I Rejoice Over Your Whisperings4 min read

In this week’s parsha we read, “V’Hashem he’emircha hayom lihyos lo l’am segulah” – “And Hashem has affirmed you, this day, to be His treasured people.” The holy Ishbitzer, Rebbe Mordechai Yosef Leiner zy”a, reveals the deepest depths of this “affirmation”.

Chazal teach that the two words for “speech” most commonly used in the Torah, “Dibbur” and “Amirah”, have contrasting definitions: While Dibbur (“Vayedabeir”) connotes Gevurah; strength and harshness, Amirah (“Vayomer”) connotes Chessed, kindness and comfort. The Zohar HaKadosh reveals another, concurrent, facet of Amirah: “Amirah b’lechisha”, this kind of speech is related to the concept of whispering, the method used to communicate a concealed matter, a hidden truth, in inner reality.

Hashem reveals Himself with many Names, each of which refers to a different mode of His governance and relationship with the world. The system of Names through which Hashem interacts with His creation is largely founded upon the concept of “Din”, harsh-judgement and immediate causality. On the level of these Names, our access to and relationship with the King of kings is conditional, dependent upon our actions. In this system, sins cause walls to go up between Hashem and ourselves and one’s actions can cause himself to be cut off from Hashem entirely r”l.

But even when this system of Names demands that Hashem hide Himself behind mighty walls of concealment, the Ishbitzer teaches that an “amirah”, a whisper that transcends all Names, filters through these barriers, tacitly communicating the deepest level of His love for us which is ultimately unconditional. This is the meaning of David HaMelech’s declaration, “Ki higdalta al kol shimcha imrasecha” – “For You have exalted Your Word above Your Names.” Here, David is referring to the whispering of Hashem’s unconditional love which rises above, and reaches beyond, the system of His Names. This whispering is further defined in another verse which states, “Emor l’nafshi yeshuaseich ani”, “Say to my soul “I am your salvation””; even when we fall into the darkest pit of distance from Hashem, Hashem continues to whisper to us that He is our salvation. In a third verse, David expresses the joy he feels from this whispering: “Sas anochi al imrasecha k’motzei shalal rav” – “I rejoice over Your sayings as one who has discovered great spoils.” The amirah – whispering of Hashem communicating His infinite and unconditional love for each Jewish soul is a true source of joy and comfort.

The Ishbitzer teaches that this is the meaning of Hashem’s affirmation, “V’Hashem he’emircha hayom”. If we could close our eyes and ears to reality as it appears on the surface, we are able to tap into the place in our soul within which Hashem’s whisperings constantly echo, affirming our worth, our inherent holiness, and just how much we mean to Him. Even in the darkest situation, amidst the storm clouds of Hashem’s terrifying wrath and concealment, “Emor l’nafshi yeshuaseich ani” – our Father in heaven is constantly whispering loving words, words of strength, hope, and endless love.

Chazal teach that the two words for “speech” most commonly used in the Torah, “Dibbur” and “Amirah”, have contrasting definitions: While Dibbur (“Vayedabeir”) connotes Gevurah; strength and harshness, Amirah (“Vayomer”) connotes Chessed, kindness and comfort. The Zohar HaKadosh reveals another, concurrent, facet of Amirah: “Amirah b’lechisha”, this kind of speech is related to the concept of whispering, the method used to communicate a concealed matter, a hidden truth, in inner reality.

Hashem reveals Himself with many Names, each of which refers to a different mode of His governance and relationship with the world. The system of Names through which Hashem interacts with His creation is largely founded upon the concept of “Din”, harsh-judgement and immediate causality. On the level of these Names, our access to and relationship with the King of kings is conditional, dependent upon our actions. In this system, sins cause walls to go up between Hashem and ourselves and one’s actions can cause himself to be cut off from Hashem entirely r”l.

But even when this system of Names demands that Hashem hide Himself behind mighty walls of concealment, the Ishbitzer teaches that an “amirah”, a whisper that transcends all Names, filters through these barriers, tacitly communicating the deepest level of His love for us which is ultimately unconditional. This is the meaning of David HaMelech’s declaration, “Ki higdalta al kol shimcha imrasecha” – “For You have exalted Your Word above Your Names.” Here, David is referring to the whispering of Hashem’s unconditional love which rises above, and reaches beyond, the system of His Names. This whispering is further defined in another verse which states, “Emor l’nafshi yeshuaseich ani”, “Say to my soul “I am your salvation””; even when we fall into the darkest pit of distance from Hashem, Hashem continues to whisper to us that He is our salvation. In a third verse, David expresses the joy he feels from this whispering: “Sas anochi al imrasecha k’motzei shalal rav” – “I rejoice over Your sayings as one who has discovered great spoils.” The amirah – whispering of Hashem communicating His infinite and unconditional love for each Jewish soul is a true source of joy and comfort.

The Ishbitzer teaches that this is the meaning of Hashem’s affirmation, “V’Hashem he’emircha hayom”. If we could close our eyes and ears to reality as it appears on the surface, we are able to tap into the place in our soul within which Hashem’s whisperings constantly echo, affirming our worth, our inherent holiness, and just how much we mean to Him. Even in the darkest situation, amidst the storm clouds of Hashem’s terrifying wrath and concealment, “Emor l’nafshi yeshuaseich ani” – our Father in heaven is constantly whispering loving words, words of strength, hope, and endless love.