Moshe pleas to G-d to not decimate the Jewish nation — and start anew through Moshe and his progeny — lest the nations of the world claim, "Because G-d lacked the ability to bring this people to the Land that he had sworn to give them, וישחטם — He slaughtered them in the wilderness."
This harsh description of otherwise 'slaughtering' the nation is most unusual. Kill, death, destroy, are some of the terms used throughout the Torah when discussing a threat of punishment for their sins, but slaughtering and its gross implication of severing the head from the body warrants further study.
Why was Moshe so worried about the nations casting doubt on G-d's 'abilities'? Were the proofs of the plagues He wrought upon Egypt and the splitting of the sea insufficient evidence of his omnipotence?
The Holy Temple is referred to as the neck.
צוארך — Your neck is like an ivory tower. (שה"ש ז ה)
The neck connects our body to our mind, our brain. The Shem MiShmuel explains that the Bais HaMikdash represents the intrinsic connection between heaven and earth upon which earth's continuation is contingent. The moment that bond is severed the lifeforce of the universe cannot exist.
Even in the Temple's absence this bond must be maintained through our prayers, Torah study, and deeds, that traverse even from afar through that point that connects these two worlds, fueling the world with the energy that is provided from upon High to sustain life as we know it.
Certainly, Moshe worried not about G-d's diminished stature in the eyes of the nation of the worlds.
What Moshe begged for was the privilege of the Jewish nation to remain the vehicle that would represent that bond that preserves our world, perforce their inspired prayers; devotion to the study of Torah — G-d's mindset; and enthused drive for closeness evident in all their actions.
He feared that the nations of the world would cast doubt on the ability of G-d's people to be up to the task of energizing the universe through their thoughts, actions, and deeds.
Moshe did not ask for a total reprieve, but rather for G-d to initiate His trait of ארך אפים — 'Slow to Anger', dispensing the punishment over time, allowing for the nation to survive and repent, continuing to be the conduit for G-d's infusion of life.
The depiction of וישחטם — 'severing their head' is then quite appropriate in this context.
Its intention was never to depict graphic carnage but meant to represent the Jewish nation's inability to be worthy of this privileged role to join the upper and lower spheres successfully. They would have been 'severed' from this exquisite bond, because of their inability to enmesh their physical instincts and drives to the higher spiritual realm and purpose, because they lacked the self-control and discipline necessary to quash their material needs in the face of adhering unconditionally to the divine direction from Above.
"ועתה — And now, יגדל נא — may be magnified, כח — the strength of my Lord as You have spoken, saying 'Hashem, Slow to Anger…'"
These are the words Moshe used to win G-d's reprieve.
Perhaps the implication of 'magnifying' G-d's strength — a difficult concept as G-d is all powerful and needs no encouragement to 'greaten' His power — refers to His influence upon earth being contingent on the merits of His nation who can bring about His manifest power through their strengthening their 'neck' permitting His blessing to flow. It broadens and diminishes proportionately to the clarity of their own connection.
There is a tradition in some circles, based on the Tikunei Zohar, to recite this verse, that speaks of magnifying G-d's strength, before the recitation of Kaddish, where we express, יתגדל ויתקדש שמיה רבא — Grow exalted and be sanctified may His name that is great!
Is this merely an association based on both sentiments calling for יגדל-יתגדל — growth?
We are taught that the שם המפורש — the Tetragrammaton, the four letter full expression of G-d's name that consists of a י then a ה then a ו and a ה, will not find its full expression until we eradicate the enemy Amalek in the End of Days.
Until then the Name is diminished and merely consists of just the first two letters, י and ה, and we must wait for the restoral of the missing ו and ה.
We are also told that G-d's כסא — Throne, his dominion, is diminished until such time, and appears in the Torah missing an א, as כס.
אליהו — the great prophet Eliyahu, the one who will herald the End of Days, the final redemption, has a ו missing from his name, אליה , in five places throughout TaNaCh.
יעקב — Yaakov, the father of the twelve tribes that the Jewish people consist of, has an extra ו added to his name, יעקוב, also in five places.
This mystically represents Yaakov having taken collateral from Eliyahu the prophet, to insure he will fulfill his mission to redeem the Jewish nation, upon which time the letters will be restored.
ירושלים — Jerusalem, the holiest city in the world, the very 'portal' to Heaven, appears throughout TaNaCh missing a י , ירושלם.
The total numerical value of these missing letters, ו ה א ו י, equal כח, 28!
We pray each day for the restoration of G-d's full dominion in the world.
Yaakov who never died, Eliyahu who ascended heavenward alive, and Jerusalem from where the Divine Presence will never leave, represent the indomitable spirit of our nation that will never be 'slaughtered', severed from the source of all life, no matter what challenges may come our way.
Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said that anyone who answers: Amen, may His great name be blessed, wholeheartedly, בכל כוחו — with all his might, they rip up his sentence in Heaven. (שבת קיט:)
It is incumbent upon us to 'magnify the כח — strength' of G-d by living with this consciousness — that in our mindful devotion we can power the world to the ultimate victory over our enemies.
באהבה,
צבי יהודה טייכמאן
