PEREK SHIRAH: The beast of
burden is saying, "When you eat the fruit
of your labors, happy are you and good is your lot." (Psalms 128:2)
PIRKEI AVOT:
Rabbi Eliezer [the son of] Chisma would say: the laws of kinin (bird offerings) and the laws of menstrual
periods---these, these are the meat of Halachah (Torah law). The
calculations of solar seasons and gematria are the condiments of wisdom.
SEFIRAH COMBINATION: Chesed shebeHod (kindness within the context of glory and
gratefulness)
As we enter the twenty-ninth week,
the week of Passover, in Perek Shirah,
the large impure (non-kosher) domestic animal sings that those that eat from
the work of their own hands are praiseworthy and are blessed with good. (Psalm 128:2) This animal has been
translated by Rabbi Slifkin simply as the “beast of burden.”[1]
On Passover, we feel the influx of Hashem’s
blessings and redemption. At the same time, from the second day of Passover
onwards, the Jewish people begin counting the omer and begin working towards self-improvement. Thus, by the time Shavuot arrives, we will have merited to
receive the Torah, at least in part through the work of our own hands.
This week’s animal appears to be a
reference to Yishmael and his descendants. This son of Abraham was known for
his great capacity for praying and for trusting in G-d’s blessings and
salvation.[2]
In fact, Yishmael did receive great blessings, although part of the blessings
showed that there were aspects of his lifestyle that still needed to be
improved. The angel tells Hagar, Yishmael’s mother, that "his hand would
be on everyone.”[3]
Later in life, Yishmael repents, returns to G-d, and has a good relationship
with Isaac.[4] In
messianic times, Isaac and Yishmael will coexist in peace.
Our sages interpret the verse of the
beast of burden to be a dual blessing, “praiseworthy” – in this world, and
“good for you” - in the world to come. There is a custom in Chassidic circles, instituted by the
Ba’al Shem Tov, to make a meal on the eighth day of Passover called Moshiach Seudah, in honor of Mashiach and the world to come.
The number twenty-nine is connected
to the cycle of the moon (29.5 days to be exact), on which the Jewish month is
based. Muslims, who consider themselves descendants of Yishmael, follow a
purely lunar calendar. Twenty-nine is also the number of days in a woman’s
menstrual cycle. (See Pirkei Avot
below)
The lesson in Pirkei Avot for this week is found in the teaching of Rabbi Elazar
the son of Chismah. He explains that the laws relating to bird sacrifices and
menstrual cycles are essential, while astronomy and numerological calculations
(gematria) are the spice of wisdom.
(III:18) On Passover, we do not eat chametz,
leavened bread. Spiritually, this represents the notion that on Passover we set
aside everything that makes us feel “inflated” and takes away from our essence,
our core identity as reflected in our relationship with G-d and with each
other.
Furthermore, on Passover, G-d
connects to us on a deeply personal level, primarily as our Redeemer, instead
of as the Creator of the Universe. (See Appendix I) This appears to be taught
in this week’s Pirkei Avot: G-d does
not want us to lose ourselves in grandiose and esoteric topics, such as
astronomy and gematria. He would
rather see us involved also in the details of properly serving Him in how we
conduct ourselves on a daily basis.
The two sets of laws mentioned in Pirkei Avot are particularly important
to daily conduct. They are fundamental to the relationship between G-d and the
Jewish People, and between husband and wife (which is also a metaphor for our
relationship with G-d, as expressed in Solomon’s Song of Songs). Bird
sacrifices are related to our ability to come closer to G-d. The word for sacrifice in Hebrew is korban, from the word karov, which means close (nowadays,
because we cannot bring sacrifices, prayer and study serve as substitutes).
Similarly, the laws related to the female menstrual cycle are essential in
order to make wives permissible to their husbands.[5]
This week, the combination of sefirot results in chesed shebehod. This week, we work on ourselves in order to
properly receive and appreciate G-d’s blessings that we receive during
Passover. (This week would also represent the “eighth week” of Shavuot and “Shivah Yemei Miluim” of the cycle of Netzach. This is appropriate, as Pessach is the
festival of redemption)
We learn from the beast of burden
that in our path towards righteousness, Hashem
helps us and journeys with us along the way. Nevertheless, we should not want
or expect our spiritual development to be "spoon-fed." Even if
ultimately everything comes from G-d, we must work hard to achieve spiritual
elevation ourselves.
[1] Slifkin, p. 11
[2] Genesis 21:10,
48:22, Targum
[3] Ibid.
[4] Genesis 25:9, Rashi
[5] The Torah sets forth
laws regarding times during a woman’s menses in which husband and wife do not
touch, and instead interact primarily on a spiritual plane. These essential
laws help preserve a higher level intimacy and attraction, since the physical
side of the relationship is renewed each month.
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