Bechukotai: Chapter 12

"Seven times for your sins"

Synopsis

We learn that God will give the world only as much judgment as it can bear. If He had punished the world according to its sins, the world would never have survived. Rabbi Shimon talks about the 'daughter of seven,' the Sabbatical Year and the well of seven. These things allude to a release where judgment is executed and everyone is set free. Rabbi Aba says that God repeatedly warned Yisrael about their sins, but when they did not repent he sent them into exile; nevertheless He did not send them on their own, but sent 'seven,' Malchut, with them.

Curse Ground Sin

45. It says of this, "I will not curse the ground any more for man's sake" (Beresheet 8:21). What is the meaning of, "I will not curse the ground any more?" It means that He will give no more Judgments to the Prosecutors with which to destroy the world, but only as much as the world can bear. It is therefore written: "then I will punish you no more..." (Vayikra 26:8); He will surely give more, AS MUCH AS THE WORLD CAN BEAR.

45. כד"א, לֹא אוֹסִיף לְקַלֵּל עוֹד אֶת הָאֲדָמָה בַּעֲבוּר הָאָדָם. מַאי לֹא אוֹסִיף. לֹא אֶתֵּן תּוֹסֶפֶת לְמָארֵי דִּינָא לְשֵׁיצָאָה עָלְמָא, אֶלָּא תּוֹסֶפֶת כְּגַוְונָא דְּיָכִיל עָלְמָא לְמִסְבַּל. וְעַ"ד וְיָסַפְתִּי אֶתֵּן תּוֹסֶפֶת וַדַּאי.

Seven

46. Why would He give more? To punish you "seven times for your sins" (Ibid.). HE ASKS: Seven times? Had the Holy One, blessed be He, collected His due, THAT IS, PUNISHED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SIN, the world would not have been able to bear it for a single moment, as it is written: "If You, Yah, should mark iniquities, Hashem, who could stand?" (Tehilim 130:3). Yet you say, "seven times for your sins."

46. תּוֹסֶפֶת אֲמַאי. בְּגִין לְיַסְּרָה אֶתְכֶם שֶׁבַע עַל חַטֹּאתֵיכֶם. שֶׁבַע, וְהָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִי גָּבֵי הַהוּא דִּילָיהּ לָא יָכִיל עָלְמָא לְמִסְבַּל אֲפִילּוּ רִגְעָא חֲדָא, הה"ד, אִם עֲוֹנוֹת תִּשְׁמוֹר יָהּ יְיָ' מִי יַעֲמוֹד, וְאַתְּ אַמָרְתְּ שֶׁבַע עַל חַטֹּאתֵיכֶם.

Daughter Isaac Judgment Seven Well Year Zeir Anpin

47. AND HE ANSWERS: What the verse teaches us IN SAYING, "seven times," is this. Behold seven is before you. Who is she? She is the Sabbatical Year (lit. 'Release Year'), NAMELY MALCHUT SWEETENED BY BINAH, which is seven. For She is called 'seven,' as it says, "At the end of every seven years you shall make a release" (Devarim 15:1). The SCRIPTURE therefore SAYS, "seven times for your sins." MALCHUT is called 'seven' and ALSO 'daughter of seven.' What is the difference between them? In saying seven only, it means to have a release, to execute Judgments, and to set everyone free. She is called 'daughter of seven' when attached to another, ZEIR ANPIN, to illuminate and rule over her kingdom and make known the Kingship throughout the land and to everyone. She is then called 'the daughter of seven.' Hence, it is written: "the name of the city is Beer-Sheva (lit. 'well of seven') to this day" (Beresheet 26:33). The well of seven is Isaac's well. Everything is one.

47. אֶלָּא מַה תֵּ"ל שֶׁבַע. אֶלָּא הָא שֶׁבַע לָקֳבְלַיְיכוּ. וּמַאי אִיהִי. דָּא שְׁמִיטָּה, דְּאִיהִי שֶׁבַע, דְּאִקְרֵי שֶׁבַע, כד"א, מִקֵּץ שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים תַּעֲשֶׂה שְׁמִיטָּה. וְעַל דָּא שֶׁבַע עַל חַטֹּאתֵיכֶם, וְאִקְרֵי שֶׁבַע, וְאִקְרֵי בַּת שֶׁבַע. מַה בֵּין הַאי לְהַאי. אֶלָּא שֶׁבַע בִּלְחוֹדָהָא, לְמֶעְבַּד שְׁמִטָּה, וּלְמֶעְבַּד דִּינִין, לְאַפָּקָא חֵירוּ דְּכֹלָּא בָּה. בַּת שֶׁבַע אִקְרֵי, דְּאִתְחַבָּר בְּאַחְרָא כַּחֲדָא, לְאַנְהָרָא, לְמִשְׁלַט בְּמַלְכוּתָא, לְאוֹדָעָא מַלְכוּתָא בְּאַרְעָא וּבְכֹלָּא, בַּת שֶׁבַע אִקְרֵי. כְּתִיב, עַל כֵּן שֵׁם הָעִיר בְּאֵר שֶׁבַע עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה. בְּאֵר שֶׁבַע, בְּאֵרָה דְּיִצְחָק הוּא, וְכֹלָּא חַד מִלָּה הוּא.

Exile Seven Zeir Anpin

48. Rabbi Aba said: "And I will chastise you, even I, seven times for your sins" (Vayikra 26:28). "And I will chastise you," through other attendants, as already explained. "Even I;" "I" is ZEIR ANPIN, who is roused to save you; "seven" is MALCHUT, which is roused towards you TO SAVE YOU. THAT IS, ZEIR ANPIN AND MALCHUT SHALL BE WITH THEM IN EXILE. HENCE, THEY SHALL GET THEM OUT OF EXILE, AS WILL BE EXPLAINED.

48. רִבִּי אַבָּא אָמַר, וְיִסַּרְתִּי אֶתְכֶם אַף אָנִי שֶׁבַע עַל חַטֹּאתֵיכֶם. וְיִסַּרְתִּי אֶתְכֶם, עַל יְדָא דִּמְמָנָן אָחֳרָנִין, כְּמָה דְּאוּקְמוּהָ. אַף אָנִי, הָא אֲנָא אִתְּעַר לָקֳבְלַיְיכוּ. הָא שֶׁבַע, לְאִתְּעָרָא עָלַיְיכוּ.

Love

49. Come and behold: the Holy One, blessed be He, bears a sublime love for Yisrael . THIS IS like a king who had an only son who constantly sinned against him. One day, as he sinned against the king, the king said: 'I have beaten you previously, but you have not learned. From now on, see what I shall do to you. If I drive you out of the land, and deport you from the kingdom, wild bears, wild wolves, or murderers might attack you and kill you. What shall I do? We shall both leave the country.'

49. ת"ח, רְחִימוּתָא עִלָּאָה דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, לְמַלְכָּא דַּהֲוָה לֵיהּ בַּר יְחִידָאי, וַהֲוָה חָטֵי קַמֵּי מַלְכָּא, יוֹמָא חַד סָרַח קַמֵּי מַלְכָּא, אָמַר מַלְכָּא, כָּל הָנֵי יוֹמִין אַלְקֵינָא לָךְ, וְלָא קַבִּלְתְּ. מִכָּאן וְאֵילָךְ חָמֵי מַאי אַעְבִּיד לָךְ, אִי אַתָּרִיךְ לָךְ מִן אַרְעָא, וְאַפִּיק לָךְ מִמַּלְכוּתָא, דִּילְמָא יְקוּמוּן עֲלָךְ דּוּבֵּי חַקְלָא, אוֹ זְאֵבֵי חַקְלָא, אוֹ לִסְטִין, וְיַעַבְרוּן לָךְ מֵעָלְמָא. מַה אַעְבִּיד. אֶלָּא אֲנָא וְאַנְתְּ נֵיפוּק מֵאַרְעָא.

Angels Destruction Ears Exile Fear Seven Sin

50. Similarly, the words "even I," mean that I and you shall leave the land, NAMELY, GO INTO EXILE. This is what the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Yisrael: 'I have warned you but you did not lend your ears. I have brought warriors and angels of destruction upon you to beat you, but you have not hearkened. If I drive you out of the land on your own, I fear that bears and wolves will attack and kill you. What then shall I do to you? You and I shall leave the land and go into exile.' This is the meaning of, "and I will chastise you;" we shall go into exile. 'You may say that I will leave you, but "even I," am with you.' ."..seven times for your sins," that is, seven, MALCHUT, will be deported with you. For what reason? "For your sins."

50. כַּךְ אַף אָנִי, אֲנָא וְאַנְתְּ נִיפוּק מֵאַרְעָא. כַּךְ אָמַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, יִשְׂרָאֵל מַה אַעְבִּיד לְכוּ, הָא אַלְקֵינָא לְכוּ, וְלָא אַרְכִּיתוּ אוּדְנַיְיכוּ, הָא אַיְיתֵינָא עָלַיְיכוּ מָארֵי תְּרִיסִין, מָארֵי טַפְסִין, לְאַלְקָאָה לְכוֹן, וְלָא שְׁמַעְתּוּן. אִי אַפִּיק לְכוּ מֵאַרְעָא לְחוֹדְכוֹן, דָּחִילְנָא עָלַיְיכוּ מִכַּמָּה דּוּבִּין, מִכַּמָּה זְאֵבִין, דִּיקוּמוּן עָלַיְיכוּ, וְיַעַבְרוּן לְכוּ מֵעָלְמָא. אֲבָל מַה אַעְבִּיד לְכוּן, אֶלָּא אֲנָא וְאַתּוּן נֵפוּק מֵאַרְעָא, וּנְהַךְ בְּגָלוּתָא. הה"ד וְיִסַּרְתִּי אֶתְכֶם לְמֵהַךְ בְּגָלוּתָא. וְאִי תֵּימְרוּן דְּאֶשְׁבּוֹק לְכוֹן, אַף אָנִי עִמְּכוֹן. שֶׁבַע עַל חַטֹּאתֵיכֶם, דָּא שֶׁבַע דְּיִתְתָּרָךְ עִמְּכוֹן, וַאֲמַאי. עַל חַטֹּאתֵיכֶם.

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