ephraim@TECHUNIX.BITNET (Ephraim Silverberg) (11/24/85)
The Ladder
"[Jacob] dreamed and, behold a ladder set upon the earth, and the top of it
reached to heaven; and behold the angels of Elokim were ascending and descend-
ing upon it" (Breisheet 28:12).
Much symbolism has been attributed to that famous ladder of our Patriarch
Yaakov. I should like to share with the readers a Dvar Torah I heard from
someone named Mr. Kliger, the individual who gives the Daf Yomi lesson in our
community (Nveh Sha'anan).
Yisrael (Yaakov -- denoting the Jewish people) is always bound with Aveenu She-
bashamayim (our Father in heaven) in a manner that Klal Yisrael is physically
"upon the earth", but spiritually always "reaching heavenward".
Our divine service to Hashem serves to connect us to Hashem and is our "ladder"
to heaven. However, there are many ``ladders''s to Hashem as there are several
forms of divine service.
The three main categories of divine service are found in the Rosh Hashana and
Yom Kippur prayers [Aside: This passage appears in the Ashkenazi and the Ari
Nusach, but I have yet to find it in the Sephardi Nusach; I'd appreciate if
someone would tell me if it is part of the Sephardi Nusach and, if so, where.]:
U'Teshuva U'Tfila U'Tzedakah...
These are roughly translated (and, as I pointed out in the Dvar Torah prior to
Rosh Hashana, somewhat inexactly as...) Repentance, Prayer and Charity.
It is significant to note, however, that above each of these words appears a
word that is printed, but not read as part of the prayers. These are Tzom
(fast), Kol (voice) and Mamon (money) respectively.
What is astonishing is that all three of these words have the same Gematriya
(numerical value):
Tzom = Tzadi (90) + Vav (6) + Mem (40) = 136
Kol = Kuf (100) + Vav (6) + Lamed (30) = 136
Mamon = Mem (40) + Mem (40) + Vav (6) + Nun (50) = 136
This, in itself, is quite remarkable; however, what is truly amazing is that
the Gematriya of "Sulam" (ladder) is ALSO 136!!
Sulam = Samech (60) + Vav (6) + Lamed (30) + Mem (40) = 136
Therefore, we see that each of these modes of divine service act as a "ladder"
to heaven.
There are very few people who are complete in all these three modes of divine
service. At the most, the average individual performs one form of divine ser-
vice in a truly complete manner. Hence, the average person eithers does one or
---1---
Parashat DVAR TORAH Yayetzeh
none of these forms of service.
Concerning the individuals who performs only one type of service, King David
wrote (Psalms 92:7): "Ish Ba'ar Lo Yeda": A man does not know ``ba'ar''. Ba'ar
in Gematriya is 272 = 2 * 136 !!
Ba'ar = Beit (2) + Ayin (70) + Reish (200) = 272
In other words, the average person concentrates on only one form of divine ser-
vice, but of the other two forms "he does not know". However, since he still
performs one form of service, he is referred to as "Ish" (a man).
Concerning those who do none of these forms of service, King David wrote in the
second part of the same verse: "U'Ksil Lo Yavin Et Zot": ... and a fool does
not understand this. A person that does no form of divine service is called a
"fool" since he does not understand "Zot" which equals 408 = 136 * 3 !!
Zot = Zayin (7) + Tav (400) + Aleph (1) = 408
May Hashem grant us the ability to serve Him fully in all three manners of ser-
vice and may we continue to ascend the rungs of the ladder heavenward so that
we shall see soon in our days the Full and Final Redemption of the Jewish Peo-
ple with the coming of Moshiach Tzidkeinu speedily in our days. Shabbat
Shalom.