Chayei Sarah: Chapter 12

The serpent of the firmament

Synopsis

The stars of the Milky Way - called here 'the serpent of the firmament' - perform a special function in the lives of men, assisting both those who wish to be purified, and those who wish to defile themselves.

Rabbi Yitzchak and Rabbi Yosi discuss the evil sorcerer, Bilaam the. From their discussion we learn that the primordial serpent is the source of all enchantment and magic. It is in sorcery that the seeds of defilement lie. Those who wish to cast spells draw to themselves the unholy spirit, just as anyone wishing to do good will draw the Light.

Relevance

The stars that glint in the heavens are portals through which spiritual influences enter this material existence. The structure of electricity helps us understand their role, Electrical current can light entire cities. The same current, however, can also cause great destruction. The manner in which we employ the energy, determines its positive or destructive quality, but the nature of the energy never changes. Man was given free will to choose how to draw spiritual energy - via the Desire to Receive for the Self Alone, or the Desire to Receive for the Sake of Sharing. This passage summons up forces that awaken us to the dual nature of our desires, impelling us to seek purification rather than defilement.

Astrology Deeds Firmaments Mountains Serpent Stars

71. Come and behold, In the middle of the firmament is a glowing trail. This is the serpent of the firmament THAT ASTRONOMERS CALL THE MILKY WAY. All the small stars are attached to it in groups, THAT IS, THEY ARE GATHERED AND STAND IN IT LIKE COUNTLESS MOUNTAINS. They are in charge of the secret deeds of the inhabitants of the world.

71. וְתָא חֲזֵי, בְּאֶמְצָעוּת דִּרְקִיעָא, אִתְקַטַּר חַד אוֹרְחָא קַסְטְרִירָא. וְאִיהוּ חִוְיָא דִּרְקִיעָא, דְּכָל כֹּכָבִין דַּקִּיקִין, כָּלְהוֹ קְטִירִין בֵּיהּ, וְקָיְימֵי בֵּיהּ, תִּלֵּי תִּלִּין, וְאִינוּן מְמַנָּן בִּסְתִירוּ עוֹבָדֵי בְּנֵי עָלְמָא.

Adam Deeds Klipot (Shells – Negativity) Lights Purification Serpent Shells (Klipot)

72. Similarly, there are bunches of lights of Klipot that come into the world from the supernal primordial serpent that seduced Adam. They are appointed to learn the secret deeds of the world. Therefore, when a man wishes to be purified, he receives help from above, and the help of his Master encircles and protects him. He is then called 'holy.'

72. כְּגַוְונָא דָא, כַּמָּה חֲבִילֵי טְהִירִין, נָפְקֵי לְעַלְמָא, מֵהַאי חִוְיָא עִלָּאָה קַדְמָאָה, דְּאִתְפַּתָּא בֵּיהּ אָדָם, וְכָלְהוֹ מְמַנָּן בִּסְתִירוּ עוֹבָדֵי עַלְמָא, וּבְגִין כָּךְ, אָתֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְאִתְדַּכָּאָה, מְסַיְיעִין לֵיהּ מִלְּעֵילָא, וְסִיּוּעָא דְּמָארֵיהּ סַחֲרָא לֵיהּ, וְאִסְתַּמַּר וְאִקְרֵי קָדוֹשׁ.

Deeds Klipot (Shells – Negativity) Lights Serpent Shells (Klipot)

73. If a man wishes to be defiled, several groups of lights of Klipot are waiting for him. They all hover about and around him. They defile him, so he is called unholy. They go before him and proclaim, Unholy, unholy, as it is written, "And shall cry, 'Unclean, unclean'" (Vayikra 17:45). They are all connected to the primordial serpent and are hidden in the deeds of the people of the world.

73. אָתֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְאִסְתָּאֲבָא, כַּמָּה חֲבִילִין טְהִירִין אִזְדַּמְּנוּ לֵיהּ וְכֻלְהוּ שַׁרְיָין בֵּיהּ, וּמְסַחֲרִין לֵיהּ, וּמְסָאֲבִין לֵיהּ, וְאִקְרֵי טָמֵא, וְכֻלְּהוּ אָזְלֵי, וּמַכְרְזֵי קַמֵּי, טָמֵא טָמֵא, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר וְטָמֵא טָמֵא יִקְרָא. וְכֻלְּהוּ קְטִירִין בְּהַהוּא חִיוְיָא קַדְמָאָה, וּסְתִירִין בְּכַמָּה עוֹבָדֵי עָלְמָא.

Balaam Evil Serpent Sorcery Witchcraft

74. Rabbi Yitzchak and Rabbi Yosi were walking from Tiberias to Lod. Rabbi Yitzchak said, I wonder about the evil man Bilaam. All he did was from the side of defilement. Here we learn a secret, which is that all kinds of sorcery and witchcraft of the world are connected and derive from the primordial serpent, which is the impure spirit of defilement. Therefore all enchantment (Heb. nechashim) is named AFTER THE PRIMORDIAL SERPENT (HEB. NACHASH). They all derive from that side, and anyone who is drawn to that MAGIC is defiled.

74. ר' יִצְחָק וְרִבִּי יוֹסֵי, הֲווֹ אָזְלֵי מִטְּבֶרְיָא לְלוֹד. אֲמַר ר' יִצְחָק, תְּוַוהֲנָא עַל הַהוּא רָשָׁע דְּבִלְעָם, דְּכָל עוֹבָדוֹי דְּהַהוּא רָשָׁע, הֲווֹ מִסִּטְרָא דִּמְסָאֲבָא. וְהָכָא אוֹלִיפְנָא רָזָא חָדָא, דְּכָל זִינֵי נְחָשַׁיָּא דְּעַלְמָא, כֻּלְּהוֹן מִתְקַטְּרָן וְנָפְקִין, מֵהַהוּא נָחָשׁ קַדְמוֹנִי, דְּאִיהוּ רוּחַ מְסָאֲבָא מְזוּהֲמָא, וּבְגִין כָּךְ, כָּל חָרֳשִׁין דְּעַלְמָא, אִקְרוּן עַל שְׁמָא דָא, נְחָשִׁים, וְכֻלְּהוּ מֵהַאי סִטְרָא נָפְקֵי. וּמַאן דְּאִתְמְשַׁךְ בְּהַאי הָא אִסְתָּאַב.

Holiness (Kedushah) Kedushah (Holiness)

75. Moreover, one must be impure to cast a spell. One has to draw upon oneself that side of the unholy spirit. As man is aroused from below, he draws upon himself from above. If he is aroused below on the side of holiness, he draws upon himself the supernal holiness and is sanctified. If he is aroused below on the side of defilement, he draws upon himself the spirit of defilement and becomes unholy. Upon this, they said that whoever wishes to be corrupted is corrupted.

75. וְלָא עוֹד, אֶלָּא דְּבָעֵי לְאִסְתָּאֲבָא, בְּגִין לְאַמְשָׁכָא עֲלֵיהּ הַהוּא סִטְרָא דְּרוּחַ מְסָאֲבָא. דְּהָא תָּנִינָן, כְּגַוְונָא דְּאִתְעַר בַּר נָשׁ, הָכֵי נָמֵי אַמְשֵׁיךְ עֲלֵיהּ מִלְּעֵילָא, אִי אִיהוּ אִתְעַר בְּסִטְרָא דִּקְדוּשָּׁה, אַמְשֵׁיךְ עֲלֵיהּ קְדוּשָּׁה מִלְּעֵילָא וְאִתְקַדַּשׁ. וְאִי אִיהוּ אִתְעַר, בְּסִטְרָא דִּמְסָאֲבָא, הָכֵי אַמְשֵׁיךְ עֲלֵיהּ רוּחַ מְסָאֲבָא, וְאִסְתָּאַב. דְּהָא אִתְּמָר, עַל מַה דְּתָנִינָן, אָתֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְאִסְתָּאֲבָא, מְסָאֲבִין לֵיהּ.

Ass (Donkey) Balaam Serpent Wicked Wickedness

76. For that purpose, the wicked Bilaam defiled himself nightly by mating with his ass in order to draw upon himself the unholy spirit from the supernal serpent, thereby drawing on himself the spirit of unholiness. Then he cast his spells and enchantments.

76. בְּגִין כָּךְ הַהוּא רָשָׁע דְּבִלְעָם, בְּגִין לְאַמְשָׁכָא עֲלֵיהּ רוּחַ מְסָאֲבָא, מֵהַהוּא נָחָשׁ עִלָּאָה, הֲוָה אִסְתָּאַב בְּכָל לֵילְיָא בַּאֲתָנֵיהּ, וַהֲוָה עָבֵיד עִמַּהּ עוֹבָדֵי אִישׁוּת, בְּגִין לְאִסְתָּאֲבָא, וּלְאַמְשָׁכָא עֲלֵיהּ רוּחַ מְסָאֲבָא, וּכְדֵין עֲבֵיד חֳרָשׁוֹי וְעוֹבָדוֹי.

Head Incense Offering Serpent

77. First he took one of the serpents, tied it in front of him, split his head, and removed its tongue. Then he took certain herbs and burned them to incense. He took the serpent's head, cut it into four pieces, and made from it another incense offering.

77. וְשֵׁירוּתָא דְּעוֹבָדוֹי הֲוֵי, נָטֵיל נָחָשׁ, מֵאִינוּן חִוְיָין, וְקָטִיר לֵיהּ קַמֵּיהּ, וּבְזַע רֵישֵׁיהּ, וְאַפֵּיק לִישָׁנֵיהּ וּנְטֵיל עִשְׂבִּין יְדִיעָן, וְאוֹקֵיד כֹּלָּא, וַעֲבֵיד מִנֵּיהּ קְטַרְתָּא חָדָא, לְבָתַר נְטֵיל רֵישָׁא דְהַהוּא חִוְיָא, וּבְזַע לֵיהּ לְאַרְבַּע סִטְרִין, וַעֲבֵיד מִנֵּיהּ קְטַרְתָּא אָחֳרָא.

Deeds Firmaments Serpent

78. He drew a circle round himself, uttered words, and performed other deeds until he drew to himself the spirits of defilement, who told him what he needed to know. He acted according to their information, which they knew from the side of that serpent in the firmament.

78. וַעֲבֵיד עִגּוּלָא חַד, וַהֲוָה אֲמַר מִלִּין, וַעֲבֵיד עוֹבָדִין אָחֳרָנִין, עַד דְּאַמְשֵׁיךְ עֲלֵיהּ רוּחִין מְסָאֲבִין, וְאוֹדִיעִין לֵיהּ, מַה דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ, וַעֲבֵיד בְּהוֹ עוֹבָדוֹי, כְּפוּם מַה דְּאִינוּן יָדְעֵי, מִסִּטְרָא דְהַהוּא חִוְיָא דִּרְקִיעָא. מִתַּמָּן אִתְמַשַּׁךְ בְּעוֹבָדוֹי וַחֲרָשׁוֹי, עַד דְּאַמְשֵׁיךְ עֲלֵיהּ רוּחַ, מֵהַהוּא נָחָשׁ קַדְמָאָה.

Serpent

79. This is how he acquired his knowledge, enchantments, and spells. For that reason, it is written, "He went not, as at other times, to seek for enchantments" (Bemidbar 24:1), which alludes to real snakes. As has already been explained, the essence and origin of defilement begins with the serpent.

79. וּמֵהָכָא הֲוָה יָדַע, יְדִיעָן, וָחֳרָשִׁין, וְקוֹסְמִין. וּבְגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב וְלֹא הָלַךְ כְּפַעַם בְּפַעַם לִקְרַאת נְחָשִׁים, נְחָשִׁים וַדַּאי, וְעִקְּרָא וְשָׁרְשָׁא בִּמְסָאֲבוּתָא אִיהוּ, כְּמָה דְאִתְּמָר, וּלְבָתַר שֵׁירוּתָא דְּכֹלָּא, לָאו אִיהוּ אֶלָּא בְּנָחָשׁ.

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