Bechukotai: Chapter 14

"These are the words of the Covenant"

Synopsis

Rabbi Yosi tells Rabbi Chiya that the curses in the Book of Vayikra were said by Gvurah and those in Devarim were said by Moses himself, and yet both were the words of the Covenant because good and evil depend on them. Righteous and Righteousness together are called 'the Covenant.' Thus 'remember' and 'keep' are also bound together, one by day and one by night. Rabbi Chiya agrees and says that Shabbat is called a Covenant. He talks about God's promise to give peace in the land. Rabbi Chiya explains that God promised not to cast Yisrael away nor to abhor them because the Shechinah, the beloved of His soul, is among them. Rabbi Yosi talks about a son's duty to honor his father even after the father's death, and the way to honor him is to walk in Truth and perfect his own actions. This increases the praise of the father both in this world and in the World to Come.

Brit (Covenant) Caves Covenant (Brit) Curse Moses

52. Rabbi Chiya and Rabbi Yosi were walking on the road when they chanced upon a cave in the field. Rabbi Chiya questioned Rabbi Yosi concerning the words: "These are the words of the Covenant...besides the Covenant..." (Devarim 28:69). Why does it say, "the words of the Covenant?" It should have said 'the words of Gvurah.' He said to him: It has been explained that these CURSES IN THE BOOK OF VAYIKRA WERE SAID by Gvurah, and that those IN DEVARIM were said by Moses himself, as we have already learned.

52. רִבִּי חִיָּיא וְר' יוֹסֵי הֲווֹ אָזְלֵי בְּאָרְחָא, אַעְרָעוּ בְּהַהִיא מְעַרְתָּא בְּחַקְלָא. א"ר חִיָּיא לְרִבִּי יוֹסֵי, הַאי דִּכְתִּיב אֵלֶּה דִּבְרֵי הַבְּרִית וְגוֹ,' מִלְּבַד הַבְּרִית. מַאי דִּבְרֵי הַבְּרִית. דִּבְרֵי גְּבוּרָה מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ. אָמַר לֵיהּ הָא אוּקְמוּהָ, הַלָּלוּ מִפִּי הַגְּבוּרָה, וְהַלָּלוּ מִפִּי עַצְמוֹ שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה, וְהָא אִתְּמַר.

Brit (Covenant) Covenant (Brit) Evil Judgment Morning Remember and Keep Righteous Zeir Anpin

53. Come and behold: the ones as well as the others are the words of the Covenant, for though they were from Gvurah, yet they are the words of the Covenant, since good and evil depend upon them. Good comes from the Righteous, YESOD; evil comes from Judgment - the place of Judgment, Righteousness - NAMELY MALCHUT. Righteous and Righteousness, YESOD AND MALCHUT, are the Covenant and are called 'the Covenant.' Therefore, these words are the words of the Covenant. The Covenant, WHICH IS YESOD AND MALCHUT, is bound together, and hence 'remember' and 'keep,' TIFERET AND MALCHUT, are bound together; 'remember' by day, and 'keep' by night. THEY ARE TOGETHER BY THE SECRET OF THE VERSE, "AND THERE WAS EVENING AND THERE WAS MORNING, ONE DAY" (BERESHEET 1:5). Thus, the Covenant is YESOD AND MALCHUT together, SINCE ZEIR ANPIN IS CONNECTED TO MALCHUT ONLY THROUGH YESOD. It is therefore WRITTEN, "Covenant," since they are indeed the words of the Covenant, THE REPRIMAND IN THE BOOK OF VAYIKRA AND IN THE BOOK OF DEVARIM. Wherever the word "Covenant" is mentioned, it pertains to this place.

53. ת"ח, אִלֵּין וְאִלֵּין דִּבְרֵי הַבְּרִית הֲווֹ, דאע"ג דְּמִפִּי הַגְּבוּרָה הֲווֹ מִלִּין. מִלֵי בְּרִית הֲווֹ, דְּהָא טַב וּבִישׁ בֵּיהּ תַּלְיָין. טַב דְּאָתֵי מִצַדִּיק. בִּישׁ דְּאָתֵי מִן דִּינָא. דִּינָא, מֵאֲתַר דְּדִינָא, וְהַיְינוּ צֶדֶק. וְצַדִּיק וְצֶדֶק בְּרִית אִינּוּן, בְּרִית אִקְרוּן. וְעַל דָּא, מִלִּין אִלֵּין, מִלֵי בְּרִית אִינּוּן. וְקָשִׁיר בְּרִית כַּחֲדָא. וּבְגִּינֵי כַּךְ זָכוֹר וְשָׁמוֹר, קָשִׁיר כַּחֲדָא. זָכוֹר בְּיוֹם, שָׁמוֹר בַּלַּיְלָה. הָא בְּרִית כַּחֲדָא, וּבְגִין כַּךְ בְּרִית וַדַּאי, דִּבְרֵי הַבְּרִית נִינְהוּ. וּבְכָל אֲתַר בְּרִית בַּאֲתַר דָּא אִיהוּ.

Brit (Covenant) Covenant (Brit) Remember and Keep Shabbat

54. Rabbi Chiya said: Surely this is so. Hence, Shabbat, which is 'remember' and 'keep,' YESOD AND MALCHUT, is called a "Covenant," as it is written: "Wherefore the children of Yisrael shall keep the Shabbat, to observe the Shabbat throughout their generations, for a perpetual Covenant" (Shemot 31:16). Everything is one and the same. This place, YESOD AND MALCHUT TOGETHER, is uniformly called 'the Covenant.'

54. אָמַר רִבִּי חִיָּיא, וַדַּאי הָכִי הוּא, ובג"כ שַׁבָּת דְּאִיהוּ זָכוֹר וְשָׁמוֹר, אִקְרֵי בְּרִית. דִּכְתִּיב, וְשָׁמְרוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת לְדֹרֹתָם בְּרִית עוֹלָם. וְכֹלָּא מִלָּה חַד, וַאֲתַר דָּא, אִקְרֵי בְּרִית בְּכָל אֲתַר.

Brit (Covenant) Covenant (Brit) Judgment Peace Seven

55. Come and behold: it is written, "And I will give peace in the land" (Vayikra 26:6). "PEACE" is Yesod, which is peace in the land, household peace, and the peace of the world, SINCE MALCHUT IS CALLED 'LAND,' 'HOUSE' AND 'WORLD.' "...And I will chastise you, even I, seven" (Vayikra 26:28). What is seven? Surely it is righteousness, MALCHUT ON THE SIDE OF JUDGMENT. Assuredly, this is the Covenant, and therefore these are the words of the Covenant.

55. ת"ח, כְּתִיב וְנָתַתִּי שָׁלוֹם בָּאָרֶץ, הוּא יְסוֹד, דְּאִיהוּ שְׁלָמָא דְּאַרְעָא, שְׁלָמָא דְּבֵיתָא, שְׁלָמָא דְּעָלְמָא. וְיִסַּרְתִּי אֶתְכֶם אַף אָנִי שֶׁבַע. מַאי ז.' דָּא צֶדֶק. הָא וַדַּאי בְּרִית, ובג"כ דִּבְרֵי הַבְּרִית נִינְהוּ.

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