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Parshas Lech Lecha — 7 MarCheshvan
1. The seventh of MarCheshvan always falls in the week of Parshas Lech Lecha[1]. And in light of what is known[2], that the festivals and appointed times of the year (from the term mo'ed — a special, appointed time) are connected with the parshiyos in which they fall, it is understood that the seventh of MarCheshvan too has a connection in content with Parshas Lech Lecha [especially since the seventh of MarCheshvan always falls in Parshas Lech Lecha, as mentioned — unlike other festivals, whose placement among the parshiyos in which they occur changes from year to year].
Concerning the seventh of MarCheshvan the Mishnah[3] says that it is the day on which "we ask for rain," "fifteen days after the festival, so that the last of the Jews may reach the river Euphrates"; and so the halachah is ruled in the Rambam[4] and the Shulchan Aruch[5]: in the Land of Israel one begins to ask for rain on the seventh of MarCheshvan.
Now, it is understood that this is not merely a negative reason — that the rain should not cause any distress to a Jew until he arrives[6] at his home at the far end of the border — but that until the seventh of Cheshvan it is still a continuation of the pilgrimage of the festival of Sukkos; as is stated explicitly in the Shach[7]: "For every time Israel would go up for the festival pilgrimage, they could not reach their homes after the festival until fifteen days later, and it seemed to them as if they were still in the Land of Israel, occupied with the matters of the festival, as long as they had not crossed[8] the great river, the river Euphrates."
That is to say, the seventh of MarCheshvan is the day that emphasizes the conclusion of the journey and ascent of the pilgrimage. It signifies the descent (from the ascent): Jews come down from the perfection of holiness in the Beis HaMikdash in Jerusalem, and each one comes to his own place, "under his vine and under his fig tree"[9], in the Land of Israel or outside the Land[10], until the very last of the Jews (in the Diaspora) reaches the river Euphrates.
2. Accordingly, we need to understand the connection with Parshas Lech Lecha, which speaks of — and emphasizes — the very opposite: "Go for yourself from your land, from your birthplace and from your father's house, to the land that I will show you" — the going and ascent (of Avraham) from his place and his land, leaving the Diaspora (Charan) and going to the Land of Israel.
And although right at the beginning of the sidrah it is also related that "Avram went down to Egypt"[11] — it is well known that the main content of every sidrah is expressed in its name, and in our parshah, in the name "Lech Lecha," which indicates the going from the Diaspora and the ascent into the Land of Israel. Moreover, and most importantly, most of the entire sidrah speaks of Avraham's being in the Land of Israel.
And since every matter in the Torah is an instruction, there is an instruction both in the weekly parshah (as is known[12], the teaching of the Alter Rebbe that "one must live with the times," "with the weekly parshah") and in the matter of the seventh of MarCheshvan. This calls for an explanation: how do these two matters come together, when in content they are the opposite of one another?
Especially since the above-mentioned matter of the seventh of MarCheshvan is not something that applied only when the Beis HaMikdash stood, when people made the festival pilgrimage, but it applies to Jews in all times. That is why "we ask for rain" from the seventh of MarCheshvan in the Land of Israel in our time as well, as the Alter Rebbe states in his Shulchan Aruch[13]: "Even after the destruction[14] they would likewise gather from all the surrounding areas[15] in Jerusalem[16] for the festival, as is done even today; therefore[17] the enactment of the Sages, who instituted the request [for rain] in the Land of Israel on the seventh of MarCheshvan, was not annulled."
And this is relevant in all places, also in the Diaspora[18], as[19] the Shach[20] says: if one writes in a document "after the festival," it means "fifteen days after the festival," in accordance with the above-mentioned Mishnah, "and even though now we are in exile, nevertheless the expression 'after the festival' is carried over from them."
3. The basic point — that in the service of Jews as they go away from the Beis HaMikdash there is an advantage (on account of which it may be said that it is called "Lech Lecha," which indicates an ascent) — is understood: specifically when Jews arrive, each one at his home and his place, and "a man plows and a man sows"[21], each Jew makes out of his physical matters a dwelling place for G‑d in the lower realms[22], through Torah and mitzvos, and "all your deeds shall be for the sake of Heaven"[23] and "in all your ways, know Him"[24].
This does not apply (to such an extent) while one is in Jerusalem and in the Beis HaMikdash at the time of the festival, for then one has nothing to do with working the land, with going on business and so forth, and in general with mundane activities — with the "lower realms."
But from the seventh of MarCheshvan on (when Jews begin again to plow and so on, and make out of lower things a dwelling place for G‑d), there is "the advantage of light out of darkness"[25], and consequently there comes about an ascent — "Lech Lecha" — for Jews.
[This is similar to what is explained in many places regarding the general descent — the descent of the soul below[26] into this world: through its service below, in physical matters, making the world a dwelling place for G‑d, it is elevated higher than it was before (prior to its descent below)[27].]
This, however, is not sufficient to explain the connection with Parshas Lech Lecha as it is in the plain meaning of Scripture[28], where it speaks of Avraham's going from the Diaspora to the Land of Israel, and where "Lech Lecha" is emphasized through the journey from the Diaspora to the Land of Israel.
4. This will be understood by first noting the difference between the state and standing of Jews during their festival pilgrimage, when they found themselves "before G‑d"[29], and their state and standing when each one is in his own place, "under his vine and under his fig tree" — not "before G‑d." This is obviously a descent compared to their state when they were "before G‑d"; yet there is an ascent and advantage precisely through the fact that they are far away, not "in the place which G‑d will choose."
It may be said that there is something of an analogy to this in nigleh (the revealed part of Torah): the difference between a hired worker and an emissary (shaliach). A hired worker's work is generally in the place of the owner, or (in place of the owner) with the owner's property; whereas an emissary is generally not in the place of the owner (as is alluded to in the very word shaliach — that he is sent away from the one who sends him); and also his deed is not necessarily connected with the owner's property.
Shaliach means that he performs a deed in such a way that it will be for the one who sent him.
There is also a difference in substance between a hired worker (and the like) and an emissary: a hired worker does all he does for his own sake, in order to receive his wages, "and for it he risks his life"[30]; on the other hand, the concept of an emissary is that the action and deed he performs is ((primarily) not for himself, but) for the one who sent him[31].
Therefore, with a hired worker — since his whole concern is what he does for his own sake — there is a discussion whether his act can be regarded as the act of the employer, as if the householder had performed the act[32];
Whereas with an emissary — even though he is not in the place where the sender is, nevertheless, since he does it (primarily) only for the sender, the act of the emissary is as if the sender had done it; or even more, that the act itself is attributed to the sender, i.e., the sender acts through the emissary; up to the highest level[33] of "a person's emissary is like himself" — "like himself" literally: not only do the emissary's deed and his power to act become like the sender's, but the emissary himself becomes the very being of the sender [which is why it is effective even in matters that the sender must necessarily do himself].
5. Something similar, it may be said, is the difference (in the spiritual realm) between the service of Israel during their festival pilgrimage, when they were "before G‑d" ("in the place of the owner"), and their service under their vine and under their fig tree:
During their festival pilgrimage, what took place for them was "all your males shall appear before the Master, G‑d"[34], "before G‑d your L‑rd"[35] — a seeing of G‑dliness: "just as he comes to see, so he comes to be seen"[36]. Jews came to see and to "absorb" the revelation of G‑dliness in the Beis HaMikdash[37] — seeing the "ten[38] miracles that were performed for our ancestors"[39] in the Beis HaMikdash and "the place of the Shechinah, the Kohanim at their service, the Levi'im on their platform and Israel at their station"[40]. All this is, as it were, a matter "for oneself." They perceive and fill themselves with the revelation of the Shechinah (similar to souls in Gan Eden who "delight in the radiance of the Shechinah"[41]).
Going away and returning each one to his place (on the seventh of MarCheshvan), however, is not in order "to see the countenance" of G‑d — so that he should perceive and feel G‑dliness (on the contrary, that he had in a far loftier way when he was "in the place which G‑d your L‑rd will choose to make His Name dwell there," "before G‑d," in Jerusalem, in the Beis HaMikdash) —
But to carry out the intent and mission of the Almighty, by fulfilling Torah and mitzvos, and in general — to make a dwelling place for Him in the lower realms;
It is precisely then that he becomes an emissary — "a person's emissary," the Supernal Man's, "is like himself," "like himself literally"[42] — of, as it were, the Almighty Himself.
6. Accordingly, it is understood why the service of the seventh of MarCheshvan, returning from the festival pilgrimage, is called "Lech Lecha":
True "going" is specifically when one passes over to an entirely new level, which is incomparably higher than the level where one was before, as is known[43].
And since earlier, during their festival pilgrimage, their service was "all your males shall appear" — their own being, that they as created beings should see and perceive G‑dliness — it follows that the service "under his vine," etc., whose purpose is to carry out the intent and will of the Almighty, is a going that is beyond comparison — for between creature and Creator there is no comparison[44].
Therefore the service of Torah and mitzvos (to make a dwelling place for G‑d in the lower realms), beginning from the seventh of MarCheshvan, is bound up with "Lech Lecha."
7. On the basis of all the above, we will also understand the connection with the name of the sidrah, "Lech Lecha," where it speaks of Avraham's going from the Diaspora to the Land of Israel:
Avraham our father, while still in the Diaspora, publicized G‑dliness and brought people to serve the Almighty — "the souls they had made in Charan"[45], as is related at length in the Midrashim of the Sages[46], and as the Rambam[47] explains in detail: "He began to inform the people that it is fitting to serve only the G‑d of the world, and to Him it is fitting to bow down, to offer sacrifices and to pour libations, so that all creatures who come will recognize Him, etc.; and he began to stand and call out in a great voice to the entire world and to inform them that there is one G‑d for the entire world, and to Him it is fitting to serve, etc."
However, since all this came about because he recognized his Creator — "he grasped the way of truth and understood the line of righteousness through his own correct understanding" — it follows that his publicizing of G‑dliness came about through his own recognition, his acknowledgement of G‑dliness;
And "once he recognized and knew, he began to offer answers, etc." — he went to declare "that this is not the way of truth that you are following."
8. Upon this (and after this) came the command of the Almighty — "Lech Lecha." And from then on a new order began with Avraham: he revealed G‑dliness by virtue of G‑d's command[48] — as the emissary of the Holy One, blessed be He[49].
Therefore it is specifically upon his arriving in the Land of Israel that it is related that "he called in the Name of G‑d"[50], even though earlier too he had publicized G‑dliness in the world, as mentioned above. The Torah thereby tells us not (only) that also in the Land of Israel he revealed G‑dliness, but that (after G‑d's command "Lech Lecha") this was in an entirely different manner, along the lines of Rashi's comment[51]: "Now He is the G‑d of the heavens and the G‑d of the earth, for I have made Him familiar in the mouths of people; but when He took me from my father's house, He was the G‑d of the heavens but not the G‑d of the earth, for the inhabitants of the world did not recognize Him and His Name was not familiar on earth":
Although in the Diaspora too Avraham publicized G‑dliness in the world, nevertheless "the inhabitants of the world did not recognize Him and His Name was not familiar on earth"[52]; it was specifically through "he called there in the Name of G‑d," while in the Land of Israel (after the command "Lech Lecha"), that "I have made Him familiar in the mouths of people"[53].
In other words: the publicizing of G‑dliness while in the Diaspora, since it was bound up with his own recognition, was in a manner in which the world is a separate thing that is nullified to G‑dliness; whereas the publicizing after the command "Lech Lecha," which came by virtue of the command of the Creator, was in the manner of "he called there[54] in the Name of G‑d, the G‑d of the world"[55] (literally "G‑d world," and not "G‑d of the world") — that the world and G‑dliness are, as it were, one thing[56].
9. This is also why the verse elaborates, saying, "Go for yourself from your land, from your birthplace and from your father's house (to the land that I will show you)": the emphasis here is not that Avraham should go to the Land of Israel, but (mainly) that he should go out[57] of (his own being —) "your land," "your birthplace" and "your father's house" —
— as Chassidus interprets it[58]: "from your land" (artzecha) — from your desires (ratzon); "from your birthplace" — from your habits (and middos, emotional attributes); "from your father's house" — from your wisdom (Abba being Chochmah). Even though with Avraham all this was in holiness and G‑dliness, nevertheless — "from your land, from your birthplace and from your father's house," your desires, emotions and intellect (indeed holy ones, but a being of holiness); "to the land that I will show you": he must go into the land (the service) which (and in the way that) the Almighty shows him —
And this effected an incomparable elevation in Avraham: he became G‑d's emissary, through which there came about a union and bond of the created being with the Creator, which was the preparation for the union of the upper and lower realms at the Giving of the Torah[59].
10. This is the lesson to be derived from the seventh of MarCheshvan, which, as mentioned, always falls in the week of Parshas Lech Lecha. Also in the time of exile, this is the time when one leaves being "occupied with the matters of the festival" and enters into the weekdays[60]. Everyone must know that this should not cause him any feeling of sadness, G‑d forbid; on the contrary, he must do it with great joy, knowing that precisely in this service he becomes an emissary of the Almighty — and "a person's emissary is like himself, literally" — to carry out the Supernal intent of making a dwelling place for G‑d in the lower realms;
And this will be openly revealed in the whole world in the true and complete Redemption through our righteous Moshiach, when "the glory of G‑d will be revealed, and all flesh together will see that the mouth of G‑d has spoken"[61].
(From a talk of Shabbos Parshas Lech Lecha, 5741)
Key Lesson
The seventh of MarCheshvan, when the pilgrims of old finally reached home after Sukkos, looks like a descent from the holiness of the Beis HaMikdash — yet it always falls in the week of "Lech Lecha," the parshah of going up. Standing "before G‑d" at the festival, a Jew receives G‑dliness for himself; going back to his field and his business to make a dwelling place for G‑d there, he becomes G‑d's emissary, who is "like the Sender Himself." Just as Avraham reached a new and incomparable level only when he left his own understanding behind to follow G‑d's command, so the return to everyday life after the festivals should be undertaken not with sadness but with great joy, as an act of true ascent.