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On the morning of Shavuot (as on all festivals and Shabbatot), we read a section from the prophets along with the regular Shavuot Torah reading. The section from the prophets is chosen to be parallel to the Torah reading. So, on Shavuot when the subject of the Torah reading is matan Torah – the giving of the Torah – the subject of the haftora (as the section from the prophets is called) is also connected the giving of the Torah. In particular, we read the section from the prophet Yehezkel known as merkevet Yechezkel – the “chariot of Ezekiel.” This is a prophetic vision, in which Ezekiel the prophet describes in detail what he saw during a spiritual experience. However, the details are obscure, because they describe events and creatures of a spiritual realm that are beyond the vast majority of us.
There are a couple of questions that we could ask about this choice of haftorah. The first one is, why specifically the vision of Yehezkel? If the point of the haftorah is to have similar content to the Torah section, then there is a section in Habakuk (20:2 and onward) regarding the giving of the Torah itself. At first glance, that is more appropriate than reading about the “chariot?” And if the answer is that the experience of the Jews at Mt. Sinai was a spiritual experience similar to the “chariot,” in which the shechina (G-d’s presence) was revealed to the Jews, then there was a better choice than the chariot of Ezekiel. The prophet Isaiah also had a prophecy of the chariot, in which he said, “Ad’ni sits on a high and exalted throneŔ And the revelation of the glory and honor of G-d in this prophecy is actually more similar to the experience at Mt. Sinai than is the prophecy of Ezekiel. While the prophet Yechezkel reported on the details of the “chariot,” Isaiah reported upon the direct experience of the honor of G-d Himself. So, at first glance it would have made sense to choose the prophecy of Isaiah over the prophecy of Ezekiel for the haftorah on Shavuot.
There is also a general question here regarding learning the details of the merkava, or “chariot.” The Mishna (Chagiga 11B) gives instructions not to delve into the secrets of the merkava, unless one is “wise and capable of understanding them on his own.” So, it seems somewhat contradictory to read out loud on Shavuot what the Mishna tells us is forbidden to delve into and learn in detail. It could be argued that in any case one who understands the secrets of the merkava will keep quiet as he hears them on Shavuot, and the one who does not understand on his own will not be so foolish as to ask (so argues the Tosefot Yomtov). Nevertheless, why read the section out loud? The purpose of reading out loud is to include all those in the synagogue in the reading. But, the vast majority of listeners do not understand what they are hearing – so what is the point? So, we are forced to conclude that there is something special about the chariot of Yechezkel that is especially appropriate for Shavuot because it is similar to the experience of the Jews on Mt. Sinai when they received the Torah. And that special quality of the chariot of Yehezkel is something that every Jew can understand, even if the details of the vision remain obscure and hidden from most.
The Talmud (Chagiga 13B) describes the difference between the merkava of Yehezkel and that of Yishayahu (Isaiah); “All that Yehezkel saw was also seen by Yishayahu. Yehezkel was like a village dweller who saw the king, while Yishayahu was like a city-dweller who saw the king.” Rashi explains that Yishayahu did not bother to explain all of the details of his vision, since he was like a “son of kings who grew up in the palace, like a city dweller who sees the king and is not moved, nor is he filled with wonder in order to tell about it.” From Rashi’s comment, we understand that it’s not just that there are differences between what Yehezkel saw and what Yishayahu saw. There were differences in their spiritual levels - Yishayahu was on a higher spiritual level than Yehezkel. He was the “greatest of the prophets” (of course, aside from Moshe), and therefore his level of prophecy was on a higher level than Yehezkel. And that is why Yishayahu did not bother to describe the details in the same way that Yehezkel did. Since he “grew up in the palace,” he was like a “city-dweller” who was used to seeing the details and they did not move him – all that interested him was the King himself.
Or possibly, since his spiritual vision was on a higher level, Yishayahu did not see the details at all. He was interested in the King himself, and that is why his vision included only the “honor of the King,” and not all of the details that were included in Yehezkel’s vision. But Yehezkel, like a village dweller who does not often see the king, focused upon the wonder of his “chariot,” which also gave him clues and ideas of the nature of the King himself, of whom he did not have direct perception.
One of the medieval sages (the Avodat Hakodesh, section 4, end of Chapter 18), explains the merkevet Yehezkel in the following manner, “Since he saw and grasped the lower chariot, he know that there was an upper one as well…there is a throne above the throne, and a chariot above the chariot, and a rider above the rider… and since he saw the four “animals” below, he knew that and recognized that the same existed above in total unity…and all that he saw below he knew that its counterpart existed aboveŔ And so the Avodat Hakodesh goes on to explain that all the verses of the merkevet Yehezkel hint at a higher spiritual existence as well. Whatever Yehezkel saw on his level, he extrapolated to know that it existed on a higher spiritual level as well. Thus, Yehezkel was aware of the lower spiritual details. Yishayahu, though, was already holding by the higher spiritual level. He therefore reported directly about the higher experience in which the focus was upon the King himself, and not upon the details of the “chariot.”
Another way of describing the vision of Yehezkel is that he saw an “image” below of what exists above. And that is why he launched into the details, describing all that he saw as an image of spiritual existence above. He knew that his detailed description would serve as the basis (for those who had the ability) to extrapolate to higher spiritual realms and understand what he really meant. Now, an image includes two opposite qualities; on the one hand, it includes all of the details of the object. But, on the other hand, the image is not “real.” It does not really exist at all; it portrays all of the details of the object, but it is not the object. For example, peering into the mirror, one sees a detailed image in the mirror. But, on the other hand, the image in the mirror is not real – it only looks like the object it portrays, but it is not the object. Thus, in his prophecy, Yehezkel saw the details of something G-dly above, but he had no direct perception of the King himself. But, Yishayahu – the city dweller – didn’t describe all of the details because he wasn’t involved in the “image.” He prophecy was a direct report of the spiritual counterpart above, the King Himself (as He is expressed in the world of Atzilut). That is why he said, “Ad’ni sits on a high and exalted throneŔ The only other detail Yishayahu described was the angels who “stood above Him,” as part of his vision of the One above.
At this point, it is possible to grasp the unique connection between the haftorah of merkevet Yehezkel, and the content of Shavuot – matan Torah – and to understand why we do not read from either Habakuk (regarding the giving of the Torah) or from Yishayahu (about a higher vision of the merkava). The point of matan Torah was not that it was a one-time event that we recall every festival of Shavuot. The point of Shavuot is that matan Torah introduced a new spiritual situation to the world. Through the giving of the Torah, a Jew, by connecting with the details of the “image” below, is enabled to elevate and ascend to the object of the image – G-d above.
Before the giving of the Torah, there was a decree – the upper spiritual realms could not descend, nor could the lower physical realm ascend to connect with spirituality. But, the message of matan Torah is that the upper and lower levels could now come together. By properly understanding and absorbing the physical details of creation (through meditation, prayer, and study), one may become involved in the image of spiritual reality. And the more he grasps and internalizes this image and its details, the more he is able to climb the ladder of spirituality and cling to G-d above. That is why it is not appropriate to read the haftorah from Habakuk (about matan Torah) nor from Isaiah (about G-d Himself), but precisely from the prophecy of Yehezkel, regarding the details of his spiritual vision. This corresponds to the proper way to grasp Torah below – as a blueprint of spiritual reality. By integrating and understanding the details below, we are enabled to grasp the concept of something above, and ascend and elevate to a higher spiritual level above.
And now, we may also understand the importance of the “thunder and lightening” of matan Torah. For, if the point of the thunder and lightening were simply to instill fear in the Jews, then the face-to-face meeting with their Creator was a much more fearful event than thunder and lightening. The light and sound show frightened the Jews physically, but the direct communication with G-d struck awe into the essence of the Jewish soul as well. So if so, why does the Torah find it necessary to emphasize thunder and lightening during the giving of the Torah? The answer is that the true understanding of matan Torah described above produces “noise” in the soul of the Jew. The sudden awareness that the world is only a metaphor for true spiritual reality Above, is enough to move the animal soul inside, and produce noise and excitement within. Since the world is not an independent physical reality with its own existence, but an image of something spiritual above, that produces huge excitement in the soul. The “world” is not real, it is only an “image” of things that are taking place Above – this is enough to shake up not only the G-dly soul but the animal body – and that is why matan Torah was accompanied by thunder and lightening. The face-to-face communication was for the G-dly soul, but the thunder and lightening were for the animal soul. When we realize that the world is not “real” in the same way we previously thought, then all of a sudden, our animal soul “hears” the lightening and “sees” the thunder, because nothing is what it truly seems, and that is reason for the thunder and lightening of matan Torah.
“Torah” is from the word hora’ah, meaning teaching. The teaching of Shavuot bears a lesson for all of us and for our relation to others. Even though the Mishna tells us not to delve into the details of the chariot of Yehezkel, unless we are capable of understanding the details on our own, this is solely in regard to how the details are expressed in the written Torah (Yehezkel) and the oral Torah (tractate Chagiga). But, in regard to how the subject appears in the inner dimensions of Torah of the Ari z’l and all the more-so of the Baal Shem Tov (founder of Chassidut), it is a mitzvah and an obligation to understand the message of merkevet Yehezkel, since, as the Ari z’l says, “it is a mitzvah to understand this wisdom.” It is the fulfillment of the mitzvah of Da et Elokei avicha – “Know the G-d of your father” – and it brings to a complete and full heart in service of G-d. So, in our own avodat HaShem, it is incumbent upon us to learn the inner dimensions of Torah as well as halacha and Talmud.
And in relation to others, it is necessary to broadcast the message of Torah and mitzvoth with much fanfare and publicity. While we are involved in the inner work of learning Torah and prayer, it may be advisable and effective to work quietly, but when the task is to reach Jews whose occupation is in the marketplace, then we have to compete with the voice of the public arena. And that is a loud and public voice, and therefore the task of spreading Judaism must also be loud and expressive. And that is what will persuade Jews to return to their roots and ultimately bring the redemption, may it happen soon!
Shavuah and Chodesh tov – have a good week and new month!
Kabalat haTorah besimcha ubepnimiyut – Receive the Torah in an inner, happy manner!
Rabbi David Sterne, Jerusalem Connection in the old city of Jerusalem