Acharei Mot: Chapter 52

An apple tree and a rose

Synopsis

Rabbi Chiya says that the Congregation of Yisrael praises God with the image of an apple. From Rabbi Shimon we learn that is because it includes color, fragrance and taste, and because the apple is a cure-all. He says that God praises the Congregation of Israel with the image of a rose because of the fragrance of their good deeds.

Apples Colors Congregation Fragrance Nakedness Tree

317. "The nakedness of your father, or the nakedness of your mother, shall you not uncover" (Vayikra 18:7). Rabbi Chiyah opened the discussion saying, "Like the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons..." (Shir Hashirim 2:3). This verse has been expounded by the friends. Yet, how beloved is the Congregation of Yisrael before the Holy One, blessed be He, that she lauds Him in this VERSE. We should look into this. Why does she laud Him through the apple and not with something else or with something THAT HAS color, or fragrance or taste.

317. עֶרְוַת אָבִיךָ וְעֶרְוַת אִמְּךָ לֹא תְגַלֵּה רִבִּי חִיָּיא פָּתַח. כְּתַפּוּחַ בַּעֲצֵי הַיַּעַר כֵּן דּוֹדִי בֵּין הַבָּנִים וְגוֹ.' הַאי קְרָא אוּקְמוּהָ חַבְרַיָּיא, אֲבָל כַּמָה חֲבִיבָה כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. דְּהִיא מְשַׁבַּחַת לֵיהּ בְּהַאי. הָכָא אִית לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא, אֲמַאי מְשַׁבַּחַת לֵיהּ בְּתַפּוּחַ, וְלָא בְּמִלָּה אָחֳרָא, אוֹ בִּגְוָונִין אוֹ בְּרֵיחָא אוֹ בְּטַעְמָא.

Apples Colors Fragrance Lebanon Red Tree White

318. HE ANSWERS: Since it is written "apple tree," IT TURNS OUT she is lauding him in every manner, with color, fragrance and with taste. Just as the apple is a cure-all also the Holy One, blessed be He, is a cure for all. Just as apple appears in colors - as we established, IT HAS WHITE, RED, GREEN - so does the Holy One, blessed be He, appear in supernal colors - NAMELY CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET THAT ARE THE SECRET OF WHITE, RED AND GREEN. As the apple tree has a fine fragrance MORE than other trees, so about the Holy One, blessed be He, it is written, "And His fragrance like the Lebanon" (Hoshea 14:7). Just as the apple's taste is sweet, so also is the Holy One's, blessed be He, as it is written, "His mouth is most sweet" (Shir Hashirim 5:16).

318. אֲבָל הוֹאִיל וּכְתִיב תַּפּוּחַ, בְּכֺלָּא הִיא מְשַׁבַּחַת לֵיהּ, בִּגְוָונִין, בְּרֵיחָא, וּבְטַעְמָא. מַה תַּפּוּחַ הוּא אַסוּותָא לְכֺלָּא, אוּף קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַסוּותָא לְכֺלָּא. מַה תַּפּוּחַ אִשְׁתְּכַח בִּגְוָונֵי, כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא, אוּף קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִשְׁתְּכַח בִּגְוָונִין עִלָּאִין. מַה תַּפּוּחַ אִית בֵּיהּ רוּחָא דָּקִיק מִכָּל שְׁאָר אִילָנֵי, אוּף קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ וְרֵיחַ לוֹ כַּלְּבָנוֹן. מַה תַּפּוּחַ טַעְמֵיהּ מְתִיקָא, אוּף קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ חִכּוֹ מַמְתַּקִּים.

Chassadim Congregation Earth Face Fragrance Heaven Other Side Righteous Wicked Wickedness Zeir Anpin

319. And the Holy One, blessed be He, praises the Congregation of Yisrael like a rose, and we have already explained why HE PRAISED HER as a rose. Rabbi Yehuda said: When righteous men increase in the world, the Congregation of Yisrael, DENOTING MALCHUT, raises good fragrance BEING THE SECRET OF THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH THAT SHINES FROM BELOW UPWARD AS FRAGRANCE, and is blessed WITH CHASSADIM from the Holy King, and her face shines. But when the wicked increase in the world, it is as if the Congregation of Yisrael does not raise up the good fragrance, and tastes from the bitter FEEDING of the Other Side. Then it is written, "And cast down from heaven (to) earth..." (Eichah 2:1), MEANING THE COUPLING OF ZEIR ANPIN CALLED HEAVEN AND MALCHUT CALLED EARTH HAS BEEN DISBANDED, and her face is dark.

319. וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְשַׁבַּח לָהּ לִכ"י כְּשׁוֹשַׁנָּה, וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא מִלֵי, אֲמַאי כְּשׁוֹשַׁנָּה, וְהָא אִתְּמַר. ר' יְהוּדָה אָמַר, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאַסְגִּיאוּ זַכָּאֵי בְּעָלְמָא, כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל סַלְּקָא רֵיחִין טָבִין, וּמִתְבָּרְכָא מִמַּלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא, וְאַנְפָּהָא נְהִירִין. וּבְזִמְנָא דְּאַסְגִּיאוּ חַיָּיבִין בְּעָלְמָא, כִּבְיָכוֹל כ"י לָא סַלְּקָא רֵיחִין טָבִין, וְאַטְעָמַת מִסִּטְרָא אָחֳרָא מְרִירָא. כְּדֵין, כְּתִיב הִשְׁלִיךְ מִשָּׁמַיִם אֶרֶץ וְגוֹ,' וְאַנְפָּהָא חֲשוֹכָן.

Evil Head Judgment Nakedness Other Side Righteous Unity Wicked Wickedness

320. Rabbi Yosi said, when righteous men multiply in the world, it is written, "His left hand is under my head, and his right hand embraces me" (Shir Hashirim 2:6), MEANING THE RIGHT AND THE LEFT JOIN IN UNITY, ONE WITH ANOTHER. When the wicked multiply in the world, it is written, "He has drawn back His right hand from before the enemy" (Eichah 2:3), AND THE LEFT RULES WITHOUT THE RIGHT. THEN ALL JUDGMENTS ARE POURED DOWN FROM IT. Rabbi Chizkiyah said, We understand it from here, WHERE IT IS WRITTEN, "and a whisperer separates close friends" (Mishlei 16.28), meaning that the King separates from the Queen, BECAUSE OF THE EVIL MAN CALLED WHISPERER. This is the meaning of the verse, "The nakedness of your father, or the nakedness of your mother, shall you not uncover" MEANING YOU SHOULD NOT CAUSE THE UNCOVERING OF JUDGMENTS ABOVE TO THE NURTURING OF THE OTHER SIDE THROUGH WHICH A SPLIT IN THE HOLY UNION WILL OCCUR.

320. רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאַסְגִּיאוּ זַכָּאִין בְּעָלְמָא, כְּתִיב שְׂמֺאלוֹ תַּחַת לְרֺאשִׁי וִימִינוֹ תְּחַבְּקֵנִי. וּבְזִמְנָא דְּאַסְגִּיאוּ חַיָּיבִין בְּעָלְמָא, כְּתִיב הֵשִׁיב אָחוֹר יְמִינוֹ. רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה אָמַר מֵהָכָא, וְנִרְגָּן מַפְרִיד אַלּוּף, כְּלוֹמַר פָּרִישׁ מַלְכָּא מִן מַטְרוֹנִיתָא, הה"ד עֶרְוַת אָבִיךָ וְעֶרְוַת אִמְּךָ לֹא תְגַלֵּה.

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