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King’s Highway, A Metaphor</title><link rel="stylesheet"
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content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body>Aspaqlaria has posted a new
item, '<a href="https://www.aishdas.org/asp/the-kings-highway-a-metaphor">The
King’s Highway, A Metaphor</a>'<br>
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<p>I was wondering about something related to the attempt to travel on the
<em>Derekh haMelekh</em> through Edom.</p>
<p><em>Derekh haMelekh</em> is the name of an actual highway of the time. But
it sounds much like a reference to the core mitzvah of
“וְהָלַכְתָּ֖ בִּדְרָכָֽיו – and you shall
go in His Ways” (<a
href="https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.28.9?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en">Devarim
28:9</a>). The Rambam (<a
href="https://www.sefaria.org/Mishneh_Torah%2C_Human_Dispositions.1.5-6"><em>Hilkhos
Dei’os</em> 1:5-6</a>) explains this verse in terms of the obligation to
imitate the <em>Middos</em> we see in His actions. (But see <a
href="https://www.sefaria.org/Shabbat.133b.6">Shabbos 133b</a>, where Abba
Shaul finds the source elsewhere.) “Just as He is called
‘Gracious’, you too should be gracious. Just as He is called
‘Compassionate’, you too should be
compassionate….”</p>
<p>So I was thinking, what would it mean if we took this metaphorically. What
would it mean to take a subtext of how the Torah describes this event as a
message about Edom preventing us from taking the King’s route, from
emulating Him?</p>
<p>What does Edom mean in <em>midrashic</em> symbology? There are many correct
answers. Here’s one from the Maharasha <a
href="https://www.aishdas.org/asp/origins-of-imperfection">that I’ve
looked at on this blog</a> and in <a
href="https://www.aishdas.org/mesukim/5764/pinchas.pdf">Mesukim Midevash for
Parashas Pinechas</a> before.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The <em>gemara</em> (Chulin 60b) points out an inconsistency in the
<em>pasuq.</em> 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. Originally the sun and moon were the same size. But the moon
complained to Hashem, “Can there <em>exist</em> 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.” This pains the moon, and Hashem
subsequently offers three consolations. When that fails, Hashem says that we
are to bring a <em>qorban</em> to atone for His sin.</p>
<p>The Maharsha explains 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.</p>
<p>He identifies the sa’ir, the he-goat of the Rosh Chodesh chatas
offering, with Rome the children of Ya’akov’s brother Esav. The
connection between the goat and Rome is that both the word
“sa’ir” and Rome’s ancestor’s name
“Esav”, indicates 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, Israel’s fortunes rise, fall and rise again under
its shadow.</p>
<p>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.<br />…<br />The moon’s
complaint about two rulers sharing the same crown is an observation about
human nature. Man This is actually taken out of context Yitzchak was
describing his perplexity trying to identify Ya’akov who was disguised to
feel like his brother. There is ample precedent to indicate that this second
meaning is also intended by the verse. is incapable of having two primary
goals. Each person most choose between tum’ah and becoming a slave to
his body or taharah and purposeful existence.</p>
<p>G-d diminishes the moon. This seems like a mistake. Is the proper response
to this problem to give the Israel principle the lower hand, to place man in a
universe where the physical seems to reign supreme? To which G-d replies that
even in the midst of the physical world, the higher man is what truly reigns
– it shines both in the day and in the night. But, the moon continues,
the higher man’s say in this world is like “a candle at
noontime.” It is so hard to perceive that voice within ourselves.
Externally, the political arena is dominated by the misled, who oppress us. To
which G-d replies that it is only through the modesty of a Ya’akov, David,
or Shmuel, that true greatness comes. Only then, by not pursuing physical
power, do you hear the real strength in being more than animal. It is only in
the crucible of oppression can Israel become great.</p>
<p>The Maharsha explains that the story is about the Jewish people and our
goals vs the world at large and theirs. The Jews are compared to the moon
(see, for example <em>Qidush Levanah</em>). Edom, the dominant power, is the
sun. Why do we live in a world that seems to be dominated by Edom’s
principal, that might makes right? Why isn’t holiness the dominant idea, and
right make might?</p>
</blockquote>
<p>So, could there be a message here about physicality getting in the way of
our ability to emulate Hashem?</p>
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