Gr"a on Redemption notes VII

Here is the final installation of the eleventh chapter of Even Shelema with notes.

10. All the concepts of the month of Tishrei are hints to the future. For the judgment will be on Rosh Hashana, and afterwards, the forgiveness for sin will be on Yom Kippur. Followed by Succos, the eighth day and their joy. So too in the future, the great day of judgment will occur (*), followed by the statement that "I will sprinkle upon you pure waters and purify you, etc" (Yechezkel 36), and "I will forgive whatever is left" (Yirmiyah 50). Afterwards, on Succos, will be the seven Chuppos, as is known, as the verse says (Yishaya 4), "And a Succah will be for shade from the day, etc." 'The time of our rejoicing, etc," and strangers will stand and shepherd your sheep (ibid 61) (**). Afterwards, the Eighth day, which will be the end of those who deny the True God, and the people of Israel will rejoice alone. "It will be a day of completion (atzeres) for you," and they will eat the three Shabbos meals. This is reference to the meals of the animals on the mountains of a thousand, the meal of the Leviathan, and the wine that was kept, etc. (Sifra Ditzniusa 54:4 55:1, Tikkunei Zohar 49:2)

(*) In the days of Moshiach, a fear of Hashem will seize all of mankind, and in the time of the revival of the dead, this feeling will intensify. In the future world this fear will intensify even further (Yeshaya 2:10). (It would seem that this is why it was established to say the prayer on the high holy days of 'And so, place Your fear,' (***) because these days are a hint of what the future holds.)

(**) In the current state of the world, the moon is below all of the constellations. In the future, however, the moon will be above them, and so will the people of Israel (****). Melachim 1:25 Tikkunei Zohar 166:1 under the heading 'ונימין' (It could be that this is what it means [in the blessing of the new moon] that they [the people of Israel] are to be renewed in the future like it [the moon]).

(***) Much of the focus of that section of the high holiday prayer is on the future time. We say, "And so, place Your fear on all of Your creatures, and Your awe on all You have created... And they will come together in a single unit to serve You with a full heart." There are many hints to the fact that those days are both a throwback to the time of Adam Harishon before the sin, as well as a portent of future times when we return to his state before the sin.

(****) This is not referring to the physical aspect of the moon and stars, rather, it is referring to the spiritual aspect of them, where they act as vehicles for the Divine influx being brought into the world. This would therefore seem to mean that in the current state of the world, the moon is the final vessel to receive the Divine influx that Hashem sends through the celestial bodies. This influx makes its way through the higher spiritual levels, finally getting to the stars and then the moon. In the future, the order of receipt of influx will be reversed, and the moon will rise above them. Similarly, the people of Israel will be raised above, and it will be clear that they are the crown of creation.

11. The meal of the Leviathan is reference to the knowledge that will expand in the world, which is the great joy to which nothing can compare (*). Moshe Rabbenu is also called the Leviathan (Sifra Ditzniusa 18:3), and about this the verse says, "You created to play with it," and it is the plaything of Hakadosh Baruch Hu with the righteous, with which He renews the Torah, etc, as the verse says, "And they saw Elokim, and they ate and drank." Seeing means understanding. This is the light that was hidden for the Righteous (Tikkunei Zohar 42:3 44:1 Sifra Ditzniusa 19:2). The inner secrets of the Torah will be revealed, as the simple understanding of the Torah is now. Therefore there will be freedom from any accusers, like the verse says (Yeshaya 11), "They will do no evil, nor cause destruction... For the land is full of the knowledge of Hashem..." (Tikkunei Zohar 43:2) (**). The 'wine that was kept' is also reference to the secrets of the Torah which will be revealed by Moshe (Tikkunei Zohar 74:2), and about that time it says, "Hashem's honor will be forever, Hashem will rejoice in His creations." May it be speedily in our days, so may it be His will.

(*) The concept of the Leviathan is one of intense connection to Hashem, as we see in the verse (Proverbs 1), "לוית חן" - accompanied by grace. This is reference to the continuous ascension in attaining an understanding of His Divinity through the depths of the secrets of His Torah. The desire of the soul to attach to Him will intensify, and the soul will gain more and more with each passing moment. This is what it says [in regards to the Leviathan], "You fashioned it to rejoice (לשחק) with it." The language of 'to rejoice' (לשחק) always describes a sudden joy. (Iyov 3:21, see ליקוטי מג"א with the heading 'see this.' See the Gra's explanation of Berachos ch. 1, heading 'look at the day of death...')

(**) As we saw earlier in siman 27 of ch. 8 - The evil inclination has no effect on those who are involved in the study of the secrets of the Torah. Therefore, the negative forces [that cause the destruction, immediately] cease. This is because the evil inclination only wields power when there is a lack of true knowledge, as the sages say, "A person only transgresses a sin if a spirit of foolishness has entered him." It says in the gemara (Baba Basra 75), "In the future, Hakadosh Baruch Hu will make a Succah for the righteous out of the skin of the Leviathan..." This is reference to the Tree of knowledge of Good and Evil, which will serve to completely surround holiness in the future (***). (Sifra Ditzniusa 20:1 see there.)

(***) The concept of Good and Evil being the forbidden fruit is only true as long as we live in a dimension where they are separate and Evil has its own existence as a negative force. In the future world, since we will have transcended to a higher dimension, we will exist in a place where Good and Evil are both aspects of a Higher Good. Thus, the fruit of the Tree of knowledge of Good and Evil will be permissible to be eaten. This is hinted to in the statement of the sages that in the future, just as we now make the blessing of הטוב והמטיב (Who is Good and does good) on good news, we will likewise make that blessing on the receipt of bad news. This is because we will exist in a dimension where both good and evil are clearly part of a greater Good.