Water and Wine
What is joy?
Water and Wine
וּשְׁאַבְתֶּם מַיִם בְּשָׂשׂוֹן מִמַּעַיְנֵי הַיְשׁוּעָה.(בישעיה י”ב).
“And you shall draw water with joy from the fountains of the salvation”
הִנֵה בְּכָל הַשָׁנָה הָיָה נִיסוּךְ הַיַיִן עַל גַבֵּי מִזְבֵחַ וְהוּא מְפוּרָשׁ בְּתּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּכְּתַב בְּהֶדְיָא בְּכַּמָּה מְקוֹמֹות. וּבְּחַג הַסוּכּוֹת הָיָה עוֹד גַּם נִיסוּךְ הַמַיִם עַל גַבֵּי הַמִזְבֵחַ כָּל שִׁבְעַת יְמֵי הֶחָג.
Throughout the year, wine was poured on the altar in the Holy Temple, as is explained in many places in Scripture. On all seven days of Sukkos, there was the additional water offering on the altar.
וְהוּא הַלָכָה לְמֹשֶׁה מִסִינַי (סוּכָּה ל”ד א’ זְבָחִים ק”י ע”ב) שְׁאֵינוֹ מְפוּרָשׁ בְּהֶדְיָא בְּתּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּכְּתַב רַק דְרַבָּנָן סָמְכוּהָ אַקְרָאִי וְשְׁאֵיבַת הַמַיִם הָיָה בְּשִׂמְחָה גְדוֹלָה עַל שֵׁם ״וּשְׁאַבְתֶּם מַיִם בְּשָׂשׂוֹן״ כוּלְהוּ, כְּמְבוּאָר בְּמַסֶכֶת סוּכָּה סוֹף פֶּרֶק ד׳ וְרֵישׁ פֶּרֶק ה׳.
The pouring of water is a law handed down from Moshe Rabbeinu and is not recorded explicitly in Scripture. The Rabbis did however, find a verse to support this law, “And you shall draw water with joy.” The water drawing was done with great joy.
וְיֵשׁ לְהָבִין הַטַעֲם לָמָה אֵינוֹ מְפוּרָשׁ בְּתּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּכְּתַב כוּלְהוּ, וְהִנֵה בְּתְּחִלָּה צָרִיךְ לְהָבִין עִנְיָן נִיסוּךְ הַיַיִן, כִּי הִנֵה בּּיַיִן כְּתִיב (שופטים ט’), ״הֶחֳדַלְתִּי אֶת תִּירוֹשִׁי הַמְשַׂמֵּחַ אֱלֹקִים וַאֲנָשִׁים,״
Why isn’t the water offering of Sukkos mentioned in Scripture? To understand this, we must first understand wine. The verse says about wine that, “…It gladdens the heart of G-d and men.”
בִּהְיוֹת יָדוּעַ דְבִּינָה, ״אֵם הַבָּנִים,״ הִיא הַשִׂמְחָה כְּמָה שֶׁכָּתוּב, ״אֵם הַבָּנִים שְׂמֵחָה.״
It is known that binah, figuratively called the “Mother of sons,” is joy. Being that binah is the kind of thought that awakens emotion, binah is the “mother” of the emotions which are called “sons.” The verse, “A joyous mother of sons…” supports the idea that the “mother” is “joy.” We see that both wine and binah are a source of joy.
Joy Is Discovery
כִּי הַשִׂמְחָה הִיא גִילוּי הַהֶעְלֶם, לָכֵן נִמְשָׁךְ דַוְּקָא מִבְּחִינַת בִּינָה, שְׁהוּא כְּשְׁמֵבִין וּמַשִׂיג תַּעֲלוּמוֹת חָכְמָה שְׁנִמְשָׁךְ בְּגִילוּי בְּהַבָנָה וּהַשָּׂגָה מַמָּשׁ, שְׁמַשִּׂיג אוֹתוֹ בְּטוּב, אָז יִהְיֶה הַשִׂמְחָה.
Joy is discovery: uncovering something which was previously unknown.This is why joy is a result of binah. Binah is understanding and comprehending something which until now was hidden as an abstract idea. Binah exposes the idea to understand it well—then there is joy.
מַה שְׁאֵין כֵּן, כְּשְׁעַדַיִין אֵינוֹ מַשִּׂיג הַדָבָר בְּהַשָּׂגָה הֵיטֵב, רַק הוּא עַדַיִּין נֶעְלָם בְּכֹּחַ חָכְמָתוֹ וְאֵינוֹ בְּגִילוּי אֳצְלוֹ מַמָּשׁ, לֹא יְקַבֵּל עוֹנֵג וְשִׂמְחָה כְּלָל.
When the idea is still abstract, not understood, it hasn’t been uncovered yet (the definition of chochmah). In this beginning stage, there isn’t any joy or satisfaction.
אַךְ הִנֵה בִּינָה נִקְרָה גַּם כֵּן עַלְמָא דְאִתּכַּסְיָא וּכְּמָה שֶׁכָּתוּב בְּזֹהַר חֵלֶק א׳ וַיֵצֵא (קנ”ג ב’ קנ”ד ובשאר דוכתי).
On the other hand, in the Zohar, binah is called “alma de’iskasya,”; binah is of the category of “hidden worlds.”
The spiritual “summit” mentioned in Kabbalah is usually kesser. Kesser is the stage where Nothing becomes Something; where infinite, unknowable G-dliness meets finite creation. Within kesser, its core, called, “atika kadisha,” is the frontier. Still, this stage is the “bottom,” so to speak of the infinite, unknowable G-dliness. Regardless, this means that, “atika kadisha,” is the first uncovering of G-dliness. This is the first place where G-dliness is revealed. This is where binah is from (as will be explained).
וְזֶה הָיָה עַבוֹדַת הַלְוִּיִם דְכְּתִיב, ״וְעָבַד הַלֵּוִי הוּא,״ שְׁמַמְשִׁיכִים בְּחִינַת ״הוּא״ דְהַיְּינוּ, עַלְמָא דְאִתְכַּסְיָא, הוּא, דָא עַתִּיקָא הַמְלוּבָּשׁ בְּבִּינָה מֵהֱעְלֶם אֶל הַגִילוּי וְהַיְּינוּ עַל יְדֵי הַשִׁיר שְׁהָיוּ אוֹמְרִים עַל הַיַיִן שְׁהוּא בְּחִינַת בִּינָה. וְזֶהוּ גַּם כֵּן בְּחִינַת יַיִן הַגַשְׁמִי שְׁגוֹרֵם גַּם כֵֵּן הַשִׂמְחָה וְגִילוּי הַהֱעְלֶם, ״נִכְנָס יַיִן, כוּלְהוּ, [יָצָא סוֹד]״ (ערובין סה:)
The verse states, “The Levites shall do it (hu) [the work of carrying the Mishkan].” The use of the word “it,” is not specific to any particular thing, so, “It,” implies the obscure and hidden. “It,” refers to the “hidden worlds,” which are “atika kadisha.”
“Atika kadisha,” we mentioned earlier, is the first uncovering of G-dliness. Binah too has this trait, as we mentioned earlier, that binah means uncovering. We also mention earlier that wine shares the “uncovering” trait with binah. This “freshly uncovered” quality of G-dliness would be exposed in the world when the Levites would sing as the wine was poured. Our Rabbis teach, that, “Wine enters and the secrets come out.” This element of removing inhibition, of uncovering, is the same in wine as it is in binah.
אַךְ הַהֶפְרֶשׁ בֵּין נִיסוּךְ הַיַיִן שְׁבְּכָל הַשָׂנָה לְבְּחִינַת מוֹעֲדִים לְשִׂמְחָה וּבְּפְרַט סוּכּוֹת זְמַן שִׂמְחָתֵנוּ שְׁהָיָה בָּהֶם גַּם כֵּן נִיסוּךְ הַיַיִן הוּא כְּמוֹ
Wine offerings were brought on the altar throughout the year—even Sukkos. What’s the difference between all these libations?
עַל דֶרֶךְ מָשָׁל, אָדָם כְּשְׁנִתְפָּעֵל וְשַׂמֵחַ מֵאֶיזֶה דָבָר, אַף עַל פִּי כֵּן, יָכוֹל לִהְיוֹת הַשִׂמְחָה וְהַהִתְפַּעֲלוּת אֱצְלוֹ בְּהֱעְלֶם מֵזוּלָתוֹ, שְׁיִהְיֶה תֹּוכוֹ רָצוּף חֶדְוָּה וְשִׂמְחָה, וְאֵינוֹ גָלוּי לְעֵין כֹּל,
When a person for example feels joy, it is possible the feeling could remain private. It’s possible for joy and happiness to burn passionately and still remain hidden from others.
אַבָל כְּשְׁנִתְפָּעֵל וְנִשְׂמַח מְאֹד מֵאֵיזֶה דָבָר אַזַי נִרְאֶה שִׂמְחָתוֹ לְעֵין כֹּל וּמְרַנֵּן וּמְרַקֵד בְּרֶגֶל וּמַטְפֵּחַ בְּיַד, שְׁאֵינָה יְכוֹלָה לִהְיוֹת בְּהֶסְתֶּר מֵרוֹב גְּדוּלַת הַשִׂמְחָה.
If the person is joyous enough, however, it’ll be obvious to all how he feels. His joy will bring him to sing, dance and clap—he won’t be able to contain himself.
כַּךְ כָּל הַשָׁנָה אַף שְׁנִתְפָּעֵל מֵאֱלֹקוּת, אַף עַל פִּי כֵּן הוּא בְּהֱעְלֶם אֱצְלוֹ שְׁאוֹר הַשִׂמְחָה מִתְעַלֵם בְּהַכְּלִי וְהַכְּלִי מַגְבִּילָתוֹ,
The whole year is this way; we can be inspired from G-dliness, yet the feelings remain hidden. The inspiration is hidden and contained by the body.
אַבָל בְּחַג הַסוּכּוֹת נִרְאֶה שִׂמְחָתוֹ לְעֵין כֹּל שְׁהָאוֹר בּוֹקֵעַ הַכְּלִי מֵחֲמַת רוֹב גְּדוּלַת אוֹר הַשִׂמְחָה וְרִיבּוּי גִילוּי הַהֶעְלֶם. וְנִיסוּךְ הַיַיִן הוּא בְּחִינַת בִּינָה וְנִיסוּךְ הַמַיִם הוּא בְּחִינַת חָכְמָה וְהוּא גָבוֹהָ מְאֹד נַעֲלָה מְנִיסוּךְ הַיַיִן.
On Sukkos the joy is so great it overflows—it bursts through our inhibitions. The wine pouring is binah, the uncovering of joy which is already there. The water pouring is chochmah, which is of much greater quality.
Chochmah, we said earlier, is an abstract idea before it’s fully developed. It’s like a seed, that if planted, it can sprout. Chochmah is referred to in Kabbalah and Chassidus as the father and binah the mother. The two are never separate and work together to produce emotions, or “children.”
Our excerpt of the ma’amer focused mainly on binah, the process of developing the “seeds” of chochmah. The point of the ma’amer however, was to emphasize the role of chochmah and the water libation. By explaining how binah works and its role in inspiration, we can appreciate how great chochmah is.
Summary
The whole year wine was poured on the altar in the Beis HaMikdosh. On Sukkos however, water was also poured and there was great joy in drawing the water for this pouring. To understand the uniqueness of the water pouring, we broke down the idea behind the wine pouring.
Wine we explained, “gladdens the heart of man.” The reason for this is that it removes inhibition, “Wine enters and the secrets come out.” Binah too uncovers and reveals that which was hidden. It follows that wine and binah are tools to reveal the joy which lies hidden, waiting to be revealed.