Opinion
& Comment
Chazal Tell us How to Overcome Yishmoel
by Rabbi Mordecai Plaut based on a shiur of a rosh
yeshiva in Yerushalayim
With the threats faced by those living in the Middle East
and around the world from those of Arab extraction, the
following penetrating analysis sheds light on important
characteristics of the struggle with Yishmoel as described by
Chazal. This is not to suggest that every Arab is as detailed
here, but that the essential features of the contest are as
explained, and the steps we must take -- which are matters of
our personal and private avodoh -- are as outlined
here.
The following is based on a tape of a shiur that
was delivered more than six years ago.
Part IV
The first part described several important points that are
part of the background of Yishmoel and his relationship to
us. One is that there is a special middoh of hearing,
on the part of Hashem, of our prayers in response to the
awful things that Yishmoel does to us; furthermore, what
Yishmoel does to us comes from his essence. Yishmoel is a
talker by nature and he uses his power of speech against us,
in addition to his other attacks. Therefore our normal
speech, the kol Yaakov that is adequate to respond to
the hands of Eisov, is insufficient against the power of
Yishmoel. We must have a deeper appreciation of the powers of
Yishmoel in order to understand what we have to achieve to
counter them.
The second part describes how Yishmoel subverts the Divine
service. Everything Yishmoel does, he does in the Name of
Heaven, but he does what he wants and proclaims that such is
Heaven's will rather than subjecting his will to the Will of
Heaven. Yishmoel has the awesome power of chesed that
he acquired from the house of Avrohom Ovinu, and at the end
of the golus he will ally himself to Eisov. Yishmoel
and Eisov are the leaders of all the nations of the world,
each standing at the head of 35 of them. We must find the
proper response to both.
The third part noted that in Yishmoel we face an enemy
different from what we have known in the past. We face an
enemy whose name incorporates the Name of Hashem, and who
shows this by constantly invoking Hashem's Name. To counter
this, we must strive for a deeper and more complete
invocation of Hashem. To do this we must understand speech
better. There is a covenant of the tongue that parallels the
covenant of the bris milah. Both are involved in
propagation: one in having children and the other in having
talmidim. If they are covered and smothered with an
orloh the full power of the propagation is not
revealed.
*
It is interesting that just as we are the sons of Avrohom
Ovinu, so we are the talmidim of Avrohom Ovinu. The
mishna says explicitly (Ovos 5:19): Whoever has
these three things is among the talmidim of Avrohom
Ovinu. We are the sons and we are also the talmidim of
Avrohom Ovinu. Avrohom Ovinu had both the bris milah
and the bris of the tongue.
The twofold bris of both the tongue and the bris
milah is necessary in order to have zar'acho
acharecho in terms of children and also to have
zar'acho acharecho in terms of talmidim.
The verbal message that is transmitted to us from Avrohom
Ovinu and that we are to propagate further can be received
and transmitted only by one who has entered into the covenant
of the tongue and removed its orloh. If that
orloh is still present, then one cannot be part of
this transmission.
The deep parallels that exist between the bris milah
and the bris of the tongue indicate that removing the
orloh of the tongue requires a deep, wrenching effort
to excise the covering of the internal truth. Any speech that
does not come from deep down, that does not come from inside,
must be cut off and thrown away. The orloh is that
which covers and, as long as it is there, it is seen rather
than the truth underneath. That superficial covering must be
excised and discarded in order to enter into the covenant of
the tongue. This is the most basic step and it is self-
evident.
The Gra says in Sefer Yetziroh (I:3): "Milas
haloshon is to toil in order to understand divrei
Torah." "To toil" means that a person must to some extent
and in some way break himself in order to reach the inner
truth of speech. Whoever stays on the outside and grasps only
the speech that can be achieved without toil, deals only with
the orloh of speech -- which should really be
discarded. Not only is this speech not the true one, but it
is really an obstruction that actually prevents the true,
inner part from being evident.
The mishna says: How disgusting is the orloh.
We see that Rebbe Elozor ben Azarya says the nations of the
world are criticized for having it (Nedorim 32b). To
be called an oreil, meaning one who has not mined down
through toil in Torah to the inner truth, is the worst
insult.
The posuk says: Ve'es berisi okim es Yitzchok
(Bereishis 17:21). The bris with Hashem is that
special form of speech that is unique to us, the descendants
of Yitzchok. It is that speech that comes after the removal
of the orloh, after entering into both of the
covenants. The bris is ours and ours alone.
We can be mazkir the Sheim Hashem Elokeinu in
the way that the posuk intends it, only after entering
the bris haloshon. That is a clear precondition.
And it is only with that power that we can stand against this
awful attack from Yishmoel that is so strong that there is a
situation of tzoroh that is absolutely unprecedented
to Klal Yisroel. We note that this is unprecedented
despite the fact that we certainly never lacked experience
with tzoros. Throughout history we learned the
sugya of tzoros very well. We know what
tzoros are, Hashem yeracheim.
This tikkun cannot be found anyplace else. Many
searched elsewhere for a solution, but the results of their
search must be discarded like a disgusting orloh. All
of these things -- without exception -- must be excised and
discarded.
The only effective tikkun is the milas
haloshon, as the gemora says, to toil over Torah
and to reach divrei Torah through toil. That is what
is called "to kill oneself over Torah (meimis atzmo
oleho)." This is not just a literary metaphor. Without
fulfilling this fully, it will not be effective against
Yishmoel. But if it is fulfilled, it can overcome him.
We must hew the beSheim Hashem nazkir from inside
ourselves. We must exert ourselves. It will hurt. We must cut
something off of ourselves, something that even appears to be
a part of ourselves, and discard it. Only in this way do we
achieve milah. If we are mazkir Sheim Hashem
Elokeinu in this way, then we can, be'ezras
Hashem, overcome the tzoros.
One can reach this madreigoh only with a great effort.
It is very hard to reach it, truly hard. One must put in the
effort to do something that is parallel to milah,
namely, to take something that appears to be part of himself,
to slash it off and to cast it aside, with determination and
even "cruelty" (achzori'us) if necessary -- only
through an effort like that can one be saved. Only though
this kind of sacrifice can one overcome this tzoroh
that we are in. It is also absolutely clear that whoever
exerts himself in this will save not only himself, but will
also save many others along with himself.
It is very serious. Truly very serious. Whoever is
nimol will be saved. Whoever is too lazy or too late
or for whatever reason does not achieve this, is in terrible
danger.
What the Borei Olom is waiting for from us, what is
being demanded from us at this time, is (Tehillim
50:5): Isfu li chasidai korsei berisi alei zovach,
gather together to Me my righteous ones, those who execute
the covenant with sacrifice.
This is what the Borei Olom wants at this time. Where
are My chassidim who keep My covenant? Gather them to
Me.
If we know how and if we are those who beSheim Hashem
nazkir, then will surely be fulfilled, heimoh kor'u
venofolu, va'anachnu kamnu vanis'odod.
See Part 1
See Part 2
See Part 3
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