A thought on פרשת דברים
"...v'hinchem ha'yom ...""...and here you are (on) this day..." (1:10)
Moshe describes to his people their great importance in HaShem's world. "He has built you into a great nation! You are as plentiful as the stars! Here you are this day!"
Moshe's pride in the Jewish nation, and his awe of HaShem, are vivid in this verse. His message of praise for them, and for Him, are apparent.
There is one small feature of the verse which draws attention. Notice that in my translation of the words, I have placed the word "on" in parentheses. This is because the Hebrew word "ha'yom" literally means "the day." There is no "on" in the verse. Even in English, the "to" in our word "today" seems to utilize an alternative meaning of the word "to" which is archaic for "on." So "today" means "on the day." In Hebrew, however, ha'yom means "the day" and if we translate it as "on this day", the word "on" is implied. Or is it?The Recanati presents an alternative for understanding the verse -"v'hinchem ha'yom" can be understood as "and you are (v'hinchem") the day." Now, that is the alternative meaning. What does it mean? How is the Jewish nation like the day?The Recanati elaborates: there are seven days in the week, seven days in the cosmos, each with its function within the Heavens and below. Those Jews who are pious and who live by the word of HaShem fill, correspondingly, a cosmic function in HaShem's universe. Their day is not one of time but one of space. Just as "time" fills a void in the abstract, space occupies a void. There is a "day" measured by the passage of time, and there is a day characterized by an emanation of experience. A Day of the Righteous, in the spiritual realm, fills the universe with light and penetrates the darkness, paralleling the function of a day in time, which is when the sunlight illuminates the physical world.
What are the Seven Days of the Pious in filling the void of cosmic space?
The first day consists of those who exemplify the verse (Psalms 140:14) "Only the righteous will give thanks ...dwelling in your Presence." The cosmic "day" of such a person is to add to the world a consciousness that we serve HaShem with awe and praise.
The second "day" is when a Jew lets it dawn on the world that "...fortunate is the one whom You choose and draw near..." (Psalms 65:5). Such persons bring a consciousness to others that there are those Jews among whom a sense of the Divine is felt.
The third day comes when a Jew enlightens others by living in a manner which signals "they continually praise You..." (84:5). They bring a consciousness of the value of steadfast devotion.
The fourth day comes to the world when (15:1) "...who may dwell in Your Tent?..." is modeled. There are those who contribute that sense of mystery, of a quest driven by question and doubt and struggle. This is also a facet of G-d consciousness.
The fifth day is where the question ascends to "...who may rest on Your Holy Mountain?" One who lives by the quest for enlightenment and knowledge also serves the world.
The six day of the pious emerges when their life is focused on (24:3) "... who may ascend beyond that mountain?" The Jew who serves HaShem in mastering Torah in order to emanate its sacredness also broadens the world's consciousness.
The seventh day comes when the lesson is "...who may stand in the place of His sanctity?"
When a Jew is recognized as more than learned, more than showing sanctity, but as one who is identified as a "godly" person, a holy person, he or she has attained the zenith state of human functioning.
When Moshe tells us that "we are the day", he refers to our functions within this universe, in forming a bridge between the lower world and the higher realm. We have many types of good Jews. We have many types of Jewish leaders. Each one lives by a standard and ideally models one of those lessons. Some demonstrate reverence, some sanctity, some devotion, some faith, some knowledge of HaShem's ways, others knowledge of HaShem k'va'yachol, and others transcendence.
Each of us must discover our day in space as we pass through our allotted days-in-time. We have light to shed and when we live up to the way of life which was meant for us, we bring sacred illumination into the world.
Be a good day and have a good Shabbos. D Fox
Moshe describes to his people their great importance in HaShem's world. "He has built you into a great nation! You are as plentiful as the stars! Here you are this day!"
Moshe's pride in the Jewish nation, and his awe of HaShem, are vivid in this verse. His message of praise for them, and for Him, are apparent.
There is one small feature of the verse which draws attention. Notice that in my translation of the words, I have placed the word "on" in parentheses. This is because the Hebrew word "ha'yom" literally means "the day." There is no "on" in the verse. Even in English, the "to" in our word "today" seems to utilize an alternative meaning of the word "to" which is archaic for "on." So "today" means "on the day." In Hebrew, however, ha'yom means "the day" and if we translate it as "on this day", the word "on" is implied. Or is it?The Recanati presents an alternative for understanding the verse -"v'hinchem ha'yom" can be understood as "and you are (v'hinchem") the day." Now, that is the alternative meaning. What does it mean? How is the Jewish nation like the day?The Recanati elaborates: there are seven days in the week, seven days in the cosmos, each with its function within the Heavens and below. Those Jews who are pious and who live by the word of HaShem fill, correspondingly, a cosmic function in HaShem's universe. Their day is not one of time but one of space. Just as "time" fills a void in the abstract, space occupies a void. There is a "day" measured by the passage of time, and there is a day characterized by an emanation of experience. A Day of the Righteous, in the spiritual realm, fills the universe with light and penetrates the darkness, paralleling the function of a day in time, which is when the sunlight illuminates the physical world.
What are the Seven Days of the Pious in filling the void of cosmic space?
The first day consists of those who exemplify the verse (Psalms 140:14) "Only the righteous will give thanks ...dwelling in your Presence." The cosmic "day" of such a person is to add to the world a consciousness that we serve HaShem with awe and praise.
The second "day" is when a Jew lets it dawn on the world that "...fortunate is the one whom You choose and draw near..." (Psalms 65:5). Such persons bring a consciousness to others that there are those Jews among whom a sense of the Divine is felt.
The third day comes when a Jew enlightens others by living in a manner which signals "they continually praise You..." (84:5). They bring a consciousness of the value of steadfast devotion.
The fourth day comes to the world when (15:1) "...who may dwell in Your Tent?..." is modeled. There are those who contribute that sense of mystery, of a quest driven by question and doubt and struggle. This is also a facet of G-d consciousness.
The fifth day is where the question ascends to "...who may rest on Your Holy Mountain?" One who lives by the quest for enlightenment and knowledge also serves the world.
The six day of the pious emerges when their life is focused on (24:3) "... who may ascend beyond that mountain?" The Jew who serves HaShem in mastering Torah in order to emanate its sacredness also broadens the world's consciousness.
The seventh day comes when the lesson is "...who may stand in the place of His sanctity?"
When a Jew is recognized as more than learned, more than showing sanctity, but as one who is identified as a "godly" person, a holy person, he or she has attained the zenith state of human functioning.
When Moshe tells us that "we are the day", he refers to our functions within this universe, in forming a bridge between the lower world and the higher realm. We have many types of good Jews. We have many types of Jewish leaders. Each one lives by a standard and ideally models one of those lessons. Some demonstrate reverence, some sanctity, some devotion, some faith, some knowledge of HaShem's ways, others knowledge of HaShem k'va'yachol, and others transcendence.
Each of us must discover our day in space as we pass through our allotted days-in-time. We have light to shed and when we live up to the way of life which was meant for us, we bring sacred illumination into the world.
Be a good day and have a good Shabbos. D Fox
posted by Rabbi Dr. Fox at 12:14 AM
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