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84) “Now Jacob saw that there was grain.” Since Divinity departed him with the selling of Joseph, how did he see that there was grain in Egypt? It is written, “The burden of the word of the Lord concerning Israel.” “The burden of the word of the Lord”; why does he say, “burden”? Wherever there is judgment over the rest of the nations and he says, “burden,” it is for the better. Wherever it says, “burden” about Israel, it is bad.
85) Wherever it is judgment over the rest of the nations, it is for the better. This is so because a burden means a load, as though the well being of the idol worshipping nations is a burden on the Creator, and when they are sentenced, He removes that burden of suffering for them from Himself. This is why it is said that when it says burden concerning them, it is for the better.
Wherever the judgment is placed on Israel, and it says, “burden,” it is seemingly a burden on the Creator to punish Israel. This is a burden from both sides, as though He is burdened whether He punishes them or does not punish them. If He does not punish them, they will remain in the filth of the sin. And if He does punish them, He is seemingly suffering for the affliction of Israel. This is why it is bad when it writes, “burden,” concerning them.
86) Since he said, “Who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth,” why did he also need to say, “And formed the spirit of man within him”? Had it not been said, would we not know that He creates the spirit of man? Rather, this indicates the degree where all the spirits and souls in the world stand—the Nukva—in which all the spirits and souls stand in the form of Ibur [conception], and from which the lower ones receive.
87) It would have been good if he had said only, “And formed the spirit of man.” But what is the meaning of, “Within him”? Indeed, the meaning of the text has two sides—Yesod and Nukva. This is so because all the souls come out of that river which stretches out of Eden, Yesod, from which all the souls emerge and depart, and gather into one place—the Nukva, and Yesod creates the spirit of man within him, which is the Nukva. And this Nukva is like a woman who has conceived from a man, and the fetus is narrowing her intestines until it is entirely formed, in its full depiction, in her intestines.
Thus, “And formed the spirit of man within him.” “Within him,” in the Nukva, where the spirit stands and is depicted, until man is created in the world and she gives him the spirit. The word, “form,” comes from forming, where it forms the spirit of man in her. And since before the completion of its formation, the fetus is pressing in its mother, he writes “burden” here, which in Israel is bad.
88) “And formed the spirit of man within him,” meaning actually within a person and not in the upper Nukva, since when man was created and the Creator gave him his soul and he came out to the world, that spirit within him does not find sufficient space in which to spread. Hence, it stands within him on one side, right, and does not spread to the right and to the left.
89) And when man’s body spreads, the spirit spreads, as well, and puts strength within it. Also, to the extent that the body grows, the spirit gives man strength by which to strengthen. Hence, it literally forms “the spirit of man within him.”
90) And should you say, “Forms the spirit of man,” what does it mean? After all, the spirit must be assisted by additional strength from above. Hence, the Creator “forms the spirit of man within him” by helping it, so it can spread within man.
91) When that spirit needs assistance, according to that man and according to the extent to which that body is corrected, that spirit is corrected for him above and he is given additional spirit to be corrected. This is because one is assisted to the extent that he comes to purify. This is the meaning of, “And formed the spirit of man within him,” that he gives him additional spirit that can spread in man’s body.
When a man is born and comes out to the world, the Ruach [spirit] cannot spread in him and stands on one side, for it is not included in the left. Hence, it is deficient of GAR. And when one grows and betters his actions, he is given additional Ruach, GAR, since VAK are considered the heart of the Ruach, and the GAR as additional Ruach, and then it spreads to all sides of man’s body.
92) Since Joseph had been lost to his father Jacob, Jacob lost the additional Ruach that was in him, the GAR, and Divinity parted him. Afterwards, it is written, “The spirit of Jacob their father revived.” But was he dead until now? Rather, this additional Ruach departed him and was not within him because the sadness within him caused his Ruach [spirit] to not exist, since the GAR, which are the existence of the Ruach, had parted from him. This is why it is written, “The spirit of Jacob their father revived,” for the GAR were revived.
93) Here it writes, “Now Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt,” meaning he saw with the holy spirit. After all, until now he was not told that Joseph was alive, and in addition, he was in a state of departure of Divinity. Thus, how did he know that there was grain in Egypt? Indeed, “And Jacob saw,” meaning that he saw that all the dwellers of the land were going to Egypt and bringing back grain. He did not see with the holy spirit.
96) “Her ways are ways of pleasantness.” These are the ways of Torah, for the Creator instills the pleasantness of Divinity upon one who walks in the path of Torah, so as to never be lifted from him. “And all her paths are peace.” All the paths of the Torah are peace—peace above and peace below, peace in this world and peace in the next world.
97) This verse is like a coin in the pocket: a precious secret is hidden here in the interior of the verse. This verse is in two manners—ways and paths—and in two discernments—pleasantness and peace. He called upon him ways and he called upon him paths. He called upon him pleasantness and he called upon him peace.
98) “Her ways are ways of pleasantness,” as it is written, “Who makes a way in the sea,” for wherever it writes, “way” in the Torah, it is an open way for all, like a corporeal way that is open to every person. Such are her ways, ways of pleasantness. They are ways that are open from the Patriarchs, HGT, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who have paved through the great sea and came within it. And the lights open from these ways, to shine to every side and to every direction in the world.
The two Malchuts by which the Masach is corrected to mate with the Upper Light are called, “key” and “lock,” or Ateret Yesod [the crown of Yesod] and Malchut herself. And there is illumination of Hochma only where there is the key. However, places where there is the lock remain in Hassadim that are covered from Hochma. In the GAR of Partzufim such as Atik, upper AVI, and the great ZON, the lock is active; hence, they are in covered Hassadim. And in the VAK of Partzufim such as AA, YESHSUT, and the small ZON, the key is active; hence, illumination of Hochma appears through them.
The key is called “a way” or “a manner” because it is a way for imparting Mochin de Hochma, which shine GAR to all sides. The lock is called “a path” or “a way,” a narrow road that is not open to all, since only the souls from Chazeh de ZON upwards can receive GAR from them, for they do not need Hochma because they delight in mercy.
But the souls from Chazeh de ZON down—which require Hochma—can receive only VAK from there without Rosh. It turns out that it is not open to the souls that are from the Chazeh down, which are the majority of the souls. Hence, it is only called “way” and “path,” which is open only to some. In upper AVI, the lock—called “path”—is operative. Thus, they are always in Hassadim that are covered from Hochma. And in YESHSUT, the key, called “way,” is active, hence they are in illumination of Hochma.
A way indicates the Malchut of the key, on whose Zivug appears the illumination of Hochma. This illumination completes all the souls, even those that are drawn from Chazeh de ZON down, which are the majority of souls in the world. This is so because after ZA receives the three lines of YESHSUT—in the form of three emerge from one, one is rewarded with all three—it imparts them to the Nukva and she becomes a fourth to the patriarchs—the kingdom of David.
And when it gives her the point of Holam from the right line of Bina, the letters ELEH de Bina—in whom there is the key—are extended to her. Then it is considered that HGT de ZA carved in her and made a receptacle in her, which is the key, as a mother who lends her clothes to her daughter, as it is written, “The well, which the princes dug,” which is YESHSUT, “Which the nobles of the people delved,” meaning HGT de ZA. And HGT de ZA impart to the Nukva the Kli of the key from Bina and then give to her, as well, the two points Shuruk and Hirik from the two lines, left and middle of Bina. Then, she too has all three lines in HGT de ZA, which they received from the three lines in Bina, and then the three lines in ZA, HGT, enter the Nukva.
From the key, called “way” or “path,” illumination of Hochma that shines and complements all sides and all spirits of the world is dispensed, even to the ones that extend from Chazeh de ZON downwards. But the paths, which are the lock, give only to few—the ones that extend from the Chazeh de ZA upwards—and are not open to all.
99) This pleasantness is pleasantness that stems from the next world, YESHSUT. From the next world, all the lights divide and shine to each side—the three lines: right, left, and middle. And that good, and the light of the next world—which the patriarchs (HGT de ZA) inherit, who inherit these Mochin from YESHSUT, from the next world—is called “pleasantness.” Another interpretation: the next world itself, YESHSUT, is called “pleasantness,” since when the next world awakens to illuminate every joy and every goodness, all the lights and all the freedom in the world awaken, which is why it is called “pleasantness.”
100) Therefore, we learned that when the Sabbath starts, all the wicked in hell rest and they have freedom and rest. And when the Sabbath ends, we should evoke the upper joy upon ourselves, to be saved from the punishment of the wicked that are sentenced from that time forth. And we should awaken and say, “Let the pleasantness of the Lord our God be upon us.” This is the higher pleasantness, the joy of all, the Mochin de YESHSUT. And it is said about that, “Her ways are ways of pleasantness.”
On the Sabbath, the Mochin of the upper AVI—which are pure air—shine. And they are called, “in the future.” At that time, all the judgments are removed from the world and even the wicked in hell rest. And when the Sabbath ends, the judgments and the Klipot reawaken and are revoked only by Mochin of illumination of Hochma, which extend from YESHSUT, which are called “pleasantness.” Hence, at the end of the Sabbath we must say the verse, “And let the pleasantness,” to evoke upon us the Mochin of illumination of Hochma, which cancel all the judgments.
101) “And all her paths are peace.” Her paths are the trails that emerge from above, from AVI, the lock that serves in AVI, of which the writing says, “And Your path in the great waters.” They are called so because they are not open to every person but only to a few. And all are held by the covenant alone, meaning Yesod, who is called, “peace”—peace at home—and he brings them into the great sea, when he is in power, and then he gives him peace. This is the meaning of, “And all her paths are peace.” Joseph was the covenant of peace, he was rewarded with those paths, and he was a king in Egypt and the ruler of the land. But Jacob did not know, since Divinity departed him.
The key, which is a Masach that extends from Bina, called “way,” extends the Mochin of pleasantness, as it is written, “Her ways are ways of pleasantness.” But the lock does not extend the Mochin, and all its correction is to make peace. This is so because the whole strength of the middle line is to unite the two lines, right and left, in one another, by first being included in that Masach of the lock.
And all of them, meaning the two screens together—the path and the way—are held only by the covenant, which is Yesod de Gadlut, called “Joseph.” This means that although the middle line is essentially Tifferet, it does not carry the two screens together, since being above Chazeh de ZA, the judgments of the lock are not apparent in it, since they are discerned as judgment only from the Chazeh down. Hence, only Yesod, which is from the Chazeh down, holds the two of them together.
When the Nukva is in Gevurot, the left dominates and does not wish to mingle with the right, for then all the lights within it freeze. This is when the Yesod gives peace, where through the Masach of the lock—Masach de Hirik—it subdues the left and connects it with the right. Then, peace is made between the right and the left, and the lights open, “And all her paths are peace.” This is so because the paths, which are the lock, are not poised to extend the Mochin, like the key, which is called “way,” but to make peace, which stands between the right line and the left line.
102) Yet, Jacob had to break to buy grain in Egypt. Moreover, he saw that it was “Disaster on disaster,” for his sons went down to Egypt. Hence, “Jacob said to his sons, ‘Why do you fear?’” Instead, show yourselves as people who have no satiation.
Even though Divinity had departed Jacob, he still had the shattering, which is the opening Masach with respect to the judgments in it, to buy grain in Egypt, to extend upon it illumination of Hochma de YESHSUT, called “wisdom of Egypt.” But the Masach of the lock was not recognized by him as judgment, since it was Tifferet, which is from the Chazeh upwards. But the lock will also be apparent in his sons, who are discerned as being from the Chazeh down, should they go down to Egypt.
This is what it means that he saw “Disaster on disaster,” that his sons had descended to Egypt, since the second shattering would appear in them, too, meaning the Masach of the lock. Hence, He “said to his sons, ‘Why do you fear?’” Instead, show yourselves as hungry, by the force of the opening Masach, which is hungry for Mochin, by the force of the locking Masach, as people who have no satiation because of the locking Masach that is not fully satiated before the end of correction.
103) Whenever there is sorrow in the world, one must not show oneself on the street, so as to not be caught for one’s sins, for the litigants may see him and complain about him and expose his sins to punish him. This is why Jacob told them, “Why do you fear?”, since they should be afraid of the slanderers.
104) Another interpretation: “Now Jacob saw that there was grain” really refers to grain [in Hebrew the same word is used for grain and for shattering], and not shattering, as previously interpreted. This is so because the Creator sent hunger in the world to bring Jacob and his sons down there. Hence, he saw that the people of the land were bringing grain from there.
105) “Now Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt.” When Isaac died, Jacob and Esau came to split the patrimony. And Esau came out of his share in the land and in everything, meaning he departed and was rid of the exile, too. And Jacob, who was to suffer the exile, was to take everything, meaning this was their compromise. This is why Jacob saw that breaking that he and his sons would have in Egypt—the suffering of the exile. Hence, “Jacob said to his sons, ‘Why do you fear’” the judgment above and you do not fear that a slanderer against you will be found? “He said… Go down there.” In Gematria, Redu [go down] is 210, Israel’s number in Egypt.
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