Parshas Pinchas - Maaseh Merkava
Referring to Hashem’s instructing Moishe how to appoint Yehoshua as his successor, it says in the Pasuk (27:20) “Venasatah meyhodchah alav …” (“You should give from your splendor [“Hod”] onto him…”).
Rashi tells us that “from your splendor” is referring to the beaming light from the skin of Moishes face.
Rashi further learns out, that since it says “ from your splendor” HaShem is telling Moishe to give over only part of his splendor, but not all of it. Rashi continues to explain that this is like we learn that “Moishe’s face is like the sun and Yehoshua’s face is like the moon.”
The Sifsay Chachamim explains that Rashi is telling us that Moshe’s face illuminated more than Yehoshua’s.
He also brings down others that further explain; That just like the sun got its light from HsShem and the moon got its light from the sun, so too Moishe got the beaming light of the skin of his face from HaShem, and Yehoshua got (it) from Moishe.
On this same Posuk the Baal HaTurim gives us the following amazing insight: The word “meyhodchah” (“from your splendor”) is the same gematria (numerical value) as the word “HaSod” (“the secret” [expression used to describe the hidden, Kabbalistic interpretation of the Torah]).
He explains; That this means that Moishe gave over to Yehoshua “Sod HaMerkava” (the Secret of the Chariat” [ term referring to the Kabbalistic section in The Book of Eisekial]), and “Maaseh Beraishis” ([Knowledge of] “the Act of Creation”).
We see from this, that when the Posuk tells us “Venasatah meyhodchah alav …” (“You should give from your splendor onto him…”) this is in actuality referring to Moishe giving over to Yehoshua all the lofty hidden secrets of the Knowledge of Kabbalah, which Moishe had received on Mount Sinai from HaShem.
And thus we now have a deeper understanding of the before mentioned explanation; That just like the sun got its light from HaShem and the moon got its light from the sun, so too Moishe got the beaming light of the skin of his face from HaShem, and Yehoshua got (it) from Moishe.
That is to say, Moishe got the Kabbalah from HaShem, and Yehoshua got (it) from Moishe!!
Of course as Rashi tells us Moishe gave to Yehoshua the literal shinning bright countenance of the light beaming from the skin of his face, but perhaps this external beaming light was a reflection of the internal light of Kabbalah that Moishe had within himself, and thus when Moishe transferred this internal light of the Knowledge of Kabbalah to Yehoshua its external light followed suit.
There is a concept in Kabbalah of “Hispashtusah DeMoishe” (“the Emanation of Moishe”). This refers to the concept of Tzadikim and Leaders of the Jewish People in every generation, as a sort of ongoing Moishe in every generation. It is interesting to note that very often people who have merited to see great True Tzadikim will remark about the glowing faces these Tzadikim beheld. This is perhaps due to the “Hod” (“Splendor”), the deep Knowlegde of Kabbalah that these Tzadikim contain within, and radiate from without.
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2 Responses to “Parshas Pinchas - Maaseh Merkava”
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Dear Rav,
Thank you for answering my previous question.
I have another question based on the Parshas Pinchas - Maaseh Merkava.
As you have explained to us that “Moishe gave/transferred to Yehoshua the internal light of the Knowledge of Kabbalah” are there any indications, or even traditions of how we are meant to understand the “mechanics” of how this transfer occurred? Because to me it sounds almost like (please forgive me for using a computer as a reference) someone uploading a file from a source to a target location almost instantaneously, or do we to understand that this was done through teaching the wisdom over some period of time?
Thank you,
Kalman
Kalman,
Later in Parshas Pinchas the pasukim (27:22-23) describe Moishe actually performing the biddings of HaShem concerning the transfer of leadership to Yehoshua. The end of these pasukim state; “… kaasher deebair HaShem…” (“…as HaShem spoke…”).
Rashi tells us that these seemingly extra words of these posukim are referring to the actual process were Moishe gives over from his “hod” “Splendor” to Yehoshua.
My dear friend, I wish I could tell you how/and how long this transfer actually transpired,
but for now we must be content with the knowledge that this great transmission did occur, henceforth our link to Chachmas HaKabbalah from HaShem on Mt Sinai to Moishe to Yehoshua and ultimately to us.
–Fievel Okowita