Hagaon
Rav Meir
Simcha zt”l on Parshat Vayikra
(from
Meshech
Chokhma on Vayikra)
Nighttime Light
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The Torah (Vayikra 3:2) speaks of slaughtering sacrifices,
"at the opening of the Tent of Meeting ('petach
Ohel Moeid')." At first glance this refers to a
place - the opening of the Tent. The Sages, however,
comment (Zevachim 55b) that "opening" refers to
a point in time - when the gates were opened in
the morning. According to Tosafot this applies to
all sacrifices.
[The Torah Temima, quoted in R. Kuperman's footnotes
on the Meshech Chokhma, explains why the Sages seem
to deviate from the simple meaning of the verse.
Instead of using the usual "lifnei (before) Ohel
Moeid" the Torah here uses "petach (opening of)
Ohel Moeid."]
Why must the sacrificial service only begin after
the opening of the gates of the Temple? The Meshech
Chokhma explains:
- that the gates were opened at daybreak;
- that daybreak is the time of Revelation; and
- that it was essential for sacrifices to be
offered at the time of Revelation, so there
should be no misconceptions about the sacrifices
being directed at any other powers.
In line with this second premise, that Revelation
takes place during the day, we find that Moshe's
prophecies all took place during the day (Mekhilta
Bo). Moshe knew it was day on Mount Sinai when
G-d taught him Torah (Shemot Rabba 47:5). At night
he learned by himself.
Learning Torah at Night
In light of this, the Sages make two statements
about the greatness of learning Torah at night.
If the revelation to Moshe took place during the
day, one might have thought that Torah learning
at night is somehow of less value. To counter
this the Sages say, "When Talmidei Chakhamim (Torah
scholars) are involved in Torah at night, it is
considered as if they had been involved in the
service in the Temple, as it says, 'The servants
of G-d who stand in the house of G-d at nights
(Tehillim 134:1).'" Do not think that nighttime
Torah study is of no special value. Torah at night
is tantamount to the daytime Temple service.
The Sages go even further in a different statement.
"Anyone who is involved in Torah at night, the
Divine Presence is before him, as it says, 'Rise
up, sing (learn Torah) in the night . . . opposite
G-d's Face (Eikha 2:19).'" The Divine Presence
is revealed to one who learns Torah at night even
though prophetic revelation only took place during
the day.
The Meshech Chokhma suggests another (metaphoric)
meaning for this statement. Learning at night
might be a way of referring to one who learns
quietly, modestly and altruistically. One whose
learning has some ulterior motive (metaphorically
-- daytime learning, showy) will eventually benefit
from it, but he is as one who "sows in tears"
(based on Tehillim 126:5). He will eventually
"reap with joy", but only after a long process
(eventually learning for the Torah's own sake).
One who learns just for the sake of connecting
with G-dliness, on the other hand, immediately
reaps the benefits of his learning. This is the
person who "learns at night", rises up and sings
in the night because the Divine Presence is immediately
before him.
[prepared
by Eliezer Kwass]
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