: "And Shimshon said to his
father: Take her for me for she pleases me" (ibid.). There
was no way of convincing him otherwise. This is an un-
pleasant and inappropriate beginning for a redeemer of Is-
rael. But Shimshon's parents did not know a secret, which
he did not reveal to them or anyone else. They did not
know that he had a spirit of Hashem, since a person who
possesses it does not show it off. "But his father and his
mother did not know that it was from Hashem" (ibid. verse
4). It was a Divine plan that this man would receive a Di-
vine spirit. It was truly a strange plan, but it was a Divine
Shimshon e109E
one, and we therefore do not raise the difficulty whether

his wife converted or not, since this was a temporary
measure given through prophecy.
5. "He sought a pretext against the

Philistines"
What is the meaning of this plan? "He sought a pretext
against the Philistines" (Shoftim 14:4). He looked for ex-
cuses and reasons to strike the Philistines. Shimshon
knows exactly who and what he is. He knows his role. His
mother certainly taught him during the course of his entire
childhood: you will begin to save Israel from the Philis-
tines. This is the mission you received through a prophecy.
But how will he save Israel? This is not so simple.
Shimshon took an interest in military matters and re-
searched the history of the Philistines. He goes from place
to place, from Tzirah to Eshta'ol, and a Divine Spirit begins
to resound within him. Finally, out of an elevated state
from the Divine Spirit, the idea arrives: he should marry
the daughter of a Philistine. "He sought a pretext against
the Philistines" (ibid.), and Rashi explains: "A pretext to
challenge them."
But what came of these challenges? In order to save Israel,
one must train men for war, organize an army and attack
the Philistines. What will come from all of these challenges
and adventures with foxes, etc.? As we said, this was not
so simple: "And at that time, the Philistines ruled in Israel"
(ibid. verse 4). During the time of Shimshon, there was no
State of Israel, but the State of the Philistines, Philistina. It

was therefore impossible to draft an army and organize a
rebellion. People were not ready to rebel. Shimshon knew
them well and knew that they were frightened. Further-
more, Israel was ready to hand Shimshon over to the Phi-
listines. When the Philistines demanded that Shimshon be
handed over to them, "three thousand men from Yehudah
went down" to capture him, "and they said to Shimshon:
Don't you know that the Philistines rule over us? What
have you done to us?" (ibid. 15:11). It is extremely difficult
to save Israel under adverse conditions. He received an
appointment as the Chief of Staff, but there was no army,
and no one was ready to be drafted. How could he save
them under these horrible conditions? He therefore re-
ceived an appointment from his gut, and he had time to
contemplate and plan. During Shimshon's time, it was not
the State of Israel against another country, but the Philis-
tine State with limited autonomy for the Jews. There was
therefore no possibility to wage war. So this was
Shimshon's plan:
a. He would have to wage guerilla warfare in order to ex-
haust and weaken the Philistines until they could no longer
bear it.
b. He would have to work alone, since the Nation was not
willing to join him.
c. He would have to act without endangering the Nation
of Israel in any way. It was not possible to wage a struggle
under the flag of the State of Israel or the Philistines would
attack the Nation of Israel. Shimshon fought as if it were
Shimshon e111E
his own personal war on account of his youth. He did not

wage war for the Nation of Israel, he has nothing to do
with them and doesn't even live with them. He is not mar-
ried to them but to the Philistines. But the Philistines
solved his riddle and he therefore took vengeance against
them and he killed Philistines in order to pay them the gar-
ments that were due to them. Everything were as if it was
a personal war unrelated to the Nation of Israel. It was for-
bidden for the Philistines to discover that he was waging
war for the Nation of Israel or they would take vengeance
on everyone. After all, people are cruel. When they did not
succeed in solving the riddle, they threatened Shimshon's
first wife: "Entice your husband into explaining the riddle
to us, or we will burn you and your father's household"
(ibid. 14:15). They were ready to burn an entire family of
their own people to solve a riddle! It is forbidden to en-
danger any Jew. There were many times in our history
when an individual Jew endangered himself and struck at
the enemy, and the enemy then conspired against all of
the Jews. For example, during the Inquisition, one Jew
snuck into a church and killed the Grand Inquisitor, Tor-
quemada who had killed thousands of Jews. Following this
act, the Christians organized a vengeance crusade and
killed thousands of Jews. The Nazis also did this – in re-
sponse to a lone Jew's attack, they would murder hun-
dreds of Jews. Under such circumstances, which Jew
would dare attack? Shimshon therefore decided to act
NOT as a Jew, but as a private individual who loved
young women and riddles. His marriage to the daughter

of the Philistines was therefore part of a Divine plan.
This was the beginning of Shimshon's plan: the words of
our Sages are known that all marriages are pre-ordained
in heaven (Moed Katan 18b). They learn this from the
verse: "And his father and mother did not know that this
was from Hashem" (Shoftim 14:4). Hashem arranged that
he would marry her. The only possibility was to wage a
war under the cover of a private war, and this was the be-
ginning of saving Israel. He indeed succeeded in irritating
the Philistines and exhausting their strength. The claims
that Shimshon wasted his strength on personal adventures
are therefore incorrect. It was all from Hashem. We under-
stand that his parents did not know that the Divine plan
was from Hashem, since he hid it and he was obligated to
do so. But we who learn Tanach know that it was from
Hashem, that the Holy Spirit did not leave him after his
marriage and that Hashem performed miracles for him.
6. There are No Miracles for Naught

Hashem does not perform miracles for no reason, for a
person who is just having all sorts of adventures. All of
Shimshon's life was full of miracles: killing one thousand
men with a donkey's jaw (ibid. 15:16), a spring appearing
to save him from thirst (ibid. v. 18-19), etc.
Hashem does not waste miracles on nonsense. There were
many times when Jews needed a miracle but none was
forthcoming. It is true that Daniel, Chananyiah and
Shimshon e113E
Misha'el were saved by a miracle. But thousands of Jews

were murdered sanctifying Hashem's Name and no mira-
cle occurred for them. And yet here miracles occurred for
"The Adventurer" who snatches foxes and kills people for
their shirts! The Master of the Universe does not freely dis-
patch miracles. Our Sages guide us: "A person should
never stand in a place of danger and say: perform a mir-
acle for me, lest no miracle occurs for him, and even if one
does occur, it detracts from his merits" (Ta'anit 20b).
Hashem does not perform miracles for fools or
adventurists who do things which they should not do, or
for a man who married a Philistine woman, put himself
into a complicated situation, and needed miracles to get
out of it. The Gemara tells of a man whose wife died and
he was left with a nursing baby boy but without money to
hire a wet nurse. A miracle occurred: he developed breasts
and nursed his son. On the face of it, this is an amazing
miracle: "How great is the man for whom a miracle such
as this occurred." But it is not so: "How lowly is this man
for whom the order of Creation was changed" (Shabbat
53b). He should have solved his problem in another, more
conventional way, and not burdened the Master of the
Universe to perform this miracle for him.
The Gemara also relates that Rav Shila ruled that a Jew
who had married a non-Jewish woman was to be pun-
ished with lashes (Berachot 58a). A Jew informed against
him to the non-Jewish authorities: this Rabbi is using his
judicial power without having received permission from
the authorities. The judge asked Rav Shila: who gave you
permission to give lashes? He responded: this Jew had re-

lations with a donkey. The Jew burst out: it is all a lie, I
had relations with a non-Jew and not a donkey. The judge
asked Rav Shila: do you have witnesses? At that moment,
a Jew with a white beard entered. It was the prophet
Eliyahu, who arrived when we needed him, and said: I
saw it. If so, the judge said, he deserves death. Rav Shila
said: since the time we went into Exile we do not inflict
capital punishment. The Jew left infuriated and yelled at
Rav Shila: if so, The Master of the Universe performs mir-
acles for lies! You lied when you said that I had relations
with an animal. Rav Shila responded: I did not lie. And he
used the insulting expression: "Their flesh is the flesh of
donkeys" (Yechezkel 23:20). The Jew said: I am passing
on your words to the judge and this will be your end. Rav
Shila said: you are pursuing me to kill me, and one who
comes to kill you, kill him first. Rav Shila hit him with his
staff and killed him.
We learn that Hashem does not perform a miracle in order
to save liars and sinners. Why then does he perform so
many miracles for Shimshon? Because these we not mira-
cles for individuals. Shimshon was involved in the salva-
tion of the Nation of Israel, and because of the compli-
cated situation, he was obligated to act with guile.
7. "Dan is a lion cub"

The Torah already prophesied about him. Moshe
Rabbenu said in his prayer to the Tribe of Dan: "Dan is a
Shimshon e115E
lion cub, leaping forth from Bashan" (Devarim 33:22). A

day will come when a man who is a "lion cub" will arise
from within the Tribe of Dan. There two types of lions: a
lion which goes in the front and a lion which goes in more
complicated ways. There were two individuals appointed
over the construction of the Mishkan: Bezalel ben Uri ben
Chur from the Tribe of Yehudah and Aholiav ben
Achisamach from the Tribe of Dan (Shemot 35:30-34).
Our Sages explain: one is the most important of Tribes,
the tribe of kingship, and the second is the lowest of the
tribes (Shemot Rabbah 40:4). Not that the Tribe of Dan is
the lowest in terms of ethics, G-d forbid, rather they were
left with the lowliest labors. The lowliest labors are also es-
sential and must be performed. The Tribe of Dan was "the
gatherer of the camp" (Bamidbar 10:25). There are always
people who go missing on the outskirts of the camp, and
there is a need to search for them, even in enemy territory
in order to save them and return them to the camp. Am-
alek struck at the "weak ones at your rear" (Devarim
25:18), including those who lacked strength on account of
their sin (Rashi ibid. and see Sifrei ibid.). The Tribe of Dan
would go at the rear to support the weak ones and gather
them. This is also a necessary job. There is the strength of
the lion who goes ahead on the frontlines, and there is also
the strength of the lion who goes to the rear.
8. "Dan shall judge his people"

Yaakov Avinu's prophecy was even more detailed: "Dan
shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel"
(Bereshit 49:16). A day will arrive and a man from the
Tribe of Dan will "take the revenge of the Nation on the
Philistines" (Rashi ibid.). And indeed, at the end of the
Book of Shoftim, the secret is revealed. After the end of
his life, "those who he killed in his death were more than
he killed in his life" (Shoftim 16:7), including all of their
military men (ibid. verse 27). The secret was retroactively
revealed: "He judged Israel for twenty years" (ibid. verse
31). This is done in an original and unparalleled manner,
but he saved Israel during the course of twenty years. Fur-
thermore, our Sages explain that the twenty years begins
after Shimshon's death (Yerushalmi, Sota 1:8. See Radak
on Shoftim 16:31 and Bemidbar 14:9), since he struck the
Philistines so hard, they did not dare raise their hand
against Israel for twenty years. He killed all of the Philistine
leadership at one time, and instilled fear within them.
9. "A snake on the road"

"Dan shall judge his people." There will come a day and
a man from the Tribe of Dan, which is Shimshon, will
judge Israel, "as one of the Tribes of Israel" (Bereshit
49:16). He worked alone to save the Nation. This is a rare
sight. Generally, a person does not act alone. Our Sages
warn us in Pirkei Avot (4:8): "Do not judge alone, for only
One may judge alone." Only the Master of the Universe
Shimshon e117E
may judge alone. "Just as the Single One of the world does
not need help, so too Shimshon ben Manoch does not
need help" (Bereshit Rabbah 98:13). How can a person
judge without an army or police force? Yaakov Avinu ex-
plains: "Dan will be a snake on the road, a viper on the
path" (Bereshit 49:17). He wages war like a snake, which
people do not see and therefore do not take caution, and
he attacks from behind. "Who bites a horse's heel and its
rider falls backwards" (ibid.). It is impossible to be "A lion
cub is Yehudah" (ibid. 49:9) when there is no army. The
only possibility is to act in secret, in hidden places, with
guile and through theft. This was Shimshon's life. This
method is certainly dangerous. When the rider falls back-
wards, he is liable to fall on the snake. The horse could
also fall backwards and crush him. Yaakov Avinu therefore
adds the words: "I await your salvation, Hashem" (ibid. v.
18). On the face of it, this prayer is appropriate for all sit-
uations in life and for all of the Tribes, but it is also unique
to the Tribe of Dan. When a person penetrates enemy
lines and remains there over the course of many years and
causes destruction there, he is in constant, immediate dan-
ger.
In the end, Shimshon is captured by the enemy and they
gauge out his eyes (Shoftim 17:21). Therefore, when
Yaakov Avinu sees into the distance, he offers a unique
prayer in order for Shimshon to succeed in his complicated
and dangerous operation (Bereshit 49:18).
10. A Hidden Righteous Person

Shimshon's life is one of self-sacrifice during every mo-
ment. For the sake of saving Israel, he lives alone, without
Torah classes, without prayer in a minyan, without a wife
– after all, all these young women who betrayed him were
certainly not appropriate for a true marriage and building
a house. He lived without a community, scorned by the
Philistines and by the Jews. It was to the point that his
Jewish brothers handed him over to the Philistines! But he
was as strong as a rock. He did not weep, complain or
break.
He continued on his path year after year. He obviously
prayed to Hashem during a time of distress in order to ob-
tain a little water (Shoftim 15:18) or in order to knock
down a Philistine house (ibid. 16:28), but he did not weep.
He continued on without fatigue and with incredible
self-sacrifice.
This man was a hidden righteous person. He did not ap-
pear so in his outer behavior. On the contrary, he seemed
like a base and lowly person, involved in romantic or other
adventures, but he was truly a man of incredible self-sac-
rifice for the sake of the Nation of Israel. Our Sages there-
fore explain that Shimshon was given a name of Hashem
(Sotah 10a). He is a Divine man. His entire life has a Di-
vine imprint. The name "Shimshon" is not one of
Hashem's Names but there is a verse: "Hashem is a
'Shemesh' (sun) and shield" (Tehillim 84:12). Thus,
"Shemesh" is one of the names of Hashem, and it appears
in the name "SHiMSHon," although it is not exactly
Shimshon e119E
Hashem's Name. Hashem (the Four-letter Name of

Hashem) is the revealed Divine Name in all of its glory,
while other names of Hashem (such as Elokim) are
Hashem's Name in all circumstances (see Tanya, Sha'ar
Ha-Yichud Ve-Ha-Emunah, chap. 4). Shimshon is thus
Hashem's hidden Name. This man was a genius in na-
tional strength. From where did he gain this strength? It
came from a Divine source – "The spirit of Hashem began
to resound" (Shoftim 13:25).
11. Within Impure Worlds

This man was a Nazir, elevated above all matters of life.
What interests most people did not interest him: he did not
eat, he did not sleep, he did not have a house, nor the
comforts of life. Only one thing interested him: the honor
of Hashem and the honor of the Nation of Israel. A Nazir
is a supreme person, and Shimshon's superiority reveals
itself in strength. Hashem's Name appeared to him in a
hidden form. On the surface, Hashem's Name did not rest
upon him. But occasionally, in special situations, Hashem's
Name was "peering through the lattices" (Shir Ha-Shirim
2:9).
It is not simple to leave the camp and to wage a war as "a
snake on the road, a viper on the path, who bites a horse's
heel and its rider falls backwards." When one places him-
self in complicated situations, he can become confused
and impure. How could a man live for years among the
Philistines and marry their daughters without becoming
impure? There is a verse in Mishlei: "Can a man take fire

in his chest and his clothes not be burned? Can one walk
on hot coals, and his feet not be scorched? So is he who
has relations with his fellow's wife – whoever touches her
will not be unpunished" (Mishlei 6:27-29 and see Sanhed-
rin 107a). It is impossible to be implanted among the Phi-
listines and their daughters and not be burnt! But this man
was prepared for this: he was a Nazir of Hashem. This is
what the angel announced: "And he will begin to save Is-
rael" (Shoftim 13:5). He was therefore obligated to be a
"Nazir of Hashem." Perhaps a person who is completely
holy, completely detached from the material world, can
withstand the impurity of the Philistines and stand firmly
during all of the adventures without being wounded. Per-
haps – but this is not for certain. It is also possible to fail.
Shimshon in fact fell – when he revealed his secret to De-
lilah, and she caused him so much distress to the point
that he was vexed to death (ibid. 16:16). It happens that
people fail: "For there is no man in the world who is right-
eous, who performs good, and does not sin" (Kohelet
7:20). Even a Nazir can fail, as well as a prophet (Sanhed-
rin 89a), and even Moshe Rabbenu erred three times
(Vayikra Rabbah 13:1). Would another person – in the
same complicated situation of Shimshon – not have failed?
Our Sages teach us that "No one can guarantee regarding
forbidden relations" (Chullin 11b). A great and righteous
man cannot boast that he is immune to the evil inclination
of forbidden sexual relations. It is related that Rav Amram
Chasida, who was great and holy (Gittin 67b), was in-
Shimshon e121E
volved in redeeming captives. He once redeemed a young

woman, and in order not to violate the prohibition of be-
ing secluded with a woman, had her sleep on an upper
floor and he removed the ladder. When she was walking
in the attic, a beam of light reflected from her face, and
Rav Amram Chasida was seized with lust. He moved the
ladder to ascend (normally, ten people are needed to
move it), and he began to climb up. Rav Amram Chasida
began to wage war against his inclination. He finally found
a solution and screamed: "Fire, fire!" People came to ex-
tinguish the fire, and when they saw that there was no fire,
they immediately understood which fire he was talking
about… The Sages said to him: "You embarrassed us!"
Rav Amram Chasida said: "It is better to suffer embarrass-
ment in this world than in the World–to-Come" (Kiddushin
81a). "No one can guarantee regarding forbidden rela-
tions." We can understand how someone involved with
this temptation day and night could stumble. Shimshon
fell. And obviously, "The Holy One Blessed Be Here is ex-
acting with those close to Him like a strand of hair"
(Yevamot 121b).
12. Like a Strand of Hair

A strand of hair! Shimshon's hair revealed it all. What is
hair? It is the inner and outer parts together. In truth,
Shimshon was the inside, one of us, but he went out – not
only geographically but also from the order of life. He was
part of the Tribe of Dan, who was the "collector of all of
the camps" (Bemidbar 10:25), and he was sent on special

commando missions. Hair is something which is dead, but
its root is connected to the living. The fingernail is the only
other part of the body which is somewhat similar, although
the majority of a fingernail is connected to the body while
the majority of hair is not, only the root. If you wish to
understand who Shimshon is, in one word, look at hair
(see at length in the book "Yisrael Kedoshim of R' Tzadok
Ha-Cohain, p. 16). Shimshon is hair attached to the body
of the Nation of Israel, but it can easily be detached by
pulling. This is the secret of his strength. How can one go
amongst the worlds of impurity and remain a Nazir of
Hashem? Look at the hair which is both outside and inside
at the same time.
But this man fell, "And they seized him and gouged out
his eyes" (Shoftim 16:21). They mocked him, and caused
him all sorts of disgrace and impurities (see Sotah 10a).
He fell.
13. The One who Falls and Gets Up

It happens that a man falls. The question is if he knows
how to get up. It once happened that a teacher, who just
completed teaching school, received a position in a twelfth
grade class in a school for juvenile delinquents. He was a
thin, weak and pale young man and the students – expe-
rienced in theft and violence – were hoodlums. On the first
day, he sat in the teacher's room shaking from fright and
his heart was pounding. Suddenly the bell rang and he
Shimshon e123E
headed towards the class, almost drunk from fear, to the

point that he did not notice that there was a lip on the
doorway. He tripped on it and fell face down on the floor.
The entire class burst out in laughter, making fun of him
and throwing paper and chalk. He got up slowly and said:
"It happens that a person falls. The question is does he
know how to get up. This is our first class." The students
understood the lesson and gave him a round of applause.
It happens that a person falls, even a great person, espe-
cially in complicated situations. But after Shimshon falls,
he does not deteriorate. On the contrary, he strengthens
himself. He searches: perhaps I can perform something
else for the benefit of the Nation of Israel. I can take ad-
vantage of this opportunity to do something I would oth-
erwise never have been able to do. Although I sinned and
they gouged out my eyes, I am not concerned about my
personal well-being, rather about the desecration of Israel's
name. After all, everyone now knows who he is. The Phi-
listines already know that he is acting in Hashem's Name,
and see in their victory over Shimshon a Divine dimen-
sion: "And they said: our god gave Shimshon our enemy
into our hand" (Shoftim 16:23). Shimshon says: "The Mas-
ter of the Universe, give me strength to take revenge for
something. Not everything. Not both eyes, only one eye."
14. "Let me die with the Philistines"

He is not concerned about his personal eye. He is not an
individual person, rather he is a communal person of Is-
rael. He has nothing of his own: no house, no Torah learn-

ing, no wife. Everything he has belongs to the Nation of
Israel. He gave everything he had. "Hashem G-d, please
remember me. And please strengthen me just once more,
G-d, and let me avenge one of my two eyes" (ibid. v. 28).
I fell, but perhaps precisely because of the fall, I can bring
salvation to the Nation of Israel. I am not complaining. I
accept the judgment I was given. I played with fire and got
burned or, more precisely, I received an order to involve
myself with fire and got burned. I therefore ask: "Let me
die with the Philistines" (ibid. v. 30). I am not asking for
life for myself. All of my life is for the sake of the Nation
of Israel. In essence, his entire life was in the category of
"Let me die with the Philistines," since he devoted it to be-
gin "to save Israel from the Philistines" (ibid. 13:5). He sac-
rificed his entire life, he made himself impure and placed
himself in complicated situations. Our Sages say in the
Zohar that he even sacrificed his World to Come for this
purpose (Zohar, Naso 127a). His life conditions were not
ideal for meriting the World to Come.
Only one thing interested him: "Let me die with the Philis-
tines." In fact, Hashem accepted his request, and on the
day of his death, he struck the Philistines with a crippling
blow to the point that they did not dare raise their hand
against Israel for the next twenty years. Although
Shimshon stumbled, on account of the fall, he was able to
bring great salvation to Israel that even lasted longer than
his own lifetime.
Shimshon e125E
15. "Shimshon in his generation was like

Aharon in his generation"
When our Sages wanted to clarify Shimshon's character in
relation to other great men of our Nation, they established:
"The Torah equates three (lesser) people with three
(greater) people: Gidon in his generation was like Moshe
in his generation, Shimshon in his generation was like
Aharon in his generation, Yiftach in his generation was like
Shmuel in his generation" (based on Rosh Hashanah 25b).
The first thing we might learn from this statement is that
Shimshon's generation was so lowly that comparatively he
was the "Aharon" of the generation. But in truth there is
something deeper here. Shimshon performed in his gener-
ation what was needed to be done. Shimshon and Aharon
were similar personalities and of similar holiness, but in
Aharon's generation one needed to act like Aharon and in
Shimshon's generation one needed to act like Shimshon.
If Shimshon would have acted like Aharon, it would not
have helped the salvation of the Nation of Israel. If Aharon
would have lived in Shimshon's generation, he would have
acted exactly as Shimshon. Aharon was on the uppermost
level of the Nation of Israel, "and the foreigner who ap-
proaches will die" (Bemidbar 1:51), as was Shimshon, but
he revealed himself in a different manner.
Holiness in each generation reveals itself according to the
state and needs of that generation. Shimshon was a Nazir
of G-d. There are generations in which a Nazir of G-d sits
in the study hall and teaches the Nation, completely gentle
and noble. And there are some generations in which there

is no time for gentility and recitation of Tehillim, but rather
"tearing apart" and breaking the enemy. Shimshon needed
to be a Nazir of G-d who was like a lion who tears apart
and kills Philistines, and a lonely man who succeeded in
destroying the strength of the enemy. Being a Nazir is not
based on external appearance but inner content. A Nazir
is a person who abstains from all sorts of petty, egotistical
matters and is interested in major issues. This was national
courage in Shimshon's generation. Maran Ha-Rav Kook
writes that purity and holiness usually appear in the form
of submission but when the Jewish People are awakened
to revival, purity and holiness shine as national courage
(Orot, Orot Ha-Techiya 8).
Being a Nazir of G-d is an inner reality and is not neces-
sarily recognized externally. Our Sages tell about a man
who decided to be a Nazir because he once looked in the
river when he drank water, saw his beautiful hair and be-
came haughty. He said: I resolved to become a Nazir and
to shave off my hair for the sake of heaven. Shimon
Ha-Tzadik said that this was the only time he met a true
Nazir (Nedarim 9b). Being is a Nazir is not religious arro-
gance but an inner characteristic which understands the
greater issues of life. Therefore, "Shimshon in his genera-
tion was like Aharon in his generation." Shimshon's su-
preme Nezirut appeared to be the opposite of what being
a Nazir is all about. But no one knew the truth: not the
Jews, not the Philistines and not even his parents. The se-
cret is only revealed in the end: "He judged Israel for
Shimshon e127E
twenty years." Our Sages warn us: do not deride

Shimshon. Do not say: There used to be respectable
judges like Aharon. "Do not say: why were the earlier days
better than these? For you did not inquire wisely regarding
this" (Kohelet 7:1). Shimshon in his generation acted ac-
cording to what was required in his generation. It is forbid-
den to look at such events externally. There is a hidden
righteous person who does not behave in what seems like
the ways of the righteous. Shimshon is a righteous person
for saving the Nation of Israel, a righteous person whose
self-sacrifice was for the Nation of Israel.
16. "It is from Hashem"

Question: How did Shimshon endanger himself by
committing sins when we have a halachic principle that we
do not tell a person "transgress in order to merit his fellow"
(Shabbat 4a)?
Answer: We are not discussing the case of a person sinning
in order to save his fellow from a minor prohibition (see
Beit Yosef and Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim end of
chap. 306), but a supreme, rare situation regarding the
entirety of Israel in which the halachic possibility exists for
a person to comprise himself in order to save the Nation
(see Tosafot on Gittin 38a). An example of this principle
is that Ester displayed self-sacrifice in marrying
Achashverosh in order to save the Nation of Israel (see
Maharik #167 in the name of Tosafot Rabbenu Yehudah
of Parish, Shut Noda Bi-Yehudah, Tanina Yoreh Deah

161 and Shut Mishpat Cohaim, p. 330). Yael, the wife of
Chaver the Kinite, also pulled Sisera into a tent in order
to save the entirety of Israel (Yevamot 103a, Meiri on
Sanhedrin 74b and Mishpat Cohain ibid.). It was a unique
temporary measure by a prophet (see Rambam, Hilchot
Yesodei Ha-Torah 9:3). Shimshon also received a special
Divine command that this is the way he should act (Rabbi
Yitzchak Abarbanel on Shoftim 14:4 and also in his
introduction to Shoftim). "It is from Hashem" (Shoftim
14:4).
David
1. The Shepherd
2. In the Courtyard of King Shaul
3. Ascension to the Throne and Jerusalem
4. Bringing the Ark of G-d to Jerusalem
5. Yearning to Build the Temple
6. Courage and Integrity
7. King David's Legacy
1. The Shepherd
A Nation was born, left Egypt, and, through difficult wars,
returned to the Land of its Forefathers. But there were
even more difficulties to come: enemies from within and
from without attacked and reigned over the Nation. There
was ethical corruption, idol worship and civil war between
Jews which spilled much blood. The Judges arose and
fixed the situation temporarily, giving the Nation a period
of quiet. But the Nation again experienced darkness and
agony, confusion and suffering, for everyone did as he
pleased. This continued until a king arose for us: Shaul.
He waged war with self-sacrifice and elevated the national
honor. The mission was too great for him, however, and
he fell by the arrows of the Philistines.
From the midst of the darkness, with the kindness of G-d,
an amazing figure appears who saves the Nation, estab-
lishes a kingdom and provides tranquility and peace. He

is not a cruel warrior, but a young man with a gentle soul,
red-hair and beautiful eyes. His ancestors were of the high-
est caliber: Miriam the prophetess, brother of Moshe; Boaz,
who is also known as Avtzan, who served as a judge; Rut,
the supreme, righteous convert; his grandfather Oved and
his father Yishai – both of whom served G-d with whole-
ness.
But David's grace and intellect did not completely protect
him. His brothers expelled him from their father's house,
and he became a shepherd in the wilderness. But his life
as a shepherd prepared him for the exalted role of king.
He was merciful with his flock. He first took out the young
goats and fed them soft grass. He was dedicated to his
flock with his heart and soul. He was willing to enter into
difficult struggles for them and fight against and defeat
bears and lions to protect them.
2. In the Courtyard of King Shaul

Shmuel the prophet comes and inform him that he is
suited to rule over Israel, and anoints him for kingship. The
anointment of David remains a secret. Nonetheless, he
slowly ascends, level after level, until the Holy Spirit rests
upon him. He also knows how to play music. He is there-
fore invited by the members of Shaul's household to play
music for the king to save him from the evil spirit which
terrorizes him.
David wanted to sit in tranquility with Shaul in the royal
David e131E
courtyard, but the anger of Goliat forced him to go out to

war. During the course of forty days, Goliat, this giant
would wake up early and stay up late, insulting and blas-
pheming, in order to confuse Israel and prevent them from
reciting the morning and evening Shema. The entire Na-
tion was scared and said: who can overcome him? Shaul
himself was ill at that time, and he was unable to fight him.
The young David, seeing the honor of the army of Israel
and the honor of G-d being trampled, became angry and
said in his heart: "In a place where there are no men strive
to be a man" (Pirkei Avot 2:5). "Who is this uncircumcised
Philistine, that he should taunt the armies of the living
G-d?" (Shmuel 1 17:26). Shaul gave him his uniform and
armor and they were fit for David, as befitting one who
would rule in the future. Nonetheless, David preferred
fighting in his shepherd's outfit to which he had become
accustomed, and he took his slingshot and five stones. Da-
vid was filled with the spirit of wisdom and courage and
hit Goliat in the forehead, in a place lacking armor.
Shaul was jealous of him, and instead of kissing him for
the great salvation he performed for Israel, appointing him
Chief of Staff and giving him his daughter, he asks in a
protesting and disparaging way: "Whose son is this young
man?" (Shmuel 1 17:56). In fact he knew the young man,
because he was the one who would stand before him play-
ing the harp to remove the evil spirit. But Shaul's evil spirit
remained a secret from the Nation so that they would not
lose faith in his kingship. If David had been a scoundrel,
he would have responded: I am your servant who plays
music before you to rid you of your evil spirit. He also

would have revealed his anointment as king, and then the
Nation would have made him king in place of Shaul. But
he was a noble and gentle man, and he simply responded:
"I am David the son of your servant Yishai of Bet Lechem"
(ibid. v. 58). His words ended here and he did not add
anything.
"After he [David] had finished talking with Saul, Yonatan
became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as him-
self" (ibid. 18:1), since he saw that not only was he cou-
rageous and brave, but he guarded his tongue, and he was
gentle and pure. These two friends made an eternal pact.
Anyone who did not see the friendship between David and
Yonatan did not see true friendship, did not see love that
was not dependent on anything. Yonatan, one of the most
humble people, recognized that David was better suited
than him to be king, "And Yonatan took off the robe he
was wearing and gave it to David, along with his armor,
and even his sword, his bow and his belt" (ibid. v. 4). The
Sages of Israel correctly saw this love as an example of
idealist love, "love that is not dependent on anything"
(Pirkei Avot 5:19), since there was no ulterior motive.
Their concern was only for the best of their Nation and
Land.
Shaul's evil spirit continued to terrorize him, and he at-
tempted to kill David a few times with his spear. He feared
that G-d was with David, and he made him an officer in
the army and David went out before the Nation. But Shaul
did not stop pursuing him, and he conspired for him to fall
David e133E
into the hands of the Philistines. He said to David: if you

will be a soldier and fight the wars of Hashem, I will give
you my daughter Meirav as a wife. David fought, but
Meirav was given to someone else. Shaul then said that if
you bring me one hundred foreskins of the Philistines, I
will give you my daughter Michal. David again passed the
challenge, and Michal became his wife. In the end, Shaul
sent agents to kill him, but Michal, his wife, helped him
escape through a window. Fortunate is the man who has
such a loyal wife. But she paid for this, and Shaul later
took revenge by giving her to another man.
David fled from place to place, and even had to take ref-
uge in Gat with Achish, the King of the Philistines, and
pretend he was mentally deranged. David was still pursued
by Shaul, although he was free from sin. And yet, David
never took revenge against him and never injured him.
Even when he had the opportunity to strike Shaul, when
he was alone in a cave with him, and it would have been
permissible based on the law of "If one comes to kill you,
kill him first" (Sanhedrin 72a), he did not injure him. In-
stead he cut the corner of Shaul's robe to prove that he
had no hatred against him in his heart. Even this gracious
act caused David remorse, for how did he dare to cut the
king's robe? David's men wanted to take revenge against
Shaul, and they would have conspired to do so if it were
not for David standing against them with all of his power
to convince them otherwise. Shaul saw David's impecca-
bility, cried and said: "You are more righteous than me.
You treated me well while I treated you badly" (Shmuel 1
24:17). Nonetheless, the evil spirit overcame him and he

continued to pursue David.
We see David's incredible nobility in another incident as
well. During his journeys, all sorts of dangerous men, out-
casts of society, gathered around David and he organized
them for the sake of the Nation. They served David by
guarding against hooligans and enemies, and also enemies
of the Nation. He and his men guarded over the flock of
Naval Ha-Karmali, but when it came time for Naval to pay
them for their toil and self-sacrifice, he did not fulfill his
word. He responded with ungratefulness and insults. Da-
vid says to his men: whoever thinks Naval is a dead man
should put on his sword. His men girded their swords. But
Avigial, the wife of Naval, stood firm: "This should not be
a cause of grief for you, and my master's heart should not
be troubled because you have spilled blood without cause"
(I Shmuel 25:31). The weak voice of a woman speaking
ethically was more powerful to David than that of four
hundred strong men yielding swords. "Blessed be your dis-
cernment and blessed be you, who have kept me today
from shedding blood" (ibid. v. 33). David did not wound
Naval, but nonetheless after a few days he died on his
own. Later, David merited marrying Avigial, who was a
great woman and a prophetess in Israel.
David was nonetheless concerned about falling by the
hand of Shaul, and decided to hide himself and his men
with Achish, King of Gat. David became an officer in the
army of the Philistines, and took advantage of every op-
portunity to strike the enemies of Israel, who caused him
David e135E
great distress – Amalek and the Caananites. But when the

Philistines went to war against Shaul, David set a horrible
trap. The Philistine officers lost faith in David and asked
the king to remove him from the ranks. David continued
his wars.
In the same battle with the Philistines, many Jews were
killed, including Shaul and Yonatan. The survivor who in-
forms David of their deaths and who related that he
helped King Shaul fall on his sword, expected David to be
happy that the kingship was now free. He was sure David
would grant him a reward. But David tears his garments,
rules that the informer be killed and laments from the
depths of his heart.
3. Ascension to the Throne and

Jerusalem
When David ascends to the throne, his main thought is to
conquer Jerusalem in order for it to be a capital for the
entire Nation. The city which Hashem chose, which is not
divided among the Tribes and rises above all of the Tribes,
is the heart of the Nation. The Nation requires a Land and
State, an economy and security, but above all, it requires
a heart, a place of Torah and prophecy, a place for the
Temple. "Mountains surround Jerusalem and Hashem sur-
rounds His Nation" (Tehillim 125:2). The city was com-
pletely fortified, surrounded by walls and towers, and its
residents mocked David: "You will not enter here, even the
blind and lame could turn you away" (Shmuel 2 5:6).
They also claimed that they would be protected by the

covenant made with Avraham Avinu. In the end, David
and his men succeeded in conquering the city with won-
drous courage. David nevertheless did not want to acquire
the city in the merit of the physical conquest, but rather
collected five shekels from every Tribe and purchased the
Holy City from the Yebusites by possession, money and a
document (the halachic ways of making an acquisition) as
an eternal acquisition, and so that no one could ever claim
that this city is not ours.
"A Song of Ascents of David. I rejoiced when they said to
me: 'Let us go to the House of Hashem.' Our feet are
standing firmly within your gates, Jerusalem. The rebuilt
Jerusalem is the city that joins together. It is the place to
which the tribes ascended, the Tribes of G-d, a testimony
to Israel, to give thanks to the name of Hashem. For there
were set thrones for judgment, the thrones of the House
of David. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, may those who
love you prosper. May peace be within your walls, and
prosperity within your palaces. For my brothers and
companions' sakes, I will say: 'Peace be within you.' For
the sake of the House of Hashem our G-d I will seek your
good" (Tehillim 122).
But immediately after David conquered Jerusalem, a great
war leapt upon him, in which David proved his bravery
among the warriors and his great trust in Hashem, who
said to him: "When you hear the sound of marching over
the balsam trees move quickly" (Shmuel 2 5:24). David
waited in ambush and held back his soldiers until the Phi-
David e137E
listines were less than four amah (six feet) away. David
showed even greater bravery when he later waged war
against Shovach, the commander of the army of Aram,
who also claimed that Yaakov Avinu had made a pact
with him (see ibid. 10:18).
4. Bringing the Ark of G-d to Jerusalem

David saw that it was time to bring the Ark of G-d to Je-
rusalem. "And David and all of the House of Israel played
before Hashem with instruments of cypress wood, lyres,
harps, drums, cornets and cymbals" (ibid. 6:5). David did
not worry about his own honor but only that of his Crea-
tor. "David danced before Hashem with all his might" (ibid.
6:14). Michal, his wife, was an extremely righteous
woman, but she erred here, and scorned David in her
heart: "How distinguished was the King of Israel today,
who exposed himself today before the handmaids of his
servants as a fool uncovers himself" (Shmuel 2 6:20). She
did not know that anyone who lowers himself before the
Master of the Universe is greater and more honorable. Da-
vid answered her: "I will become even more undignified
than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes, but by
these handmaids of whom you spoke, I will be held in
honor" (ibid. v. 22).
This was a great day for David: "And he distributed to
every person in Israel, both man and woman, a loaf of
bread, a cake of dates and a cake of raisins" (ibid. 6:19).
The sweet singer of Israel also sang before his G-d: "Give
thanks to Hashem, declare His Name, make His acts

known among the nations. Sing to Him, make music for
Him, speak of all His wonders. Praise His Holy Name,
may the heart of those who seek Hashem be joyous.
Search out Hashem and His strength, seek His Presence
always. Remember His wonders that He performed, His
marvels and the judgments of His mouth. Offspring of Is-
rael, His servant, children of Yaakov, His chosen ones, He
is Hashem, our G-d, His judgments are over all the earth.
He remembered His covenant forever, the word He com-
manded for a thousand generations (Tehillim 105:1-8).
5. Yearning to Build the Temple

David came from within the Land of Israel to Jerusalem,
and from Jerusalem to the Ark of the Covenant, and he
now desired to build the Temple. He told Natan the
prophet: "I am living in a palace of cedar while the Ark of
G-d remains in a tent" (ibid. 7:2). But what David thought
is not what the Master of the Universe thought. Each per-
son has his own role and mission, and the time for build-
ing the Temple had not yet arrived. The Master of the Uni-
verse said to him: I took you from the flock to be the king
over my Nation, Israel. I made you a great name like the
names of the greatest people on earth. I will be with you
everywhere you go and I will cut down your enemies who
surround you. You have fought the wars of Hashem, you
have spilled much blood, I have given my Nation a resting
place and an inheritance, I have planted them in the Land.
David e139E
You have established my kingdom. This is your job and

your mission. Your son will be your loyal successor and he
will build My Temple. David responded: Who am I that
You have brought me to this point, and have done for me
this greatness?
6. Courage and Integrity

David continues in his work of striking down Israel's ene-
mies: the Philistines, Moav and Aram-Damascus. But he
does not like to be involved in wars and to spill the
enemies' blood. He therefore has the following custom: to
strike them with a major blow into submission, and then
place representatives to guard the quiet and peace in every
place.
Every place that you find David's courage, you find
David's integrity. He did not want to annul the covenant
of his ancestors, so he charged the Sanhedrin to investi-
gate and search for the truth of what was said by the Phi-
listines and Arameans. The Sanhedrin taught and David
responded to the Philistines: You came to invade our
Land. And to the Arameans: You have already nullified
that pact with Yaakov Avinu.
His military victories and successes did not take David
away from the knowledge of his Creator, and did not
cause him to change anything in the conduct of his life.
He remained one of the most humble of people, and he
felt and related about himself: "I am a worm and not a
man, scorned by man and despised by people" (Tehillim
22:7). When he was King, he remained as humble as a

shepherd. The coin of David had a staff and sack of shep-
herd on one side and the Tower of David on the other.
"Hashem, my heart is not haughty, and my eyes were not
raised on high, and I did not pursue matters greater and
more wondrous than I. I have calmed and quieted my
soul, like a weaned child with his mother, my soul is with
me like a weaned child" (Tehillim 131:1-2).
Even when he sat on the throne of kingship he lowered
himself and sat on the floor to learn Torah. He would
wake up each night at midnight in order to pray. "I awake
at midnight to thank you" (Tehillim 119:62). A harp hung
above David's bed, and when it was midnight, a Northern
wind would blow and play it. David immediately strength-
ened himself like a lion, got up and learned Torah with
songs and praises (see Berachot 3b). He would write songs
to Hashem until he completed the entire Book of Tehillim.
There is nothing in the world like this book's beauty and
thirst for Hashem. All Israel, in every generation and place,
pours out its soul to Hashem through these Tehillim.
David withstood many difficult trials throughout his life,
but occasionally he did not withstand them, as it says:
"There is no righteous man in the world who does good
and does not sin" (Kohelet 7:20). But even in the place
where you see the deficiency of our king, you find his
greatness. After the incident with Batsheva, when Natan
the prophet comes and admonishes him: why did you take
the sheep of the destitute, you are that man – David did
not try to conceal it. He did not say: there were no sheep
David e141E
here, no destitute person here and I am not the man. He

simply responded: "I sinned to Hashem" (Shmuel 2 12:13),
and he cried every night for thirteen years to the point that
his bed was soaked with tears and his eyes hurt from cry-
ing.
"For the conductor, a song of David. When Natan the
prophet came to him when he went to Batsheva… For I
know my transgressions, and my sin is always before
me…wash me and I will become whiter than snow. Make
me hear joy and gladness… Create for me a pure heart,
G-d, and renew a proper spirit within me. Do not cast me
away from before You, and do not take Your holy spirit
from me. I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners
will return to You." (Tehillim 51:1-15). From then on, an-
yone who sinned – even in a severe manner – knows that
the way of repentance is open before him, on condition
that he confesses and cries from the depths of his heart.
As the head of the army, David also acted with great hu-
mility. David was extremely thirsty during a war and said:
"If only someone would give me water from the well of Bet
Lechem" (Shmuel 2 23:15). Three mighty men of David
burst through the camp of the Philistines, drew water from
the well and brought it to David, but he did not want to
drink it: G-d has forbidden that I should act this way.
Should I drink the blood of these men who risked their
lives?
David never refrained from going out to difficult battles
against the enemy of his Nation and putting his life in his
hands until he was almost killed. His men then said: do
not come out to battle with us. The light of Israel should
not be extinguished.
7. King David's Legacy

"David was old, advanced in years, they covered him with
a blanket but he did not become warm" (Melachim 1 1:1).
The body of this brave man did not suffer from coldness
but his heart became cool. David, the elder and the wise,
the experienced and deep thinker, looked over the incred-
ible kingdom he built: there was peace, blessing, a state.
But maybe there is no spirit? If there is no spirit, there is
nothing. Perhaps the kingdom will fall. The king is con-
cerned and gloomy. The people of the castle saw that their
king was elderly and troubled and decided: we should find
a pretty young woman. The king will see her, marry her
and the joy in his life and the fire of his youth will return.
They planned and executed, but these fools did not know
that this was not the way the king would be comforted.
The young woman was beautiful but the king did not
touch her.
The king saw that it was time to appoint a loyal successor.
David had many children, each had his own strength: one
had courage, another beauty, another smarts and another
Torah. But he had only one son like Shlomo: a son whose
heart was like his father's, a wise and righteous son, who
was called a friend of Hashem. David said to his son: The
time when I lived is not like the time that you live. My days
were days of war. It is impossible to establish a State with-
David e143E
out military men and courageous men. I was forced to suf-

fer them, including their many deficiencies. For example,
Yoav ben Tzeruya who shed the blood of war during
peacetime and Shimi ben Gera who rebelled against me
and cursed me. It is now a time of quiet and tranquility,
and you know what to do with these people if they try to
follow the same path they followed during my life, since
you are a wise man.
He also commanded him: I desire with all my heart to
build a House for Hashem. And now, my son, may
Hashem be with you and you should succeed in building
the Temple of Hashem. May Hashem give you the wisdom
and understanding to observe the Torah of Hashem.
David also managed to gather together all of the princes
of Israel, the Cohanim and Levi'im and distribute to them
their roles for working in the Temple. He also gave his son
the plan of how the Temple was to be built. Furthermore,
he collected large quantities of silver, gold, iron, and
bronze for building the Temple.
This is the greatest last testament that our king gave to his
Nation before his death: Listen my brothers and Nation:
Observe all of the mitzvot of Hashem your G-d for the
sake of possessing the good Land and bequeath it to your
children for eternity.
David goes to his world, and the kingdom he establishes
falls. But his songs constantly remain in our mouth, the
songs of the sweet singer of Israel. Nothing like this ever
occurred in the thousands of years of human history: a
king who sang amazing, holy songs. Fortunate are we that
the King of Israel belongs to us, the Nation of Israel. There

is no one like him.
One other thing which Israel always knows: David, King of
Israel, lives and exists. We always knew that our exiles
would be gathered, our Land would be rebuilt, our king-
dom re-established, that we would return to Jerusalem,
our Holy City, and that the light of Hashem would shine
within us.
And this time is coming: "A song of ascents. When
Hashem will bring the exiles back to Zion, we will be like
dreamers. Now, our mouth is filled with laughter, and our
tongue with song. Then it was said among the nations,
‘Hashem has done great things with these people.’
Hashem has done great things for us, and we rejoice. We
should return from our captivity, Hashem, like streams
gushing through the Negev. Those who sow in tears shall
reap in joy. One goes out weeping when burdened with
the full measure of seeds. He shall surely come in joy,
bearing his harvested sheaves" (Tehillim 126).
Mordechai
1. "Mordechai did not kneel or bow down"
2. Ingratiation or Provocation against the Non-Jews
3. The King's Duke
4. The Danger of Submission
5. The Reason for the Decree
6. "There was a Jewish man in Shushan the capital"
7. Un-walled and Walled Cities
1. "Mordechai did not kneel or bow

down"
The Radvaz (Shut Ha-Radvaz 1:284) asks: how could
Mordechai endanger the entire Jewish People? Although
we know that it turned out positively in the end, this was
not known at the outset. Because of Mordechai's actions,
danger hovered over Israel: "To destroy, murder and ex-
terminate all of the Jews, young and old, children and
women, in one day…and plunder their possessions" (Ester
3:13). How could Mordechai take it upon himself to cause
his people such danger? In truth, we find in the Letter of
Ester an echo of the dispute between Mordechai and other
Jews: "Israel said to him: You should know that you are
causing us to fall by the sword at this time" (Igret Ester
3:2). The Gemara also compares Mordechai to Shaul, who
did not kill Agag, and Haman, who was his descendant,
distressed Israel (Megillah 13b), i.e. Shaul had mercy on

Agag, and Mordechai, Shaul's descendant, enticed Agag's
descendant against us.
The claim that Mordechai did not bow down because Ha-
man had made himself into an idol to be worshipped, or
had engraved images of idols onto his garments (as is cus-
tomary in our time among the rulers of the East) does not
answer the question. Mordechai could have avoided pass-
ing or meeting Haman, and thereby avoided the whole
problem. Even though the prohibition of bowing down to
an idol falls within the category of "Be killed and do not
transgress it," it is a prohibition that one may effectively
circumvent, for there is no law that one must take it upon
himself to encounter an object of idol worship and declare
that he is not bowing down to it. This would mean endan-
gering his life and that of the Nation's. Only if a person is
forced to bow down to an idol must he refuse, even at the
cost of his life. Mordechai met regularly with Haman and
did not bow down, as it says: "When they said to him day
after day and he did not listen to them" (Ester 3:4), i.e. he
purposefully passed Haman each day. The Maharal (Or
Chadash) says: "And he did not take a different path" on
purpose. Our Sages (Yalkut Shimoni Ester 1054) make it
even more serious by stating that Haman would come to
him and say: "Shalom" and Mordechai would not respond.
Haman asked him: "You wouldn't say 'Shalom' to me?"
Mordechai answered: "There is no 'Shalom' (peace') – says
Hashem – for the wicked" (Yeshayahu 48:22). Mordechai
did everything he could to infuriate Haman. The Midrash
Mordechai e147E
relates that Mordechai would show Haman a sandal each

time he passed which had inscribed on it that Haman was
a slave to Mordechai. Why did he seek to anger Haman
so much?
2. Ingratiation or Provocation against the

Non-Jews
Perhaps you will say that Mordechai did not think that
matters would deteriorate to such an extent. This does not
seem correct. This is particularly true regarding
Mordechai's behavior with the king's clothing and horse af-
ter the decree against the Jews was already made. When
Haman comes to him, Mordechai could have tried to pac-
ify him, to ask for his forgiveness and give in to him. But
Mordechai does not do so, rather he has Haman lead him
around on the king’s horse.
Question: But Achashverosh decreed that Haman should
do this!
Answer: Mordechai could have attempted to speak with
the king, or to fulfill the decree in a less prominent fashion
that would be less embarrassing for Haman. But we see
that Mordechai did not do this; he used a different tactic.
He did not act this way out of an error in calculation or as
an emotional response. He had a strategy and stuck to it.
This was Mordechai's stance and he did not vacillate
between ingratiation and provocation against the
non-Jews.
Our Sages were in doubt regarding the question of how to

act with the wicked: Should we provoke them or submit
to them (Berachot 7b and also Megillah)? Most opinions
in the Gemara hold that if you see the wicked prosper, you
should submit to them. In contrast, Rabbi Shimon bar
Yochai says that it is permissible to provoke the wicked in
this world. And in fact, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai ex-
plained it well and fulfilled it well. He provoked the Ro-
mans, and they issued a decree against him of capital pun-
ishment and he was forced to hide in a cave (see Shabbat
33b). The Gemara brings different answers based on the
specific situation and the character of those involved. The
Maharal says that Mordechai decided in this case that it
was necessary to provoke the wicked (Or Chadash).
Question: Isn't it sometimes possible for a person not to
ingratiate himself, or to avoid provoking another?
Answer: This is remaining neutral. But bowing down
before Haman is not remaining neutral, it is ingratiation.
Question: Couldn't Mordechai have avoided putting
himself in this situation?
Answer: You are correct. But Mordechai decided that he
needed to provoke. Not only not to ingratiate himself or
turn his eye, but to actively provoke.
3. The King's Duke

The Midrash relates that Haman said to Mordechai: Why
don't you bow down to me? Your grandfather bowed
Mordechai e149E
down to my grandfather, Yaakov bowed before Esav!

Mordechai answered him: "I am the duke of the King"
(Midrash Ester 7:9). I am noble. My grandfather was born
in the Land of Israel" (ibid.). This means that there is no
choice in exile and one must ingratiate himself to the
non-Jews. The non-Jews murder us in pogroms and so we
plead, beg, bribe and do everything we can to avert dis-
aster. There is no choice, no other option. But, Mordechai
responds, my grandfather was born in Eretz Yisrael.
Binyamin, my grandfather, did not bow down to Esav. He
was not yet born during the meeting between Yaakov and
Esav. This was not happenstance.
Question: But Mordechai was living in the Exile during that
time?
Answer: But he was not exilic.
Question: Even in the Exile?
Answer: Yes, even in the Exile, he was not exilic. The Exile
makes us into Jews who have to ingratiate ourselves to the
non-Jews. Rabbi Avraham Ibn Ezra explains this idea in
connection to the Exodus from Egypt. When the Egyptians
pursued the Jews, they were terrified. Why? They were
six-hundred thousand armed men. Why didn't they strike
the Egyptians?! The Ibn Ezra explains that this was
impossible from their perspective. They had a lowly spirit,
and they could not lift their hand against their taskmasters
(see Ibn Ezra on Shemot 14:13). Rabbi Avraham Ibn Ezra
explains in another place that only one person did not
have a lowly spirit following the Exile: Moshe Rabbenu.

This is the inner reason why he was raised in Pharaoh's
palace and not among the Jews. The Rambam says about
the verse: "G-d did not lead them through the land of the
Philistines, although it was near, for G-d said: Perhaps the
people will reconsider when they see war and they will
return to Egypt" (Shemot 13:17), i.e. the Nation of Israel
was scared. It was enslaved in its soul. The process of
liberating the soul from servitude is lengthy. While the
Master of the Universe could have miraculously given
them courage, this would have removed their free will. The
solution was therefore to spend forty years in the desert:
"for the sake of learning courage" (Moreh Nevuchim 3,
32). Forty years in the desert in difficult conditions would
teach them how to be courageous. A slave is unable to
immediately wash the mortar from his hands and wage
war against giants. The Exile breeds a lowly spirit. It
removes a person's willingness to pay a price for his
freedom.
4. The Danger of Submission

But how did Yaakov Avinu bow down to Esav? Our Sages
in fact criticize this act and say that because of the eight
times that Yaakov bowed to Esav, eight kings of Edom
(the descendants of Esav) ruled before the kings of Israel
(Yalkut Shimoni, Bereshit 32). The Ramban takes this a
step further and says that because of the bowing of
Yaakov we fell by the hands of Edom; this occurred when
Mordechai e151E
the kings of the Hasmonaim made a covenant with the

Romans, as is related in the history books. He relates that
the Hasmonaim kings curried favor with the Romans, and
paid for it heavily in the end. This is obviously not a per-
sonal attack on Yaakov Avinu but on the method he uti-
lized. Mordechai believed that one has to stand erect be-
fore an enemy. He did not think that this endangers the
Nation, but the exact opposite. He believed that being
bent over and submissive is what endangers the Nation.
Giving in to pressure invites further pressure.
Question: Is this a model for how every Jew must act in
the Exile, or may each person choose for himself in the
matter?
Answer: This is a general ideal. Since Mordechai was born
in the Land of Israel, he was capable of turning this ideal
into real action.
Question: But those in Exile are supposed to ingratiate
themselves to the wicked in order to survive! And
Mordechai was in the Exile?!
Answer: We will resolve this important difficulty soon. Let
us first explain Mordechai's method and then judge if it is
correct or not.
Mordechai's theory was that if one submits to wickedness
it causes further wickedness. We see many examples of
this in history. There was a famous dispute between
Churchill and Chamberlain. Chamberlain, who was Prime
Minster of England when Hitler rose to power, said that
Hitler only wanted a piece of Czechoslovakia. Give it to

him, Chamberlain argued, and he will be quiet. It is not
worth destroying the peace that was attained with such
great effort (after World War One), on account of this one
issue. This was his opinion. England wanted peace at any
price, and in order to demonstrate it, she even significantly
lowered the level of her armaments. Hitler wanted a piece
of Czechoslovakia, which had a high percentage – over
fifty – of Germans. The world therefore said to Hitler:
"Take the territory, we will not interfere, and leave the
world in peace!" But then he wanted another piece. The
nations of the world "admonished" him. Hitler saw that the
price was only an admonishment, which is cheap, so he
took an additional piece. Churchill told Chamberlain that
he was making a great mistake! If he gives in to Hitler, his
desire will only grow and there will be no escaping from a
World War. When Chamberlain returned from the Munich
Conference, he got off the plane at Heathrow Airport wav-
ing the piece of paper containing the pact made with Hit-
ler, and announced: I have brought you peace! Churchill
responded: You have brought a piece of paper. Chamber-
lain did not accept this admonishment at first, but later ad-
mitted his mistake, and ended up dying from great an-
guish. Tens of millions of people were murdered in the
Second World War, and his anguish will not resurrect
them! There is therefore no peace to be made with wicked
people. You must know before whom you are standing.
We say many times in life that you need to learn to give
in and get along with others. But Haman was an evil per-
Mordechai e153E
son. He was ready to exterminate an entire nation because

of one Jew who angered him. Achashverosh was also ex-
tremely wicked. He told his wife to come before him at a
party, and when she refused, he decreed that she should
be killed! This is deranged! Later when he wanted to re-
marry, it was not enough to choose a woman. He needed
to check every woman in his kingdom. He was a corrupt
and evil person. Thus, Haman and Achashverosh are evil
and when we are before wicked people such as them, we
do not submit to them.
A question was once asked of Robert McNamara who
served as U.S. Secretary of Defense during the discussions
between the United States and Russia over reducing their
arsenals of nuclear weapons: "Do you trust that the Rus-
sians will also reduce their nuclear weapons?" He an-
swered with a well-known parable: "A man once went out
hunting in a forest, saw a bear and immediately pointed
his gun at him.
The bear said: 'What are you doing?'
The hunter replied: 'I am planning to kill you because I
need fur for the winter.'
The bear said to him: 'I am also planning to kill you be-
cause I haven't eaten in three days. In truth, both of our
needs are legitimate. I suggest that we sit together for
peace talks without preconditions and we will reach a fair
and sustainable agreement, which will take into account
the legitimate interests of both sides.'
The suggestion seemed quite ethical and logical to the
hunter, so he accompanied the bear to his den. After a
short time, the bear emerged alone. Everything worked

out fine: The bear had his meal inside and the hunter had
his fur outside." One could perhaps question it from the
hunter's perspective, but it was certainly sustainable…
It is therefore forbidden to give in when facing evil people
like Achashverosh and Haman. An ancient saying goes: "If
one makes himself a sheep, a wolf will eat him."
Mordechai's calculation was not based on an idealistic or
mystical passion but on precise realism. Perhaps you will
say: This is correct in theory but who says that one can
put it into practice? The facts prove that it is possible. As
is known, Hashem's decree was not annulled and the
non-Jews attacked us in a pogrom: "To destroy, murder
and exterminate all of the Jews, young and old, children
and women, in one day…and plunder their possessions"
(Ester 3:13). But there was an additional decree that if the
Jews were attacked, it was permissible for them to protect
themselves!
In order to provoke the non-Jews and not submit to them,
one must estimate his own ability to stand up to them. This
is not always possible. We are not blaming Rabbi Yitzchak
Abarbanel who pleaded with King Ferdinand and Queen
Isabella to cancel the Explusion from Spain. No one can
ask him to wield a knife like Ehud ben Gera (see Shoftim,
chap. 3) and stab the king. What would have happened if
he did do this? A Jew in fact killed the Grand Inquisitor
Torquemada, but on account of this, they killed tens of
thousands of Jews. We also see similarly vicious retalia-
tions by the Nazis during the Holocaust. One must there-
Mordechai e155E
fore be realistic. Mordechai was realistic: he recognized

that we had the ability to stand up before our enemies.
The problem was, however, that we did not know that we
had the ability. We were frightened like grasshoppers, and
were even scared to be identifiable. It says that Haman
wrote letters: "to each people in his language" (ibid. 3:12),
but it does not say that it was written to the Jews in their
language. It was only when Mordechai and Ester wrote a
second letter that it was sent to each people in their lan-
guage "and to the Jews in their writing and language"
(ibid. 8:9). On the face of it, Achashverosh was liberal, for
he allowed every person to speak the language of his peo-
ple. But the Jews were scared to be identified as Hebrew
speakers, and were thus a scattered and separate Nation.
In order to have the power to respond with determination
and pride, we must be united.
5. The Reason for the Decree

After the decree was made: "The city of Shushan was per-
plexed" (ibid. 3:15) and "Mordechai knew all that had
been done" (ibid. 4:1). Of course he knew what was hap-
pening, everyone knew! Our Sages explain (Megillah 12)
that Mordechai knew the deeper reason for all that was
occurring. He knew that what was happening was not be-
cause he did not want to bow down to Haman, but be-
cause the Nation bowed down to an idol during the time
of Nebuchadnezar.
The Gemara relates that the students of the Rashbi (Rabbi
Shimon bar Yochai) asked him: Why were the haters of

Israel (this is a euphemism for Israel) of that generation
worthy to be destroyed? He responded: Answer your-
selves! They said: It was because they benefited from the
evil one's (Achashverosh's) meal. The Rashbi said: If so,
the decree should have been against only the Jews in Shu-
shan (who participated in the meal), not those of the
whole world! They asked: How do you answer? The
Rashbi said: It was because they bowed to
Nebuchadnezar's image (Megillah 12). The students of the
Rashbi did not think that Mordechai was responsible for
the decree, but understood that Israel was liable because
they benefited from the meal of the wicked one. Why were
they to be punished so severely? After all, as is known, the
food at the meal was kosher. The problem was not the
kashrut but their participation in the meal which was an
act of assimilation. How could they benefit from such a
thing? The second reason given by the Rashbi is that they
bowed down to an idol. It is clear that Mordechai's actions
were the external reason for the evil decree. If Haman was
furious with Mordechai, he could have killed him. But why
did he need to murder all the Jews?! Answer: He wanted
to murder all of the Jews anyway, but he was waiting for
the right opportunity. If he didn't have this excuse, he
would have found another. Mordechai therefore did not
cause the decree. The Nation of Israel did it to itself be-
cause of its ingratiation with the non-Jews. At first, Haman
wanted them to bow down to him. Everyone said: "Why
not? We'll bow down to him and he'll be pacified." But the
Mordechai e157E
way of the wicked is that first he wants you to bow down

to him, he then wants you to scrub the main square of
Vienna with a toothbrush, etc. In this way, they break the
morale of the Jews and lower the estimation of the Jews
in the eyes of the non-Jews. Mordechai therefore said in
such a situation: "We must stop it immediately." But you
are endangering everyone! This is incorrect. Haman
wanted to kill the Jews – men, women and children – and
the non-Jews were also interested, they were only waiting
to receive the order.
Question: But the command to bow down to Haman
applied to all citizens and not just the Jews.
Answer: True. Everyone was commanded to bow down to
Haman, not only Israel. But this does not matter.
Mordechai did not want to bow down to Haman, since he
understood that this was a mistake and required
resoluteness. It is also possible to see this fact when Ester
requested from Achashverosh to kill other wicked people
in the capital of Shushan on the second day. In the end,
they only killed five hundred evil persons since it was not
just random killing but a plan to target specific evil
individuals. The commentators explain that they were the
leaders of Amalek, i.e. like important Nazis. This was a
unique opportunity to eliminate them. It is an obligation
to kill people such as these. The calculation of Mordechai
was therefore a realistic and just calculation. He knew that
the Nation of Israel had strength but the strength was
dormant and needed to be aroused.
Question: Does this also explain why Mordechai sought

other ways to provoke Haman?
Answer: Correct. He wanted to arouse the courage of the
Nation of Israel.
Question: If all of the nations were commanded to bow
down to Haman, then it seems that there is no basis to
assume that the decree was specifically for Jews. And if the
decree was specific for the Jews then one could except that
the decrees would become more and more severe as
Mordechai persisted, but this does not seem to be the case.
Why then was Mordechai so firm in his attempts to
provoke Haman?
Answer: Mordechai had good reason to think that Haman
had it in for the Jews, but was working in stages. Pharaoh's
decree "You should throw into the river every boy that is
born" (Shemot 1:22) also included the non-Jewish babies
but the intention was against the Jews.
6. "There was a Jewish man in Shushan

the capital"
Who was Mordechai the Jew? The Megillah says: "There
was a Jewish man in Shushan the capital whose name was
Mordechai…who had been exiled from Jerusalem with the
exile which had been exiled with Yechonyah, King of
Yehudah, whom Nebuchadnezar, King of Babylonia, had
exiled" (Ester 2:5-6). In order to understand who
Mordechai e159E
Mordechai was, we must understand the historical back-

ground of the Megillah.
In the year 3327 since Creation – there was the exile of
Yechonyah. As is known, Yechonyah, King of Yehudah,
was exiled with all of the aristocracy with the hope that it
would break the Kingdom of Yehudah. Before this, in the
year 3320, Nebuchadnezar conquered the Land and ex-
iled Chanayah, Misha'el and Azaryah. Yechonyah was ex-
iled in 3327 and Mordechai then moved to Babylonia. Ac-
cording to our Sages, Mordechai was not exiled but
moved to Babylonia on his own free will. He understood
that now the international scene was focused in Babylonia,
i.e. Babylonia was like New York in our time and he
thought that it was important to be there because that is
where he could act. In the meantime, Koresh became the
leader of the empire. Koresh conquered the entire area
and moved his capital to Shushan in 3390. Mordechai also
moved to Shushan. The Koresh Declaration was made in
this year, which was seventy years after the first Exile or,
more precisely, seventy-two years including parts of years.
Mordechai made aliyah (actually, he was a returning resi-
dent) with those who returned with Ezra. His name ap-
pears on the lists in the Book of Ezra of those who made
aliyah.
In the year 3393, an indictment appeared. This indictment
was written by the non-Jews who lived in the Land of Is-
rael who were unhappy that Koresh permitted the Jews to
return to Israel and build the Temple. They hired advisors
to nullify this decree (see Ezra, chapters 4-5). During this
time, many non-Jews settled in the Land of Israel in our

absence and they were accustomed to thinking that the
Land belonged to them. They thus sent an indictment to
Koresh and also threatened the Jews who were returning
to the Land with pogroms. Mordechai was sent to Shushan
as a representative of the Jews to act against the indict-
ment. At the same time that Mordechai returned, Haman
also arrived in Shushan. Haman was the head of the del-
egation sent by the indicters. Haman is what is now called
a Palestinian. He was not Persian, but one of the non-Jews
who lived in the Land of Israel and terrorized the Jews in
Yehudah. This means that Mordechai and Haman knew
each other well. An old grudge already existed between
them. To our distress, Haman was successful in his mission
and stopped the aliyah of the Jews and the building of the
Temple. This occurred in the year 3393. And who was the
king? Achashverosh. He was the king who stopped the ali-
yah and the building of the Temple.
Question: But didn't Koresh delay the building which he
himself permitted?
Answer: This is so, but there is no contradiction. Koresh
“delaying” means that he ruled that the Temple should be
built from wood so that it would be able to be burned. But
the one who decreed that the building of the Temple
should cease is Achashverosh.
In the third year of King Achashverosh's reign, in the year
3395, Achashverosh made the party. In the seventh year
of his reign, 3399, Achashverosh took Ester as a wife. In
Mordechai e161E
the twelfth year of his reign, the second letters from

Mordechai and Ester were sent out.
In the year 3406, there was the Daryavesh Declaration.
According to calculations, Daryavesh was six years old at
the time. Logic says that if the king was so young, some-
one else was running the empire. This was his mother: Es-
ter. According to this, Daryavesh was Jewish. Mordechai,
second to the king, also seemed to have had a hand in the
Daryavesh Declaration. The Book of Ezra relates that there
was an additional letter of indictment during the time of
Daryavesh (Ezra, chapter 5), but he said that the building
of the Temple should continue and "he will investigate the
complaints." During his investigation, he found the Koresh
Declaration – the explicit ruling of Koresh – and it was for-
bidden to argue with it. It is possible that since he was a
young king, they tried not to have him do anything radical,
so they hid behind Koresh's ruling. Since there was no of-
ficial decision to nullify the Koresh Declaration, it seems
that it still applied.
The First Temple was destroyed in the year 3338 and its
rebuilding was completed in the year 3408, i.e. seventy
years later. The building began in 3406 and lasted two
years. There are actually a few calculations of seventy
years, since there were three conquests of Nebuchadnezar.
The first conquest led to the exile of Chananyah, Misha'el
and Azaryah. The second led tothe exile of Yechonyah.
And the third led to the exile of Tzidkiyahu and the de-
struction of the Temple. The Koresh Declaration was sev-
enty years after the first conquest and the Daryavesh Dec-
laration was seventy years after the destruction of the

Temple, in the time of Tzidkiyahu. All of these dates are
based on Rashi. There are various opinions about the dat-
ing among the Rishonim (early authorities), but we used
the simple explanation of Rashi.
Based on these calculations, Achashverosh was the one
who stopped the building of the Temple and the aliyah.
We learn from here that the story of Purim occurred ex-
actly in the middle of the process of the return of the Jews
to Zion. The Ramban teaches that we can see “behind the
curtains” that the struggle was not only against the Jews
in the empire of Achashverosh but was also secretly a
struggle over Eretz Yisrael (see Chidushei Ha-Ramban on
Massechet Megillah) as it says: "Because Mordechai the
Jew…sought the good of his Nation and spoke peacefully
to all of his offspring" (Esther 10:3). "Spoke peacefully" is
what is revealed and "sought the good of his Nation" is
that in the recesses of his heart, in secret and with wisdom,
he sought the good of his Nation in the Land of Israel.
At the beginning of this struggle, Haman succeeded. King
Achashverosh promoted him. In comparison, Mordechai
was not so successful, although he was a minister in the
government: "And Mordechai sat in the gate of the king"
(ibid. 6:12). But in the end, everything flips around:
Daryavesh's Declaration was written, aliyah was renewed
and the building of the Second Temple was completed.
Mordechai e163E
7. Un-walled and Walled Cities

The Ramban in his commentary on Massechet Megillah
says that the main problem was "To destroy, murder and
exterminate" the Jews in Eretz Yisrael. Based on this idea,
he resolves a famous difficulty as to why Purim is cele-
brated on two days: on the 14th of Adar (in un-walled cit-
ies) and on Shushan Purim (in walled cities). The halachic
difficulty that it is forbidden to establish two days because
of "Lo Titgodedu" (Devarim 14:1, explained by Yevamot
14a – two distinct communities maintaining disparate
practices in one community) does not exist in the case of
Purim since the Gemara already explained that it is similar
to two "Batei Din" (Jewish courts) in two different cities
giving different rulings, which is permissible to all opinions.
One "Beit Din" ruling that part of the people should act
one way and part should act another way is forbidden ac-
cording to all opinions. A case of two "Batei Din" in one
city is a dispute in the Gemara between Abaye and Rava.
But there is no issue for two "Batei Din" in two different
cities giving different rulings, and therefore Tel Aviv can
act one way and Jerusalem can act in another.
The question remains, however, as to why they established
two days in the first place. After all, we are pained that
there are different customs among the Nation. Why estab-
lish the holiday with a difference between un-walled and
walled cities? The Ramban explains at length that at first
the Jews who lived in walled cities felt protected. They
knew that they could protect themselves if attacked. The
Jews in the un-walled cities, however, knew that they
could not protect themselves and they would be severely

wounded if attacked.
This is the way that the Ramban explains the historical de-
velopment of the celebration of these miracles: The
un-walled cities fought on the 13th of Adar, rested on the
14th and celebrated a holiday on that day. In Shushan,
they also fought on the 14th and rested on the 15th. The
Ramban explains, in Shushan they fought on the 13th and
rested on the 14th, but they also had a small operation of
eliminating five hundred men on the 14th. According to
this, they should have also celebrated Purim on the 14th
in Shushan, and perhaps had some additional rejoicing on
the 15th. He explains that the establishment of the holiday
was in stages, and when we look closely in the Megillah it
is possible to see four different stages:
1. The Megillah says that during the time of the miracle
itself, the un-walled cities celebrated on the 14th. Because
of the decree "to destroy, murder and exterminate," "and
it was turned around: The Jews gained the upper hand
over their enemies" (ibid. 9:1), they celebrated spontane-
ously (ibid. 9:16-18).
2. In the second year, only the un-walled cities celebrated.
They established a holiday for themselves since they had
felt endangered, but the walled cities did not celebrate.
They did not feel that they were saved, and there was no
reason therefore for them to celebrate (ibid. 9:19).
3. The Sages – Mordechai and his Beit Din – later thought,
and Hashem opened their eyes to this, that the Jews in the
un-walled cities were indeed correct to celebrate and there
Mordechai e165E
should be a holiday. They searched for a halachic basis to

do so out of a fear of "Bal Tosif" (the prohibition of adding
mitzvot to the Torah). Baruch Hashem, we have Yom
Ha-Atzmaut, Yom Yerushalayim and Lag Ba-Omer, but
they did not. They therefore needed to discuss and prove
that this was a true salvation and that it was permissible to
establish a holiday (ibid. 9:20-23). The Megillah says that
Mordechai sent a letter to celebrate the holiday, "and the
Jews accepted" (ibid. verse 23). What did they accept?
"What they had begun to practice" – what they had begun
on their own initiative – and then "and as Mordechai wrote
to them" (ibid.). Furthermore, Mordechai added that not
only should the un-walled cities celebrate but the walled
cities as well, and he gives the reason: "For Haman ben
Hamedata the Agagite, enemy of the Jews, had plotted to
destroy the Jews and had cast a lot to terrify and destroy
them" (ibid. 9:24).
4. Ester sent a letter: "Queen Ester bat Avichayil and
Morechai the Jew wrote with all authority to confirm this
second letter of Purim. Letters were sent to all of the Jews,
to one hundred and twenty-seventy provinces of the king-
dom of Achashverosh, with words of peace and truth, to
establish these days of Purim in their times just as
Mordechai the Jew and Queen Ester established for them"
(ibid. 9:29-31).
We do not always pay attention to these details when
reading the Megillah, but the information they give is quite
precise. The Ramban says that Mordechai established cel-
ebrating Purim on two different days – the 14th and the
15th of Adar, since there were two differences between

un-walled and walled cities. The first difference was that
the Jews of the un-walled cities were in greater danger.
The second is that the Jews of the un-walled cities initiated
the holiday. The Ramban brings two proofs for this theory.
There is a dispute in the Gemara as to whether Tiveria is
considered a walled city. The final decision is that it is con-
sidered a walled city but the question revolved around the
fact that there is a wall around the entire city except one
side, which is bordered by the sea. The Gemara discusses
the status of the sea and explains that the question of
whether or not it is like a wall is dependent upon the func-
tion of a wall. If the function is to protect the city, then the
sea also provides protection. If someone attempts to attack
the city from the side with the wall, it inhabitants can throw
stones; if someone attempts an attack by sea, they defend
themselves by shooting arrows with fire and sinking the
ship. Thus, the city is protected. But if the function of the
wall is to hide the city so that the enemy is unable to see
what is happening inside, then the sea does not accom-
plish this goal since it is open. From the perspective of be-
ing enclosed, Tiveria is not considered a walled city, but
from the perspective of being protected it is considered a
walled city. Since the conclusion is that Tiveria is consid-
ered a walled city, the Ramban learns that the essential
purpose of a wall is salvation and protection. He brings an
additional proof from the Gemara's discussion that per-
haps walled cities need not celebrate Purim at all or should
celebrate it only on the 15th since they were protected.
Mordechai e167E
Based on this, he clarifies the well-known halachic ques-

tion regarding the status of walled cities outside of Israel,
such as Prague. He explains that Jews who live in walled
cities outside of Israel certainly need to celebrate on the
14th like un-walled cities, since the entire issue of the
walled cities is when there are only Jews inside, and
non-Jews attack it from the outside. If there is a walled city
outside of Israel and both Jews and non-Jews live inside
it, however, it makes no difference whether it has a wall
or not, since the non-Jews could attack from within. Thus,
the Ramban explains that the essence of the miracle was
therefore in the Land of Israel (see Chidushei Ha-Ramban
on Massechet Megillah, chap. 1).
According to the Ramban, the main struggle was in Eretz
Yisrael. Although this connection is not written explicitly in
the Megillah, it is revealed both by the dates of the events,
as well as by comparing the Megillah with the Book of Ezra
and Nechemiah and other books. Megillat Ester was the
official book of the kings of Persia and Media. It was there-
fore impossible to write anything provocative in it. It had
to pass the censor. It could not include facts which appear
in the Book of Ezra and Nechemiah which pull back the
curtain and show us what really occurred.
Question: How did Mordechai see that the Nation had the
strength to stand up? On the face of it, the response of the
Nation testified to its weakness.
Answer: In truth, the Nation did not possess the strength,
but over the course of the year, from the casting of the lot
on Pesach until the following Pesach, Mordechai was able

to raise the national morale.
Question: But wasn’t Mordechai’s refusal to bow down
before the drawing of the lots?
Answer: This is correct. He also did not know that there
would be a decree. He knew in general that the Jews were
demeaning themselves before the non-Jews and the
danger of extermination hovered around them. This is
according to the opinions of both the Rashbi and his
students. He knew this, saw this dangerous man Haman
and therefore stood against him with all his might.
Question: He knew that he had the power to change the
Nation even though it was weak at that time?
Answer: Certainly. The Nation was scared, as we see from
the fact that everyone bowed down to Haman. But the
Nation repented. We went from being a "scattered and
separate Nation" (ibid. 3:8) to "Go, gather all of the Jews"
(ibid. 4:16). This is also the explanation of Rabbi Shlomo
Alkabetz for Mishloach Manot. He writes that this giving of
gifts is in order to increase love, fraternity, peace and
friendship and to lessen suspicion, tension and divisiveness
(Manot Ha-Levi). Mordechai knew that he possessed the
power to elevate and the fact is that he succeeded: "For
the fear of the Jews had fallen upon them" (ibid. 8:17).
The frightened Jews were transformed into courageous
fighters. Mordechai was a great man and a true leader. A
leader must understand reality but also recognize the
Mordechai e169E
hidden strengths of the Nation. If he does not have this

capacity, he is like an officer who yells to his soldiers:
"After me," but when he gets to the top of the hill, he
discovers that he is alone. Mordechai knew that he
possessed the ability to actualize the strength of the Nation.
He knew them well. I once read a story about the
Holocaust. Two Nazi SS officers once entered a Jewish
home. There was suddenly shooting. One of the SS
officers said to the other: "It is good that you killed that
dog." He did not know that it was the Jew who shot "that
dog" – that his comrade from the SS was the one who was
killed. He couldn’t imagine that a Jew would have the
strength to kill a Nazi. In truth, it took time until we had
the strength. The strength was awakened in the Warsaw
Ghetto. When we fought in the Warsaw Ghetto, we knew
that there was no chance of defeating the Germans, but
the decision was to fight with the feeling that if we fall it
will be in a respectable battle. But after 2000 years of exile,
it certainly takes more time to discover our inner strength.
Look at what happened to the Nation after less than
seventy years of exile! Mordechai knew that the Nation
possessed strengths and he was the one who awakened
them from their dormant state.
Author's Biography
Ha-Rav Shlomo Chaim Ha-Cohain Aviner was born in
5703 in German-occupied Lyon, France. As a youth, he
was active there in the religious Zionist youth movement,
Bnei Akiva, eventually becoming its National Director. He
attended university, where he studied mathematics, phys-
ics, and electrical engineering. At the age of 23, infused
with the ideal of working the Land of Israel, Rav Aviner
made aliyah to Kibbutz Sedei Eliyahu, in the Beit She’an
Valley of the Galil. He then went to learn at Yeshivat
Merkaz Harav in Yerushalayim, where he met Ha-Rav Tzvi
Yehudah Ha-Cohain Kook, Rosh Yeshiva and son of
Israel's first Chief Rabbi, Ha-Rav Avraham Yitzchak
Ha-Cohain Kook. Ha-Rav Tzvi Yehudah became his fore-
most teacher, and he became one of his “Talmdei Muvhak
– leading students.” During this time he also served as a
soldier in Tzahal – the Israel Defense Forces, participating
in the Six-Day War and the Yom Kippur War, earning the
rank of Lieutenant. At the direction of his Rabbi, he joined
a group that was settling Chevron and learned Torah
there. In the year 5731, Rav Aviner became the Rabbi of
Kibbutz Lavi in the lower Galil, where he spent half of his
day working in the farm. In 5737, he left Lavi to serve as
the Rabbi of Moshav Keshet in the Golan Heights. In
5741, he accepted the position of Rav of Beit El (Aleph),
in the Binyamin region of the Shomron. Two years later,
Author's Biography e171E
he also became the Rosh Yeshiva of the newly-established

Yeshivat Ateret Yerushalayim (formerly known as Ateret
Cohanim). Located in the Old City of Yerushalayim, Rav
Aviner’s yeshiva is the closest yeshiva to the Har Ha-Bayit
– the Temple Mount, the holiest spot in the world. In its
more than twenty year history, Yeshivat Ateret
Yerushalayim has produced rabbis, teachers, educators
and officers in Tzahal, while also promoting the building
and settling of the city of Yerushalayim.
Rav Aviner has become a ubiquitous presence in Israel. He
has published hundreds of books and articles, including
Sichot Ha-Rav Tzvi Yehudah (talks by Ha-Rav Tzvi
Yehudah), Tal Hermon on the weekly Torah portion and
holidays and his multi-volume responsa Shu”t She'eilat
Shlomo. His talks and responsa appear monthly in the
Yeshiva’s journal, Iturei Cohanim. While his opinions are
frequently printed in Israeli newspapers, Rav Aviner also
contributes weekly to four parashah sheets, “Ma’aynei
Ha-Yeshu’ah,” “Be-Ahavah U-Be-Emunah” of Machon
Meir, "Rosh Yehudi" and "Olam Katan" which are distrib-
uted every Shabbat in shuls throughout Israel. He hosts
two weekly radio programs, has a video blog
(www.video.maale.org.il), teaches weekly classes and gives
talks in many different venues. The yeshiva also sends out
weekly teachings of Rav Aviner in Hebrew, English,
French and Spanish (to subscribe: [email protected])
and has an English blog which is updated on a daily basis
(www.ravaviner.com). In addition to these scheduled
events, Rav Aviner also makes himself available to hun-
dreds of people from all walks of life who come to him

with questions via mail, telephone, fax, e-mail, text mes-
sages, his radio show and his video blog Q&A.

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The articles about women in the Tanach

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Computer typeset by Moshe Kaplan

To learn more of Rav Aviner’s Torah or

To order this book:

Ha-Rav Gavriel Noach

The beloved directors of Chabad-Lubavitch of

28 Mar Cheshvan 5769

Dr. and Mrs. Irving and Cherna

Dear Friends of Yeshivat Ateret Yerushalayim

Author's Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170

1. Rabbi Banah was a Great Man

cave to measure, but we must understand that these mea-

2. The Impurity of the Graves of the

are called "living" even in their death. Our Gemara about

3. The Level of Eliezer, Avraham's

spiration), a dream or intellectual introspection. SO did

measuring them, as his name – Rabbi Banah – suggests:

donkey" (Yevamot 62a), i.e. in relation to the Akeidah,

much higher level. It is difficult to explain who Eliezer was

4. The Level of Avraham and Sarah

of your brow" (Bereshit 3:19), and Chavah was cursed

nate event and an over-all relationship which is full of love

(Bereshit 26:5). In all matters relating to the head – the

practical reality. But she lovingly related to his head, where

5. The Level of Adam Ha-Rishon

also above Moshe's prophecy (Orot Ha-Kodesh 1, p. 280).

he really was (the inner/lower cave) and there is Adam

6. The Level of Existence

pared to Sarah. We must understand that there are differ-

of the Torah. But when a man sins, he descends to a

verse: "Male and female – He created them" (Bereshit 5:2).

is similar to the top of the glue which sticks to the con-

are the great Torah scholars of the generation but they do

1. The Wisdom of Avraham

zen enough to approach: Our Rabbi, Ha-Rav Tzvi

low after righteousness, you who seek Hashem"

stead of mentioning them altogether: "the G-d of

Answer: After Yitzchak established it, Avraham also prayed

Yehudah, records dreams which he dreamt. He writes that

2. Character Traits and Actions

A person may be learned, a professor or a philosopher but

ship, since idol worship is a metaphysical and ideological

to every situation. The commandment of Brit Milah is un-

emotion, imagination, desire, fear, societal pressure or

casionally mentioned only for the sake of general knowl-

search for what came before. It can be compared to a king

Everything was suspended after creation to see if Avraham

4. Calling out Hashem's Name in the

threw Avraham Avinu into a fiery furnace, into a cremato-

Yitzchak sat, taught and cautioned others. Yitzchak taught

of Hashem's love for us, and to keep the oath He made

5. The Great Man among the Giants

Messiah will descend. How could it be, he had asked, that

an exact figure. How much is the great man among the

6. The Students of Avraham Avinu

to say that we only love someone who learns Torah. Our

1. "Avraham begot Yitzchak"

not want Rivka to go with him. Eliezer was extremely pa-

as if he did not do anything. Researchers of Tanach thus

son can be righteous! In every role in the world, a person

ryone can see the parallel life experiences between

2. The Fear of Yitzchak

special characteristic was awe of Hashem, and through it

which his father established. The Tosafot explain that

3. "Bitul Ha-Yesh – Self-Nullification"

of existence. That is "and a spirit lifted me" (Yechezkel

says that although Yitzchak was ready to be slaughtered,

Answer: His contribution is on the level of souls. The secret

there is a supreme tzadik in which the revealed side and

Negev, while Yitzchak lived in Gush Katif and south of Mt.

is written that his eyes were dim, a blind person also

amount of water. Rivka went back and forth to the trough

6. A Spirit of the World to Come