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IN-DEPTH FEATURES
This the last of three articles based closely on Chapter
21 of the work, HaGaon by Rabbi Eliach. The second
part was in the issue of parshas Bamidbor, and the
first was in the Pesach edition.
Part Three: Blueprint of Creation
Further Wonders of the Written Torah
Thus far we have shown, based on the Gaon's writings and
teachings, how the entire body of the Oral Torah, from the
Mishnah and the Talmudim to the works of the latest
poskim, as well as the Kabboloh in its entirety
from Safra Detsni'usa (SD) and the Zohar to the
teachings of the Arizal and Eitz Chaim -- are all
contained within the Written Torah.
The Gaon also made other startling revelations about the
Written Torah. For example, he maintained that every one of
the six hundred and thirteen mitzvos is alluded to by one of
the six hundred and thirteen words in the song of Ha'azinu
(Aderes Eliyahu, Devorim 32:45, see box).
The Gaon also wrote that the entire Written Torah is alluded
to in parshas Bereishis and that its general
principles are all alluded to in the first parsha, the
account of the world's Creation, from the words "Bereishis
boro," to "la'asos." Moreover, he continued, the
fundamentals of these principles are alluded to in the very
first posuk -- "Bereishis boro" -- and that even the
word "Bereishis" contains hints and allusions to all
the others (see box).
Similarly, we find that, "It is brought in the name of the
Gra z'l that throughout the Torah, the first time a
topic is mentioned, or the first word or first letter of a
posuk, encompasses the entire matter." (Toldos
Yitzchok by Rav Y. Cahana zt'l, a talmid of
HaRav Isaac Chover zt'l, Yerushalayim 5637, pg. 39b,
who also quotes the Zohar Chodosh. In his commentary
to the tefillos, the Gaon's son Rav Avrohom explains
the first brochoh of the Amidoh following this
approach, as well as those mitzvos which Chazal say balance
all the mitzvos together.)
It is also said in the Gaon's name that each of the five
Chumoshim contains allusions to the entire Torah
(Peninim Mishulchan HaGra, Bamidbor 10:35).
Plan of Creation
In his commentary to Safra Detsni'usa, the Gaon points
to a third sphere of knowledge -- besides the revealed Oral
Torah and the Kabboloh -- with allusions to which the
Written Torah is replete. He writes:
"The principle is that everything that has existed, that
exists and that will exist is all contained within the Torah,
from "Bereishis" to "le'einei kol Yisroel." Not
just the general principles; but even the details of each
type and each individual person and everything that befalls
them from the day they are born until the end of their lives,
all their circumstances, down to the smallest detail.
"And of every type of animal, wild animal and living creature
in the world, and every grass, growing thing and inanimate
material, in the greatest detail of every species and type .
. . for all time and what happens to them and their roots.
"And everything that is written about the Ovos, Moshe
and Yisroel; they are all in every single generation, for
sparks [of their souls] are reincarnated in every generation,
as is known. And all their actions, from Odom Horishon to the
end of the Torah, are in every generation, as those who
possess understanding know. And so it is with each and every
individual, as the Medrash Hane'elam begins explaining
by allusion.
"All of this is contained in parshas Bereishis until
parshas Noach. It is contained in the first
parsha, until "boro . . . la'asos," and the
fundamental principle underlying all others is contained in
the first posuk, whose seven words correspond to the
[world's] seven thousand years" (Commentary to SD, perek
5, beginning "vehaclal," pg. 55).
In Toldos Yitzchok [vol. I:2, pg. 20b.] Rav Yitzchok
Cahana writes, "No explanation of the approach mentioned
above has yet been heard of or has appeared in any
sefer. Perhaps its meaning was only conveyed orally.
At the time of the Final Redemption . . . the secret of its
inner meaning will be apparent, thereby allowing
comprehension of the entire creation and all it contains, in
general and in detail."
Elsewhere however, the Gaon does shed a little extra light on
this idea. He writes, "In speaking about the Creation, the
posuk says, `Bereishis boro E-lokim.' The first
six days were the general representation of all of the
[world's] six thousand years. Thus, anyone who thoroughly
understands the events of each day in the account of
Creation, will know what will happen at each moment of the
years" (Likutei HaGra, from a manuscript, Yeshayohu
2:2).
The Gaon notes that this method will even yield the time of
the Final Redemption: "All the detailed events of these six
days happen in the six thousand years, each one on its
[corresponding] day and hour. You can thereby discover the
time of the Redemption that is to take place `in its time.'
"(Commentary to SD, pg. 54b).
Basing himself on the Zohar's well-known statement
that Hakodosh Boruch Hu, "looked into the Torah and
created the world," Rav Chaim of Volozhin zt'l,
explains that all the Upper and Lower worlds that Hashem
created correspond to the words of the Torah. Thus, it should
come as no surprise that the Torah contains a record of the
history of the entire creation. Hashem created the heavens
because in the Torah it is written, "In the beginning Hashem
created the heavens." The Torah writes, "And Hashem said,
`There shall be light,' " so He created light, and so on.
"Thus," concludes Rav Chaim, "all the Torah in general and
all the worlds, their principles and details, their
arrangement and all their affairs are all contained and
alluded to within the ten statements in the account of
Creation, as our great teacher . . . wrote in the fifth perek
of his commentary to Safra Detsni'usa, and see the
Zohar (Bereishis 47:1) concerning this" (Nefesh
HaChaim, sha'ar 4:10).
A Root in the Torah
"All the generations, for all time, are contained within the
Torah; it is known that this is the reason that the Torah was
given to Yisroel -- because each individual's soul is alluded
to therein" (Commentary to Tikkunei Zohar Chodosh,
49:1, beginning, "And the Torah").
"Everyone has a root in it [i.e. in the Torah], as is
written, `There are six hundred thousand letters to the Torah
and to Yisroel,' and each individual has a root in either a
letter, a stroke, a dot or a crown, according to the
greatness of his soul" (Ibid. 34:1, beginning "An
omer per head").
HaRav Yisroel of Shklov testified that the Gaon succeeded in
actually attaining this knowledge, writing, "He knew where
the names and affairs of every person in the world are
alluded to in the Written Torah" (Introduction to Pe'as
Hashulchon). Rav Yisroel also relates there that the Gaon
was visited by "a certain elderly gaon from a distant
country [who wanted] to ask him about certain doubts and
questions he had in [the course of] his occupation with the
holy Torah." The visitor expressed his certainty as to the
Gaon's knowledge of where everyone's name was alluded to in
the Torah, as is related in the story about the Ramban and
his talmid Avner (see box) and the Gaon confirmed
it.
The visitor asked, "Where is your own name alluded to in the
Torah?"
The Gaon replied, "In the [first words of the] posuk,
`Even shleimoh votsedek . . .' (Devorim 25:15). `Even
shleimoh' stands for Eliyahu ben
Shlomo." The Gaon added that the reason why only the
initial of his first name is alluded to is that the letters
of the word alef (alef-lamed- peh) also form the word
pele, meaning something wondrous and hidden which, he
said, characterized his Torah, which is also concealed. The
Gaon indeed wrote with extreme brevity, in a style that
conceals much more than it reveals. (This story also appears
at the beginning of Even Sheleimah [from manuscript],
the Gaon's teachings on Tikkunei Zohar, which is
in Rav Yisroel's own handwriting.)
Rav Chaim of Volozhin heard from the Gaon that Chumash
Devorim alludes to the world's sixth -- and present --
millennium, each of its parshos corresponding to one
century [counting Nitzovim and Vayeilech as one
parsha].
On hearing this, Rav Chaim asked his teacher where they were
alluded to in parshas Ki Tetzei, the sixth
parsha, corresponding to the sixth century, when they
lived. The Gaon pointed to the above posuk. (Heard
from Rav Chaim by Rav Yitzchok Margulies zt'l, av beis din
of Schuchin. Rav Chaim did not tell Rav Margulies the
allusion to himself, either because of humility or because
the Gaon withheld it from him.)
Further Allusions
It was apparently pointed out to the Gaon that his father's
full name was Shlomo Zalman and he responded that the Zalman
was also alluded to, though he himself did not show how. His
intention has been explained as follows. The gematria
of the letters beis and nun of the word
"even" and the lamed, mem and hei of
"shleimoh" (leaving the initial letters alef
and shin to allude to Eliyahu and Shlomo) is 127,
which is also the gematria of Zalman.
The truth and beauty of the Gaon's words has been borne out
in later generations, with the discovery of additional
allusions to his name and to the name of his mother. HaRav
Isaac Ausband, rosh yeshivas Telz Cleveland and a descendant
of the Gaon, has shown that the gematria of the words
"votzedek yiheye loch" (280) is that of the name of
the Gaon's mother, Traina (tes-reish-yud-yud-nun-alef
or, without the vov of votzedek according to
the Hebraized spelling of the name, tes-reish-yud- nun-
hei).
Rav Avrohom Yeshaya Trop told me that by using the approach
of jumping from letter to letter, he discovered an allusion
to the Gaon's full name. Starting from the alef of
even, moving twenty-six (the gematria of
Hashem's name of Havaya) letters back each time,
spells out Eliyahu. Rav Trop also points out that according
to the opinion that there are 5847 pesukim in the Torah
(quoted at the end of Hakesav Vehakabboloh), the
posuk "Even shleimoh votzedek" is number 5558, which
was the year of the Gaon's petiroh!
Here are three examples of later chachomim who
followed the Gaon in finding the allusions to certain names.
The Chasam Sofer was asked where the Rambam is alluded to in
the Torah and he pointed to the words, "[lema'an]
Revos Mofsai Be'eretz
Mitzrayim, ([in order to] multiply My wonders in
the land of Egypt)" (Shemos 11:9), whose initials
spell "RaMBaM," who lived in Egypt (brought in the
addenda to chapter 3 of Sichas Chullin shel Talmidei
Chachomim by Rav Tzvi Shalez).
Rav Heschel of Cracow found an allusion to his name in the
words, "Hineni Omed Shom
Lefonecho al hatzur, (Behold, I [shall] stand
there before you on the rock)" (Shemos 17:6), whose
initials hei-ayin- shin- lamed spell "Heschel," while
the gematria of the words "al hatzur" (401) is
that of the name Cracow, spelt kuf-reish-kuf-alef
(quoted in Maamar Mordechai by Rav S. Dubinsky, on
Bava Kama).
And, lehavdil, it is said that Rav Refoel Hacohen of
Hamburg zt'l, revealed an allusion to the name and
city of Moses Mendelsohn, the head of the Berlin
maskilim, in the posuk, "ki
Moshchosom Bohem Mum Bom (for
their corruption is within them, there is a blemish in them)"
(Vayikra 22:25). The initials mem-beis-mem-beis
are also the initials of Moshe Ben
Menachem Berlin.
Obviously, the discovery of an allusion to an individual's
name in retrospect has no implications regarding the freedom
of choice that he exercised throughout his life. In the above
three cases, the pesukim do not correspond to the
period in which these men lived. Had any of them chosen
different paths, other allusions in other contexts would
certainly have applied to them. This is true even of the
Gaon, the plentiful allusions to whom do correspond to his
period.
In regard to this point, Rav Aharon Kotler zt'l
remarked that a person can have his name alluded to in a
context of praise such as, "even shleimoh votzedek"
or, R'l, it can be alluded to among the princes of
Eisov. It all depends on him and the choices that he makes
(quoted in the sefer Noam Siach by his son Rav Schneur
Kotler zt'l).
The Seven Thousand Years
HaRav Shmuel Maltzan zt'l is quoted as having written
that the account of the Creation at the beginning of
parshas Bereishis is considered a separate
sefer, corresponding to the world's first thousand
years. The remainder of Chumash Bereishis and the
other four chumashim correspond to the following five
thousand years. As mentioned, our millennium, the sixth,
corresponds to Chumash Devorim.
"Thus," writes Rav Maltzan, "it is clear that the `many evils
and misfortunes' (Devorim 31:17) that befell us, in
our many sins, during this present, seventh century (5600-
700/1840-1940) are alluded to in the curses of [the seventh
parsha] Ki Sovo" (from Rav Maltzan's Emunah
Vehasgochoh, at the end of Likutei HaGra).
Rav Yoel Kluft zt'l writes, "We all know how the
previous century ended -- corresponding to parshas Ki
Sovo, the parsha of the Reproof -- with the
dreadful Holocaust. We are now in the century that
corresponds to Nitzovim-Vayeilech, the parsha
of Repentance, which is why we see such a growth in the
number of baalei teshuvoh" (Daas Yoel, p.
5).
Rav Chaim of Volozhin also heard from the Gaon that not only
the Torah contains allusions to all the names and experiences
of the members of Klal Yisroel but sefer Divrei
Hayomim too. Rav Yissochor Ber zt'l the
maggid of Ritoveh, was a great nephew of the Gaon
(i.e. a grandson of the Gaon's brother Rav Avrohom
zt'l). In his sefer of droshos (in
manuscript) he writes that his father, Rav Shlomo Zalman
zt'l, was present when the Gaon told Rav Chaim that
the Torah contains allusions to everything that will happen
in all the worlds from Creation onwards, "and even [to what
comes] after the six thousand years of this world's
existence, namely, the seventh millennium . . . I heard this
from my father's lips . . . how he heard it clearly from the
mouth of the holy of Holies, the Gaon z'l who told Rav
Chaim z'l of Volozhin, `Would that I had such a man,
to instruct him in sefer Divrei Hayomim, wherein
everything is alluded to.' "
Scope of the Gaon's Torah
This series has given us a glimpse of the extent of the
Gaon's Torah knowledge, both its breadth and its depth -- a
glimpse that transforms our understanding of what "knowing
Torah" can mean.
The Gaon had an intimate and detailed knowledge of Torah that
extended to levels that most people do not even imagine
exist. He showed how the Written Torah encompasses and
contains every part of the Oral Torah, both revealed and
concealed. He knew how each of the rabbinical mitzvos and
enactments and how every single creature and event in the
world's entire history, is hidden within and alluded to by
the Torah's words and letters.
At the same time, it is important to bear in mind the Gaon's
opinion that the pshat, the simple meaning of every
posuk can never be forced or distorted. While every
posuk can be expounded according to drash [the
traditional methods of deriving laws] and remez
[allusion] (besides pshat and sod [the
concealed meaning]), these are separate and distinct methods,
not embellishments of the pshat. The posuk
must always retain its simple and straightforward meaning
which must fit the words comfortably. Moreover, the Gaon
maintained, for an interpretation to qualify as pshat,
its reading of the posuk must also be grammatically
correct.
Though a posuk may be the starting point for countless
worlds of expounding, allusion and concealed Torah, it never
loses its plain meaning, as the Gaon showed for example, with
the numerous synonyms throughout NaCh. He explains
each word's specific meaning, showing that it makes its own
distinct contribution to the posuk's plain meaning,
without resort to any of the other methods of
interpretation.
The Gaon's revelations give us new understanding and
appreciation of both Torah's Heavenly origin and of Heaven's
kindness in bestowing his great soul upon our latter
generations. This is the thought underlying the following
paragraphs, excerpted from a wonderful essay on the Gaon by
Rav Aharon Kotler zt'l, which serve as a fitting
conclusion to this survey of the Gaon's unique understanding
of Torah.
Conclusion: Torah is a Restorative -- When it
is Perfect and Whole
Chazal's statement -- " `Hashem's perfect Torah is a
restorative for the soul' (Tehillim 19:8), When is it
a restorative? When it is perfect" -- is well- known.
Now, everything in the Torah testifies about itself and
proves from within itself its veracity and its having been
given by the Creator -- `Hashem's testaments are faithful'
(ibid.). However, not only do individual Torah topics
elucidate and complement themselves, they complement each
other and elucidate each other too. Every topic and statement
matches and interlocks with hundreds of other parts of Torah.
Each part of Torah fits every other one -- they were all
given through one Shepherd and originate from the Master of
all things.
The concealed portion of Torah and the secret meaning of a
topic match its plain meaning and the halochoh. They are all
like one balanced, towering column, rising gradually, with
each stage being built upon the preceding one. They start
from the simple meaning and progress to the ultimate stage,
and vice versa.
So it is in all the divisions of PaRDeS. The secrets of the
account of Creation and of the account of [the vision of] the
Divine chariot correspond entirely to the halachos and
to Chazal's homiletic teachings. Similarly, all the
Toseftos are alluded to in the Mishnah, to the point
where they can be derived from the mishnayos, as the
gemora explains. The entire Oral Torah is firmly
implanted -- and plainly so -- within the Written Torah. All
the secrets of all the worlds, of what was, what is and what
is going to be, are also concealed in the Torah.
This is one of Torah's wonders. When one merits full
understanding, one retroactively finds every subsequent
event, with tremendous and astounding precision, within the
topics themselves, in each and every word. This vast
spectacle proves and testifies to Torah's truth, just as the
Revelation at Har Sinai did.
This approach, of showing Torah's wholeness and unity, was in
particular evidence with our teacher, in the most sublime
way. He showed how everything was contained within the
sources and foundations, from which it all progresses and
develops up to the very highest levels and how everything
matches and is interconnected and interwoven together, when
it is truly understood. Many wondrous things of this nature
can be found in his teachings.
It is also known that he revealed comfortable and firmly
anchored sources in Scripture for all of Chazal's statements.
Everyone clearly and tangibly saw the truth of these things
and the light that they radiate, in the tiny proportion that
he was able to reveal and that the sages of his generation
were able to grasp. This too -- our teacher's appearance in
our times -- comes from Hashem's Providence . . . (The essay
appears in Reb Aharon's haskomoh to Ruach
Eliyahu by Rav E.M. Bloch, Lakewood 5714 (1954).
All in Ha'azinu
The Gaon taught that just as the Aseres Hadibros
encompass the entire Torah, the song of Ha'azinu also
contains allusions to each and every one of the six hundred
and thirteen mitzvos. Although the Ramban had said that all
the mitzvos are alluded to in Ha'azinu long before, it
was the Gaon who showed how. The words "kol hadevorim"
appear both in connection with the dibros -- "And G-d
uttered, es kol hadevorim ho'eileh, all these matters"
(Shemos 20:1) -- and also with the song of Ha'azinu --
"and Moshe finished speaking, es kol hadevorim
ho'eileh, [of] all these matters to bnei Yisroel"
(Devorim 32:45), meaning literally everything because
they both contain allusions to the entire Torah (Aderes
Eliyahu ibid.).
Rav Chaim ben Zevulun, av beis din of Satorpali
zt'l, wrote a sefer entitled Shiroh
LeChaim [Warsaw 5574] in which he shows how each of the
six hundred and thirteen words in the song of Ha'azinu
alludes to another one of the six hundred and thirteen
mitzvos. On the title page he states that he used the
Rambam's listing of the mitzvos and employed the
notrikon method (taking the letters of a word as the
initials of the words of a phrase or sentence) as the Baal
Haturim does in his commentary on Torah.
Rav Yosef Shaul Natanson zt'l, author of Sho'el
Umeishiv, expressed his amazement at this achievement in
the following passage. "The holy . . . Gaon . . .of Vilna
z'l revealed this secret. He wrote in Aderes
Eliyahu that there are six hundred and thirteen mitzvos
in Ha'azinu, that each word alludes to one of the 613
mitzvos and that the wise man will understand. A holy
individual, Rav Chaim z'l, arose and took this in
hand, publishing a sefer named Shiroh LeChaim
in which he explains how each word alludes through
notrikon to one of the mitzvos, following the Torah's
order and all the mitzvos that the Rambam z'l
enumerates in Sefer Hamitzvos. Happy are we to have
merited seeing this; it was almost a minor prophecy on the
part of our master . . . the Gaon . . . "
Rav Natanson then uses the Gaon's approach to resolve a point
of discussion in the Rishonim concerning Shiras
Ha'azinu and adds, "perhaps this thought occurred to the
Gaon . . . and led him to reveal this wonderful treasure,
that [astounds] whoever sees or hears of it" (Divrei
Shaul, Chidushei Aggodos, Nedorim 38).
The Gaon's teachings about the principles contained in the
Torah's opening parsha, posuk and word, belong to the
realm of concealed Torah and cannot be dealt with here. It
should be noted though, that in Aderes Eliyahu on the
Torah, the Gaon lists a number of allusions that he
discovered in the word Bereishis, for example:
"It hints at six fundamentals in serving Hashem: Beis-
bitochon -- to trust in Hashem; Reish-rotzon
haBorei -- striving to fulfill Hashem's will; Alef-
ahavoh -- to love Hashem; Shin-shetikoh --
silence; Yud-yiroh -- to fear Hashem; Tov-Torah"
(Bereishis 1:1, 3).
It is related that while attending the seudah for a
pidyon haben, the Gaon was asked by one of the
participants whether it was true that all the Torah's mitzvos
are alluded to in parshas Bereishis. The Gaon affirmed
this.
The man asked where the mitzva of pidyon haben was
alluded to and the Gaon replied that it was in the word
bereishis, whose initials stand for: Ben
Rishon Achar Sheloshim Yom
Tifdeh -- a firstborn son after thirty days
redeem.
Rav Chaim of Volozhin was once asked where the Torah alludes
to the halochoh that an ignoramus is more afraid to lie on
Shabbos than he is on a weekday, because "the fear of Shabbos
is upon him" (Rambam, Commentary to Demai 4:1,
explaining why someone who purchased produce from an am
ho'oretz and forgot to separate ma'asros before
Shabbos can ask the seller on Shabbos whether he took
ma'asros and rely on a positive response). Rav Chaim
replied that the allusion is in the word Bereishis.
The Tikkunei Zohar writes that the letters of
Bereishis also spell "yorei Shabbos (he fears
Shabbos)"! (Toldos Odom, perek 4)
In referring to the story of the Ramban and his talmid
Avner, the Kav Hayoshor (perek 23) quotes the Ramban
in his commentary to parshas Ha'azinu as writing that
Ha'azinu, "includes all the mitzvos and all the
world's affairs . . . but Heavenly assistance is needed in
order to merit understanding all the different matters and
secrets that are there."
Here is the full story, as brought in Seder Hadoros
(Ramban, Elef Hachamishi, 4954).
I have a tradition that the Ramban had a certain talmid
whose name was R' Avner. He became an apostate and his
fortunes were such that he rose in rank and was feared
throughout the country. After a time, he sent for his teacher
the Ramban on Yom Kippur. He himself slaughtered a swine in
front of him, and cut it up, cooked it and ate it. After
having eaten, he asked the Rav how many times he had incurred
koreis. The Ramban replied, "Four," but he said that
it was five. He wanted to argue with his teacher but the
Ramban gave him an angry look and he was silent, for he still
maintained a little reverence for his teacher.
In the end, the Ramban asked him who had led him to become an
apostate. He replied that he had once heard him speaking
about parshas Ha'azinu, saying that it contained all
the mitzvos and all the affairs of the world. Since he
considered that to be impossible, he became a changed person.
The Ramban declared, "I still maintain it. Ask me anything
you want."
Avner was amazed and said, "If so, then show me whether you
can find my name written there."
The Ramban said, "Fine. I undertake to do so," and he went
into a corner and prayed and the posuk, "[Omarti,]
af'eihem, ashbiso mei'enosh zichrom ([I said,] `I shall
abandon them; I shall wipe out every trace of them from
humanity)" (Devorim 32:26), came to his lips. The
third letter of each word (alef-beis-nun-reish) spell
the man's name, Avner.
On hearing this he was dismayed and he asked his teacher if
there was any way he could remedy the evil he had done.
His teacher said, "You heard what the posuk says," and
he went on his way.
The man immediately took a boat without any sailor or oar,
got into it and went wherever the wind took him. Nothing more
was ever heard from him.
The Menorah in the Pesukim
In addition, the first pesukim of each Chumash
allude to the Menorah: the seven words in the first
posuk of Bereishis to its seven branches; the
eleven words in the first posuk of Shemos to
its eleven knobs (kaftorim); the nine words in the
first posuk of Vayikra to its nine flowers; the
seventeen words in the first posuk of Bamidbor,
with the kollel making eighteen, an allusion to the
eighteen tefochim of its height; the twenty-two words
in the first posuk of Devorim to its twenty two cups
(gevi'im) (see Rashi on Shemos 25:35, Aderes
Eliyahu, beginning of parshas Devorim).
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