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Small Jugs
 
Posted: 25 Dec 2008 06:26 AM CST
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Aspaqlaria/~3/494807770/small-jugs.shtml


In the beginning, or a few days later, Hashem created the sun and the moon.

In Bereishis (1:16) the Torah says: “And G-d made the two large luminaries – the large luminary to rule the day and the small luminary to rule the night – and the stars.” A famous gemara (Chullin 60b), quoted by Rashi, points out an inconsistency in the verse. R. Shimon ben Pazi asks why the Torah first describes the sun and moon as “the two large luminaries”, but then it calls the sun “the large luminary” and the moon is called the small one. The Gemara answers with a story (paraphrased).

Originally the sun and moon were the same size. But the moon complained to Hashem, “Can there exist two kings sharing the same crown?” How can both the sun and the moon share the glory?

G-d replies, “Go and make yourself smaller.”

The moon is hurt. “Master of the Universe, because I presented You with a true complaint, I should reduce myself? 

Hashem offers consolation, and permits that unlike the sun, “Go and rule over the day and the night.”

The moon sees this as no consolation. If the sun is shining all day, it continues, “What good is a candle at noon?” It will out-shine me, how do I gain by shining then?

Hashem offers an alternate consolation. “It is destined for Israel to use you to count days and years.” To this day, the Jewish people use a lunar calendar.

This too the moon finds insufficient. “Without the sun they can not count seasons either. (Rashi, Chullin ad loc,

explains that the leap years are based upon the seasons. The second Adar is added is to insure that Pesach is always in the spring, the Jewish calendar is not purely lunar.)

G-d provides a third consolation. Righteous men will be called by your name, for example (Amos 7) Yaakov haqatan [the small], Shmuel haQatan [a tanna], (Shemuel 1 17) David haqatan.

The moon thought about it, but was still unsatisfied.

Hashem commands, bring a kaparah, a korban of forgiveness, in My Name, for I have wronged the moon.

Reish Lakish points out that this qorban is indicated in the Torah in parashas Pinechas, describing the offering for Rosh Chodesh, the start of the new month. The pasuq says, And one sair, he-goat, for a chatas Lashem, an expiation-offering unto G-d (Bamidbar 28:15). No other holidays chatas offering include this last word, that the korban is for G-d. On Rosh Chodesh, when the moon is not visible, the qorban chatas is to atone for G-d wronging  (so to speak) the moon.

The Maharsha explains this gemaras metaphor by explaining that the moon symbolizes the Jewish people who appear small in this world. The midrash is a discussion about the need for Israel to be oppressed in this world, so that they may shine brighter in the next. He identifies the sair, the he-goat of the Rosh Chodesh chatas offering, with Rome the children of Ya’akovs brother Eisav. The sair represents the inheritor of Har Seiir. Both eisav and seir refer to hairiness. Surely of all of the nations of the world, history is dominated by Rome and the western civilization it spawned. And, like the moon, Israels fortunes rise, fall and rise again under its shadow.

Aside from the difference in ascendancy between Israel and non- Jews, there is a more obvious difference between this world and the next. Only in this world is there a physical existence. Edom, the name of Eisavs nation, comes from the same root as adom (red) and adamah (earth)  again, this world. Hair is also a symbol of physicality, as we see from the laws of nazir and the obligation for married women to cover their hair. Yitzchaq associates Eisav with action hayadayim yedei Eisav  the hands are the hands of Eisav, in contrast to qol Yaaqov, Yaaqov deals in speech.

Yitzchaq looked to bless Eisav, and Yaaqov stepped in and took the berakhah. In an ideal world (one that doesnt have the above competition between the physical and the spiritual), Eisav would have served as the physical supplier of what became the Jewish people. We see this in the content of that original berakhah. And may Hashem give you from the dew of the heaven and the fat of the land But Rivka saw that G-d didnt make that world. Instead, there is a basic split, Eisav goes off the path, and world history has to work out his error. And the berakhah Yitzchaq gives him instead: Behold, the fat of the land is your dwelling, and the dew from the sky above. By your sword shall you live, but your brother you must serve. However, when you feel wronged, you will cast off his yoke. (Bereishis 27:39-40)

Leiahs eyes were puffy from crying, Chazal tell us (as quoted by Rashi ad loc) that this was because she was taunted that she, the older daughter, would marry Eisav, Yitzchaqs firstborn, and Leiah would marry Yaaqov. In this hypothetical ideal world, Yehudahs kingship would have emerged from Eisav. (Whether Levi would still have been Leiahs child seems less obvious.) And Eisav could have been given a second chance, but Yaaqov hides Leiahs daughter Dinah during their encounter with Eisav.

What exactly is Eisavs error? This notion that physicality is in competition with spirituality, rather than Hashems intended synergy. (I wrote much more on this Maharsha and other topic in parashas Bereishis to describe a progression of how the universes physicality first introduced imperfection (the trees not tasting like the fruit), physicality growing to loom as though it were an ends not a means, how this reached mans soul causing the impurity of our motives, nd what Hashem gave us to do about it. See these posts: The Origins of Imperfection, Adam and Pinnochio, and Havdalah. The above analysis of the gemara is taken from Mesukim miDevash for parashas Pinechas.)

Rome followed in Eisavs footsteps by considering the Hellenist legacy and Judaism an exclusive choice. And, like Eisav who simply couldnt consider delayed spiritual gratification when he was starving and smelling a good red lentil soup, they chose Hellenism. To emulate Yavan.

Jewish history also followed this progression. We first experienced the Yevanim, Hellene overlords, the Seleucid enemy whose conquest plays a role in the story of Chanukah. As Noach blessed his son, Yefes, Yavans ancestor, Yaft E-lokim leYefes  G-d gave beauty to western culture, the value of physicality and aesthetics. We should have kept it external, remembered that we, as the descendants of Sheim, have a different role, veyishkon beohalei Sheim  G-d rests in our homes. Alexander the Great was a hero in Jewish history  one whose name is still worn proudly as a traditional Jewish one. Then, we had Misyavnim, Jews who made themselves Hellene. Who lost the concept of remaining distinct (and thereby contributing), and it all unraveled. The Seleucids became an oppressive regime who tried to destroy Judaism by simply subsuming our G-d into their pantheon. But the Chashmonaim restored the notion of a distinct Jewish identity.

But that too failed. We repaired out notion of spirituality, but not how to treat others in this world. Chanukah (galus Yavaan) was a religious challenge, not one of national survival. The destruction of the Second Beis haMiqdash (galus Edom) was over our lack unity. It actually lowered our spiritual potential but also changed the nature of our people-hood to one that forces us to learn how to apply that spirituality to how we treat others. Because galus Yavan was about the two coexisting together, it was a galus that occured entirely during a period in which we actually had a Beis haMiqdash. (Thus proving that galus doesnt mean exile  we were on our land!)

The current step in that progression is that to take those distinct peices of the puzzle and use them together. Chanukah taught us To form the ideal Jewish people. On Chanukah we learned אַ֭שְׁרֵי יֽוֹשְׁבֵ֣י בֵיתֶ֑ךָ, ע֗֝וֹד יְֽהַלְל֥וּךָ סֶּֽלָה׃ - Enriched are those who dwell in Your House, they shall ever praise You - Selah! We are now learning אַשְׁרֵ֣י הָ֭עָם שֶׁכָּ֣כָה לּ֑וֹ   Enriched is the nation that is like this Unity. So that we can acheive the both  אַֽשְׁרֵ֥י הָ֝עָ֗ם שֱׁ֥ה אֱ-לֹהָֽיו׃  Enriched is the nation for whom Hashem is its G-d. This is why our current struggle is with Edom, the failed vision of Eisav. The two can work together, the sun neednt compete with the moon.

There is a Yalqut Reuveini (an admittedly obscure, late, and Kabbalistic collection of medrash) on Ki Seitzei that connects Chanukah to a sedra often leined at about the same time  Vayishlach.

Yaaqov went back across the river to get some pachim qetanim, small jugs. When crossing back again to his family, Yaakov encounters an angel, identified with Eisav and his peoples guardian (among other candidates).

One of these pachim made its way down the ages to Shemuel. Shemuel used it to anoint Shaul as our nations first king.

>From Shemuel, the jug was eventually inherited by Elisha. When the poor Shunamit woman came to him desperate for funds so that her sons wont be sold as slaves, Elisha told her to collect any vessel she had that could hold oil, and to borrow all such that she could from her neighbors. And Elisha then took the jug with the left over oil from the annointing of Shaul, and filled every utensil in her home.

(Im sure you see whats coming next, but to spell out the details.) This jug was then placed in the first Beis haMiqdash, not with the other jugs of oil, but with the collection of artifacts that attest to miracles (the jar of mon, Moshes staff, Aharons blooming almond branch, etc..) And the jug made it through the interegnum and was placed in a similar spot in the second bayis. The seal that most understand to be a mark of purity is taken by this midrash to also mark this special jug so that it not be confused with the regular ones.

When the Yevanim defiled all the oil, this oil wasnt found because it wasnt stored with the rest! (I know, if we assume this medrash is historical, it contradicts a trend of thought I developed in another recent post.) And the same miracle that supported the Shunamit is the miracle of the oil of Chanukah. The pach shemen of Chanukah was one of the pachim qetanim of Yaaqov.

Which answers the Beis Yoseifs question: If the oil was enough for one day, the miracle was only on the subsequent days. Burning on the first day was normal. What is the miracle that we commemorate by celebrating that day too? According to this Yalqut Reuveini, the miracle was that they filled the menorah and afterward, the jug was still full.

Whats the point of this medrash, the lesson its written to teach? Looking at the key themes in it, I think I can suggest an idea.

The medrash ties Yaaqov going back for the pachim qetanim his battle with Eisavs guardian, to Shaul, to supporting the Shunamit to Chanukah. What do they have in common?

Why did Yaakov go back for a small jug? Didnt he just gratefully leave Eisav behind in that area, happy that there was no fighting? Doesnt that mean it was dangerous?

Rashi on Vayishlach quotes Chazal that Yaaqov went back because the righteous consider their money precious, because they earn their money honestly. Proper business ethics isnt just the permissable way to conduct business, it actually sanctifies the activity. And therefore, the pachim qetanim were sacred to Yaaqov, not to be simply left behind.

Eisavs role in the ideal universe was mastered by Yaaqov  he internalized the notion of the role of the physical and how to sanctify the physical. Of course at that point Yaaqov is challenged by Eisavs guardian and succeeds.  And when he gains that mastery, thats the moment at which Yaaqov becomes Yisrael. And according to the Zohar Chadash, Leiah corresponds to Yisrael, while Racheil corresponds to Yaaqov. It also says that this is why Racheil was Yaaqovs favorite wife during the first part of his life, but after her passing, he builds the rest of his life with Leiah. Racheil is the yefas toar  the beautiful looking wife. Its easy to see the spirituality of a life at battle with the physical world. Leiah has the deeper and longer relationship, although its one that must be built upon pain.

Shauls mission for his kingship is to vanquish Amaleiq. Amaleiq is a nation whose namesake forefather was Eisavs grandson.   He is from Racheil, because his job is Yaaqovs job rather thaan Yisraels, to vanquish the improperly harnessed physicality. And then Shaul is succeeded by David, who is from Yehudah and thus Leiah, who starts the process of building the Beis HaMiqdash  sacred wealth and beauty.

The Shunamit was supported in her time of need by the rewards of Yaaqovs sacred toiling in this world. The money which was earned through honest and forthright business dealings will always suffice.

Which brings us to Chanukah. Chanukah was a step before Eisav-Edom, back at Yavan, Romes role model. The Jews lost themselves to Hellene values. To a religion where even the gods represent physical forces: Ares was the god of war, Hermes was the concept of change, Venus of love, etc

And then they find the jug of oil. The jug of holy wordliness, of sanctifying the universe through halakhah. Not disdain for the physical or the beautiful, but knowing its value  as a tool. And with that concept the Chashmonaim revived Jewish loyalty, disbanded Hellenist oppression, and restored the concept of Jewish autonomy for the next two centuries. And when we couldnt maintain that, we still had the notion that there was a role for Yefetic culture but not a clear idea of what that role was, in stepped Edom. Through that struggle with Edom, we can restore the world to two great lights  Yisrael and Eisav working in harmony.

וייראוך כל המעשים, וישתחוו לפניך כל הברואים, ויעשו כלם אגודה אחת לעשות רצונך בלבב שלם!

And everything made will have fear/awe for You,

And everything created will prostrate before You,

And they will be made together in a single union to do You Will wholeheartedly!
-Rosh haShanah and Yom Kippur Amidah

 

This posting includes a media file: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Aspaqlaria/~5/494807772/pinchas.pdf

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