Tag Archives: Tetzave

The Number 501

A rough outline of the ancient tribal boundaries of Israel

As we continue to celebrate Chanukah this week, it is worth exploring one of the most important numbers in Judaism, and one that is closely associated with Chanukah as well: 501. The focus of Chanukah is the miracle of the oil—where did that oil come from? When Jacob blessed his sons on his deathbed, he said of Asher that “his bread shall be oily [shmenah], and he shall yield royal delicacies.” (Genesis 49:20) Similarly, when Moses blessed the tribes before his passing, he said of Asher that he shall “dip his foot in oil [shemen]”. (Deuteronomy 33:24) Both blessings invoke special oil, and our Sages teach that the land of Asher produced the finest olive trees and the best olive oil. (See, for instance, Menachot 85b which says that Temple oil came from the Asherite town of Tekoa, and which describes the oil riches of the Asherite town of Gush Halav.) A later tradition explains that the Chanukah miracle of oil lasted precisely eight days because that’s how long it took to produce fresh oil from the northern territory of Asher and deliver it to Jerusalem. In other words, by day nine following the reconsecration of the Temple, a fresh batch of pure oil had arrived. And the oil came specifically from Asher (אשר), the numerical value of which is 501.

What is the deeper significance of the name “Asher”? When Leah named him, she based it on the fact that his arrival made her “fortunate”, the literal meaning of the name. But there is much more to it. When Moses first encountered Hashem at the Burning Bush, and asked how he should introduce God to the Israelites, the answer was Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh (Exodus 3:14). This is the most unique name of God, used just once in the entire Tanakh, in the context of the First Redemption and Exodus. Thus, this name became forever associated with Geulah, redemption and salvation. Rashi here cites the Sages explaining that Hashem meant “He will be (Ehyeh)” with Israel through the suffering in Egypt just as “He will be (Ehyeh)” with Israel throughout all future exiles and persecutions. In other words, Hashem is there with Israel at the First Redemption just as He will be at the Final Redemption.

The Arizal taught (in Sha’ar haMitzvot on Ekev) that one should meditate on the name Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh when washing mayim achronim, and the customary recital of the phrase “mayim acharonim chova” is to remind one of this, since chova (חובה) has a value of 21, equal to Ehyeh (אהיה)! This hastens to bring about the Final Redemption, when “knowledge of God shall fill the Earth as water covers the sea.” (Isaiah 11:9) This is the deeper meaning of the “final waters”, ie. the waters of the Final Redemption (as explored in depth in Secrets of the Last Waters). Now, this unique redemptive name of God has three parts to it, and is structured in such a way that one’s focus naturally shifts to the middle word Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh. It’s that same name Asher, with a value of 501. The Zohar has a profound teaching on this.

Why is it, the Zohar asks, that the Tanakh so many times prohibits the Israelites from worshipping Asherah trees? In ancient times, these trees were seen as fertility goddesses or symbolic of “mother earth” and worshipped by various cultures. We find tree worship not only in the ancient Middle East, but all over the world. Remnants of this are still found in practices like bedecking Christmas trees. The Zohar (I, 49a) notes the unmissable connection between Asherah and Asher. In fact, it points out that both of these names are found in one Torah verse!

We read in Deuteronomy 16:21 that “You shall not set up an Asherah of any kind of tree beside the altar of your God YHWH that [Asher] you may make (לֹא תִטַּע לְךָ אֲשֵׁרָה כָּל עֵץ אֵצֶל מִזְבַּח יְיָ אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר תַּעֲשֶׂה לָּךְ). The word asher here seems to simply mean “that”, but can also be read as the actual name of God Asher, as if reading Hashem Eloheikha Asher. The Zohar explains that “Asher is her husband”, alluding to the Canaanite idolatry in ancient Israel, where Ba’al was worshipped alongside his divine consort Asherah. Similarly, the nearby Assyrians (Ashurim) worshipped their chief god Ashur, which is where the name of their people and empire came from.

The truth is that these terms actually originate in a holy place. Asher is indeed an appellation for Hashem, and Asherah was originally a term for the “feminine” manifestation of God in this world, ie. the Shekhinah! However, the idolaters adopted these terms and turned them into full-blown idols, associated with statues and trees, and tied to all kinds of immoral rituals. Such adaptation and corruption of holy terms and concepts that originate in the Torah happens in many instances and in many places. For example, we find that the Romans worshipped the metal-working god Vulcan, derived from the Torah’s Tuval-Cain, the first metalworker (Genesis 4:22). The Greeks worshiped a divine ancestor named Iapetus, who is really the Torah’s Yefet, forefather of the Greeks. The Canaanites worshiped a god named Adon, and the Egyptians Aten, and the Greeks Adonis—all, of course, emanating from a corruption of the true divine name Adonai. And its precisely with the prohibition of idolatry where we next find the number 501.

In the Ten Commandments, we are instructed not to make any temunah, idolatrous image. The Ba’al haTurim (Rabbi Yakov ben Asher, c. 1269-1343) points out that the gematria of temunah (תמונה) is 501, which is exactly equal to the term partzuf adam (פרצוף אדם), “the image of man”. In other words, we are forbidden from making idolatrous statues or images with human-like depictions of gods or God. (For lots more on understanding this Second Commandment, see here.) The depictions that we are allowed to make involve letters of the divine Hebrew alphabet, and the only kind of divine “image” we can meditate on is the letters making up various names of God. In fact, one of the oldest known Kabbalistic texts is the ancient Sefer haTemunah, which goes into tremendous depth about the divine forms of the Hebrew letters.

On a Kabbalistic level, the 501 of Partzuf Adam has tremendous meaning as well. Recall that in the Kabbalah of the Arizal, the Ten Sefirot are rectified and rearranged as five partzufim, “faces”. The highest of the partzufim corresponds to the highest and most sublime of the olamot, “worlds” or “dimensions”—that of Adam Kadmon. The initial primordial lights from which Creation took place emerged from Adam Kadmon. A little bit of that special divine light of Creation, the ohr haganuz, was concealed under God’s Throne and preserved for the righteous at the End of Days and in the Messianic Age (see Yalkut Shimoni II, 499). And all of this ties right back into Chanukah, which celebrates that divine light.

Chanukah is not explicitly mentioned in the Torah because, of course, the events of Chanukah happened many centuries after the Torah. Nonetheless, there are countless places in the Torah that secretly allude to Chanukah. One of these is parashat Tetzave, which begins with the command for Moses to light the menorah in the Mishkan, alluding to the future Chanukiah. The numerical value of Tetzave (תצוה) is also 501! The Ba’al haTurim further notes that 501 is the value of the term nashim tziva (נשים צוה), that God “commanded the women” to light Shabbat candles, which tap into the same divine light. The unique thing about parashat Tetzave is that it is the only parasha in which Moses is not explicitly mentioned (from the time that he is introduced in the Torah). The deeper reason for this is that Tetzave is not about the generation of the Exodus or the First Redemption, but rather about the Final Redemption; not about Moses, but secretly about Mashiach. Which brings us right back to 501, the number of the Final Redemption:

As we see in the world around us today, the final “exile” and persecution comes by way of the Ishmaelites. Whether it’s Hamas or Hezbollah, the Houthis or Iran, Qatar or the PA or the Muslim Brotherhood, or their many terrorist sympathizers around the world, it is the Ishmaelim who are hell-bent on destroying Israel and harming Jews wherever they might be. And so, the value of Ishmaelim (ישמעאלים) is also 501, the final barrier to the Final Redemption. But they will soon be neutralized, obliterated by another 501, as explained by Rav Shimshon of Ostropoli in his Pesach discourse called Ma’amar Sod Eztba Elokim. At the Passover seder, we are instructed to spill a drop of wine for each of the Ten Plagues, and then to spill additional drops as we recite the acronym of the plagues: datzach adash b’achav (דצ”ך עד”ש באח”ב). What is the point of this acronym?

Rav Shimshon explains that the total value of this phrase is 501, and it alludes to the secret angel that brought about the Ten Plagues. The angel is referred to by the term Taka Beresheet, or just Taka (תק״א), the numerical value of which is 501. Hashem used this angel to punish the Egyptians, “So that you may recount in the hearing of your child and of your children’s children that [asher] I made a mockery of the Egyptians and how I displayed My signs among them—in order that [asher] you may know that I am YHWH” (Exodus 10:2) The term Asher appears twice in this verse, alluding to the 501 of Taka that was used by God to make a mockery of the Egyptian oppressors, as well as to the redemptive name Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh.

So, too, in our days, the Ishmaelim of 501 will be neutralized by Taka of 501, stemming from that divine name of God Asher of 501, from the name of Redemption, Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh. We will soon be “saved from the flames”, just as Yehoshua the Kohen Gadol was in the Haftarah that we read on Shabbat Chanukah, that he was mutzal m’esh (מצל מאש), another term that equals 501. And as we say at the Rosh Hashanah table, we will no longer be a “tail”, but only a “head”, rosh (ראש), whose value is also 501. We will return to our Promised Land (אדמתנו), also 501, with the true Davidic Kingdom (המלכות), 501, restored for good. May we merit to see it very soon!

Chodesh Tov v’Chag Sameach!  

For more on the number 501 and the connection to the divine light of Creation, Chanukah, and the Final Redemption, see the recent class on ‘Chanukah & the Final Redemption’:

Seven Prophetesses of Israel

‘Deborah’ by Gustav Doré

This week’s parasha, Tetzave, continues with the description of the construction of the Mishkan and its holy vessels. The walls of the Mishkan were held up by 48 pillars of acacia wood, plus 7 lintel beams. The Ba’al haTurim (Rabbi Yakov ben Asher, 1269-1343) comments on Exodus 26:15 that the 48 pillars correspond to the 48 male prophets named in Tanakh. The 7 lintels, meanwhile, correspond to the seven generations between Abraham and Moses. This second comment is strange since we would expect the Ba’al haTurim to instead say that the 48 pillars correspond to the 48 male prophets while the 7 lintels correspond to the 7 female prophetess, as enumerated by our Sages. We are taught in the Talmud (Megillah 14a) that the Seven Prophetesses of Israel were Sarah, Miriam, Deborah, Hannah, Abigail, Huldah, and Esther. Of course, there were other female prophetesses in ancient Israel, just as there were many more than 48 male prophets. These 55 are specifically mentioned because we actually have their prophecies recorded, or because they are explicitly referred to as “prophets” in Tanakh (as Miriam is in Exodus 15:20).

The Seven Prophetesses are particularly special because they are sometimes described as being even greater than their male counterparts. For instance, when Abraham turned to God concerned about Sarah’s plans, God told him to listen to Sarah and do as she says (Genesis 21:12). Deborah is described as being greater than Barak, and Hannah more in tune than Eli the kohen gadol. Amazingly, Rav Yitzchak Ginsburgh points out that when the Torah says there will be more great prophets in the future like Moses to lead the people (Deuteronomy 18:15), the gematria of that entire phrase (נָבִיא מִקִּרְבְּךָ מֵאַחֶיךָ כָּמֹנִי יָקִים לְךָ יהוה אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֵלָיו תִּשְׁמָעוּן) is 1839, exactly equal to the value of the names of the Seven Prophetesses! (שָׂרָה מִרְיָם דְּבוֹרָה חַנָּה אֲבִיגַיִל חֻלְדָּה אֶסְתֵּר) That might explain why the 7 lintels lie “above” the 48 pillars, as if implying that the female prophetess were greater than the male ones. What exactly was so great about them?

Sarah’s prophecies ensured that Isaac would inherit the covenant and continue the divine line started by Abraham. Miriam inspired her parents to reunite after their separation, resulting in the birth of Moses. She later guided baby Moses in the river and ensured his survival. There would be no Moses without Miriam! Deborah saved Israel from the cruel subjugation of Sisera, and composed one of history’s ten divine songs. From Hannah we learn how to pray (Berakhot 30b-31b), and Abigail taught us about the afterlife (including terms like kaf hakelah and tzror hachayim). Huldah foresaw the destruction of Judah at the time of King Yoshiyahu (and it is possible this prophecy resulted in the pre-emptive move to save the Ark of the Covenant and hide it for the distant future). Esther saved the Jewish people from near-extinction, and produced one of the 24 books of Tanakh.

The Sefirot of “Mochin” above (in blue) and the Sefirot of the “Middot” below (in red).

We can further parallel the Seven Prophetesses to each of the seven lower Sefirot (as all things seven in Creation are connected, and emerge from the lower Seven). Miriam embodied the waters of Chessed, taking care of her little brother, nurturing him as an infant, and later providing all the Israelites with water in the Wilderness through her miraculous well. It is specifically by the waters of the Red Sea that the Torah calls her a prophetess. Sarah, on the other hand, was Gevurah, representing severity and judgement. She made the tough call to expel Hagar and Ishmael. While Abraham was the man of Chessed, Sarah was clearly his Gevurah counterpart. (In the next generation it was flipped, with Isaac embodying Gevurah and his wife Rebecca representing Chessed—introduced in the Torah as carrying a water jug on her shoulders and kindly providing abundant waters to the camels of Eliezer.) Deborah was the judge and Torah scholar, the greatest halakhic authority of her day, personifying Tiferet, the source of Torah and emet, “truth”.

Abigail taught us about eternal life—the eternity of Netzach. She introduces us to the transmigrations of the soul following death, calling it kaf hakelah, which the Zohar (II, 99b) explains means that the soul is flung from one body to another, from one reincarnation to another, like a stone flung from a sling. The Arizal (Rabbi Itzhak Luria, 1534-1572) gives the same explanation for kaf hakelah in Sha’ar haGilgulgim (Ch. 22). Incredibly, he reveals that Abigail was herself a reincarnation of Leah! (Ch. 36) Her original husband Naval was a reincarnation of Lavan, while David had a spark of Jacob. Just as Jacob worked for Lavan, David worked for Naval. And just as Lavan cheated Jacob out of his wages, Naval did the same to David. The tikkun here was that Jacob did not wish to marry Leah, and she always felt secondary and unloved. This was rectified with Abigail, as David did indeed wish to marry her and gave her the attention she deserved. Nor was there any trick in getting David to marry Abigail, which is what had happened previously with Lavan tricking Jacob into marrying Leah.

Hannah taught us lehodot, to acknowledge Hashem and to be grateful. She sang a majestic prayer-song of thanksgiving. This is, of course, the Sefirah of Hod. The result of her prayers was Samuel, who went on to anoint the first kings of Israel. Huldah foresaw the destruction of Jerusalem and the Kingdom of Judah due to the violation of the covenant, the brit associated with foundational Yesod. She lived in Jerusalem (II Kings 22:14), the place of the “Foundation Stone”, even hashetiyah. In fact, the southern wall of the Temple Mount has an ancient gate referred to as the “Huldah Gate”. Huldah also relayed to King Yoshiyahu that he will be spared destruction and die in peace (II Kings 22:20) because of his genuine teshuvah and rectification of his brit. The Talmud (Megillah 14b) says Huldah was a descendant of Rahav, who had an immoral past and rectified her own sphere of Yesod, meriting to marry Joshua and become the mother of many great prophets and figures, including Jeremiah and Neriah.

Finally, Esther is the embodiment of a queen, the final “feminine” Sefirah of Malkhut. In fact, the word “Malkhut” appears ten times in the Megillah, more than in any other book of Tanakh! And we read in Esther 2:17 that “The king loved Esther more than all the other women… so he set a royal crown [keter malkhut] on her head and made her queen…” Recall the teaching of our Sages that when the Megillah mentions “the king” without a name or qualifier, it can also be read as referring to The King, to Hashem. And so, it is as if God Himself crowned Esther with Malkhut.

In these ways, the seven lower Sefirot parallel the Seven Prophetesses, who attained divine inspiration on the highest levels, and ensured the survival of Israel and Judaism throughout the centuries.

Colours of the Sefirot

This week’s parasha, Tetzave, continues in describing the design of the objects used in the Mishkan, the Holy Tabernacle. The focus turns to the vestments of the kohen gadol. We see again that the most notable fibres used in sewing these clothes were tekhelet, argaman, and tola’at shani—blue, purple, and red wool. Our Sages taught (Menachot 43b) that tekhelet is sea-blue, and the sea reflects the sky, which is symbolic of God’s Throne, as per Exodus 24:10, where the nation saw that “there was under His feet the likeness of sapphire stone, and the likeness of clear skies…” (Similarly, Isaiah 66:1 has God declaring that “the skies are My throne, and the Earth is My footstool…”)

Among other things, blue is associated with water, which is in turn associated with life. In Kabbalah, blue is one of the colours of Chessed, lovingkindness. Red is its polar opposite, the colour of blood and fire, representing Gevurah, judgement and severity. Combining red and blue gives purple, the balance between them, Tiferet, seat of truth and beauty. On a mystical level, the purple argaman (ארגמן) also represents the chief angels Uriel (אוריאל), Raphael (רפאל), Gabriel (גבריאל), Michael (מיכאל), and Nuriel (נוריאל).

At first glance, the colours of the three key Sefirot of Chessed, Gevurah, and Tiferet appear to be blue, red, and purple, respectively. However, this is not always the case. In varying sources, the colours of the Sefirot are presented differently. While it is undoubtedly true that in Judaism multiple opinions can be correct simultaneously, can we nonetheless put together a definitive colour spectrum for the Sefirot? Today, we have a great deal of scientific knowledge of light and colour that can greatly assist us in this endeavour. So, which colours correspond to the Sefirot? Continue reading →