More Blessed to Give
Rebbe Nachman on Charity

by Chaim Kramer

Essay #17

The Torah reading of VaYeitze opens with Yaakov's dream of the "ladder grounded firmly on the earth yet reaching to the heavens..." and his subsequent vow to tithe his income (Genesis 28:22). Some maintain the tithe meant was a ten-percent tithe, while others opine that a twenty-percent tithe was intended (Ketuvot 50a). Nonetheless, according to both opinions, the Torah is showing us how Yaakov's, i.e., the Jews', dreams can come true - by giving charity.

We can continue now with another study of the weekly parshah according to our lesson of Likutey Moharan I, Lesson #25. The Rebbe speaks of subduing one's illusory powers and ascending to one's intellect. As explained there, this can be accomplished by giving charity, which reveals God's greatness. A sizeable portion of this week's essay is based upon Reb Noson's review of this lesson (Likutey Halakhot, Matanah 4).

Yaakov fled from the frying pan of Esav into the fire of Lavan. Lavan, as we recite in the Haggadah on Pesach night at the Seder, was so wicked he tried to uproot the entire Jewish Nation. Yaakov had to battle him constantly over a twenty year period. First he worked seven years in order to marry Rachel, Lavan's younger daughter. Lavan tricked Yaakov and substituted Leah for her younger sister. Yaakov then worked another seven years in order to marry Rachel. These fourteen years of unpaid work served as the dowries for his two wives.

During those fourteen years, Lavan, who had been destitute prior to Yaakov's arrival, felt the blessings that Yaakov's presence brought him. Lavan's flocks multiplied repeatedly and he attained great wealth. More importantly, Lavan experienced the illumination of the Supernal Colors, the revelation of Godliness, via the blessings that Yaakov brought him. However, Lavan remained steeped in materialism, unattuned to spirituality. Lavan never gave a second thought to God. Thus his money was left steeped in the realms of unholiness. Therefore, when Yaakov wished to leave, Lavan, afraid of losing his blessings, begged Yaakov to stay, this time for pay.

Yaakov agreed. Yet the conditions and stipulations demanded by Yaakov were about as unusual as could be asked. Yaakov agreed to tend Lavan's flocks for the price of every goat or sheep that was spotted, streaked or had dark markings. Lavan was to keep all the white, black or "normal" colored sheep and Yaakov was to keep, as pay, the unusual colored sheep! Lavan happily agreed and said, "May your words come true." Over the next six years, however, Lavan's flocks gave birth to sheep and goats that were spotted, ringed, streaked or flecked! Lavan therefore continually kept changing Yaakov's wages - 100 times in six years, an average of more than 16 times a year! - yet the flocks still bore streaked, spotted and flecked offspring that went to Yaakov as per the ever-changing agreement! After six years, when Yaakov's flocks had increased spectacularly, he returned to the land of his fathers.

This story seems unreal enough to suggest that it may have a deeper meaning. It does. The ARI writes that the exchanges between Lavan and Yaakov reflect the Creation of the worlds, and how the world came into existence. "Lavan" in Hebrew is "white." This refers to the world in its preparatory stages, prior to its actually coming into being. (This "white" is actually colorless, unable to reflect anything known. Thus it refers to the origins of Creation, the unknown.)

The "streaked, spotted and flecked" markings of the sheep refer to the original state of the Ten Sefirot, the universes corresponding to them and their subsequent devolvement, from the Universe of Akudim (streaked), to the stage of Nekudim (spotted) (Shattering of the Vessels), and finally to Berudim (flecked), the World of Atzilut. From Atzilut, the lower worlds of Beriyah, Yetzirah and Asiyah developed, with our world finally coming into existence. This world is the main focal point of the entire Creation, for in it man was created, to bring all the worlds to a state of perfection by performing good deeds.

Reb Noson takes this further. He explains that the "streaks, spots and flecks" represent the Supernal Colors. Lavan represents the power of illusion that can be overcome by the revelation of the Supernal Colors which enables to attain intellect. This is because the Akudim, Nekudim and Berudim reflect the intellects of God that He used when creating the universes, as is written, "You made everything with wisdom" (Psalms 104:24). Thus, these intellects represent the potential intellect (Chakhmah), the actualized intellect (Binah) and the acquired intellect (Daat; see essay #15). Of these three, Daat is the main intellect, resembling the Berudim, the worlds and universes that have been rectified after the initial act of Creation and the Shattering of the Vessels so that they can become perfected by man's good deeds. In this sense, Reb Noson is teaching us that we, by virtue of giving charity and subduing our illusions, can merit new creations, a renewal of our lives and situations!

Reb Noson also connects this idea to Chanukah (less than a month away). ChaNuKah is so named because it represents a person's ChiNuKh (introduction or training) to serving God. Before a person merits truly serving God, he has to break and subdue the illusions that lead him to follow a materialistic lifestyle. This is why we begin lighting one candle and keep adding a candle each night - we are beginning with our potential intellect and increasing it daily, as we pass through our darkness into light. (Chanukah always falls in the season with the darkest nights.) This is a major reason why the custom of giving a lot of charity on Chanukah was instituted. For in our humble beginnings of serving God, we must give charity in order to subdue the illusions and begin our training to recognize and serve God (Likutey Halakhot, Chanukah 1).