(înapoi la pagina ZOHAR CUPRINS / ŞMOT – click)
295) In any case, there was an angel governing over Egypt, who said to his people, “Behold, the people of the children of Israel are too many and too mighty for us.” And so it is through most of the portion, where it says only the king of Egypt, meaning the minister appointed over Egypt. And if it says, “Pharaoh, king of Egypt,” it is the actual Pharaoh.
296) “And he said unto his people,” meaning I will place a thought in their hearts, so they will think that they are “Too many and too mighty for us.” “For us” means for their appointee, because they said to themselves that God and Israel’s power were greater and stronger than the appointee that was governing Egypt.
297) All the nations of the world draw strength from the ministers appointed over them in heaven. And Israel draw their forces from the Creator. They are called “the people of the Lord,” and not a people of an appointed governor. Here the Egyptians are called “the people of the appointed governor.” Israel are called “the people of the Lord,” and the rest of the nations are called “the people of their governors,” as it is written, “Let all the peoples walk each one in the name of its god, but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever.”
298) “The people of the children of Israel are too many and too mighty for us.” What is “The people of the children”? It is actually the people of the children of Israel, the people of the children of Israel below, the corporeal Israel, which extends from the Israel above, meaning ZA. However, the people itself is not attributed to the Israel above. This is why they added the word, “people,” since they thought that they were the people of the children of Israel below and not the people of the Lord, ZA. It is written, “And they were in dread of the children of Israel.” It does not say, “From the actual children of Israel,” which is Israel below, since in the end they recognized that they were the children of Israel of above, the people of the Lord.
299) Balak said, “Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt.” He did not say, “Behold the people of the children of Israel.” But Balak was a great sorcerer, and it is the conduct of sorcerers to take the thing that is not suspected. Also, the name of one’s father is never mentioned, but the name of one’s mother, since this is something that is not suspected. This is why Balaam did not say “The children of Israel,” meaning the name of the father.
300) Such is the way of demons. They scrutinize the thing that they are told by the sorcerers. If it is a lie, they tell them lies. If it is the truth, everything they tell them is truth, albeit for a short while. It is even more so if the sorcerers wish for them to perform an act. Then they are certainly meticulous about telling the truth, without any suspicions. This is why the name of one’s father is not mentioned. But Balak went with the way of degrading, “Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt,” meaning we do not know from whom they are.
301) A people that is under the guidance of ministers is watched over, and the people of the Creator is not watched over. The poor is not like the rich. The poor must keep what is his because people do not fear challenging him. But the rich does not watch over what is his because everyone fears challenging him. Israel are guided by the King who loves truth and Din [judgment]. He performs the first Din with His own people because He wishes for them to be kept from sin more than all the nations, as it is written, “You only have I known of all the families of the earth.”
302) Rabbi Yosi and Rabbi Aha went on the way. Rabbi Yosi was contemplating worldly matters and Rabbi Aha was contemplating words of Torah. Rabbi Yosi saw a snake chasing him. He said to Rabbi Aha, “Do you see that snake chasing me?” Rabbi Aha replied, “I do not see it.” Rabbi Yosi ran, and the snake was behind him. Rabbi Yosi stumbled and blood was pouring out of his nose. He heard them saying, “You only have I known of all the families of the earth,” meaning that thanks to that, he was saved from the snake. Rabbi Yosi said, “If a single hour of ceasing words of Torah and turning to worldly matters cost me that, it is several times more so for one who shifted his mind from words of Torah completely.
303) “The Lord your God … who led you through the great and dreadful wilderness, with fiery serpents, and scorpions.” Why was there a fiery serpent here in the wilderness? It was to punish Israel, as long as they were separated from the tree of life, of which it is written, “For that is your life, and the length of your days.”
304) It is written, “He that spares his rod hates his son.” It is also written, “I have loved you, says the Lord,” and it is written, “But Esau I hated.” “I hated” is as it is written, “He that spares his rod hates his son.” I hated him, hence I spared him the rod. It is all the more so with disciples of the wise; He does not spare them the rod, since the Creator does not wish for them to part from the tree of life for even a minute.
305) “And he said unto his people,” meaning gave them an advice, to harm them. Rabbi Tanhum said, “The Egyptians knew their wisdom of the stars, that they would eventually be beaten because of Israel; hence their minister came and harmed them beforehand.
306) Rabbi Isaac came across a mountain and saw a man sleeping under a tree. Rabbi Isaac sat there. While he was sitting, he saw that the earth was quaking and that tree broke and fell, and he saw crevices and holes in the ground, and the ground was rising and falling.
307) That man awoke, yelled toward Rabbi Isaac and told him, “Jew, Jew, weep and wail, for a minister is being raised in the firmament, an appointee, a high governor, and he is destined to inflict much harm upon you. This quake of the earth was for you, since every time the earth quakes, it is because an appointee who will harm you rises in the firmament.
(înapoi la pagina ZOHAR CUPRINS / ŞMOT – click)