diff --git "a/json/Kabbalah/Zohar/Zohar/English/merged.json" "b/json/Kabbalah/Zohar/Zohar/English/merged.json" new file mode 100644--- /dev/null +++ "b/json/Kabbalah/Zohar/Zohar/English/merged.json" @@ -0,0 +1,4594 @@ +{ + "title": "Zohar", + "language": "en", + "versionTitle": "merged", + "versionSource": "https://www.sefaria.org/Zohar", + "text": { + "Introduction": [ + [ + "Rabbi Hizkiyah opened, “It is written, as a rose among thorns.” (Song of Songs 2:2) What is the Rose? It is the Congregation of Israel. Because there is a rose, and there is a Rose. Just as the rose among the thorns is tinged with red and white, so is the Congregation of Israel affected by the qualities of Judgment and Mercy. Just as a rose has thirteen petals, the Assembly of Israel is surrounded on all sides by the thirteen attributes of Mercy. Thus, between the first mentions of the name Elohim, [in the Torah] these [thirteen] words surround and guard the Congregation of Israel.", + "After this, [the name \"Elohim\"] is written again in the text. And why is it mentioned again? In order to bring out the five rigid leaves that surround a rose. And these five represent the five gates of salvation. And this secret is written about in the verse, \"I will raise the cup of salvation\" (Psalms 116:13) This is the cup of benediction which is raised after a meal. The cup of benediction must rest on five fingers, and no more, just as a rose rests on five rigid leaves. And this Rose is the cup of benediction. From the second to the third mention of the name Elohim [in the Torah], there are five words. From this point the Ohr [light] was created [hence \"Let there be Light.\"] and concealed and enclosed within that covenant that entered the rose and fructified it. This is referred to as a \"fruit-tree bearing fruit after its kind, wherein is the seed thereof.\" [Genesis 1:11] This seed is the Covenant.", + "And just as the Covenant is sown by forty-two birthings from that same seed, so is the engraved and holy name sown, by the forty-two letters that describe the works of Creation." + ], + [ + "\"In the beginning,\" Rabbi Shimon opened, \"the flower buds appeared on the earth.\" (Song of Songs 2:12) “The flower buds” refer to the act of Creation. When had they \"appeared on the earth\"? On the third day, as it is said, “And the earth brought forth grass.” [Genesis 1:12] That was when they appeared on the earth. The time of \"pruning doves\" [Song of Songs 2:12] has come, alluding to the fourth day, when the \"pruning of the tyrants\" took place. [\"stars\" in Gen. 1:14 shares a spelling with \"curses\"] The voice of the turtle dove [Songs 2:14] refers to the fifth day, where it is written, “Let the waters swarm,” [Gen. 1:20] so as to produce offspring. “It is heard” [Songs 2:12] refers to the sixth day, where it is written, “Let us create man,” [Gen 1:26] and there it is said, “All that [the LORD] has spoken we will faithfully do.” [Exodus 24:7] \"Let us make man\" [Gen 1:26], who shall put action before listening. Because it says here, \"Let us make man,\" while there on Mount Sinai, when the LORD asked Israel about the Torah, they said \"we will faithfully do\". [Exodus 24:7]. \"In the land\" [Songs 2:12] refers to the day of Shabbat, which represents the Land of Life.", + "Another explanation for \"buds\" - these are the Patriarchs who come to mind, and came into the World to Come, where they were hidden. They emerged from there secretly and hid themselves within the true prophets. Joseph was born, and they concealed themselves in him. When Joseph entered the Holy Land, he revealed their presence and then they appeared on the earth and were seen there. When are the Patriarchs seen? When the rainbow is seen in the sky. It is when the rainbow is seen that they are revealed. And at that moment, \"the time of pruning has come.\" This means that the time has come to eradicate the wicked from the world. Why were the wicked saved [until now]? Because the flower buds can be seen in the earth. And if they could not be seen, [the wicked] would not have remained in the world, and the world would not be able to exist.", + "And who sustains the world, and causes the Patriarchs to appear? It is the voice of the children, who study the Torah. It is the voice of the children, who study the Torah. And since they grow in the world, the world is sustained. In deference to them, it is written, \"We will make you necklets of gold\" (Songs 1:11). This refers to the children that grow strong in the world, as is written, \"And you shall make two Cherubs of gold\" (Exodus 25:18)." + ], + [ + "\"In the beginning,\" Rabbi Elazar opened, “Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who has created these things.” (Isaiah 40:26) Lift up your eyes, to what place? To the place where all eyes are turned. And who is He, that has \"created these things\"? He is one who opens those eyes. And you will know this. It is the concealed Atika,wherein lies the question, 'Who has created these?' And who is He? WHO. [M\"I] He is called from the ends of Divine Heaven on high, where everything belongs to Him as everything is in His domain. And since one can ask about Him though He is concealed and not revealed, He is called WHO, because beyond Him, one may not pose such questions. Thus, the end of heaven is called WHO.", + "And there is another below, called WHAT [M\"H]. What is between 'WHO' [M\"I] and 'WHAT' [M\"H]? The first one, which is called WHO, is concealed. It remains a question: Once man has searched and inquired in order to understand and climb from one level to another, and has finally reached the end level of all, he is asked: WHAT? WHAT have you learned? WHAT have you seen? WHAT have you investigated, since everything is still concealed, just as it was before?", + "Of this secret, it is written, “What can I take as witness or liken to you, O Fair Jerusalem? What can I match with you to console you, O Fair Maiden Zion?” (Lamentations 2:13) This is because, after the Temple was destroyed, a voice came forth and said, \"What shall I take to witness for you, and what shall I liken to you?\" This means that, using 'WHAT', I shall witness about you each and every day since the Ancient Days. As it is written: “I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day,” (Deuteronomy 30:19) which is what I liken to you. In the very same manner I crowned you with holy crowns and made you ruler over the world. As is written: \"Is this the city that men call the perfection of beauty?\" (Lamentations 2:15). I have called you, \"Jerusalem, built as a city that is compact together\" (Psalms 122:3). \"What shall I equal to you?\" (Lamentations 2:13). Just as your situation is here, so it is seemingly above! Just as now the holy nation does not enter below with the sacred arrangements, so I swear to you that I will not enter above, until your throngs come to you down below. This is your consolation - that I equate you with this level, in every respect. And now you are here, \"your breach is great like the sea\" [Lam. 2:13] And if you say that there is no existence or remedy for you, then, then who shall heal you? Namely, that same concealed supernal level WHO [M\"I] through which everything exists, shall heal and uphold you.", + "WHO [M\"I] is the upper edge of Heaven and WHAT [M\"H] is the lower edge of Heaven. This was inherited by Jacob, as he \"shall reach from end to end\" (Exodus 26:28) — From the end above, which is WHO, down to the lower end, which is WHAT. Therefore, he stands in the middle, and \"WHO has created THESE [AL\"H]\"" + ], + [ + "Rabbi Shimon [who wrote the Zohar] said, “Elazar, my son, stop talking lest the supernal hidden secret, which humans know nothing about, be revealed. ” Rabbi Elazar was silent. Rabbi Shimon wept, and stood still for a moment. Rabbi Shimon then said, “Elazar, what is this 'THESE'? You say the stars and the signs of the zodiac, but have they not always been seen? And were they not created by WHAT [M\"H], as it is written, \"By the word of the LORD the heavens were made\"? (Psalms 33:6) And if 'THESE' denoted some hidden things, then there is no need to write 'THESE', because they [the planets are stars] are visible, and revealed!” This secret was never before revealed, until one day when I was on the seashore, Elijah came and asked me: Sir, do you know what \"Who has created these\" means? I answered, 'these' are the heavens and their hosts, the works of the Holy One, Blessed Be He. And man should look at them, and bless Him, as is written, \"When I behold Your heavens,", + "Your fingers... Adonai our Master, how majestic is Your name in all the earth!\" [Psalms 8:4-10]", + "He told me, Rabbi, the Holy One, blessed be He, had a great secret, which He revealed to the Celestial Assembly. The secret is that when the Most Concealed One desired to reveal Himself, He first made one Point, [Malkuth] and this point ascended and became a Thought. [Binah] He shaped in it all the images and engraved all the designs.", + "He engraved inside a concealed, sacred candle an image of a concealed image of the holy of holies. A profound structure [the upper Sefiroth] emerged from the depth of that thought, and it is called WHO [M\"I], which is the inception of this edifice. And it exists, and exists not; it is hidden deep inside the name. [that is, the name 'Elohim'] It is not called [Elohim], but only M\"I – WHO [thus leaving the aleph, lamed, and hei of 'ELoHim'] He desired to reveal Himself and to be called this name [Elohim], so He clothed Himself in a precious, radiant garment [Chesed's light of Chassadim] and created THESE, and THESE ascended to the name [Elohim]. And these letters, Aleph, Lamed, and Hei, [together reading \"eleh\" which means \"this/these\"] after being joined together, ascended to the name [Elohim] the letters [Mem and Yudh, together reading \"mi\" which means \"who\"] combined with [Aleph, Lamed, and Hei] to complete the name Elohim. And until He created THIS, [THESE] Elohim did not ascend to form the name Elohim. Those who sinned in worshipping the Golden Calf used this secret by saying, \"This is your Elohim, Israel\" (Exodus 32:4).", + "Just as the letters Mem-Yud joined the letters Aleph-Lamed-Hei, [to spell \"Elohim\"] the name has remained forever combined. And the continued existence of the world is based on this secret. Elijah then flew away, and I could not see him. And it is from him that I received this knowledge and was able to grasp this hidden secret. Rabbi Elazar came with all the other friends and bowed down before him. They wept and then said, if we had not come into this world but only to hear this secret, it would have been enough for us." + ], + [ + "Rabbi Shimon said, So accordingly, the heavens and their hosts were created by WHAT. As it is written: \"When I behold Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and stars that You set in place,\" (Psalms 8:4). [Before this] it is written, \"How majestic is Your name throughout the earth, You who have covered the heavens with Your splendor!\" (Psalms 8:2). The heavens were created by the name HOW [M\"H, \"how\" and \"what\" are spelled the same]. \"above the heavens\", which is called WHO [M\"I], that it amounts to the name of \"Elohim\". He created a light for His light. This means that He created the light of Chassadim as a precious garment for the light of Chochmah, that is in the name of WHO [M\"I] and they enclothed each other. Then [Malkuth] mounted to the Supernal Name [the 'supernal' \"Elohim\" which lies inside of Binah]. That is why the phrase, \"In the beginning Elohim created\", [refers to] the upper Elohim, [the one inside of Binah]. WHAT [M\"H, Malkuth], is not there and is not constructed.", + "When the letters Aleph-Lamed-Hei are drawn from above, [from Binah], downward [to Malkuth], it is as if a Mother lends Her clothes to Her daughter and adorned her with Her own adornments. [Hence Binah is mother to her daughter Malkuth] And when does She properly adorn her? When all the males appear before her. It is written that \"all you males shall appear before the Master, the LORD\" (Exodus 34:23). Because [Malkuth] is called \"Master\" [a grammatically masculine term]. As it is written: \"Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Master of all the earth\" (Joshua 3:11). Then the letter Hei departs [from M\"H - WHAT], and is replaced by the letter Yud. [So it becomes M\"I - WHO] Then she dresses up in male clothes, [hence Malkuth is Binah's daughter, and yet the male Master]", + "And the other letters, [Aleph, Lamed, and Hei] are drawn down by Israel from above, [Binah] down to this place; [Malkuth, since now it is called WHO/M\"I just as Binah is]. \"When I remember these\" (Ps. 42:5) when I utter these letters with my mouth and I shed tears voluntarily to draw down these letters, Aleph, Lamed, and Hei from Binah, and then I was \"leading them\" (Ps. 42), from above [Binah] \"to the house of Elohim\" (Ps. 42), [which is Malkuth] would be Elohim, just like [Binah]. And with what [shall I make them]? \"With the voice of joy and praise, a crowd keeping holiday\" (Ps. 42). Rabbi Elazar said, My silence has built the Temple on high [in Binah] and the Temple below, [in Malkuth]. And surely it is [a proverb], 'a word is worth one sela, and silence two' So the words 'a word is worth one sela' [are] what I have said and clarified, but the words 'silence two' — in my being silent, two worlds [Binah and Malkuth] were created and constructed together. [Since Malkuth's M\"H became Binah's M\"I]", + "Rabbi Shimon said, from here onward we shall complete the text. As it is written, \"That brings out their host by number\" (Isaiah 40:26), there are two grades, and each one has to be recorded, one is called WHAT [M\"H] and the other WHO [M\"I]. WHO is the Upper One, and WHAT is the lower one. The Upper Degree registers, speaks, and brings forth their hosts by number, where the letter Hei alludes to the one that is known and unequaled, [i.e. WHO]. This is similar to the phrase, “haMotzi lechem” – \"He who brings forth bread from the earth,\" where the letter Hei refers to the knowledge of the known, lower degree, [i.e. WHAT]. And together they are one. [as Malkuth]. So, \"...by number,\" 600,000 that stand together and bring forth the hosts according to their types, which are innumerable.", + "All of them, whether these 600,000 or all their hosts, shall be called by the name. What is meant by \"called by the name\"? (Deut. 28:10) If you say that He calls them by their names, it is not so. Because had it been so, He should have said, \"be [called] by His name.\" Rather, when this grade does not amount to the name [Elohim], but is called WHO [M\"I], it does not beget (any offspring) and does not bring forth those concealed inside it according to their kinds. Although all of them were hidden inside it, [they had not been clothed in the previously discussed 'precious, radiant garment'] Because He created, Aleph-Lamed-Hei, and they amount to His name, and Yud, and are called Elohim. Thus, by the power of this name He brought them forth in all perfection. And this is the meaning of the phrase, \"called by the name,\" by His own name did He call and bring forth each and every species to exist in perfection. The same appears here, \"See, I have called by name\" (Exodus 31:2), \"I have bestowed My name on Bezalel,\" so that Bezalel's existence reaches perfection.", + "He asks: “What is the meaning of “by the greatness of His might and wealth?” (Isaiah 40:26) This is the supreme grade where all desires rise up in Him. And they ascend through a hidden and secret path... \"because He is strong in power\". This is the secret of the supernal world [WHO/M\"I] that rose up to the name Elohim. As we have stated, the phrase \"no one is missing\", is to the 600,000 that He brought forth by the power of this name. And because \"no one is missing\" [from the] 600,000, it follows that in every place that Israel died and were punished for their sins, they were numbered. And no one was ever missing from the 600,000, to keep the balance [between the worlds]. Just as no one was missing [from the] 600,000 above, no one was missing [from the 600,000] below." + ], + [ + "Rabbi Hamnuna-Saba said: “In the first four words of the Torah, Beresheet Bara Elohim Et, the first two words begin with the letter Bet, and the following two begin with Aleph\". It is said that, “When the Creator thought to create the world, all of the letters were still concealed, and even 2,000 years before the creation of the world, the Creator gazed into the letters and played with them.", + "When the Creator thought to create the world, all the letters of the alphabet came to Him in reverse order from last to first. The letter Tav entered first and said, “Master of the world! It is good, and also seemly of You, to create the world with me, with my properties. For I am the seal on Your ring, called Truth, that ends with the letter Tav. And that is why You are called Truth, and why it would befit the King to begin the universe with the letter Tav, and to create the world by her, by her properties. The Creator answered: \"You are beautiful and sincere, but do not merit the world that I conceived to be created by your properties. You are destined to serve as a mark on the foreheads of the faithful, who have kept the Law of the Torah from Aleph to Tav. When you appear, they shall die. Not only that, but you are also the seal of the word Death, and because of this, you are not suitable for Me to create the world with you.\" The letter Tav then immediately left.", + "The letter Shin then entered and stood before Him. It said, \"Master of the Universe, may it please You to create the world with me, as Your own name Shaddai is with me. And it would be most proper to create the world by a holy name. He replies: You are worthy, you are good, and you are truthful. But because you are included among the letters that form the word Falsehood, [sheqer] I do not wish to create the world with you. Falsehood would not have prevailed had you not been attached to the letters [Resh and Quf].", + "From this, whoever wants to tell a lie, should add that lie to a base that is truthful. Because the letter Shin is a letter of truth, meaning a letter of Truth by which the Patriarchs reached unison. [Shin's three arms represent Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob — Chesed, Gevurah, and Tiferet] And the letters Quf and Resh appear on the evil side, [Quf+Resh spells qar, \"cold\"] In order for them to continue to exist, they pulled the letter Shin to them, creating the combination qesher, [\"connection\"] When the Shin realized this, it left.", + "Subsequently, the letter Tsade appeared before the Creator and said: “Master of the world, You should create the world with me, for Tzadikim [\"righteous ones\"] are marked by me. You, who is called a Tzadik, are also recorded within me, for You are righteous and You love righteousness. Therefore, my properties are suitable to create the world by.” The Creator answered: “Tsade, you are truly righteous, but you must remain concealed and not be revealed to the extent required were the world to be created by you, so as to not give the world an excuse.” The concealment of the letter Tsade is necessary, for first came the letter Nun, which was then joined by the letter Yod from the Creator’s Holy Name who stood above it as a mark of the bond between the Creator and His creations, mounted the letter Nun and joined it on its right hand side, thereby creating the letter Tsade.", + "The letter Pe entered and said: “Master of the world, it would be good to create the world with me, for the future liberation of the world is inscribed in me, as the word Pedut [\"redemption\"] begins with me. That is, liberation is deliverance from all suffering. And it is therefore fitting to create the world with me. The Creator answered her: “Though you are fine, the word begins with you and is secretly denoted by you, like a serpent that strikes and hides its head in its body. So a sinner bows his head, hiding from others’ eyes, but stretches out his hands to sin. So is the shape of the letter Peh, whose head is hidden inside it.” And the Creator also said to the letter Ayin that it would be unfitting to create the world with its properties, for within it is the property of Avon. [\"inequity\"] And though Ayin tried to object, saying that its properties are contained in the word Anavah, [\"humility\"] the Creator refused it nonetheless.", + "The letter Samekh appeared before the Creator and said, Master of the Universe, may it please You to create the world with me, because I am able to support those who fall. As it is written, \"The LORD supports all who stumble, and makes all who are bent stand straight.\" (Ps. 145:14). He said to it, This is exactly why you should stay in your place and not move from it. If you leave your place [in the word somekh, \"support\"] what will then happen to all those who fell and are being supported by you? The letter Samekh then left immediately!", + "The letter Nun entered and stood before Him saying, Master of the Universe, may it please You to create the world with me, because the phrase, \"fearful in praises\" [nora tehilot] (Ex. 15:11) starts with me. In the words of the righteous, \"it is pleasant to sing glorious praise.\" (Ps. 147:1) [\"praise\" in Hebrew is nava] He said, Nun, go back to your place! It is because of you that the letter Samekh returned to its place. And you should depend on it for support. [\"to fall\" in Hebrew is nefilah, hence fall → support, nun → samekh] It immediately left His presence and returned to its place.", + "The letter Mem entered and said to Him, \"Master of the Universe, may it please You to create the world by me, because with me you are called Melech [\"King\"]. He told it, yes, it is indeed so, but I shall not create the world with you, because the world needs a king! Go back to your place, you and the letters Lamed and Kaph, as it is not proper for the world to be without a king.", + "At this time, the letter Kaph descended from the Throne [kisseh] of His [God's] Glory. Shaking and trembling, it stood before Him and said, Master of the Universe, may it please You to create the world with me, because I am Your Glory [khavod]. When the letter Kaph descended from the Throne of His Glory, 200,000 worlds were shaken and the Throne trembled. And all the worlds were about to collapse. The Holy One, blessed be He, told it, Kaph, Kaph, what are you doing here?! I shall indeed not create the world with you. Go back to your place, because the word 'destruction' [klayah] starts with you. \"A decree of destruction upon all the land.\" (Is. 10:23). So, return to your Throne and stay there. At that same moment, it took leave and returned to its place.", + "The letter Yud entered, stood before Him, and said, Master of the Universe, may it please You to create the world with me, because I am the first letter of the Holy Name. Thus, it should be proper for You to create the world with me. He replied: It should suffice you to be engraved upon My Name and appear in Me. You embrace all My desires. Rise up, it would not be proper for you to be removed from My Name!", + "The letter Teth entered, stood before Him and said, Master of the Universe may it please You to create the world with me, as by me You are called Good [tov] and Upright. He replied: I will not create the world with you, because your goodness is concealed within you. Therefore it is written: \"How abundant is the good that You have in store for those who fear You\" (Ps. 31:20). So because your [goodness] is concealed within you, it cannot take any part in this world that I want to create. It only applies to the World to Come. Furthermore, because your goodness is concealed and treasured within yourself, the gates of the Temple shall be 'sunk.' As it is written: \"Her gates have sunk into the ground,\" (Lam. 2:9). And to add to all this, the letter Heth stands before you, together you become a sin (spelled Heth-Teth-Aleph). This is why these two letters do not appear in the names of the twelve tribes. Teth immediately then took its leave and went away from Him.", + "The letter Zayin entered and said to Him, Master of the Universe, may it please You to create the world with me. Because with my help, Your children shall keep the Shabbat, as it is written, \"Remember the Shabbat day, to keep it holy\" (Ex. 20:8) [\"remember\" in Hebrew is zakhor] He replied: I will not create the world with you, because you represent war, a sharp pointed sword and a spear! [\"sword\" in Hebrew is spelled and pronounced the same way the letter name is.] and so you are like the letter Nun! It immediately left His presence.", + "The letter Vav entered, and pleaded before Him, Master of the Universe, may it please You to create the world with me because I am one of the letters of Your Name. He replied: Vav, you and the letter Hei should both be satisfied with being written in My Name. Because you appear in My Name and are engraved in It, I shall therefore not create the world with you.", + "The letters Dalet and Gimel entered. Both also claimed the same thing. He told them also be satisfied with being with each other, because there will always be poor men on earth, and they should be given a benefactor. The letter Dalet is Poor, [daluth] and the Gimel reciprocates as a Benefactor [gomeleth]. Do not leave each other, and it should suffice you that you sustain one another!", + "The letter Bet entered and said to Him, Master of the Universe, may it please You to create the world with me, because by me You are blessed in the upper and lower worlds. [baruch - \"bless\"] The Holy One, blessed be He, replied: But, of course, I shall certainly create the world with you. And you shall appear in the beginning of the Creation of the world.", + "The letter Aleph stood outside and did not enter. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to it, Aleph, Aleph, why do you not enter and stand before Me like the other letters? It replies: Master of the Universe, because I saw that all the letters left You without benefaction. So what shall I do there myself? Not only that, but You have already presented the letter Bet with this greatest gift of all. And it would not be proper for the supernal King to take back the gift, which He presented to His servant, and give it to another! The Holy One, blessed be He, said, Aleph, Aleph, even though the world is created with the letter Bet, you shall be the first of all the letters. My attachments shall be expressed only by you and all calculations and actions of the people shall commence with you. Therefore, all unity shall be expressed by the letter Aleph!", + "The Holy One, blessed be He, formed large upper [Binah] letters, and smaller lower [Malkuth] letters. And this is why, Bet, Beresheet Bara, and Aleph, Elohim, are letters from above, [Binah] and are letters from below, [Malkuth]. And they are all united - the ones from the world above, with the ones from the world below." + ], + [ + "Beresheet. Rabbi Yudai asks, What is Beresheet? It means 'with wisdom'. And this is the wisdom upon which the world is established and allowed to enter the deep and secretive mysteries. Here the six supernal directions [the cardinal directions and up and down] are engraved, from which everything emerges. From them were formed the six sources and rivers, [Zeir Anpin] that flow into the great sea, [Malkuth]. Bara Sheet [\"He created six\"] were created from here. [Beresheet contains six letters as well.] And who created them? He who is not mentioned; He who is concealed and unknown. [Arich Anpin]" + ], + [ + "Rabbi Chiya and Rabbi Yosi were walking along. As they reached a field, Rabbi Chiya said to Rabbi Yosi: What you have said, that Bara Sheet, is certainly so. Because only the supernal six days, [have bearing] on the Torah, [Zeir Anpin] and no more. While the others are concealed.", + "But we have already seen in the hidden mysteries of Beresheet, where he says that He who is holy and concealed engraved a certain form in His bowels — the Secret One, that is designated by a thrusting point. This engraving was incised and hidden in it, as someone who hides everything, locks it up, and puts the key away. This key is kept hidden in a certain chamber and although everything is hidden in that chamber, the most important thing is that key, which locks and unlocks everything!", + "That chamber has a lot of hidden treasures one upon the other. In that chamber there are fifty gates, which are supposed to be closed. There are forty-nine gates engraved upon the 'four directions' of the world. One gate has no direction; it is not known whether it faces up or down. This is how this gate stays closed.", + "Each gate contains a lock with a tiny and narrow keyhole. This lock is marked [and known] only by the impression of the key. And no one is to know about [the keyhole] without having the key. And upon this secret: \"In the beginning, Elohim created\" (Gen. 1:1). Beresheet is the key by which everything is hidden, as it locks and unlocks. With this key, six gates are locked and unlocked. So, when it locks those gates, and includes them within itself, then it is for sure Beresheet: a revealed word that includes within it a concealed word. Bara, wherever it appears, is a word that hides and guards a secret, locks it up and does not unlock it." + ], + [ + "Rabbi Yosi said, It is certainly so! I heard the same from the Holy Luminary, [Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai], that the word bara is concealed in order to show [that the key] locks up and does not unlock. As long as [the key] locked up the word bara, the world could not exist and would not have lasted at all! Complete chaos would have prevailed, covering the whole of existence. And when this chaos prevailed there would not have been a world; it would have never lasted!", + "When did this key unlock the gates, and serve and produce offspring? When Abraham appeared, [as Abraham is identified with Chesed] As it is written: \"These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created\" (Gen. 2:4). And we have already learned, [not to pronounce \"created\" as it is written, behibar'am, but instead as b'Abraham, which means \"with Abraham\"] Then, the letters that were entirely concealed in the word bara [were opened] to hear. And the Pillar of Procreation, the sacred limb [evar] of Yesod, upon which the world is established was revealed. [in Hebrew, the words for \"create\" and \"limb\" are spelled with the same letters - bara vs. evar, Bet-Aleph-Resh vs Aleph-Bet-Resh]", + "When evar left its impression on the word bara, then the supernal and concealed One formed another impression for His Name and Glory, which is WHO [M\"I] and THESE [eleh, Aleph-Lamed-Hei]. So was the Holy and Blessed Name, which is WHAT [M\"H], formed as a mark. It brought forth evar from bara. And it has the imprint of THESE from one side, and evar from the other side. Therefore, in the Sacred Concealed One, THESE exists, as does evar. And when one of them reaches perfection, so does the other. Thus, He engraved upon evar the letter Hei, and it engraved upon the Aleph, Lamed, and Hei, [THESE] the letter Yud!", + "The letters [Aleph-Bet-Resh + Hei, and Aleph-Lamed-Hei + Yud] were roused to complete both sides, He then brought forth the final letter Mem. He took one final Mem to one side [to Aleph-Lamed-Hei + Yud] and one final Mem to the other side, that is to the letters [Aleph-Bet-Resh + Hei], thus completing the holy name to form Elohim [Aleph-Lamed-Hei + Yud + Mem, ELoHIM] In the same manner, the name Abraham was completed. [Aleph-Bet-Resh + Hei + Mem, ABRaHaM] \"When one of them reaches perfection, so does the other.\" And some say that the Holy One, blessed be He, took the letters Mem-Yud [WHO] and put them together with Aleph-Lamed-Hei [THESE] and Elohim [Aleph-Lamed-Hei-Yud-Mem] was formed; and He took Mem-Hei [WHAT] and put them together with Aleph-Bet-Resh [evar], and it became Abraham. And the word WHO [Mem-Yud, M\"I] alludes to the fifty gates of Binah, and in M\"I, there is a Yud, which is the first letter of the Holy Name. And the word WHAT [Mem-Gei, M\"H] alludes to the numerical value of the Holy Name, and it has within it the second letter of the Holy Name YHWH. As it is written, \"happy are the people for whom this is so...\" (Ps. 144:15) and \"and hangs the earth upon nothing\" (Job 26:7). And then both worlds were upheld, the World to Come with the letter Yud and this world with Hei. That is, He created the World to Come with WHO [M\"I], and this world with WHAT [M\"H]. This is a hint for the higher and lower. And then He created offspring and the name was complete. As it is written: \"These are the generations of the heaven and of the earth when they were created\" (Gen 2:4). [The generations] were suspended, until the name of Abraham was created. [see last chapter's equation of behibar'am with b'Abraham] When the name of Abraham was completed, so was the Holy Name completed. And this is what is written, \"in the day that YHWH Elohim made the earth and the heaven\" [so, by reading behibar'am \"created\" as b'Abraham \"with Abraham\", the first time the Holy Name is seen in Torah is alongside the first mention of Abraham]" + ], + [ + "Rabbi Chiya prostrated himself on the earth, kissed the dust and cried out, Dust, dust, how stiff-necked you are; how shameless you are that all the delights of the eye perish within you! You consume all the beacons of light in the world and grind them. How impertinent you are! The Holy Light that illuminates the world — the great leader who governs the entire world and whose merit sustains the world — is consumed by you! Rabbi Shimon, the Light of the Illumination, the Light of the Worlds, you perish in the dust while you sustain and govern the world! He then fell into a reverie for a moment and said, Dust, dust, be not proud, because the pillars of the world will not be delivered into your hands and Rabbi Shimon shall not be consumed by you!", + "Rabbi Chiya stood up and walked along weeping, accompanied by Rabbi Yossi. He fasted from that day on for forty days so that he might meet with Rabbi Shimon. They told him, you are not fit to see him. He then wept and fasted for another forty days. They showed him Rabbi Shimon and Rabbi Elazar his son, in a vision. They were discussing the interpretation of that word which Rabbi Yossi mentioned. And many thousands were listening to his words.", + "Meanwhile, he saw many great celestial wings. Rabbi Shimon and his son Rabbi Elazar mounted on them and were borne aloft to the Celestial Assembly. And all those wings were waiting for them. He then saw [Shimon and his son Elazar] were renewed constantly by their own splendor and shone more than the sun.", + "Rabbi Shimon opened the discussion by saying, Let Rabbi Chiya enter and see how much the Holy One, blessed be He, shall restore the faces of the righteous in the World to Come. How happy is he who comes here without shame, and how happy is he who stands erect in that world as a strong pillar that bears all! [Chiya] saw him[self] entering, and Rabbi Elazar stood up. So did all of the other pillars, [of the world] which had previously been sitting there. And he, [Chiya] was embarrassed. As he entered, he detached himself and sat at the feet of Rabbi Shimon.", + "A voice came forth, saying: Lower your eyes, do not raise your head up, and do not look! He lowered his eyes and saw a light that shone from afar. The voice returned and said: You hidden and unseen celestials on high, you who are clever and wander throughout the world, behold and see! Earthly beings that are in slumber, concealed in Your sockets [eyes], wake up!", + "Who among you has, transformed darkness into light, and the taste of bitter into sweet, before he came here? Who among you has awaited eagerly every day the light that shines when the King calls upon the Gazelle? [The Shekhinah] For then - the Shekhinah [increases], and He is called the King of all the other kings of the world. Because he who does not await eagerly for this every day, has no part here.", + "Meanwhile, he saw many of his friends gathering around the standing Pillars, and he saw how they elevated them to the Celestial Assembly. Some were ascending while others were descending. And high above them all, he saw the owner of the wings, [the angel Metatron] approach. [Metatron] swears that he heard from behind the curtain [of the Holy of Holies, in the Temple] how the King attends the Gazelle every day and remembers how She [the Shekhinah] lies in the dust. At that time, He kicks 390 heavens, which all quake and tremble with fear because of Him.", + "And He sheds tears because of this, and the tears, that are hot as fire, fall down into the great sea. By the power of these tears, the governor who rules the sea, [Rahab] is sustained and stays alive. And he sanctifies the name of the Holy King by taking it upon himself to swallow all the waters of the days of Creation. He gathers them all within himself so that on that day when all the nations assemble against the holy nation, the waters may dry up while they cross over on dry land.", + "Meanwhile, he heard a voice call out: \"Move aside, make room! the King Messiah is coming to the Academy of Rabbi Shimon, because all the righteous people there are the heads of the Academies, which are known on high!\" And all the disciples of each Academy ascend from this Academy here to the heavenly Academy. And the Messiah visits all these Academies and signs the Torah with the seal of the teachings that come from the mouths of the learned Rabbis. At that time, the King Messiah came, crowned by heavenly diadems that He had received from the heads of the Academies.", + "At the same time, all the friends and Rabbi Shimon, as well, stood up. Rabbi Shimon's light reached up to the empyrean. [The King Messiah] said to him: Rabbi, how blessed you are, that your Torah (teachings) has been elevated by the Illumination of 370 Lights. And every single Light has been explained in 613 ways. Then they rise up and bathe themselves in the rivers of pure persimmon. And the Holy One, blessed be He, approves the Torah study of your Academy, of the Academy of Hezekiah, the King of the Judean Kingdom, and of the Academy of Ahijah the Shilonite. I have come to approve the Torah of your Academy only because the winged one is on his way here, and I know that he shall not enter any other Yeshiva - only yours.", + "Meanwhile, he told Rabbi Shimon about the oath taken by the winged one. Then Messiah trembled and raised up his voice. The heavens also trembled, as did the great sea and the Leviathan. The world was about to collapse. Also, at this time, he noticed Rabbi Chiya sitting at the feet of Rabbi Shimon. He said: Who allowed a human being, wearing the cloaks of that world, here? Rabbi Shimon answered: This is Rabbi Chiya, the shining light of the Torah. He said: Let he and his sons be gathered, and join your Academy! Rabbi Shimon said, Let him be given time! And time was given to him.", + "He [Moshiach] left there trembling all over, his eyes brimming with tears. Rabbi Chiya was deeply shaken and wept. Then he said, how happy are the righteous with their portion in the World to Come, and how happy is the son of Yochai, who has this distinction. He is described by the verse, \"I may cause those who love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures\" (Proverbs 8:21)." + ], + [ + "Beresheet. Rabbi Shimon opened the discussion with the verse, \"And I have put My words in your mouth\" (Yeshayah 51:16). How important it is for a person to study laboriously the Torah day and night. Very important, because the Holy One, blessed be He, listens attentively to the voices of those who occupy themselves with the study of the Torah. And every word that receives a new interpretation by a person who delves into the study of the Torah creates a new Firmament.", + "We have already learned that at the moment when a novel interpretation in the Torah is presented by any person, that word ascends and is met before the Holy One, blessed be He. And the Holy One, blessed be He, receives this matter and kisses it. He also adorns it with seventy graven and inscribed crowns. And this new word of wisdom that is revealed is then set upon the head of the Righteous who lives forever. Then it flies off and floats through 70,000 worlds until it reaches Atik Yomin. [Keter] And all the words of Atik Yomin are words of wisdom comprising sublime and hidden mysteries.", + "When this concealed matter of wisdom is revealed here, as it ascends, it joins the words of Atik Yomin and goes up and down together with them. Then it enters 18 hidden worlds that \"neither has the eye seen, Elohim, beside You\" (Isaiah 64:4). Afterward, they leave there to float around before they are presented in full perfection to Atik Yomin. At this stage, Atik Yomin smells the odor of the matter, and He finds it most desirable. He then takes it and crowns it with 370,000 crowns. And the phrase flies on high - going up and down before landing. Thus, a heaven is made. And from every matter of wisdom, many heavens are made. They stand in full perfection in front of Atik Yomin, who calls them 'New Heavens'. 'Renewed Heavens' — concealed by the hidden secrets of the sublime wisdom. While all the other phrases and sayings of the Torah that are newly revealed stand before the Holy One, blessed be He, these words of wisdom ascend and become the lands of the living. They then descend and are put as a crown upon a certain land. Thus, all is renewed and it becomes a new land [by means] of that phrase of the Torah that was freshly discovered.", + "On this subject, it is written, \"For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I - make, shall remain before Me, says the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain\" (Isaiah 66:22). He does not say 'I have made,' but rather \"I make,\" He constantly makes, from the secrets and the new teachings of the Torah.", + "And on this subject, it is written, \"And I have put My words in your mouth, and I have covered you in the shadow of My hand, that I may plant heavens, and lay the foundations of earth\" (Is 51:16). He does not say \"the heavens,\" but rather \"heavens.\"", + "Rabbi Elazar then asked, what is the meaning of \"I have covered you in the shadow of My hand?\" He told him, when the Torah was given to Moses, many tens of thousands of angels on high were about to burn him with the flames of their mouths, but the Holy One, blessed be He, protected him. So now, when the new explanation on the Torah is uttered, the saying rises up, is crowned, and then stands before the Holy One, blessed be He. And He guards that saying and shelters the person who said it so that it may be known only to Him and to stop the angels from envying him until a new heaven and earth are made from that saying. So it says, \"I have covered you in the shadow of My hand, that I may plant heavens, and lay the foundations of earth.\" And from this we learn that everything which is hidden from the eye has a supernal advantage, as expressed in \"I have covered you in the shadow of My hand.\" But why should it be covered and hidden out of sight? So that it may receive the supernal advantage. As it says, \"that I may plant heavens and lay the foundations of earth,\" as we have learned.", + "\"And say to Zion, You are My people\" [Is. 51:16]. The phrase \"and say to Zion\" — to those gates and those words that are stated one by the other, \"You are My people\" [Hebrew ami atah]. Do not pronounce it ami atah but rather imi atah, \"be My partner.\" Just as I have made the heavens and the earth with My words, as is written, \"By the word of the LORD the heavens were made\" (Ps. 33:6), so shall you. Happy are those who occupy themselves in the Torah.", + "And so, you may say that those words, by any person, [even] one who is ignorant, have the same effect. Come and see, however, what happens when a person who is not familiar with the secrets of the Torah brings forth a new explanation of which he does not know the exact truth, as he should. Under those circumstances, that word rises upward, and \"a perverse man\" (Proverbs 16:29), 'a lying tongue' goes forth to grab it. He emerges from the cavern of the great abyss, makes a leap of 500 parasangs to receive that word, then grabs it, returns with it to his female partner, and makes a false heaven out of it, which is called Tohu [Chaos].", + "The perverse one then flies in that heaven, traversing 6,000 parasangs in one bound. And as soon as this false heaven is formed, a wife of harlotry emerges, seizes onto this false heaven, and joins it. From there, she leaves to slay by the thousands and tens of thousands. Because as long as she appends herself to this heaven, she has the authority and the ability to fly and traverse the whole world in an instant.", + "And on this subject, it is written, \"Woe to them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity\" (Is. 5:18). \"Iniquity\" is related to the [perverse] man. \"And sin as it were with a cart rope\". What is sin? This is the female, namely the wife of harlotry. The gender is implied in the phrase, \"and sin as it were with a cart rope.\" He [who sins] draws iniquity, [the Qlippoth], with these cords of vanity. And afterwards: \"draws sin as it were with a cart rope.\" - that female, who is called \"sin\" - as she grows strong and flies off to slay human beings. Therefore, \"she has cast down many deadly wounded\" (Proverbs 7:26). Who \"has cast down?\" That sin that slays human beings. And who caused all this? The student of the law who did not earn the right to teach, but does so [anyway]. So may the Merciful One save us!", + "Rabbi Shimon said to all the friends, I beg of you all not to utter any words of the Torah which you did not hear from a great tree and did not learn properly. So that you may not be the cause of that wife of harlotry slaying multitudes of human beings without reason! They all answered: May the Merciful One save us all!", + "Come and see, the Holy One, blessed be He, created the world using the Torah. And this has been explained in the verse, \"Then I was by Him as a nurseling, and I was daily all His delight\" (Prov. 8:30). He looked at the Torah once, twice, and thrice. The fourth time He addressed them. Eventually, He used the Torah to teach people how not to be misled and to misunderstand it. As it is written, \"Then He saw and declared it; He established it and searched it out. And He said to man...\" [Job 28:27-28]", + "So according to these four times, expressed as, \"Then He saw it and declared it; He established it and searched it out,\" The Holy One created what He had created. And He did not accomplish His mission until He brought forth four words. Therefore it is written, \"In the beginning Elohim created the...\" (Gen 1:1) which contains four words [in Hebrew]. After that, \"heaven\". So these correspond to the four times that the Holy One, blessed be He, looked into the Torah before He brought his works into actuality." + ], + [ + "Rabbi Elazar was on his way to visit his father-in-law, Rabbi Yossi, the son of Rabbi Shimon, son of Lakunya, accompanied by Rabbi Aba. Another man was walking behind them driving their donkeys. Rabbi Aba said, \"Let us start a discussion on the Torah, as the time and place are propitious and can help us complete our journey.\"", + "Rabbi Elazar opened the discussion with the phrase, \"You shall keep My Sabbaths\" (Lev. 19:30). Come and see: the Holy One, blessed be He, created the world in six days. And on each day He revealed His actions and gave that day His strength. But when did He actually reveal His actions and give His strength? This happened on the fourth day! Because the first three days were all undisclosed and nothing appeared. But as soon as the fourth day arrived, He revealed His action and shared His strength with all!", + "So Fire, Water and Air [identified as Chesed, Gevurah, and Tiferet], which are the supernal elements, were kept in suspense and the full action of creation was not revealed until the earth, [Malkuth], disclosed them. Only then was the work of each one of them known.", + "You might say that this was on the third day, as it is written, \"Let the earth bring forth grass...And the earth brought forth grass\" [Gen 1:11-12] and although it is written that this occurred on the third day, [which is the secret of Tiferet], it actually was on the fourth day, [which is the secret of Malkuth]. The fourth day became part of the third day so that [Tiferet and Malkuth] were joined and inseparable. But afterward, on the fourth day, He revealed His actions and his workmanship of each and every one [of Fire/Chesed, Water/Gevurah, and Air/Tiferet]. The fourth day is the fourth leg of the supernal [Binah's] throne.", + "So all the actions, whether it be those of the first [three] days, [which are of Fire, Water, and Air] or the last [three] days, [which involved Netzach, Hod, and Chesed] were dependent on the day of the Shabbat, [which is Malkuth]. Therefore, it is written, \"And on the seventh day Elohim completed His work which He had done\" (Gen 2:2). This refers to the Shabbat and the fourth leg of the throne.", + "And if you ask, If it is so, [that Shabbat is equatable with the fourth leg of the throne, Malkuth], then why does [Lev. 19:30] say, \"You shall keep My Sabbaths,\" plural? [Because,] the evening of Shabbat, the day of Shabbat, [which is Zeir Anpin, as daytime shines on Earth and he shines on Malkuth] are in unison as one. [In other words, it's because Shabbat is one day that takes place over the course of two days, half on Friday, aka the evening, and half on Saturday, aka the day.]", + "The one who was [driving the donkeys and] following behind said: And what is the meaning of \"and reverence My sanctuary?\" (Lev. 19:30). Rabbi Aba replied: This applies to the sanctity of the Shabbat. Then he asked: And what is the sanctity of the Shabbat? He said to him: This is the sanctity that is drawn down from above. [from Abba v'Ima/AV\"I, \"Father and Mother\", a.k.a Chokhmah and Binah] He said to him, If that is so, then you have made the Shabbat without any sanctity! Sanctity prevails only when it comes from above! [from AV\"I] Rabbi Aba answered: It is indeed so, as it is written, \"And call the Shabbat a delight, the holy day of the LORD honorable\" (Is. 58:13). So the Shabbat is mentioned separately, as is the holiness of haShem. He then asked him: What then is the \"holiness of haShem?\" Rabbi Aba replied: This is the holiness that descends from above, and rests upon [Shabbat]. He said, If holiness, which descends from above, is called \"honorable,\" it may seem as though the Shabbat itself is not \"honorable.\" Yet it is written, \"and shall honor it\" But Rabbi Elazar said to Rabbi Aba, \"Let this man speak, because he has something wise to say, something of which we know nothing.\" They said to him, \"Say what you want to say!\"", + "The man began with the verse, \"My Sabbaths\" (Lev. 19:30). The particle et [is written] to include the Shabbat limits, [the techum Shabbat] which are 2,000 cubits in every direction. For this reason, the verse which added et with \"My Sabbaths\" refers to both the higher Shabbat and the lower Shabbat, which are joined as one and are both concealed.", + "Another Shabbat, however, remained unmentioned and felt humiliated. She ['shabbat' is a feminine word] came forward and said, \"Master of the Universe, from the day You created me until now, I am called 'the Shabbat,' and there is no day [left for me] without a night!\" [as Hebrew days start at sundown, not midnight] He told her: My daughter, you are the Shabbat and I have called you 'the Shabbat,' but now I am adorning you with a more glorious crown. He then sent forth a proclamation stating, \"And you shall revere My sanctuary\" (Lev. 19:30). And this is the Shabbat of the eve of Shabbat, which is awe, where awe prevails. But who is this Shabbat? The Donkey Driver [replies]: This is the one that the Holy One, blessed be He, included [with the other], saying: \"I am the Lord\" (Ibid.). And I heard this from my father, who emphasized [that the word] et symbolizes the Shabbat limits. \"My Sabbaths\", denotes a circle and with a square within, which are two [different shapes that, yet, are now one]. According to these two, there are two hallowed prayers that we should recite. One starts with Vaychulu [Beresheet 2:1-3], and the other is the Kiddush. The passage of Vaychulu consists of 35 words, and in the Kiddush that we perform there are also 35 words. They add up to seventy names, with which the Holy One, blessed be He, and the Congregation of Israel adorn themselves.", + "And because this circle and this square are \"My Sabbaths\", they are both included in [what we must] keep, as it is written, \"You shall keep [My Sabbaths]\" But the upper Shabbat is not included in [what we must] 'Keep', but only in [what we must] 'Remember', [as in \"Remember the Sabbath day\", Exodus 20:8] because the supernal King, [Binah] is completed by \"Remember\". And this is why, [Binah] is called the \"King to whom Peace belongs.\" [Melchizedek] As His Peace is 'Remember'. And so there is no controversy above.", + "The Donkey Driver said, There are two kinds of peace down below: One is Jacob, [Tiferet] the other is Joseph, [Yesod] And because of this, Peace is written twice in [the verse] \"Peace, Peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near\" (Is. 57:19). \"To him that is far\" refers to Jacob; \"to him that is near\" refers to Joseph. So \"to him that is far\" means, as you say, \"The LORD has appeared to me from afar\" (Jeremiah 31:2), and also, \"And his sister stood afar off\" (Ex. 2:4). And \"to him that is near\" means, as you say, \"to new [Elohim] that came from nearby\" (Deut. 32:17).“You are to guard.” “You shall fear My sanctity” refers to the point standing in the center, which must be feared more than anything, for its punishment is death.", + "\"From afar\" (Jer. 31:2), refers to the upper Point in His Palace. And the verse refers to it with the words, \"You shall keep\" (Lev. 19:30), where it is included [in what we must] 'Keep'. \"And reverence My sanctuary\" refers to the Point in the center that should be most greatly awed, since the penalty for transgressing it is death. For it is written, \"Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death\" (Ex. 31:14). And who \"profanes it?\" Those who penetrate into the space of the circle and the square - into the spot where that Point is situated - and damage it. They \"shall surely be put to death!\" This is why it is written, \"and reverence.\" And this Point is called \"I\" [ani] where the Most High and Concealed One, HaVaYaH, prevails. Thus, \"I am the LORD\" (Lev. 19:30), all is One. Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Aba dismounted, and kissed him. They said, \"With all this wisdom in your possession you are leading donkeys behind us?!\" They asked him: 'who are you?' He answered them, 'Do not ask me who I am, but let us, me and you, walk along and deal in the Torah. Let each of us speak words of wisdom to illuminate the way.", + "They said to him: \"Who has put you here to be a donkey driver?\" He replies: The letter Yud waged war against the two letters, Kaph and Samekh, [to come and] join me. The letter Kaph did not want to leave and join me because it can only be at rest in [the Throne of Glory], and the Samekh did not want to leave, because it has to support those who fall. And without the Samech, they cannot survive!", + "He continued: The letter Yud alone came over to me by itself, kissed me, embraced me, and wept together with me. It said to me, My son, what shall I do with you? I am leaving you to load myself with a plenitude of good things and of precious, sublime and secretive letters. And then I shall return to you and help you. I shall bring you the possessions of two letters that are much higher than those that have left you. These are substance [yesh, spelled Yud+Shin], the superior Yud together with the superior Shin. [They] shall become your treasure, full of all riches. So for this purpose, my son, go and drive the donkeys. And this is why I am still doing so!", + "Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Aba rejoiced. They also wept and said to him, \"Come, you shall ride on the donkey and we shall walk along behind you\". He said to them, \"have I not told you that it is the command of the King, until the donkey driver [the Messiah, cf. Zechariah 9:9] appears!?\" They said to him, \"Until now you have not given us your name. And where do you live?\" He told them, \"Where I live is a good place and very precious to me. It is a tower - a very highly exalted tower - that floats on air. And those who live in this tower are the Holy One, blessed be He, and one poor man! But I have been exiled from there, and came to drive the donkeys.\" Rabbi Aba and Rabbi Elazar looked at him, and his words tasted as sweet as the manna and honey to them. They said to him, \"If you tell us the name of your father, we will kiss the earth under your feet!\" He responded, \"Why? What for? It is not my habit to take pride in the study of the Torah.\"", + "He continued, \"but the place where my father lives is in the Great Sea. [The Mediterranean] And he was a fish that swam from one end of the Great Sea to the other. And he was mighty and noble, a venerable figure who became wise with his years, and was able to swallow up all the other fish in the sea. Then later, he released them, full of life, and all the good of the world. And with his might, he was able to cross over the entire Sea in an instant. And he released me, like an arrow in the hand of a valiant man, and hid me in that place that I told you about while he returned to his home and disappeared in the Ocean.\"", + "Rabbi Elazar examined his words and then said to him: \"You are the son of the Holy Luminary! You are the son of the venerable Rav Hamnuna Sabba! You are the son of the Light of the Torah! And you drive our donkeys for us!\" They both wept and kissed him, then continued their journey. They asked him: \"May it please our lord to tell us his name?\"", + "He began with the verse, \"Benaiah the son of Jehoiada\" (II Samuel 23:20). This verse has been explained, and explained well! But it came to show us the sublime secrets of the Torah. \"Benaiah the son of Jehoiada\" has been mentioned [as referring to] the secret of wisdom. It is a clue to something deep and concealed, and the name caused it. \"a brave soldier who performed great deeds\" applies to the Righteous, with life of the worlds. \"Mighty of deeds\" means that he is the Master of all actions and of all the hosts on high, because they all come from him. He [God] is \"haShem Tzeva'ot\" [because he is] the sign throughout His hosts and is distinguished as he stands high above them all.", + "\"Mighty of deeds\", \"of Kabzeel\" [ibid.] So where did this great and precious tree, which is greater than all, come from? From which grade? The verse repeatedly states, \"of Kabzeel,\" which is a high and concealed grade that \"neither has the eye seen...\" (Is. 64:3). It includes everything, and it gathers everything it receives from the supernal light, and from it everything goes forth. It includes everything, and it gathers everything it receives from the supernal light, and from it everything goes forth.", + "And this is the sacred concealed temple, into which all the grades are gathered and concealed. The body of this temple is where all the worlds are gathered, whereby all the holy hosts are nourished and sustained.", + "\"He slew two lion-hearted men of Moab\" (II Samuel 23:20). Two Temples existed and were sustained on his account: The first Temple and the second. However, as he was gone, the flow from above stopped. It is as if he \"slew,\" destroyed, and ended them. And the holy throne collapsed. As it is written, \"As I was in exile\" (Ezekiel 1:1). (Meaning) that a certain grade, which is called I (Heb. אֲנִי, Aleph-Nun-Yud) was in exile. Where? \"By the river Kevar\" (Ibid.) By the river that had sprouted and flowed from Kevar (already), or in other words, by the river that had already sprouted and flowed, all its waters and fountains have dried up, (and) does not flow as before.", + "Therefore it is written, \"and the river is parched, and dries up\" (Job 14:11). It \"is parched\" at the first Temple and \"dries up\" at the second. For this reason, \"He slew two lion-hearted men of Moab.\" Moab (is) מֵאָב דְּבִשְׁמַיָא, or from our Father in Heaven. And both Temples were destroyed because of Him, as all the lights that shone upon Yisrael were now darkened.", + "Further, \"He went down and slew the lion\" (II Samuel 23:20). In early days, when this river's waters flowed downward, Yisrael were in a state of perfection, because they offered their offerings and sacrifices to atone for their sins and purify their souls. Then, from above, the image of a lion descended. They saw it on the altar, as it crouched on its prey, consuming it like a mighty man. And all the dogs hid from it and did not come out.", + "The sins caused him to go down to the lower levels and slay the lion. The lion refused to give up its prey as before, (as if) he killed it! Assuredly, \"He slew the lion.\" \"In the midst of a pit\"(Ibid.) in front of the eyes of the Other Evil Side. And because the Other Side saw this, it gained courage and sent a dog to eat the offerings. And what is the name of that lion? Oriel, אוֹרִיאֵ''ל, as he had the face of a lion. And what is the name of that dog? Baladan, בְּלַאדָן is its name, because Baladan is formed by the same letters as the words Bal (not) and Adam (Man), with the final Mem exchanged for Nun. And it is not a human being, but a dog with the face of a dog.", + "\"In a day of snow\" (II Shmuel 23:20) (is) the day when the sins caused the sentence to be pronounced by the Court on high. Therefore, it is written, \"She is not afraid of the snow\" (Prov. 31:21), which symbolizes the judgment on high. Because \"all her household are clothed with scarlet\" (Ibid.). She can endure the strong fire. Up to this point, the secret of the verse is not revealed.", + "What is written next? \"And he slew the Egyptian, a man of good appearance\" (II Samuel 23:21). Here the secret of the verse is revealed to let us know that every time Yisrael sinned, he went away and prevented them from receiving all the blessings and all the lights that shone upon them. \"He slew the Egyptian.\" This is the light, the same Light that shone upon Yisrael. And who is he? Moses. As he is described in the verse, \"And they said an Egyptian man delivered us\" (Ex. 2:19). Because he was born and grew up (in Egypt) until he rose to reach the Supernal Light.", + "\"A man of good appearance (Heb. מַרְאֶה).\" This is, as it is written, \"manifestly (Heb. מַרְאֶה), and not in dark speeches\" (Num. 12:8). \"A man,\" is, as it is written, \"the man of Elohim\" (Deut. 33:1). This is the husband of that \"appearance,\" the glory of Hashem (i.e. Malchut). Because he earned the right to lead this grade over the land, as he wished, a feat that no other man had achieved.", + "\"And the Egyptian had a spear in his hand\" (2 II Samuel 23:21). This refers to the rod of Elohim that was delivered into his hand. As it is written, \"With the rod of Hashem in my hand\" (Ex. 17:9). And this is the same rod that was created at the twilight of Shabbat eve and was engraved with the Holy Name by a holy shaping. And with this rod Moses committed the sin of smiting the rock, as is written, \"And he smote the rock with his rod twice\" (Num. 20:11). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: \"Moses, I have not given you My rod for this purpose; by your life, from henceforward, it will not be in your hands any more.\"", + "Immediately, \"he went down to him with a staff\" (II Samuel 23:21), (which is) harsh Judgment, \"and plucked the spear out of the hand of the Egyptian\" (Ibid.). From that moment onward, he lost the rod and could never regain it. \"And slew him with his own spear\" (Ibid.) - because of the sin of smiting with the rod, he died and did not enter the Holy Land, thereby causing this light to be withheld from Yisrael.", + "\"He was renowned among the thirty\" (Ibid. 23) refers to the thirty celestial years that he took from above and brought down below. And from them he took and became closer, \"but he attained not to the first three\" (Ibid.). They came over to him and offered themselves to him with a gracious heart,", + "but he did not go over to them. Even though he did not join them and was not included in the count, \"David set him over his guard\" (Ibid.) because he was never separated from the tablet of his heart, because they are inseparable. David gave his heart to him, but he did not (do the same) to David. Because by the hymns and praises together with the kindness that the moon shows for the sun, she draws him (the sun) to reside with her. This is what the verse, \"And David set him over his guard,\" means.", + "Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Abba fell down (on their faces) in front of him. And as they fell, he disappeared. Then they rose and looked all around but could not see him. So they sat down, began to weep, and could not speak to each other. After a while, Rabbi Abba said, This must be related to what we have learned. When righteous people go on a journey and occupy themselves in the study of the Torah, they are visited by righteous souls from that other world. So this surely must (be why) Rav Hamnuna Saba came to us from that world - to reveal these teachings to us. And before we were able to recognize who he was, he went off and disappeared.They stood up and tried to lead their donkeys on, but the donkeys did not move. They tried to lead them on, but still they did not move. Fear struck them both, and they left the donkeys in their place. And even now, that site is called the \"place of the donkeys.\"", + "Rabbi Elazar said, \"O, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear You\" (Ps. 31:20). How great is the heavenly abundance that the Holy One, blessed be He, shall bestow on human beings; to those sin-fearing, divine, and righteous men who learn the Torah as they arrive at the World to Come. It is not only written, \"Your goodness,\" but also \"how great is Your goodness.\" And who is He? \"The memory of Your goodness\" (Ps. 145:7), which is the pleasure of life that is drawn from the World to Come down to the life of the Worlds. This is\"the memory of your goodness,\" which is certainly \"the great goodness toward the house of Yisrael\" (Isaiah 63:7).", + "Further \"How (Heb. מָה) great is Your goodness\". In these words, the secret of Wisdom is engraved. It is the place where all the secrets are included, the word how (מָה) (means) according to what we have learned. \"Great\" refers to a great and strong tree (Zeir Anpin). Because there is another tree, which is smaller than this one (Malchut), this one is referred to as great and rises up to the highest of the heavens. \"Your Goodness\" is the light that was created on the first day; \"which You have laid up for those who fear You.\" He hid it for the righteous in the World to Come.", + "which You have performed\" (Ps. 31:20), alludes to the upper Garden of Eden, as it is written, \"In the place, Hashem, which You have made for Yourself to dwell in\" (Ex. 15:17). This is what the words \"which You have performed for those who trust in You\" signify.", + "\"In the sight of the sons of men\" (Ps. 31:20). This is the lower Garden of Eden, where all the righteous stand in the spirit, which is clothed in a precious garment, in the same way and form that they appeared in this world. Thus, the phrase \"in the sight of the sons of men\" means in the same form as human beings that live in this world. And they stand there and then rise up in the air, ascending to the celestial Academy in the upper Garden of Eden. They float around and bathe in the dew of the rivers of pure balsam. Then they come down and dwell below.", + "And sometimes (these righteous souls) appear \"in the sight of the sons of man\" to perform miracles for them, just as the angels of above do. And this is exactly like the Light of the supernal shining light that we have just seen. But we did not have the merit of seeing deeper into the secrets of Wisdom and attaining greater knowledge.", + "Rabbi Abba opened the discussion, saying: \"And Manoach said to his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen Elohim\" (Judges 13:22). Even though Manoach was not aware of his actions, he still said, it is written, \"For man shall not see Me and live\" (Ex. 33:20). We have certainly seen Him, and therefore we shall certainly die. Yet, we who have seen and have had the privilege of seeing that light that accompanied us shall stay alive, because the Holy One, blessed be He, sent him to us, to teach us the secrets of the Wisdom that he chose to reveal . How happy is our lot!", + "They went along and reached a mountain just as the sun was about to set. The branches of the trees on the mountain started to rustle and sing. While they were still walking they heard a strong voice calling out, Holy sons of Elohim, you who are scattered among those who live in this world, those shining lights who are the Yeshivah scholars, gather around and come to your places so that you may enjoy yourselves with your Master in the study of the Torah. They were frightened and (stayed) standing in their places. Then they sat down. In the meantime, a voice came forth again, and said, O, mighty rocks, exalted hammers, here comes the Master of colors, embroidered with paintings, standing upon a pillar. Enter and be assembled.", + "At this moment, they heard the great and mighty voice of the tree branches, which were saying, \"The voice of Hashem breaks the cedars\" (Ps. 29:5). Both Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Abba fell down on their faces, and a great fear overcame them. They rose hastily and went away, after which they ceased to hear anything. They left the mountain and kept on going.", + "As they reached the house of Rabbi Yosi, the son of Rabbi Shimon, the son of Lakonya, they met Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. They were glad and he was glad and said to them, you have certainly journeyed through a path of heavenly miracles and wonders. Because as I was sleeping, I saw you together with Benayahu the son of Yehoyada, who sent to you in the hands of an old man two crowns with which to adorn yourselves. So certainly, the Holy One, blessed be He, was on this path. Furthermore, I see that your faces have changed. Rabbi Yosi said, You have said well, that a sage is preferable to a prophet. Rabbi Elazar came and bowed before Rabbi Shimon and told him the story.", + "Rabbi Shimon felt fear coming over him and wept. Then he said, \"Hashem, I have heard a report of You, and I am afraid\" (Habakuk 3:2). Habakuk had said this phrase when he saw his death and his resurrection by Elisha approaching. Why was he called Habakuk? Because, as it is written, \"About this time in the coming year you shall embrace (Heb. חוֹבֶקֶת) a son\" (II Kings 4:16). So Habakkuk was the son of the Shunammite. And there were two embraces: one from his mother and one from Elisha, as it is written, \"and he put his mouth upon his mouth\" (Ibid. 34).", + "I have found in the book of King Solomon that the engraved Name that consists of 72 names was engraved on (Habakuk by Elisha; each word had three letters).Because the letters of the alphabet that his father engraved on him from the beginning flew away as he died. And now, when Elisha embraced him, he engraved on him all these letters of the 72 names. Therefore the engraved letters of the 72 names, comprise a total of 216 letters. (72 x 3).", + "And all of these letters that form the 72 names were engraved by Elisha in the spirit of Habakuk to bring him back to life. And he called him Habakkuk, a name that completes all the sides, because it completes two embraces, as mentioned previously. It also completes the secret of the 216 letters of the Holy Name. (Habakuk = 216 in Gematria) By 72 names he revived him and brought his spirit back. And by 216 letters, he revived his body and bodily functions. This is why he is called Habakkuk.", + "And he said, \"Hashem, I have heard a report of You, and I am afraid.\" I have heard a report of what I went through and have therefore had a taste of what that the other world is like, and \"I am afraid.\" (This refers to the time between his death and resurrection by Elisha). He started to ask for mercy on his soul by saying, \"Hashem, revive Your work\" in making me; \"in the midst of the years\" (Habakuk 3:2), let his life be \"revive\" his life. And whoever is connected to those primordial years has life connected to him. The phrase, \"in the midst of the years make known,\" means to bestow life upon that grade that has no life at all of its own, (Malchut of Malchut).", + "Rabbi Shimon wept as he said: Even I have feared the Holy One, blessed be He, from what I have heard. He raised his hands to his head and said, You had the privilege of seeing Rav Hamnuna Saba, the shining light of the Torah, face to face, while I have not. He then fell face downward and saw him uprooting mountains and lighting candles in the temple of King Messiah. He said to him, Rabbi in that world you shall both be neighbors of the heads of the Yeshivot (Academies), before the Holy One, blessed be He. From that day, he called Rabbi Elazar his son, and Rabbi Abba פְּנִי''אֵל. As it is written: \"For I have seen Elohim face to face (Heb. פָּנִים)\" (Gen. 32:31)." + ], + [ + "בְּרֵאשִׁית. Rabbi Chiya opened the discussion with the verse, \"The fear of Hashem is the beginning of wisdom; good understanding have all they who do His commandments; His praise endures forever\" (Ps. 111:10). Of the phrase, \"the beginning of wisdom,\" this verse have read 'the fear of Hashem is the end of wisdom,' because the fear of Hashem (is the secret of Malchut), which is at the end of Chochmah! She (Malchut) is the beginning or the first stage that opens the entrance to the level of the supernal Chochmah (Wisdom). So it is written, \"Open to me the gates of righteousness\" (Ibid. 118:19), \"this is the gate to Hashem\" (Ibid. 20). Assuredly, if he does not enter this gate, he shall never reach the Supernal King, because He is exalted, hidden, and concealed, and has made gates for Himself, one behind the other.", + "At the end of all those gates, He set up a gate with many locks, many openings, and many chambers one on top of the other. He said, \"Whoever wants to reach Me must first pass through this gate. Whoever enters this gate, may enter!\" The same applies here, as the first gate to Supernal Wisdom is the \"Fear of Hashem,\" (Malchut). This is why it is called 'The beginning'.", + "The letter Bet (indicates) two points that are joined together (in Malchut). And of these two Points, one is concealed and treasured, while the other is revealed and out in the open. But because they are not separated, they are called 'The Beginning (Heb. רִאשִׁית)', one and not two. Whoever takes one, takes the other as well, and all is one; because \"He and His Name are One,\" as it is written, \"that men may know that You alone, whose name is Hashem\" (Ps. 83:19). Why is (Malchut) called \"the fear of Hashem?\" Because it is the Tree of Good and Evil, If a person is deserving, then it is good; but if he is not deserving, then it is bad.", + "Why is Malchut called “fear of the Creator?” It is because Malchut is the Tree of Good and Evil: If man merits, it is good, but if he does not, it is evil. This is why fear dwells in that place. And this gate leads to all the goodness that exists in the world. ALL THE GOODNESS signifies two gates, two points that are as one. Rabbi Yosi said that ALL THE GOODNESS refers to the Tree of Life, for it is entirely good and completely without evil. And because it is without evil, it is entirely good, without evil.", + "To all those who act, it is the faithful mercy of David that upholds the Torah. Those who keep the Torah seemingly create it themselves. All those who study the Torah – there is no action in them as they study, but those who keep the Torah – in them there is action. And the world exists by this force, eternal are the wisdom and the Torah, and the throne stands just as it should stand." + ], + [ + "Rabbi Shimon was sitting and studying the Torah on the night when the Bride, Malchut, unites with her husband, Zeir Anpin. And all the friends present in the bridal chamber on that night, the eve of the holiday of Shavuot, must stand together with the bridegroom under the Huppah, and be with him this whole night, and rejoice with him in the corrections of the Bride, i.e., study the Torah, then Prophets, then Holy Scriptures, and finally the wisdom, for these corrections are the Bride’s adornments. And the Bride receives corrections, adorns herself with them, and rejoices with them all of that night. And on the next day, on the holiday of Shavuot, she only comes to the Huppah together with them. And her friends, who studied the Torah all night long, are called the sons of the Huppah. And as she approaches the Huppah, the Creator asks about them, blesses and adorns them with the Bride’s adornments. Happy are those who merit this!", + "This is why Rabbi Shimon and all of his friends stayed up that night, and each of them renewed the Torah again and again. Rabbi Shimon was joyous, and so were his friends. Rabbi Shimon said to them: “My sons, how blessed is your lot, for it is you who shall accompany the Bride tomorrow to the Huppah, for all those who correct Her and rejoice in Her this night shall have their names recorded in the Book of Remembrance. And the Creator shall bless them with seventy blessings and adornments of crowns of the Upper World.”", + "Rabbi Shimon opened and said, (Ps. 19:2) “The Heavens declare the Creator’s greatness. I have already explained this, but when the bride awakens to enter the Huppah on the following day, with all the friends who rejoiced with her through that night, she rejoices with them, corrects herself and shines with her adornments.”", + "And on the following day, a multitude of masses, hosts, and legions join her. And she, together with all these masses, hosts and legions, awaits all those who corrected her by studying the Torah on that night. This is so because Zeir Anpin unites with Malchut, and she sees her husband, and it is said: “The Heavens declare the Creator’s greatness.” “The Heavens” alludes to the Bridegroom (ZA), who enters the Huppah. “The Heavens declare,” i.e., shine, like the luminescence of a sapphire, upon the entire Malchut, from end to end.", + "The Creator’s glory = EL – is the bride, Malchut, called EL, as it is written: (Ps. 7:12) “ EL rages each day.” She is called EL on all the days of the year. And now, on the holiday of Shavuot, when she already entered the Huppah, she is called GREATNESS and she is called EL, greatest of the great, luminescent out of the luminescent, dominion over dominions.", + "The hour when the Heaven (ZA) enters the Huppah and shines upon Malchut, all of her friends, who corrected her by studying the Torah, are known by their names, as it is said: “The Heavens declare the work of His hands.” “The work of His hands” refers to the members of this covenant, called “the work of His hands.” As you say: “Confirm for us the work of our hands,” which is the mark of the covenant, imprinted on man’s body.", + "Rabbi Hamnuna-Saba then said as follows: (Ecclesiastes 5:5) “Do not let your mouth cause your body to sin,” i.e., one must not allow his mouth to get close to evil and be the cause of sin for the sacred flesh, which bears the mark of the holy covenant with the Creator. If he does so, he shall be dragged to hell. And the ruler of hell, called Domeh, stands at the gates of hell with hundreds of thousands of angels, but he is forbidden to approach those who have kept the holy covenant in this world.", + "When this happened to King David, fear enveloped him. Right then, Domeh ascended before the Creator, and said: “Master of the world, Master of the universe, in the Torah it says of \"the man that commits adultery with another man's wife...the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death\"' (Lev. 20:10). Furthermore, it is written, \"Moreover, you shall not lie carnally with your neighbor's wife, to defile yourself with her\" (Lev. 18:20). (So what is to become of) David, who has profaned his organ (of the holy covenant by committing a sexually immoral act)? The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, \"David is righteous! And the holy covenant remains intact, because it is known to Me that Bathsheba was assigned to him since the day the world was created.", + "(Domeh) then said: If this is known to you, it is not known to him. He (Hashem) said to him, 'Not only that, but all that happened was permitted and done lawfully. Because every man that went to war did not leave before he had given a bill of divorce to his wife!' He (Domeh) said to Him, If this is so, he should then have waited for three months, which he did not! Hashem replied: When is this applied? Only in cases where we suspect that she might be pregnant! And it is known to Me for certain that Uriah never touched her. Because My name is sealed in him as a witness. For it is written 'Uriah,' אוּרִיָּה. And it can also be written Uriahu (אוּרִיָּהוּ), 'to show that he is sealed by My Name that he never had intercourse with her.'", + "Dumah said to Him, Master of the universe, this is exactly what I have said! If it is known to You that Uriah never slept with her, it is not known to him. Therefore, he should have waited for three months. And furthermore, if he knew that he had never slept with her, then why did he send Uriah home and command him to have intercourse with his wife? Since it is written: \"Go down to your house and wash your feet\" (II Samuel 11:8).", + "He said to Dumah, 'He certainly did not know. So he waited more than three months, as four months had passed.' Because we have learned that on the twenty-fifth day of Nissan, David sent an announcement (to go to war). And they were with Yoav on the seventh day of Sivan, as they went and destroyed the land of the children of Amon. There they remained during the months of Sivan, Tammuz, Av, and Elul. And on the twenty-fourth day of Elul the event with Batsheva occurred. Then on Yom Kipur (the Day of Atonement) the Holy One, blessed be He, forgave him for that sin. And there are those who claim that on the seventh day of Adar the announcement was sent, and all arms were gathered on the fifteenth day of Iyar. So what happened with Batsheva occurred on the fifteenth day of Elul. While on Yom Kipur, he received the message \"Hashem also has put away your sin; you shall not die\" (II Samuel 12:13). What is the meaning of \"you shall not die?\" It means that he shall not die at the hand of Dumah.", + "Dumah said, Master of the universe, I have one thing against him! He opened his mouth and said, \"as Hashem lives, the man that has done this deserves to die\" (Ibid. 5). So he has condemned himself to death, and therefore I have the power over him. He said to Dumah, You have no permission, because he has already confessed in front of Me saying, 'I have sinned against Hashem' even though he did not sin. Although his sin against Uriah was (by killing him), I have written his punishment and he has accepted it! Immediately Dumah returned to his place, disappointed.", + "Concerning this David said, \"Unless Hashem had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence (Heb. דּוּמָה)\" (Ps. 94:17). \"Unless Hashem had been my help\" that had He not become David's keeper and guarded him David's \"soul had almost dwelt with Dumah.\" Why does he say \"had almost?\" Because only the smallest distance, as narrow as a thin thread separated him from the Other Side. So \"almost dwelt with Dumah.\" Was just the distance of a thin thread away.", + "Therefore, every person should be careful not to say what King David said, because he will not be able to say to Dumah, \"it was an error\" (Eccl. 5:5), as it was with David. Because in David's case, the Holy One, blessed be He, defeated (Dumah) in the case. \"Wherefore should Elohim be angry at your voice\" (Ibid.) refers to the voice that said, \"and destroy the work of your hands\" (Ibid.). This is the sacred flesh, the holy covenant that he damaged, and because of which he is to be dragged down to Gehenom by the angel Dumah.", + "And because of this, \"the firmament proclaims His handiwork\" (Ps. 19:2). These are the friends who have joined the Bride, (i.e. Malchut, by studying on Erev Shavuot), together with those who are the custodians of the sign of Her covenant. The firmament shows and registers each and every one of them. What is the firmament? It is where the sun, moon, stars and constellations are located, and it is the Book of Remembrance. It announces, registers, and inscribes them, so that they can be the residents of its own palace, and it can always fulfill their desires.", + "\"Day to day utters speech\" (Ibid. 3) is an allusion to the sacred day that belongs to those supernal days of the King, that praise the friends. And they say to each other the same words that are written, \"Day to day utters\" that same \"speech,\" thereby praising Him. The words \"and night to night\" refer to the levels that govern the night. They praise one another with the knowledge that each (receives) from its friends. And by this state of harmony and perfection, they become their friends and beloved ones.", + "\"There is no speech nor language\" (Ibid. 4). (This is) the speech and language that belong to worldly matters that are not heard before the Holy King, and that he is not interested in hearing them. But the words, \"Their line is gone out through all the earth\" (Ibid. 5), 1. that these words draw a line between the inhabitants of above and the inhabitants of below. From them, Firmaments are formed, and from them and from that praise, the earth is molded. And if you should say that these words wander around the world in one place, \"and their words to the end of the world\" (Ibid.).", + "Because Firmaments are formed by them, who resides there? He repeated, \"In them He set a tent for the sun\" (Ibid.). That holy sun, (referring to Zeir Anpin), has made his habitation and above in them and crowned himself with them.", + "Because (Zeir Anpin) resides among those Firmaments, and crowns himself with them, he \"is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber\" (Ps. 19:6). He is happy and runs along these Firmaments. Then, he leaves them and enters into another tower at a different place; this tower comes \"from the end of the heaven\" (Ibid. 7). It certainly comes from the supernal world, which is the upper \"end of the heaven\", \"and his circuit:\"what is his circuit? It is the \"lower end of the heaven\" (i.e. Malchut). This is the circuit of the year that revolves around all the \"ends.\" It is attached to the heavens and extends from there to this firmament. \"And there is nothing hid from His heat\" (Ibid.) means there is nothing hid from His heat, from that circuit, or from the circuit of the sun that revolves in all directions.", + "\"And there is nothing hidden from His heat (or anger)\" means that there is no one from all the supernal levels who can hide from Him; everything revolves and comes to Him - each and everything. Nothing can be hidden from Him. \"From His heat\", He heats up and returns the instant they have reached full repentance. All this praise and all this glorification is the result of their study of the Torah, as it is written, \"The Torah of Hashem is perfect\" (Ibid. 8). Hashem is mentioned here six times; there are also six verses from \"The heavens declare\" until \"The Torah of Hashem is perfect\" (Ps. 19: 2-8).", + "And based on the same secret it is written, \"In the beginning (Heb. בְּרֵאשִׁית)\" (Gen 1:1). The Hebrew word has six letters; and the phrase \"Elohim created the heaven and the earth contains six words. The other verses (Ps. 19:8-11) are notable only for the six times that Hashem appears in them. However, the six verses (Ps. 19:2-8) are equated with the six letters (in בְּרֵאשִׁית), while the six Names are equated with the six words (the next six words in the verse).", + "As they were sitting, his son, Rabbi Elazar, and Rabbi Abba entered. He said to them, Certainly the face of the Shechinah has come, and this is why I have called you Peniel (פְּנִי''אֵל). You have seen the face of the Shechinah face to face. Now, because you received the knowledge that was revealed to you by the scripture about Benayahu the son of Jehoida, it is certainly a matter that belongs to Atika Kadisha and the following verse (I Chron 11:23). And the most concealed spoke it.", + "This verse, in another place, in this way. He opened the discussion by saying, \"And he slew an Egyptian man, a man of great stature, five cubits high\" (I Chron 11:23), and all are related to the same secret. This Egyptian is that one who is known, \"very great in the land of Egypt in the eyes of the servants\" (Ex. 11:3), as he is great and honored. This is how the old man described him.", + "This scripture was studied in the Celestial Academy. \"A man of great stature\" (I Chron 11:23). All is one, as \"a man of good appearance (II Sam. 23:21)\" and \"a man of good stature\" are both the same, because they represent the Shabbat and the limits. As it is written, \"And you shall measure from outside the city\" (Num. 35:5), and, \"You shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard (Heb. מִּדָּה)\" (Lev. 19:35). Therefore, this is a man of great stature (Heb. מִּדָּה) who stretches out from one end of the world to the other. And so was Adam. And if you say, But it is written, \"five cubits?\" (I Chron. 11:23), remember that these five cubits extended from one end of the world to the other!", + "\"And in the Egyptian's hand was a spear, like a weaver's beam\" (Ibid.). It is, as the Scriptures say, \"a weaver's beam,\" referring to the rod of Elohim, which was in his hand and upon which the Name pronounced in full was engraved by Betzalel and his Academy by the radiance of the letter combinations. And this is called \"weaving,\" as is written, \"Them has He filled with wisdom of heart...of the craftsman and of the embroiderer...and of the weaver\" (Ex. 35:35). And the engraved Name shone from within this rod in all directions by the illumination of the wise men that engraved the ineffable Name pronounced in full in forty-two ways. The rest of the passage from here onward is similar to what he has already explained. Happy is his lot!", + "Be seated, my dear ones. Be seated and let us renew the preparations of the Bride for this night. Because whoever joins Her, on this night, shall be guarded above and below for all of the coming year and will complete his year in peace. This is described in the verse, \"The angel of Hashem encamps round about them that fear Him, and He delivers them. O taste and see that Hashem is good\" (Ps. 34:8-9)." + ], + [ + "Rabbi Shimon opened the discussion by saying, \"In the beginning Elohim created\" (Gen. 1:1). This verse has to be examined carefully, because whoever claims that there is another El shall be wiped from the world. As it is already written, \"Thus shall you say to them: The Elohim who have not made the heavens and the earth, they shall perish from the earth and from under these heavens\" (Jer. 10:11), because there is no other Creator besides the Holy One, blessed be He, alone!", + "This verse is written in Aramaic, with the exception of the word \"these,\" which appears at the end of the verse. If you suggest that it is because the holy angels do not listen to the translated form and are not familiar with it, this verse should have been said in the holy language so that the holy angels would hear (in order) that they approve of it. This is certainly the reason why it is written in the translated form (Aramaic), as the holy angels do not listen to it. Thus they do not envy man nor do him evil. Because in this verse even the holy angels are included, as they are called Elohim as well, and are included in the term Elohim, yet they have not created the heavens and earth!", + "\"The earth (Aramic אַרְקָא),\" when it should have used the word 'ar'a (Eng. 'land'). Because אַרְקָא is one of the seven lands down below. And in that place, the descendants of Cain live. After he had been banished from the face of the earth, he went down there and begot children. And there he became confused and lost all knowledge. And it is a double land that consists doubly of darkness and light.", + "And there are two ruling commissioners there, one that governs over the darkness and one over the light. And they are hostile to each another. When Cain went down there, they joined one another and made peace. And all realized that they were the descendants of Cain. Therefore, they have two heads, just like two snakes, except when the one who rules over the light overcomes his, namely the light, and overcomes the other, namely the commissioner of the darkness. Accordingly, those that belong to the darkness became included within the light; thus, they became as one.", + "These two commissioners are Afrira and Kastimon, עַפְרִירָא וְקַסְטִימוֹן, and their images are like the images of the holy angels with six wings. One has the image of an ox, and the other the image of an eagle. And only when they become united do they assume the image of man.", + "When they are enveloped with darkness, they change their forms into that of snake with two heads and move like a snake. They fly around in the abyss and bathe in the Great Sea. And when they reach the chains of עַזָּ''א וַעֲזָאֵ''ל, they irritate and arouse them. Then they leap into the mountains of darkness, thinking that the Holy One, blessed be He, wishes to call upon them for judgment.", + "And these two commissioners swim in the Great Sea and fly off from there. They then go at night to נַעֲמָה, the mother of the demons, by whom the first sons of Elohim were misled (Gen. 6:2). Although they wish to go near her, she leaps away 6,000 parasangs. Then she turns, changing into many different shapes in the eyes of human beings, so that they may be led astray after her.", + "And these two commissioners fly off and wander around the entire world. Then they return to their places. And they arouse the descendants of Cain, with a spirit of evil inclinations, to beget children.", + "The heavens that govern there are not like ours, and the land bears neither seed nor fruit by their labor. And the seeds will not grow again until many years and seasons have passed. And these are called, \"The Elohim who have not made the heavens and the earth, they shall perish from the earth\" referring to the upper earth, which is תֵבֵל (Eng. 'world'), so that they may not rule over it and not wander about in it, nor cause human beings to be defiled by nocturnal emission. Therefore, \"they shall perish from the earth and from under these heavens\" that were created by the name \"these,\", אֵלֶּה, as we have already learned.", + "Thus, this verse is written in the translated (Aramaic) form in order not to let the supernal angels think that it is said about them - so that they will not be hostile to us. Therefore, the secret of the word \"these (Heb. אֵלֶּה) is as we have already stated. It is a holy word that is not to be translated into Aramaic." + ], + [ + "Rabbi Elazar said to him, There is a verse that reads, \"Who would not fear You, O King of the nations? For to You it is fitting\" (Jer. 10:7). What sort of praise is this? He (Rashb\"i) answered him: Elazar my son, this verse has been said in many places. And certainly it is not so; because it is written, \"For among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like You\" (Ibid.). And this is written as an excuse for the sinners, who think that the Holy One, blessed be He, is not aware of their plans and their thoughts. And because of this, their folly should be announced in the open. Because once a philosopher of the nation approached me, and said, You claim that your Elohim governs the entire heights of the heavens, and all the heavenly hosts and legions are not able to approach Him, nor do they know His place. But here, this verse does not add a lot to His honor. As it is written, \"as among all the wise men of the nations...there is none like You.\" What kind of a comparison is this, to be compared with human beings 1. who do not have eternal existence?", + "And furthermore, since you commented \"And there arose not a prophet since in Yisrael like Moses\" (Deut. 34:10), that only in Yisrael has there not arisen, but among the other nations of the world, one like him has indeed risen. So I claim the same, that among all the wise men of the nations...there is none like to Him! But among the wise men of Yisrael there is! And therefore, Elohim who has an equal among the wise men of Yisrael is not an all-powerful Elohim. Look closely into the verse, and you shall see that I am precisely correct! I said to him, what you have said is definitely correct,", + "because who raises the dead and brings them back to life? It is the Holy One, blessed be He, alone! Yet Elijah and Elisha came and raised the dead back to life. Who causes rain to fall? It is the Holy One, blessed be He, alone! Yet Elijah came and prevented rain, then caused it to fall through his prayer. Who made the heavens and the earth? It was the Holy One, blessed be He, alone! Yet Abraham came and the heavens and the earth were properly established because of him.", + "Who governs the sun? It is the Holy One, blessed be He, alone! Yet Joshua came and silenced it, commanding it to stand still in its place - and it stood still in silence. As it is written, \"And the sun stood still and the moon stayed\" (Joshua 10:13). The Holy One, blessed be He, issues decrees, yet Moses as well issued a decree, and it was fulfilled. Furthermore, the Holy One, blessed be He, issues decrees, while the righteous of Yisrael cancel them. As it is written: \"just, ruling (in) the fear of Elohim\" (II Sam. 23:3). Even more so, He has commanded them to walk along (literally) 'in His steps' and to be like Him in every way! The philosopher then went to Kfar Shachalayim and became a proselyte. And they called him Yosi the young. He studied much and joined the wise and pious men of that place.", + "We should have a closer look at this verse, now. It is written: \"All the nations are as nothing before Him\" (Isaiah 40:17). What is so special about this? He answers Rather, \"Who would not fear You, O King of the nations?\" (Jer. 10:7) is He the King of the other nations, and not the King of Yisrael?! The Holy One, blessed be He, wishes to be glorified by Yisrael. Therefore, He is always called in relation to the name of Yisrael, as is written, \"Elohim of Yisrael,\" \"Elohim of the Hebrews\" (Ex. 5:3). Also it is written: \"Thus says Hashem, the King of Yisrael\" (Isaiah 44:6) - the King of Yisrael explicitly! The other nations of the world said, We have a different Guardian up in the heavens, because your King governs over you alone, and not over us.", + "Thus, this verse that reads: \"Who would not fear You, O King of the nations,\" which means that He is a Supernal King, has dominion over them, punishes them and controls them, as He wishes to \"...for to You it is fitting\" to be feared above and below\" \"For among all the wise men of the nations\" refers to the governors and rulers who govern them. \"And in all their kingdoms\" (Jer. 10:7) refers to the kingdom above. There are four ruling kingdoms above, and they govern all the other nations according to the desire of Hashem. And even with all this, they are not able to accomplish even the tiniest deed without Him commanding them. As it is written, \"and He does according to His will in the host of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth\" (Daniel 4:32). The \"wise men of the nations\" are the governors and rulers of above, from whom the Wisdom of other nations is derived. \"And in all their kingdoms\" refers to the aforementioned kingdom that rules, which is the literal meaning of the verse.", + "But: \"for among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms.\" These words I found in the books of the ancients, that even though they, the hosts and legions, were put in charge of worldly affairs and He ordered each one to fulfill his mission, who can do it like You?! Because You are marked by excellence and by Your deeds. And this is the meaning of \"There is none like You\" (Ibid.), Hashem. Who is the holy and concealed, above and below, who can do what You do, or be like You, in all the doings of the Holy King up in the heavens, or down on earth?! So they \"are all of them vain, and the things they delight in do not help\" (Isaiah 44:9). While of the Holy One, blessed be He, it is written, \"In the beginning Elohim created,\" (Gen. 1:1) and about their kingdom, it is written, \"and the earth was without form and void\" (Ibid).", + "Rabbi Shimon addressed the friends, saying, 'Members of this wedding, let each of you adorn the Bride with a certain decoration of his'. He said to Rabbi Elazar his son: 'Elazar, present the Bride with a gift! So that on the following day, when He, (i.e. Zeir Anpin) enters under the bridal canopy followed by the songs and praises that the members of the bridal canopy offered her, you may stand before Him." + ], + [ + "Rabbi Elazar opened the discussion by quoting, \"Who is this coming up out of the wilderness?\" (Song of Songs 3:6). \"Who is this\" is the joining of two kinds of holiness, of two worlds (Binah and Malchut), into one firm bond. \"Coming up (Heb. עוֹלָה),\" means that it actually comes up to become the Holy of Holies. Because \"Who,\" מִ''י, (corresponding to Binah), is the Holy of Holies and has joined \"this,\" זֹא''ת (corresponding to Malchut), so that she (Malchut) will be a burnt offering (Heb. עוֹלָה) which is the highest class of sacrifices (lit. \"Holy of Holies'). \"Out of the wilderness,\" means that this inherits it from the wilderness in order to become a bride and enter the bridal canopy. Furthermore she came out of the wilderness (Heb. מִּדְבָּר) as it is written, \"And your speech (Heb. מִדְבָּרֵךְ) is comely\" (Song of Songs 4:3) 1. meaning that she is \"coming up\" with the speech in a whisper.", + "And we have learned why it is written in scripture, \"these mighty Elohim. These is Elohim that smote Egypt with all the plagues in the wilderness\" (I Sam. 4:8). But is it possible that all the Holy One, blessed be He, brought about occurred only in the wilderness? Was it not in the place of habitation? But the phrase \"in the wilderness\" (Heb. בַּמִּדְבָּר) (refers to) by speech (Heb. בְּדִבּוּרָא). As it is written, \"and your speech is comely,\" and, \"from the desert (Heb. בַּמִּדְבָּר) peaks\" (Ps. 75:7). Similarly \"coming up out of the wilderness\" (Song of Songs 3:6) means by the word that is uttered by the mouth, she (Malchut) is \"coming up\" and enters between the wings of the Mother, she (Binah). Afterwards, through speech, she (Malchut) descends and rests upon the leaders of the holy nation.", + "How does she, Malchut, rise up through speech? Because when a person awakens in the morning - at the time that he opens his eyes - he should at first bless his Master. How is he to make the blessing? This is what the pious ones did: They prepared beside for themselves a vessel of water, and when they awoke at night, they washed their hands, rose up, and studied the Torah. And they blessed on their Torah recitation as well! When the cock crows and it is exactly midnight, then the Holy One, blessed be He, joins the Righteous in the Garden of Eden. It is forbidden to utter any blessing in the morning with unclean hands, as it is at any time of the day.", + "Because when a person falls asleep, his spirit departs from him. And when the spirit departs from him, the spirit of impurity comes forth, settles on his hands, and defiles them. So it is forbidden to utter any blessing without first washing. And if you might say, If it is so, then on a day when a person does not go to sleep and his spirit does not depart from him, the spirit of impurity does not defile his hands; nevertheless, when he enters the lavatory, he should not utter any blessing nor read the Torah - not even one word - until he washes his hands. And although you might say that it is because they are sullied, this is not so! Because how did they become soiled?", + "Woe to those people who are not aware and do not pay heed to their Master's glory, and do not know what the world is based on. Because there is a certain spirit that dwells in every privy in the world, a spirit that enjoys dirt and excrement, and immediately settles on the fingers of the hands of that man." + ], + [ + "Rabbi Shimon opened the discussion by saying that he who rejoices on festivals, but does not give his portion to the Holy One, blessed be He, then that Evil Eye Satan, רַע עַיִן שָׂטָן - shall hate and persecute him, and shall take him out of this world. And he will bring many miseries upon miseries.", + "The portion of the Holy One, blessed be He, is to make the poor happy, according to his ability. Because on these days, (festivals) the Holy One, blessed be He, comes to see all His broken vessels. He comes to see them, but then realizes that they have nothing to be happy about And He weeps over them, before ascending back above, to destroy the world.", + "The members of the Yeshivah then stand before Him, saying, Master of the universe, You are called gracious and merciful. So, apply Your mercy on Your children! He said to them: 'Have I not created the world based upon love?' As it is written, \"For I have said, the world is built by love\" (Ps. 89:3). So the whole universe is established upon it. The heavenly angels then say to Him, Master of the universe, there is a certain person who has eaten and drunk to his fill and could have been kind to the poor, but did not share with them anything! Then the \"Accuser\" comes and obtains permission to persecute that person.", + "Whom do we have in the world greater than Abraham, who had bestowed kindness on all living beings? Of the day that he prepared a feast, what is written? \"And the child grew, and was weaned. And Abraham made a great feast on the day that Issac was weaned\" (Gen. 21:8). So Abraham prepared a feast and invited all the leaders and important people of that generation to that feast. And we have learned that at every banquet, the 'Accuser' wanders about, observing if each person first dispenses charity to the poor. If there are any poor people in his house, then he (the \"Accuser\") leaves that house and does not enter. But if not, the Accuser enters that house. If he sees the merrymaking without the poor and without having first dispensed charity to the poor, he ascends above and brings accusations against him.", + "When Abraham summoned all the great leaders of that generation, the 'Accuser' descended and stood at the door disguised as a poor man. And nobody paid any attention to him. Abraham was attending the kings and the noble men. Sarah suckled all their children because they did not believe that she had born a child, but rather claimed that he was a foundling whom they picked up from the marketplace. This is why they brought their children with them, so that Sarah could take them and nurse them in front of their parents. As it is written: 1. \"Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children?\" (Gen. 21:7). (The verse should have said 'would nurse a child) There is no doubt that it should be 'children,'. And that 'Accuser' was at the door. Sarah said: \"Elohim made laughter for me!\"(Ibid. 6). 2. So immediately the 'Accuser' went up and stood before the Holy One, blessed be He, and said to Him, \"O Master of the universe, You have said, 'Abraham is the one who loves Me,' and here he prepared a feast but did not give anything to You or to the poor. He did not sacrifice even one pigeon before. And furthermore, Sarah claims that You have mocked her!\"", + "The Holy One, blessed be He, replies: 'Who in the world can be compared to Abraham?' But he did not leave the place until he had spoiled the entire feast. So the Holy One, blessed be He, decreed that Issac should be given as an offering, and Sarah was destined to die from anguish because of her son. All of this distress was caused because he did not offer anything to the poor!" + ], + [ + "Rabbi Shimon opened the discussion by speaking about the verse: \"Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall, and prayed to Hashem\" (Isaiah 38:2). Come and see how powerful is the might of the Torah, and how high it rises above all! Because whoever conducts his life according to the Torah has no fear of those above or below, and mishaps or illnesses of this world do not concern him. Through the Torah, he is attached to the Tree of Life and learns from it every day.", + "The Torah teaches every person how to walk a straight path. It gives advice how to repent and return to one's Master to cancel the decree against him. Because even though a decree has been given not to cancel the decree against him, it shall nevertheless be canceled and not be applied to him anymore in this world. So for this purpose, man should occupy himself in the study of the Torah day and night, not deviate from it. As it is written, \"you shall meditate therein day and night\" (Joshua 1:8). So if he deviates from the Torah - or he abandons it - it is as though he abandons the Tree of Life.", + "Come and see: Good advice for people. When a person lies on his bed at night and goes to sleep, he should wholeheartedly accept upon himself the heavenly Kingdom, and he should quickly prepare to return his entrusted soul to Him. Then he shall be immediately spared from all bad diseases and evil spirits, and they shall have no power over him.", + "And in the morning, as he rises from his bed, he should then praise his Master, enter into His house, and bow in front of His sanctuary in great awe. And afterward, he should recite his prayers. For he should take advice from the holy patriarchs, as it is written, \"But as for me, I will come into Your house in the multitude of Your love; and in the fear of You, I will bow down toward Your holy temple\" (Ps. 5:8).", + "This verse has been explained as follows. A person should not enter the synagogue unless he first consulted Abraham, Issac and Jacob. Because they have prepared and instituted the prayer to the Holy One, blessed be He. As it is written, \"I will come into Your house in the multitude of Your love\" refers to Abraham, (Chesed); \"I will bow down towards Your holy temple\" refers to Issac; \"in the fear of You\" refers to Jacob (Tiferet). Therefore, he should include himself with them and then enter the synagogue and recite his prayers. Then the scripture reads, \"And He said to me, you are My servant, Yisrael, in whom I will be glorified\" (Isaiah 49:3)." + ], + [ + "Rabbi Pinchas frequently visited Rabbi Rechumai, who lived at the shore of the Sea of Galilee. He was a great man who was full of years and had lost his eyesight. He said to Rabbi Pinchas, 'I have heard that our friend Yochai has a jewel, a precious stone (his son). And I have observed the light that shines from that jewel; and it shines like the radiance of the sun as it emerges out from its sheath and illuminates the whole world.", + "And that light extends from the heavens down to the earth, where it brightens the whole world until the Atik Yomin (Keter) appears and is properly seated upon the throne. And this radiance is contained entirely in your household (Rabbi Pinchas' daughter was married to Rashb\"i). And from this effulgence that is contained in your household, a tiny ray of light comes forth and brightens up the whole world. How happy is your lot. Go my son, go! Go after that jewel that shines and lights up all the world, as the hour is propitious for you.", + "He took his leave from him and was about to enter a boat, accompanied by two people. He saw two birds flying toward him over the lake. He raised up his voice and said, Birds, O birds - you who fly over the waters - have you seen the place, where the son of Yochai is? He waited awhile and then said, Birds, O birds - Go and bring me back an answer! They flew away; they flew into the middle of the sea and disappeared.", + "Before he went and departed, the two birds appeared again. In the mouth of one of them was a letter informing him that the son of Yochai, had left the cave together with his son, Rabbi Elazar. He went to meet him. He saw that he had completely changed, and his body was full of scars and sores. He wept 1. together with him and said, Woe, that I have seen you so! Rashb\"i replied: O how happy is my lot, that you have seen me so. Because had you not seen me thus I would not have been so." + ], + [ + "בְּרִאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים. \"In the beginning. Elohim created\" (Gen. 1:1). This is the first and foremost precept of all. And this precept is called \"the fear of the Hashem,\" which is called the \"beginning.\" As it is written, \"The Fear of Hashem is the beginning of wisdom\" (Ps. 111:10); \"The fear of Hashem is the beginning of knowledge\" (Prov. 1:7). Because this fear (or awe) is called a beginning. And it is the gateway through which one enters into Faith. So based on this precept, the whole world is able to exist.", + "Fear is divided into three types. Two have no fundamental sources and one is the actual source of fear. There is a person who fears and respects the Holy One, blessed be He, so that his children will live and not die, or because he is afraid to be punished through his body or his wealth. This person, therefore, is always afraid of Him. But we can see that the fear he has of the Holy One, blessed be He, has no actual source (is not really genuine). And there is a person who fears the Holy One, blessed be He, because he is afraid of the punishment that awaits him in the other world, and the tortures of Gehenom. These two are not the essence of fear nor its genuine source!", + "The fear that is essential and genuine occurs when a person fears his Master because he is almighty and governs all; because He is the main source and essence of all worlds. And everything that exists is as nothing compared to Him. As it is written, \"and all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing\" (Daniel 4:32) and a person should concentrate his desires to that place which is called \"fear!\"", + "Rabbi Shimon began to weep and said, woe if I say and woe if I do not say. If I say, then the evil people shall know how to serve their Master. And if I do not say, the friends shall lose this matter. Because at the location where the sacred fear is to be found, down below, there is a corresponding evil fear that smites and scourges and then prosecutes. This is a lash used for the whipping of the wicked.", + "So, he who fears because of the punishment of being whipped and prosecuted, as is already stated, does not have that fear of Hashem that is called \"the fear of Hashem tends to life\" (Prov. 19:23). Then what fear is such a person endowed with? It is evil fear. And so he is ruled by that whipping lash, the evil fear, and not the fear of Hashem.", + "And because of this, the place that is named \"the fear of Hashem\" is called \"the beginning of knowledge\" (Prov. 1:7). And this precept is included here. This is the source and the main principle of all the other precepts of the Torah. Whoever observes the precept of fear observes all the others. He who does not observe the precept of fear does not observe any of the precepts of the Torah. Because this (fear) is the gateway to everything!", + "Because of this, it is written, \"In the Beginning,\" which is \"fear\", \"Elohim created the heaven and the earth.\" Because, whoever transgresses this, transgresses all of the precepts of the Torah. And the punishment for he who transgresses is this cruel and evil lash, which shall whip him. Therefore \"and the earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and a wind from Elohim\" (Gen. 1:2) are the four punishments for the wicked.", + "\"Without form\" means strangulation, as it is written, \"a line of confusion\" (Isaiah 34:11) that is \"a measuring line\" (Zech. 2:5). \"Void\" means stoning and refers to the stones that are sunk in the great deep for the purpose of punishing the wicked. And \"darkness\" means burning. As it is written, \"And it came to pass, when you heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness, while the mountain did burn with fire\" (Deut. 5:20). And this fierce fire \"shall fall upon the head of the wicked\" (Jer. 23:19) to burn them.", + "And \"a wind\" means slaughtering by the sword. Because the tempest storm is a flaming, sharp sword that burns within it. As it is written, \"and the bright blade of a revolving sword\" (Gen. 3:24). And it is also called a wind. So this is the punishment for whoever transgresses the precepts of the Torah. Because it appears after fear that is called Beginning and includes everything. From here onward, come the rest of the precepts of the Torah." + ], + [ + "The second precept is that the precept of fear is strongly attached to and never disconnected from the precept of love. A person should love his Master wholly. And what is perfect love? It is great love, as it is written, \"walk before Me and be perfect\" (Gen. 17:1). Meaning, to be whole with love. Thus it is written, \"And Elohim said, Let there be light\" (Gen. 1:3). This perfect love is called great love. And here it appears as a precept, that a person should love his Master properly.", + "Rabbi Elazar said: My father, I have heard that meaning of perfect love. He said to him: Say it, my son, in front of Rabbi Pinchas, as he is truly on that level. Rabbi Elazar said: Great love means perfect love, perfected from both sides. And if it does not include both, then 1. ...include both, then it is not a proper perfect love!", + "This is why we have learned that the love of the Holy One, blessed be He, is explained in two ways. There is he who loves Him because he is rich, has length of life, his children are around him, he rules his enemies, and he succeeds in his ventures. Because of all these, he loves Him. But if it were the opposite, if the Holy One, blessed be He, were to turn the wheel of fortune against him and replace this with harsh judgment, he would then hate Him and not love Him at all. Therefore, this love is not a love that has a base.", + "The love that is called whole is that love that is included from both sides, from both Judgment, Chesed and success. He should love the Holy One, blessed be He, as we have learned; even if He was to take away your soul. This is the perfect love that includes both aspects. And because of this, the light of the acts of Creation was revealed and then hidden. When it was hidden, harsh judgment came forth and both aspects became united and reached perfection. This is proper love.", + "Rabbi Shimon hugged and kissed him. Then Rabbi Pinchas came and kissed and blessed him. He then said: Certainly, the Holy One, blessed be He, has sent me here. This is that tiny ray of light that I was told shines in my house, and later on shall lighten up the entire world.\" Rabbi Elazar said: Certainly, fear should not be omitted from the precepts, especially from this one (love). So fear should be attached to it. How is it attached? Love brings good from one side. As it is explained: when the Holy One, blessed be He, gives a person riches and all goodness, length of life, children, and sustenance, then that person should arouse in himself fear. And he should be afraid of what the sin might bring upon him. Of this it is written, \"Happy is the man that fears always\" (Proverbs 28:14), because fear is now included with love.", + "This is how fear should be aroused - from the other aspect of harsh Judgment. Because once a person realizes that harsh Judgment prevails upon him, he shall arouse fear in himself and be afraid of his Master. Thus, he will not harden his heart. This is what is meant by the verse, \"he that hardens his heart shall fall into evil\" (Proverbs 28:14), which refers to the Other Side that is called 'evil'. Thus, fear is attached to and includes them both." + ], + [ + "The third precept is to know that there is a great Elohim who governs the world; and to proclaim His unity properly every day, using the supernal six extremities (Chesed, Gevurah, Tiferet, Netzach, Hod and Yesod of Zeir Anpin); to unify them into one whole by the six words of Sh'ma Yisrael; and to concentrate them above. Therefore, we should prolong the pronunciation of the word Echad to the time to pronounce the six words.", + "This is the reason why it is written, \"Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together to one place\" (Genesis 1:9). Let all the grades that are below the heaven be gathered into one place, so the six extremities will be in a state of perfection as they should. Nevertheless, even with the proclamation of His unity fear should be attached to it. So one should prolong the pronunciation of the letter Dalet in the word Echad. This is why the letter Dalet is large. Thus it is written, \"and let the dry land appear\" (Ibid.), which means let the letter Dalet, which is dry land, be seen and attached to that unification.", + "And after (Malchut) is attached above, she should then be attached down below to her multitudes, to the other six directions which are down below. 'Blessed be the name of the glory of His Kingdom for ever and ever', (Heb. בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד) which in Hebrew contains six additional words expressive of this unity. And then what was dry land becomes fertile soil that can produce fruits and flowers, and in which trees can be planted.", + "This is implied in the verse, \"And Elohim called the dry land earth\" (Ibid. 10). This was accomplished by the unity below, a properly complete desire. And this is why the expression \"that it was good\" appears twice; once for the upper and once for the lower unity. So (Malchut) has been united with both aspects. Hence, it is written, \"Let the earth bring forth grass\" (Ibid. 11), because by now she has been prepared to produce fruit and flowers properly!" + ], + [ + "The fourth precept: to know that Hashem is the Elohim. As it is written, \"Know this day, and consider it in your heart, that Hashem He is the Elohim\"(Deuteronomy 4:39). Meaning, that the name Elohim is included in the name of Hashem, and acknowledged as one and inseparable. And this is the secret of the verse, \"Let there be luminaries (Heb. מְאֹרֹת) in the firmament of heaven...to give light upon the earth\" (Genesis 1:14-15), that both names should be as one without any separation. Thus, מְאֹרֹת, spelled without a Vav, should be included within the term heaven, because they are as one and inseparable. Black light (Malchut) within white light (Zeir Anpin). Both are as one without separation.", + "And this is the white cloud by day and the cloud of fire by night, the attribute of day, and the attribute of night, as they should be established by each other into one whole, to illuminate. As it is written, \"to give light upon the earth.\"", + "This is the sin of the primeval serpent, who unites down below but separates above. Because of this, he caused what he caused to the world. Because what is below should be separated, and what is above should be united. So the black light should be united above into one unified whole. And then she should become united together with her own legions and be separated from the evil side.", + "Nevertheless, it is necessary to know that Elohim and Yud Hei Vav Hei are one without separation. Yud Hei Vav Hei He is Elohim. So when a person acknowledges that both are one and does not cause any separation between them, even the 'Other Side' will disappear from the world and not be drawn downward.", + "This is the secret behind the words, \"And let them be for luminaries (Heb. מְאֹרֹת)\" (Genesis 1:14), which is formed from the two words אוֹר (Eng. 'Light') and מָוֶת (Eng. 'death') because the Kelipah follows the Brain and the Brain is the light; the Other Side is death. The letters forming the word אוֹר are kept together, while the letters forming the word מָוֶת are separated from one another. The light is gone from there, the separated letters of death join one another.", + "Eve meddled with these letters and brought evil to the world. As it is written, \"And when the woman saw that...was good\" (Heb. וַתֵּרֶא) (Genesis 3:6), she turned the letters of Me'orot backwards, that is she removed the letters of וַתֵּרֶא from there, leaving only the letters Mem and Vav. And they went along and took the letter Tav with them, (death). This is how she brought death upon the world, as the scriptures inform us. \"וַתֵּרֶא...\" (Genesis 3:6).", + "Rabbi Elazar said: Father, I have learned that after Eve had removed the letters of וַתֵּרֶא from the word Me'orot, not the letters Mem and Vav remained, but only Mem remained above, Vav, which is always life, turned into Mavet. When it left and took the letter Tav, as it is written, \"she took (Heb. וַתִּקַּח)...and gave (Heb. וַתִּתֵּן)\" (Ibid.), so the word Mavet was completed, as its letters joined one another. He said to him: Blessed are you my son, as we have now clarified this subject." + ], + [ + "The fifth precept is found in the verse, \"Let the waters swarm abundantly with moving creatures that have life\" (Genesis 1:20). This verse contains three precepts. The first is to study the Torah; the second is to beget children: and the third is to circumcise a male child on the eighth day of life and remove the foreskin. It is necessary to study the Torah with great effort at all times, in order to better one's spirit and soul.", + "As a person labors in the study of the Torah, he is endowed with an additional holy soul, as it is written, \"moving creatures (lit. 'soul') that have life.\" This refers to the holy living creature (Malchut). If a person does not delve in the study of the Torah, he does not receive this holy soul, and the holiness of above does not rest upon him. However, when he does study the Torah, he merits that living soul by his mouthing the words of the Torah. Thus he becomes like the angels of above. As it is written, \"Bless Hashem, you angels of His\" (Psalms 103:20). This refers to those who study the Torah and are called \"His angels\" on earth.", + "And it is also written, \"And let birds fly above the earth\" (Genesis 1:20). This refers to this world, but as far as the other world is concerned, we have learned that the Holy One, blessed be He, will provide them with wings like those of the eagles to allow them to meander around in all the worlds. As is written, \"But they that wait upon Hashem shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles\" (Isaiah 40:31).", + "Thus it is written, \"and let birds fly above the earth,\" because the Torah that is called \"the waters\" (Genesis 1:20) abounds, bringing forth expressions of the living soul, that is aroused from its place of living creature, to be drawn down below, as we have learned. And this is what King David referred to, when he said, \"Create in me a clean heart, O Elohim\" (to study and learn the Torah), and then \"renew a steadfast spirit within me\" (Psalms 51:12)." + ], + [ + "The sixth precept is to procreate. Because he who procreates and begets children causes that river to flow continuously. Its waters shall never fail and the sea shall be filled from all directions. New souls are renewed and shall come forth from that tree, and many hosts of heaven will multiply together with those souls. This is why it is written, \"Let the waters swarm abundantly with moving creatures that have life.\"This refers to the sign of the holy covenant, the river that flows and comes forth, as its waters swell and move with swarms and innumerable souls for that living creature!", + "Together with those souls that enter the living creature, many birds come forth. They fly around and roam the entire world, so that when a soul comes forth and is on its way down to this world, the bird that flew off and left with that soul from the same tree accompanies it! How many leave together with each soul? Two! One on the right and one on the left. If he is worthy, they guard him. As it is written, \"For He will give His angels charge over you\" (Psalms 91:11). But if he is not worthy, then they prosecute him. Rabbi Pinchas said: There are three angels that are guardians over a person, if he is worthy. As it is written, \"If there be an angel over him, a defender, one among a thousand to declare to man what is right\" (Job 33:23); \"if there be an angel,\" this is one; \"a defender,\" this is two; \"one among a thousand,\" this is three!", + "Rabbi Shimon said: There are five. Because the verse continues, \"Then he is gracious to him and says...\" (Ibid. 24). \"He is gracious,\" this is one angel, and \"and says,\" this is a second, so there are five. Rabbi Pinchas said: This is not so! \"He is gracious to him,\" refers to the Holy One, blessed be He, by Himself. Because nobody else is permitted to be gracious to Him Himself. Rabbi Shimon replied: You have said well!", + "And he who abstains from procreating belittles, so to speak, the form that includes all forms. And he blocks the flow of the waters of that river as he renders defective the sign of the holy covenant from all sides. Of such a person, it is written, \"And they shall go forth and look upon the carcasses of the men that have rebelled against Me\" (Isaiah 66:24). \"Against Me\" for sure! And this is said about the body, as the soul shall never enter beyond the curtain, and it shall be banished from that world." + ], + [ + "The seventh precept is to perform circumcision on the eighth day of life and remove the defilement of the foreskin. Because that living creature is the eighth grade, compared to the other grades. And that soul that flies away and emerges from it must appear before it on the eighth day, as it in itself is the eighth grade.", + "And then it is made clear that it is a living soul. A soul that belongs to that holy living creature and not to the Other Side. And this is alluded to by the words, \"Let the waters swarm abundantly\" (Genesis 1:20). This has been explained in the book of Enoch as, \"Let the waters of the holy seed be stamped by the impression of the living soul.\" And this alludes to the impression that the letter Yud marked upon the holy flesh, more than any other mark that exists in the world.", + "\"And let birds fly above the earth\" (Ibid.). This refers to Elijah, who flies over the entire world in four flights to be present at every place where the sacred circumcision is performed. So a chair should be prepared for him, and it should be said out loud, This is the chair of Elijah. If this is not done, he will not appear!", + "\"And Elohim created great crocodiles\"(Ibid. 21). Two, and these two include the removal of the foreskin and the uncovering of the corona. And these two are male and female. \"and every living creature that moves\" (Ibid). This refers to the mark of the sign of the holy covenant, which is the holy living creature, as we have previously stated. \"...which the waters brought forth abundantly,\" these are the supernal waters that are drawn down into the sign of this mark.", + "This is the reason why Yisrael down below are marked by the holy and pure impression, similar to the holy impressions. This distinguishes the holy side from the Other Side. Thus are they marked, to distinguish the holiness of Israel from the impure idol worshiping nations that originate from the Other Side, as we have learned. Just as He marked Israel, so did He mark their cattle and their fowl to distinguish them from the cattle and fowl of the idol worshiping nations. Happy is the portion of Yisrael!" + ], + [ + "The eighth precept is to love the convert who comes to be circumcised and desires to enter under the wings of the Shechinah. And She (Malchut) takes under Her wings those who separate themselves from the defiled Other Side, and approach Her. As it is written: \"Let the earth bring forth the living creatures after their kind\" (Genesis 1:24).", + "And in case you might say that this living soul, which includes Yisrael, is assigned to everyone, He repeats, \"after their kind\". O how many corridors and chambers, one inside the other, does the earth which is living have under its wings!", + "The right wing has two chambers, and from this wing, two nations come forth. They are close with regard to Unity to Yisrael and enter into these chambers. And under the left wing there are two additional chambers that are divided between two other nations, which are Ammon and Moab. And they are all called living soul.", + "And how many other closed chambers are there in each and every wing. From these chambers souls go forth and are divided among those proselytes who are converted, and these are called living soul, but \"after their kind.\" They all enter under the wings of the Shechinah, but do not go beyond.", + "But the soul of Yisrael comes from the body of that tree. And from there, the souls fly off down into this earth, down deep inside its bowels! And the secret behind this is as written: \"For you shall be a land of delight\" (Malachi 3:12). Therefore, Yisrael is the darling son for whom She yearns from the bottom of Her heart. And Yisrael are called \"who are borne by Me from birth (lit. 'belly')\"(Isaiah 46:3) and not from the wings that are on the outside. And furthermore, the proselytes have no part in the upper tree, especially not in its body (trunk). So their place is in the wings and not beyond. Therefore, the convert's place is under the wings of the Shechinah, and not higher. And the true proselytes are those who reside there - and not inside. This is why it is said: \"Let the earth bring forth the living creatures after their kind.\" And to whom? \"Cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after their kind\" (Genesis 1:24). All draw their spirit from within that living creature, but each one according to its kind, as is appropriate to it!" + ], + [ + "The ninth precept is to show mercy to the needy and supply them with food. As it is written: \"Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness\" (Genesis 1:26). \"Let Us make man\" is used in the compound sense, indicating that it includes Male and Female. \"In Our image\", the rich; \"after Our likeness\", the poor.", + "Because from the aspect of the Male, they are rich; from the aspect of the Female, they are poor. But as they are united as one, show compassion to each other, share with each other, and are benefactors to each other, so should man below behave. The rich and the poor should be united together as one, and should share with each other and be benefactors to each other.", + "\"And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea\" (Ibid.). We have seen this secret in the Book of King Solomon, where it says that if a person has pity on the poor from all his heart, his image shall not be changed and shall remain forever as that of the first man. As a result of having the mark of the image of Adam, he therefore shall rule over all creatures on earth by that image. As it is written, \"And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast\" (Genesis 9:2). All have fear of that image and dread the image marked on him, because this is the most praised precept. It is above all the others, because by this precept, the Son of Man is able to elevate himself by the image of Adam.", + "How do we know this? From Nebuchadnezzar! Because even though he dreamt that dream, as long as he had mercy upon the poor, the dream did not come true. But because he cast the evil eye on the poor not to be gracious to them, what does the verse say? It reads, \"While the word was in the king's mouth\" (Daniel 4:28), his image immediately changed and he was rejected from people. This is why, \"Let Us make man\" (Genesis 1:26). Here the term \"to make\" is used. So in the verse it is written, \"The man's name where I worked (lit. 'made') today is Boaz\" (Ruth 2:19)." + ], + [ + "The tenth precept is to put on Tefilin, and to complete himself with the supernal image. As it is written, \"And Elohim created man in His own image\" (Genesis 1:27). He opened the discussion by saying: \"Your head upon you is like the Carmel\" (Song of Songs 7:6). This verse has already been explained. Nevertheless, \"Your head upon you is like the Carmel\" applies to the supernal head - the Tefilin worn on the head of the holy Supernal King Yud Hei Vav Hei that appears in the written letters: Each letter is equivalent to one paragraph. The Holy Name is engraved according to the proper order of the letters. And we have learned that the verse \"that you are called by the name of Hashem, and they shall be afraid of you\" (Deuteronomy 28:10) refers to the Tefilin of the head, which represent the Holy Name, according to the order of the letters.", + "The first words that appear in the Tefilin read, \"Sanctify to Me all the firstborn (Heb. קַדֶּשׁ לִי...)\" (Exodus 13:2). This corresponds to Yud, which is holiness - which is the firstborn of all the supernal sanctities. These are \"whatever opens the womb\" (Exodus 13:12) by that narrow line that descends from the Yud, which opens the womb to bring forth proper fruit and seeds. This is the supernal holiness.", + "The second paragraph reads, \"And it shall be when Hashem shall bring you (Heb. וְהָיָה כִי יְבִיאֲךָ)\" (Exodus 13:5). This is Hei. This is the temple whose womb is opened by the letter Yud through fifty openings, corridors and rooms that are concealed within it. The letter Yud made an opening in that temple so that the sound of the Shofar can be heard through it. Because the Shofar is blocked on all sides, Yud came and opened it so that the sound could be heard. When it opened it, the Shofar was blown and sound was emitted. The emission of this sound was to free the slaves.", + "So by blowing of the Shofar, Yisrael were delivered from Egypt. And so another time in the future, at the End of Days. Every deliverance originates from this Shofar. And this is why the exodus from Egypt is written in this paragraph. Because it is a result of this Shofar - by the force of the letter Yud - that the womb was opened, enabling it to bring forth its sound to redeem the slaves. This is Hei, the second letter of the Holy Name.", + "The third paragraph is the secret of the unification in \"Hear O Yisrael (Heb. שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל)\" (Deuteronomy 6:4). This corresponds to the letter Vav and combines all within; itself - the unity of all, as all are united in it. And it gathers all, as well! The fourth paragraph reads, \"And it shall come to pass, if you shall hearken (Heb. וְהָיָה אִם שָׁמוֹעַ)\" (Deuteronomy 11:13). This includes two aspects (Chesed and Gevurah) combined together because the Congregation of Yisrael, which is the lower Gevurah, is united with them. And this is the last Hei, which gathers all the others together and includes them all.", + "The Tefilin are actually the letters of the Holy Name. Therefore, \"Your head upon you is like the Carmel\" - the Tefilin of the head. \"And the hair (Heb. dalat) from dalah (poor) of your head\" (Song of Songs 7:6) refers to the Tefilin of the hand, as she is poor, in comparison to above. Thus, she achieves perfection as above!", + "\"a king is caught in its tresses\" (Ibid. 6), that he is tied down and tightly held in those compartments for the purpose of being properly united with that Holy Name. Therefore, whoever puts them on receives the image of Elohim. Because just as Elohim is united with the Holy Name, so does the person who puts them on become united with the Holy Name accordingly. \"Male and female He created them\" (Genesis 1:27) - the Tefilin of the head and the Tefilin of the hand - and all is one (the same)!" + ], + [ + "The eleventh precept is to give a tithe of the land's product. Here we have two precepts. One is to give a tithe of the land's product, and the other is {to bring} the first fruits of the trees. As it is written, \"Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed, which is upon the face of all the earth\" (Genesis 1:29). Here it is written, \"I have given you;\" elsewhere it is written, \"And to the children of Levi, behold, I have given all the tithe in Yisrael\" (Numbers 18:21). In a third place, it is further written, \"And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is to Hashem\" (Leviticus 27:30)." + ], + [ + "The twelfth precept - to bring the first fruits of the trees as an offering. As it is written, \"and every tree, on which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed\" (Genesis 1:29). Whatever I deserve is forbidden to you to eat. He permitted them (to eat) and gave them all His tithe and first fruits of the trees. \"I have given to you\" - \"to you,\" and not to the generations after you." + ], + [ + "The thirteenth precept - to perform the redemption ritual for his firstborn son and connect him to life. There are two appointees in charge - one over life and one over death - and they both stand beside man. Thus, when a person redeems his son, he redeems him from that one over death and takes him out of his control. This is the secret of the words, \"And Elohim saw everything that He had made\" (Genesis 1:31). In general. \"And, behold it was...good\" (Ibid.) alludes to the Angel of Life, while the word \"very (Heb. מְאֹד)\" alludes to the Angel of Death. Therefore, by this act of redemption, the Angel of Life is strengthened and the one of Death is weakened. By this redemption, he acquires life for himself, as has been mentioned, so that the evil side leaves him alone and does not cling to him any more." + ], + [ + "The fourteenth precept - to observe the Shabbat, which is a day of rest from all the acts of Creation. There are two precepts included here. One is to observe the day of the Shabbat, and one is to attach this day to its holiness. So \"to observe the day of the Shabbat\" is, as I have mentioned and explained, that it is a day of rest to all the worlds. And all actions are within that day and were already performed even before that day was sanctified.", + "When that day was sanctified, the creation of the bodies for certain spirits was not completed. Was not the Holy One, blessed be He, aware of that, so that He could delay the sanctification of that day until the bodies for those spirits were created? The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil - aroused the evil Other Side, who wanted to rule over the world. So a lot of spirits were dispersed with much weaponry to achieve strength with the bodies of this world.", + "As the Holy One, blessed be He, saw this, He aroused a tempest from within the Tree of Life, and struck upon the other Tree, causing the arousal of the other Good Side. Consequently, the day was sanctified. Because the creation of the bodies and the arousal of the spirits, on that night comes from the Good Side and not from the Other Side.", + "Had the Other Side come during that night before the Good Side, then the world would not have been able to exist for even one moment. So the Holy One, blessed be He, provided the remedy in advance. The sanctification of the day jumped up and stood before Him. Thus, the Good Side appeared before the Other Side appeared, and the world was established. So instead of the Other Side becoming strong and establishing itself in the world, as it planned, the Good Side was established and grew strong on that night by the construction of holy bodies and the forming of holy spirits from that Side. Therefore, the sages who know this perform their conjugal rights weekly, on Shabbat eve.", + "Because when the Other Side saw this - that just as he planned on doing, the Side of Holiness preceded it, then the Other Side went along to wander about, together with all its hosts and legions to watch over those who perform their conjugal rights naked and by the light of the candle. Because of this, all their children born from that intercourse are born epileptic, because they are possessed by spirits that come from the Other Side. And these are the naked spirits of the wicked that are called demons. These are pursued and killed by Lilit.", + "So, because the day was sanctified, and holiness ruled over the world, the Other Side makes itself small and hides during every Shabbat Eve and during every Shabbat Day. Only Asimon and his group do not hide, but go around floating above the candlelight secretly in order to observe the indecent intercourse. And after that they go and hide inside the cave of the great abyss. As soon as Shabbat is over, many hosts and legions roam about in the world. This is why the hymn against calamities, (Psalms 91), was composed - to prevent them from ruling over the holy nation.", + "Where do they roam to on that night? When they come out in haste and think that they are about to rule over the world and overcome the holy nation, they see them standing in prayer and reciting this hymn (Ps. 91), saying the Havdalah during the prayers and then performing the Havdalah with the cup. Then they fly from there and go roaming until they reach the desert. May the Merciful One save us from them and from the Evil Side.", + "Our Rabbis of blessed memory said: There are three kinds of people who bring bad things on themselves. The first is he who curses himself; the second is he who throws away bread or bread crumbs as big as an olive; and the third is he who lights the candle when the Shabbat is over before Yisrael reached the recital of Sanctification, that is during Ve'Ata Kadosh. Because with that fire, he lights the flames of Gehenom before its time.", + "There is a special place in Gehenom for those who profane the Shabbat. Those who are punished in Gehenom curse the person who lit the candle before its time, and they say to him, \"Behold; Hashem will thrust you about with a mighty throw, and He will seize you firmly. He will violently roll and toss you like a ball into a large country\" (Isaiah 22:17-18).", + "It is not proper for him to light the candle, as Shabbat is not over before Yisrael recite the prayer of Havdalah and say the benediction over the cup (of wine). For until that time, it is still Shabbat, and the sanctity of the Shabbat still rests upon us. So after the benediction over the cup is performed, all those hosts and legions that govern the weekdays return to their positions, each one according to the appointed service for which he is responsible.", + "Because as soon as the Shabbat begins and the day is sanctified, holiness is aroused and governs the world; worldliness is removed from its rule. Only when Shabbat is over do they regain their position again. But although Shabbat is over, they do not regain their positions until that moment when Yisrael say in the land of Yisrael, \"Blessed are You, Hashem, who separate the holy from the secular.\" Then the holiness is removed, and all the hosts that govern the weekdays are aroused and return to their positions, each one according to its post for which it is responsible.", + "Nevertheless, they do not receive control until the flames of the candle are lit. All these flames are called the Lights of Fire because they all come from the secret behind the column of fire and the element of fire, and they take charge over the lower world. All this happens if a person lights the candle before Yisrael have finished the recital of the sanctification.", + "And if he waits until they complete the sanctification, all those wicked people who are in Gehenom acknowledge the justice brought upon them by the Holy One, blessed be He. And they confirm the blessings that are recited by the congregation, and bring them upon him. \"Therefore Hashem gives you of the dew of heaven\" (Genesis 27:28), and \"Blessed shall you be in the field...\" (Deuteronomy 28:3).", + "\"Blessed is he who considers the poor; Hashem will deliver him in the day of evil\" (Psalms 41:2). As it should have been written 'in the day of evil' [masc. adj.], so why does it say, \"in the day of evil [fem. adj.]?\" This refers to the day when that Evil [fem. adj.] is in power and wants to take his soul away from him. \"Blessed is he who considers the poor.\" The words, \"the poor\" allude to a very ill person; \"That considers\" alludes to how to cure him from his sins as he stands before the Holy One, blessed be He. Another meaning is that this is the day when Judgment prevails and is about to dominate the world, and he \"Considers\" to be saved from it. As it has been written: \"Hashem will deliver him in the day of evil -\" so too the day when Judgment is passed over to the Evil in order to control the world. (End):" + ] + ], + "Bereshit": [ + [ + "With the beginning of the manifestation of the King's will, that is, when the King desired to emanate and create the world, a hard spark made an engraving upon the supernal light. This hard spark, which emanated from the most concealed of all concealed things from the secret of the Endlessness Light took a shapeless form. The spark was then inserted into the center of a circle that was neither white nor black nor red nor green, nor any color at all. When it began its measurements, it created colors that shone into the empty space and the engraving. From within the spark - This hard spark - a fountain spouted, from which the shades down below received their colors.", + "From the most concealed of all concealed things, from the secret of the Endlessness Light, emanated two faces: One cleaved and the other did not cleave. Its atmosphere was unknown until forceful blows split Atik, and a concealed supernal point shone. Beyond this point, nothing is knowable and, because of this, it is called by the name Beginning, which means the first of the sayings." + ], + [ + "And they who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and they who turn many to righteousness like the stars for ever and ever\" (Daniel 12:3). \"And they who are wise\" alludes to the souls of the righteous, \"the brightness of the firmament\" to the illumination of the upper three Sefirot, which are revealed when combined with the attribute of mercy. The atmosphere of the brightness that is most concealed of all concealed things merged with this point and shone into it. Then this Beginning which is Arich Anpin expanded into a head and body, and made a chamber for its honor and glory. There, inside the chamber, Arich Anpin planted a holy seed to bring forth souls for the benefit of the world. This is the secret of, \"So the holy seed is its immovable stump\".", + "The brightness that it sowed for its honor is similar to the purple seed of the silkworm, for the worm encases itself within its own silk. And from that seed, is prepares for itself a chamber for its own glory and for the benefit of all. With this Beginning, the concealed unknown One created the chamber, and this chamber is called by the name 'Elohim.' This is the secret of the words: \"In the beginning Elohim created\".", + "This chamber is the brightness from which all ten sayings were created, according to the secret meaning of the expansion of the point from that hidden brightness. Thus, if the word \"created\" applies to it, no wonder it is written, \"And Elohim created man in his own image\"", + "The brightness, which is Arich Anpin, is the secret of the Beginning, because its name is the first of all. The Holy Name Eheyeh is engraved upon the sides of Arich Anpin. The name Elohim is engraved on the crown. And this is the secret of Asher, which is a concealed chamber, and is the beginning of the revelation of the secret of the Beginning. The word Asher consists of the same letters as Rosh (Eng. 'head') but in reverse order, as the letter Resh which is the first letter in Rosh is the last letter in Asher. This shows that it is the Rosh that came out of resheet (Eng. 'beginning'), which is Arich Anpin. Therefore, it emerged from the aspect of the head and was formed as a headless body.", + "[After the] point... After the [point] and the chamber were established as one, Beresheet which is Arich Anpin includes a lofty beginning to the light of Chochmah. Later, the appearance of the chamber changed and it was called a house and the supernal point was called the head. They were included in each other through the secret of the Beginning, because combining the words Bayit and Rosh forms the term Beresheet. This was so as long as Bayit and Rosh were as one, as long as there was no manner of habitation in the house; as long as Chochmah was not clothed with Chassadim, which reveals the four colors of the house. But it was sown for the purpose of habitation and, once it was inhabited, it was called by the name 'Elohim' hidden and concealed.", + "The brightness was concealed and hidden until the children came inside it in order to beget and the house stood expanded to contain what was established through the holy seed. As long as it had not conceived, the expansion of the house to make it habitable had not occurred, nor was it yet called by the name 'Elohim.' Rather, they both are still part of Beresheet (\"In the beginning\"). Therefore, everything is considered as if it is included within Arich Anpin; that is, the Beginning. After it became known by the name 'Elohim,' it gave birth to the generations that came from the seed sown within it. He asks, What is that seed and replies: The seed is the engraved letters, which are the secret of the Torah, referring to Zeir Anpin, which emanates from that point which is Arich Anpin.", + "That supernal point, which is Arich Anpin, sowed inside the chamber which is Yisrael-Saba and Tevunah the secret of the three vowels: Cholam, Shuruk and Chirik. So they are combined into one secret, a Voice that emerges from the joining of the three vowels. When the voice came forth, its female counterpart came with it. She included all the letters as it is written: \"the heaven\"; that is, the voice and its Female principle. This voice, which is the secret of the heaven, is the last name of Eheyeh, which is the brightness that contains all the letters and colors in this manner.", + "Until now, this is the secret of \"Adonai our God, Adonai\". These three grades correspond to the supernal secret in the verse: \"In the beginning Elohim created\" And so the term \"in the beginning\" is an ancient secret, namely Chochmah that is called Beginning. The term \"created\" alludes to a concealed secret, from which everything else expands. Elohim's secret meaning is sustaining everything that exists below. The term \"the heaven\" alludes to the union of the male and female, and it is forbidden to separate them, but rather one should combine them, for they are the secret of the voice and the utterance Yud Hei Vav Hei - Adonai, which are united into one.", + "Thus, Aleph-Tav (E\"T) includes all the letters from beginning to end. Afterwards, the letter Hei was added to E\"T, so all the letters would be united with Hei. This formed the word 'you' (Aleph-Tav-Hei) Thus, the verse reads: \"And you do preserve them all\". E\"T is the secret of Adonai and is so called. Heaven is Yud-Hei Vav-Hei, which is superior to the name Adonai, for Zeir Anpin, called \"the heavens\" and also called \"voice,\" is the secret of the name of Yud-Hei Vav-Hei. And his Female principle, called 'E\"T' and 'speech,' is the secret of the name Adonai.", + "The word Ve'et ('and the') alludes to the establishment of the Male and Female Principles. Ve'et is the secret of Vav-Yud-Hei-Vav-Hei, and both are as one. The earth is the name Elohim, equivalent to the supernal, which is fit to issue fruit and offspring. This name is included in three places and defined in many ways. Up until now, it is the secret of the most secret of mysteries, which was engraved, built, and established in a concealed manner according to the hidden meaning of one single verse. (Furthermore...)", + "Beresheet is formed of the segments BaraSheet (he created six), because from one end of the heaven to the other, there are six branches that extend from the secret of the sublime with the expansion of Bara (created). Bara expanded from within the first point, which is Arich Anpin. And here, on this first point, the secret of the name with the 42 letters was engraved." + ], + [ + "\"And they who are wise shall shine\", like the cantillation marks that the letters and the vowels follow. They move along like soldiers following their king. The letters are the body and the vowels are the aspect of their spirit, and they all follow their intonations and attain their existence. When the tune of the cantillation marks travels along, the letters and vowels march in step with it. When the tune stops, they stop as well.", + "The words \"And they who are wise shall shine\" allude to the letters and the vowels that shine, and \"the brightness\" alludes to the tune of the cantillation marks. \"The firmament\" alludes to the expansion of the tune, namely all those intonations that flow and expand along as the tune flows. \"And they who turn many to righteousness\" alludes to the music of the cantillation marks that bring the journeying to a pause and enable the meaning of the words to be heard clearly. The words \"shall shine\" allude to the letters and the vowels that shine as one along the journeys through concealed paths. Everything expands from this. \"And they who are wise ('maskilim') shall shine like the brightness of the firmament\" upon the pillars and sockets of that palanquin. \"And they who are wise\" are themselves the supernal pillars and sockets, who observe intelligently to bestow on that palanquin and its sockets all that is needed to sustain it. The pillars are Chesed, Gvurah and Tiferet; the sockets are Netzach, Hod and Yesod. This secret is hidden, as you say: \"Blessed is he that considers ('maskil') the poor\"; maskil is Zeir Anpin and the poor is his Female principle. And He receives the brightness for the sake of the poor who needs it. The supernal six extremities of Zeir Anpin shall shine, for if they do not shine or illuminate, they will not be able to study the palanquin and determine what is necessary for its restoration. Were it not for the need of establishing that palanquin, they would not have received any of that light of brightness.", + "And they shine \"like the brightness of the firmament\"... 1. that rests upon they who are wise, of whom it is written: \"And over the heads of the living creature was the likeness of a firmament, like the color of the terrible ice...\". This is the brightness of the firmament, which shines upon the entire Zeir Anpin, which is called the Torah. The brightness shines upon the heads of that living creature that is called the palanquin. These heads, which are the pillars and sockets of Zeir Anpin, who are wise shine constantly and look on that firmament to receive the light that emanates from there. This also is the light of Zeir Anpin in its entirety, which is Called Torah. It shines forever and never stops." + ], + [ + "\"And the earth was without form and void...\" The term \"was\" is exact in that it implies the earth's previous state, during which snow was mixed inside water. The act of the snow forming inside the water resulted in a foul substance. And afterward, a mighty fire beat upon it and refuse was formed inside it. It then conceived and became without form. The place where at first there was only filth, has become now a nest of refuse that is described as without form. It went through four stages until it became Tohu: (1) light turned into water; (2) water turned into snow; (3) snow turned into refuse with the infliction of the fire; and (4) the refuse, over time, became sufficiently distinguishable to be called without form. The words \"and void\" refer to the refined matter that emerged from the refuse and was set there. Darkness is the secret of the powerful fire and this darkness hovers above the formlessness, over that refuse, and is structured from it. In other words, darkness does not mean only the absence of light that is, emptiness but rather the aspect that produces emptiness, like a strong fire that burns and consumes everything it touches and leaves emptiness in its place. The reason why it is called darkness and not fire is that the burning force is not from the fire itself, but from the refuse, which is without form, over which it hovers, and from which it receives.", + "\"And wind (also: 'spirit') from Elohim\" (Ibid.) alludes to the spirit of holiness that proceeded from living Elohim and \"moved over the surface of the waters\" (Ibid.). This means that after this wind blew, a thin layer from the refuse was refined, just as the filth flies off and away.", + "In this manner, it was refined, covered and purified over and over again until the foulness was left without any filth. When this formlessness was refined and purified, \"a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and broke the rocks\" (I Kings 19:11) Then it emerged like the wind that Elijah saw. The void was refined and purified and noise came from it, as it is written: \"And after the wind an earthquake (also: 'noise')\"(Ibid.). When the darkness was refined, fire was then included in its secret, as it is written: \"And after the earthquake a fire\"(Ibid. 12). The wind was refined and a \"still small voice\"was included within it.", + "Formlessness has neither color nor shape and is not included within the secret of shape at all. Although it may appear to have form, when we look closely it loses all form. Everything has a garment to wear except formlessness....", + "Void already has an image and a shape, the stones immersed inside the engraving of formlessness. When the stones emerge from within the engraving in which they were immersed, they draw down benefit to this world in the form of a garment. They draw goodness down to the world that is, straight light and force the returning light up, so that the straight light is enclothed. This is known as shaping.", + "These stones are hollow and viscous because they are suspended in the air. At times, they are suspended in the air because they rise up and out of there, from within the engraving of formlessness. At other times, such as cloudy days, they hide and raise water from the abyss to replenish formlessness. This is when there is joy and folly, because formlessness has expanded all over the world.", + "Darkness is a black fire that is strong in color, because no other color can change black. It is also a red fire that is strong in its appearance, as red is the most noticeable color. It is a green fire, which is solid in form, as all forms reach perfection by the green color. And it is a white fire, which is the basis of all other colors. Darkness is strong, because it contains all kinds of fires and it attacks the formlessness. Darkness is a fire that consists of four colors, and it is usually not a dark fire except when it attacks the formlessness. This is the secret of the verse: \"his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau...\"(Genesis 27:1). The face of evil is darkness, so Isaac, who was kind to evil, to Esau, was then called 'darkness,' as he rested upon it so that it may attack it....", + "The wind that is mentioned in the verse: \"And a wind from Elohim,\" is a voice that rests upon the void and guides it in all it needs. This is the secret of the verses: \"The voice of Hashem is upon the waters\" (Psalms 29:3) and \"And a wind from Elohim moved over the surface of the waters.\" The stones are immersed deep inside the abyss from which waters flow. This is why they are called \"the surface of the waters.\" The wind guided and strengthened the faces, called the surface of the deep, each according to its requirements.", + "The name Shadai dwells upon formlessness, the name Tzva'ot dwells upon the void and the name Elohim dwells upon darkness. The name Yud Hei Vav Hei dwells upon wind.", + "\"And a great and strong wind rent the mountains...but Hashem was not in the wind...\"(I Kings 19:11). The name Yud Hei Vav Hei was not in the wind because this strong wind comes from formlessness, upon which the name Shadai rests. Hence it reads, \"but Hashem was not in the wind.\" And it explains that the earthquake came from Void, as the verse continues: \"And after the wind an earthquake; but Hashem was not in the earthquake,\" because only the name Tzva'ot rests upon it in the secret of the Void. Hence, it is called Void.", + "As for the fire that comes out of darkness, the scripture reads, \"And after the earthquake a fire; but Hashem was not in the fire\" (Ibid. 12), because the name Elohim rests upon it from the aspect of darkness. \"And after the fire a still small voice,\" which comes from the aspect of a wind from Elohim, upon which the name Yud Hei Vav Hei rests. The verse reads \"And when Elijah heard it...and went out, and stood in the entrance of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice to him, and said, 'What are you doing here, Elijah?\" (Ibid. 13). He did not leave the cave at the first three aspects, only when he heard a still small voice, because the name Yud Hei Vav Hei was there. And he knew that Yud Hei Vav Hei was talking to him. 12. The name Yud Hei Vav Hei has four segments, namely four letters, that signify the parts of the human body and certain members namely, the limbs which are four that can become twelve. Here is the secret of the name that consists of twelve letters, which was given to Elijah while inside the cave. This alludes to the three names of Yud Hei Vav Hei. Each consists of four letters, which together add up to twelve. And this name, with its twelve letters, appears in the human body. The first appears in the head: Chochmah, Binah and Da'at; the second in the body from the top to the navel: Chesed, Gvurah and Tiferet; the third from the navel downward: Netzach, Hod and Yesod. Each part of the body is divided into four other parts, which add up to twelve." + ], + [ + "(Genesis 1:3) \"And Elohim said, 'Let there be light;' and there was light\". From here, from this saying, we can begin to learn the secrets of how the world was created in details, because until now, the Creation was discussed only generally, in the verse \"In the beginning Elohim created...\"(Ibid. 1) After this, the description returns to the general, then the particular, and then the general again.", + "Until now, everything was suspended in the air that was bestowed from the secret of the Endlessness Light. As soon as the force expanded inside the supernal chamber, which is the secret of Elohim, the word 'saying' is applied to it, as it is written: \"And Elohim said.\" Before that, the word \"said\" is not written, because \"said\" means it is in detail. Although the word, \"In the beginning\" is also a saying, which completes the number of the sayings in the Creation to ten, \"And Elohim said\" is not written in it, as it is described in a general manner. The use of the word \"said\" means a detailed description. Therefore, the verse, \"And Elohim said, 'Let there be light'\" is the first of the details of the Creation of the world.", + "The words: \"And...said\" should be studied and questioned. The term \"And...said (Heb. וַיֹּאמֶר)\" consists of the Hebrew letters of Mi (Eng. 'who') and Or (Eng. 'light'), which is an inquiry. \"And...said\" alludes to a raised force, and the raising is done in silence. A light is drawn from the secret of the Endless Light; from the beginning of thought. \"And Elohim said\" means that now the chamber gave birth to a holy seed, with which it was pregnant, in secret. And he who was born, namely the Male and Female principles, was heard without. Whoever gave birth to him, to the Male and Female principles, did it secretly and was not heard at all. This refers to giving birth to the Mochin of the Male and Female principles while still in Binah. But as soon as he emerged from there, from Binah, a sound was heard without.", + "\"Let there be (Heb. יְהִי) light,\" means that everything that comes forth and emanates in the world proceeds according to the secret of the words: \"Let there be light.\" יְהִי alludes to the secret of Aba and Ima, which are Yud-Hei of יְהִי (Yud-Hei-Yud). The letter Yud alludes to Aba and the Hei to Ima. Afterward, the letters Yud- Hei return to the first point by adding another point, namely Yud, just like the first one as it is written: יְהִי (Yud-Hei-Yud) to institute a beginning for an expansion of something else.", + "The terms \"light\" and \"Let there be light,\" do not refer to the renewal of the light, but rather to the returning of the light that Aba and Ima already had. The expansion of this light that appears in the verse: \"Let there be light (Heb. אוֹר, Aleph-Vav -Resh)\" is a most hidden secret, because it was the expansion that split according to the secret of the concealment of the supernal and concealed air (Heb. אֲוִיר). The word אֲוִיר consists of the letters Aleph-Vav -Yud-Resh and is Arich Anpin. It was split in such a way that there is nothing really renewed in the name Yud Hei Vav Hei. Rather, the perfection that was there before the splitting is now revealed. It first split and produced one concealed point from within its own mystery. It revealed the point Yud. As a result of this removal of the Yud from Avir, what is left of the original word אֲוִיר is Or, which is from the secret of the concealed air.", + "When the first point, which is Yud, proceeded from Arich Anpin, its light shone upon it according to the sense of 'reaching yet not reaching'. Once the point expanded, the light was revealed, and this is the secret of the Or (light) that has remained from Avir (air). This refers to the light that has existed at first in Binah, when it was in the head of Arich Anpin. It then disappeared when it came out of the head. Now it has returned to it and remains there. The light has gone; it has disappeared and is now hidden. And one point remains in Binah, where the light of Chochmah always reaches in a hidden manner. The \"reaching yet not reaching\" shines in the manner of the first point that has emerged from it. As a result, they are all linked to one another and illuminate one another.", + "When it ascends to the head of Arich Anpin, they all rise up and cling to it. Then it is as if \"reaching.\" It is treasured in the place of the Endless Light, which is Arich Anpin, and everything becomes one. The point that was in the light, and transformed it into air, is now completely light. It expanded, and from this expansion illuminated the seven letters of the alphabet, which were not yet solid but were still moist. Later darkness came forth and seven other letters of the alphabet came out. The firmament then came forth and stopped the dispute between the two sides. In it there issued eight other letters, which added up to 22 in all. Seven letters from the right side and seven letters from the left side jumped on the firmament and were all engraved on it, where they remained moist. As the firmament congealed, so did the letters. They were engraved and assumed their intended shapes. And there the Torah was inscribed, referring to Zeir Anpin which is called the Torah, to shine outward on the lower beings.", + "The phrase: \"Let there be light\" alludes to the name great El, according to the secret of he who issues from the primal air. Hence, it is written: \"Let there be (Heb. yehi),\" implying the Sefirah of Chesed of Zeir Anpin called 'great El.' The phrase: \"And there was (Heb. וַיְהִי)\" refers to the secret of the darkness that is called 'Elohim.' And it is called 'light' after the left was combined with the right because the name Elohim extends from the secret of the name El, which is Chesed. Thus, the name Elohim is the aspect of Chesed as well. And the right was included within the left, and the left within the right.", + "The verse: \"And Elohim saw the light, that it was good\" (Genesis 1:4) implies the central pillar of Zeir Anpin, which is the Sefirah of Tiferet in it. The phrase: \"That it was good\" said about Tiferet means that it shone up and down in all directions, namely to all the Sefirot: Netzach, Hod, Yesod and Malchut. Tiferet of Zeir Anpin is the secret of the name Yud Hei Vav Hei, which includes all directions, right and left, front and back, up and down. The words, \"And Elohim divided the light\" mean that he prevented the dispute between right and left, so that everything may be perfect.", + "\"And Elohim called...\", etc. (Genesis 1:5). He asks: What is the meaning of \"And Elohim called the light day\"? He replies, This means that he called and invited it to bring forth from within that perfect light that stands in the middle, referring to Tiferet, one light. And this light is the foundation of the world, upon which all worlds are erected and from where all the souls are born. From this perfected light emerges the central pillar, the foundation of the life of the worlds, this being the day from the right side. The words: \"And the darkness he called night\" mean that He called and invited it, bringing forth one female from within the left side, the secret of darkness. This female principle is the secret of the moon that governs at night. For this reason, it is called night. And this is the secret of the name \"Adonai\" and the name \"the Master of all the earth\" (Joshua 3:11). The right enters into that perfected pillar in the middle, where it is included with the secret of the left; namely, Chesed of Zeir Anpin, which also includes", + "His Gvurah and enters His Central Column, which is Tiferet. Then Zeir Anpin rises up to the primal point, which is Arich Anpin, and takes and possesses there, in Arich Anpin, Mochin, which are a thing based on the secret of the three vowels Cholam, Shuruk and Chirik which are called holy seed. For no seed can be sown for the purpose of the Mochin except according to this secret. All, referring to the illumination of the three vowels, were united in the central pillar, which is Tiferet, and it emanated the foundation (Yesod) of the world. Because of this, Yesod is called all, because it holds on to all, namely the illumination of all three Columns by the light of passion. In other words, because of the desire of the Left for the light of the Right, Yesod reconciles the Left with the Right and unites them. And because the Central Column acquires them, that Column attains both of them and bestows them both on Yesod.", + "The left is set ablaze by the force of might, and smells. It smelled throughout the grades, and from the glow of this fire it emanates the Female principle called moon. This blazing is considered to be darkness, because it extends from darkness. And these two sides, the right and the left, produce these two grades, one male and one female,", + "because Yesod, which is male, emanated from the rule of the Right of Zeir Anpin. The Female principle emanates from the Left Column of Zeir Anpin. Yesod holds on to the central pillar and receives the additional light that was in it. This refers to the light of Chochmah, which is an additional light for Zeir Anpin. The central pillar, Zeir Anpin, is entirely complete by Chochmah and by Chassadim, because of the peace he brought to all sides. Thus, it has received additional light Mochin from above, namely from Arich Anpin which is Chochmah, and from all sides, namely from the right and left. From Its own Central Column, it has achieved Chassadim and Gvurot, and the joy of all the worlds is in It. This is the secret of the illumination of Chochmah that eliminates all the Klipot. And from this additional of gaiety, the foundation (Yesod) of the world issued and is called an addition. From here, Yesod, all the lower powers, spirits and holy souls of the righteous, come out according to the secret of the sacred names Yud Hei Vav Hei-Tzva'ot which means that He is a sign that appears in all his hosts. He is also called El the Elohim of the spirits, from whom all the spirits and souls of the righteous emanate.", + "The night, Master of all Earth, is the Female principle. She emanates from the left side, from that darkness. Because the entire desire of that darkness was to be included within the Right Column and receive light, its power was weakened. When night began to expand from the left before its structure was completed, the darkness namely the Left Column entered and merged with the Right Column, and the Right held on to it. Night then was left lacking at its end, because its source, which is the Left Column, disappeared in the Right Column and did not help it reach completion.", + "So now there are two things lacking in the Female principle: (1) the aspect of the night, meaning darkness instead of light, and (2) her structure was not completed by the left. Just as darkness, which is the left, desires to be included within the light of the Right Column, so the Female principle, which is night, desires to be included within day. Darkness, which is the Left Column, abated its light because it had not yet completed the structure of the Female principle. Because of this, it produced the grade of the female with an incomplete structure and without light, namely with the two aforementioned defects. Therefore, the Female principle required two reforms: (1) to bring her light and free her from her darkness and (2) to complete her structure. Darkness, the Left Column, cannot illuminate unless it merges with the light of the right. And the same applies to the night, which is constructed in the left and emerges from it. It does not show any light unless it merges with the day, Yesod. The defect of the structure of the night is not completed until the Musaf (additional prayer), which is the additional light that Yesod has received from the Central Column namely, the excessive illumination of Chochmah in Zeir Anpin. And this additional light completes the structure of the Female principle. So what was added to one place is diminished in another. This means that what was added to the Sefirah of Yesod of Zeir Anpin by the Central Column, the Left Column of Zeir Anpin, has caused a diminution and lack in the Female principle. But Yesod fills up this lack with its additional light.", + "The Musaf, which is Yesod of Zeir Anpin, contains the secret of the supernal point, which is Arich Anpin, and the secret of the central pillar, which is Tiferet of Zeir Anpin that reconciles all sides. Because of this, two letters were added to Yesod, which are Vav and Yud, in the phrase: \"And Elohim called (Heb. vayikra) the light day\" (Genesis 1:5), in which the letter Vav alludes to the light of Chassadim that it received from the Central Column and the Yud to the light of Chochmah that it received from Arich Anpin. In the emanation on the Female principle, which is night, these two letters were missing. So of her it is written קָרָא, without the Vav and Yud. Of the Day, which is Yesod, it is written וַיִּקְרָא. He subtracted, in the Female principle, the letters Vav and Yud from vayikra, and so it is written of her only \"he called (kara) night.\" Here lies the secret of the name with the 72 letters that are inscribed in the supernal crown - referring to the secret of the letters Vav and Yud." + ], + [ + "\"And Elohim said, 'Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters'\" (Genesis 1:6). This phrase alludes to a detailed reform of the separation of the upper from the lower waters according to the secret of the left. Here, the dispute according to the secret of the left occurred. Until this point, referring to the first day, reference is made to the right. But on the second day, reference is to the secret of the governing of the left. Because of this, a great dispute broke out on the second day between the two sides. The left wanted to cancel the governing power of the right entirely, while the right wanted to cancel the governing power of the left entirely. The right, which is the secret of Chesed and the first day, is the perfection of all. Because of this, everything was written in the right on the first day. This means that all the seven days, which are the seven Sefirot, emerged in it and are hinted in it, because every perfection depends on the right side. When the rule of the left was aroused, its dispute with the right began and the fire of anger in that dispute became fierce. From this dispute, Gehenom was created. So Gehenom was awakened, and created by the left, and cleaved to it, which means that whoever wants to strengthen the left shall fall into Gehenom, which originates from it.", + "In his wisdom, Moses looked into this and learned about the work of Creation. In the work of Creation, there was a dispute between the left and the right. And in that dispute, which the left provoked, Gehenom was created and Gehenom held on to the left. The central pillar, which is Tiferet, entered between them on the third day, ending the dispute and bringing the two sides to an agreement. So Gehenom removed itself from the left and descended below. The left joined the right, and there was peace everywhere.", + "A similar dispute occurred between Korah and Aaron, the left against the right. Moses studied the Creation and said, 'I am one able to eliminate the dispute between right and left.' Moses tried his best to reconcile them, but the left did not want to be reconciled. So Korah become stronger and overcame Aaron.", + "Moses said, assuredly, because of the power of the disagreement of the left, Gehenom should cling to it, just as it was in the works of Creation. Korah did not wish to be attached above, namely to the structure of holiness, and join the right, like the left on high. So assuredly, he shall descend below, down into Gehenom, because of the fierceness of his anger. As happened in the works of Creation, Gehenom came out and cleaved to the left. Moses knew that with the strength of Korah's anger, Korah would descend to Gehenom and be attached to it.", + "Because of this, Korah did not want Moses to settle this dispute, since it was not for heaven's sake (with pure intentions). He had no respect for the celestial glory, which is the Shechinah, and refused to acknowledge the work of Creation. This means that he denied the settlement of the Central Column. in the work of Creation. He wanted only the left to govern. As soon as Moses realized that he was denying the work of Creation and being rejected out of holiness, \"Moses was much angered\" (Numbers 16:15).", + "\"And Moses was much angered,\"because Korah and his company refused to acknowledge him and did not allow him to settle the dispute. It is written \"much,\" because they denied the acknowledgment of the work of Creation. So Korah denied 1. Korah denied everything above in Zeir Anpin and below in the souls, as it is written: \"When they strove against Hashem\" (Numbers 26:9) which is the secret of Zeir Anpin, for the damage that he did reached both above to Zeir Anpin and below to Moses. Therefore, Korah cleaved on to what he deserved; he reached Gehenom, as written, \"They went down alive into Sheol\" (Numbers 16:33).", + "Another dispute was settled like above. A dispute that rose and did not come down and was based on decency was that between Shammai and Hillel. Shammai was the aspect of the left on high, while Hillel was the aspect of the supernal right. And the Holy One, blessed be He, intervened between them and approved of them. This means that the differences and arguments between Shammai and Hillel reached them from the Central Column of above, which is the secret of the Holy One, blessed be He. This was a dispute for the sake (name) of heaven, and the heavens, Zeir Anpin, reconciled this dispute to establish both. Because of this, their illuminations continue to exist. This dispute is like the work of Creation. It is similar to what the Central Column achieved for the sake of establishing the work of Creation. But Korah denied the establishing of the work of Creation and the dispute was toward the heavens, namely Zeir Anpin, that is, the reconciling Column. And he wanted to deny the principles of the Torah, which is Zeir Anpin. Assuredly this dispute and denial was the result of the efforts of Gehenom, and its power of Judgment cleaved to Korah and he to it. Thus, he fell into Gehenom.", + "This secret appears in the Book of Adam. When darkness was aroused to take control, it emerged in all its might and created Gehenom within it, and Gehenom cleaved to it in that dispute. As the anger and the might of the Gevurot were calmed down, the dispute was aroused in a different manner, as a dispute of love.", + "There were two kinds of disputes: One at the beginning and one at the end. This is the path of the righteous, which is hard in the beginning, because it is full of suffering, but ends in peace. Korah, being the left, was the beginning of the dispute between the right and the left, which was full of anger and fierceness. Each wanted to diminish the illumination of its neighbor. From this, Gehenom emerged and Korah cleaved to Gehenom. Shammai was also the aspect of the left, but at the end of the dispute between the right and the left, when anger was forgotten and the dispute of love was set in motion so as to receive approval from the heavens, which is the Column that settles the dispute.", + "This is the secret of the verse: \"Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide...\" (Genesis 1:6) This is the first dispute, aroused by anger and force, in which each wanted to overcome and annul its neighbor. The Holy One, blessed be He, wished to nullify the dispute and Gehenom was aroused until the anger and aggressiveness cooled down. Then it is written: \"And Elohim made the firmament and divided...\" (Ibid. 7). This division is the dispute, carried with love and friendship, which supports the world. According to this secret, (namely through the dispute of love) is carried the dispute between Shammai and Hillel namely the dividing of \"And Elohim made the firmament\" at the end of the dispute. On the other hand, the dispute of Korah was one of anger which is the dividing of \"Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters\" at the beginning of the dispute. So the dispute of Shammai and Hillel was for the sake of heaven, in which the Oral Torah, which is the secret of the Female principle, entered with love into the Written Torah, which is Zeir Anpin and called heaven. And they were in perfect union.", + "Division certainly applies to the left alone, as is written in relation to the second day: \"And let it divide.\" (Ibid. 6) While of Korah, it is written: \"Is it but a small thing to you, that the Elohim of Yisrael has separated you\" (Numbers 16:9). It is also written: \"At that time Hashem separated the tribe of Levi\" (Deuteronomy 10:8). So, assuredly the separation appears only in the second day in the place of the left.", + "You may ask: If division occurs definitely on the second day, why then is the separation mentioned about Levi, who is the third son of Jacob? It should have been associated with Simon, who is the second son of Jacob. The answer is that although Levi is the third son, according to Jacob's mind he is the second, because Reuben is not considered the first son of Leah, as at the time Jacob thought she was Rachel. So the separation is forever in the second, because after the division has occurred in the second, everything goes smoothly along the straight path in a perfect way, as it should be. This is because by the separation, the lights enclothe each other and are completed by each other.", + "The Havdalah (prayer of separation) that is performed at the end of Shabbat is for the purpose of separating those powers that are dominant during the days of the week from holiness that is dominant during Shabbat. With the ending of Shabbat, one aspect of Gehenom appears. It is the evil eye that desires to govern the world, just as Yisrael recite, \"O Prosper it, the work of our hands\" (Psalms 90:17). It emerges from that grade of the Other Side, which is called the left, and wishes to mingle with the seed of Yisrael by taking control over the holy covenant and having power to punish Yisrael.", + "While Yisrael perform an action, a precept, using the myrtle and the wine and recite the Havdalah, the Other Side departs from them. That side is lowered and enters into its place in Sheol, in the place where Korah and his company are, as it is written: \"They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into Sheol\" (Numbers 16:33). So Korah and his company did not go down to Gehenom until Yisrael separated from them, as it is written: \"Separate yourselves from among this congregation\" (Ibid. 21). Here as well, the Other Side does not go to Gehenom at the ending of Shabbat before Yisrael performs the Havdalah.", + "So the separation (Heb. הַבְדָּלָה) is always on the second day, which is the Left Column. This refers to what has already been explained, that even the Havdalah at the ending of Shabbat is intended to separate the Other Side that extends from the Left Column. It was at the beginning of the dispute, which was aroused by the aggressiveness and anger of the left before it was calmed down and quieted, that Gehenom was created. Then were created all these angels that denounce before the Holy One, blessed be He, their Master, above, the secret of the Central Column. They disagree with his reconciliation and deviate to the left. Therefore, fire burns them up and they are consumed. And the other angels, all those who are annulled and have no support, are burned in the fire. All these have come from the power of the fire of the dispute in the beginning, on the second day. Similarly, Korah fell down into Gehenom and burned, just like those angels who burned in the fire of Nahar Dinur (Eng. 'River of Fire'). And everything follows the same manner, extending from the beginning of this dispute with the fire of anger.", + "\"Let there be a firmament\" tells us that an expansion has occurred between the two. The lower waters expanded and were separated from the upper waters, and the upper waters expanded and were separated from the lower waters by the firmament. The letters El (Aleph-Lamed) in the name Elohim (Aleph-Lamed-Hei-Yud-Mem) from the firmament up are of the right part. In other words, El always alludes to the name of Chesed, which is the right side. The name great El has expanded from within the waters and is separated from them. This means that because of the firmament, the name great El has spread upward and has separated itself from the other waters, namely the three letters Hei-Yud-Mem. This was to complete the name El and to include the upper and lower waters within each other through that expansion. And the name El of Elohim expanded, leaving only the three letters Hei-Yud-Mem. Hei-Yud-Mem then expanded down below the firmament and became the lower waters, Yud-Mem-Hei. This is the expansion into the second one, that is, Hei- Yud-Mem into Yud-Mem-Hei. The upper waters are Hei-Yud -Mem, as written, \"So is this great and wide sea (Heb. hayam, Hei-Yud-Mem)\" (Tehilim 104:25). Thus, Hei Yud Mem are the upper waters. If the letters Hei-Yud-Mem are in reversed order, that is, Yud-Mem-Hei, this indicates they are lower waters. Once the letters Yud-Mem-Hei were restored, they ascended and rose above the firmament and joined the name Great El and returned to the combination of the great sea (Heb. hayam), which was Hei-Yud-Mem. Then everyone, El and Hei-Yud-Mem were united as one, resulting in one name Elohim. And this name Elohim reached into many places.", + "The upper waters are male; the lower waters are female. At first, before they were firmly established, they were mixed, but were later separated to distinguish the upper waters from the lower waters. And to differentiate them, one is called Elohim, which is Binah, and the other is called Adonai, which is Malchut. One is the upper Hei of the name Yud Hei Vav Hei, which is Binah, and the other is the lower Hei of the name Yud Hei Vav Hei, which is Malchut. It is then written about them: \"And Elohim made the firmament\" (Genesis 1:7). This expansion assumed the name Elohim, for the verse: \"And Elohim made\" indicates that the expansion of Hei-Yud-Mem returned back to El and merged into the name Elohim and the upper waters. For the name Elohim is the upper waters 1. and the name Adonai, the Female principle of Zeir Anpin, is the female waters. Nevertheless, since the male waters, or the letters Hei-Yud-Mem, were completed only by the female waters {namely, the Female principle of Zeir Anpin} the name Elohim expanded everywhere, {including the female waters.}", + "Although on the second day, the upper and lower waters were divided, the dispute between the right and the left, {which are the letters Aleph-Lamed and Hei-Yud-Mem}, did not cease until the third day, {which is Tiferet}. The third day settled the dispute between the right and the left, as the two Columns Aleph-Lamed and Hei-Yud-Mem enclothed each other, and both were established properly in their places. Because of this dispute, even though the world exists upon it, it is not written: \"it was good\" about the second day, because the work was not yet completed on that day. So the upper and lower waters were mingled together as one, and there was no offspring in the world until they were divided in two and distinguished as separate from each other. Only then did they bring forth offspring.", + "Although the separation of the lower waters from the upper waters occurred on the second day, the dispute between El, which is the Right, and Hei-Yud-Mem, which is the Left, was unresolved. Only the third day reconciled between them. Both became equal and joined them into the one name Elohim. The third day, which is Zeir Anpin, is the name, upon which is engraved Hei-Vav-Hei, to make the upper waters, Binah, equal to the lower waters, Malchut. Because the letters Hei-Vav-Hei are the secret of the two Heis with Vav between them: the upper Hei is Binah, and the lower Hei is Malchut. The Vav in between is Zeir Anpin and it completes and illuminates both sides, above in Binah and below in Malchut. This was signified by the splitting of the waters of the Jordan, where the upper waters rose in a heap and did not flow down into the Dead Sea. This is the secret of the upper Hei of the name Yud Hei Vav Hei, namely Binah. On the other hand, the lower waters which are the secret of the lower Hei, Malchut flowed down into the Dead Sea which is the secret of the lower Hei, Malchut. And Yisrael, the secret of the letter Vav, went in the middle between the upper waters and the lower waters of the Jordan. Thus Yisrael, the secret of the Vav of Yud Hei Vav Hei, received the abundance from the upper Hei and bestowed it upon the lower Hei.", + "Firmament is mentioned five times on the second day, and the life of the worlds, which is Yesod of Zeir Anpin, passes through them and guides the worlds through them. They all are comprised of each other. Had the Central Column not settled the dispute, neither would have included the other nor be harmonized. These five firmaments are equivalent to the 500 years to which the Tree of Life, which is Zeir Anpin, is attached to produce offspring and fruits in the world. All the waters of Creation, namely the kinds of Mochin that flow out from Beresheet, which is Arich Anpin, are divided under it and through it into the upper waters and the lower waters. King David, who is the secret of the Female principle, receives everything from Zeir Anpin. He then distributes it down to the lower worlds of Briyah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, as it is written: \"And he distributed among all the people, among the whole multitude\" (II Samuel 6:19). It is also written: \"You give it to them; they gather it\" (Psalms 104:28) and \"She rises also while it is yet night, and gives food\" (Proverbs 31:15).", + "When disagreement was aroused through the fierceness of the left, the mist of fire increased and became overpowering. The spirits produced from within that mist immediately congealed; they became dry and without any moisture. These spirits, which were male and female, produced a multitude of evil spirits. From this, all the might of the impure spirit appeared in all those strong spirits. This is the secret of the Kelipah of the foreskin. These spirits were strengthened in impurity through the violent demons. One is called a viper and the other a serpent, and these two kinds become one. The viper bears offspring every seventy years, while the serpent only every seven years. But as they are joined together, everything returned to the seven years of the serpent. Therefore, the viper begets every seven years like the serpent, and they become as if one species.", + "From here lies the secret of Gehenom, which has seven names, and the Evil Inclination, which also has seven names. From here, impurity expands and spreads out in many grades into the world. And everything comes from the principle of the left, which contains good and evil and thereby, makes the world habitable. From here is the secret of the Holy Name that is engraved by eighteen letters and is responsible for the bountiful rains that feed the earth, for human charity, for all our blessings, and for the general inhabitation of this world." + ], + [ + "\"And Elohim said, 'Let the waters...be gathered'\" (Genesis 1:9). The words \"be gathered (Heb. yikavu)\" mean that the Mochin called the waters will travel in a straight line (Heb. קַו) on one level, without spreading to the right or left. Everything flows mysteriously from the secret of that primal point, which is Arich Anpin, until the light reaches and is gathered in the supernal chamber. From there it then flows in a straight line to the other grades, namely to Zeir Anpin, until it reaches that one place where everything is gathered according to the secret of male and female. He asks: And what is that place? He replied: This is the life of the worlds {namely Yesod of Zeir Anpin, which is the male who is united with Malchut, which is the Female principle. Thus, it comprises male and female together.}", + "The waters mentioned in the verse flow from above, {from the upper Hei of the Yud Hei Vav Hei, which is Yisrael Saba and Tevunah.} The words \"under the heaven\" allude to small Vav, which is Yesod of Zeir Anpin. Zeir Anpin is called great Vav, while his Yesod is called small Vav. Therefore, when the letter Vav is pronounced, two Vav's are heard. The first one is heaven, namely Zeir Anpin, and the second one is under the heaven, namely Yesod of Zeir Anpin. After the Mochin are drawn from the upper Hei which is Binah down under the heaven which is Yesod of Zeir Anpin it is written: \"And let the dry land appear\" (Ibid.). This is the lower Hei namely Malchut, the Female principle of Zeir Anpin because only she was revealed as dry land, while all the other grades were hidden. From within that last grade, referring to the lower Hei, Malchut, that light that was concealed was heard and revealed.", + "The phrase \"to one place\" is called Yesod because there is a connection to the union of the upper world through Yesod. The verse: \"Hashem shall be one, and His Name One\" (Zechariah 14:9) hints at two unions. One is the upper world that is unified in its own grades, which is the secret of: \"Hashem is one\" and the second is the lower world that is unified in its own grades, according to the secret: \"And His Name One.\" The unification of the upper world by the secret of \"Hashem is one\" is up to Yesod. The life of the worlds, which is Yesod, is sweetened in Binah, and the upper world is connected to its unification. Because of this, it is called: \"to one place,\" as all the grades and all the parts, gather there. And they become as one in it, without any separation at all. No grade unites there wholly save this grade, in which all the lights are mysteriously covered in one desire. Up to this point, referring to the words: \"And let the dry land appear,\" the revealed world which is the secret of Rachel is unified with the concealed world which is Leah.", + "10.The revealed world, which is Rachel, the Female principle of Zeir Anpin who is located from his Chest downward, is similarly unified below. The revealed world is the lower world, as can be proven by reading the scriptures, where it is described in terms of seeing: \"I saw Hashem\" (Isaiah 6:1), \"and they saw the Elohim of Yisrael\" (Exodus 24:10), \"and the glory of Hashem appeared (Numbers 14:10) and \"As the appearance of the rainbow...so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of Hashem\" (Ezekiel 1:28). And it is known that the lower Female principle, who is called Rachel, is described by the words: \"Glory of Hashem\" and by the particle Et (the). This is the secret of the verse: \"Let the dry land appear (lit. 'be seen'),\" because \"seeing\" applies only to the revealed world and not to the upper world. The verse: \"As the appearance of the rainbow,\" which is written about the divine Chariot of Yechezkel, alludes to the life of the worlds, namely Yesod of Zeir Anpin. Therefore, it is written in the portion of Noah: \"I have set My rainbow in the cloud\" (Genesis 9:13), which also alludes to Yesod of Zeir Anpin, who is called the life of the worlds. The phrase \"in the cloud\" refers to Malchut; namely, the lower Female principle of Zeir Anpin, the revealed world of Rachel. The words \"I have set\" mean that he has set his rainbow in the cloud ever since the day of Creation.", + "That cloudy day, which is described in the verse: \"And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud\" (Ibid. 14) indicates that only then shall the rainbow be seen according to the secret of \"the appearance of the likeness of the glory of Hashem,\" and not at any other time. Why is this so? As the left is aroused, Rachel emerges to her own aspect \"and she had hard labor\" (Genesis 35:16). Therefore it is said that three angels stay by her side: Michael at one side, {the right side}; Raphael at one side, {in the middle}; and Gabriel at one side, {the left side}. And from them she receives her strength to give birth. These three aspects are the colors seen in the form of the rainbow: white, red and green.", + "The phrase \"so was the appearance of the brightness round about\" alludes to the illumination that was concealed and has disappeared within the pupil of the eye. So the phrase: \"This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of Hashem\" applies to the colors in the \"appearance of the rainbow\" and not to \"the appearance of the brightness.\" This is because the lower union of the three colors of the rainbow corresponds with the upper union.", + "The three names \"Hashem our Elohim; Hashem,\" which appear in the verse: \"Hear, O Yisrael\" (Devarim 6:4) allude to the three colors, white, red, and green when they are concealed, invisible, and attached to one place. This is the secret of the first union in the upper world that is called one place. And the colors united in the rainbow below which are white, red and green correspond to the three concealed colors of the upper union: Hashem our Elohim Hashem. These colors of the rainbow belong to another union, which is the secret of: \"And his Name One,\" the lower union. It is the secret of the verse: 'Blessed be the Name of the glory of His Kingdom for ever and ever (Heb. baruch shem kevod...),' that we respond after \"Hear, O Yisrael,\" which is the lower union. The upper union indicated by the verse: \"Hear, O Yisrael, Hashem our Elohim; Hashem is One\" corresponds to the lower union: 'Blessed be the name of the Glory of his Kingdom for ever and ever.' Each verse contains six words.", + "The words \"be gathered\" suggest measurement by the line and the measuring; measuring is from the hard spark that is in Binah, as it is written: \"Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand\" (Isaiah 40:12). In this verse, \"who\" alludes to Binah. This is what is meant by: \"Let the waters...be gathered.\" Here in the verse: \"Let the waters...be gathered\" is the extent of the entire Mochin of He who forms the worlds, namely Zeir Anpin, and which is hinted at in the name Yud Hei Vav Hei, fully spelled with Aleph's, as Yud-Vav-Dalet, Hei-Aleph, Vav-Aleph-Vav, Hei-Aleph.", + "\"Holy, holy, holy\" (Isaiah 6:3) is the secret of the Mochin of Binah, which is also the secret of the verse: \"Let the waters...be gathered.\" The phrase \"Hashem Tzva'ot\" (Ibid.) is the secret of the verse: \"to one place,\" Yesod of Zeir Anpin that is called the life of the worlds, to which the Mochin from Binah flow according to the secret of the phrase: \"to one place.\" The phrase: \"The whole earth is full of his glory\" (Ibid.) is the secret of the verse: \"and let the dry land appear.\" This verse is the secret of the lower Hei, called the revealed world when comprised within the union of the upper world. The words \"and let the dry land appear\"is the secret of the engraved name of the union of Caf -Vav-Zayin-Vav, Bet-Mem-Vav-Caf-Samech-Zayin and Caf-Vav-Zayin-Vav, because the dry land which is the revealed world is included in the union of the supernal world which is the secret of \"Hashem our Elohim; Hashem.\"" + ], + [ + "The verse: \"Let the earth bring forth grass\" (Genesis 1:11) is the secret of the lower union, as it is now revealing its powers in these waters that have been gathered in one place. The Mochin are drawn down into it in a concealed and a hidden manner. And from within it come forth supernal and concealed souls and holy hosts. These are formed and drawn, using the edifices of Faith, by the righteous, the men of Faith - namely the female waters - by worshipping their Master.", + "This is the secret of the verse: \"Who causes the grass to grow for the cattle\" (Tehilim 104:14). This is the living creature that crouches on a thousand mountains and for whom grass is grown every day. This grass refers to those angels who govern only for a specific time, but then must vanish immediately; because they were created on the second day, their dominion draws upon the Left Column that was created on the second day. In their dominion they wish to annul the right. They are destined to be food for this living creature, which means that nothing of their illumination is drawn down to the lower beings. Only the Female principle enjoys it, and then she burns and annuls them with it as there is fire that consumes fire, which is the dominion of the Left, called 'fire.'", + "In the verse: \"And plants for the service of man\" (Ibid.), the word \"plants\" refers to wheels, holy living creatures and Cherubs. The wheels (Heb. Ofanim) are the angels of Asiyah, the holy living creatures are the angels of Yetzirah and the Cherubs are the angels of Briyah. All of these are made ready and clothed by the Creator Himself. However, they are further prepared when people worship their Master with sacrifices and prayer. This is what is meant by \"the service of man.\" The plants were predestined and prepared for \"the service of man\" and will be further perfected by that service, as it should be.", + "When they are made ready by \"the service of man,\" sustenance and food come from them to the world, as it is written: \"That he may bring forth food out of the earth\" (Idid.). This is what is meant: \"herb yielding seed\" (Gen. 1:12), which is the secret of the Mochin. The grass (hay) does not yield any seed, but is intended to be consumed by the sacred fire of the Female principle, as explained above, whereas the herb, which yields seed, is intended for the improvement of the world.", + "All this is to \"bring forth food out of the earth,\" because all the improvements given to people are only for the purpose of establishing this herb out of the earth, which is the Female principle. Thus, people's service to their Master is designed to supply sustenance and food from out of the earth to this world, so that people will be blessed from above.", + "The verse: \"And fruit tree yielding fruit\" (Gen. 1:11) alludes to two grades: one grade above another, which represents male and female. This means that the fruit tree is the Female principle of Zeir Anpin; \"yielding fruit\" alludes to Yesod of Zeir Anpin, which is male. It is said to be \"yielding fruit\" because all the fruit that the female yields reaches her from the male. Just as the \"fruit tree,\" which is the Female principle, reveals the potential power that it received from the \"fruit tree yielding fruit,\" which is the male, so it reveals her own potential as well. What is revealed from the potential of the Female principle herself? The Cherubs and pillars are revealed from her own aspect. What are these pillars? They are those that rise up in the smoke of the sacrifice and become stronger because of the offering. They are called \"columns of smoke.\" This is the secret of the verse: \"Who is this coming out of the wilderness like columns of smoke\" (Song of Songs 3:6). So the Cherubs are the secret of the \"herb\" that she receives from the male and the \"columns of smoke\" are the \"grass.\" The Cherubs and pillars exist for \"the service of men,\" but not the \"grass,\" which is meant for food, as it is written: \"Behold now animals (Heb. בְּהֵמוֹת), which I made with you; he eats grass like an ox\" (Job 40:15).", + "\"And fruit tree yielding fruit\" alludes to the forms of the male and female, and \"as for the likeness of their faces, they had the face of a man\" (Ezekiel 1:10). The \"fruit tree\" is the Female principle of Zeir Anpin and \"yielding fruit\" is Yesod of Zeir Anpin, the male that puts the fruit inside her. The male and female are not like the Cherubs, which are hinted at in the phrase: \"herb yielding seed.\" The male and female have large faces with beards, whereas the Cherubs have small faces like those of babies. The face of man contains all the images, including the lion, the ox and the eagle, since they have large faces. The engraved images are imprinted on this large face just as the engravings of the Holy Name are imprinted in the four directions of the world: East, West, North and South.", + "Michael made a mark on the South side. And all three other faces gaze toward the face of a man - the face of a lion, the face of an ox and the face of an eagle. Michael is one of the four angels who serve the Female principle of Zeir Anpin. Therefore, he prepares the place for the mating. Because since he is the angel of Chesed, he sketches the imprint to the south, which is to the right. Man is male and female, and he is not called man unless both are included. This means that Malchut on her own, when she is not mating with Zeir Anpin, is not called man; only when they are united are they called man. This is the secret of the verse: \"male and female He created them; and blessed them, and called their name man\" (Gen. 5:2). So accordingly, they were together called man, but each one alone is only half a body and cannot be called man. The figures of the Chariot of Elohim are formed according to His image, namely from the face of a man, united on the south side, as it is written: \"The Chariots of Elohim are twice ten thousand, thousand upon thousands (Heb. שִׁנְאָן)\" (Ps. 68:18). This is the secret of the lower Chariot that is called the Chariot of Elohim.", + "The word שִׁנְאָן consists of the letters Shin-Nun-Aleph-Nun. Written in the scriptural verse, it includes all the images all the living creatures, which include the ox (Heb. shor), the eagle (Heb. nesher) and the lion (Heb. aryeh). For the initials of these words form the Shin-Nun-Aleph of שִׁנְאָן, and the final Nun in the word שִׁנְאָן alludes to the face of a man 1. that is included with them. This final Nun is the secret of the expansion of male and female that are united as one. Everyone in the worlds of Briyah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, emerges from these living creatures, which are the secret of Shin'an. From them, the forms of Briyah, Yetzirah and Asiyah are born and separated, each befitting its aspect.", + "These living creatures are joined one to the other, so that each includes all the others. The ox, eagle, lion and man are directed by the secret of the four engraved names, which are \"a great El, a mighty, and a terrible\" (Devarim 10:17), to which they ascend to behold them.", + "The ox ascended to be guided by and gaze on the face of a man. With the ox rose one name that was crowned and engraved by the secret of the two colors, which represent the name El. After the ox was included in the name El, it turned back and the throne, which is the Female principle of Zeir Anpin, inscribed it, engraved it and received its imprint, so that it may be guided by the secret of the name El. Although the ox is of the left, it was nevertheless marked to be guided by the aspect of Chassadim in the name El.", + "The eagle ascended to be guided and gaze on the face of a man. Another name rose up with it to be crowned and engraved according to the secret of the two faces, the face of man and the face of the eagle, and the two colors, the color of the right, which is white, and the color of the eagle, which is green so as to be guided and gaze on the crown above. The name of it is 'Great'. After this, the eagle returned and the throne, which is the Female principle, engraved and etched it. And the eagle was imprinted to be guided by the secret of this name; that is, for the attributes of the eagle are similar to those of the name Great.", + "The lion ascended to be guided and gaze on the face of a man above. Another name rose up with it to be crowned and engraved by the secret of the two faces and the two colors, and to be strengthened and attached to Gevurah. This is the name 'Mighty'. Then it returned and the throne, which is the secret of the Female principle of Zeir Anpin, engraved and etched it and it was imprinted so as to be guided by the secret of this name, mighty. So that the attributes of the Lion, which is to the right, be like the attributes of the name mighty and the lion will be guided by the attribute of Gevurah.", + "[The] human gazes at them all (ox, eagle, and lion), while all of them ascend and gaze at him. Then they all are traced in their engravings . . . in the mystery of one name called awesome/nora’. So it is written of them: “The likeness/d’mut of their faces was a human face” [Ez 1:10]. All of them include this image/d’yoqna, and this image includes them", + "According to this secret, the Holy One, blessed be He, is called \"a great El, mighty and terrible.\" - הָאֵל הַגָּדוֹל הַגִּבּוֹר וְהַנּוֹרָא. These names are engraved above by the secret of the upper Chariot, which comprises four letters of the name Yud Hei Vav Hei, which is a name that includes all the other names. The combining of the lower ox within the upper lion is equivalent to the letter Yud of Yud Hei Vav Hei, and is the secret of the name El. The combining of the lower lion within the upper ox is equivalent to the letter Hei and is the secret of the name Mighty. The combining of the lower eagle within the upper lion is equivalent to the letter Vav and is the secret of the name Great. And the face of a man of above, which includes all the living creatures from below that have ascended to it, is equivalent to the lower Hei of Yud Hei Vav Hei and is the secret of the name Terrible. These images, the ox, eagle, lion and man, are engraved and carved on the throne, which is the Female principle of Zeir Anpin, and the throne is carved and decorated by them. And these likenesses were embroidered on the throne: one on the right, one on the left, one on the front and one on the back, thus corresponding to the four directions of the world. The face of the lion is imprinted on the right, which is the south wind; the face of the ox on the left, which is the north wind; the face of the eagle on the front, which is the east wind; and the face of a man on the back, which is the west wind. This is the secret of the four letters of Yud Hei Vav Hei.", + "When the throne, which is the Female principle of Zeir Anpin, ascends to unite with Zeir Anpin, it is imprinted with these four images, ox, eagle, lion and man. These four supernal names carry the throne up to unite with Zeir Anpin. And the throne, namely the Female principle, becomes included within them during the union. This means that she is completed by and with these names. The throne collects and gleans, by its union with Zeir Anpin, souls and delightful pleasures. When it has collected and gleaned these delights and pleasures, it descends full, like a tree with branches on all sides and laden with fruit.", + "As the throne descends from the place of union to its own place, the images of the four living creatures come forth, each shaped in its own form and engraving, illuminating, shining and radiating. They scatter seed over the world. Thus they are called the \"herb yielding seed\" and \"herb\" alludes to the living creatures that sow the world with seed.", + "When the image of a man, which includes all the other images, issues forth, it is described as \"fruit tree yielding fruit after its kind\" (Gen. 1:11). Because man is both male and female, \"the fruit tree\" is the female and \"yielding fruit\" applies to the male. The phrase: \"Whose seed is in itself, upon the earth\" (Ibid.) teaches us that he emitted his seed for the benefit of the earth alone. So the phrase: \"Whose seed is in itself\" is purposely said to teach us that man should not emit his seed in vain.", + "The \"herb\" which appears in the verse: \"Let the earth bring forth grass, herb yielding seed\" does not yield seed. Because of this, it has no permanency and does not last like the others. This is because it has no image to be shaped and engraved into any sort of likeness or form. Instead, they are seen and not seen. All those that have not been shaped into a form or an image have no permanency. They are created and last only for a certain time and are immediately consumed by the fire that devours fire, as already explained. Then they are again created and are immediately consumed by the fire that consumes fire. This is repeated again and again every day.", + "A human being below, in this world has an image and a form, but he does not last forever, as do those of the angels above. The form and image of the angels above are formed in their shape without any other covering. Because of this, they are everlasting. The image of man in this world below referring to the Nefesh, Ruach and Neshamah is shaped into its form only by a covering. Because of this, man lasts only for a certain, limited period. Every night when a man sleeps, his spirit removes the covering and ascends. This fire that consumes fire, namely the Female principle of Zeir Anpin, consumes and burns this spirit. Later, the spirits are resurrected and reshaped in their coverings as before. Because of this, the spirits have no permanent existence, as do the images above, which is a reference to the angels of the \"herb,\" but are burned and then renewed as before. About this, it is written: \"They are new every morning\" (Lam. 3:23), which refers to the spirits of human beings, which are renewed daily.", + "What is the purpose of this renewal? The verse concludes: \"Great is Your faithfulness\" (Ibid.), so it is great and not small.", + "The phrase: \"Great is your faithfulness\" means that it is for certain that the faithfulness or Faith, which is the Female principle, is great. She is able to receive all the souls of the world and include them, the upper and the lower souls, in herself. The Female principle is a great and large space that includes everything and is never full. This is the secret of the verse: \"All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full\" (Kohelet 1:7). The Female principle is called the \"Sea\" and the \"rivers\" are the souls. So the verse actually means that all the souls flow into the Female principle, yet she is not full. And the reason she is not yet full is because the souls run into the sea, which receives them and burns them inside it. Because of this, the sea is not yet full. Afterward, the sea restores the souls to their former state and they come into this world. This is why the verse reads: \"Great is Your faithfulness.\"", + "On this day, the third day, it is written twice, \"that it was good\" (Gen. 1:10, 12). This day is associated with two sides, the Right Column and the Left Column. It told each side \"that it was good,\" thereby reconciling the discord between them. This is why the phrase: \"And...said\" appears twice in it. Herein lies the secret of the name that is formed with the four letters, Yud Hei Vav Hei inscribed and engraved. These can add up to twelve letters that represent the four images on all four sides of the holy throne, which is the Female principle of Zeir Anpin." + ], + [ + "\"And Elohim said, 'Let there be luminaries (Heb. מְאוֹרוֹת)'\" (Gen. 1:14). The word מְאוֹרוֹת is written here with defective spelling, without the letter Vav. This means that the children's disease, croup (diphtheria), was created. Because without Vav, מְאוֹרוֹת means curses, as in the verse: \"The curse (Heb. me'erat) of Hashem is in the house of the wicked\" (Prov. 3:33). For after the illumination of the primordial light was concealed, the skull (Heb. Kelipah) of the brain was created. This Kelipah expanded and brought forth another Kelipah. As soon as the Kelipah went forth, it ascended and descended until it reached the small face. It wanted to cleave to it and become part of its form; it refused completely to be separated from it. When the Holy One, blessed be He, created Adam, he separated it from there and the Kelipah descended below to the level of Malchut only, in order to fix it in this world, on the level of Malchut alone and not above it.", + "When the Kelipah saw Eve clinging to the side of Adam, who represented the beauty of above, and saw in them the complete form, it flew up from its place at the level of Malchut and wanted to cling to the small faces of Adam and Eve as before. However, the guards at the gates did not allow the Kelipah to cling to them. The Holy One, blessed be He, scolded it and cast it into the depths of the sea. The Kelipah sat there in the depth of the sea", + "until Adam and his wife sinned. Then the Holy One, blessed be He, took the Kelipah out from the depths of the sea. It took control over all those babies, who are the small faces of people, who deserve punishment for the sins of their fathers. It wandered around the world, approached the gates of the terrestrial Garden of Eden, saw the Cherubs guarding the gates of the garden and sat down near the bright blade of the sword from which it had originally emerged.", + "When the bright blade of the revolving sword changed to Judgment, the Kelipah fled and wandered around the world and found babies due to be punished. It is called the bright blade of a revolving sword, because it revolves and changes back and forth between Mercy and Judgment. The Kelipah laughed with the babies and then killed them. It did this during the waning of the moon, as its light diminished. This is why Me'orot (luminaries) is spelled without the letter Vav, which means curses. When Cain was born, the Kelipah was unable to cling to him, but later it approached him, cleaved to him and bore from him spirits and flying spirits.", + "Adam had intercourse with female spirits for 130 years until Na'amah came. Because of her beauty, she led the sons of Elohim, Aza and Azael astray. She bore them all sorts of new kinds of Kelipah. Evil spirits and demons spread out from her into the world. They wander around the world during the night, deriding human beings and causing nocturnal pollution. Wherever they find men sleeping alone in their own homes, they hover over them and cling to them, arousing lustful desires and having offspring by them.", + "When the moon is restored, the letters Mem-Aleph-Resh-Tav in the word Me'orot which means curses are turned into Aleph-Mem -Resh-Tav- אִמְרַת. This is according to the secret of the verse: \"The word of (Heb. אִמְרַת) Hashem is tried. He is a shield to all those who trust in Him\" (Ps. 18:31). He is a shield for all those who hold fast to their faith in the Holy One, blessed be He, against all those evil spirits and prosecutors who wander through the world at the time the light of the moon is diminishing.", + "King Solomon penetrated the depth of the secret of the nut, as it is written: \"I went down into the garden of nuts\" (Shir Hashirim 6:11). He took hold of the shell (Kelipah) of the nut and looked at all its layers. He came to realize that the main pleasure of the spirits in the shell of the nut was just to cling to human beings and defile them, as it is written: \"And the delights of the sons of men, women very many (Heb. שִׁדּוֹת)\" (Kohelet 2:8). This means that the demons (Heb. shedim) take pleasure only in human beings.", + "This verse also means that male and female demons are born from the pleasure human beings enjoy during their sleep at night. It was necessary for the Holy One, blessed be He, to create and supply the world with everything, including the Kelipot, so everything can be compared to the nut. Just as the inner part of the nut is surrounded by many layers of shells, the inner parts of all the worlds are similarly surrounded by many layers above and below in the supernal worlds and in this world, as will be explained. From the beginning of the secret of the supernal point which is Arich Anpin to the end of all grades", + "they are all intertwined, so each and everyone is a Kelipah to the other. A Kelipah is like a covering or an outer layer, just as a shell is a covering for a fruit.", + "The primal point (which is Arich Anpin) is the internal light, whose purity, translucency and cleanness are beyond comprehension. When the expansion spreads beyond (Arich Anpin), which is the point, this expansion of that point becomes a chamber for the purpose of covering that point. The light of that point is incomprehensible because of its great purity.", + "The chamber (namely, Abba and Imma) which covers the concealed point, (which is Arich Anpin), is a light that has no limits. This means that the light of the chamber is also unknown and inconceivable. Nevertheless, it is not as pure and subtle as the light of the primal point, (Arich Anpin), which is hidden and concealed. This chamber issues forth an expansion of the primal light, as it is written: \"And Elohim said, 'Let there be light'; and there was light\" (Gen. 1:3). This expansion, Yisrael-Saba and Tevunah, is a covering for that pure and subtle chamber namely, Abba and Imma which is more internal than Yisrael-Saba and Tevunah.", + "From here (Yisrael-Saba and Tevunah) on, each one expanded within the other and became enclothed by one another until all the grades enclothed one another. One was the inner part and the other the outer layer. Though one is a garment in relation to what is above it, it has also become the inner aspect of another grade, a grade that is below it. (So Abba and Imma, which are considered a garment for Arich Anpin, became the inner part and internal aspect of Yisrael - Saba and Tevunah. Thus, Yisrael-Saba and Tevunah, which form a garment for Abba and Imma, became the inner part for Zeir Anpin. Thus, Zeir Anpin which is a garment for Yisrael-Saba and Tevunah became the inner part for his Female principle.) The same thing occurred below in the lower worlds (of Briyah, Yetzirah and Asiyah. The Female principle of Atzilut is enclothed within Briyah, and Briyah within Yetzirah and Yetzirah within Asiyah. Accordingly, the Neshamah in a man is enclothed within the Ruach and the Ruach within the Nefesh and the physical body. In this image, the human being exists in this world with an inner part and an outer shell, which correspond to a spirit and a body.) All this is for the perfection of the world.", + "When the moon was united with the sun, the moon had its own light. But after the moon was separated from the sun, it descended to the world of Briyah and was placed in charge of the hosts of Briyah, it belittled itself and diminished its own light. So Kelipot upon Kelipot were created, one above the other, to conceal the inner part. All this occurred to complete the light of the inner part, because without a shell no fruit can be had. This is the reason why it is written: \"Let there be luminaries (מְאֹרֹת),\" without Vav, which means a curse, because of the Kelipot that emerge due to the diminution of the light of the moon. All this was done for the perfection of the world. Therefore, it is written: \"To give light upon the earth\" (Gen. 1:15), as these Kelipot emerged in the secret of the shell that precedes the fruit." + ], + [ + "\"And Elohim made the two great luminaries\" (Gen. 1:16). \"And...made\", וַיַּעַשׂ, signifies the greatness and the full establishment of everything, as it should be. The phrase: \"The two great luminaries\" indicates that the two great luminaries, (which are Zeir Anpin and his Female principle) were united at first. This is the secret of the full name Yud Hei Vav Hei - Elohim, which although not openly revealed can be surmised.", + "So the \"two great luminaries\" appear in a full name, even though the name Elohim shines only in a concealed way. The word \"great\" means that Zeir Anpin and his Female principle grew in greatness by this name as equals, so much so that they were called by the name that unites everything together, which is Mem-Tzadi-Pe-Tzadi Mem-Tzadi-Pe-Tzadi. Zeir Anpin received his greatness from the right one, his Female principle from the left one. In such a way, they are referred to as \"the two great luminaries.\" These are the most supernal names that precede the thirteen attributes of Mercy. The names Mem-Tzadi-Pe- Tzadi Mem-Tzadi-Pe-Tzadi are called \"great,\" because they became great and ascended, since they are supernal and derive from the secret of above. They benefit the world, as the worlds' existence depends on them. Similarly, the two luminaries that appear in the verse, which are Zeir Anpin and his Female principle, both rose as one, in one greatness.", + "The moon was not at ease with the sun because she felt embarrassed before it. The moon said to the sun: \"Where do you feed your flock? Why do you make your flock to rest at noon?\" (Shir Hashirim 1:7). This is as if to say: How can a tiny candle shine in the middle of the day? \"Why should I be like one who cloaks himself?\" (Ibid.) That is: how can I remain in shame? Then she lowered herself to be head of the lower beings, as it is written: \"Go your way forth by the footsteps of the flock\" (Ibid. 8). Thus, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to her, 'Go and diminish yourself.'", + "From then on, she had no light of her own. She had only the light she received from the sun. At first, they were united as one on the same level, but she later lowered herself from all of its grades. This means that it lost all her grades and emerged from the world of Atzilut. Although she is the head of the lower worlds of Briyah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, she is nevertheless considered to have lost all her grades, as in principle a woman has no significance unless she is together with her husband. In other words, because the Female principle is separated from Zeir Anpin, her husband, and has left the world of Atzilut to go to that of Briyah, she has brought about the loss of all her grades. Even though she has become head in the world of Briyah, she does not consider this to be significant because she is separated from her husband, who is in the world of Atzilut. The phrase: \"The greater luminary\" (Gen. 1:16) alludes to Zeir Anpin, who is called by the name Yud Hei Vav Hei. \"The lesser luminary\" (Ibid.) alludes to the Female principle, who is called by the name Elohim, the last of the grades and an end to Thought namely, an end to the world of Atzilut that is called Thought. At first, the Female principle was inscribed above in Zeir Anpin in the fourth letter of the Holy Name Yud Hei Vav Hei, because the female is the lower Hei. In other words, when she was on the same level with Zeir Anpin, she was the lower Hei of the name Yud Hei Vav Hei. But afterward, she lowered herself to be called by the name Elohim.", + "In spite of all this, the Female principle ascended on all sides and shone in all directions from above; that is, before she diminished herself and when she was the lower Hei in the assembling of the letters of the Holy Name, Yud Hei Vav Hei. Later, when she belittled herself, the grades expanded out from all sides, which means that she shone from the aspect of being before the lower Hei of Yud Hei Vav Hei and also from the aspect of being now the name Elohim. The grades that expanded from the aspect of her being above, from the lower Hei of Yud Hei Vav Hei, are called the \"rule (of) the day\" (Ibid.). The grades that expanded from the aspect of her being below, from the name Elohim, are called the \"rule (of) the night\" (Ibid.).", + "The words \"the stars\" (Gen. 1:16) allude to countless hosts and groups of angels, who are all suspended in that \"firmament of heaven\" that is Yesod of Zeir Anpin and is called life of the worlds, as it is written: \"And Elohim set them in the firmament of heaven to give light upon the earth\" (Ibid. 17).", + "The kingdom of the house of David was established on this day, the fourth day, which is the fourth leg that supports the throne. It happened on the fourth day because the letters were completed and fixed in their places properly. In spite of all this, Malchut (kingdom) was not fixed properly in its place before the sixth day, because only then was the image of man completed and properly established. On the sixth day, the upper throne and the lower throne were established and all the worlds settled in their places. All the letters were set in their spheres 1. after untying and releasing the complicated tie that existed among the letters.", + "The fourth day, which is the kingdom of David, was rejected by the builders, as it is written: \"The stone which the builders rejected...\" (Tehilim 118:22) and also \"my mother's children were angry with me\" (Shir Hashirim 1:6). For this light, (referring to Malchut) lowered itself and diminished its own radiance while the Kelipot were established in their places. This gave place to the emerging of the Kelipot and their rule. Thus she seemed loathsome in the eyes of the righteous that built it. Only later, when she was completed and ready for union with Zeir Anpin, was it said she \"has become the head stone of the corner\" (Tehilim 118:22). All those lights that shone during the 6,000 year period were suspended in this firmament of heaven to establish with them the throne of David, namely, the kingdom (Malchut) of David.", + "These lights of the kingdom of David shape the form below in order to prepare the form of all those that pertain to the inner form of the face of a man, because every inner form is so called, namely, the face of a man. From this, you should realize that every shape included in this expansion of the letter final Nun is called man, even though they do not actually have the face of a man. Hence, it is written: \"But you...are men\" (Yechezkel 34:31). You are called men, but not the rest of the idolatrous nations.", + "Every spirit is called man, which means that only the aspect of the light of the spirit that is enclothed within the body is called man. So the body of the spirit of the holy side is only a garment; in other words, the spirit is the actual essence of man and the body is only its covering. But on the Other Side, the opposite applies. This is why it is written: \"You have clothed me with skin and flesh...\" (Iyov 10:11). The flesh of man is only a garment covering the essence of man, which is the spirit. Wherever it is written the flesh of man, it hints that the essence of man is inside. The flesh is only a vestment for man, a body for him, but the essence of man is the aspect of his spirit.", + "For the lower aspects were melted with the melting of this spirit of the face of man, and other forms were fashioned, enclothed in a different kind of garment not by that of man, but of Kosher animals. These include: ox, sheep, goats, kids of the goats, rams, deer, fallow-deer and so on. They would have preferred to be included in the vestment of the face of a man, but were not. They became vestments for others; namely, garments for the face of an ox, the face of an eagle and the face of a lion. The inner spirit of the ox, sheep and goat, is called by the same name as the body of that spirit, because the body is a vestment for that name but does not own it. The body is the flesh of the ox and the ox is the inner spirit of that body; namely, its flesh is its garment. So it is with all animals; their bodies are named after the inner spirit that is enclothed within them.", + "It is similar with the Other Side, which is not holy. The spirit that spreads within the idolatrous nations issues from the side that is not holy and is not the aspect of man. Therefore, it is not called by this name, as has been written: \"But you...are men.\" The name of this spirit is defiled. It is not called man and has no share in him because it extends from the wicked man (lit. 'man without elevation'), who does not want to ascend to the face of man above. So his body, the vestment of his spirit, is impure and his flesh is defiled. The impure part, which is the spirit, is on the inside and the flesh is his vestment. As long as the spirit dwells within that body, it is considered defiled. As the spirit leaves that vestment, namely the body, neither the body nor the vestment is called impure any longer, as the impure one, that is the spirit, has departed from it.", + "From the lower aspects referring to animals, beasts and birds that were molded into shape by that impure spirit forms, namely private spirits, were drawn out. These were enclothed by other vestments, such as the forms of impure animals, and the Torah said of them, \"These shall be unclean to you\" (Vayikra 11:29). These forms include pigs and the birds and animals that belong to the Other Side. The spirit is called by that name, that is, defiled, and the body is its vestment. The body is called the flesh of the pig, because it is a pig in its inner being, in its spirit, while the flesh is a garment covering that spirit. Therefore, both aspects, those included within the secret of man and those included with the secret of the impure, are separated from and oppose each other. On the side of holiness are the spirit of man in general, and the spirits of pure animals, beasts and fowl, which are the particular. From the side of wicked man is the impure wicked man, who is considered the general aspect, and the spirits of impure animals, beasts and fowl, that are the particulars. They oppose each other. Every kind of animal stays with its own kind and does not mix with the opposite kind. Even if it does, it eventually returns to its own kind.", + "All the upper shining lights shine within that firmament of heaven, so that proper forms may be drawn down below, as it is written: \"And Elohim set them in the firmament of heaven...to rule over the day and over the night\" (Gen. 1:17). For the dominion of the two lights is a proper dominion.", + "\"The greater luminary,\" (namely Zeir Anpin) rules the day and \"the lesser luminary,\" which is his Female principle, rules the night. The secret learned from here is that the male rules by day and fills up the house with all that is needed, such as food and sustenance. As soon as night falls and the female takes command, everything in the house falls under her control, because then it is time for her dominion. As it is written: \"She rises also while it is yet night and gives food to her household\" (Mishlei 31:15); \"she\" and not \"he.\" So the Female principle, not Zeir anpin, gives at night, as the dominion over the day belongs to the male and the dominion over the night belongs to the female.", + "The \"greater luminary\" is the sun, which has twelve openings and twelve hours, as the sun rules over the day. The \"lesser luminary\" is the moon, which also has twelve openings, the moon rules over the night, which has twelve hours. For this reason, it is written: \"On that day Hashem shall be one, and His Name One\" (Zecharyah 14:9). \"One\" is mentioned twice: once for Yud Hei Vav Hei, who is Zeir Anpin, \"the greater luminary,\" and once of His Name, which is the female, \"the lesser luminary.\" The sun together with its twelve openings becomes the thirteen attributes of Mercy. The moon together with its twelve openings also adds up to thirteen. So the sun becomes one and the moon becomes one; then it says, \"Hashem shall be one, and His Name One,\" because the numerical value of echad (one) adds up to thirteen. Thus, the sun and the moon become one and the day and night also become one. This is why it is written: \"And there was evening and there was morning, one day\" (Gen. 1:5). The secret of this union is only applicable on high.", + "The verse: \"And the stars\" means that after the female has attained order in her house and retired with her husband, the maidens are left in charge of the house. The maidens who serve the female are called the stars. And the secret of the phrase \"And the stars\" is that the feminine principle turns control of the house over to them to deal with all the requirements of the house. That is, to prepare her for mating with the sun and to bestow the abundance of the day. This is during the darkness before dawn, when the maidens, the stars, rule, which is an inferior rule. Then darkness is doubled in the world. This is the secret meaning of, \"a portion to her maidens\" (Mishlei 31:15). Afterward, that is, after the mating in the darkness of the morning (before dawn breaks), the household returns to the dominion of the male during the day and everything is set properly in place. This means that the female is included within the male, according to the secret of the mating and is under his control. She reveals the light of the morning to the world, as it should be." + ], + [ + "\"And Elohim made the two great lights\" (Gen. 1:16). The sun is one and the moon is the other. Because of this, the lights that ascend are called the luminaries of the light whereas those that descend are called luminaries of the fire. These luminaries of the fire are the lower grades and rule over all the weekdays. Because of this, a blessing is recited over the candle when Shabbat ends because, at that point, the luminaries of the fire are given permission to rule again. The fingers of man represent the most hidden of all grades and secrets of the supernal world, and are divided into front and back. The back of the fingers represents the external part, an allusion to the fingernails.", + "As such, man may look at his fingernails as Shabbat ends. As they shine by the candlelight and are bright from that fire, that rules over the days of the week.", + "(The fingernails) are visible, but it is not permissible to see the inner part of the fingers by this candlelight, because they shine only from above. And (the inner part of the fingers) is called the inner face. This is the secret of the verse: \"And you shall see My back; but My face shall not be seen\" (Shemot 33:23), which means that a person should not look at the inside of his fingers at the end of Shabbat, as he recites the blessing: 'Creator of the luminaries of the fire (Heb. bore me'orei ha'esh)'. The phrase: \"And you shall see My back\" refers to the external part (of the fingers) which is hinted at in the fingernails. \"But My face shall not be seen\" refers to the inside of the fingers (and which) rules on Shabbat. (The external part) rules during the weekdays.", + "On Shabbat day, the Holy One, blessed be He, rules alone over this inner face, sitting upon his Throne of Glory. All are included within him, and the dominion is his. This is why He transmits calmness to all the worlds, and the holy nation, which is called the one nation on earth, receives the inheritance of this day. The luminaries of the light (originate from) the side of the right, which is the primal light that was on the first day. On the day of Shabbat, the luminaries of the light shine alone and govern, illuminating all (the worlds) below (Atzilut).", + "When Shabbat is over, the luminaries of the light are hidden and the luminaries of the fire govern, each and everyone in its place. When do they rule? From the end of Shabbat until Shabbat eve. Thus, it is necessary to receive light from that candle, as Shabbat ends.", + "\"And the living creatures ran and returned\" (Yechezkel 1:1 4); the eye is not able to observe the revealed living creatures as they run to and fro. This is because the wheel that is stationed in their midst is Metatron, who is far greater and more important than the rest of (the living creatures), higher than they by 500 parasangs.", + "The concealed living creatures are hidden beneath the upper concealed letters, Yud-Hei, which govern Vav-Hei. The ones are a Chariot for the others. And that which is most concealed, which is completely unknown (is the secret of the endless light). It controls everything and rides upon them all. The living creatures, which are revealed, are down below the upper and concealed living creatures. Their illumination comes from them, and they travel according to them.", + "The upper living creatures (who are concealed) are all included in the \"firmament of heaven\" as it is written of them: \"Let there be luminaries in the firmament of heaven\" (Gen. 1:14). The verse: \"And let there be for luminaries in the firmament of heaven\" (tells us) that all (the lights) are suspended from that \"firmament of heaven.\" That is the firmament above the living creatures, about which it is written: \"And over the heads of the living creatures there was the likeness of a firmament, as the color of the terrible ice\" (Yechezkel 1:22). This is the primal (firmament).", + "From this point upward, no person can comprehend or grasp any thoughts because they are concealed within Thought. The thought of the Holy One, blessed be He, is hidden and concealed above; nobody can conceive and understand man's thought. Even more true is that nobody can understand anything originating in supernal Thought. The actual Thought itself is all the more (beyond our ability to grasp). More inner than thought (i.e., Binah) who may form any idea (of such a thing)? There is no understanding at all; not enough to even ask a question, not to mention comprehending the answer." + ], + [ + "The Ein Sof has no mark on it to grasp; it is not subject to any question or mental formulation. From within this most concealed of all concealed things, with the beginning of the descent of the Ein Sof, a thin, almost imperceptible light shone. It was concealed by a fragile imprint, as delicate as a needlepoint. This is the secret of the concealed thought. It remained unknown until an illumination extended from it to the place on which the letters were imprinted. Everything emerges from there.", + "In the beginning, Aleph, which is the beginning and end of all the grades (was inscribed). Although it is the imprint on which the upper and lower grades were imprinted, it is still referred to in the singular as Echad (one), (teaching us) that, although it contains many forms it remains only one. Assuredly, Aleph is the letter upon which the upper and the lower beings depend.", + "The upper tip (head) of the letter Aleph, (i.e., the shape of the upper Yud), represents the secret of the supernal thought. The expansion of the upper firmament (is still) entirely concealed within the upper tip (of the Aleph). So when the Aleph emerges from that firmament, it will be in the image of the secret of the beginning (head) of Thought. Within that Central (column) of Aleph, there are six grades (i.e., Chesed, Gevurah, Tiferet, Netzach, Hod and Yesod). These contain the secret of all the supernal and concealed living creatures that are connected to the inside of Thought, (which is Binah).", + "One light that shone and was concealed is the light of the letter Bet of Beresheet. \"The heat of the day\" (Beresheet 18:1), as Abraham was sitting \"in the tent door...\" This door leads from below upward (and those down below ascend through it). \"The heat of the day\" shines through that door (from below upward). From there, it also shines (downward).", + "The second is the light that gradually fades away before nightfall. (This is) the secret of the prayer of Isaac, to properly amend and establish this grade, as it is written: \"And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at eventide\" (Beresheet 24:63). The vision at \"eventide\" and all sorts of darkness are related to him. At this eventide, Jacob looked at the minister of Esau.", + "The third is the light that combines these two 1. lights, that shines for healing. The secret of that which is written about Jacob: \"And the sun rose upon him\" (Ibid. 32) (This refers) assuredly to the time after (he) became included within that eventide, (i.e. the darkness of the lefthand column, and was thus in need of healing). From here onward - \"And he limped upon his thigh.\"", + "(Note that it) is written \"upon his thigh\" and not 'upon his thighs'. This is the fourth grade, (i.e. Netzach) from where no prophecies were issued until Samuel arrived. About it, it is written: \"And also the Eternal One (Heb. Netzach) of Yisrael\" (I Samuel 15:29). (Netzach) which had been weak ever since Jacob the patriarch was endangered by the minister of Esau, was thus firmly reestablished.", + "\"He touched the hollow of his thigh\" (Beresheet 32:26). When the minister of Esau came upon Jacob, (Jacob) derived strength from that eventide by the power of Judgment. Thus, Jacob became included within it (the lefthand column) he was not able to overcome him. \"And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh\": hence, (Jacob) attained strength from there. Because the thigh is located outside the torso and because Jacob (is Sefirah, which is called) the torso, his body comprises the secret of two grades, (i.e. male and female), according to the secret that is called man. As soon as (Jacob) derived power, (located) outside of his body, Esau's ministering angel struck \"and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint\" (Ibid.).", + "No man prophesied from there until Samuel. Therefore, it is written: \"And also the Eternal One of Yisrael...for He is not a man.\" Joshua received his prophecy from Hod of Moses, as it is written: \"And you shall put some of your honor (Heb. Hod) upon him\" (Bemidbar 27:20), which is the fifth grade. Netzach is the left thigh of Jacob. David came forth and combined it with the right, as it is written: \"At Your right hand are pleasures for evermore (Heb. Netzach)\" (Tehilim 16:11). It is not written: 'Your right,' but rather \"at Your right,\"", + "What weakened Jacob's thigh? The side of impurity approached him and derived strength from him. So (the fixing of it) was delayed until Samuel appeared. That is why (Samuel) came, to remind us that this is the thigh of Yisrael, as it is written: \"And also the Eternal One (Heb. Netzach) of Yisrael\" (I Samuel 15:29). This is also the reason why all his words were based on Judgment, both in the beginning and in the end.", + "Furthermore, the Holy One, blessed be He, included him with Hod. When? After he had anointed the kings (Saul and David). For this, Samuel is ranked as Moses and Aaron. Just as Moses and Aaron were (separated) on two sides above, (i.e. the right and the left) so was (Samuel) down below in the two aspects, . What are those? Netzach and Hod, the same as Moses and Aaron on high. All the grades were included within one another (by Samuel; this is how he became ranked as Moshe and Aharon together), as is written: \"Moses and Aaron among His priests, and Samuel among them that call upon His name\" (Tehilim 99:6). Thus, six aspects, (The six Sefirot of Chesed, Gevurah, Tiferet, Netzach, Hod and Yesod) were included within one another and combined." + ], + [ + "In the same manner that Moses and Aaron - are connected (to Samuel) so are Jacob and Moses connected to Joseph. Jacob was the owner of the house. When Jacob passed away, Moses gained control over the house during his lifetime. Joseph was righteous because of Jacob and Moses.", + "Jacob took over the house through Joseph, as it is written: \"These are the generations of Jacob Joseph\" (Beresheet 37:2). Moses did not mate with her until he attained (the connection with) Joseph. When the Shechinah returned from the exile (Moshe) was able to unite with (the Shechinah) only through Joseph, as it is written: \"And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him\" (Shemot 13:19). Why is it written: \"with him?\" Because the body is not (fit) for mating with the female unless it unites with the covenant (i.e. Yesod). This is why Moses took Joseph with him. Because, since (Yosef) was (connected) with him, (Ze'er Anpin) could mate with this Female principle in the proper manner. Thus, Jacob, Moses and Joseph go together as one.", + "When Jacob died, his body was buried in the Holy Land; but when Joseph died, only his bones were buried in the Holy Land. For Moses, no part of his body was buried in the Holy Land. Because Jacob was the first husband of the Queen, but after Jacob died, (the female principle) mated with (the internal aspect of Ze'er Anpin, which is called) Moses. As long as Moses was in this world, he visited her, as was proper. He became the second husband.", + "They carried Jacob to the Holy Land in his entire body, because he is the body. But for Joseph, only his bones and not his body. Why? Because the bones are the hosts and legions of above and they all emerge from that Righteousness. (Yosef) the Righteous was called by the name Tzva'ot (Eng. 'hosts'). Why? Because all the hosts and legions above emerge from him. Because of this, the bones, which are the hosts, were taken to the Holy Land.", + "Moses remained outside (the Holy Land). Neither his body nor his bones entered. Instead, the Shechinah entered the Holy Land after Moses had died and returned to her first husband, who was Jacob. From this, (we learn that if) a woman is married to two men (in this world), she shall return, after her demise, to her first husband in the World to Come. Because Jacob, her first husband, was in the Holy Land Moses was (buried) outside.", + "Moses merited during his lifetime what Jacob did not merit (because) Jacob mated - in the other world (only after his death). Moses (caused this mating to occur) in this world, (but not after his death). You might say that this was a disadvantage for Moses, but that is not so. Why? Because when The Children of Yisrael left Egypt, their redemption came from the aspect of Jubilee. All the 600,000 people came from the supernal world. In that image, they traveled through the wilderness and none of them entered the Holy Land. 1. Only the children born (to the generation of the wilderness), as it should be, because they (belonged to) the completion of the moon. Hence, all the laborers of the land (affect) the building of the moon.", + "Moses mated with the moon while he was still enclothed in a body. He had full control over her. When he passed from this world, his sacred spirit ascended high and the spirit returned to the supernal Jubilee. There, (Moshe) cleaved to 600,000, which belonged to him. This is something that did not happen to Jacob; his spirit returned to the Sabbatical year. This did not happen as long as he was alive, because in his lifetime he had a different house.", + "The lowest grade in the Holy Land is completed by the power of the upper. Because of this, it is impossible for them all to be together. Because those from the supernal world all comprise the aspect of the spirit alone. And those from the lower world are the aspect of the body. It is not proper for all of these to be combined within the moon. So the former should be inside the moon and the latter outside, each receives illumination from the other.", + "All those who entered the Land had only the image of the first ones but they did not reach that supernal level as the first ones did. Why? Because there will be no generation, and there never was, such as those first ones to whom the brilliance of the glory of their Master was revealed face to face.", + "Jacob mated with his wives in his lifetime with his body. After (his death), his spirit cleaved to the spirit. However, Moses separated himself from his wife and cleaved to the Holy Spirit while he was still enclothed in his body. After, his spirit cleaved to the concealed and supernal spirit, and all the grades were united and shone as one. The spirit of Moses came from the Jubilee and his body came from the Sabbatical year. The spirit of Jacob cleaved to the Sabbatical year, while his body belonged to his wives in this world.", + "All those supernal lights exist in their images below on earth. They are all suspended from the firmament of heaven (and) contain the secret of the two names combined as one. After a third name is added, they become one again, one corresponding to the other. It is an inscribed and engraved name, in which they are included according to the secret of the Faith." + ], + [ + "\"And Elohim said, 'Let Us make man'\" (Beresheet 1:26), \"The secret of Hashem is with them that fear Him\" (Tehilim 25:14). The most venerated old man opened the discussion saying, Shimon, Shimon, who is he who said, \"Let Us make man\" and \"And Elohim said,\" Who is this Elohim? In the meantime, that most respected of old men flew away and he could not see him. When Rabbi Shimon heard that he called him Shimon and not Rabbi Shimon, he said to his friends: This is indeed the Holy One, blessed be He, of whom it is said \"and an ancient of days (Aramaic, Atik Yomin) did sit\" (Daniel 7:9). Now is the time to reveal this secret, which was previously forbidden to be revealed. However, permission has now been granted to reveal it.", + "(R' Shimon) started by saying: This is like a king who had many buildings to build and he had a craftsman. That craftsman (Heb. uman) did not do anything without the permission of the king, as it is written: \"Then I was by Him, as a nursling (Heb. amon)\" (Mishlei 8:30). The king is most certainly the supernal wisdom above, and the central pillar is the king down below. Elohim, the craftsman above, is the supernal Ima and Elohim, the craftsman below, is the Shechinah (Tikkunim 72 Page 97a) below.", + "A wife is not permitted to do anything without the permission of her husband. Of all the buildings that were in the way of Atzilut, Aba would say to Ima, Let it be so and so. And it was immediately done. It is written: \"And Elohim said, 'Let there be light;' and there was light.\" \"And...said\" alludes to the owner of the building, who said to Elohim, \"Let there be light.\" So (Aba) uttered the words and the craftsman, (Ima), completed the task immediately. And this was the same in every edifice - by way of Atzilut - where (Aba) would say, \"Let there be a firmament,\" or \"Let there be luminaries,\" and (Ima) would complete everything in an instant.", + "When He reached the world of separation, which is the world of those divided, the craftsman then said to the owner of the building, \"Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness.\" (Beresheet 1:26). The owner of the building said, It is indeed good that man is made, but he shall sin before you, because he is foolish, as it is written: \"A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is the grief of his mother\" (Mishlei 10:1).", + "(Ima) said: Because his sins are related to Ima and not Aba, I wish to create him in my own image, as it is written: \"So Elohim created man in His own image' (Beresheet 1:27) because she did not want Aba to have any share. When (Adam) sinned, it was written:", + "\"And for your transgressions was your mother put away\" (Isaiah 50:1). The King, said to Ima: Did I not tell you that he was going to sin? In that instance, he exiled him and his Mother. Therefore, it is written: \"A wise son makes a glad father: but a foolish son is the grief of his mother.\" \"A wise son\" alludes to man in Atzilut, and \"a foolish son\" alludes to man in Briyah.", + "All the friends rose and said, Rabbi, Rabbi, could there be such separation between Aba and Ima, so much so that what (emanated) from the aspect of Aba shall be formed in the way of (man of) Atzilut and that which emanated from the aspect of Ima shall be (formed in the way of man) of Briyah? (R' Shimon) said to them, Friends, friends, this is not so, because man of Atzilut is male and female, from the side of Aba and from Ima. This is why, \"And Elohim said, 'Let there be light;' and there was light.\" \"Let there be light\" is from the aspect of Aba and \"and there was light\" is from the aspect of Ima. So man was (created) double - faced.", + "But that (man of Briyah) has neither the image nor likeness (of Aba and Ima). The supernal mother had one appellation, \"light and darkness\" that adds to eighty-six, which is the numerical value of Elohim. So this appellation combines light and darkness. Because of the darkness in that appellation, Aba said that man of Briyah is destined to sin. Because he represents the light of the supernal garment.", + "That light is the light that the Holy One, blessed be He, created on the first day. (But later He) concealed it for the righteous alone. That darkness was created on the first day for the wicked. It is written: \"And the wicked shall be silent in darkness\" (I Samuel 2:9). On account of that darkness, which was destined to cause that light (in the soul of man) to sin, Aba did not wish to partake in his creation. Therefore, (Ima) said, \"Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness.\" The words \"in our image\", in that light; \"after our likeness\" in that darkness, which is a garment for the light. Just as the body is a garment for the soul, as it is written: \"You have clothed me with skin and flesh\" (Job 10:11). They all rejoiced and said: How happy is our lot that we had the privilege to hear words that were not to be heard until now." + ], + [ + "Rabbi Shimon opened another discussion saying, \"See now that I, even I am He, and there is no Elohim with Me\" (Devarim 32:39). He said: Friends, listen to ancient words that I wish to reveal after permission from above has been granted for them to be said. Who is he who said, \"See now that I, even I, am He?\" The cause above all causes, the one that is called the 'Cause of Causes,' is a Cause among all the rest of the causes. So every single one of these causes shall not do anything unless it receives permission from the cause above it, as I have stated above in, \"Let Us make man.\"", + "\"Let Us make man...\" (Beresheet 1:26), the use of \"Us\" assuredly alludes to two grades, as each said to the one above it, \"Let Us make.\" (The lower grade) cannot do anything without permission from the one above it and the one above this one cannot do anything without permission from its higher neighbor. But the one that is called the Cause above all causes has no equal above nor below, as it is written: \"'To whom then will you liken Me, that I should be his equal,' says the Holy One\" (Isaiah 40:25). He said, \"See now that I, I am He - and there is no Elohim with me...\" (Devarim 32:39) from whom to take counsel - which is not like that about which it is written: \"And Elohim said, Let Us make man...\".", + "All the friends stood up and said, Rabbi, grant us permission to speak. Did you not state above that the Cause of Causes said to Keter, \"Let Us make man.\" (R' Shimon) replied: May your ears listen to what your mouths say. Did I not just now say that there is one who is called the Causes of Causes and that it is not the one that is called the Cause above all causes, because the Cause above all causes has no equal from whom to take advice. It is unique, prior to all, and cannot be joined with another.", + "Because of this, he said, \"See now that I, even I am He, and there is no Elohim with Me\" from whom to take counsel because it has no equal or partner or number. However, there is one that designates a combination; for example, a combination of male and female, about whom it is written: \"For he was but one when I called him\" (Isaiah 51:2). But He is one without number and without combination. Therefore, it said, \"And there is no Elohim with Me.\" They all rose, bowed before him and said, Happy is the man whose Master gives him consent to reveal hidden secrets that were not even revealed to the holy angels.", + "He said to them, Friends, we should complete this verse because it contains many secrets. \"I kill, and make alive\" (Devarim 32:39) - I kill and I make alive by the Sefirot. From the right side, life, and from the left side death. But if both do not agree by mediation of the central pillar - unless all three settle together - Judgment cannot be carried out. At times,", + "all three agree to execute Judgment. Then an outstretched hand appears to accept those who repent (in the simple form of) Yud Hei Vav Hei, (and ten in the form of) Yud- Vav-Dalet, Hei-Aleph, Vav-Aleph-Vav, Hei-Aleph. This is the Shechinah, which is the right hand from the aspect of Chesed and the left hand from the aspect of Judgment. (The) hand of Yud Hei Vav Hei from the aspect of the central pillar, (the aspect of Mercy). When a person repents, these fourteen letters save him from judgment. But when the cause high above all causes passes judgment, \"neither is there any that can deliver out of My hand\" (Devarim 32:39).", + "Furthermore, three times it has been said: \"I\" (Heb. ani), spelled with the letters Aleph-Nun-Yud. \"I's\" in this verse have three times Aleph (in their beginning abd) three times Yud (in their ending). (The three Yud's) are hinted at in (the combination of the Name, which adds up to 63): Yud-Vav-Dalet, Hei-Yud, Vav-Aleph-Vav, Hei-Yud. (The three Alephs are hinted at in Yud Hei Vav Hei, which adds up to 45): Yud-Vav-Dalet, Hei-Aleph, Vav-Aleph-Vav, Hei-Aleph. The verse contains three Vav's ('and') - \"and I make alive...\" \"and I heal...\" and \"...and neither is...\" They are also hinted at by these names.", + "Even with all (the majesty) in the verse, the friends have explained it concerning other Elohim, as it is written: \"See now that I, even I, am He\" applies to the Holy One, blessed be He, and his Shechinah. Of his Female principle, it is said, \"I am (Aleph-Nun-Yud),\" Vav-Hei-Vav. The phrase: \"And there is no Elohim with Me\" (alludes to) Samael and the serpent; \"I kill, and I make alive\" - kill with My Shechinah whoever is guilty and \"I make alive\" with Her whoever is righteous. The verse: \"Neither is there any that can deliver out of My hand...\" refers to the hand (Heb. yad), of Yud Hei Vav Hei, which has a numerical value of fourteen; Yud Hei Vav Hei, Yud-Vav-Dalet, Hei-Aleph, Vav-Aleph -Vav, Hei-Aleph; and it is also Caf- Vav-Zayin-Vav, Bet-Mem-Vav-Caf-Samech-Zayin, Caf-Vav-Zayin-Vav. All the explanations are true. [But what is said before is that it is the Cause of Causes - which is the Cause above all other . This secret was not even revealed to all the sages and prophets].", + "Come and behold how many causes, (i.e. grades) are concealed. They are enclothed and enveloped by the Sefirot, which are Chariots to them. These causes are hidden from the thoughts of man. Of them, it is written: \"For there is a high one that watches over him that is high\" (Kohelet 5:7). The lights become brighter. So the recipients are dimmer than those above them are because they are the recipients. No light can bear the presence of the Cause of Causes, because all lights are darkened before it." + ], + [ + "Another explanation of \"Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness...\" (Beresheet 1:26) was given by the friends as referring to the ministering angels who spoke this phrase (to Hashem). (R' Shimon) said to them: Since the angels already know the past and the future, they already knew that man was destined to sin. Why then did they want to make man?", + "Not only that, but (the Angels) Aza and Azael also opposed (man's creation). When the Shechinah said to the Holy One, blessed be He, \"Let Us make man,\" they responded, \"What is man that You take knowledge of him?\" (Tehilim 144:3). Why do you wish to create man when You know that he shall definitely sin before you, with his wife, who represents darkness, because the light is the male and darkness is the Female principle, the Left, darkness of Creation. At that moment, the Shechinah said to them: You will fall by the same reasoning that you denounce, as it is written: \"That the sons of Elohim saw that the daughters of men were fair\" (Beresheet 6:2), so they went astray after them. And the Shechinah caused them to fall from their holy state.", + "The friends said, Rabbi, Rabbi, Aza and Azael did not lie, because Adam definitely was destined to sin by his wife. He replied: This is what the Shechinah said, You, (the aforementioned Angels), have laid accusations before me that go beyond those of all the hosts above. If you were better than man in your actions, you would have had a right to accuse him, but man will sin only with one woman while you are destined to sin with many women. Therefore, your sins are greater than those of human beings, as it is written: \"The sons of Elohim saw the daughters of man.\" It is not written: 'the daughter of men,' but rather \"the daughters of men\". As man sinned, I prepared atonement for him to amend his sin.", + "The friends asked, If so, why all this? Rabbi Shimon replied: If the Holy One, blessed be He, had not created the Evil and Good Inclinations, which are light and darkness, there would not have been any precepts or transgressions for the man of Briyah. So man was created with both, as it is written: \"See, I have set before you this day life and good, and death and evil\" (Devarim 30:15). They asked him: why all this? Better He had not created darkness. Then man would have no reward or punishment as opposed to being created and having to sin, thereby causing much (damage and destruction).", + "He said to them: It was right to create him thus, because the Torah was created for the sake (of man), for it contains punishments for the sinful and rewards for the righteous. Thus, there can be no reward for the righteous or punishment for the sinful without the man of Briyah: \"He did not create it a wasteland (lit. 'formless'), He created it to be inhabited\" (Isaiah 45:18). (The friends) said, Indeed, we have certainly now heard what we had never heard before. It is now clear that the Holy One, blessed be He, did not create anything that he did not require. Furthermore, the Torah of Briyah", + "is the clothing of the Shechinah. If man had not been created, the Shechinah would have remained without clothing, like a pauper. Therefore, whoever sins acts as if he is stripping the Shechinah of Her garments. This is the punishment for the man (who sins).", + "Whoever performs the precepts of the Torah acts as if he is dressing the Shechinah in Her garments. According to this, (what was said) about the garment of the Tzitzit reads, \"For that is his only covering, it is his raiment for his skin; in what shall he sleep?\" (Shemot 22:26). (This applies) in exile. Come and behold: Darkness is black in the Torah. Light is the white in the Torah." + ], + [ + "", + "", + "Because Jacob saw through the Holy Spirit the oppression of the last exile, in the end of days, it is said of him, \"Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed\" (Beresheet 32:8). As a result, he divided the holy nation in exile into three parts, as it is written: \"And he put the handmaids and their children foremost\" (Beresheet 33:2). At first in the exile of Edom, \"and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph last of all.\" Because he saw their eventual poverty and suffering, (he prayed for them): \"So that I come back to my father's house in peace\" (Beresheet 28:21). (He prayed): \"And will give me bread to eat, and clothing to wear\" (Ibid.)", + "Because of this exile, David described (the Shechinah as) \"hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness\" (II Samuel 17:29), because he saw the Shechinah desolate and withering and then joined in her sorrow. After he saw that the children of Yisrael repented with joy, he composed ten types of psalms. At the end of them all, he said, it is written: \"A prayer of the afflicted (lit. 'poor'), when he faints...\" (Tehilim 102:1). This prayer encompasses all other prayers. This is why (the prayer of)the poor comes before all the others.", + "Which is the prayer of the poor? It is the evening prayer. Since she is without her husband, she is poor and withered, and may be taken freely by anyone. The Righteous are withered and poor. This refers to the seed of Jacob, which is under the rule of all nations of the world. This is similar to the evening prayer, because it is the aspect of night in the exile.", + "The prayer of Shabbat is a charity given to the poor, as the sages of the Mishnah explained that the sun during Shabbat is charity given to the poor. Therefore, on all weekdays, a person should make himself a pauper at the gate of the King during the prayer of Amidah for the sake of the Shechinah. He should cover himself with the proper vestments (i.e. Tallit and Tzitzit) as a poor man stands at the gate to the temple (of the King), who is AdoSHEM, because (the gematria of this word) adds up to that of 'temple' (Heb. heichal). This is \"AdoSHEM, open my lips...\" (Tehilim 51:17).", + "When a person opens his lips during the weekdays at Arvit (the evening prayer), an eagle descends to carry the prayer of the night upon its wings. (This eagle is called) Nuriel. It is called Uriel from the aspect of Chesed and Nuriel from the aspect of Gevurah, which is a burning fire about which it is written: \"A fiery stream issued and came forth\" (Daniel 7:10).", + "During Shacharit (the morning prayer), the lion descends to receive the prayer with its arms and wings - every living creature has four wings. This is Michael. During Minchah (the afternoon prayer), the ox descends to receive the prayer with its horns and wings, and this is Gabriel.", + "On Shabbat, the Holy One, blessed be He descends with the three patriarchs - (Chesed, Gevurah, Tiferet) - to receive His only daughter through them. This is the secret of Shabbat - Shin and Bat (Eng. 'daughter'). At that time, the celestial living creatures that are called by the name Yud Hei Vav Hei say, as it is written: \"Lift up your heads, O you gates; and lift them up, you everlasting doors; that the King of glory may come in\" (Tehilim 24:9).", + "At this time, seven chambers are opened. The first chamber is the chamber of love, the second is the chamber of awe, the third is the chamber of mercy, the fourth is the chamber of prophecy of the shining mirror, the fifth is the chamber of prophecy of the opaque mirror the fifth is the chamber of prophecy of the opaque mirror, the sixth is the chamber of justice and the seventh chamber is in the chamber of judgment.", + "About them, it is written: \"Beresheet\" which consists of bara sheet (Eng. 'created six'); and Elohim is in the seventh chamber. There are seven chambers below, and seven chambers above. The seven voices that correspond to them, \"Ascribe to Hashem\" (Tehilim 29), which includes eighteen mentions (of the Four Letter Name). By these mentions, the Holy One, blessed be He, glides through eighteen worlds: \"The chariots of Elohim are twice ten thousand, thousands upon thousands...\" (Tehilim 68:18) and there are 180,000 worlds. Many guardians of the gates stand before the chambers to receive the prayers and no prayer enters without being measured and weighed.", + "No one can stand before the gate of prayers (and prevent a prayer from entering). Of such a one it is written: \"They shall not be put to shame, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate\" (Tehilim 127:5). This is the gate of the King (i.e. the Gate of the Chamber). Since the prayer is a precept and is the Shechinah, and the Torah is the Holy One, blessed be He, they must not be separated. The Torah and the precept should be elevated with love and awe.", + "All the precepts, positive and negative, derive from the name Yud Hei Vav Hei as this secret has been explained. The letters in \"My name (Heb. shmi)\" together with the letters Yud-Hei (equal the 365) negative precepts, and \"My memorial (Heb. zichri)\" (Shemot 3:15) together with the letters Vav-Hei (equal the 248) positive precepts. So here, (within the Four Letter Name, there are 365 and 248. These 248 are the letter of the Kriyat Shema. Therefore, 'He who chooses His nation Yisrael with love' is (recited before the reading of the Sh'ma to indicate we draw only from the aspect of love) These (248) are included within Abraham. It is written of him: \"The seed of Abraham My friend\" (Isaiah 41:8).", + "Israel, he rose by Yud-Vav-Dalet, Hei-Aleph, Vav-Aleph-Vav, Hei-Aleph. The secret of \"Yisrael\" was thought of to be created because thought (Heb. machshavah) consists of the letters Chashav-Mah (thought Mem-Hei). (Mem-Hei refers to the Four Letter Name) in which the Holy Name lies. Because of Jacob, who is called Israel, it is written: \"So Elohim created man in His own image\" (Beresheet 1:27) after the likeness of his Master.", + "Children, longevity and sustenance are (drawn down to the lower brings) through the aspect of the central pillar, about which it is written: \"Yisrael is My son, My firstborn\" (Shemot 4:22). This is the Tree of Life, It is a tree \"with food for all\" (Daniel 4:9). As for (the Shechinah), Yisrael below is considered Her life, the Torah Her sustenance, and prayer an offering,", + "\"Give me children, or else I die\" (Beresheet 30:1). The Shechinah is an offering for the Holy One, blessed be He, which He receives with both the right and the left arm, and with the body. So when (prayer) ascends to (Zeir Anpin), she should be joined with him with all ten Sefirot, because there can be no holiness with fewer than ten people, which is his own holiness. Therefore, when a person wishes his prayer to ascend, he should raise it with all its movement (the notes and vowels). (If the Serpent plans on disrupting the prayer), one should prepare a slingshot against it, and the secret behind the issue lies in Zarka, Makaf, Shofar Holech, Segolta." + ], + [ + "Rabbi Shimon opened the discussion saying: Listen, all you celestial beings. Gather, all you earthly beings, the masters of the Yeshivah above and below. Elijah, upon an oath, ask permission from the Holy One, blessed be He, to come down here because a great battle awaits you. Come down, Chanoch Metatron, you and all the masters of the Yeshivot under your supervision. I did not do this for my glory, but for the glory of the Shechinah.", + "(R' Shimon) began again, saying: Assuredly by the cantillation mark, Zarka, the prayer should be elevated to that known place, just as one aims the stone in a slingshot, so should thought be elevated with concentration on prayer to that crown, which is the decorated and all-inclusive stone. Of this it is said that one should stand upright with the mention of the Name.", + "In that place, where he elevates her to her husband, one should not stop praying, even if a snake is wound around his feet, even though it is written of it: \"And you shall bruise his heel\" (Beresheet 3:15). Nevertheless, the stone is hinted at by the letter Yud of Jacob, as it is written: \"From thence from the shepherd, the stone of Yisrael\" (Beresheet 49:24). One should not stop (elevating it to its place). One should elevate her from the central pillar to the Ein Sof. When he brings her down (from Ein Sof), it is said of him: Whoever kneels, kneels with the mention of Baruch (blessed), because he should bring her down to the Infinite endlessly, and not cause any separation between her (and Ze'er Anpin) above or below.", + "Sometimes he is her husband (according to the secret of) the letter Vav (in that it alludes to Yesod), the Righteousness that includes six parts of the two legs, (Netzach and Hod). Then she descends toward him (according to the secret) of the two legs. But at other times, he is her husband (according to) the letter Vav (which alludes to Tiferet), which includes six parts of the two arms - (the beginning, middle and end of Chesed and Gevurah). Then it ascends to the two arms. At other times, he is her husband between Aba and Ima. (He is then called) the son of Yud-Hei, and she should be elevated there to him. At other times, (her husband is Keter with) the letter Vav inserted between the two letters Yud, thus: א Aleph. Then she should be elevated to him. When she ascends (to Keter), it is written of her, \"The stone which the builders rejected has become the head stone of the corner\" (Tehilim 118:22).", + "When she rises up to the Head of all Heads the angels ask, Where is the place of His Glory to admire Him?' And when she rises (to Ze'er Anpin), in the form of Aleph, she becomes Keter, a crown on the head of the Aleph, thus: When she descends, a point underneath (the letter Vav within Aleph). So when she rises, she is called a crown according to the secret of the intonations, and when she descends, she is called a point. When she mates with (Ze'er Anpin), she is in the form of the vowel Shuruk, thus וּ. When she is a crown on the head, she is named the letter Zayin. The sign of the covenant consists of this (letter Zayin), because it is the seventh letter in all.", + "Indeed, this stone is the construction for all the worlds. Because of this, \"But you shall have a perfect and just weight (lit. 'stone')...\" (Devarim 25:15). She is a measurement between each and every Sefirah, and every Sefirah amounts with her to ten (Sefirot). Her size is the letter Vav. Through her, every cubit between each and every Sefirah becomes ten cubits. This is the secret of the verse: \"Ten cubits shall be the length of a board\" (Shemot 26:16) and between them all, she (adds up to) 100 (Sefirot). She is ten between every Sefirah and ten multiplied by ten totals one hundred, and when me'ah (Eng. 'one hundred') is reversed, (it is) amah (Eng. 'a cubit').", + "Each and every measurement (that Malchut measures) is called a world (i.e. it is a grade of its own). Every one is a Yud and a Vav, a size and a measurement. The Vav is the weight (of light) and the Yud is the measurement of it. The size of the measurement is five cubits long and five cubits wide. This corresponds to the size of every firmament, which is five hundred parasangs long and five hundred parasangs wide. This is (the secret of) the two Hei's (in the Four Letter Name).", + "So here you have the stature (of Ze'er Anpin) in the letters Yud Hei Vav Hei, because the letter Vav (is) Tiferet of the heavens, (i.e. Tiferet of Ze'er Anpin). Its five firmaments - (the last Heh of the Four Letter Name) - are called \"the (Heb. Hei) heavens\", the five firmaments included in 'the heavens.' The upper five are the 'heavens of the heavens'. These are Hei-Hei. The letter Vav is their sixth (firmament). (Malchut becomes) the seventh, and seven plus seven total fourteen. Here are those lands, seven upon seven lands that cover each other like onion rings. They are all alluded to in the two eyes.", + "The Yud is called a small, or short, world. The Vav is the long world. Whomever wishes that his desires be fulfilled by the long world should pray at length, and whoever prays to the short world should pray quickly. Therefore, it has been explained that in a place where they are told to make it short, a person should not pray at length.", + "To pray quickly (is like the prayer of Moshe), \"Heal her now, K-l, I pray You\" (Bemidbar 12:13), (he addressed) the point of Yud. (Where) one should pray at length, as in 'to fall down' : \"And I fell down (Heb. va'etnapal) before Hashem, as at the first...\" (Devarim 9:18) (this is the letter Peh) \"forty days and forty nights\" (40 plus 40 equals 80, the letter Peh). Everything (is in the two) Mem's. (The) Yud as a point in the middle, which forms the word Mayim (Eng. 'water'). From the aspect of Chesed, one should pray at length.", + "In the Holy Name, Yud Hei Vav Hei rises by the Revi'a (lit. 'fourth'). And one should prolong this intonation, which is the secret of the Tekiah . (The place) to make it short is at the aspect (of Gevurah) of Sh'varim (short blowings of the Shofar) (this is the Tevir). The middle, which is neither prolonged nor shortened, is Teruah. This is the central pillar and Shalshelet (lit. 'chain'), which chains both (according to the secret of) the Shekel of the sanctuary.", + "Corresponding to Revi'a, which rises, there is the Cholam. The Sh'varim, (Tevir), is equivalent to the Shva. In this (Revia), one should raise his voice and in (pronouncing) the other, one should lower his voice. Because of this, it is Sh'varim (from the word 'to break'). This is done in secret, as it is written of the lower Shechinah: \"But her voice was not heard\" (I Samuel 1:13). Teruah is Shalshelet. The Revi'i is for raising the voice, the Tevir of the cantillation marks is for lowering the pitch. Shalshelet holds to the two Columns like a chain (and joins them together).", + "It is like the Revi'i, with which one prolongs the word. It is a vowel like the Cholam. There is no vowel that does not have a corresponding cantillation mark. For example, the vowel Segol corresponds to the Segolta intonation, the vowel Shva corresponds to the intonation Zakef Gadol. There is always a vowel corresponding to a cantillation mark for all those who know the hidden secrets.", + "(R' Shimon) said: Zarka, Makaf, Shofar Holech, Segolta. The vowel to the right is 'Hashem reigns'. The vowel to the left is 'Hashem reigned.' The vowel in the middle is 'Hashem shall reign.' Rabbi Acha said: 'Hashem reigns' is the supernal world, 'Hashem reigned' is Tiferet and 'Hashem shall reign' is the Ark of the Covenant." + ], + [ + "\"These are the generations of the heaven and the earth\" (Beresheet 2:4). It has been established that wherever it is written: \"These (Heb. eleh),\" it cancels that which was mentioned before. So the use of the word \"These\" (conceals) the generations of Formlessness hinted at in the verse: \"And the earth was without form\" (Beresheet 1:2). In reference to those (generations of formlessness), it is said that the Holy One, blessed be He, created worlds and destroyed them. Thus, it is written: \"The earth was without form and void.\"", + "Why did the Holy One, blessed be He, create the worlds if he intended to destroy them? It would have been better had he not created them at all. But there certainly must be a secret here. What is the meaning of, 'He destroyed them'? It cannot be that the Holy One, blessed be He, destroyed the makings of His own hands. Furthermore, these are the heavens about which it is said, \"For the heavens shall vanish away like smoke...\" (Isaiah 51:6). If it is so, then the Holy One, blessed be He, first created and then destroyed (what He created).", + "The secret is that the Holy One, blessed be He, created the world by the Torah, as it is written: \"In the beginning\" (Beresheet 1:1), (which is Torah) about which is written: \"Hashem created me as the beginning of His way...\" (Proverbs 8:22). (Therefore the Torah refers to itself as the beginning). And by this beginning, He created the heavens and the earth. He supported them by (the Torah), for the Covenant is included in \"Beresheet (In the beginning).\" As it is written: \"If My covenant were not day and night, it is as if I have not established the ordinances of heaven and earth\" (Jer. 33:25). (The Heavens and the Earth are supported by the Torah and their existence depends on the Torah). These (Heavens) are described: \"The heavens are the heavens of Hashem\" (Tehilim 115:16). And (the Earth is called) the land of the living. It comprises seven lands, about which King David said, \"I will walk before Hashem in the lands of the living\" (Tehilim 116:9).", + "After, He created the heavens and the earth with no form or any foundation (Yesod) - which is the covenant - to support them. Because of this situation, the Holy One, blessed be He, wanted to give the Torah, which represents the covenant of circumcision, to the nations of the world, but because they did not want to receive it, the land remained parched and dry.", + "This is why: \"Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together to one place, and let the dry land appear\" (Beresheet 1:9). \"...the waters\" - the Torah, \"to one place\" means Yisrael, because the souls of Yisrael come from that place, about which it is written: \"Blessed be the glory of Hashem from His place\" (Yechezkel 3:12). \"The glory of Hashem\" - the lower Shechinah, \"His place\" - the upper Shechinah. And since their souls come from there (Binah) then certainly Yud Hei Vav Hei rests on them. It is written about them: \"For Hashem's portion is His people\" (Devarim 32:9). This is: \"Let the waters be gathered together to one place.\"", + "And the Torah symbolizes the civilized world, (because the world was created by, and is sustained by it). The nations of the world who did not accept it have remained wasted and dry. This is that the Holy One, blessed be He, created worlds and destroyed them, (referring to) those who did not maintain the precepts of the Torah. It does not mean that he shattered His own makings, as people may presume. Why should He destroy His own children about whom it is written: \"when they were created (Heb. Behibar'am)\" (Beresheet 2:4). Behibar'am - they were created by the letter Hei (Heb. Be Hei Bera'am). x", + "Why did the Holy One, blessed be He, create the worlds if he intended to destroy them? It would have been better had he not created them at all. But there certainly must be a secret here. What is the meaning of, 'He destroyed them'? It cannot be that the Holy One, blessed be He, destroyed the makings of His own hands. Furthermore, these are the heavens about which it is said, \"For the heavens shall vanish away like smoke...\" (Isaiah 51:6). If it is so, then the Holy One, blessed be He, first created and then destroyed (what He created).", + "And Moses wanted to bring the proselytes under the wings of the Shechinah and presumed that they also were drawn down from (Malchut, which is) the (small) Hei. Thus, he drew down (the Mochin of) this (small) Hei of Abraham. (The proselytes) brought upon him descent, as it is written: \"Go, get you down, for your people...have become corrupt\" (Shemot 32:7), (meaning, the caused Israel to sin with the Golden Calf). They did not receive (the Mochin of) the small Hei, with awe of the letter Yud and with love of the letter Hei. So he descended from his grade, which is the letter Vav.", + "So the letter Vav came down together with (Moshe to) guard him, so he does not perish among them, because according to the secret of reincarnation, he was destined to mingle among the mixed multitude in exile, whose souls originated from the aspect of those of whom it is written: \"For the heavens shall vanish away like smoke\" (Isaiah 51:6). These are the ones for whom Noah did not plea for mercy. About them, it is written: \"They were destroyed from the earth\" (Beresheet 7:23), because they came from those of whom it is said, \"You shall blot out the remembrance of Amalek\" (Devarim 25:19). Moses did not protect himself from them and dropped the (small) Hei among them. For this reason, he shall not enter the land of Yisrael until he brings the Hei back to its place. This is also why he fell from his grade, and the letter Vav descended with him. Because of this, the letter Hei fell down and the letter Vav of Moses shall raise it up.", + "It was through this small Hei, the Hei of Abraham, which is the letter Hei in BeHibar'am that Moses received assistance, and it is written of him: \"That caused His glorious arm to go at the right hand of Moses\" (Isaiah) 63:12). He took it from there (from among the kelipot) by the power of the letter Vav and brought it with him. Immediately, Yud-Hei rested on it and the vow was fulfilled: \"For Yah has sworn by His throne (Heb. Kes, Caf-Samech) that Hashem will have war\" (Shemot 17:16). What is \"From generation to generation\"? This is Moses, about whom it is written: \"One generation passes away, and another generation comes...\" (Kohelet 1:4). It has already been explained that one generation contains no fewer than 600,000. This refers to Moses, about whom it is said that one woman gave birth in Egypt to 600,000 in one belly (meaning Moshe, who equals 600,000 souls)." + ], + [ + "There are five groups in the mixed multitude. These are the Nefilim (fallen), the Giborim (mighty), the Anakim (giants), the Refaim (shades) and the Amalekites. Because of them, the small Hei fell from its place (Binah). Bilaam and Balak come from the side of Amalek, because if you remove the letters Am from Bilaam and the letters Lak from Balak, you are left with Babylon (Heb. Bavel). \"Therefore is the name of it called Babylon; because Hashem did there confound (Heb. balal) the language of all the earth\" (Beresheet 11:9).", + "These are the ones who remained of those of whom it was said at the time of the flood, \"And He destroyed every living substance\" (Beresheet 7:23). Those who survived, (the Kelipah of Amalek) from the time of the fourth exile - (Edom) - became the leaders (lit. heads) of the world, men of great power. They became a means of violence toward Yisrael and of them, it is written at the time of the flood, \"For the earth is filled with violence through them\" (Beresheet 6:13). These are the Amalekites.", + "About the Nefilim (the fallen ones), it is written: \"That the sons of the Elohim saw that the daughters of men were fair\" (Beresheet 6:2). These are the second group (of the erev rav, emanating from the Chochmah of the Kelipot) from those fallen from above, (from Aza and Azael, who were angels above. Hashem dropped them out of the heavens). When the Holy One, blessed be He, desired to create man, he said (to the angels) \"Let us make man in our image...\" (Beresheet 1:26). He wanted to make him a leader over all (the angels above), so that he might govern all (the angels) and they would be under his rule, as is written about Joseph: \"And let him appoint officers over the land\" (Beresheet 41:34).", + "Those (Angels) wanted to denounce him. They asked (Hashem), \"What is man, that You are mindful of him\" (Tehilim 8:5), for he is bound to sin before You? The Holy One, blessed be He, replied, If you were down below like he, you would sin more than he does. Immediately, \"The sons of the Elohim saw the daughters of men...\" They were filled with passion for them, so the Holy One, blessed be He, dropped them down in chains.", + "(i.e. the 'sons of Elohim') are Aza and Azael, from whom descended the souls of (the second group in) the mixed multitude, which are the Nefilim. They made themselves fall, and they fornicated with women who were fair. Because of this, the Holy One, blessed be He, also eliminated them from the World to Come, so that they may not have a portion there. And He gave them their reward in this world, as it is written: \"...and repays them that hate Him to their face, to destroy them\" (Devarim 7:10).", + "Of the Giborim, (mighty ones), the third group, it is written: \"The same were mighty men of old, men of renown (lit. 'men with a name')\" (Beresheet 6:4). These descend from the side of those, about whom it is said: \"Let us build us a city and a tower...and let us make us a name...\" (Beresheet 11:4). They, this group of the mixed multitude, build synagogues and Yeshivot, putting the scroll of the Torah and a crown upon its top, not in the name of Hashem. Instead, it is done to make themselves a name, as it is written: \"And let us make us a name.\" (The children of) the Other Side, overcame Yisrael, who are (blessed to be) like the dust of the earth. They rob them, shattering their work. Of them, it is written: \"And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth\" (Beresheet 7:19)", + "The Refaim (shades) are the fourth group (of the erev rav). If they notice a time of distress coming upon Yisrael, they abandon them. Even if they have the power to save them, they do not want to do so. They abandon the Torah and those who study it. Instead, they do favors to those who worship idols. Of them, it is written: \"The shades of the dead (Heb. refaim) shall not rise\" (Isaiah 26:14), (i.e. at the resurrection of the dead). When The Children of Yisrael are visited (to be redeemed), it is written about them: \"And made all their memory to perish\" (Ibid.).", + "Anakim (giants) (are) the fifth group. They belittle the value of those about whom it is written: \"And chains (Heb. anakim) about your neck\" (Prov. 1:9). About them, it is written: \"Who also were considered Refaim as the Anakim\" (Devarim 2:11), so they are on a level with each other. These are the ones who bring the world back to a condition of \"without form and void.\" The secret of this matter is the destruction of the Temple, which is described by the words: \"And the earth was without form and void,\" because (the Temple) is the essence of the world and the settling thereof. As quickly as the light, which is the Holy One, blessed be He, appears (to the Jewish people), they shall be wiped out of the world and perish. Nevertheless, the redemption does not depend (on the destruction of the Refaim), but on Amalek, that is, until he who was referred to in the oath is destroyed, which has already been explained." + ], + [ + "Another explanation for: \"These are the generations of the heaven...\" (Beresheet 2:4) - \"These\" refers to those about whom it is written: \"These are your Elohim, O Yisrael\" (Shemot 32:4). Thus, on the day when (Hashem), shall exterminate these, (meaning the sin of the calf) it will be as it was on the day the Holy One, blessed be He, created the heaven and the earth. As it is written, \"In the day that Hashem Elohim made the earth and the heavens\" (Beresheet 2:4). At that time, the Holy One, blessed be He, will be together with His Shechinah and the world will be renewed, as it is written: \"For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make...\" (Isaiah 66:22). This is \"In the day...made\".", + "At that time, \"out of the ground Hashem, Elohim made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight\" (Beresheet 2:9). However, before that time and not until (the sin of the calf) is erased, the rain of the Torah does not come down (to water the souls of Israel). Therefore, The Children of Yisrael, who are similar to the herbs and trees, are not able to grow. The secret of this matter is as written: \"And no plant of the field was yet in the earth, and no herb of the field had yet grown...and there was not a man to till the ground\" (Beresheet 2:5). \"A man\" alludes to Yisrael, \"the ground\" is the Temple and \"to till\" is to offer sacrifices.", + "Another explanation of the phrase: \"plant of the field\" is the first Messiah, (Mashiach ben David) who was not yet on earth, whereas \"herb of the field\" is the second Messiah, (Mashiach ben Yosef) Why? Because Moses was not there with them to serve the Shechinah. Of him, it is written: \"And there was not a man to till the ground.\" The secret is given in the verse: \"The staff shall not depart from Judah...\" (Beresheet 49:10), which refers to Messiah ben David, \"nor the scepter from between his feet,\" which refers to Messiah ben Joseph. \"Until Shiloh come\" is an allusion to Moses, as the numerical value of (Moshe) is the same as that (Shiloh). \"And the obedience of the people be his (Heb. velo yik'hat)\"", + "Another explanation: \"plant (Heb. siach) of the field\" - (the souls of) the righteous, who come from (Yesod of Ze'er Anpin) the Righteous, the life (Heb. chai) of the worlds. Because Siach (Sin-Yud-Chet) - Chai (Chet- Yud) and Shin. Shin - the three branches of the tree, which symbolize the three patriarchs - from the life of the worlds.", + "Another explanation: \"And no herb (Esev) of the field - Esev is Ayin Bet and Shin. Shin alludes to the three leaves - Yud-Aleph-Heh=Daled-Vav-Nun-Heh-Yud (they have a numerical value of 72, which is) the Shechinah - the appearance of he who is called man, who is Yud-Vav-Dalet, Hei-Aleph, Vav-Aleph-Vav, Hei-Aleph. \"And there was not a man (Aleph-Daled-Mem) to till the ground,\" (meaning Moshe had not yet corrected the Shechinah properly).", + "For this reason, it is written: \"And no herb of the field had yet grown.\" This means that the righteous man was not yet grown - Moses, who validates, \"Truth shall spring (grow) out of the earth\" (Tehilim 85:12). As (the truth) is described: \"And it cast down the truth to the ground\" (Daniel 8:12), the students of the Torah, who are like the plants. But they do not grow in exile until \"Truth shall spring out of the earth\". This is Moses, about whom it is written: \"The law of truth was in his mouth\" (Malachi 2:6), because no man relates to the Shechinah as well as he. This is, \"And there is not a man to till the ground\". As soon as (Moshe) appears, \"But there went up", + "a mist (Heb. ed, Aleph-Dalet) from the earth\" (Beresheet 2:6) - Aleph-Dalet in the name AdoSHEM. The letter Vav ascends to it and becomes through it the Master (Heb. adon) of the entire earth. Immediately, it \"watered the whole face of the ground\" (Ibid.). Israel below will be watered. (As a result they shall receive the Mochin, which are called) the seventy aspects of the Torah.", + "Another explanation: \"But there went up a mist from the earth.\" The Aramaic translation says, \"But there went up a cloud from the earth.\" (This is the Shechina), of which it is written: \"For the cloud of Hashem was upon the tabernacle\" (Shemot 40:38). And the students of the Torah on earth will be watered by her at that time." + ], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "And because of the \"erev rav\" [mixed multitude] Israel was exiled, since it is written \"And Adam was expelled\". Adam is obviously Israel. And Moshe, because of them, was expelled from his place and did not merit to go up to the land of Israel. And because of them he transgressed the order of the Holy One of Blessing and hit the rock, that he struck it and did not speak to it, \"you shall speak to the rock\" - and they caused it. And with all this, the good thought of the Holy One of Blessing was combined into deed, that he (Moshe) did not receive them and give them the sign of circumcision were it not to cover the nakedness of his father. And the Holy One of Blessing said to him: \"I will make from you a people, greater and more powerful than them\" (Numbers 14:12). And because of them God said \"whoever sinned against Me - I will erase from My book\" (Exodus 22:23), since they are from the seed of Amalek, about whom it is written \"erase the seed of Amalek\" (Deuteronomy 25:19). And they too caused the breaking of the two tablets of Torah." + ], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "“And God said, Let there be light, and there was light” {Gen. 1:3}.This is the primal light which God made. It is the light of the eye. This light God showed to Adam, and by means of it he was enabled to see from end to end of the world. This light God showed to David, and he, beholding it, sang forth his praise, saying, “Oh how abundant is Thy goodness, which Thou hast laid up for them that fear Thee” {Ps. 31: 20}. This is the light through which God revealed to Moses the land of Israel from Gilead to Dan.”...", + "“Foreseeing the rise of three sinful generations, the generation of Enoch, the generation of the Flood, and the generation of the Tower of Babel, God put away the light from their enjoyment. Then he gave it to Moses in the time that his mother was hiding him, for the first three months after his birth.", + "When Moses was taken before Pharaoh, God took it from him, and did not give it again until he stood upon the mount of Sinai to receive the Torah. Thenceforth Moses had it for his until the end of his life, and therefore he could not be approached by the Israelites until he had put a veil upon his face {Exod. 34:33}. ", + "“Let there be light, and there was light” {Gen. 1:3}. To whatsoever the word vayehi {and there was} is applied, that thing is in this world and in the world to come.” “Rabbi Isaac said: At the Creation, God irradiated the world from end to end with the light, but then it was withdrawn,", + "so as to deprive the sinners of the world of its enjoyment, and it is stored away for the righteous," + ], + [ + "", + "", + "\"There they chanted the righteousness of Ad-nai\" (Judges 5:11) - There is the place of faith, to cling [on to it]. \"There they chanted the righteousness of Ad-nai\" - from there righteousness derives, and are drawn [like water]. \"Righteousness overtook Israel\" this is the Tzadik of the world [a symbol for circumcision and for Yesod], which is alive and holy, and draws and carries all, and spreads over the great sea [a symbol for Malchut], which are the upper waters. \"In Israel\" - Israel has the legacy of continuing this, and the Holy Blessed One gave to Israel this legacy [of the circumcision] forever.", + "Because Israel had abandoned [the brit], since they were circumcised but not uncovered, what is written? \"Then they came down to the gates\" - those are the \"gates to righteousness\" (Psalms 118:19) meaning, they were sitting at the gate, and did go up into them, and regarding that moment it is written \"they abandoned Ad-nai etc\" (Judges 10:6) until Devorah came, and gave them [awareness] regarding this, as it is written \"Uncovered, uncovered in Israel\" (Judges 5:2).", + "And regarding this it is written \"deliverance ceased in Israel\" (Judges 5:11). Deliverance ceased - overtook is what we say, deliverance ceased [until] holiness was upheld: \"[deliverance] did not overtook until I arose, Deborah, a mother in Israel\" (Judges 5:12) What is \"mother\"? Rather [she said] 'I brought the upper waters from above, to sustain the worlds'. \"In Israel\" - completely, Israel Above and Below, to hold on to it, since the world would not exist unless this is upheld, and this is the secret of all, as it is written \"tzadik is the basis of the world\" (Proverbs 10:25)", + "Three came out from one, one was established in three, came up in two, two give sustenance to one, one feeds many sides, and therefore they seem not one. And [yet] this is what is written \"and it was evening and it was morning, one day\" (Genesis 1:5), a day includes evening and morning and they are one: this is the secret of the brit of day and night, and in it it looks like it is not one [but all is one, as the brit makes us see the One is all reality].\n" + ], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "R. Hiya said: It is written, \"God maketh the earth by his strength\" (Jer. X, 12). He who \"maketh the earth\" is the Holy One, blessed be He, above; \"by his strength\" means by the Zaddik; \"he establishes the universe, this is the earth beneath; \"by his wisdom, refers to Zedek (justice). Also it is written, \"makes the earth, and not \"made, because God constantly regulates the earth and its activities through the agency of His \"strength, as just explained... ", + "", + "", + "R. Isaac said: It is written, \"By the word of the Lord the heavens were made and by the breath of his mouth all their hosts.\" The \"heavens\" mentioned here are the lower heavens, which were made by the word of the upper heavens, through the spirit which sent forth a voice until it reached that stream which issues and flows perennially. By \"all their hosts\" is meant the lower world, which exists through that \"breath, which is male. ", + "A similar lesson is derived from the verse, \"Who watereth the mountains from his upper chambers, the earth is full of the fruit of thy works\" (Ps. CIV, 13). The \"upper chambers\" we have already explained, and the term can be further illustrated by the verse, \"Who lays the beams of his upper chambers in the waters.\" The expression \"the fruit of thy works\" alludes to that stream which ever flows and issues forth; hence it is written, \"Yielding fruit whose seed is in it,\" as explained." + ], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "", + "", + "Rabbi Simeon then rose and spoke: In meditating, I have perceived that when God was about to create man, then above and below all creatures commenced to tremble. The course of the sixth day was unfolding when at last the divine decision was made. Then there blazed forth the source of all lights ", + "and opened up the gate of the East, from where light flows. The light which had been bestowed on it at the beginning, the South gave forth in full glory, and the South took hold upon the East. The East took hold on the North, and the North awakened and, opening forth, called loud to the West that he should come to him. Then the West traveled up into the North and came together with it, and after that the South took hold on the West, and the North and the South surrounded the Garden, being its fences. Then the East drew near to the West, and the West was gladdened and it said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness” {Gen. 1:26}, to embrace like us the four quarters and the higher and the lower. Thereupon were East and West united, and produced man. Therefore have our sages said that man arose out from the site of the Temple.", + "Moreover, we may regard the words “Let us make man” as conveying this: to the lower beings who derived from the side of the upper world God disclosed the secret of how to form the divine name Adam, in which is encompassed the upper and the lower, in the force of its three letters alef, dalet, and mem final. ...", + "When the three letters had come down below, there was perceived in their form, complete, the name Adam, to comprehend male and female. The female was fastened to the side of the male, and God cast the male into a deep slumber, and he lay on the site of the Temple.", + "God then cut the female from him and decked her as a bride and led her to him, as it is written, “And he took one of his sides, and closed up the place with flesh” {Gen. 2:21}. In the ancient books, I have seen it said that here the word “one” means “one woman,” that is, the original Lilith, who lay with him and from him conceived. ", + "But up to that time, she was no help to him, as it is said, “but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him” {Gen. 2:20}. Adam, then, was the very last, for it was right that he should find the world complete when he made his appearance." + ], + [ + "“No shrub of the field was yet in the earth” {Gen. 2:5}. Rabbi Simeon went on to say: The allusion is to the magnificent trees which grew later, but as yet were minute.", + "Adam and Eve, as we have said, were created side by side. Why not face to face? For the reason that heaven and earth were not yet in complete harmony, “the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth” {Gen. 2:5}. When the lower union was rendered perfect, and Adam and Eve turned face to face, then was the upper union perfected.", + "This we may know from the matter of the Tabernacle: for we have learned that together with it there was put up another tabernacle, nor was the upper one raised until the lower one was erected; and so it was in this case. Moreover, inasmuch as all above was not yet perfectly ordered, Adam and Eve were not created face to face. This is borne out by the order of the verses in the Scripture; first it is written, “For the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth,” and following, “there was not a man to till the ground” {ibid.},", + "and it signifies that man was yet imperfect, for only when Eve was made perfect, was he then made perfect too. Further proof is that in the word vayisgor {and he closed}, there occurs for the first time in this passage the letter samekh, which signifies “support,” as much as to say that male and female they now supported the one the other. In like wise, do the lower world and the upper sustain each other.", + "Not until the lower world was made perfect, was the other world also made perfect. When the lower world was made to support the upper, by being turned face to face with it, the world was then finished, for previously “the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth.”", + "Then, “There went up a mist from the earth” {Gen. 2:6}, to make up for the lack, by “watering the whole face of the ground” {ibid.}; and the mist rising is the yearning of the female for the male. Yet another interpretation says that we take the word “not” from the first verse to use in the second with “mist,” and this means that God failed to send rain because a mist had not gone up, for from below must come the impulse to move the power above.", + "Thus, to form the cloud, vapor ascends first from the earth. And likewise, the smoke of the sacrifice ascends, creating harmony above, and the uniting of all, and so the celestial sphere has completion in it. It is from below that the movement starts, and thereafter is all perfected. If the Community of Israel failed to initiate the impulse, the One above would also not move to go to her, and it is thus the yearning from below which brings about the completion above." + ], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "Rabbi Simeon set out one time for Tiberias, and with him were Rabbi Yose, Rabbi Judah, and Rabbi Hiyya. On the road coming toward them they met Rabbi Phineas. All dismounted and sat down on the mountainside, under a tree. Rabbi Phineas spoke: While we sit, I should like to hear some of those wondrous ideas which figure in your discourse daily.", + "Then Rabbi Simeon spoke, commencing with the text, “And he went on his journeys from the South even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Beth-el and Ai” {Gen. 13:3}. He said: We might here have expected the word journey; but instead we read “journeys,” which is intended to mean that on the journey with him was the Divine Presence. It behooves a man to be “male and female,” always, so that his faith may remain stable, and in order that the Presence may never leave him.", + " You will ask: How with the man who makes a journey, and, away from his wife, ceases to be “male and female”? Such a one, before starting, and while he still is “male and female,” must pray to God, to draw unto himself the Presence of his Master. After he has prayed and offered thanksgiving, and when the Presence is resting on him, then he may go, for by virtue of his union with the Presence he is now male and female in the country, just as he was male and female in the town, for it is written: “Righteousness {zedek, feminine of zaddik} shall go before him and shall make his footsteps a way” {Ps. 85:14}.", + "time of his traveling a man should heed well his actions, lest the holy union break off, and he be left imperfect, deprived of the union with the female. If it was needful when he and his wife were together, how much greater the need when the heavenly mate is with him? And the more so, indeed, since this heavenly union acts as his constant guard on his journey, until his return home.", + "Moreover, it is his duty, once back home, to give his wife pleasure, inasmuch as she it was who obtained for him the heavenly union. There is twofold reason for this duty of cohabitation. First, this pleasure is a religious one, giving joy also to the Divine Presence,", + "and it is an instrument for peace in the world, as it stands written, “and thou shalt know that thy tent is in peace; and thou shalt visit thy habitation and not sin” {Job 5:24}. (It may be questioned, is it a sin if he fails to go in to his wife? It is a sin, for in his failure, he detracts from the honor of the heavenly mate who was given him by reason of his wife.) ", + "Secondly, if his wife should conceive, the heavenly partner bestows upon the child a holy soul; for this covenant is called the covenant of the Holy One, be blessed. Hence, a man should be as zealous to enjoy this joy as to enjoy the joy of the Sabbath, at which time is consummated the union of the sages with their wives. Thus, “thou shalt know that thy tent is in peace,” for the Presence accompanies you and sojourns in your house, and for this reason “thou shalt visit thy habitation and not sin,” in gladly carrying out the religious duty to have conjugal intercourse before the Presence.", + "So it is that the students of Torah, away from their wives the six days of the week they engage in study, are in this period attached to a heavenly mate, so that they do not cease to be “male and female.” And with the incoming of the Sabbath, it behooves them to rejoice their wives, to the honor of the heavenly union, and in seeking to do the will of their Master, as has been stated.", + "In like wise, when a man’s wife is in her days of separation, in those days while he waits for her the man has with him the heavenly mate, so that he continues to be “male and female.” When the wife is purified, the man is in duty bound to rejoice her, in the joyful fulfillment of a religious obligation. The same reasons we have given apply also in this case. According to secret doctrine, the mystics are bound to give their whole mind and purpose to the one {the Shekhinah}.", + " It may be objected that in the light of the previous argument, a man is in a state of more honor on a journey than at home, by virtue of the heavenly mate who is then with him. This is not so. At home, the wife is the foundation of a man’s house, inasmuch as it is by virtue of her that the Presence does not leave the house. So the verse, “and Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent” {Gen. 24:67}, our masters have interpreted to mean that the Divine Presence came to Isaac’s house along with Rebecca. ", + "According to secret doctrine, the supernal Mother is together with the male only when the house is in readiness and at that time the male and female are conjoined. At such time blessings are showered forth by the supernal Mother upon them. Likewise, the lower Mother is found together with the male only when the house is in readiness, and the male goes in to the female and they conjoin together; then the blessings of the lower Mother are showered forth for them.", + "Therefore, two females, his Mother and his wife, are to compass a man about in his house, like the Male above. There is reference to this in the verse “Unto {ad} the desire of the everlasting hills” {Gen. 49:26}. This ad is the desired object of the “everlasting hills,” by which is meant the supreme female, who is to make ready for him, and make him blissful and bless him, and also the lower female, who is to be joined in union with him and take support from him.", + "Likewise below, the desire of the “everlasting hills” is for the man when he is married, and two females, one of the upper, one of the lower world, are to give him bliss—the upper one in showering upon him all blessings and the lower one in receiving support from him and being joined together with him. So it is with the man in his house.", + "But when he is on a journey, while the supernal Mother is still with him, the lower wife remains behind; and therefore on his returning, it behooves him to do that which will compass him about with two females, as we have explained..." + ], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "Rabbi Simeon said: In one place it is written, “For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire” {Deut. 4:24}, and elsewhere, “But ye that cleave unto the Lord your God are alive every one of you this day” {Deut. 4:4}. The Companions have already discussed the seeming inconsistency between these texts, but I offer yet another interpretation. It has been affirmed by the Companions that there exists a sort of fire which is stronger than other fire, and the one consumes and annihilates the other.", + "If we continue this thought, it can be said that he who cares to pierce into the mystery of the holy unity of God should consider the flame as it rises from a burning coal or candle.", + "In the flame itself may be seen two lights: the one white and glowing, the other black, or blue. Of the two, the white light is the higher and rises unwavering. Underneath it is the blue or black light upon which the other rests as on a support.", + "The two are conjoined, the white reposing upon the throne of the black. ", + "The blue or black base is, likewise, connected to something beneath it, which feeds it and makes it to cling to the white light above. ", + "At times this blue or black light turns red, but the light above remains constantly white. This lower light, at times black, at times blue, at times red, ", + "serves to link the white light above it with the material substance below to which it is bound and through which it keeps kindled.", + "This lower light is in its nature an instrument for destruction and death, devouring whatever comes near it.", + "But the white light above neither consumes nor demolishes, nor does it ever change. Therefore Moses said, “For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire” {Deut. 4:24}, consuming, actually, all that is beneath him; for this reason he said “thy God” and not “our God,” inasmuch as Moses stood in the supernal light which does not consume and does not demolish.", + "Remark further. It is Israel alone which impels the blue light to kindle and to link itself with the white light, Israel, who cleave to the blue light from below.", + "And though it be in the nature of the blue or black light to destroy whatever it touches beneath, yet Israel, cleaving to it from beneath, are not destroyed; so it is said, “But ye that cleave unto the Lord your God are alive every one of you this day.” Your God and not our God; that is to say, it is the blue or black flame, consuming and annihilating whatever cleaves to it from below, and still you cleave and are alive.", + "Only just perceptible above the white light and encompassing it, is yet another light, this one symbolizing the supreme essence. So does the aspiring flame symbolize the supernal mysteries of wisdom. Rabbi Phineas went to him and kissed him, and said, Blessed be God who guided me here. And they went out with Rabbi Phineas, accompanying him for three miles. ", + "When they had returned, Rabbi Simeon spoke: The description I have given may be taken as a symbol of the holy unity of God. In the holy name YHVH,1The four letters of the name of God represent four stages of ever increasing divine manifestation. the second letter hé is the blue or black light attached to the remaining letters yod, hé, vav, which constitute the luminous white light.", + " But there come times when this blue light is not hé but dalet, which is to say, poverty; this means, when Israel fail to cleave to it from beneath and it in turn fails therefore to burn and cleave to the white light, the blue light is dalet, but when Israel make it to cleave to the white light, then it is hé. ", + "If male and female are not together, than hé is erased and there remains only dalet {poverty}.", + "But when the chain is perfect, the hé cleaves to the white light, and Israel cleave to the hé and give substance for its light, and are yet not destroyed. In this we see the mystery of the sacrifice. The rising smoke kindles the blue light, which then joins itself to the ", + "white light, whereupon the entire candle is wholly kindled, alight with a single unified flame.", + " As it is the nature of the blue light to demolish whatever comes into touch with it from beneath, therefore if the sacrifice be acceptable and the candle wholly kindled, then, as with Elijah, “the fire of the Lord descends and consumes the burnt-offering” {I Kings 18:38}, and this reveals that the chain is perfected, for then the blue light cleaves to the white light above, while at the same time consuming the fat and flesh of the burnt-offering beneath, nor can it consume what is below, except it rise and join itself to the white light. At such time, peace reigns in all worlds, and all together form a unity.", + "The blue light having devoured every thing beneath, the priests, the Levites, and the laity gather at its base with singing and meditation and with prayer, while above them the lamp glows, the lights are merged into a unity, worlds are illumined, and above and below, all are blessed.", + "Therefore it is written, “ye, even while cleaving to the Lord your God, are alive every one of you this day.” The word atem {you} is here preceded by the letter vav {and}, which indicates that while the fat and flesh cleaving to the flame are devoured by it, you who cleave to it are yet alive." + ], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "... Male and female He created them”—From here [we learn that] any image/d’yoqna where male and female are not found is not a high image...", + "", + "", + "Come see: In any place where male and female are not found as one, The Holy One does not rest His dwelling/madureyh in that place. And blessings are not found except in a place where male and female are found, as it’s written: “He blessed them and called their name Adam in the day of their being created” [Gn 5:2]. It’s not written: “And He blessed him and called his name Adam”—for [a human being] is not even called Adam except [when] male and female are as one." + ] + ], + "Noach": [ + [ + "\"These are the generations of Noah...\" (Gen. 6:9). Rabbi Chiya opened the discussion with the verses: \"Your people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land forever; they shall be the branch of My planting, the work of My hands, that I may be glorified\" (Isaiah 60:21). Happy are Yisrael, who occupy themselves with the Torah and are familiar with its paths, through which they will merit the World to Come.\t", + "Come and behold! All Yisrael have a portion in the World to Come. Why is this so? Because they observe the covenant on which the world is established. This is as it is written in the verse: \"If My covenant be not day and night, it were as if I had not appointed the ordinance of heaven and earth\" (Jeremiah 33:25). Therefore, Yisrael, who has accepted the covenant (of Bris Milah and protecting the bris) and observe it, have a portion in the World to Come.\t", + "Not only this. As a result, they are called 'righteous.' We deduce from this that whoever observes the covenant upon which the world is established is called 'righteous.' How do we know this? We know this from Joseph, who observed the everlasting covenant (in the incident with Potiphar's wife), and was therefore called 'righteous.' And this is why it is written: \"Your people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land forever.\" (Rabbi Chiya thus explained the verse, \"Noah was a righteous man,\" as meaning that Noah observed the covenant).", + "Rabbi Elazar said that we have learned that whenever the term \"These (Heb. אֵלֶּה)\" appears, it always annuls something previously mentioned. Now, it is written in the portion of Beresheet, \"And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted\" (Gen. 2:10). This river (corresponding to Yesod) is drawn and comes out of Eden, (which is Chochmah), and enters the garden, (Malchut), to water it from the supernal waters and bring it pleasure, making it produce fruit and seed. This gives satisfaction to everyone. The garden is pleased which brings pleasure to the river. As it is written: \"Because in it He rested\" (Ibid. 3). And it is also written: \"And He rested on the seventh day\" (Ibid. 2) (He rested in the Garden that is Malchut). This is the secret of the matter, for it produces offspring, and no other Sefirah can produce any fruit.", + "Come and behold: so it was with Noah below. Noah was the sacred covenant below, as (Yesod) is above. And he is called \"Man of the earth\". So now we have learned a secret, that Noah needed the ark so he could unite with it and preserve the seed of the whole world. As it is written: \"to keep seed alive\" (Gen. 7:3).", + "What is the ark? It is the ark (Malchut) of the covenant. And Noah and the ark below were like (Yesod and Malchut) above. The covenant is mentioned in relation to Noah, as it is written: \"And I will establish My covenant with you\" (Gen. 6:18). As long as the covenant was not established in Noah, he did not enter the ark, as it is written: \"And I will establish my covenant with you; and you shall come into the ark.\" Only then does the ark become the ark of the covenant, meaning that after the ark received and accepted Noah the righteous, who is the covenant, it became the ark of the covenant.", + "So the ark and Noah are completely above. And because the covenant above brings forth offspring, so Noah begets generations. That is why \"These are the generations of Noah.\" This is to teach us that like the covenant above, (which is Yesod of Atzilut) Noah bore everlasting generations, because he merited the holy covenant, and Yesod of Atzilut, which is called the covenant, rests upon him.", + "\"Noah was a righteous man.\" This is assuredly so, for his righteousness corresponds to (Yesod) above. That is why it is written: \"the righteous are the foundation (Heb. יְסוֹד) of the world\" (Mishlei 10:25), and the earth is established upon him. He is the pillar that upholds the world. And what is (Yesod)? It is the Righteous. Thus, Noah is the righteous below, among the souls. And hence it is written: \"Noah was a righteous man\" to teach us that the world is maintained by him.", + "And the secret of all this is revealed in the words, \"And Noah walked with Elohim\" (Gen. 6:9), which means to teach us that he never separated himself from Him. And he merited being called a righteous man on earth, as did the supernal Yesod, the foundation of the world. He is the covenant of peace and the peace of the world. Thus, he is called \"man of the earth\". And that is why the verse is written: \"Noah found favor in the eyes of Hashem\" (Ibid. 8).", + "What is the meaning of \"his generations\" in the verse \"perfect in his generations?\" They are his descendants, who issued from him, all of whom he perfected and by whom he was also perfected. Perfect, that he was born circumcised. As it is written: \"Walk before Me and be perfect\" (Gen. 17:1). \"In his generations\" includes only Noah's descendants and not the generations in the world in general because they descended from him. (In other words, even though the verse means that he was perfect in all the generations of the world, it says \"his generations\" to indicate that all the generations of the world are his, as they all descend from him.)...", + "Come and behold: from the day the world was created, Noah was destined to be joined in union with and to enter the ark. And until they were joined as one, the world had not reached a fully stable condition. And as soon as this occurred, it is written: \"From these was the whole earth overspread\" (Gen. 9:19). What is meant by \"overspread\", נָפְצָה? These words are analogous to the verse: \"and from thence the river parted\" (Gen. 2:10) (meaning that spreading out is similar to the supernal ark, which is the secret of the Garden). For from that point in the text onward, we find the separation and diffusion of progeny into all quarters of the world. (After they were perfected in the ark, they were able to come forth and exist in the world of separation without being annihilated, as was the generation of the Great Flood). And all is one and one is like the other. Therefore \"These are the generations of Noah.\" \"These\" specifically. Only Yesod (the foundation) of the world", + "produced the fruit that still exists in the world. Rabbi Abba approached and kissed him (R' Elazar) saying, 'The lion in his might has pierced through the rock and broke it asunder,' (i.e. it was hard to understand this but now I am able to do so). All this is certainly true, Even the measurements of the ark correspond to their roots above.", + "Tosefta Why is \"Noah Noah\" (Gen. 6:9) written twice? Each and every righteous person in the world has two spirits. One stays in this world, while the other is in the World to Come. And so we find that the Holy One, blessed be He, named all the righteous twice: \"Moses, Moses\" (Ex. 3:4), \"Jacob, Jacob\" (Gen. 46:2), \"Abraham, Abraham\" (Gen. 22:11), \"Samuel, Samuel\" (I Shmuel 3:10) with the exception of Isaac. He is not named twice because when he approached the altar to be sacrificed, the soul that was within him in this world left him. And because it is said of Abraham, \"blessed are You who resurrect the dead\", so only the soul of the World to Come was returned to him. And that is why you shall find that the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, was not unified (on any righteous person in his lifetime). It was unified only on Isaac, because he was already considered as dead. He was like those who pass away from this world. The verse therefore states: \"Behold, He puts no trust in His holy ones\" (Iyov 15:15) because He does not unify His name on the righteous during their lifetimes.", + "A different explanation given is that because he was righteous, He praised him twice (Noah Noah) perfect in his generations,\" but if he had lived in any other generation, such as that of Abraham or Moses or King David, then he would not have been considered righteous at all. Still another explanation is that if this is what he was able to perform in a generation in which all were wicked, how much more he could have done in a generation in which all were righteous.(End of the Tosefta)..." + ], + [ + "Rabbi Elazar opened his discourse \"Come, behold the works of Hashem, who has made desolations in the earth\" (Tehilim 46:9). \"Come, behold (Heb. חֲזוּ)\": what is the meaning of \"behold?\" It is related to the verse, \"a grievous vision (Heb. חָזוּת) has been declared to me (Yeshayah 21:2). Because by His deeds, the Holy One, blessed be He, reveals his prophecy to man. And when a prophecy is revealed by preceding grievous deeds, it is called 'a grievous vision.' \"Who has made desolations (Heb. שַׁמּוֹת)\" assuredly alludes to names (Heb. שֵׁמוֹת), for a name is the cause of everything that happens.", + "The verse states: \"And he called his name Noah, saying: This...\" (Gen. 5:29). Why does the verse read, \"saying: This?\" The word \"saying\" refers to the Female Principle (Malchut) while \"This\" refers to the Righteous. It is written here and elsewhere, \"This one shall comfort us\" (Ibid.), \"This is Hashem; we have waited for Him\" (Yeshayah 25:9). Blessed are the righteous who are marked with the imprints of the ring of the King, for they are marked with His name. And He has put \"names on earth, so that everything can be called by its name correctly.", + "The verse states: \"And he called his name (Heb. אֶת) Noah,\" and it is also written: \"And he called his name Jacob\" (Gen. 25:26). Why does it not say אֶת (regarding Jacob)? Because each one refers to a different level. As it is written in the verse: \"I saw (אֶת) Hashem\" (Yeshayah 6:1). It does not say 'I saw Hashem,' but \"אֶת Hashem.\" (This indicates that the particle אֶת (the) has a specific meaning). Here too, it is written of Noah: \"And he called his אֶת name Noah.\" As for, \"And he called his name Jacob,\" in reality his level is that of the Holy One, blessed be He, and this is why the particle אֶת is not mentioned there. But with Noah, the particle אֶת is mentioned so as to connect him with the Shechinah." + ], + [ + "\"These are the generations of Noah\" (Gen. 6:9). Rabbi Yehuda began his discourse on the verse: \"A good man lends with a good grace; he conducts his affairs justly\" (Tehilim 112:5). He said that \"a good man\" refers to the Holy One, blessed be He, who is called 'good', as it is written: \"Hashem is good to all\" (Tehilim 145:9). And it is also stated that \"Hashem is a man of war\" (Shemot 15:3). He is gracious and lends to \"all\" (which is Yesod), to the place that has nothing of its own. That place is nourished by it (Yesod). The words, \"he conducts his affairs justly\" refer to the fact that it is nourished only according to justice, as it is written: \"Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne\" (Tehilim 89:15). S(o righteousness, which is the Female Principle, is nourished by justice.)", + "A different meaning is that \"a good man\" signifies the righteous. As it is written: \"Say to the righteous, that it shall be well with him (or: that he is good), for they shall eat the fruit of their doings\" (Yeshayah 3:10). Rabbi Yosi said that it alludes to Noah, as it is written: \"Noah was a righteous man.\" Rabbi Yitzchak said that \"a good man\" alludes to the glory of the Shabbat, because the text begins with the words: \"It is a good thing to give thanks to Hashem\" (Tehilim 92:2).", + "Rabbi Chiya said: It all amounts to the same thing, and they all said one thing, that (the righteous) produces offspring in the world. Who are the offspring of the world? They are the souls of the righteous, as they are the fruit of the handiwork of the Holy One, blessed be He.", + "Rabbi Shimon said: When the Holy One, blessed be He, puts on His diadems, He crowns himself from above and from below: above, by the region of absolute depth (corresponding to Abba and Imma) and below by the souls of the righteous. The result is that an increment of life from above and below embraces the place of sanctuary on all sides, causing the cistern to become full and the sea to be replenished, thereby providing life to all." + ], + [ + "It is written: \"Drink water out of your own cistern, and running water out of your own well\" (Mishlei 5:15). Why does it say \"your own cistern\" first and then \"your own well,\" since a cistern is an empty place without water, while a well is a fountain of running water? Both are the same. But when the poor are attached to that region is called 'a cistern', with nothing of its own except what is put inside it. This is the letter Dalet (or the Female Principle when she is not connected with Zeir Anpin).", + "And later she becomes a well filled from all sides. And what do these signify? It is the letter Hei, when she is being filled from above and flowing from below from the souls of the righteous.", + "A different explanation for the verse, \"Drink water out of your own cistern,\" is that it refers to King David, who wrote: \"O that one would give me drink of the water of the cistern of Bethlehem\" (II Shmuel 23:15). Here, the words, \"running water,\" refer to Abraham, and \"out of (lit. 'from the midst')\" refer to Jacob, who is in the center. \"Your own well\" signifies Isaac, who is called \"well of living water.\" Thus, in this verse, we find a reference to both the sacred Chariot of the Patriarchs, and of King David, who joined them.", + "The passion of the female toward the male is only aroused when he puts the spirit into her. And the flow of Mayin Nukvin (Female Waters) ascends to meet Mayin Duchrin (Male Waters) above. And the Congregation of Yisrael conceives a longing for the Holy One, blessed be He, only when the spirits of the righteous enter her. And then do waters flow from within her, toward the Male Waters. And so, all become one passion, one union, and one tie, and this appeases everyone. And it is then that the Holy One, blessed be He, walks among the righteous.", + "Come and behold: all the offspring (i.e. the souls) from the Garden of Eden do not issue from the Righteous until it enters the ark and becomes one with it. And all are hidden there after which they leave it. The same applies here. Noah the righteous man did not beget any offspring to populate the world until he entered the ark and all gathered and were concealed in it, after which they came out. They emerged from the ark to multiply in the world and to survive on earth. Had they not come from the ark, they would not have endured in the world.", + "All this was according to the divine pattern. For, just as they left the ark above, so they left the ark below. Only now was the world able to exist permanently but not before. That is why the words, \"And running waters out of your well\" are related to, \"And Noah begot three sons\" (Gen. 6:10)." + ], + [ + "\"And the earth was corrupt before Elohim\" (Gen. 6:11). Rabbi Yehuda asked: If it says \"And the earth was corrupt,\" why \"before Elohim\"? It is because they performed their sins openly, in front of everyone's eyes. And that is why the verse states, \"before Elohim.\"", + "Rabbi Yosi said: I believe the opposite. \"And the earth was corrupt before Elohim\" means that they did not sin openly. They sinned only before Elohim and not before man. But eventually, they also sinned openly. As it is written: \"And the earth was filled with violence\" (Ibid.), which indicates that there was not a place on earth that did not witness their sins. Therefore, the verse declares that they sinned in two ways, that is, in hiding and in the open.", + "\"These are the generations of Noah.\" Rabbi Abba said, From the day that Adam transgressed his Master's command, all succeeding generations were called \"sons of Adam.\" But it was not said to praise him, as much as to say, 'These are the sons of the man who transgressed his Master's command.'", + "But after Noah had appeared, all the descendants of mankind are named after him, \"the generations of Noah.\" And this describes Noah's descendants in an honorable sense, because he secured for us permanent existence in the world, in contrast with \"the generations of Adam,\" which describes us in a dishonorable sense, as he caused us to be driven out of this world by bringing death to all.", + "Rabbi Yosi said to him: If it is really so, we nevertheless see that in a later passage it is written: \"Hashem came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men had built\" (Gen. 11:5). The verse clearly states \"the children of Adam\" and not \"the children of Noah,\". Rabbi Abba replied that because Adam sinned before his Master (the verse uses his name). And it would have been better for him had he not been created than to be mentioned in the Torah in such a manner.", + "Rather, come and behold: it is written: \"A wise son makes a glad father\" (Mishlei 10:1). When a son is good, then all the people will mention his father's name with praise. But if a son is bad, they will mention his father with reproach. Now because Adam sinned and transgressed his Master's command, when (the builders of the Tower of Babel) came and rebelled against their Master, what was written about them? \"That the children of Adam had built\"! These are the children of Adam, the first man who had rebelled against his Master and transgressed His command.", + "That is why the verse states that \"These are the generations of Noah.\" These and not the former ones. Those who came out of the ark and emerged from it (are 'the generations'). They are not the generations of Adam, who came out of the Garden of Eden and did not beget there, and are therefore not destined to exist." + ], + [ + "Come and behold: if Adam had brought generations with him from the Garden of Eden, they would have lived for generations. And the light of the moon would have never been darkened. And all would have lived forever; and not even the angels above could have stood before them and borne their light, brilliance and wisdom. As it is written: \"In the image of Elohim He created him\" (Gen. 1:27). But because he was the cause of the sin, he had to leave the Garden of Eden and bear children outside. So his generations did not last (because they were unfit).", + "Rabbi Chizkiyah then asked: How could they have begotten offspring there (in Gan Eden)? Had the Evil Inclination not been drawn down on him and he sinned, he would have dwelled alone in the world and would have not begotten any offspring! The same applies to Yisrael; had they not sinned by the golden calf and drawn upon themselves the Evil Inclination they also would have never borne any offspring, and no new generations would have come into the world. The main point is that the power of mating derives mainly from the Evil Inclination. So without the Evil Inclination there can be no offspring.", + "He said to him: Had Adam not sinned, he would not have borne offspring from the side of the Evil Inclination, but he would have borne them from the side of the Holy Spirit. But because he produced offspring only from the side of the Evil Inclination, all the offspring of mankind are born from the side of the Evil Inclination. They have no permanent existence therefore, because the Other Side has been mixed with them....", + "But if Adam had not sinned and had not been driven out of the Garden of Eden, he would have begotten offspring from the side of the Spirit of the Holy of Holies. And they would have been as the supreme angels, and lived generations upon generations as angels do above. But because he sinned and begot children outside the Garden of Eden and he did not merit to beget them in the Garden of Eden, therefore they did not survive even only to take root in this world until Noah came and went into the ark. And from the ark all descending generations of mankind emerged and spread to all four corners of the earth." + ], + [ + "\"And Elohim looked on the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt\" (Gen. 6:12). Why was the earth corrupt? Yes, \"because all flesh had corrupted its way\" (Ibid.), as has already been explained. Rabbi Chiya opened the discussion, saying, \"And Elohim saw from their deeds that they had repented from their evil way\" (Yonah 3:10). Come and behold: when the people are righteous and observe the commandments of the Torah, the earth is invigorated and full of joy. And why is that? Because the Shechinah dwells upon the earth and everyone both above and below is joyous. But when people corrupt their ways, do not observe the commandments of the Torah, and sin before its Master, then it is as if they drive the Shechinah out of the world. Then the earth is left corrupt, for the Shechinah is repelled by it and does not dwell on it. Then, the earth is corrupt. And why should the earth be corrupt? Because a different spirit rests upon it, causing the corruption.", + "(The rest of this paragraph is a latter addition.)", + "Can the same be applied to the land of Yisrael as well? But we have learned that no other spirit rests upon the Land of Yisrael, and there is no other appointed angel beside the Holy One, blessed be He Himself. If so, then why was the Land of Yisrael corrupted? Come and behold: it is true that no other appointee or messenger dwells in the land of Yisrael, beside the Holy One, blessed be He, Himself, but there is one time that the evil spirit may govern the land in order to destroy people. How do we know about that? From David, as it is written: \"And he saw the angel of Hashem standing between the earth and the heavens, with a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem\" (I Divrei Hayamim 21:16) and then the land was destroyed.", + "Rabbi Elazar said: Even in that time it was the Holy One, blessed be He. Because what is written here, \"the angel of Hashem,\" is analogous to \"The angel who redeemed me\" (Gen. 48:16) and also to \"the angel of Elohim\" (Shemot 14:19). For better or for worst, the Holy One, blessed be He, shall always govern this land. For the best - because the land of Yisrael was never passed on to any other supernal governor. And all the other inhabitants of the world should be ashamed of their deeds. For the worst - (Hashem rules in order) to prevent the other ministers from delighting in ruling over it.", + "And if you will ask is it not written: \"For she has seen that the heathen nations invaded her sanctuary\" (Eichah 1:10) and destroyed the Temple, if really no other ministers ruled, then the Temple would not have been destroyed! Come and behold: it is stated, \"For you have done\" (Ibid. 21) and \"Hashem has done that which he devised\" (Eichah 2:17).", + "So you can see that it was done by the Holy One, Himself, blessed be He, and not by ministers. And furthermore, it is also stated: \"And Elohim saw their deeds, in that they turned from their evil way\" (Yonah 3:10). Because then the earth calls out to the higher (Zeir Anpin) and rises to an upper grade; it beautified its face, as though it were a woman beautifying herself for a man. In the same manner, the earth pleased the \"King,\" (i.e. Zeir Anpin), for it raised righteous children for Him.", + "While here, what is written about the generation of the Flood that did not repent? \"And Elohim looked on the earth, and, behold it was corrupt,\" like a wife who committed adultery and hides her face from her husband. When the sins of people multiply and they sin openly, the earth becomes brazen like a woman who has no shame. As it is written: \"And the earth was defiled under its inhabitants\" (Yeshayah 24:5). And so it is said, that He \"looked\" it was corrupt\" assuredly. You may ask, why? Because \"all flesh had corrupted its way upon the earth.\"..." + ], + [ + "Rabbi Elazar went over to Rabbi Yosi, the son of Rabbi Shimon ben Lakunya, his father-in-law. As soon as he saw him, he spread carpets over planks of wood and prepared a canopy under which they both sat. His father-in-law asked him if, by any chance, he had learned from his father the meaning of the verse: \"Hashem has done that which He devised; He has performed His word that He commanded in the days of old\" (Eichah 2:17).", + "He answered: Our friends have already explained it. \"He has performed His word (also: 'He tore His hem')\" means that He ripped His precious cloak; \"that He commanded in the days of old\" means that this cloak He commanded from the supernal days of old. On the day the Temple was destroyed, He ripped His cloak, for it is His glory and perfection. And He ripped it, means that the first nine Sefirot left her and only the tenth remained.", + "He asks, \"Hashem has done that which He devised:\" Is this the way of a king to devise evil against his children even before they have sinned? And he answers him: It is like a king who had a precious vessel and was constantly afraid that it might one day break. So he used to watch it by keeping it under his eye. One day his son came along and made the king angry. So the king took his precious vessel and smashed it. That is why it says \"that which He devised.\"", + "Come and behold: from the day the Temple was built, the Holy One, blessed be He, used to watch it, because it was very precious to Him. And He used to worry that Yisrael might sin and cause the Temple to be destroyed. So every time He came to the Temple, He wore a precious mantle. But when Yisrael sinned and made the King furious, the Temple was destroyed and He tore His cloak apart. That is the meaning of \"Hashem has done that which He has devised...\"", + "\"His hem (Heb. אִמְרָתוֹ)\" as mentioned here, (corresponds to Malchut) which was sitting before on the top of the tree (Heb. אמיר). And the King crowned Himself with it and had before Him a beautiful tree; (the tree of the souls before they came into this world). But now, after the destruction of the Temple, He tore her (meaning that the upper nine Sefirot left Malchut and only the light of Nefesh remained there). So now there is sadness before Him all over in the external houses. As the verse reads: \"Behold, the valiant ones shall cry without\" (Yeshayah 33:7), that is, only external ones.", + "\"And on that day Hashem Tzva'ot called to weeping, to mourning, to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth\" (Yeshayah 22:12). This means that only on that day, when the Temple was destroyed (did He call). But aside from that day, there is no greater joy for the Holy One blessed be He, than when the wicked of the world, who provoke Him, are removed from this world. As it is written: \"And when the wicked perish there is joy\" (Mishlei 11:10). So in each generation, when judgment is executed on wicked people, there is joy and songs before the Holy one, blessed be He.", + "And if you claim that we learned that there is no joy before the Holy One, blessed be He, when He passes His judgment on the sinners, come and behold: when judgment is delivered on the wicked, there is joy and exultation before Him, because they are removed from this world. But, when is there joy? When the time that He has waited for them (to repent) is over, and they have not returned to Him from sinning. But if judgment is delivered on them before their time has come, and the measure of their sins has not yet been completed, it is, as it is written: \"the iniquity of the Emorite is not yet full\" (Gen. 15:16) (i.e. they can still repent); thus, there is no joy. And there is grief before Him because of their destruction.", + "But, you might ask: If their time has not come yet, then why should judgment be delivered on them? Because it is they who inflict the punishment on themselves, as the Holy One, blessed be He, would never punish them before their time has come. Because they associate with Yisrael in an effort to harm them, He passes His Judgment on them and entirely removes them from the world before their time is up. And now there is grief before Him (because He destroyed them before their time). This is also the reason why He drowned the Egyptians in the sea and destroyed the enemies of Yisrael in the days of Yehoshafat. They were all destroyed before their time because they harmed Yisrael.", + "So only when the time that He waits for them is completed, and they do not mend their ways, is their destruction a cause for joy and exaltation before Him. The only exception was the time when the Temple was destroyed, because even though their time for angering Him had expired, there was no joy before Him. From that time onward, there has been happiness neither above nor below." + ], + [ + "\"For in another seven days, I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights\" (Gen. 7:4). Rabbi Yehuda said: What is the meaning of these forty days and forty nights? These forty days are to strike the wicked of the world, as is written: \"forty strikes he may give him, and not exceed\" (Devarim 25:3), corresponding to the four winds of the world. As each one has ten (there are thus 40). For man was created from the four winds of the world. So, the verse continues: \"And every living substance that I have made will I destroy from the face of the earth.\" Forty strikes are needed to destroy the world.", + "Rabbi Yitzchak was visiting Rabbi Shimon, and he asked him about the verse that states: \"And the earth was corrupt before the Elohim\" (Gen. 6:11). Now, if it was man who sinned and was corrupt, what was the earth's sin? Rabbi Shimon answered, as it is written: \"for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth\" (Ibid.) and, also, \"And the land was defiled, therefore I do punish its iniquity upon it\" (Vayikra 18:25). So it is mankind that sins. But if you ask what is the sin of the earth, you should know that mankind constitutes the essence of the earth. If mankind corrupts it, it becomes corrupted. This is proven by the verse: \"And Elohim looked on the earth, and, beheld it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted its way upon the earth.\"", + "Come and behold: all of man's sins and corruption can be atoned for by repentance. But by the sin of spilling his seed on the earth, man corrupts himself and the earth as well. And of such a person, it is written: \"The stain of your iniquity is before Me,\" (Yirmeyah 2:22) and \"For You are not an El that has pleasure in wickedness, nor shall evil sojourn with You\" (Tehilim 5:5). (For the sin of spilling seed, He does not accept his repentance) except after great penitence. It is also written that \"Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of Hashem; and Hashem slew him\" (Gen. 38:7), as was already explained elsewhere.", + "He asked him: Why did the Holy One, blessed be He, bring His Judgment on the world, punishing them with water and not with fire or something else? Rabbi Shimon replied that there is a secret behind this. As they corrupted their ways, the upper waters and the lower waters were unable to join as the male and the female ought. Anyone who corrupts his ways also corrupts the male and female waters. So, they were punished by water, just as they had sinned.", + "These waters were boiling and they skinned them alive, just like they corrupted their ways in boiling water, one Judgment for another. \"All the fountains of the great deep broke open\" (Gen. 7:11), refers to the lower waters, while \"and the windows of heaven were opened\" refers to the upper waters. (They were punished by) both upper and lower waters.", + "Rabbi Chiya and Rabbi Yehuda were walking on their way. Reaching some great mountains, they found human bones that belonged to the generation of the Flood. They walked alongside one of these bones, which measured three hundred steps. Astonished, they said to each other: This clarifies what our friends have said, that they did not fear the Judgment of the Holy One, blessed be He, as is written: \"They said to El, depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of Your ways\" (Iyov 21:14). So what did they do? They clogged the fountains of the deep with their feet. But the waters were too hot, and when they could no longer bear it, they slipped, fell on the ground, and eventually died." + ], + [ + "\"And Noah begot three sons\" (Gen. 6:10): Rabbi Chiya said to Rabbi Yehuda: Come and let me tell you what I have heard about this. It resembles a situation in which a man mates with his wife once, and then two or three children are born. Each one is different from the other in his ways and character: one is virtuous, one is wicked, and one is average. So there are three strands of the spirit that stretch out, fly, and are included within three worlds (Briyah, Yetzirah and Asiyah).", + "Come and behold: the Neshamah emerges (from male and female of Atzilut), and it passes through mountains of separation (into Briyah, Yetzirah and Asiyah). There, the Ruach connects to the Neshamah. The Neshamah descends further down toward and the Nefesh, joins the Ruach, and they all connect with each other. Rabbi Yehuda said: The Nefesh and the Ruach are included one with the other (when someone is born). The Neshamah resides in a man's ways. The Neshamah resides in a secret compartment, whose location is unknown.", + "A person who comes to purify himself is aided with a holy Neshamah. He is then purified, sanctified, and called holy. But if he does not merit and does not come to purify himself, then only two grades - Nefesh and Ruach - are open to him; for him, there is no holy Neshamah. Not only that, but if a person comes to defile himself, then he is defiled and loses heavenly support. Therefore, each person is judged according to his ways. That is why if a person repents and comes to purify himself, he will get the support again.", + "Tosefta: We are the high ties of the greatest of fortresses. (Ties corresponds to Nefesh, Ruach and Neshamah). Therefore, the eyes and the ears are open (Chochmah and Binah). A voice from the voices descends from above and smashes mountains and rocks. Those who see, yet do not see, and who have become hard of hearing and have difficulty seeing; who do not see, do not hear, and do not know how to understand the one located and included between the two, they are pushed out.", + "They cling to these two (Chochman and Binah). While the one, the best of craftsmen, (on who all Mochin depend) does not reside among them, they do not enter among the holy books. Because all those who do not have residing among them are not written in the 'Books of Memories.' Therefore, they are erased from the 'Book of Life' and have no share in it. As it is written: \"Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous\" (Tehilim 69:28).", + "Woe to those when they leave this world. Who shall ask about them and plead for them when they are turned over to hands of (the Angel) Dumah, and are in the burning fire, which they can leave only on the first day of the month and on the days of Shabbat? As it is written: \"And it shall come to pass, that every new moon and every Shabbat, shall all flesh come to bow down to the ground before Me, says Hashem\" (Yeshayah 66:23). When (they) are over, an announcer from the north says, \"The wicked shall be turned back to Sheol\" (Tehilim 9:18), many angels of destruction then gather and attack them. From four sides, fire is burning in the valley of Ben Hinnom. (They do so to punish the wicked who spoiled the four aspects of Chochmah, Binah, Tiferet and Malchut).", + "They are visited three times a day. Not only that, but when Yisrael say aloud, 'Amen, may the great name of Hashem be praised,' during the Kadish, the Holy One, blessed be He, is filled with compassion and mercy and forgives all. Then He signals to the angel appointed over the gates of Gehenom, whose name is Samariel סמריאל and who has three keys with which he opens the three gates to the side of the desert. And then they see the light of this world, and a fiery smoke comes and conceals the ways (of light).", + "Then the three in charge, who have trowels in their hands, use them to fan the smoke and blow it back to its place. Then, they are at ease for an hour and a half, after which they return to the fire. They are also at ease three times a day, as well as each and every time Yisrael answer 'Amen, may the great name of Hashem be praised.' Happy are the righteous whose paths and ways illuminate and shine to all directions in the World to Come. As it is written: \"But the path of just men is like the gleam of sunlight that shines ever more brightly until the height of noonday\" (Mishlei 4:18). End of Tosefta" + ], + [ + "Rabbi Abba said that in Gehenom, there are compartments upon compartments, seconds, thirds, and so on until seven; the friends have already explained this issue. Blessed are the righteous who guard themselves from the sins of the wicked and do not follow in their paths nor defile themselves. For when a person who has become impure dies and passes onto the World of Truth, he goes down into Gehenom. There he descends, until he reaches the lowest compartment.", + "And there are two compartments close to each other that are called Sheol and Avadon. Whoever reaches Sheol is judged and punished there and is then raised to a different, but higher, compartment. This continues until he is released from there. But those who go down and reach Avadon are never raised from there again. That is why it is called Avadon (Eng. 'perdition'), because they are lost there forever.", + "Come and behold: Noah the righteous warned the people of his generation, but they did not heed him until the Holy One, blessed be He, brought the punishment of Gehenom upon them. What is the punishment Gehenom? It is fire and snow, water and fire; the first is cold, the other boiling. And all of that generation were sentenced to punishment in Gehenom and lost from the world.", + "After that punishment, the world was able to exist and function correctly. Noah entered the ark and brought into it all the species of creatures. So, of course, Noah was a fruit tree yielding fruit. And then all the species of the world emerged from the ark just as it happened above (meaning just as in Yesod and Malchut above).", + "Come and behold: when the fruit tree yielding fruit is joined with the fruit tree (Malchut) then all the species of above, great and small living creatures and all their varieties come forward, each with other members of its species. As it is written: \"both small and great beasts\" (Tehilim 104:25). So was the case with Noah and the ark. They all emerged from the ark (they were all corrected while in the ark). And the world existed just as above. And this is why Noah is called a husbandman, that is the husband of the earth, and \"a righteous man\", as has been previously explained.", + "Rabbi Chiya said: For 300 years before the Great Flood, Noah warned them to change their ways but they did not listen to him until the time when the Holy One, blessed be He, had finished waiting for them to repent. Then they were lost from the world. Come and behold, it is written: \"And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them\" (Ibid. 1), who they went naked in front of everyone. And then, what is written? \"And the sons of Elohim saw the daughters of men (Ibid. 2). This was the main cause to continue sinning until it finally caused them to be destroyed. And because of that they followed the Evil Inclination, held fast to its trunk and roots, rejected the holy faith from among themselves, and became defiled. So it is written: \"The End of all Flesh is come before Me\" (Ibid. 13), to teach that they were guilty." + ], + [ + "\"And Elohim said to Noah, 'The End of All Flesh is come before Me'\" (Gen. 6:13)... 1.'The end of the right' is, as we have previously said, \"at the end of the right.\"", + "As the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Daniel: \"But go your way till the end be; for you shall rest\" (Daniel 12:13). Daniel asked Him: \"in this world or in the World of Truth?\" He answered him, In the World of Truth! As it is written: \"Peace to them that rest in their graves\" (Yeshayah 57:2). He asked Him, At the time when they shall rise from the earth - MEANING AT THE TIME OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD - \"shall I rise and be among them or not?\" He answered him: \"And stand.\" Daniel continued, \"I know that at the time of the resurrection they shall rise in groups. Some of them shall be the righteous, while the others shall be the wicked of the world. But I do not know with whom shall I rise!\" He answered him, \"for your allotted portion,\" (meaning, from the righteous). He continued, But You said \"go your way till the end be.\" But there is the 'end of the right' and the 'end of the left,' and I do not know to which one I will go. He answered him, \"at the end of the right\" (Daniel 12:13).", + "Similarly, David said to the Holy One, blessed be He: (Psalms 39:5) \"Hashem, make me know my end,\" what is the portion of my lot? And he had no rest until he was told, \"Sit you at My right hand\" (Psalms 110:1). Come and behold: the Holy One, blessed be He, told Noah as well: \"The End of all Flesh is come before Me.\" Noah asked, \"which end\"? (Hashem answers:) It is the end that brought darkness upon the faces of the creatures, being the End of all Flesh.", + "From the words \"is come before Me\" we learn that wicked people hasten to attract the Angel of Death upon themselves in order to bring darkness upon themselves. Therefore, because they give him permission, he grabs the soul. But he never takes the soul without permission. That is why (the Pasuk says), \"Is come before Me.\" i.e. to get permission to bring darkness upon the faces of people of the world. And that is why it is written: \"I will destroy them with the earth\" (Gen. 6:13). Because (Hashem gave permission): \"make an ark of Gopher wood\" (Ibid. 14), on which to save yourself so that he should have no power over you.", + "Come and behold: We have learned that when there is a plague in a city or in the world, a person should not show himself in the marketplace, because the Angel of Destruction has received permission to destroy everything. This is why the Holy One, blessed be He, told Noah, 'It behooves you to take heed and not show yourself before the Angel of Destruction, so that he may not have power to rule over you.'", + "But, you might say, who mentioned an Angel of Destruction here? It was only the onrush of the waters (that became a flood). Now come and behold: Whether the world is stricken, or even when the world is only given over for judgment, the Angel of Destruction is in the middle of all punishment done in the world. Now, here as well, there was the Flood. The Angel of Destruction walked within the Flood, and, as a result, he was called 'The Flood.' Thus, he was included within it. So the Holy One, blessed be He, told Noah to hide himself (in the ark) and not to show himself to the world.", + "And you may wonder how the ark survived, even though it was seen in the world through which the Angel of Destruction walked? But, as long as the face of the person is not seen by the Angel of Destruction, he cannot rule over him. And how do we know this? From Egypt. Because the verse reads: \"As none of you shall go out of the door of his house until the morning\" (Shemot 12: 22). The reason is that the Angel of Destruction was present (outside) and could destroy anyone, and none should be seen before him. This is why Noah and all those who joined him hid within the ark. There, the Angel of Destruction had no power over them.", + "Rabbi Chiya and Rabbi Yosi were on their way, when they came upon the mountains of Ararat, where they observed some deep ravines which had been left from the days of the Great Flood. Rabbi Chiya told Rabbi Yosi: These ravines are from the days of the Great Flood, and the Holy One, blessed be He, has left them to stay on throughout all the generations to come, so that the sins of the wicked would not be erased before Him.", + "Because it is the way of the Holy One blessed be He. He desires that the righteous who fulfill His will be remembered above as well as below. He desires that their memories not be forgotten through the generations. Likewise, He also desires that the wicked who do not fulfill His will (be remembered), that their sins never be forgotten and their punishments and their wicked ways always remembered, as it is written: \"The stain of your iniquity is before Me\" (Jer. 2:22)." + ], + [ + "Rabbi Yosi quoted: \"Lift up your voice, oh daughter of Gallim! hearken Laishah! O, poor Anatot!\" (Isaiah 10:30). The friends have already explained this verse, which refers to the Congregation of Yisrael, (i.e. Malchut). So \"Lift up your voice, O daughter of Gallim\" refers to the daughter of Abraham the Patriarch, as it is written: \"A spring (Heb. gal), shut up\" (Shir Hashirim 4:12), 'springs' refer to the (upper) lights that gather, enter Malchut, and fill her. As has already been quoted: \"Your shoots are a garden of pomegranates\" (Ibid. 13).", + "\"Hearken Laishah:\" The word 'Laishah' also appears in the verse, \"The lion (Heb. laish) perishes for lack of prey\" (Job 4:11). 'Laish' is the masculine term; 'Laishah' is the feminine. \"Why is she called 'laish'? Is it because it is written: 'a lion which is strongest among beasts?\" (Proverbs 30:30). Or is it written to remind us that \"the lion perishes for lack of prey\"? All that is said refers to 'laish.' (Here, Malchut is called) the lower Gevurah, as she is drawn down from the upper Gevurah. But she is also \"the lion [who] perishes for lack of prey.\" When these streams depart and do not enter her, then she is called the 'laishah' (lioness), which perishes for lack of prey. As is written: \"The lion perishes for lack of prey, and the lion's whelps are scattered abroad\" (Job 4:11).", + "And when the verse mentions \"Laishah\" or \"poor Anatot\" (the poorest of the poor), the meaning is the same as in, \"of the priests that were in Anatot\" (Jer. 1:1), and \"Anatot, to your own fields\" (I Kings 2:26). (These indicate poverty) What does (King Solomon) want to teach us? As long as King David was alive, Evyatar became wealthy and prosperous. But after that, (when King David died, he became poor). Solomon told him, \"Anatot, to your own fields.\"", + "What is the true reason that Solomon called him (Anatot)? He wanted to tell him, during your days, my father lived in poverty, but now \" go to your own fields.\" We should now explain why Evyatar was called Anatot. Should one assume that it was because he was from Anatot? We have already learned from the verse: \"And one of the sons of Achimelech, the son of Achituv, named Evyatar, escaped\" (I Sam. 22:20). And he came from Nov, the city of the priests. We have learned that Nov is also called Anatot and why is it called Anatot - because of the poverty and destitution to which it had been reduced by King Saul through the slaughter of all its priestly inhabitants. Nevertheless, Anatot was the name of a village and is not Nov. Rather, King Solomon called Evyatar Anatot, \"because you were afflicted (Heb. hit'anita) in all that my father was afflicted\" (I Kings 2:26) - and because he also came from the city of Nov. So the true reason is that, because King David lived in poverty in his days, he called him thus.", + "Rabbi Chiya said that the world was in a state of poverty from the time that Adam transgressed the command of the Holy One, blessed be He, until the time when Noah came forward and offered his sacrifice, thereby settling the world. Rabbi Yosi said that the world was not settled and the land was not pure from the pollution of the serpent until Yisrael stood at Mount Sinai and held onto the Tree of Life. Only then did the world settle properly.", + "And had Yisrael not sinned before the Holy One, blessed be He, they would have never died, for the pollution of the serpent had been purged from them. But because of their sin, the first tablets, which brought freedom from all sins, freedom from the serpent - who is \"the End of all Flesh\" - were broken.", + "And when the Levites rose up to slay the guilty, (see Exodus 32:27), then the evil serpent walked in front of them. Nevertheless, he could not dominate them because all Yisrael were girt with a special armor that protected them against his attacks. Thus, the serpent could not have prevailed against them. However, when He said to Moses, \"Therefore now put off your ornaments from yourself\" (Exodus 33:5), permission to rule over Yisrael was given to the serpent.", + "Come and behold: it is written, \"And the children of Yisrael were stripped of their ornaments by the mount Horeb\" (Ibid. 6). \"Were stripped?\" It should have been written 'stripped themselves!' The words \"were stripped\" (show us) that they were actually stripped by another (power), as permission was given to the serpent to rule over them. \"Their ornaments by the mount Horeb,\" - the ornament they received from mount Horeb when the Torah was given to Yisrael.", + "Rabbi Chiya asks: Why, if Noah was a righteous man, did he not cancel death over the world? Because the pollution of the serpent had not yet been removed from the world and because the people of the world had no faith in the Holy One, blessed be He. As a result, they clung to the 'leaves of the lower Tree,' and covered themselves with the spirit of defilement.", + "Not only that, but (when they left the ark) they continued to sin and follow the Evil Inclination, as they had before. Also the holy Torah, which is the Tree of Life, had not yet been brought down to earth by the Holy One, blessed be He. In addition to all this, Noah himself brought death again upon the world. As it is written: \"And he drank of the wine and was drunk, and was uncovered within his tent\" (Gen. 9:21). This has already been explained." + ], + [ + "As they were walking along, they saw a Israelite coming toward them. Rabbi Yosi said that this person is an Israelite, because he looks like an Israelite. When he reached them, they asked him (who he was). He told them that he was on a religious errand, as he lived in the village of Dramin and the time of Sukkot having arrived, they needed a Lulav and the other three kinds. He was on his way to cut them down for the purpose of the commandment. They walked together.", + "The Israelite spoke to them and asked: Have you heard why we need the four kinds of the Lulav to appease the world during this holiday, (but not at any other time)? They told him: The friends have already explained this subject, but if you have a new explanation, then say it.", + "He said to them: The place where we live is indeed a small one, but all indulge in the study of the Torah. We have a rabbi, who is well known among the Rabbis, whose name is Rabbi Yitzchak and who is the son of Rabbi Yosi from Mechoza'a. He teaches us new explanations of the Torah each and every day. And he said that during this holiday, it is the time for domination, as it is written: \"Then the proud waters have gone over our soul. Blessed be Hashem, who has not given us as a prey to their teeth\" (Ps. 124:5-6). \"Does water have teeth?\" They (the proud waters) refer to the other nations, (and teeth to) the supernal ministers of these nations, who are worshippers of the planets and constellations. They are blessed through Yisrael, and they are called proud waters, as it says \"the malicious waters.\" (Psalms 124)", + "To dominate (the ministers of the nations), we come with the Holy Name that is represented by those four kinds with the Lulav: Together they appease the Holy One, blessed be He, and rule over the proud waters by means of the Holy Name. They bring and arouse upon us the holy waters, for the water libation ceremony at the altar.", + "And he went on to say that on Rosh Hashanah, the first awakening recurs and appears in the world. What is this first awakening? It is the lower courthouse that is aroused in order to judge the world. It is when the Holy One, blessed be He, sits on the throne of Judgment and judges the world.", + "This courthouse rules and judges the world until Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement), when her face, of the Female Principle, lights up. At this time, the slanderous serpent leaves the world alone, because he is busy with the scapegoat which has been offered to him. This offering is from the side of the spirit of defilement, which is appropriate. So while he is occupied with his scapegoat, he does not approach the Temple.", + "This scapegoat is like the sin offering of the he-goat on the first day of the month. Because he is occupied with it, the face of the Temple lights up. And this is how all Yisrael find mercy in the eyes of the Holy One, blessed be He, and He removes their sins. But there is one secret, he told them, that may not be revealed, except to exceedingly wise, saintly, and pious men. Rabbi Yosi asked him: And what is that secret? So he answered: I have not yet evaluated you.", + "They proceeded on their way, and after a while he said: When the moon approaches the sun, then the Holy One, blessed be He, stirs up the northern side and He grasps her lovingly and draws her toward Himself. And then the southern side is aroused from the other side. And eventually the moon rises and joins the east. Thus, She draws sustenance from both sides, and receives the blessing in silence. And now the moon is blessed and filled, as a woman approaches her husband.", + "Just as there is a secret pertaining to the shape of the parts of the body of man and its composition, so too there is a secret pertaining to the shape of the parts of the body of the Female Principle and its composition. And the only difference between them is their color: (Green for then male and red for the female). And as there is that above which joins her and rises to receive her with love, so below, beneath the moon, lies the secret of another, lower man.", + "Above, the left arm holds and rises lovingly toward her. Similarly below the serpent, which is the left arm of the spirit of defilement, is He who rides upon (the serpent). By this he approaches the moon, and draws her toward him from between those that are clinging - and thus, she is defiled.", + "Then, Yisrael below offers the scapegoat (on Rosh Chodesh). The serpent is drawn to it. Then the moon is purified. She then climbs up and clings above in order to be blessed. While before, when she was below she was dark, now her face lights up.", + "The same is true of Yom Kippur, another day on which the evil serpent is kept busy with the scapegoat, the moon is separated from it and may busy herself in protecting Yisrael as a mother protects her children. Then the Holy One, blessed be He, blesses Yisrael from above and forgives them for their sins.", + "Later, when Yisrael reach the holiday of (Sukkot), the Right (column) of above is aroused (See Song of Songs 2:6). This allows the moon to attach herself to him and then her face is fittingly illuminated. Then she shares her blessings with all the ministers below (of the seventy nations). By keeping them occupied with their blessings, they are distracted from approaching and sucking from Yisrael's portion.", + "The same applies below (in this world). When all the other nations are blessed, they all become occupied with their portion and do not meddle with Yisrael or covet their portion. Yisrael draw blessings down to all the supernal ministers (of the seventy nations), so they will be occupied with their portion and not meddle with Yisrael.", + "When the moon is full of blessings from above as she aught, Yisrael come and draw sustenance from her for themselves alone. That is why it is written: \"On the eighth day you shall have a solemn assembly (Heb. Atzeret)\" (Num. 29:35). What is this assembly? It indicates the assembling of the blessings from above, from which only Yisrael may draw sustenance. And that is why it is written: \"There shall be a solemn assembly for you,\", to 'you' and not to the other nations; to you and not to the other supernal ministers.", + "This is the reason why (Yisrael) appeases (Hashem) with water libations (on the Altar). This gives the supernal ministers (of the nations) part of the blessings, so that they are occupied with it and do not meddle with the joy of Yisrael when they come to draw the blessings from above. And of this day, it is written: \"My beloved is mine and I am his\" (Shir Hashirim 2:16), that there is no stranger interfering with us.", + "This day is like the day on which a king invites a close friend to a special feast, prepared on a special day, so that his friend will know his deep love. The king thinks to himself: Now I wish to feast and be merry with my beloved alone, but I fear that during my feast all the other ministers will come and join us at our table to be together and take part in the festive meal that I have prepared for my beloved and myself. So what does the king do? He first regales his governors and ministers with dishes of vegetables and beef. Only after they are satisfied can he sit in peace with his friend and enjoy the supernal banquet with the world's finest delicacies spread before them. And while alone with the king, his friend puts before him all his petitions and requests, which the king grants. So just as the king enjoys the company of his beloved alone, with no stranger disturbing them, the Holy One, blessed be He, enjoys Yisrael. Hence it is written: \"On the eighth day you shall have a solemn assembly.\"", + "Rabbi Yosi and Rabbi Chiya said: The Holy One, blessed be He, established the right way for us; happy are those who delve into the Torah. They approached him and kissed him. Rabbi Yosi applied to him the verse: \"And all your children shall be taught of Hashem, and great shall be the peace of your children\" (Isaiah 54:13). When they reached a field, they all sat down. That man asked what changed when the verse says, \"And Hashem rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah\" (Gen. 19:24), (i.e. why was the term Elohim not used)? And what changed during the Great Flood, when the term 'Elohim' is used, while the term Hashem (is not used at all)?", + "We have learned that everywhere the term \"and Hashem\" is mentioned, (it indicates) Him and His courthouse. But when the term Elohim is mentioned alone, this indicates only the courthouse. In the case of Sodom, Judgment was passed not to destroy the world, and thus, (Zeir Anpin) was involved in carrying out Judgment. But in the case of the Great Flood, the whole world and all of its inhabitants were destroyed.", + "And although you may say that Noah and all who were with him (were saved and not destroyed, it is only because they) were hidden from sight and unseen (by the Angel of Destruction). Thus, everything that existed in the world was destroyed. That is why the term \"And Hashem,\" indicates that He does not destroy all that is revealed to the eye. However, the term Elohim indicates that all should be carefully concealed, because He destroys everything. That is why the term Elohim alone.", + "And this is the secret of the verse, \"Hashem sat at the Flood\" (Ps. 29:10). What is \"sat?\" If it had not been written in the scriptures, we could not have said it, (because sat infers) that He sat alone, by Himself and was distinct from the Judgment; here it is written: \"Hashem sat,\" while in another place it is written: \"He shall sit alone\".", + "Now because Noah was out of sight after the sentence was passed, the world was destroyed, and His temper was quiet. It is written: \"And Elohim remembered Noah\" (Gen. 8:1). For when He was destroying the world, Noah was not remembered, because he was out of sight.", + "I have learned a secret that the Holy One, blessed be He, is revealed and concealed. He is revealed when presiding over the lower courthouse, and He is concealed when He is (at) the place from where come out all the blessings. This is why all the affairs of man that are hidden from sight are blessed from above, while all those exposed to view are under the influence of the court of justice, because this is the place that is revealed, The one who is called the 'Evil Eye' rules over it. Thus, all is according to the supernal secrets of above.", + "Rabbi Yosi wept and said: Happy is the generation who has Rabbi Shimon among it. His merit has brought us to these mountains, so that we could hear such supreme matters. He continued: This man has come for the purpose of revealing these matters to us. The Holy One, blessed be He, sent him to us. And when they came to Rabbi Shimon and repeated (everything they heard), he said: Definitely, all that he said is true." + ], + [ + "Un jour, rabbi Eléazar qui était assis devant rabbi Siméon, son père, lui demanda: \"La fin de toute chair\" [c'est-à-dire l'Ange de la mort] se nourrissait-elle des sacrifices que les enfants d'Israël offraient sur l'autel, ou bien non? Rabbi Siméon lui répondit: Tous en recevaient à suffisance et à l'unisson, l'En-haut comme l'En-bas.", + "Come and behold: the priests, the Levites and Yisrael are (the secret of the three columns and) called 'man', through the union of the holy desires that rise from them. And when a sheep, or a deer or any other animal is brought to be sacrificed, all sins and evil desires and intentions must be confessed over them. Then the sacrifice is called 'a beast,' as it is now burdened with all the sins and evil intentions.", + "This is similar to the sacrifice of the scapegoat, of which it is written: \"and he shall confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Yisrael\" (Lev. 16:21). So here as well, (one should confess sins over every sacrifice). Because when the sacrifice is raised upon the altar it bears a twofold burden, each of which is raised to its own place. The first is the secret of man; the latter is in the secret of the beast, as it is written: \"Hashem, You preserve man and beast\" (Ps. 36:7).", + "Fried meal offerings and all other meal offerings arouse the Holy Spirit through the desire of the priests, the singing of the Levites and the prayer of Yisrael, (who make up the three columns). And from the smoke, the oil and the flour that rise (upon the altar), all the prosecutors all the prosecutors replenish themselves, and are appeased. Once appeased, they become powerless to pursue the indictment that has been delivered into their hands, and both are drawn at the same time. Come and behold: everything is arranged in accordance with the secret of faith - both sides are replenished and sent above up to the Endless Light (Ein Sof)." + ], + [ + "Rabbi Shimon said: \"I raise my hands in high to prayer,\". When the supernal desire at the highest point above is established upon the forever unknown and ungraspable desire, (it) becomes the most concealed Head above. And that Head emanates something that is unknown. And He illuminates all that He illuminates in a concealed manner.", + "The desire of the supernal thought (which is Keter of Arich Anpin and called \"the supernal Will\". After it has been established as the head, t it called the supernal Will). But as it desires to run after a veil spreads and from within the veil the light reaches yet does not reach it. Something shines upward toward the veil. Therefore supernal Thought shines with unrevealed illumination and with light unknown But Thought itself (Keter) - is considered unknown.", + "Then, the illumination of the Unknown Thought hits upon the illumination of the veil that stands and shines from what is unknown from what is not known and what is unrevealed. Thus, the illumination of the Thought that is not known hits upon the veil's illumination, and they shine together. And from them, nine chambers are made.", + "These chambers are not lights. And they are neither Ruchot nor Neshamot, and nobody can understand what they are. The desire of all nine lights which can be grasped by thought, that is also considered one of them. (The desire of all is) to pursue (the nine chambers), while (the nine lights) are located in Thought (Arich Anpin). Nevertheless, (the chambers) are not attained and not known (to the nine lights) because they are not established as either (an aspect of) desire or as supernal Thought. They grasp it yet do not grasp. All the secrets of Faith are present in (and based on these nine chambers). And all of these lights come from the secret of supernal Thought and all are called Ein Sof. Because the lights reach and do not reach this point, and are unknown, there is no desire or thought at this point.", + "When Thought shines from an unknown source (it is enclothed in Binah). It shines upon whom it shines, and they enter each other until they are as one.", + "Returning to the secret of the sacrifice: when it rises (on the Altar), all are enmeshed within one another and shine one upon the other. Now all the grades are in a state of rising and it is crowned by the Ein Sof. And (from Ein Sof) comes (Arich Anpin). It is established and shines upon whom It shines. All is based upon this. Happy are the righteous in this world and the World to Come.", + "Come and behold: this 'End of all Flesh,' means that the attachment takes place in joy above. The same applies below in happiness and in a desire to share fulfillment with everything above and below; and Ima (the Shechinah) dwells properly upon Yisrael.", + "Come and behold, every first day of the month, when the moon renews herself; then, the 'End of all Flesh' is given an extra portion which is added to the (regular) sacrifices. Thus, he is occupied by it and uses his portion. Hence, the (right) side of Yisrael remains for them alone so that they can unify with their King. This is why (they offer the scapegoat, also called) 'Hairy' (Heb. se'ir), because it belongs to the part of Esau, who is described as being hairy, as it is written: \"Esau my brother is a hairy (Heb. sa'ir) man\" (Gen. 27:11). Thus, (the 'end of all flesh') uses his part (of Esau, which is the left), while Yisrael uses their part, (which is the right). Thus, it is written: \"For Kah has chosen Jacob to Himself, Yisrael for His peculiar possession\" (Ps. 135:4).", + "Come and behold: the sole desire of this 'End of all Flesh' is flesh alone. All that is done with the flesh in any instance is only for his sake. That is why he is called the 'End of all Flesh.' And when he rules, he rules over the body but not over the soul. The soul returns to its place; the flesh, is given over to this place. It is the same with the offering, as the desire goes to one place and the flesh to another.", + "A person who is righteous is (himself) a sacrifice given for atonement (because he sacrifices his own desire, overcoming his will). But a person, who is not righteous, is not accepted as a sacrifice because he is blemished. As it is written: \"For it shall not be acceptable for you\" (Lev. 22:20). So the righteous alone atone for the world and are accepted as sacrifices in this world. (Until here) (parenthesis in the text). Come and behold: \"And Elohim said to Noah, the End of all Flesh is come before Me\" (Gen. 6:13), And it came to receive permission to darken the faces of humankind. So that is why \"I will destroy them with the earth\" (Ibid.)", + "", + "From the day that the sins of the people were completed, the Holy One, blessed be He, still waited for them. He waited until Noah completed his 600 years and perfected himself as a righteous man. Only then did Noah enter the ark. And everything below is as above. \"And Noah was 600 years old,\" and not 'approximately 600.' (He had to be exactly 600 years old)." + ], + [ + "", + "If it has been already stated, \"will bring the flood,\" do we not understand that He refers to water? Flood implies the presence of the Angel of Death, even though it was only water. The Angel of Destruction went in the world to destroy it with these waters.", + "We have learned that the words, \"I am Hashem,\" show that 'I am faithful to the recompense of the righteous and the punishment of the wicked.' So, here, in this verse, \"I\" means to promise to reward and repay the righteous well in the World to Come. Likewise, it describes the threat to the wicked, who will be punished in the World to Come, by the term \"I.\"", + "As we previously explained, the words \"To destroy all flesh\" (Gen. 6:17) refer to the Angel of Destruction. This is why it is also written: \"And He will not allow the Angel of Destruction to come into your house to smite you\" (Exodus 12:23). (He does not give him permission to destroy). To \"destroy all flesh\" is from (the Angel of Destruction, hinted to in the verse), \"The End of all Flesh is come before Me,\" (to ask permission). The time the Holy One, blessed be He had waited for them to repent had passed. That is, Noah had reached 600 years of age, (and He could reward him. The time had also come for the punishment of the wicked. That is why He gave permission to the Angel of Destruction) \"to destroy all flesh.\" He said: This is what we learned in the name of Rabbi Yitzchak, who told us all this." + ], + [ + "He began by saying, \"I said, I shall not see Kah; Kah, in the land of the living; I shall behold man no more with the inhabitants of cessation\" (Isaiah 38:11). How obtuse, he said, are the people who do not know or pay heed to the words of the Torah, but look only upon worldly matters. The spirit of wisdom is forgotten from them.", + "When a person departs this world, that person gives an account to his Master of all his worldy actions. He does this while his body and spirit are still joined together and he can see all that he sees until he reaches the World of Truth, where he meets Adam, the first man, sitting at the gate of the Garden of Eden, waiting to see and rejoice with all who have observed the commandments of their Master.", + "And many are the righteous around Adam, who instead of walking along the path that leads to Gehenom followed the path to the Garden of Eden. These are the ones who are called \"Inhabitants of the Cessation\" (Heb. חָדֶל). Why is it not written: \"Inhabitants of the world (Heb. חָלֶד)\"? Because they are not like the mole (Heb. חוּלְדָה), a creature who is laboriously storing and hiding provisions, knowing not for whom. They are the inhabitants of cessation, as in \"Cease (Heb. חִדְלוּ) from man, though his breath be in his nostrils\" (Isaiah 2:22). They avoided walking the path of Gehenom and disciplined themselves to walk along the path leading to the Garden of Eden.", + "Another explanation is that \"inhabitants of cessation\" (refers to) all those who repented and ceased performing the sins of the wicked. Because Adam repented before his Master, he sits among others who also repented, ceased sinning, and are called \"inhabitants of cessation.\" As it is written: \"I will know how frail (Heb. חָדֶל) I am\" (Ps. 39:5). And therefore, Adam sits at the gate of the Garden of Eden, and he is happy with the righteous who walk along the path and arrive at the Garden of Eden.", + "Come and behold: it is written, \"I said, I shall not see Kah.\" Who can ever see Kah now? The end of the verse reveals the intention of the words, as it is written: \"Kah, in the land of the living.\" Come and behold: when the souls ascend and reach the place of the Bundle of Life, they enjoy the illumination of the radiant mirror, which shines and brings forth light from the most elevated place of all. A soul not enclothed in the radiance of another garment could neither approach nor get close enough to see that light.", + "And the secret of the matter is that as the soul is given garments to don so it can exist in this world (i.e. the body) so it is also given garments of supernal radiance. These allow it to exist in the World to Come and to see into the radiant mirror from that land of the living.", + "Come and behold: Moses would not have been able to approach what he was looking at had he not been dressed in another garment. As it is written: \"And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and went up into the mountain\" (Shemot 24:18). And he covered himself with the cloud as a person wears a garment. And then, it is written: \"and Moses drew near to the thick darkness where Elohim was\" (Shemot 20:18), and \"Moses was in the mountain forty days and forty nights\" (Shemot 24:18) and was able to see what he saw.", + "In the same way, the souls of the righteous in the World of Truth dress themselves in garments and act in accordance with that world. So dressed, they are prepared to gaze into the light that shines in the land of the living. (When Hizkiyahu called) \"Kah, Kah, in the land of the living,\" he was afraid that he might no longer be worthy of gazing on that light and meriting that vision. The stream that flows (from Gan Eden) he stopped it, and did not beget any children. \"I shall behold man no more.\" This refers to the first man, as has already been explained.", + "And what was the reason for all this? Because the prophet told him, \"for you shall die\" in this world \"and not live\" (Isaiah 38:11) in the World of Truth. For, upon death, he who has not begotten any children in this world is expelled from all that is mentioned above and cannot stay to gaze upon that shining light. If this was the case with Hezekiah, who was a pure, righteous man, so much more for those who do not have ancestral merit to support them and have even sinned before their Master.", + "This garment, previously mentioned, has already been discussed by the friends. There is a \"robe of the sages\" that they wear in the World of Truth. Happy are the righteous with their inheritance, as the Holy One, blessed be He, has put aside many blessings and delights for them in the World of Truth. It has been written of them: \"Neither has the eye seen, that an Elohim, beside You, should do such a thing for him that waits for Him\" (Isaiah 64:3)." + ], + [ + "\"And, behold, I will bring the flood of waters upon the earth\" (Gen. 6:17). Rabbi Yehuda opened the discussion with the verse: \"These are the waters of strife, wherein the children of Yisrael strove with Hashem and He was sanctified by them\" (Num. 20:13). This is not the only place where the children of Yisrael strove with Hashem. Why does the text say \"waters of strife\" here, but not at any other place? These waters in particular are the waters of strife, for they gave strength and power to the Prosecutor. There are sweet waters and bitter waters. And there are pure and mucky waters. And there are waters of peace and of strife, That is why (it is written): \"These are the waters of strife, wherein the children of Yisrael strove with Hashem\". As they drew upon themselves that which they should not have (drawn, i.e. the Sitra Achra, also called the waters of strife) and they were defiled by them. And this is why it is written, \"and He was sanctified by them.\"", + "Rabbi Chizkiyah asked him: If it is so, then why is it written: \"and He was sanctified,\"? It should have been written: 'and they were sanctified' (referring to Israel). There is a hidden meaning to the words \"He was sanctified.\" (Those words indicate) something that should not be damaged is damaged. It is as if the moon has been damaged. So the word \"sanctified\" is not mentioned here for praise; \"And, behold, I will bring the flood of waters\" means that He shall send the Angel of Destruction upon them, just as they defiled themselves with him, as we have stated previously.", + "Rabbi Yosi said: Woe to the wicked who do not want to repent of their sins before the Holy One blessed be He, while they are still in this world, because when a person repents and feels sorry for his sins, then the Holy One, blessed be He, forgives him. But those who cling to their sins and refuse to repent will eventually fall into Gehenom and never be brought up again.", + "Come and behold: Because the generation of Noah was stubborn and bold enough to sin openly, the Holy One, blessed be He, brought Judgment upon them in the same manner. Rabbi Yitzchak said that if a person sins, and he does so secretly, then the Holy One, blessed be He, is merciful. If he repents, he is pardoned and forgiven. But if he does not repent his sins, He reveals them for all to see. How do we know this? We learn this from the way in which the faithless wife (is treated).", + "In the same manner, the wicked, (i.e. the generation of the flood), were openly destroyed and wiped from the face of the earth. And how were they wiped out? The scalding waters spurted up from the abyss, skinning them alive. As skin was torn from flesh, they were left only with their bones - and then the bones came asunder. As it is written: \"They were destroyed from the earth\" (Gen. 7:23). Rabbi Yitzchak said: \"And they destroyed from the earth.\" What is meant by the expression \"destroyed out?\" It is similar to, \"Let them be blotted out from the book of living\" (Ps. 69:29). We learn from this that they shall not participate in the resurrection and will not stand for judgment." + ], + [ + "\"But with you will I establish My covenant\" (Gen. 6:18). Rabbi Elazar said that from this we learn that the establishment of the covenant above is equivalent to the establishment of that below. This is concluded from the term, \"with you.\" Rabbi Elazar continued to say that from this we learn that when there are righteous in the world, the worlds above and below are firmly established. Rabbi Shimon said that this is a hidden matter, because the arousal of the male to the female happens when he feels jealousy toward her.", + "Come and behold: When there is a righteous person in the world, the Shechinah immediately attaches Herself to him and never leaves him. And She therefore desires him. The upper desire is then aroused toward Her with love that is similar to the desire of a man for a woman when he feels jealousy toward her. That is why it is written: \"But with you will I establish My covenant.\" My desire is aroused because of you. The verse, \"My covenant will I establish with Isaac\" (Gen. 17:21), has a similar meaning.", + "\"But with you will I establish My Covenant,\" - you shall be My Covenant in the world. And after that, \"you shall come into the ark.\" Because had he not been righteous, he would not have entered the ark, as only a righteous man may be connected with the ark. That is why it is written, \"you shall come into the ark,\"", + "Rabbi Elazar said that as long as people hold on to the covenant, no nation nor tongue in the world can harm them. And because Noah kept and protected the Covenant, the Holy One, blessed be He, protected him. But the rest of his generation did not observe the covenant, so the Holy One, blessed be He, removed them from the world. And it has been said that in the same way that they sinned, they were also erased from the world." + ], + [ + "Rabbi Yehuda was sitting before Rabbi Shimon, and both were studying the text, in which it is written: \"And he repaired the altar of Hashem that was broken down\" (I Kings 18:30). What is the meaning of the term 'repaired' in this verse? Come and behold: \"In the days of Elijah, all Yisrael left the Holy One, blessed be He, and in so doing, left their holy covenant. And when Elijah came and saw that the children of Yisrael had left the holy covenant and therefore it had been taken away from them (he fixed it and returned in to its place).", + "Because he brought it back to its place, (i.e. he repaired Yesod and returned it to Malchut) all was healed! This is why it is written: \"And he repaired the altar of Hashem that was broken down\" - a reference to the covenant that had been forsaken. It is therefore written: \"And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob\" (Ibid. 31), which alludes to the repair of the altar of Hashem.", + "\"To whom the word of Hashem came, saying, Yisrael shall be your name\" (Ibid.). What is the reason for mentioning the name 'Yisrael' upon the altar? Assuredly, \"Yisrael shall be your name...\" signifies (fixing her) to raise her up and to return the holy covenant to its place. That is why it is written: \"For the children of Yisrael have forsaken Your covenant\" and have therefore \"ruined Your altars\" (I Kings 19:10).", + "Come and behold: As long as Yisrael observed the holy covenant, they maintain the higher and lower worlds. But when they forsake the covenant, the worlds above and below cannot exist. As it is written: \"If My covenant be not day and night, it were as if I had not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth\" (Jer. 33:25). This is why it is written: \"And he repaired the altar of Hashem that was broken down.\" Is this considered to be \"healing?\" Yes, most certainly! Because he maintains the place upon which faith is dependent.", + "Come and behold: The same applies to Pinchas, who was zealous because of what Zimri had done. By his action, he reinstated the covenant and returned it to its proper place. That is why it is written: \"Behold, I give to him My covenant of peace\" (Num. 25:12). Can one really accept the idea that Pinchas was the reason for the peace? What controversy did Pinchas have regarding the covenant? That here everything was connected to its right place, meaning \"Behold, I give to him My covenant of peace.\" But what shall I give him? \"Peace\", so that the covenant can be connected to its proper place, (Malchut). That is why it is written: \"I give to him My covenant of peace.\" And what is \"peace?\" It is the place with which to connect; (Malchut) was disconnected from it (Yesod) as a result of the sins (of Israel) and was attached to it by (Pinchas). He was the person who returned the covenant to its place for all time. \"And he shall have it, and the covenant of an everlasting priesthood shall belong to his seed after him, because he was zealous for his Elohim\" (Ibid.).", + "Rabbi Shimon said that there is nothing in the world which so provokes the zealousness of the Holy One, blessed be He, as the sin of disregarding the covenant. As it is written: \"A sword that shall execute the vengeance of the covenant\" (Lev. 26:25). And come and behold: The sin of the generation of the Flood was not completed until they sinned by corrupting their ways on earth. And even though they were violent with each other - as it is written: \"And the earth was filled with violence\" (Gen. 6:11) and it is written \"for the earth is filled with violence through them\" (Ibid. 13) - \"I shall destroy them\" (Ibid.) was because of the sin of letting semen spill in vain. \"The earth was also corrupt before the Elohim\" (Ibid. 11) and \"I shall destroy them\" was measure for measure.", + "And there are those who say that their measure of guilt was not completed when they sinned with violence and were cruel with each other. (For by this) they were wicked toward heaven and to other people. Come and behold: There are many ministers above, who are appointed to the voices of those who declare the sentences of their neighbors (to Heaven) for what has been done to them. And for this sin, it is written: \"The earth is filled with violence through them.\" This means that each and every one passed judgment on his neighbor before heaven. That is why it is said: \"I will destroy them with the earth.\"" + ], + [ + "\"And Hashem said to Noah, Come you and all your house\" (Gen. 7:1). Rabbi Shimon asked: Why does the term \"Elohim\" appear in all the verses of the text, while here the name Hashem, (the Four Letter Name), is mentioned? What is different here that Yud and Hei and Vav and Hei, which is the supernal name of Mercy was mentioned? This hints at the secret we have already learned, that it is not proper for a woman to invite a guest into her house without the permission of her husband.", + "It was the same when Noah was asked to enter the ark and to unite with Her. It was not yet proper for him to enter until the 'husband' of the ark gave him permission to do so. As it is written: \"Come you and all your house into the ark.\" And this is why the name Yud & Hei & Vav & Hei, who is the husband of the ark, is mentioned there. Only after the husband gave permission did Noah enter and unite with the ark. Thus, we have learned that a guest does not have permission to enter a house without the consent of the husband, the owner of the house. This is why after the mention of Yud & Hei & Vav & Hei, it is written: \"And Noah went in\" (Ibid. 7).", + "Come and behold: What is written? \"For you I have seen righteous before Me in this generation\" (Ibid. 1). From this we learn that a person should never accept a guest into his house if he suspects that he might be wicked. And he should accept him only if he considers him to be righteous and is not at all suspicious of him. That is why it is written: \"Come you and all your house into the ark.\" Why? Because \"you I have seen righteous before Me in this generation.\"", + "And we have also learned that if the husband gives permission to the guest alone, but not to his companions, the guest should not bring them into the house. In the verse, \"Come you and all your house into the ark,\" permission was given to all of Noah's companions to enter the ark, and from this passage we learn a secret concerning proper manners and ways of conduct." + ], + [ + "Rabbi Yehuda opened: \"For David, a psalm. The earth is Hashem's, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell in it\" (Ps. 24:1). We have learned that wherever it is written: \"For David, a psalm,\" it means that he chanted a song and afterward the Holy Spirit rested upon him. But where it is written, \"A psalm of David,\" it means that the Holy Spirit rested upon him and then he chanted the song.", + "\"The earth is Hashem's, and the fullness thereof.\" This verse refers to the land of Yisrael, which is the Holy Land, while \"the fullness thereof\" refers to the Shechinah. As it is written: \"For the glory of Hashem had filled (lit. 'is full') house of Elohim\" (II Chronicles 5:14) and, also, \"and the glory of Hashem filled the Tabernacle\" (Shemot 40:35). But, why \"full\" and not \"filled?\" Because, assuredly, She is full of everything; meaning that She is filled by the sun. The moon is filled and completed (by the righteous); She is filled with all the goodness from above, like a treasure box filled with the riches of the world. That is to what the verse, \"The earth is Hashem's and the fullness thereof,\" refers. But the words, \"the world, and they that dwell in it\" were said in reference to countries (other than Israel).", + "Another explanation of the verse, \"The earth is Hashem's and the fullness thereof\" is that these words refer to the upper Holy Land that the Holy One, blessed be He, desires. And the term 'fullness' refers to the souls of the righteous, which fill with the power of pillar (Yesod of Zeir Anpin), upon which the whole world stands. And if you wonder, does (the world) stand upon one (pillar)?", + "Come and behold: In the verse, \"For He has founded it upon the seas\" (Ps. 24:2). (Regarding) the words \"For He\". Who is He? He is the Holy One, blessed be He. The meaning of this is similar to that of the words,: \"It is He who made us\" (Ps. 100:3) and that of, \"For He looks to the ends of the earth\" (Job. 28:24).", + "The words, \"For He has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the floods\" refer to the seven pillars upon which (the female principle) is founded and by which she is filled. (Chesed, Gevurah, Tiferet, Netzach, Hod, Yesod, Malchut of Zeir Anpin). (Rebbe Yehudah asks) How is she filled by them? When the righteous multiply in the world, the land produces fruit and is filled with everything.", + "When the wicked multiply in the world, as it says, \"the waters fail from the sea, and the river is parched, and dries up\" (Job 14:11). The place where \"The waters fail from the sea\" is the Holy Land, as previously mentioned. (The female principle) is watered by the supernal stream. while \"the river is parched, and dries up\" refers to the pillar upon which she is founded, (Yesod). \"The river is parched, and dries up\" (is the same as) \"The righteous perish\" (Isaiah 57:1)." + ], + [ + "Rabbi Yehuda continued: At the time that the wicked are destroyed from the world, the Holy One, blessed be He, watches the world but cannot find anyone to protect them. And you might ask, if Noah was there to protect his generation and was able to bring forth offspring, (why did he not protect his generation)? The verse reads: \"For you have I seen righteous before Me in this generation\" (Gen. 7:1). \"In this generation\" is a precise term.", + "Rabbi Yosi said that the words \"In this generation\" are a tribute to Noah, who lived in such a wicked generation and nevertheless remained a righteous man and perfect. Even in the generation of Moses (Noah would have been considered righteous). But he was not able to protect the world, because there were not even ten (righteous people) in it. This was the case as described (regarding S'dom): \"perhaps ten shall be found there\" (Gen. 18:32). As not even ten were found, (S'dom was destroyed). The same happened here. Ten (righteous) people were not to be found; only Noah, his three sons and their wives. And they did not add up to ten.", + "Rabbi Elazar asked his father, Rabbi Shimon: We have learned that when the world is full of the sins of mankind and Judgment is pronounced, woe to the righteous man who is found in the world. For he is the first to be punished for the sins of the wicked. How did Noah escape the Flood without being punished for the sins (of his generation)? And Rashbi answered him: It is said that because the Holy One, blessed be He, wanted to bring from Noah offspring into the world, (He spared him). Not only that, but Judgment could not be applied to him, because he was covered in the ark and hidden from view.", + "Come and behold: It is written, \"Seek righteousness, seek humility; it may be you shall be hidden on the day of Hashem's anger\" (Tzefanyah 2:3). Noah did seek righteousness. He entered the ark and was hidden there on the day of Hashem's anger. And that is why Judgment could neither be applied to nor hurt him.", + "Here, we find a hint of the secret of the holy supernal letters, reserved for the holy supernal men to learn and know: The reverse order of the 22 Hebrew letters can bring the destruction of the wicked, and this is why it is written, \"they were destroyed from the earth\" (Gen. 7:23), and \"Come you and all your house into the ark.\"" + ], + [ + "Rabbi Yitzchak analyzed the words: \"He who caused His glorious arm to go at the right hand of Moses, that divided the water before them to make Himself an everlasting name\" (Isaiah 63:12). He said that \"His glorious arm\" is the merit of Abraham, (who is the embodiment of Chesed) and who is to the right side of Moses, Tiferet of Moses. And, therefore, \"that divided the water before them\" indicates that the merit of Abraham divides the water. And for what reason? \"To make Himself an everlasting name.\"", + "Come and behold: What is the difference between Moses and other people? When the holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, \"Now therefore let Me alone...and I will make you a great nation\" (Shemot 32:10), Moses immediately asked, 'Shall I abandon Yisrael, forget their punishment, (and not ask for mercy for them?) The world now shall say that I have killed Yisrael, and that I did the same as Noah had done before me.'", + "Noah did not plea for mercy on behalf of the world, and they all perished, because the Holy One, blessed be He, had told him that he and his children would be saved by the ark - as the verses state: \"and, behold, I will bring the flood waters...\" and \"and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth (Gen. 7:4) and \"As for Me, behold, I establish my covenant...\" and \"Come you...into the ark.\" Because Noah did not plea for them, the Flood waters are named after him, as it is written: \"for this is as the waters of Noah to Me; as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth\" (Isaiah 54:9).", + "Moses said: Now all the people shall say that I have killed them, because Hashem has told me that He shall make me a great nation. Now it is best for me to die rather than have Yisrael destroyed. Then immediately, \"Moses besought Hashem his Elohim\" (Shemot 32:11). He prayed for mercy, and indeed mercy for the world was aroused.", + "Rabbi Yitzchak continued: At first, when he pleaded for mercy for them, what did he say? He said, \"Hashem, why does Your wrath burn against Your people?\" (Ibid.). Why did Moses ask why? They sinned by idol worshipping - for it is written: \"...they have made them a molten calf and have worshipped it\" (Ibid. 8) - nevertheless Moses asked why! We have already learned that when a person is trying to appease a friend who has been offended by another, he should not magnify, but should rather minimize, the offense in the eyes of the offended. Later, he should maximize it in the eyes of (the offender. Moshe initially minimized the sin, but later magnified it to Israel) saying: \"You have sinned a great sin!\" (Ibid. 30).", + "He did not relent, but kept pleading with the Holy One, blessed be He, for mercy, to the point of offering his own life (for the sake of Israel). As it is written: \"and if not, blot me, I pray You, out of Your book which You have written\" (Ibid. 32). And then the Holy One, blessed be He, forgave them, as it is written: \"and Hashem relented of the evil...\" (Ibid. 14). But Noah did not act (as Moshe did); he only pleaded to be saved and left the world to its fate.", + "So whenever Judgment is upon the world, the Holy Spirit says, \"Alas! There is no one like Moses.\" As it is written: \"Then He remembered the days of Moses... Where is he who brought them up out of the sea...?\" (Isaiah 63:11). The verse tells us, \"Hashem said to Moses, 'Why do you cry to Me?'\" (Shemot 14:15), showing that he himself brought them up out of the sea through prayer and because he prayed for Yisrael upon the sea, he was called \"he who brought them up out of the sea,\" as he did bring them out from the sea.", + "\"Where is he that put His holy spirit within them?\" (Isaiah 63:11) refers to Moses; to he who caused the Shechinah to reside among Yisrael and led them through the depths on dry land when the waters were cleft, as if frozen. And all this happened because he was willing to offer his life to save Yisrael. Rabbi Yehuda said that even though Noah was righteous, it was still not worthwhile for the holy One, blessed be He, to protect the world because of him.", + "Come and behold: Moses did not ask anything on the basis of his own merit. He depended on the merit of the Patriarchs. But Noah, unlike Moses, had no other person on whose merit he could depend.", + "Rabbi Yitzchak said that even though this was the case, when the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him \"But with will I establish My covenant,\" he should have asked for mercy for them as well. And he should have sacrificed the offering he gave (after the flood) before it happened. Maybe that would have calmed the Judgment of wrath that hung over the world.", + "Rabbi Yehuda asked: What should (Noah) have done? For the wicked of the world provoked the Holy One, blessed be He! Should he have offered a sacrifice on their behalf? He was certainly afraid for himself, that death might reach him among the wicked. He had seen their wicked deeds and how they had provoked the Holy One, blessed be He, day in and day out.", + "Rabbi (Eleazar opened) Yitzchak said: As long as the wicked multiply in the world, when a righteous person is found among them, he is punished first. As it is written, \"And begin at My sanctuary\" (Ezekiel 9:6), and we have learned to read this not as mimikdashi ('at My sanctuary'), but rather as mimkudashai ('from My holy ones'). How did the Holy One, blessed be He, save Noah who was righteous among the wicked? He was saved so that he could bring further generations into the world. For he was truly righteous (and therefore fit to beget children).", + "Not only that, but he warned them every day, but they did not pay heed. And the verse, \"yet if you warn the wicked...but you have saved your soul\" (Ezekiel 3:19), is applied to him. From this we learn that whoever warns the wicked - even if the wicked do not heed him - that person saves himself, while the wicked are punished according to their sins. How far should he go in warning them? To the point of hitting them. This issue has already been explained by the friends.", + "Rabbi Yosi was staying with Rabbi Shimon. One day he asked him: What was the motive of the Holy One, blessed be He, in extirpating all the animals of the field and the birds of the air along with the wicked? Men sinned, but what wrong had the animals, birds, and other creatures committed? Rabbi Shimon answered him: The reason is given in the words, \"For all flesh had corrupted its way upon the earth\" (Gen. 6:12). This means that all creatures corrupted their way - they mated with other species.", + "Come and behold: The wicked of the world caused all the creatures (to mate with species that were not their own kind). They thereby sought to destroy the work of Creation (by mixing and altering species). They caused all the creatures to pervert their ways on earth, as they themselves had done. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, 'As you seek to destroy My work of Creation, I shall fully grant your wish. \"And every living substance that I have made, will I destroy from off the face of the earth\" (Gen. 7:4). I shall bring the world back to water, as in the beginning, cover it with water, and then make other creatures who are fit to exist in the world.'" + ], + [ + "\"And Noah went in, and his sons and his wife and his son's wives with him\" (Gen. 7:7). Rabbi Chiya opened the discussion with the verse, \"Can anyone hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? says Hashem\" (Jer. 23:24). How blind and obtuse are the people who neither seek nor know the honor of their Master, of whom it is written: \"Do not I fill heaven and earth?\" (Ibid.). How do people expect to hide from their sins? They ask, \"Who sees us? And who knows us?\" (Isaiah 24:15). And also, \"They toil in the dark\" (Ibid.). Where can they hide from Him?", + "This is similar to the story in which a king builds a palace with hidden, fortified, subterranean caves. And it came to pass that the inhabitants of the palace revolted against the king. So he surrounded them with his troops. And what did they do? They hid themselves inside the fortified hiding places. The king asked: As I made these caves, how can you expect to hide from me in them? This is why it says, \"Can anyone hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? says Hashem.\" It was I who made these fortified caves. It was I who made light and darkness. How can you hide from Me?.", + "Come and behold: When a person sins before his Master and sins further by hiding himself, then the Holy One, blessed be He, punishes him. But when that person purifies himself (and repents) then the Holy One, blessed be He, seeks to hide him so that he should not be seen on the day of the wrath of Hashem. For, certainly, every person should hide himself so as not to be seen by the Angel of Destruction, when the latter dwells in the world. He should not see him, as he is authorized to destroy all those whom he sees.", + "Rabbi Shimon said that every person who has the evil eye, has upon him the eye of the Angel of Destruction, who is called the 'Destroyer of the world.' Therefore, all should beware of such a person and not come close to him. By avoiding him, one shall be protected. It is forbidden to openly approach such a person. If we must beware a person with the evil eye, so much more must we beware the Angel of Death.", + "Of Bilaam, it is written: \"The speech of the man whose eyes are open\" (Num. 24:3), meaning that he had an evil eye, and wherever he looked, he drew the spirit of destruction on it. That is why he wanted to gaze on Yisrael, so that he could destroy all that his eye could see. Thus, it is written: \"And Bilaam lifted up his eyes\" (Ibid. 2), meaning he raised one eye and lowered the other, attempting to gaze on Yisrael with the evil eye.", + "Come and behold: It is written, \"and he saw Yisrael dwelling according to their tribes\" (Ibid.), and he also saw that the Shechinah hovered and brooded over them. Because She was made whole by the twelve tribes beneath Her, the eye of Bilaam could not have power over them. He said: How can I overcome them, as the supernal Holy Spirit (Binah) is hovering over them and protecting them with its wings? As it is written: \"He couches, he lay down like a lion, and like a great lion; who shall stir him up?\" (Ibid. 9) i.e., who shall raise it, so that they might be revealed to the eye, which would then rule them?", + "Therefore, the Holy One, blessed be He, wanted to protect Noah by hiding him out of sight, so that the impure spirit could not rule him and destroy him, as has already been explained. The words \"And Noah went in\" apply to what has previously been said - that he entered the ark to be hidden from sight. The words, \"because of the waters of the flood\" indicate that the waters actually pushed him (into the ark), meaning that he saw the waters of the Flood and was afraid. As a result, he \"went...into the ark.\" Rabbi Yosi added that Noah saw the Angel of Death arrive and that is why he entered the ark.", + "And he protected himself (by staying in the ark) for twelve months. Why twelve months? On this point, Rabbi Yitzchak and Rabbi Yehuda have different opinions. One says that the twelve months are the period of the sentence of the wicked (in Gehenom); the other says that the purpose of the twelve months was to enable (Noah) the righteous to complete himself through twelve stages, so that he and all the others could emerge from the ark. (Each stage requiring one month to complete).", + "Rabbi Yehuda said: (In Gehenom, the wicked are punished) with water for six months and with fire for six months. So why only by water for twelve months? Rabbi Yosi told him that they were sentenced to both punishments of Gehenom: water and fire. By water, and the water that fell upon them from above was cold as snow. And by fire, because the water that sprouted from the deep was scalding. Thus, they were punished for twelve months, receiving the full sentence of Gehenom - six by water and six by fire. This continued until they were completely removed from the face of the world. During this time, Noah was hidden in the ark. As a result, the Angel of Destruction did not approach him, and the ark roamed upon the waters, as it is written: \"And they bore up the ark, and it was lifted above the earth\" (Gen. 7:17).", + "They were smitten for forty days. As it is written: \"And the Flood was forty days upon the earth\" (Ibid.). For the duration of the 12 months, they were being erased, as it is written: \"They were destroyed from the earth\" (Ibid. 23) Woe to those wicked people, because they shall not rise from the dead and appear in the world to be judged, for \"they were destroyed from the earth\" as is described in the verse: \"You have blotted out their name for ever and ever\" (Ps. 9:6). So they shall not even be allowed to stand to be judged." + ], + [ + "\"And they bore up the ark, and it was lifted up above the earth.\" Rabbi Aba began by saying, \"Be You exalted above the heavens, Elohim, let Your glory be above all the earth\" (Ps. 57:6). Woe to the wicked who sin and provoke their Master, every day. For by their sins they push the Shechinah out of the earth and cause Her to leave this world. Because the Shechinah is called 'Elohim,' it is said about Her, \"Be you exalted above the heavens, Elohim.\"", + "Come and behold: It is written: \"And they bore up the ark,\" i.e. that they pushed (the Shechinah out, for the ark corresponds to the Shechinah). The words, \"and it was lifted up above the earth,\" (mean that the Shechinah) no longer resided in the world, having removed Herself from it. When She left the world, no one was left to protect it any longer and Judgment prevailed. But after the wicked were destroyed and removed from the world, the Shechinah made Her dwelling in the world again.", + "Rabbi Yesa asked him: If it is so, then why after the wicked who had lived in the land of Yisrael during (the destruction of the Temple) were blotted out, did the Shechinah not return to Her place? (Rabbi Aba) answered him: Because the righteous of the world did not remain in (the Holy Land). Wherever they went in exile, (the Shechinah) followed and resided among them. If She did not leave them even in a strange land, then certainly, had the people stayed in Yisrael (She would have returned to them).", + "So it is clear by now that the sins of the wicked caused the Shechinah to depart. One of those sins is the sin of man corrupting his way upon the earth, as we have previously explained. Such a person shall not see the face of the Shechinah, nor shall he enter the palace. This is why it is written that \"they were destroyed from the earth,\" destroyed completely.", + "Come and behold: When the time comes and the Holy One, blessed be He, resurrects the dead, He shall make all the dead in countries other than (Israel) rise and stand in their bodies, for one bone is left from the human body as it lies underground, and it is like a lump of dough from which the Holy One, blessed be He, shall rebuild the whole body.", + "But He shall not restore their souls to them until they are in the land of Yisrael, as it is stated: \"Behold I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves, My people, and I will bring you into the land of Yisrael.\" They will roll through underground passages. Next, it is written: \"I will put My spirit in you and you shall live\" (Ezekiel 37:12-14). Only in the land of Yisrael will they receive their souls, except those who have defiled themselves and the land (i.e. the generation of the flood). As for them, it has been declared, \"They were destroyed from the earth.\" From the earth (means they shall not rise during the resurrection of the dead). Although some of the ancient sages differ in their opinion. The term \"destroyed\" is similar to the expression: \"Let them be blotted out of the book of the living\" (Ps. 69:28)", + "Rabbi Shimon said to him: Undoubtedly, (the generation of the flood) will have no share in the World to Come, as it is written: \"They were destroyed from the earth.\" Analogously, it is written: \"they shall inherit the land (earth) forever\" (Isaiah 60:21). Nevertheless, they shall rise and stand for Judgment. As they are described: \"And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt\" (Daniel 12:2). Even though opinions differ on this matter, everything is as the friends have explained." + ], + [ + "\"And He destroyed every living substance which was upon the face of the ground\" (Gen. 7:23). Rabbi Aba said that (the verse indicates that) the ministers who rule and govern upon the earth, (were) also (destroyed). This is the meaning of, \"every living substance which was upon the face of the ground.\" For when the Holy One, blessed be He, executes His Judgment and punishes the people of the earth, He starts with the supernal ministers who rule them and, after they are destroyed, continues with the people who abided beneath the shelter of their wings. As it is written: \"Hashem will punish the host of the heavens on high,\" and then, \"the kings of the earth upon the earth\" (Isaiah 24:21).", + "But how were these ministers removed? \"He drove them through burning fire,\" as it is written: \"for Hashem your Elohim is a devouring fire, a zealous El\" (Deut. 4:24). Thus, the 'living substance' of above was driven through fire, while those who were governed by them (i.e. people) were erased by water. This is why \"And He destroyed every living substance,\" and then continues, \"man, cattle and creeping things, and the birds of the heaven; they were destroyed from the earth.\" The word \"only\" in, \"Only Noah was left,\" signifies that nothing and nobody remained in the world - except Noah and whoever was with him in the ark. Rabbi Yosi said that (not even Noah's body was spared) for he was smitten by a lion and became lame, as was previously explained." + ], + [ + "\"And Elohim remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that were with him in the ark\" (Gen. 8:1). Rabbi Chiya quoted the verse, \"A prudent man foresees evil, and hides himself\" (Proverbs 22:3), saying that this verse refers to Noah who entered the ark and hid himself in it. And he entered the ark only when the waters forced him to do so. As was previously explained, before he went into the ark, he saw the Angel of Death walking among the people and encircling them. Because Noah saw the Angel of Death, he entered the ark and hid. Thus, it is written: \"A prudent man foresees evil, and hides himself.\" \"Foresees evil\" refers to the Angel of Death from whom he hid, as it is written: \"from the waters of the flood.\"", + "Rabbi Yosi said that the verse \"A prudent man foresees evil, and hides himself\" means, as has been stated, that when death rages throughout the world, a wise man will hide and not appear in the open. This prevents the Angel of Destruction from seeing him, because when (that angel) gets permission to destroy, he destroys everything in front of him and everyone who openly passes before him. An allusion to this appears at the end of the verse that reads, \"but the simple pass on, and are punished\" (Ibid.), referring to those who pass in front of him, are seen by him, and therefore punished. Another explanation is that \"pass on (Heb. avru)\" means that those who transgress (Heb. avru) the commandments of their Master are therefore punished. According to yet another explanation, a \"prudent man foresees evil, and hides himself\" refers to Noah, while \"the simple pass on, and are punished\" refers to the people of his generation. He hid himself (in the ark), and remained inside all this time.", + "What does it say afterward? It says, \"And Elohim remembered Noah.\" So Rabbi Shimon said, Come and behold: While Judgment is executed, there is no remembrance. But after Judgment has been executed and the wicked have been removed from the world, then the word \"remember\" is mentioned, because when Judgment prevails in the world, there is no (supernal) mating above and the Angel of Destruction rages throughout the world.", + "But after Judgment is passed and is completed, and the wrath is appeased, everything returns to its proper order. This is why the text reads, \"And Elohim remembered Noah.\" Because the term \"remember\" applies to Noah, as indicated by the words, \"Noah was a righteous man.\"", + "It is written: \"You rule the raging of the sea; when the waves thereof rise up, You still them\" (Ps. 89:10). When the sea is stormy, the waves mount on high and the waters of the deep go up and down, the Holy One, blessed be He, sends forth a thread (of Chesed) from the right side, pulls back its waves, and appeases its rage; but there is nobody who can grasp Him.", + "Jonah fell into the sea and a fish swallowed him. Why did his soul not leave him at once? Because the Holy One, blessed be He, controls the raging of the sea.", + "The 'raging of the sea' is the thread from the left, which causes the sea to rise, and rises with it. But had the other thread not arrived from the right, it would have never risen. For when that thread (from the left) goes down to the sea and is held by the sea, the waves 'awaken' and begin to 'roar' for prey, until the Holy One, blessed be He, restrains the waves, holds them back, and they return to their place.", + "As it is written, \"You rule the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof rise up, You still (lit. 'praise') them.\" (Teshabchem is the same as) breaking (Heb. teshabrem) and pulling them back to their place. A different interpretation is that the meaning is literally 'You praise them.' That is, the fact that the waves rise with the desire to see is praiseworthy. From this we can learn that whoever seeks and longs for knowledge, even if he is incapable of attaining it, is praised for his effort.", + "Rabbi Yehuda said that when Noah was in the ark, he was afraid that the Holy One, blessed be He, might never remember him. But after Judgment was executed and the evil people were removed, what does the scripture say? It says, \"And Elohim remembered Noah.\"", + "Rabbi Elazar says, Come and behold: When Judgment prevails in the world, it is inappropriate for a person's name to be mentioned above, because if his name is mentioned, his sins will be remembered and they will come to judge him.", + "From where do we know this? From the story of the woman of Shunam. On the Holy Day of Rosh Hashanah, the Holy One, blessed be He, was judging the world. Elisha the prophet asked the woman, \"Would you be spoken for to the king?\" (II Kings 4:13). The \"King\" here refers to the Holy One, blessed be He, who is called on that day \"the King,\" \"the Holy King,\" and \"the King of Justice.\" \"And she answered, 'I dwell among my own people'\" (Ibid.), 'I do not want to be scrutinized on my own. Therefore I dwell among my own people!' He who puts himself in the middle of his own people does not draw attention to himself and is not judged for his wrongdoings. She thus said, \"among my own people.\"", + "Come and behold: During the time when the wrath (of Judgment) was raging throughout the world, Noah was not mentioned. But after the Judgment was completed, what does the scripture say? It says, \"And Elohim remembered Noah.\" Now was his name mentioned. A different explanation of \"And Elohim remembered Noah\" is that it is similar to \"And I remembered My covenant\" (Shemot 6:5)." + ] + ], + "Lech Lecha": [ + [ + "\"Get you, out of your country...\" (Gen. 12:1). Rabbi Abba opened the discussion with this verse and to explain the reason why Abraham merited that the Holy One, blessed be He, would say this to him rather than to any other person of his time. \"Hearken to me, you stout-hearted, that are far from righteousness\" (Yeshayah 46:12), (i.e.) how hard are the hearts of the wicked, who see the paths and the ways of Torah, yet do not observe them. And the hearts of the wicked are stout, as they do not repent and turn back to their Master. (This is why) they are called stout-hearted. The verse, \"that are far from righteousness,\" (means) they keep themselves far from Torah; this is why they remain \"far from righteousness.\".", + "Rabbi Chizkiyah commented \"Since they draw themselves away from the Holy One, blessed be He, therefore they remain far away from Him. And because of this they are called stout-hearted. They \"are far from righteousness.\" (because) they do not wish to come closer to the Holy One, blessed be He. And because of this, they \"are far from righteousness.\" Because they are far from righteousness, they are also far from peace; they can have no peace. As it is written, \"There is no peace, says Hashem, to the wicked\" (Yeshayah 48:22). And why is that so? Because they \"are far from righteousness,\" they have no peace!", + "Come and behold, Abraham indeed succeeded in his desire to get closer to the Holy One, blessed be He. As it is written, \"You love righteousness and hate wickedness\" (Tehilim 45:8). Because he loved righteousness and hated wickedness, he therefore came closer to righteousness. Therefore, it is written, \"Abraham my beloved\" (Yeshayah 41:8). Why \"my beloved?\" Because it has been said about him, \"You love righteousness.\" This is the love toward the Holy One, blessed be He, whom Abraham loved more than anyone else of his generation, who were \"stout-hearted\" and \"far from righteousness,\" as has already been explained." + ], + [ + "Rabbi Yosi opened the discussion by saying, \"How lovely are Your dwelling places, Hashem Tzva'ot\" (Tehilim 84:2). How important it is for people to observe the works of the Holy One, blessed be He! All people do not observe and are not aware of what keeps the world in existence. Nor are they aware of what keeps them in existence! When the Holy One, blessed be He, created the world, He made the heaven from fire and water. At first, these elements mingled together without freezing. Only later, by means of the Supernal Spirit, did they freeze and solidify. Then (the Heavens), planted the world, (called \"Nukvah\"), to be established upon supports (these are the Three Columns of Nukvah). And the supports stand only by the help of the Spirit. When that Spirit is gone, the supports are loosened and they quake, and the world is shaken. This is the meaning of, \"Who shakes the earth out of its place, and its pillars tremble\" (Job 9:6). And everything is established upon Torah, for when Yisrael are busy with Torah, they elevate (Mayin Nukvin (lit. 'Female Waters') to Zeir anpin and Nukva), and draw the Central Column, (which is Torah). Then the world is established, and the pillars and the supports are perfectly situated in their places.", + "Come and behold, When midnight is aroused, and the Holy One, blessed be He, enters the Garden of Eden to enjoy the company of the righteous, all the trees in the Garden of Eden sing and praise Him, as it is written, \"Then shall the trees of the forest sing for joy at the presence of Hashem\" (I Chronicles 16:33).", + "A crier comes forth and forcefully calls, \"You, mighty, holy men! To him among you who has allowed the spirit to enter, and his ears to hear, who has eyes open to see and who has a heart that is open to know! When the spirit, which is the source of all spirits, arouses the sweetness of the soul, a voice comes from there, which is the source of all voices, and disperses all forces to the four corners of the world.", + "One goes up to one side, one descends to the other side. Another enters in between the two. Two are crowned by (becoming) three. And three enter the one. One produced colors. Six of them descended to one side and another six descended to the other side. All six become twelve. The twelve become twenty-two. The six are included within the ten. The ten exist as one.", + "Woe to those who slumber as sleep covers their eyes sockets. They do not know and are unable to observe how and in what condition they shall awaken on the Day of Judgment when they shall be visited upon to settle the account when the body is defiled and the soul floats on the afternoon air, going up and down, but the gates do not open for it. They are thrown around like the pebbles in the hollow of a sling. Woe to them. Who shall ask about them when they shall not arise to this place of pleasure? In the place where the righteous have pleasure, they shall be missing. They shall be passed on to (the angel) Dumah, go down (to Gehenom) and not rise. They are described by the words, \"As the cloud is consumed and vanishes away, so he who goes down to Sheol shall come up no more\" (Iyov 7:9).", + "At that hour (midnight) a flame is awakened from the North and strikes the four corners of the world. It descends and touches the rooster between its wings. As the flame awakens it, it crows. But the only ones who awaken to the calling of the rooster are the truly righteous, who delve to the study of Torah. Then the Holy One, blessed be He, together with all the righteous in the Garden of Eden, listen attentively to their voice. As it is written, \"You who dwell in the gardens, the companions hearken to your voice, cause me to hear it\" (Shir Hashirim 8:13)." + ], + [ + "Sitrei Torah. We have learned that because of the strong desire of the King (Binah) a great and strong tree (Zeir Anpin) was planted. Among the supernal plants (the Sefirot of Binah) this tree is planted. It turns between twelve borders, and its leg expands to the four winds of the world.", + "Its journeys were measured at five hundred Persian miles. The desires of these Persian miles come on Him. So when He awakens, all awaken with Him, and no one is capable of diverting His will. After that, all are united and join His will.", + "He arises from above and descends throughout His journeys to the sea. He fills the sea, as He is the source of all the lights of that spring. Underneath Him, all the waters of the Beginning of the Creation are divided. The watering of the Garden depends on Him.", + "All souls of the world come forth from Him. These souls enter the Garden and descend into this world. When a soul leaves it receives seven blessings so that it may be a father to the body being rightly elevated. Thus, it is written, \"Now Hashem said to Abram\" (Gen. 12:1). This is the divine supernal soul. It is considered the father of the body and elevates to the level of the divine image, by the Chassidim that are drawn as it elevates and reaches Abba and Imma.", + "When the soul is ready to descend to this world, the Holy One, blessed be He, makes it swear to perform the precepts of Torah and do His bidding. And He gives each soul one hundred keys of blessings for each and every day, so that it may complete the supernal grades, which reach the numerical value of Lech Lecha (lit. 'Get you out') (equaling 100). All of them are given to it so that it may cultivate the Garden, to till it and to keep it. \"Your country\" is the Garden of Eden.", + "The verse, \"and from your kindred\" (means) from the body, that is called 'the Tree of Life'. And it includes the twelve supernal tribes, which are the secret of the twelve borders. The verse \"and from your father's house\" refers to the Shechinah. \"Your father\" means the Holy One, blessed be He. As it is written, \"He who steals from his father or his mother, and says it is no transgression...\" (Mishlei 28:24). \"His father\" is none other than the Holy One, blessed be He, and \"his mother\" is none other than the Congregation of Yisrael. The words, \"to the land that I will show you,\" refer to this world, to which the soul is sent.(End of Sitrei Torah)." + ], + [ + "What is written before the verse, \"Hashem said to Abram...\"? The words, \"And Haran died before his father Terah\" (Gen. 11:28). What does he want to inform us? (During his father's lifetime) this cannot be, for had he no other person until that day died during his father's lifetime beside Haran? When Abraham was thrown to the fire, Charan was killed. Because of this, they left Ur of the Chaldeans...", + "Come and behold, It is written, \"And Terach took Abram, his son, and Lot, the son of Haran...and they left with them from Ur of the Chaldeans\" (Gen. 11:31). \"And they left with them,\" when it should have been written, \"with him,\" (i.e. Terach)? If, as it is written, \"And Terach took...\" why \"with them\"? Terach and Lot left with Abraham and Sarah, who really wanted to depart from among the wicked. Only after Terach saw that Abraham his son was saved from the fire did he return to follow Abraham's wishes. As a result, Terach and Lot \"left with them.\"", + "And when they left \"to go to the land of Canaan\" it was because they desired to go there. From this we learn that whoever asks to be purified will be helped. Come and behold that this is so! Because the words, \"to go to the land of Canaan,\" are immediately followed by the words, \"Now Hashem said to Abram, 'Get you out'.\" So before his desire was awakened, it was not yet written, \"Get you out.\" Therefore, he who asks and wakes on his own from below is helped from above, because without awakening from below there is no awakening from above.", + "Come and see, Nothing is aroused above before it is first aroused below, so that what is aroused above rests upon it. The secret is that the black flame does not hold on to the white flame before it is aroused. As soon as it is aroused first, the white flame immediately rests upon it. This is so because the lower one has to be aroused first.", + "Therefore it is written, \"Do not keep silent, Elohim; do not hold your peace, and be still, El\" (Tehilim 83:2), so that the white flame will never cease to exist in the world. \"You who make mention of Hashem, take no rest\" (Isaiah 62:6) so that there will always be awakening from below on which that from above should come and rest upon it. Therefore, when a person first arouses the awakening from below, the awakening from above is aroused. Come and behold, It is written, \"and they went out with them from Ur of the Chaldeans.\" Immediately, \"Hashem said to Abram...\" (meaning, he received help from above)." + ], + [ + "\"Now Hashem said to Abram, Get you out (lit. 'go for you')...\" According to Rabbi Elazar, the phrase \"Go for you,\" means \"for yourself.\" Go out for yourself, to fulfill yourself and complete your grade. \"Get you out,\" for you must not stay here among the wicked. The secret (behind the words) \"Get you out\"", + "is that the Holy One, blessed be He, inspired Abraham with the spirit of wisdom. He knew how to judge the spirits (also winds) of the civilized world. He observed them, weighed them in the scales, and knew how to connect them to the powers entrusted to govern the inhabited places on earth.", + "When he reached the middle point of civilization, he weighed it in the scales, but could not reach any conclusion. He tried to see and to know what sort of power governed that place, but could not conceive it.", + "He weighed a few more times before realizing that the whole world sprouts from that place and is established upon it. He observed carefully, and measured, so as to understand the subject, and concluded that the supernal force above it could not be measured, that it is deep and hidden, and that it does not resemble the different parts of the inhabited land.", + "He watched attentively, weighed, and realized that the middle point of the inhabited world is the point from which the whole world moves out to all its corners. Similarly, he knew the power that now prevails over the point. All other powers that govern the corners of the world originate from that point and all (the Sefirot) hold to it. Then \"they went out with them from Ur of the Chaldeans, to go to the land of Canaan.\" (Gen. 11:31).", + "He continued to observe, weigh, and examine in an effort to determine the nature of that place, but he was unable to understand it so as to cleave to it. He saw the strength of that place and realized that he could not understand it, and therefore immediately, \"they came to Charan, and dwelt there\" (Gen. 11:31).", + "Why did Abraham (delay in Charan and not leave there immediately, \"to go to the land of Canaan,\" as it is written, \"And they dwelt there\"?) Abraham knew and checked all the governors and rulers of the world that had dominion over the entire civilized world. And he was examining all those who govern and rule over the directions of the world's inhabited land, all those that have dominion over the stars and the constellations. He learned how they exercise their power over one another. In considering all the inhabited places in the world, he did well. But when he reached that place (the point of Malchut) he saw the force of the depths. And he could not withstand it.", + "As soon as the Holy One, blessed be He, noticed his awakening and his passion, He immediately revealed Himself to Abraham and said, \"Get you out\" in order to learn about and perfect yourself.", + "The words \"Your country\" referred to that side of the inhabited world to which he was attached. \"and from your kindred\", from that Wisdom with which you study your horoscope, determined by watching and examining the moment, hour, and time of your birth, and the planet and the sign under which you were born. All of this is related to the illumination of the left side and is not included within the right.", + "The verse, \"And from your father's house,\" (means) and never look upon your father's house again (and never seek to discover) if the root of your success in the world is from your father's house. Therefore, \"Get you out\" of this wisdom and this observance.", + "Come and behold, It is indeed so! Because they had already left Ur of the Chaldeans and were in Charan, why should He say to him, \"Get you out of your country, and from your kindred?\" For he has already left Ur of the Chaldeans, which is his country and family. Therefore, the main point has to be, as previously stated. \"To the land that I will show you\" - \"I will show you\" what you were not able to conceive and were not able to know about the power of that land, which is deep and hidden." + ], + [ + "\"And I will make of you a great nation...\" (Gen. 12:2). \"And I will make of you\" is related to the verse, \"Get you out.\" \"And I will bless you\" is related to the verse, \"from your country.\" \"And make your name great\" is related to the verse, \"and from your kindred.\" \"And you shall be a blessing\" is related to the verse, \"and from your father's house.\"", + "Rabbi Shimon says that the verse, \"And I will make of you a great nation,\" is (the illumination of the right side; that \"and I will bless you\" is the left side; that \"and I will make your name great\" is the Central Column; and that \"and you shall be a blessing\" is from the side of the land of Yisrael. So here is a throne that has four legs, all of which were included in Abraham. From here onward, the blessings are for the others who are replenished from here, as it is written, \"And I will bless them that bless you" + ], + [ + "Rabbi Elazar was sitting before his father, Rabbi Shimon, together with Rabbi Yehuda, Rabbi Yitzchak, and Rabbi Chizkiyah. Rabbi Elazar asked Rabbi Shimon why is it written, \"Get you out of your country, and from your kindred\" in the singular? Since they all left (Ur Casdim) to go to (Canaan), why was Abraham not told that they all should go?", + "Terach was an idol worshipper, but since his desire to leave with Abraham was truly aroused, and, as we have seen, the Holy One, blessed be He, desires that the wicked repent, as Terach started to leave with Abraham, why does it not say, \"Go for yourself\" in plural? Why does it say \"Go for yourself\" to Abraham alone?", + "Rabbi Shimon replied that Terach did not leave Ur of the Chaldeans because he wanted to repent and mend his ways, but only to save himself from all the people of his land, who wanted to kill him. Particularly after they saw that Abraham was saved (from the furnace of fire) they said to Terach, 'You were the one who misled us with these idols. Because he feared them, Terach left. When he reached Charan, he stayed, as it is written, \"So Abram departed, as Hashem had spoken to him, and Lot went with him\" (Gen. 12:4). Terach is not mentioned in the verse!", + "He opened the discussion by saying, \"And from the wicked their light is withheld, and the high arm shall be broken\" (Iyov 38:16). This passage has already been explained. Nevertheless, \"And from the wicked their light is withheld\" applies to Nimrod and the people of his generation, whom Abraham left, since he was \"their light\"; \"the high arm shall be broken\" alludes to Nimrod.", + "Another explanation of the verse, \"And from the wicked their light is withheld,\" is that it applies to Terach and his household, and \"their light\" is Abraham. The verse does not say 'the light,' but \"their light,\" that was among them. \"And the high arm shall be broken\" applies to Nimrod, who misled the whole world into following him. And this is why it is written, \"Get you out,\" so that the light may shine for you and for all who will descend from now and henceforth.", + "Furthermore, (Rashbi) then discussed the verse, \"And now men see not the bright light which is in the clouds; but the wind passes, and cleanses them\" (Iyov 37:21). \"And now men see not the bright light\": when? At the time when the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Abraham, \"Get you out of your country, and from your kindred, and from your father's house.\" \"The bright light which is in the clouds\" (this is Abraham) because the Holy One, blessed be He, wished to attach Abraham to the supernal Light and have him shine there.", + "\"And the wind passes, and cleanses them\" refers to Terach and all the people of his town, all of whom afterwards repented. As it is written, \"and the souls that they had made in Charan\" (Gen. 12:5). The verse, \"And you shall come to your fathers in peace\" (Gen, 15:15) - Terach had repented, for the Holy One, blessed be He, would not have said this to Abraham otherwise.", + "(There are seven blessings in this passage) One, \"And I will make of you a great nation\"; two, \"and I will bless you\"; three, \"and make your name great\"; four, \"and you shall be a blessing\"; five, \"And I will bless them that bless you\"; six, \"and curse him that curses you\"; and seven, \"and in you shall all families of the earth be blessed.\" And after he received these seven blessings, it is written, \"So Abram departed, as Hashem had spoken to him.\" (Meaning he went) down to the world, as he was commanded to do.", + "Immediately, \"Lot went with him.\" This is the serpent that was cursed and caused the world to be cursed. The scriptures call the serpent by the name Lot, because Lot means 'a curse' in Aramaic. The serpent was cursed and brought curses on the world. So he accompanies the soul during its stay in this world. And the serpent stands at the opening, in order to mislead the body. And this is why the soul will not start fulfilling the mission it was commanded to perform until it has completed thirteen years in this world. Because from the twelfth year onward, the soul is aroused to fulfill its task. Therefore, it is written, \"and Abram was seventy five years old\" (Gen. 12:4) and seven and five equals twelve. and curse them that curse you, and in you shall all families of the earth be blessed.\"", + "And then the soul can be seen in this world, because it comes from the \"five years,\" which are the five hundred parasangs of the Tree of Life. \"And seventy years\" refers to the same tree, which is the seventh among the grades, namely, the Nukva, which is the seventh Sefirah among the seven Sefirot: Chesed, Gevurah, Tiferet, Netzach, Hod, Yesod and Malchut. And then the soul is acknowledged as the offspring of Zeir Anpin and the Nukva. Then the soul departs from the filth of the serpent and enters to the holy work. And so it is written, \"when he departed out of Charan\" from the wrath and aggression of the Satan, who until now had ruled over the body by deceiving it.", + "", + "The Orlah (lit. 'foreskin') rules over the tree for three years. In the human being, the first thirteen years are called the \"Orlah years.\" After the body has lived these years, the soul is aroused to fulfill its holy task. It then receives full control over the body and inspires the goodwill necessary to overcome the serpent. And then the serpent will not be able to control the body as it did before.", + "As it is written, \"And Abram took Sarai his wife...\" (Gen. 12:5). This refers to the body, which in comparison to the soul is like the female toward the male. \"And Lot his brother's son\" refers to the serpent that does not completely leave the body because the clinging of the body is not entirely gone from it. Nevertheless, the arousal of the soul strikes it always, warns and reproves it, and forces it to obey so that it cannot take control any more.", + "\"And all their substance that they had gathered...\" refers to the good deeds that a person performs in this world because of the awakening of the soul. \"And the souls (Nefesh) that they had made in Charan...\", that Nefesh, which at first was attached to the foreskin of the body and clung to it and which later was amended (by the Neshamah). So after thirteen years, when the Neshamah is aroused to amend the body, both amend that Nefesh that participated in the harsh (judgments) of the serpent and its evil desires. As it is written, \"and the Nefesh that they had made in Charan...\"", + "the reason this is written in the plural is because it refers to the Neshamah and the body, which together amend the Nefesh, the Neshamah by awakening the body, and the body by its good deeds. With all of this, the Neshamah continues to attack the serpent in order to break it, so that it will surrender and be enslaved under the influence of repentance. Therefore, it is written, \"And Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem\" (Gen. 12:6), because Shechem is the dwelling place of the Shechinah. And that is because the power of the serpent has already been completely broken by the Neshamah. (End of Sitrei Torah)..." + ], + [ + "Rabbi Elazar said, Come and behold, It is not written, \"So Abram left, as Hashem had spoken to him,\" but rather that Abram \"departed (lit. 'went') (Heb. וַיֵּלֶךָ),\" as it is written, \"Get you out\" (Heb. לֶךְ לְךָ). This is so written because they had already left, as it is written, \"and they went out with them from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to the land of Canaan.\" Therefore, it is written, \"departed\" rather than \"left.\"", + "\"As Hashem had spoken to him...\" - according to all the promises He gave him. The words, \"and Lot went with him,\" mean that Lot accompanied Abraham to learn from his behavior. Even so, Lot did not learn much. Rabbi Elazar said, Happy are the righteous who study the ways of the Holy One, blessed be He, in order to follow them and be in awe of Him, in awe of that day of judgment when man will have to account for his deeds before the Holy one, blessed be He.", + "He opened the discussion, saying, \"He seals up the hand of every man; that all men whom He has made may know His work.\" (Iyov 37:7). This passage has already been explained. But come and behold, When the days of man are over and he is about to leave this world, on that day when the body is broken and the soul has to leave it, then that person is permitted to see what he has not been able to see when the body was in control, and he understands things completely.", + "Three messengers stand over him and take an account of his days and his sins and all that he has done in this world. And he openly admits everything, and after that he signs it with his hand. As it is written, \"He seals up the hand of every man...\".", + "And all (both deeds and sins) are signed with his hand, so a man can be judged for all of his actions in this world, the early and the recent, the old and the new - not even one of them is forgotten. Therefore, it is written, \"that all men whom He has made may know His work.\" Just as all of the actions he committed in this world were together in body and in spirit, so he must account for them together in body and spirit, before he leaves this world.", + "Come and behold, just as the sinners are stiff-necked in this world, so are they stiff-necked when they are about to leave this world. Therefore, blessed is that person who studies the ways of the Holy One, blessed be He, while in this world, so that he may follow them. But the wicked person, even though he sees these righteous people, stiffens his neck and refuses to learn from them.", + "This is why the righteous man must hold on to him and not let go, even though the wicked person \"stiffens his neck.\" The righteous man should hold him tight by the hand and not leave him alone, because if he lets him go, the wicked person will go and destroy the world.", + "Come and behold, We see examples in the case of Elisha who thrust away Gehazi, and in the case of Abraham and Lot. As long as Lot was with Abraham, Lot did not associate with the wicked. But as soon as he left him, it is written, \"Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan...and pitched his tent toward Sodom\" (Gen. 13:11-12), followed by \"And the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before Hashem exceedingly\" (Ibid. 13).", + "Rabbi Abba said 'You noted that it is written, \"Abram went,\" rather than 'Abram left,'. This is well; but at the end of the verse, it is written, \"when he departed out of Charan...\"' Rabbi Elazar responded that it is written \"out of Charan\", but the main departure was that from the land of his birthplace, which had already occurred. This is not the same as the departure from Charan that is mentioned together with \"Get you out.\" So we may say here \"when he left Charan.\"" + ], + [ + "\"And Avram took Sarai his wife\" (Gen. 12:5). Here, \"took\" means that Abraham persuaded her to come with soft words, because a man cannot take his wife to another country without her agreement. Similarly, it is written, \"Take Aaron\" (Num. 20:25) and \"Take the Levites\" (Num. 3:45). This is why \"And Abram took\"; he persuaded her with words, telling her how evil were the ways of their generation. Therefore it is written, \"And Abram took Sarai his wife.\"", + "\"And Lot his brother's son,\" What did Abraham see that made him take Lot with him? He foresaw through the Holy Spirit that David shall issue from him in the future. The words, \"and the souls that they had made in Charan,\" refer to the male and female converts whose souls they amended. Abraham converted the men, while Sarah converted the women. Therefore, the verse is written as if they had \"made\" them.", + "Rabbi Abba said, If so, then there were a lot of people (i.e. alot of converts). Can we say that they all left with him? Rabbi Elazar responded, Indeed so! And because of this, all the people who went with him are called \"the people of the Elohim of Abraham\" (Tehilim 47:10). And he traveled through the country with no fear, as it is written, \"And Abram passed through the land.\"", + "Rabbi Abba said to him, If it had been written, 'and souls that they had made in Charan,' then he would have agreed. But, he said, it is written, \"and the (Heb. אֶת) souls,\" in which the particle אֶת serves as an addition to the merits of those souls that went along with him. Because he who leads his friend to meritorious conduct benefits always from that conduct and the benefit never leaves him. How do we know this? Because it is written, \"And the souls that they had made in Charan.\" The merit of these souls accompanied Abraham.", + "Rabbi Shimon asked, when the Holy One, blessed be He, first revealed himself to Abraham, why did He start with 'Get you out'? Until that time, the Holy One, blessed be He, had not spoken with Abraham. Therefore, why did He start with \"Go for yourself\"? Because the Hebrew words for \"Go for yourself,\" which are לֶךְ לְךָ, have a numerical value of 100. By using these words, the Holy One, blessed by He, gave Abraham a hint that he would have a son in his hundredth year.", + "But come and behold, All that the Holy One, blessed be He, performs on earth is done according to Wisdom. Because Abraham was not yet attached to the Holy One, blessed be He, properly, He said to him \"Go for yourself.\" This is a hint for that place and position that Abraham was expected to reach and that would bring him closer to the Holy One, blessed be He. This is why it is written, \"Go for yourself.\" And that is the first grade that Abraham was to attain in coming to the Holy One, blessed be He.", + "But Abraham could not reach that grade and hold on to it until he entered the land of Yisrael, because that is where this level is achieved. It was similar with David, about whom it is written, \"David inquired of Hashem, saying, Shall I go up to any of the cities of Yehuda? And Hashem said to him, 'Go up.' And David said, Where shall I go up? And Hashem said, 'to Hevron'\" (II Shmuel 2:1). Since Saul had died, and David was fit to receive the kingship, why then did he not receive the kingship over Yisrael immediately?", + "Everything, however, occurs by the secret of Wisdom. David was not ready to receive the kingship until he had connected himself to the Patriarchs buried in Hebron, through whom he was to receive the kingship. Therefore, he remained in Hevron for seven years, until he was fit to receive the kingship properly. Thus, everything occurred by the secret of Wisdom so that his kingship would be properly established! The same applies to Abraham; he did not achieve complete fulfillment with the Holy One, blessed be He, until he entered the land of Yisrael.", + "See, it is written, \"And Abram passed through the land.\" Why \"passed through (Heb. וַיַּעֲבֹר)\" instead of 'went'! This is an allusion to the Holy Name by which the world is sealed that contains 72 engraved letters, all of which are within that name. (וַיַּעֲבֹר (Vav-Yud-Ayin-Bet-Resh) consists of two parts Resh-Yud-Vav (numerically=216) and Ayin-Bet (=72) that refer to the 216 letters and 72 names). Thus, it is written in one place, \"And...passed through,\" while it is written in another, \"And Hashem passed by (Heb. וַיַּעֲבֹר) before him and proclaimed...\" (Shemot 34:6) [just as there it is speaking of the Holy Name of Ayin-Bet (72), so too vaya'avor here is a reference to the Holy Name of Ayin-Bet (72)]." + ], + [ + "In the book of Rabbi Yesa Saba (the elder), it states, It is written, \"And Abram passed through the land,\" while elsewhere it is written, \"I will make all My goodness pass before you\" (Shemot 33:19). It gives a hint about the holiness of the land, which emanates from a supernal place in all its proper goodness. \"To the place of Shchem to the plain of Moreh\" - from one side to the other side, as was befitting. \"And the Canaanite were then in the land,\". It has been explained that at that time the curse of the evil serpent dominated the land, and the world was cursed. As it is written, \"Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be to his brethren\" (Gen. 9:25), and also \"you are cursed above all cattle\" (Gen. 3:14). When Abraham came close to the Holy One, blessed be He, it is written, \"And Hashem appeared to Abram\" (Gen. 12:7), now was revealed to him that which he did not know, because of the profound force that governed the land. Thus appeared to him what", + "what had been concealed from him, and he was able to understand it....", + "Then \"he built an altar to Hashem, who had appeared to him.\" Why were the words \"who had appeared to him\" added? Because here the grade, which was in dominion over the land, appeared to him. He entered it, rose through it, and was established in it.", + "\"And he moved from there to the mountain\" (Gen. 12:8), where he recognized the mountain of Hashem and all the grades planted on that place. \"And pitched his tent\" (Heb. אָהֳלה) which alludes to the Nukva, as 'אָהֳלה' is not spelled with a Vav but with a Hei. Thus he spread a curtain and received the kingdom of heaven, along with all the grades that come from it. He then knew that the Holy One, blessed be He, rules over all, and he built an altar. There were actually two altars, because here the Holy One, blessed be He, appeared to him as the ruler over all. He now acquired knowledge of the supernal wisdom, which he had not previously attained. He therefore built two altars one for the grade that appeared and one to the grade still hidden.", + "Come and behold, It is written first, \"and there he built an altar to Hashem, who had appeared to him,\" and later just \"and there he built an altar to Hashem,\" without adding \"who appeared to him.\" And all this is according to the secret of Wisdom.", + "Abraham was then crowned from grade to grade, until he ascended to his own grade. This is the meaning of \"And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the Negev.\" This is the south, Abraham's portion. \"Going on still,\" grade after grade, until he reached the south, where he was properly attached. He then ascended to the south's grade, that is, he deserved to be a Chariot of Chesed of Zeir Anpin called 'south.'", + "After Abraham was crowned with his grades in the Holy Land and entered the holy grade, that is, the grade of Chesed, and the aspect of the hidden world, then it is written, \"And there was famine in the land\" (Gen. 12:10), they were not sure how to approach the Holy One, blessed be He, as in the secret of the verse \"not a famine for bread, nor a thirst for water, but for hearing the words of Hashem\" (Amos 8:11).", + "\"And there was famine in the land\" because until then the power ruling over the land did not supply the land with strength and nourishment. This occurred because (the Nukvah) was not completely built and not established. When Abraham saw that the power appointed over the land did not supply it with might and holy strength as it merited, then \"Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there\" (Gen. 12:10).", + "How did Abraham know (that the land still needed correction)? From the verse, \"To your seed I will give this land.\" Abraham then knew that the only way to amend the land was through the holy grades of his descendants. Abraham then understood the secret of Wisdom - the land will not be properly mended in holiness, except as we have said. He therefore went down to Egypt, from there to correct that which was lacking.", + "Sitrei Torah The Holy One, blessed be He, alluded to the supernal Wisdom through Abraham and Isaac; Abraham is the Neshamah of Neshamah, (referred to as 'the light of Chayah'). Sarah is the Neshamah, and Lot is the serpent, the spouse of Samael. The holy Ruach is Isaac; the Holy Nefesh is Rivkah. The Evil Inclination is the bestial Nefesh. And concerning this King Solomon said in his wisdom, \"Who knows whether the spirit of man goes upwards, and the spirit of the beast goes downwards\" (Kohelet 3:21). The bestial Nefesh is the Nefesh that comes from the side of the Evil Inclination.", + "And this is what they meant by saying that the Neshamah of Neshamah rests upon a person who feels awe and has Wisdom. The Neshamah reaches a person in Binah, as it is written, \"And to man He said, Behold the fear of Hashem, that is wisdom (Heb. חָכְמָה)\" (Iyov 28:28). The Neshamah comes to a person through repentance, which is called 'Binah' and 'Sarah'. The Ruach is called 'the voice', and is also called 'Da'at.' And this is drawn down to a person who raises his voice in Torah. (The Ruach is) also called the written Torah, and all the positive deeds come from the mental Nefesh.", + "In a similar way, the Holy One, blessed be He, created the body from the four elements namely, Fire, Air, Earth and Water, which correspond to the Neshamah of Neshamah, the Neshamah, the Ruach, and the Nefesh. Water which is the aspect of the male refers to the sweet waters of holiness. The contrasting bitter waters represent the Evil Inclination. The holy fire which is the aspect of the female. There is the foreign fire, to which the words \"that he come not at all times to the holy place\" (Vayikra 16:2) apply. And this is the female of the Evil Inclination. The holy Ruach is the aspect of the Male, similar to the Ruach that comes from the Sefirah of Da'at. The unholy Ruach, which is the Evil Inclination. As it is written, \"for out of the serpent's root shall come forth a viper\" (Isaiah 14:29). There is holy Earth, similar to the Nefesh that comes from the left side of Da'at. And in contrast, there is an Unholy Earth.", + "Therefore, the Neshamah, which is repentance, (Binah) attacks and overcomes the serpent by the power of enslavement that belongs to repentance. And it drags the serpent to the synagogue and the learning academies. And the four elements expand to 22 letters, Aleph-Chet-Hei-Ayin (throat); Bet-Vav-Mem-Pe (lips); Gimel-Yud-Caf-Kof (palate); Dalet-Tet-Lamed-Nun-Tav (tounge); Zayin-Samech-Shin-Resh-Tzadik from the teeth. [These five vowels of articulation of the mouth are equivalent to Keter, Chochmah, Binah, Tiferet, and Malchut, which are the four elements of Water, Fire, Air and Earth. This is why he says that the four elements, which are the secret of the five vowels of articulation of the mouth, expand to 22 letters]. (End of the Gilayon)", + "The verse, \"And Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem,\" alludes to the synagogue, the place where the Shechinah resides. As it is written, \"Moreover I have given to you one portion (Heb. שְׁ'כֶ'ם')\" (Gen. 48:22), (Shechem) is the Shechinah, which is fit for (Yosef), as he is called 'righteous.' Because righteousness (i.e. the Shechinah) does not reside anywhere else but in the righteous (Yosef). This is the meaning of \"to the place of Shechem,\" (i.e. the shul). \"To the plain of Moreh\" alludes to Torah-learning academies, where they teach and instruct Torah to the public.", + "\"And the Canaanite was then in the land\" means that the Evil Inclination was sweetened and amended in spite of itself, in the body because it has many names. \"Was then in the land\" is certainly against its will. The serpent is not yet completely removed from the body. Therefore, because the body is still attached (to the serpent), the \"Canaanite was then in the land.\"", + "The soul is properly established in this world, so that we can merit receiving it after it leaves the world. If a soul has merit, it returns to the place from whence it came. As it is written, \"To the place of the altar, which he had made there in the beginning\" (Gen. 13:4), and \"to the place where his tent (Heb. אָהֳלה) had been at the beginning...\" (Ibid. 3). אָהֳלה is spelled with an additional Hei (representing the Shechinah).", + "Now, (in this world) it is (in the middle) between rising upward and descending downward, between Bethel, (Up) and Ay (Down). If it has merit, it will rise up \"to the place of the altar, which he had made...\" Who is 'he' who 'had made,' and what is 'the altar'? \"He had made there\" applies to the Holy One, blessed be He, who had made that altar and established it upon twelve stones, \"according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of Hashem came, saying, Yisrael shall be your name\" (I Kings 18:31), for sure.", + "And this altar, \"he had made there at first,\" when the upper world, which is concealed from all other worlds, was created. And Michael the High Priest stands high and sacrifices upon it the offerings of the souls (of the righteous). And since the soul ascends there and rises up, it is written, \"and there Abram called in the name of Hashem\" (Gen. 13:4). The soul calls there and is attached to the bundle of life.", + "All this happens if (the soul) merited to amend the body in this world and overcome the power of that cursed being, (the Evil Inclination, which is Lot) until it is separated from it. As it is written, \"And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram's cattle (the soul) and the herdsmen of Lot's cattle, (the Evil Inclination)\" (Gen. 13:7). Because in this world, on each and every day, those camps and rulers from the side of the soul are in strife with the camps and rulers from the side of the body, and they fight with each other while all the parts of the body are trapped in agony between them, between the soul and the serpent, between those forces that fight each other every day.", + "Thus it is written, \"And Abram said to Lot\" (Gen. 13:8) that the soul answered the Evil Inclination, \"Let there be no strife, I pray you, between me and you, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen.\" Between my camps and your camps \"for we are brethren\"; because the Good Inclination and the Evil Inclination are close to each other, the one to man's right and the other to his left.", + "\"Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself, pray you, from me...\" (Ibid. 9). There are a lot of wicked men in the world; go and chase after them and leave me alone. \"If you will go to the left, then I will go to the right...\"; it reproves and annoys it with many fights and arguments every day, until, as it is written, \"and they separated themselves the one from the other\" (Ibid. 11).", + "Since they have separated themselves from each other, it is written, \"Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan\" (Gen. 13:12), the soul has settled among the righteous in a good and peaceful settlement. \"And Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain\", the cursed adversary went to prosecute and join the wicked in their dwellings. As it is written, \"and pitched his tent toward Sodom,\" followed by, \"And the men of Sodom were wicked and were sinners before Hashem exceedingly\" (Gen. 13:13). There he dwelt and set his residence among them; he joined them, so that he could deceive them and destroy them by evil deeds.", + "As the adversary leaves the soul and the body is purified from that defilement, the Holy One, blessed be He, immediately takes up residence beside him, and he inherits the upper and lower portion and is delighted among the righteous. While that cursed one, referring to Lot, is among the wicked and they sin together with him until finally they cannot be redeemed from their sins.", + "It is then written, \"And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive...\" (Gen. 14:14). \"And when Abram heard\" refers to the soul which remained purified in the body. \"That his brother was taken captive\" refers to the Evil Inclination, which was taken captive among the wicked by their innumerable sins. \"And he armed his trained servants, born in his own house,\" means the righteous men who learn Torah and are the limbs of the body, armed to join him. They number three hundred and eighteen - 248 limbs of the body and seventy that belong to the secret of the soul. The soul comes from (the Seven Sefirot of Zeir Anpin). He was armed with all these to confront those sinners to make them repent and atone for their sins.", + "Then, it is written, \"and pursued them to Dan (also, judge).\" This means he pursued them and told them about the judgment of the World of Truth and the punishment of Gehenom. And he did not allow his eyes to sleep, neither during the day nor at night, until he reproved the sinners and brought them to atone and ask for forgiveness from the Holy One, blessed be He. It is written, \"And he brought back all the goods...\" (Gen. 13:16), because he brought them to atone completely for their sins!", + "The words \"And also brought again his brother Lot\" mean that he even attacked that Evil Inclination until he overcame it by force against its will and weakened it, as should be. He brought them all to wholeheartedly atone for their sins, as should properly be. He reproved and reprimanded them day and night for every single sin they performed, until they repented completely.", + "Let us return to the first subject of this passage, where it is written, \"The watchmen that go about the city found me...\" (Shir Hashirim 5:7). have guards stationed upon them. As it is written, \"I have set watchmen upon your walls, Jerusalem...\" (Yeshayah 62:6). And Michael, the High Priest, is the highest of the gate watchmen.", + "When the soul leaves this world, if that person has merit, the soul enters the earthly Garden of Eden, which the Holy One, blessed be He, planted for the spirits of the righteous. Similarly, He created the Garden of Eden on high, where all the righteous people of the world dwell.", + "So when the soul leaves this world, it (first) enters the cave of Machpelah, where the opening leading to the Garden of Eden is located. Then it meets Adam and the Patriarchs who are there. If the soul is meritorious, they rejoice with it and open all the openings so the soul can enter them. If not, it is pushed outside. If it has merit it enters the Garden and sits there, it clothes itself with a garment in the image of this world and enjoys itself. 4. Not translated." + ], + [ + "The secret of all secrets is passed on to those who are wise in their hearts. There are three levels that are attached to each other, and they are Nefesh, Ruach, and Neshamah. Nefesh is the force from which the body is built. When a man is aroused in this world to mate with his wife, all parts of the body agree on this and are prepared to receive enjoyment from it. Then the Nefesh and the desire of the person indulge willingly in that act. The Nefesh is drawn down and enters the sperm that comes forth....", + "From the combination of that desire and the Nefesh, another power is drawn from the levels of the angels, who are called Ishim (people). They all enter as the sperm flows, and the body is then built and constructed of them. This is the first and lowest power of the three levels....", + "And because the Nefesh offers a sacrifice by attaching itself to the foundation of the body, which is offered as a sacrifice to atone for the Neshamah, then part of it is offered to those grades that are considered as Ishim. Because part of the Nefesh, (the Ruach of the Nefesh) is drawn down from them. As it is written, \"My offering and my bread for my fire (Heb. אִשַׁי)...\" (Num. 28:2), which means to the Ishim. So, because it is an offering of the Nefesh, the Ishim take their part as well. And when one leaves this world, that Nefesh never leaves the grave. And because of the power, the dead know and talk with each other.", + "Ruach gives existence to the Nefesh in this world. It is drawn by the arousal of the Nukvah toward the male, when they are in a state of united passion. The female is aroused toward the male because of her passion to receive from him the Ruach, just like a woman in this world who is inseminated by the power of her passion to (receive from) the man. And this is the secret of the words, \"and the spirit (Ruach) shall return to the Elohim who gave it\" (Kohelet 12:7).", + "And this Ruach leaves this world and is separated from the Nefesh, (which remains hovering at the grave), and it enters the Garden of Eden of this world. There, it clothes itself with the air of the Garden of Eden, just as the supernal angels do when they come down to this world. Then, they clothe and cover themselves with the air of this world, because they were created from that spirit (Ruach), as it is written, \"Who makes the winds (also: spirits) his angels\" (Tehilim 104:4).", + "And in the midst of the Garden, there stands a pillar embroidered with many colors. And when that Ruach wishes to rise up, it disrobes from that clothing, enters to the pillar, and ascends until it reaches the place from where it came. As it is written, \"and the spirit (Ruach) shall return\".", + "And then, Michael, the High Priest, takes (the Ruach) and offers it as a sacrifice of sweet savor to the Holy One, blessed be He. And it remains there and enjoys the delicacies of the bundle of Life, \"no eye had ever seen an Elohim, beside You...\" (Isaiah 64:3). Afterwards, it goes down from there and returns to the earthly Garden of Eden. There, it enjoys all the delicacies, clothes itself again with that same clothing, and dwells there crowned with a crown twice as big as the one that it had possessed before.", + "The Neshamah is a supernal power high above the other two. It originates from the power of the male, which is the Tree of Life and ascends immediately. And these three levels are attached to one another. When they leave (the body), they all rise up and return to the places from which they came.", + "When the Ruach leaves this world and enters the cave of Adam and the Patriarchs, they give it a letter as a sign. Then it goes to the Garden of Eden. When it arrives there, it meets the Cherubs and the flame of the revolving sword. If it is meritorious, then they see the letter, which is the sign, and open the gate for it to enter. If they do not see the letter, they reject it and do not allow it to enter.", + "And it dwells there some time, sitting and clothing itself in the image of this world. And on the first day of the month and on Shabbat, when it wants to rise, the righteous men who are in the Garden of Eden give it a letter as a sign. And it ascends through that same pillar, where it meets the watchmen of the walls of Jerusalem. If it is meritorious, they open the gate and it enters. If not, they take the letter away and throw it out. As it is written, \"The watchmen that go about the city found me...the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me\" (Shir Hashirim 5:7). (The veil) is the letter given as a sign, which has been taken away from it, by the watchmen of the walls of Jerusalem. End of Sitrei Torah." + ], + [ + "\"And Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there\" (Gen. 12:10). Why did he go down to Egypt? Because it looked like the garden of Hashem (Gan Eden). As it is written, \"like the garden of Hashem, like the land of Egypt...\" (Gen. 13:10). Because a river flows down on the right, as it is written, \"The name of the first is Pishon; that is it which encompasses the whole land of Chavilah, where there is gold\" (Gen. 2:11).", + "So Abraham achieved knowledge and complete faith. Abraham then wanted to become familiar with all the grades that are attached below. And Egypt came from the right; from the aspect of the River of Pishon, which is the secret of Chochmah of the Right Column. Come and behold, famine only comes to the land when Mercy leaves Judgment.", + "\"And it came to pass, when he came (lit. 'caused to come') near to enter to Egypt...\" (Gen. 12:11). Rabbi Elazar said that the verse says, \"when he caused to come near,\" whereas it should have stated, 'When he came near.' Why does it say, \"when he caused to come near?\" This is similar to the verse, \"And Pharaoh caused to come close...\" (Shemot 14:10), that he brought Yisrael to come near to repentance. The same applies here, so \"caused to come near\" means he brought himself to come near to the Holy One, blessed be He, as should properly be. \"To enter to Egypt,\", to observe those grades, and keep his distance from them, as well as to keep his distance from the worshipers of Egypt.", + "Rabbi Yehuda said, Come and behold, Since he went down to Egypt without consent, his offspring were enslaved in Egypt for four hundred years. As it is written, \"and Abram went down to Egypt. It does not say (that Hashem told him) 'Go down to Egypt!' Therefore, he was in misery all that night because of Sarah.", + "And he said to Sarah his wife, 'Behold now, I know that you are a fair woman to look upon'\" (Gen. 12:11). Could it be that until then Abraham did not know that she was a \"fair woman to look upon\"? This has already been explained that until then he did not look upon the image of Sarah, because of their excessive modesty with each other. But when he \"came near to enter to Egypt,\" she revealed herself, and he saw her.", + "Another explanation for why he knew is that most people are affected by the hardship of the journey, but Sarah remained beautiful and her appearance did not change. Another explanation of the words, \"Behold, now I know...\" is that Abraham saw the Shechinah accompanying Sarah. For this reason, Abraham felt confident and said, \"She is my sister.\"", + "The phrase, \"my sister,\" has two meanings. The first is literal. The second is figurative, as in the verse, \"Say to wisdom; You are my sister.\" (Mishlei 7:4). It also is written, \"Say, I pray you, you are my sister\" (Gen. 12:13). ('You' alludes here to the Shechinah). And it is also written, \"speak you to us\" (Devarim 5:24). In addressing the Shechinah, he said, \"That it may be well with me for your sake,\" (for the sake of the Shechinah) and also \"my soul shall live because of you,\" because, as a result of this, a person is elevated up to the path of life. \"Say, I pray you, you are my sister...\" Rabbi Yesa said, Abraham knew that all the Egyptians are lecherous. Since he knew this,", + "how come he was not afraid for his wife and did not return back from this journey and refrain from entering there? Because he saw that she was accompanied by the Shechinah; therefore he had confidence in her and had no fear!" + ], + [ + "And it came to pass, when Abraham came to Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair\" (Gen. 12:14). Rabbi Yehuda said, He brought her to Egypt in a closed carriage. And the Egyptians opened the carriage to collect taxes from it. But as the carriage was opened, there was light resembling the light of the sun.", + "What (does it mean by) 'very?' (The Egyptians) saw in the carriage a different light. They took her out, and they saw that she remained as fair as before. Therefore it is written, \"The ministers of Pharaoh saw her.\" Since it is written that 'the Egyptians beheld the woman,' why do I read, 'The ministers of Pharaoh saw her'? Because they took her out (of the carriage); and saw that she remained (as fair) as before. And then they \"commended her before Pharaoh, and the woman was taken to Pharaoh's house.\"", + "Rabbi Yitzchak said, Woe to those wicked people of the world, as they do not know and do not observe that everything that exists in the world comes from the Holy One, blessed be He. And that He knew from the beginning what the end shall be, as it is written, \"Declaring the end from the beginning...\" (Isaiah 46:10). And He watches and performs the actions from the beginning, so that they can later be repeated.", + "Come and behold, had Sarah not been taken to Pharaoh, he would not have been plagued. And the result of Pharaoh's plague was another plague, so the Egyptians suffered great plagues (as Israel left Egypt). It is written, \"great plagues,\" in this passage, and, (when Israel left Egypt), it is written, \"And Hashem showed signs and wonders, great and sore, upon Egypt\" (Devarim 6:22). Because there were ten plagues, (Pharaoh also suffered) ten plagues here. And just as the Holy One, blessed be He, performed miracles and showed His great might during the night, so here as well, the Holy One, blessed be He, performed miracles and mighty deeds at night.", + "Rabbi Yosi opened the discussion by saying, \"But you, Hashem, are a shield for me; my glory, and the one who lifts up my head\" (Ps. 3:4). David said, Even if all the people of the world come and make war with me, \"You, Hashem, are a shield for me.\" Come and behold, it is written, \"a shield for me.\" David said to the Holy One, blessed be He, Master of the Universe, why is there no blessing that ends with my name, as there is for Abraham, of whom it is written, \"I am your shield\" (Gen. 15:1) and therefore it is said, 'the shield of Abraham.'", + "So the Holy One, blessed be He, answered David, \"As for Abraham, I have already tried and tested him, and he resisted and was found before me to be wholly steadfast.\" David said to Him, \"Examine me, Hashem, and prove me, purify my kidneys and my heart!\" (Ps. 26:2) But when he became involved in the matter of Bathsheba, David remembered what he had said to the Holy One, blessed be He, and said, \"You have proved my heart, You have visited it in the night. You have tried me, but You did find nothing; Let no presumptuous thought pass my lips\" (Ps. 17:3).", + "I said, \"Examine me, Hashem, and prove me,\" and 'You have examined my heart' (by Batsheva); I said, 'purify my kidneys' and \"You have tried me, but You did find nothing.\" \"Let no presumptuous thought pass my lips;\" How I wish that the thoughts of my mind would not have been uttered with my mouth.", + "But nevertheless, there is a blessing that concludes with the words, \"the Shield of David.\" For this reason, David said, \"But you, Hashem, are a shield for me, my glory, and the one who lifts up my head.\" \"This grade (of shield) is certainly 'my glory' by which I am crowned.\"", + "\"And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him; and they sent him away...\" (Gen. 21:20). Come and behold, The Holy One, blessed be He, is the protector of the righteous, who shields them from being ruled by other people. So the Holy One, blessed be He, protected Abraham, so no one could harm him or his wife.", + "Come and behold, the Shechinah did not leave Sarah at all during that night. When Pharaoh approached her, an angel came and hit him. And whenever Sarah said, \"Hit,\" he hit. All the while Abraham was begging his Master through his prayers, not to allow anyone to harm her. Therefore, it is written, \"But the righteous are bold (trusting) as a lion\" (Proverbs 28:1). Here was a trial by which Hashem tested Abraham, but Abraham had no doubts about the Holy One, blessed be He.", + "Rabbi Yitzchak said, Come and behold, it is because of this that the Holy One, blessed be He, did not command him to go to Egypt. But he went on his own initiative, so that the people of the world would have no reason to say that (Hashem) told him to go down to Egypt, and so caused him pain over his wife.", + "Rabbi Yitzchak opened the discussion by saying, \"The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree, and he shall grow like the cedar in Lebanon\" (Ps. 92:13). Why are the righteous compared to a palm tree? Just as a palm tree, if it is cut down, needs a long time to grow again So if the world loses a righteous man, it will take a very long time until another takes his place.", + "The words \"shall flourish like the palm tree\" (teach us that) just as a palm tree does not grow except as male and female, neither does the righteous person. He does not flourish except as male and female. The male is righteous and the female is righteous, just as Abraham and Sarah were.", + "\" ...He shall grow like the cedar in Lebanon\" means that just as a cedar rises high above all the other trees, so the righteous man is above all others, who are situated under him - (they exist because of him). And the world is supported by one righteous man, as it is written, \"the righteous man is the foundation of the world\" (Proverbs 10:25). So the world rests and is supported by him and is planted on him.", + "Rabbi Yehuda said, But we have already learned that the world stands upon seven pillars; (Chesed, Gevurah, Tiferet, Netzach, Hod Yesod, Malchut). As it is written, \"She has hewn out her seven pillars\" (Proverbs 9:1). Rabbi Yosi told him, It is certainly so! But all the other pillars stand erect because of the seventh pillar, which supports the whole world, and he is 'the righteous,' (the Yesod of Zeir Anpin). And he refreshes and replenishes the world and nourishes all (the worlds). And he is described by the verse, \"Say you to the righteous, that it shall be well (also: 'that he is good') with him, for they shall eat the fruit of their doings\" (Isaiah 3:10). Moreover, it is also written, \"Hashem is good to all; and His tender mercies are over all his works\" (Ps. 145:9).", + "Rabbi Yitzchak said, But it is written, \"and a river went out of Eden to water the garden,\" (Gen. 2:10). And this is the pillar upon which the world rests; it is the one that waters the garden. And the garden is irrigated by it and bears fruits (i.e. the souls of human beings). And all the fruits blossom in this world and they maintain of the world and maintain the Torah. Who are (these fruits)? They are the souls of the righteous, who are the fruit of the handiwork of the Holy One, blessed be He. Because of this, on each and every night, the souls of the righteous rise up (Gan Eden)." + ], + [ + "And at midnight, the Holy one, blessed be He, comes to the Garden of Eden to delight Himself with them. With whom? Rabbi Yosi answers, With them all! With those who dwell in that World (of truth), and with those who dwell in this world. Together, with them all, the Holy One, blessed be He, finds delight at midnight in the Garden of Eden.", + "Come and see, the upper world needs to be aroused by the lower world. When the souls of the righteous leave this world and rise up, they are all clothed by the Supernal Light - by a splendid figure. And the Holy One, blessed be He, delights Himself with them and longs for them because they are the fruit of His handiwork. Therefore the people of Yisrael are called \"children to the Holy One, blessed be He,\" because they have acquired holy souls. As it is written, \"You are the children of Hashem your Elohim\" (Devarim 14:1). Because (the souls) are definitely the \"children\" - the fruit - of His Handiwork.", + "Rabbi Yesa said, He even delights himself with those of this world. How can that be? He replied, Because at midnight, all the truly righteous people awaken to study Torah and recite all the praises of Torah. And we have learned that the Holy One, blessed be He, together with all the righteous who are in the Garden of Eden, all listen attentively to their voices. And, during the day, a thread of grace is woven around them. As it is written, \"Yet Hashem will command his loving kindness in the daytime, and in the night, His song shall be with me...\" (Ps. 42:9).", + "Therefore, the praises that rise up before the Holy One, blessed be He, at night, are the most complete. Come and behold, When the people of Yisrael were shut in their houses, while the Holy One, blessed be He, was slaying the firstborns of the Egyptians, they were reciting these praises and psalms before the Holy One, blessed be He.", + "Come and behold, King David used to wake up at midnight. And if you might say that he sat or lay down on his bed while reciting these songs and praises, it is not so! Rather, it is as written, \"At midnight I will rise to give thanks to You\" (Ps. 119:62). \"I will rise\" definitely means he stood upright as he was occupied with the songs and praises of Torah.", + "(Because of this) King David lives on forever. Even during the Days of King Messiah, he remains the king. For we have learned that if Messiah shall be from among the living, David will be his name. And if he shall be from among (the resurrected souls of) the deceased, David shall be his name. And he shall arouse the dawn before he arrives. It is written, \"Awake, my glory; awake the harp and the lyre; I will awake the dawn\" (Ps. 57:9)." + ], + [ + "Come and behold, throughout the night that Sarah was with Pharaoh, the supernal angels came to chant songs and praises before the Holy One, blessed be He. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, Go all of you and inflict great plagues upon Egypt, so that these plagues will be a sign and an omen of what I will do in the future. As it is written, \"And Hashem plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues\" (Gen. 12:17).", + "Come and behold, it is written, \"And Pharaoh called Abraham\" (Gen. 12:18). How did he know (That Sarah is Avraham's wife)?; it is not written here as it is about Abimelech, \"Now therefore restore the man's wife, for he is a prophet\" (Gen. 20:7). Here, (Hashem) said nothing to Pharaoh!", + "Rabbi Yitzchak said, But it is written, \"Because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.\" For so (the Angels) said 'because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.' Because (Hashem) did not speak with him as He did with Abimelech. So only these words were said and no more, This plague is \"because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.\" And even this was not said by (Hashem, but rather by the Angels who smote him). And then he knew that she was Abraham's wife, so it is written, \"And Pharaoh called Abraham.\"", + "\"And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him.\" Why did he do so? So that nobody would come near them and harm them. \"And they sent him away\" means that they prepared an escort to accompany him through Egypt. The Holy One, blessed be He, said (to Pharaoh), This is what you shall do in the future to his children; you shall escort them out of your land. As it is written, \"And it came to pass, when Pharaoh let the people go\" (Shemot 13:17) - meaning that he escorted them throughout his entire country.\"", + "Rabbi Aba asked, Why did this happen to Abraham? For what reason did he have to go through it all? \"So that Abraham and Sarah would achieve great fame in the eyes of the world. So that even in Egypt, which has the greatest magicians from whom nobody can be saved, Abraham was still able to rise high and be elevated. Therefore, it is written, \"And Abraham went up out of Egypt\" (Gen. 13:1). Where to? \"To the Negev,\" (i.e. to his previous level)." + ] + ], + "Vayera": [ + [ + "Rabbi Chiya opened the discussion, \"The flowers appeared on the earth, the time of the singing of the birds has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land\" (Shir Hashirim 2:12). \"The flowers appeared on the earth,\" - when the Holy One, blessed be He, created the world, He endowed the earth with appropriate powers, so that everything was in the earth but it did not produce any fruit until Adam was created. As soon as Adam was created, everything in the earth became visible, that is, the earth began to reveal the powers and products that were implanted within it. And then it was said, \"The flowers appear on the earth.\"", + "Similarly, the heavens did not give any powers to the earth until humankind appeared, as it is written, \"And no plant of the field was yet in the earth, and no herb of the field had yet grown, for Hashem Elohim had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground\" (Gen. 2:5). All the offspring and products were concealed in the earth. They did not appear, and the heavens were prevented from pouring rain on the earth because humankind did not yet exist. Because it had not yet been created, the revelation of all things was delayed. As soon as humankind appeared, however, \"The flowers appeared on the earth,\" and all the hidden and concealed powers were now revealed.", + "\"...the time of the singing of the birds has come\" - a recital was composed of songs and praises to the Holy One, blessed be He. This was not done before humankind was created, \"...and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.\" This is the word of the Holy One, blessed be He, which did not exist in the world before humankind was created. But as soon as humankind appeared, everything appeared!", + "After (Adam) sinned, everything disappeared from the world, and the earth was cursed, as it is written, \"cursed is the earth for your sake\" (Gen. 3:17), \"When you till the ground, it shall not henceforth give its strength to you...\" (Gen. 4:12) and \"thorns also and thistles it shall bring forth to you\" (Gen. 3:18).", + "When Noah appeared in the world, he prepared spades and hoes. Afterwards, however, \"he drank of the wine, and was drunk; and he was uncovered within his tent\" (Gen. 9:21). And later, the people of the world sinned before the Holy One, blessed be He. And the powers of the earth disappeared again. And so it remained until Abraham appeared.", + "As soon as Abraham appeared, \"the flowers appeared on the earth.\" The powers of the earth were amended and revealed. \"The time of the singing of the birds (also: 'pruning') has come,\" the time when the Holy One, blessed be He, told him to circumcise himself. Thus, the time was ripe for the covenant to appear in Abraham, - when he was circumcised. Only then was the verse fulfilled through him, and the word of the Holy One, blessed be He, was revealed openly to him. As it is written, \"And Hashem appeared to him,\" after he was circumcised", + "Rabbi Elazar opened; this verse refers to events after the circumcision of Abraham. Before the circumcision, the Holy One, blessed be He, spoke to him only through the lower grade (i.e. a vision). The upper grades were not attached to this grade. As soon as Abraham was circumcised, \"the flowers appeared on the earth.\" These are the lower grades, brought forth and established by the lower grade so that they may be united with all the upper grades.", + "\"The time of the singing of the birds (also: 'pruning') has come...\", \"...and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.\" This is the voice that comes from the innermost aspect of all. So that voice (Zeir Anpin) is heard in our land. And this is the voice that cuts the word into an utterance, thereby achieving its perfection.", + "Come and behold, as long as Abraham was not circumcised, only that grade dwelt upon him, as we explained. But after he was circumcised, it is written, \"And Hashem appeared to him!\" But it is not mentioned to whom, because it is not written, 'And Hashem appeared to Abram'! (If it were written 'to Abram,') then what greater sort of praise would there be than that which existed before he was circumcised? Because even then it was written, \"And Hashem appeared to Abram\" (Gen. 12:7).", + "The words, \"And Hashem appeared to him\" contain a secret. (He appeared to) that grade that spoke to him. This had not happened before he was circumcised. And now the voice was revealed and was associated with speech when He spoke with him. The verse, \"and he sat in the tent door\" (Gen. 18:1) says \"and he,\" but does not identify \"him.\" The verse reveals the wisdom that all the grades rested upon that lower grade after Abraham was circumcised.", + "Come and behold, \"And Hashem appeared to him.\" This is the secret of the voice that is heard and attached to the utterance (speech), and revealed through it. In the verse,", + "\"and he sat in the tent door,\" - alludes to the upper world, that stands over him to shine upon him. \"In the heat of the day,\" - the right side shone. This is the grade to which Abraham cleaved. Another explanation of \"in the heat of the day\" - the time when one grade approached another with great passion, as Zeir Anpin approached the Nukva. Then they were described by the words, \"in the heat of the day.\"", + "In explaining the words, \"appeared to him,\" Rabbi Abba said that before Abraham was circumcised, he was blocked (from receiving the Supernal Lights). As soon as he was circumcised, everything appeared. And the Shechinah rested upon him in full perfection, as should properly be. Come and behold, \"And he sat in the tent door.\" \"He\" refers to the upper world (Binah) that rests upon the lower world, (the Nukvah). When? \"in the heat of the day\" when the passion of a certain righteous person is aroused to rest in the lower world.", + "Immediately - \"And he lifted up his eyes and looked, and lo, three men stood by him...\" (Gen. 18: 2) Who are these three men? They are Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (i.e. Chesed, Gevurah and Tiferet of Zeir Anpin). (He saw them) standing over that grade (Nukvha) and from them the Nukvah draws sustenance and nourishment.", + "And then, \"when he saw them, he ran to meet them,\" because the passionate desire of the lower grade is to cleave to (Chesed, Gevurah and Tiferet). And Her joy is to be drawn toward them. \"and bowed himself toward the ground,\" to become and be formed into a throne for them.", + "Come and behold, The Holy One, blessed be He, made King David one of the legs of the supernal throne, like the patriarchs. Even though She is a throne for (the Patriarchs, how can she compete with the fourth leg of the throne?) This is so only when She is united with them for the purpose of being a leg of the supernal throne. King David received the kingdom of Yisrael in Hebron for seven years for this reason to be united with (Chesed, Gevurah and Tiferet). This has already been explained.", + "Tosefta Of the verse, \"And Hashem appeared to him by the terebinths of Mamre\" (Gen. 18:1), why by the terebinths of Mamre and not in any other place? Because Mamre gave him good advice about being circumcised. When the Holy One, blessed be He, told Abraham to circumcise himself, Abraham consulted his friends. Aner told him, You are more than ninety years old, and you shall pain yourself.", + "Mamre said to him, Do not forget the day when the Chaldeans threw you into the furnace of fire and famine took over the world, as it is written, \"And there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down into Egypt\" (Gen. 12: 10). And you smote all those kings that your men pursued. And the Holy One, blessed be He, saved you from them all, so that nobody could do you any harm. So rise and fulfill the precept of your Master. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to (Mamre), You advised him to perform the circumcision. By your life! I shall reveal Myself to him only in your chamber. This is why it is written, \"by the terebinths of Mamre.\" (Until here the Tosefta)" + ], + [ + "Midrash Ha'Ne'elam: The sages began their interpretation of this passage \"Your oils are fragrant. For your flowing oil you are renowned\" (Shir Hashirim 1:3). Our sages have taught that when the soul of a human being rises from earth to heaven, it stands in the Divine Illumination. The Holy One, blessed be He, visits it.", + "Come and listen, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai said, When the soul of a righteous person stands in the place where the Shechinah of His blessed Glory rests and is worthy of sitting by Her, the Holy One, blessed be He, calls upon the patriarchs. And He says to them, Go and visit so-and-so, the righteous person who has come, and welcome him in peace in My Name. And they claim it is not proper for a father to go and visit his child, but rather the child should seek after his father to see him.", + "The Holy One, blessed be He, then calls upon Jacob and says to him, You, who suffered the sorrow of (raising) children, go and welcome so-and-so, the righteous person who has come here, and I shall go along with you, as it is written, \"those who seek your face Jacob, Selah\" (Tehilim 24:6). It does not say \"seek\" in the singular, but in the plural. Rabbi Chiya said, This we understand from the first part of the verse. As it is written, \"This is the generation of them that seek him,\" which teaches us that the intention of the verse alludes to the souls of the righteous, the seekers, namely, the leaders of the generation.", + "Rabbi Ya'akov said in the name of Rabbi Chiya, Jacob, the Patriarch, is the Throne of Glory. And the teachings of Elijah also state, Jacob the Patriarch is a Throne by himself, as it is written, \"Then will I remember my covenant with Jacob\" (Vayikra 26:42). The Holy One, blessed be He, established a covenant with Jacob alone, more than (the one He established) with all his fathers. He made him a Throne of Glory distinguishing him from his predecessors. And the reason is that his forefathers, who are Abraham and Isaac, are not able to shine without him. Therefore, he in himself includes their Lights as well as his own, and thus becomes a Throne to himself.", + "Rabbi Eliezer was sitting and studying Torah when Rabbi Akiva arrived. He said to him, Master, what are you studying? He replies, The passage where it is written, \"and to make them inherit the Throne of Glory\" (I Shmuel 2:8) what does \"and to make them inherit the Throne of Glory\" mean? This is Jacob, the Patriarch for whom he made a Throne of Glory by himself that would receive Torah for the souls of the righteous.", + "And the Holy One, blessed be He, goes with (Jacob) on the first day of every month. And when the soul sees the glory of the mirror, which is the Shechinah of the Master, (the soul then) praises Him and bows down in front of the Holy One, blessed be He. This is \"Bless Hashem, my soul...\" (Tehilim 104:1).", + "Rabbi Akiva said, The Holy One, blessed be He, stands over the Soul. And the soul begins by saying, \"Hashem my Elohim, You are very great...\", continuing with all the verses to the end, as the passage reads, \"Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth...\" (Ibid. 35). Rabbi Akiva continued, As well as this, it praises the Holy One, blessed be He, thanks Him for the body that is left in this world, and says, \"Bless Hashem, my soul, and all that is within me, bless His Holy Name\" (Tehilim 103:1). The words, \"all that is within me,\" allude to the body. At first, the soul praises and thanks the Holy One, blessed be He, for its own achievements. Then it says, \"Bless Hashem, my soul! Hashem my Elohim, You are very great.\" And then it praises and thanks Him for the body. And then it says, \"Bless Hashem, my soul, and all that is within me, bless His Holy Name.\"", + "And the Holy One, blessed by He, goes (with Jacob). How do we know this? From the passage where it is written, \"And Hashem appeared to him by the terebinths of Mamre.\" This is Jacob, (who is referred to as Mamre). Why is the name Mamre? Because Jacob inherited two hundred worlds in Eden, and he is the Throne. And Rabbi Yitzchak explains, The numerical value of Mamre is 281. So there are the two hundred of Eden, as it is written, \"and those that guard the fruit thereof two hundred\" (Shir Hashirim 8:12), and 81 is the numerical value of Kise ('throne'). For this reason, \"And Hashem appeared to him by the terebinths of Mamre.\" And for this reason, (Jacob) is called Mamre. [He includes the aspect of Eden and the aspect of the Throne together, which are the secret of Mamre. Hence \"and Hashem appeared to him.\"]", + "Rabbi Yehuda asks, What is the meaning of, \"by the terebinths\" (Heb. אֵלוֹנֵי)? It meant to say 'his might,' as it is written, \"by the hands of the mighty one of Jacob\" (Gen. 49:24). The verse, \"and he sat in the tent door\" is as it is written, \"Hashem, who (Heb. מִי) shall abide in Your tabernacle (or: 'tent') (Tehilim 15:1). The verse, \"in the heat of the day\" is as written, \"But to you that fear My name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in its wings\" (Malachi 3:20).", + "Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakai said, At that time, the Holy One, blessed be He (shares His abundance with the soul). And when the Patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, heard the Holy One, blessed be He move towards (the soul) they ask Jacob to go with them and welcome the soul in peace.", + "And (Abraham and Yitzchak) stand over the soul. As it is written, \"And he lifted up his eyes and looked\" (the soul) \"and lo, three men stood over him.\" The \"three men\" are the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who stood by him, observing the soul and the good deeds it has performed. \"...and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,\" because he saw the Shechinah of His Blessed Glory with them. Hence, it is written, \"...therefore do the young maidens love you\" (Shir Hashirim 1:3). (These are the Patriarchs).", + "Another explanation of, \"And Hashem appeared to him by the terebinths of Mamre.\" The Sages began with this verse that speaks of the time of one's demise. We learned that Rabbi Yehuda said that at the time of a person's death, which is the day of the Great Judgment when the soul is separated from the body, no one leaves the world before he sees the Shechinah, as it is written, \"...for no man shall see me and live\" (Ex. 33: 20). And three ministering angels accompany the Shechinah to welcome the soul of the righteous, as it is written, \"And Hashem appeared to him...in the heat of the day.\" This is the Day of Judgment that burns like a furnace in order to separate the soul from the body.", + "The verse, \"and he lifted up his eyes, and looked, and lo, three men stood by him,\" refers to those who criticize his behavior and examine his deeds as he confesses them with his mouth. And because the soul sees all this, it leaves the body and reaches the gullet (pharynx), where it remains until it confesses and retells all that the body did together with it in this world. Then the soul of the righteous is happy with what it has done, and is happy with its deposit. We have learned that Rabbi Yitzchak said, The soul of the righteous feels great desire for the moment when it shall leave this world, which is worthless, so that it may enjoy itself in the World to Come!" + ], + [ + "The sages discussed the time when the great Rabbi Eliezer became ill. The day was Shabbat Eve, and Rabbi Eliezer made his son, Horkenoos, sit to his right. He then revealed great and deep secrets to him. But his mind was not ready to hear him, because he thought that his father's mind was not sufficiently clear. Only after he saw that his father's mind was completely clear did he receive 189 sublime secrets from him.", + "When he reached the marble stones that are mixed with the supernal Waters, Rabbi Eliezer wept and stopped talking. He said, Get up and go over there, my son! He asks him why. He replies, I see that I am soon to pass from the world. Go along and tell your mother that my Tefilin shall disappear and reach a higher place. And after I have departed from this world, I shall come to see them (my family) but they should not cry. Because those above are near, not those below, though the human mind cannot grasp this.", + "As they were still sitting, the wise men of the generation came by to visit him. However, he cursed them for not coming to serve him. As we have learned, it is greater to serve the Torah than study it. In the meantime, Rabbi Akiva arrived. He asks, Akiva, Akiva, why have you not come to attend to me? He responded, Rabbi, I had no spare time. He was angry and said, Indeed, I wonder whether you shall die naturally. On that account, he placed a curse on him so that his death would be the worst of them all; they also would not die naturally. And he said that the death of Rabbi Akiva shall be the cruelest of them all.", + "Rabbi Akiva wept and said to him, Rabbi, teach Torah to me! Rabbi Eliezer opened his mouth about the works of the divine Chariot, a fire surrounded them both. The wise men said, From this we learn that we are not worthy; nor do we have the privilege. So they sat outside the gate. After everything was over, the fire disappeared.", + "And he taught of impure white spots (macula) as bright as the snow, 300 halachic rules, and 216 explanations of the verses of Shir Hashirim. Rabbi Akiva's eyes poured with tears like water. Then the fire reappeared again. When he reached the verse \"stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples, for I am sick with love\" (Shir Hashirim 2:5), Rabbi Akiva could not bear any more. He raised his voice and burst out bellowing (like a bull). And he could not speak out of fear of the Shechinah that was there.", + "And he taught him all of the deep and sublime secrets that exist in Shir Hashirim, and made him solemnly swear that he would never use any of these verses. If he did, then Holy One, blessed be He, would destroy the world because of him, as it is not His desire that people use it... because of its supreme holiness. Afterward, Rabbi Akiva left and burst out crying, his eyes pouring with tears, and said, Woe my teacher, woe my teacher, for the world is to remain an orphan without you. All the other wise men entered and stood by him. They asked him questions about Torah and he answered", + "Rabbi Eliezer felt confined. He raised both his arms and laid them on his heart. He said, Woe to the world. The upper world has again concealed and hidden all light and illumination from the lower. Woe to my two arms. Woe to the two parts of the Torah, as you shall be forgotten by the world on this day. Rabbi Yitzchak said, During the entire lifetime of Rabbi Eliezer, the Halachah would 'shine from his mouth' as on the day it was given on mount Sinai.", + "He said, I have learned so much Torah (Talmud), gaining wisdom and serving, that even if all the people of the world were to be writers, there would not be enough to write of it. And my pupils have no lack of my wisdom; only as a kohl-pencil (mascara) in the eye. And I lack very little of the wisdom of my teachers, perhaps only as much as a person can drink from the sea. He said this only to show gratitude to his teachers and to hold them in more favor than himself.", + "And they were asking him the law of footwear of Yibum (the levirate rite) (if it becomes defiled). As his soul left him, he announced, It is pure. Rabbi Akiva was not there when he died. As the day of Shabbat ended, Rabbi Akiva found him dead. As he ripped his clothes and tore his flesh, the blood started to roll over his beard. He wept and shouted as he stepped outside, and said, Heavens, O heavens, tell the sun and the moon that the light that shone more than they is darkened.", + "Rabbi Yehuda said, when the soul of a righteous person wishes to leave, it feels happy, because the righteous is confident that he shall receive his reward as he dies. Therefore, it is written, \"when he saw them, he ran to meet them,\"- with happiness, as he welcomed (the Angels). Where? As we have learned, at \"the tent door,\" where he \"bowed himself toward the ground,\" toward the Shechinah.", + "Rabbi Yochanan then opened the discussion by quoting, \"...until the day breaks, and the shadows flee away, Turn, my beloved, and be you like a roe or a young hart\" (Shir Hashirim 2:17). \"Until the day break\" is a warning for a person who is still in this world; it is like the \"blink of the eye.\" Come and behold, what does it say? \"Even if he lived a thousand years twice\" (Kohelet 6:6), on the day of his death, it all seems as one day to him.", + "Rabbi Shimon said, The soul of a person warns him and says, \"Until the day break\". And it shall seem to you as the blink of the eye while you are still in this world. The words, \"and the shadows flee away\" are equivalent to the verse that reads, \"Because our days upon earth are a shadow\" (Iyov 8:9); so I beg of you, \"Turn, my beloved, and be you like a roe or a young hart.\"", + "There is another explanation for, \"Until the day break...\" According to Rabbi Shimon ben Pazi, this is a warning for humankind, while still in this world, which is like the blink of the eye. Just as the roe is swift of leg, so you should be as swift as a \"roe or a young hart\" in performing your Master's wishes, so that you may inherit the World to Come which is mountains of spices, called \"the mountain of Hashem,\" the mountain of Pleasure, the mountain of Delight. (End of Midrash Hane'elam)" + ], + [], + [ + "Rabbi Abba opened the discussion with the text, \"Who shall ascend into the mountain of Hashem? Or who shall stand in His holy place?\" (Tehilim 24:3). Come and behold, no man is aware of the reason for his existence in the world. As the days pass by they rise up and stand before the Holy One, blessed be He, as they were all created. How do we know that they were created? Because it is written, \"The days were created\" (Tehilim 139:16).", + "And when the days depart from this world, they all approach the Supernal King, as it is written, \"And the days drew close for David to die\" (I Kings 2:1), \"and the days drew close for Jacob to die\" (Beresheet 47:29).", + "When a person is in this world, he is not aware of nor does he look for the reason he was created. For him, every day is considered as if it passes by in emptiness. And when the soul leaves this world, it does not recognize the path through which it is elevated, because the path that leads up, to the place where the luminous sublime souls shine, (Gan Eden), is not shown to all souls. After it departs from him, the soul follows the same way that person followed while in this world." + ], + [ + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "Avraham and Sarah were setting up immersion for all of them, he for the men and she for the women. What is the reason that Avraham was involved with the purification of people. Because he was pure and was called pure, as it is written (Job 14:4), \"Who can produce a pure thing out of an impure one? No one! (or, Is it not the One!)\" The \"pure thing\" - that is Avraham, who came out of Terach." + ], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "But behold (we learned) there are more, they are 53 sections. Rather, Rabbi Abahu said, \"There are five books in the Torah, and the Ten Commandments - the statements with which the world was created - are included in each one of them. Calculate ten in each on them, that is fifty." + ], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "In the 600th year of the sixth millennium the gates of wisdom above together will the wellsprings of wisdom below will open up and the world will prepare to usher in the seventh millennium. This is symbolized by one who begins preparations for ushering in the Sabbath on the afternoon of the sixth day. In the same way, toward the end of the sixth millennium, preparations are made for entering the seventh. The hint for this is “In the 600th year of Noah’s life ... all the wellsprings of the great deep burst forth and the flood gates of the heavens were opened." + ] + ], + "Chayei Sara": [ + [ + "\"And Sarah's life was a hundred years and twenty years and seven years\" (Gen. 23:1). Rabbi Yosi opened the discussion with the verse, \"So they took up Jonah, and cast him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging\" (Yonah 1:15). We have to examine this text carefully. Why did the sea rage upon Jonah and not the earth? He was leaving the land, so that the Shechinah would not hover above him. If so, why did the sea seize him when he went away, and not the land from which he ran?", + "The verse was accurate, for the sea resembles the firmament, and the firmament resembles the Throne of Glory. For that reason, the sea grabbed him and received him in its midst. Thus, the sea raged upon him, not the land. He was cast into the sea to return him to the prophecy from which he was fleeing.", + "\"So they took up Jonah, and cast him into the sea.\" We learned that when they cast him into the sea and immersed him to his knees, the sea calmed. When they lifted him, the sea raged. The deeper they immersed him, the calmer the sea became, until he said, \"Take me up, and cast me into the sea\" (Yonah 1:12). Immediately, \"they took up Jonah, and cast him into the sea.\"", + "When he was thrown into the sea, his soul soared and ascended to the King's throne to be judged. When his soul was returned to him, he entered the mouth of that fish, which died and later came back to life.", + "Come and behold, When a man goes to sleep each night, his soul leaves him to be judged before the King's court. If it merits life, his soul is returned to this world.", + "The judgement is twofold, for man is not judged for the evil he is destined to commit. \"For Elohim has heard the voice of the lad where he is\" (Gen. 21:17) is written (i.e. not written in the future tense). You should not say that man is judged only for the good he has already done, rather he is rewarded for his present good as was said above, and he is also judged for the good he will do in the future. He is saved for their sake, as they said, even though he is now wicked. The Holy One, blessed be He, does good with all people and does everything to benefit all, therefore He does not sentence man for the evil he is about to do. Hence, man is judged before the Holy One, blessed be He.", + "Come and behold. Once they cast Jonah into the sea, it is written, \"And the sea ceased (lit. 'stood') from its raging.\" (This is) the supernal sea (i.e. the Nukvah). It stood where it was, for when anger calms down, it stands. When judgement is passed upon the world, that court (i.e. the Nukvah) is like a pregnant woman experiencing severe labor pains. When she gives birth, the panic ceases. Similarly, when judgement is passed upon the world, it does not calm or rest until justice is administered to the wicked. Then it rests, wholly standing in its place and perfectly maintained. This is what the verse meant by the words, \"But when the wicked perish, there is jubilation\" (Mishlei 11:10). This has already been explained.", + "\"But when the wicked perish, there is jubilation.\" Is it not written, \"Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die\" (Ezekiel 18:23)? This would mean that there is no pleasure for the Holy One, blessed be He, when judgement is administered to the wicked. Before their measure was filled (He did not have pleasure). But now, after the measure is full, \"when the wicked perish, there is jubilation.\"" + ], + [], + [ + "\"And Sarah's life was\" Of all the women in the world, why is Sarah the only one whose death is mentioned in Torah? Rabbi Chiya answered, This is not so, for it is written, \"And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Efrat\" (Gen. 35:19), \"and Miriam died there\" (Num. 20:1), \"and Deborah, Rivkah's nurse, died\" (Gen. 35:8) and \"the daughter of Shua, Judah's wife died\" (Gen. 38:12).", + "Rabbi Yosi responded, But it is not written of them as it is written of Sarah, of whom it is said, \"And Sarah's life was a hundred and twenty seven years old, these were the years of Sarah's life\" (Gen. 23:1). No other woman's days and years were specified as they were for Sarah. Furthermore, none of them has a portion of the scriptures devoted to them, as does Sarah. There is an esoteric reason for this. (The Torah tells us the amount of years she lived) but the secret is that the days and years of all men depend on this grade. From this, the life span of man is also drawn.", + "He opened with the verse, \"Moreover, land has an advantage for everyone, he who tills a field is a king\" (Kohelet 5:8). \"Moreover, land has an advantage\" (is the Nukvah) \"for everyone.\" Certainly, \"All\" (Heb. כֹּל). Because (from Yesod) emanate spirits and souls and goods to the world. Of the verse, \"He who tills a field is a king,\" who is the king? He is the Holy One, blessed be He, who \"tills a field\" when it is properly cultivated. The King is the supernal King (Zeir Anpin) who is joined to the field when it is tilled. What is the field? This is a field which Hashem has blessed (Nukvah), \"Like the smell of a field which Hashem has blessed\" (Gen. 27:27). For when it is tilled and cultivated properly, the supernal King unites with it.", + "Rabbi Elazar asks, How many mysteries are alluded to in the verse, \"He who tills a field is a king\"! A king is the Shechinah, which only dwells in a man's house when he is married and mates with his wife to beget children and bear fruit. And she (the Shechinah) brings out souls to dwell in her, which is why (the Shechinah is connected) only to a tilled field.", + "Another explanation, A king is \"a woman who fears Hashem,\" as it is written, \"A woman who fears Hashem, she shall be praised\" (Mishlei 31:30). A tilled field is a strange woman, (the Sitra Achra) as it is written, \"That they may keep you from the strange woman\" (Mishlei 7:5). For there is a field, and there is a field. There is a field in which all blessings and holiness dwell, as it is written, \"Like the smell of a field which Hashem has blessed\". And there is a field in which destruction and defilement, extinction, killings and war reside. This king sometimes tills the second field, as it is written, \"For three things the earth the earth is disquieted...and a handmaid that is heir to her mistress\" (Mishlei 30:21) is covered and darkened until it is purified and joins (Zeir Anpin) above.", + "This is the purpose of offering the goat on the first day of the month, when no blessings dwell upon the second field, as it is separated from the Holy King. When that field is tilled, then it is written, \"For he found her in the field (Devarim 22:27), the field is (the Sitra Achra) as has been explained.", + "Come and behold: Eve came into the world and clung to the serpent. He injected impurities into her, and she brought death to the world and to her husband. Sarah then came and went down (into the place of the Sitra Achra but) she rose again without any kelipot clinging to her, as it is written, \"And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had\" (Gen. 13:1). When Noah came to the world, it is written that \"he drank of the wine, and was drunk, and he was uncovered within his tent\" (Gen. 9:21).", + "Because Abraham and Sarah did not cling to the Sitra Achra, Sarah earned supernal life for herself, her husband, and her son after her. This is the meaning of the verse: \"Look at the rock whence you are hewn [Abraham], and to the hole of the pit from which you were dug out [Sarah]\" (Isaiah 51:1). Therefore, it is written, \"And Sarah's life was...\", for she merited all the years. It is not so for the rest of the women,\"And Chavah's life was...\" and so on. Sarah clung to life. Therefore, her life was her own." + ], + [ + "Tosefta Happy is he who makes less of himself in this world. How great and high he is in the eternal world. The head of the Yeshivah spoke to that effect, saying that whoever is small in this world is great in the Eternal World. He who is great in this world is small in the Eternal World, as it is written, \"And Sarah's life was a hundred years...\" A hundred, which is a large number, is followed by the word \"year\". Seven, (a small number) was greatly increased, for it is followed by the word \"years.\" Come and behold: The Holy One, blessed be He, only makes greater the person who lessens himself. He diminishes only the person who makes himself great. Happy is he who diminishes himself in this world. How great he is above in the eternal world. End of Tosefta." + ], + [ + "\"And Sarah's life was...\" All this life is above (in Binah). A hundred years (refers to Keter) above. \"Twenty years\" (Chochmah and Binah) above. The seven years (are the seven lower Sefirot) above. Rabbi Shimon said Come and look at the secret of all this. Why is the number seven followed by the word \"years\", while all other numbers are followed by the word \"year\"?", + "The \"hundred year\" includes everything. For there is included the highest and most secret place of all (Arich Anpin) with the hundred daily benedictions. Also, the \"twenty year,\", the most concealed of all. For that reason, it is written \"year\" which is the secret of unison, for a thought and a Jubilee. (Chochmah and Binah) never separate from each other.", + "But the seven years are separated from each other and from that which is hidden above, (Arich Anpin). Although everything is united and all are equal, (the lower seven) pertain to Judgement and Mercy in many aspects and paths. This is not so (in the first three). For that reason, it is 'year'; (The whole Ten Sefirot) are called life. Therefore it is written, \"And Sarah's life was...\", for it existed. It was created substantively and existed above.", + "Rabbi Chiya said that it has been explained (why the death of Sarah was written). Isaac was 37 years old when he was bound, and because he was bound, Sarah died, as is written, \"And Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her\" (Gen. 23:2). From where did he come? From mount Moriyah, where he was binding Isaac. The 37 years from the time that Isaac was born until the time he was bound were the life of Sarah, for \"וַיִּהְי''וּ (was)\" is 37 years in numerical value, the years from Isaac's birth to his binding. (In order to mention this, Sarah's death is mentioned in the Torah)." + ], + [ + "Rabbi Yosi began with the verse, \"A psalm, O sing (Heb. שִׁירוּ) to Hashem a new song; for He has done marvelous things, His right hand, and His holy arm have gained Him the victory\" (Tehilim 98:1). The friends explained that this was said by cows, as it is written, \"And the cows took the straight way (Heb. וַיִּשַּׁרְנָה)\" (I Samuel 6:12). The word \"וַיִּשַּׁרְנָה\" also means that they sang (Heb. sharu) a new song. What new song? \"A psalm. O sing to Hashem a new song.\"", + "We should examine this verse carefully. Everything that the Holy One, blessed be He, created in the world offers praises and songs to Him, either above or below. If you thus say that the cows sang this song, it is assuredly so, for there is a deep secret here. When they carried the Ark, they sang, but once the Ark was taken from them, they again behaved like other cows in the world and did not sing.", + "\"A psalm\" unlike other places, where it is written, 'A psalm of David' or 'David's psalm.' Here David is not mentioned at all, just \"a psalm.\" This is because the Holy Spirit is destined to sing it, when the Holy One, blessed be He, raises Yisrael from the dust. Then \"O sing to Hashem a new song\", for this is a new song that has not been sung since the world was created.", + "Rabbi Chiya said that it is written, \"There is nothing new under the sun\" (Kohelet 1:9), but lo, this song is new and under the sun, for it will be under the sun. What is this new song? It is the moon (corresponding to Nukvah). For then the moon will be new under the sun. What is meant by the phrase, \"For He has done marvelous things.\" What are these marvelous things? They are \"His right hand, and His holy arm have gained Him the victory.\" \"have gained Him the victory.\" For whom did they gain victory? For the grade that sang this song (i.e. the Holy Spirit). (The Nukvah) was supported by right and left, Therefore \"His right hand...gained Him victory,\" the grade called psalm. When will that be? When the dead of the world rise from the dust, then what has not yet been done in the world will be new.", + "Rabbi Yosi said, When the Holy One, blessed be He, takes revenge on the world for Yisrael, He will sing this new song. For after (the coming of Mashiach) the dead of the world will rise from the dust and the world will be completely renewed. It will be different in that death will not rule the world, as it had since the serpent brought death to all, defiled the world, and darkened the faces of men." + ], + [ + "Come and behold, It is written, \"And I will put enmity between you and the woman...\" (Gen. 3:15). What is enmity (Heb. אֵיבָה)? It is as written, \"They pass away with swift (Heb. אֵבֶה) ships\" (Iyov 9:26), for among the ships sailing in the great sea, some, called enemy ships, are the ships of the serpent sailing amongst them.", + "The phrase \"between you and the woman\" refers to \"the woman who fears Hashem\" (Mishlei 31:30), (i.e. Malchut). The words \"and between your seed\" refer to the rest of the heathen nations; \"and her seed\", namely Yisrael. \"He shall bruise your head\" is a reference to the Holy One, blessed be He, who will remove the serpent from the world, as it is written, \"He will destroy death forever\" (Isaiah 25:8) and \"also I will cause...the unclean spirit to pass out of the land\" (Zecharyah 13:2).", + "The word \"head\" means in the future when the dead will live, for then the world will be maintained by the head. \"And you shall bruise his heel\" means now in this world, before all is perfected. The world is not whole as long as the serpent bites the world and darkens the faces of the people.", + "Come and behold, The days of man were created and sustained by the supernal grades. Once they do not exist by these grades, as it is written, \"The days of our years are seventy\" (Tehilim 90:10), there is no other grade by which to be maintained. For this reason, \"their pride is but trouble and wretchedness (Zecharyah 13:2.), and then it is as if they never existed.", + "But the days of the righteous are eternal. This is as written, \"And Sarah's life was...\" and \"these are the days of the years of Abraham's life which he lived\" (Gen. 25:7). If you say it is also written of Ishmael, \"And these are the years of the life of Ishmael\" (Zecharyah 13:17), (even though he was not righteous) this is only because he repented. Therefore, it is written \"these are\" of his days as of Abraham." + ], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "\"And Sarah died in Kiryat Arba\" (Gen. 23:2). Rabbi Abba noted that, of all the women in the world, only for Sarah are the number of her days and years and the time of her life in the world mentioned, as well as the place in which she was buried. This shows that there was no other woman in the world like Sarah.", + "If you say that it is written of Miriam, \"And Miriam died there, and was buried there\" (Num. 20:1) (This was written) only to show that Yisrael sinned. Yisrael had no water there without Miriam, and (her days and years) were not specified when describing her death, as was done for Sarah.", + "Rabbi Yehuda opened the discussion saying, \"Happy are you, O land, that your king is a man of freedom, and your princes eat in due season\" (Kohelet 10:17). This verse was explained by the friends. Nevertheless, we have studied that the children of Yisrael are happy because the Holy One, blessed be He, gave them Torah with which to know the hidden ways and reveal the supreme mysteries. And this is...", + "\"Happy are you, O land\" refers to the land of the living, because her king, prepared for her all the blessings he had received from the supernal fathers. This is the secret of the letter Vav, which is always in readiness to pour blessing over her. He is called \"a man of freedom\", the son of a Jubilee, who liberates slaves and gives them freedom. He is also a son of the supernal world the supernal Abba and Imma who gives generously all life and illumination, the oil of greatness, and honor. Thus it is written, \"Yisrael is my son, my firstborn\" (Shemot 4:22). Therefore, \"Happy are you, O land.\"", + "The verse \"Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child\" (Kohelet 10:16) is explained as follows. This is the nether land, and the nether world draws nourishment from the uncircumcised foreskin alone. All is drawn down only from the king called child (referring to Metatron) as was explained. Woe to the world that must nourish this way.", + "Come and behold this child who has nothing of himself, but the blessings he receives (from the Nukvah) at appointed times. Each time these blessings are withheld when the moon, is rendered defective and becomes dark. Woe to the world that depends on him for survival. Moreover, the world suffers many judgments before it draws nourishment from him (from the kelipot) for all is established and maintained through judgments, as has been explained.", + "The verse, \"And Sarah died...\" also contains a secret, which is that she did not die by the tortuous serpent, (i.e. the Angel of Death). It had no power over her, as it has over the people of the world. As a result of Adam's sin, all the people in the world die by the serpent except Moses, Aaron, and Miriam (who died by a kiss) as is written, \"Upon the mouth of Hashem\" (Num. 33:38). In honor of the Shechinah, it is not mentioned of Miriam, \"upon the mouth of Hashem,\" (even though she too died by the kiss).", + "Yet of Sarah it is written, \"And Sarah died in Kiryat Arba\" because she died in and by the hands of Kiryat Arba, and not by the serpent. She died by the hands of Kiryat Arba that is Hebron, where David was united with the patriarchs. Therefore she died not by another, but in Kiryat Arba.", + "Come and behold, When man's days are maintained by the supernal grades, (namely the seven lower Sefirot: Chesed, Gevurah, Tiferet, Netzach, Hod, Yesod and Malchut) man thrives in the world. If he is not sustained by the supernal grades his days come out of and beneath (the Sefirot) until they approach the level where death dwells. Then the Angel of Death receives permission to take out the man's soul. He flies through the world in one flight, takes the soul and defiles the body, which remains defiled. Happy are the righteous who were not defiled by him, for no defilement remained in their bodies." + ], + [ + "Come and behold, In the middle of the firmament is a glowing trail. This is the serpent of the firmament (known in astronomy as the Milky Way). All the small stars are attached to it in groups. They are in charge of the secret deeds of the inhabitants of the world.", + "Similarly, there are bunches of lights (of Kelipot) that come into the world from the supernal primordial serpent that seduced Adam. They are appointed to learn the secret deeds of the world. Therefore when a man wishes to be purified, he receives help from above, and the help of his Master encircles and protects him. He is then called 'holy'....", + "If a man wishes to be defiled, several groups (of lights of Kelipot) are waiting for him. They all hover about and around him. They defile him, so he is called unholy. They go before him and proclaim, Unholy, unholy, as it is written, \"And shall cry, 'Unclean, unclean'\" (Vayikra 17:45). They are all connected to the primordial serpent and are hidden in the deeds of the people of the world.", + "Rabbi Yitzchak and Rabbi Yosi were walking from Tiberias to Lod. Rabbi Yitzchak said, I wonder about the evil man Bilaam. All he did was from the side of defilement. Here we learn a secret, which is that all kinds of sorcery and witchcraft of the world are connected and derive from the primordial serpent, which is the impure spirit of defilement. Therefore all enchantment (Heb. נְחָשִׁים) is named after the primordial serpent (Heb. nachash). They all derive from that side, and anyone who is drawn to that is defiled.", + "Moreover, one should be impure to cast a spell. One has to draw upon oneself that side of the unholy spirit. As man is aroused from below, he draws upon himself from above. If he is aroused below on the side of holiness, he draws upon himself the supernal holiness and is sanctified. If he is aroused below on the side of defilement, he draws upon himself the spirit of defilement and becomes unholy. Upon this, they said that whoever wishes to be defiled is defiled.", + "For that purpose, the wicked Bilaam defiled himself nightly by mating with his donkey in order to draw upon himself the unholy spirit from the supernal serpent, thereby drawing on himself the spirit of unholiness. Then he cast his spells and enchantments.", + "First he took one of the serpents, tied it in front of him, split his head, and removed its tongue. Then he took certain herbs and burned them to incense. He took the serpent's head, cut it into four pieces, and made from it another incense offering.", + "He drew a circle round himself, uttered words, and performed other deeds until he drew to himself the spirits of defilement, who told him what he needed to know. He acted according to their information, which they knew from the side of that serpent in the firmament.", + "This is how he acquired his knowledge, enchantments, and spells. For that reason, it is written, \"He went not, as at other times, to seek for enchantments\" (Num. 24:1), which alludes to real snakes. As has already been explained, the essence and origin of defilement begins with the serpent." + ], + [ + "Rabbi Yosi asks why all kinds of witchcraft and sorcery abide only in women. He said that when the serpent came upon Eve, he injected impurities only into her and not into her husband. He said, Assuredly this is so. Rabbi Yosi kissed Rabbi Yitzchak and said, Many times have I asked upon this matter, but never deserved to understand it until now.", + "He said to him, Where did Bilaam learn everything that he did and all that he knew? He said to him, He learned it from his father. But in \"the mountains of the east\" (Num. 23:7), in the land of the east, he learned the enchantments and kinds of magic, for in these mountains abide the angels Aza and Azael, whom the Holy One, blessed be He, caused to fall from heaven (because they denounced the creation of man). They are tied in chains of iron there and reveal spells to men. This is where Bilaam gained knowledge, as it is written, \"Balak the king of Moab has led me from Aram, out of the mountains of the east\" (Ibid.) (where Aza and Azael are).", + "He said to him, It is written, \"He went not, as at other time, to seek for enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness\" (Num. 24:1). Rabbi Yitzchak said that the lower side, which comes from the unholy spirit above, is the unholy spirit that ruled over the wilderness at the time when the children of Yisrael defiled themselves by committing the sin of the golden calf. He cast his spells to all directions in order to uproot the children of Yisrael, but could not do so.", + "Rabbi Yosi said, When you earlier explained why witchcraft abides in women, you said that the serpent came upon Eve and injected impurity into her. This is well, but we have learned that when Yisrael stood by Mount Sinai and received Torah, their impurities were cleansed. But the heathens who did not receive Torah remained impure, (so my question remains) unanswered, why is witchcraft mostly in women?", + "He said to him, You spoke well. Nevertheless, come and behold, Torah was given to males only, as it is written, \"And this is the Torah which Moses set before the children (lit. 'sons') of Yisrael\" (Devarim 4:44). As women were exempt from the commandments of Torah.", + "Moreover, everyone became defiled again after the sin. It is more difficult for women to cleanse impurities from themselves than for men. Thus, women practice sorcery and abide in defilement more so than men. Women come from the left side and are attached to the strict Judgment. This side cleaves to them more than to men, because they come from strict Judgment. Everything is attached to and follows its own kind.", + "Come and behold, As I have said, for Bilaam used to defile himself first to draw upon him the unholy spirit. Similarly, it behooves man to stay away from a woman during menstruation, because she is attached to the spirit of defilement. If she practices sorcery at that time, she will be more successful that at other times. Whatever she touches is therefore defiled, and all the more so whomever approaches her. Happy are the children of Yisrael, for the Holy One, blessed be He, gave them Torah, and told them, \"Also you shall not approach to a woman in the impurity of her menstrual flow, to uncover her nakedness... I am Hashem\" (Vayikra 18:19-21).", + "He asks, Why is it called sorcery if someone uses the chirping of birds (to tell the future)? It is because the unholy spirit abides in that bird, which is drawn from this side . That unholy spirit foretells events. Every defiled spirit, is attached to and comes to the world from the serpent and no one in this world is safe from it, because it is everywhere, until the time when the Holy One, blessed be He, will remove it from the world, as it is written, \"He will destroy death for ever\" (Isaiah 25:8) and \"I will also cause...the unclean spirit to pass out of the land\" (Zecharyah 13:2)." + ], + [ + "Rabbi Yehuda said, Abraham recognized a sign in that cave and his heart and desire were there. For he had entered it before and seen Adam and Eve interred there. How did he know it was they? He saw the shape (of Adam) and looked at it. Then a door to the Garden of Eden opened before him (and he knew) that this was the shape of Adam before him. (He understood that he deserved to be buried in the gate of the Garden of Eden because he had been in the Garden of Eden during his lifetime).", + "Come and behold, Whoever beholds the shape of Adam cannot escape death, for man sees Adam the moment that he dies and passes from the world. But Abraham looked at him, saw his shape, and lived. He saw a light shining from within the cave and a candle burning. Then he wanted to dwell in that cave, and his heart and desire were always there.", + "Come and behold, Abraham behaved wisely when he asks for a grave for Sarah, for he did not ask for the cave immediately or say that he wanted to be separated from them. Instead, he said, \"Give me a possession of a burying place with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight\" (Gen. 23:3). If you say that Efron was not there, he was present, as it is written, \"And Efron dwelt among the children of Chet\" (Ibid. 9). Abraham said nothing to him for the time being.", + "He spoke with them further, as it is written, \"And spoke to the sons of Chet\" (Ibid. 3). Could you conceive that Abraham wanted to be buried among the defiled or that he wanted to join them, when he said, \"Give me a possession of a burying place with you\"? But he behaved wisely.", + "And we learn proper conduct from the way Abraham acted, because he desired and wished for that cave. Although Efron was there, he did not want to ask him immediately. He did not ask for the cave but rather for what he did not want, and asks another, not Efron.", + "Once the sons of Chet said to him in the presence of Efron, \"Hear us, my lord, you are a mighty prince among us\" (Gen. 23:5), it is written, \"And Efron dwelt (lit. 'dwells') among the children of Chet.\" 'Dwells' is written without vowels and can be conjugated as 'dwelt', which would mean that Efron was already there as they started talking. Then Abraham said, \"Hear me, and entreat for me to Efron, the son of Tzochar, that he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he has\" (Ibid. 8). If you say that since my honor is greater than yours (and that is why I ask for Machpelah) because I do not want to dwell among you (this is not true). But \"with you\", to be interred among you, because I want you, so that I shall not be separated from you." + ], + [ + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "Rabbi Elazar asks, How did Abraham enter the cave? He was running after a calf, about which it is written, \"And Abraham ran to the herd...\" (Gen. 18:7). This calf ran to the cave. Abraham ran after it and saw what he saw.", + "Another reason was that Abraham prayed every day. He came out to the field that was fragrant with heavenly perfumes, saw light coming out of the cave, and entered there to pray. There the Holy One, blessed be He, spoke with him. As a result, Abraham wanted the cave and always harbored a desire for it.", + "You may ask, why did he not seek to buy it until then? Because he had no need for it, he was afraid that they would check it. Now that he needed it, the time had come to ask for it.", + "Come and behold, If Efron had seen in the cave what Abraham saw, he would never have sold it. But because Efron saw nothing in it, as nothing is revealed except to its owner, it was revealed to Abraham only and not to Efron. It was revealed to Abraham because it was his, and not Efron's, for Efron had no share in it. Therefore Efron saw nothing of the cave. He saw only darkness and therefore, he sold it.", + "Moreover, he also sold him what Abraham did not ask him to sell, because Abraham said only, \"That he may give me the cave of the Machpelah...for the full price he shall give it me\" (Gen. 23:8) and did not mention the field. And Efron said, \"The field I give you, and the cave that is in it, I give it you\" (Ibid. 10), for Efron knew not what it was and found it all loathsome.", + "Come and behold, When Abraham entered the cave for the first time, he saw a light. The dust was removed from before him, revealing two graves. Adam rose from his grave in his rightful form, saw Abraham, and laughed. By that, Abraham knew that he was destined to be buried there.", + "Abraham said to him, 'If you please, is there an unroofed castle here?' (Adam) answered him, 'The Holy One, blessed be He, hid me here. From then until now, I have been hidden as a fish in a ditch. Since you came into the world, from now on, I and the world are maintained for your sake.'", + "Look at what is written, \"And the field, and the cave that is in it, were made over (also: 'raised') to\" (Gen. 23:20). The field was truly raised, which had not happened previously. Rabbi Abba said, \"And he raised the field\" means actual raising, as the field was raised and elevated by Abraham, for nothing was seen there until then. Now, all that was hidden was raised and elevated according to its worth, as it should be.", + "Rabbi Shimon said, When Abraham entered the cave and brought Sarah there, Adam and Eve rose and did not want Sarah to be buried there. They said, It is it not enough for us that we are in disgrace in the world before the Holy One, blessed be He, because of the sin that we committed, but now we will further be put to shame because of your good deeds.", + "Abraham said, I am ready to pray for you before the Holy One, blessed be He, so you shall never be disgraced before Him, \"And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife\" (Gen. 23:19). What is the meaning of, \"And after this\"? After Abraham undertook (to pray for Adam and Eve)", + "Adam returned to his place, but Eve did not. Then Abraham approached and put her with Adam, who received her for Abraham's sake. This is the meaning of, \"And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife.\" The particle אֶת before \"Sarah\" is meant to add Eve. Then (Adam and Eve) were properly settled in their places, as it is written, \"These are the generations of the heaven and of the earth when they were created (Heb. בְּהִבָּרְאָם)\" (Gen. 2:4). We learned that בְּהִבָּרְאָם HAS THE SAME LETTERS AS בְּאַבְרָהָם (lit. 'by Abraham'). The generations of the heaven and the earth are Adam and Eve. It is not written 'the heaven and the earth,' but \"the generations of the heaven and of the earth\" who were not begotten by man. They lived for the sake of Abraham. How do we know that they existed for Abraham? Because it is written, \"And the field, and the cave that is in it, were made over (also: 'maintained') to Abraham.\" Until Abraham came, Adam and Eve did not exist in the world.", + "Rabbi Elazar asks Rabbi Shimon, his father, if the cave is really the Machpelah, for although it is written, \"The cave of Machpelah\" (Gen. 23:8), it is later written \"the cave of the field of Machpelah\" (Ibid. 19). Thus, the field is called Machpelah (not the cave).", + "He said to him that indeed it is called the cave of Machpelah, as it is written, \"That he may give me the cave of Machpelah\" (Gen. 23:8), but neither the cave nor the field along is Machpelah. It refers instead to the field with the cave, (together) they are called Machpelah. Only the field is of Machpelah, not the cave because the cave is in the field, and the field is in something else, as will be discussed presently.", + "Come and behold, The whole land of Yisrael is enfolded beneath Jerusalem. It is above and below in the following manner. The upper Jerusalem (corresponding to Binah) and there is the lower Jerusalem (corresponding to Malchut) for it is held above and held below. The upper Jerusalem is held on two sides above and below and, therefore, it is doubled.", + "Thus, the field is of that Machpelah (lit. 'double'), for it dwells there, as it is written, \"See, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field which Hashem has blessed\" (Gen. 27:27), above and below, it is written, \"the field of Machpelah\" and not \"a double field\", because this would allude to the double Malchut called field.", + "Moreover, the secret of the matter relates to the field of Machpelah. What is the Machpelah (double)? It is the Hei of the Holy Name, which is double, for there are two Heis in the name Yud Hev Vav Hei, and both are as one. For that reason, the scriptures say vaguely the (Ha) Machpelah, for this is the only double letter in the Holy Name. And the word \"the Machpelah\" with the Hei alludes to the double Hei, namely the lower Hei of the name Yud Hev Vav Hei, which is the secret of Malchut sweetened by Binah, the first Hei of Yud Hev Vav Hei.", + "Even though the cave was indeed double, a cave within a cave, it is called the cave of the field of Machpelah for a different reason as we said. Abraham knew that, and when he spoke to the sons of Chet, he concealed it by saying \"that he may give me the cave of Machpelah,\" which was called by that name because it was double. In Torah, though, it is called the cave of the field of Machpelah, as it ought to be called (for the sweetening of Malchut by Binah was only over the field and not in the cave).", + "The Holy One, blessed be He, does everything so whatever is in this world, will resemble what there in above. They are connected, and His glory is established above and below. Happy is the portion of the righteous, that the Holy One, blessed be He, desires them in this world and in the World to Come." + ], + [ + "\"And Abraham was old, advanced in age (lit. 'coming with the days'), and Hashem blessed Abraham in all things\" (Gen. 24:1). Rabbi Yehuda opened with the verse, \"Happy is the man You choose, and cause to approach to You, that he may dwell in Your courts\" (Tehilim 65:5). This verse has already been explained. Nevertheless, happy is the man whose ways are acceptable to the Holy One, blessed be He, who wants to bring himself nearer to Him.", + "Come and behold, Abraham came closer to (Hashem). All his days, his desire was (to come closer to Him). Abraham did not come closer through one day or at one time, but his good deeds brought him closer every day as he moved from one grade to another, until his grade was elevated.", + "When he was old, he entered the supernal grades as he deserved, as it is written, \"And Abraham was old\" and then \"coming with the days.\" This refers to the supernal days, the days known by the secret of the faith. \"And Hashem blessed Abraham in all,\" where blessings and every goodness come from, as its plenty never stops flowing.", + "Happy are the penitent, who in one hour, one day, one moment, get as close to the Holy One, blessed be He, as most righteous come to the Holy One, blessed be He, over several years. Abraham did not come into the supernal days until he was old, as has been explained. Neither did David, as it is written, \"Now King David was old, advanced in years (lit. 'coming with the days')\" (I Kings 1:1). But a penitent comes right in and cleaves to the Holy One, blessed be He.", + "Rabbi Yosi said, We learned that the wholly righteous have no permission to be in that place where the contrite stand. They are closer to the King than everyone else and draw plenty from above with a more intent heart and greater force in order to come closer to the King." + ], + [ + "Come and behold, The Holy One, blessed be He, has several places in that world. In them all, there are apartments for the righteous, each according to his deserved grade.", + "It is written, \"Happy is the man whom You choose, and cause to approach You, that he may dwell in Your courts\" (Tehilim 65:5). This verse refers to those whom the Holy One, blessed be He, causes to approach Him, as these are the souls that ascend to join the inheritance prepared for them. \"That he may dwell in Your courts\" alludes to the outer halls and the grades outside the Temple. To whom does it refer? The allusion here is as written, \"Then I will give you free access among these who stand by...\" (Zecharyah 3:7). This is a specific grade assigned among the celestial holy beings.", + "All those who merit this grade are the messengers of the Master of the universe like the angels. They always do the errands according to their Master's wish, for they are forever in holiness and are never defiled.", + "Similarly, whoever is defiled in this world draws the spirit of unholiness to himself. When his soul leaves him, he is defiled and his dwelling is with the unclean, with the fiends of the world. As a man draws upon himself in this world, his dwelling will likewise be determined in the World to Come. (The defiled spirits defile him and bring him into Gehenom).", + "Come and behold, Whoever sanctifies himself and is on guard against defilement in this world will find his dwelling in the next world among the celestial holy beings who eternally carry forth the missions (of Hashem). They stand by in the court, as it is written, \"The court of the tabernacle\" (Shemot 27:9), the scriptures further state, \"Happy is he...that he may dwell in Your courts.\"", + "Others are in a more inner place, not in the court but in the house, as it is written, \"We will be satisfied with the goodness of Your house\" (Tehilim 65:5). David said, \"We will be satisfied with the goodness of Your house.\" If he said \"that he may dwell in Your courts,\" why is it written, \"We will be satisfied with the goodness of Your house\"? Should it not have been written, 'He will be satisfied', as \"he may dwell\"? But we learned that sitting in the Temple court is solely for the kings of the house of David. Therefore he said, as speaking for himself, \"we will be satisfied with the goodness of Your house\" (meaning himself and the other kings, who have a place in the Temple court in the secret of the house, namely the Temple).", + "There is a place for the most pious who receive even more inward, to the aspect of the temple. Who are they? They are \"those that encamp before the tabernacle toward the east, before the Tent of Meeting eastward, shall be Moses and Aaron and his sons...\" (Num. 3:38). Of them, it is written, \"Your holy temple\" (Tehilim 65:5). Many compartments upon compartments, lights upon lights exist in that world, each different from the other, each feeling ashamed by its fellow's light. For as good deeds are different in this world, so the places and their lights are different in that world.", + "Come and behold, We have learned that even in this world when man is asleep in his bed and the soul comes out of his body to hover about the world, not every soul rises to see the glory of the face of Atik Yomin. His soul ascends as he generally draws upon himself, and according to his deeds.", + "When a defiled person sleeps, his soul leaves and the spirits of defilement seize it. It is attached to the lower grades that hover about the world and tell it things that will happen in the world in the future. And sometimes they tell it false things and laugh at it, as has already been explained.", + "If the man has merit, then his soul ascends when he sleeps. It goes around and paves a way among the spirits of defilement. All say, Make way, make way, this one is not of our side. And it ascends among the saints, who tell accurate information to it.", + "And when the soul descends again, the mixed legions want to approach the soul in order to learn the information it received. In return, they tell it other things. But what it learned from holy beings compares to what it learned from as grain compares with straw and chaff. This is the most meritorious reward while one is still among the living, that is, while the soul is still in this world.", + "Similarly, when souls in this world leave their bodies they wish to ascend by passing through gates at which one finds harmful hordes that seize the souls of their own side and deliver them into the hands of Dumah, so that he may take them to Gehenom.", + "Later, as they ascend from Gehenom, the demons grab the souls and proclaim, 'These transgressed the precepts of their Master'. Then, they travel throughout the world, bringing these souls back to Gehenom for twelve months. After twelve months appeased, they are quieted and rise to the place that they deserve. Meritorious souls ascend and receive their places, as has already been explained.", + "Come and behold, Happy are the righteous, for much goodness is put aside for them in that world. The innermost place is reserved for the righteous, those who know the secret of their Master and cleave to Him every day. Of these, it is written, \"Neither has the eye seen, that an Elohim, beside you, should do such a thing for him that waits for Him\" (Isaiah 64:3).", + "What is meant by, \"For him that waits for Him?\" He replies that it is similar to the verse, \"waited to speak to Job\" (Iyov 32:4). This refers to those who are anxious to fully understand some words of wisdom, thereby better understanding their Master. In them, the Master takes pride daily. They enter the upper gates and come among the supernal saints without meeting any obstacles. Happy is their portion in this world and the World to Come.", + "Come and behold, Abraham thus entered to properly know and cleave to his Master. First he performed good deeds to merit the supernal days, and was therefore blessed by the place from where all the blessings derive, as it is written, \"And Hashem had blessed Abraham in all\" (Gen. 42:1). What is the meaning of \"in all\"? It means the dwelling place of the river, in which water never stops flowing, namely Yesod of the supernal Abba and Imma, whose union is eternal.", + "Rabbi Chiya said, Come and behold that Abraham did not want to mix with the women of the world and cling to the heathen nations because the wives of the heathen nations defiled their husbands and those attached to them. Because Abraham had the knowledge of wisdom, he knew the essence and root of the place from which the unholy spirits come out to hover in the world. Therefore, he made his servant swear not to take a wife for his son from among the other nations." + ], + [ + "\"And Abraham was old, advanced in age\" (Gen. 24:1). We learned in the Mishnah, Rabbi Elazar said, In any case, this Mishnah well explains, \"Behold one ofan (wheel) upon the earth by the living creatures, with its four faces\" (Ezekiel 1:15). It becomes a Neshamah as said in the earlier Mishnah.", + "Rabbi Abba responded, Tell us, Master, about this Mishnah. What is it? He replied, this was also explained in another section the one about the thirteen divine attributes of mercy. But here we have to explain this portion. He began with the verse, \"My dove, my undefiled is but one; she is the only one of her mother\" (Shir Hashirim 6:9). Rabbi Elazar asks, Why do we refer to it here in Shir Hashirim as a female but in the Torah we refer to it as male, namely Abraham?", + "Rather, Rabbi Elazar said, In Torah, the soul is male in relation to the body because the body to the soul is like a woman to a man. In relation to a higher grade, the soul is as a female to a male. Each receives its grade according to the context.", + "It was taught in the Mishnah that four times an hour every day, Eden drips upon the garden. The result of these drops is a river which separates into four branches. Each day, 48 drops fall on the seventy trees in the garden, as it is written, \"The trees of Hashem have their fill\" (Tehilim 104:15). Rabbi Tanchum said, It is written, \"He waters the hills from His upper chambers\" (Ibid. 13). What is his upper chamber? It is Eden. And where is Eden? Rabbi Yehuda said, It is above Aravot (sweet firmament). Rabbi Yosi said that it is in Aravot, where are treasures of good life, blessing and peace, and the souls of the righteous, as was taught. This is the upper chamber, while the Garden of Eden is lower, and an earthly garden is in apposition and draws from it daily.", + "Rabbi Abahu said that 48 prophets stood for Yisrael. Each one took his share, which was the essence of one drop from the drops of Eden. If every prophet who took one drop had the grade of the holy spirit, this was more true for Adam, who received the 48 drops. From this, you learn the scope of his wisdom.", + "Rabbi Ba said that Rabbi Kahana asks, Where did the prophets get these drops? We learned each drop that comes out of Eden includes the spirit of wisdom. Therefore, it was decreed that there is water that raises wise men and water that raises fools. This water that drops from Eden raises wise ones.", + "As Rabbi Yosi said, So the water containing the drops comes from the most ancient of four rivers, as it is written, \"The name of the first is Pishon\" (Gen. 2:11). Why is it written, \"the name of the first is Pishon?\" Pishon is different from the rest because it flows into the land of Egypt. Therefore, the wisdom of Egypt is greater than that of the rest of the world.", + "When it was decreed that the wisdom of Egypt was lost, the Holy One, blessed be He, took the drops and threw them across the garden into the river of the Garden of Eden, as it is written, \"And a river went out of Eden to water the garden\" (Gen. 2:10). And when the drops, which remain in the garden, were taken from Egypt, wisdom was gone from Egypt. It separated into four other rivers, of which the most special was Pishon. Wisdom was thus lost in Egypt when the drops were taken from Egypt and left in the garden.", + "Every prophet was sucking from that spirit that came out of Eden. This is the meaning of \"walking in the garden in the breeze of the day\" (Gen. 3:8). It is stored in the Garden of Eden for the future. This is the river that Ezekiel saw in his prophecy. Therefore the scripture reads, \"For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of Hashem\" (Isaiah 11:9), as this water always causes the knowledge in the world to increase." + ], + [ + "The sages said that the souls of all the righteous are above in Eden, and wisdom is strengthened in the world because of what descends from Eden. How much more so for every one of those who stand in it and take their fill of its pleasure and brightness.", + "Rabbi Yitzchak said, If the soul deserves to pass through the gates of the terrestrial Jerusalem, the great angel Michael hastens to greet and walk with it. The ministering angels wonder about this and ask, \"Who is that, coming up from the wilderness\" (Shir Hashirim 8:5). Who rises to be among the high ones from the destroyed body, which resembles a breath, as is written, \"Man is like a breath\" (Tehilim 144:4)? He answers by saying, \"My dove, my undefiled is but one; she is distinguished she is the only one of her mother\" (Shir Hashirim 6:9). Her mother is the Throne of Glory, a mother for the soul that gives it birth, for the soul is derived from her.", + "\"The daughters saw her, and called her happy\" (Ibid.). This refers to the other souls, whose rank is high and who are called the daughters of Jerusalem. According to Rabbi Yosi, they are called the daughters of Jerusalem while the other ones are called the daughters of Lot. \"The daughters saw her, the rest of the souls praise it and say to it, Come in peace. \"The queens and the concubines praised her\" (Ibid.). The queens are the Patriarchs that are queens. The concubines are the proselytes. They all praise and laud it until it enters above. Then the soul is in its ascended place, and longevity is maintained, as it is written, \"And Abraham was old, advanced in age (lit. 'coming into the days')\" (Gen. 24:1), as he entered longevity in the World to Come.", + "Rabbi Abba Saba (the elder) stood up and said, May peace and tranquillity come to you, Rabbi Shimon, the son of Yochai, for restoring the diadem to its former splendor. For we learned in the first Mishnah that since the soul is perfected in the supernal place, it does not return to the body. It remains in the same condition, but other souls are created and come out of it. Then Rabbi Shimon, the son of Yochai, taught that although this world is vanity and the body is a putrid drop of semen, yet the soul enters it. In the future, when everyone will be refined and the body will be more pure, sustained and complete, there will be no reason for the soul to enter it with all its completeness.", + "Rabbi Acha said, The Holy One, blessed be He, will give the very soul and very body existence in the future, but both will be whole and have completeness of knowledge so they can achieve what they did not achieve in this world.", + "\"And Abraham was old, advanced in age (lit. 'coming with the days').\" Rabbi Bo said that, according to Rabbi Yochanan, this refers to the world of days and not to that world which is night. Rabbi Ya'akov said those worlds are called days because of all the pleasures and the brightness that he inherits. \"And Hashem had blessed Abraham in all\" (Gen. 24:1) refers to the office that the Holy One, blessed be He, gave him of His name, which is the letter Hei by which the world was created.", + "We learned that Rabbi Yochanan said, Metatron, the great minister, is a boy, a servant whose Rabbi, his master, rules him. He is in charge of the soul and gives it daily of the light he was ordered to give it. In the future, he will receive an account in writing from the cemetery, from Dumah for each body that he can show to his Master. He will turn that backbone into yeast to build the body under the ground, to mend and wholly revive the body, a body without a soul. Later, the Holy One, blessed be He, will send the soul to its place. This will be after it comes to the land of Yisrael.", + "Rabbi Yitzchak said, it is then written, \"And Abraham said to the eldest servant of his house, that ruled...\" (Gen. 24:2). If we look at this from the aspect of wisdom, what is \"his servant\"? Rabbi Nehorai responded, We need look only at the words \"his servant\", the servant of Hashem, close to His worship. Who is he? He is Metatron, who will beatify the body in the grave, as we have said.", + "Thus the words, \"And Abraham said to his eldest servant\" refer to Metatron, the servant of Hashem. The phrase, \"The eldest servant of his house\" is the beginning of the creations of Hashem. \"That ruled over all that he had\" means that the Holy One, blessed be He, gave him power over all His hosts, namely over the upper angels.", + "We learned that Rabbi Shimon quoted Rabbi Yosi who quoted Rav saying that all the hosts of the servant receive light and delight in the splendor of the soul, as the light of the soul in the World to Come is greater than the light of the throne. It seems that the soul was taken from the throne, each had according to what was appropriate for it. Rav Nachman added that it is actually greater than the light of the throne, as it is written, \"The likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it\" (Ezekiel 1:26), above it in splendor.", + "When he goes to perform the errand (of Hashem), all his hosts and his Chariot are nourished by that splendor of the oul. And the soul says to him, \"Put...your hand\" namely, your escort, \"under my thigh\" (Gen. 24:2). This is the light that flows from the soul.", + "Rabbi Yehuda the son of Rabbi Shalom said that we have been taught that when he goes on an errand for the Holy One, blessed be He, He moves His upper hosts by one letter of His name, namely by the letter Yud of the name Yud Hev Vav Hei. Hei is the secret of Imma and Abba, the root of the soul's light. Rav Huna said, Yerechi ('my thigh') has the same numerical value as ram (lit. 'high'), which is what the soul says, that is, \"Put...your hand,\" your escort, under the grade of the high and elevated, that rules over all. After the soul commanded the escort of high ones to be under Him, it told him I make you swear a great oath.", + "Rabbi Yitzchak said, It is written, \"Elohim of the heaven, and Elohim of the earth\" (Ezekiel 1:26). Since he already mentioned Hashem, why add \"Elohim of the heaven? Rabbi Yehuda said, to show that He is Master over everything simultaneously. In one instant, He moves everything, and everything is nothing compared to Him, heaven and earth in the oath, which is the secret of the letter Yud, which indicates that this light governs all the grades and everything is as naught compared to it. Rabbi Yitzchak said that by two letters of His name He moves His whole hosts. This is to show that He is all, and there is nothing save Him.", + "\"And I will make you swear by Hashem, Elohim of the heaven...\" Ran Huna said, If he had been with those versed in the Baraita at the time that they revealed the secret of this verse, he would not have left them without knowing everything, for he saw great depth in their utterances. They revealed much, but man does not understand what they revealed. Come and behold, The soul causes to swear this oath of the covenant, as it is written, \"That you shall not take a wife to my son\" (Gen. 24:3).", + "Rabbi Yitzchak said, from here, it is understood that the soul said to Metatron, Because you are going on this mission to resurrect the dead, \"you shall not take a wife for my son.\" This means you shall not take a body for my son. He cannot enter another body, an idolatrous body, a body not worthy of him, but only the body which is actually my own, the very one I came from. And this is what is meant by the verse, \"But you shall go to my country, and to my kindred\" (Ibid. 4).", + "Rabbi Yosi said, What is meant by the verse, \"And take a wife to my son Isaac\"? Rabbi Yitzchak replies, The very body that suffered with me in that world and had no pleasure or content for fear of its Possessor (this refers to the Luz bone). This very body shall you take to laugh with, in that rejoicing of the righteous, to take delight in it in the joy of the Holy One, blessed be He. Have pleasure with it, because it is time for laughter, as it is written, \"Then was our mouth filled with laughter\" (Tehilim 126:2).", + "Rabbi Yehudah, the son of Rabbi Yitzchak, said, Come and listen, An angel does only one errand, not two at the same time. There are, however, two errands to perform, to resurrect the body in the grave and to make it rise to the land of Yisrael, where the soul will be enclothed in it. But one angel does not perform two errands. Rabbi Abba said, There is one angel with an inkstand at his waist. (Gabriel) He will put a mark on the brow of each. Afterward, the great minister (Metatron) will go and mend each one, preparing it to receive its soul. This is the meaning of the verse, \"He shall send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife\" (Gen. 24:7). What is meant by \"before you\"? It indicates that (Hashem will send an angel) before your errand.", + "Rabbi Eliezer went to see his Rabbi, Rabban Yochanan ben Zakai, on the first day of the month. When he arrived he told him, 'O Well for those who see, filled with drawn water, yet gushing more from its own source. What does it seek here?'", + "He answers, It behooves a man to greet his Rabbi (on Rosh Chodesh). He said to him, Not for that reason I said. I see in your face that there is a new deep secret about which you are going to ask.", + "He said to him, I see that primordial light travels by ten and conducts everything according to the secret of ten. We learned that there are ten writings, ten keys to the hospital in its hands. It takes these and ten notes in the Garden of Eden to mend the earth for the bodies of the righteous.", + "He said, Eliezer my son, you have seen more than a holy angel. The world, is created by ten, and it is conducted by ten. The holy throne is according to ten. The Torah is by ten. Its traveling is by ten. The supernal worlds are by ten. And there is the supernal one above them all, blessed be He.", + "I will tell you something else. Those versed in the Mishnah put some thought into it, as it is written, \"And the servant took ten camels\" (Gen. 42:10). R' Eliezer said to him, Master, I know this verse, but what is the meaning of, \"For all the goods of his master were in his hands\" (Ibid.)? He said to him, This is the name of his Master (the Shechinah) that went with him to bring him and to protect him. R' Eliezer said, Assuredly this is \"For My name was in him\" (Shemot 23:21).", + "Rabbi Abahu said, Come and behold, He who knows His name perfectly knows that He and his Name are one. The Holy One, blessed be He, and His Name are one, as it is written, \"Hashem shall be one, and his Name One\" (Zecharyah 14:9). That is, the name and He are one.", + "Rabbi Abba said, We should look at the verse, \"And he made his camels kneel down outside the city by a well of water\" (Gen. 24:11). According to Rabbi Abba, outside the city means in the cemetery. \"By a well of water\" refers, as we learnt, that those who are the first (to be revived) in the cemetery, are those who dealt in Torah. As we have learned, when a man comes into his grave, he is first asked if he set appointed times to study Torah, as it is written, \"And he shall be the faith of your times\" (Isaiah 33:6). Without question, he who responds yes, is revived first.", + "Rabbi Abba said that \"at the time of evening\" (Gen. 24:11) refers to Friday, Shabbat eve, the time of the resurrection of the dead. What is the meaning? We have learned that the world exists for 6,000 years and that Erev Shabbat is the 6th millennium, the ending of all. Thus \"at the time of evening\" means the time of ending for everything. The phrase, \"At the time that the women go out to draw water\" refers to the scholars of the Torah, who draw the water of Torah, the time to go out and shake off the dust.", + "Rabbi Abba added that there is more to know, as we have learned that those occupied in knowing their Master in this world and their soul to perfection in the World to Come, deserve to get out of the grave by the oath of the soul. (Metatron) comes to know which is the soul's proper body and it is written, \"Behold, I stand here by the well of water\" (Gen. 24:43). Although it is the scholar of the Torah, (Metatron goes)to look for perfection, as it is written, \"And it shall come to pass, that the maid who comes forth to draw, and I say to her, 'Give me, I pray you, a little water from your pitcher'\" (Ibid. 44), which means 'tell me by hint, the knowledge of the name, from what you conceived'.", + "\"And she says to me, 'Both drink you'\" (Gen. 24:44). (She knows three things) You are a servant like me; The knowledge of you does not compare with the knowledge of Hashem, blessed be He; It behooves you to conceive that you are a creature like me.", + "\"I will draw water for your camels also\" (Gen. 24:19) indicates that it also drew forth for his attendants from what it perceived. The words \"your camels\" means \"your retinue.\" In other words, my understanding is that: 1) Your retinue was not aware; 2) \"I know that I have an advantage over you\"; 3) I know how you were created from the radiance that was placed with you. If the body mentions (all of these) let this sign be delivered to me. Then I shall know she is the woman. She is the body from the same soul according to the oath it made me swear.", + "\"And it came to pass, before he had done speaking\" (Gen. 24:15). According to Rabbi Yitzchak, Rabbi Yehudah said while he was thinking of how to try the body, it is written, \"Behold, Rivkah came out,\" which is the holy body that is occupied in Torah. It pounds the body for knowledge of the conception of his Possessor, \"who was born to Betuel\" (Ibid.). Rav Yehuda said she was the daughter (Heb. bat) of El, the \"son of Milkah\" (Ibid.), who is a son to the king (Heb. Malkah) of the universe. \"The wife of Nachor, Abraham's brother\" alludes to the company of the mind, the body attached to the mind, and is the brother of the soul, and the phrase, \"With her pitcher upon her shoulder\" alludes to the weight of wisdom upon it.", + "\"And the servant ran to meet her\" (Gen. 24:17) refers to Metatron. And said, \"Let me, I pray you, drink a little water of your pitcher\" give me a hint of the wisdom of the knowledge of your Maker that you dealt with in the world you left. Rabbi Abba said, We have explained that after that it is written, \"And I put the ring upon her nose, and the bracelets upon her hands\" (Ibid. 47). Rabbi Abba said that these are the bones that were scattered here and there. He puts them together and weighs them one upon the other, as is written, \"And strengthen your bones\" (Isaiah 58:11). Rabbi Abba said, At that time, the body stands in the land of Yisrael, where the soul enters it.", + "Rabbi Yochanan asks, Who conducts the body to the land of Yisrael? Rabbi Zeira said, The Holy One, blessed be He, digs caverns under the ground and they roll to the land of Yisrael. Hence it is written, \"And the earth shall cast out the shades of the dead\" (Isaiah 26:19).", + "Rabbi Yitzchak said, Gabriel conducts them to the land of Yisrael. How do we know that? From the verse, \"Will you go with this man?\" (Gen. 24:58). Elsewhere, it is written, \"The man Gabriel\" (Daniel 9:21). Rabbi Yosi asks, Why is it written, \"And Rivkah had a brother and his name was Laban\" (Ibid. 29)? Rabbi Yitzchak answered, The Evil Inclination does not pass away from the world, and though it is not entirely present, some of it is.", + "Come and behold, When it was in this world, it was called Lot. In the World to Come, it will be partly canceled and called Laban, its not as corrupt as before, but as one who washed the filth off of himself. Why is there need of Laban? Rabbi Shimon said, It is needed for being fruitful and multiply. If there is no Evil Inclination, nothing is fruitful or multiplies.", + "Come and listen, Since the body was constructed and established, why is it then written, \"And they sent away Rivkah, their sister, and her nurse...\" (Gen. 24:59). What does the phrase \"and her nurse\" imply? It is the power of movement. Rabbi Yitzchak further clarifies this by explaining that this is the power of the body.", + "Rabbi Abahu opened with the verse, \"Come with me from Lebanon, my bride, with me from Lebanon...\" (Shir Hashirim 4:8). Rabbi Abahu said, Once the body was built and established, it is brought to the land of Yisrael to receive its soul. The soul awaits it there and comes out to greet it, as is written, \"And Isaac went out to meditate in the field\" (Gen. 24:63). \"Come with me from Lebanon, my bride\" is the soul, and \"Look from the top of Amana\" (Ibid.) corresponds to, \"And he lifted his eyes and saw\" (Ibid.).", + "Rabbi Yehuda said, If this is the soul, Abraham is satisfactory, as was said. What then is Isaac? Rabbi Abahu said, The friends said it is now called Isaac because of the increased joy in the world.", + "Rabbi Abahu said, First the soul was called Abraham and the body Sarah. Now the soul is called Isaac and the body Rivkah. Rabbi Shimon said, It was taught in the Mishnah that the soul awaited the body in the land of Yisrael forty years before the body existed. Where? At the Temple.", + "Rabbi Abahu said, Look at the verse, \"And took Rivkah, and she became his wife, and he loved her; and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death\" (Gen. 24:67). When he loves the body and is comforted by it, it is time for laughter and delight in the world.", + "Rabbi Yehuda said, Now this whole portion of the scripture is made clear, but I do not know the meaning of the verse, \"Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah\" (Gen. 25:1). To a reasonable mind, this text is contradictory. It contradicts the explanation concerning the soul and body at the time of resurrection.", + "Rav Dimi arrived and said, I have heard an explanation for this portion, but I do not remember it. They said that the high and strong did not present it for revelation. What have we to say? Rabbi Yehudah stood up and said that the portion is revealed in the Yeshivah of our friends, the sages of the Mishnah.", + "They stood up and began walking, he, Rabbi Yeesa, and Rabbi Chiya. They found Rabbi Elazar ben Rabbi Shimon, who was revealing the secret of Tefilin. They came before him and asks, Master, what are you engaged in? He replies, I am recounting the reason for the Tefilin, for blessed is the man who dons Tefilin and knows the sense thereof.", + "They said, If it is well before you, Master, may you tell us something. They said, We learned from your father that the Holy One, blessed be He, in His great love for the children of Yisrael, told them to build Him a tabernacle, reflecting the supernal high Chariot, so He might come and dwell among them. This is the meaning of, \"And let them make Me a sanctuary, so that I may dwell among them\" (Shemot 25:8). We learned from your father that the reason for the Tefilin was hidden in this verse.", + "He said to them, Come and behold, The Temple was made to reflect the upper one in its holy Chariots. And then the Holy One, blessed be He, caused His Shechinah to dwell among them. In this manner, those versed in the Mishnah discussed the reason for the Tefilin. Any man who wears tefilin will be patterned after the upper Chariots, the lower Chariot and the upper Chariot so that His kingdom will come and the Shechinah will dwell upon him.", + "We learned that there are deep secrets in the tefilin and its patterns. There are three Chariots within them, like the high and holy ones, reflecting the secrets of the three letters of His Holy Name. For these three Chariots are the three letters YUD-HEI-VAV. The four sections govern the four letters of His Holy Name. This is therefore the secret of the Shin of three crowns and Shin of four crowns, the three kings ruling over the body and the Tefilin upon the Holy One, blessed be He, above the head Tefilin and the hand Tefilin, four sections, which correspond to the Shin with four heads.", + "Similarly, the heart rides as if on the lower Chariot. And the lower one is mounted. We have also learned that this Chariot of the arm, is below. The heart rides as if beneath. It was given to it to bring in all the heavenly hosts. So the heart rides down below and all the limbs of the body are given to it.", + "Above the heart are the four sections of the brain. The Holy One, blessed be He, is supreme ruler over them. He is King of all. And the secret of wisdom resembles the Temple, as it is written, \"And make one Cherub on the one end, and the other Cherub on the other end\" (Shemot 25:19). Above them is the King's Shechinah, within the four letters Yud Hev Vav Hei. Yud-Hei is on the right Cherub, and Vav-Hei on the left cherub. Within the two Chariots, the upper Chariot is on the right Cherub and the lower Chariot is on the left Cherub.", + "Similarly, the heart and the brain, the heart is on one side and the brain on the other side. Upon them is the King's Shechinah in four sections. Rabbi Elazar said, From now on, the secrets of the crowns of the letters, the sections in their bodies and the straps are an ancient tradition that Moses received in Sinai. They were already explained by allusion and the sense of all this is in the secret of the thirteen divine attributes.", + "Rabbi Yehuda said, Even if we came only for this secret, it would have sufficed. They said to him, Happy is your lot in the World to Come, for no secret is withheld from you. They said to him, We came before you, Master, to know the secret of the verse, \"Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah\" (Gen. 25:1).", + "He said, the explanation of this verse is revealed by the friends versed in the Mishnah. When the soul enters its holy body, these words will be said of the wicked, who will be resurrected and make better their deeds. And the soul will grant them its precious splendor, so they will know, repent and have full merit again.", + "When Solomon saw this, he wondered very much, and said, \"And so I saw the wicked buried, and come to their rest...gone from the holy place\" (Kohelet 8:10). Rabbi Abba quoted Rabbi Yochanan, saying it is written, \"Can the Kushite change his skin, or the leopard his spots?\" (Jer. 13:23), similarly the wicked who did not deserve to repent in this world and offer good deeds as sacrifices will never burn sacrifices in the World to Come. It is written, \"Then again Abraham took a wife\" and wanted to produce a soul for their bodies and bring them closer in repentance, as it is written, \"And the souls that they had made in Charan\" (Gen. 12:5).", + "Rabbi Elazar said, Look at the verse, \"And she bore him Zimran, and Yokshan\" (Gen. 25:2). They did many evil deeds, until they were driven from the world, as it is written, \"And sent them away from his son Isaac\" (Ibid.). Of them it is written, \"And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake...\" (Daniel 12:2). Of the others, it is written, \"And they who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament\" (Ibid. 3).", + "Rabbi Yehuda said, This is the meaning of the text indicating that it was called Abraham at one time, and is now called Isaac in his place, as it is written, \"And it came to pass after the death of Abraham, that Elohim blessed his son Isaac; and Isaac dwelt by Beer Lachai Roi (lit. 'the well of living and seeing')\" (Gen. 25:11). Through the knowledge of the living, the life of the world, he may know and conceive what he had not conceived in this world, as it is written, \"For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of Hashem\" (Isaiah 11:9). (End of Midrash Hane'elam)", + "Rabbi Yitzchak opened with the verse, \"And the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to Elohim who gave it\" (Kohelet 12:7). Come and behold, When the Holy One, blessed be He, created Adam, He took the dust from the place of the Temple and built his body from the four directions of the world, each of which gave him strength. Later, He poured the spirit of life upon him, as it is written, \"And breathed into his nostrils the breath of life\" (Gen. 2:7). Then he stood up and knew that he comprised both high and low; he cleaved to Hashem and knew the supernal wisdom.", + "Similarly, all people in the world are included from the upper and the lower. When all those who know how to properly sanctify themselves in this world beget a child, they draw on it a Holy Spirit from that place where all that is holy originates. These are called children to the Holy One, blessed be He, because their bodies were properly made in sanctity. He is also given a spirit from the holy supernal place, as he deserves. This has already been explained.", + "Come and behold, When man is called to account for his deeds before leaving this world, there will be a day of reckoning, a day when both the soul and body give reckoning. The soul then leaves the body is separated from it, while the body returns to dust, and all return to the place from which it was taken. It has already been explained that everything will be stored before the Holy One, blessed be He, until the time when He resurrects the dead.", + "The Holy One, blessed be He, will return that very body and that very soul to the world as before, and renew the face of the world. This is according to the verse, \"The dead men of your people shall live, my dead body shall arise\" (Isaiah 26:19). The same soul is stored before the Holy One, blessed be He, as it returns to its proper place after death according to its deeds, as it is written, \"And the spirit returns to Elohim who gave it.\" At that time, He will revive the dead and pour dew from His head upon them. All the bodies will be resurrected from the dust by that dew.", + "It is written, \"For your dew is as the dew on herbs (lit. 'of lights')\" (Isaiah 26:19). What is the dew of lights? These are real lights, the Lights of above, by which He will pour life upon the world, because the Tree of Life will then provide never-ending life. For now, there is an end to life, since the evil serpent has its way, the moon is covered, namely the union of the supernal sun and moon, Zeir Anpin and Nukva, stops. For that reason, the water as it were, stops flowing. Therefore, life does not exist properly in the world.", + "At that time, the Evil Inclination, which is the wicked serpent, will be removed from the world, and the Holy One, blessed be He, will cause it to pass away, as written, \"And I will cause...the unclean spirit to pass out of the land\" (Zecharyah 13:2). After it passes from the world, the moon will no longer be covered and the sources of the river that flow out will never stop flowing. Then, it is written, \"The light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days\" (Isaiah 30:26).", + "Rabbi Chizkiyah said, If you say that all the bodies in the world will rise to life and wake up from the dust, it behooves us to ask about the bodies that were planted with the same soul. What will become of them? Rabbi Yosi said, It is as if the bodies, which did not have merit and did not succeed never were. They are as a dried tree in that world, and so they will be at the time (of the resurrection). Only the last body that was planted and worthily received its roots will be revived.", + "Of this, it is written, \"For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters... and its leaf shall be green\" (Jer. 17:8), because it bore fruit and struck roots properly. Of the earlier body that did not bear fruit or strike roots, it is written, \"For he shall be like the juniper tree in the desert, and shall not see when good comes\" (Ibid. 6). \"When good comes\" refers to the resurrection of the dead.", + "And the Light that will illuminate the righteous will shine. It has been stored before Him since the day that the world was created, as written, \"And Elohim saw the light, that it was good\" (Gen. 1:3). In the future, the Holy One, blessed be He, will revive the dead. It is written, \"But to you who fear my name the sun of righteousness shall arise, etc.\" (Malachi 3:20), for then good will have the upper hand in the world, and that which is called evil will pass away from the world, as we said, then, the bodies that preceded the last one will be as if they never existed.", + "Rabbi Yitzchak said, The Holy One, blessed be He, will pour other spirits upon the bodies. They will be properly revived in the world if they merit the spirits. If they do not, they will be ashes under the feet of the righteous, as it is written, \"And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, etc.\" (Daniel 12:2). Everything was established and prepared before the Holy One, blessed be He, and all were numbered for the time of resurrection, as it is written, \"That brings out their host by number, etc.\" (Isaiah 40:26).", + "Come and behold, We have learned that all the dead in the land of Yisrael will be resurrected first, because the Holy One, blessed be He, will arouse them and revive them. Of them it is written, \"The dead...shall live\" (Isaiah 26:19) This verse refers to those buried in the land of Yisrael. \"My dead body shall arise\" refers to those buried in other countries, for whom the term \"restoration\" is used in place of \"resurrection.\" This is because the spirit of life dwells only in the Holy Land of Yisrael. Therefore, \"The dead man of your people shall live\" refers only to those buried in the land Yisrael. The bodies of those outside will be created, but they will be resurrected as a body with no spirit. Thereafter, they will roll under the soil of the land until they reach the land of Yisrael, where they will receive a soul. They will not receive this soul under any other authority, so they will be well established in the world.", + "Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Yesa were sitting one night, studying Torah. Rabbi Elazar said, Come and behold, In the future, when the Holy One, blessed be He, resurrects the dead, all the souls that will be aroused before Him will stand before Him in the very shape they had in this world. And the Holy One, blessed be He, will bring them down to other bodies and call them by name, as written, \"He calls them all by names\" (Isaiah 40:26). Each soul will enter its place in the body and be properly revived in the world. Then, the world will be perfected. Of that time it is written, \"And the disgrace of his people shall He take away\" (Isaiah 25:8). What is \"the disgrace of his people shall He take away\"? It is the Evil Inclination which darkens the faces of the people and rules over them.", + "Rabbi Yosi said, We see that whenever the spirit is in a man, he is not defiled. Once his soul leaves him, he is defiled. He said to him, Assuredly this is so. We have also learned that when the Evil Inclination takes the spirit of man, he becomes defiled and the body remains unclean. The reverse is true for the heathen nations. They are unclean while they live because their souls are drawn from the side of defilement. Once their bodies are emptied of that defilement, the body stays without unholiness and therefore does not cause defilement. Rabbi Shimon said that the canopied graves of the heathen do not defile.", + "For that reason he who cleaves to a woman from the heathen nations is defiled, and the child that she bears him receives the spirit of defilement. You may ask, Is it not of Yisrael from the side of its father? If so, why should it receive the spirit of defilement? Come and behold, First its father was besmirched when he united with that tainted woman. All the more so, the child that she bears will receive the spirit of defilement upon it. Furthermore, he also transgressed the Torah, as it is written, \"For you shall worship no other El; for Hashem whose name is jealous, is a jealous El\" (Shemot 34:14), which means that He is zealous of the covenant, so that it will not be tainted by heathen women." + ], + [ + "Rabbi Elazar said, Come and behold, We have learned that because Abraham had wisdom, he wanted to be separated from and not cleave to all other nations. Therefore it is written, \"And I will make you swear by Hashem, the Elohim of heaven, and the Elohim of the earth, that you shall not take a wife to my son...\" (Gen. 24:3). The phrase \"of the daughters of the Canaanite\" (Ibid.) surely contains a secret, as it is written, \"And has married the daughter of a strange El\" (Malachi 2:11). In the phrase, \"Among whom I dwell\" (Gen.24:3), the \"I\" is exactly the same as that mentioned in \"I have made the earth\" (Isaiah 45:12), all that so to prevent him from being defiled by them.", + "Come and behold, Whoever puts the holy covenant in a woman of a heathen nation causes another place to be defiled. Thus, it is written, \"For three things the earth is disquieted...\" (Mishlei 30:21). And though he made him swear by the covenant, Abraham did not yet trust him, but prayed before the Holy One, blessed be He, saying \"Hashem, Elohim of the heaven... He shall send his angel before you\" (Gen. 24:7). His angel assuredly, the angel of the covenant, whom He shall send so that the covenant will be kept and not defiled among the nations.", + "\"Only bring not my son back there\" (Gen. 24:8). Abraham alone and no one else recognized the Holy One, blessed be He. Abraham did not want Isaac to dwell among the heathen nations, but wanted him to remain with him, where he would learn the ways of the Holy One, blessed be He. Abraham did not want Isaac to turn right or left. For that reason Abraham did not want Isaac's dwelling place to be among the heathen nations.", + "Rabbi Yesa said, Assuredly the merit of Abraham was with the servant, for he arrived at the well that very day he went, as is written, \"And I came this day to the well\" (Gen. 24:42). This has already been explained." + ], + [ + "Rabbi Elazar opened with the verse, \"Open you my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of Your Torah\" (Tehilim 119:17). How foolish men are, for they do not know, and do not seek to be occupied with, Torah. Torah is the whole life. All freedom and all goodness in this world and in the World to Come are contained within it. It is life in this world; namely, they may merit full days in this world, as it is written, \"The number of your days I will fulfill\" (Shemot 23:26). And one will merit long days in the World to Come, for this whole life is a life of joy, life without sadness, life that is real life, freedom in this world, freedom from everything, because other nations cannot rule over anyone who is engaged in the study of Torah.", + "You may say that there were those who were persecuted. This is a decree from above, such as the one for Rabbi Akiva and his companions and so it came to mind. Studying Torah usually means freedom from the Angel of Death, who cannot have sway over him. Assuredly this is so. If Adam had cleaved to the Tree of Life, which is Torah, death would not have been brought upon him and the whole world. It was \"engraved upon the tablets\" (Shemot 32:16) when the Holy One, blessed be He, gave Torah to Yisrael. This has already been explained. Do not pronounce it \"engraved\" (Heb. charut), but freedom (Heb. cherut), because there was freedom from the Angel of Death. If it were not for Israel committing the sin of the Golden Calf and leaving the Tree of Life they would not have brought death back to the world. And the Holy One, blessed be He, said, \"I had said, 'You are angels, all of you sons of the most High'\" (Tehilim 82:6). You defiled yourself, \"therefore, you shall die like a man\" (Ibid. 7). Therefore, the evil serpent which darkened the world cannot have power over anyone occupied in the study of Torah.", + "Rabbi Yesa said, If this is so, why then did Moses die? He said to him, Moses died, but the Angel of Death had no sway over him. He did not die by him, nor was he defiled by him.", + "As such, he is called \"living\", as we have explained in discussing the verse, \"And Benaiah, son of Jehoida, the son of a valiant (lit. 'living') man\" (II Samuel 23:20). Thus, he who is occupied in studying Torah has freedom from everything, including freedom in this world from the enslavement of heathen nations and freedom in the World to Come, for no reckoning will be demanded from him in that world at all.", + "Come and behold how many supernal mysteries exist in the Torah. For that reason, it is written, \"She is more precious than pearls\" (Mishlei 3:15). How many hidden treasures there are in it. For that reason, when David looked at the Torah in the spirit of wisdom, he said, \"Open you my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of Your Torah.\"" + ], + [ + "Come and behold, \"And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rivkah came out\" (Gen. 24:15). Why \"came out\"? It should have been written 'came'. Why is it written \"came out\"? The Holy One, blessed be He, brought her away from the people of the town who were all evil. She was separated fromm. The verse, \"And she went down to the well (Heb. הָעַיְנָה)\" (Gen. 24:16) is spelled with a Hei. This is a secret because Miriam's well chanced before her there. For that reason \"to the well\" is written with a Hei. And the water rose toward Rivkah.", + "Another explanation is that in the verse, \"And, behold, Rivkah came out,\" the words \"came out\" have a similar meaning to that in the verse \"come out to draw water\" (Gen. 24:13). Why is it written, \"Come out\", rather than 'go' or 'come'? This is an allusion to their proper conduct. They remained at home all day and came out at a specific time toward evening to draw water. Abraham's servant recognized her by this sign.", + "Come and behold, When the servant reached Charan and found Rivkah \"at the time of evening\" (Gen. 24:11), it was time for the afternoon prayer. At the exact time when Isaac said his afternoon prayer, the servant reached Rivkah. Rivkah came to him again at that time when he prayed Minchah. This happened so that everything would be in its proper place, as indicated by the supernal Wisdom. Therefore, the servant reached the well of water, which is the secret of the verse \"a fountain of gardens, a well of living water, and streams from Lebanon\" (Shir Hashirim 4:15). We established everything to pertain to that secret." + ], + [ + "Rabbi Shimon was walking to Tiberias with Rabbi Abba. Rabbi Shimon said, Let us go, because a man is about to come to us with new words of Torah. Rabbi Abba said, I already know that, wherever my master goes, the Holy One, blessed be He, sends flying angels to give him pleasure.", + "While they were traveling, Rabbi Shimon lifted up his eyes and saw a man who was running. They sat down. When he arrived, Rabbi Shimon asks him, Who are you? He responded, I am a Jew from the city of Cappadocia and I am going to the hiding place of the son of Yochai. The friends determined certain things, and sent me to him. Rabbi Shimon said to him, My son, talk. He asks, You are the son of Yochai? He told him, I am the son of Yochai.", + "The friends said that when a man prays nothing may come between him and the wall, as it is written, \"Then Chizkiyahu turned his face toward the wall\" (Isaiah 38:2). When a man prays, no one may come within four cubits of him on every side. They said this means four cubits on every side except in front. And they said that a man should not pray behind his Rabbi. They appointed me about these matters.", + "The Jewish man opened with the verse, \"Hear my prayer, Hashem, and give ear to my cry; keep not silence at my tears\" (Tehilim 39:13). Why is it written \"hear\" (Heb. שִׁמְעָה) and not 'שְׁמַע'? Why is it written in one place, \"Hear (Heb. שְׁמַע), Hashem, and be gracious to me\" (Tehilim 30:11), and in another place, 'שִׁמְעָה'? The reason is that it is written now Shma refering to the male, and now Shim'ah refering to the female. For example, shim'ah is used in \"Hear the right, Hashem\" (Tehilim 17:1), where the right (Heb. צֶדֶק) is the secret of the Nukva of Zeir Anpin. Sh'ma is used in \"Hear (Heb. sh'ma) Hashem, and be gracious to me\". The masculine is also used in \"Hear, Hashem\" , \"my son, hear (Heb. sh'ma) the instructions\" (Mishlei 1:8) and \"Take heed, and hearken (Heb. sh'ma)\" (Devarim 27:9).", + "\"Hear (Heb. shim'ah) my prayer, Hashem\", which is the grade that receives all the prayers in the world. We learned that the Nukvah creates a diadem from the prayers and puts in on the head of the Righteous, the life of the world. This is the meaning of the verse, \"Blessings are upon the head of the just\" (Mishlei 10:6). Hence \"Hear (Heb. shim'ah) my prayer, Hashem.", + "\"Hear my prayer, Hashem\" refers to the silent prayer (the Amidah) \"And give ear to my cry\" is a prayer cried out loud. A man raises his voice and cries to Hashem in his trouble, as it is written, \"And their cry rose up to the Elohim\" (Shemot 2:23). What is the cry? It is the cry heard when one raises one's voice in prayer and lifts up one's eyes above, as it is written, \"And a shouting to the mountains\" (Isaiah 22:5). This prayer breaks open all gates upon which he knocks to present his prayer before Hashem. \"Keep not silence at my tears,\" which enter before the King and cannot be stopped by any gate or turned away in vain." + ] + ], + "Toldot": [ + [ + "\"And these are the generations of Isaac...\" (Gen. 25:19). Rabbi Chiya opened the discussion with the verse, \"Who can utter the mighty acts of Hashem? Who can declare all His praise?\" (Tehilim 106:2). Come and behold, when the Holy One, blessed be He, wished to create the world, He did so according to the Torah. And every act that the Holy One, blessed be He, used to create the world was done according to the Torah. This is the meaning of, \"then I was by him, as a nursling, and I was daily his delight\" (Mishlei 8:30) Do not pronounce it as \"a nursling,\" (Heb. אָמוֹן) but rather 'a craftsman' (Heb. אוּמָן),", + "When He wanted to create man, the Torah said to him, 'If man is created, he will sin, and you will punish him. Would not Your handwork then be in vain? After all, he will not be able to endure the punishment.' The Holy One, blessed be He, replied, 'I created repentance before I created the world.' When the Holy One, blessed be He, created the world and created Adam, He said to it, 'World, world, you and your nature are based solely upon the Torah, and for that reason I created man in you, to be occupied with the study of the Torah. And if he does not study the Torah, I will return you to chaos. Everything is for man.' This is the meaning of the verse, \"I have made the earth, and created man upon it\" (Isaiah 45:12). The Torah proclaims to men to be occupied with and endeavor in the study of the Torah, but no one lends an ear.", + "Come see: Anyone who strives in/with the Torah sustains the world and sustains each and every thing according to its redeemed-order / `al tiquneyh as it properly should be. And you have no part/organ/shayyfa that exists in a person that does not have a creature/b’riyah in the world to parallel/receive it. For behold, just as a person is divided into parts . . . and all of them are one body, so also is the world: all these creatures are all of them many many parts / shayyfin shayyfin [of the world], and they are sustained, these upon these, and when all of them are righted/redeemed/mit’taqnin, behold all of them are really/mamash one body. And all is like the pattern /k’gavna of the Torah, for the whole Torah is parts and joints (also meaning “chapters”) / shayyfin uf’raqim, and they are sustained, these upon these, and when all of them are repaired/redeemed they are made into one body. When David gazed upon this thing he opened and said, “How diverse are Your works YHVH, all of them with wisdom You made, what fills the earth are Your possessions” [Ps 104:24]. ", + "The Torah contains supernal, sealed mysteries, that man cannot grasp; it contains all supernal matters, those revealed and those not revealed. The Torah contains all the matters above and below. Everything in this world and everything in the World to Come is in the Torah, but there is no one to observe and understand them. Thus, it is written, \"Who can utter the mighty acts of Hashem? Who can declare all His praise?\" (Tehilim 106:2).", + "Come and behold, when Solomon unsuccessfully tried to understand the words and subtleties of the Torah, he said, \"I said, 'I will be wise'; but it was far from me\" (Kohelet 7:23). David said, \"Open my eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of Your Torah\" (Tehilim 119:18). Come and behold, it is written of Solomon that he \"spoke 3,000 proverbs, and his poems were 1,005\" (I Kings 5:12). This is because there were 5,000 interpretations of each proverb he told. If this is true of the words of Solomon, who was flesh and blood, how many proverbs, chants, praises, mysteries, and wise thoughts are contained in the words of the Torah, as spoken by the Holy One, blessed be He? Therefore, it is written, \"Who can utter the mighty acts of Hashem.\"", + "Come and behold, it is written, \"Now these are the generations of Ishmael\" (Gen. 25:12), and they are twelve princes. Then it is written, \"And these are the generations of Isaac\" (Ibid. 19). Is it possible that because it is written that Ishmael sired twelve princes and Isaac sired two, he (Ishmael) is more righteous? It is therefore written, \"Who can utter the mighty (Heb. גְּבוּרוֹת) acts of Hashem.\" This refers to Isaac for Isaac sired Jacob, who alone is more important than all of them, for he fathered the twelve tribes, and sustained the upper and the lower, while Isaac supported the higher in supernal holiness and Ishmael only below. Therefore the verse, \"Who can utter the mighty acts of Hashem,\" refers to Isaac, as explained above. The words, \"declare all His praises,\" refers to Jacob. When the sun connects with the moon, many stars shine from them.", + "\"And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham's son.\" Rabbi Yosi asks, What has changed? It did not say, \"Abraham's son\" previously. For although it is written, \"Elohim blessed his son Isaac,\" (Gen. 25:11) Abraham is now dead; the image of Abraham was upon Isaac and stayed with him so that whoever saw Isaac said, \"this is surely Abraham,\" and pronounced that Abraham begat Isaac.", + "Rabbi Yitzchak rose one night to study Torah, while Rabbi Yehuda, who was in the city of Caesarea, also rose at the same hour to study Torah. Rabbi Yehuda said, I will walk to Rabbi Yitzchak and study Torah together with him. He went with his son, Hezekiah, who was then a boy. When he approached the door, he heard Rabbi Yitzchak say, \"And it came to pass after the death of Abraham, that Elohim blessed his son Isaac; and Isaac dwelt by Be'er Lachai Ro'i\" (Gen. 25:11). In this verse, the beginning does not fit the end and the end does not fit the beginning; Why this change? Why should the Holy One, blessed be He, bless Isaac (and not Abraham)? Since Abraham did not bless Isaac (Hashem did). Why did Abraham not bless him? So that Esau would not be blessed with him. Therefore these blessings passed to the Holy One, blessed be He. Of the verse, \"and Isaac dwelt at Be'er Lachai Ro'i,\" What is the meaning of \"Lachai Ro'I,\"?; that he was united with the Shechinah, as the Aramaic translation reads, \"the well where the angel of the covenant was seen.\" Therefore He blessed him. By this we may understand the connection of the three parts of this verse, \"And it came to pass after the death of Abraham,\" who did not bless Isaac, \"that Elohim blessed his son Isaac.\" Why did He bless him? Because \"Isaac dwelt at Be'er Lachai Ro'i,\" for he joined the Shechinah.", + "In the meantime, Rabbi Yehuda knocked on the door, entered, and joined him. Rabbi Yitzchak said, Now the Shechinah is with us. Rabbi Yehuda said that this explanation concerning \"Be'er Lachai Ro'i\" is good, but there is more to be understood from the words. He began with the verse, \"a fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon\" (Shir Hashirim 4:15). This verse was already explained, \"a fountain of gardens\" is Abraham; \"a well of living waters\" is Isaac; and \"streams from the Lebanon\" is Jacob. \"A well of living waters\" is Isaac, as it is written, \"and Isaac dwelt at Be'er Lachai Ro'i\" (lit. 'a well of living and seeing'). What is 'a well'? It is the Shechinah, while 'living' is he who is the Life of the Worlds, namely, the Righteous who is the Life of the Worlds and they are not to be separated. He lives in both worlds - he lives above, in the higher world, (Binah) and he lives in the lower world (Malchut). The lower world lives and shines from his strength.", + "Come and behold, the moon shines only when she sees the sun. When she sees him, she shines. Therefore this is called 'Be'er Lachai Ro'i,' for assuredly then she shines and stands filled with living water, \"Lachai Ro'i,\" 'living and seeing', so as to be filled and illuminated by that which lives, Yesod of Zeir Anpin, as mentioned.", + "Come and behold, it is written \"And Benaiah the son of Jehoida, the son of a valiant (lit. 'living') man\" (II Shmuel 23:20). This means that he was righteous and illuminated his generation as the living one above illuminates the world. Thus, the well constantly looks to the living one in order to be illuminated. \"And Isaac dwelt by Be'er Lachai Ro'i. \"It is written, \"When he took Rivkah,\" FOR and as he united with her, the joining of darkness and night, as it is written, \"his left hand is under my head\" (Shir Hashirim 2:6) And Come and behold, Isaac was in Kiryat Arba after Abraham died. What about the verse that reads, \"And Isaac dwelt by Be'er Lachai Ro'i?\" That with which he joined and was united in that well, to stir up love, as we said.", + "Rabbi Yitzchak began the discussion with the verse, \"The sun also rises and the sun goes down and hastens to its place where it rises again\" (Kohelet 1:5). \"The sun also rises,\" refers to the sun, which shines on the moon. For when the sun is seen by her, she shines, illuminates and shines from the supreme place that is above it, from where it always rises. \"And the sun goes down,\" means that when it comes to mate with the moon it \"goes towards the south\" (Ibid. 6), which is the Right and there reposes its strength, because its strength is in the right. As a result, all the strength of a man's body is in the right side, from which stems the strength of the body. Later, \"and veers to the north,\" and shines upon this side and shines upon that side. \"Round and round goes the wind\" (Ibid.). Why is it first written, \"sun,\" and now \"wind.\" All is one secret. And all this happens so that the moon will illuminate by its light and the two will join.", + "Come and behold, when Abraham came into the world, he embraced the moon and brought her near. When Isaac came, he took her and held her and drew her lovingly, as it is written, \"his left hand is under my head\" (Shir Hashirim 2:6). When Jacob came, he united the sun, with the moon and it shone. So Jacob became whole in every aspect, and the moon shone, and was perfected by the twelve tribes.", + "Rabbi Yehuda opened the discussion with the verse, \"Behold, bless Hashem, all you servants of Hashem...\" (Tehilim 134:1). This verse was explained, yet come and behold, it is written, \"Behold, bless Hashem.\" Who are those worthy of blessing the Holy One, blessed be He? \"All you servants of Hashem.\" Although anyone from Yisrael is worthy of blessing the Holy One, blessed be He, who gives the blessings for the sake of the supernal and lower beings? \"All you servants of Hashem,\" yet not everyone. Whose blessing is considered a blessing? Those \"who stand by night in the house of Hashem\" (Ibid.); those who wake up at midnight to study Torah. These are those \"who stand by night in the house of Hashem.\" For then the Holy One, blessed be He, comes to delight with the righteous in the Garden of Eden. And we are here awakened by the words of the Torah. Let us discuss Isaac, for we are on his level." + ], + [ + "\"And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rivkah for a wife\" (Gen. 25:20). Why is Yitzchak's age given here? Isaac was included within north and south, which are fire and water, and was then forty years old when he took Rivkah. Further, the text, \"As the appearance of the bow\" (Ezekiel 1:28), means green, white, and red. She (the Nukva) was three years old when he seized it, when he took Rivkah. And he sired a son when he was sixty so that he would properly sire Jacob who, as the issue of a man of sixty years, held on to all and became a whole man.", + "Why are we told, \"The daughter of Betu'el the Arammian of Paddan-aram, the sister to Laban the Arammian?\" Why should we care to know all this? It had already been written, \"And Betu'el sired Rivkah\" (Gen. 22:23), and now she is described as \"of Paddan-aram, the sister to Laban the Arammian.\" This is to teach us that she was born among the misled, she did not follow their ways. Therefore it is written that she was the daughter of Betu'el, of Paddan-aram, and the sister of Laban, who were all wicked and evil doers; but she did good deeds and did not behave as they did.", + "Now we should study this further. If Rivkah was twenty years old, or at least thirteen, it would be considered praiseworthy that she did not do as they did. But since she was only three years old, how can she be praised for her actions? Rabbi Yehuda replied that although she was only three years old, she can be judged by how she behaved toward the servant. This must mean that she had the wisdom of a twenty year old, and therefore she may be praised for not learning from what they did.", + "Rabbi Yitzchak said, Though she acted wisely toward the servant, I do not yet know if her behavior was right or not. Rather, Come and behold, it is written, \"Like the rose among thorns, so is my love among the daughters\" (Shir Hashirim 2:2). The rose is the congregation of Yisrael which is among the legions as a rose among the thorns. The hidden meaning is that Isaac came from the side of Abraham, supernal Chesed, who is kind to all creatures. And although he represented Severe Judgment, (he draws Chesed from Abraham). Rivkah also came from the side of Harsh Judgment (of Bethuel and Laban). Although she was herself of Weak Judgment and a thread of Chesed was attached to her, nevertheless she came from Severe Judgment. Thus, because Isaac was severe in his judgment and Rivkah was softer in her Judgment, she was as a rose among the thorns. If she were not of Weak Judgment, the world would not have been able to bear the Harsh Judgment of Isaac. In this manner, the Holy One, blessed be He, joins couples in the world, the severe with the weak, so as to balance everything, and the world would be sweetened." + ], + [ + "Rabbi Yehuda continued with the verse, \"And Isaac entreated Hashem for his wife\" (Gen. 25:21). What is the meaning of \"entreated?\" That he offered a sacrifice and prayed for her. What offering did he sacrifice? A burnt offering. He sacrificed by studying the verses \"and Hashem was entreated of him\" (Ibid.), and \"So Hashem was entreated for the land\" (II Shmuel 24:25). There it means that a sacrifice has been offered, here too it means, a sacrifice has been offered. It is written, \"And Isaac entreated,\" \"and Hashem was entreated\", a celestial fire that came to meet the lower fire.", + "Another explanation for, \"And Isaac entreated,\" is that by his prayer he hollowed out a passage that reached above to Mazal that bestows children. It is upon that place that giving birth to children depends, as it is written, \"and she prayed to (lit. 'above') Hashem\" (I Shmuel 1:10). Then, \"Hashem was entreated of him.\" Do not pronounce it \"entreated\" (Heb. וַיֵּעָתֶר), but \"hollowed out\" (Heb. וַיֵּחָתֶר). For the Holy One, blessed be He, cleared the way and accepted the prayer. Then, \"Rivkah his wife conceived.\"", + "Come and behold, Isaac was with his wife for twenty years, but she did not give birth until he had said his prayer. This is because the Holy One, blessed be He, desires the prayer of the righteous, when they ask Him in prayer for their needs. Why? Because the anointing oil will be increased by the prayer of the righteous for all those in need of it.", + "Come and behold, Abraham did not pray before the Holy One, blessed be He, so that He would give him sons, even though Sarah was barren. And although it may be said that he prayed, saying, \"Behold, to me You gave no seed,\" (Gen. 15:3) it is not a prayer, but simply a statement to his Master. But Isaac prayed for his wife because he knew that his wife, and not he, was sterile. And although Isaac knew by the inner meaning of wisdom that Jacob was bound to come from him and produce the twelve tribes, he did not know whether this would be from this wife or from another. Therefore the scripture reads, \"for his wife\" (Gen. 25:21), and not specifically \"for Rivkah.\"", + "Rabbi Yehuda's son asks, Why then did not Isaac love Jacob as he loved Esau, if he knew that he would sire the twelve tribes? He replied, Well said. He loved Esau better because everyone loves and is attracted to his own kind.", + "Come and behold, Esau was born all red, as it is written, \"And the first came out red all over\" (Gen. 25:25). Thus, he is the same as Isaac, who is of Harsh Judgment above, (in Holiness) and Esau, who issued from him, is the Harsh Judgment below. He resembled Isaac. And because each is drawn to his own kind, Isaac loved Esau more than Jacob, as it is written, \"And Isaac loved Esau, he relished his venison\" (Ibid. 28). Here it is written, \"For he relished his venison,\" which is similar to, \"wherefore it is said, 'like Nimrod the mighty hunter before Hashem'\" (Gen. 10:9). [In both places, hunting refers to Harsh Judgment, and the scriptures tell us that he loved him because they were both of Severe Judgment.]" + ], + [ + "Rabbi Yitzchak said, It is written, \"And the children struggled together within her; and she said, 'if it be so, why am I thus?' And she went to inquire of Hashem\" (Gen. 25:22). Where did she go? To the academy of Shem and Ever. \"the children struggled together within her,\" because the wicked Esau was warring against Jacob there. The term 'struggle' (Heb. וַיִּתְרֹצֲצוּ) is similar to the expression 'to break' (Heb. רָצַץ) one's head, for they struggled and were divided. Come and behold, Esau was of the side of he who rides the serpent, (Samael) while JACOB was of the side who rides the perfect Holy Throne, of the side of the sun, that is united with the moon.", + "Come and behold, since Esau followed on the serpent, Jacob dealt with him slyly, as the serpent was cunning and had crooked ways. As it is written, \"the serpent was craftier\" (Gen. 3:1), which means that he was cunning (and sly). What Jacob did with Esau was serpent-like. This was as it ought to have been; by making Esau go after that serpent, so that he would be separated from Jacob, and thus share nothing with him in this world or in the World to Come. Thus we learn, \"he who comes to kill you, hasten to kill him first.\" It is written, \"in the womb he took his brother\" (Hoshea 12:4), which means that he lowered him down by the heel. This is the meaning of, \"and his hand took hold of Esau's heel\" (Gen. 25:26), for he put his hands on the heel to subjugate him.", + "Another explanation of the verse, \"and his hand took hold\" is that Jacob could not be separated from him entirely, so his hand held the heel of Esau. His hand is the moon whose light was darkened because he held Esau's heel. Therefore, Jacob needed to be clever with him, to push him down, so he would cleave to his place.", + "\"And he called his name Jacob,\" the Holy One, blessed be He, assuredly called him 'Jacob'. Come and behold, it is written, \"and he called his name 'Jacob'\" (Gen. 27:36), and not, 'and his name was called Jacob'. But \"Did he not rightly call him \"Jacob?' for he has supplanted me (Heb. יַּעַקְבֵנִי)?\" (Ibid.). Surely the Holy One, blessed be He, saw that the primordial serpent was wise in an evil way. When Jacob came, (Hashem) said that he must be wiser than the serpent. Therefore He called him 'Jacob',", + "We have already explained that wherever it is written, \"He called,\" (without saying to whom), it is the lower grade, (the Nukvah) as it is written, \"And called Moses\" (Vayikra 1:1). (the Nukvah called Moses). And here it is written, \"and he called his name 'Jacob'\" (Gen. 25:26). For no man even named Jacob, as it is written elsewhere, \"And called it (lit. 'him') El the Elohim Yisrael\" (Gen. 33:20). This is the Holy One, blessed be He, who called Jacob 'El'. He said to him: 'I am El among the upper, and you are El among the lower.'", + "Come and behold, Jacob knew that Esau had to cleave to the tortuous serpent. As a result, in all that Esau did, he acted as slyly and crookedly, just like another just like another tortuous serpent. This is as it ought to be. This agrees with the words of Rabbi Shimon, \"And Elohim created the great crocodiles,\" which refer to Jacob and Esau, \"and every living creature that moves\" (Gen. 1:21), refers to the levels between them. By necessity, Jacob needed to behave wisely against the other serpent. This is as it must be.", + "For that reason, one he goat is sacrificed monthly, to draw the serpent to his place so that he will be separated from the moon. In addition, a he goat should be sacrificed on Yom Kippur. This is done with wisdom, so as to control the serpent, so that he can not do evil. This is the meaning of the verse: \"and the goat (Heb. שָּׂעִיר) shall bear upon it all their iniquities\" (Vayikra 16:22). This refers to Esau, who is hairy (Heb. שָּׂעִיר). All of this was done wisely and cleverly. Why? Because it is written, \"and with the perverse you will show yourself subtle\" (Tehilim 18:27). This is the evil serpent, the tortuous spirit, wise in wickedness, who accuses above and incites below.", + "For this reason, Yisrael hasten to treat him with sly wisdom, so he will not be able to cause evil and rule. Therefore Jacob, who is imbued with the true Faith, treated Esau in all that he did so that there would be no place for that serpent to defile the Temple, or approach it and thereby rule the world. Thus, Abraham did not need to behave slyly, and neither did Isaac. For Esau, who was on the side of the serpent, had not yet come into the world. But Jacob, the landlord, had to stand against that serpent to prevent him from ruling and defiling the Temple of Jacob. Therefore, Jacob had to (fight him) more (cleverly) than the rest of the people in the world. Hence Holy Yisrael were chosen to be the part and portion of the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is written, \"For Hashem's portion is His people; Jacob is the lot of His inheritance\" (Devarim 32:9). \"And the boys grew...\" (Gen. 25:27). This refers to the side of Abraham which caused them to grow. His merit supported them, for he was teaching them the precepts, as it is written, \"For I know him, that he will command (Et) his children\" (Gen. 18:19). The particle Et means that Jacob and Esau are included (among his sons). Therefore, the explanation of, \"And the boys grew\". Rabbi Elazar disagreed. Each went his own way" + ], + [ + "Midrash Ha'Ne'elam \"And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham's son, Abraham begot Isaac\" (Gen. 25:19). Rabbi Yitzchak began the discussion with the verse: \"The mandrakes give a fragrance...\" (Shir Hashirim 7:14). The sages taught that in the future, the Holy One, blessed be He, will raise the dead and shake the dust off them. As a result, they will no longer be made of dust, as they were when first created from dust, which does not endure, as it is written, \"And Hashem Elohim formed man of the dust of the ground\" (Gen. 2:7).", + "The instant they shake the dust from their bodily frames, they will have enduring frames, as it is written, \"Shake yourself from the dust; arise, and sit down, Jerusalem\" (Isaiah 52:2). They will endure and rise from beneath the ground to receive their souls in the land of Yisrael. At that time, the Holy One, blessed be He, will pour upon them all the kinds of fragrances that are in the Garden of Eden, as it is written, \"The mandrakes give a fragrance.\"", + "Rabbi Yitzchak said, Do not pronounce it dudaim ('mandrakes'), but rather dodim ('lovers'). They are the body and the soul, who are lovers and friends to each other. Rav Nachman said, They are real mandrakes. As the mandrakes bring love into the world, so they create love in the world. And they give off a fragrance, which is how they know and recognize their Creator.", + "The verse: \"And at our gates\" (Shir Hashirim 7:14) refers to the gates of heaven, which are open to bring down souls for cadavers. \"all manner of choice fruits\" refers to the souls; \"new and old\" refers to those whose souls left them years ago and those whose souls left them only a few days ago. They merited, by their skillful deeds, to enter the World to Come. All of them are destined to descend simultaneously to enter the bodies that are prepared for them.", + "Rabbi Acha bar Jacob, said that a divine voice resounded, saying: \"new and old, which I have laid up for you, O my beloved\" (Shir Hashirim 7:14). \"I have laid up for you\" in these same worlds. \"for you\" means because of you, because you are a holy and clean body. Another explanation is that these mandrakes are the Angels of Peace. \"give a fragrance\" refers to souls, the fragrance of the world; \"give\" means to allow, as it is written, \"and Sichon would not allow Yisrael\" (Num. 21:23).", + "Rabbi Yehuda said that three classes of ministering angels appear at the beginning of every month and on every Shabbat to escort the soul to its place of ascension. What does the verse, \"And at our gates are all manner of choice fruits,\" refer to? Rabbi Yehuda said, These are bodies standing at the openings of the graves to receive their souls. And Dumah offers a note of reckoning, and proclaims, Master of the Universe, \"old and new,\" those who were buried long ago, and those buried not so long ago, all these \"I have laid up for you,\" to take them into account.", + "In the name of the Rav, Rabbi Yehuda said that in the future, the Holy One, blessed be He, will rejoice with the righteous, and will let His Shechinah dwell among them. Everybody will rejoice in that joy, as it is written, \"let Hashem rejoice in His works\" (Tehilim 104:31). Rabbi Yehuda said that at that time the righteous will create worlds and raise the dead. Rabbi Yosi said to him: We have learned that \"there is nothing new under the sun\" (Kohelet 1:9). Rabbi Yehuda responded, Come and hearken. While the wicked are in the world and multiply, the whole world does not endure, but when the Righteous are in the world, it does endure. And in the future they will raise the dead, as it is written, \"Old men and old women shall yet again dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for every age\" (Zecharyah 8:4).", + "At that time, the Righteous will attain complete knowledge, for as Rabbi Yosi said, When \"Hashem rejoices in His works,\" then the Righteous are destined to grasp the Holy One, blessed be He, in their hearts. And wisdom will abound in their hearts, as if they are seeing Him with their eyes. This is the meaning of the verse: \"And it shall be said on that day, this is our Elohim\" (Isaiah 25:9). And for their existence together, the soul shall delight in the body more than anything, and that they shall have knowledge and perception of their Master, and shall have the enjoyment of the splendor of the Shechinah. This is the goodness hidden for the Righteous in the future to come. Thus, \"And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham's son,\" refers to the generations of gladness and laughter that will exist at that time. Abraham's son is the soul worthy of it and is perfect in its ascent; \"Abraham begot Isaac,\" means that the soul sires joy and laughter in the world.", + "Rabbi Yehuda said to Rabbi Chiya: We have learned that the Holy One, blessed be He, will prepare a feast for the righteous in the future. What is this feast? He replied, Before you went before these holy angels, the sages of the Mishnah, I heard what Rabbi Elazar said. It set my heart at peace. For Rabbi Elazar said that the feast of the Righteous in the future is as it is written, \"and they beheld the Elohim, and did eat and drink\" (Shemot 24:11). Here it is written, \"eat,\" but Rabbi Elazar noted that in one place it is explained as, \"enjoy\" and in another, \"eat.\" What is the difference? He responded, Woe to the Righteous who do not have as much merit; they enjoy the splendor, though they do not understand everything. However, the Righteous who merit the divine splendor eat until they grasp it fully. Food and drink refers to this feast and eating alone. From whom do we know this? From Moses, as it is written, \"he did neither eat bread, nor drink water\" (Shemot 34:28). Why so? Because he ate another meal, which is the supernal splendor. The meal of the Righteous in the future will be in that manner.", + "Rabbi Yehuda said that the feast of the Righteous in the future is to partake of His joy, according to the verse: \"the humble shall hear of it, and be glad\" (Tehilim 34:3). Rav Huna said that it is understood from the verse: \"But let all those that put their trust in You rejoice: let them ever shout for joy\" (Tehilim 5:12). Rabbi Yitzchak said, Both will occur in the future. We were taught by Rabbi Yosi that cellared wine with its grapes, from the six days of Creation, contains the ancient matters that were not revealed to man from the day the world was created. These are destined to be revealed to the Righteous in the future; this is assuredly their food and drink.", + "In the name of Rabbi Shalom, Rabbi Yehuda said that if that is true, what about the Leviathan and the bull, as it is written, \"Surely the mountains bring him forth food\" (Iyov 40:20). Rabbi Yosi said that it is also written, \"On that day, Hashem with His sore and great and strong sword will punish Leviathan the flying serpent, and the Leviathan that crooked serpent; and He will slay the crocodile that is in the sea\" (Isaiah 27:1). This was said thrice, to hint at the kingdom. Rabbi Tanchum added that there is nothing to reveal in addition to what the wise men said. This is assuredly so.", + "Rabbi Yitzchak said, I was present before Rabbi Yehoshua and asked him about this. I said that this feast of the Righteous that will be held in the future (was supposed to be of the Leviathan and the bull). If this is so, there is a contradiction, because Rabbi Elazar said that the feast of the Righteous in the future will be as it is written in the verse: \"and they beheld the Elohim, and did eat and drink.\" Rabbi Yehoshua said that Rabbi Elazar was correct. And so it was.", + "Rabbi Yehoshua further stated the belief that the sages communicated to most of the people: that they are invited to this meal of the Leviathan and the wild bull, where they will drink of the good wine preserved from the time of the Creation. They came upon this verse: \"and you shall eat your bread to the full\" (Vayikra 26:5), and interpreted it thus. Rabbi Zeira said, The Holy One, blessed be He, used all kinds of enticements to encourage the children of Yisrael to return to the good path. The greatest of them all was when He said to them, \"and you shall eat your bread to the full,\" or among the curses, the worst is, \"and you shall eat, and not be satisfied\" (Ibid. 26). Why so? Because it is written, \"Would we had died by the hand of Hashem in the land of Egypt\" (Shemot 16:3). Rabbi Zeira said, This teaches us that for the sake of eating, they sacrificed their lives to die by their hands. When the Holy One, blessed be He, noticed their lust, He said to them: \"If you will hearken to keep the commandments, you shall eat your bread to the full', (Lev. 26:5) in order to appease their minds. In this manner, the wise men saw that the exile would continue. They relied on the verses in the Torah, and said that they would eat and be merry at the great feast that the Holy One, blessed be He, will hold for them. Therefore, most of the people in the world suffer this exile for the sake of that feast.", + "Rabbi Yochanan said that we should not contradict this belief, but support the idea, because the Torah bears witness to it (Lev. 26:5). We already know the Faith of the Righteous and their desire from the verses, \"we will be glad and rejoice in You\" (Shir Hashirim 1:4), and not in eating, and \"we will praise your love more than wine\" (Vayikra 26:5). That feast, that they are destined for, we will partake of it too. This is the part of joy and laughter. \"And these are the generations of Isaac (lit. 'will laugh'),\" for the righteous will laugh in the future. \"Abraham begot Isaac,\" as it is the virtue of the soul that begets that laughter and joy in the world." + ], + [ + "\"And Isaac was forty years old.\" Rabbi Bo began in the name of Rabbi Yosi with the verse: \"Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth\" (Shir Hashirim 1:2). With how many good qualities was the world created? We have learned that Rabbi Acha bar Jacob said that everything the Holy One, blessed be He, created in His worlds, outside of Himself, was in collaboration. Rabbi Acha asks, Is that so? Heaven forbid, for this will add dissension in the world. For if you say that it means that the angels, created as the Holy Spirit itself, have a blend in them, then their faces and ours are the same.", + "Rabbi Abba said (this is true), and through this, dissension will increase in the world. For we learned in the Mishnah that all that the Holy One, blessed be He, did, He made as body and soul. One may argue that the angels have no bodies and cannot perform actions until the Holy Soul joins them, which is help from above.", + "Rabbi Yosi said that the instant the Holy One blessed be He, resurrects the dead, all troubles will end, on the fortieth year (after the gathering of the exiles). It has been resolved by law \"Forty stripes he may give him, and not exceed\" (Devarim 25:3). The journey of Yisrael in the desert (was finished) in the fortieth year. Forty years before the body is resurrected, the soul awaits it in the land of Yisrael. In the fortieth year, the bodies will rise from the dust. After forty days the rain stopped, this is the meaning of the verses \"And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights\" (Gen. 7:12), and \"it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened\" (Gen. 8:6). Also, the time of the Redemption of Yisrael is during the fortieth year. During the fiftieth year, the world, which is Jubilee, will be populated. The return of the soul to the body occurs after forty years of waiting in the land of Yisrael. This is the meaning of, \"and Isaac was forty years old.\" That is, he was waiting for the body. \"When he took Rivkah,\" who was put in the body prepared for him. Their passion and longing at that moment was for the splendor of the Shechinah only and to nourish of Her splendor. This is the meaning of the verse, \"Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth.\" Rabbi Abba said, \"Let him kiss me\" means let him nourish me. Their sole nourishment is the enjoyment and sustenance of the supernal splendor. Rabbi Yosi said that this is proven by the end of the verse, which reads, \"for your love is better than wine\" (Shir Hashirim 1:2).", + "\"The daughter of Betu'el\" means the daughter (Heb. bat) of El. Rav Huna disagreed with this. He said that Betu'el is not (one of Malchut's name). I have been to distant lands, and heard there that this is the name of the bone of the spine. Of all the bones this one remains in the grave. It is called 'Betu'el the deceitful'. I asked about it, and they said that its shape resembles a head of a serpent, which is deceitful. And that more than any other bone in the body, this bone is deceitful.", + "For we have learned that Rabbi Shimon asks, Why does this bone endure longer than the other bones? This is because it is deceitful and does not bear the taste of human food like the other bones. For that reason, it is stronger than all the other bones. And at the resurrection of the dead, the body will be built on this root. This is the meaning of the verse, \"the daughter of Betu'el the Arammian.\"", + "We learned that Rabbi Shimon said, It is deceitful, and from a deceitful world, namely, from Paddan-Aram. Also, deceitful is the Evil Inclination. This is the meaning of the verse, \"the daughter of Betu'el the Arammian,\" who is the deceitful bone of the spine. The words, \"of Paddan-Aram,\" which means that he came from a deceitful (Heb. ramai) world, represent two deceivers, as we have learned that Paddana means a 'couple'. The two deceivers are \"the sister of Laban,\" the sister of the deceitful Evil Inclination. At first, when it was corrupted by sins in this world, it was called 'Lot'. In the future, when it will no longer be as corrupted, as someone who has washed and was cleansed of his impurities, and it will be called 'Laban' (lit. 'white'). Nevertheless, the Evil Inclination is not eliminated from the world. Come and hearken, we learned from the Mishnah that the two daughters of Lot symbolize the two forces of the body that arouse the Evil Inclination. Because it has bathed and is no longer so impure, it is called 'Laban'. And the two daughters are not completely negated, as it is written, \"And Laban had two daughters\" (Gen. 29:16).", + "Rabbi Yosi asks, Why are they there referred to as the firstborn and the younger, and here the elder and the younger? Rabbi Yosi said that they no longer have the power to do evil or arouse the Evil Inclination. This is understood from the verse, \"the name of the elder (lit. 'bigger') was Leah\" (Gen. 29:16), for she was weary (Heb. leah) from her wickedness and evil, while Rachel, \"the younger (lit. 'smaller'),\" did not have the power to incite. As it is written, \"and as a sheep (lit. 'Rachel') before her shearers is dumb\" (Isaiah 53:7).", + "Rav Huna said, This is the Evil Inclination. Its two daughters are different than they were at first. First it was Lot, cursed and corrupted; now it is Laban (lit. 'white'), who has been cleansed, not as cursed and corrupted as it was before. First its two daughters were strong; each had her individual strength. Now the name of the elder was Leah weary ('Leah') without power; weary without strength; Leah, fatigued from her former deeds. And the name of the younger was Rachel, as we have said, not as they were at first.", + "Rabbi Acha bar Jacob, said, Come and behold. It is written, \"And Isaac entreated Hashem for his wife, because she was barren\" (Gen. 25:21). Rabbi Acha asks, Why is she barren? Because the Evil Inclination does not have its full strength in the world, the only fruition and multiplying comes through prayer. It is then written, \"and Hashem was entreated by him, and Rivkah his wife conceived.\" Once the Evil Inclination is aroused, there is procreation!", + "Rabbi Yosi asks, What then is the difference between this world and the world at that time? The scripture also says that the Holy One, blessed be He, does it Himself. Rabbi Acha said, It is so. The Holy One, blessed be He, arouses (the Evil Inclination) for the specific purpose of mating, but not all the time, so that the Evil Inclination may be with men always, and they sin because of it. But it is aroused only for mating, and the arousal at the time of union will be caused by the Holy One, blessed be He. This is the meaning of the verse, \"and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh\" (Ezekiel 36:26). What is a heart of flesh? Rabbi Yehuda replies, It is a heart that would issue flesh and nothing else.", + "Rabbi Yitzchak, the son of Rabbi Yosi, traveled from Cappadocia to Lod, where he met Rabbi Yehuda. Rabbi Yitzchak asks him, Why are the companions, the sages of the Mishnah, not aroused in this matter of removing the Evil Inclination from the world, except at the time of mating? He replied, Upon your life! The world needs the Evil Inclination as much as it needs rain, because without the Evil Inclination there would not be the joy of study in the world. But it also would not be as corrupted as it was before, which caused sinning. This is the meaning of the verse, \"They shall not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain\" (Isaih 11:9). Rabbi Shimon said, \"My holy mountain\" is the heart,\" the dwelling place of the Evil Inclination. Rabbi Eliezer said, A good heart is the foundation of the body and soul. For that reason, it is written, \"And you shall love Hashem your Elohim with all your heart\" (Devarim 6:5), for the heart is the essence of all!", + "When Rav Kahana arrived, he said that this was said in the name of those versed in the Mishnah. The body is built upon the liver and the heart. As Rabbi Yehuda said, the heart and the liver are the leaders of the various organs of the body. The leader of the head is the brain, but there are two leaders in the body. The first is the liver and the second is the heart. This is the meaning of the verse, \"And the children struggled together within her.\" These are the two foundations of the body: the brain and the heart." + ], + [ + "Why did they struggle? Because the Evil Inclination was abolished from the heart. \"Struggled.\" It should have been written, 'And they were at peace'. Rav Huna explained that \"struggled\" means that the strength and vigor were broken. Rabbi Yehuda asks, What does the body say then? The body asks, 'If it be so, why am I thus?' and 'Why was I created?' Immediately, \"she went to inquire of Hashem\" (Gen. 25:22).", + "\"And Hashem said to her, 'Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples'\" (Gen. 25:23). These are the two proud ones, the liver and the heart. Rabbi Yosi said that these are the brain and the heart, but Rabbi Yehuda said, The brain is not included in this, for it is written, \"in your womb (lit. 'belly'),\" and the brain is not in the belly, but in the head. \"And two peoples from your bowels and the elder (lit. 'great') shall serve the younger.\" This is the liver, which is great and big, and which serves the heart, as Rabbi Yehuda said, The liver receives the blood, and serves it to the heart!", + "\"And the first came out red\" (Gen. 25:21). Rav Kahana explained that the liver is the first and is red. Why is it red? Because it is first to swallow the blood. Rabbi Eliezer asks, Why is it called 'first'? Because it is the first to swallow the blood from all the food; the first in blood but not in creation. And why is it that \"the great shall serve the younger?\" Because despite its being greater and bigger in size than the heart, it serves the heart. Rabbi Abba then asks, What is the purpose of this text if not to teach the people in the world that though there will be perfection upon earth, the path and nature of the world will not change? Rabbi Yisa said, Come and behold. The liver hunts and has venison in its mouth, while the heart contemplates and is \"dwelling in tents\" (Ibid. 27). As it is written, \"And Jacob cooked pottage\" (Ibid. 29), while thinking deep thoughts and occupying himself with the Torah.", + "\"And Jacob cooked pottage.\" In the name of Rabbi Acha, Rabbi Ba said that the nature of the world never changes. Come and behold, it is written, \"And Jacob cooked pottage (Heb. נָזִיד),\" as in the verse \"they dealt (Heb. זָדוּ)\" (Shemot 18:11), which was translated into Aramaic as \"they thought.\" It means that the heart thinks of and contemplates Torah, which represents the knowledge of its Creator. Thus, it is written, \"and Esau came from the field, and he was faint\" (Beresheet 25:29). It is the nature of the liver to go out hunting and swallow with its mouth. If it does not find any prey, it becomes tired and says to the heart, 'Before you think of the words of Torah, think of eating and drinking to nourish your body.' This is the meaning of the verse, \"and Esau said to Jacob 'Give me to swallow, I pray you, of that red pottage,'\" for it is my way to swallow the blood and transmit it to the other parts; \"for I am faint,\" without food and drink. And the heart replies, 'Give me the first and choicest of whatever you swallow, give me your birthright,' this is the meaning of \"Sell me this day your birthright\" (Ibid. 31). That is, swear by your desire. As the heart contemplates food, the liver swallows. If it were not for the heart, longing and thinking about food, the liver and other organs would not be able to swallow. As Rabbi Yosi said, This is the way of slaves, who do not to eat before their master.", + "Rabbi Yosi said, It is later written, \"Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentils\" (Beresheet 25:34). What are these lentils? They are round as a circle, and as the circle which revolves around the world does not deviate from its path, so man in that time will never deviate from his. Although there will yet be all that is good and precious and perfect, with all that, the worldly habit of eating and drinking will not change." + ], + [ + "We learned in the Mishnah that four winds blow in the world, and the Holy One, blessed be He, will raise one spirit to establish the body to include four spirits, as it is written, \"Come from the four winds, O breath\" (or: spirit) (Yechezkel 37:9). It is not written, 'in the four,' but, \"from the four winds,\" for it will be composed of the four of them. We learned that this spirit (or: wind) is the wind that procreates, the wind that eats and drinks. And there is no difference between this world and the days of Messiah's coming, save the delivery from servitude to the empires alone, and there is no difference between this world and the resurrection of the dead, save cleanliness and the attainment of knowledge. Rav Nachman added longevity.", + "Rav Yosef asks if the days of Messiah's coming and the resurrection of the dead are the same. He responded, No, as we have learned that the building of the Temple precedes the gathering of the exiles, which precedes the resurrection of the dead. The resurrection of the dead is the last act of all. We know this from the verse, \"Hashem builds Jerusalem, He gathers together the outcasts of Yisrael. He heals the broken-hearted, and binds up their wounds\" (Tehilim 147:2-3). This refers to the resurrection of the dead, which is the healing of the brokenhearted and their dead. First He builds Jerusalem; then He gathers the outcasts of Yisrael; last of all, He heals the brokenhearted.", + "We have learned that the gathering of the exiles preceded the raising of the dead by forty years, as it is written, \"And Isaac was forty years old.\" What is to be made of these forty years? According to Rav Kahana, Rabbi Broka said, How many troubles, how many wars waged against the children of Yisrael will there be from the gathering of the exiles until the resurrection of the dead. He who escapes them is happy, as it is written, \"And at that time your people shall be delivered, every one who shall be found written in the book\" (Daniel 12:1). Rabbi Yehuda said that this teaches us, \"Many shall purify themselves, and make themselves white, and be tried\" (Ibid. 10). Rabbi Yitzchak added, \"and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried\" (Zecharyah. 13:9). During these very days, there will be days when people will say, \"I have no pleasure in them\" (Kohelet 12:1). And from the time the troubles disappear until the resurrection of the dead there will be forty years.", + "Rav Huna said, Come and behold, \"For the children of Yisrael walked forty years in the wilderness because they obeyed not the voice of Hashem\" (Joshua 5:6). In this verse, it is the same. Rabbi Yosef said, Everything that was said is the same, but for one thing. At the end of forty years, when the troubles pass away and the wicked are exterminated, the dead, the dwellers of the dust, shall live. Why? Because it is written, \"affliction shall not rise up the second time\" (Nehemiah 1:9). They had their fill with what they had. After the resurrection of the dead, the world will be settled, as it is written, \"on that day Hashem shall be One and His Name One\" (Zecharyah 14:9).", + "Rabbi Elazar ben Arach was sitting and was exceedingly sad. Rabbi Yehoshua came before him and asks why the appearance of the candlelight of the world had become dark. He said, Great fear entered me, for I see how the companions versed in the Mishnah have responded on whom the spirit of saints dwells. They said that redemption will be in the sixth millennium. This was well said, but I see a longer time for the dwellers of the dust, who shall wait until the four hundred and eighth year of the sixth millennium, when they will rise. For this reason, the companions were stimulated by the verse that referred to the dwellers of the dust as the children of Chet, for Chet alludes to their rising after four hundred and eight (Heb. Chet Tav) years. As it is written, \"In the year of this Jubilee you shall return every man to his possession\" (Vayikra 25:13), when this (Heb. hazot) shall be finished. [The numerical value of Hazot is 5,408, as the Hei of Hazot alludes to the Hei (= 5) thousands; and Zot is 408 in numerical value]. Then, \"you shall return every man to his possession,\" means that the body will return to its soul, which is its possession and lot.", + "(Further) Rabbi Yehoshua said, This time should not be difficult for you, as we have learned that there are three classes, the Completely Righteous, the Completely Wicked, and the Average. The completely righteous will rise with the resurrection of the dead of the land of Yisrael a few years earlier, namely, at the fortieth year after the gathering of the exiles. In the end, everybody will rise at the four hundred and eighth year of the sixth millennium. Who will merit this length of time? He who will keep the precepts at that time. For that reason, I am sad.", + "He said to him, Rabbi, we have studied the verse, \"Let there be light,\" (Beresheet 1:2) which means let there be secret, because Light is the secret of redemption. [And the numerical value of Or ('light') is Raz ('secret'). Thus, the verse, \"let there be light,\" hints that the time of redemption will be a secret unknown to all men. Again, he said that through repentance everyone will rise from the dead early]. Rabbi Yehoshua said, Unless you said so, we would not have left an opening for those waiting daily for redemption, as it is written, \"a store of salvation\" (Isaiah 33:6). What is this \"salvation\"? It alludes to those who seek salvation daily.", + "What is the opinion of Rabbi Elazar? From the verse, \"And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake\" (Daniel 12:2). It is understood by, \"those who sleep,\" (only some will rise); these are the Righteous (who repented) while they were alive, who will rise early. By how many years do they precede other people? Rabbi Yehuda replied, By two hundred and ten years. Rabbi Yitzchak said, Resh Dalet Yud ('210') years, as it is written, \"Out of Jacob shall come (Heb. Yerd, Yud Resh Dalet) a ruler\" (Num. 24:19). This indicates that the Righteous precede other men by two hundred and ten years. Rav Nachman said, Precedence depends on how much the body is worn in the dust. Rabbi Yosi said to him, If this be true, then there are many resurrections. All revivals will occur at the same time, as was said in the vision, \"and the word was true, and for a long period ahead\" (Daniel 10:1).", + "\"And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham\" (Gen. 26:1). Rabbi Abahu opened the discussion with the verse, \"While the king was reclining at his board, my spikenard sent forth its fragrance\" (Shir Hashirim 1:12). We learned that the righteous will pass through four eras and four times, each different from the other. During the first, knowledge will increase in the world, and the righteous will conceive what they have not conceived in this world. As we have learned from Rabbi Pinchas, in the future, the perception of the righteous will be greater than that of the ministering angels, as it is written, \"as the waters cover the sea\" (Isaiah 11:9). During the second time, you shall be occupied. (End of Midrash Hane'elam)" + ], + [ + "one towards faith, and the other towards idolatry.", + "So it was. While still in Rivkah's womb, each went toward his own side. When she was performing good deeds or passing near a place that is favorable to the precepts of Torah, Jacob was glad and struggled to come out. And when she walked past a place of idolatry, the wicked one struggled to come out. This has already been explained. For that reason, when they were born into the world, each was drawn to the place he deserved. Therefore it is written, \"And the boys grew, and Esau was a cunning hunter...\".", + "\"And Isaac loved Esau, for he relished his venison\" (Gen. 24:28). This verse has been explained. Here, it is written, \"a cunning hunter, a man of the field,\" while elsewhere it is written, \"he was a mighty hunter\" (Gen. 10:9). \"A man of the field\" is one who robbed and murdered people. And Esau said (he went to the field) to pray. He hunted (and cheated Isaac) through his mouth, as it is written, \"He relished his venison (lit. there was venison in his mouth).\" He was called \"a man of the field,\" because his lot was not in a populated place, but in a desolate place, in the open wilderness, in the field. Thus, he was called \"a man of the field.\"", + "You may ask why Isaac did not know of all the wicked deeds of Esau, as the Shechinah was with him. For without the Shechinah, how could he have blessed Jacob when he did? Assuredly, the Shechinah dwelt in his house and was with him always. But the Shechinah did not inform him of that, because Jacob was to be blessed only with the knowledge of the Holy One, blessed be He. And so it had to be. For when Jacob came before his father, the Shechinah came with him, and then Isaac saw in his mind that Jacob was worthy of being blessed and that he would be blessed by the approval of the Shechinah." + ], + [ + "Come and behold, Rabbi Shimon was sitting with the other friends, when his son, Rabbi Elazar, appeared. The friend said to Rabbi Shimon, We have an important question to ask you concerning Jacob and Esau. Why was Jacob unwilling to give Esau a pottage of lentils unless he sold him his birthright? In addition, Esau said to Isaac, his father, \"For he has supplanted me these two times\" (Gen. 27:36). How can Jacob deceive Esau?", + "He responded, Now you deserve a whipping, because you believed Esau and lied about Ya'akov's words. The scripture bears witness that \"Jacob was a plain man\" (Gen. 25:27), (i.e. he was unable to cheat). Also, it is written, \"You will show truth to Jacob\" (Michah 7:20). This was the situation concerning Jacob and Esau. Even before, Esau detested his birthright, and he asked Jacob to take the birthright without payment! Thus, it is as written, \"and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way, thus Esau despised the birthright\" (Gen. 25:34).", + "Of the verse, \"And Jacob cooked a pottage, and Esau came from the field, and he was faint,\" Rabbi Elazar explained that, \"And Jacob cooked,\" refers to the mourning for Abraham. But should not it have been written, 'And Isaac cooked a pottage,'? \"Jacob cooked a pottage,\" because Jacob knew the origin of Esau and the side he cleaved to. Therefore, he cooked red dishes, namely, red lentils, for this dish breaks the power and might of the red blood, and can break the power and might of Esau, who is the secret of the red blood, as it is written, \"And the first came out red\" (Gen. 25:25).", + "For that dish, by selling Jacob his birthright, Esau became a slave. Instantly, Jacob knew that for the one goat that the children of Yisrael sacrificed on Yom Kippur to his level he becomes a slave to his descendants and will not accuse them. And because of the level of wisdom of Esau, Jacob dealt wisely with Esau everywhere, so that Esau was unable to rule and was submissive. Jacob was not defiled by him, but ruled over him.", + "", + "Rabbi Yehuda said that this should have been true of Laban as well, because he was also a sorcerer, as it is written, \"I have learned by signs that Hashem has blessed me for your sake\" (Gen. 30:27). And although Jacob was a plain and whole man, he was merciful with whomever he had to be merciful with. He was strict in judgment and deceitful when necessary. For he consisted of two parts. It is written of him, \"With the merciful you will show yourself merciful; and with the perverse you will show yourself subtle\" (Tehilim 18:26), which means that with the merciful on the side of Chesed, and with the perverse on the side of Strict Judgment, all as it ought to be." + ], + [ + "\"And there was a famine in the land...\" (Gen. 26:1). Rabbi Yehuda opened the discussion with the verse, \"Hashem tries the righteous, but the wicked and him who loves violence His soul hates\" (Tehilim 11:5). How orderly and right are the deeds of the Holy One, blessed be He, and all He does is according to justice and truth, as it is written, \"He is the Rock, His work is perfect\" (Devarim 32:4).", + "Come and behold, the Holy One, blessed be He, did not judge Adam before He commanded him for his own good not to let his heart and will stray in another direction so that he would not be defiled. But he was not careful, and transgressed the precepts of his Master. Then the Holy One, blessed be He, judged him.", + "Even then, the Holy One, blessed be He, did not judge him as harshly as he deserved. He refrained from wrath and let him be among the living for one day, which is one thousand years, minus the seventy years that he gave to king David, who had no life of his own.", + "Similarly, (Hashem) does not judge man according to his evil deeds, which he continually does, for if He did so, the world would not have survived. But the Holy One, blessed be He, refrains from wrath with the Righteous and the wicked. With the wicked more than with the righteous, so that they may repent completely and exist in this world and in the World to Come. As it is written, \"'As I live,' says Adonai Elohim. 'I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live'\" (Ezekiel 33:11), to live in this world and in the World to Come. For that reason, He is always forbearing. Another reason is that good stock may issue from them, as Abraham was begotten of Terah, who issued good stock and good origin and portion in the world.", + "But the Holy One, blessed be He, is always strict with the Righteous in every deed they do. Because He knows they will not turn away, neither to the right nor the left, He constantly tests them. Not for His own sake, as He knows their desire and the firmness of their faith and has no need of trying them. He tries them only to lift up their heads, to give them confidence as they earn their merits through these (experiences).", + "Hashem behaved similarly toward Abraham, as it is written, \"that the Elohim did test Abraham\" (Gen. 22:1). What is meant by \"test (Heb. נִסָּה)?\" It means the raising of the banner (Heb. נֵס), as it is written, \"lift up a standard\" (Isaiah 62:10), and \"set up the standard\" (Jer. 4:6). He raised his standard over the whole world. And for this, the Holy One, blessed be He, raised the banner of Abraham before everybody's eyes, as it is written, \"Did test Abraham.\" Thus the Holy One, blessed be He, in order to lift the standard of the righteous, tries them, so they will lift up their heads throughout the world.", + "\"Tries the Righteous\" (Tehilim 11:5): What is the reason thereof? According to Rabbi Shimon, it is because the Holy One, blessed be He, wishes for the Righteous. As it is written, \"But it pleased Hashem to crush him by disease\" (Isaiah 53:10). This has already been explained. The Holy One, blessed be He, wishes for the soul and not the body, because the soul resembles the supernal soul (i.e. the Shechinah) and the body is not worthy of being united above. Thus, although the shape of the body is in the image of the supernal secret,", + "And Come and behold, when the Holy One, blessed be He, wishes to illuminate the soul of a man, He crushes the body so that the soul will govern. As long as the soul is with the body, (they are equal and) the soul can not rule. After the body is crushed, the soul becomes powerful. What is the meaning of the verse, \"tries the righteous\" (Tehilim 11:5)? It is as is written, \"a tried stone\" (Isaiah 28:16); in the same way He \"tries the righteous,\" which means that He strengthens him by this \"tried stone,\" which is a precious cornerstone. So does He try the righteous!", + "\"...but the wicked and him who loves violence his soul hates\" (Tehilim 11:5). What is the meaning of \"his soul (lit. Nefesh) hates\"? Could it possibly be that it alludes to the Holy One, blessed be He, whose Nefesh hates the wicked? For the word Nefesh is not appropriate for the Holy One, blessed be He. The explanation is that the very level upon which all souls depend (Malchut) hates the Nefesh of that wicked man. For it does not want it [this soul] in this world or in the World to Come. For that reason, it is written, \"but the wicked and him who loves violence his soul hates.\" Another explanation of, \"His soul hates,\" is as it is written, \"Adonai Elohim has sworn by His Nefesh\" (Amos 6:8), which means that the word Nefesh is used in relation to Hashem.", + "Come and behold, when the Holy One, blessed be He, created Adam, He commanded him (not to eat of the tree of knowledge), in order to benefit him. He gave him wisdom, so he would ascend through the grades. When he descended, he saw the desires of the Evil Inclination and clung to it, thereby forgetting all that he beheld of the Supernal Glory of his Master.", + "Of Noah, it is first written, \"Noah was a just man and perfect\" (Gen. 6:9). Then he descended and saw strong wine that was one day old and not clear. He drank from it, became drunk, and was uncovered, as it is written, \"and he drank of the wine, and was drunk; and he was uncovered within his tent\" (Gen. 9:21).", + "Then Abraham was elevated with wisdom and beheld the glory of his Master. Subsequently, it is written, \"And there was famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt\" (Gen. 12:10), and \"And Abram went up out of Egypt\" (Gen. 13:1) and was elevated to the grade he had at the beginning. He came in peace and went in peace.", + "And then Isaac, of whom it is written, \"And there was a famine in the land...\" (Gen. 26:1). And Isaac went to Gerar. From there, he later ascended peacefully. And so all the Righteous are tested by the Holy One, blessed be He, to raise their heads in this world and in the World to Come." + ], + [ + "\"And the men of the place asked him of his wife; and he said, 'She is my sister\" (Gen. 26:7), that is, just like Abraham said. For the Shechinah was with Isaac and his wife, and he said of the Shechinah, as it is written, \"Say to wisdom, 'you are my sister'\" (Mishlei 7:4). Thus, he was strengthened and said, \"She is my sister.\" Abraham and Isaac deserved (to say this). This is assuredly so because of the verse \"My sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled\" (Shir Hashirim 5:2). (They) were therefore worthy of saying \"She is my sister.\" Thus, the Righteous were strengthened by the Holy One, blessed be He.", + "\"And it came to pass, when he had been there a long time with Rivkah his wife\" (Beresheet 26:8): \"with (Heb. et) Rivkah his wife,\" precisely, which alludes to the Shechinah that was with Rivkah, because Et ('with'), as we know, is the name of the Shechinah. Another explanation asks if we could possibly conceive of Isaac performing his marital duties during the daytime. We have learned that the children of Yisrael are holy and abstain from cohabitation in the daytime. Therefore, how could Isaac, who was holy, cohabit during the day?", + "Assuredly Abimelech was wise and looked at the wisdom of the stars, that is called a 'window', as it is written here, \"out at a window\" (Beresheet 26:8), and elsewhere, \"The mother of Sisra looked out at a window\" (Shoftim 5:28). As there (refers to) astrology, so here to astrology. And he saw there that it was not as Isaac said, but that he surely was sporting with her, and she was his wife. Then, \"Abimelech called Isaac\" (Beresheet 26:9) Rabbi Yosi said that it would have befitted Abimelech to do this to Isaac, as he did to Abraham, were it not for the Holy One, blessed be He, who reproved him earlier.", + "Come and behold, it is written, \"Because I thought, 'Surely the fear of Elohim is not in this place'\" (Beresheet 20:11). According to Rabbi Abba, this is the reason why he said, \"She is my sister.\" He wanted to cleave to the Shechinah, as it is written, \"Say to wisdom, you are my sister.\"Why? Because they had no faith in them, for if they had faith, he would not have needed that. He therefore said, \"Because I thought, 'Surely the fear of Elohim is not is not in this place.\" The fear of Elohim is Faith.", + "Rabbi Elazar said that this is because the Shechinah does not live outside the Holy Land. Therefore, there is no fear of Elohim in this place. This is not Her place, and She does not dwell here. And Isaac was strengthened by the faith when he saw the Shechinah dwelling in his wife." + ], + [ + "\"And Abimelech charged all his people, saying, 'He that touches this man or his wife shall surely be put to death'\" (Beresheet 26:11). Come and behold, how long had the Holy One, blessed be He, refrained from avenging the wicked, for as a result of the good Abimelech did with the first Patriarchs, the children of Yisrael did not rule over the Philistines until generations later. Abimelech did well to act properly toward Isaac, as he said (to Abraham), \"Behold, my land is before you, dwell where it pleases you\" (Beresheet 20:15).", + "Rabbi Yehuda said, Woe to the wicked, whose generosity is not complete. Come and behold, Efron first said, \"my lord, hear me, the field I give you, and the cave that is in it\" (Beresheet 23:11). Later he said, \"four hundred shekels\" (Ibid. 14), and then, \"and Abraham weighed to Efron current money with the merchant\" (Ibid. 16). Here too, it is written at first \"Behold, my land is before you,\". Then he said (to Isaac), \"Go from us; for you are much mightier than we\" (Beresheet 26:16). Rabbi Elazar said to him, This is the benevolence Abimelech had for Isaac. He took nothing from him and sent him away with his money and possessions. Then, he went after him to make a covenant with him.", + "And Rabbi Elazar said that Isaac did well because he knew the secret of wisdom. He strove and dug a well of water, so as to be properly invigorated by Faith. Abraham also strove and dug a well of water. Jacob found it completed and settled by it. Everybody went after it and strove by it, so as to be strengthened by the true Faith, as is proper.", + "Presently, the children of Yisrael are strengthened by it, according to the secret of keeping the commandments of the Torah; every day a man is strengthened and enveloped by the commandment of the Tzitzit ('fringes'), as he also is by the Tefilin he puts on his head and arm. This is as it should be, for they are the supernal mystery. For the Holy One, blessed be He, dwells with the man who is crowned by Tefilin and clothed with the fringes. All is in the secret of high Faith.", + "Therefore, whoever does not wear the fringes and is not invigorated by the Tefilin daily, appears as if faith does not dwell with him. The fear of his Master is removed from him, and his prayer is no proper prayer. For this reason, the fathers were strengthened by the supreme faith, since within the supernal well dwells whole faith." + ], + [ + "\"And he removed from there, and dug another well...\" (Beresheet 26:22). Rabbi Chiya opened the discussion with the verse, \"and Hashem shall guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and make strong your bones\" (Yeshayah 58:11). This verse had already been explained, but by this verse the faithful were strengthened, for it promises them the World to Come. \"And Hashem shall guide you continually\" in this world and the World to Come. \"And Hashem shall guide you.\" Because he said, \"And Hashem shall guide you,\" why add the word \"continually (Heb. תָּמִיד)?\" For this hints at the daily offering (lit. 'continue') made at dusk that receives its strength from underneath Yitzchak's arm. How do we know that? From David, as it is written, \"He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake\" (Tehilim 23:3). Just as the word \"leads,\" spoken by David, means the illumination of the left, as it is written, \"in the paths of Righteousness,\" which is a name of the Nukva when she shines from the left, here too when it says \"guide,\" it alludes to the illumination of the left.", + "\"And satisfy your soul in drought (also: brightness)\" (Yeshayah 58:11) refers to the shining lamp that all the souls delight in and take pleasure in beholding. The verses ends, \"and make strong your bones\" (Ibid.). The end does not suit the beginning, for if the soul of the righteous (is satisfied), why does it now say \"and make strong your bones,\"? This has already been explained. It refers to the resurrection of the dead, the fact that the Holy One blessed be He, will revive the dead and fix man's bones as they were at first, in a whole body. And Light will be added from the shining lamp so the soul will be illuminated together with the body in a complete whole. This way, it refers to the soul of the Righteous, to which the Holy One, blessed be He, will give a whole body in which to be clothed for eternity.", + "For this reason, it is written, \"you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water\" (Yeshayah 58:11). What is this watered garden? Its supernal water never ceases its eternal flow. His garden always slakes its thirst from it. refers to that river, which emerges and flows out of Eden, which waters never cease flowing.", + "Come and behold, A well of living water is the supreme secret (Binah) within the faith (Malchut). A cistern, from where the spring of water, and a cistern that is filled by that spring of water. These two grades are one, namely, male and female properly as one.", + "Come and behold, This spring of water and the cistern are one. Together they are called 'a well'. For the spring is derives from Aleph, and Malchut is a cistern (Heb. bor). Together they form the well (Heb. be'er). For this spring flows and never ceases, so the cistern is always filled. And whoever looks at the well looks on the supernal mystery of faith. And this is the reasoning behind (the labor of) the Patriarchs, who strove to dig a well of water in the supernal secret (Binah). There must be no division between the source and the cistern itself, for all is one.", + "\"And he called the name of it Rechovot\" (Beresheet 26:22). For this reason, its springs will spread on all sides, as it is written, \"So will your spring be dispersed abroad, and streams of water will flow in the broad places (Heb. רְחֹבֹת)\" (Mishlei 5:16). For this reason, \"he called the name of it Rechovot.\"", + "Rabbi Shimon began with the verse, \"Wisdoms cry aloud in the streets; she utters her voice in the squares (Heb. רְחוֹבוֹת)\" (Mishlei 1:20). This verse contains a deep mystery. Why \"wisdoms\"? They are the upper wisdom, and the lower wisdom that is included and dwells within the upper one, the lower Chochmah.", + "\"Cry aloud in the streets\", Come and behold, The upper Chochmah is the most concealed of all. It is not to be known or revealed, as it is written, \"Man cannot know its price\" (Iyov 28:13), for when it was diffused in order to illuminate, it shone on the secret of the World to Come. This World to Come was created from it, as we learned, that the World to Come was created by the Yud, in which Chochmah was covered. And they became one, when everything was adorned with the secret of the World to Come. Everything then is joyfully luminous, everything is silent, never heard outside.", + "It wanted to illuminate further. Thus, from this place came fire, water, and wind, as we have learned. And they became one voice that went out and was heard. From then on, it assumed the aspect of \"out.\" For inside it is silent, never to be heard. Now that the secret is heard, it is called \"out.\" From here on, it behooves a man to improve his deeds and ask.", + "\"In the squares (Heb. rechovot).\" What is the meaning of squares? This is the firmament where all the stars are shining. It is a spring \"whose waters fail not\" (Yeshayah 58:11), as it is written, \"And a river went out of Eden to water the garden\" (Beresheet 2:10). It is called 'Rechovot'. There \"she utters her voice,\" the upper and the lower. And all is one.", + "For that reason Solomon said, \"Prepare your work outside, and make it fit for yourself in the field\" (Mishlei 24: 27). \"Prepare...outside\", as it is written, \"cry aloud in the streets,\". For here, work can be corrected. And this may be sought, as it is written, \"For ask now of the days that are past...and from the one side of heaven to the other\" (Devarim 4:32).", + "\"And make it fit for yourself in the field.\" This is \"a field which Hashem has blessed\" (Beresheet 27: 27). After learning the mystery of wisdom and perfecting himself therein, it is then written, \"and afterwards build your house\" (Mishlei 24: 27). (A house is) a man's soul, that he will then fix within his body, to become a whole man. Therefore, when Isaac dug and formed the well peacefully, he called that \"peace\", Rechovot. And all was properly done. Happy are the Righteous, whose deeds before the Holy One, blessed be He, are to preserve the world, as it is written, \"For the upright shall dwell in the land\" (Mishlei 2:21), which should be read as, 'cause to dwell', as was already explained." + ], + [ + "\"And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old\" (Beresheet 27:1). Rabbi Shimon said, It is written, \"And Elohim called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night\" (Beresheet 1:5). This verse had already been explained; nevertheless come and behold, All the actions that the Holy One, blessed be He, performs, are true, and in the secret of the upper world. And all the words of the Torah are words of faith and supernal mysteries, as they should.", + "And Come and behold, Isaac did not have the merit of Abraham, whose eyes were not blinded or dimmed. Here, however, is a supernal secret, the secret of faith. For we have learned that \"And Elohim called the light Day\" refers to Abraham, the light of day, whose light grows stronger as the day advances.", + "Thus, it is written, \"And Abraham was old, advanced in age\" (Beresheet 24:1), that is, in the shining lights (of benevolences). And he is old, as it is written, \"that shines ever more brightly until the height of noonday\" (Mishlei 4:18). Therefore, \"And Elohim called the light Day.\" \"And the darkness he called Night.\" This is Isaac, who is dark, and gets to receive the night within him. Therefore, when he grew older, it is written, \"And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see\" (Beresheet 27:1). (he had become completely dark). Assuredly he had to be (totally) dark to cleave well to his grade.", + "Rabbi Elazar, his son, kissed his hands and said, This is well. Abraham shines on the side of his grade, and Isaac is darkened on the side of his grade. But why did Jacob (grow darker), as it is written, \"Now the eyes of Yisrael were dim (lit. 'heavy') from age\" (Beresheet 48:10). He answers, Assuredly it is, for it is written, \"heavy,\" and not dim; It is written \"from age\", not 'his age.' \"From age\" is to be interpreted as the age of Isaac, on the side (of Isaac) his eyes \"were heavy so that he could not see\" (Ibid.), not properly, but he was not absolutely blind. But Yitzchak's eyes were completely dim, and it became darkness, for night clove to him and it was fulfilled, \"and the darkness he called Night.\"" + ], + [ + "\"He called Esau his eldest son...\" This means that he was included within strict Judgment. \"And he said, Behold now, I am old, I know not the day of my death.\" Rabbi Elazar opened the discussion with the verse, \"Happy is the man, whose strength is in You...\" (Tehilim 84:6), happy is the man who is strengthened by the Holy One, blessed be He, and puts his trust in Him.", + "This trust could be interpreted as the trust that Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah put in Him when they said, \"Behold, our Elohim whom we serve is able to deliver us; He can deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and out of your hand, king...\" (Daniel 3:17). Come and see, if He would not save them and be with them, it would come to pass that the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, would not be sanctified before the eyes of everyone, as they said. But when they realized they did not speak properly, they spoke again, saying \"But if He does not, be it known to you, king...\" (Ibid. 18), whether He will save them or not, let it be known to you that we will not worship an image. It was made known to them by Ezekiel, whom they heard and believed that the Holy One, blessed be He, would not be with them, so that they would be rewarded. Then they spoke again, saying, \"be it known to you, King...\"", + "A man should not assume and think, the Holy One, blessed be He, will save us, or, that the Holy One, blessed be He, will do such and such for me. However, it behooves man to place his trust in the Holy One, blessed be He, to help him, as long as he strives to keep the precepts of Torah and to walk the path of truth. When a man wishes to be purified, he is surely helped, and he should trust the Holy One, blessed be He, to help him in this. And he should put his trust in Him, and not in another. Therefore, it is written, \"Whose strength is in you.\" \"In whose heart are your highways\" (Tehilim 84:6), that it behooves him to prepare his heart as fit, so that no strange thoughts will come into it, but to be as a mended way to pass through, wherever one needs to, either right or left. Thus whether the Holy One, blessed be He, does good for him or not, his heart should be ready and prepared, and not harbor strange thoughts in any case whatsoever.", + "Another explanation for, \"Happy is the man, whose strength is in You.\" Strength as in \"Hashem gives strength to His people\" (Tehilim 29:11), that it is incumbent on a man to be occupied in studying Torah for the name (sake) of the Holy One, blessed be He. For whoever is occupied in the Torah, but does not care for its name, would have been better never born. What is meant by the verse, \"in whose heart are Your highways (Heb. מְסִלּוֹת)?\" It is as in the verse, \"extol (Heb. סוֹלוּ) Him who rides upon the clouds; Yah is His name\" (Tehilim 68:5), that when he studies the Torah, extolling the Holy One, blessed be He, and glorifying and extolling Him throughout the world.", + "Come and behold, Jacob, all that he did was for the sake of the Holy One, blessed be He, and for that reason the Holy One, blessed be He, was with him always, by that the Shechinah never moved from him. For when Isaac called for Esau, his son, Jacob was not there. The Shechinah told this to Rivkah, who informed Jacob.", + "Rabbi Yosi said, come and behold, If, heaven forbid, Esau would have been blessed at that time, Jacob would not have ruled over the world. But it was decreed by the Holy One, blessed be He, and everything happened as it should. Come and behold, It is written, \"but Rivkah loved Jacob\" (Beresheet 25:28), as has been explained. Therefore, she sent for Jacob and said to him \"Behold, I heard your father speak to Esau your brother\" (Beresheet 27:6).", + "\"Now therefore, my son, obey my voice...\" (Beresheet 27:8): It was then Pesach (Passover) eve, and the Evil Inclination had to be exterminated from the world, and the moon, the secret of faith had to govern. Therefore, Rivkah cooked two dishes.", + "Rabbi Yehuda said that this alludes to the descendants of Jacob, who in the future offered two goats on Yom Kippur, one for Hashem and one to Azazel. For this reason, Rivkah offered \"two kids of the goats,\" one for the supernal grade and one to subjugate the grade of Esau, so he would not rule over Jacob. Thus, there were two kids of the goats. From both, Isaac tasted and ate.", + "It is written, \"and he brought him wine, and he drank\" (Beresheet 27: 25), (not 'he served him'). By this he hints that he served him wine from afar. According to Rabbi Elazar, this means that he brought him wine in which there is complete joy, to gladden Isaac, for he needed cheering, as the side of the Levites needs cheering, Therefore, \"he brought him wine, and he drank.\"" + ], + [ + "\"And Rivkah took the best clothes of her eldest son Esau\" (Beresheet 27:15). These are the garments Esau took from Nimrod. They are the precious garments from Adam, which came to the hands of Nimrod, who used them when he hunted, as it is written, \"He was a mighty hunter before Hashem\" (Beresheet 10:9). And Esau went into the field, where he fought with and killed Nimrod, removing the garments from him. This is the meaning of \"and Esau came from the field, and he was faint\" (Beresheet 25:29). It has already been explained why it is here written, \"And he was faint,\" and elsewhere, \"for my soul faints before the slayers\" (Yirmeyah 4:31). These are analogous. There it is written \"faint\" to refer to killing. Here too, there is killing, because Esau murdered Nimrod.", + "Esau hid these garments with Rivkah and wore them when he went hunting. On the day, he did not take them to the field and was therefore late. When Esau wore them, they put forth no scent at all, but when Jacob wore them, the lost object was restored. For the beauty of Jacob was the beauty of Adam. They therefore returned to their place and emitted fragrance.", + "Rabbi Yosi said, Jacob's beauty was the beauty of Adam. How could this be? We learned that the apple of Adam's heel eclipsed the orb of the sun. Could you say that for Jacob? Rabbi Elazar replied, assuredly before Adam sinned no creature could behold his beauty. But after he sinned, his beauty changed, his stature diminished, and he was a hundred cubits high. Come and behold, Adam's beauty is a mystery on which supernal faith stems. Of this, the scripture says \"And let the beauty of Adonai our Elohim be upon us\" (Tehilim 90:17). It is also written, \"to behold the beauty of Hashem\" (Tehilim 27:4). This is, assuredly, the beauty of Jacob. And all is in the supernal mystery.", + "And he smelled the smell of his garments, and blessed him\" (Beresheet 27:27). Come and behold, It is not written, \"and he smelled the smell of the garments\" but \"the smell of his garments.\" This is according to the verse, \"Who covers Himself with light as with a garment, who stretches out the heavens like a curtain\" (Tehilim 104:2). Another explanation is that once Jacob wore them, they emitted an aroma. As long as Isaac did not smell the aroma of the garments, he did not bless him. But then, he knew that the wearer was worthy of being blessed. For if he did not deserve to be blessed, no holy aroma would be put forth. This is the meaning of the verse \"and he smelled the smell of his garments, and blessed him.\"", + "\"And said, See, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field which Hashem has blessed\" (Beresheet 27:27). The meaning of \"and said\" is not clear. Some say it is the Shechinah; some say it was Isaac who said \"like the smell of a field which Hashem has blessed.\" What is this field? This is a field of apple trees (referred to as 'the field of Holy apples' which the supernal Patriarchs support and cultivate." + ], + [ + "\"Therefore the Elohim give you of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine\" (Beresheet 27:28). Rabbi Abba said, This verse has already been explained. Nevertheless, come and look at the verse, \"A song of ascent. In my distress I cried to Hashem, and He heard me\" (Tehilim 120:1). How many songs and praises did David say before the Holy One, blessed be He, all in order to fix his grade and to make himself a name, as it is written, \"And David got him a name\" (II Shmuel 8:13). This song he said when he saw what Jacob accomplished, that he was answered and received the blessings. He said, \"In my distress I cried to Hashem, and He heard me.\" [If it were not for Jacob, who received the blessings, the secret of the whole Mochin to construct the Nukva, David could not have made Her a name.]", + "Rabbi Elazar said, It was Jacob who sang this song, when his father said to him, \"Come near, I pray you, that I may feel you, my son, whether you are really my son Esau or not\" (Beresheet 27:21). Then was Jacob in great distress, for he feared that his father will recognize and know him. Then it is written, \"and he recognized him not, because his hands were hairy, as his brother Esau's hands, so he blessed him\" (Beresheet 27: 23). So he said, \"In my distress I cried to Hashem, and He heard me.\"", + "\"Deliver my soul, Hashem, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue\" (Tehilim 120:2). This is the portion where Esau is, who has lying lips. What are the lying lips? When the serpent brought curses upon the world, he brought them deceitfully and crookedly." + ], + [ + "Come and behold, When Isaac said to Esau \"and go out to the field, and catch me some venison (Heb. צָיִדה)\" (Beresheet 27:3), with a Hei, instead of using tzayid, without a Hei. This has already been explained. And Esau went (hunting) to be blessed by Isaac, who said to him \"and bless you before Hashem\" (Ibid. 7). It would have been well to say just \"and I will bless you,\" but since he added \"before Hashem,\" the Throne of Glory of the Holy One, blessed be He, then trembled and said, Could it be, that the serpent is freed from these curses, and Jacob remains subject to them?", + "At that time Michael came before Jacob with the Shechinah. Isaac knew that and saw that the Garden of Eden is with Jacob, so he blessed him. When Esau entered, Gehenom entered with him. Therefore, \"And Isaac trembled very much\" (Beresheet 27:33), because he had previously thought that Esau was not of that side. Therefore he said \"Moreover, he shall be blessed.\"", + "For that reason Jacob behaved with cunning and guile, and brought blessings on Jacob, who resembled Adam, that were taken from the serpent of the lying lips, who talked and acted deceitfully, in order to incite and bring curses upon the world. For that reason, Jacob behaved with cunning and misled his father, so as to bring blessings upon the world and snatch from the serpent what he withheld from the world. This was measure for measure, of which it is written, \"For he loved cursing, and it came to him, and he delighted not in blessings, and it was far from him\" (Tehilim 109:17). About him, the verse reads, \"you are cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field\" (Beresheet 3:14). He stayed accursed forever more, and Jacob came and took the blessings from him.", + "From the time of Adam, Jacob was destined to take from the serpent all these blessings, and the serpent was to remain accursed, never to be released from them. And David, inspired by the Holy Spirit, asked, \"What shall be given to you? Or what shall be done to you, you false tongue? Sharp arrows of the mighty\" (Tehilim 120:3-4). What causes this evil serpent to bring curses upon the world, when he is, as they said, a serpent that bites and kills, but draws no pleasure from it?", + "\"...False tongue.\" For the serpent deceived Adam and his wife and brought evil on him and the world. Then came Jacob, who took the blessings that were his own. \"Sharp arrows of the mighty\" refers to Esau, who harbored hatred toward Jacob on account of the blessings, as it is written, \"and Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing\" (Beresheet 27:41).", + "\"Therefore the Elohim gives you of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth\" (Beresheet 27:28), from above and below, joined together. \"...and plenty of corn and wine\" (Ibid.) has already been explained. It is similar to the verse, \"yet I have not seen a just man forsaken, and his seed begging bread\" (Tehilim 37:25). Come and behold, \"I have been young, and now am old\" (Ibid.). This verse was said by the minister of the world (Metatron). And therefore he said \"and plenty of corn and wine.\"", + "\"Let peoples serve you\" (Beresheet 27:29), when king Solomon reigned in Jerusalem, as it is written, \"And all the kings of the earth...brought every man his present\" (II Chronicles 9:23-24). \"...and nations bow down to you\" at the advent of Messiah, according to the verse, \"And may all Kings fall down before him.\" Rabbi Yehuda said, all this will occur with the coming of the King Messiah, as written, \"And may all kings fall down before him; all nations serve him\" (Tehilim 72:11).", + "\"Be lord over your brethren\" (Beresheet 27:29). Why Heveh (be), instead of the more accepted Heyeh or Tih'yeh? This is a supernal mystery of faith, for these letters, HEI-VAV-HEI are mysteries of faith. The upper Hei above (Binah), Vav in the middle (Tiferet), and the last Hei (Malchut). Therefore he said \"Heveh (be) a lord over your brethren,\" rule over them, and govern them, when king David will appear. Rabbi Yosi said that all that will happen when Messiah will come. For (as long as) Yisrael transgress the words of the Torah, then, \"you shall break his yoke from off your neck\"", + "\"Therefore the Elohim give you\" (Beresheet 27:28). Rabbi Yosi said that all these blessings on the side of Jacob's portion were his, and he took his own. And Isaac wanted to bestow the blessings upon Esau. Therefore, the Holy One, blessed be He, caused them to revert to Jacob, that he may take that which is his own.", + "Come and behold, Of the time when the serpent brought curses upon the world, and the land was accursed, it is written, \"And to the man he said, Because you have hearkened to the voice of your wife...cursed is the ground for your sake\" (Beresheet 3:17), for it will not produce fruit nor vegetation in a proper measure. Correspondingly, \"...and the fatness of the earth\", \"in sorrow shall you eat of it\" (Ibid.). \"of the dew of heaven\"; \"thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to you,\"He was blessed accordingly with \"plenty of corn and wine.\" In opposition to, \"in the sweat of your face shall you eat bread.\"; \"let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you,\" as they will cultivate the land and till the field, as it is written, \"and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers\" (Isaiah 61:5). Jacob took it all measure for measure, and of his own he took. The Holy One, blessed be He, caused Jacob to receive these blessings and cleave to his place and portion, while Esau cleaved to his own place and portion.", + "Rabbi Chizkiyah said, We see that the fatness of the earth and the dew of heaven were the blessings Esau later received, as it is written, \"of the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above\" (Beresheet 27:39).", + "Rabbi Shimon said, The one is not like the other, and this does not resemble that. How different are the grades! of Jacob, it is written, \"Therefore the Elohim give you.\" And of Esau, it is written, \"shall be.\" It is written of Jacob, \"of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth,\" and of Esau, \"of the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven,\" for there is no resemblance between them.", + "Their grades differ considerably from each other. It is written of Jacob, \"Therefore the Elohim give you of the dew of heaven\" (Beresheet 27:28). This is the supernal dew drawn from Atik Yomin, which is called 'the dew of heaven', drawn from the grade called 'heaven', from which it flows into the field of holy apple trees; \"of the fatness of the earth.\" The earth refers to the land of the living above, that is, Malchut, while attiring the Sefirah Binah called 'living Elohim', is then called 'the land of the living'. And Jacob inherited in the upper earth and upper heaven. Esau was in the lower land here and in the lower heaven here. Jacob high above, and Esau down below.", + "Also, Jacob (was blessed) above and below. And Esau only below. And though it is written, \"and it shall come to pass when you shall have the dominion, that you shall break his yoke from off your neck\" (Beresheet 27:40), here, but up above, nothing (is cancelled), as it is written, \"For Hashem's portion is his people, Jacob is the lot of His inheritance\" (Devarim 32:9). Come and behold, When Jacob and Esau started to avail themselves of the blessings, Jacob received his share from above, and Esau took his share below.", + "Rabbi Yosi, the son of Rabbi Shimon, son of Lakunia, asked Rabbi Elazar, has your father explained why the blessings with which Isaac blessed Jacob did not prevail, while the blessings Isaac bestowed on Esau all did?", + "He replied that all these blessings prevailed, along with other blessings that the Holy One, blessed be He, gave to Jacob. But at first, Jacob received above only. And Esau received below. After King Messiah will arise, Jacob will receive above and below, and Esau will lose everything. He will have no portion and inheritance or remembrance in the world. This is the meaning of the verse, \"And the house of Jacob shall be fire, and the house of Joseph flame, and the house of Esau for stubble\" (Ovadyah 1:8), for Esau will lose everything, and Jacob will inherit both worlds, this world and the World to Come, namely, the upper heaven and earth. It goes without saying that even before the advent of Messiah, Jacob receives blessings from the lower heaven and earth, that is, when the Temple existed, on Shabbatot and holidays and also through prayers. But because they are not constant, it is not considered receiving. But in the future it shall be permanent.", + "At that point, it is written, \"And liberators shall ascend upon mount Zion to judge the mountain of Esau; and the kingdom shall be Hashem's\" (Ibid.). The kingdom that Esau received in this world shall be for the Holy One, blessed be He, alone. Did this kingdom not already belong to the Holy One, blessed be He? Although the Holy One, blessed be He, rules above and below, He lets other peoples rule, giving each a part and inheritance in this world for their use. At that time He will take the kingdom from them all, and it will be solely His, as it is written, \"And Hashem shall be king over all the earth, on that day Hashem shall be One, and His name One\" (Zecharyah 14:9). \"And Jacob was scarce gone out (lit. 'went out going')\" (Beresheet 27:30): Rabbi Shimon said, \"went out, going\" refers to two goings out. Why? Because", + "one is of the Shechinah and one of Jacob. For when Jacob entered, the Shechinah came in with him, and he was blessed before the Shechinah. Isaac said the blessings and the Shechinah approved. Therefore, when Jacob went out, the Shechinah went out with him. This is the hidden meaning of the phrase \"and Jacob went out going,\" which mentions two goings out together.", + "\"Esau his brother came in from his hunting\" (Ibid.). Why is it written \"his hunting\", and not \"the hunting.\" It is Esau's hunting that contains no blessing. And the Holy Spirit cried out, \"Do not eat the bread of him who has an evil eye\" (Mishlei 23:6).", + "\"And he also had made savory food...Let my father arise\" (Beresheet 27:31). His speech was impertinent, rough, and impolite. Come and behold the difference between Jacob and Esau. Jacob talked to his father humbly, with humility. It is written, \"And he came to his father, and said, My father\" (Ibid. 18). The difference between the language of Esau and Jacob is that Jacob did not want to frighten him. Thus, he spoke humbly, saying \"arise, I pray you, sit and eat of my venison.\" Esau, however, said \"Let my father arise,\" as if he was not speaking to him.", + "Come and behold, When Esau entered, Gehenom came with him, and Isaac trembled with fear, as it is written, \"And Isaac trembled very much\" (Beresheet 27:33). Why is \"very much\" used to describe \"trembled.\"? Isaac never felt such fear and terror during his life. Even when he was strapped upon the altar and saw the knife, he did not tremble as when Esau entered and brought Gehenom with him. Then he said, \"Before you came, and have blessed him? Moreover, he shall be blessed.\" For I saw the Shechinah approving those blessings.", + "There is another explanation, Isaac said, \"And has blessed him.\" A voice came forth, saying \"moreover, he shall be blessed.\" Isaac wanted to curse Jacob, but the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, Isaac, it is you whom you curse, for you have said to him \"cursed be those that curse you, and blessed be those that bless you\" (Beresheet 27:29).", + "Come and behold, Everyone acknowledged these blessings, the upper and lower, and even he, (Samael, the angel-minister of Esau) the part and portion of Esau, acknowledged them. And he blessed him and approved of the blessings, and raised him above his head.", + "From where do we know this? From the verse, \"And he said, Let me go, for the day breaks. And he said, I will not let you go, unless you bless me\" (Beresheet 32:27). It is written, \"And he said, Let me go\" because Jacob had seized him. How can a man, flesh and blood, take hold of an angel, which is pure spirit, as it is written, \"who makes the winds His messengers; the flames of fire His ministers\" (Tehilim 104:4)?", + "It is understood from this that when angels, the messengers of the Holy One, blessed be He, descend into this world, they are clothed in a body in the likeness of this world, for it is not seemly to deviate from the custom of the place one visits.", + "We have learned that when Moses went up, \"he was there with Hashem forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water\" (Shemot 34:28) in order not to deviate from the custom of the place he went to. And of the angels, when they descended, it is written, \"and he stood by them under the tree, and they ate\" (Beresheet 18:8). Here also, the descending angel could not struggle with Jacob unless clothed in a body, as is done in this world. Therefore Jacob wrestled with him the whole night. But if he were not clothed (in human form), Jacob could not have wrestled with him.", + "Come and behold, Because of this those (of the Other Side) dominate only during the night, assuredly this is why Esau rules only in exile, which is night. Hence, he wrestled and struggled with Jacob during the night. But when morning came, the strength of the angel failed, and he did not prevail. Then Jacob got stronger, as the dominion of Jacob is during the day.", + "Therefore, it is written, \"The burden of Dumah. One calls to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?\" (Isaiah 21:11), for the dominion of Esau, who is called 'Se'ir', is during the night. Therefore the angel weakened when morning came, and then \"he said, Let me go, for the day breaks.\"", + "\"And he said, I will not let you go, unless you bless me\" (Beresheet 32:27). \"Unless you bless me,\" but it should have been \"unless you will bless me\" (future tense). Why, therefore, is it written literally, \"unless you have blessed me\"> (He told him) if you will acknowledge the blessings my father gave to me and not denounce me for them. It is also written, \"And he said, Your name shall be called no more 'Jacob', but Yisrael\" (Beresheet 32:29). Why did he call him Yisrael? He told him, we are compelled to serve you, for through your exceeding might, you have been crowned above, in the highest grade. Therefore your name shall surely be Yisrael.", + "\"For you have striven with Elohim.\" What is the meaning of the phrase \"with Elohim?\" Could it be that he referred to himself? \"Have striven\" to be joined and united \"with Elohim,\" as the union of the sun and moon. Hence it is not written \"against Elohim,\" but rather \"with Elohim,\" in a union.", + "Another explanation of \"And he said\" has the same meaning as \"and He said, If you will diligently hearken to the voice of Hashem your Elohim\" (Shemot 15:26). Here too \"And he said\" (means) \"Your name shall be called no more 'Jacob', but Israel.\" Then was Jacob crowned by his grade, by which he will include all the Patriarchs. It is written, \"And he blessed him there\" (Beresheet 32:30). It means that he acknowledged all the blessings with which his father blessed him.", + "Rabbi Shimon began the discourse with the verse, \"When a man's ways please Hashem, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him\" (Mishlei 16:7). Come and behold, Man has much to do if he wants to improve his behavior toward the Holy One, blessed be He, by keeping the precepts of the Torah. For we have learned that assuredly man has two angels, who are messengers that join him from above. One is on his right and the other on his left. They observe man in everything he does. They are called 'the Good Inclination' and 'the Evil Inclination'.", + "When a man wishes to be purified and strives to observe the precepts of the Torah, the Good Inclination that joined him overpowers the Evil Inclination and makes peace with it. As a result, the Evil Inclination becomes a slave to the Good Inclination. When a man wishes to be defiled, the Evil Inclination is strengthened and overpowers the Good Inclination. This has already been explained. Assuredly, when man wishes to be purified, he has much to overcome. When the Good Inclination is strengthened, then \"He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.\" For the Evil Inclination is submissive to the Good Inclination. Of this Solomon said, \"Better is he that is lightly esteemed, and has a servant\" (Mishlei 12:9). The servant is the Evil Inclination. Then, when a man walks by the precepts of the Torah, \"he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him,\" including the Evil Inclination and its escorts.", + "Come and behold, Because Jacob put his trust in the Holy One, blessed be He, and all that he did was for His sake, his enemies made peace with him, specifically Samael, who is the strength and might of Esau, made peace with Jacob. Because Samael made peace with Jacob and acknowledged all his blessings, Esau made peace with Jacob. Yet, as long as Jacob did not make peace with him, the minister in charge of Esau, then Esau did not make peace with him. This is because strength below always depends on strength above. As long as the strength of the ministers in charge over them is not weakened above, it is not possible to weaken the strength in this world.", + "\"And Isaac trembled very much, and said, Who then (Heb. אֵיפֹה) is he\" (Beresheet 27:33). What is the meaning of \"Who then?\" It should have been \"Who is it?\" for 'eifoh' literally means where. He answers, \"Who then\" is correct because the Shechinah stood there when Isaac blessed Jacob! Thus he said \"Who then,\", where is he who stood here and approved the blessings, whom I blessed. Assuredly \"he shall be blessed,\" for the Holy One, blessed be He, approved these blessings.", + "Rabbi Yehuda said that for this trembling that Jacob brought upon Isaac his father, Jacob was punished by Joseph, and he trembled when they said to him \"This we have found\" (Beresheet 37:32). Isaac said \"Who then (Heb. אֵיפֹה).\" And by \"אֵיפֹה,\" Jacob was punished. And although the Holy One, blessed be He, approved all the blessings, nevertheless he was punished by \"eifoh\" as it is written, \"Where (אֵיפֹה) they feed their flock\" (Beresheet 37:6), where Joseph was lost to him, and he was thereby punished. \"...and Isaac trembled very much (lit. 'trembled very great trembling').\" What is the meaning of the word \"great\" as used in the scripture? It is written \"great\" here and elsewhere, as in \"and this great fire\" (Devarim 18:16). (Meaning) that Gehenom entered with him. What does \"very\" mean? It is written \"very\" here and elsewhere, as in \"and, behold, it was very good\" (Beresheet 1:31), referring to the Angel of Death. He then said \"Who then...\" (Beresheet 27:33), when he understood that the blessings belonged to Jacob and not Esau.", + "\"And when Esau heard the words of his father...\" (Beresheet 27:34).", + "Rabbi Chiya said, These tears brought so much evil (upon Israel), that Esau cried to be blessed before his father, whose words were very important to him. \"Is not he rightly named Jacob\" (Ibid. 36) means, So He named him, He who did so\". He uttered this as if spitting, to degrade (Hashem). It is not written, \"Is not he rightly named,\" but literally \"Did not He rightly named him.", + "\"For he has supplanted these (Heb. zeh; lit. 'this') two times.\" Why Zeh to modify \"supplanted two times?\" It means two matters are contained in one. The word bechorati (my birthright) became at another time birchati (my blessing). In the same manner, the verse \"surely now we had returned this (Heb. zeh) second time\" (Beresheet 43:10), that two matters are in one: 1) we would have returned (Heb. shavnu) by now and not be put to shame (Heb. boshnu) by that man, and 2) we would have been back already. [The Hebrew letters of shavnu are the same as of boshnu].", + "Similarly, Job said, \"and hold me for Your enemy\" (Iyov 13:24). Job turned into oyev (enemy). This was explained according to the verse, \"For He crushes me with a tempest\" (Iyov 9:17). He said before Him, Master of the universe, \"perhaps a tempest stormed at You\". Here also, \"he took away my birthright\" (Heb. bechorati), and the combination turned into \"my blessing (Heb. birchati), as in \"he has taken away my blessing.\"", + "\"Behold, I have made him your lord...and what shall I do now for you, my son\" (Beresheet 27:37). This means that there is no one present who gives consent, \"What shall I do now for you, my son.\" He then blessed him in this world. He looked at his grade and said to him \"and by your sword shall you live,\" for it is fitting of you to shed blood and wage wars. Therefore he said, \"What shall I do now for you, my son\".", + "Rabbi Elazar discussed the verse, \"what shall I do now for you.\" Why add \"my son?\" This is because he asked him \"what shall I do now for you?\" I have seen you in judgment, sword, and blood. And I have seen your brother walking the path of peace. He added \"my son,\" for surely I brought all this upon you, as you are my son. Therefore \"by your sword shall you live, and you shall serve your brother.\" This has not yet happened, for Esau is not yet a servant of Jacob. This is because Jacob has no need for him now. And he repeatedly called Esau \"my master,\" because Jacob looked far ahead and saved it to the end of days, as we said above.", + "As Rabbi Chiya and Rabbi Yosi were walking together, they noticed that Rabbi Yosi Saba was behind them. They sat down until he caught up to them. When he did, he said, 'now the path is readied before us,' and they went on. Rabbi Chiya quoted the verse, \"It is time to act for Hashem\" (Tehilim 119:126), while Rabbi Yosi began with the verse, \"She opened her mouth with wisdom; and on her tongue is a Torah of steadfast love\" (Prov. 31:6). \"She opened her mouth with wisdom\" alludes to the Congregation of Yisrael; \"and on her tongue is a Torah of steadfast love\" refers to Yisrael, who are the tongue of the Torah, which is on their lips day and night. \"She opened her mouth with wisdom.\" This is the letter Bet of Beresheet (Eng. 'In the beginning'). It is the secret of the Nukva, called 'house' (Heb. bayit). \"And on her tongue is a Torah of steadfast love (lit. 'Chesed')\" refers to Abraham, with which He created the world, and he speaks always. The letter Bet is closed on one side and open on the other. It is closed on one side, as it is written, \"and you shall see My back\" (Shemot 33:23). On the other side Bet is open, so that its face will shine upward. It is also open to receive from above, as a foyer to receive. For that reason, the letter Bet stands at the beginning of the Torah. Another explanation for the verse, \"She opened her mouth with wisdom,\" which assuredly opens with wisdom, as it is written, \"In the beginning Elohim created\" (Beresheet 1:1), in the Aramaic translation. Of the verse, \"And on her tongue is a Torah of steadfast love (lit. 'Chesed'),\" the Torah later reads, \"And Elohim said, Let there be light, and there was light\" (Ibid. 3).", + "\"She opened her mouth with wisdom,\" is that it is the first Hei of the holy name Yud Hei Vav Hei, which is Binah, in which everything is contained. It is concealed and revealed, comprising both what is above and below.", + "\"She opened her mouth with wisdom\"because it is concealed and utterly unrevealed, as it is written, \"Seeing it is hidden from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the birds of the sky\" (Iyov 28:21). When (Binah) started to spread together with Chochmah that cleaved to it and was clothed in it, it issued a sound, which is \"a Torah of Chesed.\"", + "\"She opened her mouth with wisdom\" is that the last Hei (and) refers to speech, which depends on wisdom. \"and on her tongue is a Torah of Chesed\" alludes to the voice, which controls and conducts speech, \"A Torah of Chesed love\" is Jacob, He is \"on her tongue,\" to guide the word and be united with it, for there is no speech without sound.", + "Rabbi Chiya then quoted the verse, \"I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, and find knowledge in crafty schemes\" (Mishlei 8:12). \"I, wisdom\" refers to the Congregation of Yisrael; \"dwell with prudence\" is Jacob, who is prudent; \"find knowledge in crafty schemes\" alludes to Isaac, who used knowledge and stratagems to bless Esau. Wisdom was joined with Jacob, who dealt with prudence. Therefore Jacob (was to) \"find knowledge in crafty devices,\" by which he was blessed by his father, , and all the blessings rested upon him and prevailed upon him and his descendants forever.", + "Some have prevailed in this world, and all will prevail at the advent of King Messiah, when Yisrael will be \"one nation in the land\" (Ezekiel 37:22), one nation before the Holy One, blessed be He. This is the meaning of the verse \"and I will make them one nation in the land,\" and they will reign above and below, as it is written, \"and, behold, one like a son of man came with the clouds of heaven\" (Daniel 7:13). This is King Messiah, as it is written, \"And in the days of these kings shall the Elohim of heaven set up a kingdom...\" (Daniel 2:44). Therefore, Jacob wanted his blessings to be postponed and did not take them at once.", + "Rabbi Yosi then quoted the verse, \"But fear not, O My servant Jacob, and be not dismayed, Yisrael\" (Jer. 46:27). This verse has already been explained. Nevertheless, after Jacob had received his father's blessings, he searched himself and said, I want these very blessings to be postponed for the time, so they will last. He was frightened. A voice resounded, saying \"Fear not, O Jacob My servant, says Hashem, for I am with you\" (Ibid. 28), and I will never leave you, for, \"behold, I will save you from afar\" (Ibid. 27) at the time for which the blessings were reserved.", + "The verse, \"and your seed from the land of their captivity,\" means that although Esau now took the blessings and (his children) will enslave your children, I will free them from his hands. Then, your children will enslave him. Then, \"Jacob shall return,\" - to these blessings. \"And Jacob will return\" assuredly \"and be quiet and at ease,\" as has been explained from the kingdoms of Babylon, Media, Greece, and Edom, which were enslaving Yisrael.\" And none shall make him afraid\" for ever and ever.", + "As they continued walking, Rabbi Yosi said, Assuredly, whatever the Holy One, blessed be He, does in the world is in the secret of wisdom. It is intended to teach the greatest wisdom to mankind, so man will learn from those acts the secrets of wisdom. And everything is as it should be. His works are all the ways of Torah, since the ways of Torah are the ways of the Holy One, blessed be He. And even in the smallest thing, there are ways and paths and secrets of high wisdom.", + "Come and behold, Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakai used to say that 300 legal decisions are derived from the verse, \"and his wife's name was Mehetabel, daughter of Matred, daughter of Mezehab\" (Beresheet 36:39). This he revealed only to Rabbi Eliezer, who was with him. That shows how many secrets of the Torah are in every deed in the Torah. In each word, there is wisdom and true doctrine. Therefore the words of the Torah are holy words, by which to conceive wondrous things, as it is written, \"Open you my eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of Your Torah\" (Tehilim 119:18).", + "Come and behold, When the serpent deceived Adam and his wife, when he approached her and injected impurity into her, Adam succumbed to temptation. Then the world was defiled and the land became accursed because of him. He brought death to the world. And the world was punished because of him, until the Tree of Life came, atoned for Adam, and subjugated the serpent, so that his seed will never rule the seed of Jacob.", + "For when Yisrael offered a goat, the serpent was subdued and became a slave as we learned. Therefore, Jacob served his father two goats (Heb. se'irim), one with which to subjugate Esau, who is hairy (Heb. sa'ir), and the other for the grade upon which Esau depended and to which he cleaved. (i.e., Samael).", + "Therefore the world is accursed until a woman comes, who resembles Eve, and a man, who resembles Adam. They will deceive and beguile the serpent and the one ruling him, (meaning Samael). We have already learned this.", + "He opened the discussion with the verse, \"and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field, and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents\" (Beresheet 25:27). The phrase \"a plain man\" means a whole man, according to the Aramaic translation, (for he was) \"dwelling in tents.\" He was plain because he dwelt in tents, he held fast the two sides, Abraham and Isaac. Because Jacob came to Esau from the side of Isaac. As we learned from the verse, \"With the merciful you will show yourself merciful...and with the perverse you will show yourself subtle\" (Tehilim 18:26-27). When he came to receive the blessings, he came with support of Abraham and Isaac from above, and so all was done wisely.", + "Come and behold, When Jacob arose against Samael, the grade of Esau, Samael fought and wrestled with him, but Jacob overpowered him in several ways. He conquered the serpent with cunning and subtlety, but he was only overpowered by the goat (the two goats he served to his father Isaac). And though all is one, (meaning the serpent and Samael) nevertheless he also conquered and overpowered Samael in another battle. This is derived from the verse, \"and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. And when he saw that he did not prevail against him\" (Beresheet 32:25-26).", + "Come and behold, The merit of Jacob was such, that he (Samael) wanted to exterminate Jacob from the world. That night was the night when the moon was created (it was Wednesday evening). And Jacob stayed alone, and no one was with him, as we have learned that a man must not venture out alone at night. This is even more true on the night when the luminaries were created, for then the moon is defective, as it is written, \"Let there be lights (Heb. מְאֹרֹ''ת)\" (Beresheet 1:14), and the word מְאֹרֹ''ת is spelled without the letter Vav, which is a sign of a curse. Because Jacob remained alone that night (he was in great danger) because when the moon is defective, the evil serpent is strengthened and rules. Then Samael came and denounced Jacob and wanted him to perish from the world.", + "But Jacob was strong on all sides, on the side of Isaac and the side of Abraham. (Samael) came to the right and saw Abraham, strong with the vigor of day, namely, the right side, which is Chesed. He came to the left, and saw Isaac, powerful with the strength of rigorous judgment. He came to the body and saw Jacob strong on these two sides. They surrounded him, one from here and one from there. Then \"when he saw that he did not prevail against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh\" (Beresheet 32:26), a place outside the body, the one pillar of the body. Then \"and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was put out of joint, as he wrestled with him...\".", + "Once day broke and night departed, Jacob was strengthened, and the power of Samael diminished. Then he said, \"Let me go\" (Ibid. 27), for it was his time to say the morning hymns and he had to leave. He confirmed his blessings and added a blessing of his own, as it is written, \"And he blessed him there\" (Ibid. 30).", + "Come and behold how many were the blessings Jacob received. The one from his father he earned through cunning, and that gained him all these many blessings; the one of the Shechinah he received from the Holy One, blessed be He, when he returned from Laban, as it is written, \"And Elohim...blessed him\" (Beresheet 35:9). He was given one by the minister of Esau and one from his father when he went to Paddan-Aram, as it is written, \"And El Shadai bless you...\" (Beresheet 28:3).", + "At the time when Jacob saw himself with all these blessings, he said, Which shall I use now? He decided to use the weakest blessing of all. And which is that? It is the last blessing from his father. And although this too is a powerful blessing, it is not as strong for having power over the world as the first ones.", + "Jacob said, I will avail myself of this blessing and use it. The others I will reserve until the time when I and my children after me will need them. When (will this be)? At the time the nations gather to exterminate my children from the world, as it is written, \"All nations compassed me about, but in the name of Hashem I cut them off. They compassed me about; indeed, they compassed me...They compassed me about like bees...\" (Tehilim 118:10-12). There are three verses that correspond to the three blessings that he did not use. The one is the blessing from his father; the second is the blessing from the Holy One, blessed be He; and the third is the blessing he was given by the angel.", + "Jacob said, At that time, I will need (all of the blessings to protect me) from the kings and all the nations in the world. I will reserve these blessings for that time. And now, for Esau, this blessing should suffice. This is like a king, who had several battalions of mighty warriors and several qualified ministers of war capable of engaging in warfare against mighty kings. In the meantime, when he learned about a great robber, he sent his gatekeepers. When (his servants) asked him, why did you choose to send the gatekeepers when you have such strong battalions available, the king replied, these will suffice to cope with this robber. I will reserve the battalions and ministers for war against the mighty kings, so they will be available when I need them.", + "Jacob said the same, To cope with Esau, these blessings will suffice. But I shall reserve for that time when my children will need them to fight the kings and rulers in the world, who will rise against them.", + "When that time arrives, all the blessings will be aroused on all sides and the world will be properly established. From that day on, this kingdom shall rise, above all the other kingdoms, as was explained when discoursing on the verse, \"but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever\" (Daniel 2:44). This is the stone that was cut out of the mountain and not by man, as it is written, \"from thence from the shepherd, the Stone of Yisrael\" (Beresheet 49:24). What is this stone? It is the congregation of Yisrael, as written, \"and this stone, which I have set for a pillar...\" (Beresheet 28:22).", + "Rabbi Chiya said from here, as it is written, \"A remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob\" (Isaiah 10:21). About these remaining blessings, it is also written, \"And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many peoples\" (Michah 5:6), among all the nations, not Esau alone, as it is written, \"And the remnant...like dew from Hashem.\"", + "Rabbi Yeisa quoted the verse, \"A son honors his father, and a servant his master\" (Malachi 1:6). \"A son\" refers to Esau, for in the whole world there was no man who respected his father as Esau did; the homage he paid him made him ruler of the world.", + "\"...and a servant his master\" refers to Eliezer, the servant of Abraham. This has been explained. The man came to Charan with great wealth and camels loaded with many gifts to lavish, yet he did not say to Betu'el and Laban, that he is Abraham's friend, or any other man, who came at Abraham's request, but when he started his speech, it is written, \"And he said, I am Abraham's servant\" (Beresheet 24:34). Later, he repeated 'my master' (several times). Because he respected Abraham with honor and kindness, they were patient with him for some time.", + "Such is Esau; By right of that honor that he showed to his father, the Holy One, blessed be He, was forbearing with him when he ruled this world. And these are the tears that Yisrael shed under his yoke, until Yisrael will return to the Holy One, blessed be He, with crying in tears and weeping, as it is written, \"They shall come with weeping...\" (Jer. 31:8) and then, \"And liberators shall ascend upon mount Zion to judge the mountain of Esau; and the kingdom shall be Hashem's\" (Ovadyah 1:21). Blessed be Hashem for ever and ever. Amen and Amen. [This is the end of Parshat Toldot]." + ] + ], + "Vayetzei": [ + [ + "\"And Jacob went out from Beer-Sheva, and went toward Charan\" (Gen. 28:10). Rabbi Chiya opened the discussion with the verse, \"The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, and hastens to its place where it rises again\" (Kohelet 1:5). This verse has been explained. But the phrase, \"the sun also rises,\" refers to Jacob when he was in Beer-Sheva. The phrase, \"and the sun goes down,\" refers to Jacob when he went to Charan, as it is written, \"And tarried there all night, for the sun was set\" (Beresheet 28:11). The passage, \"and hastens to its place where it rises again,\" is similar to the verse, \"and lay down in that place to sleep\" (Ibid. 11).", + "And come and behold, although the sun illuminates the whole world, it travels in only two directions, as it is written, \"goes towards the south, and veers to the north\" (Kohelet 1:6), for south is the Right and north is the Left. And the sun rises every day from the east side, and travels toward the south side. It then veers to the north side. And from the north it veers toward the west. Then the sun moves to the west, where it sets. The sun rises in the east, as it is written, \"And Jacob went out from Beer-Sheva,\". The sun goes west as it is written, \"And went toward Charan.\" This teaches us that the illumination alluded to in the text, \"And Jacob went out,\" is a complete illumination comprising the two Columns, Right and Left, which is the secret of Chochmah and Chassadim combined.", + "Rabbi Shimon said that Jacob went out of the ambit of the Land of Yisrael, as it is written, \"And Jacob went out from Beer-Sheva,\" which is the Nukva in its entirety, called 'Beer-Sheva', and called the 'Land of Yisrael'. And he went to another domain, as it is written, \"And went toward Charan,\" (outside the) Land of Yisrael, (where the Other Side rules). Jacob came from the east, as it is written, \"And Jacob went out from Beer-Sheva.\" This means that during the Sabbatical year, Jacob took the shining light from the supernal depth (Binah) and traveled west. \"and went toward Charan,\" a place of Judgment and wrath (Heb. charon).", + "According to Rabbi Yosi, this verse refers to the exile. For at first, the light descended from the supernal depth, and Jacob took it with him and went to (pour it) on Beer-Sheva. This is, \"the well that the princes dug out\" (Num. 21:18), here Jacob received his illumination, and perfected the well (Heb. beer) in all its wholeness. During the days of exile, he wanders from Beer-Sheva to Charan, as written, \"and went toward Charan that is, to fierce indignation (Heb. Charon). What is the fierce indignation of the Holy One, blessed be He? It is the evil grade, the land of the dominion of another.", + "Rabbi Chiya said that when the sun, goes west the west represents the throne of the sun, the place upon which the sun dwells. This is the meaning of the verse, \"and hastens to its place where it rises again,\" for it goes to that place to shine upon it. It takes all the lights and gathers them to itself.", + "So we have learned that the Holy One, blessed be He puts on Tefilin which means He takes all the supernal crowns. What are they? They are the secret of the supernal Abba and supernal Imma; they are the Mochin of Chochmah and Binah, the secret of the two passages, \"Kadesh (sanctify to me)\" (Devarim 11:13) and \"Vehayah Ki Yeviacha (and it shall be when Hashem shall bring you)\" (Shmot 13:11-16). Kadesh is the Mochin of the supernal Abba, which is Chochmah. Vehayah Ki Yeviacha is the Mochin of the Supernal Imma, Binah. They are the head Tefilin, the first three Sefirot of the Tefilin, the secret of Yud-Hei, called 'head'. Thus, we have learned that the High Priest takes the first (lit. 'in the head'). After he took Abba and Imma, he received from the right and left. So it is found that he took all the Mochin, the Chochmah, Binah, Chesed, and Gevurah, the secret of the four passages called the 'Tefilin of the Holy One, blessed be He.'", + "Rabbi Elazar says, The \"splendor (Tiferet) of Yisrael,\" takes all. And when the Congregation of Yisrael is drawn upward, it too takes them all, the male world of the Holy One, blessed be He, and the female world of the Holy One, blessed be He. And just as all the lights are emitted from this world, the world absorbs them all. For the worlds are equal. Therefore, Beer-Sheva is a Jubilee, and Beer-Sheva is the Sabbatical year, which is the Nukva. This means that the lights of Binah and the Nukva are equal, and both are called 'Beer-Sheva'. Because this sun illuminates only from the Jubilee the scripture reads, \"And Jacob went out from Beer-Sheva,\" which is Binah, also called 'Beer-Sheva', \"and went toward Charan,\" the west, which is the Sabbatical year." + ] + ], + "Vayishlach": [ + [ + "\"And Jacob sent messengers...\" (Beresheet 32:4). Rabbi Yehuda began the discussion with the verse, \"For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways\" (Tehilim 91:11). This verse has already been explained by the friends. When man is born, the Evil Inclination enters with him and constantly denounces him, as it is written, \"sin crouches at the door\" (Beresheet 4:7). What is meant by \"sin crouches\"? It refers to the Evil Inclination. \"at the door\" means at the opening of the womb at a person's birth.", + "David also called the Evil Inclination by the name 'sin', as it is written, \"and my sin is ever before me\" (Tehilim 51:5). This is because it tempts man every day to sin before his Master. The Evil Inclination never leaves man, from the day of his birth. The Good Inclination comes to man only when he seeks purity.", + "And when does man seek purity? On his thirteenth birthday, man joins with the Good Inclination on the right and the Evil Inclination on the left. They are literally two appointed angels found constantly with man.", + "When man seeks to be purified, the Evil Inclination is humbled before him, and the right rules over the left. And both the Good Inclination and the Evil Inclination watch over man whichever way he travels. This is the essence of the verse, \"For He shall give His angels charge over you to keep you all your ways\" (Tehilim 91:11).", + "Rabbi Elazar applies this verse to Jacob. As the Holy One, blessed be He, surrounded Jacob with legions of angels, because he came complete with the supernal tribes, who were in a state of perfection. As it is written, \"And Jacob continued on his way, and angels of Elohim met him\" (Beresheet 32:2). It has been explained that after being saved from Laban, and departing from him, the Shechinah joined Jacob, and legions of saintly angels surrounded him. At that point \"Jacob said when he saw them\" (Ibid. 3). From these angels, he sent a group to Esau. This is the meaning of the verse, \"And Jacob sent messengers (also: angels).\" Surely these were real angels.", + "Rabbi Yitzchak said, It is written, \"The angel of Hashem encamps round about those who fear Him, and he delivers them\" (Tehilim 34:8). This verse has already been explained. But in another place, it is written, \"For He shall give His angels charge over you,\" namely, many angels, whereas here only one is mentioned, as it is written, \"The angel of Hashem encamps.\" The verse, \"For He shall give His angels charge over you,\" refers to angels in general, but the verse, \"The angel of Hashem,\" refers to the Shechinah, as it is written, \"And the angel of Hashem appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush\" (Shemot 3:2). just as it refers to the Shechinah in the first verse, so The angel mentioned here also points to the Shechinah. And so, \"the angel of Hashem encamps round about those who fear Him,\" to encircle them in every direction so as to deliver them. And when the Shechinah resides inside man, all the holy hosts come there.", + "Come and behold, When King David was saved from Achish, King of Gat, he said, \"The angel of Hashem encamps...\" For the Shechinah surrounded him and saved him from Achish, his people, and those who attacked him. As it is written, \"וַיִּתְהוֹלֵל (Eng. 'feigned himself mad') in their hands\" (I Samuel 21:14). He asks, Why is it written \"Vayitholel\" rather than 'וַיִּשְׁתַּגֵּעַ', as it is written, \"you have brought this fellow to play the mad man (Heb. וַיִּשְׁתַּגֵּעַ) in my presence?\" (I Sam. 21:16).", + "Rather, this verse refers to what David said earlier. As it is written, \"For I was envious of the Holelim ('madmen')\" (Tehilim 73:3). So the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Upon your life, you shall be in need of that yet. And when he came to the house of Achish and was attacked, it is written, \"He feigned himself mad in their hands,\" like those Holelim ('madmen') he first envied when he said, \"for I was envious of the madmen.\" Only then did the Shechinah come and protect him. She dwelt there, around David.", + "You may ask, if the Shechinah resides only in Her own place, which is the Holy Land, why was the Shechinah upon him in Gat, which is outside the Holy Land? She certainly does not dwell outside the land of Yisrael for people to draw plenty from Her, but can dwell outside to rescue men. Thus, when Jacob arrived from the house of Laban, all the holy camps encircled him and did not leave him alone.", + "Rabbi Chizkiyah asks, If this is so, why is it written, \"And Jacob remained alone\" (Beresheet 32:35)? where were the legions of angels who encircled him and came with him? Rabbi Yehuda replies, Because he led himself into danger by remaining alone at night and saw clearly the danger he was in, the angels deserted him, for they came to guard him only from unseen dangers. Then, before entering into danger, he stated, \"I am unworthy of the least of all the mercies and all the truth, which You have shown Your servant\" (Ibid. 11). With this, he referred to the holy camps of angels who usually encircled him, but had left him because he had led himself to a visible danger.", + "Rabbi Yitzchak said, therefore, the angels left him alone with the officer appointed for Esau, who arrived with heavenly approval. At just that time, the others left to sing before the Holy One, blessed be He, as was required at that precise moment. Later, they returned to him. This is the meaning of the verse, \"I am unworthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth and now I have become two camps.\" The camp of the Shechinah and his own household, however, consist of one camp, as it is written, \"This is Elohim's camp\" (Ibid. 3). Therefore, why is it written \"two camps\"? It is to teach that he was perfect in both aspects; from the white and red, denoting Chassadim and Chochmah, from right and left.", + "Rabbi Elazar said, We have learned, night was under the control of Esau, meaning the left side without the right. At that time, it is written, \"Let there be lights (Heb. מְאֹרֹת)\" (Beresheet 1:14), written without the letter Vav, being Wednesday eve, which could not give light without Chassadim. For this reason, \"Jacob remained alone,\" as Jacob, representing the sun, denoting Zeir Anpin, remained alone without the Nukva, as the moon, the Nukva was concealed from the sun, namely zeir anpin, called 'Jacob'. Yet, the Holy One, blessed be He, continued to guard Jacob enough so that Esau's officer could not overcome him, as it is written, \"He saw that he did not prevail against him\" (Beresheet 32:25).H", + "The angel looked to the right of Jacob and saw Abraham, the perfection of the Right Column; he looked to the left of Jacob and saw Isaac, the perfection of the Left Column. He looked at the body of Jacob and saw it was comprised of parts of both the right and left sides, being the perfection of the Central Column. Since the Other Side can have no hold on perfection, only on imperfection, he could not overcome him. Then, \"he touched the hollow of his thigh,\" the one pillar nearest to the body, but somewhat removed from it. Thus, it possesses an aspect of imperfection and the angel seized it, and \"the hollow of Jacob's thigh was put out of joint.\"", + "For this reason it is written, \"The angel of Hashem encamps round about those who fear Him, and he delivers them.\" He circled him on all sides in order to save him from the officer of Esau. And when the Shechinah resided with him, numerous camps of angels accompanied him. From these angels, Jacob sent some to Esau.", + "\"And Jacob sent messengers.\" Rabbi Abba asks, What motivated Jacob to send messengers to Esau? Would it not have been better to refrain from sending any to him? Jacob said, I know that Esau reveres the father's honor and has never troubled him. As long as I know that my father is alive, so I do not fear Esau. So as long as my father is alive I wish to appease him. Thus, he immediately hastened, \"and Jacob sent messengers before him.\"", + "\"And Jacob sent messengers.\" Rabbi Shimon began the discussion with the verse, \"Better is one lightly esteemed who owns a servant, than one who pranks himself but lacks bread\" (Prov. 12:9). This verse refers to the Evil Inclination, who constantly accuses man. The Evil Inclination causes man to become haughty and proud, encouraging man to curl his hair until the Evil Inclination towers over him and drags him to Gehenom.", + "\"Better is one lightly esteemed\" means one who does not follow the Evil Inclination, and does not act haughtily but humbles his spirit, heart, and will before the Holy One, blessed be He. Then the Evil Inclination becomes his servant, as it cannot control him. On the contrary, the person controls it, as it is written, \"Yet you may rule over him\" (Beresheet 4:7).", + "\"than one who pranks himself\" is as we said, that he puts on airs, curls his hair, and acts haughtily, \"but lacks bread.\" This means a lack of faith, as it is written, \"to offer the bread of his Elohim\" (Vayikra 21:17), and \"the bread of their Elohim they do offer\" (Ibid. 6). Bread is the Shechinah in both verses. Faith is the Shechinah, so lacking bread means lacking faith.", + "Another interpretation of, \"Better is one lightly esteemed\" is that it refers to Jacob, who humbled himself before Esau so that Esau should later become his servant. By controlling him, he fulfilled the meaning of the verse, \"Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you\" (Beresheet 27:29). It was not yet time for Jacob to rule over Esau. Jacob left this to happen at a later time, for he was lowly then. Later, however, the one who pranks himself will become his servant, and then he will \"lack bread.\" This refers to Esau, who will become Jacob's servant, who was given \"plenty of corn and wine\" (Ibid. 28).", + "Come and behold, Jacob knew that he needed him now. Therefore, he appeared as if he was lightly esteemed. By doing so, he showed more wisdom and guile than he had ever shown against Esau. Had Esau been aware of this wisdom, he would have killed himself rather then coming to this. However, Jacob did all this with wisdom, and about him Hannah said, \"The adversaries of Hashem shall be broken in pieces and He shall give strength to his king\" (I Shmuel 2:10)." + ], + [ + "\"And he commanded them, saying: 'Thus shall you speak to my lord Esau. Your servant Jacob says thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now'\" (Beresheet 32:5). At once Jacob introduced himself as Esau's servant, so that Esau would not take heed of the blessings that his father bestowed on him. Jacob put them aside for the end of days.", + "Rabbi Yehuda asks, What did Jacob have in mind when he sent Esau a message reading, \"I have sojourned with Laban?\" Did this message accomplish anything regarding his mission to Esau? A rumor circulated that no one had ever escaped the clutches of Laban of Aram, as he was well versed in sorcery and wizardry. He was also the father of Beor, who in turn was the father of Bilaam. As it is written, \"Bilaam the son of Beor the sorcerer\" (Joshua 13:22). Yet although Laban was the greatest practitioner of sorcery and wizardry, he could not overcome Jacob, whom he attempted to annihilate in several ways, as it is written, \"An Aramian wanted to destroy my father\" (Devarim 26:5). And so he sent him the message, \"I have sojourned with Laban,\" to make him aware of his power.", + "Rabbi Abba said, Everyone was aware that Laban was the best at sorcery and wizardry, and he could use sorcery to do away with anyone he wished. All that Bilaam knew came from Laban. Regarding Bilaam, it is written, \"for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed\" (Num. 22:6). Because everyone feared Laban and his sorcery, the first words that Jacob sent Esau were, \"I have sojourned with Laban.\" In case Esau thought it was for a short period, perhaps a month or a year, Jacob advised, \"and stayed there until now\" twenty years did I stay with him.", + "You may say that he gained nothing, but he said to him, \"and I have oxen and donkeys\" (Beresheet 32:6). These are sentences of judgment, that is, demons. When these two collaborate, they cooperate to harm the world, meaning it is not their nature to inflict damage except when they are joined. For this reason, it is written, \"You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together\" (Devarim 22:10). (For this causes these two demons, namely the ox and the donkey, to be joined, and to inflict damage on the world).", + "The verse, \"flocks, and menservants, and women servants,\" refers to lower crowns of the Kelipot, which the Holy One, blessed be He, slew in Egypt. They are called \"the firstborn of cattle\" (Shemot 12:29), \"the firstborn of the captive\" (Ibid.), and \"the firstborn of the maidservant\" (Shemot 11:5). Esau took fright and came toward him; he feared Jacob as much as Jacob feared him.", + "This is like the story of a man who was walking along the road when he heard a robber was lurking along the way. When another man approached him, he asks, Where are you from? The man replied that he was from an army brigade. He said, Stay away from me. I have a snake that will kill anyone who approaches me. That man returned to the chief of the brigade, and said, There is a man coming who has a snake that bites and kills anyone who approaches him.", + "The chief heard and was frightened. He said, It is best to go meet and appease him. When the traveler saw the chief, he was afraid. He said, Woe is me. Now the chief will kill me. He began to bow and kneel before him. The chief then said, If he really had a snake that kills, he would not have bowed before me. Thus the chief regained his composure, and said, Since he bows so much before me, I shall spare him.", + "This is why Jacob said, \"I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now.\" I lingered with him these twenty years, and I bring with me a snake, which kills people.' Esau heard this and said, 'Woe to me, who shall stand before him, for now Jacob shall kill me with his mouth.' He thought that because he overpowered Laban, Bilaam's grandfather, his strength was surely as great as that of Bilaam. He then came out to meet him, to appease him.", + "Once he saw him, it is written, \"Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed\" (Beresheet 32:8). When he approached him, he began to bow and prostrate himself before him, as it is written, \"and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother\" (Beresheet 33:3). Esau said, 'If he had so much power, he would not have bowed before me.' He then began to become haughty again.", + "Come and behold, it is written of Bilaam, \"And Elohim came to Bilaam at night\" (Bemidbar 22:20). Of Laban, the verse says, \"And Elohim came to Laban the Aramian in a dream by night, and said to him, Take heed that you speak not to Jacob...\" (Beresheet 31:24). This shows us that Laban was as great as Bilaam. He asks, Why is it written, \"that you speak not,\" rather than 'that you harm not?' He answers, Laban did not chase Jacob with an army of men to wage war against him, for the power of Jacob and his sons is greater than that of Laban. But he chased him to kill him with his mouth and destroy everything, as it is written, \"An Aramian wanted to destroy my father.\" This is why it says, \"that you speak not,\" and not, 'that you harm not'. It is also written, \"It is in the power of my hand to do.\" How did he know he had the power? From that which \"Elohim of your father spoke to me last night\"", + "This is the testimony that the Holy One, blessed be He, commanded to pronounce, as it is written, \"And you shall speak and say before Hashem your Elohim, an Aramian wanted to destroy my father.\" \"And you shall speak\" is similar to the verses, \"You shall not bear false witness\" (Shemot 20:13), and also, \"and has testified...against his brother\" (Devarim 19:18).", + "It is written of Bilaam that \"he went not, as at other times, to seek for enchantments\" (Bemidbar 24:1), as was his wont, being a diviner. Of Laban too, the scripture says, \"I have learnt by signs\" (Beresheet 30:27), which means that he consulted magic and sorcery to learn of Jacob's plans. When he wanted to destroy Jacob, he planned to do it by enchantment and sorcery, but the Holy One, blessed be He, did not permit him to do so. Rather, He said to him: \"that you speak not.\"", + "This is the meaning of what Bilaam, Laban's grandson, said, \"Surely there is no enchantment in Jacob, nor divination in Yisrael\" (Num. 23:23). For who could prevail against them when my grandfather wished to destroy their father with divination and enchantment but could not, not having obtained permission to curse from the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is written, \"Surely there is no enchantment in Jacob, nor divination in Yisrael.\"", + "Laban used ten kinds of divination and enchantments from the illumination of the lower crowns, but could not prevail against Jacob. In connection with this, it is written, \"and you have changed my wages ten times\" (Beresheet 31:41). Laban used all these tools against him, but could not harm him, as it is written, \"and changed my wages ten times; but Elohim did not allow him to hurt me\" (Ibid. 7). What is the meaning of \"times (Heb. מוֹנִים)?\" It was translated into \"kinds (Heb. מִינִים).\" It is also written, \"the demons, after whom they have gone astray (Heb. זוֹנִים)\" (Vayikra 17:7). \"Times\" are literally 'kinds' (Aramaic זִינִין), the ten kinds of sorcery and divination of the lower crowns of the Klipot. Laban employed all of these against him.", + "These ten kinds are, \"a diviner, that uses divinations, a soothsayer, or an enchanter, or a witch, or a charmer, or a medium, or a wizard, or a necromancer\" (Devarim 18:10-11). There are ten in all.", + "Rabbi Yosi said, Enchantment and divination are two kinds with the same level of strength. When Bilaam came to hurt Yisrael, he used divination, as it is written, \"with divinations in their hand\" (Num. 22:7). Laban used enchantment against Jacob, but neither succeeded. This is the meaning of the verse, \"Surely there is no enchantment in Jacob, nor divination in Yisrael.\" The words, \"there is no enchantment in Jacob,\" refer to the days of Laban, and \"divination in Yisrael\" refers to the latter days of Bilaam.", + "Bilaam said to Balak: Come and behold. Who can prevail over them, seeing that all the divination and witchcraft in our crowns are adorned by the illumination of the upper Malchut, and he, Zeir Anpin, is bound to them, Yisrael, as it is written, \"Hashem his Elohim is with him, and the trumpet blast of a king is among them\" (Num. 23:21). Therefore, we can not use our witchcraft to harm them.", + "Rabbi Yehuda said, Heaven forbid that Bilaam would have any knowledge of the upper holiness. This is because the Holy One, blessed be He, desires no other people or tongue to make use of His glory, but His holy children alone, that is, Yisrael, who are called 'children to Hashem'. He said, \"you shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and you shall be holy\" (Vayikra 11:44), which means that those who are holy shall use holy things. And only Yisrael are holy, as it is written, \"For you are a holy people\" (Devarim 14:2); you, and no other people, are holy.", + "Those who are unholy find that defilement awaits them. Of them, the scripture says, \"he is unclean, he shall dwell alone; outside the camp shall his habitation be\" (Vayikra 13:46), that is, away from holiness. The impure touches on the impure, as it is written, \"and shall cry, unclean, unclean\" (Ibid. 45), which means that whoever is unclean cries to the unclean; one seeks out one's own kind.", + "Rabbi Yitzchak said, Is it becoming for Jacob, who was holy, to say that he was defiled by Laban and his magic? Could it possibly be considered a credit to him to say, \"I have sojourned with Laban?\" Despite what Rabbi Yehuda said, that everything follows its own kind, Rabbi Yosi gave another explanation for the difficulty in that verse. It is written, \"I am Esau your firstborn\" (Beresheet 27:19). Here, we should ask, is it becoming to a righteous man such as Jacob to change his name to that of an impure one? The explanation is that under the \"I,\" there is a tonal pause. Below the \"I\" is written the (tone) Pashta, whereas below \"Esau, your firstborn,\" is found the (tone) Zakef Katon, whose tone separates the word \"I\" from \"Esau your firstborn.\" What he actually said was \"I am who I am, though Esau is your firstborn,\" as has already been explained.", + "Here also it is written, \"I have oxen and donkeys,\" that is, do not pay attention to the blessing my father bestowed on me, to think that it was fulfilled in me. He blessed me, \"be lord over your brethren, and let your mother's sons bow down to you\" (Beresheet 27:29). Hence, I say to you, \"to my master Esau; Your servant Jacob.\" He blessed me with \"plenty of corn and wine,\" yet I have no stock of these; \"I have oxen, and donkeys, flocks and menservants,\" as a shepherd in the field. He blessed me with \"the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth,\" yet instead I \"have sojourned with Laban,\" a sojourner without even a house, let alone \"the fatness of the earth.\" The last was not fulfilled in me, as I have no land. I have only sojourned with Laban. He said all this so that Esau would not be jealous of him, on account of the blessings he received, and bring accusations against him.", + "Rabbi Abba said, It is written that Jacob was \"a plain man, dwelling in tents\" (Beresheet 25:27). He was called \"a plain man,\" because his abode was in two supernal temples, Binah and Malchut, the secret of the tent of Rachel and the tent of Leah. He reconciles both sides, which meant that he balanced and perfected the Right and Left Columns. Do not conclude from the verse, \"I have sojourned with Laban,\" that he was contaminated by the divination of Laban. But in light of Rabbi Yehuda's observation that one seeks out one's own kind, according to the question of Rabbi Yitzchak, the explanation for, \"I have sojourned with Laban,\" is that he was wholeheartedly thankful for the grace and truth shown him by the Holy One, blessed be He. For everybody knows that although no one can be saved from Laban's accusations, the Holy One, blessed be He, rescued me from his hands when Laban wanted to destroy me. This is what he meant by the verse, \"I have sojourned with Laban.\" Furthermore, he said all this so that Esau would not envy him his blessings, but rather think that they were not fulfilled in him. Thus, Esau would not harbor any hate for him as Rabbi Yosi explained. Of this, the scripture says, \"for the ways of Hashem are right\" (Hoshea 14:10), and, \"You shall be perfect with Hashem your Elohim\"(Devarim 18:13)." + ], + [ + "\"And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying: 'We came to your brother Esau, and he is also coming to meet you, and four hundred men with him'\" (Beresheet 32:7). He asks, After saying, \"We came to your brother,\" do we not know they referred to Esau, as he had no other brothers? He answers, \"We came to your brother\" means that he did not repent and walk the path of righteousness, as may be thought, but remained the evil Esau as before. \"and he is also coming to meet you...\" does not mean, as you may say, by himself, but rather he has \"four hundred men with him.\"", + "Why was all this specified? Because the Holy One, blessed be He, always longs for the prayers of the righteous and adorns Himself with them. As we have already said, the angel in charge of the prayers of Yisrael, whose name is Sandalphon, receives all their prayers and weaves them into a crown for the Life of the Worlds. The Holy One, blessed be He, desires the prayers of the righteous all the more; they become a crown with which to adorn the Holy One, blessed be He. You may wonder why Jacob was fearful, since camps of holy angels accompanied him. He was fearful because the righteous do not rely on their merit, but on their prayers and supplications before their Master.", + "Come and behold, Rabbi Shimon said that the prayer of the congregation rises before the Holy One, blessed be He, and He is adorned by that prayer because it ascends in several ways, One asking for Chassadim, another for Gevurot, and the third for Mercy. It consists of several sides, the right side, the left, and the middle, as Chassadim are drawn from the right, Gevurot from the left, and Mercy from the middle. Because it comprises several aspects, it is woven into a wreath and put on the head of the righteous One, the Life of the Worlds that is, Yesod, which gives salvation to the Nukva and from Her, to the whole congregation. But a solitary prayer does not include all the sides; rather, it contains only one aspect. One can only ask for Chassadim, Gevurot, or Mercy. Therefore, the solitary prayer is not prepared and accepted as is that of the congregation; It is not included within all the three Columns as is the prayer of the congregation. Come and behold, Jacob included all three Columns, being the Chariot of the Central Column, which includes both. Therefore, the Holy One, blessed be He, desired his prayer perfected by all three Columns. It is therefore written, \"Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed.\" The Holy One, blessed be He, did all that to encourage Jacob to pray, for He craved his prayer.", + "Rabbi Yehuda began the discussion with the verse, \"Happy is the man who fears always, but he who hardens his heart shall fall into evil\" (Mishlei 28:14). Happy are Yisrael, whom the Holy One, blessed be He, desires and to whom He gave the Torah of Truth with which to attain eternal life. For whoever is occupied with the study of the Torah receives supernal life from the Holy One, blessed be He, and is ushered into the life of the World to Come, as it is written, \"for He is your life, and the length of your days\" (Devarim 30:20), and, \"and through this word you shall prolong your days\" (Devarim 32:47) for it is life in this world and life in the World to Come." + ], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "", + "", + "And there are 365 sinews in a person - they correspond to 365 commandments that were given to not do; and correspond to the days of the year. And behold that the Ninth of Av is one of them. For it corresponds to Samael (the prosecuting angel), who is one of these 365 angels (another version: days). And because of this, the Torah said, \"the Children of Israel do not eat et the sciatic nerve.\" Et is to include the Ninth of Av, that we not eat on it and we do not drink. " + ] + ], + "Vayeshev": [ + [ + "\"And Jacob dwelt in the land in which his father sojourned, in the land of Canaan\" (Beresheet 37:1). Rabbi Chiya opened the discussion with the verse, \"Many are the afflictions of the righteous, and Hashem delivers him out of them all\" (Tehilim 34:20). Come and behold, how many enemies a man must face from the day that the Holy One, blessed be He, gives him a soul in this world. As soon as man comes into the world, the Evil Inclination is immediately ready to join him, as it is written, \"sin crouches at the door\" (Beresheet 4:7), because that is when the Evil Inclination associates with him.", + "Come and behold, this is true. From the day of birth, beasts protect themselves by fleeing from fire and evil places. Man immediately flings himself into the fire because the Evil Inclination dwells within him and immediately prompts him to follow the path of evil.", + "For we have learned that it says, \"Better is a poor and wise child than an old and foolish king who knows not how to take care of himself\" (Kohelet 4:13). \"Better is a child,\" because a child represents the Good Inclination; it has been with man for only a short time. Since the age of thirteen years and onward, as we have already learned.", + "In the verse, \"...than an old and foolish king\" (Kohelet 4:13), \"king\" refers to the Evil Inclination which is called a 'king' and 'ruler of people in the world'. It is certainly \"old,\" and \"foolish,\" because as soon as man is born and comes into the world, it lives with him. Hence, it is an \"old and foolish king.\"", + "Further it reads, \"who knows not how to take care of himself.\" It is not written, 'to take care of others', but, \"to take care of himself.\" Why? Because it is foolish. About it, Solomon said, \"and the fool walks in darkness\" (Kohelet 2:14), because it comes from the refuse of darkness and will never have light.", + "Rabbi Shimon said, Come and behold. It is written, \"Better is a poor and wise child.\" Who is a poor child? It has been explained, and we learned he is the Good Inclination. But \"better is a child,\" as it is written, \"I have been young, and now am old\" (Tehilim 37:25). This is the lad who is a poor child and owns nothing. Why is he called a lad? Because he is constantly renewed, like the moon. He is also \"a wise child,\" because wisdom dwells within him.", + "\"Than an old king\" refers to the Evil Inclination. As we have learned, it never departed from its impure ways from the day it was created. It is foolish, as all its ways lead to evil. It deludes people and does not know how to take care of itself. It accuses people falsely and misleads them from the path of good to the path of wickedness.", + "Come and behold, this is why (the evil inclination) comes early (to join) with man, from the day he is born, so that man will believe in it. Later, when the Good Inclination arrives, man will find it difficult to believe in it, and it will seem burdensome. Similarly, we have learned that he who is a subtle evil monger hastens to plead his case in front of a judge before the arrival of his colleague, the litigant, as written, \"The one who pleads first seems to be in the right\" (Mishlei 18:17).", + "This evil monger (is the evil inclination). As written, \"The serpent was craftier\" (Beresheet 3:2). He, too, hurries to dwell in man before his colleague comes to dwell in him. And because he arrived early to plead his case, when, his colleague, who is the Good Inclination, comes later, it is difficult for man to unite with it! And he cannot raise his head, as if he carried on his shoulders all the burdens of the world. All this is because the Evil One came first. Of this, Solomon said, \"The Poor man's wisdom is despised and his words are not heard\" (Kohelet 9:16), because the other one arrived earlier.", + "Subsequently, for any judge who accepts the words of a litigant before his colleague arrives, it is as if he accepts another deity to believe in. But, \"his neighbor comes forward, and sifts his case\" (Mishlei 18:17). This is the way of a righteous man because a righteous man does not believe the subtle evil monger, who is the Evil Inclination, even if he hastens to plead his case before the arrival of his colleague, the Good Inclination. And with this act, people fail to merit the World to Come.", + "But the righteous man who fears his Master suffers many afflictions in this world in order not to believe in and join the Evil Inclination. And the Holy One, blessed be He, saves him from them all. As it is written, \"Many are the afflictions of the righteous, and Hashem delivers him out of them all\" (Tehilim 34:20). Note that it is literally written, \"Many afflictions to the righteous,\" and not 'of the righteous', because the Holy One, blessed be He, cares for him. For this reason, the Holy One, blessed be He, cares for this man and delivers him from all in this world and the World to Come. Happy is his lot.", + "Come and behold, how many afflictions befell Jacob to keep him from becoming infected by the Evil Inclination and to keep it distant from his lot. That is why he suffered punishments and afflictions, and had no quiet repose. He said, \"I had no repose, nor had I rest, nor was I quiet; yet trouble came\" (Iyov 3:26). Come and behold, how many afflictions do the righteous suffer in this world. Trouble after trouble, pain after pain, so that they can merit the World to Come.", + "How many afflictions did Jacob have to suffer! As it is written, \"I had no repose\" in Laban's house, and I could not escape from him. \"Nor had I rest\" because of that suffering that Esau's minister inflicted on me. And after that, there was the fear of Esau. \"Nor was I quiet,\" on account of Dinah and Shechem.", + "\"Yet trouble came.\" It was the trouble and confusion about Joseph, which was the hardest affliction of all. Why? Because Jacob loved Joseph, who is the secret of the Covenant through which Jacob entered Egypt. After this, it is written, \"I remembered my covenant\" (Beresheet 9:15), because the Shechinah was there with him, with the Covenant, who is Joseph. Thus, the confusion about Joseph was harder on him than all other afflictions that befell him.", + "\"And Jacob dwelt in the land in which his father had sojourned, in the land of Canaan.\" Rabbi Yosi opened the discussion with the verse, \"The righteous perish, and no man lays it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come\" (Yeshayah 57:1). \"The righteous perish\" when the Holy One, blessed be He, looks on the world and it is not as it should be, and Judgment falls on the world. Then the righteous among them is taken away so that the Judgment will fall only on the others, who will have no protection.", + "As long as the righteous dwell in this world, Judgment can not be handed down on it. What is the origin of this principle? Moses, as it is written, \"He said that He would destroy them, had not Moses His chosen one stood before Him in the breach\" (Tehilim 106:23). Thus, the Holy One, blessed be He, takes the righteous from among them and elevates them from this world. Only then does He receive His due retribution from the others as the last part of the passage reads, \"The righteous is taken away from the evil to come\"; before evil comes to rule the world, the righteous are taken away. Another explanation is that \"from the evil\" refers to the Evil Inclination.", + "Come and behold, Jacob was the perfection of the Fathers. He was about to be sent into exile, but he was righteous, so Judgment was withheld and did not control the world. Thus, Judgment did not befall the world through all of Jacob's days, and the famine ended.", + "Similarly, in the days of Joseph, who had his father's image, exile was avoided because he protected them throughout his life. But when he died, exile immediately befell them, as it is written, \"And Joseph died\" (Shemot 1:6) which is followed by, \"Come, let us deal wisely with them\" (Ibid. 10), and \"they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in mortar, and in brick...\" (Ibid. 14).", + "Similarly, wherever a righteous person dwells in the world, the Holy One, blessed be He, protects the world for his sake. And as long as he is alive, Judgment cannot befall the world, as we have learned.", + "Come and behold, it is written, \"And Jacob dwelt in the land in which his father sojourned\" (Beresheet 37:1). HE ASKS, What is meant by \"his father sojourned (Heb. מְגוּרֵי)\"? Terror (Heb. מָגוֹר) from every side, because he was anxious and afraid all his days. Rabbi Elazar said, \"And Jacob dwelt\" in this place that was unified with darkness. \"The land in which his father sojourned\" means precisely. \"In the land of Canaan\" alludes to a place connected to its proper location, which means that the Nukva is called 'land.' When She is connected to the Left Column, who was the father of Jacob, She is called the 'Land of Canaan'. As it was said, a place attached to its proper location, which means that the land of Canaan is connected to the land of his father's sojourning, which is the Left Column. \"His father sojourned\" is Harsh Judgment. The \"land in which his father sojourned\" is Weak Judgment, as we have learned. This is land that is joined with and emerges from Harsh Judgment. Jacob dwelt in, and held on to, this land." + ], + [ + "\"These are the generations of Jacob: Joseph\" (Beresheet 37:2). After Joseph settled in Jacob, and the sun mated with the moon he began to produce generations. And who is he that brings forth offspring? The scripture continues saying, \"Joseph.\" For the river that flows and comes out (of Eden is Yesod, which is Joseph). It is he who is the progenitor of the offspring because his waters never cease to flow.", + "The sun unites with the moon, the Nukva, but can only bear fruit on the grade that is called 'Righteous', and on no other grade. Joseph, who is the grade of Jacob, who can bear fruit and bring forth generations to the world. Thus, it is written, \"These are the generations of Jacob: Joseph...\"", + "\"These are the generations of Jacob: Joseph\" Anyone who gazed at the facial image of Joseph thought it was the facial image of Jacob. Come and behold, it is not written when referring to any other children of Jacob. (It is not written) 'These are the generations of Jacob: Reuben'. Only in reference to Joseph, the facial image of Joseph was the same as his father's image.", + "\"Joseph being seventeen years old\" (Beresheet 37:2). Rabbi Abba said that the Holy One, blessed be He, indicated to Jacob that Joseph was seventeen years old at the time he was lost. All the days that remained, during which time he did not see Joseph, Jacob was crying over him. Because he was crying during those years, the Holy One, blessed be He, gave him another seventeen years, during which he lived in the land of Egypt with happiness, honor, and fulfillment. His son, Joseph, was king and all his sons were there before him. Those seventeen years were considered as life for him. Hence, the text informs us that Joseph was seventeen years of age when he lost him." + ], + [ + "Rabbi Chiya opened the discussion with the verse, \"Therefore listen to me you men of understanding: Far be it from El to do wickedness and from Shadai to commit iniquity. For the work of a man shall He pay back to him, and according to his ways will He cause to befall every man\" (Iyov 34:10). Come and behold, when the Holy One, blessed be He, created the world, He created it by Judgment, and it exists upon Judgment. All worldly affairs exist according to the principles of Judgment. Nevertheless, to support the world and prevent its destruction, the Holy One, blessed be He, spreads Mercy over it. This Mercy tempers Judgment, so that it does not put an end to the world. Thus, the world acts according to Mercy, and endures due to it.", + "And if you say that the Holy One, blessed be He, judges man without justice, we have learned that when Judgment prevails on man and he is righteous, it is because of the love of the Holy One, blessed be He. As we have learned, when the Holy One, blessed be He, feels pity for a man, it is to bring the man closer to Him. The Holy One, blessed be He, breaks the body so as to give the soul total control. Then man can come closer to Him with love, as is fitting, and the soul controls man while his body is weakened.", + "A man needs to have a weak body and a strong soul that shall grow stronger still. Then he is beloved by the Holy One, blessed be He. According to the friends, the Holy One, blessed be He, causes sorrow to the righteous in this world so that the righteous may merit the World to Come.", + "When the soul is weak and the body strong, man is hated by the Holy One, blessed be He, who does not care for him. Therefore, He inflicts no suffering on him in this world. His life runs smoothly and perfectly, for if this man gives alms or performs a kindness, the Holy One, blessed be He, rewards him in this world so that he will have no portion in the World to Come. This is why Unkelos translated the verse, \"And He repays them that hate Him to their face\" (Devarim 7:10) as 'And He repays them that Hate him in this world.' Thus, the righteous person, who always experiences pain, is beloved by the Holy One, blessed be He. This is true only if he is found to have committed no sin that merits punishment.", + "There are several aspects to this matter. First, we see that the Shechinah does not dwell in a place of sorrow, but only in a place of joy. If a place has no joy, the Shechinah will not abide there. This is echoed in the verse, \"But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of Hashem came upon him\" (II Kings 3:15); for assuredly the Shechinah does not dwell in a place of sadness. From where do we derive this principle? We learn this from Jacob, from whom the Shechinah departed during the time he mourned Joseph. When joy came upon him with the good news about Joseph, immediately, \"the spirit of Jacob their father revived\" (Beresheet 45:27). (There is a mystery here), for where is joy in a Righteous man who is broken by troubles and is weak and suffering? Surely he must be saddened with no joy at all.", + "(We must look) into another matter, for many just men who are beloved of the Holy One, blessed be He, do not suffer bodily pain or diseases; their bodies never weaken. Why are they not as the other righteous men? Those who were physically broken and those who were healthy?", + "It is said that those who live well are righteous, the children of righteous men, as has already been explained, while the others, are righteous, but are not children of righteous men. Yet we see Righteous men whose fathers are righteous, whose fathers were of righteous men, (and they suffer pain). Why do they suffer bodily pain and spend their days in grief?", + "There is a mystery here, for all the works of the Holy One, blessed be He, are according to Truth and Justice. \"For the work of a man shall he pay back to him, and according to his ways will he cause to befall every man\" (Iyov 34:11). I found in ancient books a mystery, and another mystery within it thus, one mystery which is two. There are times when the moon is defective and under Judgment, and the sun is hidden from her. She releases souls to give to men, which she first gathered, she releases, when she is under Judgment. Whoever receives such a soul will always be in want and poverty, ever broken under Judgment and throughout all his life be he just or wicked. Only prayer annuls all judgmental sentences. One can avert them through prayer.", + "When that grade is complete, out (from Eden), unites with her, the soul that she releases cleaves to man. He is complete in all in riches, children and a healthy body.", + "All this depends upon mazal ('constellation, luck'), (Yesod) which is drawn to and attached to that grade, for Her to be perfected and blessed by it. Therefore, all depends upon Mazal. We have learned that \"children, life and livelihood do not depend upon merit but upon mazal.\" There is no merit until the Nukva is filled and shines from mazal.", + "Therefore, all those who are sentenced according to justice and crushed in this world, yet are also truly righteous, suffer by reason of the soul (Nefesh). Therefore, the Holy One, blessed be He, has compassion for them in the World to Come.", + "Rabbi Elazar said that the Holy One, blessed be He, does everything according to Justice. (If He brings suffering it is) to purify that soul (Nefesh) and bring it to the World to Come, for all the deeds of the Holy One, blessed be He, are true and just. To remove from the soul the filth it accumulated in this world, the body is crushed and the soul cleansed. Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, brings pain to the just man, so that he will be cleansed from all sins and thereby merit life in the World to Come. As it is written, \"Hashem tries the righteous\" (Tehilim 11:5), as we have already learned." + ], + [ + "Rabbi Shimon opened the discussion with the verse, \"Only he shall not go in to the veil, nor come near to the altar, because he has a blemish; that he profane not My holy places, for I, Hashem, do sanctify them\" (Vayikra 21:23). \"He shall not go in to the veil.\" Come and behold, at the time the river is flowing and comes out (from Eden) and issues the souls, the Nukva conceives. And they all abide in a room within a room, where the walls are covered with wallpaper or carpets.", + "When the moon is rendered defective by the same aspect of the evil serpent, all the souls that are issued, although they were all pure and sacred, since they emerged at a defective time, (the bodies with which) the Souls came are crushed, and suffer pains and afflictions. The Holy One, blessed be He, cares for (and loves) those who are broken, although their souls are sad instead of joyous.", + "The secret is that they remain as above (in the Nukva). When the body is flawed, the soul inside remains the same. The one state resembles the other. Therefore, they are renewed like the moon, as it is written, \"And it shall come to pass, that every new moon, and every Shabbat, shall all flesh come to bow down to the ground before Me, says Hashem\" (Isaiah 66:23). \"All flesh\" assuredly, for they are in need of renewal along with the moon.", + "The righteous are the constant companions of the moon, and have the identical defects. She therefore dwells always within them and never leaves them, as it is written, \"him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit\" (Isaiah 57:15) and, \"Hashem is near to them who are of a broken heart\" (Tehilim 34:19), to those who suffered from the same defect as the moon, those who are always near her. \"And He saves such as are of a contrite spirit\" (Ibid.), by giving them a portion of the life flowing for renewal, because they who suffered with her shall also be renewed with her.", + "Those (defects from which the righteous suffer) are called 'sufferings of love', because they are caused by love and not by the man himself. They are of love because the light of the smaller love was impaired when rejected by the greater love. Therefore, the righteous are her companions and share her flaw. Happy is their portion in this world and in the World to Come, for they merited to be her friends, as it is written of them: \"For my brethren and companions' sakes\" (Tehilim 122:8)." + ], + [ + "He opened the discussion with the verse, \"Behold, My servant shall prosper, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high\" (Isaiah 52:13). Happy is the portion of the righteous, to whom the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed the ways of the Torah, so they may follow them. Come and behold, the verse, \"Behold, my servant shall prosper,\" contains a supernal mystery, which has already been explained. Yet come and behold, when the Holy One, blessed be He, created the universe He made the moon and He decreased her lights in such a way that she had nothing of her own. Because she made herself small, she shone from the sun, by the power of the Supernal Lights.", + "While the Temple existed, Yisrael diligently proceeded with sacrifices, offerings and rituals performed by the priests, Levites and the children of Yisrael, creating unification and causing the lights to shine. After the Temple was destroyed, the light darkened and the moon no longer shone from the sun. The sun", + "withdrew from her and did not shine. Therefore, as we have learned, no day passes without curses, sorrow, and pain.", + "When the time comes for the moon to shine, then it is written, \"Behold, My servant shall prosper,\" which is an allusion to the moon. \"Behold, My servant shall prosper,\" refers to the secret of the faith. The words, \"shall prosper,\" refer to the Supernal Awakening (which will be like) a man who smells an odor and becomes alert and attentive.", + "\"He shall be exalted,\" means that (the Nukva shall be filled) from that facet of the light that is superior to all the lights, (i.e. Keter). \"He shall be exalted\" as in, \"and therefore will He be exalted, that He may have mercy upon you\" (Isaiah 30:18); \"and extolled,\" on the side of Abraham, i.e. Chesed. \"And be high,\" on the side of Isaac, i.e. Gevurah, while \"very,\" on the side of Jacob, (is Tiferet). And although this has already been explained, all is one in the secret of wisdom.", + "At that time, the Holy One, blessed be He, will intensify energy above so as to shine well upon the moon. As it is written, \"Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days\" (Isaiah 30:26). Thus will Supernal Light be added to her own. Then all the dead, in the dust, will be stirred.", + "He calls him \"servant\" (masculine form), for the secret path to his Master's keys is in his hand. The same applies to the verse, \"And Abraham said to the...servant,\" (Beresheet 24:2) who is the moon, as we have learned. (This is revealed through) Metatron, the servant messenger of his Master.", + "\"The eldest of his house\" (Beresheet 24:2), (means Metatron), as in \"I have been young, and now am old\" (Tehilim 37:25). The Minister of the world 'who is Metatron?' said this phrase. \"That ruled over all that he had\" (Beresheet 24:2), as all the colors, green, white, and red, are reflected in him.", + "\"Put, I pray you, your hand under my thigh\" (Ibid.) refers to the Righteous. Since he is the existence of the world, this servant is appointed to bring life to the dwellers of the dust. And he becomes perfected through the supernal spirit to return spirits and souls to their places, in the decayed and putrefied cadavers underneath the ground.", + "\"And I will make you swear by Hashem, the Elohim of heaven\" (Beresheet 24:3). \"And I will make you swear.\" What is the meaning of, \"I will make you swear\"? He will be clothed in the secret of the seven Supernal Lights, they are the secret of supernal perfection. \"That you shall not take a wife,\" refers to the body underneath the ground, which now rises from the dust. All those who were buried and deserved to be interred in the land of Yisrael shall be the first to rise to life, as has been explained in relation to the verse, \"The dead men of your people shall live\" (Isaiah 26:19), referring to the dead in the land of Yisrael. Then \"my dead body shall arise\" (Ibid.), meaning the dead outside Yisrael. For all that, only the bodies of Yisrael, buried (in Yisrael), shall rise, but not bodies from other nations, which defile the land.", + "Therefore, in the verse, \"That you shall not take a wife to my son,\" what is meant by \"my son\"? All the souls in the world that come from the river which flows out from Eden, Which is Yesod, are the children of the Holy One, blessed be He. Therefore, \"that you shall not take a wife,\" means a body; \"to my son\" refers to the soul; \"of the daughters of the Canaan,\" are the bodies of the heathen nations, which the Holy One, blessed be He, will shake out of the Holy Land. As it is written, \"That the wicked might be shaken out of it\" (Iyov 38:13), as dirt is shaken out of a garment.", + "\"But you shall go to my country, and to my kindred\" (Beresheet 24:4). In this verse, \"my country\" is the Holy Land, which precedes all other countries, as we have learned. Of the verse, \"But you shall go to my country, and to my kindred,\" Why \"my kindred\" after saying, \"my country?\" \"My country\" is the holy land, as we said and \"my kindred\" are Yisrael!", + "Come and behold, It is written, \"And the servant took\" (Beresheet 24:10). As we have learned, (this refers to Metatron); \"ten camels\" are the ten grades, which the servant governs. They are a likeness to the above. \"Of the camels of his master\" means they bear a likeness to his master's camels as we have learned. And this servant rules over them and is established through them.", + "\"For all the goods of his master were in his hand\" (Beresheet 24:10), refers to the goodness and the lofty fragrance issued from the Supernal Lights and candles; \"for all the goods of his master were in his hand,\" is that it refers to the union of the sun, which is attracted to the moon. For through him occurs the union of male and female.", + "\"And he arose, and went to Aram-naharayim\" (Beresheet 24:10), the place in the Holy Land where Rachel wept when the Temple was destroyed. \"And he made his camels kneel down outside the city by a well of water\" (Beresheet 24:11), for he wanted to add to her strength before raising and reviving the bodies.", + "In the verse, \"At the time of evening\" (Beresheet 24:11), what time is referred to? It is Shabbat eve the era of the sixth millennium. In the phrase, \"At the time of evening,\" It conveys the meaning of, \"And to his labor until the evening\" (Tehilim. 104:23), and \"For the shadows of the evening are lengthened\" (Jer. 6:4)." + ], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "Whoever studies the Torah for its own sake will find that when he passes from the world, the Torah goes before him with proclamations and protects him from approaching accusers. When the body lays in the grave, it guards him and when the soul departs to ascend to its place [in the lower Garden of Eden] it precedes the soul. Many gates are thrown open before the Torah until it brings him to its place [in the Garden of Eden]. It stands by that person when the dead are resurrected, and speaks in his favor.", + "This is what is written, \"When you walk, it shall lead you; when you lay down, it shall keep you and when you awake, it shall talk with you\". (Proverbs 6:22). \"When you walk, it shall lead you,\" refers to [the Torah that walks before one at the time he leaves the world]. \"When you lay down, it shall keep you,\" refers to the interval when the body lays in the grave, for at that time the body is judged and sentenced and the Torah acts in its defense. \"And when you awake, it shall talk with you,\" refers to the time at which the dead rise from the dust. \"It shall talk with you\" means it will speak in your defense." + ] + ], + "Miketz": [ + [ + "\"And it came to pass at the end of two years\" (Beresheet 41:1). Rabbi Chiya opened the discussion with the verse, \"He puts an end to darkness, and searches out all perfection, the stone of darkness and the shadow of death\" (Iyov 28:3). \"He puts an end to darkness\" is the end of the left. He hovers about the world; he hovers above and stands before the Holy One, blessed be He, and blames and accuses the world. As it is written, he \"searches out all perfection (Heb. תַּכְלִית),\" for his deeds are not intended to achieve good, but rather to exterminate (Heb. lechalot) and bring extinction to the world.", + "\"... the stone of darkness and the shadow of death\" refers to a stumbling stone (the Satan, because) the wicked stumble and sin on it. It abides in that which is called \"a land of gloom, as darkness itself\" (Iyov 10:22). Come and behold, There is the land of the living above, which is the land of Yisrael. And there is a land below called \"darkness and the shadow of death,\" namely the darkness that is issued from the land of gloom. What are \"the stone of darkness and the shadow of death?\" They are the end, on the side of darkness. They are (the Satan), the dross of gold, as we have already learned.", + "Come and behold how much it behooves men to look into the worship of the Holy One, blessed be He, and strive to study the Torah day and night, so they will know and behold His worship. For the Torah proclaims every day before men, saying, \"Whoever is simple, let him turn in here, as for him that lacks understanding, she says to him\" (Mishlei 9:4). We have already explained this matter.", + "When a man studies the Torah and cleaves to it, he is strengthened in the Tree of Life, as it is written, \"a Tree of Life...\" (Mishlei 3:18). Come and behold, When a man is strengthened in the Tree of Life in this world, he is strengthened in it for the World to Come. And when the souls leave this world, grades are prepared for them in the World to Come.", + "Come and behold, The Tree of Life is divided into several grades, but they are all unified into one. For in the Tree of Life there are grades upon grades - branches, leaves, husks, the trunk, and the roots. All of them are the tree. In the same manner, whoever strives to study the Torah is strengthened and improved by the Tree of Life.", + "All those of the faith, Yisrael, are strengthened by the Tree of Life. They all hold onto the tree, but some of them hold on to the trunk, some to the branches, some to the leaves, and some to the roots. It seems, therefore, that they hold onto the Tree of Life. All of those who are occupied in the study of the Torah hold to the trunk of the tree, and for that reason, he who studies the Torah holds onto the whole tree. This has already been explained.", + "\"And it came to pass at the end.\" What is the meaning of \"the end?\" Rabbi Shimon replied that this is a place in which there is no remembrance, the end of the left. What does this mean? For it is written, \"But think of me (lit. 'remember') when it shall be well with you\" (Beresheet 40:14). Is it proper for Joseph the righteous to say, \"But remember me.\"? When Joseph looked at the dream, he said, 'This is assuredly a dream of remembrance' but he was wrong, because it all came from the Holy One, blessed be He.", + "Therefore, the place of forgetfulness rose against him. It is written, \"Nevertheless the chief butler did not remember Joseph, but forgot him\". If it is said \"the chief butler did not remember,\" why then add \"but forgot him\"? (Because) \"but forgot him\" indicates the place in which there is forgetfulness, which is the end on the side of darkness. What are the two years? The grade of forgetfulness returned after that time to the grade in which there is remembrance.", + "\"...that Pharaoh dreamed, and behold, he stood by the river\" concerns the dream of Joseph, because every river is part of Joseph the Righteous. This is the hidden meaning of the thought that whoever sees a river in his dream sees peace, as it is written, \"I will extend peace to her like a river\" (Isaiah 66:12), so \"river\" alludes to Joseph." + ], + [ + "\"And it came to pass at the end of two years.\" Rabbi Chiya opened the discussion with the verse, \"The king, by justice establishes the land, but he who exacts gifts overthrows it\" (Mishlei 29:4). Come and behold, When the Holy One, blessed be He, created the upper world, He made everything properly and created bright lights that shone in all directions. These represent the three Columns, and all is united into one. He created heaven above, and the earth below, to combine as one Binah, Zeir Anpin, and Nukva to benefit the lower beings.", + "Come and behold, In the verse, \"The king by justice establishes the land\", who is the king? He is the Holy One, blessed be He. The words \"by justice\" refer to Jacob, that is, Zeir Anpin, who forms the foundation of the land. Therefore the letter Vav in the name Yud Hei Vav Hei, which is Zeir Anpin, is sustained by the upper Hei. The lower Hei is sustained by the Vav, because \"justice establishes the land\" with all its needs and nourishes it.", + "Another explanation of \"the king\" is that it refers to the Holy One, blessed be He, while justice refers to Joseph, \"who established the land\" as it is written, \"And all countries (lit. 'and all the land') came to Egypt to Joseph to buy provisions\" (Beresheet 41:57). Because the Holy One, blessed be He, favored Jacob, He made him governor of all the land.", + "Rabbi Yosi said, \"The king\" is Joseph and \"by justice\" is Jacob, because as long as Jacob did not come to Egypt, the land was beset by famine. After Jacob came to Egypt by his merit, the famine was gone and the land was established.", + "Another explanation is that \"The king by justice establishes the land\" refers to King David, as it is written, \"And David reigned over all Yisrael; and David executed judgment and righteousness to all his people\" (II Shmuel 8:15). He established the land, and by his merit, it stood, \"but he who exacts gifts overthrows it\" refers to Rechav'am.", + "Come and behold, For the sake of the righteous, the Holy One, blessed be He, did not impose punishment that had been decreed on the world, so it will not have sway over the world. All the days of King David, the land was established for his sake. After he died, it continued because of his merit, as it is written, \"And I will defend this city for my own sake, and for my servant David's sake\" (II Kings 20:6). Similarly, no punishment was inflicted on the world during all the days of Jacob and all the days of Joseph, the famine ceased for their sake and the enslaving by Egypt was delayed.", + "Come and behold, The verse, \"The king by justice establishes the land\" refers to Joseph, \"but he who exacts gifts overthrows it\" refers to Pharaoh. Because Pharaoh hardened his heart against the Holy One, blessed be He, the land of Egypt was destroyed. Before that, the land was thriving through Joseph, in accordance with Pharaoh's dream, as it is written, \"And it came to pass at the end of two years...\".", + "Rabbi Elazar opened the discussion with the verse, \"Hashem lives; and blessed is my Rock; and let the Elohim (Heb. Elohai) of my salvation be exalted\" (Tehilim 18:47). \"Elohai\" is spelled with a Vav. This verse requires careful study. The phrase, \"Hashem lives\" refers to the Righteous, the foundation of the world, who is referred to as the life of the worlds. The phrase \"and blessed is my Rock\" is the meaning of \"Blessed be Hashem my Rock\" (Tehilim 144:1). The world is sustained by the generosity of the Righteous, \"Let the Elohim of my salvation be exalted\": \"exalted\" refers to the upper world, and \"Elohai\" with a Vav is heaven, as it is written, \"The heavens are the heavens of Hashem\" (Tehilim 115:16).", + "Come and behold, \"Blessed be Adonai who day by day bears our burden\" (Tehilim 68:20). The name Adonai is spelled Aleph-Dalet-Nun-Yud, (this alludes to the Nukva). This verse contains the mystery of wisdom. \"Day by day\" is the secret of \"two years (lit. 'two years' days')\". This is as it is written, \"And it came to pass at the end of two years that Pharaoh dreamed, and behold, he stood by the river.\" We have already learned this secret; it means Joseph, because the words, \"a river\" refer to Joseph the Righteous.", + "The verse, \"And, behold, there came up out of the river seven cows, well favored, and fat of flesh, and they fed in the reed grass\" reads \"out of the river\" because from this river, (Yesod) all the grades below are blessed, because the river that flows from Eden, (Binah) waters and sustains everything. And Joseph is a river, and the whole land of Egypt is blessed for his sake.", + "And Come and behold, From that river, the seven grades are watered and blessed by it. These are \"well favored, and fat of flesh\", who \"fed in the reed grass.\" (That is), they fed together in friendship, and there was no separation among them. All of them stand to be praised, for these seven grades are the mystery of the verse, \"and the seven maids chosen to be given her, out of the king's house\" (Esther 2:9). And so are the \"seven cows well favored,\" all to be praised. In contrast, \"the seven chamberlains who served in the presence of the king\" (Tehilim 1:10) are not to be wholly praised, for they include a portion of the powers of defilement, which is the secret of the seven lean cows.", + "Rabbi Yitzchak said, The seven good cows are grades, superior to other grades, whereas the seven ill-favored cows are the grades below. (The Upper ones) are on the side of holiness, and (The Lower ones) on the side of defilement.", + "\"...the seven ears of grains,\" Rabbi Yehuda said that the first are good, because they are of the right side, about which it is written, \"it was good.\" The ill and thin are beneath them. The seven (good) ears are on the side of purity, and the (ill) ones are on the side of impurity. These grades all stand on top of each other against each other. Pharaoh saw all of them in his dream.", + "Rabbi Yesa asks, How could they have shown the evil Pharaoh all these grades? Rabbi Yehuda answers, He only saw their likeness. For there are grades upon grades, all stand on top of each other, of which Pharaoh saw only their images.", + "We have already learned that a man is shown things in his dreams according to his character. As his soul ascends, he will perceive that which he deserves according to his grade. Pharaoh, therefore, saw what he was worthy of seeing and no more.", + "\"And it came to pass in the end.\" Rabbi Chizkiah began with the verse, \"To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven\" (Kohelet 3:1). Come and behold what the Holy One, blessed be He, did below: He set a time for everything, and fixed a term for it. He fixed a term for light and darkness. He set a time for light for all nations (except Israel), which now have mastery over the world, and He set time for darkness, when Yisrael are in exile and under the dominion of other nations. The Holy One, blessed be He, appointed a season for all and, therefore, \"To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose.\" What is the meaning of, \"and a time to every purpose?\" It means a time and season for everything that is below, that is, all the goodness found below has a set time and season.", + "Another explanation for \"...and a time to every purpose.\" What is \"time?\" It is the same as mentioned in the verses, \"It is time to act for Hashem: they have made void Your Torah\" (Tehilim 119:126) and \"that he come not at all times into the holy place\" (Vayikra 16:2). This is the grade appointed (to lead the world), and has already been explained. Therefore, the scriptures explain that \"time\" is appointed over \"every purpose under the heaven.\" \"And it came to pass at the end of two years\" refers to the side of the end of darkness, that Pharaoh had seen in his dream. This is where he derived his knowledge from, and the dream was revealed to him." + ], + [ + "\"And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled (Heb. וַתִּפָּעֶם).\" What does וַתִּפָּעֶם mean? Rabbi Yosi said, It has already been explained. Of Pharaoh, it is written, וַתִּפָּעֶם, and of Nebuchadnezzar, it is written, \"his spirit was troubled (Heb. וַתִּתְפָּעֶם)\" (Daniel 2:1). Pharaoh is described as vatipaem because he comprehended the dream but not its interpretation. Nebuchadnezzar, on the other hand, saw the dream and its interpretation, but forgot everything. It is therefore written vatitpaem (with an extra Tet).", + "But come and behold, \"and his spirit was troubled (Heb. וַתִּפָּעֶם)\" corresponds to \"And the spirit of Hashem began to move him (Heb. לְפַעֲמוֹ)\" (Judges 13:25), for the spirit would appear and disappear, come and go, yet not settle upon him properly. It is therefore written, \"And the spirit of Hashem began to move him,\" when (the spirit) just began (to inspire him). Here also the spirit would appear and leave, then appear, but would not settle upon him, so that he could understand. Of Nebuchadnezzar it is written, \"and his spirit was troubled (Heb. וַתִּתְפָּעֶם),\" for the inspiration was twice as strong. It would come and go, as it is written, \"as on previous occasions (Heb. כְּפַעַם בְּפַעַם, lit. 'as time to time')\" (I Shmuel 3:10), now upon this and now upon that, but his mind was not settled.", + "\"And he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt,\" refers to the sorcerers; \"and all her wise men\" refers to the astrologers. They all tried to understand, but could not.", + "Rabbi Yitzchak said, Although we have learned that a man is shown only what is appropriate to his grade, this is not true for kings. They are shown supernal things that are different from those that other people are shown. Because a king is of a superior grade than other men, that which he is shown is of a higher grade than the rest, as it is written, \"what the Elohim are about to do He has declared to Pharaoh\" (Beresheet 41:25). But to other men, the Holy One, blessed be He, does not reveal His works. He reveals them only to the prophets, the pious, and the wise men of the ages, as has already been explained.", + "Come and behold, It is written, \"me he restored to my office, and him he hanged\" (Beresheet 41:13). From this, we understand that a dream follows its interpretation. Who is referred to in the phrase, \"me he restored to my office?\" It is Joseph. Also (Joseph) hanged him because of his interpretation of the dream, and so it is written, \"And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was\" (Ibid.)." + ], + [ + "\"Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon.\" Rabbi Abba opened the discussion with the verse, \"Hashem takes pleasure in those who fear Him, in those who hope for His mercy\" (Tehilim 147:11). How much the Holy One, blessed be He, delights in the righteous, for they make peace above, they make peace below, and they bring the bride to her husband. The Holy One, blessed be He, is therefore pleased with those who fear Him and abide by His wish.", + "\"Those who hope for His mercy.\" Who are \"those who hope for His mercy?\" They are the ones who study the Torah at night and join the Shechinah. When morning comes, they hope for His mercy. It has already been explained that when a man studies the Torah at night, a thread of grace is drawn upon him during the day, as it is written, \"Yet Hashem will command His grace in the daytime, and in the night His song shall be with me\" (Tehilim 42:9). Why is it said that \"Hashem will command His grace in the daytime?\" Because \"in the night His song shall be with me.\" Hence the verse, \"Hashem takes pleasure (in) those who fear Him,\" uses the particle Et instead of \"in,\" as one who pleases another and wishes to be at peace with him. It is therefore written, \"Hashem takes pleasure (in) those who fear him\", rather than \"Hashem takes pleasure in those who fear Him,\"", + "Similarly, Joseph was sad in mind and spirit; he was imprisoned. Once Pharaoh had sent for him, it is written, \"and they brought him hastily,\" which means that he appeased him and addressed him with joyful words that gladden the heart. Why? Because he was dejected in the dungeon (lit. 'pit'). Come and behold, First he fell into a pit, and from the pit he later rose to greatness.", + "Rabbi Shimon said, Before the incident happened, Joseph was not called righteous. After he guarded the Holy Covenant, he was called Righteous and the grade of the Holy Covenant decorated him. He who was first in the dungeon rose from it. It is written, \"and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon,\" for he had ascended from (the Kelipah) and was adorned with a well of living water.", + "\"Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph.\" It should have been written \"to call Joseph\". It was the Holy One, blessed be He, (who called) as it is written, \"until the time that His word came to pass, the word of Hashem had tested him\" (Tehilim 105:19). The verse, \"until the time that His word came to pass\" is similar to the phrase, \"and called Joseph\". It is written here \"and called Joseph\" and elsewhere \"And He called to Moses\" (Vayikra 1:1). \"And he shaved himself, and changed his garments\" out of respect for the king.", + "Rabbi Elazar opened the discussion with the verse, \"So Yisrael came into Egypt; and Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham\" (Vayikra 1:23). Come and behold, The Holy One, blessed be He, directs events and fulfills vows and oaths in order to fulfill the vow and edict He decreed.", + "We have learned that were it not for the fondness and affection the Holy One, blessed be He, bore for the Patriarchs, Jacob would have had to go down to Egypt in iron chains. In His love for them, He made Joseph, His son, ruler and governor over the whole land. The tribes then went to Egypt honored, and Jacob was as a king.", + "Come and behold, It is written, \"So Yisrael came into Egypt; and Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham.\" Because it is written, \"So Yisrael came into Egypt,\" it is understood that Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham. Why should he have added it? \"so Yisrael came into Egypt\" refers to the Holy One, blessed be He, \"and Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham\" refers to Jacob, because it was for the sake of Jacob, and his sons that the Shechinah came down to Egypt. The Holy One, blessed be He, planned events so that Joseph was brought down first; for as a result of his merit, the covenant dwelt with him and made him ruler over the whole land." + ], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "Come and see: It is written (Genesis 42:6), \"And Yosef was the ruler over the land\" - that is the sun that rules over the moon, and gives it light and sustains it - \"he was the provider for all the people of the land\" - since all are nourished from that river that flows and ebbs, and the souls of all bloom from there. And because of that, all bow down towards that place. For there is nothing in the world that is not dependent upon the constellation (mazal). And this has been explained. " + ] + ], + "Vayigash": [ + [ + "1. And Judah approached him, and so on.\" Rabbi Elazar opened [his discourse] (Isaiah 63:16): 'For You are our Father, though Abraham may not know us and Israel may not recognize us, You, O Lord, are our Father; our Redeemer from everlasting is Your name.' This verse is cited to establish [the following], but come and see: as the Holy One, blessed be He, created the world, each and every day, He performs His work as He sees fit. Every day according to what is needed. Since a man comes to drink a cup and he needs to bless, the Divine Light appears before him. She says (before the Holy One, blessed be He): 'This man wishes to bless. Is he fit to be included with Your treasures?' If not for the fact that wrath should not be prolonged, it would be better that he not be created. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to her: 'If this man, who wishes to bless, were not fit to be created, would he be capable of enduring his wrath?'", + "2. Rather, everything is created by the Divine Light (i.e. through the medium of the Torah), and everything is included in the Divine Light (the Torah). Because until the Holy One, blessed be He, created the world, all the letters stood before Him, and each one rose individually to plead its case.", + "3. Tav came before Him and said, 'Would You create the world through me? The Holy One, blessed be He, responded, \"No, for many righteous people are destined to die through you, in accordance with the verse, \"and set a mark (Heb. tav) upon the foreheads of the men\" (Yechezkel 9:4). We have also learned this from the verse, \"and begin with My sanctuary\" (Ibid. 6), in which the word 'sanctuary' should be read as 'sanctified'. The world therefore will not be created through you.\"", + "4. The three letters Shin, Kof, and Resh came before Him, each on its own. The Holy One, blessed be He said, 'It is not worthwhile to create the world by you, for you are the letters which combine to create the word 'lie' (Heb. sheker), and no lie deserves to rise before Me,\" as has already been explained. ", + "5. Then came the letters Pe and Tzadi, and so on until the letter kaf. Once Kaf descended from the Crown (Heb. keter), the higher and lower worlds shook until all was established using the letter Bet, a sign of blessing (Heb. berachah) - and the world was created and constructed by it. ", + "6. You may say that Aleph is the first letter, AND THAT THE WORLD SHOULD HAVE BEEN CREATED THROUGH IT. True, but because the word damned (Heb. arur) begins with the letter Aleph, the world was not created through it. Thus, although Aleph pertains to a Supernal Secret, the world was not created by means of it, so that no opening could be given to Other Side, called 'damned.' Rather, the world was constructed and created by Bet. ", + "7. Come and behold, \"You are our father\" means that this world was constructed and created in this grade. Man was also created through it and was issued into the world. ", + "8. The verse, \"though Abraham be ignorant of us,\" means that although the world is sustained by him he nevertheless did not care for us as he did for Ishmael, as it is written, \"O that Ishmael might live before You\" (Beresheet 17:18). The verse continues, \"and Yisrael acknowledges us not,\" for all the blessings he should have conferred on his sons, he let this grade have, to bless all. ", + "9. \"You, Hashem, are our Father\" - always standing by to bless and care for us, like a father taking care of the needs of children; \"our Redeemer; Your name is from everlasting,\" for You are our Redeemer - She is called 'the angel who redeemed.' Thus, in the phrase, \"our Redeemer; Your name is from everlasting.\" \"Your name\" is assuredly the name of Hashem. We have learned that we should not stop between reciting the blessings, \"who has redeemed Yisrael,\" and the Amidah; or between the blessing of the hand Tefilin and that of the head Tefilin - as has already been explained. " + ], + [ + "1. Rabbi Yitzchak and Rabbi Yehuda were studying the Torah one night. Rabbi Yitzchak said, We have learned that when the Holy One, blessed be He, created the universe, He made the lower world after the pattern of the Supernal World, and the one correspond to the other. And He is its Glory, both above and below. ", + "2. Rabbi Yehuda said, Assuredly it is so, and He created Adam above all. This is the meaning of, \"I have made the earth, and created man upon it\" (Yeshayah 45:12). Surely (we do not need to be reminded) that He made the earth - so why is it written, \"I have made the earth?\" Because I \"created man upon it,\" who exists to complete its unification into one wholeness. ", + "3. He opened the discussion with the verse, \"Thus says El, Hashem, He that created the heavens, and stretched them out; He that spread forth the earth, and that which comes out of it; He that gives breath (also: 'soul') to the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein\" (Yeshayah 42:5). This verse has already been explained. Nevertheless, \"Thus says El, Hashem, He that created the heavens,\" refers to the Holy One, blessed be He, high above - who \"created the heavens,\" . \"He that spread forth the earth, and that which comes out of it\" - namely, the Holy Land, the Bundle of Life, \"gives a soul to the people upon it,\" is the land, that confers souls. ", + "4. Rabbi Yitzchak said, It is all above. For from there, the soul of life comes out into the land. The land receives the soul and issues it to all, as the river that flows holds all the souls and issues them to everyone in the land. She receives and distributes them to all.", + "5. Come and behold, when the Holy One, blessed be He, created Adam, he gathered his dust from the four directions of the world. He created him on the site of the Lower Temple and then drew upon him the soul of life from the Upper Temple .", + "6. And the soul consists of three grades and therefore has three names, just like the Supernal Secret, Nefesh, Ruach, and Neshamah. The Nefesh, as has been explained, is the lowest of them all. The Ruach is its sustenance. It rules over the Nefesh, being of a higher grade to sustain it well in everything. The Neshamah is the supreme existence. It reigns over all, being a holy grade superior to all.", + "7. The three grades, NEFESH, RUACH AND NESHAMAH, are included within men, who attain them by serving their Master. Thus first, man has a Nefesh, a holy vessel with which to be corrected. But when he is intent on purification through this grade, man is corrected and crowned with a Ruach, the holy grade that dwells on the Nefesh, with which the deserving man is adorned. ", + "8. Once he is elevated by Nefesh and Ruach and attains correction through proper service to his Master, Neshamah, a supernal, holy grade that reigns over everything, dwells on him so that he may be adorned by the highest holy grade and be perfect in everything, on all sides, and thereby merit the World to Come. He is then beloved of the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is written, \"That I may cause those who love Me to inherit substance\" (Mishlei 8:21). \"...Those who love Me\" refers to those in whom the holy Neshamah abides. ", + "9. Rabbi Yehuda asks, If this is true, why is it written, \"all in whose nostrils was the breath (Lit. 'the Neshamah') of life...\" (Beresheet 7:22)? He replied, Surely THEY LOVED THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE. From all those in whom there was a holy Neshamah, none - such as Enoch or Jered, or the other righteous Ones - remained to protect the earth so it would not be destroyed in their merit. This is the meaning of, \"all in whose nostrils was the breath (lit. 'Neshamah') of life, of all that was on the dry land, died\" - they all had already died and departed from the world, and no one remained then to protect the world. ", + "10. Come and behold, There are grades upon grades, Nefesh, Ruach, and Neshamah, grade above grade; first Nefesh, being the lowest grade, as we said, then Ruach, which dwells on Nefesh and is above it. Neshamah is the highest grade, as has already been explained. ", + "11.Nefesh is David's Nefesh, which receives the Nefesh from the river that flows. Ruach stands over the Nefesh, which cannot exist without the Ruach, which dwells between fire and water. From here Nefesh is nourished. ", + "12. Ruach depends for its existence on yet a higher grade called 'Neshamah,' which is the origin of both Ruach and Nefesh. The Ruach is nourished from them. When Ruach travels, Nefesh also travels, and all is one. They approach each other, Nefesh to Ruach and Ruach to Neshamah, and are all one. ", + "13. Come and behold, \" ...Came near to him\" refers to the one world approaching the other world so that all becomes one. Because both Judah and Joseph were kings, they approached each other and joined together. " + ] + ], + "Vayechi": [ + [ + "\"And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years\" (Beresheet 47:28). Rabbi Yosi said, Jacob's heart saw through prophecy in Egypt that his descendants would suffer many exiles - from then until now, until the End, and the time of the Coming of Messiah.", + "Jacob arrived at the prophecy of \"and...lived\" only in Egypt. It was an excellent prophecy, the like of which was never prophesied before. None of the prophets was worthy of it except for him and Moses. It is written of Moses, \"For no man shall see Me, and live\" (Shemot 33:20). Of Jacob, it is written, \"And Jacob lived\", the prophecy which descends from the shining mirror.", + "Jacob wanted to prophesy concerning the exiles of his children in the land of Canaan and in any land wherein they dwelt which came from the land of Egypt; to wit, all exiles are included within Egypt. His heart broke, as it is written, \"Now Jacob saw that there was corn (also: 'breaking') in Egypt\" (Beresheet 42:1).", + "Hence, when it came to pass that \"Jacob lived in Egypt,\" he did not rejoice, because this land was the bond of the nations; the sapphires of the Throne of Glory. Nobody came to them, neither from the upper nor from the lower, save the living. This is the secret of: \"For no man shall see Me, and live.\"", + "There are high mysteries in this verse, and we friends wonder about them, for it says that Jacob lived instead of Yisrael, to wit 'And Israel lived.' For the name Jacob indicates smallness, and the name Israel indicates Mochin of greatness, while \"and lived\" alludes to the Light of Chayah, which is the Mochin of greatness. It should have said, 'And Israel lived.' How do we know that Yisrael indicates Mochin of Greatness? From the verse, \"Yisrael is holy to Hashem\" (Jer. 2:3), (Holy is an allusion to greatness). It also says, \"Israel is My son, My firstborn\" (Shemot 4:22), firstborn being an allusion to greatness. Rabbi Elazar, the son of Rabbi Shimon, said, Yet scripture says, \"and he sold his birthright to Jacob\" (Beresheet 25:33), for with the birthright, which is greatness, the name Jacob is mentioned.", + "His father Rabbi Shimon said to him: When Yisrael were righteous men of truth and gave charity, they were not afraid, save Jacob alone, due to the good deeds Yisrael did, and the kindness amongst them." + ], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "Rabbi Yitzchak was sitting one day at the door of Rabbi Yehudah, and he was sad. Rabbi Yehuda came out and found him at his door, and saw that he was sitting in a sad mood. He asked: what is different today from all other days?", + "He [R. Yitzchak] said: I came to ask you three things. One - when you say words of Torah, and you remember words that I said, please say them in my name, so my name will be remembered. Another - please teach my son Yosef Torah. And last - please go to my grave all 7 days and say prayers over me.", + "He [R. Yehudah] said: From where do you know this [that you are going to die]? He answered: every night my soul leaves me, and I do not remember clearly in dreams as I used to. And more, when I pray and listen to the [repetition of] the Prayer I look at my image on the wall and I cannot see it. and I say that I am going to die since the image [of God] is fleeing and is not seen, the pronouncement has gone out, as it is written \"in the image a person walks\" (Ps. 39:7) - all the time that the image of a person is not fading, the person walks, and her/his spirit is strong in him/her. And as the image is fading and is not seen, the person will fade from this world.", + "", + "They went to Rabbi Shimeon's house, and they found him studying Torah, Rabbi Shime'on raised his eyes and saw R. Itzchak, and saw that the angel of death ran and danced in front of him. Rabbi Shime'on got up and held Rabbi Itzchak's hand, and said: \"I decree that whoever is accustomed to come to me should come, and whoever is not accustomed to come should not come. Rabbi Itzchak and Rabbi Yehuda came in. The angel of death was tied to the outside by this [and could not come in].", + "Rabbi Shime'on looked, and saw that his time to die had not yet come, but that his time was at eight hours of the day. They sat in front of Rabbi Shime'on and they studied Torah with him, and Rabbi Shime'on said to his son Rabbi Eleazar: \"sit at the entrance, and whoever you see, do not talk to him, and if he wants to come in, make an oath that he should not enter.", + "Rabbi Shime'on said to Rabbi Itzchak: di you see the image of your [deceased] father today or not? We have learned: at the moment a person leaves this world, their parent and other relatives that are already there show up, the person sees them and recognizes them. And all those who are close to him in the same level [but are in that world] all of them come together and visit the person, and go with the person's soul until the place where the person's soul will dwell there. And Rabbi Itzchak responded: until this moment I have not seen the image of my father." + ], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "On Rosh Hashanah, we pass before Him like sheep (benei maron): It is taught, Rosh Hashanah is the head (rosh) of the year of the King. And who is Rosh Hashanah? It is Yitzchak, who is called head. For he is one head of the King (a different version: [one head] above); a place called the year. Because of this, all that come into the world pass before Him like sheep. And about this we learned, \"Upon Rosh Hashanah.\" For behold, Yitzchak dwells at the head of the year. " + ], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "Now prayer is in place of sacrifice, so a person has to arrange the praise of the Master as is fitting. And if he does not arrange [it], his prayer is not a prayer. Come and see - the complete arrangement of the praise of the Holy One, blessed be He, is one who knows how to unify the Holy Name as is fitting. As, through this, he arouses the upper ones and the lower ones and draws forth blessing to all of the worlds." + ] + ], + "Shemot": [ + [ + "\"And these are the names of the children of Israel who came into Egypt with Jacob, every man came with his household\" (Shemot 1:1). \"And they who are wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they who turn many to righteousness like the stars for ever and ever\" (Daniel 12:3). \"And they who are wise,\" are those who observe the secret of wisdom; \"shall shine,\" means they illuminate and sparkle with the shine of supernal Chochmah; and \"as the brightness,\" the brightness and sparkle of the river that emanates from Eden. This is the concealed secret that is called 'firmament'\", for in it are located the stars and the constellations, the sun and moon and all the candles that give light" + ], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "R’ Aba opened and said: “Go, see YHVH’s workings, that placed desolations/shamot in the earth/land /ba’arets” [Ps 46:9] – don’t read shamot but rather names/sheimot. And this goes like what R’ Chiyya said: According [to] the pattern of the firmament / k’gavna d’raqi`a the Holy One made the earth. In the firmament are holy names; in the earth are holy names.", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "R' Yehuda said, If people knew how much the Holy Blessed One loves Israel, they would roar like a lion to run after Him.  As we taught, When Jacob went down to Egypt, the Holy Blessed One called to His family and said to them, \"All of you should go down to Egypt, and I will go down with you\".  Shechina said, \"Ruler of the World, is it possible for legions to exist without a king?\" He said to Her, \"Come with me from Lebanon, Bride.\" (Song of Songs 4:8).  From Lebanon - from the place of Eden, that is white (meluban) in all of its actions.  Bride, this is Shechina, who is like a bride in a wedding canopy.  They walk together, as we taught: R' Yehuda said, what does the verse mean \"And it was on the day that Moses completed (callot)\"?  It is written bride of (callat), i.e. \"on the day that the bride went into the wedding canopy\", Shechina is the Bride.  " + ], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "R’ Yehudah said: Why is it written: “Also this corresponding to this did Ha’elohim make” [Ec 7:14]? Like the pattern of the firmament / k’gavna d’raqi`a, the Holy One made [everything] in the earth, and all of it is a hint about what is above . . .", + "Like what R’ Yosi said: These trees through which wisdom is shown, like the carob, the palm, the pistachio, and what is like them, in one (from the same) combination/r’khiva all of them were combined. And all those that make fruit, except apples, they are one mystery, except the paths that separate. ", + "And all those that do not bear fruit and are great, except the river willows that have a mystery alone (of their own) like the pattern above / k’gavna dil`eyla, from one [breast] they suck. And every one from those that are small, except the hyssop, from one mother they are born. ", + "All the plants in the earth, which have placed over them great forces in the heavens, each and every one is a mystery alone/ of its own like the pattern above, and because of this it’s written: “Your field you will not sow [with] mixtures/kilayim” [Lv 19:19], for each and every one goes up alone and emerges alone." + ], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "Another explanation, \"Now there arose a new king...\" (Shemot 1:8) Rabbi Shimon said, On that day, permission was granted to the Minister of Egypt to be ABOVE all the other nations. For we learned that before Joseph died, Egypt was not granted dominion over Israel, but when Joseph died, \"Now there arose a new king.\" \"Arose\" MEANS as one who was lowly and arose, FOR ON THAT DAY THE MINISTER OF EGYPT AROSE TO BE GREAT, AS MENTIONED EARLIER." + ], + [ + "Rabbi Yitzchak opened: \"While the king was reclining at his board, my nard sent forth its fragrance\" (Shir Hashirim 1:12). \"While the king,\" refers to the Holy One, blessed be He, as is written, \"Thus says Hashem, the King of Israel\" (Yeshayah 44:6), and, \"And he was King in Yeshurun\" (Devarim 33:5). \"While the King was reclining at his board,\" MEANS between the wings of Cherubs THAT WERE ON THE ARK OF THE TESTIMONY. \"My nard gave forth its fragrance,\" MEANS THEY CAUSED THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, to depart from among them, AND \"GIVES FORTH ITS FRAGRANCE\" MEANS THEIR BAD ODOR!" + ], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "Rabbi Itzchak said: In Aharon's and Miriam's case it was not written their parents' marriage, but in Moshe's case it says \"and he took a woman of Levi\". This is to teach that the Shechinah is called \"Levi\", and Amram was not deserving of siring Moshe until he touched a piece of the Shechinah, and then he sired Moshe. That is why it is written \"and he took a daughter of levi\". And this is why it is written \"and she saw him, he was good\" (Ex. 2:2)." + ], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "And so said Rabbi Joshua ben Levi, the Angel of Death said to me \"If I was not concerned for the honor of creations, I would reveal to them the House of Slaughter, just as an animal\"..." + ], + [ + "״And the Children of Israel sighed,״ it does not say “וַיִּתְאַנְּחוּ — they caused themselves to sigh” but rather “וַיֵּאָנְחוּ — they were sighed”, in other words they caused a sigh for [God] above, meaning that there was a sigh on High on their behalf." + ], + [ + "Rabbi Yitzchak said, there are three matters here: A sigh, a groan, a scream. Each one is distinct from the other. A sigh: as it says, \"and the children of Israel sighed.\" A scream: As it says, \"and they screamed.\" A groan: As it says, \"and their groaning rose up.\" Each one is distinct, and Israel did each of these. Rabbi Yehudah said, they screamed and they groaned, but they did not sigh. This is implied by what is written, \"וַיֵּאָנְחוּ - and they were sighed\", and the sigh was on their behalf on High." + ], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "Just like the shepherd of a flock, when he is a good shepherd, saves the flock from wolves and from lions; so too a leader of Israel, if he is a good leader, saves them from idolators, from punishment below and from punishment above and leads them to life in the world to come. Such was Moshe. He was a trustworthy shepherd, and the Holy One, blessed be He, saw that he was worthy to guide the Jewish people in that exact fashion that he would guide the flock, the male sheep according to what was fit for them, and the females according to what was fit for them." + ] + ], + "Vaera": [ + [ + "\"And Elohim spoke to Moses and said to him, 'I am Hashem and I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, by the name of El Shadai...'\" (Shemot 6:2-3). Rabbi Abba opened the discussion saying, \"Trust in Hashem forever (Heb. עֲדֵי עַד), for Yah Hashem is an everlasting rock\" (Isaiah 26:4). \"Trust in Hashem\" means that all the people of the world have to strengthen themselves in the Holy One, blessed be He, and trust in Him.", + "If so, what is the meaning of \"adei ad\"? It means that the strength of a person should be in the place which sustains and connects everything, and which is called \"ad,\" as is written, \"In the morning he shall devour the prey (Heb. עַד)\" (Beresheet 49:27). \"Ad\" is the place that unites this side and that side, for sustenance and connecting, a connection that will not be destroyed.", + "And everything directs its desire towards \"Ad,\" as written, \"to (Heb. עַד ) the utmost bound (or desire) of the everlasting hills\" (Beresheet 49:26). Who are the everlasting hills? These are the two matriarchs, females, Jubilee and Sabbatical year. Binah is called Yovel (Eng. Jubilee) and Malchut Shmitah (Eng. Sabbatical year), and both are called \"everlasting hills (lit. 'hills of the world').\" 'World' as you say \"from everlasting to everlasting (lit. 'from the world to the world')\" (Tehilim 106:48), meaning Binah and Malchut, for both are called 'world'.", + "And they desire Ad, it sustains all sides; Jubilee, desires Ad, to adorn it and to pour on it blessings, and to pour sweet springs onto it. This is the meaning of, \"Go forth, O daughters of Zion, and behold King Solomon with the crown with which his mother crowned him\" (Shir Hashirim 3:11). King Solomon (Heb. Shlomo) is the secret of the King that the peace (Heb. shalom) is His, which is Zeir Anpin; his mother is the secret of Binah. Sabbatical year, desires Ad, to be blessed by it and to illuminate from it. The everlasting hills assuredly desire Ad, the one to pour on it its abundance and the other to receive.", + "Therefore \"Trust in Hashem forever\" (Isaiah 26:4). For from there up, the place is covered and hidden, as none can conceive it. It is a place from which the worlds emerge and are formed. This is the meaning of, \"For Yah Hashem is an everlasting rock.\" This place is hidden and concealed. Therefore, \"Trust in Hashem forever (Heb. adei ad),\" that up to here, everyone is permitted to observe. From here and further no one is permitted to observe because it is concealed from everyone. And what is Yah, Yud Hei Vav Hei, whence all the worlds were formed, and no one is able to understand that place, in order to conceive anything.", + "Rabbi Yehuda said, The scripture proves this. For is written, \"For ask now the days that are past...(Devarim 4:32). Up to here, one is permitted to observe, but from here and further, no one can comprehend it.", + "Another explanation, \"Trust in Hashem forever\" - a person has to strengthen himself in the Holy One, blessed be He, throughout his life. No one can harm one who properly places his trust and strength in Him, since one who places his strength in the Holy Name endures forever.", + "What is the reason? Since the world endures by His Holy Name. This is the meaning of, \"For Yah Hashem is an everlasting (lit. 'worlds') rock (Heb. tzur)\" (Isaiah 26:4), the former (Heb. צַיָּיר) of worlds. For by two letters were the worlds created, this world and the World to Come. This world was created with Judgment and is maintained on Judgment. This is the meaning of, \"In the beginning Elohim created\" (Beresheet 1:1). The reason is so that people would conduct themselves according to judgment (law) and would not digress from the path.", + "Come and see, It is written, \"And Elohim spoke to Moses\" (Shemot 6:1). This alludes to the decree of Judgment that is looming over him. It is written before, \"And Moses returned to Hashem, and said, Adonai\" (Shemot 5:22) spelled Aleph Dalet Nun Yud. See the strength of Moses, as soon as he started prophesying, his spirit did not rest at this place. He said, \"Adonai, why have You dealt ill with this people? why is it that You have sent me? for since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name he has done evil to this people; neither have You delivered your people at all\" (Ibid. 22-23). Who talks like this? Only Moses who knew that a another, higher level was intended for him, because he was a Chariot to Zeir Anpin, which is the husband of Queen.", + "Rabbi Yitzchak said, at first, the house, was given to him, he commanded it like a man would command his household, and spoke whatever he wished to without fear. Moses too spoke to his household without fear.", + "Another explanation of, \"And Elohim spoke\": the decree of Judgment. \"And said to him, 'I am Hashem'\": This is a different grade, which is Mercy, and here everything is connected together, Judgment and Mercy. This is the meaning of, \"And said to him, 'I am Hashem'\". Rabbi Shimon said, If it were written, \"And Elohim spoke to Moses, 'I am Hashem,'\" I would say they are linked together. But it is not written so. Rather, it is first written, \"And Elohim spoke to Moses\" and then, \"And said to him, 'I am Hashem,'\" which means they are a grade after another grade instead of Judgment and Mercy linked together.", + "And Rabbi Yosi said, Had not Moses been the master of the house, \"the man of Elohim\" (Tehilim 90:1), he would have been punished for saying this to Hashem. But since he was (master of the house), he was not punished. This is like a man who had a quarrel with his wife and spoke to her improper words. She started to complain, but as soon as she started speaking, the king, who was present, took over the matter, and she became silent and stopped speaking. The king said, Don't you know that I am the king, and that it is in my presence that you spoke these words? Similarly, so to speak, with Moses, \"And Moses returned to Hashem and said 'Adonai, why have You dealt ill?'\" Immediately \"Elohim spoke to Moses,\" because the king's daughter started to complain. Immediately, the King took up the complaint, \"And said to him 'I am Hashem.'\" Did you not know that I am King, and it is in My presence that you spoke these words?", + "\"And I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob by, the name of El Shadai.\" Why did He use a different name than the names before? This is like a king who had an unmarried daughter, and also a beloved friend. When the king wanted to speak with his beloved friend, he used to send his daughter to speak to him and thus the king spoke to him through his daughter. The time has come for his daughter to marry. On the day she married, the king said to her, precious queen, until now I spoke through you to whomever I wished to. From now on, I will tell your husband and he will speak with whomever it is necessary. After some time, the husband said harsh words to her in the king's presence. Before she started to talk, the king took the cause and said to him, am I not the king? Until this day no person spoke to me except through my daughter. And I gave you my daughter, and I spoke to you openly, a thing I have not done for any other person.", + "Similarly, \"And I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, by the name of El Shadai,\", when she was unmarried in My house. I was not spoken to face to face as I did with you, and you, at the beginning of your speech, said to My daughter in My presence such words. Therefore, \"And I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, by the name of El Shadai, but by My name, Hashem, I was not known to them,\" to speak to them in the grade in which I spoke to you.", + "Rabbi Yosi opened the discussion saying, \"A psalm of David. The earth is Hashem's and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell in it\" (Tehilim 24:1). The earth refers to the Holy land of Israel that is the first to be blessed by Him and watered by Him. Afterwards, the whole world is watered from it. \"The world, and they that dwell in it\" refers to the rest of the lands that drink from it. How do we know this? From the words, \"And He will judge the world in righteousness\" (Tehilim 9:9).", + "\"For He has founded it upon seas\" (Tehilim 24:2). There are seven pillars on which the earth supports itself, and which are seven seas (the seven Sefirot). The Sea of Kineret (Galilee) rules over them. Rabbi Yehuda said, Do not say it rules over them, but the Sea of Kineret is filled from them, \"And established it on the rivers\"(Ibid.) Which rivers are being referred to? It is written, \"The floods have lifted up, Hashem, the floods (lit. 'rivers') have lifted up their voice\" (Tehilim 93:3), as written, \"And a river went out from Eden to water the garden\" (Beresheet 2:10). Therefore, \"He established it on the rivers.\"", + "Come and see, this land, the land of Yisrael. Why does not Jacob, who is Israel, rule over it like Moses? For it is written, \"And I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, by the name of El Shadai\" and no more.", + "We have already established that Jacob took the terrestrial house, (i.e. in this world). Therefore, he lost the celestial house; but with the terrestrial house, he reestablished the celestial house, with twelve tribes, with seventy branches referring to its seventy names, which is the meaning of the seventy souls who came to Egypt. And we have already established that Moses took the celestial house and forsook the terrestrial house. Therefore, it is written of Jacob: \"By the name of El Shadai,\", by the name El Shadai did the Holy One, blessed be He, speak to him and no more. \"But by My name, Hashem, I was not known to them,\" to speak to them in this level, which is superior.", + "\"And I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.\" Rabbi Chiya said, The glory of the patriarchs was Jacob, who was all-perfect. By all, it is written \"to Abraham, to Isaac,\" but by him a letter was added, as is written, \"and (= Vav) to Jacob.\" The letter Vav was added to him to show that he was more whole than them all. But notwithstanding, he did not merit uniting with it (Malchut) like Moses did, as earlier mentioned.", + "\"And I have also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan\" (Shemot 6:4). This is because they were circumcised. For all who are circumcised inherit the land. The Torah says, \"To give them the land of Canaan.\" For the land is inherited only by a righteous person and everyone who is circumcised is called righteous, as is written, \"Your people also shall be all righteous, they shall inherit the land forever\" (Isaiah 60:21). Everyone who is circumcised and observes the sign of the covenant is called righteous. Come and learn this from Joseph, who was not called righteous in his life until he observed that covenant, the sign of the holy covenant. Once he observed it, he was called righteous, namely, Joseph the righteous." + ], + [ + "Rabbi Shimon was sitting one day with his son Rabbi Elazar, and Rabbi Abba. Rabbi Elazar said, in the passage, \"And I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob...\" (Shemot 6:3), why is \"And I appeared\" stated? It should state 'And I spoke.' He said to him, Elazar my son, this is a very high secret.", + "Come and see, There are visible colors and invisible colors. And both are a high secret of the Faith, but people neither know it nor observe it. No one was worthy of the visible until the patriarchs came and understood them. Of this it is written, \"And I appeared,\" since they saw the visible colors.", + "And which colors appeared? They are of El Shadai, which are the reflection of the supernal colors. These are visible. And the colors above, which are concealed since they are invisible, no person understood them except for Moses. Of this it is written, \"But by My name, Hashem, I was not known to them\" (Ibid.), I did not appear to them in the superior colors in Chesed, Gvurah and Tiferet of Zeir Anpin, which is called Yud Hei Vav Hei. And if you claim that the patriarchs did not know (the name Y-H-V-K, this is impossible). But rather, they knew it from those colors that were visible in Malchut.", + "It is written, \"And they who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament; and they who turn many to righteousness like the stars for ever and ever\" (Daniel 12:3). In \"And they who are wise shall shine,\" who are the wise ones? This refers to the wise one who will perceive on his own lofty things that people cannot utter by mouth. And these are called \"wise ones.\" \"Shall shine like the brightness of the firmament\": What is the firmament? This is the firmament of Moses, which is situated in the center. And its brightness is concealed and not revealed. By means of its color it is situated over and shines on the firmament that does not illuminate, in which the colors are visible. And even though these colors are visible in it, they do not illuminate like the brightness of those of unrevealed colors, which are the colors of Zeir Anpin that is called the illuminating firmament.", + "Come and see, There are four lights. Three of them are concealed, (Chesed, Gevurah and Tiferet) and one (Malchut) is revealed. They are: (A) The shining light (Chesed); (B) the bright light, Gevurah. And it shines like the brightness of the heaven for its clarity; (C) purple light, (Tiferet) that receives all the lights; and (D) the light that does not illuminate (Malchut) that looks to these and receives them. These lights are visible in it like a reflector, which is placed against the sun, and the sun is seen in it. So the three lights of Zeir Anpin that is called sun are visible in Malchut, and in this respect Malchut is called a reflector that receives from the sun and the sun is seen in it.", + "And those three we mentioned are concealed and are situated over this visible. This secret is the eye. Come and see, there are three colors in the eye, (white, red and green) that are visible and were imprinted on it. None of them shines because they are placed in the light that does not shine. And these are like those which are hidden and are situated over them. And they are the ones that appeared to the patriarchs in order to know and perceive these hidden that appeared from within those that did not illuminate. And those that are bright yet hidden, were revealed to Moses in his firmament. And these are situated over these colors that are visible in the eye, meaning those that appeared to the Patriarchs.", + "And it is a secret; Close your eyes, and turn the eye balls. In this way, the colors will appear that illuminate and shine, since permission is given to see only with closed eyes these hidden superior colors that are situated over these three colors that are visible that do not shine.", + "And of this we learned that Moses merited the illuminating mirror that is placed over that mirror, which does not illuminate. Other people were worthy of the mirror, which does not illuminate. But the patriarchs saw from within these three colors that appear, those hidden that are situated over them and shine on them, which are the three Columns of Zeir Anpin, which do not shine. Therefore it is written, \"And I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, by the name of El Shadai\", that is, by the colors that are visible in Malchut that is called El Shadai.", + "\"But by My name, Hashem, I was not known to them\": These are the supernal colors that are hidden yet illuminate that Moses merited to observe. And this is the secret reason why the eye is sometimes closed and sometimes visible. If closed, it sees the illuminating mirror, and if open, it sees the mirror that does not illuminate. Therefore, \"And I appeared\" in the mirror that does not illuminate, which is revealed. Sight is mentioned in relation to it. In relation to the illuminating mirror, which is concealed, knowledge is mentioned, as is written, \"I was not known.\" Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Abba approached and kissed the hands of Rashbi. Rabbi Abba wept and said, Woe, when you are gone from the world and the world will remain orphaned from you. Who will be able to illuminate then the words of Torah?", + "Rabbi Abba opened the discussion saying, \"And thus (Heb. כֹּה) shall you say so to him, a hearty greeting (lit. 'to the living')! Peace be both to you, and peace to your house, and peace to all that you have\" (I Shmuel 25:6). \"And you shall say koh to the living,\". Did not David know Naval to be evil, to have said of him, \"כֹּה to the living?\" That day was the holy day of Rosh Hashanah (the New Year) and the Holy One, blessed be He, was sitting in judgment over the world. For the Holy One, blessed be He, said, \"And you shall say כֹּה to the living\" in order to attach 'כֹּה' to the 'living', from which all life comes. \"Peace be both to you.\" What is \"both to you?\" \"Both to you\" refers to the Holy One, blessed be He, in order to connect the link of Faith, as is proper.", + "From this I deduce that it is forbidden to be the first to greet a wicked person and, if he is forced, he should be the first like David who blessed the Holy One, blessed be He, though it seemed he spoke to him, (Naval). And if you say it was deception, it is not so because it is not considered deception for anyone to offer up his words to the Holy One, blessed be He, though it seems he spoke to a person. (This is the way of the righteous). Whoever is the first to greet a righteous person, it is as though he is the first to greet the Holy One, blessed be He, and all the more so my master, (Rashbi) who is the peace of above and below." + ], + [ + "\"And I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, by the name of El Shadai, but by My name, Hashem, I was not known to them\" (Shemot 6:3). Rabbi Chizkiyah opened the discussion saying, \"Blessed is the man to whom Hashem imputes no iniquity...\" (Tehilim 32:2). How obtuse are people who do not know and do not observe why they are in the world. For when the Holy One, blessed be He, created the world, He made man in His image and made him the way He did, in order that he should be occupied with the Torah and walk in His ways.", + "For when Adam was created, he was composed of the earth of the terrestrial Temple, which is Malchut that is called earth, though it is Malchut sweetened by Binah, which is called the earth of the terrestrial Temple. And the four directions of the world were joined to that place called the Temple. These four directions joined in four aspects, which are the elements, fire, air, water and earth, and the four directions joined the four elements. The Holy One, blessed be He, formed from them one body of supernal arrangement. This body is composed of two worlds, this lower world, (Malchut), and the world above, which is Binah.", + "Rabbi Shimon said, Come and see, The four first ones are the secret of the Faith. They are the patriarchs of all the worlds. And they are the secret of the supernal holy Chariot. And these four elements fire, air, water and earth are a supernal secret. Gold, silver, brass, and iron originate in these four. Under these, there are other similar metals.", + "Come and see, fire, air, water and earth are the first ones and the roots above and below; upper and lower beings are based on them. These four - fire, air, water and earth correspond to the four directions, are situated in these four - north, south, east and west which are the four directions, and the four elements abide in them. Fire to the north side. Air is to the east side. Water is to the south side. Earth is to the west. And these four - fire, air, water and earth are connected to the four - north, south, east and west. And they are all one. And these produce four metals, which are gold, silver, brass and iron. And together there are twelve aspects, and are all one, namely three Columns and Malchut that receives them. And they are thus three times four, because the first eight are inner and outer, and the four metals are produced by them, as shall be said.", + "Come and see, fire is on the left, to the North side..." + ], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "(Shir Hashirim 1:14) \"A cluster of henna is my Beloved.\" A cluster refers to the Supernal Imma (Mother), namely NAMELY BINAH. As a cluster is decorated with so many leaves and so many branches to Israel who eat it, so the Supernal Shechinah, WHICH IS BINAH, is decorated. SHE ELEVATES MAYIN NUKVIN (FEMALE WATERS) TO CHOCHMAH, with many jewels of eight vessels, NAMELY THE FOUR LETTERS OF YOD HEH VAV HEH AND THE FOUR LETTERS OF ADONAI, WHICH ARE MALE AND FEMALE, many offerings THAT ISRAEL OFFER, and many kinds of ornaments of atonement for Her children. She stands in them before the King, WHICH IS CHOCHMAH, and immediately, \"And I will look on it, to remember the everlasting covenant\" (Bereishit 9:16), MEANING THAT HE UNITES WITH HER. AND BINAH gives us from her petitions SHE ASKED FROM CHOCHMAH FOR OUR SAKES, THROUGH those blessings that the sages composed to request before the King in the prayer service." + ] + ], + "Bo": [ + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "The next commandment is to tell the praises of the Exodus from Egypt, for it is an obligation for a person to speak of these praises for all eternity. Thus we have established: a person who speaks about the Exodus from Egypt, and rejoices joyously in that story - in the future they will rejoice in the Shechina [Divine Presence] in the world to come, which is the greatest joy of all. For they are a person who rejoices in their Master, and the Holy Blessed One rejoices in this story.", + "At that time [when the story of the Exodus is being told], the Holy Blessed One gathers together all of the heavenly hosts and says to them: \"Go and listen to the telling of My praises, for right now my children are speaking and rejoicing in My salvation.\" Immediately, they all gather and come and connect themselves together with the people of Israel, and listen to their telling of praises. For when [Israel] rejoices in the joy of their Master's salvation, the [heavenly hosts] go and give thanks to the Holy Blessed One for all of these miracles and feats, and they give thanks to God for the holy nation that God has on the earth who rejoice in the joy of their Master's salvation.", + "At that time, strength and power are increased on high; and in their telling of the story, Israel grants strength to their Master. Like a King whose strength and power is increased when his people praise his power and give thanks to him, and all are gripped with fear in his presence, and the King's honor is spread over everyone. For this purpose, one should give praise and tell this story [of the Exodus] as has been said. And in a similar vein, it is incumbent upon every person to speak constantly before the Holy Blessed One, and to publicize all of the miracles that God has performed." + ], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "If one should ask: Is it not written, “For ye saw no manner of similitude” [Deut. 4:15], the answer would be: Truly, it was granted us to behold him in a given similitude for concerning Moses it is written, “and the similitude of the Lord doth he behold” [Num. 12:8]. Yet the Lord was revealed only in that similitude which Moses saw, and in none other, of any creation formed by His signs. Therefore it stands written: “To whom then will ye liken God? Or what likeness will ye compare unto Him?” [Isa. 40:18].", + "Also, even that similitude was a semblance of the Holy One, be blessed, not as he is in his very place which we know to be impenetrable, but as the King manifesting his might of dominion over his entire creation, and thus appearing to each one of his creatures as each can grasp him, as it is written: “And by the ministry of the prophets have I used similitudes” [Hos. 12:11].", + "Hence says He: Albeit in your own likeness do I represent myself, to whom will you com- pare me and make me comparable? Because in the beginning, shape and form having not yet been created, He had neither form nor similitude. Hence is it forbidden to one apprehending him as he is before Creation to imagine him under any kind of form or shape, not even by his letters He and Vav, not either by his complete holy Name, nor by letter or sign of any kind. Thus, “For ye saw no manner of similitude” means, You beheld nothing which could be imagined in form or shape, nothing which you could embody into a finite conception. ", + "But when He had created the shape of supernal man, it was to him for a chariot, and on it he descended, to be known by the appellation YHVH, so as to be apprehended by his attributes and in each particular one, to be perceived. Hence it was he caused himself to be named El, Elohim, Shaddai, Zevaot and YHVH, of which each was a symbol among men of his several divine attributes, making manifest that the world is upheld by mercy and justice, in acordance with man’s deeds. If the radiance of the glory of the Holy One, be blessed, had not been shed over his entire crea- tion, how could even the wise have apprehended him? He would have continued to be unknowable, and the words could not be verily said, “The whole earth is full of His glory” [Isa. 6:3]. ", + "However, woe to the man who should make bold to identify the Lord with any single attribute, even if it be His own, and the less so any human form existent, “whose foundation is in the dust” [Job 4:19], and whose creatures are frail, soon gone, soon lost to mind. Man dare project one sole conception of the Holy One, be blessed, that of his sovereignty over some one attribute or over the creation in its entirety. But if he be not seen under these manifestations, then there is neither attribute, nor likeness, nor form in him;", + "as the very sea, whose waters lack form and solidity in themselves, having these only when they are spread over the vessel of the earth. From this we may reckon it so: One, is the source of the sea. A current comes forth from it making a revolution which is Yod. The source is one, and the current makes two.", + "Then is formed the vast basin known as the sea, which is like a channel dug into the earth, and it is filled by the waters issuing from the source; and this sea is the third thing. This vast basin is divided up into seven channels, resembling that number of long tubes, and the waters go from the sea into the seven channels. Together, the source, the current, the sea, and the seven channels make the number ten. If the Creator who made these tubes should choose to break them, then would the waters return to their source, and only broken vessels would remain, dry, without water.", + "In this same wise has the Cause of causes derived the ten aspects of his Being which are known as sefirot, and named the crown the Source, which is a never-to-be-exhausted fountain of light, wherefrom he designates himself Eyn Sof, the Infinite. Neither shape nor form has he, and no vessel exists to contain him, nor any means to apprehend him. This is referred to in the words: “Refrain from searching after the things that are too hard for thee, and refrain from seeking for the thing which is hidden from thee” [Ben Sira 3:21].", + "Then He shaped a vessel diminutive as the letter Yod1 The first letter in the name of God. and filled it from him, and called it Wisdom-gushing Fountain, and called himself wise on its account. And after, he fashioned a large vessel named sea, and designated it Understanding [binah] and himself understanding, on its account.", + "Both wise and understanding is he, in his own essence; whereas Wisdom in itself cannot claim that title, but only through him who is wise and has made it full from his fountain; and so Understanding in itself cannot claim that title, but only through him who filled it from his own essence, and it would be rendered into an aridity if he were to go from it. In this regard, it is written, “As the waters fail from the sea, and the river is drained dry” [Job 14:11].", + "Finally, “He smites [the sea] into seven streams” [Isa. 11.15]. that is, he directs it into seven precious vessels, the which he calls Greatness, Strength, Glory, Victory, Majesty, Foundation, Sovereignty2 These designate the seven lower sefirot.; in each he designates himself thus: great in Greatness, strong in Strength, glorious in Glory, victorious in Victory, “the beauty of our Maker” in Majesty, righteous in Foundation [cf. Prov. 10:25]. All things, all vessels, and all worlds does he uphold in Foundation. In the last, in Sovereignty, he calls himself King, and his is “the greatness, and the strength, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty; for all that is in heaven and in the earth is Thine; Thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and Thou art exalted as head above all” [1 Chron. 29:11]. ", + "In his power lie all things, be it that he chooses to reduce the number of vessels, or to increase the light issuing therefrom, or be it the contrary. But over him, there exists no deity with power to increase or reduce. ", + "Also, he made beings to serve these vessels: each a throne supported by four columns, with six steps to the throne; in all, ten. Altogether, the throne is like the cup of benediction about which ten statements are made [in the Talmud], harmonious with the Torah which was given in Ten Words [the Decalogue], and with the Ten Words by which the world was created." + ] + ], + "Beshalach": [ + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "\"the pillar of cloud traveled from in front of them\" (Exodus 14:19) - who is this pillar of cloud? Rabbi Yosey said: this is the cloud that is always seen with the Shechina. And this is the cloud to which Moshe went into (see Ex. 19:9 and Ex. 20:18). Rabbi Abba said: it is written \"and Ad-nai walks in front of them during the day\" (Ex. 13:21) - rather (the cloud) is the help of the righteous (yesod), and expands the righteous's mark, and that is why this cloud goes during the day, and it is written (Ps. 42:9) \"during the day Ad-nai orders His lovingkindness (chesed).\" And this cloud is from the side of chesed, and a different cloud goes at night, and it is called 'pillar of fire'.", + "Rabbi Shimeon said: \"pillar of cloud during the day\" (Ex. 13:22): this is Avraham (chesed). \"And pillar of fire during the night\": this is Itzchak (gevurah). And both of them are found in the Shechinah, and what Rabbi Abba said (yesod) is certainly obvious, that on through this, at this level, they are found.", + "And this \"the angel of E-lohim traveled, the one that goes in front of the camp of Israel, and went behind them\" (Ex. 14:19). \"And he traveled\" - that he moved from the side of chesed and clung to the side of gevurah, in this way the time came to enrobe in Din...." + ], + [ + "Come see - in that moment the moon (malchut) filled completely, and inherited the 72 Holy Names, in three sides. One side enrobed with the diadem of the Higher Chesed, with the seventy engravings of the Higher Father, that illuminate her (malchut).", + "The second side (of malchut) enrobed itself with the kindnesses of Gevurah, with sixty lashes of fire, and ten [lashes] from her, that descend from the side of the Higher Mother in of laws of engravings (dinim).", + "The third side (of malchut) enrobed itself in purple garments, that clothe the Higher Holy Ruler, that are called Tif'eret, that was inherited by the Holy Son (tif'eret), with seventy Higher Diadems, from the side of Father and Mother, and it includes that side and that side.", + "(Another opinion: with the two diadems from the side of Father and Mother, they are seventy two names.) And we learn from the side of chesed seventy, and two witnesses. From the side of Gevurah seventy, and two teachers. From the side of tiferet seventy-two ways/colors to balance oneself/to rule/to be adorned.", + "And in that place (malchut), one engraves on each other, and the Holy Name removes itself, [this is] the Secret of the Chariot. And here the forefathers (chesed, gevurah, tiferet) were engraved to join as one, and this is the Holy Name engraved in its letters.", + "The format of these letters [is thus]: the first letters are inscribed in their order in a straight way, because all the first letters are found in chesed, to go in a straight way, in the fixed order.", + "The second letters are inscribed in a roll/wrap out of order, because all of the second letters - they are found in [other: from] Gevurah, to heap judgments and weapons/forces of the left side.", + "The third letters, they are letters inscribed to show colors/shades (dinim) to adorn oneself in the holy king (tiferet). And all unite and tie themselves on him, and he adorns himself in his diadems in a straight way, and engraves on this side and on this said, like a king that adorns himself with all.", + "Here the Holy Name engraves itself in the shape of seventy two letters, that crowns itself with the Fathers, [who are] the Holy Higher Chariot. And if you should say 'the third letters, why are they not written half in the proper order and half in the opposite order, so it is equal to this side and to this side, since we learn: You who established equity (Ps. 99:4) - the Holy One of Blessing establishes equity to the two sides, and it is written \"the center bar halfway up the planks shall run from end to end\" (Ex. 26:28, tiferet contains both), this is the Holy One of Blessing. Rabbi Yitzchak said: \"this is Yaakov, and all is one.\"", + "[Answering the question with a parable] Rather, what is the way of a king that is more complete than all, whose knowledge is more complete than all? His face shines always like the sun, since he is complete. And when he judges, he judges for good and judges for bad, and therefore one should be careful with him. One who is stupid looks at the face of the king, shining and smiling, and is not careful with him. And one who is wise even though one sees the face of the king shining, says: the king is obviously complete, more complete than all, his knowledge is complete, I see that within that light judgment sits, and I will hide myself, even though [this judgment] is not seen, because if it were not so, the king would not be complete, and so one needs to be careful.", + "Similarly, the Holy Blessed One is constantly this way and that way, but it (judgment) is not seen, only the shining of the face [is seen]. And because of this those simple-minded are bound not to be careful with Him. And the sages, righteous, they say: the King is complete even though [the text here does not conform to the printed edition, changes from Aramaic to Hebrew: the proofreaders here we found the verse 'and he traveled' in the proper order, every letter in one square] [text of the printed edition: his face shines, judgment hides itself in it, because of this it is necessary to be careful with him.", + "Rabbi Yehudah said: [the reason] from here \"I, Ad-nai, have not changed\" (Malachi 3:6). I did not jump to a different place, in Me everything is contained. These two ways are contained in Me, in this way everything is seen in a straight path, and even though the letters seize this side and this side, they are written in their order.", + "\"The angel of God, who had been going ahead of the Israelite army, now traveled and followed behind them; and the pillar of cloud traveled from in front of them and took up a place behind them\" (Ex. 14:19) - until here is one side, \"lovingkindness to Avraham\" (Micah 7:20). Rabbi Shimeon said: Elazar, my son, look at this secret. When the Atika Kadisha gives light to the King, gives light to Him (another manuscript: crowns Him and strengthens Him with crowns, etc) and adorns Him with holy high crowns, when they arrive to Him the Forefathers are adorned, in the moment the Forefathers are adorned, it follows that all are complete. It follows that the Matronita travels in the travels (in that) (different manuscript: in that power of), completion of the Forefathers. And when She is adorned with all, she joins, and the permission of everything is given in Her hands.", + "In this way the Holy Name is engraved in the format of the letters in the Higher Holy Chariot that are the diadem of the Forefathers. The proofreaders said: here we found written the verse \"and traveled\" in the order, every letters in one square, with this explanation, up to here we fixed columns in their order in the secret of Chesed with no deviation to right or left. After that we found the verse \"and came\" out of order, but similarly every letter was in one square, with this explanation, until here we fixed columns in the opposite order, in the secret of Gevurah, all of the left included in the right. After that we found the verse \"and extended\" in its order, so too every letter in one squarewith this explanation, up to here the columns of the Holy Name in Tiferet, after the Forefathers join together and serve the Holy Name. And after that we found seventy-two names that come from these three verses, in squares, every name with three letters, coming from these verses, straight order, opposite order, straight order, and the mnemonic is Yh\"y (there will be) light, and in this explanation the Holy Name is engraved in the format of the letters in the Holy Higher Chariot, the diadem of the Forefathers. And we did not publish it here due to the preciousness of the beauty of His greatness. (and it is printed at the end of the book)" + ], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "", + "He went with him until they reached the great fire, of one angel named Sandalphon.  It was taught, Sandalphon was five hundred years taller than the rest of his companions.  And he stood behind the curtain of his Master, and weaves crowns from the prayers of Israel.  And in the moment that this crown reaches the head of the Holy King, He accepts the prayers of Israel.  And all of the legions and citizens of Heaven tremble and whisper and say \"Blessed is the Glory of God from the place of the house of His Presence.\"" + ], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "Rebbe Shimon said, \"Come and see! The Holy One of Blessing didn't give Torah to Yisrael until the faithful could be distinguished from those without faith, who didn't desire Torah. And how were they distinguished? Through the mannah! As it says, (Shmot 16:4), \"that I may thus test them [to see whether they will follow My instructions or not\"]. All those found to be faithful, the Holy One of Blessing marks them, with the mark of the crown of Hesed, as it says (Tehillim 147:11), \"those who rely on ha-Shem's Hesed.\" It is because of this that \"I may test them.\" All those not found to be faithful, this supernal crown will be removed from them. For I proclaimed the mannah, saying (Mishlei 13:25), \"[The righteous man eats to his heart’s content,] but the belly of the wicked is empty.\" With all this, (Shmot 16:18) \"the one who had gathered much had no excess, and the one who had gathered little had no deficiency; [they had gathered as much as they needed to eat.]\"", + "It was taught, at the time Yisrael was completed below, so it was above, as it has been established by what it written (Shmot 15:27), \"And they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees; [and they encamped there beside the water.]\" The holy tree was strengthened, with twelve boundaries, on the four sides of the world, and it was strengthened with seventy branches, all of them corresponding to what's above.", + "At that time, the holy dew dripped down, from the ancient secret place, filling the top of the Ze'ir Anpin, the place that is called heaven. From that dew of the supernal holy light, the manna continued to descend below. When it descended, it spread out as frosted layers, and solidified below. This is what is written (Shmot 16:14), \"[When the fall of dew lifted, there, over the surface of the wilderness, lay a fine and flaky substance,] as fine as frost on the ground.\"", + "All of these faithful ones went out and gathered [the manna] and made blessing upon the holy name. That manna brought out the scents of all the spices that are in Gan Eden, for through [the Garden] it had descended below. All possibilities before them, they could taste whatever they desired, for here it had that taste. And they blessed the supreme holy sovereign.", + "Then it was blessed in their innards, and they looked knew what was above, knowing supernal wisdom. Hence they were called the knowing-generation. These were the faithful ones, and to them the Torah was given, that they would gaze into it and come to know its ways.", + "And those that were not faithful ones, what is written of them (Bamidbar 11:8)? \"The people were scattered around, collecting [the manna].\" Why 'scattered'? Because they were scatter-brained in collecting for themselves, since they were not faithful ones. And what is written of them [in the rest of the verse]? \"They would ground [the manna] with millstones or pound it in a mortar, [boil it in a pot, and make it into cakes]. Why would they trouble themselves so much? Because they were not faithful ones.", + "In this way, those who did not have faith in the Holy One of Blessing, who did not want to gaze upon [the Torah's] paths, they wanted to trouble themselves all day after food, day and night, for perhaps there wouldn't come up into their hand a loaf of bread. What brought this upon them? It was because they were not faithful ones.", + "Even here, \"the people were scattered around, collecting,\" they scattered with their own foolishness, and wanted to trouble themselves with, it was written, \"grinding between the millstones.\" After all this trouble, it didn't come up into their hand, rather as it is written [in the same verse], \"its taste was a taste rich in oil.\" And nothing else. Who caused this? It was because they were not faithful ones.", + "Rebbe Yossi said, what is \"a taste rich in oil\"? There are those who say, a dough with oil, according to the translation. And there are those way, just as a breast can change in many ways, so too manna could change [its taste] in many ways. Rebbe Yehudah said, \"rich in oil\", suckling with oil.", + "Rebbe Yitzchak said, \"they had gathered as much as they needed to eat\" (Shmot 16:18). For the one who eats less, gathered less, and the one who eats more, gathered more. Yet it is written, \"the one who had gathered much had no excess, and the one who had gathered little had no deficiency.\" Rather, according to what they ate, they gathered. It says, \"their eating\", that which they would actually eat, which is why it doesn't say, \"their food\".", + "What do we learn from this? If one person had a servant [in their household], and said, this [manna] belongs to them. Their neighbor comes and says, the servant is mine! They would appear before Moshe for judgement. He would say to them, how many people are in your household, and how many people in that household. They would say, this many and this many. At that time Moshe would say to them, gather [manna] tomorrow, and each of you will come before me. On the morrow, they would go out and gather, and come before Moshe, presenting their vessels of manna before him so it could be measured. If the servant belonged in that household, a measure of manna for them would be found in that household's vessel. For there was one measure for each soul in the household. Measure the other, and a deficiency would be found in the food for that servant, for there was one measure for each soul in the household. [Moshe] would say, the servant is in that [household], for that is what it says, \"they had gathered as much as they needed to eat\", and is written (Shmot 16:16), \"a measure to a person for as many of you as there are.\"" + ], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "... upper rock / tsur dil`eyla" + ], + [ + "Rabbi Abba said: why is it written \"is Ad-nai among us or isn't (Ayin)?\" were Israel so stupid that they did not know this thing? Behold, they saw the Shechinah in front of them, the clouds of glory surrounded them, and they said \"is Ad-nai among us or isn't (Ayin)?\" People who saw the splendor of their King on the sea, and we learn \"a handmaid saw at the sea better that Ezekiel\" (Mekhilta 15:2:2), were they stupid to say \"is there Ad-nai among us or isn't (Ayin)?", + "Rather, this is what Rabbi Shimeon said: they came to wisdom, [which is] between the oldest secret of all secrets, which is called Ayin, and between Ze'ir Anpin which is called YHV'H. And regarding this: it is not written 'is there Ad-nai among us or not', like it is written 'whether the people will walk on My ways or not', but rather 'is there Ad-nai among us or isn't'?", + "If so, why were they punished? It was because they served [God] as brittle pebbles, and served through miracles, as it is written 'and they tested Ad-nai' (Ex. 17:7). Israel said: if this [happens] we will ask this way, and if this [happens] we will ask in a different way. And because of this immediately \"and Amalek came and warred with Israel in Refidim\" (Ex. 17:9)." + ], + [ + "Rabbi Yosey opened [with the verse] \"Happy are those who sow on all waters and let loose the feet of the ox and the donkey\" (Isaiah 32:20). [What is] 'Happy are you, who sow on all waters'? We learn there: waters and waters are found. Israel were guiltless, they did not have seed, rather 'by the water' as it is written \"and they encamped there by the water\" they were under the branches of the Tree of the Holy Blessed One.", + "As it is taught: The Holy One of Blessing has a Tree, and this Tree is great and powerful, and in it food for all is found. And it is bounded by twelve boundaries, in balance, and it is enveloped by the four winds of the world. And seventy branches hold to it, and Israel are found in the body/essence of that very tree. And the seventy branches encircle the tree.", + "And this is what is written \"and they came to Elim, and there, twelve fountains of water and seventy palm trees\" (Ex. 15:27), and we learned, and it is found in many places: what is \"they encamped there by the water?\" Rather, at that moment they ruled over those waters, they were under the branches of the tree, as we read: \"seething waters\" (Ps. 124:5) - and on this it is written: \"happy are you, who sow on all waters\"." + ] + ], + "Yitro": [ + [ + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "'He sent redemption to His nation,' when the Holy One, blessed be He, redeemed Israel from the exile of Egypt and performed miracles and powerful acts for them. 'He commanded His covenant forever/to the world,' when Yitro came and the Holy One, blessed be He, brought him close to His service. And from there, all those converts were brought close, to be under the wings of the Divine Presence. From there and onwards, 'His name is holy and awesome.' For the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, is sanctified in this way. For the holy name is sanctified (from the Other Side) in this way, when the Other Side is broken and coerced, as it was with Yitro.", + "", + "Rabbi Abba said, in many places we taught, that everything Hashem does above and below is truth, and what He does is truth, and there is nothing in the world that a person should reject and treat with disrespect, because everything is the truth, and everything is needed in the world.", + "For one time, Rabbi Elazar was walking on a path, and Rabbi Chizkiya was walking with him. They saw a snake and Rabbi Chizkiya got up to kill it. Rabbi Elazar said to him, \"Leave it, don't kill it.\" [Rabbi Chizkiya] responded, \"But it's a bad thing, for it kills people.\" [Rabbi Elazar] said to Rabbi Chizkiya, \"But it says in the verse (Koheles 10:11) 'If a snake will kill without a whisper'. A snake does not bite a person until he is whispered to from Above to kill the person...", + "And everything is in the hands of Hashem, and everything is the work of His hands, and the world needs it, and if the world didn't need it, Hashem wouldn't have made it. And this is why a person should not disrespect anything in the world. And in the matters and actions of Hashem, how much more so. " + ], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "At beginning, when the wicked approach to look upon them, and the same laugh, for there is kindness, beauty, and compassion. After, strength, fear, terror, and anger. His eyes are like doves when turned towards them. What are dove's eyes? They are eyes that deceive the wicked, as it is written, (Vayikra 25:14) \"You shall not oppress one another.\" And written in a book (Shir Hashirim 1:15) \"You have dove's eyes.\" They attract and repels (them). All the images of the world are in his face. The hairs on his head are blazed with the colors of seven types of gold." + ], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "R' Yitzḥak says: Why was the Torah given in fire and darkness? As it is written (Devarim 4:11) \"The mountain was ablaze with flames to the very skies, dark with densest clouds.\" The reason is because every person who toils in Torah is saved from the fire of Gehinom, and from the darkness with which the other nations darken Israel, since the merits of Avraham save Israel from the fire of Gehinom.", + "", + "R' Yehuda says: From the day Yisrael left Egypt till the day the Torah given was five days. What is the reason? R' Yehuda says: Because they are the years of the Yovel, as it is written (Vayikra 25:10) \"You shall sanctify the fiftieth year\".", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "It was taught, Rabbi Yitzḥak says: When the Holy One Blessed is He was revealed on Mount Sinai, the mountain quaked. When Sinai quaked, all the other mountains of the world quaked. They were going up and down until the hand of the Holy One Blessed is He pressed on them, and they stayed still. Then a voice went forth and proclaimed (Tehillim 114:5-6) \"What alarmed you, O sea, that you fled, Jordan, that you ran backward, mountains, that you skipped like rams, etc\"." + ], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "About the Shabbat day, about the second meal, it is written (Psalms 58:14), \"Then you shall delight in the Lord.\" Certainly in the Lord, for that is the time that the Holy Ancient One (Atika) and all of the Worlds became revealed with joy. So we are making the wholeness and the joy of the Ancient One; and the meal is certainly His. " + ] + ], + "Mishpatim": [ + [], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "It is compared ... To a lovely princess, Beautiful in every way and hidden deep within her palace. She has one lover, unknown to anyone; he is hidden too. Out of his love for her, this lover passes by her gate constantly, Lifting his eyes to every side. She knows that her lover is hovering about her gate constantly. What does she do? She opens a little window in her hidden palace and reveals her face to her lover, Then swiftly withdraws, concealing herself. No one near the lover sees or reflects, Only the lover, And his heart and his soul and everything within him flow out to her. And he knows that out of love for him She revealed herself for that one moment to awaken (love in him). So is the words of the God in the Torah, she doesn't reveal itself only to her lover.", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + ".", + "..", + "We learned that there is nothing that stands in front of (blocks) repentance; and the Holy One, blessed be He, certainly accepts it [from] everyone. So if one repents, the path of life makes itself available to him. And even though one damaged that which he damaged, it will all be repaired, and everything will return to its proper state. For behold, even that upon which there is an oath, (in front of the Holy One, blessed be He - about this, it is read (Isaiah 14:27), “For the Lord of Hosts planned, so who will rescind?” This is a hidden secret. And even when the Holy One, blessed be He, makes an oath, He only makes the oath [to fulfill it] if one does not repent. For behold, there is no matter that stands in front of repentance, and the Holy One, blessed be He, atones for everyone who repents completely.) the Holy One, blessed be He, accepts [repentance]. For it is written (Jeremiah 22:24), “As I live, says the Lord - though Koniayahu, etc.”; and it is written (Jeremiah 22:30), “Write this man childless”; but after he repented, it is written (II Chronicles 3:17), “And the sons of Yekhonyah; Assir [...] his son, etc.” From here, [we see] that repentance breaks down many decrees and punishments, and many iron chains. So there is nothing that stands in front of repentance." + ] + ], + "Terumah": [ + [ + "Exodus 25:1-2. And Hashem spoke to Moses, saying, 'Speak to the children of Yisrael that they bring Me an offering, of every man whose heart prompts him. Rabbi Chiya opened the discussion saying, \"For Hashem has chosen Jacob to Himself, Yisrael for His peculiar possession\" (Psalms 135:4). How beloved are Yisrael before the Holy One, blessed be He, who desires them, and wants to be attached to them and connect Himself with them to make them a single nation in the world, as it is written, \"And what one nation in the earth is like Your people Yisrael?\" (II Samuel 7:23). They wanted Him and were attached to Him, as it says, \"For Yah has chosen Jacob to Himself\" and, \"For Hashem's portion is His people\" (Deuteronomy 32:9). 1. He gave ministers and officers to the other nations and took Yisrael to His part." + ], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "", + "And on account of that, \"How great is Your goodness\" - that is the Foundation of the world, which is called great goodness. This is as you say (Isaiah 63:7), \"and great goodness to the House of Israel\" - as this is the great goodness. The first light is called just good; but here the Male and Female are both included together. \"Which You have envisioned,\" as this was concealed in the same way as the first light, which was concealed and hidden. \"You made\" - for thus is the artistry of the whole world, the artistry of the souls and the spirits. ", + "It is with this secret that the Holy One, blessed be He, made the artistry of the whole world. And this secret is, \"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.\" With this secret, the tabernacle was made and it was built. For it was in the image of the higher world and in the image of the lower world. And that is [the meaning of] that which is written (Exodus 25:2), \"and they shall take an offering for Me.\" [An offering for Me] is two levels, which are one, since they join together as one." + ], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "Erev/night - as you say \"and also an erev rav went up with them\" (Ex. 12:38), since all those pure travails are the ones that mix [mit'arev] with the forces of the night. And this is why there is no obligation regarding the night prayer, because no person can say it like Ya'akov, who was the master of the dwelling, and was the [only] one who could say it properly." + ], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "(Another explanation:) \"From them\" - from those [festive] times and Shabbats. And it is all one secret: \"Gold, silver, copper, blue-violet, purple, and worm scarlet [yarn].\" Gold is with the secret of the day of Rosh Hashanah. For it is the day of gold, the Day of Judgement, and that side is in control. It is as you say (Job 37:22), \"Gold comes out of the north\" (the direction associated with judgement). \"And silver\" - this is Yom Kippur, upon which the liabilities (from sins) of Israel are whitened like snow. It is as you say (Isaiah 1:18), \"Though your sins be like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.\" And it is written (Leviticus 16:30), \"For on this day atonement shall be made for you to purify you.\"", + "\"And copper\" - the days of the sacrifices of the Holiday (Sukkot). For these are the chariot of the idolatrous nations. And they are called the secret of the copper mountains. And because of that, [the sacrifices] diminish as they go. \"And blue-violet (tekhelet)\" - that is Pesach, [when] the secret of faith is in control. It is the secret of the color of blue-violet. And since it is blue-violet (which has a similar root to the word for ending or finishing off), it did not reign until it destroyed and killed all the Egyptian firstborn. It is as you say (Exodus 12:23), \"And He will pass through to smite Egypt.\" Because of this, all colors in a dream are good except for blue-violet. ", + "\"And purple\" - that is Shavuot, the secret of purple. For the written Torah, which was given upon it, is composed of two sides, of the right (mercy) and of the left (judgement). It is as you say (Deuteronomy 33:2), \"from His right hand went a fiery law for them.\" And that is [the understanding of] purple. \"And worm scarlet\" - that is [the understanding of] the Fifteenth of Av, on which the daughters of Israel would go out in linen clothes. It is as you say (Lamentations 4:5), \"those who were reared in purple [garments].\"", + "And from all of these do we take the tithe for the Lord at each time, in order to have have [the Divine Presence] dwell upon us. On Rosh Hashanah , we take the tithe for the Lord, and it is the secret of Rosh Hashanah, which comes from the side of the gold. And on Yom Kippur, we take it - that is Yom Kippur - since the daughter inherits the mother. On Sukkot, we take it; and it is the Sukkah that covers and protects us. And it is written (Numbers 29:35), \"On the eighth day you shall hold a convocation.\" And that is the tithe for the Lord.", + "On Pesach also do we take it like this, and that is [the understanding of] Pesach; and behold we have established the secret of the color of the light of blue-violet. On Shavuot we take it, and it is the two breads. And it is written (Exodus 20:1), \"And the Lord said all of these things, saying.\" So we take the oral Torah from the written Torah. The fifteenth of Av - It stands in gladness about the daughters of Israel. All the other days, they are for its reparations. And it is about this that it is written, \"which you will take from them.\"" + ], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "R. Hamnuna the Elder, when the morning star would come out throughout Shabbat, he would sit for a moment and raise his eyes, and was happy, and would say that he was sitting under the sight of the joy of the superior angels. They go out and they rest, and throughout Shabbat a person sits in the world of souls." + ], + [ + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "And what is its wedding canopy? That is Eden; and that is the secret of, \"There is a river that went out of Eden.\" Eden, that is the canopy that covers everything. \"Rejoicing like a strong man\": \"Rejoicing,\" from the side of the primordial light, in which no judgment was found at all. \"Like a strong man,\" from the side of Strength (Gevurah). And even though Strength is complete judgment, it is written, \"like a strong man,\" and not, \"a strong man\" - since judgement is sweetened by kindness, and it is all taken together, with complete desire and will. And all of this is, \"to run upon the path.\" It is as you would say (Isaiah 23:16), \"who made a road through the sea,\" to water and complete the light of the moon in all of its sides; \"and a path through mighty waters,\" to shine below." + ], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "There's a place in Gehenna which has degrees called Burning Feces in which the poison of the souls that needs to be removed having been incurred in this world is removed. They are whitened and go up and the poision stays there. The bad degrees called Burning Feces absorb that poison and the fire of Gehinom rules over the extracted poison.", + "There are, however, wicked people who have dirtied their souls with their sins daily and did not whiten them and died without repenting. They sin and caused others to sin and were ever stiff-necked and they were not broken before their Master in this life. They will be punished in that poison and in that Burning Feces and not leave there forever. Those who corrupted their way on the land and did not worry about the honor of their master in this life, all those are punished for eternity and will never leave.", + "On the Sabbath and New moon, annointed times and festivals in that place the fires are put out and they are not punished but they do not leave from there. Like the rest of the wicked they get rest on that day. All those who violate the Sabbaths and annointed times and do not worry about the honor of their Master in order to observe these days rather violating them publicly i.e they did not keep the Sabbaths and annointed times in this life they also will not observe them in the afterlife and they will thus have no rest [from the flames of hell.]" + ], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "One who luxuriates at his table and delights in those foods ought to call to mind and to feel concern for the holiness of the Holy Land and for the Temple of the King that has been destroyed. In consideration of the sadness that one feels at one's table--in the midst of the joy and celebration [lit. drinking] there--the Holy Blessed One accounts it to one as if one has rebuilt His House and rebuilt all the ruins of the Temple. Happy is one's portion!" + ], + [], + [ + "", + "A tanna stood and said: (clearly this is) the faithful shepherd, clearly here he is, and to you God has commanded to do [make] all, as it is written: \"and you will do the menorah\" \"and you will do the table\"and so with all, and you see and you do. And nothing was hard for you, with the exception of three things that are hinted in the letters of your name: Menorah SHekalim and HaChodesh. Why were those hard for you?", + "He [Moshe] said to him [the tanna]: grandpa, grandpa, y'all learned this difficulty for me (1) from the verse \"of hammered work the menorah shall be made [implication is of itself, and not by Moshe]\" (Exodus 25:31). Clearly the vessel of the Holy One of Blessing is the Shechinah, and she is the vessel that helps Her husband, she is His menorah, as it is written about Him: \"I praise You seven times each day [for Your just rules]\" (Ps. 119:164) - and they are: Gedulah, and Gevurah, and Tiferet, and Netzach, and Hod, Yesod and Malchut. A group of seven.", + "From those seven ways, three are the shafts of the menorah from one side, the body and two arms of the king, They are \"the mitzvah is light\" (Prov. 6:23) to illuminate through them. And the other three shafts of the menorah from the other side are the legs and the covenant. And they are the \"light from West\" (Tamid 30b) to illuminate through them. This is called the Menorah of the King, and this is the light which illuminates the light of the mitzvah, of which it is said \"the mitzvah of Ad-nai illuminates the eyes\" (Ps. 19:9).", + "And what is the head of the Menorah? The Upper Binah [Understanding] of Hashem, that has three shafts, in the likeness of Hashem, three vavs, which are the three patriarchs, which are Netzach, Hod and Yesod. And the middle vav of the Menorah is the Son of Yah [BeN Y\"aH] and on his name she is called BINAH. And they encompass the six lower shafts, summing six, in his six shafts.", + "[Seven shafts are seen in HAVAYAH without the YUD, so now we explain the] YUD - \"a woman of valor is the crown of her husband\" (Prov. 12:4) that is the crown of the Sefer Torah, like the form of the ZAYIN [that is a YUD on top of a VAV, similar to a crown] of the world to come. There, She [Shechinah] is not a vessel for Him, nor does She help Him, rather, She is a crown on His head. But in this world, it is this way, HEY VAV HEY YUD is the lower vessel, that helps Him, in all His counts, in all His limbs, in all His traits.", + "And in this way, this YUD, sometimes is under Him and sometimes is on His head, and sometimes is in the middle. On the head of AD-NAI: \"the stone that was rejected by the builders became the head stone\" (Ps. 118:22). And this is \"to raise the eternal light\" (Lev. 24:2), which is the YUD over HEY VAV HEY from the side of the Menorah. In the middle, the half SHekel, as it is written \"this they shall give\" (Ex. 30:13), in the way of HavaYah. At the end, in the Mishkan, in the way of HEY VAV HEY YUD. \"Five cubits high\" on the side of the Upper Hey, and \"five cubits long\" on the side of the Lower Hey. And \"a cubit\" - this is the vav. \"And half a cubit\": the Yud. And all is hinted by the vav." + ], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "Because when the world was created, each and every thing did not come into being until it arose in Will to create man who could labor in Torah, and for him the world was brought into existence. Now anyone who gazes into the Torah and labors in her, it is as if he preserves the entire world. The Holy One (blessed be He) gazed into the Torah and created the world. A person gazes into the Torah and preserves the world. We find that the creation and the preservation of the entire world is Torah, and as a result of this, fortunate is the person who involves himself with Torah, because he preserves the world." + ], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "... And with the mishkan you will make ten curtains”—here, this is the mystery of unification, which is fixing/arrangement of the mishkan from so many levels, as it’s written, “and the mishkan was one” [Ex 26:6; 36:13] . . . In a person there are so many parts, upper and lower ones, those that are innermost within, and those that are revealed outside, and all of them are called one body. So also . . .", + "", + "... the mystery/raza of the mishkan, which is [made of] limbs and parts / eivarin v’shayyfin – they all go/add up to the mystery of Adam, like the pattern/k’gavna of the commandments in the Torah, for the commandments in the Torah are all of them in the mystery of Adam, male and female, for when they are joined together as one they are one, the mystery of Adam." + ], + [ + "", + "And that which is said \"bechol levavecha\" (lit. with all your hearts) is that there are two impulses, one is the good impulse and one is the bad impulse, and those two - each is called lev (lit. heart), and this is (1) called a good heart, and this is called a bad heart. And that is how there (the text says) \"hearts\", which are two, the good impulse and the evil impulse.", + "(2)uvechol nafshecha - it should have been written \"and with your soul\" - why is it written \"with all your soul\"? This is to include nefesh, ruach and neshamah, and this is \"with all your soul\" with all the parts of the soul. \"And with all your might\" - consider that there are many sides to possessions/money; all double one from the other, and this is \"with all\". The Holy One of Blessing was compassionate [to a person] and gave all this to them, so the person would be compassionate to every single other person.", + "And if you ask - how can a human being love Him with the evil impulse, behold, the evil impulse incites people to anger, to prevent the person to come close to the service of the Holy One of Blessing, and how can one love Him with it? (here's the answer) Rather, this is the greatest form of service to the Holy One of Blessing: when a person turns away/upends the evil impulse, in this way that person shows definitely their love for the Holy One of Blessing. When the evil impulse is upended and the person breaks it, in this way that person shows definitely their love for the Holy One, since the person is able to bring that evil impulse to the service of the Holy One of Blessing.", + "And here is a secret of those who understand 'judgment'. Everything that the Holy One of Blessing made, on high and below, all is to show the Holy One's glory and for the Holy One's service. Is it possible to find a servant that rebels against the master, that on everything the servant does the servant is going against the master's will? [No,] the will of the Holy One of Blessing is that people would always be doing the service of the Holy One, and that they should walk in the paths of truth and merit many goodnesses, and this is the will of the Holy One of Blessing! And how would there be an evil servant going against the will of the Master, pushing people to evil paths?", + "Rather, it is obvious that [the evil inclination] is doing the will of the Master! [This is similar to] a king who had an only son, whom he loved deeply, and to whom he warned lovingly that he should never get close to an evil woman, since anyone who came close to her could not come to the king's inner hall anymore. And the son promised his father that he would do his will with love.", + "In the palace of the king, outside, there lived a certain prostitute, comely and beautiful. After a few days the king said: I want to see the will of my son regarding me. He called that prostitute and said to her: go and seduce my son, so I can see his will regarding me. What did the prostitute do? She went after the son, and began to hug and kiss him, and to seduce him with all manners of seductions. If that son is decent, and obeys the will of his father, he tells her off, and does not listen to her, and pushes her away from him. And then the father is happy with his son, and makes him enter into the center of the inner hall, and gives him gifts and great honor. Who brought all this about? You have to say, the prostitute.", + "And that prostitute, does she receive praise for this or not? Of course she receives praise from all sides. One, that she did the command of the king. One, that she brought about all that good to the son, all that love from the king towards him. And that's why it is written \"and behold it was very good.\" (...)" + ], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "He opened [the teaching] about the Table and said: \"You shall make the planks for the Tabernacle of acacia wood, upright\" (Exodus 26:15). Here it is written, \"upright,\" and there it is written, \"Seraphs upright\" (Isaiah 6:2). Just like it is [referring to] seraphs there, here too is it [referring to] seraphs. Those are the boards that stand for the fixtures of the Bride, and their enclosure is the enclosure of the wedding canopy (chupah), to have the holy spirit (another textual variant: the supernal secret) dwell within that canopy. In this same fashion, the bride below - it is necessary to arrange for beautiful fixtures for the wedding canopy in honor of the other Bride who comes to dwell there in joy for the bride below. ", + "And in honor of that supernal Bride, it is necessary to make a beautiful wedding canopy with all the beautiful fixtures, to invite the supernal Bride to this joyous occasion. In the same way that with every cutting of the covenant (circumcision) below, it is necessary to prepare an extra chair with beauty for the zealous master of the living covenant (Eliyahu) who comes there; so too here at every wedding, it is necessary to have beautiful fixtures to cover the wedding canopy in honor of the usual Bride.", + "For this one rises like that [Bride]. This one arises with seven blessings and that [Bride] arises with seven blessings. And when she arises with seven blessings like this, she is called a bride. And that is why it is forbidden to have sexual relations with her until she is integrated into the seven blessings, in the way of the supernal [Bride].", + "These seven blessings are the inheritance of the Bride from the supernal spirit (another textual variant: secret), the place from which all blessings are drawn. [But] there are only six blessings from which the Bride is blessed, and you say there are seven!?! Rather the seventh is the one that sustains everything. " + ], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "", + "", + "And that moment it was difficult in front of Him, to pass through the way of judgment. And behold Israel were spread out as it is written (Exodus 14:15) \"And Y'Y said to Moshe: why are you crying out to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go!\" And it was hard for Him to go through with the judgment, and to part the Sea of Reeds to them, and were it not for the Holy Blessed One considering the merit of Avraham, who woke up early in the morning to obey/serve the commandment of the Master and His pleasure, as it is written \"And Avraham woke up in the morning\" all of them would have perished in the sea, because of the judgment that the Holy Blessed One had against Israel." + ], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "", + "", + "Come and see, as it is written, \"Who brings out their host by number\" (Isaiah 40:26), Lift up your eyes on high and see: Who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name; because he is great in strength, mighty in power, not one is missing. Lift up your eyes to the sky and see: Who created all these? \"There is no small herb in the whole world that does not have an angel that tends it and does not have a star and a constellation in the sky that influence it, and on that star there is an angel that guides it before the Holy One, Blessed be He, and each and every thing looks to it.\"" + ] + ], + "Sifra DiTzniuta": [ + [ + "Safra Dat'zniuta (Book of Concealed) What is the Concealed Book? Rabbi Shimon said, \"It is five chapters within a great chamber, that accompanies the Earth.\" Rabbi Yehudah, \"If these accompany, behold they are the best.\" Rabbi Shimon said, \"This is true for he who's vessel enters, but who's vessel does not enter, this is not true.", + "This is compared to a son of man who dwells among the cliffs and did not know about those who dwell in the town. He sowed wheat and ate it raw. One day, he went to the town and was offered good bread. The man asked, \"What's this for?\" They replied, \"It's bread, to eat!\" He asked,\" And what is this made of?\" They replied, \"wheat!\" After, they brought him cakes kneaded with oil. He tasted and asked, \"And what are these made of?\" They replied, \"wheat!\". After they brought him royal pastry kneaded with honey and oil. He asked, \"And what are these made of?\" They replied, \"wheat!\" He said, \"Surely I am Lord of all these, since I eat the essence of all of these!\" Because of this, he knew nothing of the delights of the world, which were lost to him. So it is with one who grasps the principle but is unaware of all those delectable delights deriving and diverging from that principle." + ] + ], + "Tetzaveh": [ + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "", + "It's written ״You shall not make molten gods for yourselves” (Shemot 34:17) and afterwards it is written ״You shall keep the feast of unleavened bread (Ibid 34:18).” What does this [verse] have to do with that one? Rather, this is the explanation: one who eats chametz on Pesach is similar to one who worships idols." + ], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "Now we need to examine this - on Passover Israel is removed from the bread that is called chametz (leavened), as it is written (Exodus 13:7) \"and you shall not see any leavened bread\", and it is written (Exodus 12:19), \"for anyone who eats leavening etc.\" What is the reason for this? Because of the preciousness of that bread which is called matzah. For now that Israel has merited a more elevated form of bread, is it not therefore appropriate to do away with chametz and make it completely invisible? But why, then, does this offering [on Shavuot] include chametz? As it is written, (Leviticus 23:17) \"it shall be a measure of choice flour, baked with leavening.\" And furthermore, on this day when the evil inclination is vanquished, and the Torah - which is called \"freedom\" - is present?", + "Rather, it can be likened to a King who had a single son who grew weak. One day he had a desire to eat. They said \"let the King's son eat this healing food, and as long as he eats it, let no other kinds of food and nourishment be found throughout the house.\" And thus they did. After [the son] ate this healing food, [the King] said, \"from this point and onward he can eat whatever he desires and it will not be able to harm him.\"", + "So too, when Israel left Egypt they did not know the primary root and secret of faith. The Holy Blessed One said, \"let Israel taste this healing food, and as long as they eat this healing food they shall not see any other kinds of food.\" Once they ate the matzah, which provided them the healing to enter into and know the secret of faith, the Holy Blessed One said, \"from here and onward, they can see and eat chametz, for it can no longer harm them.\" And all the more so on the day of Shavuot, when the supernal bread is provided which offers healing from all;", + "For this reason chametz is offered to burn on the altar." + ] + ], + "Ki Tisa": [], + "Vayakhel": [ + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "Rabbi Shimeon said: When we take the Torah scroll in a congregation, the gates of Heaven of mercy open themselves, and we arouse Love on High, and it is required that a person say the following:", + "Blessed is the Name of the Master of the Universe, blessed is You Crown and Your place. May Your friendship with Your people Israel be forever, and Your salvation [that comes] from You Right Hand be seen by Your people in Your sanctuary. Lead us to discover the goodness in Your Light, and receive our prayers with mercy. May it be Your will to prolong our lives in goodness. And may I too be counted among the righteous, and [may You] have mercy on me, and watch over me, over all that is mine and is Your people Israel's. You are the Ruler of everything, You are the Ruler over kings, and Kingship is [truly only] Yours. I am a servant of the Holy One, I bow in front Him, and in front of His Torah's preciousness [I bow], at all and every time. Not on a man I trust, not on an angel [other possibilities of translation: nothing outside of God/a son of god] I rely, rather, on the God of heaven, that is a God of truth, and His Torah is truth, and His prophets are truth, and Who performs many acts that are good and truth. In Him I trust, and I will say praises to His Dear/Precious Name. May it be Your will to open my heart in/to Your Torah, and give me male children who will be servants of Your will. And fulfill the requests of my heart, and the hearts of all Your people Israel for good, and for life, and for peace, amen." + ] + ], + "Pekudei": [ + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "Rabi Aba said to him: And this cow is sacred, this [cow] is pure, and why? He answered this is so, and the cow is established, it includes four reigns. \"Cow\", as it says \"For Israel is stubborn like a stubborn cow\" (Hosea 4:16). \"Red\" this is the reign of Bavel, as it says \"You are a head of gold\" (Daniel 2:38). \"Unblemished\", this is the reign of Persia.\"without any defects\", this is the reign of Greece (because they come close to the ways of faith). \"On which no yoke has been laid\", this is the reign of Edom, in which no yoke has been laid. And the secret of this thing, even though there are many words in this midrash, all of them are one." + ], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "Come and behold, \"Moses speaks\" from what is written, (Shir Hashirim 1:15) \"Behold, you are fair my love\" and written, (Shir Hashirim 4:3) \"Like a strand of scarlet, your lips are.\" And God (Elohim) answers him by voice, as written, (Shir Hashirim 1:16) \"Behold, you are handsome my beloved yes, you are pleasant\" and written, (Shir Hashirim 5:13) \"His lips are like lillies, dripping flowing myrrh\"" + ] + ], + "Vayikra": [ + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "The following was taught in the section of \"Hear oh Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One\" (Deuteronomy 6:4) What is one? This is Knesset Israel which is unified with the Holy One, blessed be He. As R' Shimon says: the union of male and female is called one. The place where the female dwells, this is called one. What is the reason for this? Because male without female is called half a body, and half is not one. When two halves of the body are connected, they become one body and then they are called one." + ], + [ + "Rabbi Acha began: \"And God came to Avimelech in a dream by night\" (Genesis 20:3); and it is written, \"And God said to him in the dream, 'I knew that you did this with a blameless heart'\" (Genesis 20:6). This, \"But God (Elohim) came to Avimelech\" - how is it different with the [other] nations of the world, [about which it says,] \"And God came,\" but not with Israel? (Rather that is the secret of other gods [elohim]. And you should know that the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, dwells high aloft forever, His name is holy.' And He alone is the King over everything that is found, whether above or below. So He arranged His holy chamber in the center, and there are seventy crowns surrounding it. And seventy great ones were crowned with them and appointed over the seventy nations of the world, such that each one would be the ruler over his people and his land. But the Holy One, blessed be He, gave only Israel the secret of His name, so that He rules over Israel and Jerusalem. That is that which is written [Daniel 9:19], \"for Your name is attached to Your city and Your people.\" And no other nation has a share in the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is written [Deuteronomy 28:10], \"And all the peoples of the earth shall see that the Lord's name is proclaimed over you.\" And it is written [Micah 4:5], \"Though all the peoples walk each in the names of its gods, etc.\" And it is written [Deuteronomy 28:10], \"For the Lord's portion is His people, etc.\") Rather we have learned, all [mention of] elohim here is of the great host that He appointed over them, in the [same] way as, \"And elohim appeared to Bilaam at night\" (Numbers 22:20), is the power that was appointed over him." + ], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "\"The entire world and those upon it, spin round in a circle like a ball,' both those at the bottom of the ball and those at the top. All God's creatures, wherever they live on the different parts of the ball, look different (in color, in their features) because the air is different in each place, but they stand erect as all other human beings. ", + "Therefore there are places in the world where, when some have light, others have darkness; when some have day, others have night. There is a place in the world where the day is long and night is but a short time..." + ], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "It is written \"Dominion and dread are His; He makes peace in His heights\" (Job 25:2) - this verse was raised by the group of friends. But \"dominion\" is Avraham, as it is written about him \"you are the elect of E-lohim among us\" (Genesis 23:6) and also \"I will bless you and I will make your name great\" (Genesis 12:2). \"Dread\" is Itzchak, as it is written \"the dread of Itzchak was with me\" (Genesis 31:42). \"Makes peace in His heights\" - this is Yaakov, as it is written \"You gave truth to Yaakov\" (Micah 7:20) and also \"love truth and peace\" (Zecharia 8:19) - truth and peace are tied to one another. And so he is the most complete of all." + ], + [ + "And the Shelamim sacrifice is completeness, and peace for all. And a person that offers a shelamim spreads peace in the world. Yaakov is the one who makes peace, as we said, since he is the one for this [side] and this [side]. And the shelamim unifies the positive mitzvot and negative mitzvot, from this side and from this side. And because of this it is called shelamim [completeness]. And the secret of the word is that it is written 'And Yaakov was a TAM person' (Genesis 25:27): a complete person. Complete above and complete below. Another explanation [for Job 25:2]: \"dominion\" this is Michael. \"Dread\" this is Gavriel. This [angel, Michael] has its basis of water, this [angel, Gavriel] has the basis of fire. And the Holy One of Blessing makes peace between them, as it is written \"He makes peace on His heights / among the high ones\" (Job 25:2)." + ], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "... And he didn't ask mercy for the world, and the water came, and all the people died. That's why it's called Noah's waters. Noah's water of course, because it was his fault. For he didn't ask mercy for the world.", + "", + "", + "", + "For there wasn't a bad decree that was decreed on the world from above, that he didn't cancel. That is what is written (Samuel 2:23) \"rules the people\" the Holy One Blessed Be rules the people. And who rules the Holy One as it were? The righteous. For the Holy One decrees, and the righteous cancel it." + ], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "And on that day Yitzchak crowned himself and he is the head of the Patriarchs. About that day it is written \"In Tzion the sinners feared\" (Isaiah 33:14). On that day Yitzchak bounded himself up, and everything was bound up, and Sarah wailed [diff. version: broke down], and the voice of the shofar was very strong. Happy is the lot of the one who passes through them and is saved from them. Rabbi Aba said: because of this we read the parashah of the Binding of Yitzchak on this day, because on this day Yitzchak bound himself up with the lower, and [so] connected/knotted himself with the One Above [diff. version: with Avraham]. When did he bound himself up?At the time when it is written \"and he bound his son Yitzchak up\" (Genesis 22:9).", + "Rabbi Eleazar said: On that day Yitzchak [gevurah/din] surrounded Avraham [gedulah/hesed] as it is written \"And El-him tested Avraham\" (Gen. 22:1). What is \"nissah/tested\"? As you say \"and I will raise my banner/nissi to the peoples\" (Isaiah 49:22). \"And he called His name Ad-nai Nissi\" (Exodus 17:15). What does this teach us? So that he would encompass the right and make himself complete. One [proof] is that it is written \"And El-him tested Avraham\". El-him, specifically, and this is \"and the Fear of Isaac [Pachad Yitzchak]\" (Genesis 31:42)" + ], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "And from there the Snahedrin knew 70 languages, which they are the 70 faces (interpretations) of the Torah. Because they are 70 languages from the side of the evil kingdom, (and) all of them are separate (unrelated languages). That is what it is written (Genesis 10:5): From these the maritime nations split up. in their lands, to their languages (Translators note: the Zoher uses here a different text for the verse than the traditional text), all of these 70 languages are are in separation from each other.", + "However, in the Torah, they are 70 faces to Torah (study), in a single language." + ] + ], + "Tzav": [ + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "This is the yoke of the commandments, obviously, in the sense that in it all that was created in the heaven and earth - one [reason for this] is what is written \"these are the generations of heaven and earth as they were created\" (Gen. 2:4) BEHIBARAM - they were created with HEY. And so there are Shabbat and the Holy Days, [when] Binah comes down, which is His hand on Hey, which is the Reign of Heaven [God's] which is the Extra Soul, meaning \"carved on the tablets\" (Exodus 32:16), the I of the exodus from Egypt (see Exodus 20:2) and the extending of the wings over the daughter, and over those who serve her, and they have rest. And this verse is said regarding the servants of Samae\"l and the snake: \" And all the peoples of the earth shall see that the Ad-nai’s name is proclaimed over you and they shall stand in fear of you. \" (Deut. 28:10) - this is the mark of tefillin and the mark of Shabbat, and the mark of the Holy Days and the mark of the Brit - all [4 marks] are similar [in this].", + "And there is the mark of Shad\"ai, that is Metatro\"n as servant, and many servants are dependent on him, that he is the appointed one on those who are servants in order to receive a reward (see Avot 1:3). Metatro\"n and his servants are appointed over them. And regarding them it is said: \"so that your ox and your donkey and your slave and your female slave rest\" (Exodus 23:12). But those who observe/follow/serve the commandments without the intention of receiving a reward, those are the children of the King and the Matronita. And they are the crowns and the adornments on the head, that serve on the common days. And regarding them it is said \"and those who make use of the crown disappear\" (Avot 1:13) and \"the stranger that comes\" on them \"will die\" since the Shabatot are called for the servants.", + "And in this sense \"whether as children or servants\". If as children, that it is written regarding them \"you are children to Ad-nai your God\" (Deut. 14:1). If as servants \"since the children of Israel are My servants\" (Lev. 25:55). And not the rest of the nations. But those who are obligated and do not deal with Torah and mitzvot, and do not have the yoke of Torah and tefilin and the rest of the commandments, they are servants of the nations of the world, and are made slaves to them. As \"we were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt\" (Deuteronomy 6:21)." + ] + ], + "Shmini": [], + "Tazria": [ + [ + "\"And Ad-nai said to Moshe: a woman that gives seed and births a male etc\" - Rabbi Eleazar began with this verse: 'on my bed, at night, I searched [for the one my soul desires, I searched but haven't found him]' (Songs 3:1). The text should read 'in my bed', what is 'on my bed'? The congregation of Israel asked the Holy One of Blessing regarding the exile since she sits among the peoples with her children, and lies down in the dust, and because she lies on the ground she has become unfit to offer sacrifices, she said 'on my bed I consider that I feel sick in exile, and regarding this 'I asked [for] the One that my soul loves' and I will not restrain myself from Him.", + "I searched but haven't found him' (Songs 3:1) - that His ways are to only couple with me in His Temple, 'I called and He did not answer' (Songs 5:6). Because I sit among other peoples, and His voice can only be heard in beauty, as it is written 'Has any people heard the voice of Elohim?' (Deut 4:33)", + "Rabbi Itzchak said: 'on my bed at night' (Songs 3:1) - the congregation of Israel said on my bed I will confess to Him, so that He will couple with me and rejoice with me, and bless me in a complete joy. Because this is what we are taught regarding the coupling of the King with the congregation of Israel - how many righteous people inherited God's inheritance, and how many of their blessings are found in the world!" + ], + [ + "Rabbi Abba went to the field of Kanya (other versions: to do business) to the cave in Lod. With him were Rabbi Yosi and Rabbi Hyiah. Rabbi Yosi said: it is written \"a woman of valor is a crown to her husband etc\" (Proverbs 12:4). A woman of valor - this is the congregation of Israel. And when their very essence is rotten due to evil. They, (other versions: the religions of the other), the peoples, are strange service, that cannot be withstood by the Holy One of Blessing in the world, as it is written 'and I was angry [akutz] at them' (Lev. 20:21) - just like these thorns and lions that distress human beings, and they can't stand them. Rabbi Abba said: This is the obvious - 'woman of valor' is the congregation of Israel, since she is the mistress of many valorous men and many seeders that are found in the world. 'A crown to her husband' - just as you say, a crown of beauty [tif'eret] and all is one. [this is a wrong version: the 'woman of valor' is the congregation of Israel, that from the union of the king many men of valor, many seeders, many righteous people [appear] in the world, and all of them are called 'children of the Holy One of Blessing and of the Congregation of Israel' as it is written \"you are children to Ad-nai your God\" (Deut. 14:1).] Until they had walked, Rabbi Abba said: all is one, let us say a word about the congregation of Israel.", + "Rabbi Abba began with the following verse: 'A woman of valor who can find?' (Prov. 31:10) - this is the congregation of Israel, she is the woman of valor, as we said. 'Who can find' - just as you say, that will be found in you at the end of days. [this is a wrong version: 'who can find' who can offer a korban.] Who can find? A person who merits to be with her completely, and is found with her frequently.", + "far from pearls is her selling' - her selling? It should say her value! Rather, every person who does not cling to her completely, and is not completely with her, she sells them and locks them in the hands of other peoples. As you say 'and the children of Israel abandoned Ad-nai, and He sold them to the hands of Sisera' (I Samuel 12:9). And so they are all far away from the upper sacred pearls (secrets of Torah), that were not divided among them. This is 'and her purchase is far away from pearls'.", + "Rabbi Hyia opened with the verse after that one, and said 'the heart of her husband trusts her, and he lacks no good thing' (Prov. 31:10) The heart of her husband - this is the Holy One of Blessing, that through this He gave to her the world, every weapon/seeding force in her hands and every one who engages in battle. And that is why 'good He does not lack'.", + "Rabbi Yosi opened with the verse after that one, and said 'she provides him with good, and not evil, all the days of her life' (Proverbs 31:11) - she provides him with good: this is that she brings goodness to the world, she brings good to the King's Temple and to the children of the Temple. 'And not evil': as it is written - 'and the tree of good and evil' (Gen. 2:9) - when is it good? when they are in the days of heaven, illuminate her, and join with her as appropriate, these are 'the days of her life'. Because of the tree of life, he gives life for her and illuminates her. And in that exact time, she brings good to him and not evil. Rabbi Abba said - this is beautiful, and all those verses are about the Congregation of Israel." + ], + [ + "A woman that gives seed' (Lev. 12:2) - we learned \"a woman who orgasms first will bear a male.\" Rabbi Acha said: this is what we learned - that the Holy One of Blessing decrees on that drop whether it will be a male or a female, and you are saying if the woman orgasms first she will bear a male? Said Rabbi Yosi: obviously the Holy One of Blessing chooses between the drop of a male and the drop of a female, and by choosing, God decrees if it will be male of female.", + "Said Rabbi Acha: 'and she bears a male' (Lev. 12:2) - and since the parturient gives seed as it is written 'she bears' why do you need the verse 'when a woman conceives and bears a male'? What is this? When she gives seed and bears. Rabbi Yosi said: A woman, from the moment she conceives until the day she bears [the child] she has no say. Rather, they come from her, and this is 'when a woman seeds and bears a male.'", + "\"A woman who gives seed\" - Rabbi Chizkiyah opened with the verse 'How great are Your works Ad-nai' (Ps. 104:24). How many multitudes created the Holy King in the world, this is similar to a person who took in their hand many seeds, and seeded all of them in one moment, and after each type came out on its own. So too the Holy One of Blessing works with wisdom, and in wisdom took all as one and seeded them, and after each and every type came, as it is written \"You made all in wisdom\" (Ps. 104:24)" + ], + [ + "Rabbi Abba said: \"How great are Your works, Ad-nai\"(Ps. 104:24). How many multitudes were created by the Holy King, and all of them are concealed/covered in Chochma/Wisdom, since the text writes \"You did all of them in Wisdom\". All of it included in wisdom, and they don't come out except in known paths, regarding Understanding/Binah. And we learn: and He created it all and established it, since it is written 'and in understanding established' (Proverbs 24:3). And this is 'You did all of them in Wisdom\".", + "The earth is filled' (Ps. 104:24) - the earth: this is the Congregation of Israel, that we learn it is filled with all [of creation], as you say: 'all rivers flow to the sea, etc\" (Eccl. 1:7). 'Your acquirings' (Ps. 104:24) - this is the rivulets that come after, since it is written \"these are the generations of heaven and earth as they were created / hibar'am\" (Genesis 2:4), were created with a hey [hey bar'am, the hey is small in scrolls on this verse]. In this way, 'the earth is filled with Your acquirings.'" + ], + [ + "Go and see: in the moment that a person comes to make oneself holy to pair oneself with one's female, with a holy friendship/connection, a holy spirit is stirred in that person, that includes male and female. And the Holy One of Blessing alludes to the appointed agent to the pregnancy of human beings, and gives into the agent's hand that spirit and informs the agent where the agent should place it. For instance, it is written: \"the night said: 'a male has been conceived'\" (Job 3:3). The night said, to that appointed agent, a male was conceived from so-and-so, and the Holy One of Blessing informed the agent about that specific spirit. Everything that was informed to the agent, the agent keeps.", + "And so the spirit rests, and an image with it, (104a) the same likeness that it had above, in that same image the spirit was created, in that same image it goes around in this world. For instance, it is written \"but in the image a person walks\" (Psalms 39:7). While the image is still found with the human, the human is still alive in this world, since they are joined as one. [Another version: and the two are joined as one). And King Solomon warned the human and said \"until the day blows gently and the images/shadows fly\" (Songs, 2:17) - two [tzelem outside and inside].", + "And in the Book of Sorcery of Ashmodai I found that those who know [other version: who want] to make sorcery from the left side and [want to] cling to that, [he should] stand up by the light of a candle, or in a place that their shadow is seen and say the words made for that sorcery/incantation, and read them out loud to both sides, in their desolation and uncleanness, and summon his images/shadows to those he called, and say that he is fixing them [the images] in friendship to them [the forces of the other side] to command, and that human being then came out of the control of his Master and His command, and gone to the left side. [last word should be read as שְׂמָאלָא, present in other versions]", + "And with these words of sorcery and he says, and summons them to his images, two spirits will be seen, and will fix themselves in his images, in the image of a human being, and inform him words of evil, and words of good, at appointed times. And those two spirits, who will not be contained in the containment of a body, will for the moment be contained in those images, and will fix themselves in them, and inform him, the human, words of evil, and thus he goes out from the control of his Master, and from His mitzvot, and goes to the left side. [last word should be read as שְׂמָאלָא, present in other versions]", + "Come and see: it is forbidden for a human being to throw the vessels of one's house, and to bring it out to the other side, since this is not needed, or another similar action [other versions: of one's house and to receive the other side] because - behold, there are several guards of judgment that are appointed to receive an action such as this, and from that moment on blessings will not rest on him/it, because he/it is from the left side. All the more so a person that willingly summoned what is his Higher Good to the other, and to the other side. That, behold - since he summoned to him from that.", + "And so, as this person's days to leave this world approach, that image from above that he had, that evil spirit that clung to that person every day comes to take away that image, and seizes it and goes, and it does not return to that person ever. And so the person knows that that person has banished oneself from All.", + "Come and see: at the moment when the soul is taken out to be brought into this world, it is taken to the Garden of Eden of the Earth, and is shown the nobility of the spirits of the righteous, that are standing in rows. After, it goes to Gehinom, and is shown the evil people, that cry out 'oy, oy' and no one takes pity on them. And in all this they make the soul a witness, and that Divine image stands on the soul, until she comes to the world.", + "When [the soul] comes out to the world, that image/tzelem prepares itself for her and joins with her, and grows with her. As it is written: 'even in the image a person walks' (Ps. 39:7). And in the image the days of a human join, and are dependent on it - since it is written: 'for we are of yesterday, know nothing, since our days on the land are but a shadow/tzel' (Job 8:9). It is obvious that our days are a shadow. And from the moment that a woman conceives, to the moment she gives birth, humans have no idea of the deeds of the Holy One of Blessing, how great they are, and how awe-some. And this is why it is written 'how great are Your works, Ad-nai, etc' (Ps. 104:24).", + "Come and see: all spirits in the world contain both male and female, and when they come out, they come out [both] male and female, and after they spread out in their ways, if a person is worthy, after, they join as one. And this is 'one's partner' and they join as a couple (other versions: in variation) on in all, spirit and body. As it is written: 'let the land bring out living souls according to their type' (Gen. 1:24). What is 'according to their type'? This is the spirit of a human that goes out and pairs up with what is similar to it.", + "And what is \"the land\"? As you say 'I was knit together in the depths of the earth' (Ps. 139:15). And this is the explanation: 'let the earth' it is obvious, behold, from the earth all types of living things come from, as we explain, this is the spirit of the First Human, as it is written, \"and from the fruit of the tree inside the garden\" (Gen. 3:3). 'And from the fruit of the tree' this is the Holy Blessed One, 'that is inside the garden' that is inside the woman, we teach, this is why \"a woman, when she gives seed, and bears a male\" (Lev. 12:2) is written. And does not include male and female, according to the ways of the world, that we made happen in the world, that they do not join together, as they come out from above in pairs.", + "For the sake of the First Human, and his coupling, detrimental to the Holy Blessed One, and regarding this we explain, when they come from above, until the Will comes before the Holy Blessed One, if the human has merited, they bring his pair, and if not, they separate her from him, and bring her to another/behind, and they give birth to children that are not proper. And regarding this it is written \"My spirit will not remain in the human forever\" (Gen. 6:3). What is 'My spirit'? You would expect 'his spirit' to be written, there are two spirits, when the pairs go out, they do not remain as one, and regarding this it is written 'and she gives birth to a male' (Lev. 12:2), and this does not include both male and female, according to the ways of the world, as we brought this about." + ], + [ + "Rabbi Eleazar said: this is not so, because all contains both male and female, and they separate after, but 'she gives birth to a male' (Lev. 12:2) includes as one the right side, 'and if she bears a female' (Lev. 12:5) includes in one female and male from the left side, that the left side reigns over the right side more, and the male bends himself to the right that does not reign, just as that male that comes out from this female, from the left side, [with] all the ways of the female, but the male that comes from the right, he reigns, and the female that comes from it bends herself, that behold, the left side does not reign, and regarding this 'and she bears a male' is written." + ], + [ + "And many thousands and myriads [of spirits] come out at one time to the world. And from the day that they come out, they are not called souls, until they settle themselves into a body. And how long [does this take]? 33 days. This is why it is written \"thirty days and three days etc\" (Lev. 12:4). \"And she will be impure for seven days\" (Lev. 12:2) - behold, for all seven days the spirits do not go up to her, to connect themselves on her, and all those seven days the spirit goes into the body, to find its place. And accordingly it is written \"and he will be under hi mother for seven days\" (Lev. 22:27).", + "And on the eight day, the soul and the body are crowned, to show themselves in front of the Matronita, and to connect with her, as male, in body and spirit. \"And for thirty days and three days she will remain in her bloods of purification\" (Lev. 12:4), to settle the spirit in the body. \"And three days\" - what happens in them? Rather, three days of the circumcision the child is in pain, and the spirit does not reign in its dwelling in the body as the other days, and regarding this \"And for thirty days and three days she will remain in her bloods of purification.\"", + "In the beginning \"in the bloods of purification\" and later \"the days of purification\" (Lev. 12:4). \"In her bloods of purification\" those are the bloods of the circumcision, blood after blood that comes from the child, and the Holy Blessed One guards those bloods all these days, as it is written \"she will sit in the bloods of purification.\" Simple purification, and the text does not bring a \"hey\" at the end [no possessive] so you wouldn't say the purification of the Matronita, rather, simple purification, that the bloods of purification are called the bloods of merit." + ], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "\"...As light is superior to darkness.\" (Kohelet 2:13) The benefit of light only comes from darkness. What is the fixing (tikkun) of white? Black. If it were not for black one would never know white, because blackness causes whiteness to disappear become more precious. R' Yitzchak says, this is like the bitter and the sweet - one does not know what is sweet until they have tasted bitterness. What therefore makes something sweet, wouldn't we say the bitter? This is what is written \"...The one no less than the other was God’s doing...\" (Kohelet 7:14)" + ] + ], + "Metzora": [], + "Achrei Mot": [ + [ + "(Lev. 16:1) \"And Hashem spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron... and Hashem said to Moses\". Rabbi Yehuda comments: Since the verse says, \"And Hashem spoke to Moses,\" what need is there to repeat \"and Hashem said to Moses, Speak to your brother Aaron...?\" The first statement should have sufficed. We learn that it is written, \"And Hashem (lit. 'He') called to Moses and (lit. 'Hashem') spoke to him\" (Lev. 1:1) and also, \"And He said to Moses, Come up to Hashem\" (Shemot 24:1). It has already been established that the discourse here represents one level (Malchut). Afterwards, the words, \"AND HASHEM SPOKE TO HIM\" OR \"COME UP TO HASHEM\" represent another level (Ze'er Anpin). Here too in our text, \"And Hashem spoke to Moses\" represents one level (the level of judgment referred to as \"speaking\") and afterwards the verse, \"And Hashem said to Moses, Speak to your brother Aaron\" represents another level, (the quality of Mercy, which is \"Saying\") which reveals that they carry one equal scale and all are joined from one source.", + "\"After the death of the two sons of Aaron\" Rabbi Yitzchak opened the discussion saying, \"Serve Hashem in fear, and rejoice with trembling\" (Tehilim 2:11). It is also written, \"Serve Hashem with gladness: come before Him with singing\" (Ps. 100:2). These verses appear to contradict one another. We have learned that \"serve Hashem in fear\" means that one must first show fear and awe in every act he wishes to perform before his Master. As a result of this reverence before his Master, he will merit to serve with joy the commandments of the Torah. Therefore, it is written, \"What does Hashem your Elohim require of you, but to fear\" (Devarim 10:12).", + "\"And rejoice with trembling,\" that man must not overly rejoice in this world, referring only to worldly matters, but one must rejoice in the matters of Torah and the performance of precepts. Then man will find himself able to perform Torah and precepts with happiness, as it is written, \"Serve Hashem with gladness.\"", + "Rabbi Aba said, \"Serve Hashem in fear\" 1. What fear is meant here? As we have established, it is written, \"The fear of Hashem is the beginning of knowledge\" (Mishlei 1:7) and \"the fear of Hashem is the beginning of wisdom\" (Tehilim 111:10), so the Holy One, blessed be He, is referred to in this name, \"Fear of Hashem,\" Rabbi Elazar said: \"Serve Hashem in fear,\" he who wishes to perform the service of his Master, from what point should he begin and to which area should he aim his service in order to unify the name of his Master? He repeats his words \"with fear,\" because fear (which corresponds to Malchut) is the start (of service) going from below upwards.", + "Come and see: It is written here, \"After the death\" and later, \"Speak to Aaron your brother...Thus shall Aaron come.\" (Vayikra 16:2-3). (From the death of the sons of Aharon) commences the warning to each of the priests that they must be mindful of Zot (Eng. 'this' fem.), which is the fear of Hashem.", + "Another explanation for, \"After the death of the two sons of Aaron.\" Rabbi Yosi said: It should have read, 'After the death of Nadab and Abihu,' so what is the reason (that it says) \"The two sons of Aaron?\" It is obvious that they were his sons. We have learned that until that time they were not adults but still under the authority of their father. Hence, \"when they came near before Hashem, and died\" (Vayikra 16:1), they were rushing the time (of offering incense) during the lifetime of their father, and there was more, because of the sin they committed \"when they offered a foreign fire\" (Bemidbar 3:4) as we learned, in one place it is written, \"When they offered a foreign fire.\" In another place, it is written, \"When they came near before Hashem,\" (The combination of) both matters (caused their deaths), and so it is written here, \"The two sons of Aaron\". It is written, \"When they came near\".", + "Rabbi Chiya said: One day I was traveling to Rabbi Shimon to be taught by him the laws of the Pesach. I encountered a mountain and I saw clefts and cavities in one rock, and two men were in there. As I approached, I heard the voices of these people who were saying, \"A song, a psalm for the sons of Korach, Great is Hashem and highly to be praised...\" (Tehilim 48:1-2). Why \"A song, a psalm?\" Thus do we learn on behalf of Rabbi Shimon: The song is two-fold, and since it is a better song than other songs, it is named \"song\" twice. Similarly, \"A psalm, a poem for the Shabbat day\" (Tehilim 92:1). In the same fashion, \"the song of songs which is Solomon's\" (Shir Hashirim 1:1), a song that stands above all other songs.", + "\"A song, a psalm\". It is a song describing the Holy One, blessed be He, which the sons of Korach were singing about those who were dwelling in the doorway of Gehenom. Who were (the sons of Korach)? They were the brothers of those residing at the gates of Geheno. As a result, this song was recited on Monday (in the Temple). I approached them and said to them: What are you doing in this place? They replied: We are merchants, but twice weekly we leave our community to study Torah here because (in the settlement we are disturbed) by people and they do not allow us (to study Torah). I replied to them: How fortunate is your lot.", + "Furthermore, they said: Every time that the righteous depart this world, there is likewise annulled from this world all the harsh decrees, and the death of the righteous brings forgiveness for the sins of the generation. Therefore, we read the portion dealing with the sons of Aaron on Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) to bring forgiveness for the sins of Yisrael. The Holy One, blessed be He, says, 'Contemplate the death of these pious ones, and it will be accredited for you, as if you offered sacrifice this day to attain forgiveness.' We have learned that as long as Yisrael will be in exile and neither be able to offer offerings on this day nor will they be able to offer the two goats, they will at least have the memory of the two sons of Aaron. Thus, it will serve as atonement for them.", + "We have learned that it is written, \"These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests\" (Bemidbar 3:3) and also, \"Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Elazar and Itamar\" (Ibid. 2). It should read: 'And Elazar and Itamar\" so why write \"Elazar and Itamar?\" (i.e. why delete the Vav). Abihu was equal to his two brothers and Nadab is equal to all the others.", + "The firstborn Nadab stands on his own merits and Abihu rests on his own, that each one are considered in the eyes (of the Torah) as both Elazar and Itamar (combined). But Nadab and Abihu by themselves are each considered equal to the seventy members of the Sanhedrin who served before Moses. For this reason, their deaths atoned for Yisrael. Therefore, it is written, \"But let your brethren, the whole house of Yisrael bewail the burning\" (Vayikra 10:6). Rabbi Shimon said: \"Nadab the firstborn,\" meaning he is the one that all acclaim and praise are his. How much more so with Nadab and Abihu (together), because these two have no equal among all Yisrael." + ], + [ + "\"And Hashem spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron\" (Vayikra 16:1). Rabbi 1. Chizkiyah opened the discussion saying, \"Therefore, thus says Hashem concerning the house of Jacob, who redeemed Abraham...\" (Isaiah 29:22). This verse is troublesome. It should read, 'Therefore, thus says Hashem, who redeemed Abraham.' Why does it say \"Therefore, thus says Hashem concerning the house of Jacob, who redeemed Abraham?\"", + "We have already learned that Jacob surely redeemed Abraham. At the time that (Avraham) fell into (the furnace of) the Chaldeans' fire, his fate was being decided before the Holy One, blessed be He. In what merit should this one be saved as he lacks ancestral merits? (Hashem) said (to the Heavenly Court): 'He should be saved because of his sons.' As we have learned, a son can bring merits for his father. The others replied: But Ishmael will descend from him. The Holy One, blessed be He, replied, 'But Isaac (will descend from him) who will extend his throat on the altar.' The others said: But Esau will derive from Isaac. (Hashem) said, 'But Jacob will, who is a whole throne, and all his sons are perfect before Me.' They concurred by saying: Surely for this merit, Abraham shall be rescued. Such is the meaning of, \"who redeemed Abraham.\"", + "\"Jacob shall not now be ashamed, neither shall his face now grow pale; when he sees his children, the work of My hands, in the midst of him, sanctifying My name\" (Isaiah 29:22-23). Who are \"his children, the work of My hands?\" They are Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. \"Jacob shall not now be ashamed:\" What is Jacob doing here? For it is written, \"These were among the descendants of Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah\" (Daniel 1:6). They are referred to as scions of Judah. As a result, it should read: 'Judah shall not now be ashamed.' Why then does it state, \"Jacob shall not now be ashamed?\"", + "Rather, this is what we learned, that at the time they bound them in order to cast them into fire, each raised his voice and spoke before all the gathered nations, kings and nobles. Hananiah said, \"Hashem is with me, I will not fear: what can man do to me? Hashem takes my part with those who help me: therefore I shall gaze upon those who hate me. It is better to take refuge in Hashem...\" (Tehilim 118:6-8). Mishael said, \"Therefore fear you not, My servant Jacob, says Hashem...For I am with you, says Hashem, to help you, for I will make a full end of all the nations\" (Jer. 30:10-11). At that moment, when (the nations and the nobles) heard the name Jacob, they were disgusted and began mockingly to laugh. Azariah commenced to proclaim, \"Hear O' Yisrael, Hashem our Elohim; Hashem is One\" (Devarim 6:4).", + "This is what is written, \"One shall say, I am Hashem's...\" (Isaiah 44:5). \"One shall say, I am Hashem's\" refers to Hananiah. \"And another shall call himself by the name of Jacob\" (Ibid.): This is Mishael. \"And another shall subscribe with his hand to Hashem, and surname himself by the name of Yisrael\" (Ibid.). This is Azariah. At that moment, the Holy One, blessed be He, assembled His heavenly council and said to them, 'For which word among the words that these three uttered, should I save them?' They replied, \"That they may know that You alone, whose name is Hashem, are the most high over all the earth\" (Tehilim 83:19)", + "The hour came, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to the throne, 'My throne, for which word, among all the words, should I save these righteous men?' It replied: For the word that all the others mocked, I would save them, \"Jacob shall not now be ashamed, neither shall his face now grow pale\". Just as (the merit of) Jacob stood fast when Abraham was cast into the fire, now it will stand fast for these. This is what is written, \"Thus says Hashem concerning the house of Jacob, who redeemed Abraham, Jacob shall not now be ashamed...\" namely by the contempt and the mockery with which (they ridiculed him).", + "We have learned that all those who ridiculed this word were consumed by that fire, and a spark of flame killed them. Who saved Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah? (Hashem did) because they prayed before the Holy One, blessed be He, Hashem, and unified His Name properly. Because they unified His Name properly, they were saved from that consuming fire." + ], + [ + "1. \"Two sons of Aaron offered strange fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them. And fire came out from before the Lord and consumed them, and they died. Then Moses said to Aaron, 'This is what the Lord has said: \"I will be sanctified through those who are near me; before all the people I will be glorified.\"(Leviticus 10:1-3) Rabbi Isaac said: It is written, \"After the death\" (Leviticus 16:1), and it is also written, \"And they died\" (Leviticus 10:2). Since it says \"after the death,\" we would not have known that it refers to the death of Aaron's two sons, had it not been written, \"And they died.\" Rather, we learn from this that there were two deaths. One was before the Lord, and one because they left no children, for anyone who is not worthy of children is considered dead. Therefore, it is written, \"After the death\" and \"And they died.\"", + "2. " + ], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "Rabbi Shimeon began with the verse: \"and he took Shimeon from them, and bound him in front of them\" (Genesis 42:24). And what did Yosef see that he showed partiality in Shimeon more than the brothers? Rather, Yosef said: in every place Shimeon (and Levi) are, there is an opening for strict judgment, and at that moment when I went from my father to my brothers, Shimeon opened the strict judgment [against me], as it is written \"a man said to his brother here comes that dreamer, come now etc\" (Genesis 37:19-20), and before, in Shechem, \"and the sons of Yaakov, Shimeon and Levi, each man took\" (Genesis 34:25) - all was in strict judgment. It is better to select this one, and not to stir up fights among all the tribes.", + "It was taught: what did Shimeon see that he connected to Levi more than the others? Behold, Reuven was his closest brother, but Shimeon saw and knew that Levi was from the side of strict judgment, and Shimeon being from the side of harsh judgment connected to him more. He said: let us join with one another and destroy the world. What did the Holy One of Blessing? God took Levi to God's part, and said, from here onward Shimeon will sit tied with ropes, alone." + ], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "", + "And she [Tamar] sat on Petach Eynayim [the entrance to the eyes] (Gen. 38:14) - Just as you say \"and he [Avraham] sits at the entrance [petach] of the tent\" (Gen. 18:1), and it is written \"And Ad-nai passed over the entrance [petach]\" (Ex. 12:23), and it is written \"open [pitchu] for me the gates of righteousness etc\" (Ps. 118:19) [meaning] that all eyes of the world turn to that opening. [...]", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "Rabbi Eleazar said: this parsha maintains us with a great secret, in many ways. When we fully look, secrets about the ways of the Holy Blessed One can be heard from it, and His judgments are in all places. And she [Tamar] knew [them] and she anticipated herself in this thing, to complete the ways of the Holy Blessed One, in this way governing kings would come from her, who in the future would govern over all [Israel]. And Rut also served in this way." + ], + [ + "...Rabbi Aba said: This parsha is bound with the secret of the wisdom of the Torah, and it is all in hidden and revealed [esoteric and simple meanings], and all Torah is likewise. You have no word in Torah in which the Holy High Name is not engraved, hidden and revealed. In this way, the secrets of Torah - the Holy High Ones inherit them, and reveal them to the rest of the people of the world. In this way it is written \" that the name of Ad-nai may be recounted in Zion, His praises in Jerusalem \" (Ps. 102:22) - behold, \"in Zion\" [means] in the Temple, [where] they were permitted to say the Holy Name as revealed. And in other [places] in its accepted form. And in this, all is hidden and revealed. We are taught: whoever diminishes a letter from the Torah, or adds a letter to the Torah, is like one who lies with the King's Holy and High Name." + ] + ], + "Kedoshim": [ + [ + "(Lev. 19:1-2) And Hashem spoke to Moses saying, 'Speak to all the congregation of the children of Yisrael, and say to them: You shall be holy: for I Hashem your Elohim am Holy\" (Vayikra 19:1-2). Rabbi Elazar commenced the discussion: \"Be not like the horse, or the mule, which have no understanding ...\" (Tehilim 32:9). How many times did the Torah attest to people, how many times did she raise her voice in every direction to awaken them, but all lay sleeping, unaware of their sins. They do not look or pay attention to the time when they will rise up to face the day of heavenly Judgment. At this time, the Heavenly King will exact from them the shame of the Torah that cried out against them, and yet they did not even turn their face to her. All are found totally defective since they do not know of the Faith of the Heavenly King. Woe to them, and woe to their souls." + ], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "", + "... Adam Qadmon, even though his body is made from dirt/ `afar, it’s not from the dirt here . . . Adam Qadmon has nothing from this world at all." + ] + ], + "Emor": [ + [], + [ + "Come and see: in the moment that a person is ready to leave for that world, and the person is sick, three messengers come to the person and surround her, and what a person can't see in this world, she now sees. And that day is a day of high judgement, since the King is asking for His deposit. If the person merits, she returns the deposit to the King as it was given to her, but if the deposit is returned destroyed by the appetites of the body, what can one say to the Owner of the deposit?", + "The person raises her eyes and sees the angel of death standing in front of her, and his sword is in his hands, turning it in circles, to nip the person. And there is nothing as hard for the soul as the separation from the body. And one does not die until they see the Shechinah, and due to the intense desire for the Shechinah the soul leaves the body to be received by the Shechinah." + ], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "Rabbi Abba and Rabbi Hiya were walking on the way. Rabbi Hiya said - It's written \"And you will count for yourselves from the morrow after the day of rest, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the waving; [seven complete weeks shall there be]\" What does this mean? He responded - the companions have already established it. But come and see - when Israel was in Egypt, they were in the \"other domain\", and were held in impurity. This is comparable to a woman that is sitting in the days of her impurity. After they were circumcised they entered the holy portion called \"Covenant\". Since...", + "", + "", + "", + "Come and see - any person who doesn't complete this counting, these seven complete weeks, to be purified in this way, is not called pure and is not pure. Nor is he worthy of having a share in Torah. But one who arrives pure to this day, and the count was not lost from him - when he reaches this night, he must learn and be connected to Torah, to guard this purity that comes upon him that night, purifying him." + ], + [ + "We have learned.... that the Torah that we need to learn on this night [Leyl Shavuot] is the Oral Torah, so that they may be purified together from the wellspring of the deep stream. Afterward, on this day [of Shavuot] Written Torah will come join her and they will be as one, as one couple above. Then it is proclaimed about him (Isaiah 59:21) 'And this is for Me My covenant with them said YHVH: My spirit that is upon you and My words I have put in your mouth (will not depart from your mouth, nor from your children's mouths...now and forever)'.", + "Thus, the earlier pious ones did not sleep on this night, and they studied Torah, saying let us acquire a holy inheritance for us and our children in two worlds. And on this night, Keneset Yisrael is crowned above them and comes to intimately join with the King, and both of them are crowned above the heads of those who are worthy of this.", + "Rabbi Shimon would say, when the Hevraya gathered around him this night, \"let us array the jewels of the Bride, so tomorrow she will appear before the King suitably adorned and bedecked. Happy is the portion of the Hevraya when the King inquires of the Matronita who has placed her jewels and illuminated her crown, and arranged her adornments? For there is none in the world who know how to array the jewels of the Bride other than the Hevraya. Happy is their portion in this world and the world that is coming.", + "Come and envision! The Hevraya prepare the jewels of the Bride that night, and crown her with Her crowns for the King. But who prepares the King on that night to be with the Bride and partner with the Matronita? The Holy River, deepest of all rivers, the Supernal Mother, as it is written (Shir HaShirim 3:11) Go out and see, O daughters of Jerusalem, the crown with which King Solomon was crowned by his mother on the day of his wedding. And after she has prepared the King and crowned Him, she comes to purify the Matronita and those who are with Her.", + "This is comparable to a king who had an only son whom he united in marriage to a noble lady. What did his mother do? She spent all night in the storeroom, and brought out a noble crown set with 70 precious stones, and crowned him. She brought out royal clothes, and dressed him, and prepared him with a kingly array.", + "Afterwards she went into the house of the bride, saw her maidens, who were fixing her crowns, and clothes, and jewelry, to prepare her. She said to them, I have prepared a bathhouse, a place of flowing waters, and all manner of scents surround that pool, to purify my daugher-in-law. Come my daughter-in-law, Matronita of my son, and her maidens, and be purified in that place I have prepared, in that bathing place of flowing waters. Afterwards, prepare her in her jewelry, dress her in her clothes, crown her in her crown. Tomorrow, when my son comes to unite with Matronita, he will prepare a palace for everyone, and he will live with you together.", + "So it is with the Holy King, Matronita, and the companions, in this way, and exalted mother who arranges all. The Exalted King, Matronita, and the companions dwell together, and are never separated. As it's written - \"YHVH, who can dwell in your tent... one who walks in innocence and does justice.\" Who is one who does justice? Those who prepare Matronita with her jewelry, her clothing, and her crown. Each one is called a a doer of justice. Rabbi Hiyya said: if I am merely privileged to hear these words, it is enough. Happy is the portion of those who strive with Torah and know the ways of the Holy king whose desire is for Torah. About them it is written (Psalms 91:14-15) 'Because he desires me, I will deliver him...I will save him and honor him.'" + ], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "Come and see, when a person sits in this compartment (the sukkah) - the covering of faith - the Divine Presence spreads its wings over it from above and Avraham and the five other righteous people make their abode with him. Rabbi Abba said, \"Avraham, the five righteous men and King David make their abode with him.\" This is [the meaning of] that which is written (Leviticus 23:42), \"In huts shall you dwell seven days.\" It is written, \"seven days\"; and not, \"for seven days.\" This is in the same way that it is written (Exodus 31:17), \"as six days did the Lord make the Heavens, etc.\" And a person should rejoice with a bright countenance with these guests that dwell with him each and every day." + ] + ], + "Behar": [], + "Bechukotai": [], + "Bamidbar": [ + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "R. Shimon opened [his exposition of the verse], \"Of David. To you, ha-Shem, I lift up my soul. My God, in You I have put my trust...\" (Psalm 25:1-2). Why did David see fit to sequence this psalm in this way? For all the other psalms that are alef-betical are complete [ed.: except for Ps 145]. Yet this sequence has no 'vuv' in it. And why this sequence for nefilat apayim? [ed.: Literally 'falling on one's face', the section of the morning Tachanun prayer recited with one's head lowered onto the back of one's non-tefillin hand. Note that Ashkenazim substitute Ps 6 instead of Ps 25.]", + "Rather, come and see, it is a supernal secret, hidden among the Friends. At the time night enters, the Lower Tree, on which death depends, spreads its branches and covers everthing. By this, it becomes dark. And all the people of the world taste the taste of death. Then a person rouses themself and is given a deposit for their soul, a security deposited into their hand [for the night]. Thus their soul is taken in deposit, which is returned to its owner when the hour of dawn arrives. When dawn arrives, and the deposit is returned to them, it is incumbent to bless the Holy One of Blessing, whose is supernal faith.", + "After rising from one's sleep, one enters the synagogue, crowns oneself with tefillin, and covers oneself with the covering of the tallis. One enters [into the prayers] and purifies oneself at the start with [reading] the Korbanot [sacrifices]. Afterwards one accepts upon oneself the yoke of Malkhut, by the sequence of David's praises [psalms], which are the sequence of the yoke of Malkhut. And it is the sequence of this psalm [Ps 25] that causes the yoke to descend upon oneself. Afterwards one recites the sequence of seated prayers [Tachanun], and the standing prayer [Amidah], and ties them together as one." + ] + ], + "Nasso": [ + [], + [], + [], + [ + "Rabbi Itzchak and Rabbi Yehuda were going from Usha to Lod. Rabbi Yehuda (Yitzchak) said: let's say some words of Torah and then go. Rabbi Yehuda (other versions Yitzchak) opened with the verse: \" When a person opens a pit, or digs a pit etc\" (Exodus 21:33). What is written after it? \"the one responsible for the pit must pay etc\". And if this is so in this case, to those who bring evil in the world through their transgressions all the more! I am astounded by this - they brought evil into the world, why is there teshuvah for them, as it is written \"man or woman, when they do evil etc\" (Numbers 5:6) \"they shall confess the wrong and return etc\" (Numbers 5:7)", + "Yet, obviously it helps the person, since one did teshuvah it is as if one did indeed do it. Because what one hurt above, one fixes, and through what? Teshuvah, as it is written \"man or woman, when they do evil etc\" (Numbers 5:6) \"they shall confess the wrong and return etc\" (Numbers 5:7) and teshuvah fixes all of it, fixes above and fixes below, fixes for the person and fixes for the whole world.", + "Rabbi Yitzchak (other versions Yehuda) said after him: \"when you are in distress because all these things have befallen you and, in the end, return to Ad-nai etc\" (Deuteronomy 4:30). \"When you are in distress\" - from here [we learn] that teshuvah is better than everything since judgment still rules in the world. Once judgment rules in the world, its force is strong, one who crosses it goes from this world, that, behold ...since Judgment rules one cannot go until one pays. Once one paid, and did teshuvah, one fixed all worlds. Meaning, since it is written \"and those things will find you at the end of the days\" (Deuteronomy 4:30) and it is written \"and you will return to Ad-nai your God etc\" because \"Ad-nai your God is a compassionate God etc\" (Deuteronomy 4:31)", + "\"In the end of days\" why is it here? Rather, it is to include the Congregation of Israel that is in exile, and she finds herself with them in suffering, and does not abandon them ever. And in this manner, too, the Holy Blessed One - even though Judgment rules in the wold - wants Israel to return in Teshuvah, to do good for them in this world, and in the world that is coming, and nothing can stand against teshuvah.", + "Come and see: even the Congregation of Israel is called [as] Teshuvah. And if you say [teshuvah] is higher - it is not found everywhere. Rather, this is called teshuvah: when compassion returns to face the world, and teshuvah nurtures all its inhabitants. And when is teshuvah the highest? When [a person] gives up their soul (sacrifices themselves) for it, raising it in the moment of teshuvah, and therefore fixes everything above and below, and fixes oneself all the world.", + "One evil person in the world - how many other people are damaged by him! Oy to the evil person, and oy to that person's neighbors! Come and see, the prophet Yonah, since he did not want to do the mission of his Master, how many people were lost at sea because of him - until all turned against him and judged him with the judgment of the sea. And then they were all saved, and the Holy One of Blessing had pity on him after this, and saved many people in the world [Niniveh's people]. When? When he returned to his Master due to his suffering, as it is written \"In my trouble I called Ad-nai, and He answered me\" (Jonah 2:3) and also \"In distress I called on Y-ah;He answered me with Y-ah's expansions\" (Ps. 118:5).", + "The faithful shepherd: This command is the mitzvah of teshuvah. And this is Binah. And due to our sins the Temple was destroyed, and the only thing left for us is the verbal confession, and this is Malchut. And what is Binah? Ben-Y-ah [son of Y-ah]. And this son is the vav obviously. And every person who returns in teshuvah is as if they returned the hey of the vav, and that person is Ben-Y-ah, and they completed in this Y-H-V-H, and this is Teshuvah - tashuv H [return the hey] obviously to the vav.", + "And this hey is obviously the verbal confession, and the secret of the word, \"take with you words and return to Ad-nai, say to Him etc we will pay the bulls of our lips\" (Hoshea 14:3). That obviously because the person who sins that person distances the hey from the vav, and separates YHV from H. And because of that the temple was destroyed and Israel was distanced from there, and was exiled among the peoples. And because of that whoever does teshuvah causes the Hey to return to the Vav, and redemption is dependent in this. And in this way all is dependent in teshuvah. As the olden ones said: \"all the calculated ends have passed and the matter is only dependent on teshuvah [and good deeds] etc\" (Sanhedrin 97b:14) - and this is the completion of the Name.", + "And regarding this [it is written]: \"And I will do due to My name\" (Ezekiel 20:14) and also \"Because of Me, because of Me I will do\" (Isaiah 48:11). And if they do not return I will set on them a king whose decrees will be harsher than Pharaoh's, and they will return against their will. And this is what is written \"return to Ad-nai your God\" - truly up to YHV\"H.", + "And teshuvah is called life: \"because from it there are results of life\" (Prov. 4:23) - those [results] are Israel's souls." + ] + ], + "Idra Rabba": [ + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "It is written: \"Truly the eye of Ad-nai is on those who fear Him, who wait for His faithful care\" (Ps. 33:18). And it is [also] written \"the eyes of Ad-nai, ranging over the whole earth\" (Zechariah 4:10). If they merit, the eye of Ad-nai is on those who fear Him. If they don't merit, the eyes of Ad-nai ranging over - the lower eye.", + "As it is taught: why did Yosef merit that the evil eye would not rule over him? Because he merited to consider the higher good eye, as it is written: Yosef is a son of favor, a son of favor above the eye (Gen. 49:22). Why is he a son of favor, above the eye? It is due to the reason of the eye that looks on him.", + "And it is written: a good eye is blessed (Prov. 22:9). Why? Because he gave from his bread to the poor." + ], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "But if you say that when [the verse] states, \"And he died... and he died\" (Gen. 36:33, 39), it means that they were nullified completely – that was not the case. Rather, anyone who descends from the level upon which he was earlier – this is called \"death.\" Thus it says, \"And the king of Egypt died\" (Ex. 2:23), since he descended from the earlier level upon which he stood. And once Adam was established, they were called by other names, and given durable fragrances through him, and upheld in their places." + ], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "And this the secret that they teach \"Ad-nai Ad-nai\" (Exodus 34) there is a pause between them. In every place that a name is called twice there is a pause between them, such as \"Avraham, Avraham\" (Gen. 22:11); \"Yaakov, Yaakov\" (Gen. 46:2); \"Shmuel, Shmuel\" (I Samuel 3:10). All have a pause between them, with the exception of \"Moshe Moshe\", which has no pause between them. What is the reason? \"Avraham, Avraham\" - the last is complete, the first not. At first he was not complete since now he became complete through ten tests, and therefore there is a pause between them, since now he was not as he was at the beginning.", + "Yaakov, Yaakov - the last is complete, the first is not complete, that now he had received the news about Yosef, and the Shechinah rested on him. Moreover, that now he was complete on the land, the sacred tree as corresponding to the upper [tree], in twelve dominions, in seventy branches, which was not the case at the beginning. And so at the end he was complete, at the beginning he wasn't complete, and there is a pause between the two. \"Shmuel, Shmuel\" - why is there a pause between the two? At the end he as complete, at the beginning he wasn't, since now he is a prophet and before this he wasn't. But \"Moshe Moshe\" - there is no pause between them since he was complete from the moment he was born, as it is written \" and she saw that he was good\" (Exodus 2:2).", + "And even here \"Ad-nai, Ad-nai\" there is a pause between them, at the outset there was completion, at the end there was completion in everything. And Moshe, at the place of judgment said: descend to us from Atika Kadisha compassion to Ze'ir Anpin. Since this we teach: how many valleys Moshe has, that in every one of them he pulled down compassion. And so he revealed Atika in Ze'ir Anpin, all was seen in compassion. And the mark was transfixed and raised and smoke did not come out, as you say \"For My own glory I will be patient with you\" (Isaiah 48:9)." + ], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "He heard a voice: \"Merited are you, Rabbi Shimon, merited is your portion and the comrades who stand before you, for what was revealed to you was not revealed to the highest hosts!\"" + ] + ], + "Beha'alotcha": [ + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "Rabbi Simeon said; Woe to the person who says that this Torah has come to present an ordinary story and ordinary words. For if this were so, even in this time we would be able to make a Torah of ordinary words; [one] better than any of them. If [the Torah] comes merely to present ordinary words, then there are even greater words among the nobles of the world. If so, let us seek [those words] and make a Torah of them. However, all the words of the Torah are sublime and supernal secrets. ", + "Come and see: The upper world and the lower world are evenly balanced: Israel below and the high angels above. Of the lofty angels it is written, He makes His angels as winds (Ps. 104:4). This [refers to their state] in the high place. When they come down to earth [the angels] clothe themselves in the garments of this world. Had they not clothed themselves in garments after the fashion of this world, they would not have been able to exist in this world, and the world would not suffer them [to exist]. If this is so with regard to the angels, then [how much more so] with regard to the Torah, which created them and all the worlds, and everything exists for its sake. When [the Torah] did come down into the world, were it not clothed in the garments of this world, the world would not have been able to suffer it. ", + "Therefore the story of the Torah constitutes its garment. He who thinks that the garment is actually the Torah and and not something else, let his spirit deflate and let him have no portion in the world-to-come. It was in this connection that David said, Open my eye that I may behold wondrous things out of your Torah (Ps. 119:18), [meaning] that which is under the garment is really Torah.", + "Come and see: A garment is visible to all. Those fools, when they see a man in a garment that appears good to them, seek no farther. They think that the garment is the actual thing. [However,] the essence of the body is the soul. ", + "Just so, the Torah has a body. The commandments of the Torah are called the \"body\" of the Torah. This body is clothed in a garment made up of the stories of this world. The fools of the world look on nothing save the garment, which is the story of the Torah and nothing more. They do not look at that which is under the garment. The wise, who worship the Most High King, those who stood at Mount Sinai, look only at the soul, It is the true Torah. In the world-to-come, they will look at the soul of the soul of the Torah. ", + "Come and see. Thus it is above: There is garment and body and soul and soul of souls. The heavens and their host are the garment. The congregation of Israel is the body which receives the soul, which is the glory [Tiferet] of Israel... which is the very Torah. The soul of the soul is the ancient Holy One All are connected one to the other. ", + "Woe to those sinners of the world who say that this Torah is nothing but an ordinary story. They look at the garment and no farther. Happy are the righteous who regard the Torah properly. Wine cannot stay except in a jar. So Torah cannot abide except in this garment. Because of this one must seek to look at [the Torah] only only through what exists under the garment. Thus all those words and stories are garments." + ] + ], + "Sh'lach": [ + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "All of them were successful men, and they were chieftains in Israel. But they spoke among themselves an evil counsel. Why did they take this counsel? They said, if Israel will go up to the [promised] land, we will be stripped of our being chieftains, and Moshe will institute chieftains after us, because in the desert we merit to be chieftains, but in the land we will not be of [such] merit. And because they took between themselves this evil counsel, they themselves died, and all those who received their words." + ], + [], + [ + "Rabbi Yehuda was walking on the way with Rabbi Aba, and asked him: There is one thing I want to ask. Since the Holy Blessed One knew that the Human would sin against God, and that God would have to decree the Human's death, why did God create him? Behold, Torah existed 2,000 years before the creation of the world - but in the Torah it is written \"when a human dies in a tent\" (Numbers 19:14), [and also] \"when a person dies\" (Numbers 27:8), \"and he died\", \"and Ploni lived and died\". Why did the Holy Blessed One want from humans in this world, if one studies Torah day and night, one dies; and if one does not study Torah at all one dies? All have the same path. A person is separated from that world, as it is written \"[the same fate is in store for all...] the good [person] and the sinner\"(Ecclesiastes 9:2).", + "He [Rabbi Aba] answered: regarding the ways of your Master and the decrees of your Master, why would you worry? About what you have the permission to know and see, ask; about what you do not have permission to know it is written \"do not let your mouth make your flesh sin\" (Eccl. 5:5), since the ways and secrets of the Holy Blessed One, God's higher secrets, are closed and hidden, and we do not have permission to ask. He [Rabbi Yehuda] replied: If so, all of Torah is closed and hidden, since it is a Name of the Holy One, and one who studies Torah is like one who studies the Holy Name, and if so, we have no permission to ask or see [anything about Torah].", + "He [Rabbi Aba] answered: all of Torah secret and revealed, and the God's Holy Name is secret and revealed, and it is written \"the secrets are for Ad-nai our God and the revealed for us and our children\" (Deut. 29:28). \"The revealed\" is what we have permission to ask, to delve into and to see, and to know. But \"the secrets\" are God's and who [among humans] is able to know and cling one's mind to what is closed, and all the more so to ask?!" + ], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "They issued the ruling, and all the [other] students of the Yeshiva left. I requested permission, since [Shimon] Bar Yochai had asked the same question, and I was therefore shown what I had not known before: Oh, my teacher -- there were six chambers shown to me [though only four are described here], with so many delights and pleasures! These were from that curtain-divider and beyond, where no males at all may go up.", + "In one chamber, Batya, Pharaoh's daughter, comes, and so many thousands and thousands of women who merit to be with her. Every single one of them deserves the supernal lights and pleasures [of that place], nothing at all is withheld from any of them. Three times each day, the announcement is made: The likeness of Moshe, the faithful prophet, is coming! And Batya goes out, to that curtained area which is dedicated to her, and observes the likeness of Moshe, and bows before it, saying, \"Happy is my portion, that I raised such a light!\" This is her delight, above all others.", + "Batya returns to the women, and they delve into precepts of Torah. All of them have the likenesses they had in this world, and were clothed in light, just as the clothing of the men, except not quite as much light. The precepts of Torah that they did not merit to fulfill in this world, they [now] delve into, along with their meanings, in that world. And all these women that dwell together with Batya, Pharaoh's daughter, are called serene women, and they are not troubled by the pains of gehenna at all.", + "In another chamber, Serach bat Asher comes, and so many thousands and thousands of women who merit to be with her. Three times a day, the announcement comes: The likeness of Yosef the tzadik is coming! With joy she goes out, to that curtained area which is dedicated to her, and observes light with the likeness of Yosef. With joy she bows before it, saying, \"Happy was that day, when I gave the tidings before my grandfather [that you were still alive]!\" Then she returns to the rest of the women, and they delve into the praises of the Ruler of the world, and praise the Name. How many places and joys, that each and everyone of them had! Then they return and delves into the precepts of Torah, along with their meanings.", + "In another chamber, Yocheved comes, the mother of Moshe the faithful prophet, and so many thousands and thousands of women with her. In this chamber, there is no announcement at all, but three times each day, she acknowledges and praises the Ruler of the world, she and all the women with her. They sing the Song of the Sea every day, and she herself recites from \"And Miriam the Prophet...took her timbrel in her hand...\" (Shmot 15:20). And all these righteous women there in Gan Eden listen to her pleasant voice, and so many holy angels acknowledge and praise the holy Name with her.", + "In another chamber, Devora comes, and here too, all the other women with her acknowledge and sing [praises], with that very song that she sang in this world (Shoftim 5:1). Oh, my teacher! Oh, my teacher, who has seen the happiness and delight of these righteous ones, of the women who merit to serve the Holy One of Blessing?! Deeper in from these chambers, are four hidden chambers of the holy mothers, which are not passed on or revealed, and no one has seen them. All day they are separate among themselves, as I have told you; and the men also [are separate].", + "Every night they come together, all of them as one, at the time of coupling, which is midnight, both in this world and in that world. Coupling in that world is the cleaving of soul with soul, light with light. Coupling in this world is body with body. Everything is as it should be: like after like, couple after couple, body after body. Coupling in that world, light after light. The chambers of the four mothers are called the chambers of the confident daughters, which I did not merit to see. Happy is the portion of these righteous ones, males and females, that go down the straight path in this world, and are entitled to all the delights of that world.", + "Oh, my teacher! Oh, my teacher, if you were not [Shimon] Bar Yochai, I would not have passed it along to be revealed. The coupling of that world brings more fruit than the fruit brought in this world. Their coupling, the coupling of that world, their desire is as one. When their souls cleave one to another, it creates fruit. Lights go out from them, creating candles. These are the souls for the [future] converts that will convert, and all of them enter this particular chamber.", + "For the conversion of a particular convert, the soul flies out from that chamber, and enters under the wings of the Shechina. And She kisses it, since it is the fruit of the righteous ones, and sends it into that convert, and it steeps within. From that moment, they are called a \"Ger Tzedek\" (righteous convert). This is what the verse alludes to (Mishlei 11:30), \"The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life.\" Just as the tree of life produces souls, so too the righteous person can produce fruit, by making souls.", + "The Rav of the Yeshiva said, it is written (Breishit 11:30), \"Now Sarai was barren; she had no child.\" When it tells us that Sarai was barren, I already know that she had no child. So why [does the verse add], \"she had no child\"? Rather, here is what the Rav of the Yeshiva said: She had no child born to her, but souls she had born to her, by means of the cleaving with desire. These two righteous ones [Sarai and Avram] birthed souls for converts all the time that they were at Haran, just as the righteous make [souls for converts] in Gan Eden. As it says (Breishit 12:5), \"the people [literally 'the soul'] that they acquired [literally 'made'] in Haran\" -- they really did create that soul!" + ] + ], + "Korach": [ + [ + "«Y Koraj, hijo de Izhar, hijo de Coat, hijo de Leví; y Datán y Abi- ram, hijos de Eliab; y On, hijo de Pelet, de los hijos de Rubén, tomaron hombres» . Rabbí Aba abrió y dijo: «Deseables son más que el oro, y más que mucho oro afinado; y dulces más que miel, y que licor de panales» (Salmos 19:10). ¡Qué elevadas son las palabras de la Torah y qué preciosas son! Son deseadas Arriba y son deseadas por todos ya que conforman el Santo Nombre. Aquel que se ocupa de la Torah se ocupa del Santo Nombre y es salvado por él de todo. Es salvado en este mundo y es salvado en el mundo venidero, Ven y ve: aquel que se ocupa de la Torah está aferrado al árbol de la vida y es parte de todo, según está escrito: «es un árbol de vida para los que se aferran a ella» (Proverbios 3:18). " + ] + ], + "Chukat": [ + [ + "1. \"And Hashem spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 'This is the ordinance of the Torah which Hashem has commanded'\" (Bemidbar 19:1-2). Rabbi Yosi opened the discussion saying: \"and this is the Torah which Moses set before the children of Yisrael\" (Devarim 4:44). Come and behold: the words of the Torah are holy, lofty, and sweet, as it is written: \"more to be desired are they than gold, and much fine gold: sweeter also than honey...\" (Tehilim 19:11). It is as if whoever studies the Torah stands every day at Mount Sinai and receives the Torah. This is what it says: \"this day you are become a people\" (Devarim 27:9). And the friends have already set the explanation.", + "2. It is written here: \"this is the ordinance of the Torah,\" and it is also, \"and this is the Torah,\" BUT IT IS NOT WRITTEN, 'THE ORDINANCE.' What is the difference between this and that? It is a lofty secret and that is what we learned. The words, \"and this is the Torah,\" are to show that all is in one unison and to unite the Congregation of Yisrael with the Holy One, blessed be He so that all will be one. Therefore, \"and this is the Torah.\" Why is there the addition of \"and\" (Heb. Vav), TO \"this?'' It is only to show that as we are taught, all is one without division. The words, \"and this,\" indicate the general and the particular, NAMELY male and female combined together, SINCE VAV IS MALE, THAT IS ZEIR ANPIN, WHICH IS GENERAL - AND \"THIS\" IS FEMALE, MEANING MALCHUT, WHICH IS PARTICULAR. Therefore, it is assuredly WRITTEN: \"and this is the Torah,\" TO INDICATE ZEIR ANPIN AND THE NUKVA IN ONE UNISON. However, \"this,\" without the additional Vav is specifically the ordinance of the Torah, WHICH IS MALCHUT THAT IS CONSIDERED THE ORDINANCE. AND it EMANATES FROM ZEIR ANPIN, WHICH IS CONSIDERED THE TORAH, but is not the Torah ITSELF, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN. It is ONLY the law of the Torah, the decree of Torah, WHICH IS MALCHUT.", + "3. Come and behold: IT IS WRITTEN, \"this is that which belongs to the Levites\" (Bemidbar 8:24). It is not WRITTEN, 'and this,' WITH A VAV, since they emerge from the side of Judgment, WHICH IS FROM THE LEFT SIDE AND FROM THE SIDE OF MALCHUT THAT IS ERECTED FROM THE LEFT, and not from the angle of Compassion, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN. THEREFORE, \"THIS\" IT IS WRITTEN WITHOUT A VAV, MEANING MALCHUT WITHOUT ZEIR ANPIN. Rabbi Yehuda said: Yet it is written, \"and this do to them, that they may live\" (Bemidbar 4:19). Here, \"THIS\" IS WITH A VAV, and it is said about the Levites, and yet you say THAT THE LEVITES ARE THE ASPECT OF \"this,\" and not of, \"and this.\" He said to him: It is most certainly so, THAT THEY ARE IN THE ASPECT OF, \"AND THIS.\" The scripture proves that whoever holds on to deadly poison spices but does not blend into it life-giving spices will certainly die. Therefore, IT IS WRITTEN: \"And this do to them, that they may live,\" MEANING THAT \"THIS,\" WHICH IS THE SECRET OF MALCHUT, CONSIDERED THE TREE OF DEATH, SHOULD JOIN WITH VAV, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, THE TREE OF LIFE. \"...And not die...\" (Ibid.) This is because the spice of life is mixed with it. THEREFORE, \"and this do to them, that they may live, and not die,\" since they require, \"and this,\" and not 'this.' THEREFORE, the verse: \"and this is the Torah,\" INDICATES that it really is actually in one union, a union of total perfection, male and female in one inclusion; THAT IS THE SECRET OF Vav-Hei. However, \"this,\" ALONE WITHOUT THE VAV, is a Hei alone WITHOUT A VAV, THAT IS, MALCHUT WITHOUT ZEIR ANPIN. About this, it IS WRITTEN: \"this is the ordinance of the Torah.\"" + ], + [ + "1. Rabbi Shimon, Rabbi Aba, Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Yitzchak were in the house of Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair. Rabbi Pinchas spoke to Rabbi Shimon saying: I beg of you, you who are appointed from above, to speak openly about that which no other person was permitted to speak. Say something new about this passage. He said to him: Which passage is it? He said to him: \"This is the ordinance of the Torah\" (Bemidbar 19:2). He said to him: Here are the other friends, let them speak. He told his son, Rabbi Elazar: Elazar, stand up and say something about this passage. Then the friends will speak after you.", + "2. Rabbi Elazar stood up and spoke: \"Now this was the custom in former times in Yisrael concerning redeeming and concerning exchanging, to confirm...\" (Rut 4:7). This scriptural verse must be studied carefully. If the earlier ones have made this consensual agreement, TO BUY EVERYTHING THROUGH A SHOE, according to the law of Torah, and the latter ones came and voided it, WE MUST INQUIRE why it was made void. Is not one who abrogates any matter in the Torah considered as if he destroys the whole world? If it is not a Torah law but merely an agreed consensus, THE QUESTION IS why SPECIFICALLY a shoe was used here, AND NOT ANY OTHER METHOD.", + "3. Rather, it was most certainly according to the law of the Torah, and it was done with a lofty secret. Because the earlier were pious and just, this matter was revealed and known among them. And when the wicked increased in the world, this matter was accomplished in a different manner, in order to cover these matters which are in accordance with a lofty secret.", + "4. Come and behold: it is written, \"and he said, 'Do not come near: put off your shoes from off your feet...'\" (Shemot 3:5). Why is the shoe specifically mentioned here? It is the way we were taught, that He commanded him to separate from his wife and join another woman of the light of the holy up high, which is the Shechinah.", + "5. That shoe is explained in another place; it is explained THAT WHOEVER TAKES IT passes THE ONE WHO GIVES IT from this world and installs him in another world. Consequently, everything that the dead one grants to a person in his dream is beneficial. However, if he takes any utensil from the house, it is harmful, for example, if he takes his shoe. What is the reason, since THAT INDICATES that he passed his foot, which gives standing support to the person, from this world and gathered him to another world to the place where the dead one dwells. A SHOE ALLUDES TO HIS LEG, WHICH GIVES HIM DURABLE SUPPORT, as it is written: \"how beautiful are your feet in the sandals, O prince's daughter\" (Shir Hashirim 7:3). The secret of the matter is among the friends.", + "6. That is so, that when the dead one takes it, IT INDICATES THAT HE PASSES HIM ON TO THE PLACE OF DEATH. However, when the living one draws off his shoe and gives it to another person in order to maintain a transaction, he carries this out by the decree of the above, WHICH MEANS THAT IT WAS DECREED THAT THE POSSESSION SHOULD PASS ON FROM THIS ONE'S PROPERTY TO THAT ONE'S PROPERTY. The removal of the shoe in the ritual of Chalitzah (removal of the sandal in the law of levirate marriage) is another shoe in the likeness of the above, all is one secret meaning.", + "7. Come and behold: when this dead one departs from the world without children, this prince's daughter, WHICH IS MALCHUT, does not gather that person to her. He goes about loitering and wandering in the world, because he cannot find a place. The Holy One, blessed be He, has mercy on him and commands his brother to redeem him, so that he shall return and be restored in other dust, MEANING THAT HE SHALL INCARNATE, as it is written: \"and man shall return to dust\" (Iyov 34:15). And this has already been explained.", + "8. If this redeemer does not wish to revive his brother in this world, MEANING TO MARRY HIS WIFE IN ORDER THAT HE MAY INCARNATE THROUGH THE BIRTH OF A SON, it is required to tie a shoe to his foot. That woman will take off the shoe and receive that sandal for herself. And why the sandal? It is only because this shoe is for the dead one, THAT IS, IT IS CONSIDERED AS BELONGING TO THE DEAD ONE, and he places it on the foot of his living brother. The woman, THE WIDOW, accepts that shoe to indicate that this dead one returns among the living through this ritual.", + "9. That is the opposite of the shoe that the dead takes IN A DREAM from the living, THAT WE MENTIONED ABOVE. THROUGH THE TAKING OF THE SHOE, HE PASSES ON THE LIVING FROM THIS WORLD TO THE OTHER WORLD OF THE DEAD. Now the living man takes this shoe OF CHALITZAH from the dead one. THEREFORE, the dead one walks among the living in that shoe. FOR IN THAT CASE THE LIVING WIFE WOULD HAVE LED THE DEAD FROM THE OTHER WORLD TO THIS WORLD AMONG THE LIVING, FOR HE WHO WOULD HAVE INCARNATED IN THE SON THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN BORN FROM THAT MARRIAGE. BUT NOW THAT HE DOES NOT WANT TO MARRY HER and the wife takes him to her, to indicate that the woman is the crown of her husband, WHICH IS THE SHECHINAH, she accepts him and takes him to her.", + "10. There is a requirement to throw that shoe on the ground, to indicate that the body of the dead one has calmed. And the Holy One, blessed be He, will have compassion for him and accept him into the other world at this time or sometime later. In addition, the striking of the sandal from the hands of the wife to the ground comes to show that this dead one will be resurrected from the dust of another body in this world, MEANING HE WILL REINCARNATE. But he will first return to the dust whence he came. Then, that woman is permitted to produce other children, as has been explained.", + "11. Come and behold: for this reason, whoever wishes to maintain a lasting deal takes his sandal and gives it to his associate to perform through it a lasting deal. This is what is written, \"now this was the custom in former times in Yisrael concerning redeeming.\" What is, \"and that (lit. 'this')?'' IT MEANS THAT, \"AND THIS,\" WHICH IS MALCHUT, stood perfect in everything; \"in former times in Yisrael,\" when they were modest and holy, \"to confirm all manner of transactions (lit. 'all thing'),\" meaning everything, ALLUDING TO THE LOFTY COUPLING OF YESOD AND MALCHUT, SINCE \"ALL\" IS YESOD AND \"THING\" IS MALCHUT. This gives endurance and therefore, \"this was the manner of attesting in Yisrael\" (Ibid.), assuredly. FOR YOU SHOULD NOT SAY that it was merely an agreed consensus TO PERFORM A DEAL WITH A SANDAL and it was done through their own idea. But rather, you should perceive that it was a support of the grades up high, so that their performance BELOW would be similar to the secret above, SINCE IT ALLUDES TO THE COUPLING OF YESOD AND MALCHUT, AS MENTIONED.", + "12. As soon as the wicked increased in the world, they concealed the matter in a different manner, THAT IS, THE PERFORMANCE OF A DEAL, with the corner of a garment. That dress is a lofty emendation. The secret meaning of this is: \"nor uncover his father's skirt (lit. 'wing')\" (Devarim 23:1). " + ], + [ + "1. \"This is the ordinance of the Torah\" (Bemidbar 19:2). The word \"this (Heb. zot, fem.)\" is the sign of the Covenant, SINCE THE SIGN OF THE COVENANT IS CALLED 'zeh' (LIT. 'THIS,' MASC.), and they have not parted from each other. THAT IS, IN THE WORD Zot, WHICH IS MALCHUT, THE WORD Zeh IS INCLUDED, WHICH ALLUDES TO YESOD, AND THAT INDICATES THAT YESOD AND MALCHUT DO NOT SEPARATE FROM EACH OTHER. From the female we enter into the male. Therefore, 'keep' and 'remember,' THE SECRET OF THE MALE AND FEMALE, are connected together. In the verse, \"the ordinance (Heb. chukat) of the Torah,\" it should have said 'Chok (Eng. 'law')' of the Torah. What is chukat?", + "2. Rather, assuredly chukat. And we explained that Hei is Dalet, and we were already taught THE MEANING OF THE Dalet. However, Tav is a combination of Dalet and Nun, and we were taught why Nun is called this way, MEANING SPELLED WITH THE LETTERS Nun-Vav- Nun. It is only as it says, \"you shall not therefore defraud one another\" (Vayikra 25:17), SINCE Nun IS FROM THE LINGUISTIC DERIVATIVE OF 'FRAUD' (HEB. ona'a, ALEPH-VAV-NUN-ALEPH-HEI). Now she seems to be with a happy, delightful face. HOWEVER, she defrauds human beings SINCE, following this, she hits like a snake, destroys, kills, and says, \"I have done nothing wrong (Heb. aven, Aleph- Vav-Nun)\" (Mishlei 30:20). Therefore, she is spelled Nun-Vav-Nun, DERIVED FROM FRAUD, which is ascribed to her, THE Nun. The Tav is altogether composed of Dalet and Nun. Dalet and Nun are ALSO SIMILAR TO Nun and Resh, SINCE Resh and Dalet are the same thing; BOTH MEAN POVERTY. And with engraved letters, CHUKAT is composed of THE LETTERS Chet-Kof (lit. 'law') and Tav. And all is the same thing." + ], + [ + "1. \"Speak to the children of Yisrael, that they bring you a red heifer...\" (Bemidbar 19:2). This cow is for the purpose of cleansing to purify the unclean, WHICH IS MALCHUT that receives from the left. Who is on that left? It is the ox THAT IS GEVURAH IN ZEIR ANPIN, as it says, \"the face of the ox from the left side\" (Yechezkel 1:10). Red means red as a rose, as it is written: \"like the rose among thorns\" (Shir Hashirim 2:2). RED MEANS a sentence of law, SINCE THE LAWS OF THE LEFT COLUMN ARE CONSIDERED RED.", + "2. \"...Without defect (Heb. temimah)...\" (Bemidbar 19:2). IT IS WRITTEN, \"WITHOUT DEFECT.\" What is the meaning? It is as we were taught about a bull that has not gored (Heb. tam) and the bull that has gored thrice. The bull that has not gored MEANS lax, soft Judgment. The bull that has gored thrice is harsh Judgment. Here too, temimah MEANS a lax sentence that is lower Gevurah, MEANING MALCHUT, since one that is as such is without defect. Gevurah up high, THAT IS THE GEVURAH IN ZEIR ANPIN, is the severe and mighty hand.", + "3. \"...In which there is no blemish...\" (Ibid.) is as it is written, \"you are all fair, my love; there is no blemish in you\" (Shir Hashirim 4:7). SHE SHINES WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH, AND SHE IS CONSIDERED BEAUTIFUL SINCE ALL BLEMISHES ARE HEALED THROUGH THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH. \"...And upon which never came a yoke (Heb. ol, Ayin-Lamed)...\" (Bemidbar 19:2). The word \"ol\" is spelled WITHOUT A VAV, which is as it is written: \"and the man who was raised up on high (Heb. al, Ayin-Lamed)\" (II Shmuel 23:1). What is the reason? It is because she is \"the peaceable and faithful in Yisrael\" (II Shmuel 20:19), and he is not above her but rather with her. \"...And upon which never came a yoke...\" is as it is written: \"the virgin of Yisrael\" (Amos 5:2), and, \"a virgin, neither had any man known her\" (Beresheet 24:16).", + "4. \"And you shall give her to Elazar\" (Bemidbar 19:3). THAT IS BECAUSE the prescribed performing of the ritual is through the adjutant to the High Priest AND NOT BY THE HIGH PRIEST HIMSELF, and they established it that way. What is the reason? It is for ELAZAR and not for Aaron. HE RESPONDS: It is only because Aaron is the best man of the Queen. THEREFORE, HE WOULD BE IMPROPER FOR THE RITUAL OF THIS COW, WHICH IS HARSH JUDGMENT, and furthermore, he would be improper because Aaron does not approach this from the pure side but rather from the Holy Side. Since the primary function of the red cow is for purification, it is therefore not given to him.", + "5. Every item that pertains to this cow, WHICH IS MALCHUT, is in seven, seven washings. And we were already taught that. What is the reason? It is because MALCHUT is the seven years of the Sabbatical year THAT CONTAINS SEVEN SEFIROT - CHESED, GEVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD, YESOD AND MALCHUT, and is called 'Bathsheba' (lit. 'Daughter of Seven'). Therefore, all her rituals are in seven. Come and behold: all that is made from this cow is for the purpose of purification and not for sanctification. Although it was given to an aid OF THE PRIEST, THAT IS, ELAZAR, he does not perform the slaughtering or the burning so that no Harsh Judgment will be at his aspect. Even more so for Aaron, who is in a more perfected level THAN ELAZAR. He need not present himself or be available there.", + "6. As soon as this cow turns into ashes, there is a requirement to throw into it \"cedar wood, and hyssop, and scarlet\" (Bemidbar 19:6) as we have already learned. \"And a man that is clean shall gather up\" (Ibid. 9) and not a holy man. \"...and lay them outside the camp in a clean place...\" (Ibid.) since nothing is called 'clean' except from the aspect that he was first unclean.", + "7. The secret of all this is written: \"for the water of sprinkling, it is a purification offering\" (Ibid.). That is because all the lower Judgments and all that come from the aspect of Defilement RECEIVE THEIR STRENGTH FROM MALCHUT AT THE TIME when she sucks from the Other Side and dwells in Judgment, as it says: \"filled with blood, it is made fat with fatness\" (Yeshayah 34:6). At that moment, all THE SENTENCES FROM THE ASPECT OF DEFILEMENT are stirred up to rise and dwell in the world. As soon as they perform that ritual OF BURNING THE COW down below and the sentence is carried out in this place, in this cow, they throw on her the cedar wood. Then their energy is weakened, OF THE UNCLEAN ASPECT, and wherever they prevail, they break down and become weak and escape from there, since they see their might BROKEN AND SUPPRESSED, AS IT WAS PERFORMED IN THE RITUAL OF BURNING THE COW. Then, they do not prevail on man and he becomes cleansed.", + "8. Therefore, it is called \"water of sprinkling (Heb. nidah).\" THAT MEANS water for purification when the world dwells in Judgment and the defiled aspect expands in the world, AS BY THE UNCLEANNESS OF A NIDAH. Here are gathered together a variety of unclean things and a variety of methods of purification. Consequently, defilement and purification are the most important rules of the Torah, and the friends have already explained this. Rabbi Shimon said: Elazar, you have accomplished so much that your friends will not be speaking of anything following you, SINCE FROM THE GREAT WISDOM AND WHOLESOMENESS OF YOUR SPEECH THEY WILL BE SHY TO GIVE THEIRS.", + "9. Ra'aya Meheimna (the Faithful Shepherd). \"A red heifer without defect, in which there is no blemish...\" It is forbidden to plow during the Shabbat with an ox and plow, as it says, \"the plowers plowed upon my back\" (Tehilim 129:3), and the lower Shechinah, WHICH IS MALCHUT, is a red cow from the aspect of Gevurah. She is without defect from the aspect of Chesed, which is a level of Abraham, of whom it says, \"walk before Me, and be perfect (Heb. tamim)\" (Beresheet 17:1). \"...In which there is no blemish...\" She is from the aspect of the Central Column, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN THAT UNITES HER LEFT AND RIGHT. The verse continues, \"and upon which never came a yoke,\" which is from the aspect of the higher Shechinah, which is liberty, MEANING BINAH at the location where she dominates, WHICH IS MALCHUT THAT IS COMPRISED OF EVERYTHING MENTIONED ABOVE. \"And the stranger that comes near SHALL BE PUT TO DEATH.\" There is no authority for the Other Side to rule, not for Satan, not for the Destroyer, and not for the Angel of Death, all of which are from the side of Gehenom. End of Ra'aya Meheimna (the Faithful Shepherd)." + ] + ], + "Balak": [ + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "Come and see, \"He further showed me Joshua, the high priest, standing before the angel of the LORD\" (Zechariah 3:1), meaning that at the time that he took his leave from this world, they brought Joshua up for judgment into that academy of Heaven. \"Standing before the angel of the LORD\", this refers to that youth [the angel MeT\"aT], the head of the academy, who renders judgment upon all.", + "\"And Satan\": what is meant by \"And Satan\"? It is he that is appointed upon the souls in Hell, for his desire is to take [them] for himself, and he is always standing and saying \"Give, give, give the guilty ones to Hell.\" \"To accuse him\", meaning to remind of his guilt. As such, \"But [the angel of] the LORD said to the Accuser, 'The LORD rebuke you, O Accuser, and may the LORD rebuke you;'\" why two rebukes? Rather, one for [the angel of death] Dumah. And one, for the one who exits from Hell, who is always standing to accuse.", + "Come and see, that elevated Satan descends as they have established; that is, he is manifest in the form of an ox, and all of those evil spirits, whom have been judged to enter Hell, he licks them in one moment, and seizes them, and descends and gives them to Dumah--after he swallows them. And this is what is meant by what is written, \"and Moab said to the elders of Midian, 'Now this horde will lick clean all that is about us as an ox licks up;'\" as it was understood to refer to the ox that exists for evil for all of the inhabitants of the world. \"The grass of the field,\" these are the spirits of human beings, who are the grass of the field. \"The field\", that field which is known.", + "Said R. Yose: if so, Balak was wise. He said to him: Certainly, and for this reason he needed to know all of the ways of that ox, for if he did not know them, he would not be able to perform his spells and hexes. Said R. Yose, it is surely thus, and you have said well. And the might of that ox begins from when they announce [the sale of] the grain. [The text is missing here.] All of those days that they announce, and all of the days that they announce upon the spirits of human beings. And these are the days of Nisan, and the days of Tishrei, and it has been said. (Here begins the Zohar for the portion of \"And these are the words\", for there belongs the Yenuka of the portion of Balak)." + ], + [ + "R. Yitzchak and R. Yehuda were going on the path. They came to that place in Kfar Sikhnin, where R. Hamnuna Saba was. They lodged with his wife, who had one young son, and every day he was in school. That day he left the school, and he came to the house. He saw these wise men. His mother said to him: approach these lofty men and gain a blessing from them. He approached them. Until he had not approached, he returned backward. He said to his mother: I do not want to approach them. For today, they did not recite the Keriat Shema, and this is what they taught me: anyone who does not read Keriat Shema in its proper time, is in a state of excommunication that entire day.", + "They heard, and were astonished. They raised their hands and blessed him. They said: it is certainly thus. And today, we were taking care of a bride and bridegroom, who did not have their needs provided for them, and they were delayed from consummating their union, and there was no one to take care of them. And we took care of them, and we did not recite Keriat Shema in its prescribed time, but one who is engrossed in fulfilling a commandment is exempt from fulfilling another commandment. They said to him: my son, how did you know? He said to them: by the scent of your clothes, when I approached you. They were astonished. They sat, washed their hands, and blessed on bread.", + "R. Yehuda's hands were dirty, so he washed his hands, but he recited the blessing [on washing one's hands] before washing. The boy said to him: if you are students of R. Shemaiah Hasida, you should not have recited the blessing with filthy hands, for one who recites a blessing with filthy hands is liable for death.", + "That boy opened and said: \"When they come to the Tent of Meeting, they shall wash with water and they will not die, and so on\" (Exodus 30:20). We learn from this verse, that one who does not concern oneself with this, and appears before the king with filthy hands, is liable for death. What is the reason? Because the hands of a person sit at the height of the world. There is one finger on the hand of a person, and that is the finger that Moses lifted.", + "It is written (ibid 26:26): \"You shall make bars of acacia wood: five for the planks of the one side wall of the Tabernacle, five bars for the planks of the other side wall of the Tabernacle.\" And it is written, \"The center bar halfway up the planks shall run from end to end.\" And if you say, that center bar is another, which was not included in those five. This is not so. Rather, that center bar was of those five. Two over here, and two over here, and one in the middle. That was the center bar, the pillar of Jacob, that is the secret of Moses, Corresponding to these are the five fingers on a person's hand. And the center bar in the middle, greater and loftier than all the rest, through which the others are sustained.", + "And these five bars, which are called \"five hundred years, are those through which the Tree of Life goes. And a holy covenant is aroused (alternate version: is executed) through the five fingers of the hand. And it is a matter of astonishment on what you said. For on account , all of the blessings of the priests depend upon their fingers. Moses spread the fingers of his hand for this reason.", + "If all of these things are contained within the hands, is it not right for them to be clean when we use them to bless the Holy One, Blessed be He? Because through them, and their worldly manifestation, the Holy Name is blessed. And so, you, who are exceedingly wise: how did you not take heed of this? Did you not study under R. Shemaiah Hasida, who himself said: all filth, and all dirt, remove themselves to the Other Side, for the Other Side derives sustenance from that filth and dirt (Terumah 154b). And therefore it is an obligation to wash one's hands after a meal, and it is indeed an obligation.", + "They were astonished, and were not able to speak. R. Yehuda said: my son, what is your father's name? The boy was silent for a moment, then went to his mother and kissed her. He asked her: these wise men asked me about Father; should I tell them? His mother said: my son, have you tested them? He said: indeed, I have tested them, and I have not found them satisfactory. His mother whispered something to him, and he went back to them. He said: you asked about Father. He has departed this world, but every day that holy saints travel on the road he follows them in the form of a peddler. And if you truly are lofty holy ones, how did you not find him, a peddler traveling behind you?", + "In truth, I saw through you before, and now I see through you again, for my father never sees a donkey (Torah scholar) without following with his own donkey, in order to bear the yoke of Torah. Since you did not merit that my father should follow you, I will not say who my father is. Said R. Yehuda to R. Yitzchak: it appears to me that this child is no human at all. They ate. And that child was saying words of Torah, and novelties of Torah. They said: come, let us recite the blessing after the meal. He said to them: you have spoken well, because the Holy Name is not blessed with this blessing unless an invitation is extended.", + "He opened and said: \"I will bless God in every moment\" and so on (Psalms 34:2). What did David see that led him to say \"I will bless God?\" Rather, David saw that God required an invitation, and he said \"I will bless.\" For when a person sits at a table, the Shekhinah is there, and the Other Side is also there. When a person invites others to bless the Holy Blessed One, the Shekhinah takes her place (with this invitation) above to receive the blessings, and the Other Side is subdued. (Alternate version: and if she takes her place above as a result of the blessing, and the Other Side is not included) And if a person does not extend an invitation to bless the Holy One, Blessed be He, the Other Side hears and causes a ruckus so that it may have a share in that blessing.", + "And if you ask: why is there no invitation for other blessings? Rather, the object of the blessing, upon which we bless, itself constitutes the invitation. And come and see that this is so, for one who recites a blessing on a fruit, that fruit itself is an invitation, and so we recite the blessing on it, and the Other Side takes no part in it. But before this, when that fruit was in the power of the Other Side, we could not recite a blessing on it. For it is written \"it shall not be eaten\" (Leviticus 19), in order that they should not recite a blessing on that fruit, and that the Other Side should not be blessed. Once it has emerged from underneath the power of the Other Side, it may be eaten, and we recite a blessing on it. And this is the invitation for the blessing. And so it is for all the things in the world upon which we recite blessings. They are all an invitation to bless, and there is no share in them for the Other Side.", + "And if you ask: similarly, for the blessing after a meal, is the cup of wine used for the blessing not itself an invitation? Why, then, do we say \"come, let us bless?\" Rather, since when one drank wine earlier in the meal, one recited the blessing \"Who creates the fruit of the vine,\" that was an invitation. Now that wine is being used for the blessing after the meal, we require a change for another invitation, for this cup is for the Holy One, Blessed be He, and not for food. As such, it requires a verbal invitation.", + "...And if you ask, is not saying \"let us bless He from Whose food we have eaten\" itself an invitation, and \"Blessed is He from Whose food we have eaten\" the blessing? This is certainly so. However, \"let us bless,\" is another invitation--the invitation for the blessing of \"Who creates the fruit of the vine.\" For the first invitation is an invitation for a cup of blessing, regardless of the wine. And this cup, since its invitation with the word \"let us bless\" is taken to the supernal world from which all sustenance and blessings emerge, its invitation is of an unspecified character, for the supernal world is unspecified, and there is no invitation appropriate for it. Indeed, the cup of the blessing after the meal is of this level (with the word \"let us bless\"). Said R. Yehuda: Happy is our lot, for never until today had I heard these words, and this is certainly why I said that he is not human.", + "He said to him: son, angel of God, His beloved, this that you said \"and you shall make bars of acacia wood, five for the planks of the one side wall of the Tabernacle...and five bars...and five bars at the rear to the west.\" Behold, there are many bars mentioned here, and the hands are only two. He said to him: this is what is meant when they say, 'from the mouth of a person it can be understood who he is.' But since you did not pay attention, I will answer.", + "He opened and said: \"The wise person has eyes in his head,\" etc. (Kohelet 2:14). And in what place should a person's eyes be, other than his head? Perhaps in his body or his limbs, such that it would specify a wise person more than all other people? Rather, the verse certainly relates to that which was taught: A person should not walk four cubits with his head uncovered. For what reason? Because Shekhinah dwells on his head. And every wise person's eyes and words are on \"his head,\" on the One who dwells and stands above his head.", + "And when his eyes are there, he should know that that flame that is lit above his head needs oil, for the body of a person is itself a wick, and a flame is lit above. And King Solomon shouted and said,\"do not lack oil upon your head\" (Ecclesiastes 9:8). For the flame that is above his head requires oil, and this represents good deeds. And for this reason, the wise person's eyes are above their head, and not in another place.", + "You wise ones, the Shekhinah certainly abides above your heads; how did you not take heed of what is written, \"and you shall make bars...for the planks of the one side wall of the Tabernacle. And five bars for the planks of the second side wall of the Tabernacle. \"The one and the second\" said the verse, \"third and fourth\" the verse did not say. For \"the one and the second,\" these are the two important sides, and as such the verse accounts only for these two sides.", + "They came and kissed him; (as before) R. Yehuda cried and said, R. Shimon, happy is your lot! Happy is the generation, for it is in your merit that even the children of the schoolhouse are lofty and mighty mountains! His mother came and said to them: gentlemen, I beg of you, do not look upon my son except with a kind eye. They said to her: happy is your lot, good woman, a woman chosen from all other women, for the Holy One Blessed be He has chosen your lot, and has raised your banner above those of all other women in the world!", + "Said the child: I am not afraid of an evil eye, for I am the son of a great and precious fish, and a fish does not fear from the evil eye, as it is written: \"and they shall multiply abundantly like fish upon the earth\" (Genesis 48:16). What is meant by \"abundantly\"? To rise above the eye. And we have taught, just like water covers the fish of the sea, and there is no evil eye, and so on. Abundantly--certainly! \"Upon the earth,\" meaning among the people of the earth. They said: son, angel of God, there is no evil eye within us, and we do not come from the side of the Evil Eye. Besides, the Holy One, Blessed be He, protects you with His wings.", + "He opened and said: \"The Angel who has redeemed me from all harm--Bless...\" Jacob said this verse with a spirit of holiness, and if he said it with a spirit of holiness, there is a secret of wisdom in it. \"The Angel\"--Jacob called the Shekhinah by this name, and elsewhere he called the Shekhinah other names. Here, why did he call her \"Angel?\" It must be because when she is a messenger from above, she receives radiance from within the speculum above. And when this is so, Father and Mother bless her, and say to her, My daughter, go protect your house, attend to your house. Do this for your house. Go and feed them. Go, for that world below is waiting for you, your family members wait for sustenance from you; here is all that you need to give them. This is why she is \"the Angel.\"", + "And if you ask, but she is called Angel in many places, even when she does not come to sustain worlds. And furthermore, she does not sustain worlds with this name, except with the name of the Lord. This is certainly the answer: when she is a messenger from within Father and Mother, she is called Angel, and when she rests in her place, upon the two Cherubim, her name is \"Lord\".", + "When she first appears to Moses (Zohar I:113b), she is called \"Angel\" (Exodus 3). She did not appear to Jacob as such, except within the figure of Rachel, as it is written, \"and Rachel was coming\" (Genesis 29:9). This is the form of another (supernal) Rachel, as it is written, \"Thus said the Lord, a cry is heard in Ramah...Rachel weeping for her children\" (Jeremiah 31:15). \"And Rachel was coming\"--,\"with her flock\"--her echelons. \"Of her Father\"--certainly! And all are counted and accounted for in her hand. \"For she was a shepherdess,\" she leads them, and is accountable for them." + ] + ], + "Pinchas": [ + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "[The Hebrew letters] Aleph, H'et, Hei, A'yin [are pronounced] with the throat. Bet, Vav, Mem, Feh with the lips. Gimel, Yud, Khaf, Quf with the Palate. Dalet, Tet, Lamed, Nun, Taf with the Tongue. Zayin, Samekh, Sin (Shin), Resh, Tzadi with the teeth." + ], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "And the supernal Mother is tekiyah from the side of Avraham, shevarim from the side of Yitzchak and teruah from the side of Yaakov. The lower Divine Presence is the kesher (connection) of all of them. That is to say, kof, tekiyah; shin, shevarim; resh, teruah (the word, kesher, is an acronym of the three types of shofar blows listed). And they are all tripled towards the Divine Presence. This is that which is written (in the prayers), \"they thrice repeat holiness towards You.\" For there is no voice that can go out except from the mouth. Here too, the Divine Presence cannot be separated from the Holy One, blessed be He. As is said about the Holy One, blessed be He (Psalms 29:7), \"The voice of the Lord kindles flames of fire.\" And the Divine Presence is the prayer of every mouth; and these are its marks - kash-rak, kash-ak and kar-ak. (To here.)" + ], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "", + "And there is a dog, and a snake and a braying donkey which are ridden by a person. And immediately when a person recognizes which one that s/he rides, s/he is liable. And about that person it is written \"and its rider will fall backwards\" (Genesis 39:17). And the secret of the word/expression is \"when the fallen person falls from it\" (Deut. 22:8). And regarding this Yov said \"I did not fall lower than you\" (Job 12:3). And a tzadik will ride on it - he will tie it with the strap of the tefilin - the letter of the tefilin is the letter yud of Shaday [symbolized/connected to] the [top] vertebrae of the back of neck; shin of the tefilin [symbolized/connected to] chain of vertebrae of the back of the neck.", + "And on it rode Elijah, and was taken to heaven, as it is written: \"And Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind\" (II Kings 2:11). And on it [Yov was answered] And Y\"HVH answered Job from the whirlwind. And because of this the rabbis taught in the Mishnah: \"who is strong? The one who conquers their impulses\" (Avot 4:1). And there are those who are able to beautify their donkey, and it does not upset its rider. In that sense it is written about Avraham \"and he saddled his donkey\" (Genesis 22:3). And regarding the Mashiach it is said: \"A poor person, riding on a donkey\" (Zechariah 9:9)." + ], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "And on the eighth day of Atzeret (solemn gathering) - one bull, one ram. Behold, the master of our Mishnah established it to be about a king that invited guests. After he sent them away, he said to those members of his household, \"You and I shall make a small banquet.\" So what is an atzeret? It is like you say (I Samuel 9:17), \"this one will rule (yaatzor) over My people.\" So aatzar is only monarchy. From the side of the supernal Divine Presence He makes a great banquet; from the side of Kingship (Malkhut), a small banquet. And Israel is accustomed to be joyful with him, so it is called Simchat Torah. And we crown the Torah scroll with its crown, a hint that the Torah scroll is Splendor (Tiferet). The Divine Presence is crowned with splendor" + ], + [ + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "The first commandment is read: \"I\" - [it comes] from the side of Keter, that is Ey\"n from \"Eloheynu\". In \"I\" [Anochi] there is Kaf, Keter; and there is Eyn. And Keter comes from the side of the Upper Mother, that is mentioned corresponding to the 50 times the Exodus is [mentioned] in Torah. And the Bet from Bereshit includes the Ten Sayings from the side of Chochmah/Wisdom the daughter of 10 since \"the earth is established through Wisdom\" (Proverbs 3:19). In the Father is established choice, and this is \"the way is not known by the falcon\" (Job 28:7), that includes the 32 ways, which are the 32 Elohim from the side of the Upper Mother which are called Kavod. And therefore it is included in Choice, which is called 32/Lev/Heart. And accordingly, there is Kavod to the Higher, and 32/Lev/Heart to the Lower.", + "And there are Ten Sayings altogether. Five in one tablet, and five in the second. Those five are included from Keter until Gevurah, And the [other] five from the middle support until" + ] + ], + "Matot": [], + "Vaetchanan": [ + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "And we learned: The Jubilee, in which slaves go out to freedom, is united in this mind; and those fifty years of the Jubilee and those fifty days of the count of the Omer are united in it. For the spirits of the slaves rest in them, and their spirits go out (another textual version: its spirit goes out) to rest, as it is written (Isaiah 14:3), \"on the day that the Lord shall give rest from your sorrow and trouble, and from the bondage, etc.\" And because of this, the hay (the second letter of the four letter name of God) is where the spirit rests, and it is what takes the spirit out to freedom. So the exodus from Egypt depends on that container (of the tefillin that is associated with that letter), as it does with the letter, hay, of the holy name, as has been said. To here is the general principle of yod-hay (the first two letters) of the holy name." + ] + ], + "Eikev": [], + "Shoftim": [ + [], + [ + "", + "The sword of the Holy One Blessed Be He: yud is the head of the sword, vav is the body of the sword, hey and hey are its two faces. \"Tzedek tzedek tirdof\" - they cut two judgements: a judgement before the court above and a judgement before the court below. And from this we recognize: a human cannot even move a finger until given permission from on high." + ] + ], + "Ki Teitzei": [ + [ + "Ra'aya Meheimna (the Faithful Shepherd)... \"and they shall fine him a hundred shekels of silver\" (Deuteronomy 22:19). We are commanded to punish whoever defames someone's character. This is the meaning of, \"and they shall fine him a hundred shekels of silver, and give them to the father of the girl, because he has brought out an evil name upon a virgin of Yisrael.\" Sages, this applies to after the wedding, since he says, \"I found not your daughter a virgin\" (Ibid. 17). Not all evil names are alike, since the spies who spread an evil name on the land were punished for it by dying and not meriting it. A woman is like ground, it is like the explanation that Esther was the ground.", + "You may say that Esther has a bad reputation (by saying) that she was defiled with Ahasuerus, yet she was worthy that the Holy Spirit, (Malchut), would be clothed in her as written, \"Esther put on her royal apparel, מַלְכוּת\" (Esther 5:1). Yet the Holy One, blessed be He, said, \"I am Hashem, that is My name, and My glory will I not give to another, neither My praise to carved idols\" (Isaiah 42:8). The Holy Spirit is the Shechinah and is a name that was clothed with Esther.", + "Yet sages, woe to those who eat the chaff and ears of corn of the Torah, [whose Torah is a mixture of good and bad, like wheat and chaff] Such a man knows nothing of the mysteries of the Torah, but only light/leniencies and weighty precepts/stringinces; the light is the chaff of the Torah, and the weighty precepts of the Torah are wheat, [ This is the secret of] the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. [ The Sages said that this tree was wheat]", + "It is not the custom of the King and the Matron to ride a donkey (Heb. chamor), [Meaning, the literal understanding of the Torah is referred to as Chomer, which is similar to Chamor, and is comprised of wheat and the tree of knowledge of good and evil]. Instead they ride on horses. ['Horses' here corresponds to the secrets and mysteries of the Torah]. This is the meaning of, \"you ride upon your horses, your chariots of salvation\" (Habakuk 3:8). For Malchut is not treated lightly so as to have the Matron ride on a donkey, and even more so the King, for it is no place for commoners and servants, [The angel Metatron is called a commoner and servant] whose way is to ride a donkey. This is why it says of Messiah, \"humble (Heb. ani), and riding upon an donkey\" (Zechariah 9:9). Ani stands for the Mishnah orders of Eruvin, Nidah and Yevamot, [Ani also means \"poor\"] and the rest of the Mishnah in total. [ As long as a person does not know the mysteries of the Torah, but only knows the revealed Torah, one is \"poor\" in knowledge and it is like he is \"riding on a donkey\", which is the aspect of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. However, Hashem] is not considered a King until He rides on His horse, which is the Congregation of Yisrael [ This is Malchut/Kingship. See Song of Songs 1:9 \"I have likened you, my darling, To a mare in Pharaoh’s chariots\"].", + "The Holy One, blessed be He, outside His place is not a King. When He returns to His place, \"Hashem shall be King\" (Zechariah 14:9). It is said of Israel as well that all Israel are princes [Literally, 'the sons of kings']. Like the father, so are the sons. The children are not princes until they return to the land of Israel. You may say that he is a commoner, though he is a commoner in relation to his Master, do not treat lightly a blessing from a commoner, for this commoner is the servant Metatron. The first man, who did not keep the glory he was given [ because he ate from the Tree when he was not supposed to do so], was brought down to eat together with his donkey, and he said {to Hashem} 'I and my donkey shall eat from the same trough'. Issachar merited this donkey by being called, \"Issachar is a strong donkey\" (Genesis 49:14).", + "The sages who wrote the Mishnah {said that} it is said of the Matron, [Matron corresponds to Malchut], \"and His kingdom מַלְכוּתוֹ rules over all\" (Psalms 103:19), [ This is because she rules over the kelipot as well]. After Esther put on {the royal apparel}, Esther ruled over Achashverosh and his people, and it is said of them, \"and slew of their foes\" (Esther 9:16). If you say that he {Achashverosh} mated with her, G-d forbid - though they were in the same house - {she did not mate with him}, but was like Joseph of whom it says, \"And she laid up his garment בִּגְדוֹ by her\" (Genesis 39:16). The word בִּגְדוֹ 'bigdo' is employed, which is derived from, \"traitors have dealt treacherously בָּגָדוּ\" (Isaiah 24:16). [ The 'beged' is the outer aspect, which the kelipot can attach themselves to].", + "There is a great mystery here, which is why 'Esther' is derived from mystery (Heb. seter), as written, \"You are my hiding place (Heb. seter)\" (Psalms 32:7), since the Shechinah hid her from Ahasuerus and gave him a female demon instead while she returned to Mordechai's arm(s). And Mordechai, who knew the explicit Name and the seventy tongues, did all this with wisdom. This is why the sages of the Mishnah stated that even regardless of this, a man must speak with his wife before he mates with her, because she might have been exchanged with a female demon.", + "This is true for a woman who comes from the aspect of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, but if she is from the Shechinah she remains unchanged. This is the meaning of, \"For I am Hashem, I do not change\" (Malachi 3:6). \"I\" is the Shechinah, who has no fear from the other sides [ i.e. the kelipot]. This is the meaning of, \"All nations before Him are as nothing\" (Isaiah 40:17).", + "Wherever the Shechinah is, there are many special attributes {segulot}. Hence, since the Shechinah was clothed in her, Esther was worthy of having special things done to her like Sarah, whom the Holy One, blessed be He, kept, and since the Shechinah was with her He kept her from Pharaoh. The Holy One, blessed be He even made her clothes and jewels have special qualities due to the Shechinah that was with her. For that reason, when Pharaoh came {to touch} her sandal, {the angel} struck him with it, and the same happened with all her jewelry. Each jewel he would touch struck him until that defiled one left her and brought her back to her husband.", + "If regarding her jewels this was so, it is much more so that whoever touched her body, even her finger, for the purpose of mating, then, \"and the stranger that comes near shall be put to death\" (Numbers 1:51), since the Holy One, blessed be He, did not give him permission to come near her. This is the meaning of, \"I am Hashem, that is My name, and My glory will I not give to another\" (Isaiah 42:8).", + "For that reason not every {spreading of} an evil name is the same. The spies who defamed the land of Yisrael died. Those who speak ill of the Shechinah are most certainly struck in their souls, for those who spoke ill about the land were struck bodily and committed suicide. But whoever defames the Shechinah, his soul is stricken. This applies to whoever knows this secret and whose eyes are open. But a person whose eyes are shut is not punished as severely.", + "As for what the sages of the Mishnah said to them that a raped wife is permitted to remain with her husband, permission and prohibition in the Mishnah speaks only of human matters and a woman who is from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. But the case of a woman who is from the Tree of Life is not as that of those {from the aforementioned tree}, since whoever is from the Tree of Life is a righteous person with whom things are well. Of him it is said, \"No evil shall happen to the just\" (Proverbs 12:21), nor to his righteous wife. We learned that from Sarah in the house of Pharaoh that he had no permission to come near her.", + "Whoever is righteous but for whom things go badly, namely, he who is from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, since there is evil with him {at the moment}, \"For there is not a just man upon earth who...never sins\" (Ecclesiastes 7:20). As for an evil man for whom things go well, it is that the Evil Inclination overpowered his Good Inclination. Therefore they said that it is well with him, because the good is under the power {of the evil man}. And since the evil dominates the good, he is an evil man, since whoever is stronger receives the name. An evil man with whom things are evil is another El, who is Samael. It is evil with him, namely the poison of death, which is idol worshiping, {as it is said}, \"Evil shall slay the wicked\" (Psalms 34:22). For that reason a raped woman is considered so only if that soul has a mixture of good and evil.", + "When the Torah was given, her tablets that were likened to virginity were broken. And the Holy One, blessed be He, again gave her to Israel to keep her. And the oral Torah is called Halachah given to Moses on Sinai. And the groom of the Torah broke her virginity [just like the first tablets were broken]. Whoever speaks ill of her and says that Torah is not {the same as the original}, since her tablets were broken, the Holy One, blessed be He, will speak to him, who is the girl's father, that daughter who is {hinted at} in the word בְּרֵאשִׁית (In the beginning). [ בְּרֵאשִׁית is spelled with the same letters as 'Bat Roshi', the daughter of my head. The Torah is therefore]the King's daughter. Then the Holy One, blessed be He, spoke: \"And they shall spread the cloth\" (Deuteronomy 22:17), and the parchment of the Torah scroll unfolds, and they shall see that it is written in it, \"Hew for yourself two tablets of stone like the first, and I will write upon these tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you did break\" (Shemot 34:1).", + "Immediately Elijah rose with all the heads of the Yeshivah and they blessed him. And {he} said {to the Ra'aya Mahemna}, 'Sinai, Sinai, it would have been worthy for us to listen to your words and be silent, yet with permission from the Holy One, blessed be He, and His Shechinah, I wish to say something to you, in your honor'. He said to him, 'speak'.", + "{Elijah} opened and said, 'Faithful Shepherd, the Holy One, blessed be He gave this bride of yours, [ this refers to Malchut/Kingship] to Abraham to bring up for you. And since he kept her she is called his daughter. This is what is meant by the saying that Abraham had a daughter whose name was 'Bakol (Eng. 'in all')'. By her he observed the whole Torah even the Eruv Tavshilin (an action allowing one to cook on holiday for Shabbat). This is the meaning of, \"and kept My charge\" (Genesis 26:5). And he brought her up, as written, \"And he brought up Hadassa\" (Esther 2:7). And the Holy One, blessed be He, blessed him for her sake, as it is written, \"and Hashem had blessed Abraham in all things (בַּכֹּל)\" (Genesis 24:1). He brought her up with every good virtue and was charitable to her. He raised her to greatness, with the quality of kindness (Chesed) of Abraham. His house was, for her sake, wide open to do kindness to all the people of the world.", + "And because he was kind to her, when Abraham's children were exiled because of their many iniquities in Egypt, the Holy One, blessed be He, said, 'Faithful Shepherd, go and be kind to him who did kindness by you, since I gave him your bride, [Malchut], to raise with good qualities'. And he raised her {by the} thirteen attributes of mercy hinted at in the three words, Vav Hei Vav, Aleph Nun Yud, Vav Hei Vav, {וָה''וּ אֲנִ''י וָה''וּ} which are Vav, since the 72 names are comprehended in them the numerical value of Chesed/Kindness, with which Abraham overcame the 72 nations. Through your bride, he had a special segulah through the 72 names and he overcame every nation and tongue.", + "For that reason {it is written}, \"That caused His glorious arm to go at the right hand of Moses\" (Isaiah 63:12), [This refers to Malchut], and \"dividing the water\" (Ibid.) by tearing the water into twelve pieces, the numerical value of Vav Vav. And by merit of {the letter} Aleph [the letter is found if you spell out the word Vav as Vav Aleph Vav] You turned the sea into dry land. In it the Egyptians drowned, who did not believe in the Vav, [This corresponds to Zeir Anpin] which is {the value} one. In the future to come it will be fulfilled in Israel, the seed of Abraham, \"As in the days of your coming out of the land of Egypt I will show him marvelous things\" (Micah 7:15). In you it shall be fulfilled, \"That caused His glorious arm to go at the right hand of Moses, dividing the water\" of the Torah, to make yourself, \"an everlasting name\" (Isaiah 63:12). There you shall attain your bride.", + "Since this daughter [ i.e. Malchut] was given to Israel, it is your Halachah from the left side, Halachah attributed to Moses from Sinai. For on the right side, your Halachah is the letter ה Hei, from the side of the name Abraham, Yud י from {the side of} Isaac. And everything is Hei Yud הֵ''י of {the name of} Elohim. And you are Vav וָא''ו, [ Moshe corresponds to Zeir Anpin, which corresponds to Vav] which is the full spelling of {Malchut} and her perfection. {She is called} \"a full cup\". For at first she was the throne of Yud Hei, כֵּ''ס יָ''הּ. At the end it is a cup (Heb. כּוֹס) full of the blessing of Yud Hei Vav Hei.", + "And since {Malchut} was given through you to Israel, who are the Central Pillar, it behooves us to reveal why it was given them. For surely we learned why she was given to Abraham, [ He drew down the attribute of Chesed, which is synonymous with Abraham], and you were kind (bestowing Chesed) to his children just as he was kind to you. And the Holy One, blessed be He, gave her to Isaac, to him and his descendants to keep her from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. And they made her some boundaries and cut for her some garments, golden garments with some laws. And they used to disagree and ask questions regarding these laws, to supply them with explanations, to decorate her with many decorations for Shabbat and holidays, to redeem her at the last redemption, as it says of her, \"That (Heb. מַ''ה) which has been (Heb. שֶּׁ''הָיָה), it is (Heb. ה''וּא)\" (Ecclesiastes 1:9) (making the initials of Moses). (The rest is missing here).", + "Since they brought it on you and did good things for you, you have suffered for their sakes many troubles so that Messiah the son of Joseph shall not be killed, of whom it says, \"the face of an ox on the left side\" (Ezekiel 1:10), who is a descendant of Joseph, of whom it says, \"The firstling of his herd, grandeur is his\" (Deuteronomy 33:17). That is because he and his descendants shall not be violated among the heathen nations because of the sin of Jeroboam who worshiped idols, for which he and his seed were to be violated among the idol worshiping nations. For Jeroboam the son of Nevat is a descendant of Joseph and it is because of him that it says of you, \"But he was wounded because of our transgressions and by his injury we are healed\" (Isaiah 53:5).", + "And since Israel are included of right and left, {i.e. the center}, where your Hei and Yud are in a state of completion, it behooves you to unite with her, {with Malchut}, between them. And since it says of you, \"because he has brought out an evil name upon a virgin of Yisrael,\" it says of you, \"and she shall be his wife; he may not put her away all his days\" (Deuteronomy 22:19), {when} in exile he may not be away from her all his days.", + "Where is the evil name you brought upon her? After {Malchut} was given to Israel, whoever brings out an evil name on Israel is as one who brings out an evil name on {Malchut}. And the evil name was in what you said to the Holy One, blessed be He, \"Hashem, why does Your wrath burn against Your people\" (Exodus 32:11), and the Holy One, blessed be He, said, 'because you spoke ill on Israel when they made the golden calf'. \"Go, get you down; for your people have become corrupt\" (Ibid. 7), who are certainly the mixed multitudes whom you converted and who made the golden calf. And therefore, \"because he has brought out an evil name upon a virgin of Yisrael,\" \"she shall be his wife\".", + "The Faithful Shepherd rose and kissed him {Elijah}, on his face and his eyes and blessed him. And he said to him, 'may you be blessed by the mouth of the Holy One, blessed be He, and His Shechinah, by each of His attributes and His ten Sefirot and all His names and all the heads of Yeshivah and all the angels'. And they all answered and said Amen. And the Holy One, blessed be He, and His Shechinah acknowledged his blessing. Elijah, rise, open your mouth regarding the precepts with me, because you are my assistant in every aspect, for it first says of you, \"Pinchas, the son of Elazar, the son of Aaron the priest\" (Numbers 25:11). [Pinchas is the aspect of Elijah] Surely he is the son of Aaron, my nephew, as written, \"and a brother is born for adversity\" (Proverbs 17:17)." + ], + [ + "\"If a man find a girl that is a virgin, who is not betrothed\" (Deuteronomy 22:28). This precept is to punish the seducer with fifty shekels of silver. This is the meaning of, \"If a man find a girl that is a virgin, who is not betrothed\": these are Yisrael, who, from the aspect of the Shechinah are called daughter. \"and lay hold of her, and lie with her, and they be found; then the man that lay with her shall give to the girl's father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife; because he has humbled her, he may not put her away all his days\" (Ibid. 28-29). The sages and all the members of the Yeshivah said, \"a man\" refers to Yisrael from the aspect of the Holy One, blessed be He, [who at times is referred to allegorically as a \"man\". Note, this is strictly an anthropomorphism and not literal]; \"and lay hold of her\" with the knot of Tefilin, \"and lay hold of her\" with the Tzitzit. \"who is not betrothed,\" namely an only daughter, who is the soul. \"and lie with her,\" namely with the prayer of lying down, that is, 'הַשְׁכִּיבֵנוּ (Eng. 'cause us to lie down')'. \"shall give to the girl's father fifty shekels of silver,\" namely 25 {letters of the meditation of Shema} and 25 letters of the meditation {of Baruch Shem Kavod, etc.}", + "Rise, Faithful Shepherd, for surely whoever studies Halachah [Halacha corresponds to Malchut], not for its own sake, and understands the Halachah, surely it is seized by him. Yet it has been explained that man should always study Torah even if not for its own sake, so that from studying not for its own sake it shall become for its own sake. And this Halachah is from the aspect of the good lad [This refers to Metatron] who separated from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, which comprises the forbidden and the permissible, the unclean and the clean, the fit and the unfit. After, the lad is called a girl, נַעֲרָה, by whom it will be fulfilled, \"that the wicked might be shaken out of it, וְיִנָּעֲרוּ\" (Job 38:13). These are the forbidden, the unclean and unfit, Samael and his legions.", + "According to another explanation, \"If a man find a girl that is a virgin\" refers to Yisrael, as written, \"When Yisrael was a child, then I loved him\" (Hosea 11:1), {they are called Na'ar} lad from the aspect of Metatron, [Their sould are from the world of Beriyah, and Metatron is found there]. The 'man' is none other than the Holy One, blessed be He, as written, \"Hashem is a man of war\" (Exodus 15:3). \"If a man find a girl that is a virgin,\" namely the virgin of Yisrael, of whom it says, \"The virgin of Yisrael is fallen; she shall no more rise\" (Amos 5:2). \"Behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness\" (Hosea 2:16). Then He opened for them fifty gates of freedom, which are the fifty gates of mercy of the side of their father Abraham, [Abraham is commonly associated with Chesed/Lovingkindess in the literature]. This is what is meant by, \"shall give to the girl's father fifty shekels of silver,\" silver being of the level of Chesed, the levek of Abraham.", + "For at the exodus from Egypt, the fifty gates of freedom were opened to them from the side of Judgment, which is left, which is Adonai, אֲדֹנָי, [This corresponds to Malchut of the left side] where, \"will I judge\" (Genesis 15:14), [אֲדֹנָי contains the letters of the word judgment, which is din in Hebrew], for first I judge and then they shall come out. But at the last redemption {it is written about it}, \"with great mercies {will I gather you}\" (Isaiah 54:7), which is the grade of Abraham. And Greatness, גְדוּלָּה, [which is Chesed], is the grade of Abraham, since Binah there is {referred to as} the 'great hand', and there are fifty shekels of silver there [These are the '50 Gates of Binah']. Later, \"he may not put her away\" into exile, \"all his days\" because \"she shall be his wife.\" This is like the words, \"And I will betroth you to Me forever\" (Hosea 2:21), and another verse, \"For your Maker is your husband. Hashem Tzva'ot is His name\" (Isaiah 54:5). \"You shall no more be termed forsaken\" (Isaiah 62:4). For even though the Shechinah is in exile, the Holy One, blessed be He, does not move from her." + ], + [ + "The following precept is for one to marry the woman he violated. For surely there are two kinds of violated women - one who is violated because he loves her but she doesn't love him. Another is violated because she loves him but fears to mate with him without marriage and being blessed, or she doesn't want him if he is a commoner. Of him it says, \"and she shall be his wife\" (Deuteronomy 22:19).", + "In relation to mysteries of the Torah we have to employ an allegory. There is a soul that is the Matron, [Drawn from Malchut of Atzilut] and there is a soul that is a handmaid [Drawn from the world of Beriyah] such as in, \"And if a man sell his daughter to be a maidservant\" (Exodus 21:7). And there is a soul that is a common maid [From the world of Asiyah]. And so is man. There is a man who is a servant to the soul. Sometimes the soul goes by means of incarnation, [Because of a sin in the previous incarnation], \"the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot\" (Genesis 8:9), [The soul is not at rest due to this previous sin]. And the Evil Inclination chases it to enter that body, which is a maid to the Evil Inclination. It is a Jewish 'demon' and the soul is Yud {which is called} a Hebrew maidservant, in which this demon (Heb. שֵׁד) becomes Shadai, [Shed plus the letter Yud] because it kept the soul and repented through it, and with it blessed the Holy One, blessed be He, daily with 'Blessed (Heb. בָרוּך)', and with it sanctifies the Holy One, blessed be He, with 'Holy, holy, holy', and with it declares the unity of the Holy One, blessed be He, by Kriat Sh'ma.", + "{Then} what used to be a demon, [Which causes harm] turns around to be its angel {the aspect of} Metatron and turned {to become} Shadai, because the numerical value of Metatron is that of Shadai. Immediately there is fulfilled in it {i.e. the soul} \"and she shall be his wife; he may not put her away all his days\" (Deuteronomy 22:19). But if he does not repent, {the soul} is enslaved in him through the iniquities he committed and it shall be fulfilled in him, \"the wife and her children shall be her master's\" (Exodus 21:4), [meaning the soul will leave the person so his root] and it says of the demon which is its debtor, \"and he shall go out by himself\" (Ibid.), [Without a remedy]. That demon is like Moses' staff that turns from a staff into a snake and from a snake into a staff. So does this demon turn from a demon into an angel and from an angel into a demon, according to man's deeds.", + "Of the demons that come from this, the sages of the Mishnah explained that some are like the ministering angels. They are the students of the Torah that know what was and what will be. They have their form on earth, being philosophers, astrologers of Yisrael, who know what was and what will be {through the} the signs on the sun and moon and their eclipses and each star and constellation; in this way they know what is seen in the world.", + "Some of them {these 'demons'} ...are like beasts that increase and multiply like animals, and their form below is ignorant people, who, as the sages of the Mishnah explained, are vermin and whose daughters are abominable. Of their daughters it says, \"Cursed be he that lies with any manner of beast\" (Deuteronomy 27:21). They hate Torah students, sages of the Mishnah, who are in truth like the ministering angels. For that reason the sages of the Mishnah explained about man that if he is as \"a messenger of Hashem Tzva'ot\" (Malachi 2:7), one should seek Torah out of his mouth. Otherwise, one must not seek Torah out of his mouth." + ], + [ + "There are others who have knowledge of the mysteries of the Torah, men of qualities, who receive souls from the aspect of the holy Malchut which includes the ten Sefirot. Whoever receives her and attains her, merits ten indivisible Sefirot, ten, not nine, since had they inherited Malchut alone the nine Sefirot would have been separated from her. But since there is no division there, {in the world of Atzilut}, the author of the Book of Formation, the סֵפֶר יְצִירָה, said 'ten, not nine', {the nine upper Sefirot are never seperated from her}" + ], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "[The fourth exile] is called a pit where an ox has fallen. This is why it is written of Yosef, \"The firstling of his herd, grandeur is his\" (Deut. 33:17), of him it says, \"And they...cast him into a pit\" (Gen. 37:24), which is the female; \"and the pit was empty\" is the male, which is empty, without Torah, but with snakes and scorpions in it. This is the fourth exile, which is a generation of evil people, filled with snakes and scorpions that are scoundrels like snakes and who are scorpions (akrabim) since they uprooted (akru) the words of the sages and give false judgments. Of them it says, \"Her adversaries have become the chief\" (Eichah 1:5). \"And he looked this way and that, and when he saw that there was no man\" (Shemot 2:12) of Yisrael among the wicked mixed multitude. This will be at the end of exile. And because of that the end, the time of redemption bores all the way to the great abyss. And the Faithful Shepherd: Tehom [abyss see Gen. 1:2] is Hamavet [the death'] spelled backwards, and death is no other than poverty. It has been clarified up high, before the Tannaim and Amoraim, that they will all descend for your sake into the deep [the fourth exile], to help you." + ], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "Regarding what was said about \"the mother laying on her chicks\": Israel chirps to her with several chirps of prayer, and therefore she does not need to come down to them. So what does Israel do? They take the mother, which is the shekhina, and they tie her with the knot of the tefillin. When they arrive at the recitation of the Shema, her children call out with the 60 words of unity which are \"Shema Yisrael Adonai Elohenu Adonai Eḥad\". They go down to the mother and tie her to us. This is the meaning of \"that you call them\". This is \"answering\", as with the festivals." + ] + ], + "Vayeilech": [], + "Ha'Azinu": [ + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "", + "", + "...One destined to die, so shall it be done. For if he would give all he has as a ransom, and all the money in the world, it shall not save him.", + "But for this he needs a wise doctor, who will work diligently upon him. If he is able to give him remedies for his body, all is well. But if not, let him give him remedies for his spirit. Further, he should work diligently upon his spirit. For this is the medicine of the Blessed Holy One, who works diligently upon him in this world, and in the world to come." + ] + ], + "Idra Zuta": [ + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "The father and mother (Aba and Imma) within them contain everything, and everything are hidden within them. They are hidden within the Holy Mazala of the most ancient. They are hidden within it, and incorporated within it. All is within, and within is everything. Blessed be He, and blessed be His name forever and ever." + ], + [ + "", + "", + "...It is written (Shmuel 1 2), “for a Power of knowledge is Hashem”. Knowledge certainly. He is the knowledge. With knowledge all palaces fill themselves. As it is written “with knowledge chambers are filled\" (Proverbs 24:4). (Because of this) other knowledge is not revealed, as it is hidden and departed into the substance and contained in it. Knowledge illuminates the brain and spreads out to the entire brain (in the brain, in the body entirely “for a G-d of knowledge is Hashem”)." + ] + ], + "Addenda": { + "Volume I": [ + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "The wealthy one in tefilah - this is the Shechinah, about whom it is said \"A prayer of David. Hear, O LORD, what is just [heed my cry, give ear to my prayer, uttered without guile]\" (Ps. 17:1). And David, through the Holy Spirit, said this about the end of the days of Exile, about Israel: \"You probed my mind, You visited at night\" (Psalms 17:3). And night is always Exile. And everything that Yiov said is a parable about Israel, he said \"as a cloud fades away\" (Job 7:9). And the Satan came to prosecute against him, and the Holy Blessed One said \"Job does not speak with knowledge\" (Job 34:35). And even regarding Yaakov, who saw through the Holy Spirit the oppression of the Exile," + ], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "", + "Come and see how twisted we are, human beings, that we do not want to follow the ways of life that the Holy One of Blessing has taught us, God's children, the God warned us and said \"and meditate upon this day and night\" (Joshua 1:8) - we don't have the permission to split day from night. And so too with Yehudah, even though he separated himself and worked in the West which is [called] Night, the rest of the travels of his tents were turned to the East, which is [called] Day. And the Holy One of Blessing indicated it to him, and said \"and you shall choose life\" (Deut. 30:19), meaning, he should not split day from night, and a person who does so brings about death.", + "And because of that obligation his sons died, since they sickened their ways and did not combine Day with Night, and so they did not win favor, just as one who sees white [compassion] in the red [judgment] on one's friend, in that one can save one's friend's obligation but splits from the friend at the outset. In that same way a righteous person, who is called Day, cannot split from the Congregation of Israel which is called Night. And the hint is given by the Holy One of Blessing, to bring East and West close to one another, and said to the righteous: \"Camped on the front, east side, the flag of the camp of Yehuda\" - to bring East and West close, bringing to him the Flow of Blessings from Above." + ], + [], + [], + [], + [], + [ + "Rabbi Berachiah said: It is written (Genesis 1:2), \"The earth was Chaos (Tohu) and Desolation (Bohu). What is the meaning of the word \"was\" in this verse? This indicates that the Chaos existed previously [and already was] . What is Chaos (Tohu)? Something that confounds (Taha) people. What is Desolation (Bohu)? It is something that has substance. This is the reason that it is called Bohu, that is, Bo Hu — \"it is in it.\" Why is it written (Eccl. 7:14) \"God has made one corresponding to the other\". He created Bohu and set its place in peace. He created Tohu and set its place in evil. Bohu in peace, as it is written (Job 25:2) \"He makes peace in His heights\". We learn that Michael, the Prince of the Right Side of Hashem, water and hail. And Gabriel, the Prince of His Left, Fire. The Prince of Peace is between them, deciding. That is why it is written \"He makes peace in His heights\".", + "And from where do we know that Bohu is peace, as it is written (Isaiah 45:7) \"Who makes peace and creates evil\". This is how we get evil from Tohu and peace from Bohu. He created Tohu and set its place in evil, as it is written ibid. He created Bohu and set its place in peace as it is says, \"He makes peace in His heights\". (Until here is from the omissions)." + ] + ], + "Volume II": [], + "Volume III": [] + } + }, + "versions": [ + [ + "Danny Strassman's translation", + "sefaria.org" + ], + [ + "Sefaria Community Translation", + "https://www.sefaria.org" + ], + [ + "Zohar : Volume 1 : Daf 33b", + "sefaria.org" + ], + [ + "Rabbi Dr. David Mevorach Seidenberg, from \"Kabbalah and Ecology\"", + "sefaria.org" + ], + [ + "Scholem, Gershom", + "sefaria.org" + ], + [ + "user27343", + "sefaria.org" + ], + [ + "The Soul of Life, translated by Leonard Moskowitz, Teaneck, NJ 2012 [Rev. 1.5]", + "sefaria.org" + ], + [ + "Ira Robinson", + "sefaria.org" + ] + ], + "heTitle": "ספר הזהר", + "categories": [ + "Kabbalah", + "Zohar" + ], + "schema": { + "heTitle": "ספר הזהר", + "enTitle": "Zohar", + "key": "Zohar", + "nodes": [ + { + "heTitle": "הקדמה", + "enTitle": "Introduction" + }, + { + "heTitle": "בראשית", + "enTitle": "Bereshit" + }, + { + "heTitle": "נח", + "enTitle": "Noach" + }, + { + "heTitle": "לך לך", + "enTitle": "Lech Lecha" + }, + { + "heTitle": "וירא", + "enTitle": "Vayera" + }, + { + "heTitle": "חיי שרה", + "enTitle": "Chayei Sara" + }, + { + "heTitle": "תולדות", + "enTitle": "Toldot" + }, + { + "heTitle": "ויצא", + "enTitle": "Vayetzei" + }, + { + "heTitle": "וישלח", + "enTitle": "Vayishlach" + }, + { + "heTitle": "וישב", + "enTitle": "Vayeshev" + }, + { + "heTitle": "מקץ", + "enTitle": "Miketz" + }, + { + "heTitle": "ויגש", + "enTitle": "Vayigash" + }, + { + "heTitle": "ויחי", + "enTitle": "Vayechi" + }, + { + "heTitle": "שמות", + "enTitle": "Shemot" + }, + { + "heTitle": "וארא", + "enTitle": "Vaera" + }, + { + "heTitle": "בא", + "enTitle": "Bo" + }, + { + "heTitle": "בשלח", + "enTitle": "Beshalach" + }, + { + "heTitle": "יתרו", + "enTitle": "Yitro" + }, + { + "heTitle": "משפטים", + "enTitle": "Mishpatim" + }, + { + "heTitle": "תרומה", + "enTitle": "Terumah" + }, + { + "heTitle": "ספרא דצניעותא", + "enTitle": "Sifra DiTzniuta" + }, + { + "heTitle": "תצוה", + "enTitle": "Tetzaveh" + }, + { + "heTitle": "כי תשא", + "enTitle": "Ki Tisa" + }, + { + "heTitle": "ויקהל", + "enTitle": "Vayakhel" + }, + { + "heTitle": "פקודי", + "enTitle": "Pekudei" + }, + { + "heTitle": "ויקרא", + "enTitle": "Vayikra" + }, + { + "heTitle": "צו", + "enTitle": "Tzav" + }, + { + "heTitle": "שמיני", + "enTitle": "Shmini" + }, + { + "heTitle": "תזריע", + "enTitle": "Tazria" + }, + { + "heTitle": "מצורע", + "enTitle": "Metzora" + }, + { + "heTitle": "אחרי מות", + "enTitle": "Achrei Mot" + }, + { + "heTitle": "קדושים", + "enTitle": "Kedoshim" + }, + { + "heTitle": "אמור", + "enTitle": "Emor" + }, + { + "heTitle": "בהר", + "enTitle": "Behar" + }, + { + "heTitle": "בחקותי", + "enTitle": "Bechukotai" + }, + { + "heTitle": "במדבר", + "enTitle": "Bamidbar" + }, + { + "heTitle": "נשא", + "enTitle": "Nasso" + }, + { + "heTitle": "האדרא רבא", + "enTitle": "Idra Rabba" + }, + { + "heTitle": "בהעלותך", + "enTitle": "Beha'alotcha" + }, + { + "heTitle": "שלח לך", + "enTitle": "Sh'lach" + }, + { + "heTitle": "קרח", + "enTitle": "Korach" + }, + { + "heTitle": "חקת", + "enTitle": "Chukat" + }, + { + "heTitle": "בלק", + "enTitle": "Balak" + }, + { + "heTitle": "פנחס", + "enTitle": "Pinchas" + }, + { + "heTitle": "מטות", + "enTitle": "Matot" + }, + { + "heTitle": "ואתחנן", + "enTitle": "Vaetchanan" + }, + { + "heTitle": "עקב", + "enTitle": "Eikev" + }, + { + "heTitle": "שופטים", + "enTitle": "Shoftim" + }, + { + "heTitle": "כי תצא", + "enTitle": "Ki Teitzei" + }, + { + "heTitle": "וילך", + "enTitle": "Vayeilech" + }, + { + "heTitle": "האזינו", + "enTitle": "Ha'Azinu" + }, + { + "heTitle": "האדרא זוטא", + "enTitle": "Idra Zuta" + }, + { + "heTitle": "תוספות", + "enTitle": "Addenda", + "nodes": [ + { + "heTitle": "כרך א", + "enTitle": "Volume I" + }, + { + "heTitle": "כרך ב", + "enTitle": "Volume II" + }, + { + "heTitle": "כרך ג", + "enTitle": "Volume III" + } + ] + } + ] + } +} \ No newline at end of file