The
stormy petrel is saying, "Light is sown for the righteous, and joy
for the straight-hearted." (Psalms 97:11)
Rabbi
Yossi would say: The property of your fellow should be as precious to you
as your own. Perfect yourself for the study of Torah, for it is not an
inheritance to you. And all your deeds should be for the sake of Heaven.
Gevurah
shebeGevurah (discipline and judgment within the context of discipline and
judgment)
In
the ninth week of Perek Shirah, the stormy petrel announces that,
“Light is sown for the tzadik (righteous) and joy for the upright of
heart.” (Psalm 97:11) In some years, this week falls entirely in the month
of Cheshvan, while in other years it already includes the first day
of Kislev, the month of Chanukah. Even in years when Rosh
Chodesh Kislev does not take place this week, there is another date in it
closely linked to the Maccabees: the 23rd day of Cheshvan. In the era
of the Talmud, this date was quite celebrated, as it marked the removal of the
stones of the Temple’s altar that had been rendered impure by the Greeks. The
stormy petrel’s verse, which mentions light, seed, and protection for the
righteous, is very connected to the Maccabees and to the events that took place
during Chanukah, which is called the “Festival of Lights.” Miraculously,
G-d made it so that the Maccabees, righteous warriors of the seed of
Aaron, defeated Greece, the greatest empire of the time.
In Pirkei
Avot, Rabbi Yossi states: "The money of your neighbor should be precious
to you as if it were your own. Ready yourself for the study of Torah¸ as it
does not come to you as an inheritance, and may all your actions be for the
sake of Heaven." (II:12)
This
teaching in Pirkei Avot is deeply connected with the month of Kislev and
to the struggle of the Maccabees. While the Greeks admired the Torah as a
philosophy, with highly practical concepts (like the idea of respecting
other people's money), they tried to break our link to the Torah, as well as
our personal connection with G-d. The Midrash tells us that
"darkness symbolizes Greece, which darkened the eyes of Israel with its
decrees, ordering Israel to, 'Write on the horn of an ox that you have no
inheritance in the G-d of Israel.'”[1]
It
is also worth noting that Rabbi Yossi was himself a kohen, just like the
Maccabees. Also like the Maccabees, Rabbi Yossi is called a “chassid” –
extremely pious, going beyond the letter of the law to do the will of G-d.
For
Rabbi Yossi, in order to follow a righteous path, it is very important to have
a “good neighbor,” and avoid a “bad neighbor” at all costs. Here, a good
neighbor, Shachen Tov, may be a reference to the Shechinah, which
dwells among the Jewish people and in the Temple. A bad neighbor, is likely a
reference to the Greeks, which tried so hard to make us assimilate and to take
us away from our roots.
The
combination of sefirot for this week is gevurah shebegevurah.
Note that for those that are part of the Lubavitch Chassidic movement, Rosh
Chodesh Kislev’s connection with gevurah shebegevurah is quite clear.
The first is an openly positive one: with great strength and courage, Rabbi
Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the Seventh Lubavitcher Rebbe, miraculously survived
a heart attack, and returned to his home on Rosh Chodesh Kislev. On the
other hand, with much sorrow, it is on Rosh Chodesh Kislev that we
commemorate the day that the Chabad-Lubavitch emissaries of Mumbai, India, were
killed.
The
stormy petrel tells us that one of the most important steps in achieving
happiness is to be a good, honest and fair person. Rebbe Nachman of Breslov
teaches that one should always take note and focus of such good qualities and
actions in others and in oneself. Even if these good points are small,
imperfect and incomplete, they are nonetheless a cause for great joy.[2]
[1] Genesis
Rabba 2:4
[2] Likutei
Moharan I:282
[Gematria Thought: The
number nine is associated with the nine months of pregnancy. It is also
connected to truth. If one adds the digits in the gematria of the
Hebrew word for truth, emet, the total is nine. The total of the sum of
the digits (also known as gematria ketanah) in all of G-d’s names is also
nine, because G-d’s “seal” is truth.[3] Nine is
also three times three, a “double chazakah,” as explained in week three.
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