עֹשֶׂ֥ה שָׁ֝ל֗וֹם בִּמְרוֹמָֽיו
One of the aspects of “peace above” offered by the Malbim[1] is as follows:
“Despite Hashem having delegated certain powers to the different forces of Nature, they remain subject to His Dependable Charge, maintaining harmony; despite the opposing roles, powers and actions assigned to each celestial being with Hashem at The Head of the hierarchy. All the while Hashem is consistently 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.[2] This is called shalom.”
Q: This idea illustrates Hashem’s infinite power beyond a human being. However besides feeling the awe and gratitude for this glimpse of How Hashem operates the world; What are we supposed to learn and use from His Making peace in the upper worlds as the Malbim describes?
Q: How do we emulate our Creator when His Workings seem so beyond us and truly heavenly?
Q: How does this idea connect to redemption, since shalom is a requirement of redemption?
Daughters of Lot – redemption connection:
The Holy Alshich offers a fascinating idea on the process of redemption.[3] He connects the birth of a Rus, the Moabite, who ultimately births a Dovid Hamelech, and the seeds of Moshiach to the words in Torah in Bamidbar of :
עַל־כֵּ֛ן יֹאמְר֥וּ הַמֹּשְׁלִ֖ים בֹּ֣אוּ חֶשְׁבּ֑וֹן תִּבָּנֶ֥ה וְתִכּוֹנֵ֖ן עִ֥יר סִיחֽוֹן
Therefore the bards would recite: “Come to Cheshbon;
firmly built, And well founded is Sichon’s city.
- בֹּ֣אוּ חֶשְׁבּ֑וֹן– עֹשֶׂ֥ה שָׁ֝ל֗וֹם בִּמְרוֹמָֽיו- the internal conversation using the midah of shalom
He asks, how did the daughters of Lot, merit to have such an outcome through an aveira of having relations with their own father. Yet, he says this “contemplation” of בֹּ֣אוּ חֶשְׁבּ֑וֹן, Come to Cheshbon” is actually referring to the daughters of Lot. Because she exercised this type of calculation, using the midah of shalom, which we will have to understand what it means; they merited to have a Dovid Hamelech and Melech Hamoshiach come from them.
The Alshich says that this conversation of Lot’s daughter, placed her in the elevated category of those who overcame the creative drive that is misdirected, or limits oneself , referred to as the yetzer hara. This seems very strange. What is the Alshich talking about?
What is this contemplation, or calculation according to Chazal?
The Moshilim, “Hamoshlim”; refer to the people who ruled over [hamoshlim] their misdirected drive and can therefore be the ones to say to others: “Come to Cheshbon,”: (1) Come and let us calculate the account of [cḥeshbono] of the world, (2) contemplate the loss incurred by the fulfillment of a mitzvah in contrast to its reward, and the reward for committing a transgression, i.e., the pleasure and gain received, in contrast to the loss it entails.
The Choice :
“Who am I if I stay the way I am?
Or
Who is the me I can become with this Mitzvah?” (MK)
The Alshich states that the daughters of Lot had to weigh the opposing forces; and did a process of בּוֹאוּ חֶשְׁבּוֹן , “come make an accounting”. On one hand, there was no man on earth except their father. If they did not act there would be no world in their perception. To continue the existence of the world required them to lay with their own father ,the only man left. Marriage to him was not an option; as it was not the way of tznius for them, even though it was allowed as per the laws of Noach. So they devised this plan that contained many challenges, and obstacles. They would do this act while he is drunk, despite it not being the way for women to pursue the man, and even though having relations with a father could be considered repulsive[4]. And, on top of it they also had no way of knowing if they would actually be successful in having children.
It certainly seems much easier in many ways to just not go forward with this act that would be considered abhorrent by our standards and certainly very understandable if they would not have proceeded forward with this act.
On the other hand they were a generation very close to the Mabul, the great flood, and saw all the destruction of Sodom, and the loss of their own mother and truly thought the world would not exist unless they would have a child from the only male they knew who was alive, who just happened to have been their father. The daughters of Lot took action to save the world.
“Since all humanity descended from one person, each and every person is obligated to say: The world was created for me, as one person can be the source of all humanity, and recognize the significance of his actions”.[5]
They chose to do all they can to have a boy or a girl to sustain the world so it would not be in vain that Hashem saved them!
The Alshich explains how the daughter of Lot used “Elevated Thought and Contemplation” to merit children that would bring and become the Melech Hamoshiach.
- Making a Cheshbon, to master “his yetzer” his or her creative drive, generates seeds of redemption and is an act of עֹשֶׂ֥ה שָׁ֝ל֗וֹם בִּמְרוֹמָֽיו
He explains how a person can use “elevated thought”. The person who listens to the higher thoughts to process our situations Hashem gives is considered a master over himself.
- Making a Cheshbon, elevates himself and the world and an act of עֹשֶׂ֥ה שָׁ֝ל֗וֹם בִּמְרוֹמָֽיו
When one masters his Yetzer he elevates himself, to a higher placement in the world, and the world elevates in kind.[6]
- Ruling over oneself earns a higher placement no longer in the world of the wicked- and gain the power to consume evil , also an expression of עֹשֶׂ֥ה שָׁ֝ל֗וֹם בִּמְרוֹמָֽיו
The person who rules over himself and attaches to His Creator earns a placement in Gan Eden, says the Alshich, and actually consumes those who don’t contemplate the loss of opportunity in contrast to immediate pleasure and gain. Such a person earns a placement in a world of truth and eternity and light of Moshiach[7].[8]
- This internal conversation of “cheshbono shel Olam” leads to many letters, words in the Torah, Mitzvot for Klal Yisroel they protect; and a series of events to protect the seeds of Moshiach. This allowed them to connect to the Shalom of Above, to The Guider of all History ensuring shalom.
The Alshich explains how there are many verses that go through length explaining the chain of title of the city of Chesbon. The wars Sichon, The Amorite with Moav and capturing Cheshbon just so Klal Yisroel can acquire Cheshbon without ever violating the Mitzvah of not harassing Moav or provoking war with them. There are all kinds of seemingly strange happenings in the world, but it is Hashem weaving the letters, guiding the world for the sake of Shalom.
- עַל־כֵּ֛ן יֹאמְר֥וּ הַמֹּשְׁלִ֖ים בֹּ֣אוּ חֶשְׁבּ֑וֹן- Hashem’s invitation to make a cheshbon for Shalom
The Alshich provides several examples from the Gmarra indicating the “Din V’Cheshbon” the “accounting” Hashem does with each person when Judging a person. This idea of the “cheshbon” Hashem, anthropomorphically engages with us, seems to be the process of עֹשֶׂ֥ה שָׁ֝ל֗וֹם בִּמְרוֹמָֽיו, and correlates exactly with this idea of “עַל־כֵּ֛ן יֹאמְר֥וּ הַמֹּשְׁלִ֖ים בֹּ֣אוּ חֶשְׁבּ֑וֹן” , “come make a contemplation”, weigh the opposing forces and choose. When He does His “din V’cheshbon, Hakadosh Baruch Hu rebukes and judges those who did not think, and misses the mark, (sins). He says to the wealthy man, why did you not improve your ways like Rabbi Elazar Ben Charsom; to the handsome one, He provides a contrasts of Yosef Hatzadik and to the poor person, Hillel.[9]
- עֹשֶׂ֥ה שָׁ֝ל֗וֹם בִּמְרוֹמָֽיו- The Whispers from Above revealed through Shalom, or Chesbon
When applying the description provided by the Malbim on “He Makes Peace in Heaven ” it may be a description of what Hashem is weaving in the upper world for us. Perhaps it is Hashem’s lattice work of musical strings of shalom whispers, the Kohanim then bless the world with.
It seems to me that the whispers of the upper worlds are heard, touched and accessed the more we use His Divine Wisdom, Torah to process our situations. Torah is Divinely written, and is a Sefer Shalem allowing a person who is a Moshel to access Her secrets. What does Hashem want from us in this situation? What Mitzvah can we perform? How can we perform this Mitzvah as a reflection of our highest?
When we process in that way, we are accessing the ways of Torah, of Shalom.
דְּרָכֶ֥יהָ דַרְכֵי־נֹ֑עַם וְֽכָל־נְתִ֖יבוֹתֶ֣יהָ שָׁלֽוֹם
Her ways are pleasant ways,
And all her paths, peaceful.
Which means we can exist in a world that may seem confusing, despairing, not making sense; but then we can place on the glasses of Torah and recalibrate the distortions, and find internal shalom in this way.
- עֹשֶׂ֥ה שָׁ֝ל֗וֹם בִּמְרוֹמָֽיו- In present tense, redemption is accessible every moment.
I would also suggest that perhaps the words “He Makes Peace In His Higher world”, phrased in present tense, is a reality in His Creation of which Hashem makes the redemption available as a constant and accessible at any moment! Therefore when we say עֹשֶׂ֥ה שָׁ֝ל֗וֹם בִּמְרוֹמָֽיו- He Makes peace in the upper worlds; we can have the kavana that we are giving testimony to the fact that at this very moment, it can be a moment of redemption.
- The process of Cheshbon- Shalom , is something we earn.
It is logical to conclude that the process shared by the Alshich בּוֹאוּ חֶשְׁבּוֹן בּוֹאוּ וּנְחַשֵּׁב חֶשְׁבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם “Come, let us calculate, let us contemplate the accounting of the world”, is the process of Shalom Hashem creates for us to earn and acquire. It is an expression of Hashem bestowing His goodness to another, and even more so when we are given the opportunity to earn as per the Ramchal in Derech Hashem. When a person uses Higher Wisdom, the direction of Torah, in his processing of situations one is placed in, like the situation the daughter of Lot was placed in and then does a global contemplation, חֶשְׁבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם and then an individual way one responds to it one is a master over his yetzer in that moment and it is a moment of geuala, redemption. It is our opportunity to be G-d like, and be an active participant of עֹשֶׂ֥ה שָׁ֝ל֗וֹם בִּמְרוֹמָֽיו, when we accept His invitation to acquire Shalom.
The weighing of the opposing forces using this Higher Thinking of בּוֹאוּ חֶשְׁבּוֹן is perhaps “shalom bimromav”. The dealing with the limitations, and powers of misdirected energies, is necessary for real shalom.
- בּוֹאוּ חֶשְׁבּוֹן בּוֹאוּ וּנְחַשֵּׁב חֶשְׁבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם- The Prayer Process
Q: Can we listen to the invitation from above, to do a process of “come make a cheshbon” as the way we pray ?
Imagine, if every morning we say Modeh Ani when we wake up and say ,
- Thank You Hashem for giving me life, may it not be in vain!
Imagine if we say each prayer this way, each bracha..
- May Your Sanctification of us in Your Mitzvos, and your Mitzvah You gave us to toil in Torah not be in vain.. אֲשֶׁר קִדְּ֒שָֽׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לַעֲסֹק בְּדִבְרֵי תוֹרָה
- May the fact that You Teach us Torah, not be in vain! הַמְלַמֵּד תּוֹרָה לְעַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל
Like that, and so on and so forth..
May we all be Zoche to master accessing shalom from above for the redemption with the help of Hashem, B’mhaira.
[1] Malbim on Job 25:2:1
[2] Iyov, 25:2 (Malbim)
[3] עַל־כֵּ֛ן יֹאמְר֥וּ הַמֹּשְׁלִ֖ים בֹּ֣אוּ חֶשְׁבּ֑וֹן תִּבָּנֶ֥ה וְתִכּוֹנֵ֖ן עִ֥יר סִיחֽוֹן
Therefore the bards would recite: “Come to Heshbon; firmly built, And well founded is Sihon’s city.” (Bamidbar, 21:27)
[4] “Let us do what we can, so that G-d should have mercy, and we shall give birth to a boy and a girl from whom the world shall be sustained, for the world will be built with kindness. It may be that the matter was extremely repulsive in the eyes of the people of those generations and was never done.(Ramban, Beraishit, 19:32:1)
[5] Sanhedrin, 4:5
[6] Ramchal, Mesilas Yesharim (1:11)” But if he rules over himself and clings to his Creator, and uses the world only as an aid to serve his Creator – then he elevates himself and elevates the world with him.” (sefaria translation)
[7] A fire will go out from those who calculate the effect of their deeds in the world, and will consume those who do not calculate and examine their ways but instead do as they please (Alshich, Bamidbar, 21:27)
[8] Bava Basra 78Bהַמֹּשְׁלִים אֵלּוּ הַמּוֹשְׁלִים בְּיִצְרָם בּוֹאוּ חֶשְׁבּוֹן בּוֹאוּ וּנְחַשֵּׁב חֶשְׁבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם הֶפְסֵד מִצְוָה כְּנֶגֶד שְׂכָרָהּ וּשְׂכַר עֲבֵירָה כְּנֶגֶד הֶפְסֵדָהּ
[9] Yomah, 35:b And if a wealthy man comes before the heavenly court, the members of the court say to him: Why did you not engage in Torah? If he says: I was wealthy and preoccupied with managing my possessions, they say to him: Were you any wealthier than Rabbi Elazar, who was exceedingly wealthy and nevertheless studied Torah? They said about Rabbi Elazar ben Ḥarsum that his father left him an inheritance of one thousand villages on land, and corresponding to them, one thousand ships at sea. And each and every day he takes a leather jug of flour on his shoulder and walks from city to city and from state to state to study Torah from the Torah scholars in each of those places.
And if a wicked man comes to judgment, the members of the court say to him: Why did you not engage in Torah? If he said: I was handsome and preoccupied with my evil inclination, as I had many temptations, they would say to him: Were you any more handsome than Joseph, who did not neglect Torah despite his beauty?
They said about Hillel the Elder that each and every day he would work and earn a half-dinar, half of which he would give to the guard of the study hall and half of which he spent for his sustenance and the sustenance of the members of his family. One time he did not find employment to earn a wage, and the guard of the study hall did not allow him to enter. He ascended to the roof, suspended himself, and sat at the edge of the skylight in order to hear the words of the Torah of the living God from the mouths of Shemaya and Avtalyon, the spiritual leaders of that generation.
hindy
Michal
intomeaning
Neil Wernick