[Avodah] tu beshvat

[Micha Berger]

On Fri, Feb 10, 2012 at 01:14:11PM +0200, Eli Turkel wrote:
: Rav Kook explains that the trees stand for the ways to achieve a goal
: while the fruit is the goal. VaYomer in Breishit signifies what G-d
: set as the ultimate goal that one should have the same outlook for the
: ways to achieve the goal and for achieving the goal itself. In real life
: people frequently suffer through a process in order to achieve a final
: goal both physically and spiritually. This is the VaYaas of the Torah as
: life is presently but the ultimate goal is given by the VaYomer. Hence,
: as is obvious the earth did not sin (it doesnt have free will) but
: rather G-d gave both the realistic way and the way one should strive to
: reach perfection.

I blogged about this RAYK
<http://www.aishdas.org/asp/2005/11/origins-of-imperfection.shtml>.

To quote R BZ Bokser's translation of Oros haTeshuvah:
    At the inception of creation it was intended that the tree have the
    same taste as the fruit. All the supportive actions that sustain any
    general worthwhile spiritual goal should by right be experienced in
    the soul with the same feeling of elation and delight as the goal
    itself is experienced when we envision it. But earthly existence,
    the instability of life, the weariness of the spirit when confined
    in a corporate frame brought it about that only the fruition of the
    final step, which embodies the primary ideal, is experienced in its
    pleasure and splendor. The trees that bear the fruit, with all their
    necessity for the growth of the fruit have, however, become coarse
    matter and have lost their taste. This is the failing of the "earth"
    because of which it was cursed when Adam was also cursed for his sin.

My take was part of looking at the origins of imperfection. Step 1,
I suggested:
    According to Rav Kook, the medrash gives the reason why the holiness
    of our goal is not felt in our day-to-day life. Our physical framework
    is limited and needs support. It requires our attention. The
    trees didn't embody the ideal because they were afraid for their
    survival. In truth, the mundane only exists to be the means to an end,
    but because of the needs of survival, it takes on its own reality.

    The second step occurs on day four, with Hashem's creation of
    the moon...

In particular, the Maharsha on Chullin 60b where the gemara says:
    ... 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." This pains
    the moon, and Hashem subsequently offers three consolations. When
    that fails, Hashem says that we are to bring a qorban to atone for
    His sin....

And the Maharsha, I summarized as:
    [T]he 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 Qidush Levanah). 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?

Then the third step was the eating of the eitz hadaas, which may have
been the esrog and may have been only a problem because Chava and Adam
did so bein hashemashos rather than waiting for nighfall and full
Shabbos. So, it's associated with the fruit where ta'am eitzo upiryo
shaveh at a time when both kings share the crown (erev), causing an
irbuvya of tov vara within the soul.

To continue RBZB's translation of RAYK to provide a happy ending:
    But every defect is destined to be mended. Thus we are assured
    that the day will come when creation will return to its original
    state, when the taste of the tree will be the same as the taste of
    the fruit. The "earth" will repent of its sin, and the way of the
    practical life will no longer obstruct the delight of the ideal,
    which is sustained by appropriate intermediate steps on its way
    toward realization, and will stimulate its emergence from potentiality
    to actuality.


:-)BBii!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             We are great, and our foibles are great,
micha at aishdas.org        and therefore our troubles are great --
http://www.aishdas.org   but our consolations will also be great.
Fax: (270) 514-1507                        - Rabbi AY Kook