עֹשֶׂ֥ה שָׁ֝ל֗וֹם בִּמְרוֹמָֽיו
Q-1: If the upper worlds are a mixture of fire and water, two opposites requiring ‘Shalom” to keep it together; what exactly is the Shalom?
Q-2: Why is it necessary to have these opposites combined?
Q-3 How can we apply it down here on earth?
Q-3: What are we therefore really davening for when we say Hashem makes peace in the Heavens?
Shalom and freedom of choice
There is another fundamental and most incredible aspect to me of the workings of Shalom in the heavens and in all of the creation.
I would like to suggest that the concept of Hashem making Shalom in the world, as being so fundamental to the purpose of a human being! It seems to me that shalom is that which makes it possible for a human being to choose between good and evil. And, to provide therefore a different role for each person to master as well . It is the ability for a human being to attach to Hashem by exercising his free will to attach to Hashem. In other words man was placed in a world of good and evil (opposites) to choose the good for himself.
The opposites exist so that man can really make a choice. If there was no pull from one side or the other it would be no choice at all!.
This is what is being described with the phrase that everything is in the hands of Heaven with the exception of free will: וְאָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא: הַכֹּל בִּידֵי שָׁמַיִם, חוּץ מִיִּרְאַת שָׁמַיִם..[1] . Rashi elaborates and says everything is from The Heavens with the exception of a human being’s free will to choose between becoming a tzadik or rasha, and therefore placed before him these two paths so he can choose having awe of Hashem.[2]
יראה- Reverence serves as a mechanism of shalom.
The Beis HaLevi states[3] that all of creation in the world is created with a nature of awe or fear which neutralizes all of their powers so that the world is not destroyed. He explains that it is this fear that contains the angels even though they are made of opposites, meaning fire and water.
This is why the verse states: הַמְשֵׁ֣ל וָפַ֣חַד עִמּ֑וֹ עֹשֶׂ֥ה שָׁ֝ל֗וֹם בִּמְרוֹמָֽיו, Dominion and dread are His; He imposes peace in His heights[4]. This concept is very clearly in our davening as well.
כולם גבורים וכולם עושים באימה וביראה רצון קונם
The angels are all strong,
And they all fulfill the ratzon of Hashem
with awe and reverence.[5]
Despite the fact that they are all strong, there is no diminishment to their connection and composition. Meaning each angel does not overpower his fellow angel, only they all perform the will of Hashem with awe and reverence of Him.
Choose to Become a Baal Teshuva
Yiras Hashem- tool of shalom
Harav Yosef Dovid Soleveitchik equates shalom as the choice of reverence of Hashem and maintaining the status of a Baal Teshuva. [6].
He explains that a Baal Teshuva needs two things:
- To fix the past, for forgiveness of the misdirected energy
- To be very careful to not continue to sin.
He says to fix the past one needs Chesed and Emes. These are Torah and G’milus Chasadim.
And to be secure that he will no longer continue misdirecting energy, he needs Yiras Hashem.
The Yiras Hashem acts as a protector of the misdirected energy G-d forbid overpowering the good of Torah and Gemillus Chesed. Meaning it allows him to Master himself and overcome evil. It allows him to both fix past mistakes and to secure his future for good. Which also implies that Yiras Hashem serves as the power that maintains one’s derech of Torah and Gemilus Chasadim.
עֹשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם בִּמְרוֹמָיו הוּא יַעֲשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם עָלֵינוּ וְעַל כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל
It seems to me therefore that when we daven and praise Hashem for being a Maker of Peace in the Heavens, and then with the careful words of עָלֵינוּ , it is an invitation to accept the gift of choice to truly become as seeker of Yiras Hashem.
This word עָלֵינוּ shares the same root word of עַל . This is the same word used by Hashem to Adam in the verse וַיְצַו֙ ה׳ אֱלֹקים עַל־הָֽאָדָ֖ם לֵאמֹ֑ר מִכֹּ֥ל עֵֽץ־הַגָּ֖ן אָכֹ֥ל תֹּאכֵֽל.
In fact it was over this directive that Adam actually sinned and chose to eat from the tree prohibited. Which implies therefore that וַיְצַו֙ ה׳ אֱלֹקים עַל־הָֽאָדָ֖ם was when Hashem took this gift of shalom He Makes in the heavens and shared it with the Adam, the human being with a higher soul waiting for him to choose to use, and therefore in future tense; הוּא יַעֲשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם עָלֵינוּ as it is dependent on a human being to choose to accept the directive to have awe of Hashem and therefore not sin and attach to Hashem.
When one makes the choice to better oneself because of his or her reverence of Hashem, one can elevate oneself by making him or herself a vessel of Shlaimus, attachment to Hashem by choosing good and become a Yisroel, opening the gift of “וְעַל כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל”; to be zoche to have Shechina reside within as a constant[7]. When one chooses good, one is actually becoming part of the redemption process which is conditioned on shalom.
May we all be zoche to choose “Yiras Hashem”, to expand Shalom in the world for a speedy redemption and restoration of shechina in our midst, B’mheira B’yameinu. Amein.
[1] Brachos, 33:b:23-שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְעַתָּה יִשְׂרָאֵל מָה ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ שׁוֹאֵל מֵעִמָּךְ כִּי אִםלְיִרְאָה״
And Rabbi Ḥanina said: Everything is in the hands of Heaven, except for awe of Heaven. Man has free will to serve Hashem or not, as it is stated: “And now Israel, what does Hashem, your Empowerer Ask of you other than to have awe of Your your God, The Source of all powers
[2] הכל בידי שמים – כל הבא על האדם ביד הקב”ה כגון ארוך קצר עני עשיר חכם שוטה לבן שחור הכל בידי שמים הוא אבל צדיק ורשע אינו בא על ידי שמים את זו מסר בידו של אדם ונתן לפניו שני דרכים והוא יבחר לו יראת שמים
[3] Harav Yosef Dovid Soleveitchik, Yisro 22, It is known that all of existence in the lower world is mixed with four elements, of fire, air, water, and earth which are contrary and opposites to each other in terms of purpose, like fire and water. Yet the elements combine and the combining is necessary for its existence, so they don’t separate and overpower one over the other; or obtain its sustenance from another element or possibly begin to consume another. Like fire and water, and water from fire as an example. It is fear that protects them by neutralizing their power to not overpower too much to prevent what is needed in order to retain the combinations. Similarly the angels in heaven are a combination of fire and water and the water does not extinguish the fire.
[4] (Iyov, 25:2)
[5] In the Blessing of the Shema, (Yotzer Hakol)
[6] Mishlei, 16:6- בחסד ואמת יכופר עון וביראת ה’ סור מרע, Iniquity is expiated by loyalty and faithfulness, And evil is avoided through fear of Hashem
[7] Ramchal- Derech Hashem
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