Thank youSpecial review based on the Rebbe’s talk on Shabbos Parshas Noach (5752) – part 3. Previously in this series:
The third day: the sefirah of Tiferet (balance and harmony)
On the third day of Creation, the dry land finally became visible on the earth. Herbs and trees sprouted and the earth became covered with green vegetation. According to the Ramban’s point of view, this is a clue to the key event of the third millennium – giving of the Torah.
The path to receiving the Torah began with Avraham, the first of the avot (according to the “Seder haDorot”, Avraham was born in 1948, so in the year of 2000, at the turn of the millennia he was 52 years old). During his lifetime Avraham avinu wandered from place to place, and in every place he came, he would “call forth (publicize) the name of Hashem”. In his commentary to the book of “Breishit”, Ramban calls him “a sprouting of righteousness” which bore its fruits. Following Avraham, other people began to “keep the way of the haShem, to perform righteousness and justice” (“Breishit”, 18:19).
“Consequently, the descendants of Abraham received the Torah at Sinai, … and then all the mitzvot (commandments) were fulfilled. And mitzvot are the “fruits” of this world”…” (Ramban in his commentary to “Breishit”, 2:3).
The fourth day: the sefirah of Netzach (victory, eternity)
On the fourth day, luminaries were installed in heaven:“the great luminary to rule the day and the lesser luminary to rule the night, and the stars” (Breishit, 1:16).
The great luminaries are an allusion to the first Beit haMikdash and the second Beit haMikdash. For more than 800 years they were the center of the Jewish life of the fourth millennium:
• 410 years – the first Beit haMikdash built by Shlomo ha-Melech,
• 420 years – the second Beit haMikdash, erected after the Babylonian exile.
“… And so, on this “day” all Bnei Yisrael had light, because haShem’s Glory (the sense of haShame’s presence in the world) filled the House of haShem” (Ramban in his commentary to “Breishit”, 2:3).
The purpose of Creation
As well as the days of Creation, each millennia of history has a purpose. It’s part of the world’s refinement towards the “seventh day”, the era of Geula. Today, as we look back at the previous days and centuries, we can be sure: this process has been fully completed.
From the Rebbe’s explanation:
“Every individual may realize that his own service is lacking and in need of correction. This, however, does not affect the status of the service required of the Jewish people as a whole over the course of the generations. In the latter context, we must be conscious, as the Previous Rebbe stated, that all the service necessary has been completed and we are ready to receive Mashiach.
There is no explanation why his coming is being delayed”.
To be continued…
Based on the Rebbe’s talk on Shabbat Parshat Noach, 4th Day of MarCheshvan, 5752.
During the week of the “Noach” Torah reading you can listen to this talk in our daily podcast “Dvar Malchut” on the main screen of the R24 app.
