Those Who Sit in the Tent Understand, and Those in Business See - Parshas Matos

00:00 The chossid Reb Mendel Futerfas, a"h, related that he was once in Lubavitch for Sukkos—I believe it was in 5675. By then, the Rebbe Rashab had already begun delivering the well-known series of maamarim from 5672. That series was a long one, dealing with profound Chassidus. The Rebbe Rashab began it in 5672 and continued until after Tishrei, into Cheshvan 5676. In other words, he delivered the series over roughly four years, discussing profound subjects in Chassidus, with maamar following maamar. As is known, during Sukkos 5675—and throughout that Tishrei—the Rebbe Rashab delivered a particularly deep part of the series, a succession of maamarim in which he explained fundamental and subtle concepts in Chassidus at length. One of the maamarim that Sukkos began with the words, “So that all the peoples of the earth may know that Hashem is Elokim; there is nothing else.” That maamar, which formed part of the series, dealt with these subjects and explored the unity of Hashem in great depth and breadth: the unity of Hashem as revealed by the Baal Shem Tov. “Havayah is Elokim” means that the entire reality of nature, the world and physical existence is nothing but G-dliness—the Divine power that creates it at every moment—and apart from Him, nothing exists. He explained this at length, with analogies, explanations and proofs. And at the end of the maamar, he explained that this is

02:04 the meaning of the verse, “So that all the peoples of the earth may know that Hashem is Elokim; there is nothing else”: “the peoples of the earth” does not refer only to the nations of the world. Within every Jew there are “peoples of the earth”—his body and animal soul, which Chassidus calls “the non-Jew within you,” his own body and animal soul. Through the work of contemplation and serving Hashem in the way of Chassidus, one can reach a point where even the animal soul will “know”—it will have an awareness, recognition and feeling that “Havayah is Elokim”; that Elokim and Havayah, nature and that which is above nature, are all one, and “there is nothing else”—nothing exists apart from Hakadosh Boruch Hu. It was a rich and deeply satisfying maamar, a profound discussion of the unity of Havayah: how this truth exists in the soul of every Jew, and how one can come to understand it and live with it, until it affects even the body and animal soul. That Sukkos, chassidim sat together for farbrengens. During Chol Hamoed, there was apparently a Simchas Beis Hashoeivah every night, with lively farbrengens. At one of those farbrengens, they discussed this subject, and some older chassidim were there too. Another well-known chossid was present—he himself was not yet so old, but he was already among the householders, among the... He was a fairly simple Jew named Reb Michael. They used to

03:36 call him Reb Michael Dvorkin. Michael Dvorkin was a man of hidden depths. Outwardly, he was a simple chossid, without [unclear], but he was a very deep person, strongly connected to the Rebbeim and deeply devoted to Chassidus and the ways of Chassidus. He was a chossid whom the Rebbeim greatly valued and loved. As is known, there are quite a few stories about the chossid Reb Michael Dvorkin. The farbrengen also included the Temimim of Lubavitch—the older and younger students—and the mashpi’im. Among them was the well-known mashpia Reb Shalom Kuratin. Reb Shilem was a young married man, but he was one of those who would review the maamarim the Rebbe Rashab delivered in those days, and he was also a mashpia in the yeshiva, a mashpia for the students of Tomchei Temimim. He was a great chossid, a devoted servant of Hashem and a gifted man, and so on. As they sat at the farbrengen, they spoke about this maamar. Reb Michael asked Reb Shilem whether the concept of “Havayah is Elokim” sat well with him. That is, did the concept shine for him as the Rebbe had presented it? Had he grasped and understood it? Reb Shilem said, “Yes”: he worked on the concept, thought about it, studied it and lived with it, and “Havayah is Elokim” sat well with him. Reb

05:07 Michael said that was not true. And he did not merely say it: he had already said l’chaim, and he spoke sharply. He was somewhat fiery by nature, and he expressed himself heatedly, [unclear]. In his view, what Reb Shilem had said was simply impossible; an ordinary, simple chossid could not be on such a level. To him, the idea was utterly inconceivable. Later, he went in to the Rebbe Rashab, and because he had a humble view of himself, he said, “How can Reb Shilem say that ‘Havayah is Elokim; there is nothing else’ sits well with him? How can that be? It isn’t true.” He said this out of humility. But the Rebbe listened calmly and told him: The difference between you and Shilem is, as explained in Chassidus, the difference between a businessman and one who sits in the tent of Torah study. There are two paths in serving Hashem: there are those who sit in the tent, whose work is the spiritual work of Torah study and serving Hashem; and there are businessmen, who are out in this world and must deal with business matters. The Rebbe said that those who sit in the tent understand G-dliness, while businessmen see G-dliness—for them, it is a matter of seeing. So it is impossible to argue with

06:39 you, Reb Michael. Reb Michael was a man of understanding, you know, and for him “Havayah is Elokim; there is nothing else” was a question; that is a different kind of work. What Reb Shilem was speaking about, since he sat in the tent of Torah study and was a mashpia in Tomchei Temimim, was entirely a matter of intellectual grasp and understanding. And when it comes to understanding, that is indeed the point: to internalize “Havayah is Elokim; there is nothing else.” But for it to become something one sees—that is a different kind of work. In today’s parsha, Parshas Matos, we find this idea in the story of the tribes of Gad and Reuven. It is one of those stories that are very difficult to understand, even on the plain level, and all the commentators raise many questions about it: what happened here, in the story of Gad and Reuven? The Torah tells us in Parshas Matos that the tribes of Gad and Reuven came to Moshe Rabbeinu and said, “Let this land be given to your servants as a possession.” They had a great deal of livestock, so they wanted an inheritance outside Eretz Yisroel, to remain here on the other side of the Jordan. Moshe Rabbeinu answered them sharply and rebuked them at length. More than that, he even compared them to the spies. He said it was exactly the same thing: “This is what your fathers did.” Forty years earlier there had been the episode of the spies, one of the gravest sins the Jewish people had committed, when

08:04 the spies did not want to enter Eretz Yisroel. How could you come in the same way, [unclear], wanting to remain outside Eretz Yisroel rather than enter it? After all the words of rebuke Moshe Rabbeinu addressed to Gad and Reuven, they told him that was not what they meant. On the contrary, they did want to enter Eretz Yisroel and fight alongside the Jewish people. They were not afraid; on the contrary, they were prepared to go ahead as the vanguard, stand on the front line and lead the entire campaign. Only after the whole war and everything involved in it was over, and the Jewish people had settled [unclear], would they return to their place on the other side of the Jordan. As soon as they said this, Moshe Rabbeinu was immediately reassured. And not only was he reassured—he granted their request. He made it conditional, saying he would do so if they indeed fulfilled everything they had promised. And more than that: as the parsha goes on to relate, Moshe Rabbeinu gave the land across the Jordan to Gad and Reuven, and even added half a tribe that had not asked for it at all. According to the plain meaning of the text, half the tribe of Menashe had not requested this at all. Nevertheless, he gave an inheritance to half the tribe of Menashe as well: half the tribe in Eretz Yisroel and half outside it. And that was how the whole arrangement came about.

09:21 This raises serious questions: What happened here? How did Moshe Rabbeinu’s view change so completely, and what is the connection between these things? After all, Moshe Rabbeinu had considered this something he could not agree to. Why did he connect it to the spies? And why did he even give them more? True, they said they would go to war, but that alone would have resolved the problem. If that was what had connected their request to the sin of the spies, there would have been no need to go any further. So what was going on in this exchange? What did they say? And how could Gad and Reuven have done such a thing in the first place? I cannot understand it. For forty years, the Jewish people remembered that episode and saw the great sin that had caused them to remain in the desert for forty years. Were they not ashamed to do such a thing—to enter into something they knew could have bad consequences, and to come and make such a request at all? And what did Moshe Rabbeinu answer after they made that request? More than that: after they said they would go ahead as the vanguard, he even added half the tribe of Menashe to them. Of course, the commentators discuss this, including those who explain the plain meaning of the text, as well as others. The holy Or Hachayim offers wonderful explanations here, and the holy Alshich and others also discuss the matter.

10:38 Explanations and interpretations—the Abarbanel, and each in his own way, focusing on his own point. But here we will discuss the matter as it is explained in Chassidus, and as the Rebbe explained it, following what is explained in Chassidus and in the maamarim of our earlier Rebbes—the Tzemach Tzedek, the Rebbe Maharash, and the Rebbe Rashab—who discuss “much livestock” and explain: What was the approach of the tribes of Gad and Reuven? It resembled that of the original tribes. We know that the forefathers and the tribes were shepherds. What difference does Chassidus explain between Yosef and the forefathers and tribes? Yosef remained in Egypt to the very end and was not afraid of Egypt. The forefathers and the tribes, by contrast, did not want to be occupied with life in Egypt; they wanted to be shepherds. As the Torah itself relates, Yosef Hatzaddik explained to Pharaoh that his brothers were not suited to work in the city. They needed to be out in the countryside, where there was pasture, because they were shepherds then, as they had always been. What is the significance of being a shepherd? The Alter Rebbe explains that the forefathers wanted to be removed from this world. A shepherd spends his time

12:12 in the field, isolated and removed from this world. His whole concern is to be in a spiritual setting, away from all the bustle and commotion of the city. There he can be wholly attached to G-dliness, contemplate G-dliness, and be removed from material things, with his heart focused on the spiritual. That was the approach to serving Hashem of the forefathers and the tribes. The only one whose approach was different was Yosef. He was in Egypt, “the nakedness of the land,” and there he was actually viceroy, in the midst of all the commotion. That is why it says, “They did not recognize him.” The tribes could not believe it; they could not understand how a Jew attached to G-dliness could be in a place devoid of G-dliness, in “the nakedness of the land.” So “they did not recognize him.” Yosef recognized them, but they did not recognize him. They could not recognize such an approach to serving Hashem. But all this was before the Giving of the Torah. Before the Giving of the Torah, serving Hakadosh Boruch Hu meant living spiritually. How does one serve Hakadosh Boruch Hu, how does one connect to G-dliness? One must live a more spiritual, more elevated life: step away from the world and be involved in love of Hashem, fear of Hashem, and contemplation. One must be [unclear], in places where this world, with all its commotion, does not disturb you. After the Giving of the Torah, an entirely new approach to serving Hashem began: making a dwelling for Him in the lower realms.

13:41 At the Giving of the Torah, Hakadosh Boruch Hu descended below and gave the Torah in physical form so that Jews would be here in this physical world and make it a dwelling for Him. That is what was new about the Giving of the Torah. Therefore, when the spies came and said they did not want to enter Eretz Yisroel, it was a sin. Incidentally, for the forefathers this was not a sin; on the contrary, that was their approach to serving Hashem. But after the Giving of the Torah, its entire purpose was to bring Hakadosh Boruch Hu down here, into the world: that Jews should descend, live in this physical world, and make the world a dwelling for Him. The way to do that was to go to Eretz Yisroel, where they were to engage in this work. The spies could not understand this and wanted to remain where they were. This, according to Chassidus, is the meaning of the sin of the spies. The spies were distinguished Jews, not ordinary people at all. “They were all men”—they were worthy people, and Rashi says they were righteous, distinguished people. So what was the issue? Precisely because they were spiritual people, they understood the way to serve Hakadosh Boruch Hu as it had been for the forefathers and the tribes: spiritual service in the desert, without much involvement in physical things, in this world and all that comes with it. That way one could remain removed from the world. So they did not want to enter Eretz Yisroel. And

15:02 that was the sin. As Moshe Rabbeinu told the spies, this was the opposite of the intended purpose. Hakadosh Boruch Hu wants a dwelling in the lower realms, and as Kalev said, “The land is very, very good.” Hakadosh Boruch Hu wants us to enter this world and serve Him. With the tribes of Gad and Reuven, it was a different story. Their approach was entirely different. They loved the land; they understood that entering Eretz Yisroel was the ultimate purpose. They were not arguing against it. At first, their words did make it seem that way, which is why Moshe Rabbeinu rebuked them and compared them to the spies. But once their intention became clear, that they [unclear] in this whole matter, what was distinctive about the spies—about the tribes of Gad and Reuven? What was distinctive about Gad and Reuven was that they understood that it was absolutely true: there is the work of making a dwelling for Him in the lower realms, and the purpose is to make this physical world a dwelling for Him. But to carry out that purpose, the Jewish people need two kinds of Jews: those who dwell in the tent of Torah study, and those engaged in business. Both serve that very same purpose. In other words, G-d forbid, we do not want to flee from our purpose of making the world

16:33 a dwelling for Him. Quite the opposite. We know and understand that this is the purpose: we must enter Eretz Yisroel. Hakadosh Boruch Hu wants us to make a dwelling for Him within the physicality of this world, to transform the world and make it a dwelling for Him. That is why Jews must enter Eretz Yisroel. But to do this work of making a dwelling in the lower realms, there must always be [unclear]. Within the Jewish people, there must be a segment that is on a more elevated level. They cannot be immersed in the affairs of this world. This is essential to the purpose of making a dwelling in the lower realms. The Rebbe explains that making this world a dwelling for Him has two parts. First there is the actual construction of the dwelling: you need stones, beams, wood—you need all the building materials. Then there is the light. A dwelling needs a special illumination. It can have stones and everything else, all the good things; but if it lacks light, it lacks something essential to being a dwelling. An illuminated dwelling—all the [unclear], the quality, the matter of [unclear] Hakadosh Boruch Hu, in terms of making a dwelling in the lower realms, making this world [unclear] for Hakadosh Boruch Hu—there are those who must build the dwelling itself, and that is what people engaged in business do.

17:49 Business. This is done by those who are in the physical world, involved with nature and the world, and engaged in this work. But for the dwelling to be illuminated, it must also have spiritual refinement. There must always be Jews whose focus is Torah, whose focus is spirituality. They must be set apart from the world in order to bring light into this dwelling. This does not mean that the two groups should be disconnected or separate from one another. On the contrary, each is meant to influence the other: those who dwell in the tent of Torah study should influence those engaged in business. That is why we find, why we hear about Yissachar and Zevulun: among the tribes themselves there is Yissachar and there is Zevulun. Zevulun provides Yissachar with material support, and Yissachar provides Zevulun with spiritual sustenance. Together, Yissachar and Zevulun, the spiritual and the physical, fulfill the higher purpose. And each influences the other. It is not that those who dwell in the tent of Torah study sit in the beis midrash, cut themselves off, and remain absorbed there all the time. Rather, they specifically need to devote time each day to influencing those engaged in business and elevating them spiritually, so that the dwelling will be illuminated. On the other hand, those engaged in business make the dwelling for Him; they do the work

19:08 in the physical realm, and conduct their material affairs in a way that “all your deeds should be for the sake of Heaven,” and so forth, “in all your ways, know Him.” It is specifically through both groups that we make a dwelling for Him and ensure that it is an illuminated dwelling. This is what Moshe Rabbeinu helped the tribes of Gad and Reuven understand. How can you tell whether your remaining on the other side of the Jordan is right? Those who go—the majority of Jews, who are engaged in business—must go to Eretz Yisroel, engage in all the physical activities, and make them a dwelling for Him. And there is this group within the Jewish people, those who dwell in the tent of Torah study, who must sit and learn and pray as part of their spiritual service of Hashem. But how can we tell that such a person’s learning, prayer, and spiritual service are not simply because it is easier and more pleasant for him, because that is what he wants, as was the case with the spies? Rather, he understands that this too is part of the purpose. Just as the higher purpose, Hakadosh Boruch Hu’s intention to have a dwelling in the lower realms, requires Jews engaged in all kinds of practical activities, so too, for that purpose to be properly fulfilled, there must also be Jews who learn and pray and whose focus is the inner dimension of spirituality. It follows that he does not learn and pray merely because it is pleasant and enjoyable for him, but

20:23 Because that is what Hakadosh Boruch Hu wants. He wants to carry out His simple will, His desire, the ultimate purpose. And that is why this is his work. But he is ready to go out at the front of the army. He is ready to put himself and all his concerns aside, go out at the front, and show his self-sacrifice: he gives himself over, does not think of himself at all, and goes to war with utter devotion. Then, when the war ends, he returns to his place, knowing that his mission is to remain on the other side of the Jordan. This is the story of the tribes of Gad and Reuven. With this, we understand why Moshe Rabbeinu did more than simply accept their request. This brings out the point and helps us understand what Gad and Reuven truly intended. Because they showed their willingness to sacrifice themselves and go out at the front, he not only accepted their request but also added the tribe of Menashe to them. Why did he add the tribe of Menashe? The Rebbe gave two explanations. One explanation concerns the special quality of the tribe of Menashe. Why was it necessary to add half the tribe of Menashe? Because Menashe had a love for the Land of Israel, as we find in the preceding parsha, Parshas Pinchas. Who showed this love for the Land? The daughters of Tzelofchad, son of Chefer. The daughters of Tzelofchad were from Menashe, among his descendants, and Menashe was Yosef’s son. And so the verse says, and Rashi says that…

21:47 Just as Yosef loved the Land, so did Menashe; they had an exceptional love for it. That is why they were divided in two, so that the need for a connection between the two groups would always be felt: those who dwell in the tents of Torah study should influence those engaged in business, and those engaged in business should influence those who dwell in the tents of Torah study. That way, there would be a connection. [unclear] Each person, at his own level, would work to make it an illuminated dwelling. And there is another point: why Menashe specifically, and not Ephraim, Yosef’s other son? Chassidus explains that the name Menashe comes from the words “for He has made me forget”—“for G-d has made me forget,” as the verse says. In other words, he always remembers that this is not his place; he wants to leave it. Yosef named his son Menashe, saying, “For G-d has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s house.” As the commentators explain, this is the point: he wanted always to remember that his place was his father’s house, that Egypt was not his place. This was meant to awaken his longing and thirst to leave there and return to his father’s house. Similarly, the presence of half the tribe of Menashe outside the Land of Israel, on the other side of the Jordan, awakened a longing and thirst to leave the lands outside Israel and go to the Land of Israel.

23:12 Yes, they would always be together and be remembered as one. So we see from this that each person needs to do more in his own work and understand that the purpose of every path of service—both that of those who dwell in the tents of Torah study and that of those engaged in business—is to bring about the revelation of G-dliness, to reveal Hashem’s oneness in the world, so that the ultimate purpose of a dwelling in the lower realms will be fulfilled: the world will be a dwelling for Hakadosh Boruch Hu, and not merely a dwelling, but an illuminated dwelling. Then we will go to greet Moshiach, our righteous redeemer, when “the Land of Israel will spread to all lands.” The lands that are now on the other side of the Jordan, along with other lands outside Israel, will then be the lands of the Keini, Kenizi, and Kadmoni, “when Hashem expands your borders.” May we indeed merit the complete Geulah soon in our days, amen, and the building of the third Beis Hamikdash, when “these days will be transformed into joy and gladness and festivals.”