Full Zohar Online - Acharei Mot

Aaron Abraham Death Death and the Afterlife Jacob Moses

12. וַיְדַבֵּר יְיָ' אֶל מֺשֶׁה אַחֲרֵי מוֹת שְׁנֵי בְּנֵי אַהֲרֺן. רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה פָּתַח וְאָמַר, לָכֵן כֺּה אָמָר יְיָ' אֶל בֵּית יַעֲקֺב אֲשֶׁר פָדָה אֶת אַבְרָהָם וְגוֹ.' הַאי קְרָא קַשְׁיָא, לָכֵן כֺּה אָמַר יְיָ' אֲשֶׁר פָדָה אֶת אַבְרָהָם מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ. מַאי, כֺּה אָמַר יְיָ' אֶל בֵּית יַעֲקֺב אֲשֶׁר פָדָה אֶת אַבְרָהָם.

Abraham Altar Chaldeans Court Esau Fire Isaac Jacob Merit Sacrifice Throne

13. We have already learned that Jacob surely redeemed Abraham. At the time that ABRAHAM fell into THE FURNACE OF the Chaldeans' fire, his fate was being decided before the Holy One, blessed be He. In what merit should this one be saved as he lacks ancestral merits? THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, said TO THE COURT ON HIGH: 'He should be saved because of his sons.' As we have learned, a son can bring merits for his father. The others replied: But Ishmael will descend from him. The Holy One, blessed be He, replied, 'But Isaac WILL DESCEND FROM HIM, who will extend his throat FOR THE SACRIFICE on the altar.' The others said: But Esau will derive from Isaac. THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, said, 'But Jacob will DESCEND FROM HIM, who is a whole throne, and all his sons are perfect before Me.' They concurred by saying: Surely for this merit, Abraham shall be rescued. Such is the meaning of, "who redeemed Abraham."

13. אֶלָּא הָא אוּקְמוּהָ וְהָא אִתְּמַר, דְּיַעֲקֺב פָדָה אֶת אַבְרָהָם וַדַּאי. דִּבְהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא דְּנָפַל בְּגוֹ נוּרָא דְּכַשְׂדָּאֵי, דָּנוּ דִּינֵיהּ קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, בְּגִין מַאי יִשְׁתְּזִיב הַאי, זְכוּת אַבְהָן לֵית לֵיה. א"ל, יִשְׁתְזֵיב בְּגִין בְּנוֹי, דְּהָכִי תַּנְיָא, בְּרָא מְזַכֵי אַבָא. אָמְרוּ, הָא יִשְׁמָעֵאל דְּנָפִיק מִנֵּיהּ. אָמַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, הָא יִצְחָק, דְּיוֹשִׁיט קְדָלֵיהּ עַל גַּבֵּי מַדְבְּחָא. אַמְרוּ, הָא עֵשָׂו דְּנָפִיק מִנֵּיהּ. אָמַר, הָא יַעֲקֺב, דְּאִיהוּ כּוּרְסְיָא שְׁלֵימָתָא, וְכָל בְּנוֹהִי שְׁלֵימִין קָמַאי. אַמְרוּ, הָא וַדַּאי בִּזְכוּתָא דָּא יִשְׁתְּזִיב אַבְרָהָם הה"ד אֲשֶׁר פָדָה אֶת אַבְרָהָם.

Azariah Daniel Face Fire Hananiah Jacob Judah Mishael

14. IT IS WRITTEN, "Jacob shall not now be ashamed, neither shall his face now grow pale; when he sees his children, the work of My hands, in the midst of him, sanctifying My name" (Yeshayah 29:22-23). HE QUESTIONS: Who are "his children, the work of My hands?" HE ANSWERS: They are Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, WHO THREW THEMSELVES INTO A BURNING FIRE TO SANCTIFY MY NAME. HE QUESTIONS, "Jacob shall not now be ashamed:" What is Jacob doing here? For it is written, "These were among the descendants of Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah" (Daniel 1:6). NOTE, they are referred to as scions of Judah. As a result, it should read: 'Judah shall not now be ashamed.' Why then does it state, "Jacob shall not now be ashamed?"

14. לֹא עַתָּה יֵבוֹשׁ יַעֲקֺב וְלֹא עַתָּה פָּנָיו יֶחֱוָרוּ כִּי בִרְאוֹתוֹ יְלָדָיו מַעֲשֵׂה יָדַי בְּקִרְבּוֹ יַקְדִּישׁוּ שְׁמִי. מַאן אִינּוּן יְלָדָיו מַעֲשֵׂה וְגוֹ.' אִלֵּין אִינּוּן, חֲנַנְיָה מִישָׁאֵל וַעֲזַרְיָה. בְּנֵי יְהוּדָה אִקְרוּן, ובג"כ לֹא עַתָּה יֵבוֹשׁ יְהוּדָה מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ, מַאי לֹא עַתָּה מַאי בָּעֵי הָכָא יַעֲקֺב, וְהָא כְּתִיב, וַיְהִי בָהֶם מִבְּנֵי יְהוּדָה דָּנִיאֵל חֲנַנְיָה מִישָׁאֵל וַעֲזַרְיָה. בְּנֵי יְהוּדָה אִקְרוּן, ובג"כ לֹא עַתָּה יֵבוֹשׁ יְהוּדָה מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ, מַאי לֹא עַתָּה יֵבוֹשׁ יַעֲקֺב.

Azariah Fear Fire Hananiah Hatred Jacob Jeremiah Mishael

15. HE ANSWERS: We have learned at the time they bound HANANIAH, MISHAEL AND AZARIAH in order to cast them into fire, each raised his voice and spoke before all the gathered nations, kings and nobles. Hananiah said, "Hashem is with me, I will not fear: what can man do to me? Hashem takes my part with those who help me: therefore I shall gaze upon those who hate me. It is better to take refuge in Hashem..." (Tehilim 118:6-8). Mishael said, "Therefore fear you not, My servant Jacob, says Hashem...For I am with you, says Hashem, to help you, for I will make a full end of all the nations" (Yirmeyah 30:10-11). At that moment, when THE NATIONS AND THE NOBLES heard the name Jacob, they were disgusted and began mockingly to laugh, BECAUSE HE PUT HIS TRUST IN JACOB. Azariah commenced to proclaim, "Hear O' Yisrael, Hashem our Elohim; Hashem is One" (Devarim 6:4).

15. אֶלָּא הָכִי תָּנֵינָן. בְּהַאי שַׁעֲתָא דְּאִתְּכְפִיתוּ, לְמִנְפַּל בְּנוּרָא, כָּל חַד אָרִים קַלֵיהּ וְאָמַר, גַּבֵּי כָּל אִינּוּן עַמִּין וּמַלְכִין וְאָפַרְכַיָא, חֲנַנְיָה אָמַר, יְיָ' לִי לֹא אִירָא מַה יַעֲשֶׂה לִי אָדָם יְיָ' לִי בְּעוֹזְרָי וַאֲנִי אֶרְאֶה בְּשוֹנְאָי טוֹב לַחֲסוֹת בַּיְיָ' וְגוֹ.' מִישָׁאֵל פָּתַח וְאָמַר, וְאַתָּה אַל תִּירָא עַבְדִּי יַעֲקֺב נְאֻם יְיָ' וְגוֹ' כִּי אִתְּךָ אֲנִי נְאֻם יְיָ' לְהוֹשִׁיעֶךָ כִּי אֶעֱשֶׂה וְגוֹ.' בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא, דְּשַׁמְעוּ כֻּלְּהוּ שְׁמָא דְּיַעֲקֺב. תַּוְּוהוּ וְחַיְיכוּ בְּלֵצָנוּתָא. עֲזַרְיָה פָּתַח וְאָמַר, שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יְיָ' אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְיָ' אֶחָד.

Angels Azariah Earth Hananiah Jacob Mishael

16. This is what is written, "One shall say, I am Hashem's..." (Yeshayah 44:5). "One shall say, I am Hashem's" refers to Hananiah, WHO DECLARED THAT "HASHEM TAKES MY PART..." "And another shall call himself by the name of Jacob" (Ibid.): This is Mishael, WHO SAID, "FEAR YOU NOT, O MY SERVANT JACOB." "And another shall subscribe with his hand to Hashem, and surname himself by the name of Yisrael" (Ibid.). This is Azariah, WHO SAID, "HEAR O' YISRAEL..." At that moment, the Holy One, blessed be He, assembled His heavenly council, NAMELY THE ANGELS, and said to them, 'For which word among the words that these three uttered, should I save them?' They replied, "That they may know that You alone, whose name is Hashem, are the most high over all the earth" (Tehilim 83:19), MEANING SAVE THEM, BECAUSE THEY TRUSTED IN HASHEM.

16. הה"ד, זֶה יֺאמַר לַיְיָ' אָנִי וְגוֹ.' זֶה יֺאמַר לה' אָנִי, דָּא חֲנַנְיָה, וְזֶה יִקְרָא בְשֵׁם יַעֲקֺב, דָּא מִישָׁאֵל, וְזֶה יִכְתּוֹב יָדוֹ לַיְיָ' וּבְשֵׁם יִשְׂרָאֵל יְכַנֶּה, דָּא עֲזַרְיָה, בֵּיהּ שַׁעֲתָא כָּנַשׁ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא פָּמַלְיָא דִּילֵיהּ, אָמַר לוֹן, בְּמַאן מִלָּה, מֵאִינּוּן מִלִּין דְּאָמְרוּ אִלֵּין תְּלָתָא, אַשְׁזִיב לוֹן. פָּתְחוּ וְאָמְרוּ, וְיֵדְעוּ כִּי אַתָּה שִׁמְךָ יְיָ' לְבַדְּךָ עֶלְיוֹן עַל כָּל הָאָרֶץ.

Abraham Azariah Face Fasting Fire Hananiah Jacob Merit Mishael Righteous Throne

17. At that hour, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to the throne, WHICH IS MALCHUT, 'My throne, for which word, among all the words THEY UTTERED, should I save these righteous men?' It replied: For the word that all the others mocked, I would save them, NAMELY THE MERIT OF JACOB, "Jacob shall not now be ashamed, neither shall his face now grow pale," SO THEY WILL SEE THAT THEY WERE SAVED IN HIS MERIT. Just as THE MERIT OF Jacob stood fast when Abraham was cast into the fire, now it will stand fast for these - NAMELY HANANIAH, MISHAEL AND AZARIAH. This is what is written, "Thus says Hashem concerning the house of Jacob, who redeemed Abraham, Jacob shall not now be ashamed..." namely by the contempt and the mockery with which THE NATIONS AND NOBLES RIDICULED HIM.

17. בָּה שַׁעֲתָא אָמַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְכוּרְסְיָיא, כּוּרְסְיָיא דִּילִי, בְּמַאן מִלָּה מֵאִינּוּן מִלִּין, אַשְׁזִיב לְאִינּוּן צַדִּיקַיָּיא. אָמַר לֵיהּ, בְּהַאי מִלָּה דְּכֻלְּהוּ חַיְּיכִין בָה, אַשְׁזִיב לוֹן לֹא עַתָּה יֵבוֹשׁ יַעֲקֺב וְלֹא עַתָּה פָּנָיו יֶחֱוָרוּ. כְּמָה דְּקָאֵים יַעֲקֺב לְגַבֵּי דְּאַבְרָהָם בְּנוּרָא, יְקוּם הַשְׁתָּא לְגַבֵּי אִלֵּין, הה"ד, כֺּה אָמַר יְיָ' אֶל בֵּית יַעֲקֺב אֲשֶׁר פָדָה אֶת אַבְרָהָם לֹא עַתָּה יֵבוֹשׁ יַעֲקֺב וְגוֹ.' מֵהַאי כִּסּוּפָא דְּלֵצָנוּתָא.

Azariah Fire Flame Hananiah Jacob Mishael

18. תָּנָא, כֻּלְּהוּ דַּהֲווֹ חַיְיכִין מִמִּלָּה דָּא, אִתּוֹקָדוּ בְּהַהוּא נוּרָא, וְקָטַל לוֹן שְׁבִיבָא דְּנוּרָא. מַאן שֵׁזִיב לְאִלֵּין. עַל דַּהֲווֹ מְצָלָן קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וּמְיַחֲדָן שְׁמֵיהּ כַּדְקָא יֵאוֹת, וְעַל דִּמְיַחֲדָן שְׁמֵיהּ כַּדְקָא יֵאוֹת, אִשְׁתֵּזִיבוּ מֵהַהוּא נוּרָא יָקִידְתָּא.