חלק ב — תורה 89

Daat is the maker of all matches. For every match is of a pair of opposites, and daat is the mediator between two opposing elements. Therefore, all the matches in the world come about through the individual with daat in the world. And so it is sometimes difficult to find one’s zivug (soul mate). This is because sometimes the two sides of the match are far apart, a pair of extreme opposites, and so it is difficult to find one’s mate.

The remedy for this entails coming to the one with daat to hear Torah from his mouth. This enables one to find one’s match. This is because so long as the daat is in potential, it is sometimes impossible to bring together the two sides of the match. When they are strong opposites—for sometimes they are very strong opposites—it is then impossible for the daat, so long as it is in potential, to bring them together. It is therefore necessary to hear Torah from his mouth, for then the daat emerges, as in “from His mouth come daat and discernment” (Proverbs 2:6). And then, when daat emerges from potential to actual, it can then match them up, even if they are strong opposites.

{“For the priest’s lips shall keep daat (Ki siftei kohen yishm’ru daat), and Torah (v’torah) they should seek from his mouth” (Malachi 2:7).} This is [hinted at by] the letters which spell ShIDUKh (a match), which are the first letters of “Ki Siftei Kohen Yishm’ru Daat V’torah .” And this is the meaning of “they should seek from his mouth.” One has to seek the Torah specifically from his mouth, in order to bring the daat from potential to actual, as mentioned above.

It is therefore necessary to hear specifically Torah from his mouth. Although the casual words of the one with daat also contain daat , it is nevertheless necessary to hear specifically Torah. For the Torah is called a bride, as our Sages, of blessed memory, taught: Do not read MORaShaH (heritage), but M’ORaSaH (betrothed) (Pesachim 49b). And it, too, contains a pair of opposites, because it has in it two types of letters.

And when the tzaddik teaches Torah, he is the concept of matchmaker. This is because the words of Torah are “poor” here, but “rich” elsewhere (Yerushalmi, Rosh HaShanah 3:5, p.17a). One has to bring together the words of Torah, from one place to another. By bringing together the words of Torah from scattered, far apart sources and uniting them, this creates the insight which we originate. It follows, that when the tzaddik who is the one with daat teaches Torah, he engages in matchmaking. It is therefore necessary to hear from his mouth specifically Torah. And through this it is possible to find one’s zivug, as mentioned above.