"And found no water"

Synopsis

"And they marched three days in the wilderness, and found no water;" "water" means the Torah, which had not yet been given to them. Rabbi Elazar says that is true, and that Torah is the Holy One, blessed be He. When they came to the bitter water of Marah, "Hashem showed him a tree;" the "tree" means Torah, and it means the Holy One, blessed be He. It was when they arrived at Marah that they entered fully into the Covenant with God, where "He made for them a statute and an ordinance."

Torah Water

Elazar Torah Water

346. אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, אִינּוּן נָפְקוּ לְמַדְבְּרָא לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא נָטַל זִיוָא יְקָרָא דִּילֵיהּ מִתַּמָּן, וְאִינּוּן אָזְלוּ לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בֵּיהּ, וְלָא אַשְׁכְּחוּהוּ. וְאוֹלִיפְנָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא תּוֹרָה אִקְרֵי, וְאֵין מַיִם אֶלָּא תּוֹרָה, וְאֵין תּוֹרָה אֶלָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא.

Marah Soul, The Water

347. Rabbi Shimon said, While they were still traveling in the wilderness, a different government of the other nations, appeared to them, namely, that one which dominates the wilderness, and it met them there. Then Yisrael saw that it was not the precious splendor of their King. This is what is meant by, "And when they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah" (Shemot 15:28). Why? "For they were bitter." Their souls were not gratified, as before. And even more, he had come to accuse them.

347. אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, עַד דַּהֲווֹ אַזְלֵי בְּמַדְבְּרָא, אִתְגְּלֵי עָלַיְיהוּ רְשׁוּתָא אַחֲרָא, דִּשְׁאַר עַמִּין, הַהוּא דְּשָׁלִיט בְּמַדְבְּרָא, וְאִעֲרָעוּ בְּהוּ תַּמָּן. חָמוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל, דְּלָא הֲוָה הַהוּא זִיוָא יְקָרָא דְּמַלְכֵּיהוֹן, הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב, וַיָּבֹאוּ מָרָתָה וְלֹֹא יָכְלוּ לִשְׁתּוֹת מַיִם מִמָּרָה. מ"ט. כִּי מָרִים הֵם, לָא אִתְבְּסָם נַפְשַׁיְיהוּ כְּקַדְמִיתָא. וְלֹֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא דְּאָתֵי לְקַטְרְגָא עָלַיְיהוּ.

Torah Tree Tree of Life Waters Zeir Anpin

348. It is written, "And he cried to Hashem, and Hashem showed him a tree" (Ibid. 25). A "tree" means only Torah, as it is written, "She is a Tree of Life to those who lay hold on her" (Mishlei 3:18). And Torah means the Holy One, blessed be He. Rabbi Aba said, "Tree" means the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is written, "For a man is the tree of the field" (Devarim 20:19). The "tree of the field," assuredly is the tree of the Field of the Holy Apples, MEANING THIS FIELD IS MALCHUT. "THE TREE OF THE FIELD" REFERS TO ZEIR ANPIN, HER HUSBAND. And when the splendor of the glory of the King appeared over them, then, "when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet" (Shemot 15:25). What is the meaning of, "and the waters were made sweet?" It means that the Accuser has become an advocate.

348. מַה כְּתִיב, וְיִצְעַק אֶל יְיָ' וַיּוֹרֵהוּ יְיָ' עֵץ, וְאֵין עֵץ אֶלָּא תּוֹרָה, דִּכְתִּיב עֵץ חַיִּים הִיא לַמַּחֲזִיקִים בָּהּ. וְאֵין תּוֹרָה, אֶלָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. רִבִּי אַבָּא אָמַר, אֵין עֵץ אֶלָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דִּכְתִּיב כִּי הָאָדָם עֵץ הַשָּׂדֶה, עֵץ הַשָּׂדֶה וַדַּאי, דָּא עֵץ שָׂדֶה דְּתַפּוּחִין קַדִּישִׁין. וְכַד אִתְגְּלֵי זִיו יְקָרָא דְּמַלְכֵּהוֹן עָלַיְיהוּ, כְּדֵין וַיַּשְׁלֵךְ אֶל הַמַּיִם וַיִּמְתְּקוּ הַמָּיִם. מַאי וַיִּמְתְּקוּ הַמָּיִם. דְּקַטֵּיגוֹרָא אִתְעָבֵיד סַנֵּיגוֹרָא.

Brit (Covenant) Circumcision Covenant (Brit) Food Jacob Maidens Marah Mochin Staff Tree

349. Rabbi Aba said, Come and behold. When Yisrael first entered into the Covenant of the Holy One, blessed be He, they did not enter properly. Why? Because they circumcised but did not uncover, thus the holy sign was not revealed. But when they arrived here, TO MARAH, it is written, "There He made for them a statue and an ordinance" (Shemot 15:25), WHICH MEANS that Yisrael entered into the two holy parts, MALCHUT AND YESOD, WHICH THEY MERITED BY THE CIRCUMCISION AND MEMBRANE UNCOVERING. In that revealing, in which their sign was uncovered and revealed, they were called 'a statute and an ordinance.' Statute (Heb. chok) IS MALCHUT, as it is written, "And gives food to her household, and a portion (Heb. chok) to her maidens" (Mishlei 31:15). IT ENCOMPASSES MALCHUT AND ALLUDES TO CIRCUMCISION. "Ordinance" as it is written, "An ordinance of Elohim of Jacob" (Tehilim 81:5). THIS IS YESOD, ALLUDING TO MOCHIN THAT ARE REVEALED THROUGH THE MEMBRANE UNCOVERING THAT IS CALLED 'ORDINANCE.' "And there He tested them," namely with His holy sign. SINCE IT IS A STATUTE, IT CAN BE TESTED, as it is written, "For this is a statute for Yisrael." Rabbi Yiba Saba (the elder) said in his book: It refers to that holy staff, REGARDING WHICH IS SAID, "AND HASHEM SHOWED HIM A TREE."

349. אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא, תָּא חֲזֵי בְּקַדְמֵיתָא כַּד עָאלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּקַיָימָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, לָא עָאלוּ כַּדְקָא יֵאוֹת. מַאי טַעֲמָא. בְּגִין דְּאִתְגְּזָרוּ וְלָא אִתְפְּרָעוּ, וְלָא אִתְגַּלְּיָיא רְשִׁימָא קַדִּישָׁא. כֵּיוָן דְּמָטוּ הָכָא, מַה כְּתִיב, שָׁם שָׂם לוֹ חֹק וּמִשְׁפָּט. תַּמָּן עָאלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּתְרֵין חוּלָקִין קַדִּישִׁין, בְּהַהוּא גִּלּוּיָא דְּאִתְגַּלְיָא רְשִׁימָא דִּלְהוֹן, וְאִקְרוּן חֹק וּמִשְׁפָּט. חֹק: כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמַר וַתִּתֵּן טֶרֶף לְבֵיתָהּ וְחֹק לְנַעֲרוֹתֶיהָ. וּמִשְׁפָּט: כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר מִשְׁפַּט לֵאלֹֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב. וְשָׁם נִסָּהוּ, בְּהַהוּא אָת קַדִּישָׁא. כד"א, כִּי חֹק לְיִשְׂרָאֵל הוּא. בְּסִפְרָא דְּרַב יֵיבָא סָבָא, אָמַר מִלָּה עַל הַהוּא חוּטְרָא קַדִּישָׁא.