בס”ד
By Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron
Painting by: Baruch Nachshon z”l
And You Shall Settle Upon the Land Securely
This painting places the central beam of the Menora in the most central part of this painting. The opening of this parsha also places the central beam of the Menora as a most central matter. The Sages consider the central beam of the Menora to be a testimony that the Holy Presence resides with Israel.
Another central matter in this painting are the verses Deuteronomy 30:12-14, written here numerous times ,which state: “It is not in the heavens… Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will cross the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it? But the matter is very near to you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so that you can obey it.” Similarly, we see flames rising to heaven, and a ladder rising to heaven in the midst of a dark blue background which may hint to the sea, apparently hinting to the verses “it is not in the heavens.. nor beyond the sea etc.” We also see a mouth and the two tablets with the ten commandments in reddish color. The connection to the mouth is obvious in the verses we mentioned “it is in your mouth,” and the tablets seem to refer to the verse “write them on the tablets of your heart” (Mishlei 3), a clear reference to the heart mentioned in the verse mentioned above “and in your heart so that you can obey it.” The reddish color of the mouth and the tablets seem to hint to the real reddish color of the mouth and the heart. In addition, note that the tablets merge with the wall apparently surrounding Zion where the Menora is placed. According to the Kabbalists a wall “homat” and the heart are associated with the sefira of Bina, along with the color red. Repentance is also associated to the sefira of Bina, a matter which sheds light on the juxtaposition of the verses “not in the heavens… but it is in your mouth and heart to do,” with the famous “portion of repentance” in parshat Nitzavim. The idea is that a primary step in repentance is the realization that the return to Hashem is not beyond one’s grasp but is actually very close to oneself, through one’s own speech (“mouth”), heart, and action (“to do”). These all act as a type of “wall” guarding one’s decision to return to Hashem to become a strong and protected decision.
The connection between the Holy Presence with the central beam of the Menora and the verses “it is not in heaven… but rather in your mouth, heart to do,” seems to be that with this decision one causes one’s own soul to be illuminated with the light of the Holy Presence, for the soul itself is like a “spark from the Holy Presence.” These matters are discussed at length in the Lubavitch Tanya, and R’ Nachshon himself was a Lubavitcher hassid.
One of the people that we indeed see a strong “residence” of the Holy Presence in their own being was Moshe Rabeinu, through whom the Holy Presence spoke through his throat throughout the book of Dvarim. The end of this parsha describes the great humility of Moshe Rabeinu through which he reached this lofty level. Among locations, Hebron has a similar nature, for our Sages describe Hebron as being physically the “rubbles of the Holy Land,” but on the other hand, and quite clearly actually as a result, Hebron is a focal point of the Holy Presence. In other words, it is through being humble as the “rubbles of the Holy Land” that Hebron merits to also be a focal point of the Holy Presence.