Avodah on Low by Chaim Gershon

 

               Many people are aware that the various avodahs of the month of Elul are alluded to in the acronyms (roshei teivos) of the word's letters; or if the acronyms are not exactly "avodahs", they at least tell us something important about this month, see for example, here, here,  and (even if they do not assign an avodah),  here:

 

 

 

Not as well-known is the lesson derived from splitting the word Elul itself into 2 smaller words:

אלול = לו לא

 

The word  לא means "NOT" and the word לו means "To him". Each of these terms alludes to a concept and the fusion of them is another expression of the avodah of the month.

 

There are at least three places in Tanach where a passuk has two readings due to the Ksiv כתיב, the written version, not matching the kri קרי, the vocalization, in the case where the ksiv (the written form of the word) is the word  לא and the kri (the pronounced form of the word)  is the word לו. The relevant portions of the sentences follow below with the translation of the ksiv followed by that of the kri.

 

Tehillim 100:3

 הוּא-עָשָׂנוּ, ולא (וְלוֹ) אֲנַחְנוּ

 

Written : Know that Hashem is G-d; He made us and not we (making ourselves).

Read: Know that Hashem is G-d; He made us and we are His.

 

 

Yeshaya 63:9

בְּכָל-צָרָתָם לא (לוֹ) צָר

Written: In all their affliction He is not afflicted

Read: In all their affliction He was afflicted 

 

 

I Shmuel 2:3

 ולא (וְלוֹ) נִתְכְּנוּ ע לִלוֹת

 

Written: for the LORD is a G-d of knowledge, and (our human) actions are not counted.

Read: for the LORD is a G-d of knowledge, and by Him actions are weighed.

 

 

        The ksiv of all three pasukim describe an upper reality known as Yichud Ila: only HaShem exists and is unaffected by the creation. In contrast, the kri of each pasuk describes a lower world of Yichud tata where the inhabitants are not nullified and there is an apparent interdependence between HaShem and his creations.

Both worlds persist simultaneously: the former is acknowledged when we state "Shema Yisroel.... HaShem Echad" with an א which also represents the sefira of Kesser; the latter is associated with the recitation of "Baruch Shem Kavod....L'Olan Vaed" with a ו for Zer Anpin.

 

It is explained in depth that there are two levels of the 13 middos of Rachamim; again one level is associated with Tishrei and one with Elul.

 

However just as "I am to my Beloved" is for Elul, so "My Beloved is to me"- an arousal from above associated with the Tishrei holidays follows the arousal from below in Elul; nonetheless, both are part of the word Elul. Both spellings of "Lo" operate simultaneously. This means that the love (or teshuva) Hashem that we arouse in ourselves in Elul is reciprocated by the Love that comes back and down to us in Tishrei.

 

        In the famous mashal of the Alte Rebbe of Chabad that the King comes into the field in Elul and is accessible to all, He is still that same King who will be in the Palace in Tishrei. In other words,  HaShem is not limited by time and space. He is still the King in the Palace even in Elul. In the Partzufim these two aspects represent Kesser and Zer Anpin: even though one may be more influential in one month more than the other, the other still fully exists. Simply, it's still the same King whether he is on the throne with the robes and scepter or passing through a field, so to speak.

 

        From the perspective of the subject even though in the palace one is nullified before the King and remains silent and motionless before his throne, unlike when he watches the royal parade pass by in his hometown; nonetheless, he should still have as much awe as when he sees him in the palace. The Jewish approach is not like that attributed to Aristotle, who when caught doing a sin one day he replied that he is not the same person when he is in the streets as when he is teaching in the Academy. A person needs to fuse both of these avodahs, the avodah of לאand of לו  as too much of reliance on Heavenly gifts will lead to paralysis and too much of self-initiative can lead to heresy.

 

Based on Chabad Chassidus and the Chiddushei HaRim (as quoted in Sfas Emes and other sefarim)

 

Comment:

 

From the nigleh perspective on Lo and Low, see here .

 

Note by Chaim Gershon: See also the newly published translation of Uvikashtem Misham AND FROM THERE YOU SHALL SEEK - (R. JOSEPH B. SOLOVEITCHIK) for a different perspective on resolving these avodahs"

               Many people are aware that the various avodahs of the month of Elul are alluded to in the acronyms (roshei teivos) of the word's letters; or if the acronyms are not exactly "avodahs", they at least tell us something important about this month, see for example, here, here,  and (even if they do not assign an avodah),  here:

 

 

 

Not as well-known is the lesson derived from splitting the word Elul itself into 2 smaller words:

אלול = לו לא

 

The word  לא means "NOT" and the word לו means "To him". Each of these terms alludes to a concept and the fusion of them is another expression of the avodah of the month.

 

There are at least three places in Tanach where a passuk has two readings due to the Ksiv כתיב, the written version, not matching the kri קרי, the vocalization, in the case where the ksiv (the written form of the word) is the word  לא and the kri (the pronounced form of the word)  is the word לו. The relevant portions of the sentences follow below with the translation of the ksiv followed by that of the kri.

 

Tehillim 100:3

 הוּא-עָשָׂנוּ, ולא (וְלוֹ) אֲנַחְנוּ

 

Written : Know that Hashem is G-d; He made us and not we (making ourselves).

Read: Know that Hashem is G-d; He made us and we are His.

 

 

Yeshaya 63:9

בְּכָל-צָרָתָם לא (לוֹ) צָר

Written: In all their affliction He is not afflicted

Read: In all their affliction He was afflicted 

 

 

I Shmuel 2:3

 ולא (וְלוֹ) נִתְכְּנוּ ע לִלוֹת

 

Written: for the LORD is a G-d of knowledge, and (our human) actions are not counted.

Read: for the LORD is a G-d of knowledge, and by Him actions are weighed.

 

 

        The ksiv of all three pasukim describe an upper reality known as Yichud Ila: only HaShem exists and is unaffected by the creation. In contrast, the kri of each pasuk describes a lower world of Yichud tata where the inhabitants are not nullified and there is an apparent interdependence between HaShem and his creations.

Both worlds persist simultaneously: the former is acknowledged when we state "Shema Yisroel.... HaShem Echad" with an א which also represents the sefira of Kesser; the latter is associated with the recitation of "Baruch Shem Kavod....L'Olan Vaed" with a ו for Zer Anpin.

 

It is explained in depth that there are two levels of the 13 middos of Rachamim; again one level is associated with Tishrei and one with Elul.

 

However just as "I am to my Beloved" is for Elul, so "My Beloved is to me"- an arousal from above associated with the Tishrei holidays follows the arousal from below in Elul; nonetheless, both are part of the word Elul. Both spellings of "Lo" operate simultaneously. This means that the love (or teshuva) Hashem that we arouse in ourselves in Elul is reciprocated by the Love that comes back and down to us in Tishrei.

 

        In the famous mashal of the Alte Rebbe of Chabad that the King comes into the field in Elul and is accessible to all, He is still that same King who will be in the Palace in Tishrei. In other words,  HaShem is not limited by time and space. He is still the King in the Palace even in Elul. In the Partzufim these two aspects represent Kesser and Zer Anpin: even though one may be more influential in one month more than the other, the other still fully exists. Simply, it's still the same King whether he is on the throne with the robes and scepter or passing through a field, so to speak.

 

        From the perspective of the subject even though in the palace one is nullified before the King and remains silent and motionless before his throne, unlike when he watches the royal parade pass by in his hometown; nonetheless, he should still have as much awe as when he sees him in the palace. The Jewish approach is not like that attributed to Aristotle, who when caught doing a sin one day he replied that he is not the same person when he is in the streets as when he is teaching in the Academy. A person needs to fuse both of these avodahs, the avodah of לאand of לו  as too much of reliance on Heavenly gifts will lead to paralysis and too much of self-initiative can lead to heresy.

 

Based on Chabad Chassidus and the Chiddushei HaRim (as quoted in Sfas Emes and other sefarim)

 

Comment:

 

From the nigleh perspective on Lo and Low, see here .