The Weekly Sedra – Parshas Tetzaveh

The Rebbe says:

1. The first verse of this week’s Torah portion says, “And you will command the children of Israel that they shall take for you clear olive oil, crushed, for illumination, to light a lamp continually”. Our Sages explain that there are actually three grades of olive oil and only the first grade, the pure olive oil, can be used for the Menorah.

2. In classic form, the Rebbe now points out that this law regarding the Menorah must also have pertinent repercussions for our daily lives and service to Hashem:

As we have said on many occasions, a Jew is like the Holy Temple because Hashem rests in every single Jew. As our Sages explain Hashem’s statement regarding the building of the Tabernacle, “Make for me a dwelling place and I will dwell in them”- Hashem said “in them” in a plural sense because He dwells in every single Jew as long as they make themselves a proper Temple.

Therefore, as “miniature Temples” we must be able to learn from the Holy Temple and its vessels.

3. The Rebbe now lays the foundation work to explain the spiritual dimension of the abovementioned law regarding the Menorah:

The Torah has three levels:

Level one: The “water” of Torah, which is the revealed part of Torah.

Level two: The “wine” of Torah, which is the secrets of Torah.

Level three: The “oil” of Torah, which is the “secrets of the secrets” of Torah, (or, the deepest secrets of Torah). As we see from the physical properties of oil- it floats over everything, even wine, which shows us that it is even higher than the “wine” of Torah.
Additionally, within each general level of Torah- water, wine, and oil- there are these three subdivisions. In other words, the “water”, “wine”, and “oil” of Torah each have within themselves “water”, “wine”, and “oil”.

Therefore, Chassidus, which is the “oil” of Torah- the essence of Torah, includes within it all
the levels of Torah. As the Previous Rebbe stated, “Chassidus also has within it Mussar and Chakirah, however it is presented in the spirit of Chassidus”.

4. The Rebbe now explains the advantage oil has over water and wine:

Water and wine stay where they are, they do not travel further. Oil on the other hand travels and soaks into everything even remotely connected to the area it is presently in.

The same goes for the “water” and “wine” levels of Torah and the “oil” level of Torah. If someone only learns the revealed part of Torah, i.e. he only learns the “water” and “wine” levels of Torah, it possible for the Torah to stay an abstract wisdom without having practical affects in his life. However when someone learns the “oil” part of Torah, “the secrets of the secrets”, which is Chassidus in our generations, the Torah gets absorbed into him (like oil) and he is permeated with Torah to the extent that he is one with the Torah.

5. Before getting to the final answer, the Rebbe now explains what the first and purest grade of oil means in our service to Hashem:

As we said earlier, the only oil which was allowed to be used to light the Menorah with was the first oil that the olive gives- “the oil of the oil”. Now, being that Chassidus is the level of “oil” in the Torah, “the oil of the oil” must be a level within Chassidus. In other words, as we said earlier, there must be different grades within Chassidus, and the Torah is specifically referring to “the oil of the oil”.

In order to understand the different grades within Chassidus, we must first compare and contrast Chassidus with the revealed part of Torah:

The revealed part of Torah is dressed in human wisdom and therefore when one learns it, understands it, and debates it, his ego is fed because his person has a chance to shine. However Chassidus discusses G-dly concepts and how the worlds are nullified before Him, therefore, when one learns Chassidus he is affected to become a nullified existence.

Nevertheless, this is only generally what Chassidus does; there is still yet another, deeper, level of nullification within Chassidus, and this is “the oil of the oil”:

Chassidus is given to us in a way that we can understand it but if we stop there we are connecting to the “water” and “wine” of Chassidus/ “oil”. To connect with the “oil” of the “oil” we must tap into the part of Chassidus which feeds nullification, as the verse says, “clear olive oil, crushed, for illumination”.

6. Now we can clearly understand the spiritual dimension of the law regarding the Menorah:

If we want to be permeated with the light of Torah so that we are one with the Torah, we must learn Chassidus. More specifically, we must be open to the part of Chassidus which motivates us to nullify ourselves before Hashem.

Translated and adapted by Rabbi Shalom Goldberg. Taken from Likutei Sichos volume one, first Sicha.