By Rabbi David Cohen:
And you shall only be above, and you shall not be below. (28:13)
Simply, this means that we will be on “top,” revered, looked up to, sought after. Horav Ezriel Hildeseimer, z”l, explains that this blessing emphasizes the Jew’s gravitational pull toward spirituality and holiness. We note that, in the world of nature, a rock that is falling down does so quickly. That is the law of gravity. Conversely, when one throws a rock up into the air, it ascends at a much slower pace than if it were to be falling earthward. We see the opposite concerning fire: It rises quickly, but travels slowly when it is going downward. Why does the rock rise slowly, in contrast to fire which makes a rapid ascent? He explains that, by nature, a stone is drawn to the earth, which is its source. Fire, however, is an energy which gravitates heavenward. The rule is: Everything travels quickly to its source and slowly when it is moving away from its origins.
This idea applies to the Jewish neshamah, soul, which strives to absorb more from its Heavenly Source. Yeridah, descent, is a movement that is incongruous with the “nature” of the neshamah. The nefesh, man’s corporeal essence, however, gravitates downward, as aliyah, spiritual ascendancy, is antagonistic to its nature. Thus, the Torah blesses us that our aliyah, ascension, will be rapid, since our predominant force is our neshamah, which strives Heavenward. We will not be l’matah, below, rising as something whose gravitational pull is heavily downward – like a rock.
Elul is the time where we heed that force which pulls us to a holy source, to spirituality and a deeper meaning of life.
Shabbat Shalom