A Book Above and a Book Below

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100) “And let a book of remembrance be written.” There is a book above, Hochma, and there is a book below, Malchut. A remembrance is the token of the holy covenant, Yesod, taking and assembling to it all the life of above, all the upper Mochin. A book of remembrance is two degrees that are one, and this is the name HaVaYaH. Name [Hebrew: ShinMem] is one, Malchut, and HaVaYaH is one, ZA, and it is all one word. Thus, a book of remembrance is one word but includes two degrees, which are Malchut and Yesod.

101) There is a name and there is a name. There is a name above, where what is unknown and not implied at all is inscribed in knowledge, from Keter, and it is called “a high point,” Hochma, and there is a name below, Malchut. It is written, “From the end of the heaven to the end of the heaven,” since “The end of the heaven,” Yesod, is called “remembrance,” and the name is a point below YesodMalchut, who is the name of that remembrance, Malchut. She is the name of that remembrance, the end of the heaven that takes all the animals above, Mochin.

This is the end of the heaven below, Yesod, whose name is “a point below,” Malchut. This point is a book that stands in the calculation, Mochin of a number. It is written, “And let a book of remembrance be written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who contemplate His name.” A book of remembrance is for those who contemplate His name, who gives Mochin of calculation and number. A book and a name are the same thing in all the discernments, meaning Malchut.

102) Because this point stands in the middle, it is higher than all who united with her. VAKYESHSUT, united in the upper book, Hochma, and she is superior to them. VAK, the six palaces of Beria, united in the lower book, Malchut, and it is superior to them. An upper book, a lower book, and all is called Torah.

The upper Hochma is the upper book. She is completely concealed in herself, who is the upper AVI. However, she is revealed through BinaYESHSUT, since the Hochma appears in her, though not in her own place but to impart upon Malchut, the lower book. This is why YESHSUT are called a Merkava [chariot/structure] for the upper Hochma. And Malchut, too, once the middle point of the world has been established, the Hochma no longer appears in her, herself, but through her seven palaces in Beria, since the posterior Kelim of Malchut clothe in them, and there is no room for disclosure of Hochma, except in the Kelim de Achoraim of Malchut.

The point in the middle of the world, which returned to being Panim, is superior to VAK, the seven palaces of Beria that unite in her. Although the Achoraim of Malchut are clothed in them and unite in her, and the Hochma appears over them, they are not connected together with the Malchut because Malchut is Panim and considered Hassadim while they are Achoraim and a Kli for disclosure of Hochma of the left. For this reason, The Zohar compares her to upper Hochma, the upper book, upper AVI, who are in themselves considered Hassadim, and the Hochma in them appears in Kelim de YESHSUT, their VAK. Thus, Malchut is considered Hassadim after she was established as the middle point of the world, and her Hochma appears in her VAK, in the seven palaces of Beria.

It was said that VAK united in the upper book, and she is superior to them. VAK united in the lower book, and it is superior to them, since the upper book and the lower book are similar to one another—both are considered Hassadim and the Hochma in them appears in their Merkava. Therefore, both are called “book,” and both are called Torah, as they are equal to one another.

103) What is the difference between the upper book and the lower book? The upper book is the written Torah, upper Hochma, since she is concealed and stands only in writing, where it should appear, for there is the place of YESHSUT, so that Hochma will appear below in Malchut. The place is the next world, YESHSUT. The lower book is the oral Torah. Oral are the Merkavot [pl. of Merkava] below, the seven palaces of Beria on which Malchut stands. It is so because they are not included in the upper writing, as they are not considered hidden like the upper Hochma in YESHSUT, who is called “writing.” This is why they are called “oral,” which is the disclosure of what exists in writing, since in the place of MalchutHochma appears in her Kelim de Achoraim, the palaces of Beria.

104) That Torah stands on the mouth, on the seven palaces, which are her mouth for disclosure of Hochma, as it is written, “And from there it parted and became four heads.” Thus, from the garden—Malchut—and below begins the world of separation. It follows that the seven palaces of Beria are already in the world of separation. This is why the Malchut stands above them on the mouth.

And the upper Torah, upper Hochma, although she also stands above her MerkavaYESHSUT, she is nonetheless not called “oral Torah” but “written,” meaning standing inside the writing. The writing, YESHSUT, becomes a palace over the upper Hochma, and the upper Hochma stands inside that palace and hides there because the writing, YESHSUT, is also the world of Atzilut, like the upper Hochma. This is why the writing is considered her palace, and this is why she is called “the written Torah” and not “the oral Torah.”

105) But the Torah below, Malchut, stands on her own Merkava. She is called “oral” because she stands atop them. And because she is not regarded as being from the internality, included in the writing, since the Hochma in her is not concealed by the palaces like the written Torah—since writing indicates concealment until someone comes and reads the text and reveals it—and the Hochma in her is revealed in the palaces and is not hidden. Hence, no seven palaces were made for that point, Malchut, as with YESHSUT, who became the upper point, since “palace” means covering, and they do not cover. However, in themselves, they are also called “palaces” because the Hochma in them is in Achoraim. And because Malchut stands atop them, she is called “donation.”

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Jonah Who Went Down to the Ship

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81) Here we only have reliance because a text does not exceed the literal in regard to people’s actions in this world. Jonah, who went down to the ship, is the soul of the man. It comes down to this world to be in a man’s body. It is called Jonah [in Hebrew: Yonah—dove, but also deception] because once it partakes in a body, it is a dove in this world, which is deceived by the body that refuses it, as it is written, “You shall not wrong one another.” At that time a person walks in this world as a ship in the great sea that is about to break, as it is written, “The ship was about to break up.”

82) When a person in this world sins and thinks that he has fled from his Master because his Master is not watching in this world, the Creator casts a strong storm wind, which is the sentence of the judgment, which always stands before the Creator and seeks judgment over a person before Him. And a stormy wind reaches the ship and mentions the man’s iniquities to capture him.

83) When the man is caught by a storm in the house where he is sick, it is written, “And Jonah had gone below into the hold of the ship, lain down and fallen asleep.” Even though a man is in the house where he is sick, the soul does not awaken to return to her Master to redeem his iniquities. It is written, “And the captain approached him.” The captain is the good inclination, which leads everything. And it is written, “And said to him, ‘How is it that you are sleeping? Get up, call on your God.’” “It is no time to sleep because you are being sentenced for everything you did in this world, repent from your iniquities.

84) “Look in these words and repent before your Lord,” as it is written, “What is your occupation and where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?” “What is your occupation,” in which you engaged in this world. Confess to it before your Master. Look where you came from, a foul drop, and do not be proud before Him. “What is your country?” See how you were born from the earth and shall return to the earth. “From what people are you?” See if you have ancestral merit to protect you.

85) When he is sentenced in the courthouse of above, a storm, which is the sentence of the stormy judgment over a person, asks the King to sentence these prisoners of the King, and all come before Him one at a time. At that time the courthouse approaches. Some of them begin with merit, and some of them begin with sins, and the sentence of the judgment seeks judgment.

86) If a person is not acquitted in the judgment, it is written, “And the men rowed to return to land but they could not.” Those who advocated him try to bring him back into this world but cannot because the sea is increasingly storming over them, the sentence gradually storms through a person’s iniquities and intensifies because of them.

87) At that time three appointed emissaries come down over him: 1) He who writes all the merits and all the sins he had committed in this world, corresponding to the two lines where the merits are on the right line and the sins are on the left line. 2) He calculates the days opposite the line that decides and weighs them. 3) He who walked with him when he arrived in his mother’s entrails during the months of conception, which is the Malchut.

But the sentence of the judgment does not ease until that time when it is written, “So they carried Jonah.” “They carried,” when he is carried from his home to the cemetery.

88) Then he is announced. If he is righteous, it is announced about him, “Give glory to the form of the King,” as it is written, “He enters into peace; they rest in their beds, each one who walked in his upright way.” It is also written, “And your righteousness shall go before you, the glory of the Lord shall be your reward.” If he is wicked, it is announced and said about him, “Woe unto so and so, it would be better for him if he were not born.” Then it is written, “They threw him into the sea, and the sea stopped its raging.” When he is placed in the grave, the place of judgment, the sentence of the judgment, which was storming and sought judgment over him, has now ceased its anger because what it wished for came true. The fish that swallowed him is the grave.

89) “And Jonah was in the stomach of the fish three days and three nights.” The entrails of the fish are the abdomen of the netherworld. Three days and three nights are those three days when a person is in the grave and his intestines break.

90) After three days, that filth in his intestines turns around and says to him, “Take what you have placed in me, what you have eaten and drank all day long and did not give to the poor, and all your days were as festivals and special occasions and the poor were hungry, not having eaten with you. Take what you have placed in me.”

91) Subsequently, from three days on, the man is sentenced for having looked at what was forbidden, for having done forbidden deeds, and for having went to a sin. This continues for 30 days, and for all those 30 days, the soul and the body are sentenced together. For this reason, the soul is below in the earth, not rising to her place, like a woman who sits outside all the days of her impurity. Afterwards the soul rises and the body rots in the dust until the Creator awakens to revive the dead.

92) A voice is destined to awaken in the cemetery and say, “Awake and sing, you who lie in the dust, for your dew is as the dew of the dawn, and the earth will give birth to the departed spirits.” This will be when the angel of death departs from the world, as it is written, “Death shall be swallowed up forever.” When death is swallowed up forever, then it is written, “And the Lord shall wipe the tear from every face, and shall remove the disgrace of His people from the land.” Then it is written, “Then the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah up onto the dry land.”

93) When a voice awakens among the graves, all the graves shall vomit up the dead in them, as it is written, “And the earth will give birth to the departed spirits,” meaning vomit it up. Spirits are those who received healing, were healed and became as before, and bones were healed into bones. These are called “spirits.”

94) But it is written, “The departed spirits will not rise.” However, all the people of the world were healed by themselves in the cemetery, but those who did not believe in the revival of the dead will not be revived. It is written about that, “The departed spirits will not rise.” Happy are Israel, of whom it is written, “Their corpses will rise.”

95) Since that fish swallowed Jonah, it died and Jonah was in it for three days. Afterwards he was revived as before and vomited Jonah up, as it is written, “And Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the stomach of the fish.” Similarly, the land of Israel is destined to awaken first, being purified from all the wicked, like Jonah’s fish, who was revived, and then it is written, “And the earth will give birth to the departed spirits,” it will vomit up the dead into life.

96) When a person passes away from this world, he experiences seven Dinim:

The upper Din, when the spirit comes out of the body;

When his actions and words walk before him and declare him;

When he enters the grave;

The Din of the grave;

The Din of the worms;

The Din of Hell;

The Din of the spirit that walks and roams the world, finding no place of rest until his works are completed and purified.

For this reason, one should always regard one’s actions and repent before his Master.

97) When King David looked at these Dinim of the man he rushed and said, “Bless the Lord, my soul,” before it leaves the world, while you are still with the body. He said, “And all that is within me, [bless] His holy name.” These are the organs of the body that partake with the spirit. Now that you are with the soul, hurry and bless the holy name before it is time, for you will not be able to bless and repent. This is why he said, “Bless the Lord, my soul, Halleluiah.”

98) “Take from among you a donation to the Lord.” When the Creator created the world, He did not create it so that Israel would come and receive the Torah. The world was created with the Torah and stands on it, as it is written, “If My covenant be not day and night, I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth.” The Torah is the long life in this world, and it is the length of life in the next world.

99) Anyone who exerts in the Torah is seemingly exerting in the palace of the Creator, for the upper palace of the Creator, Malchut, is Torah, that is, the oral Torah, Malchut. When a person engages in Torah, the Creator stands there and listens to his voice, and the man is saved from three Dinim: the Din of this world, the Din of the angel of death, who cannot govern him, and the Din of Hell.

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In the Work of Creation, He Set Conditions to All of Them

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74) “And the Lord said to the fish, and it vomited Jonah up onto the dry land.” When the Creator created the world in the work of creation, He created the fish of the sea on the fifth day. At that time He commanded and said, “One fish will swallow Jonah, who will be in the fish’s entrails three days and three nights. Then it will vomit it out.”

75) Everything that the Creator did in the work of creation, He set conditions to all of them. On the first day, he created the heaven. He conditioned with them that they would raise Elijah by storm to the heaven. On that day, He created the light and conditioned with it that it would darken the sun in Egypt for three days, as it is written, “And there was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt for three days.”

76) On the second day, He created the firmament to divide between water and water. The Creator conditioned with them that the water would divide for Israel between impurity and purity to be purified in them, and so it was.

77) On the third day, He brought forth the earth out of the water and drained the water, making the sea out of that water drainage, when they were drained into a single place. He conditioned with the sea that it would let Israel pass within it on dry land, and drown the Egyptians. And so it was. He also conditioned with the earth that it would open its mouth in the dispute of Korah, swallowing Korah and his entire congregation, and so it was.

78) On the fourth day, He created the sun and the moon, as it is written, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven.” He conditioned with the sun that it would stand at half the sky in Joshua’s days, and he conditioned with the stars to make war with Sisera.

79) On the fifth day, He created the fish of the sea and the birds of the sky. He conditioned with the birds that craws would feed Elijah, as it is written, “I have commanded the ravens to provide for you there.” “I have commanded,” in the work of creation. He also conditioned with the fish that a fish would come to swallow Jonah and vomit him out.

80) On the sixth day, He created the man. He conditioned with him that a woman would come out of him, who would feed Elijah, as it is written, “Behold, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.” “Behold, I have commanded,” since the day the world was created. Here, too, it is written, “And the Lord said to the fish.” “Said” means He told him in the six days of creation.

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Whoever Is of a Generous Heart, Let Him Bring It

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52) “Take from among you a donation to the Lord; whoever is of a generous heart, let him bring it as the Lord’s donation: gold, silver, and bronze.” “Take from among you a donation” means be corrected all of you to put on you, to carry on you the glory of the holy throne, Malchut, to raise up to ZA.

53) Set apart from among you those honorable ones, those high ministers—Michael, Gabriel, Uriel, and Raphael—to raise this donation, the holy throne, Malchut, to bond with the fathers, HGT de ZA. And the queen, Malchut, is unfit to come to her husband except with those virgin maidens that come with her and lead her until she comes to her husband, ZA.

The virgins are the degrees that extend from Achoraim de Malchut. They are the seven palaces of Beria, the seven maidens that are fit to be given to her from the King’s house. They are as it is written, “The virgins, her companions who follow her will be brought to You.” This is so because since Malchut is only in Kelim de Hassadim when in Gadlut, she needs the seven maidens to complement her Kelim de Achoraim, since the illumination of Hochma dresses only in Kelim de Achoraim.

54) “Whoever is of a generous heart, let him bring it.” These are the four camps of upper angels that extend from NHYM de Malchut, in which all 12 camps are included. It is so because each of the four consists of three, and they are 12. They come out of the upper fathers, HGT, who are called “generous,” as it is written about the well, “The generous of the nation dug it,” the fathers. It is so because HGT built the well, Malchut, and corrected it. It follows that NHYM de Malchut come out of HGT de ZA, hence there are 12 in them, as in HGT de ZA.

55) It is written, “Let him bring it,” and not “Let them bring it.” “Let him” is in singular form, indicating uniting everything as one, ZON. It does not write, “Will bring,” but “Let him bring it,” indicating Malchut, who is called “donation,” so he would raise her to her husband with glory, as it should be. “The Lord’s donation.” “The” comes to include all those camps of other angels, to join everything together. They are 12 camps in one collective, as it is written, “Gold, and silver, and bronze,” which are 12 kinds. These are the 12 upper camps that are all included in the four that are called “the animals of holiness,” since each animal consists of three, hence they are 12.

56) And all those rise to the holy throne, Malchut, to raise her up to bond with her husband, ZA, so that all will be one, so that He will be with her in the upper glory. Then the upper King sits on the holy throne and a woman bonds with her husband—Malchut with ZA—so that all become one, and then it is everyone’s joy.

57) Here in the beginning, he begins with mentioning gold and then silver, since the calculation is from below upwards, so Gevura—gold—comes before Hesed—silver. But when he comes to calculate the calculation of the Merkava above, he begins the mentioning from the right—silver—and then from the left—gold, as it is written, “Mine is the silver and Mine is the gold,” as it concerns above. And in the Merkava below, in Malchut, he begins from the left and then from the right, as it is written, “Gold, and silver, and bronze.”

58) All those Merkavot [pl. of Merkava] are called “a generous heart,” as it is written, “Whoever is of a generous heart.” “Whoever” comes to include all the other 12 Merkavot. “Heart” is as it is written, “And a good heart is a continual feast,” which is the heart of everything. This is the holy throne, Malchut. “Whoever is of a generous heart,” since four camps are the whole of everyone, for each one comprises three, hence they are 12. They are all called “a generous heart.” “The Lord’s donation” is the holy throne. And because they lifted it up and raised her up to ZA, it is called “The Lord’s donation.”

59) Hence, when Ezekiel saw the animals raising Malchut for a Zivug, he did not see the Malchut that was riding them because she rose to the upper King, ZA, in concealment, hiding in the upper glory.

60) “And let every wisehearted man among you come and make all that the Lord has commanded.” These are 60 sources, HGT NHY de ZA, each of which consists of 10, which water the world, Malchut, and from which it is watered. “Come and make” means that they will come to receive from the treasure of life, Bina, and then do what the Creator, Bina, commands them—delight the world.

61) “Take from among you a donation to the Lord.” And it is written, “Slice from your bread to the hungry, and bring home the pauper.” Happy is a man when a pauper comes to him, for that poor one is a gift that the Creator has sent to him. One who welcomes that gift is happy.

62) One who takes pity on the poor and revives his soul, the Creator relates to him as though he created his soul. This is why Abraham, who took pity on all the people of the world, the Creator regarded him as though he created them, as it is written, “And the souls that they had made in Haran.”

63) “Slice” means spreading a map for him with bread and food to eat. Also, “Slice” means that pieces of bread should be sliced before him so he will not be ashamed. One should slice before him generously. “Your bread” means that the bread will be yours—out of your own money and not from a plunder, exploitation, or a theft, for if so, it is not a merit, but woe, it comes to mention his iniquity. Likewise, it is written, “Take from among you a donation,” to raise and to give of what is yours, and not from a plunder, exploitation, or a theft.

64) It is written, “Since the day that I brought My people Israel from Egypt, I did not choose a city out of all the tribes of Israel in which to build a house that My name might be there, but I chose David to be over My people Israel.” Why is it written, “I did not choose a city … But I chose David”? It should have said, “And I shall choose Jerusalem.”

65) However, when the Creator wishes to build a city, He first looks at the leader of the people of the city, and then builds the city and brings the people into it. This is the meaning of “I did not choose a city” until I looked at David, who would be the shepherd over Israel because the city and all the town’s people depend on the shepherd who leads the city. If the shepherd is good, it is good for him, good for the city, and good for the people. If the shepherd is bad, woe to him, woe to the city, and woe to the people. Now the Creator looked at the world and wished to build it, so first He established David, as it is written, “And I chose My servant, David.”

66) “Happy is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose shattering is in the Lord his God,” since Jacob did not trust his father or his mother when he fled from his brother, and went alone without anyone, as it is written, “For with my staff I crossed this Jordan.” He trusted the Creator, as it is written, “God is with me and keeps me.” He asked for everything from the Creator, and He gave him.

67) “Whose shattering is in the Lord his God,” his shattering and not his hope or his confidence. Do not pronounce it “His shattering” with a point on the left of the Shin, but “His shattering” with a point on the right of the Shin, since it is pleasant for the righteous to break themselves and be broken shattering-by-shattering, and all is over the Lord his God. It is written about it, “For we are put to death each day over You,” and it is written, “Because for Your sake I have borne disgrace.”

68) It is like Jacob, as it is written, “And Jacob saw that there was shattering in Egypt.” He saw the shattering of the exile that he would have in Egypt and put his trust in the Creator. And the sons of Jacob suffered the shattering of the exile, did not divert from their fathers’ faith, and the name of the Creator was regularly in their mouths.

69) This is why it is written about Moses, “And they may say to me, ‘What is His name?’ What shall I say to them?” The ends of the words in the verse, “To me, ‘What is His name’” are YodHeyVavHey, which was regularly in their mouths because they knew it and never forgot it, and suffered the shattering of the exile for the Creator. And because of that, they were rewarded with many redemptions, miracles, and tokens.

70) The upper holy ones, who suffer the shattering of the body from place to place over the Creator, are even more worthy of Him performing miracles and redemptions for them, and rewarding them with life in the next world.

71) “Take from among you a donation.” When a person places his will for the work of his Master, that will first rises to the heart—the persistence and the basis of the entire body. Afterwards that good will rises over all the organs of the body, the will of all the organs of the body and the will of the heart join together, pulling over them the brightness of Divinity to dwell with them. And that person is the Creator’s portion, as it is written, “Take from among you a donation.” “From among you” is the extension, to take upon yourselves that donation, the Divinity, so that the person will be a portion of the Creator.

72) Is the matter not in one’s own domain? After all it is written, “Whoever is of a generous heart, let him bring it as the Lord’s donation.” However, “Whoever is of a generous heart” means anyone whose heart wishes to extend Divinity to him. It is written, “Let him bring it,” although she is ascended. “Let him bring it” from the high place and draw it into dwelling with him.

73) And when she comes to dwell with him, she brings with her several blessings and several wealth, as it is written, “Gold, and silver, and bronze.” He will not lack all the wealth in the world. This is for the rest of the people in the world. But you, upper holy ones, “Take from among you a donation to the Lord,” making innovations in the Torah to uplift Divinity.

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Who Has Ascended into Heaven and Descended?

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43) “Who has ascended into heaven and descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has wrapped the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name and what is His son’s name? Surely you know!” Everything is said about the Creator, who is everything. “What is His name and what is His son’s name? Surely you know” is the Creator. “What is His name” is HaVaYaH, and “What is His son’s name” is Israel, as it is written, “Israel, My son, My firstborn.” “Who has ascended into heaven” is Moses, as it is written, “And to Moses He said, ‘Come up to the Lord.’”

44) “Who has ascended into heaven” is Elijah, of whom it is written, “And Elijah went up by a storm to heaven.” But how could Elijah come up to the heaven? After all, the heaven cannot tolerate a body from this world, even the size of a grain of sand, so how does it say, “And Elijah went up by a storm to heaven”?

45) However, it is as it is written, “The Lord came down on Mount Sinai.” It is also written, “And Moses entered the midst of the cloud as he went up to the mountain.” But the Creator, who was on Mount Sinai, is as it is written, “The appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a consuming fire on the mountain top,” so how could Moses climb to Him?

Yet, as it is written about Moses, “And Moses entered the midst of the cloud as he went up to the mountain,” he entered the cloud as one who wears a garment. And it is written, “And to Moses He said, ‘Come up to the Lord,’” meaning that He, too, clothed in a cloud and entered it. He came near to the fire in a cloud and could approach. It is likewise with Elijah, as it is written, “And Elijah went up by a storm to heaven,” meaning he entered a storm and clothed in a storm and went up.

46) It is said in the book of Adam HaRishon, “In these offspring that will come to the world will be a spirit that will come down to the world in the earth and clothe in a body. And his name is Elijah. He will depart from the world in that body, strip from his body, remain in a storm, and another body of light will be provided for him, to be in it among the angels. And when he comes down to this world, he will clothe in that body, which remained in that world, in a storm. He will be seen below in that body, and will be seen above in that other body—of light.” It is as it is written that there was not a person whose spirit went up to heaven after the departure of the body and then came down like Elijah, who went up and came down.

47) “Who has ascended into heaven and descended?” “Who has ascended into heaven” is Elijah. “And descended” is Jonah, whom the fish brought down into the deeps, to the depths of the sea. Jonah came from the power of Elijah; he had the soul of Elijah. Therefore, Elijah went up, and Jonah went down. One wished to die, and the other wished to die, and this is why he is called “Son of Amitai [also “true”],” as it is written, “And the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth.”

48) “Who has wrapped the waters in a garment?” “Who has wrapped” is Elijah, who tied the tie of water in the world and no dew or rain came down from heaven. “In a garment” is Elijah, who would bring his mantle to perform miracles, and with which he and Elisha split the Jordan. “Who has gathered the wind in His fists” is Elijah, who brought Adam’s spirit back into his body after he died.

49) “Who has established all the ends of the earth” is Elijah, who after gathering the water and swearing on the rain, returned in a prayer and established the whole world so that rain would come down and food would be given to all. “What is His name?” Elijah. “And what is His son’s name?” Elijah. “And what is His name,” when he went up, Elijah. “And what is His son’s name,” when he went down and became a messenger to perform miracles. His name is Elijah.

50) “Who [MI] has ascended into heaven” is the Creator. Who [MI] is the name of Bina. Heaven is ZA, who raises the Bina. The four directions of the world, the four Sefirot HGTM from Chazeh de ZA and above, are the upper Merkava [assembly/chariot] for BinaMI. They are the initial foundations for everything, and all of them are dependent on the place, which is called MI, for whom they are a Merkava.

51) When the Creator has a time of good will, to unite the upper Merkava with the lower Merkava so they are all one, a voice comes out from the place of the high holiness, heaven, ZA, and gathers all those holy ones below—the righteous in this world—and all the holy ministers—Michael, Gabriel, Uriel, and Raphael—and all the upper camps, the angels, to all be ready together. It is written about it, “And Moses assembled,” meaning the heaven, ZA. It is also written, “The whole of the congregation of the children of Israel.” These are the 12 upper holy camps—the lower Merkava that Malchut rides—and they raise the Malchut for a Zivug with ZA.

The upper MerkavaHGTM from Chazeh de ZA and above, is the four legs of Bina’s chair. They are 12 because each of the HGTM consists of HGT. Similarly, the lower Merkava is the four Sefirot NHYM of the Nukva, which are called “four animals” or “four angels,” Michael, Gabriel, Uriel, and Raphael, or the four camps of angels. They, too, are 12 because each of the four Sefirot NHYM consists of NHY, as has been explained regarding HGTM. Likewise, the four angels and four camps are the 12 upper holy camps because in the four camps of angels, each camp consists of three camps, who carry the chair, Malchut, for a Zivug with ZA.

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The Angel of Death Is among the Women

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26) While Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Yosi were engaging in Torah, the day rose. They rose and went before Rabbi Shimon. When he saw them, Rabbi Shimon said, “Elazar, my son, you and the friends hide yourselves these three days and do not come out because the angel of death is in the city, and he has permission to harm.” When permission is given to a saboteur, he can destroy anyone who appears before him.

27) Moreover, the person who appears before him, the angel of death rises and slanders him, mentioning his iniquities, asking the Creator for judgment, and not moving from there until that person is sentenced, and he is given permission and kills him.

28) Most of the people in the world do not die prematurely, except for those who do not know how to keep themselves. This is because when the dead is taken out of his home into the cemetery, the angel of death is among the women, since this is his way, as he seduced Eve and because of her caused death to the entire world. This is why he is the one who puts the man to death. The men are with the dead, and the angel of death comes among the women on the way until the cemetery.

29) At that time he has permission to put people to death. He looks in the faces of those who appear before him on the way to the cemetery from the time the dead is taken out of his home to the cemetery until they return to their home. For this reason, he causes premature death to several people in the world because he rises and slanders, mentioning the iniquities of that person before the Creator, who is sentenced for those iniquities and departs before his time.

30) The correction for keeping safe from the angel of death is that when the dead is carried to the cemetery, one should turn his face and leave the women behind his shoulders. And if the women go first, he will walk behind them in a way that he is not seen with them face-to-face. When they return from the cemetery, he will not return by the way where the women stand and will not look at them at all, but will turn himself to another way. And because people do not know and do not regard it, the majority of the world are sentenced by judgment and depart prematurely.

31) Therefore, is it good for a person to not accompany the dead? No, because a person who keeps himself in this manner is worthy of a long life and the next world.

32) The first ones set up to blow the Shofar [a ram’s horn] for taking out the dead from his home to the cemetery, not for the glory of the dead, but to protect the living people, so the angel of death does not control them, slandering above.

33) “When you go to war in your land against the adversary who attacks you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets.” “The adversary” is the angel of death. “Who attacks you” always and puts people to death, seeking to kill everyone. His correction: “Sound an alarm.” If on Rosh Hashanah [New Year’s Day], on judgment day above, the angel of death comes down to look at people’s works and rises to slander them, Israel, who know that the angel of death is coming down and going up to slander them, blow the Shofar first to sob on it so he cannot defeat them, and to protect them.

34) It is all the more so when he is below, passing judgment and killing people. And even more so when they walk to the cemetery and return from the cemetery. This is so because when women walk with the dead, he descends and is before them, as it is written, “Her feet go down to death.” They go down to a place called, “death,” meaning that the angel of death comes before them when they walk to accompany the dead. This is why Eve caused death to the entire world.

35) It is written, “So is the way of an adulterous woman, she eats and wipes her mouth, and says, ‘I have done no evil.’” “So is the way of an adulterous woman” is the angel of death. “She eats and wipes her mouth,” for it burns the world with its flames and puts people to death prematurely. And she says, “I have done no evil,” for he sought judgment for them and they were caught in their iniquity and died by true judgment.

36) When Israel had made the calf and all those multitudes died, the angel of death was among the women inside the camp of Israel. When Moses saw that the angel of death was among the women and the camp of Israel was among them, he promptly gathered all the men separately, as it is written, “Then Moses assembled all the congregation of the sons of Israel.” These were the men that he had gathered and separated to themselves.

37) The angel of death was not separated from the women until the Temple was built, as it is written, “And Moses erected the tabernacle.” Even when the women would bring donations to the tabernacle, he would not part with them. Finally, Moses saw and advised the men to not bond with them and be seen face-to-face, but walk behind their shoulders, as it is written, “And the men came over the women.” It is not written, VaYavi’u, [brought] but VaYavo’u [came], indicating that the men were not walking with them on the same road, but behind their shoulders, since the angel of death did not part from them until the tabernacle was erected.

38) The angel of death is not present among less then seven women, and no less than ten. On the way, he is in the seven women openly, seeking judgment. If there are ten women, he slanders to put to death. And because he is openly among them on the way, it is written, “And the men came over the women,” behind their shoulders.

39) “And the Lord said unto Noah: ‘Come you and all your house into the ark.” Could the Creator not watch over Noah in one place in the world, so there is a flood in the entire world but not in that place? Or to keep him in the land of Israel, as it is written about it, “Nor rained upon in the day of indignation,” so the waters of the flood would not come down on it?

40) Because the saboteur went down to the world, one who did not close himself off and was before him openly risked his soul because he put himself to death, as it is written, “Escape for your soul; look not behind you,” since the saboteur was walking behind his shoulders. Had he turned his head back and looked at him face-to-face, he would have been able to harm him.

41) This is why it is written about Noah, “And the Lord shut him in,” so he would not appear before the saboteur and the angel of death would not govern him.

42) “And Moses assembled.” He repeats the work of the tabernacle as before in the portion Teruma [Donation]. The work of the tabernacle is done only by Israel, not by the mixed multitude, since the mixed multitude drew the angel of death back to the world. When Moses saw it, he threw out the mixed multitude and assembled only Israel, as it is written, “And Moses assembled all the congregation of the sons of Israel.” Conversely, in the portion, Teruma, it is written, “From every man whose heart moves him you shall take My donation,” so the mixed multitude were included. This is why Moses had to say the work of the tabernacle a second time.

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Three Watches

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14) Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Yosi were sitting one night, engaging in Torah before midnight. At that time, the rooster called, meaning the midnight hour had arrived. They blessed the blessing, “Who gave understanding to the grouse to tell day from night.” Rabbi Elazar wept and said, “Thus far the Creator shook 390 firmaments and struck them, brought two teardrops down into the great sea, and remembered His sons in weeping.”

15) The 12 hours that are written in the night divide into three sides—right, left, and middle. If there are more than 12 hours in the night, they are regarded as day and not of the night, since only 12 hours are of Malchut, who is called “night.” These 12 hours divide to three sides, and three camps of holy angels divide in these three sides.

The four Sefirot HG TM do not comprise of HG TM in each, to make it 16 Behinot [discernments], since Malchut disappeared in the diagonal. Thus, they consist of only HGT, and are only 12 Behinot because four times three are twelve. It follows that the illumination is essentially only HGT, three lines. However, they illuminate in each of the HG TM, even in Malchut. It follows that the night divided into four parts, HG TM, where in each part are three lines HGT. And two Sefirot HG are in the first half of the night, hence they are six because there are three lines in each. The two Sefirot TM are on the second half of the night, and they are six hours because each consists of three lines, HGT.

However, with respect to the singing of the angels, the night does not divide into four watches, HG TM, but to three watches. It is so because the angels that sing in three watches extend by that the illumination of Hochma that illuminates in the night, as it is written, “She rises while it is still night.” This operation of the illumination of Hochma applies only to the three lines, not to Malchut, since Malchut only receives their illumination and discloses them, but she does not operate at all.

Hence, there is no watch from her Behina [singular of Behinot], for which she should sing. This is why in this Behina, the night divides to only three lines, and in each line are HG TM, hence they are 12 hours in the night in this Behina.

It follows that with respect to the existence of the night, which is Partzuf Malchut, there are four Sefirot in it, HG TM, and it divides at the point of midnight when the Sefira Tifferet, the middle line, begins to shine. The Creator entering the Garden of Eden is the middle line that enters Malchut, who is called “the Garden of Eden.” However, with respect to those who sing, the night divides by three lines each line with HG TM because Malchut de Malchut does not operate and there is no singing out of her Behina.

16) The first camp was appointed to praise their Master, right line, Hesed, in the first four hours of the beginning of the night. They say, “The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains … for He has founded it upon the seas … Who may ascend into the mountain of the Lord, and who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart.” They say it because when the night spreads its wings over the world, all the people of the world taste the taste of death and their souls come out to rise up, those angels stand and say about the souls, “Who may ascend into the mountain of the Lord?” The mountain of the Lord is the Temple Mount. “His holy place” is the section of Israel.

As there is in the Temple above, Malchut, there is in the Temple below. Everything there is in the Temple below, the Temple Mount, the section of Israel, and the holy of holies, extends from the forms that exist in the Temple above. When they look below, they know what there is above—that there too is the Temple Mount, the section of Israel, and the holy of holies, which are called “The mountain of the Lord,” “His holy place,” and “holy of holies.”

17) Because in each and every firmament are several appointees and several officers, when the souls come out and wish to go up, if they are not rewarded, they are repelled and walk and roam the world. Then several regiments of spirits take them and inform them false words, or sometimes true words of what is to come in the near future.

18) The souls of the righteous walk and roam above, and doors open to them. They rise up to a place that is called “the mountain of the Lord,” which is as the Temple Mount below, and from there they rise to a place called “His holy place.” There, all the souls appear before their Master, such as a place below, which is called “the section of Israel,” where Israel appear before the Creator. When the souls stand there, the joy of their Lord is to establish in them the place of the holy of holies, where all their works and merits are inscribed.

19) The second camp was appointed to sing in the second four hours. They sing only two hours until midnight, and the Creator, the middle line, enters the Garden of Eden. This is so because a second camp of angels extends from the left line, as the second watch is the left line, and they should have sung until the beginning of the third four hours. However, since with respect to the existence of Malchut, the night divides into four parts, HG TM, with three hours in each, it follows that the Sefira Gevura ends at the point of midnight, the left line, and the Sefira Tifferet, the middle line, begins.

Therefore, the angels from the left line were compelled to stop their singing because the domination of the middle line already began in the night. Hence, they sing for only two hours until midnight, and they must stop their singing at the point of midnight because then the Creator, the middle line, enters the Garden of Eden, Malchut, and it is past the time of those of the left line to sing.

20) The angels of the second watch are after the ruin of the Temple, the mourners of Zion. They are the ones who weep over the ruin of the Temple. In the beginning of the middle four hours, the left line, to which the Sitra Achra primarily grips, start and say, “By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat, and also wept.” They are the ones who weep over the rivers of Babylon with Israel. This is the meaning of what is written, “And also wept.” The meaning of the word “also” is that we, too, wept, like the angels. How do we know that they wept there? Because it is written, “Behold, their brave men cry outside.” What is “outside”? It is Babel, since all the angels accompanied Divinity through Babel, and wept there with Israel. This is why they started, “By the rivers of Babylon,” and concluded, “Remember, O Lord, against the sons of Edom.”

21) Then the Creator awakens in His degrees, strikes the firmaments, 12,000 worlds shake, and He roars and weeps. It is written, “The Lord will roar from on high, and utter His voice from His holy habitation. He will roar mightily against His fold.” He remembers that Israel are in exile and brings down two tears into the great sea. At that time a flame awakens in the north side, and a single wind on the north side mates with that flame, and the flame walks and roams the world. At that time the night is halved and the flame walks and strikes the wings of the rooster, and he calls. Then the Creator enters the Garden of Eden.

The three watches of the night are three lines of Malchut. From the second watch, the left line, Dinim extend until the middle line arrives and unites the left with the right line, when Hochma on the left dresses in the Hassadim on the right, and she illuminates in wholeness. The left line does not yield to unite with the right until the middle line raises the Masach de Hirik in the beginning, from the perspective of Malchut de Midat ha Din [of the quality of judgment], who is called Man’ula [lock], and subsequently from Malchut that is mitigated in Bina, who is called Miftacha [key].

At that time the Creator, middle line, awakens in His degrees due to the Dinim of the left line, and strikes the firmaments, meaning mates in the Masach de Hirik. And the 12,000 worlds that extend from the illumination of Hochma on the left shake because of the Masach that diminishes them into VAK. They are of the number 12 because each line consists of all 12 Behinot of Malchut.

He roars and weeps because due to the Masach that diminishes into VAKKatnut, it is considered that He is roaring and weeping, since the Katnut is called “weeping,” in regard to the letters next to the name EKYEH [AlephHeyYodHey], which is the name Bochu [BetVavChafVav]. He remembers that Israel are suffering in the exile due to the Dinim of the left line, and lowers two teardrops into the great sea, Malchut. The two teardrops are the two Behinot of MalchutMiftacha and Man’ula, included in the Masach de Hirik. And because the Hochma is called Eynaim, the diminution of Hochma is regarded as tears.

However, to extend Mochin de VAK de Hochma, the Dinim de Man’ula must be concealed and the Zivug of the middle line must be only on Masach de Miftacha. Then a flame awakens in the north side—the Dinim on the Masach de Hirik—which are called “a flame.” The north side is the left line. It cannot awaken there, but only the Masach de Miftacha, the Masach de Malchut that rose to Bina. Due to the return of that Malchut to her place the left line came out, and now the ascent of Malchut to Bina, the Masach de Miftacha, has reawakened there through the middle line.

And a single spirit on the north, the middle line, which is included in the north, mates with the flame, the Masach de Miftacha. Then Mochin de VAK de Hochma are extended over it once more, and the Masach de Miftacha, which is called “a flame on the north side,” spreads in the world, and Man’ula is hidden and concealed. At that time the night is halved, for then begins the domination of Tifferet, the middle line, and the night is halved. This is so because the first half of the night is two lines, HG, and the second half of the night is TM. The flame, the Masach de Miftacha, strikes the wings of the rooster, who is Angel Gabriel, who calls. This is the clarion that calls to awaken people from their sleep.

Due to the Dinim of the left, sleep is extended to people. This is the departure of the Mochin. And through the flame that the middle line evokes in the left line, the left unites with the right, the Mochin de VAK de HochmaRachamim, awaken, and the sleep ceases from the righteous. This is what the rooster below implies—that at midnight, the flame arrives, the awakening to strike its two wings against each other, indicating the unification of right and left. He calls, indicating the clarion above, who arrests the sleep of the righteous, and the rooster below also slightly awakens the people from their sleep with his call. At that time the Creator, the middle line, enters the Garden of Eden, Malchut, for then begins the domination of Tifferet, the middle line.

22) The Creator has no contentment until He enters the Garden of Eden to play with the souls of the righteous. The mark of this unification is what Ester, Malchut, said to the King, ZA, “For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish.” This is the domination of the Dinim of the left line. “And the king Ahasuerus said … ‘Who is he?’ … And Ester said … ‘This wicked Haman,’” the Klipa that extends from the left line. Then the Zivug on Masach de Hirik de Miftacha was made, and then it is written, “And the king arose in his wrath from the banquet of wine and went into the palace garden.” “Arose” means extension of Mochin, as it is written, “She rises while it is still night.” From the banquet of wine” is Mochin de VAK de Hochma. “In his wrath” means affected by the manifold Dinim extending from the left line. “Into the palace garden” means into the Garden of Eden.

23) When the Creator enters the Garden of Eden, all the trees of the garden and all those souls of the righteous start and say, “Lift up your heads, O gates … that the King of glory may come in. Who is the King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty.” When the souls of the righteous that are on the earth return to their bodies, all those angels strengthen them and say, “Behold, bless the Lord, all servants of the Lord.” The third camp says this verse in the last four hours, the middle line.

24) The third camp sings until the morning light shines, and then all those stars and signs, and all those high angels that govern in the day—who extend from ZA—praise their Lord. They all praise their Lord and sing, as it is written, “When the morning stars sing together and all the sons of God cheer,” meaning all the angels. At night, only the angels sing, those who extend from Malchut. But in the day, the angels that extend from ZA also sing.

25) When the sun comes out, in the daytime, Israel sing below, and the sun above. When the sun journeys in his wheels, a pleasant voice begins and sings, as it is written, “Thank the Lord, call out His name; make known His deeds among the peoples. Sing to Him, chant to Him.” Israel praise the Creator in the day. If the people of the world were not hard-hearted and blind, they would not be able to face the pleasant sound of the wheel of the sun as it journeys and praises the Creator.

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And Moses Assembled

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1) It is written about Amalek, “I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he set himself against him in the way, when he came up out of Egypt.” What is the reason that all the wars that the nations had with Israel were not as hard for the Creator as this war, which Amalek had with them? Indeed, the war of Amalek was on all the sides, above and below, since at that time the evil serpent greatly strengthened above and below in this world.

2) As the evil serpent lurks on the crossroads, Amalek was also an evil serpent for Israel, lurking for them on a crossroads, as it is written, “How he set himself against him in the way, when he came up out of Egypt.” He was lurking above, too, to defile the Temple, Malchut, and lurking below to defile Israel, as it is written, “Remember what Amalek did to you on the way as you came out of Egypt; how he met you on the way.”

3) This is why it is written about Balaam, “And God met Balaam.” Vayikar [“met”] implies Tuma’a [impurity], from the words Mikreh Laila [nocturnal ejaculation]. But is God not sanctity? Rather, the Creator brought him the place of Tuma’a to be defiled in it, in that degree to which he clung, to be defiled in it, while Balaam contemplated rising up to Kedusha [sanctity] through those offerings that he sacrificed. Promptly, the Creator brought him a place of Tuma’a. He told him, “The Tuma’a is for you, as befits you.” This is why it is written, “And God met Balaam.”

4) Likewise, It is written, “He met you on the way.” It means that He brought you that evil serpent above to defile you on all the sides. And were Moses not strengthened above and Joshua below, Israel would not prevail over it. This is why the Creator bore that hatred for all generations, since he contemplated uprooting the covenant from its place. This is why it is written, “I remember,” meaning remembrance, which is Malchut, since there the token of the holy covenant is implied.

5) It is written, “And Saul said to the Kenites, ‘Go, depart, go down from among the Amalekites.” The Kenites is Jethro. But who let the sons of Jethro dwell in Amalek? Were they not in Jericho? It is written, “And the children of the Kenite, Moses’ father-in-law, went up from the city of palm-trees with the sons of Judah into the Judah desert.” When they went up from there, they were in the territory of Amalek until that time when King Saul came, as it is written, “So the Kenites departed from Amalek.”

6) It is so because when there are wicked, those pious and righteous among them are caught in their iniquity. This is why Saul removed the Kenites from Amalek. Similarly, were it not for the mixed multitude that joined Israel, Israel would not be punished for the sin with the golden calf.

7) It is written, “And they will take a donation for Me from every man whose heart moves him.” This includes everyone, even the mixed multitude, since the Creator wished to perform the work of the tabernacle on all the sides, in Moach and in Klipa. And because there was the mixed multitude among them, it is written, “From every man whose heart moves him,” including them in Israel, who are the Moach [brain], and all came to partake in the tabernacle.

8) Afterwards, each kind went to its kind and the mixed multitude came, they made the calf, and all those who were dead from Israel went after them. They caused Israel death and killing. The Creator said, “Henceforth, the work of the tabernacle will be only from the side of Israel.” Promptly, it is written, “And Moses assembled all the congregation of the children of Israel.” And afterwards it is written, “Take from among you a donation to the Lord.” “From among you,” and not as it is written before, “From every man whose heart moves him.” “And Moses assembled.” From which place did he assemble them? Because the mixed multitude were among them, Moses had to assemble them, to unify them from among them.

9) “Assemble the people, the men and the women and the little ones.” As it is the whole of Israel afterwards, so here it is the whole of Israel. And who are those? 600,000.

10) When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, it is written, “And Joshua heard the sound of the people as they shouted. He said to Moses, ‘There is a sound of war in the camp.’” Did Joshua hear and Moses did not hear? Until now, Joshua did not know and Moses knew. This is why it is written, “And Joshua heard.” Raoh [As they shouted] is written with the letter Hey because that sound was in the Sitra Achra, who is called Raah [evil/bad], and Joshua, who was the face of the moon, Malchut, looked in the sound, which was from the side of the evil. It is promptly written, “He said to Moses, ‘There is a sound of war in the camp.’”

11) The first two stone tablets that were heavy on Moses’ hands fell and broke because the letters departed from the stone tablets and the stones remained with the spirit of the letters, and hence grew heavy.

12) A voice awakens in the four directions of the world during the four seasons of the year, HG TM. The time of Nissan is south and Hesed. The time of Tishrey is north and Gevura. The time of Tamuz is east and Tifferet, and the time of Tevet is west and Malchut. Also, each is comprised of all.

In that sound, the awakening of the Sitra Achra awakens, and that awakening of the Sitra Achra enters between the sounds, between the sound of Tifferet and the sound of Malchut. The darkness of the light is in the voice below, Malchut, and because the light of the voice above, from Tifferet, does not reach the voice below, Malchut, the awakening of the Sitra Achra comes first, and the serpent—who seduced the woman, Eve—enters between Tifferet and Malchut and takes light. That voice of the Sitra Achra is a sound of war, the sound of evil. This is “As they shouted,” as it is written, “And Joshua heard the sound of the people as they shouted.”

13) This is why Joshua heard and not Moses, since this evil took the light of the moon, Malchut, to which Joshua was clinging, while Moses, who clung to the sun, ZA, did not hear. And the light of the whole of Israel darkened because of that evil that clung to them. When the Creator pardoned their iniquity, it is written, “And Moses assembled all the congregation of the sons of Israel, and said to them: ‘These are the things that the Lord has commanded you to do,’” for that mixed multitude has departed from them.

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Jewels from Mount Horeb

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112) It is written, “And the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments from mount Horeb onward.” This means that they caused death to themselves from that night onwards, and that the evil serpent—which they had already removed from themselves in the beginning—controlled them. Israel deserve it. But Joshua did not sin with the calf. Hence, was that higher armor removed from him, that jewel he had received with them on Mount Sinai?

113) If you say that the jewel was not removed from him, then why did he die like the rest of the people? After all, by merit of the jewel they had obtained liberation from the angel of death. And if you say that the jewel was removed from him, why was it removed? After all, he did not sin, for he was with Moses when Israel sinned. And if you say that he did not receive that crown, meaning the jewel, which Israel received on Mount Sinai, then why?

114) “For the Lord is righteous, He loves righteousness; the upright will behold His face.” “For the Lord is righteous,” and His name is “Righteous.” For this reason, “He loves righteousness,” meaning Malchut, whose name is “Righteousness.” “Upright” means just and right, and “Will behold His face” refers to all the people in the world who will correct their ways to go by the proper, just way.

115) When the Creator sentences the world, He sentences it by the majority. When Adam sinned with the tree from which he ate, he caused the tree, Malchut, to have death in it for the whole world. Also, he caused the flaw of separating a woman from her husband, Malchut from ZA. This sin stood in the moon, Malchut, until the children of Israel stood at Mount Sinai. When Israel stood at Mount Sinai, that flaw of the moon had been removed, the flaw of the separation and death by the tree of knowledge, and she was about to shine forever, ceaselessly. But when Israel sinned with the calf, the moon was flawed once more, as in the beginning, the evil serpent ruled and gripped her, drew her to it, and she was flawed.

116) And when Moses knew that Israel sinned and the holy jewels were removed from them, he certainly knew that the serpent had gripped the moon and drew her to it, and she was flawed. When the serpent wishes to suck from Malchut, the light departs her so it will not have what to suck. This is why he took her outside the camp. And because she is about to be flawed, even though Joshua kept the crown of his jewel, since there is a flaw in Malchut and she reverted to the flaw that was in her in Adam’s sin, hence, a person cannot exist.

The exception is Moses, who governed Malchut, for he was the husband of the mistress. And his death was on another side, by the word of the Lord. Hence, Malchut did not have permission to always sustain Joshua, so he, or any other person, would not die. This is why he called her, “the tent of meeting [also time],” for there was a set time of life to the whole world in her.

117) There is right above and below; there is left above and below. The right above is in the upper holiness; the right below—in the Sitra Achra. The left above is in the upper holiness, to evoke love, so the moon, Malchut, would connect to a holy place, above, in ZA, so it would shine.

118) There is left below, which separates the upper love and separates the Malchut from shining through the sun, and from approaching it. This is the side of the evil serpent. It is so because when this left from below awakens, it pulls the moon to itself and separates her from above, from ZA. Then her light darkens and she clings to the serpent. At that time, she draws death down to all those who clung to the serpent and became removed from the tree of life. This is why he caused death to the whole world with the sin of the tree of knowledge. This is also the meaning of the Temple, Malchut, being defiled until the time when the moon is corrected and shines once more. This is why she is called “the tent of meeting [occasion].”

119) This is why Joshua did not die except by the counsel of that serpent, who approached and blemished the tabernacle, Malchut, as before. This is the meaning of the words, “Joshua, the son of Nun, a youth.” Even though he is a youth below—Matatron is called “a youth,” receiving light from Malchut—he will not move from within the tent, for he is similar to the tent, Malchut. And as the tent was flawed, Joshua was flawed, even though he had the holy jewel from Mount Sinai. This is so because since the moon was flawed, it is certain that he was not the only one to be saved from her, from that actual flaw.

120) Happy are the righteous who know the secrets of Torah and cling to the Torah, and keep the verse, “But you shall meditate on it day and night.” By her merit, they will be rewarded with the life of the next world, as it is written, “For this is your life and the length of your days.”

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The Calf

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59) Who are the people? They are the mixed multitude. And who are the mixed multitude? Were the ones called “mixed multitude” from Lod, Kush, Caphtor, or Togarmah? They were Egyptians who came out of Egypt. Had they been a mixed multitude of many nations, it should have said, “A great multitude arose with them, Lods, Kushes, etc.,” according to their nations.

60) But the writing says, “And a mixed multitude went up also with them,” without specifying the names of the nations, since they were one nation and one language. But they were all of Egypt’s sorcerers and magicians, for it is written about them, “And they also, the magicians of Egypt, did,” meaning they wished to rise against the wonders of the Creator and show that they, too, can do like Him. Since they saw the miracles and wonders Moses had done in Egypt, they returned to Moses. The Creator said to Moses, “Do not accept them.” Moses said, “Dear Lord, since they saw your powers, they wish to convert; they will see your power every day and will know that there is no other God but You.” Thus, Moses accepted them.

61) Why did he call them “mixed multitude”? Indeed, all the magicians were of Egypt, headed by Yonos and Yambros. In the hours of the day, after six hours, they would always perform their magic. And all these high magicians would look, and when the sun began to set, at six and a half, they would perform their magic until the beginning of the hour nine and a half, meaning the big evening, which is the time of great Minchah. All the small magicians would perform their magic from nine and a half through midnight.

62) The highest among them would look from the time the sun began to set. This is so because then 995 degrees begin to roam over the mountains of darkness, and their spirits wander over all those magicians in their magic. And these can do anything they wish, until all the Egyptians put their trust in them. And they are called “mixed multitude” because there is mixed handful, which is from the hour nine and a half and down. Thus, they are two mixtures, which is why it is said, “And a mixed multitude went up also with them.”

63) The mixed multitude had great wisdom. They would look at the hours of the day, and they would look at the degree of Moses, and they saw on all sides, Moses was on six; on the first six hours of the day, which they could not control, on the six upper degrees, to which Moses was holding, and on all sides, he was in the sixth, that is he was made of the six edges HGT NHY. And on the six crowns of the six hours of the day, HGT NHY, he was destined to climb off the mountains, as it is written, “Moses delayed [also, “on six,” in Hebrew] to come down from the mount.”

64) Promptly, “The people gathered themselves together unto Aaron,” to be included in the right side, since the left emerges from the right. But they wanted the left from him, not the right. But to be included in the right, in the place from which he came out, they gathered unto Aaron, who is right, Hesed, and said to him, “Come, make us a god.”

65) As long as Moses was in Egypt, he did not mention the name God, but only the name HaVaYaH [Lord]. This is why Pharaoh said, “I know not the Lord,” since there would be no strength to the Sitra Achra, so it would not grow strong in the world, since the Sitra Achra, too, is called other gods. Now the mixed multitude wanted the power of the left, called “God,” as it is written, “Come, make us a God.” “Us,” said the mixed multitude, we need this thing to strengthen our side, which has thus far been rejected because Moses did not mention the name “God.”

66) This is what they said: “We saw that you, Israel, have all the bounty and treasures of the world, while we are expelled. This is because for you, ‘And the Lord went before them by day.’ We, too, wish it, meaning gods that will walk before us as the Lord walks before you, since there is permission to our side to walk before us, too, if we perform the deed with the calf for it.”

67) All the clouds of glory that were walking in the desert were covering only Israel. And that glorified cloud, as it is written, “And the Lord went before them by day,” was walking before them. And the mixed multitude and all the beasts of sheep and cattle were walking last, outside the camp. During the whole of the forty years that Israel walked in the desert, no filth and dirt reached from the clouds inwards. Hence, the sheep and the cattle, which were grass eaters, were outside, as well as all those who were keeping them.

68) Thus, did the mixed multitude not eat from the manna? They certainly did, but of what Israel gave them. It was as one gives to one’s slave. They ate from the extract, what was left after the mill, the waste. And the text declares and says, “And the children of Israel did eat the manna forty years,” the children of Israel, and not another. “And when the children of Israel saw it, they said… ‘What is it?’” and not the rest of the mixed multitude, the sheep, and the cattle with which they were.

69) Thus far, the mixed multitude were surrendering. Now they rose and asked to strengthen the Sitra Achra. They said, “Either we are all one nation, and we are included with you, Israel, or we will have someone to walk before us, as your God walks before you.” Aaron said, God forbid that they should partake in the holy nation, that they will all be one collective. The holy nation will not mingle with this nation into one collective. Rather, it is best to separate them from the holy nation until Moses comes.

70) And Aaron meant well. But there were many from Israel who sympathized with the mixed multitude in their hearts. And for this reason, when Moses came, he had to sort out and cleanse the holy people from that sin, and gave them a potion until they were all sorted and there was no waste among them whatsoever.

71) “And Aaron said unto them: ‘Break off the golden rings.’” Did they have no other gold besides the golden rings? However, Aaron said, while they are fighting with their wives and children they will be delayed, and in the meanwhile Moses will come. We learned that the gentiles are as hard for Israel as psoriasis on the flesh. These mixed multitudes were not proper proselytes. What did they do? “And all the people broke off the golden rings which were in their ears.” Indeed, there were tens of thousands of rings from the rings of the mixed multitude.

72) It is written, “And he received it at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool.” Aaron was not careful from those two sages at the head of the mixed multitude. One of them was before him and the other was performing his magic. Since they had contrived together, they took that gold, two thirds in the hands of one and a third in the hands of the other, since so it should be in this kind of magic.

73) Rabbi Shimon wept and said, “Alas, the holy righteous, Aaron, the Messiah of the Holy God, with your righteousness, several of the holy nation fell and you did not know how to beware.” What did they do? When the sixth hour arrived and the day was even, meaning at noon, when the sun is in the middle of the sky and leans neither to the east nor to the west, like the balance pivot on the scale, they took the gold that they had taken off their ears, since one who wishes to make magic should not spare fortunes. They said, “Ours is the hour. If we do not restrain ourselves, it is not the time to spare the gold.” Promptly, “And all the people broke off.” “Broke off,” as it is written, “Rending the mountains and breaking in pieces the rocks,” since they damaged and broke their ears.

74) “Then his master shall bring him unto God.” An ear that heard on Mount Sinai, “For unto Me the children of Israel are servants,” and cast off itself the burden of the kingdom of heaven and sold itself to another, will be pierced. And these transgressors, wicked ones, evil people, with their yearning to return to their bad ways, did not ask their wives and sons, but damaged their own ears. They damaged the ears that heard on Mount Sinai, “Thou shall have no other gods before Me,” which is worse than selling oneself to slavery. And they cast away from themselves the burden of the kingdom of heaven that Moses had commanded them and broke their ears and revealed that they had no share in the Holy Name and in the holy nation.

75) What did they do? They divided that gold between the two of them, Yonos and Yambros. One took two thirds and one took a third. They rose against the sun in the sixth hour of the day, performed their magic and enchanted with their witchcraft, with magic of the mouth. Since the beginning of the seventh hour arrived, they both raised their hands on Aaron’s hands, as it is written, “And he received it at their hand,” and they were not more than two, Yonos and Yambros. When he received it from their hands, a voice came out and said, “My hand upon it! The evil man shall not be unpunished,” as it is written, “That they are set on evil.” In other words, “And Aaron said: ‘thou knows the people, that they are set on evil,’” for they brought evil to the world.

The hands are considered GAR, extended from above downwards. Because he took from their hands, they could apply force to pulling Hochma from above downwards, which is the form of the ox of the Sitra Achra, while he took from the earth, which is VAK, from below upwards, and nothing extended from there to the Sitra Achra.

76) These wicked and sinners and sorcerers were the sons of evil Balaam, the grandchildren of wicked Laban. They saw that a cup of blessing, Malchut, was on the right and always gains strength from the right, from Hesed, and said, “If the Rosh [head] of the right, Aaron, were to be on the side of Sitra Achra, power and might would be ours, as it should be. The Sitra Achra extends from the left, meaning they wish to extend illumination of the left from above downwards. And their weakness is only because they do not have illumination of Hassadim, since there is no Hassadim in the left. This is why here they wanted to extend illumination of Hassadim by joining Aaron to them, meaning Hesed.

77) Since the seventh hour of the day arrived, they immediately gave to Aaron. Had he told them, “Put the gold on the ground first, and I will take it from the ground,” they would not have been able to affect anything with their magic. But he took it from their hands. And the text is angry and says, “And he received it at their hand.” See what Aaron did, a prophet, a sage did not know how to beware. Had he taken from the ground, all the magic in the world would not have succeeded. But the reason they succeeded with their deed was because he took it from their hands and not from the ground.

78) The meaning is not as people think, that he made drawings with dividers or with something else. Rather, the text comes to prove that Aaron did not know how to beware, for if he had thrown the gold to the ground when he took it from their hands, even if he would later take it off the ground, this evil deed would not have succeeded. But there was ill help in everything, for he took the gold and hid it from the eye. It is interpreted that he “fashioned it with a graving tool,” meaning bundled it in a sheet. Evil following evil—one is that he took it from their hands, and the other is that he did not throw it to the ground after he took it from their hands, and the third is that he bundled it with a graving tool and hid it from the eye. “And fashioned it with a graving tool” means that he put all the gold in one pocket and kept it from being seen by the eye. Then everything rose and became a fact.

79) In The Book of Hanoch, I found that an only son will be born to the Rosh [head] of the white, meaning Aaron, who was born from the side of Hesed, whose root is called “the Rosh of the white.” And when those who are from the flesh of asses come to him, meaning the mixed multitude, of whom it was said, “Whose flesh is as the flesh of asses,” they will mislead him, inserting jewels inside bells of gold, without his Daat [reason or the Sefira], and forming a shape with the graving tool, Enosh’s graving tool, which is the pen of evil Enosh, who misled the people.

There are two discernments in MalchutAchoraim [posterior] and Panim [anterior]. In Achoraim, she is all left without any right, Hochma without Hassadim. In Panim, she is all right without left, Hassadim without Hochma. Hence, the Sitra Achra is removed from sanctity because the Sitra Achra is left, and therefore cannot nourish from the Panim of Malchut, since there is no left there at all. And they cannot nourish off the Achoraim of the Malchut because it is dark there and without any light, since Hochma without Hassadim does not shine.

Therefore, the mixed multitude, who are the magicians of Egypt, rebelled against holiness and gathered over Aaron, who is from the right side—Hesed. They said to him, “Make us gods,” so they will walk before us. God is the name of the left, whose place is in the Achoraim of Malchut. And they asked him to correct them to being at the Panim so they would have Hassadim, as it is written, “Who shall go before us,” in the Panim, and then they, too, will be able to suck from him.

As HaVaYaH is the God of Malchut de Hassadim in the form of Panim, as it is written, “And the Lord went before them,” the discernment of left would be in the form of Panim, and then they, too, will be able to receive from him. This means that there is permission to our Sitra Achra to walk before us, meaning in the Panim, if we summon for them the deed with the calf. It is written, “Thus they exchanged their glory for the likeness of an ox,” since they traded their glory, Malchut that was in the form of PanimHassadim, for a calf—left line—and abandoned the correction of the Panim of the Nukva.

Jewels are the discernments of the Masach de Malchut, which shines in the right line, called “jewel.” “Bells of gold” are considered left. And since it concerns the Sitra Achra, he calls them “bells,” for their content is as empty as bells. And the mixed multitude misled Aaron, inserting these jewels that shine in Hassadim into bells, which are the dark left. And they shine and can then suck from the left.

Now you can understand that the appointee is from holiness, and hence consists of right and left, and is therefore appointed over the left and over the red jewels on the right. Hence, those who follow the Sitra Achra serve it and offer sacrifices, to find the place where jewels and gold are together, so they can suck from the left.

80) This is the clarification: When Enosh was misleading the world to perform idolatry with his pen, he was taking notes of all the forms and idol worshipping with that pen. This is why it writes, “Graving tool,” for it indicates to do that with that graving tool. And this is the meaning of the thing.

81) The two meanings of the words “graving tools” were there: The Book of Hanoch and The Zohar. This is so because he certainly threw the gold in the pocket and hid it from the eye, as the magicians say. And so it should be with this kind of magic, for so is this magic done—for a thing that requires disclosure, to be revealed later, first needs a place for hiding and covering. First, it must be concealed from the eye, and then the craftsman lets his craft be shown. Thus, what needs covering later needs to be revealed first.

This is so because “God has made them one opposite the other.” All that exists in the degrees of holiness has its opposite in the Sitra Achra. And the only difference is that the Sitra Achra holds only the two lines, right and left, but they have no middle line. However, they are attached only to the left line. Still, it is impossible to extend left line if the right line had not been drawn first, since that Masach which rises and makes VAK without Rosh in the degree, when it is in the right line, descends and educes GAR in the degree when it is in the left line. Hence, they must first draw the right line, to reveal the GAR on the left line once more.

And know that this Masach, which is raised to the degree so as to diminish it from GAR, when it is in the right line, is called “pen” or “calamus.” Like the “pen of a ready writer,” which measures and reveals the shape of the letters to here and to here through the pen, the Masach that is raised in the right line, to diminish the degree, determines the whole shape of the Gadlut [greatness/adulthood] of the degree that comes out on the left line.

All the forms of the left, applied in idolatry, depend on and emerge from the calamus, which is a Masach that causes the Katnut and diminution in the left line, as it is written, “And fashioned it with a graving tool.” This means that he raised the graving tool, which is the calamus and the Masach, and first shaped it in diminution and concealment of the right line, and then extended the Gadlut of the left of the Sitra Achra, called “calf” or “ox.”

As we said, they cannot disclose the left line and suck from it before they extend the right line first, through raising the Masach, the calamus, to conceal the degree. This is so because the two meanings of the words “graving tool” are one thing. Rashbi interpreted, “Fashioned it with a graving tool” as dropping it in the pocket to conceal it from the eye, meaning to conceal it from the GAR, called “eye.” This means that they first extended the concealment and Katnut [smallness] that are in the right line. It is quite the same with the words of Hanoch. “Fashioned it with a graving tool” is also raising the Masach to conceal and diminish the degree in the right line, by which the Gadlut in the left is later directed.

82) On the side of holiness, the true God, who is the king of the world, was strengthened in three worlds, BeriaYetzira, and Assiya. And they extended the mixed multitude from all of these three worlds opposite Beria. It is written, “And he received it at their hand,” meaning he took something of which he had nothing thus far, meaning the gold. This indicates the world of Beria, since Beria means something new that was not in it before. And opposite Yetzira, it writes, “And fashioned it with a graving tool.” And opposite Assiya it writes, “And made it a molten calf.” Who in the whole world saw such magicians?

83) Does it not say, “And I threw it into the fire,” and he did nothing more, “And out came this calf”? And now you say, “And made it a molten calf.” However, Aaron certainly did not make the calf, as the writing proves, for it is written, “And he took the calf which they had made.” It does not write, “Which he had made.” But the writing, “And he received it at their hand,” and the words, “And fashioned it” mean that it was all made by Yonos and Yambros. It seems as though Aaron had made it, but had it not been for those two, the calf would not have been made and would not have been crafted. Thus, who caused it to be made? It is those two. While Aaron took from their hands, they were doing their magic and whispering with their mouths, drawing Ruach [also spirit] below, from the Sitra Achra.

84) And they drew two Ruachs together, one from the male and one from the female. The male Ruach clothe in the form of an ox, and the female in the form of an ass. And both were mingled. Why these two? With an ox, we already learned that it is because the first damager of the Sitra Achra is called an “ox.” The ass is because it is written about those Egyptian magicians, “Those who are from the flesh of asses.”

85) Hence all those from Israel who died, connected with the mixed multitude in their hearts. And since there were two forms, ox and ass, it is written, “These are your gods O Israel.” It is not written in singular form because they were two, together. Also, “which brought you up out of the land of Egypt” is in the plural form [in Hebrew].

86) It is written, “And made it a molten calf,” since Aaron said nothing. We learned that it contained 125 Kikarot [talents] of gold. Masecha [mask, but referring to “molten”] is 125 in Gematria. This is so because from the God of holiness to other gods, 120 combinations of God expand, after which begin the other gods. Correspondingly, they took 125 talents—120 opposite the 120 combinations, and five opposite the five letters in Elokim [in Hebrew].

87) Why does it say, “Received it at their hand”? Did they have all 125 talents? Rather, they only took a handful of these talents, but that handful was considered as though they had it all in their hands.

88) It is written, “And when Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it.” Alas, the holy pious, how good was your will, but you did not know how to beware. When he threw it in the fire, the power of the Sitra Achra intensified in the fire and the shape of the ox emerged, as it is written, “in two extensions of the Sitra Achra—with an ox and with an ass.” Promptly, Aaron saw that the Sitra Achra had grown strong, and he immediately “Built an altar before it.” Had he not built this altar, the world would have reverted to its ruin.

89) Like a robber who emerges to destroy and to kill people, the king’s legion saw that that robber came out with great force. What did that legion do? It convinced the king to set out, and the legion pulled him toward the road where the robber was. While the robber was walking along that road, he saw the form of the king standing before him. When he saw the form of the king, he was startled and retreated.

90) Thus, “When Aaron saw this,” that the Sitra Achra had grown strong, he held to the cure and was strengthened, and extended the holy side and put it before him. When the Sitra Achra saw that the form of the King was before him, he immediately retreated and its strength and assertion weakened, since Aaron had grown strong and the altar, Malchut, intensified and the Sitra Achra weakened.

91) “And Aaron made a proclamation and said, ‘Tomorrow shall be a feast to the Lord,’” to the Lord, and not to the calf. He made it for the side of holiness, and to the side of holiness he proclaimed and said. This is the cure that he preceded. Had he not done so, the world would not have persisted. Still, His anger with Aaron did not subside, even though he did not mean to do harm.

92) The Creator told him, “Aaron, two magicians pulled you into what they wanted; thus, your two sons will fall, and they will be caught for this sin.” This is the meaning of the words, “Moreover the Lord was very angry with Aaron, to destroy him.” “To destroy him” are his sons, as it is written, “Yet I destroyed his fruit from above,” since man’s fruits are his sons.

93) Aaron put the altar, Malchut, before him, and put the calf, the Sitra Achra, behind him, for the essence of the sin with the calf was that they turned the left, whose place is in the back, and put it in front. Hence, now Aaron returned the holiness to the fore and the calf to the rear. And his sons put the Sitra Achra in the fore and sent the side of holiness back to the rear, similar to the sin of the calf, as it is written, “And offered strange fire before the Lord,” meaning they put the strange fire, the Sitra Achra, before the Creator, ahead. Thus, his sons were caught for this sin of the calf.

94) But Aaron thought that in the meantime, Moses would come. This is why he said, “Tomorrow shall be a feast to the Lord.” This is why Moses did not shatter the altar he had made, for had it been as people think, that he built the altar before the calf, then the first thing that Moses would have had to shatter was the altar. As Ido prophesied about the altar of Beit-El, and his prophecy was about the altar in Beit-El. But with Aaron’s altar, this was not so, which is why it is written, “And he took the calf which they had made,” and not “And he shattered the altar.”

95) “And Aaron made a proclamation,” meaning he declared aloud, “Tomorrow shall be a feast to the Lord.” He was the announcer of the judgment. “Tomorrow shall be a feast to the Lord” prophesied in the spirit of the altar, Malchut, on which the judgment is destined to be. “A feast to the Lord” means celebration and shattering, to execute judgment in you.

96) There were three judgments: 1) “And the Lord struck the people”; 2) the sons of Levi, who killed from among Israel; 3) intoxicating Israel. “Tomorrow shall be a feast to the Lord.” A holiday indicates the killing of the sons of Levi. “To the Lord” indicates “And the Lord struck the people.” “Tomorrow” indicates Moses giving them the ashes of the calf to drink when they went to sleep that night, and were found swollen and dead the next day. He said about that, “Tomorrow shall be a feast to the Lord.” And all the healing that Aaron performed is in what is written, “He built an altar before it.”

97) “He saw the calf and the dancing.” However, it does not say “altar,” since Aaron knew that it is written, “He that sacrifices to the gods, save to the Lord only, shall be utterly destroyed.” Certainly, Aaron was saved by the good advice he had given to himself, to make an altar for the Creator, and all was with complete and good will, for he did not mean harm.

98) Of course this is so, and Israel did not make the calf. But Jeroboam, who made the calves, were Israel, and they made the calf. Jeroboam sinned and caused to sin, which is certainly a bad sin that he did. Moreover, he sinned in Malchut, like the mixed multitude in the sin of the calf.

99) Jeroboam said, “Surely, I know that the side of holiness is present only in the heart of the whole world, and this is Jerusalem. I cannot extend that side of holiness here. What shall I do?” Promptly, “Whereupon the king took counsel.” He took a bad counsel. He said, “After all, the Sitra Achra is immediately drawn to every place, especially in this land, where they wish to be in it. However, they can only clothe in the form of an ox.”

100) But why did he make two calves? Jeroboam said, “In the desert, they were the magicians, of whom it was said, ‘Those who are from the flesh of asses.’” Hence, they extended two Ruachs—an ox and an ass, male and female. But they did not clothe them; rather, they were both in one calf. Here, the same two evil spirits will clothe properly, in the two calves, for they are male and female—the male was in Beit-El and the female was in Dan.

And because it is written, “For the lips of a strange woman drop honey,” Israel were strongly attracted to them, as it is written, “For the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan.” Thus, there were two calves in it, and Jeroboam drew them in the holy land, and the iniquity was upon him and upon Israel, and he prevented the blessings from the world. It is written about him, “He who robs his father or his mother,” for he flawed ZON, who are his father and mother.

101) Thus, there were two calves, since the first clothing that the Sitra Achra wears is an ox. Certainly, it is how it should be. And so it is in all the sides, since the beginning of the clothing is small, a calf.

102) Hence, My beloved sons, since they wished to extend the name “God,” the name of Malchut, and the act was built on the side of Malchut, the Holy God—which is ImaMalchut, who always grips the King’s arm and moves away the strap—was not there. And Moses had to be there in her place, as the Creator hinted to him, and he observed and understood.

103) Thrice He hinted to him: “Alas, Moses, the loyal shepherd”; “How strong you are”; and “How great is your might.” Thrice He hinted to him: 1) “Now let Me alone”; 2) “My wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them”; and 3) “And I will make of you a great nation.”

And Moses’ wisdom to hold back the strap was in these three implications. He held His right arm opposite, “Now let Me alone,” which his Hesed. He held the left arm opposite, “My wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them,” which is Gevura. He embraced the King’s body opposite, “And I will make of you a great nation,” which is Tifferet. And when he embraced the body with both arms, meaning in all three Sefirot HGT, he could not sway and evoke judgment on any side in the world. This was Moses’ Hochma—from the King’s hints, he recognized in each of them which side will become stronger, and he acted wisely.

104) The friends came and kissed Rabbi Shimon’s hands. They said, “If we had come to the world only to hear this thing, we would have been content.” They wept and said, “Woe unto us. When you depart from the world, who will shine and reveal the lights of Torah?” This thing shines to the top of the heaven and is written in the King’s throne, and the Creator is now delighted about this thing. And how much joy over joy was added before the Holy King? Who will evoke words of wisdom in the world as you do?

105) Before Adam sinned, he rose and stood in the Hochma of the upper illumination, and was not separated from the tree of life. When he intensified his craving to know good and bad and to come down, he followed those of the Sitra Achra until he was separated from the tree of life and knew the bad and left the good. This is why it is written, “For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness, no evil dwells with You.” This means that one who follows wickedness cannot dwell with the tree of life, and before they sinned, they heard a voice from above, from Bina, and they knew the upper Hochma but did not see. Since they sinned, they could not even stand in the voice below, from ZON, as it is written, “I heard Thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid.”

106) Similarly, before Israel sinned, while they were standing at Mount Sinai, the filth of the serpent was removed from them, since then there was the annulment of the evil inclination in the world and it was repelled from them. At that time, they united in the tree of life, rose to the uppermost degrees, and did not come down. Then they knew and saw the highest visions of ZA; their eyes shone and they were delighted to know and to here. At that time, the Creator girded them with belts of letters of the Holy Name, which are jewels from Mount Horeb, so the serpent would not be able to rule over them and would not defile them as before in Egypt.

107) When they sinned with the calf, all those degrees and upper lights parted from them, and the armed belts they were crowned with by the Holy Name were removed from them. And they extended upon them the evil serpent, as in the beginning, and caused death to the whole world once more. Afterwards, it is written, “And when Aaron and all the sons of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him,” meaning they feared even the light of Moses’ face.

108) First it writes, “And Israel saw the great work,” meaning that everyone saw the upper lights that shone in the illuminating mirror, ZA, as it is written, “All the people perceived the thunder.” But on the sea, they saw and did not see, as it is written, “This is my God, and I will praise Him.” And after they sinned, they could not see the face of the mediator. What does it say? “And they were afraid to come near him.”

109) It is written about them, “And the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments from mount Horeb onward.” This means that the arms that they received on Mount Sinai so that the serpent would not rule over them were removed from them. And since it was removed from them, it is written, “Now Moses took the tent to pitch it outside the camp, afar off from the camp.” Because Moses knew that the Higher armor was removed from Israel, he said, “From now on, the evil serpent will certainly return to dwell among them, and if it stands among them here in the tent of meeting, it will be defiled. “Now Moses took the tent,” since he saw that the evil serpent would rule over them, which had not been the case before.

110) “And he called it ‘the tent of meeting.’” First, it was an ordinary tent, but now he called it, “the tent of Moed [meeting].” A Moed [which also means occasion in Hebrew] is a day of the joy of the moon, Malchut, for having gained more holiness and for not being ruled by the flaw. Here, too, he called it an occasion to show that the tent, Malchut, was removed from them and was not blemished.

111) First, Malchut was an ordinary tent, as it is written, “a tent that shall not be removed, whose stakes shall never be plucked up.” But now it is the tent of meeting, meaning only for a time and not forever. This is so because Moed means time [and occasion]. First, there was the tent, Malchut, giving long life to the world so death would not govern them. Henceforth, the tent of meeting, as it is written, “The house appointed for all living,” for now she has been given time and limited life for the world. In the beginning, there was no flaw in her, but now she has been blemished. In the beginning, there was connection and Zivug to the moon, Malchut, in the sun, ZA, which does not stop. But now their Zivug is occasional, hence he called it “the tent of meeting [occasion],” which did not exist previously.

(înapoi la pagina ZOHAR CUPRINS / KI TISA – click)

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