Parshat Mishpatim
According to the mystical book the Zohar every idea, sentence and letter of the Torah contains deep mysteries.
For instance, the fifty-three commandments of this week's Torah portion begin with the commandment of the Eved Ivri (Jewish servant-slave). Detailed laws regarding a penniless Jew who sold himself (or was sold by the court if he is a thief) to another Jew as a total servant.
But the wordage of the sentence seems to imply something deeper; that EVERY Jew is poor (spiritually) and only Moses can correct this by ‘selling’ them as Jewish servants .... to the Almighty Creator.
Does this make sense? What is this spiritual poverty? Is Moses really so different that only he can fix it? And how exactly can he do it to ALL the millions of Jews? And what does it mean servant of G-d? Is there anything that G-d ‘can’t’ do Himself that he needs servants?
To understand this, here is a story. (HaShavoa Newspaper 25-1-07)
After the expulsion from Spain, Morocco became a great center of Judaism. In fact, until just recently it was the home of myriads of Jews, many of them 'Tzadikim' (completely holy Jews) one of whom was Rabbi Yisroel Abuchasera. (Often nicknamed 'the Baba Sali')
Besides being fluent in all aspects of the Torah; (mystical, legal, Talmudic etc.) the Baba Sali, like Moses thousands of years earlier, often did miracles in order to help others.
Here is an example.
It was the Baba Sali's custom to regularly travel to Jewish communities in Morrocco to inspire, bless, and advise them.
Once in his journeys he arrived in a distant city where all the Jews turned out to greet him and ceremoniously escort him to the largest synagogue where, after the evening prayer, he spoke words of Torah.
He held the crowd spellbound for several hours with everything from simple and practical ideas to deep and even mystical concepts and when he finished the entire crowd stood on their feet beaming with joy and awe crowding around him to shake his hand, thank him and receive his blessing.
The elder of the congregation was the first to approach him and he requested the honor and blessing of having the Tzadik spend the evening in his home.
But the Baba Sali didn't answer. Rather he cleared his throat for attention and when everyone fell silent he announced; "Despite my fatigue from the journey my first request is that I be taken to see your Mikva."
(Married women are required by Torah law to immerse once a month in a 'ritual pool' based on rain water called a 'Mikva' built according to Torah standards.)
The town elders nervously began clearing their throats and shooting desperate, sheepish looks at one another. Until finally one of them stepped forward, hung his head and explained.
"Well, you see, that is.... Errrrr... rain doesn't fall very often here and, well. Well, the Mikva is dry and..."
He felt he was melting under the stare of the Tzadik as he continued. "And it hasn't been used for, well, as long as I can remember. The women here travel to the Mikva about an hour's ride from here."
The Baba Sali replied "Where is YOUR Mikva? I want to see the Mikva in this town!"
"But it's empty" someone else meekly protested, "and it's filthy. I mean, it hasn't been used for at least fifteen years"
But the Tzadik insisted, repeating his request and ignoring all the excuses.
So, with no alternative they escorted him and in ten minutes they were standing before a dilapidated building covered with dirt and weeds.
The Baba Sali, with the help of some of the crowd, pushed aside the obstructions, managed to open the door and entered. In a few moments came out, removed his fine linen outer robe, handed it to one of the rabbis, then rolled up his sleeves and re-entered to begin cleaning.
In just seconds all the men in the town were at work clearing the mikveh room and the grounds outside. And after they were finished the women entered and put on the finishing touches. Five hours later the place was spotless and sparking clean.
But what about the rain water?
The Baba Sali put on his coat, stood before the Mikva building, raised his hands to heaven and cried out:
"Creator of the Universe! We have done all we can. Now You do what only You can... your children need rain!!"
In just moments, as though from nowhere, the sky darkened, a cold wind blew furiously and rain began pouring in such torrents that everyone ran for cover in fear of the awesome miracle.
In no time the Mikva was full to the brim and the rain stopped. Some of the younger men even joined the children dancing for joy in the puddles that filled the road.
But the Tzadik didn't look happy. Exactly the opposite. He held up his hands for quiet and everyone gathered round him again.
"Empty the water from the Mikva!" He announced grimly to a shocked audience.
Someone whimpered, "But we never have rain here, and after so long... when will it rain again?!"
"Empty the water!" He repeated. I have just discovered that the rain water ran to the Mikva through metal pipes. And according to the opinion of the Bait Yehuda; the great Tzadik Rabbi Yehuda Ayish, this is not kosher."
The crowd couldn't believe their ears but with no other choice they dispersed, each one brought a bucket from his home and in no time the miraculous Mikva was, sadly, empty again.
Rav Abuchatzera then directed the men to remove the metal pipes and replace them with simple wood slats and as soon as the work was done he stood just as before, raised his hands to heaven and declared:
"Rabbi Yehuda Ayish! We have just disqualified and corrected this Mikva to comply with your interpretation of the holy Torah. Please pray to the Creator of the Universe that rain should again descend for Your children to do Your will!"
And so it was, the skies again darkened and in just ten minutes torrents of rain again descended and filled the Mikva.
This answers our questions about Moses and the Jewish servant.
The Jewish people have a purpose; to hasten Moshiach who will reveal the truth and, in the language of the prophet Isaiah (11:9), fill world with the awareness of G-d like water fills the ocean. And until Moshiach arrives we are all poor; totally lacking awareness of the true value of life.
Just as the Mikva in our story was lacking rain water so too the world is lacking (and awaiting) the Gdliness of the Torah which is compared to rain (Deut. 32:2).
And just as the Baba Sali brought miraculous rain because he was a ‘servant’ of G-d, and that rain water enabled Jews to purify themselves, so will Moshiach inspire and purify all mankind (Jews first) to become “Jewish Servants” of the Creator to bring the complete redemption.
And that is why G-d ‘needs’ us, because changing our hearts is something that only WE as servants of G-d, can do. He ‘needs’ us as partners to bring the Geula.
And as the Lubavitcher Rebbe said repeatedly; this should happen at any moment. We are standing on the merits of thousands of years of Jewish service, hopes, prayers and suffering. Now just one more good deed, word of even thought, if done with selfless JOY can bring .... MOSHIACH NOW!!!
Rabbi Tuvia Bolton
Yeshiva Ohr Tmimim
Kfar Chabad, Israel
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