“The sign of circumcision is, as I think, so important, that I could persuade myself that it alone would preserve the [Jewish] nation forever.” – Spinoza In this week’s parashah, Tazria, we are entering a new section of Vayikra (Leviticus) dealing with the laws of man. The previous parshiot dealt with the laws pertaining to animals. This follows the order of creation; man (ish) was created last. Rav Samlai explains that the order is such not because man was created last, but for the reason that man was created last. 
It’s simpler to understand the sanctification of the animal world. It’s natural for us to make important distinctions between the clean and unclean, taharah (purity) and tumah (impurity), in the animal world. Man’s struggle with himself, however, and the work we have to do to sanctify ourselves, is far more complex. The Zohar compares man to animals in the regards of the korban (sacrifice), deducing from the verse “and the eighth day the skin of the orlah should be circumcised” being amidst the verses that deal with taharah and tumah of the woman giving birth. What we see in these readings in their proximity and importance is the sanctification of time (Shabbat) of man (brit milah) and of place (the korban).  Hashem is kadosh (holy) as it says, “for I am Kadosh.”We, on the other hand, have the constant struggle to attain kedushah. All of this comes to teach us how to free ourselves from our slavery to that which is not holy and to take actions towards holiness, freedom, spirituality and oneness.

If we are all in the image of God, but have no actual image of God, then how do we become a semblance of the Infinite Light that is Hashem in the finite that surrounds us? The answer is found in the Alter Rebbe’s teaching of the basis and root purpose of the entire Torah– to elevate and exalt the soul high above the body to Hashem, the source and root of all worlds, and to draw down the Ein Sof (Infinite Light). This is done through using the body below to elevate the soul on high.As we have covered previously, Hashem desires the heart, but it is the heart that must be put into action for elevation to take place. The mitzvah of tzedakah is the comprehensive principle of all the mitzvot and it is not one that could be limited to the heart, for the poor can’t be sustained with love only, but by action in concrete ways. Shedding tears for the poor, while not acting and keeping all resources to oneself won’t save a life, it is only through the action that we could complete the purpose of creation and our purpose of being created. The Rebbe teaches that this is the meaning of the verse, “a woman that will conceive,” because with ishah there needs to be tazria – sowing on earth below. Reaching exalted levels of the soul is not enough when we are tasked to use the body here on earth elevating it, this is how we bring about the future redemption.One of my favorite lessons from Rabbi Simcha Bunim is: “Everyone must have two pockets and a note in each pocket, so that he or she can reach into one or the other, depending on the need. When feeling lowly and depressed, discouraged or disconsolate, one should reach into the right pocket and there find the words: Bishvili nivra ha-olam— “The world was created for me.”But when feeling high and mighty, one should reach into the left pocket and find the words: V’anochi afar v’efer – “I am but dust and ashes.”Kabbalah teaches that the world was created as a broken vessel; Hashem constricted himself and hid His good in the brokenness of the world. Reb Natan of Breslov says that our highest task is to choose to see His Light, to choose to let in and partner with Hashem, even when he is hidden. Our laws and customs, in ways so mysterious and in ways very obvious– literally turning our physical bodies into ritual spiritual objects– are the most powerful reminders we have to keep making that choice to strive for something higher. To not let ourselves believe that we are only creatures, that we are only animals, driven only by physical instincts. The Torah teaches us how to free ourselves from our self-imposed slavery, to take actions towards holiness, freedom, ultimate oneness. Man is but dust of the earth, Adamah, but through the struggle and fight to spiritualize reality we become Adameh la-Elyon, a semblance of God. THIS IS ONLY A FEW SNIPPETS FROM THE DVAR, TO REALLY JUMP INTO THE POWERFUL LESSONS IN THIS WEEK’S PARASHAH, PLEASE READ THE FULL DVAR @ https://lightofinfinite.com/becoming-a-semblance-of-god/---------------------- Thanks for listening/reading.Much love, Erez Safar** Follow on Facebook: www.facebook.com/lightofinfinite
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