בס”ד
By Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron
Painting by: Baruch Nachshon z”l
This painting carries the verse of this parsha as a central theme, a verse also very central to Habad Hasidism(see Tanya) of which R’ Nachshon was a member: “for the mitzva is not beyond you and not far, rather it is very close to you in your mouth and heart to do it.” Another central theme here is “emet – truth” and the Torah – “Oraita” – as the Divine Truth, bridging and uniting between Hashem – “kudsha brich hu” – and “Israel.” The Torah scroll and the 22 letters of the Torah enhance this theme. The green landscape, the seven angelic “flame” figures with green lining, and the green Menorah of seven lights, seem to reflect the greenery of Mount Sinai where the Torah was given. Also, Kabbalistically green is associated to the sefira of tiferet, the sefira associated to Torah study. Just underneath the word “Yisrael” we see a pomegranate, which may hint to the Sages’ teaching that “even the ”empty” [i.e lacking mitzvot, and full of blemishes and sins] of Israel are full of mitzvot like a pomegranate is full of seeds.” Next to the word “Yisrael” we also see six figures to the right and six figures to the left, apparently hinting to the twelve tribes of Israel. We also see houses representing the homes of Israel. The combination of these two central themes seems to suggest that through the truth of the Torah entering one’s mouth and heart, the obeyance of the mitzvot becomes ever closer than initially imagined. We can explain this by the integral connection between Hashem and Israel through the Torah, meaning that by the occupation with Torah Hashem provides Divine aid to Israel to become closer with the observance of the mitzvot.
The hands – “yadaim” – above have the closely related letter to “yad – “yod” – within them. Usually, in R’ Nachon’s paintings the two yods represent the Divine Name Havaya as found in Ashkenazic siddurim. These two hands have their fingers separated in the way customarily done in Birkat Kohanim, when the Divine Presence is said to rest between these fingers, again hinting to the Divine Name/Presence just as implied with the two yods. In the context of this painting, and the fact that these hands are seen at the top of the painting in close vicinity to the words “kudsha brich hu” and “emet” – considered the “seal” of Hashem – it seems that R’ Nachshon wished to convey the Divine blessing coming from Above, hinted also by seven “drops of blessing” within each hand, to indeed make the observance of the Torah ever more reachable.
The Zohar says that that Hebron is synonymous with Torah, for one who is occupied with Torah is called a haber. Hebron also means unity – “hibur” – as we saw in this painting, that Torah is key in awakening the unity between Hashem and Israel, making the observance of the Torah closest of the closest, in our hearts and souls, in our mouths and our whole being.