Adam Harishone was a being created with an awesome spiritual stature. Our
Sages tell us that his height reached the heavens and he was able to see from
one end of the world to the other. However, he sinned and his stature was
diminished greatly. Nevertheless, Hashem never desists from trying to bring
Bnei Yisroel to this original spiritual level. After a long journey beginning
with Avraham Avinu and culminating with the acceptance of the Torah at Har
Sinai, Bnei Yisroel finally retrieved this long lost and greatly yearned for
spiritual level. Yet, merely a few days later they lost it once again when
they worshipped the golden calf. From the time the second luchos were given, the purpose of the Torah has been to allow Bnei Yisroel to regain the
greatness with which man was created.
It is for this reason, writes Rav Wolbe
(Alei Shur vol. II pgs. 20, 21) that he placed "man" (rather than the
Torah) at the focal point of his sefer, It is towards his perfection that
man must strive, a goal that would allow him to reclaim his tremendous
stature.
Rav Wolbe continues that one would be mistaken to think that
by a perfunctory performance of the mitzvos he will automatically become an
"adam hashaleim." We must always bear in mind one of the golden rules of
avodas Hashem: Any aspect of spiritual perfection that one does not
apply himself towards achieving will not be achieved. Although every
mitzvah performed garners reward, if one did not work on reaching shleimus,
he will certainly be lacking in this world and the next.
Since the
perfection of man is the focal point of the Torah in general, and Alei Shur
in particular, we must first define what exactly is the perfect "man."
Yechezkel was the only prophet to whom Hashem constantly referred as "ben
adam" (the son of man). Rashi offers two possibilities for this interesting
appellation: "Because he had visualized Hashem's "chariot" and walked amongst
the Heavenly beings like one of the angels, he was referred to as the "son
of man." In other words, there is no human being there [in heaven] except
him. Alternatively, he was so called lest he become arrogant because he was
familiar with Hashem's chariot and the celestial beings."
These two
explanations are both accurate descriptions of what a man is. Every person
contains both of these extremes; the ability to reach the greatest heights of
the heavens, and the humbleness rooted in his origin i.e. his creation
from a clod of earth. This is the greatness of man. It is within his reach to
attain awesome spiritual heights, and the greater the attainment, the greater
the humility. Moshe Rabbeinu, the greatest prophet that ever lived, was
also the humblest person ever to walk this earth. One's tremendous hasagos
should work together with one's middos, allowing him to remain humble despite
his achievements. It is towards this perfection that Bnei Yisroel should
strive.
This dvar Torah was compiled by the family of the Mashgiach
l'iluy nishmas the Mashgiach Harav Shlomo ben R' Moshe z"l
Important Numbers
