The Journey of the Soul – Vigilance 3
The Journey of the Soul 3
Part 3
אֲדֹנָי שְׂפָתַי תִּפְתָּח וּפִי יַגִּיד תְּהִלָּתֶךָ
A-dnai sifatai tiftach, ufi yagid tehilatecha—
G‑d, Open my lips, that my mouth can declare Your praise
How does one acquire vigilance except through tremendous will power and effort? Where does the motivation come from?
vigilance is acquired through Torah knowledge.
Learning, studying Torah opens our hearts and minds to the TRUTH.
In Bereishit (Genesis)6.9 it says……………..
אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדֹת נֹחַ נֹחַ אִישׁ צַדִּיק תָּמִים הָיָה בְּדֹרֹתָיו אֶת הָאֱלֹהִים הִתְהַלֶּךְ נֹחַ:
These are the generations of Noach (Noach) , a righteous (Tzadik) man, perfect in his generations, (Everything from Aleph to Tav) of Elokim Noach walked.
Noah’s name is written twice, together to show us to pay attention to what is being said about him.
So how do we get from such a righteous man to chapter 11 where the languages are confused?
Noah walked with G-d. Noah had to keep his mind constantly focused on G-d. Torah Chumash Bereishis Kehot Publication Society page 46
Noah lived among corrupt generations of people as we do. We must also keep our minds constantly focused on G-d.
Bereishit (Genesis) 9.1
וַיְבָרֶךְ אֱלֹהִים אֶת נֹחַ וְאֶת בָּנָיו וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם פְּרוּ וּרְבוּ וּמִלְאוּ אֶת הָאָרֶץ
Bereishit (Genesis) 9.1 And G-d(Elokim) Blessed (everything from Aleph to Tav) of Noah and his sons, and Said to them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill (everything from Aleph to Tav) of the earth.
Bereishit (Genesis) 11.1-4
And they said, Come, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach to heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth:
And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they lived there:
And they said one to another, Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly; And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar:
And they said, Come, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach to heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth:
G-d Told Noah and his sons to be fruitful, and multiply and fill everything from Aleph to Tav of the earth. This generation chose to do the opposite of what G-d had instructed.
These first generations of mankind had a greater knowledge of Kabbalah that we have today. There have been many Tzaddik (Righteous Men) throughout mankind’s history but of the early generations there was a general knowledge of Kabbalah. They wanted to build a structure to reach into heaven. One reason was that they wanted to prevent another deluge. The most important reason was that they wanted to usurp G-d’s Authority from Him and use it for their evil purposes. See…… . Torah Commentary by Rabbi Bachya ben Asher Lambda Publishers, Inc pages 206 & 207.
They built a structure according to Kabbalistic means. It had 70 steps, a mile per step.
They had calculated the precise number of steps needed to ascend to heaven (70) [according to Pirke de Rabbi Eliezer, the number reflects 70 miles, a mile per step. Ed.] The number may also allude to the 70 representatives of the 70 nations in the celestial spheres. Torah Commentary by Rabbi Bachya ben Asher Lambda Publishers, Inc. page 208
The Midrash says…………….
They betook themselves away from the Ancient (Adam kadmon) of the world, saying, We refuse to accept either Him or His Divinity. THAT THEY FOUND A PLAIN. R. Judah said: All the nations of the world assembled to discover which plain would hold them all, and eventually they found it. Midrash Rabba 38.7
AND LET US MAKE A NAME שֵׁם (SHEM). The School of R. Ishmael taught: SHEM (A NAME) means nought else but an idol. LEST WE BE SCATTERED ABROAD UPON THE FACE Midrash Rabba 38.8
Bereishit (Genesis) 11.5
וַיֵּרֶד יְהֹוָה לִרְאֹת אֶת הָעִיר וְאֶת הַמִּגְדָּל אֲשֶׁר בָּנוּ בְּנֵי הָאָדָם:
And Came Down – HaShem – to See – everything from Aleph to Tav – the city – and everything from Aleph to Tav – the tower – that – built – sons of – Ha Adam.
The Torah did want us to know that basically their sin was of the same category as that of the first man. ….The Torah stresses that they behaved not just like ordinary human beings but like the first human being, Adam [as opposed to 5.1 where the Torah describes זֶה סֵפֶר תּוֹלְדֹת אָדָם This is the book of the generations of Adam, without the letter ה in from of the word אָדָם The words בְּנֵי הָאָדָם are a hint that these people were like the first human being and the Torah had indicated that the people of the deluge had sinned by denying that there is something higher than the emanation כֶּתֶר (keter – crown – the head of the sefirot), which had led to their destruction in the lower universe. Torah Commentary by Rabbi Bachya ben Asher Lambda Publishers, Inc. page 207-208
Their sin consisted of the words they said, i.e. let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach to heaven; and let us make us a name. The power of speech, the words we say have repercussions. They bring into existence either good or evil. So G-d Confused their languages – the punishment fit the crime.
As you can see there is always more than face value in every Torah pasuk.
vigilance is acquired through Torah knowledge.
Learning, studying Torah opens our hearts and minds to the TRUTH
Blessings and Peace
Rebbetzin Revi
