FOR SH'LACH
PHYSICAL ED
This past Thursday, my regular spiritual activities needed enhancement to celebrate my special birthday properly. To this end, I traveled to Atlanta early in the morning in the hopes of taking a dip in the Mikveh, the body of water designed for ritual purification, prior to morning prayers in the synagogue.
Traffic made it impossible to visit the Mikveh before services. I headed to the Mikveh, instead, following prayers.
By now, though, it was later in the day. When I entered the Mikveh building, I encountered Ed. He was standing over the narrow Mikveh-pool with cleaning equipment. He also had a water pump. He informed me that he was about to empty the pool and to clean the place.
“All I need is five minutes,” I said in desperation. “I promise, it won’t take more than that.” Ed was not happy. “Why, brother?” he said. I explained that it was my birthday, and I had traveled a distance to bathe in that pool “for purification purposes.” Ed was quick to respond: “Purification from what?” I replied, “You don’t want to know…” Ed, ever so quickly, retorted: “Listen brother, don’t you guys have any tubs where you live? What are you coming here for? I have a schedule, and this is what I need to do now!”
Ed then walked out, which I took as an offhand way of granting me the five minutes. I was in and out before the deadline and went to call him back in. He was impressed that I was done so quickly. He shared that he had been cleaning the place for years, but had no idea of its function. After a short lesson regarding the biblical requirements of this pool called Mikveh, my newly educated brother Ed and I parted ways on good terms.
It then dawned on me how strange some of these behaviors must seem to the uninformed. What is, indeed, the difference between a small pool or a large bathtub, and the Mikveh?
It is about being both Heavenly, but mainly down to earth. Bathing for hygiene purposes requires water as its primary ingredient. To be cleansed from ritual, or spiritual uncleanliness, physical water is also the main ingredient. In other words, for cleansing purposes one utilizes chemicals like soap, shampoo, and so forth, but without water, these chemicals would be of little use. Similarly, spiritual cleansing requires pure thoughts, positive actions, and a conscious focus. Without the physical act, however, of immersing in biblically apportioned water, none of the other “cleansing agents” would have an effect.
This idea is consistent throughout other mandates presented by the Torah. For example, the observance of Shabbos and Kosher, or the donning of weekday Tefillin and the affixing Mezuzos on all doorposts of homes, or the twice-daily recitation of the Shema and prayers, and so forth, contain within them great and deep spiritual meditations and components. Without the actual physical act, however, these actions and mandates cannot provide their spiritual element.
And so, a Mikveh pool or tub may resemble any pool or tub found in a home for hygienic reasons. This is because Judaism is an earth-based religion. While a person is expected to connect with the “Heavenly” elements, the focus of the Torah’s mandates are down to earth, physical action. The physical deed, performed according to the specifications provided by the Torah, is what ultimately counts.
The above sheds light on what seems a peculiar transition from the Torah’s leading story of this week’s portion, “Sh’lach.” The portion details the shameful episode of the twelve men sent to the Holy Land to scout the Land and return with a report of what they had seen. They returned, instead, with a spy-like opinion: “We are unable to go up against the people, for they are stronger than us.” (Bamidbar (Numbers) 13:31.) This report caused widespread panic. The Torah records the absurd line expressed by members of the aroused mob: “Let’s appoint a leader and return to Egypt!” (14:4.)
The Almighty demonstrated His disappointment with the people by declaring that, indeed, those people would not enter the Land. Instead, the entire people would all die in the desert during the forthcoming forty years.
Following this sorry state of affairs, the Torah continues this way: “Speak to the children of Israel and say to them: When you arrive in the Land of your residence which I am giving to you (the Holy Land), and you make a (voluntary) fire-offering to G-d… You should offer a quarter of a Hin (an ancient measure, equivalent to about a quart in today’s measurements) of wine as a libation.” (15:2-5.)
It is obvious that the Almighty immediately wished to engage with a dose of good news: after all that has transpired, it is going to happen; you people will enter the Land. One is still left wondering: Why is this specific instruction – of wine libations accompanying the animal offerings – mentioned at this specific juncture?
The libations were poured onto the Altar in the Temple while parts of the offered animal, as well as a meal offering, were burned with fire. The wine libations dripped off the Altar into a small opening in the ground near the Altar. This opening was a natural hole, which extended deep into the earth. Once in seventy years, records the Talmud (Sukkah 49a), young Kohanim (of the priestly family) would bring up congealed wine from this deep pit.
The animal sacrifice, consumed by fire, represents the elevation of a person who wishes to climb to great heights in the quest of being closer to the Divine. The libations, on the other hand, poured to the deepest depths, represent an inspiration from above descending downward, down to earth, with the goal of engaging and sanctifying the lower, mundane earth.
A Heavenly soul descends down to earth, into this world, engulfed and entrapped within the coarse, physically body. This exercise is necessary in order to bring out the deepest abilities of the soul, exclusively accomplished precisely through working with the lowest earthly elements.
The spies led the Jewish people astray by wishing to remain outside the Land of Israel. They had no desire to descend into the depths of the physical world. This is why the first instruction following this sad story is about the poured holy wine to enter into the depths of the physical earth.
The mission of Judaism and its commandments is not to climb to Heaven. It is, rather, to bring Heaven’s energy down to the lowest elements of the world. I believe even brother Ed gets that now…
SUMMARY: While Judaism has a rich and deep spiritual side, its mandates reach to the lowest depths of earthliness.