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The Beauty of a Broken Heart
There is a saying amongst the Chassidic Masters: “There is nothing more whole than a broken heart.” It sounds perplexing at first glance but upon closer examination, it’s an amazing statement of great depth. Let us examine three areas where this is relevant: the Korban Olah, Tefila, and Pesach.
This week’s Parsha discusses many different types of sacrifices. The only sacrifice which is “completely burned” is the Olah. Before being brought to the altar, it was first skinned and cut into small pieces. Rav Shimon Schwab points out that the Tefillos we daven parallel the daily sacrifices brought in the temple. These daily sacrifices were Olahs and just as they required skinning and cutting, so too we require skinning and cutting before our prayers.
The Shulchan Oruch (OC 98, 1) writes that the Chassidim Rishonim, the early pious people, would prepare themselves for davening. How? “They would isolate themselves and think intently in their prayers until they would reach a skinning of the physicality and an overwhelming strength of the mind… and he shall think about things which degenerate the heart and direct him to his father in heaven ”.
We find a similar concept regarding Pesach. We all know that one of the central themes of Pesach is eating matzah and getting rid of chametz. The Ramchal in Derech Hashem gives insight about the deeper meaning of these Mitzvos. Chometz is a process which G-d put into bread in order to make it taste good and ease digestion. Similarly, Hashem gave us an evil inclination and pleasures in this world in order for life to “taste good”. Although throughout the year, we are meant to have both the mind and body work in harmony, on Pesach, we take a break and focus solely on the mind.
The deeper message which emanates from these examples is that in order for us to grow, we sometimes need to skin our physical layers and cut up some of our ego and body to connect to Hashem.
Have a great Shabbos,
Rabbi Yoni Rom
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