The Essence of Kedushah: Building Through Tosefes
From time immemorial, the communities of Klal Yisrael have set aside the days of Shovavim for intensified avodah aimed at attaining additional kedushah, and we, too, aspire to join in this exalted pursuit. To succeed in this, we must first reflect on the very essence of kedushah and how we might strive for it even in our present era.
Kedushah invariably arises through “addition” (tosefes), as the Nefesh HaChaim elucidates (Sha’ar Aleph, 10,11). In other words, the core of kedushah lies in perceiving seemingly simple and familiar matters from a more abstract and elevated vantage point, beyond the superficial outlook. Kedushah does not contradict the plain, surface-level view; instead, it builds upon it, offering a higher perspective—like an upper floor constructed atop a lower one. Those who manage to obtain a hergesh and chayus—feeling and vitality—on this elevated plane are termed by Chazal “bnei aliyah” (Sukkah 45b).
One can live an entire lifetime devoid of kedushah, and this need not be, chalilah, a life of prikus ol and aveiros. It might simply be a life
conducted within a shallow conceptual framework, lacking any elevated, exalted perspective. To cultivate the trait of kedushah, we must engage in deep, personal introspection about our actions and the reality of our existence: What are we truly doing? Where are we truly situated?
Lessons from Yetzias Mitzrayim: The Vision of Bnei Aliyah
In the sequence of parshiyos of Shovavim, we see that if Bnei Yisrael had perceived their harsh enslavement only through the perspective of the lower floor, they would not have merited redemption, chalilah. Their geulah came about precisely because they were bnei aliyah, capable of viewing all that transpired as part of a vast, unfolding Divine plan far broader than their personal enslavement. They saw themselves as part of a profound plan and purpose that was gradually unfolding.
We often assume that this added layer of contemplation applies solely to the fulfillment of mitzvos—discerning the higher world embedded within each mitzvah. Yet when it comes to the ordinary realities of our lives, we scarcely probe deeper. These aspects seem perpetually straightforward, so we fail to examine them thoroughly, even though it is precisely in the fabric of our daily lives that we must think deeply and reflect most carefully. For it is there that the Borei Yisborach addresses us personally.
Elevating Daily Life: Hearing Hashem in Our Work
Consider, for instance, our livelihood and the work through which we earn it. We might view it superficially—as a routine activity that provides monthly sustenance. However, it is also possible to add and perceive our work in a more elevated light: recognizing that the Borei Yisborach sustains us through our work, and that within it lies an entire realm of avodas hamiddos. The more we contemplate this, the more we will perceive how the Borei Olam speaks to us directly through our work.
Applying Tosefes to Our Current Reality: From Hostages to Galus
Reflecting on the events of the recent past, we were all stirred by the sight of the hostages returning to their families’ embrace. We could regard this merely from the sidelines, with empathy—hoping that their situation will now improve and their loved ones will find solace.
But if we delve deeper and contemplate further, we can expand our vision far beyond this. We can see how these events touch us intimately—how our own neshamah is captive to the yetzer hara, how we, too, yearn to break
free from the yoke of galus into eternal freedom, and even how the Shechinah HaKedoshah is held captive alongside us, prompting us to long for redemption — that the Shechinah may rise and emerge from the dust.
The more we ponder the harsh reality in which we find ourselves, the more we can view all that befalls us from a broader, holier standpoint. We will recognize that this reality impacts us not just in terms of bein adam l’chaveiro, but speaks to us personally as well—for we, too, are all hostages, and the Shechinah HaKedoshah is captive with us. We are all prisoners in this protracted galus, estranged from our true home — the Beis HaMikdash. We will discern where we fall short of a life of authentic freedom—that of a ben chorin ha’oseik baTorah—and realize how our life of illusory comforts obscures the truth: What constitutes eternal freedom? What is a life of kirvas Hashem, the revelation of the Shechinah, and the rebuilding of the Mikdash?
Through such reflection, we transform general, emotive information—the current events that preoccupy us all—and add upon it a profound, encompassing contemplation of our very existence. This tosefes has the power to bestow upon us a perspective far holier than the simple view and hergesh we held before.