Giluach 4 – Para. 15 – Niddah and Mikveh – Family Purity; Tzitzis. Giluach 5 – Introduction – Para. 1-2a – Sekhel HaMakif.
Speaker: Rabbi Nasan Maimon.
This section of Hilkhos Giluach 4 is based on Likutey Moharan 7.
00:00 – PARAGRAPH 15. Niddah and Mikvah – Taharas Hamishpacha – Family Purity. Reference to Eruvin 100.
03:25 – The Sheva Neki’im – after menstruation a wife counts seven days to prepare for immersion in the mikvah to achieve taharah – spiritual purity. These seven days correspond to the seven days of the week and the seven lower Sefiros – conduits of Hashem’s light. The function of the sefiros is to carry Hashem’s light into the malkhus.
05:43 – זאת – Zos – refers to Malkhus, as in וְ֠זֹ֠את אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֨ר לָהֶ֤ם אֲבִיהֶם֙ – “…and this is is what their father said to them…” (Bereishis 49:28, Vayechi).
09:30 – PARAGRAPH 16. Mikveh corresponds to the Sefirah of Binah which is an aspect of the Future World. The seven lower Sefiros are related to to the Present World.
10:48 – כִּֽי־מָֽלְאָ֣ה הָאָ֗רֶץ דֵּעָה֙ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֔ה כַּמַּ֖יִם לַיָּ֥ם מְכַסִּֽים – “…for the land shall be full of knowledge of Hashem as water covers the sea bed” (Yeshaya 11:9). Tzaddikim draw from future waters of Emunah to nurture the faith of their students.
12:39 – Farmers need Emunah because they trust constantly in miracles. Tehom means “depth” and also “wonderment”.
14:01 – Reference to 2Likutey Moharan 5. Emunah is strengthened through the spiritual aspects of water, as in מַ֣יִם עֲ֖מֻקִּים עֵצָ֣ה בְלֶב־אִ֑ישׁ – “Counsel in man’s heart is like deep waters…” (Mishlei 20:5).
15:36 – Connections between Mikveh and Binah: the word מקוה is 151 – equals b’gematria the expansion of Hashem’s Name E – K – Y – H (Alef Lamed Pey, Hey Hey, Yud Vuv Daled, Hey Hey). The minimum amount of water in a mikveh is 40 Seah – which is related to “Ben arbaim l’binah…” (Pirkei Avos).
16:38 – Q&R about the Name E – K – Y – A sometimes being associated with Keser.
17:03 – Tzitzis also draw from the waters of Emunah – which is related to the river that flows from Eden to create four streams. These four streams correspond to the four tzitzis.
18:57 – The union between husband and wife – Emes and Emunah – is related to the Mitzvah of Tzitzis, as in וּפָֽרַשְׂתָּ֤ כְנָפֶ֨ךָ֙ עַל־אֲמָ֣תְךָ֔ – “…and you shall spread your garment over your handmaid…” (Rus 3:9).
20:16 – Q&R about the spiritual aspects of Mikveh.
20:33 – PARAGRAPH 17. The mention of rain in the blessing (in the Amidah) for Techiyas HaMeysim – resurrection of the dead.
22:40 – PARAGRAPH 18. A mikveh must be int he earth – not in a vessel – because earth is an aspect of Emunah, as in בְּטַ֥ח בַּֽ֖יהֹוָה וַֽעֲשֵׂה־ט֑וֹב שְׁכָן־אֶ֜֗רֶץ וּרְעֵ֥ה אֱמוּנָֽה – “Trust in Hashem and do good; dwell in the land and nurture faith” (Tehillim 37:3). The spiritual benefit of being buried in Eretz Yisrael.
25:41 – NOTE: “As much as it’s good to be buried in Eretz Yisrael, it’s even better to live in Eretz Yisrael.”
25:54 – Q&R about Rebbe Nachman not being buried in Eretz Yisrael. Some chosen tzaddikim, for example Moshe Rabbeinu, are involved in gathering every Jew from the diaspora. Reference to Parshas Vayechi.
27:16 – HILKHOS GILUACH 5. INTRODUCTION. לֹ֣א תַקִּ֔פוּ פְּאַ֖ת רֹֽאשְׁכֶ֑ם וְלֹ֣א תַשְׁחִ֔ית אֵ֖ת פְּאַ֥ת זְקָנֶֽךָ – “You shall not round off the corner of your head, and you shall not destroy the edge of your beard” (Vayikra 19:27, Kedoshim). Hilkos Giluah 5 is based on Likutey Moharan 21.
*28:50 – Sekhel HaMakif. The knowledge that we do have draws light from one’s Sekhel HaMakif – knowledge imminently within one’s grasp but not yet fully understood.
33:39 – Reference to Berakhos 17: “In the future the tzaddikim will sit with their crowns in their heads.” Sitting implies lack of bechira – free will. “…in their heads” refers to the completion of each Tzaddik receiving his Sekhel HaMakif. They have achieved understanding of all they prayed and labored to understand.
36:11 – Q&R about the advancement of tzaddikim after their passing.
36:53 – PARAGRAPH 1. The beard and peyos are aspects of a Jew’s holiness and set them apart from the 70 Nations. The hairs of a Jewish man’s beard and peyos are vessels that draw the Sekhel HaMakif into the Daas – realized awareness of Hashem.
42:43 – PARAGRAPH 2. The two steps needed for incorporating the Sekhel HaMakif into one’s Daas are referred to in the opening verse of the Haftarah for Shabbos Nachamu: נַֽחֲמ֥וּ נַֽחֲמ֖וּ עַמִּ֑י יֹאמַ֖ר אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם – “‘Console, console My People’ says [Hashem] Your Master…” (Yeshaya 40:1). The first step is hinted in the word Omer – to say. This alludes to praying with deep feeling.
45:32 – The second step needed for receiving the Sekhel HaMakif is purification of the “Seven Lights” in the Mishkan – the seven openings of the head: eyes, ears, nostrils, and mouth. Reference to Likutey Tefilos 21.
48:02 – Spiritual function of peyos and beard.
49:36 – Closing blessings.
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