Bereshit B
Donkeys Pinchas Torah

222. Rabbi Shimon was going to Tiberias, accompanied by Rabbi Yosi, Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Chiya. On the way, they saw Rabbi Pinchas coming toward them. When they met, they dismounted FROM THEIR DONKEYS and sat under one of the trees on the mountain. Rabbi Pinchas said: Now that we are seated, MEANING NOW THAT WE ARE PREPARED TO LEARN TORAH, I would like to hear of the good teachings you expound every day.

222. רָבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן הֲוָה אָזֵיל לִטְבֶרְיָה, וַהֲווֹ עִמֵּיהּ ר' יוֹסֵי וְרַבִּי יְהוּדָה וְר' חִיָּיא, אַדְּהָכֵי חָמוּ לֵיהּ לְרַבִּי פִּנְחָס דַּהֲוָה אָתֵי, כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְחַבָּרוּ כַּחֲדָא, נַחֲתוּ וְיָתְבוּ תְּחוֹת אִילָנָא חַד, מֵאִילָנֵי טוּרָא, אֲמַר רַבִּי פִּנְחָס, הָא יָתֵיבְנָא, מֵאִלֵּין מִלֵּי מַעַלְיָיתָא דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר בְּכָל יוֹמָא בְּעֵינָא לְמִשְׁמַע.

Faith Female Male Negev Shechinah

223. Rabbi Shimon then opened a discourse by saying, "And he went on his journeys from the Negev..." (Beresheet 13:3). It says "journeys" IN THE PLURAL, where it should have said "journey," IN THE SINGULAR. Why did the scripture say "journeys" IN THE PLURAL? Because there were two journeys, one his own, and the second that of the Shechinah. The dual journey indicates that everyone should be male and female, so that his faith may be strong and the Shechinah may never depart from him.

223. פְּתַח רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וַאֲמַר, וַיֵּלֶךְ לְמַסָּעָיו מִנֶּגֶב וְעַד בֵּית אֵל עַד הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר הָיָה שָׁם אָהֳלֹה בַּתְּחִלָּה בֵּין בֵּית אֵל וּבֵין הָעָי. וַיֵּלֶךְ לְמַסָּעָיו, לְמַסָּעוֹ מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ, מַאי לְמַסָּעָיו, אֶלָּא תְּרֵין מַטְלָנִין אִינוּן, חַד דִּידֵיהּ, וְחַד דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא, דְּהָא כָּל בַּר נָשׁ בָּעֵי לְאִשְׁתַּכְּחָא דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָא, בְּגִין לְאַתְקָפָא מְהֵימְנוּתָא, וּכְדֵין שְׁכִינְתָּא לָא אִתְפָּרְשָׁא מִנֵּיהּ לְעָלְמִין.

Female Leaves Male Prayer Shechinah

224. And you may ask if the sojourner is not both male and female, will the Shechinah then leave him? Come and behold: He who goes on a journey should pray to the Holy One, blessed be He, BEFORE HE LEAVES, so as to draw upon himself his Master's Shechinah, when still at home and still both male and female. And when he has prayed and praised, and the Shechinah rests upon him, then he can go on his way. Now that the Shechinah is with him, he can be male and female both in the city (THAT IS, AT HOME) and in the field (ON HIS JOURNEY), BECAUSE THE SHECHINAH IS JOINED TO HIM. This is the meaning of, "Righteousness shall go before him," WITH RIGHTEOUSNESS REPRESENTING THE SHECHINAH, "and then he shall place his footsteps on the way" (Tehilim 85:14).

224. וְאִי תֵימָא, מָאן דְּנָפֵיק לְאוֹרְחָא, דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָא, שְׁכִינְתָּא אִתְפָּרְשָׁא מִנֵּיהּ, תָּא חֲזֵי, הַאי מַאן דְּנָפֵיק לְאָרְחָא, יְסַדֵּר צְלוֹתָא קַמֵּי קֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, בְּגִין לְאַמְשָׁכָא עֲלֵיהּ שְׁכִינְתָּא דְּמָרֵיהּ עַד לָא יִפּוֹק לְאָרְחָא, בְּזִמְנָא דְּאִשְׁתְּכַח דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָא. כֵּיוָן דְּסַדַּר צְלוֹתֵיהּ וְשִׁבְחֵיהּ, וּשְׁכִינְתָּא שָׁרְיָיא עֲלֵיהּ, יִפּוֹק, דְּהָא שְׁכִינְתָּא אִזְדַּוְוגַת בַּהֲדֵיהּ, בְּגִין דְּיִשְׁתְּכַח דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָא, דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָא בְּמָתָא, דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָא בְּחַקְלָא, הה"ד צֶדֶק לְפָנָיו יְהַלֵּךְ וְיָשֵׂם לְדֶרֶךְ פְּעָמָיו.

Female Male Shechinah Sin

225. Come and behold: As long as a man is traveling, he should beware of sinning, so that the supernal mate, NAMELY THE SHECHINAH, will not desert him, causing him to become defective, that is, not composed of male and female. Just as he guards his actions in the city, when his wife is with him, he should do so all the more on the road, when the supernal mate, NAMELY THE SHECHINAH, is attached to him. Furthermore, because the supernal mate, NAMELY THE SHECHINAH protects him on the road and does not depart from him until he returns to his home, HE SHOULD, THEREFORE, WATCH HIS ACTIONS AT HOME TOO, SO THAT THE SHECHINAH DOES NOT DESERT HIM.

225. תָּא חֲזֵי, כָּל זִמְנָא דְּבַר נָשׁ אִתְעַכַּב בְּאוֹרְחָא, בָּעֵי לְנַטְרָא עוֹבָדוֹי, בְּגִין דְּזִווּגָא עִלָּאָה לֹא יִתְפְּרַשׁ מִנֵּיהּ, וְיִשְׁתְּכַח פָּגִים בְּלָא דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָא, בְּמָתָא אִצְטְרִיךְ כַּד נוּקְבֵיהּ עִמֵּיהּ, כּ"ש הָכָא דְּזִוּוּגָא עִלָּאָה אִתְקַשְּׁרַת בֵּיהּ, וְלָא עוֹד, אֶלָּא דְּהָא זִוּוּגָא עִלָּאָה נָטֵיר לֵיהּ בְּאָרְחָא, וְלָא מִתְפָּרְשָׁא מִנֵּיהּ, עַד דְּיִתוֹב לְבֵיתֵיהּ.

Prayer Precepts Shechinah

226. When he returns home, he should please his wife, because it is she who procured the supernal mate for him. BY RECITING A PRAYER FOR THE JOURNEY WHILE STILL AT HOME WITH HIS WIFE, HE MERITED THE SUPERNAL MATING ON THE JOURNEY. THUS HIS WIFE BROUGHT ABOUT HIS SUPERNAL MATING ON THE WAY, NAMELY THE INSPIRATION OF THE SHECHINAH. And when he comes to her, he should please her for two reasons. First, because of the joy of mating, as this mating is the joy of a precept, and because rejoicing in a precept is the joy of the Shechinah.

226. בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּעָאל לְבֵיתֵיהּ, בָּעָא לְחַדְתָּא דְּבִיתְהוּ, בְּגִין דִּדְבִיתְהוּ גָּרְמָא לֵיהּ, הַהוּא זִוּוּגָא עִלָּאָה, כֵּיוָן דְּאָתָא לְגַבָּהּ, בָּעֵי לְחַדְתָּא לָהּ, בְּגִין תְּרֵין גַּוְונֵי, חַד בְּגִין חֶדְוָתָא דְּהַהִיא זִוּוגָא, חֶדְוָותָא דְמִצְוָה הִיא, וְחֶדְוָותָא דְּמִצְוָה, חֶדְוָותָא דִשְׁכִינְתָּא אִיהוּ.

Peace Shechinah Sin Tents

227. Furthermore, he increases peace at home, as it is written: "You shall know that your tent is at peace and you shall visit your habitation and not sin" (Iyov 5:24). HE ASKS: If he does not mate with his wife, is that a sin? ACCORDING TO THE WORDS, "AND YOU SHALL VISIT YOUR HABITATION AND NOT SIN?" AND HE SAYS: Evidently so, IT IS A SIN. He has diminished the glory of the supernal mating, NAMELY THE SHECHINAH, who has mated with him on the way because of the actions of his wife. AND IF HE IS UNGRATEFUL TO HER, HE THUS REVEALS HIS OPINION THAT THE SUPERNAL COMPANION WAS NOT SO IMPORTANT TO HIM AND HENCE DEROGATES HER HONOR.

227. וְלָא עוֹד אֶלָּא דְאַסְגֵי שָׁלוֹם סְתָם, הה"ד וְיָדַעְתָּ כִּי שָׁלוֹם אָהֳלֶךָ וּפָקַדְתָּ נָוֶךָ וְלֹא תֶחֱטָא. וְכִי אִי לָא פָּקֵיד לְאִתְּתֵיהּ, חֵטְא אִיהוּ, הָכֵי הוּא וַדַּאי, בְּגִין דְּגָרַע יְקַר זִוּוּגָא עִלָּאָה, דְּאִזְדַּוְוגַת בֵּיהּ וּדְבִיתְהוּ גָּרְמָא לֵיהּ.

Brit (Covenant) Covenant (Brit) Holiness (Kedushah) Kedushah (Holiness) Peace Precepts Shabbat Shechinah Sin Soul, The Tents

228. The second REASON WHY HE SHOULD GLADDEN HIS WIFE is that if his wife conceives in consequence of this mating, the supernal mating endows her with a holy soul. For this covenant OF THE SUPERNAL MATE THAT ENDOWS THE HOLY SOUL is the covenant of the Holy One, blessed be He. BY THIS MATING WITH HIS WIFE, HE CAUSES THE MATING OF THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, WITH HIS SHECHINAH. It behooves one, then, to concentrate on that joy, as one should concentrate on mating on Shabbat, which is the sages' mating, THAT IS, THE HOLINESS OF THE MATING WHEN ONE RETURNS FROM A JOURNEY EQUALS THE HOLINESS OF THE MATING ON SHABBAT EVE. Hence, the quotation, "you shall know that your tent is at peace," indicates that you will know the Shechinah is with you and has settled on your home. Hence, "...and you shall visit your habitation and not sin," means that you should not sin by refraining from intercourse before the Shechinah, which is the joy in a precept, NAMELY ONE MUST NOT PREVENT THE UNION OF THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, WITH HIS SHECHINAH, THROUGH WHICH A SOUL CAN BE ENDOWED. THIS IS A GREAT SIN.

228. וְחַד דְּאִי מִתְעַבְּרָא אִתְּתֵיהּ, זִוּוּגָא עִלָּאָה אֲרִיקַת בָּהּ, נִשְׁמָתָא קַדִּישָׁא, דְּהַאי בְּרִית אִקְרֵי בְּרִית דְּקֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְעַל דָּא בָּעֵי לְכַוְונָא, בְּחֶדְוָותָא דָא כְּמָה דְבָעֵי בְּחֶדְוָותָא דְשַׁבָּת, דְּאִיהוּ זִוּוּגָא דַחֲכִּימִין, וְעַל דָּא, וְיָדַעְתָּ כִּי שָׁלוֹם אָהֳלֶךָ, דְּהָא שְׁכִינְתָּא אַתְיָא עִמָּךְ, וְשָׁרְיָא בְּבֵיתָךְ, וְעַל דָא וּפָקַדְתָּ נָוֶךָ וְלֹא תֶחֱטָא, מַאי וְלֹא תֶחֱטָא, לְשַׁמָּשָׁא קַמֵּי שְׁכִינְתָּא, חֶדְוָותָא דְמִצְוָה.

Female Male Shabbat Shechinah Soul, The Torah

229. Similarly, the great scholars abstain from their wives all weekdays, so as not to be distracted from their full occupation with Torah. The supernal mate consorts with them, and THE SHECHINAH does not leave them, so that they remain male and female. And when Shabbat comes, these scholars have to please their wives for the honor of the supernal mate, as we have explained, CAUSING THE SUPERNAL MATE TO ENDOW THEM WITH HOLY SOULS. They should meditate on their Master's desire.

229. כְּגַוְונָא דָא, תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים, דְּמִתְפָּרְשָׁן מִנְּשַׁיְיהוּ, כָּל אִינוּן יוֹמִין דְּשַׁבַּתָּא, בְּגִין לְאִתְעַסְּקָא בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, זִוּוּגָא עִלָּאָה אִזְדַּוַּוג בְּהוֹ, וְלָא מִתְפָּרְשָׁא מִנַּיְיהוּ, בְּגִין דְּיִשְׁתְּכַח דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָא. כֵּיוָן דְּעָאל שַׁבָּת, בָּעְיָין תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים, לְחַדְתָּא לִדְבִיתְהוּ, בְּגִין יְקַר זִוּוּגָא עִלָּאָה, וּלְכַוְּונָא לִבַּיְיהוּ, בִּרְעוּתָא דְּמָארֵיהוֹן כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמָר.

Female Male Precepts Purification

230. Similarly, the supernal mate joins with a man whose wife is on her unclean days and who dutifully abides by the laws of family purity all those days, so that he remains male and female. And when his wife is purified, he is obligated to rejoice with her, with the joy in a precept, the joy of the supernal. All the reasons we have discussed reach the same conclusion: the main objective is that the faithful must concentrate in their heart and wishes on.

230. כְּגַוְונָא דָא, הַאי מַאן דְּאִתְּתֵיהּ בְּיוֹמֵי מְסָאֲבוּ דִילָהּ, וְנָטֵיר לָהּ כִּדְקָא יָאוֹת, כָּל אִינוּן יוֹמִין, זִוּוּגָא עִלָּאָה אִזְדַּוַּוג בַּהֲדֵיהּ, דְּיִשְׁתְּכַח דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָא, כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְדְּכִיאַת אִתְּתֵיהּ, בָּעֵי לְחַדְתָּא לָהּ, חֶדְוָה דְמִצְוָה, חֶדְוָה עִלָּאָה, וְכָלְהוֹ טַעֲמֵי דְּקָא אֲמָרָן בְּחַד דַּרְגָא סָלְקִין. סְתָמָא דְמִלָּה כָּל אִינוּן בְּנֵי מְהֵימְנוּתָא, בָּעֳיָין לְכַוְּונָא, לִבָּא וּרְעוּתָא בְּהַאי.

Candles Merit Sarah Shechinah Tents

231. One may say that a man is more praiseworthy while journeying than when he is at home, because the supernal mate embraces him WHILE HE IS ON HIS WAY. Come and behold: When a man is at home, the foundation of the house is the wife, because of whom the Shechinah does not leave the house. As we have learned, it is written that when "He brought her to the tent of his mother Sarah" (Beresheet 24:67), the candle was rekindled, AS IT WAS WHEN SARAH, HIS MOTHER, WAS ALIVE. That is because the Shechinah came to the house FOR HIS WIFE'S MERIT. THE SHECHINAH, THEREFORE, DWELLS IN THE HOUSE BECAUSE OF THE WIFE'S MERIT.

231. וְאִי תֵימָא, אִי הָכֵי, שִׁבְחָא הוּא דְּבַר נָשׁ, כַּד נָפֵיק לְאָרְחָא, יַתִּיר מִן בֵּיתֵיהּ, בְּגִין זִוּוּגָא עִלָּאָה דְאִזְדַּוְוגַת בַּהֲדֵיהּ. תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּזִמְנָא דְבַר נָשׁ הוּא בְּבֵיתֵיהּ, עִקְּרָא דְּבֵיתָא דְּבִיתְהוּ, בְּגִין דִּשְׁכִינְתָא לָא אִתְעַדֵּי מִן בֵּיתָא, בְּגִין דְּבִיתְהוּ, כְּמָה דְּתָנִינָן, דִּכְתִיב וַיְבִיאֶהָ יִצְחָק הָאֹהֱלָה שָׂרָה אִמּוֹ, דִּשְׁרַגָּא אִתְדְּלָקַת, מַאי טַעְמָא, בְּגִין דִּשְׁכִינְתָא אָתַת לְבֵיתָא.