לקוטי שיחות חלק י׳ - וירא א

Parshas Vayeira

1. Our Sages said^[1] that the Book of Bereishis is called “the Book of the Upright,” because “this is the book of Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov, who are called upright.”

Now, although the Book (of Bereishis) as a whole is named after all three of the Avos — meaning that the entire “Book of the Upright” belongs (in its inner content) to all three “upright ones”^[2] — in its details there are parshiyos whose main (open) subject is one of the three Avos in particular.

The parshiyos whose entire content relates specifically to Avraham are Parshas Lech Lecha and Parshas Vayeira^[3].

And from the fact that they were divided into two parshiyos, even though the subject of both is one — Avraham Avinu — it must be that they express two “sections” and kinds in the matter and greatness of Avraham Avinu^[4]. And since the greatness of Avraham Avinu is his service of G‑d, the two parshiyos are two levels in the lofty service of Avraham Avinu. It follows that the difference between the two levels (the two parshiyos) of Avraham Avinu is to be understood from the two names of these parshiyos^[5], for the name of a parshah alludes to and indicates its content, as has been explained several times^[6].

Now the main difference (in the content of Avraham’s greatness) between Parshas Lech Lecha and Parshas Vayeira is this: Parshas Lech Lecha speaks of the level of Avraham Avinu as he was before he entered the covenant of circumcision (and only at its end does it relate how he was commanded by G‑d to circumcise himself and the members of his household, and that he did so^[7]); whereas Parshas Vayeira speaks of Avraham Avinu after this, when he had already fulfilled the mitzvah of milah. And this difference is alluded to in their names as well: “Lech Lecha” and “Vayeira.”

2. It is stated in the Zohar^[8] that before Avraham was circumcised, the level of his prophecy was that of “the word of G‑d came to Avram in a vision (machazeh)”^[9]; whereas after he was circumcised, it is written, “And G‑d appeared (vayeira) to him”^[10], which is a loftier level^[11]. The reason, as explained there: because the ministering angels do not attend to the language of Targum (Aramaic)^[12]. Therefore, until he was circumcised, the revelation to him was in the manner of machazeh, which is a Targum word, so that the ministering angels should have no grounds to complain that the Holy One, blessed be He, reveals Himself to a man who is not circumcised; but after he was circumcised, when they no longer had grounds to complain, He was revealed to him in the manner of vayeira, in the Holy Tongue, which indicates a higher level.

One may ask: Whichever way you take it — if Avraham Avinu, in his own right, was worthy even before this of the lofty revelation, why should the portion of Avraham Avinu (which is due to him) be diminished because of a concern about an accusation by the angels? The Omnipresent has many ways by which it would be possible to prevent the angels’ complaint even if the revelation came in the manner fitting for Avraham Avinu, the lofty manner.

And if, by his essence and stature, Avraham Avinu was not yet worthy of a revelation of prophecy in a lofty manner, why is there any need for the reason that the ministering angels should have no grounds to complain, since in any case he was not then worthy of this revelation?

3. This will be understood by first introducing what is explained in Torah Ohr^[13]: the difference between the Holy Tongue and the language of Targum (Aramaic — and the other languages) resembles the difference between stones and bricks. A stone is created by the hand of Heaven, while a brick is made by the hand of man. The difference between these languages is likewise so, including between their letters, of which they are “built”^[14]: the letters of the Torah are called “stones,” for the Torah is from Heaven; but the letters of the languages of the nations are called “bricks” (for they are agreed upon by human beings alone). [And the ultimate purpose of the existence of the languages (letters) of the nations is that they too should be refined and elevated to holiness, by being used for the service of G‑d.]

And according to the above-cited Zohar, it may be said that the difference between the stature of Avraham Avinu before the circumcision and after it is like this difference between a stone and a brick:

It is explained in several places^[15] that although “Avraham Avinu fulfilled the entire Torah before it was given”^[16], nevertheless, in his ascent in the levels of holiness he reached at that time only up to the root of the created beings. For all his service and activity was by his own power, without a command (which is also an empowerment) from Above; and a created being does not have the power to reach above its source, the root of the created beings.

However, all this was so until he fulfilled the mitzvah of milah. (The way he fulfilled the entire Torah was “before it was given,” before he was commanded with a specific command^[17].) But when he was commanded the mitzvah of milah by the Holy One, blessed be He — for through this command he was given a special power from Above to rise to a level of self-nullification and union with the Creator, the One Who commands the mitzvah, in a loftier way — he then had the power to reach also above the root of the created beings^[18].

Moreover: not only was he elevated through the mitzvah of milah in his service to a level incomparably loftier than his previous level, but furthermore, through this mitzvah his own existence was nullified entirely and he became united with the Creator in such complete union as has no equal or likeness in any other mitzvah. For this is the unique quality of the mitzvah of milah: “And My covenant shall be in your flesh”^[19] — that even in the physical flesh his nullification to G‑d and his union with Him are felt, which we do not find with any other mitzvah^[20].

It follows that the level of Avraham’s service before he fulfilled the mitzvah of milah, in which he reached only up to the root of the created beings, was like the matter of a “brick”: for all the greatness of his service, even though he achieved much and rose ever higher in his nullification to G‑d, he had nevertheless not yet left the bounds of “the work of man’s hands,” the domain of the created beings and their root. Whereas after he was circumcised, he rose in his service to a level that resembles a “stone”^[21] — the work of Heaven’s hands. For through fulfilling this mitzvah he went out of those bounds, until he was nullified and united entirely with the Creator; then his service is like the work of Heaven’s hands, and it has the power to reach above the root of the created beings.

And this explains what was cited above: before he was circumcised, the level of Avraham Avinu was only that of “in a vision” (bamachazeh), which is (in the language of) Targum, for it resembles a “brick,” which is made by man, as explained above; but through the mitzvah of milah he reached the level of vayeira, which is in the Holy Tongue, resembling a stone, which is made by the hand of Heaven.

4. And this matter — that before his circumcision Avraham reached the level of bamachazeh and afterwards the level of vayeira — is not only because the modes of revelation and the difference between them correspond to his two levels of service by virtue of their resemblance to a “brick” and a “stone”; rather, the inner content of these two levels of prophecy also accords with the two levels in Avraham’s service.

For our Sages said^[21*]: All the prophets prophesied with “thus” (koh); Moshe surpassed them in that he prophesied with “this” (zeh). The difference between them is explained: “this” indicates seeing the essence, as our Sages say^[22]: “He pointed with his finger, as it is said … ‘this’”; and this is the matter of his seeing through a clear lens^[23]. Whereas the level of “thus” is the level of a lens that is not clear, and it is not seeing the essence.

Similarly will be understood the difference between a revelation that comes “in a vision” and the revelation of vayeira: vayeira means seeing — that he sees G‑d Who appears to him: seeing the essence. Whereas “in a vision” — although chizayon (vision) also means seeing, it is not seeing the essence but its translation, as G‑dliness is seen by being clothed in a garment that conceals its essence (and as said above, machazeh is in the language of Targum, that is, the Holy Tongue (G‑dliness) has been translated (made understood by being clothed) into other languages)^[23*].

Therefore, before he was circumcised, when Avraham Avinu had not yet reached the “everlasting covenant in your flesh” with G‑dliness, he accordingly did not merit seeing the essence and core of G‑dliness either; that is, he saw only on the level of “vision.” But after this, when his existence was then nullified entirely and he was united in complete union^[24], he then rose to a lofty level in which G‑d appeared to him on the level of vayeira^[25]: seeing the very essence of G‑dliness^[26].

5. This high level of seeing the essence, which is reached through the covenant of milah, is possible only for the Jewish people. For to them in particular was given the power to rise to this level, through the service of Torah and mitzvos in general, and the mitzvah of milah in particular. This is why the Torah was given specifically to them, despite the angels’ claim, “Place Your glory upon the heavens”^[27]. For precisely because “there is an evil inclination among you,” and because of their descent into “Egypt” (Mitzrayim) — into constraints (meitzarim) and limits — all of which is refined, purified and elevated through their service in Torah and mitzvos, they are therefore able to rise and reach this level.

Whereas the angels, although they have complete nullification to G‑d and their service is on a lofty level, and so on, nevertheless do not have the power to rise above the root of the created beings^[28].

And according to this, one can explain why the revelation in the manner of vayeira could not come to Avraham before he fulfilled the mitzvah of milah because of the angels’ claim:

The meaning is not that the concern about the angels’ accusation was a side reason that held back this revelation; rather, the angels’ accusation itself is what determines that Avraham was not (yet) worthy of it. Since before his circumcision, despite all his service and elevation in holiness and his self-nullification to G‑dliness, and so on, he had not left the bounds of a created being, his level was therefore like the level of the angels, who cannot reach above the root of the created beings^[29]; and like them, he could not receive this revelation of G‑dliness, which is on the level of vayeira.

6. According to all the above, it will be understood why the two parshiyos are divided, and why one is called “Lech Lecha” and the second “Vayeira,” and how these allude to the two levels of Avraham Avinu described above:

“Lech Lecha” (“Go for yourself”) means that he goes and leaves his previous bounds, in all details and manners, as the verse states explicitly: “from your land, from your birthplace and from your father’s house” — which include all the details of leaving one’s limitations and of his ascents upward in the level of his nullification to G‑d^[30]. However, all these levels are still in the nature of an orderly “going” from below upward (as the verse states explicitly, “from your land, from your birthplace, etc.”^[31] — it is “go to yourself,” to your root^[32], and so on: a going and ascent that is not above all of his own bounds) — for before his circumcision he had not then reached above the root of the created beings.

Whereas “Vayeira” indicates, as explained above, seeing the essence of G‑dliness, which comes through his union with the Creator in complete union; and this level he reached by fulfilling the mitzvah of milah.

7. “The deeds of the fathers are a sign for the children”^[33] — it is understood that in all the above there is a lesson for each and every one [especially since the subject is the matter of milah, concerning which the Rambam writes^[33*] that each one is “circumcised as Avraham Avinu, peace be upon him, circumcised himself”]:

Just as Avraham, in all his goings and ascents, had not yet reached the perfection of service^[34] until he fulfilled the mitzvah of milah, and then he was given from Above the revelation in the manner of vayeira — so too each person must know that he should not be content with his service even if it is of the loftiest kind, but must always rise higher and higher until he reaches true and complete self-nullification. For even when he reaches a level of seeing G‑dliness, it is possible that this is only the level of “in a vision,” and this is not yet the ultimate perfection; therefore he must always add in his service.

And on the other hand, there is the promise that when he serves to the full extent of his ability, he will be granted from Above also the loftiest revelations, up to the ultimate perfection — vayeira, seeing G‑dliness, the clear lens^[35].

(From a talk of Shabbos Parshas Vayeira, 5730)

Key Lesson

Avraham’s service before his circumcision, great as it was, remained the work of a created being, like a brick made by human hands; only through the commanded mitzvah of milah did he unite fully with G‑d and merit seeing Him “face to face.” So too, a Jew should never be satisfied with his service, however high it seems, for it may still be only a “vision.” He must keep rising toward complete self-nullification. And he is promised that when he does all he can, G‑d will grant him the highest revelation from Above.