The author explains that he combines these 8 portions of the Torah in a single introduction, since in those years which have an extra month, אדר, added special prayers and fastdays are observed during those 8 weeks. In regular years these special prayers and fastdays are observed only during the first six of those weeks.

We know that the sun and moon had originally been created equal in size and power (compare Genesis 1,16, את שני המאורות הגדולים, i.e. the two great lights). The Talmud, חולין 60 describes that the moon argued with G–d that two kings cannot reign simultaneously, and was told to diminish its size. Whereas the Talmud, of course, refers to the physical sun and moon, the ones we can see, the story mirrors a corresponding dichotomy in the higher Celestial Regions.

Kabbalists understand קטרוג, jealousy, in our physical world as reflecting jealousy in the world of the spirits. Had the latter not existed, there would not be a Satan, i.e. יצר הרע in our world, no force that promotes sin, as a result of which more dichotomy is added in the "higher" worlds. In the messianic future, the light of the moon will equal the light of the sun, i.e. dichotomies will disappear. There will no longer be any קליפות, "peels," which intervene between us and G–d. There will no longer be a יצר הרע, a force actively promoting sin.

If the moon had not been required to reduce its size there never would have been a "leap" year, since solar and lunar orbits would have matched perfectly, and no adjustments would have been called for. As it is we need to insert an extra month seven times in each nineteen year cycle to ensure that פסח and סוכות occur in spring and fall respectively. In other words the lunar year has to be matched to the solar year by means of these insertions of the extra month. Leap years then are the result of קטרוג, dichotomy or jealousy, which in turn is the cause of sin. For this reason these seven years evoke a special need for repentance.

These portions of the Torah have been selected since they -more than any other string of פרשיות -contain the subject matter of תשובה, תפלה, and צדקה, repentance, prayer and the giving of charity as well as Torah study. These four activities represent the four רוחות, winds or spirits respectively, of the universe. They are like the four walls of the universe (if we consider the latter like a house). I have already referred to this concept when discussing the תולדות האדם, the generations of man, in my introduction to volume one, under this same heading.

I have stipulated the principle that G–d-Torah-lsrael are linked together, the Torah being G–d's imprint, whereas Israel is the Torah's imprint. By keeping this point in mind the statements of our sages about the commandment to procreate can be understood (as I explained in my introduction to chapter six of tractate יבמות). Every "wall" is actually composed of a double wall, as רשי has explained on Lamentations 2,8, on the words ויאבל חיל וחומה, "He made both wall and rampart wail." Similarly all the four walls are to be viewed as double walls. Repentance can be expressed visibly by fasting, donning of sackcloth and public prayer, or it can be expressed invisibly by a heart full of remorse, good resolutions, etc. It can be motivated by fear of retribution, or it can be due to a feeling of love for G–d. The invisible repentance is the real repentance. This is why it is called אמת, "truth". It is an offshoot of the attribute אמת.

It is accompanied by prayer, תפלה which is עבודה service of the Lord. Our sages have stated that service of the Lord with the heart is none other than prayer (תענית ב). Prayer was instituted as a substitute for animal sacrifice after the destruction of the Holy Temple. צדקה, charity, is also two pronged. It comprises גמילות חסדים, the performance of deeds of loving kindness (with one's body), as well as the performance of charitable deeds (with one's checkbook). This latter category includes gifts given to G–d, i.e. for religious institutions, the Temple Treasury, repair of synagogues, etc. Although all that we own originates with G–d, donating it to G–d or to His representatives is still rated as an act of charity on our part.

The Torah's function is to acquaint us with דין, a system of jurisprudence, especially when conflicting demands are made upon us. Civil laws as expressed in פרשת משפטים are placed there to tell us that just as the Ten Commandments emanate directly from G–d, i.e. "Sinai" so do the more mundane sounding pieces of legislation revealed in פרשת משפטים. This is stated in Exodus 18,16, "I make known the laws and teachings of G–d;"

Laws concerning property damage, financial compensations, etc. in the portion of משפטים are listed right after the Ten Commandments to show that all legislation emanates from G–d. When our sages in Avot described תורה, עבודה, גמילות חסדים "Torah, service of the Lord, deeds of loving kindness" as well as אמת, דין, and שלום , "truth, justice and harmony" as being the pillars which are the foundation that all civilization is based on, that is what they had in mind. אמת and תשובה are category A; עבודה and תפלה are category B; תורה and דין are category C; צדקה, and גמילות חסדים are category D, the final category. There remains the pillar of שלום, peace, harmony, which must be viewed as the "seal" of the previous four categories listed. Unless there is שלום, none of the other categories can achieve their purpose. This is what the prophet Zachariah 8,19, has in mind when he says "והאמת והשלום, אהבו!" "love truth and peace!" He states that success and happiness are contingent on the presence of these factors. It is written concerning the repentant sinner "peace, peace to the distant as well as to the near one," which our sages interpret as referring to people who were once far removed from our tradition but have found their way back (Isaiah 57,19). The "seal" of the עבודה, the priestly blessing, in our daily prayers is שלום, peace, as is the concluding benediction in our principal prayer, the עמידה. We find a similar thought expressed in Isaiah 32,17: "The work of the righteous shall be peace."

It is also written in Psalms 29,11: "May the Lord grant strength to His people, may He bestow peace on His people." The very fact that דין, a system of jurisprudence, governs relations between people ensures that they do not eat each other up alive. The system prevents anarchy. We have this statement as an introduction to the fourth section of the שולחן ערוך of the טור (based on Avot 3,2). The four categories, which are really eight, are the ones that the eight weekly portions starting with פרשת שמות, and commonly known as שובבים ת"ת, particularly reflect.

פרשת שמות which describes the tortures the Jewish people experienced in Egypt, shows how these experiences led to the repentance by the Jewish people, caused them to appeal to G–d. Afflictions cleansed them of their sins. This will be explained in detail in פרשת וארא, where repentance springing from a sincere heart will be described, i.e. repentance originating in the attribute of truth, אמת. The term עבודה will be explained in פרשת בא, whereas the focus of our commentary on פרשת בשלח will, of course, be פרשת יתרו .תפלה concentrates on תורה, whereas פרשת משפטים focuses on דין. The next פרשה i.e. תרומה, emphasizes generosity of heart, i.e. gifts for the erection of the Tabernacle, part of the צדקה syndrome, whereas פרשת תצוה describing the making of the garments for the High Priest, the איש חסד, the pious man, concentrates on the גמילות חסדים aspect of our duties in this world. The first letters of these eight portions suggest four duties that we have to perform, namely תשובה-תפלה-צדקה-תורה. The "word" שובבים, hints at תשובה, as in שובו בנים שובבים, "turn back, rebellious children" (Jeremiah 3,14). How is this to be accomplished? By ת"ת, i.e. through תשובה and תפלה. At the same time, the letters ת"ת are also an acronym for the words תלמוד תורה. The same acronym with the vowel segal under the first letter, i.e. tet "giving," also suggests charity, i.e. צדקה.

There is an interesting Midrash on Psalms 2,2, יתיצבו מלכי ארץ, "The kings of the earth will take their stand, and regents will intrigue together against G–d and His anointed." Rabbi Berechyah quotes Rabbi Levi as saying that the wicked are cursed, since they conspire against Israel. Each one claims to outdo the other in his devious plot. Esau describes Cain as having been foolish, since he killed Abel during Adam's lifetime, enabling Adam to replace Abel with other children. He, Esau was going to wait to kill Jacob until after his father had died and Jacob could no longer be replaced by Isaac siring any other children (Genesis 27,41). Pharaoh considered Esau as having been foolish, since he had overlooked the fact that while he waited, Jacob himself had a chance to sire many children, thus ensuring survival of the Jewish nation. He, Pharaoh, would not go about in in this way, but he would kill the Jewish males as soon as they emerged from their mother's womb (Exodus 1,22). Haman, on the other hand, considered that even Pharaoh had been foolish, since the latter had not realised that when the Jewish girls would marry they would multiply, the children being considered Jewish in Jewish law. Hence he decreed death for all Jews (Esther 3,13). In the future Gog and Magog will consider all former enemies of the Jews as having been fools for having ignored the fact that the Jews have a Patron in Heaven who may come to their rescue. Hence Gog and Magog plan to first contend with said Patron of the Jews, i.e. G–d, and only afterwards to attack Israel itself. This is why the verse in Psalms we quoted, reads "against G–d and His Messiah." G–d is reported as smiling, saying to Gog and Magog that their undertaking is both foolish and arrogant, since they have no idea how heavily outnumbered they will be when G–d employs His lightning, etc. After all, it is written (Isaiah 42,13): "G–d will go forth like a warrior, like a fighter. He will awaken His jealousy like a man of war." It also says (Zachariah 14,9) that "G–d will be king over the entire universe" (after having battled Gog and Magog).

The so-called "great wicked," which the Midrash has described were in fact very intelligent; alas, they used their intelligence for nefarious purposes. They were well aware of Israel's attachment to their father in Heaven. Their entire endeavour was to sever this relationship between Israel and its G–d.

This is why each one of them is quoted as saying "my plan is better than yours." This implied approval of the other party's plan while substituting a still better plan. It seems that Gog and Magog were even more foolish than their predecessors. If they did believe in G–d and in His power, how could they say that they would first attack G–d? If they did not believe in G–d's power, how could they say that Israel had a Patron in Heaven?The answer cannot be that, whereas they did believe in G–d, they only advised how to go about destroying the Jewish people, since this is exactly what Pharaoh tried to do, i.e. Pharaoh also knew that G–d makes the punishment fit the crime, and that therefore he tried to forestall the advent of the Jewish messiah (i.e. Moses) by having him die before he had a chance to develop into the redeemer (Exodus 1,10). It says there הבה נתחכמה לו, "let us outsmart him." It should otherwise have said הבה נתחכמה להם, "let us outsmart them."

Opposition to the concept of a Jewish nation began soon after the creation of man, since only Israel is described as "אדם" (Yevamot 61). The jealousy commenced with Cain, who was the first rebel who wanted to effect a separation between man who cleaved to G–d, and who wanted to destroy the whole celestial structure (as per commentary of Rekanati, commentator of the Zohar). All of this because his offering to G–d had been rejected (Genesis 4,5). In this way he wanted to "pay back" G–d, so to speak. He believed that by killing off one of the seven human beings that comprised mankind at that time, i.e. Adam, Eve, himself, his twin sister, as well as Abel and his two twin sisters (compare Bereshit Rabbah), he would not only destroy the equilibrium on earth , but also the equilibrium in the Celestial Regions. Thus far the Rekanati.

Concerning this idea of Cain, Esau said that Cain was a fool. The whole paragraph is to be understood as each successive enemy of the Jews saying that his predecessor (only) was a fool, that though his own suggestion might be inadequate, at least it was superior to that offered by his predecessor inasmuch as it would further decrease the amount of sanctity in the world. Cain killed Abel, whose soul was something outstanding, i.e. the soul that would be re-incarnated in Moses, a soul equivalent to the entire Jewish people. In this way, he had imagined that he had destroyed the celestial counterpart of Moses/Israel.

Esau ridiculed this, saying that Adam had been able to reproduce other human beings of whom the Torah testifies that they were "in His image and form," i.e. of equal or greater worth. Thereby he had restored the damage Cain had wrought (Genesis 5,3). This occurred when Shet was born, who provided the strain of mankind that survived the deluge. Esau vowed not to repeat Cain's mistake, but to ensure that no one could be sired by Isaac to replace Jacob. He particularly wanted to destroy one of the pillars supporting the universe, i.e. the Torah, which was represented by Jacob, the יושב אוהלים, the dweller in tents (a euphemism for Torah academies). On Genesis 25, 27, Rashi explains the plural as comprising the academies of Shem and Ever respectively. Esau reasoned that during the days of mourning for their father Isaac Jacob would have to interrupt his Torah study and the angel of death, Esau's guardian angel, would be able to claim him at such a time. We know from king David that the angel of death could not touch David while he was immersed in Torah study. He had to be distracted so that the angel of death could claim his soul. The Talmud relates a similar occasion when the angel of death tried to claim the soul of Rabbah. The latter had to be distracted through some tremendous noise (Baba Metzia 86).

Pharaoh considered Esau's plan as foolish since it allowed for Jacob himself to become fruitful in the interval preceding Isaac's death. Since the continuity of the universe is due to the Torah study of children (Shabbat 119), Esau's plan would have misfired even if Jacob had been sufficiently diverted from Torah study during the mourning period for his father. The Torah study of small children is of such merit that it even nullifies evil decrees that have been promulgated in Heaven against the Jewish people. The future of the Jewish people would certainly not have been cut short or even endangered. By drowning all the Jewish baby boys Pharaoh also meant to undermine the second of the three pillars the universe stands on, i.e. עבודה, sacrificial service and prayer. He hoped to achieve this since women are not qualified to perform such service. We know that Pharaoh had at one time become willing to allow a three day absence from work of the Jewish males in order to enable them to perform such sacrificial service (Exodus 10,11).

Haman said that Pharaoh's plan had been foolish, since anyone cohabiting with a Jewish woman and siring a child would be siring a Jewish child (It makes no difference whether such a child is considered a ממזר, "bastard" in Jewish law in the sense that he cannot legally marry a Jewish partner). This is the reason he determined to kill all the Jews. By doing so, he would also destroy the third pillar that keeps the universe going, i.e. that keeps its spiritual potential alive. The pillar referred to is גמילות חסדים, the performance of deeds of loving kindness. Once Israel would be wiped out no vestige of חסד love, would remain in this world. Our sages in Yevamot 79 have stated that חסד is one of the three attributes that distinguish members of the Jewish people and make them different from the Gentiles (the others being chastity and pity. The relevant verse is “כי גבר עלינו חסדו”, Psalms 117,2). All the three attributes mentioned are sub categories of חסד.

Gog and Magog viewed even Haman as foolish when they said "did he not know that these people have a patron who will accept their repentance even if the three pillars supporting the spiritual potential of the universe have been ruined?" They realised that the Jewish people would be able to regain their former stature if they did תשובה. We read clearly in Deut 4,30: "If you are in trouble, and all these dire predictions have indeed befallen you, and in the end you will return to the Lord,….He will not forget the covenant, etc." How then could Haman allow a whole year to elapse before his decree was to take effect? During that year Israel had ample time to repent its sins. This is the reason Gog and Magog are reported in Psalms to have declared war on "G–d and His anointed," (meaning the Jewish people). Penitence reaches right up to the throne of G–d! Gog therefore said "I will engage G–d," i.e. see to it that Israel has no chance to do תשובה. We have a similar statement by the Midrash Eychah Rabbati 3,3, that Nebuchadnezzar ordered his general Nebuzaradan not to allow the Jews a chance for public prayer, so that their repentance could not reach the Throne of G–d and be accepted.

G–d answered that lightning and other frightening experiences had accompanied the revelation at Mount Sinai, and had produced the desired effect on Israel then. Similarly, during the frightening experience of the war against Gog and Magog, these very experiences will soften and purify the Jewish people into doing penitence. That experience will not be comparable to the time of Nebuchadnezzar or to times when the afflictions were in the nature of punishments and therefore interfered with Torah study. Any repentance then was of an inferior quality, being due to fear. During the Gog and Magog war the afflictions will be viewed as expressing G–d's love, they will cause more Torah study, deeper knowledge and understanding כי מלאה הארץ דעה את ה', until the whole earth is filled with the knowledge of G–d (Isaiah 11,9). At that time G–d will reign supreme on earth.

Now to the individual portions, and discussion of the respective hints in each פרשה briefly, since the Exodus has already been explained at length, and many of the secrets contained in the portions שמות through בשלח, have been explained in my commentary on the tractate פסחים or in my commentary on the Haggadah Shel Pessach or my discourse on the significance of שבת הגדול, the Sabbath preceding the Passover holiday. I also discussed פרשת יתרו at length, when discussing the tractate שבועות- מתן תורה.