- Zohar
- /
- Bechukotai
- /
- Verses
- /
- 42 - 44
42. "And if you shall despise My statutes" (Vayikra 26:15). Rabbi Yosi opened the discussion with the verse: "My son, do not despise the chastening of Hashem; nor be weary of His correction." (Mishlei 3:11). Yisrael are so beloved to the Holy One, blessed be He, that He wished to chasten them and lead them on the true path, as a father pities his child. In His love for them, His stick is always in His hand, to lead them on the true path so that they will not turn right or left. Hence, it is written: "For Hashem reproves him whom He loves, even as a father the son in whom he delights" (Ibid. 12). The Holy One, blessed be He, refrains from reproving he who He does not love but hates, and He removes the stick away from him.
42. וְאִם בְּחֻקֹּתַי תִּמְאָסוּ וְגּוֹ.' ר' יוֹסֵי פָּתַח, מוּסַר יְיָ' בְּנִי אַל תִּמְאָס וְאַל תָּקוֹץ בְּתוֹכַחְתּוֹ. כַּמָה חֲבִיבִין יִשְׂרָאֵל קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בָּעֵי לְאוֹכָחָא לְהוּ, וּלְדַבְּרָא לְהוּ בְּאֹרַח מֵישָׁר, כְּאַבָּא דְּרָחִים לִבְרֵיהּ, וּמִגּוֹ רְחִימוּ דִּילֵיהּ לְגַבֵּיהּ, שַׁרְבִיטָא בִּידֵיהּ תָּדִיר, לְדַבְּרָא לֵיהּ בְּאֹרַח מֵישָׁר, דְּלָא יִסְטֵי לִימִינָא וְלִשְׂמָאלָא. הה"ד כִּי אֶת אֲשֶׁר יֶאֱהַב יְיָ' יוֹכִיחַ וּכְאָב אֶת בֵּן יִרְצֶה. וּמַאן דְּלָא רָחִים לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְסָאנֵי לֵיהּ, סָלִיק מִנֵּיהּ תּוֹכָחָה, סָלִיק מִנֵּיהּ שַׁרְבִיטָא.
43. It is written: "'I have loved you,' says Hashem" (Malachi 1:2), and in His love the stick is always in His hand to guide us. '"And I hated Esau" (Ibid. 3), and therefore took the stick away from him, removed reproof from him, so as not to give him a portion in Me; My soul despises Him. But as for you, "I have loved you," indeed and therefore, "My son, do not despise the chastening of Hashem; nor be weary of His correction.'" What is the meaning of, "do not despise (Heb. takutzu)?" IT MEANS do not despise Him, as if fleeing before thorns (Heb. kotzim), for the kings WHO ENSLAVE THE CHILDREN OF YISRAEL are like thorns in His body.
43. כְּתִיב. אָהַבְתִּי אֶתְכֶם אָמַר יְיָ' וְגוֹ,' מִגּוֹ רְחִימוּתָא דִּילֵיהּ, שַׁרְבִיטָא בִּידֵיהּ תָּדִיר, לְדַבְּרָא לֵיהּ. וְאֶת עֵשָׂו שָׂנֵאתִי, בְּג"כ סְלִיקִית מִנֵּיהּ שַׁרְבִיטָא, סְלִיקַת מִנֵּיהּ תּוֹכַחְתָּא, בְּגִין דְּלָא אֶתֵּן לֵיהּ בִּי חוּלָקָא, רְחִיקָא דְּנַפְשָׁאי הוּא. אֲבָל אַתּוּן, אָהַבְתִּי אֶתְכֶם וַדַּאי. ובג"כ, מוּסַר יְיָ' בְּנִי אַל תִּמְאָס וְאַל תָּקוֹץ בְּתוֹכַחְתּוֹ. מַאי וְאַל תָּקוֹץ. לָא תְּקוּצוּן בֵּיהּ, כְּמַאן דְּעָרַק מִגּוֹ גּוּבִין, דְּאִינּוּן מִילִּין כְּגוֹבִין לְגַבֵּיהּ בְּגַרְמֵיהּ.
44. Come and behold: when Righteousness, MALCHUT ON HER SIDE OF JUDGMENT, is roused together with its Judgments, several aspects of spirits are awakened on the right and on the left, and many sticks come out. Some are sticks of fire, some are sticks of coals and some are sticks of flames. They all come out, roused in the world, and strike people. Under them are other harmful chieftains, forty minus one. They roam about, go down and strike, then come up, obtain permission, and enter into a hole in the great abyss. They paint themselves and climb up, and a burning fire joins them. They go out, as burning coals, and wander and go down to be among men, as it is written: "then I will punish you...more" (Vayikra 26:18); I will add more to the Prosecutors' punishment.
44. תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִתְּעַר צֶדֶק בְּדִינוֹי. כַּמָה סִטְרֵי טְהִירִין, מִתְעָרִין מִימִינָא וּמִשְּׁמָאלָא, כַּמָה שַׁרְבִיטִין נָפְקִין, מִנְּהוֹן שַׁרְבִיטֵי אֶשָּׁא, שַׁרְבִיטֵי גּוּמְרִין, שַׁרְבִיטֵי שַׁלְהוֹבָא, כֻּלְּהוּ נָפְקִין וּמִתְעָרִין בְּעָלְמָא, וְלָקָאן לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא. תְּחוֹתַיְיהוּ מְמָנָן אָחֳרָנִין, מָארֵי טַפְסִין, מְמָנָן דְּאַרְבְּעִין חָסֵר חַד. שָׁאטִין וְנַחְתִּין, לָקָאן וְסַלְּקִין, וְנַטְלִין רְשׁוּתָא, עַיְילֵי בְּנוּקְבָּא דִּתְהוֹמָא רַבָּא, מְצַבְעִין טַפְסֵי, וְנוֹרָא דְּדָלִיק אִתְחַבָּר בְּהוּ, נַפְקֵי גּוּמְרִין וְשָׁאטִין וְנַחְתִּין, וְאִשְׁתְּכָחוּ לָקֳבְלֵיהוֹן דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא. וְהַיְינוּ דִּכְתִּיב, וְיָסַפְתִּי לְיַסְּרָה אֶתְכֶם אֶתֵּן לְמָארֵיהוֹן דְּדִינָא, תּוֹסֶפֶת עַל דִּינָא דִּלְהוֹן.