עֹשֶׂ֥ה שָׁ֝ל֗וֹם בִּמְרוֹמָֽיו
He Makes peace in Heaven
So beloved is peace, that the Holy One of Blessings gave it to the heaven, as it says: “He Makes Peace on His heights / עֹשֶׂ֥ה שָׁ֝ל֗וֹם בִּמְרוֹמָֽיו.[1].
Q: If shalom is so beloved by Hakadosh Baruch Hu, why does He focus seemingly as His Active Peace Making” in the heavens rather than on earth? Is the world not created for man?
The Malbim offers a beautiful perspective on “He Makes Peace in the heavens” .
The Malbim explains how the heavenly systems such as the astrological arrangement are each assigned roles to act out in the world by Hashem, The Source of all powers. Each has its own unique design and purpose to fulfill. Each star moves exactly the measure allowed by Hashem. Hashem assures that each act with judgment and with righteousness. Hashem is The Source of all and not to be Chas V’shalom confused with what seems to be powerful stars. Each star contains sufficient fear of Hashem and sticks to role; He describes the idea of Hashem Making shalom in the His upper world with the following attributes:
- Hashem’s Hashgacha over the systems, meaning His Dominion and Direct Involvement over all of these powerful systems, giving testimony that He is The Source of all powers.
- The assurance of the “din” and “tzedek” in their execution of their tasks allotted to them.
- They remain subject to Hashem by retaining their reverence of Hashem despite being forces that oppose one another in terms of roles and the elements they are formed with.
- Despite their roles opposing one to another , Hashem is at the head of the hierarchy weaving connections between the letters of Creation ensuring the specifics exist with the general Providence for a complete book, [לספר שלם ] meaning written with Divine Wisdom and Knowledge.
Practical Application:
Rabbeinu Bachya describes an incredible concept to me. I think he shows how we can also be G-d like and create shalom internally and therefore externally. To me it is a depiction of the process of Shalom, mirroring the workings above in the most personal of ways.
He says that we have the ability to cure our afflictions of the soul and body, by ingesting the very opposite ingredients which caused the illness. Meaning we can use the existence of opposites to cure, to choose to elevate ourselves and the world as the means to attach to Hashem.
He describes how one can counteract different sins by subsequent performance of good deeds, to reverse the damage caused by the sins.
He says the following:
“Our sages said: “if a person sinned with his tongue let him engage in Torah study. If he sinned by improper use of his eyes, let him shed many tears”
The sages in Vayikra Rabbah 21,4 say that if one has committed a whole package of sins, one should endeavor to offset them with a similar package of commandments performed carefully. If one’s feet had been eager to rush towards an opportunity to commit a sin, they should now be at least as eager to run towards an opportunity to perform good deeds. If one’s hands had been in the habit of spilling the blood of the innocent, the same hands should become preoccupied with the laying of phylacteries accompanied by the liberal distribution of money to the poor.”[2]
Lessons from Above:
Teshuva and Shalom:
Hashem created opposites in terms of good and evil, for us to use to become “shalem” to commit to attach to Hashem, as Rabbeinu Bachya teaches is possible when we become acquirers of shalom in ourselves and in the world when are deliberately sanctify Hashem’s name through teshuva.
Yiras Hashem and Shalom:
It is my understanding that each one of us can be considered a letter of the “Aleph Beit” with infinite possibilities when we are rooted in Our Source. When we choose to live with awareness of Hashem, according to the dictates of our Divine Sefer, our Torah.
Kavod Habrios , Kavod Hashem, and Shalom:
By serving our Ultimate Master according to His Will, and performing our roles accordingly we are acting with justice and righteousness just as Hashem does in the upper world as an act of Shalom. We receive the influence from above to not deviate from the role Hashem gave us, or imposing on others.
Hashem’s Hashgacha, and Shalom:
When we do so , we are bringing Hashem’s Hashgacha in our process, expanding His name , or Shalom in the world. we are then able to have our place in the whole. Our letter has its place in The Divine Alphabet.
Since the redemption is hinged upon shalom, it would be reasonable to conclude that each time we can do the process of internal shalom as described by Rabeinu Bachya we are actually participating in the geula, redemption process! I suggest that this idea of shalom as a pre-requisite to redemption is why our Chazal say:
חָבִיב הוּא הַשָּׁלוֹם שֶׁנְּתָנוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בַּשָּׁמַיִם
“So beloved is peace, that the Holy One of Blessings gave it to the heaven.”
We can therefore know clearly from Hashem, that every time we do an act as a demonstration of our true commitment to attach to Hashem with the shalom attributes of Teshuva, having reverence of Hashem, treating Him and others with Kavod, acting according to His Will, with Tzedek, righteousness as people who plant seeds of light in the world, and Din retaining the clarity that what we do matters; we are doing that which is so beloved by Hashem.
I also think this is what it means to build a Bais Hamikdosh both in the upper worlds and below. We are therefore participating and giving testimony to the fact that “He Makes peace” above, allowing for the upper and lower worlds to be connected. This is the connecting of the first story of Creation and the second Story of Creation, “לספר שלם”.
May we be all be Zoche to emulate the workings of Hashem, His Shalom for a speedy redemption, “Please Hashem!”.
[1] Devarim Rabba, 5: חָבִיב הוּא הַשָּׁלוֹם שֶׁנְּתָנוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בַּשָּׁמַיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (איוב כה, ב): עֹשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם בִּמְרוֹמָיו
[2] Rabbeinu Bachya, Vayikra 22:32:2- Sefaria translation
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