Ki Tetzei 2022

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By Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron

בס”ד
לשכנו תדרשו

We see twelve trees below and twelve blue leaves above in the Menora-like orange/pink structure. These matters may be paralleled in their numbers to represent twelve aspects rooted in the earth, i.e., tree, while these aspects also have a certain place in the heavens, as the leaves of trees can be carried to the skies, and also these leaves resemble flames which of course rise to the heavens. This may reflect two sets of twelve associated by the Kabbalists with two aspects, one more heavenly and one more earthly (Arich and Zeir), each “carrying” twelve aspects, together twenty-four, associated with the 24 books of Tanach.
We see seven golden drops in the Temple. Drops symbolize blessing, and it is said that at the Temple, “there Hashem commands the blessing.” Tehilim133, 3) We also see a multi-colored fire emanating from the Temple. This may hint at the Temple being the source of all various spiritual lights since our Sages teach that the Temple bridges between Heaven and Earth, and as such, it is described here as having a rainbow quality, which represents the covenant and connection between Hashem and the Earth not to destroy it.
We see six small crowns and a seventh large crown where tefillin is. This may reflect the teaching that the “ot-sign” of Shabbat, the Seventh Holy Day, corresponds to the “ot-sign” of tefillin. We see three blowing shofar – two hasidim above and a third by the gazelle below. We see seven water drops below as if emanating/coming from a line just under the hasidim above blowing the shofar, a matter that connects the number three to the number seven. This follows with the Kabbalistic teaching mentioned before, which groups the sefirot into two groups, one of three sefirot and the other comprised of seven, which are indeed associated by the Kabbalists to above and below aspects, respectively.
This parsha begins with war and ends with a war [upon Amalek]. One of the matters of war mentioned in the Torah is the blowing of a trumpet or shofar [as in the conquest of Jericho], depicted in this painting. This is hinted in the Zohar in regard to God’s might and victory at the end of days: “At that time (the “end of days”) the three Patriarchs will adjoin with might, and Truah, Shvarim, Tkiah will be sounded, and with them, the “the earth shall shake,” and this will be in the “end of days,” and all these miracles will be in the Land of Israel, for there is Hebron where the Patriarchs are buried.”(Tikunei Zohar 13, 28b)Yet another way of defeating our enemies is hinted at by the tefillin, which says, “all the nations shall see that the Name of Hashem is upon you and shall fear you.” This can also be hinted at by Hebron, the everlasting Jewish city, a sign, and omen that the Eternal God has always guided His eternal People.

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