Beshalach: Chapter 18

"Hashem is a man of war"

Synopsis

Rabbi Shimon says that the "Book of the Wars of Hashem" means the wars of Torah, which are peace and love rather than quarrels and destruction. Then he turns to "Seek out the Book of Hashem, and read," saying that all the powers and strengths that the Holy One, blessed be He, has are dependent on that Book, that is Malchut, and emerge from there. When His powers and wars are provoked, the Judgments of the right side and the Judgments of the left side arouse mighty deeds; then "Hashem is a Man of war."

Arnon Torah War

251. "Hashem is a man of war, Hashem is His name." Rabbi Aba opened the discussion, saying: "Wherefore is said in the book of the wars of Hashem, Vahev in Sufah and the rivers of Arnon" (Bemidbar 21:14). How much must we observe on the words of Torah, how much must we concentrate on every word, for you have not one word in the Torah that does not allude to the Holy Supernal Name. And there is no word in the Torah that does not have many secrets, many senses, many sources, and many branches.

251. יְיָ' אִישׁ מִלְחָמָה יְיָ' שְׁמוֹ. רִבִּי אַבָּא פָּתַח עַל כֵּן יֵאָמַר בְּסֵפֶר מִלְחֲמוֹת יְיָ' אֶת וָהֵב בְּסוּפָה וְאֶת הַנְּחָלִים אַרְנוֹן. כַּמָה אִית לָן לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בְּפִתְגָּמֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא, כַּמָה אִית לָן לְעַיְּינָא בְּכָל מִלָּהָא, דְּלֵית לָךְ מִלָּה בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, דְּלָא אִתְרְמִיזָא בִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה, וְלֵית לָךְ מִלָּה בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, דְּלֵית בָּהּ כַּמָּה רָזִין, כַּמָּה טַעֲמִין, כַּמָּה שָׁרָשִׁין, כַּמָּה עֲנָפִין.

Destruction Love Peace Torah War

252. Here we should observe what is written, "Wherefore is said in the book of the wars of Hashem." HE ASKS, Where is "the book of the wars of Hashem?" HE ANSWERS, This is what the friends explained. Every person who wages war in Torah merits an increase in peace at the end of his words. All the wars of the world are quarrels and destruction, and all the wars of Torah are peace and love. This is what is meant by, "Wherefore is said in the book of the wars of Hashem," NAMELY THE WARS OF TORAH. "Vahev in Sufah," meaning love (Heb. ahavah) at its end (Heb. sufah). For you have no other love and peace except this.

252. הָכָא אִית לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא, ע"כ יֵאָמַר בְּסֵפֶר מִלְחֲמוֹת יְיָ,' וְכִי סֵפֶר מִלְחֲמוֹת יְיָ,' אָן הוּא. אֶלָּא הָכִי אִתְּעָרוּ חַבְרַיָּיא, כָּל מַאן דְּאַגָּח קְרָבָא בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, זָכֵי לְאַסְגָּאָה שְׁלָמָא בְּסוֹף מִלּוֹי. כָּל קְרָבִין דְּעָלְמָא, קְטָטָה וְחֻרְבָּנָא. וְכָל קְרָבִין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, שְׁלָמָא וּרְחִימוּתָא, הה"ד עַל כֵּן יֵאָמַר בְּסֵפֶר מִלְחֲמוֹת יְיָ' אֶת וָהֵב בְּסוּפָה, כְּלוֹמַר, אַהֲבָה בְּסוּפָה. דְּלֵית לָךְ אַהֲבָה וּשְׁלָמָא בַּר מֵהַאי.

Torah

253. But the question remains standing, for it is written, "Wherefore it is said in the book of the wars of Hashem," AND IF IT REFERS TO THE WARS IN TORAH, it should have said 'in the Torah of the wars of Hashem' What is the meaning of "in the book?" HE ANSWERS, It is a supernal secret. The Holy One, blessed be He, has a place which is called 'book,' WHICH IS MALCHUT, as it is written, "Seek out of the book of Hashem, and read" (Yeshayah 34:16). All the powers and strengths that the Holy One, blessed be He, has originate from that book, and from there they emerge.

253. תּוּ קַשְׁיָא בְּאַתְרֵיהּ. ע"כ יֵאָמַר בְּסֵפֶר מִלְחֲמוֹת יְיָ,' בְּתוֹרַת מִלְחֲמוֹת יְיָ' מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ, מַאי בְּסֵפֶר. אֶלָּא רָזָא עִלָּאָה הוּא, אֲתָר אִית לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דְּאִקְרֵי סֵפֶר כד"א, דִּרְשׁוּ מֵעַל סֵפֶר יְיָ' וְקָרְאוּ. דְּכָל חֵילִין וּגְבוּרָן דְּעָבֵיד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, בְּהַהוּא סֵפֶר תַּלְיָין, וּמִתַּמָּן נָפְקִין.

Deeds Grades Seas

254. "Vahev in Sufah." HE ASKS, What is Vahev? HE ANSWERS, All the strengths and all these mighty deeds that the Holy One, blessed be He, has come from that book, WHICH IS MALCHUT. When the Holy One, blessed be He, wages His wars, it is in one place which is the end of the levels, called 'Vahev,' as it is written, "The leech has two daughters, crying, 'Give, give (Heb. hav-hav)" (Mishlei 30:15). THEY ARE THE PLACE OF PUNISHMENTS UNDERNEATH MALCHUT. "In Sufah" means that it is at the end (Heb. sof) of the levels. Sufah is called the 'Red (Heb. suf) Sea,' MALCHUT, MEANING the sea that is the end of all the levels.

254. אֶת וָהֵב בְּסוּפָה, מַאן וָהֵב. אֶלָּא כָּל אִינּוּן חֵילִין, וְכָל אִינּוּן גְּבוּרָאן דְּעָבֵיד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, בְּהַהוּא סֵפֶר תַּלְיָין. וְכַד אַגָּח קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא קְרָבוֹי, בְּחַד אֲתָר דְּאִיהוּ בְּסוֹפָא דְּדַרְגִּין, וְאִקְרֵי וָהֵב. כד"א לַעֲלוּקָה שְׁתֵּי בָּנוֹת הַב הַב. בְּסוּפָה: בְּסוֹף דַּרְגִּין אִשְׁתְּכַח. בְּסוּפָה: יָם סוֹף אִתְקְרֵי, יָם דְּאִיהוּ סוֹף לְכָל דַּרְגִּין.

Aba and Ima Arnon Deeds Eden Fifty Gates Hebrew Letters Ima Light Love Rivers Strength

255. "And the wadis of Arnon" MEANS with the rivers that come and are drawn TO MALCHUT, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF "VAHEV IN SUFAH," from that highest place which is called "Arnon." What is Arnon? It is the supernal union of love that never separates, WHICH IS THE UNION OF THE SUPERNAL ABA AND IMA. As you say, "And a river went out of Eden" (Beresheet 2:10). A RIVER, WHICH IS BINAH, AND EDEN, WHICH IS CHOCHMAH, ARE COLLECTIVELY CALLED 'ABA AND IMA,' BECAUSE ARNON IS COMPOSED OF THE LETTERS OF OR-NUN ('THE LIGHT OF FIFTY'), NAMELY THE LIGHT OF THE FIFTY GATES OF BINAH. This way its roots are rooted, and its branches OF MALCHUT grow so as to do battles in every place, perform deeds of strength and might, and show the greatest dominion and majesty.

255. וְאֶת הַנְּחָלִים אַרְנוֹן וְעִם נַחְלַיָיא דְּאִשְׁתָּכְחוּ וְאַתְנֶגִידוּ. לְגַבֵּיה, מֵהַהוּא אֲתָר עִלָּאָה, דְּאִקְרֵי אַרְנוֹן מַאי אַרְנוֹן. זִוּוּגָא עִלָּאָה דַּחֲבִיבוּתָא, דְּלָא מִתְפָּרְשָׁאן לְעָלְמִין, כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר וְנָהָר יוֹצֵא מֵעֵדֶן. וּבְדָא, מִשְׁתָּרְשָׁן שָׁרָשׁוֹי, וְאִתְרְבִיאוּ עֲנָפָיו, לְאוֹשָטָא קְרָבוֹי בְּכָל אֲתָר, לְאוֹשָטָא חֵילִין וּגְבוּרָאן, וּלְאִתְחֲזָאָה שׁוּלְטָנָא רַבָּא וְיַקִּירָא דְּכֹלָּא.

Deeds Seas Ships Stones Sword War

256. Come and behold, when the powers and wars of the Holy One, blessed be He, are provoked, many Prosecutors of Judgments are stirred on every side. Then spears, WHICH ARE THE SECRET OF JUDGMENTS OF THE RIGHT SIDE, and sharp swords, WHICH ARE THE JUDGMENTS OF THE LEFT SIDE, arouse mighty deeds. The sea becomes agitated and its waves rise and fall, and the ships that tread and sail on the sea scatter to all sides. The war escalates with catapult stones, spears-men, and swordsmen. Then it is written, "Your arrows are sharp" (Tehilim 45:6). And the Holy One, blessed be He, strengthens Himself with His powers to wage war. Woe to those against whom the Holy King provokes war. It is then written, "Hashem is a man of war" (Shemot 15:3).

256. ת"ח, כַּד מִתְעָרִין גְּבוּרָאן וּקְרָבִין דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, כַּמָּה גַּרְדִּינֵי טְהִירִין, מִתְעָרִין לְכָל עִיבָר, כְּדֵין שַׁנְּנָן רוּמְחִין, וְסַיְיפִין, וּמִתְעָרִין גְּבוּרָאן, וְיַמָּא אִתְרְגִישַׁת וְגַלְגַּלּוֹי סַלְּקִין וְנַחְתִּין, וְאַרְבִין דְּאַזְלִין וְשָׁאטָן בְּיַמָּא, לְכָל עִיבָר מִסְתַּלְּקִין. שִׁנָּנָא קְרָבָא בְּאַבְנֵי בַּלִּסְטְרָאוֹת, מָארֵי דְּרוֹמְחִין וְסַיְיפִין, כְּדֵין חִצֶּיךָ שְׁנוּנִים וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְתָּקִיף בְּחֵילוֹי, וּלְאִתְעֲרָא קְרָבָא. וַוי לְאִינוּן דְּמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא יִתְעָר עָלַיְיהוּ קְרָבָא. כְּדֵין כְּתִיב, יְיָ' אִישׁ מִלְחָמָה.

Hebrew Letters War Wicked Wickedness

257. From this PASSAGE, "HASHEM IS A MAN OF WAR," from these letters and from this passage emerge lines of warriors against these wicked people and these enemies who sinned against the Holy One, blessed be He. The secret of the letters is revealed to these men of Truth. These things are explained and elucidated, and we have already learned this.

257. וּמֵהָכָא, וּמֵאִינּוּן אַתְוָון, וּמֵהַאי קְרָא, נָפְקִין טוּרֵי קְרָבָא לְאִינוּן חַיָּיבַיָּא, לְאִילֵּין מָארֵי דְּבָבוּ דְּחָבוּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. וְאַתְוָון אִתְגַּלְּיָין לְאִינוּן מָארֵי קְשׁוֹט, וְהָא אִתְפָּרְשָׁן מִלִּין וְהָא אִתְּמַר.

Earth Fire Heaven Tetragrammaton War Yud Hei Vav Hei (YHVH) Zeir Anpin

258. "Hashem is a Man of War, Hashem is His Name." HE ASKS, Since it is written, "Hashem is a man of war," do I not know that "Hashem is His Name?" HE ANSWERS, But it is written, "And Hashem rained upon Sodom and upon Amorah brimstone and fire from Hashem out of heaven" (Beresheet 11:24), IN WHICH "AND HASHEM" MEANS YUD HEI VAV HEI AND HIS COURT OF JUSTICE, WHICH IS MALCHUT. THEREFORE, IT SAYS AFTERWARDS, "FROM HASHEM." HERE TOO, "HASHEM IS A MAN OF WAR" MEANS YUD HEI VAV HEI AND, "HASHEM IS HIS NAME," MEANS MALCHUT. For all comes from that book, WHICH IS MALCHUT, as it is written, "The heaven will reveal his iniquity" (Iyov 20:27), MEANING ZEIR ANPIN, CALLED 'HEAVEN.' "And the earth shall rise up against him," MEANS MALCHUT THAT IS CALLED 'EARTH.'

258. יְיָ' אִישׁ מִלְחָמָה יְיָ' שְׁמוֹ. כֵּיוָן דִּכְתִּיב יְיָ' אִישׁ מִלְחָמָה, לָא יְדַעְנָא דַּיְיָ' שְׁמוֹ. אֶלָּא, כְּמָה דִּכְתִּיב וַיְיָ' הִמְטִיר עַל סְדוֹם וְעַל עֲמוֹרָה גָּפְרִית וָאֵשׁ מֵאֵת יְיָ' מִן הַשָּׁמָיִם. וְכֹלָּא בְּהַאי סֵפֶר תַּלְיָין, כד"א יְגַלּוּ שָׁמַיִם עֲוֹנוֹ וְאֶרֶץ מִתְקוֹמָמָה לוֹ.

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