Zohar Parshat Vayeira - Complete Kindness

ZOHAR PARSHAT VAYEIRA Daf 120a

MATOK MIDVASH VOLUME 2 pp 677-680

COMPLETE KINDNESS

 [At the end of Parshat Vayeira Abraham is commanded by G-d to offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice (Genesis 22:1-19.) Abraham is about to slaughter Isaac when an angel calls to Abraham, “Abraham, Abraham.” This passage of Zohar explains the reason for the angel calling out to Abraham by calling his name twice. Although often explained as expressing endearment, this passage of Zohar teaches something else. Abraham is the personification of kindness. The test of the binding of Isaac “forces” him to connect with another Sefirah – Gevurah (everything completely opposite to Abraham). Although not Abraham’s true nature, he must link with it in order to connect himself with true kindness. To reach levels of complete perfection, even an Abraham must in some way experience and understand how to integrate an attribute foreign to him.]

And an angel of G-d called to him from heaven and he said Abraham, Abraham. There is a separation cantillation mark between them [the two names of Abraham] to teach that the last [mention of] Abraham after the binding is not like the first which is before the binding [of Isaac.] [In the actual reading of the Parsha, there is a musical cantillation mark that breaks between the two mentions of Abraham’s name. When the reader reads these two names he must make a brief pause. This hints to the fact that the first Abraham is different to the second Abraham. While the name is the same, something else has changed in the quality of Abraham that necessitates mentioning his name again to illustrate that Abraham had changed due to something happening.] And it explains: The last [mention of Abraham] [Daf 120b] is perfect, because through the binding, the Chesed [Kindness] that is there is included with Gevurah [Strength], and the Gevurot [judgments] are sweetened through the Chassadim [Kindnesses.] The first was not yet perfect since there was only kindness by itself. [Before the binding, Abraham who represents complete kindness, proceeded with kindness only. Through the binding of Isaac he attached himself to the Gevurot and thereby sweetened them.] Similar to this (I Samuel 3:10), “Samuel, Samuel.” There is also a reason why there is a separation between them. [In this chapter of the book of Samuel, G-d calls to Samuel two times. In the reading, a separation mark is made between these two names as well.] And the reason [for the separation] is because the last is perfect, the first is not perfect. And it explains: The last Samuel is said concerning the period of time when the prophecy was perfected, the first time Samuel is mentioned, is when he had still not merited prophecy. But (Exodus 3:4), “Moses Moses.” [The Zohar brings out an inconsistency with G-d calling to Moses in comparison to the way He called to Abraham and Samuel.] Between the two times that Moses’ name is mentioned [in this verse], there is no separating cantillation mark. This is because from the day he was born, the Shechinah [the Indwelling Divine Presence] did not depart from him i.e. in this they [the two Moses’] were equal all his days. But certainly after the giving of the Torah he ascended upwards even further many great levels. [With Moses, he was the same Moses from his birth even until the giving of the Torah – with the Shechinah being with him all the time, even though he became even greater after that. With Abraham and Samuel, there was a time when they were on one particular level, and only after something did they rise to a much higher level.] (Ramak, Mikdash Melech and commentaries.)

[Another explanation is given concerning the repeated mention of Abraham.] And it explains further, in that it says twice Abraham, Abraham: Rabbi Chiya said: Because Abraham was drunk with the wine-of-desire of serving his Creator by sacrificing Isaac his son, therefore the angel called him in order to awaken him, like one would awaken a person from his sleep. And he said, “Abraham, return into yourself from the attribute of Din [judgment], and be Abraham in another spirit with the attribute of Chesed – as is your custom, to do other actions fitting a doer of kindness, in another heart, that the cruelty in your heart be turned around into mercy, to love Isaac once again as before.” (Ramak and commentaries.)

[A third explanation is given.] Rabbi Yehuda said the reason why Abraham’s name is doubled is because through the sacrifice, Isaac was purified and arose in favor before the Holy One blessed be He, like the smell of the incense spices that the Kohanim offered before the Holy One blessed be He two times a day i.e. Isaac arose and was purified through the intention that was to bind and be bound – like the smell of the incense that is brought half in the morning corresponding to the attribute of Chesed and half in the evening corresponding to the attribute of Gevurah, and the burning of the incense in half amounts is to show that everything is one unity. So too here, through the will and action of the sacrifice of Abraham and Isaac – that there is included water with fire and fire with water, scripture attributes to Abraham and Isaac as if they offered the incense two times a day. If so, the first Abraham corresponds to the half of the morning which is not yet perfected until the half of the afternoon which corresponds to the second Abraham – which included in it already the Gevurot of Isaac who rules in the evening. And the offering is perfected in favor as if Isaac was offered before Him. For it was a great distress for Abraham at the moment that it was said to him, “Do not send your hand to the youth, and do not do anything to him,” because he considered it to be an uncompleted offering and that it was not received favorably. And he thought that it was in vain that he did and arranged everything and he built the altar. Immediately, “And Abraham lifted up his eyes and he saw, and behold a ram! Afterwards…” that the Holy One Blessed be He prepared for him a ram and he offered it instead of Isaac, to appease his mind that his offering was accepted in favour. (Ramak and commentaries.)

NOTES TO SIGNS USED IN FORMATTING:

Bold print: Original Zohar

Ordinary text: Matok Midvash

[Square brackets]: Rabbi Eliyahu Shear

(Round brackets): Either the source being quoted e.g. Proverbs etc., or alternatively used to quote the kabbalistic language as discussed in Matok Midvash. The Matok Midvash formats the Nigleh side of things in an ordinary print, and the Nistar terminology in Rashi script. I’ve therefore put the Rashi script – the Nistar terminology in round brackets.

Zohar Parshat Lech Lecha - One Who Comes to be Purified - is Helped

ZOHAR PARSHAT LECH LECHA Daf 76b

MATOK MIDVASH VOLUME 2 pp. 199-200

ONE WHO COMES TO BE PURIFIED – IS HELPED

[Parshat Lech Lecha begins the story of Abraham’s journey from Ur Kasdim (the place of his birth) and Haran into the Land of Canaan (Israel.) Out of all the people in the world, why was Abraham chosen by G-d to leave the land he was in and be lead into a far superior land, where he would ultimately become the father of the entire Jewish people? The Zohar tells us that it was because he himself chose to go along this path. Purity comes from actively choosing the path of Torah. Those who rebel against the ways of Torah are left alone to meander along their own paths. Those who choose the paths of Torah are actively taken from their “lands” and brought into greater places.]

Go to [for] yourself from your land etc. Rabbi Abba opened and said to explain the reason as to why Abraham merited more so than all the people of his generation that the Holy One blessed be He said to him ‘Go to yourself etc.’ And it starts by preceding to explain what is written (Isaiah 46:12), “Listen to me mighty of heart.” [This verse alludes to the Babylonians who were torturing the Jews at that time of the exile, but is here used to refer to another type of “mighty hearted” person.] How strong are the hearts of the wicked, that they look at the inner paths of Torah and the ways of the revealed Torah and they do not contemplate them. And more, their hearts are hard, for they do not return in Teshuva [repentance] to their Master, and they do not let the fear of G-d enter into their hearts and therefore they are called ‘Mighty of heart’, and as is written “Those that are far from Tzeddakah [lit: charity],” is explained as that they distance themselves from the Torah which is called Tzeddakah, since the Holy One blessed be He did Tzeddakah with his nation Israel that he bestowed to them an inheritance of a desirable vessel [the Torah] that they will inherit through it the life of the world to come.

Rabbi Chizkiya said, as it is said ‘Who are far from Tzeddakah’, is to be explained that since those that distance themselves from the Holy One blessed be He do so of their own bad free choice, therefore they are distanced from Him, since He removes his Shechinah [indwelling Divine Presence] and hides His face from them, and He says to them “If you leave me for one day, I will leave you for two” [See Rashi to Deuteronomy 11:13] [Usually the Torah operates on the basis of measure for measure. This statement therefore does not make sense, since if one would leave G-d for one day, why does He leave the person for two? Rather it means that if a person leaves G-d for one day then G-d too leaves a person for one day. The distance between the two is now the equivalent of two days.] And the reason that the Holy One blessed be He is called Tzeddakah is because the entire world is nourished from His Tzeddakah and not through his [a person’s] own merit. And therefore they are called “Mighty of heart,” because they do not want to draw close to the Holy One blessed be He from their own side. And therefore they are distant from the Holy One blessed be He, since He distances Himself from them as above i.e. they are distant from receiving the flow from Tiferet which is called Tzeddakah. And since they are distant from Tzeddakah that is in Tiferet, they are distant from the Shalom [peace] of Yesod, for the body and the Brit [covenant/sexual organ] are considered as one, and therefore they do not have Shalom, and this is what is written (Isaiah 48:22), “There is no Shalom [peace] – says G-d – for the wicked.” What is the reason they have no peace? Because they are distant from Tzeddakah that is in Tiferet. (Ramak, Rabbi Abraham Galanti and commentaries.)

Come and see, Abraham desired to draw close to the Holy One blessed be He, and he drew close, because one who comes to purify himself is aided [Shabbat 104a], and since he departed from Ur Kasdim to go towards the land of Canaan and he came to Haran, the Holy One blessed be He drew him closer and said to him “Go to yourself.” This is what is written (Psalms 45:8), “You loved Tzeddek and hated evil,” as explained, because Abraham loved Tzeddek which is Malchut, and he hated evil i.e. the Chitzonim [the external unholy forces] which cleave to it, therefore he was drawn close to Tzeddakah which is Tiferet which is united with it. And about this it is written (Isaiah 41:8), “Abraham My beloved.” And this is explained – what is the reason that he is called My beloved? Because it is written, “You loved Tzeddek,” which is explained as: This is the love of the Holy One blessed be He, that Abraham loved Him more than all the people of his generation that were mighty of heart, and they were distant from the Holy One blessed be He Who is called Tzeddakah as is explained above. (Ramak and Rabbi Avraham Galanti.)

NOTES TO SIGNS USED IN FORMATTING:

Bold print: Original Zohar
Ordinary text: Matok Midvash
[Square brackets]: Rabbi Eliyahu Shear

(Round brackets): Either the source being quoted e.g. Proverbs etc., or alternatively used to quote the kabbalistic language as discussed in Matok Midvash. The Matok Midvash formats the Nigleh side of things in an ordinary print, and the Nistar terminology in Rashi script. I’ve therefore put the Rashi script – the Nistar terminology in round brackets.

Zohar - Parshat Pinchas - Raya Mehemna - The Four Species - Man Himself...

ZOHAR PARSHAT PINCHAS (RAYA MEHEMNA)

Daf 255b (end) – 256a

MATOK MIDVASH 630-631

THE FOUR SPECIES – MAN HIMSELF…

[On Sukkot, we are commanded to take 4 species together, make a blessing on them and wave them around at various times during the davening. The verse in Leviticus 23:40 says, “And you shall take for yourselves on the first day the fruit of a citron tree, the branches of date palms, twigs of a plaited tree, and brook willows.” The Zohar discusses the reason why we are commanded to use these particular species – rather than perhaps others. It describes how in fact each relates to the various 10 Sefirot. Just as a person’s body – made in the image of G-d, is composed of physical representations of the 10 Sefirot i.e. the right hand/arm for Chesed and the left hand/arm for Gevurah etc. so too do these species represent the 10 Sefirot. The 4 species correspond to the most vital parts of a person’s body which he uses in the service of G-d. By waving them, we similarly place the energy of our entire bodies into the service of G-d.]

Lulav in the right: The Lulav is taken in the right hand to show that it is the side of kindness. [Whenever possible, any action done to affect kindness must be done with the right hand e.g. when one gives another Tzeddakah, one must use one’s right hand which is the side of Chesed – Kindness.] And it comprises six species parallel to the Va”K [Vav Ketzavot – lit: the six extremities i.e. the six Sefirot Chesed, Gevurah, Tiferet, Netzach, Hod, Yesod] which are included in Yesod. [The Sefirah of Yesod which acts as a channel for the flow of energy is also the name that represents the entire array of these 6 Sefirot.] [Although there are only 4 actual species that are waved, the word “Lulav” actually refers to the entire array of 6 separate species that we hold in our right hands i.e. One Lulav, three Hadassim, two Aravot – excluding the Etrog which will be taken in the left hand by itself and brought towards the “Lulav”.]

And it explains: Three [Daf 256a] Hadassim – the three myrtles are the secret of [the three Sefirot] Gedulah [i.e. Chesed - Kindness] Gevurah [Strength], Tiferet [Beauty], and they are comparable to the three colorings of the eye, two stalks of the Aravot [willows] are the secret of [the Sefirot] Netzach [Eternity/Victory] and Hod [Splendor], and they are comparable to the two lips. Lulav [the palm branch] is the aspect of Yesod [Foundation], is comparable to the spine that through it is the existence of all the bones and upon it King David said, (Psalms 35:10) “All my limbs will say, G-d who is like You?” Etrog [citron] is the secret of Malchut [Kingship] which is the crown of the Yesod of Z”A is like the heart that in it are thoughts. And the reason for all this is in order for a person to subjugate all his limbs towards his Creator and to unify all his senses to the service of his Creator. For there are no other limbs that include all the actions of a person and the subjugation of his body like these – the eye to see, the lips to speak, through the spine is the establishment of the entire structure of the body, and the heart which is the king of all the limbs through thought. These limbs that parallel the 4 species of the Lulav include all the matters of a person.

[It is worth noting that the Lulav being strong and straight in appearance, parallels the look of the spine. The myrtles have the shape of an eye. The willows have the shape of lips and the citron has a shape similar to the heart. Our sages say that when it comes to the action of a misdeed, (See Tur, Orach Chayim chapter 1. Rashi Numbers 15:39) “The eyes see, the heart desires, and the limbs commit the deed.” From here we see clearly how these three parts of the body are directly connected with any action we involve ourselves in. The mouth which is not included is nevertheless our other means of action. Through the mouth we can achieve with our words the same good or it’s opposite as we can with our entire bodies – although one does not do any physical act as such. By waving these 4 species we correct what we may have caused through using our bodies by not directing them to the service of G-d. In this way, we direct these species and our bodies completely to the service of G-d.]

NOTES TO SIGNS USED IN FORMATTING:

Bold print: Original Zohar

Ordinary text: Matok Midvash

[Square brackets]: Rabbi Eliyahu Shear

(Round brackets): Either the source being quoted e.g. Proverbs etc., or alternatively used to quote the kabbalistic language as discussed in Matok Midvash. The Matok Midvash formats the Nigleh side of things in an ordinary print, and the Nistar terminology in Rashi script. I’ve therefore put the Rashi script – the Nistar terminology in round brackets.

Zohar - Parshat Vayakhel - Yonah Enters the Giant Fish - The Soul Entering the Body

ZOHAR PARSHAT VAYAKHEL Daf 199a

Matok Midvash pp. 230-232

YONAH ENTERS THE GIANT FISH

THE SOUL ENTERING THE BODY

SOMETHING FISHY!

[On Yom Kippur we read the story of the Prophet Jonah. He is commanded by G-d to inform the people of the city of Ninveh to repent. Not wanting to obey G-d’s command, Jonah takes a ship to Tarshish, and while in the middle of the journey, leaps off the ship he is on, into the sea where he is swallowed by a giant fish (whale.) In fact, as this Zohar points out in a discourse over many pages, "Jonah" is the soul of every Jew, that is placed into the body. The story of Jonah is actually the story of every Jew’s entire life, until death… and even onwards…]

For the remainder of this post including the Zohar selection - 

see Zohar Parshat Vayakhel - Jonah Enters the Giant Fish - The Soul Entering the Body

Zohar - Parshat Ha'azinu - When I Call in the Name of God

ZOHAR PARSHAT HA’AZINU Daf 297a

MATOK MIDVASH pp 542-543

When I Call in the Name of God

[The Zohar begins it’s commentary on a passage from Deuteronomy, chapter 32 vv 3-5. This is the song that Moses sang to the Jewish people just before he died, bringing heaven and earth to act as witnesses to the calamities that will befall the Jewish people if they sin, and the ultimate reward that awaits them at the final redemption. The language of verse 3 is not clear, since it speaks of calling out in the Name of G-d. When one calls, one usually calls directly to G-d Himself. Why the need to call ‘In the Name of G-d’? What do the extra words ‘In the Name of’ come to teach and add in understanding the process of calling to G-d?]

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Zohar - Parshat Vayera - Rosh HaShanah - The Ten Days of Repentance - Yom Kippur - Confusing the Satan Through a Multitude of Tricks!

ZOHAR PARSHAT VAYERA Daf 114b

MATOK MIDVASH pp. 609-611

Confusing the Satan Through a Multitude of Tricks…

Blowing the Shofar on Rosh HaShanah – Ten days of Repentance – a Goat!

The explanation of the verse brought below, “תקעו בחודש שופר” - blow the Shofar at the moon’s renewal, and this is “בכסה ליום חגנו” – at the appointed time to be fixed as the festive day, which is Rosh Hashana. (Rashi)

[The Zohar will seek to understand the meaning of this verse in Tehillim.]

Come and see, it is written (Psalms 81:4) “Blow the Shofar at the moon’s renewal” on Rosh HaShanah, when the moon is hidden. This means that the Shechina [Indwelling Divine Presence] is concealed in garments of judgment and is not able to receive the mercy from Binah. For then the evil accusing snake rules and suckles judgments from the Shechina, and it is able to cause damage to the people of the world. And when mercy is awoken through the blowing of the Shofar, the Shechina ascends and removes herself from bestowing any further judgments to the accuser. And then it - the Satan – becomes confused and its claims are blocked and it is no longer able to accuse. And the Shechina departs and the Satan is no longer able to draw close and to suckle the judgments from her.

And therefore on the day of Rosh Hashanah [the New Year] we need to confuse it through the blowing of the Shofar, like a person who awakens from his sleep and he doesn’t know anything. This means that it does not accuse or defend, and this is the advice to be saved from his accuser. But, on the day of Yom HaKippurim [the Day of Atonement], we need to conduct [ourselves] with the Satan gently, and to give it satisfaction. This means, since the Satan doesn’t find a place to accuse on the Day of Judgment, it will not keep quiet from accusing on the Day of Atonement. And even though the Malchut is then repaired and has greatly ascended and it is not able to rule it, nevertheless in order that it won’t come to confuse the happiness, the advice of the Holy One Blessed be He is to give it pleasure by means of offering the goat to it as a gift. And we send it to Azazael which is its place, which is considered in its eyes as if a great honor was done for it! Therefore, it is not sufficient that it not accuse Israel, but rather then it changes to become a defender for them ­– Israel, due to the bribe that it accepted from them. (Ramak and commentaries)

[The Mitzvah of blowing the Shofar on Rosh Hashanah actually causes the Satan to become confused and to stop with his accusations against the Jewish people. However, the Satan is still filled with his desire to accuse and is ready to do so at the next opportunity available – Yom HaKippurim. For this, the Holy One Blessed be He advises us to send a gift to the accuser – a goat upon which all the sins of the nation have been placed (see Leviticus 16:20-22) When the Satan receives this bribe, he feels so satisfied that he no longer has any need to accuse any longer! In fact, the Zohar points out, he becomes a defender for the Jewish people. As the Zohar continues, there are ten days between Rosh HaShanah and Yom HaKippurim which allow those people who are neither completely righteous nor completely evil, to complete their return to G-d, and their repentance. By the time Yom HaKippurim has ended, the Satan has not only been confused by the Rosh HaShanah Shofar blowing, but he has been given a gift to bribe him too. As a result, he is only too happy to defend the Jewish people, and thereby bring complete atonement for every single person.]

And it says further, but on the day of Rosh HaShanah it is confused due to the blowings [of the Shofar] and it doesn’t know how to accuse, and it is not able to do anything to accuse. Because it sees that awakenings of mercy ascend from below through the blowings [of the Shofar], and mercies are awoken from above from Binah, the moon – the Shechina ascends between them – these two awakenings, then the Satan becomes confused and its claims are blocked and it is no longer able to rule and to accuse Israel. And the Holy One Blessed be He judges Israel in mercy and has mercy upon them. And the Holy One Blessed be He is prepared and ready all ten days between Rosh HaShanah and Yom HaKippurim (as our Rabbis write in Tractate Rosh HaShanah 18a regarding the verse ‘Seek out Hashem when He can be found,) in order to receive in repentance all those that have returned before him and to atone for them their sins. And He raises them upwards on the Day of Atonement, i.e. the forgiveness of sins to the Beinonim – middle people [whose sins and merits are equally balanced] is on Yom HaKippurim. And therefore on all these things the Holy One Blessed be He commands Israel to do an action, i.e. the blowing of the Shofar on Rosh HaShanah – that through this they awaken the power of the supernal Shofar and draw down mercy upon Israel, and the action of the goat to Azazael on Yom HaKippurim that changes the accuser into a defender, in order that someone i.e. the Satan that does not need to rule over, not rule over them. And it won’t rule over them even in holy judgment, and all of them will be Tzaddikim [righteous] upon the earth. [Daf 115a] And the Holy One Blessed be He will have mercy upon Israel like a father has mercy upon his children, therefore he advises them on how to save themselves from judgment. And everything is dependent on the action of the blowing [of the Shofar] and in the speaking of the blessings and the prayers of supplications – and already these things have been explained. [Ramak and commentaries]

NOTES TO SIGNS USED IN FORMATTING:

Bold print: Original Zohar
Ordinary text: Matok Midvash
[Square brackets]: Rabbi Eliyahu Shear

(Round brackets): Either the source being quoted e.g. Proverbs etc., or alternatively used to quote the kabbalistic language as discussed in Matok Midvash. The Matok Midvash formats the Nigleh side of things in an ordinary print, and the Nistar terminology in Rashi script. I’ve therefore put the Rashi script – the Nistar terminology in round brackets.

Zohar - Parshat Vayera - For Rosh HaShanah - The Sweetness of the Shofar

ZOHAR PARSHAT VAYERA DAF 114a

Matok Midvash pp. 607-609

THE SWEETNESS OF THE SHOFAR

The world is judged in mercy

Come and see – in this way did the Holy One Blessed be He give advice to be saved from the accusing Satan on the day of Rosh Hashanah and the day of Yom HaKippurim, that [it is then that] the attribute of judgment rules in the world - since the Holy One Blessed be He sits on the Throne of Judgment to judge the world. Then he – the Satan stands to accuse with the permissible power that is given to it. And Israel need to awaken through Teshuva [repentance] on Rosh HaShana by means of the blowing of the Shofar, and they need to awaken the supernal voice of Z”A by means of bringing out the sound of the Shofar which includes fire, water and wind. Fire is the warm air that comes through the power and strength of the breath of the person to bring out the sound through the Shofar. Water is the moist air that comes out with the sound. And the wind is the essence of the air of the mouth that the person blows through his mouth through the Shofar. And they – these three powers – become one by means of uniting in the inside of the body of the Shofar, and one needs to broadcast this sound through the Shofar outwards. And this sound rises upwards until the place of the Malchut that there is to be found the Throne of Judgment. And it strikes it and awakens it to lift it upwards into Binah through the awakening of the sound of the Shofar below. Since this sound reaches from below, then the voice of Jacob which is ChaGaT [Chesed, Gevurah , Tiferet] of Z”A is rectified and sweetened above, and the Holy One Blessed be He [Daf 114b] which is Binah awakens mercy upon Israel. That behold, just like Israel awaken below one sound that includes fire, wind and water that exists together through the Shofar, likewise there is awoken from above the supernal Shofar which is Binah. And this sound which is Z”A which consists of fire, water and wind, which is the secret of ChaGaT, is rectified and sweetened. For just as the sound of the Shofar goes out from below, opposite this the sound of the Shofar of Binah above, and the world is rectified and sweetened and mercy is found. And this prosecutor is confused, for it thought to rule in judgment and to prosecute in the world, and it sees that mercies have been aroused. And then it becomes confused and its strength is weakened, and it is no longer able to do a thing. And the Holy One Blessed be He judges the world in mercy. For if you say that complete judgment is administered on Rosh Hashanah, it cannot be so, and don’t think like this, but rather the mercies of Binah are joined with the judgments of Malchut, and sweeten it and the world is judged in mercy.

NOTES TO SIGNS USED IN FORMATTING:

Bold print: Original Zohar

Ordinary text: Matok Midvash

[Square brackets]: Rabbi Eliyahu Shear

(Round brackets): Either the source being quoted e.g. Proverbs etc., or alternatively used to quote the kabbalistic language as discussed in Matok Midvash. The Matok Midvash formats the Nigleh side of things in an ordinary print, and the Nistar terminology in Rashi script. I’ve therefore put the Rashi script – the Nistar terminology in round brackets.

Zohar - Parshat Ki Teitzei - Marriage, and a Year of Freedom

[The Parsha as in Deuteronomy 24:5 speaks about a man marrying. When he takes a wife, he receives certain privileges. One of these is that he is not obligated to go into the army. He must be free so that he can gladden his wife for the period of one year. Not only is this harmonious and beneficial for the couple in the lower physical world, but it also causes great happiness above. The year period is parallel to the entire year period of G-d’s running the world via His ‘chariot’. Our actions below, when fulfilled in accordance with the Torah not only bring goodness to us below, but also awaken goodness and delight above – thereby bringing even more blessing to this world.]

When a man will take a new wife, he shall not go to the army etc. and he shall gladden his wife who he has taken [Deuteronomy 24:5]. This Mitzvah is that the groom should make his wife happy for one year, as it is written – he shall be free for his home for one year. And these twelve months are hers i.e. the ‘lower’ bride merits through them what is hers from her root which is the ‘upper’ bride which is the Shechinah [the Indwelling Divine Presence,] because the upper bride which is the Shechinah is called ‘Shanah’ [lit: Year]. And a bride is only so called for [the first] twelve months, as it is written, “He made the ‘sea’”, [part of the building of the Temple made by King Solomon was a ‘sea’ – a copper tank filled with water and used by the Kohanim for ritual immersion] (Kings 1 – 7:25) “It stood upon twelve oxen,” which are the 12 angels Michael, Gavriel, Uriel, Rafael, and with each one there are another 2 angels. And they serve the Shechinah and lift her up and she rides upon them. And since the repair of the supernal bride is only through these 12 angels, therefore the groom needs to gladden her – the lower bride and to adorn her house so that she should rejoice in it. And it explains, to her and to her repairs, to make her happy and her ‘repairs’ which are her garments and her jewellery that she rejoices through them. Similar to [what happens in the worlds] above, because these 12 angels serve the Shechinah for 12 months of the year. And therefore it is written about Jacob, (Genesis 28:11) “And he took from the stones of the place.” And it explains, the stones of the place were 12, parallel to the 12 angels of the Shechinah which is called Makom – “place.” And someone who gladdens the supernal bride, also gladdens her youths, which are these 12 angels. [Daf 278a]: And she had 12 youths, and all of them are the secret of the year, since these 12 angels serve during the 12 months of the year. And therefore the groom needs to gladden his wife for one year. The word “one” is added here to teach that the year from day to day should be 354 days [354 being the numerical value of the Hebrew word for year i.e. “שנה” – While the Solar year consists of 365 days, the Lunar year consists of 354 days, the exact same amount as the numerical value of the word “שנה”] – 12 complete months for the reason above.

And behold we explained, this happiness is not his – the groom’s – but rather it is hers – the bride’s. As it is written ‘He shall gladden his wife.’ And the word “ושמח” [and he shall gladden] is a causative verb i.e. that he should gladden her [so that she should rejoice.] And since it is not written “וישמח” – and he shall be happy – since the word “וישמח” is a dynamic verb i.e. he rejoices with her and then she is considered secondary to him. But rather ‘And he shall gladden’ is explained as the groom gladdens the bride.

Similar to this is the bride ‘above’ which is Malchut – the bride has no happiness except when Z”A, her husband gladdens her body in the secret of Yichud [unification], and her ‘repairs’ in the secret of the garments and jewellery. And who gladdens them – Malchut and her youths? Tzaddik which is Yesod, that through him, her body and face are repaired. And upon this it says, he shall be free for his home i.e. the Yesod is called “Naki” [he shall be free/clean] as it is written [Exodus 23:7] ‘Naki and Tzaddik, do not kill.’ And he bestows upon her clean seed which is sorted from all dross.

And in contrast to this below, the groom will be Naki [clean/free] not to have to toil in worldly matters i.e. with something that will take him away from gladding her, but rather he will occupy himself in Torah in order that he will have the desire to gladden her, and he will be free of every pressure i.e. he will be free – exempt – from all types of taxes, property taxes and head-taxes, free – that he won’t have to go out to the army to fight a war in order to find happiness above and below, and to awaken happiness above i.e. through the happiness of the bride below he will intend to cause happiness to the bride above. Happy are those in this world, and happy are those in the world to come. (Ramak, Ramaz and commentaries.)

From here is the source of the custom of Israel to give food to a newly married couple for at least one year. This, in order that it will not make it necessary [for the groom] to be busy with worldy affairs, and the husband will be free to study Torah.

NOTES TO SIGNS USED IN FORMATTING:

Bold print: Original Zohar

Ordinary text: Matok Midvash

[Square brackets]: ELIYAHU ben PINCHAS

(Round brackets): Either the source being quoted e.g. Proverbs etc., or alternatively used to quote the kabbalistic language as discussed in Matok Midvash. The Matok Midvash formats the Nigleh side of things in an ordinary print, and the Nistar terminology in Rashi script. I’ve therefore put the Rashi script – the Nistar terminology in round brackets.

Zohar - Parshat Shoftim - The Double Edged Sword of the Shema

ZOHAR PARSHAT SHOFTIM Daf 274b (Raya Meheymna)

MATOK MIDVASH pp 198-200

THE DOUBLE EDGED SWORD OF THE SHEMA

“Judges and officers shall you appoint in all your gates that G-d your L-rd gives to you for your tribes, and they shall judge the nation with righteous judgment.” In this verse it lists judges and officers – there is the commandment to appoint judges and officers i.e. even though judgment belongs to G-d, but through His abundant love for Israel, He gave judgment into their hands. Nevertheless the Holy One Blessed be He also sits in judgment amongst them, and this is as it stated [in the following verse in Psalms], and moreover it is written (Psalms 75:8) “For G-d is the Judge.” The name Elokim, [as in this verse of Psalms] which is the name representing judgment, sits and judges with the judges in judgment. And it explains the matter of judgment according to the secret ‘for’ [כי] Elokim is the Judge. The word כי – ‘for’ has the letter כ and the letter י i.e. the Yud as it is simply, is the secret of Chochma [Wisdom i.e. The Hebrew letter Yud represents wisdom.] And from the letter Yud [which can also be spelled out fully יו"ד] comes out the full יו"ד whose total [numerical] value is 20. [The letter Yud by itself in Hebrew has the numerical value of 10. However when the letter is spelled out – expanded – to represent the word it is, the numerical value is 20.] This is to teach about Binah [Understanding] which is included with Chochmah. After this “כי” it is written, “Elokim is the Judge.” The name Elokim which is Binah judges with the strength of wisdom. And as is written [in the continuation of this verse] זה ישפיל – ‘He lowers this one,” – ה"א ה"א – the word זה has the numerical value of 12, parallels the letter Hey when it is spelled in full – of Binah, and Hey when it is spelled in full – of Malchut i.e. ה"א ה"א – which is the secret of the two courts. And as is written [in the continuation of the verse] “וזה ירים” – “And He raises this one,” this is ו' ו' [the word Zeh as it appears in the second half of the verse – valued at 12 – is equal to two Vavs, each valued at 6.] They are the secret of the Vav of Tiferet and the Vav of Yesod, which is the secret of the two witnesses (see Daf 275a).

The four deaths of the court [that the judges can administer for various sins] are ordered here from the lightest to the most stringent i.e. the sword, strangulation, stoning, burning. And this is like the opinion of Rabbi Shimon in Tractate Sanhedrin 99b. [In this translation, only the sword is dealt with.]

The commandment after this is to judge by the sword, to judge by strangulation, to judge in the judgment of stoning, to judge in the judgement of burning. This means that after there is judgment, there is the Mitzvah to judge the guilty through the 4 death penalties of the court, and it asks – to judge by the sword – who? And it answers to S”M* i.e. one has to endeavour in Mitzvos and good deeds to nullify the strength of the evil inclination which is S”M. And also in action – in reality – if a person was overwhelmed by the power of the evil inclination until G-d forbid a person needs the death penalty of the sword, now as he is killed, his sin is atoned and the strength of the S”M in him is cut off and nullified. This is what is written, (Isaiah 34:5) “For my sword has been sated in the heavens.” First my sword will be sated in the heavens from the blood of the minister of Edom which is the S”M, and afterwards, “It shall descend upon Edom.” This means upon His nation below (similar to what is written (Isaiah 24:21) ‘And on that day that Hashem will deal with the hosts of heaven above and upon the kings of the earth upon the earth.’

And it continues and says the sword of the Holy One Blessed be He which is the sword [of the death penalty] – there is hinted in it all the four letters of the name of G-d [the Tetragrammaton] i.e. the ten Sefirot of Z”A – because the judgment is only completed through the partnership of all ten Sefirot i.e. י' the letter Yud of the name of G-d hints to the head of the sword, for all the conduct is in accordance with the decree of the head, which are the Sefirot of Keter and Chochmah. The Vav of the Tetragrammaton – is the body of the sword – corresponds to the Va”K which are the essential workers of judgment and mercy. Hey Hey – these two letters of the Tetragrammaton are the two mouths – points of the sword, because the action of judgment in action comes about through the Malchut which is the mouth that decrees the decree of judgment of the power of the mouth above which is the Binah, through it judgments are awoken. And upon them it says, ‘Righteousness righteousness shall you pursue’ because they rule two judgments i.e. the judgment from the mouth of the court above which is Binah, and the judgment through the mouth of the court below which is Malchut. And from here it is known that there is judgment on every small matter, to such a degree that our rabbis said (Chullin 7b) no person bruises his finger below through Malchut until permission is given for him from above – from the court of Binah. When the sword which is the name of the Tetragrammaton is clothed in its sheath which is the name of אדנות according to the secret of unification as below, there through the unification the judgment is quietened and nullified.

And it continues and says, through the Kriat Shema [the reading of the Shema], the S”M is killed – for the Tetragrammaton which is the sword of the Holy One Blessed be He – about it is said, (Psalms 149:6) “The lofty praises of G-d are in the throat,” through the reading of the Shema that Israel read. And through this, “A double edged sword,” of the Holy One Blessed be He, is “In their hand” – of the children of Israel to kill the S”M. As our sages have said (Berachot 5a) anyone who reads the Shema on his bed [i.e. when he goes to sleep at night], it is as if he holds a double edged sword in his hand (and all the more so the reading of the Shema in the morning and evening prayers which are Torah obligations.) And the matter of nullifying the judgment is made through the Tzaddik the life of all worlds – the foundation of the world which is Yesod, includes 18 blessings of the Amidah prayer, that in it we begin “G-d open my lips and my mouth…” – that the initial letters of these words [in the original Hebrew] make up the word אשתו [his wife,] which is Malchut i.e. the sheath of the sword. For with 18 blessings in it, the sword enters into the sheath by means of the unification that is made through [the two names of G-d] i.e. the Tetragrammaton and אדנות. And then, (Esther 7:10) “The anger of the king subsided” [“The anger of the King subsided”], which is that the judgment that was awoken in the beginning is nullified completely, for already the S”M has been silenced through the reading of the Shema in the morning prayers, and the two names of G-d ** י-א-ה-ד... are joined [by means of intertwining the two names] and the unification of Zu”N is made and bestows much abundance to all worlds. (Ramak, the G”RA and commentaries.)

* S”M is the abbreviation representing the name of the angel of destruction. It is forbidden to pronounce the names of any angel except for those recited in general daily prayer and whose names we also give to people.

** When various names of G-d are intertwined i.e. by taking the first letter of one, and then follow it with the first letter of another, and then continue with the second letter of the first name and then the second letter of the second name etc., this produces a Yichud – a joining of His names and through this, blessing comes about. It is forbidden to pronounce these names when they appear in this way, and therefore the entire Yichud has not been written, but can be read in the original Zohar text. One may certainly scan the name with the eyes, but it is forbidden to pronounce the name as is written this way.

NOTES TO SIGNS USED IN FORMATTING:

Bold print: Original Zohar

Ordinary text: Matok Midvash

[Square brackets]: ELIYAHU ben PINCHAS

(Round brackets): Either the source being quoted e.g. Proverbs etc., or alternatively used to quote the kabbalistic language as discussed in Matok Midvash. The Matok Midvash formats the Nigleh side of things in an ordinary print, and the Nistar terminology in Rashi script. I’ve therefore put the Rashi script – the Nistar terminology in round brackets.

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Zohar - Parshat Chayei Sara - The Shechina in Exile - Waiting for the Rebuilding of the Temple

ZOHAR PARSHAT CHAYEI SARA (FOR 9 AV)

Daf 134a With Matok Midvash pp. 134-137

THE SHECHINA IN EXILE – WAITING FOR THE REBUILDING OF THE TEMPLE

The coming discourse is a continuation of what is discussed before this – that our forefather Abraham subjugated all the forces of the Kelipot (husks) below in order that they would not rule over the seed of Isaac, but rather that Isaac would have dominion over the nations. Regarding this it said – how much evil came to Israel through their sins that the matter was turned around and the nations ruled before the holy and the Temple was destroyed and the impure Chitzonim (external evil forces) rule over and swallow up Israel into themselves, and they get stronger each and every day, and Israel become increasingly weaker under their dominion, and piety and goodness is increasingly diminished. (Ramak)

Rabbi Chizkiya opened and said – to explain what is written (Isaiah 42:24) “Who gave Jacob for looters and Israel for plunders? Surely G-d is He, for we [sic] sinned against Him, and they [sic] did not desire to go in His ways and they [sic] did not listen to His Torah.” This means – who was the one that gave over Israel as spoils and as plunder [to the nations of the world]? Surely it was G-d that placed them in the exile, for they sinned against Him, and He paid them their recompense. And it precedes and says, come and see. From the time that the Temple was destroyed, blessings no longer rested in this world and abundance was withheld. So to speak it was withheld from above from the world of Atzilut and from below from the worlds Beriya and Yetzira. And all of the other lower levels of the Chitzonim get stronger and rule over Israel, since they caused this through their sins to destroy the Temple. For until the Temple was destroyed, an abundance of blessing was drawn into the world through the gate of heaven – which is positioned directly opposite the Temple.

And Rabbi Chizkiya said, this verse does not sit nicely with its order of its wording. For it is written, “Who gave Jacob for spoils?” Since it says “Who gave Jacob and Israel for spoils?” which is a hidden language, what does it mean to say, “We sinned against Him?” It should have said, “They sinned against Him.” [also] in a hidden language. [In Hebrew when expressing an action performed by someone we do not know, the Hebrew form of the verb is in the 3^rd person past tense i.e. “they” did the action. The verse in Isaiah expresses that we sinned. It should rather have expressed itself in the 3^rd person past tense to show that nobody can identify any particular person or people that sinned. In fact the second part of the verse “they did not desire” is written this way. The Zohar is questioning the strange make-up of the grammar used in this verse which begins with 1^st person plural and only later continues with 3^rd person plural past tense.] And if it said, “We sinned against Him,” if it already spoke in a language speaking about themselves, what does it mean, “They did not desire”? Why is it written again in the hidden language [i.e. 3^rd person plural past tense.] It should have written, “And our fathers,” as if speaking about themselves.

But rather, at the time that the Temple was destroyed i.e. when the external walls were destroyed, and afterwards the sanctuary was burned within, and the nation of Israel went into exile, the Shechina [Indwelling Divine Presence] wanted to uproot herself from her place above and to go with them into exile. She said, “I will go first to see my house and my sanctuary, and I will remember the places of the Kohanim and the Levites that served in my house, and I will eulogize and I will cry about the destruction and about those who were killed.

[The question of the Zohar regarding the grammar has still not been answered…]

Rabbi Elazar said, still Rabbi Chizkiya did not complete his words, and Rabbi Elazar interrupted him with an aid and additional explanation and said, “At that moment Knesset Yisrael – the Shechina – looked upwards, and she saw that her husband – Z”A was being removed from her and going further and further upwards. Therefore she went down and entered into the Temple and looked around at all the places to see if there remained any place for any aspect of service, that through it she could have any Yichud [joining] to awaken for her side upwards. And she saw that there did not remain any place at all for service. Then immediately her voice lifted up in crying, and her voice was heard crying above to Binah (as is written further, Daf 210a “What is BeRama? [lit ‘above’] This is the world above – the world to come.) And the voice of her crying was heard below, for the place of the Shechina is above and below. This is what is written, (Jeremiah 31:14) “A voice is heard on high, wailing, bitter weeping, Rachel weeps for her children.” For Rachel is the Shechina that cried [cries] because of the destruction of the Temple, and her voice of crying is heard above – which is Binah. Until here the words of Rabbi Elazar.

Now Rabbi Chizkiya returns to answer the difficulty of the language of the verse, and he said, Since the Shechina went down into exile with Israel to save them from the evil of the enemies and to guard them in their exile, she saw the troubles with her nation the children of Israel, and she saw the nations oppressing them [Israel] and treading upon them in exile, between the legs of the other nations. Then she [the Shechina] says, “Who gave Jacob to spoils…?” And they – the children of Jacob say to her, “It was not for nothing that they tread upon us, for surely it is G-d. We sinned against Him, and our sins caused us these stresses and troubles.” And she says, “They did not want to go in His ways and to listen to his Torah.” This means that the Shechina says that these children of exile are good and righteous and endure suffering and are not sinners. For this is the attribute of supernal mercy. That since they accepted upon themselves the judgment, they are considered like complete Tzaddikim [righteous]. It is only their fathers that already died – it is they that did not desire to go in His paths. And it is they that caused the bad and the destruction, and because of them, the children are suffering. To this it does not speak in an opposite manner, ‘You did not desire to go in His ways” but rather “They did not desire.”

And at the time in the future the Holy One Blessed be He will remember His nation Israel to take them out of exile! Then Knesset Yisrael – the Shechina – will return from the exile as in the beginning. And immediately she [the Shechina] will go to the Temple even though it is still destroyed. And the reason she will go there is because the Temple will be built first and she will go there to see it being built. And before its establishment the Holy One Blessed be He will say ‘Arise from the impure dust,’ these are the Chitzonim that you are lying in with the nation of Israel. She will return and answer the Holy One Blessed be He, ‘If the Temple is not built yet, what is there to be established?’ And this is what she says, ‘To which place shall I go if my house is still destroyed and my sanctuary is burned from fire?’ Until the Holy One Blessed be He will first build the Temple and He will repair the Sanctuary and He will build the city of Jerusalem. This means while He is still gathering Israel and comes with them from their exile, it will be found that the Holy One Blessed be He has already built the Temple and repaired the Sanctuary and built the holy city of Jerusalem. And afterwards the Holy One Blessed be He will cause the Shechina to arise from the dust, and a proof for this statement is, this is what is written (Psalms 147:2) “The Builder of Jerusalem is G-d,” which means in the beginning the Holy One Blessed be He will build the holy city of Jerusalem and included in it is the Temple. And afterwards He will gather in the dispersed of Israel i.e. He will say to the Shechina, (Isaiah 52:2) “Shake the dust from yourself,” from the Chitzonim, “Arise and sit Jerusalem…” i.e. the Shechina which is called Jerusalem. And then Israel will be gathered from its exile, and he adds to explain this is what is written, the Builder of Jersualem is G-d – in the beginning the Holy One Blessed be He will build Jerusalem and the Temple, and afterwards He will gather the dispersed of Israel from exile. And then He will heal the broken hearted bodies and will bandage their sadness – this is the resurrection of the dead. And it is written, (Ezekiel 36:27) “And I will place My spirit within you” – I will return the spirit of prophecy to you. “And I will make it that you follow My decrees and my judgments you will guard and do them.” This means I will awaken your hearts to go in My statues and to guard My judgments with a perfect and complete heart.

[May we merit the building of the Temple immediately with the coming of Moshiach and may all those who dwell in the dust arise and awaken. Amen!]

NOTES TO SIGNS USED IN FORMATTING:

Bold print: Original Zohar

Ordinary text: Matok Midvash

[Square brackets]: ELIYAHU ben PINCHAS

(Round brackets): Either the source being quoted e.g. Proverbs etc., or alternatively used to quote the kabbalistic language as discussed in Matok Midvash. The Matok Midvash formats the Nigleh side of things in an ordinary print, and the Nistar terminology in Rashi script. I’ve therefore put the Rashi script – the Nistar terminology in round brackets.