The following text by Reb Zalman is from this week’s Torah portion, Shabbos Behaalotecha. (Click here for Hebrew/English version). [Notes by Gabbai Seth Fishman, BLOG Editor]:

• (Numbers 8:7) … then they shall wash their garments and be purified.

[NOTE: This is from instructions for preparing the Levites for their service.  Reb Shneur Zalman has pointed out that this is not just about the clothes they were wearing.]

being that three “garments” of the nefesh / soul: Machshavah / thought, Dibbur / speech and Maaseh / action should be clean.

[NOTE:  Garments are, in general, the visible, external trappings that cover things behind, things not visible to the eyes.  In the analogy here presented, the “garments” represent outward manifestation of realities. Behind them are invisible causes or mysteries. 

Simply put, we must clean up actions, clean up speech, and clean up thoughts.  The deeper we clean, the closer we move, (as the Levites in our text), toward God’s service.  ]

For, there’s the remnant “neshama / soul that You gave me” - from long since - “it was pure.”

[NOTE:  When we enter the world, our Neshama is pure and it remains so despite anything we may do, say or think that is not.  (Neshama and nefesh are both words for “soul” but the former is a part of us that is always close to God.)]

Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi
from Yishmiru Daat (2009 revision),
“Parashat Behaalotecha,” p. 34

The following text by Reb Zalman is from this week’s Torah portion, Shabbos BaMidbar. (Click here for Hebrew/English version). [Notes by Gabbai Seth Fishman, BLOG Editor]:

(Numbers 4:2) Make a count of the sons of…, etc.

[NOTE:  The Hebrew used,  Naso et rosh / make a count has another meaning of “lift up the head.”]

Lifting up the head. 

In order for the intellect to become a garment for the soul, the intellect has to spread itself and make a lot of wide space as follows:

(Psalms 24:7) Se’u / Raise up she’arim rosheichem / your mind’s imagination–

(Proverbs 31:23), Her husband is known b’she’arim / in the gates–

Read she’arim / gates as ha-hash’arot / the imaginal expansions, (i.e., awakeness as a shafel).

[NOTE:  And read, “her husband” as referring to God.

Reb Zalman tells of a conversation with his daughter Shalvi as a young child:
“Abba, after you sleep, you wake up, right?”
“Yes” he replied.
“Abba, after you are already awake, can you wake up even more?”

I’ve heard Zalman often cite his late teacher, Reb Yosef Yitzchak of Lubavitch for cultivating the imaginal faculty in his hasidim.]

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The following text by Reb Zalman is from this week’s Torah portion, Shabbos BeHar. (Click here for Hebrew/English version). [Notes by Gabbai Seth Fishman, BLOG Editor]:

(Leviticus 25:39) And if your friend becomes destitute - with you - and is sold to you.

[NOTE:  Achicha, (literally, “your brother”), has been translated as “your friend” throughout to keep the language gender neutral.  The words, “with you,” in this text, is understood as one who lives with you, i.e.,  nearby.  Gabbai Seth]

How could this have happened that your friend fell to such a low level that s/he is now being sold to you?

The likelihood is that the rich person was suppressed having fallen too with hir. For if the rich one could have been generous s/he would surely have lent support to hir friend so that the latter wouldn’t have had to become a servant.

And so, you have no right to work hir with low-paid, back-breaking work like an unskilled laborer, because it could have been you.

[NOTE:  The words, “with you,” can also be understood as you being with your friend in destitution.  If you don’t want to be treated that way if it happens to you, then don’t treat your friend that way.]

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In Tikkunei Zohar 9b it states that for each Hebrew month, there is a different permutation (”tziruf“) of the holy name YHVH. 

There are a total of 12 unique ways that the four letters with two repeated can be arranged (i.e. YHVH, YHHV, YVHH, HVHY, HVYH, HHVY, VHYH, VHHY, VYHH, HYHV, HYVH, HHYV) and each month has its unique combination.

Click here for a table of the months, in Hebrew and English - scroll down -, and their corresponding permutations).

Here’s some more from Reb Zalman on tziruf:

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